Alice in New Vestroia: Remastered

by ariace613

This is my first story, "Alice in New Vestroia" as a deluxe version. Better battles. Denser story. An alternate version that still works with my other stories.

16. Chapter 16

And I'm back. Sorry for the delay, but it's here. And I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Bakugan or the characters.

XXX

Chapter 16: Two Worlds Collide

It started in a very remote area of New Vestroia, a mountainous region within the range of Beta City's Dimension Controller. The darkened sky had barely any clouds to be seen, and the air was cool and slightly damp.

Seemingly out of nowhere, with the sound of thunder, a circular portal opened up on the area. It remained open and stable for far longer than needed for the two teenage passengers to finish leaping through, and land on the other side.

Runo landed on her feet, with the momentum carrying her forward a step. Julie, by contrast, lost her balance and almost fell, but Runo managed to catch her.

"That was too close", Julie remarked. "Thanks, Runo."

Runo smiled. "No problem." After helping Julie stand up, she let go. A brief glance around left her in wonder. "So, this is New Vestroia."

Julie looked around, herself, and gained similar awe. "It's incredible…"

They were indeed in the middle of a mountain range. They, themselves, were nearer to the base of a mountain, luckily at the edge of the range, but they could still see most of the other mountains.

The two tallest ones were snowcapped, with the frozen substance a clear white. All of them were filled with caves and caverns. Some were small, but others could easily fit a full sized Bakugan within them.

And speaking of full sized Bakugan…

"Where are all the Bakugan?", Julie asked. "I can't see a single one."

"It's probably got something to do with those Vestals", Runo reasoned. "We've got no idea what they can do. Maybe the Bakugan are all in ball form?"

Julie nodded. Before they could continue, they jumped as the portal behind them crackled and imploded into oblivion.

Runo looked back, then turned ahead once again with resolution. "No going back now."

"Any second thoughts, Runo?", Julie teased.

Runo smirked. "In your dreams, Julie."

Julie smirked back, then got serious. "I say we go down this mountain, then go looking for the others."

Runo straightened her stance. "Let's go."

As they finished their talk, the unmatched brightness of New Vestroia rose up, introducing twilight into the sky.

With merely themselves, the clothes on them, and a small amount of provisions, the two Battle Brawlers started making their way down the mountain. Of course, they were unaware that the very portal between Earth's dimension and the one they had transported into had alarming long term consequences. As it closed, it sent out a dimensional ripple that couldn't be seen, heard or felt. But it could be detected by Vestal radar.

And it was about to be.

XXX

Deep inside the main stronghold of Beta City, the compound around the battling arena where the Vexos had made their new primary operating base, the Vexos and their underlings were hard at work. The majority of the team were minding their own business, except for Mylene and Volt. Those two were keeping watch on the technicians that were managing their scanners.

"The Brawler incursion has recently left Alpha City's immediate area, and they're on their way here. I want eyes on them, immediately." Mylene's orders left the technicians no room for argument, and they worked as diligently as possible to follow those orders.

The Vexos, however, had more leeway to question things. "Why are we so worried about where they are?", Lync asked. "We already know they're coming here."

"But we don't know how long they'll take", Volt said, his look especially sour compared to usual. "If we can get eyes on them, we'll know where they are every step of the way."

"Precisely." Mylene voiced her confirmation. "Now, what do we have?"

One of the technicians looked back with a grimace. "We've narrowed down the search area to a 20 kilometer radius, but it's difficult to narrow it down further."

"What?", Mylene asked. "How is that possible? We've been tracking them for over two months now! And they've been stationary for the past week! How could we have just lost them?"

The technician flinched. "Uh… yeah…"

"Speak up", Volt huffed. His large muscled form was actually preferable, compared to Mylene's demanding presence.

The technician took a deep breath, and forced himself to speak. "We don't exactly know how we've been taking them. Not anymore. Whatever signal we were tracing had been wiped from our records."

"How is that even-?" Mylene was incredulous, until she realized what had happened. Spectra had programmed their taking algorithms to utilize the specific energy signature of Alice's transporter card, which they'd locked on due to get frequent transportations with it. But she wasn't using it as often anymore, figuring this out, and the signature had been recently wiped from the system.

Mylene wheeled around to the masked Pyrus battler. "Do you think this is funny, Spectra?! Impeding our efforts to discredit me? Just to embarrass me?!"

Spectra shrugged. "If my ability as a leader is inferior to yours, you should be more than capable of resolving this little issue yourself. Right?"

"Spectra…", Mylene began threateningly. "I could perceive this as a betrayal to the Vexos."

"That is, if you had any proof", Gus interceded. "Which you don't. Your baseless accusations aren't enough to convict Master Spectra of treason."

Mylene fumed, but she knew pressing the issue wasn't a smart play. She knew Spectra likely had one of his contacts wipe away the critical information. But, like Gus said, she had no proof. Even if Mylene had flimsy evidence at best, it would've been enough for Hydron to reprimand Spectra further. But she had nothing, so it wasn't possible.

"Miss Mylene!", a different technician called. "You should check this out."

Mylene recognized the station, and it wasn't part of their search for the insurgency. Still, she trod over. "This had better not be nothing."

"It isn't." The new technician pointed at his station's computer. "My post is meant to monitor New Vestroia's dimensional barrier, and I just found something rather unusual."

"Do tell", Volt said dryly as he approached.

"For a few seconds, there was a breach. Right here." He pointed to a spot on New Vestroia's map, in a northern section between Alpha and Beta Cities. "A rudimentary analysis told us the breach led to the same dimension as the ones from our arrival. And a couple weeks ago."

"Earth", Volt said. "It's the only dimension that fits."

"I agree", Mylene replied. "What could have caused the breach?"

"From what little we could examine before it disappeared, we learned the breach opened from the other side."

Spectra decided to pitch in his two cents. "It seems that the humans have finally rebuilt their means of extra dimensional travel. Which means the… esteemed… Dr. Michael Gehabich is involved."

The mentioning of Alice's guardian gained Mylene's attention. "And that means that more humans have come to New Vestroia."

"Who knows who it could be?", Lync chimed in, not really being very helpful. "It could be a guinea pig, or could be a child… it could be one of Alice's friends…"

"Or two of them", Volt said, snarling at Lync to shut him up. He faced Mylene and continued. "Runo and Julie are the only Battle Brawlers who we haven't seen yet. What if they came through just now?"

Mylene's face hardened. "I won't let any more humans interfere in Vestal affairs again. Battle Brawler or not." She made a snap decision. "Volt, Shadow. You two stay in Beta City. Continue the manhunt for the insurgents. Volt's in charge."

Volt bowed his head, and Shadow huffed uninterestedly.

Lync observed Shadow's nonchalance with great surprise. "No outburst?"

"No point." Shadow gained a feral grin. "Once the prof gives me my new favorite toy, then I'll have some real fun."

"Quiet", Mylene ordered. "Volt and Shadow, stay here. The rest of you, we're going to war." She turned to the exit and paced outside, leaving the others in her wake.

Lync grinned. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this", he said, before leaving the room after Mylene.

Spectra chuckled. "A new portal to Earth… yes. We can work with this."

"Master?" Even Gus wasn't sure what Spectra was talking about.

'How better than to force Dan Kuso into battle, than challenging him on his own home turf?' With a large part of how to make that confrontation happen planned out, the biggest hurdle left to Spectra was pulling it off. "Get Ace. You'll take him in your pod."

"Why?", Gus asked.

"We can turn this situation into an advantage for us, and we will." Spectra laid a hand on his former underling's shoulder. "Worry not. At the end of this, the ultimate power will be ours."

Gus smiled and nodded. "As you say."

"For now, we'll simply need a new plan. A change of scenery, if you will." Gus smirked as he realized Spectra's new plan. "Now get Ace; we're leaving imminently."

"Yes sir." Gus bowed to Spectra, then left the room to collect Ace.

Spectra chuckled as he marched out of the room. "Now, what is it that those humans say…?" He grinned. "Oh, yes. 'Cry havoc, and let loose the dogs of war.' "

XXX

Over in the Brawlers' temporary base, dawn was just breaking for them, too. Their trailer was still in base form, proving that the team wasn't yet ready to head out.

But they weren't totally inactive. Alice and Shun were already awake, and on the move. Alice was calmly preparing her own breakfast, and Shun was at the piloting section, looking down at the nearby landscape. The two were chose enough to easily communicate, and they were.

"What would you like for breakfast, Shun?", Alice asked.

"The usual", Shun said readily.

"Like he'd have anything else", Leonidas scoffed. "It's always the same, every day." He, Hydranoid and Ingram were all atop a table between Shun and Alice, showing them to join in on their conversation.

"It's important to keep a consistent routine. It helps maintain focus." Shun defended himself. "Better to think about the actual campaign against the Vexos than to think about mundane matters."

"You knew he'd say that", Ingram said to Leonidas. "Why'd you ask?"

"Don't have much else to do." Leonidas rotated his gal to look at Hydranoid. "Hey, Hydranoid. Want to spar?"

"Not today, Leonidas. Sorry." Hydranoid seemed somewhat apologetic, but he mostly said it to be polite.

The conversation really helped Alice's position. The decision to keep Spectra's identity from Shun sighed heavily on her. Shun was her closest confidante, and the secrecy was already taking its toll. She was fighting hard to keep it beneath the surface and pretend nothing was amiss, but she was sure that if there wasn't any idle chit chat, Shun would already have picked it up.

But it wasn't enough. With every second, her smile grew more and more forced. It was only a matter of time before Shun was altered to her body language. And once he was, Alice would have to make it clear she couldn't include him.

Thankfully, the Brawler duo and their Bakugan were interrupted by an unexpected surprise. Alice's body stiffened, and Hydranoid snarled as they felt an energy wave pass by them. Both of them recognized the sensation from the eve of Dan and Marucho's arrival. They were sure the dimensional barrier had been breached again.

"What is it?", Shun asked, alerted to their stiffening, if not the reason behind it."

"Check the radar", Alice told Shun. "Now."

Shun wasn't sure what was going on, but he followed her directions. Rushing to a monitor, he fired up a holographic map of New Vestroia. What he saw alarmed him.

"A ripple in the dimensions? How?"

"Get some eyes over there", Ingram suggested.

Shun nodded, hesitantly typing in some commands. "Why aren't Marucho and Baron awake yet? They usually handle these Vestal machines", he murmured a complaint.

Still, Shun managed to open another holographic screen, showing him and the incoming Alice, along with all their Bakugan, the area of the breach. They saw two very familiar faces, beginning a trek down the mountain.

"Runo… Julie…", said an amazed Alice. "Grandfather must have completed the Dimension Transporter system. I didn't think he'd be done for another month."

"He was more motivated", Hydranoid said. "He'd want to give you as much help as possible."

"That doesn't matter now", Shun declared. "Alice, can you transport yourself over there? Get them away quickly?"

Alice thought about it, then shook her head. "If what Spectra told me is true, the Vexos can track my transporter card's signal. It's possible that Runo and Julie can slip under their radar for now. But if I transport there, it's a guarantee that the Vexos will know. I don't think I can get Runo and Julie out in enough time to prevent us from being ambushed, and I definitely can't take the whole Vexos on alone."

Shun nodded, his face stern. "Then take the wheel, and start getting us over there. I'll sound the emergency alarm."

Alice quickly took the hell of the vehicle, making preparations to soft the base into its tank form. "Thankfully, Runo and Julie aren't too far away from us. We should be able to reach them soon."

"How soon?", Shun asked.

"20 minutes or so. Soon enough, I hope."

"It'll have to do." Shun pressed a red button on the wall, next to a speaker, and activated the base's intercom. "Wake up, now! We're in an emergency situation."

If Shun's blaring announcement didn't wake up the others, it was when their base shifted into its mobile form with all of the silence and subtlety of a volcanic eruption. Within two minutes, the others had congregated into the meeting room, where Shun was there to greet them.

"What's going on?", Dan asked, then yawned. "I was trying to sleep."

"You said there was an emergency", Mira said.

"There is." Shun stood straight as he briefed the others. "Julie and Runo have just arrived in New Vestroia, and we're going to go get them."

Dan's weariness vanished after hearing those words. "Really?" He shook his head to further wake himself up. "Then let's go!"

"We're already on our way", Shun told his longtime friend. "But don't expect this to be easy. Odds are the Vexos are also heading there. So get ready for another confrontation with them. You've got roughly 20 minutes."

The other four nodded agreement, quickly getting food out of their stores, collecting their gauntlets and beginning mental preparations for the upcoming battle.

The fight was about to begin.

XXX

Runo and Julie's progress down the mountain was slow going, to be briefly summarized. The descent was filled with steep declines, jagged rocks and actual cliffs. It was a miracle neither of them were seriously injured.

"Ah!", Julie shrieked as she tripped. She stumbled but caught herself, unfortunately scraping her left leg in the process.

"You okay?", Runo asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just a scratch." Julie managed a smile, but it was strained. "Nothing to worry about, Runo."

Runo nodded. "Well, this was definitely a bad place to show up." She jumped down a three foot fall, and helped Julie do the same. "Not making much progress from here."

"You thought about what we'll do once we're down the mountain?", Julie asked.

"The way I see it, these Vestals have some pretty good technology, right?" Runo didn't look at Julie; she focused more on the trek. "Meaning, they'll eventually realize we're here. They'll come after us. And I think Alice will be right behind them."

"Oh, that's smart!", Julie exclaimed. But then, she became less enthusiastic and more thoughtful, then afraid. "But won't that make us sitting ducks until the cavalry arrives? We don't have any Bakugan!"

"I know, Julie", Runo replied. "But there's nothing we can do about it. If I'm right, they're coming. We just need to hold out."

"Good luck to us", replied Julie, whose tone was unusually solemn, especially for her.

"Yeah, because I think they're coming." Runo pointed to their left, where a large translucent dome could just barely be made out. Three alien pods were flying from that direction, heading straight for them.

"Shouldn't we find cover?", Julie asked, starting to frantically look around them. "Like a cave or something? Maybe they'll miss us."

"I don't think that's possible, Julie." Runo pointed to the pods, which were already altering their path slightly to continue towards them. The two leading pods were scaling their mountain, giving them little more than a few seconds. "They already know we're here."

"Oh…." Julie forced herself to calm down. "I guess there's only one thing to do. Stand up and face the music."

"Come and get us, Vestals", Runo said, wholeheartedly agreeing with Julie. "We're not scared of you."

The two leading pods then were on them. So close to them, Runo and Julie could finally tell the colorings were black between both of them; yet one had dark red markings, and the other dark green. They hovered in the air, no longer in motion, and four humanoids were deposited from their underbellies.

Runo and Julie were instantly on guard. Three of the aliens didn't seem unnaturally menacing or dangerous, but the description definitely fit the masked Vestal's disposition.

Lync took the sidelines of the other three, eyeing Runo and Julie lecherously. "Wow, Earth sure does make 'em good. Got nothing on Alice, though."

Runo's face flushed as he realized the strange man was checking her and Julie out. "Cut that out, you pink haired creep!"

Gus chuckled at the language. Although he hadn't had much time with Dan, he saw his temper in Runo's front. "Yep, she's definitely spent way too much time with Dan."

"I'll be the judge of that, thank you very much", Runo retorted.

Julie took a step forward, balling her fist. "You're not going to stop us. We've faced worse than you."

"Yeah, but have you ever faced worse than us… without your Bakugan?" It was Ace that asked that question. "Think you can get past us without Tigrerra or Gorem?"

Julie stiffened after being called out. "Maybe", she begrudgingly countered.

"Then you're on a fool's errand", said Spectra, stepping forward and taking center stage. "I captured Tigrerra personally. You're outnumbered and outmatched, and help will not arrive in time. Surrender and cooperate. There's no alternative for you."

Runo barely heard him. All she could think of was his admission of capturing one of her oldest friends and battling partner. The admission repeated through her head like a broken record, and every time, she grew madder. "Well, why don't you come here and make us, tough guy?!"

"Very well then. Gus, Ace?"

At Spectra's call, his two subordinates brandished the gauntlets on their left arms, their right card taking out a card. The gauntlets' compartments opened up to admit the cards, then snapped shut. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, bright energy blades shot out of the gauntlets' noses. Ace's was a light purple, and Gus's was a distinct brown.

Gus lashed out his blade, instantly cleaving a nearby rock in two. He and Ace gained the smirks of a predator, ready to hunt.

"Yikes!", Julie yelped.

"Restrain them", Spectra ordered. "It's time to begin our plan."

"What are you talking about?", Runo demanded.

Spectra smirked knowingly. "Nothing you need to worry about. For the next immediate few minutes, that is." He beckoned Ace and Gus ahead.

The two ran at the human girls, restraining them within moments. They held them against themselves, and held their gauntlet blades to Runo and Julie's necks.

Runo was about to start struggling when she felt the distinct heat of Ace's laser blade nearly against her neck, just as Ace did the same to Julie.

"Try it", Ace warned dangerously.

Runo sucked in a breath, but didn't struggle. The bisected rock in front of her gave silent testimony to how much danger she and Julie were in.

"Julie, don't try anything", Runo muttered, hating the words coming out of her mouth.

"Don't have to tell me twice", Julie replied in a strained voice.

"Why are you doing this?", Runo asked Spectra.

"I have plans, Runo Misaki of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers." Spectra held up a tightened fist. "Right now, I don't need you. But I will in the very near future. Until then, don't make a fuss. Clear?"

"Crystal", Runo muttered harshly, as angry with Spectra as herself. 'Who the hell is this guy? He's as intimidating as Masquerade, and even more ruthless.'

"Excellent." Spectra stepped forward to look Runo straight in the eye. "Tell me, where is the portal you came from?"

XXX

The trailer carrying the Brawler Resistance kept rolling over the ground, at speeds only conceivable after taking into account Vestal's state of the art technology.

Baron was at the helm, sipping a nutrient drink for his "breakfast" and keeping an eye on the view screen. As soon as the mountain range got into view, leaving the trip would end in less than a minute, he pressed a button for the intercom. "We're here. Everyone ready?"

"Ready to go, Baron!", Dan called out to him. There was no dissenting objection.

"Good." At that time, they were close enough for Baron to see a black and blue Vestal pod near the base. "Because the Vexos are already here."

Less than a minute later, the trailer reached the foot of the mountain where the portal opened. The main entrance opened, and the six battlers inside marched out to face the music.

Mylene stood atop her pod, and crossed and a confident smirk on her face as she gazed them all down. "Hello there", she greeted tauntingly.

"Mylene Farrow", Shun said. "Here to pick up for your team after Alpha?"

"Low blow, ninja boy." Shun's own taunt was as effective against Mylene's attitude as a rubber bullet would be against a metal wall: it bounced away with no effect at all. "But I suppose it's accurate. Lync, Volt and Spectra were pathetic in the Alpha City arena."

"We've already proven that we can beat you", Mira said to Mylene. "Get out of our way, now."

"I'm not intimidated because you got lucky against my weaker allies." Mylene almost sounded offended. "And as for Spectra? Honestly, I'm downright applauding Spectra's defeat. But that won't force me away."

"Then I'll make you retreat, myself." Marucho walked ahead of his teammates. "Go on ahead, guys. I'll take Mylene."

Alice scrutinized Marucho's determined expression. "Are you sure, Marucho?", she asked him. "I know you battled Mylene before, but she's stronger now."

"She's not the only one." Marucho held up Elfin and Tripod Epsilon. "Now, go!"

The other five raced past Marucho, and even got past from under Mylene's pod without suffering any kind of obstruction to begin scaling the mountain.

Marucho raised an eyebrow, before both shot up as an exclamation of surprise. "Is this a trap?"

"How astute of you, Marucho." Mylene's mocking tone was grating on the ears, yet Marucho didn't react. "Of course it's a trap. Your Brawler friends are the bait. Spectra and his posse are the hook."

Marucho tightened his empty hand into a clenched fist. Already, he was calculating how his team would fare against the trio of Spectra, Gus and Ace. "Alice beat Spectra by herself. I don't think your hook will reel us in."

"That's not really your concern, little man."

"Why not?"

"Because your concern is how you'll survive this little battle." Mylene's cloak billowed in the win. "Just because your Vestal allies beat Lync and Volt, doesn't mean you're any match for me. But… surrender Elfin to my possession, and I'll let you go?"

Mylene didn't even want Elfin anymore. She was promising, but she lost; and Elico was far stronger anyway. No, Mylene heart wanted Marucho to feel the despair of losing a partner to her, and the rage at agreeing to the notion. It was all about pushing his buttons.

"Never!" Marucho's eyes blazed with sudden fury. "You scum might have taken Preyas away, but I won't lose another partner to you! Not without fighting with everything I have!"

"Now that's the spirit." Mylene's smirk widened maniacally, knowing her psychological tactics were working. She locked her gauntlet into her left arm, as Marucho did the same with his. "Gauntlet…"

"Power Strike!" Both gauntlets shone the identical blue of universal Aquos, syncing up and raging the nearby area for battle.

"Gate Card, set!" Mylene took the initiative, throwing down her card to begin the battle. She held up a single Bakugan to throw him in. "I'm sure Shun Kazami told you about my newest weapon, but that never compares to firsthand experience. So, behold the power of Aquos Elico! Bakugan, brawl!" The ball left her grasp to land on the ground, then opened itself up. "Aquos Elico, stand!"

Where the ball hit the ground, a bright blue flash lit up, momentarily blinding everyone. Elico quickly rose from the light, which died as he fully materialized.

"So that's Elico", Marucho remarked, marveling at the Bakugan. "Be careful out there, Elfin. He looks pretty dangerous."

"He's just one of Mylene's puppies", Elfin assured Marucho. "I can take him."

"Bakugan, brawl!" Marucho threw in Elfin after that. "Bakugan, stand! Let's go, Aquos Elfin!"

From a similar, albeit less intense, flash of blue light, Elfin rose in front of Marucho. She crouched into a fighting stance to fight against Elico. "Let's do this, fish-man!"

Elfin: 400

Elico: 500

"So you're still bothering with Elfin, after all." Mylene locked in an ability. "A weak Bakugan like her could never stand against Elico's raw power. This battle's already over, Brawler. Ability Activate! Hydro Blow!"

Elico extended both arms, aiming both at the two designated opponents. His eyes blazed as fiercely as ever, but the orange chest jewels began shining bright blue. His two arms started to collect moisture from both the air and from Elico's own body. The water pressure around both arms built to a fever pitch. Then, the water shot out in a duo of horizontal water tornados, both aiming directly at Elfin's current position.

Elfin: 400-200=200

Elico: 500+200=700

Marucho calmly loaded in an ability of his own. "This battle's nowhere near over! Ability Activate! Blue Shield!"

With as speedy a reaction as she could achieve, Elfin fully turned to the direction that the water torrents were currently closing in from outstretching both hands in response. Just in time, a blue bubble formed that surrounded Elfin protectively, shimmering as radiantly as sunlit water.

The twin water towns crashed against Elfin's transparent dome with all the force of high power dynamite, trying to bring down the shield. Yet seconds passed, then half a minute, then until Elico had ceased his attack, and then Elfin brought down her dome.

"Nice try, though", she complimented cheekily, and Mylene could do nothing about it.

Elfin: 200+200+200=600

Elico: 700-200=500

"And there's more where that came from!" Marucho quickly locked in another card. "Ability Activate! Shooting Stardust!"

Elfin clenched her hands into fists as the ability began to take effect. A glittering blue glow outlined her body, empowering her by a large margin.

Elfin fixed her gaze on Elico, who stood in a battle ready stance. After a breath to prepare herself, she charged at the other Aquos Bakugan, rearing her right first to punch Elico. "Here I come, Mylene!", she bellowed.

Elfin: 600+200=800

Elico: 500-200=300

"I saw that coming a mile away", Mylene mocked. "At least try being less predictable. You're making this too easy. Ability Activate! Trick World!"

Elico's blazing eyes as well as the orange jewels on his chest, all began to glow blue. It didn't seem to empower Elico at all, instead it began to spread out in an eerie wave.

As soon as the blue energy reached the incoming Elfin, though, her body tilted to the side. She kept up her charge, throwing a punch after a bit, but she completely missed Elico. "Where'd he go?", she questioned.

"Elico didn't move at all", Mylene informed her former Bakugan, taking glee in every syllable. "I've just knocked all your senses out of whack. And Trick World does a lot more than that…"

Elfin: 800-700=100

Elico: 300

"Elfin's down to 100?!", Marucho exclaimed.

Elfin tried for another pass at Elico, but she missed again, and collapsed on the ground. Her blue glow faded away from the lingering effects of the Trick World.

"Now, you'll understand the folly of challenging the Vexos", Mylene told Marucho. "You and your teammates took away our Alpha City foothold and turned the public against us. Worse than that, you made a mockery of the Vexos, a laughingstock!" A dark look crossed her face as she loaded her next ability. "Consider Elfin's recapture the beginning of our retribution. Ability Activate! Scramble Zwei!"

Elico stood up at full height, taking a combat stance as the ability began. A blue glow appeared around him, magnifying his power and intensity as he roared a deafening battle cry. Water began to materialize around him in thin streams, floating through the air and circulating around his body at show speeds, yet it only further enhanced his power.

With his strength so enhanced, Elico began a quick charge for the weakened Elfin. One she had little to no chance of surviving as it was.

Elfin: 100-400=0

Elico: 300+200=500×2=1000

Marucho quickly looked through his options, trying to figure out what he could do. "Nullifying it would still give them the advantage… none of Elfin's abilities can close the gap in time…." His eyes lit up. "Of course! We can use Elico's ability!"

"What are you-?!", Mylene began, before a memory of her battle against Shun cake to her. "No. Don't you dare!"

"Ability Activate!", Marucho called, ignoring Mylene's inane threat. "Copycat! Let's see how Elico likes his Scramble Zwei when he's the target!"

"Good idea, Marucho!", Elfin complimented. Her own body Nathan to glow in a blue hue that matched the intensity of Elico's own glow, as identical water streams began to circulate around her body as well.

Elfin stood up, refocused on Elico, and shook off the last effects of the Trick World illusions. "Now I've got you!", she roared, charging Elico head on.

Elfin: 800

Elico: 1000-400=600

Elfin and Elico met in a large collision, bit Elfin's momentum pushed Elico back a considerable amount. He landed on his feet and got into a fighting crouch.

Elfin didn't care about any technique. She simply started pummeling the rival Aquos Bakugan, wearing down his defenses significantly.

"That's it, Elfin! Keep it up!", Marucho cheered.

Emboldened, Elfin's adapt kept up its ferocity, and Elico weakly groaned as he tried to fight back. For ecru one of his hits, three of Elfin's returned fire.

"Elico, stop fooling around!", Mylene ordered.

With Mylene's harsh directives spurring him on, Elico's arms shot out and granted hold of Elfin's smaller body. With his greater physical strength, he flung Elfin as far away from him as possible. Elfin landed gracefully, taking the toss in stride.

"Attribute change, now!", Mylene ordered. Elico immediately began the process, his body glowing mulch multicolor as his Attribute shifted away from Aquos.

"We can do that, too!", Elfin taunted her former slave as she began to glow multicolor as well. "Attribute change… here we go! Darkus!" The multicolor died down, and Elfin ended up with the purple colors of her Darkus form.

Elico was still transforming as Elfin finished, despite his head start, but he still finished after only a second. His body became cooked in the white and yellow of Haos.

Mylene smirked. "Good dog", she said, further degrading the dependant Elico, before shouting out another five words. "Gate Card Open! Haos Reactor!"

Marucho gasped. "She planned the Attribute change ahead of time!"

The card below suddenly emitted a large amount of white light, bathing the area in Haos energy. Elico rose up, his power increasing to rival Elfin's.

Elfin: 800

Elico: 600+200=800

And they stood there, the two Attribute shifting Bakugan; water turned to light, and water turned to darkness. They stayed still, silently assessing the situation, until Marucho made his move.

"Ability Activate!", he called out. "Moon Rainbow!"

The sky above surrendered to an illusion of a night sky, complete with a full moon. The moon illusion not only dissipated the glow of the Gate Card, but it also covered Elfin in an intense purple aura.

Elfin grinned under the rush of power, and made finger guns with both hands, aiming the pointer fingers at Elico. "Now, disappear!" Her finger guns unleashed purple lasers aimed at the currently Haos Bakugan.

Elfin: 800+200=1000

Elico: 800-200=600

"Do you honestly think that would help you at all!?", Mylene demanded haughtily, placing two abilities inside her gauntlet. "Pathetic! Double Ability, Activate! Flash Freeze, plus Mythran Judge!"

Elico's chest jewel, currently blue, started lighting itself up a bright yellow. The glow was so intense, it was almost pure white to view.

As soon as Elfin's Darkus beams connected with Elico's light, the purple energy began to dim. Before even getting close to Elico, Elfin's attack completely broke down and dissolved.

"Ah, come on", Elfin grumbled. "She nullified my ability!"

"Elico, do it now!", Mylene ordered. "Finish them!"

The six tendrils on Elico's back all glowed in unison, emitting a yellow light that rivaled the most intense star in brightness. Moments later, they all detached from Elico, flying through the air to aim at Elfin.

Elfin didn't even get a chance to breathe. The six tendrils connected with her and immediately exploded. Elfin screamed in pain.

Elfin: 1000-200-200=600

Elico: 600+200+100=900

"Elfin, hold on!", Marucho called, loading an ability card inside his gauntlet. But it didn't close. "What's going on?"

"You can't activate your abilities. Mythran Judge locked them down", Mylene said as mockingly as ever. "So wallow in despair, little boy. You've already lost."

But Marucho didn't give in. He was already rummaging through his pockets, trying to fish out a blue pyramid-shaped object.

Mylene gasped. "He has a Bakugan Trap?!" She pointed her finger at Elfin. "Attack, now! Don't let him send in his Trap!"

Elico obediently rushed forward, claws poised to slash at Elfin. His eyes blazed red as ever, betraying his conditioned ferocity.

The Darkus Bakugan was encased in yellow energy that prevented her from moving. "Marucho… help!"

"Hang on… got it!" Marucho triumphantly held up his Trap, then treated his arm to throw. "Tripod Epsilon, I call-"

"Too late!", Mylene shouted.

As the Vexos made her claim, Elico slashed down at Elfin. The current Darkus Bakugan screamed, shrinking down to her blue orb. Then, Elfin shot to Marucho in defeat.

Marucho: 40%

Elico shrunk down, too, and Mylene caught his ball in her right hand. "That's more like it", she gloated. "You weak earthlings, unable to cope against the raw power of the Vexos. Face it! Alpha City's as far as you'll get in your little campaign."

"Then why are you still talking?", Marucho asked. "Why do you keep gloating about how invincible you are? Why don't you just beat us down, then?"

Mylene froze. In truth, she knew that her adversaries were both formidable and intelligent. They had to have been, to succeed so masterfully at Alpha City. But no. She was the new leader of the Vexos, and she wouldn't be humiliated like Spectra was. She had to win.

"Just shut up and throw your card", she snarled.

Marucho grinned at Mylene's impotent anger, drawing a card from his belt. "Okay, then. Gate Card, set!"

"Bakugan, brawl!" Marucho and Mylene launched their Bakugan in unison. "Bakugan, stand!"

XXX

While Marucho was doing his best to fend Mylene off at the base of the mountain, the rest of the team made slow progress up the mountain, trying to reach the source of the portal. The incline was more than difficult, it was almost brutal, with large rocks as their only real footholds.

"Why… did the portal… form at the top… of this place?", Baron moaned. His legs were shaking from the strain of his climb. He almost stumbled, but Shun caught him from behind. "Thanks… Master Shun."

"Stop complaining. It's a waste of energy", Shun advised. "Focus your breath for the climb."

"It doesn't matter where the portal formed", Dan insisted. "We've gotta get to it." Not only was he more physically fit than his Vestal ally, he was driven by a single minded need to reach Runo. 'Runo… I'll be there soon. Just hang on.'

"Look, up ahead." Mira pointed forwards, further up the mountain, where Vexos pods with Spectra and Lync's markings were clear to see from their proximity.

"That's Lync", Ingram noted.

"And Spectra", Dan added in a growl. He redoubled his pace, getting ahead of the others in the ascent over the terrain.

"Dan, be vigilant", Drago warned, perched on Dan's shoulder. "Where Spectra goes, Gus and Ace never seem to be too far behind. And we still don't know where Shadow or Volt are. We must stay cautious."

"Drago's right, Dan", Shun remarked, easily catching up to Dan by using a hint of his enhanced speed. "We could be facing up to four Vexos at once. We'd be hard pressed to beat them all at once."

"Yeah, yeah." Dan kept up his pace, with Shun at his side. The others were keeping up, but just barely.

The physical exertion was barely regarded by Mira. Her mind was focused more on the confrontation she now knew was coming. 'Spectra's up there - no, Keith's up there.' While it was hardly the first time Mira had confronted Spectra, she was now armed - or burdened - with the knowledge of who she was really facing. 'Why did Keith become like this? I have to know.'

The group eventually reached a small ridge in the mountain, where the two Vexos pods were hovering above. Dan reached it first, with Shun right after him, then Alice, Mira and Baron in that order.

On the other side of the ridge, with the heightening mountain to their backs, Spectra, Lync, Gus and Ace stood expectantly. In the latter two's grips and gauntlet lasers were Julie and Runo.

"Dan!", Runo called out to the Pyrus battler. Ace tightened his grip and neared his blade to her neck. Runo flinched instinctively.

"Runo!" Dan exclaimed. "Let them go, you pompous freakshows!" He was about to rush at Spectra and his posse, but Shun held him back.

"Don't be rash", Shun warned. "We have to do this slowly."

Ace was still marveling at Dan's choice of words. " 'Pompous freakshows'?", he repeated. "I'll admit it. That was a nice one."

"Hey, Alice!" Lync waved at the Darkus battler. "D'you miss me?"

Alice didn't react to Lync's taunting at all.

Spectra chuckled. "Now, now, Lync. No need to provoke her." His visor fixed into Alice. "How good to see you, Malice."

Everyone standing opposite Spectra flinched; they all knew what that meant.

Only Alice didn't cower at the word. "Don't call me that", Alice shot at Spectra cooly. "That name doesn't mean anything. It never really did."

Spectra only chuckled in response. "Maybe, maybe not", he conceded. "But I suppose we're getting off track."

'Who's Malice?', Runo muttered. 'And when did Alice become so… mature? Strong, like a real battler?'

"What's your angle, Spectra?", Alice asked. "You can't honestly think you can keep Runo and Julie hostage like this. You're smarter than that."

"True", Spectra agreed. "However, I only need them to buy some time." He raised his own gauntlet, and began pursuing buttons on the touchscreen.

Lync looked uncertain, then confused, at Spectra's actions. "Shouldn't we start crushing them in battle now?", he asked. "That's the plan, right?"

"It's Mylene's plan", Spectra corrected. "I only follow my own path."

"What-?!", Lync gasped as Spectra's actions revealed their results.

The air behind Spectra crackled like a surge of electricity. A small grey circle appeared and grew in size, until it reached person height. Impossibly, the portal bypassing New Vestroia's dimensional barrier reappeared.

"And now, my path is taking me to your own home planet", Spectra finished with a slightly insane smile.

The words sent a chill down everyone else's spines. Only Ace and Gus deviated from that; even Lync was alarmed by the implications.

Spectra was taking their private war to the battlefields of Earth.

"Do you honestly think we'll just let you loose on our home?", Shun challenged. He tightened his fists, but his captive friends kept him from making any move to actually impede the Vexos.

"Well, it's not exactly like you can stop us. Right?" Spectra gestured to the still captive Runo and Julie.

"If you hurt even a single hair on Runo's head…." Overcome by rate and indignation, Dan couldn't even finish his threat.

Spectra turned around, and started walking into the portal. "Once I'm gone, you'll have thirty seconds before it closes down. Come and get me." And then, he disappeared into the portal.

A literal second afterwards, Ace, Gus and their hostages went through as well.

As soon as they were gone, Dan raced ahead. He didn't bother to wait for the others, or even take Lync into account. "I'm coming, Runo!" And then, he'd gone through, too.

Shun was about to follow, but Alice held him back. "No, we can't all just run through the portal", she said. "Someone has to stay here and keep up the fight."

"It'll close in a matter of seconds", Shun noted. "We don't have the luxury of debating it."

Lync was downright alarmed, disregarding his enemies when he put a hand to his ear. He began speaking to someone on an earpiece call. "Hey, boss? Got a problem…." He flinched as was berated by whoever was on the other end. A second later, he hurriedly spoke. "Spectra's people just traveled to earth, and Kuso went after them."

"Guys, I have to go after them", Mira said. "Dan can't face them all alone."

"Why you?", Shun asked.

Mira sighed, and pursed her lips. "Personal reasons", she explained vaguely. "I'll tell you when we get back." She shook in fear, but refused to back down. She had to face Spectra with her newly gained knowledge.

"I'll go with you", Alice said. Mira shot her a grateful look.

Shun took a tentative look at Alice, suspecting there was something they knew that he didn't. "Fine."

Then, Lync flinched again. "Okay, okay!" Without any warning, he ran straight into the portal, and it started costing at rapid speed.

"Too late. It's closing!", Baron warned.

Already, it shrunk too much for them to reasonably get through.

Mira turned to Alice. "What now?"

Alice took Mira's hand in her left, and drew her transporter card in her right. "I hope this works", she muttered. She began to envision her grandfather's lab, the place she knew for a fact was on the other side of the portal.

The card glowed multicolor, using the portal to bypass the barrier between New Vestroia and Earth. Alice and Mira then disappeared in a shower of light, leaving Shun, Baron and their Bakugan on the mountain.

Baron looked over to Shun, looking entirely uncertain. "Now what?"

XXX

Elico and Elfin stood on the battlefield once again, glaring each other down in a contest of wills. The second round has technically already begun, but the true action was to commence momentarily.

Elfin: 400

Elico: 500

Mylene and Marucho were just as still, each one ready to activate their first abilities.

It was Mylene that loaded her card first. "Wipe them out, Elico! Ability Activate! Depth Surge!"

Suddenly, Elico's arms clenched up, sending a wave of his Aquos power to the immediate area around him. Water droplets formed in the air, and small streams formed at the ground around him.

A moment later, the mist and humidity in the air, as well as the water at his feet started to circle around Elico. The swirl rose high in the air, becoming a legitimate hurricane.

Elfin: 400

Elico: 500+400=900

With such a powerful force of nature at Elico's disposal, Elfin was immediately forced on a total defensive. She had to back pedal several steps to avoid being swept away. "Marucho!"

"Not so fast, Mylene!", Marucho yelped, loading his own ability. "Ability Activate! Delta Marine Snow!"

Elfin suddenly became surrounded in a twister of her own, made up entirely of ice and snow. As soon as it formed, it provided Elfin a buffer against the opposing hurricane, and Elfin's stance stabilized against Elico's offensive.

Immediately after materializing, the frozen tornado slowly spread out in a seemingly harmless shockwave. Yet as it chi l crossed paths with Elico's ability, the hurricane was almost immediately diffused. The water droplets were frozen over, and the wind power was blown away by the icy winds.

Elfin: 400

Elico: 900-400=500

Mylene covered up from the cold winds she was suddenly experiencing; her cloak was more than enough to keep her warm. That didn't mean she wasn't affected. "So you shut down my abilities. It won't matter", she boasted.

"You sure about that? Because now, you can't stop me from doing this!", Marucho challenged, finally pitching in his other primary combatant. "Bakugan Trap, Tripod Epsilon! I call you!"

And a second later, the pyramid form of Marucho's Trap landed on the gritting, and Tripod Epsilon himself entered the battle at Elfin's side. The fog croaked exuberantly as he lifted his leaf staff, ready to fight.

(Elfin: 400, Tripod Epsilon: 350)=750

Elico: 500

"You think more numbers can save you?", Mylene taunted her rival. "Go on! Hit me with your best shot. Try to capture Elico!"

"If that's what you want", Elfin sniped. "Let's win this!"

"Gate Card Open! Aquos Reactor", Marucho called out.

Immediately, the card went to action. The ground transformed into a pool large enough for all three Bakugan, around six feet in depth. While it would be enough for any human for Vestal to consider a real pool, the Bakugan barely sank to their ankles.

While Elico glowed a blue hue from the Gate Card's power, so did both of his opponents. And due to the number advantage they had, Elfin and Tripod Epsilon gained a greater lead.

(Elfin: 400+200=600, Tripod Epsilon: 350+200=550)=1150

Elico: 500+200=700

Marucho quickly followed up with two abilities. "And I'm not done yet! Double Ability Activate! Desert Marine, plus Shooting Stardust!"

The jeweled necklace on Tripod Epsilon's neck stayed to shift over, until the brown triangle was the one on his chest. The snail on his leaf staff glowed a neon orange as the first ability went into effect.

Both Tripod Epsilon and Elfin started to glow the same orange as the small, their strength further increasing to an immense level.

And it was only a few seconds later that the second ability went into effect. A glittering blue glow outlined Elfin's body, overtaking the orange glow and empowering her by a large margin.

(Elfin: 600+200+200=1000, Tripod Epsilon: 550+200=750)=1750

Elico: 700-200=500

Before Elfin could begin a charge for Elico, Mylene snapped her own ability into place. "Repeating your failed tactics? Why don't I repeat my successful counters, then? Ability Activate! Trick World!

Once again, Elico's blazing eyes as well as the orange jewels on his chest, all began to glow blue. It didn't seem to empower Elico at all, instead it began to spread out in an eerie wave.

The energy reached Elfin and Tripod Epsilon almost instantaneously, and the two stayed swaying in place from a down dizziness. All of their accumulated energy went away, as evidenced by the colored glowing being snuffed out.

"Oh… not this again", Elfin groaned, feeling the horrid sensation of Elico's Trick World for the second time that battle.

(Elfin: 1000-900=100, Tripod Epsilon: 750-650=100)=200

Elico: 500

"Elfin! Tripod Epsilon!", Marucho called out.

"I think it's time to put your Bakugan out of your misery!", Mylene roared, another ability already in her gauntlet. "Ability Activate! Hydro Blow!"

Elico extended both arms, aiming both at the two designated opponents. His eyes blazed as fiercely as ever, but the orange chest jewels began shining bright blue. His two arms started to collect moisture from both the air and from Elico's own body. The water pressure around both arms built to a fever pitch. Then, the water shot out in a duo of horizontal water tornados, each one heading for one of his dazed opponents.

(Elfin: 100-100=0, Tripod Epsilon: 100-100=0)=0

Elico: 500+200=700

The only upside was that the Trick World haze ended. Elfin and Tripod Epsilon managed to right themselves just in time to see two powerful geysers of water, coming to wipe them from the battlefield. And they only had a few seconds.

Marucho watched as Mylene grinned victoriously, as victory was all but hers. Her sneer vanished suddenly when a voice rang from her communications earpiece, and annoyance took over. "Lync, this isn't the time!", she snapped. A in few seconds of hearing a desperate explanation, her features slackened. "What did you say?", she asked, despondent.

"Problems in paradise?", Elfin taunted, trying her best to distract the coming doom threatening her.

"We've got an opening", Marucho realized, loading in two more ability cards. "Let's try this!", he called. "Double Ability Activate! Glow Snail, plus Twinback!"

Tripod Epsilon's necklace began to shift on the frog's neck, until the yellow triangle was facing forward. Then, the fog on his leaf staff lit up a bright yellow color, emitting a distinctly Haos energy at Elfin.

Elfin's body shone with a different yellow aura than before, glowing brightly and engulfing her body. Empowered by the glow, she charged the water torrents head on, catching both on her hands.

And, impossible enough, the torrents stopped their progress, held back by Elfin's power.

Elfin's arms then thrusted forward, causing a ripple effect on the water. "See how you like it!" And the direction of the water pillars' flow reversed back into Elico.

(Elfin: 0+100+300=400, Tripod Epsilon: 0+100=100)=500

Elico: 700-200-300=200

Elico had no time at all to prepare for the force of his own attack suddenly pushing against him. The water pressure knocked him far backwards and forced him into his ball form long before he'd land on the ground.

Mylene didn't even register what had happened until a second after it was over. Once she realized Marucho had taken advantage of her momentary distraction, she snarled. "Just follow them, Lync! Now shut up and let me focus!" Having just been told of Spectra's insubordination, or treachery, she needed Lync to keep an eye on him.

Mylene retrieved Elico and kept up her snarl, aiming it at Marucho. "You think you're smart because of that cheap shot?"

"I don't think you can criticize me over cheap shots", Marucho countered as he caught Elfin and Tripod Epsilon. 'That was too close.'

Mylene's sneer lessened a mere iota. "You can only get so lucky. This battle's all but over. Gate Card, set!" She threw her card straight ahead, and both Aquos battlers watched as it expanded past their feet.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Mylene and Marucho threw their Bakugan in at the same time. "Bakugan, stand!"

Elico and Elfin rose up once again, facing off for the third and final round of the battle. Both were breathing deeply after two rounds of heavy fighting, but it was impossible to tell which were more battered.

Elfin: 400

Elico: 500

Marucho held off on playing Tripod Epsilon, knowing he might need the Trap to undo one of Elico's tricks. But he could see Elfin get worn down by the fighting, so much so that it might be detrimental in a drawn out battle. So he quickly loaded in an ability. "Let's wrap this up quick, Elfin! Ability Activate! Subterra Reaction!"

Elfin grinned as she heard the words. "Good call, Marucho!" She held out her open right hand, sending out a single pulse of blue energy from it. The pulse reached Elico within a second, dissipating as soon as it made contact.

As soon as the pulse hit Elico, the colors on his body began shifting. The chest jewel transformed from orange to blue, and his body became a pale brown in the unarmored seconds, outrage in the slightly padded parts, and brown in the chest and thighs. Drills appeared on his shoulders and chest.

"And now he's Subterra, and he can't change his Attribute back!" Marucho smirked at Mylene. "So that wipes out your Aquos and Haos abilities."

"You think so? You fool", Mylene loaded an ability in, with all the confidence in the world. "Allow me to prove you wrong. Ability Activate! Aculus!"

Elico started to raise up both hands, keeping the palms of each hand open. Responding to Elico's movements, dust on the earth started swirling around Elico, making the beginnings of a tornado of dirt.

A second later, Elico's arms were fully raised, and the tornado had risen above his head, raging around him. The tornado kept going for five seconds until Elico canceled the attack, with no Bakugan seemingly worse for wear.

Elfin: 400-100=300

Elico: 500

Marucho covered up from the shower of dirt, his skin paling as the realization dawned on him. "Aculus, I know it… Elico just unlocked all of his abilities! Oh, no!"

Elfin snarled. They'd fallen into a major pitfall, but they weren't out yet. "Marucho, let's go!"

"Right!" Marucho loaded up a card. "Ability Activate! Shooting Stardust!"

For the third time that battle, Elfin became coated in the blue glow of her most powerful Aquos attack, ready to propel her at Elico. "Pump it up!" She began her forward charge for the Subterra Bakugan.

"Don't get ahead of yourself", Mylene chided. "Double Ability Activate! Flash Freeze-!"

Elico's chest jewel, naturally blue, started lighting itself up a bright yellow. The glow was so intense, it was almost pure white to view.

In the wake of Elico's Haos ability, Elfin had no choice but to cover herself up. "It's… it's burning!" Her blue glow faded away, not just outshined by Elico's light, but also diffused by it.

Mylene didn't waste a second in naming her second card. "Gaia Luze!"

All of a sudden, Elico dropped from the dust storm that he'd created, landing back on the ground. He reared back his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and punched a hole into the earth.

The ground rumbled and quaked in reaction, and that was only the start. Underneath Elfin, the ground split into a sudden fissure, and Elfin dropped into it.

"Elfin, no!", Marucho called out, ready to load an ability.

"Don't bother", Mylene snapped. "With Gaia Luze active, Elfin can't use any abilities."

"Oh, come on!" Elfin shifted within her earthen prison, but she was in too deep to get out. Her head was just barely above the earth line, and she didn't have the leverage or upper body strength to wrest herself free.

"How does it feel, fighting for such an inferior battler?", Mylene taunted Elfin. "You're not worthy to be my partner, of course, but at least you'd be better off. Now, you're with this pitiful human. What a downgrade."

Marucho scowled at Mylene's casual degradation of him, but he calmed himself with a deep breath. "Can't let her get to us." It was then he threw out his other combatant. "Come, Aquos Tripod Epsilon!"

And the Bakugan Trap entered the battle once again, standing right over the crevice where Elfin was trapped inside. He croaked loudly, getting Elico's attention and blazing stare.

Elfin: 300, Tripod Epsilon: 350

Elico: 500

Marucho hastily loaded up an ability. "Help Elfin out, Tripod Epsilon! Ability Activate! Diamond Snail!"

Tripod Epsilon's necklace shifted once again, like it did every time before. The part of it facing forward ended up as the white triangle that represented Haos. Then, the snail glowed bright yellow, and sent a beam of yellow light at Elfin.

Amazingly, the yellow light managed to lift Elfin up, and begin raising her out of the ditch Elico'd trapped her in. When she was high enough that her knees were at the rim, she just climbed out.

Mylene sneered. "Can't fight your own battles, Elfin? Pathetic!"

"Just shut up!" Elfin leapt up and began glowing multicolor, performing a voluntary Attribute change. Within seconds, she'd transferred over to the green colors of Ventus. "Time to blow you away!"

"Double Ability Activate!", Marucho called out, the cards glowing green and orange in his gauntlet. "Canyon Snail, plus Wing Mercury!"

For yet another time, the necklace on Tripod Epsilon's neck shifted itself over, this time to the orange triangle. The snail on the leaf staff lit up an orange glow.

Pebbles started to rise around Tripod Epsilon, then larger rocks. Boulders as large as a person rose to Tripod Epsilon's chest level, but miniscule compared to a Bakugan. Yet they numbered in the dozens, and more were rising up.

Mylene laughed darkly. "Like those pebbles will do anything to Subterra Elico." Her face slackened when she heard a loud rumbling behind her. "Oh, no."

Behind Mylene, where the mountain loomed and seemed to pierce the sky, a veritable avalanche of rocks came flying down. Miraculously, none of them hit Mylene's pod, but they joined the rocks Tripod Epsilon had already summoned at their designated target: Elico.

Marucho winced as Elico was buried up to his neck in the gigantic pile of rocks. "Oops." He didn't actually mean to set an actual mountain atop Elico, but it worked out for the best. "Elfin, do your thing!"

"Done!" Elfin began to glow a purely green aura, being given strength by the ability. Then, Elfin utilized her new Attribute and took off into the air. As she flew through the air, green particles were left behind her. Elfin fixed her trajectory onto Elico's form, zipping through the air like a fairy.

While in the air, the frog head on Elfin's head opened its norm, and a barrage of green energy bursts shot out at Elico. Still trapped in the rubble, Elico couldn't move at all as the energy projectiles hit him, causing a series of small green explosions. The rubble was blown away, and Elico collapsed to his hands and knees.

Elfin: 300+200=500, Tripod Epsilon: 350

Elico: 500-200=300

"We're winning! Keep going, guys!", Marucho cheered. Elation soared through him. Mylene had been so overpowering in the battle; he'd won the second round on a fluke. But they were actually keeping the lead here. They could fend her off.

"Just shut up and down!" Mylene forced another card inside her gauntlet. "Ability Activate! Trick World!"

Elico rose back up to his feet, Mylene's orders forcing him to keep upright. And, for the third time that day, Elico's body became encased in a thin blue hue, and the chest jewel glowed blue. An eerie pulse of Aquos energy shot out for both Elfin and Tripod Epsilon.

"Your luck has just run out, Brawler!", Mylene boasted.

"There's no luck here. Just strategy", Marucho countered. "And you're running out of cards! Ability Activate! Jamming Out!"

As soon as Marucho pronounced the words, Elfin stopped her forward advance, remaining in her current position midair. Then, Elfin started to spin in midair, scattering glittering green first in all directions. As her rotation sped up, the dust spread out to cover a considerable distance, with Elfin at the epicenter.

Elico's pulse wave reached Elfin's green diary, slicing through the thinnest portions without much issue. But when the dust got thicker, the blow energy bounced back and rebounded back to Elico.

Elico was caught totally unprepared for his own redirected attack, and began stumbling over himself. His sense of balance and perspective were almost literally dragged out from underneath his feet, and it was all he could do to keep standing up.

Elfin: 500, Tripod Epsilon: 350

Elico: 300-200=100

"What?!", Mylene snarled. "You sneaky, little-!" With a guttural snarl, she jutted out her hand, with an ability locked in the gauntlet. "Enough! Ability Activate! Scramble Zwei!"

Despite the dizziness indicted by his own Trick World, Elico managed to stand up at full height, taking a combat stance as the ability began. His blazing red eyes were as threatening as ever.

A blue glow appeared around him, magnifying his power and intensity as he roared a deafening battle cry. Water began to materialize around him in thin streams, floating through the air and circulating around his body at show speeds, yet it only further enhanced his power. And Elfin and Epsilon were the primary targets.

Elfin: 500-200=300, Tripod Epsilon: 350-200=150

Elico: 100+900=1000

Elico didn't stay still for long. Still surrounded by his powerful water streams, still glowing blue with energy, it was only a few moments before he began a forward charge, with every intention to decimate Marucho's Bakugan.

"Elfin, Epsilon!", Marucho called out. "Get ready! Here they come!"

Marucho's team tensed up, ready to either stand their ground or run, but they didn't have the time to move. Two other voices stopped them in their tracks.

"Bakugan, brawl! Ventus Ingram, stand!"

"Bakugan, brawl! Haos Nemus, stand!"

Coming down from the mountain, two Bakugan balls came flying down. Green and yellow flames of light temporarily blinded the combatants, and then Ingram and Nemus materialized, heading down the mountain themselves. On each of their right shoulders were their battlers.

"Baron! Shun!", Marucho called out.

Once Ingram and Nemus were close enough to the combat zone, they stalled and lowered themselves. Shun and Baron jumped the shortened distance to the lowest part of the mountain without difficulty.

"Need some help?", Shun asked.

"Let's get this party started!", Baron called.

Mylene scoffed at the newcomers. "I guess I'm out of time then. Fine." She held up her arm with an opened hand. "Elico, pull back. Immediately!"

And Elico complied. He immediately broke off from any attack and diffused the blue glow, and let the water surrounding him dissipate. Moments later, he shrunk himself down to ball form, and shot to Mylene's hand.

Absent-mindedly putting Elico away, Mylene placed the front button on her gauntlet. The compartment opened up, and the power card flew out. Three other three loaded gauntlets automatically repeated the function.

"System down. Battle terminated." All four gauntlets spoke with the same robotic female voice.

With the words spoken, all four remaining Bakugan shrimp all the way down to ball form, and flew to their battlers.

"You're forfeiting?", Baron asked. "We've got the numbers now, and you're running away?"

"If you can't figure out the reasons for my decision, I won't waste time explaining it to you." Mylene's pod lifted up in the air. "Next time, you won't have the advantage of numbers to rely on!" And then, she sped away, back to Beta City.

Baron looked at Shun. "I honestly don't get it? Why didn't she even try battling us?"

"Besides a single match suddenly becoming a 3 on 1?", Shun cynically asked.

Baron looked down. "Seems like there'd be more to it. I get that Mylene wouldn't fight a hopeless battle, but she came here for some reason, right?"

"Good deduction." Shun looked impressed, then thoughtful as he tried to analyze the situation. "She probably saw this as a way to draw us out, maybe use Runo and Julie as leverage to take us down for good. But she couldn't have known about Spectra's different agenda. When we came back alone, she knew the others were gone and accepted it as a bad operation, and then decided to retreat."

Baron nodded, trying to understand it all. "She had nothing else to gain. Right?"

"Right."

Marucho finally reached them in his run. "What are you talking about? Where are Dan and the others?"

Shun winced. "Marucho… they're not here anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"Spectra, Gus Ace and Lync took Masters Runo and Julie hostage, and dragged them back to Earth. Master Dan followed them, and Mira and Master Alice followed all of them", Baron recanted.

Marucho gasped. "Wait… are you serious?"

Shun let out a loud exhale. "Unfortunately, yes. We're the only ones left in the Dimension."

"Don't be so pessimistic, Master Shun", Baron suggested. "Why not at it as a jar half full-"

"Glass half full." Marucho corrected Baron's oversight with the Earth saying.

Baron chuckled at his slip, then stayed the course. "The Vexos lost their two strongest battlers, too. Our job would be a lot harder if Spectra was still here, after all."

"True", Shun conceded. "But now he's there. On Earth. With a numbers advantage."

"It's Masters Dan and Alice", Baron argued. "They've taken Spectra on before. Master Alice even beat him. They'll be fine."

Shun turned to the side, back to their trailer. "This argument isn't getting us anywhere", he said, exasperated. "We need to get back on the road. Baron. Can you get us blueprints for Beta City?"

"Once we get back to our trailer, it shouldn't be a problem", Baron answered.

"Good. Marucho, you can drive, right?"

"Right", Marucho confirmed.

"Good." Shun started a rushed walk back to the tank, followed by the other two. "Baron, access the computers. Get me blueprints and schematics for the more important buildings in the city. Marucho, you're the driver."

"And what about you?", Marucho asked.

"I'll be coming up with the plan for Beta City. Baron's information will help with the details, but we need to rethink a lot of the main ideas."

"Why can't we just use the Alpha City plan?" It was Baron who asked that question.

"For one, a lot of it isn't needed." Shun kept up his pace. "In Alpha City, the population was backing the Vexos and the royal family, meaning we had to infiltrate the city and compound without attracting attention. With the population on our side, we don't need to rely on such a large amount of subterfuge anymore."

"But for another thing, a lot of players just got wiped off the board. While having less Vexos makes things more simple for us, less teammates to rely on reduces our margin for error considerably. If we mess up, it could cost the entire operation."

Baron nodded readily. "Understood."

"I hope the others are okay", Marucho said.

Elfin hopped onto his shoulder. "They'll be okay, Marucho", she consoled him. "Don't be such a worrywort. Spectra's got nothing on them."

Marucho smiled at his partner. "Thanks. I needed that." He picked up his pace, finally catching up with Shun's stride. "Yeah, they'll be fine."

XXX

Back on Earth, in the partially snowed in dimension laboratory in Moscow, three adult scientists were working on a large machine, letting the exhaust vents open to let it cool down, and powering it down entirely.

Michael had remained in his chair, weakened by his painful episode quite a bit. Within a few minutes, he had recovered enough strength to stand back up, and begin working on final safety coding the finish up the interdimensional transportation protocols.

At the tail end of it, one of his assistants checked a monitor, reacting to it suddenly blaring an alert. "Huh. That's odd."

"Yes?" Michael averted his head to the assistant.

"According to this readout, the dimensional portal we just sent those two kids through…" He couldn't finish his sentence, beside himself in confusion. "Sir, it looks like it was just reopened from the other side. We should be seeing the portal open in a few seconds."

Michael began to ponder the situation. "Runo and Julie opened the portal again? Why would they come back?" It didn't make sense. Runo and Julie would never leave their friends behind; and they couldn't have found them and saved the Bakugan in such a short time frame.

Runo and Julie didn't even have the means to reopen the portal.

"But that means…." Someone else reopened the portal. And the only ones who could were the aliens. "We need to leave. Now."

"Sir, what?" It was the other assistant who spoke that time. "Leave? It's freezing outside. And you should be taking it easy after your episode-!"

At that moment, the portal opened up again. It was just as prominent as it was a few minutes ago, and the professor coitus clearly see multiple humanoids coming through the portal.

"Michael! Run!", Runo's desperate voice echoed from the portal.

"Go, go, go! Get moving!", Michael ordered, corralling the assistants with great urgency. One of the assistants went to his aid, while the other stayed on his own. The three of them raced for their winter coats, and they ran out of the laboratory at a reasonably quick pace.

They barely managed to clear the lab before the portal started admitting its travelers.

Spectra, as the first one who entered, was also the first one to edit on the other side. He kept a steady pace forward, giving plenty of room to the next admittants while examining hours surroundings. "So this is Earth? It feels… odd. Empty." In New Vestroia, there'd always seemed to be a vibrancy to the air. A vibrancy that was sorely missing here.

"There is no planetary energy field, Master", Helios advised. "This world is devoid of power; not even a shadow of my home."

"Yes, that's it", Spectra agreed.

Just then four more humanoids came through the portal. Somehow, Gus and Ace had managed to keep their respective hold on Julie and Runo through their journey in the portal. The girls squirmed to keep the energy blades away from their necks.

"RUNO!" Dan raced through the portal, immediately following the preceding four. He passed Gus and Ace, who sidestepped him, and stopped as he realized that the Vexos had formed a triangle around him.

"We've got you surrounded, Kuso", Ace mocked.

But Dan didn't bother responding. He only had eyes for his endangered teammates. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Dan, what are you doing here?", Runo snapped. "You let these morons drag you away from New Vestroia!"

"I can't just let Spectra do this to you", Dan replied. He fixed a hate filled glare at his Pyrus rival. "Hurt her, and you're finished. I swear it."

"Such raw passion. I wonder how much you are willing to give to protect Runo here", Spectra commented. His tone was as calm and agreeable as he had ever made it. "Rest assured, Dan Kuso, I have no wish to harm her or Julie… unless it is necessary, of course. You understand."

"I don't understand." Lync made his comment as he appeared through the portal, making the Vexos triangle a Vexos kite-shape. "Why are we here?"

"Why are you here?", Gus countered.

Lync shrugged. "Boss figured you might need backup." He seemed totally non committed to the situation. "And hey, I'm not crazy enough to say no to Mylene."

Spectra grinned widely. "It doesn't matter. Now, Dan. Are you willing to have a talk, or shall we resort to battling?"

"You want a fight?" Dan raised a fist. "Well, bring it on! But leave my teammates out of this!"

"Not an option", Spectra replied. "Why give up my advantage so easily? It's four to one, I have hostages, and you're not getting reinforcements." To prove his claims, he gestured to the portal in front of him, which was closing rapidly. Already, it had shrunken too much for even Marucho to fit through.

However, to disprove his point, a bright multicolored flash of light shone behind Spectra. The masked Vestal barely had time to flinch and turn before Alice and Mira materialized, forcing Spectra to back up.

Spectra glanced at the card in Alice's grip, and chuckled. "I should've thought of that. Well played."

"Alice!", Julie cried, literally. Her eyes dropped some tears from everything that had happened, and she was truly excited to see the odds at least somewhat balanced.

"Call them off, Spectra." Alice wasn't overly harsh in her tone, but spoke with an imposing authority that she worked hard to keep up. "Now."

Lync paled with Alice's sudden appearance. "Sure… I'll go", he spoke quietly, quivering. He broke ranks and ran straight to the window in the back, and climbed through. He didn't even try the front entrance; he just wanted to run, get away, retreat from Alice.

But none of the other Vexos ran away, so Lync's retreat was practically irrelevant. "Did you honestly expect that to work, Malice?", Spectra asked, deliberately using Alice's discarded alias to upset her. "If you try anything, I can assure you your friends will have a much worse day than they currently are."

Alice shuddered, whether it was from the incorrect naming or Spectra's threat, or both, was unknown even to her.

"But I simply wish to talk. Negotiate, if you will." Spectra held out his hand to Alice.

"What do you want?", Alice demanded.

"An alliance against Prince Hydron. What else?" Spectra was grateful for Lync's cowardice; it had given him a hand opportunity.

Alice gaped. She could barely believe that Spectra was actually proposing this with a straight face, but she couldn't detect any kind of rhetorical or sarcastic undertone. "Seriously?"

"Seriously", Spectra replied. Again, there was no sarcasm.

"And why would we do that, after everything you've done?", Leonidas growled.

"To save the Bakugan, of course", Spectra answered amicably. "I commend your previous success in Alpha City in subverting the negative consequences we discussed, but the Vexos won't make the same mistake twice. Hydron has made Mylene the new leader in the wake of Alpha City, and she'll have the Vexos fight tooth and nail to keep Beta City secured."

Alice, Dan and Mira all knew how bad that was, if Spectra was telling the truth. Mylene was calculating, intelligent and ruthless. Those aspects had kept her just below Spectra and Gus in overall threat, in spite of the raw power count for them. If Mylene was at the helm, the Vexos would be far more coordinated and dangerous, and they were already superbly powerful.

"My own influence within the royal family has suffered as a result", Spectra added. "On top of you dethroning me as top battler, of course. Even if I could usurp the royal family with my own power, I'm no longer sure the people would support me."

"What are you saying?", Mira asked.

Spectra addressed Mira with an invoice of his head. "What I am saying, Mira Clay, is that I need you and your friends more than I did before. And, as I said, you need me to continue your progress. And so, you can trust me."

"I doubt that", Alice said. She remembered her time as a power obsessed maniac, influenced by Spectra. It was more than enough evidence to dissect Spectra's game. "You can't seem to remember my real name, Spectra."

Spectra chuckled. "Forgive me. Slip of the tongue." He took a breath in before continuing. "The fact is, trying to force your hand has already failed. So I believe compromise is prudent."

"If you're so willing to partner up with us, let Runo and Julie go!", Dan demanded. "You can't plead trust and kidnap our friends at the same time!"

Spectra sighed. "Yes, quite right." He waved his hand. "Gus. Ace. Please release our new friends."

Breaking down the act for what it was, an act, Gus and Ace readily agreed. A trap on their gauntlets extinguished the blades, and they released their captives. Runo and Julie ran past Spectra to get behind Alice and Mira as quickly as possible.

"Okay, they're safe", Mira murmured to Alice. "Just say the word."

"Not yet", Alice muttered back. She wanted to use the brief ceasefire to get as much of a read on Spectra's motives as possible. "So you let out friends go after taking them captive. Why should we trust you?"

"Perhaps Mira could explain for you", Spectra suggested, turning to Mira. "Or did you not tell her about your peek behind my mask?"

Dan looked confused. " 'Peek behind the mask'? What's your damage?"

But Mira understood. "I know it's my brother's face, Spectra", she said icily. "I also know that you're not my brother. Not anymore."

Among the Brawlers, three of them were in complete shock. Runo and Julie, because they had no way of knowing about anything that was going on. But Dan had a specific grievance. 'Spectra is Mira's brother? How is this possible? And why isn't Alice surprised? Did… did she know?'

"You're mistaken, Mira." Spectra's voice became soft, even caring, as he lifted his hand to his face and took off his mask. Mira stood there, stiff as a stone statue, as Keith Clay's familiar smile greeted her. "Blood is blood. Family is family."

"No", Mira insisted, getting angrier. "You stopped being my brother when you joined the Vexos! When you went insane with your power! You're not Keith Clay! You're not!"

"I am", Keith - no, Spectra - disagreed. He had all the charm and charisma of a cult leader. "I want what you want, dear sister. To defeat Prince Hydron. We don't have to be enemies. We shouldn't be enemies. Please, stand with me."

"Listen to him, Mira", Ace pleaded. He hadn't known that Spectra was Mira's brother, but he took it in stride. "He wants what's best for us. Why else would he be so insistent on joining forces?"

Mira took in a ragged breath, tears in her eyes at how effectively her emotional buttons were pushed. 'My brother. He's become everything I hate, and yet he's tempting me with everything I want him to be. And I want to believe him. I want to agree.' She lowered her head to hide her eyes behind her bangs. 'But I can't. I'd be a fool if I did.'

"I refuse!", Mira declared furiously. Her head shot up, and her face was twisted with fury.

"Take them!", Alice said, giving the call to attack.

Dan didn't run. He leapt, right at Ace. The grey eyed Vestal didn't have the time to process and react to the sudden attack, so Dan succeeded in tackling him to the ground.

Ace groaned, and tried to wriggle away, but Dan grabbed his arms and forced them on the ground. All of Ace's struggles to escape were insufficient. "Gah! What does this guy eat!?"

Spectra and Gus stood back to ball, surrounded on all sides by the four girls. "Fist fighting like barbarians", Gus scoffed. "Why don't we let our Bakugan do the talking?" He pulled out his power card to place in his gauntlet.

"Not in here!", Spectra snapped, stopping Gus. "We can't risk damaging the D.T. system. If we do, we're stranded on this planet."

Gus nodded dutifully, putting away the power card, only to draw a differently designed card. Locking it into his gauntlet, the orange laser blade formed once again. "Then I'll end this quickly."

Runo and Julie took a step back after seeing Gus light up his gauntlet blade, but Alice and Mira held their ground. Alice drew a similar card to Gus's, only light purple in color, and placed it in her gauntlet. A light purple blade shot out, contesting Gus's own blade.

"So, you want to cross blades?", Gus asked, somewhat incredulously.

"Yes." Alice was careful, yet precise in her swing at Gus. Gus bent his arm in an angle, parrying Alice expertly. The clash came with a sound that was uncannily similar to a firecracker.

When Gus put some force in his arm, Alice was forced to step back. "You've got good instincts", Gus conceded. "But no training in this sort of thing. You're overmatched."

Alice took a sharp breath. 'This is harder than I thought. I wish Shun was here to do this.' But she was alone, so Alice had to think. 'He's got training and greater strength. What do I have?' Realizing a unique device was in her pocket, she took hold of it with her right hand, and charged again.

"Foolish", Gus chided, swinging his blade in a swift and clean slash. But before the blade reached Alice, she disappeared in front of him in a flash of light.

"What the!?" Gus barely had the time to say the word before he felt the heat of a blade at the back of his neck. He slackened his arms, but didn't drop them yet. "I'll admit it. Well played, Alice."

"Stand down, now", Alice ordered, holding the tip of her blade to Gus's neck. She'd used her card to teleport behind Gus and gain the advantage.

But Gus wasn't worried. The fact that Alice hadn't used her advantage in full told him that he still had an advantage. "If you were going to cut me, you already would have." Calling Alice's bluff accurately, Gus formed around and swatted her blade away. "You just don't have the stomach for it."

Alice was forced to take another step back away from Gus's attack. 'This won't be easy.'

In contrast to the others, Keith and Mira weren't fighting at all. The siblings simply stood there, facing off while their teams tried to force dominance.

"Why are you doing this?", Mira demanded. "And don't say it's to save the Bakugan. We both know that's a lie."

Spectra shrugged. "I want the ultimate power. I want to use that power to become the dominant interest in the universe. It's as simple as that."

"And if I told you that's utterly insane?", Mira asked.

"Then I'd tell you that you cannot understand", Spectra answered. "But you will. Eventually."

Back with Alice and Gus, the two kept up their duel, with Alice continually giving ground. She was able to compensate for the lost ground by teleporting all around Gus, but the Subterra Vexos didn't make the same mistake twice and kept his guard up.

Eventually, the stalemate ended when Alice tripped over a cord in the lab. She fell off her back, landing hard, and watching her blade slice through a side component of the D.T. system.

Alice paled, and so did Gus. "What just got damaged?", he asked.

"One of the primary power cells", Alice answered.

Spectra winced as he saw what happened. "Unfortunate."

Mira looked back, too. "Do we need it to get back to New Vestroia?"

"Absolutely", Alice confirmed. "It takes a lot of power to breach a dimensional barrier, even one that's already been breached several times. Transporting something within this dimension should cost a fifth, no, a tenth of the power needed to breach a dimensional barrier." She immediately extinguished her blade. "Gus, this is over. It'll take a couple of weeks to fix the machine as is. We can't damage it any more."

Gus didn't listen, choosing instead to slash at Alice while her weapon was deactivated, before Spectra's call halted him.

"She's right. We're pulling back."

And just like that, the fighting stopped. Gus stepped back and put out his blade; Dan begrudgingly let Ace go. Spectra's two servants / disciples took either side of him.

"I trust you'll find us when that device is ready?", Spectra asked Alice. "I don't want to stay stuck here any more than you do."

"Then why'd you come through the portal?", Dan sniped.

"That is my business, Daniel", Spectra replied. No reason to enjoy his real motives: to force a confrontation with Dan Kuso and Drago. And if it would really take two weeks, he was in no rush at all. "Good day." He went for the main exit, his followers right behind him.

"Should we stop them?", Leonidas asked.

"There's really no point", Alice said. "Grandfather built his lab in the middle of nowhere for perfect isolation for his research. We're dozens of kilometers away from anyone else; Spectra could walk for a month and not find anyone else."

"Speaking of Spectra", Dan interjected. "He's Mira's brother, apparently. Did you know that? I didn't." His voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Drago? Did you know that?"

"No, I didn't", Drago said. "Dan-"

"It's almost like… you kept it a secret from us." Dan glared at Alice, right in her eyes. "Just like in Alpha City. I know you're in on it. Who else knows?"

"Me, Mira, our Bakugan and now you two", Alice answered without hesitation. "Dan, you have to understand. This isn't like Alpha City-"

"How isn't it?!", Dan yelled. "Just like then, you're keeping important information from the rest of us! You promised that you wouldn't do this again! How many times are you gonna pull this stunt-?!"

"Would you stop it?!", Runo yelled, cutting Dan off. Dan spotted his rant, mildly surprised, and Runo gestured at Mira. "I think she wants to say something."

"It was my choice", Mira said. "Keith's my brother. It was my secret to tell, and I wanted to wait until I was ready. If you're going to yell, yell at me."

Dan's anger lessened, but it was still there. "No, I get it. Sensitive topic." He glanced at Alice. "At least you didn't keep the secret from the one who really needed to know."

"Enough of this moping around", Julie chirped. "Alice, Dan! Why don't you fill us in on what's been going on?"

Alice smiled at her old friend's enthusiasm, but shook her head. "I should probably start the repairs on the D.T. system. Once Grandfather gets back…" her body stiffened. "Grandfather! He's not here! Where is he?"

Runo looked pensive. "He wasn't here when we arrived. He probably saw the portal reopen, or it showed up on his radar."

"And then he got out, just in case", Alice finished. "All right. He's fine. Now, as I was saying, once he gets back, we can really begin. Why don't I get you over to Wardington City for the wait?"

"You sure?", Dan asked.

"It's not a problem", Alice promised. "Like I said before, it takes a fraction of the D.T. system's full power to transport you to somewhere else in the dimension, so the damaged power cell isn't a problem."

"And leave you alone?", Mira asked.

"I'm not alone", Alice said. "I've got Hydranoid and Leonidas. And I've got Grandfather."

"If you're sure…" Dan began.

"Go home!", Alice insisted, emphatically. "Go see your family, Dan. Get Runo and Julie back home. Take Mira to somewhere a lot more interesting than here. I'll fix the D.T. system with Grandfather, then we can worry about Spectra."

Dan nodded. "Yeah, okay."

Alice grinned widely at him. "Great!" She pressed a few buttons on the machine's controls, and a portal opened up. "This'll take you to Wardington Park. I assume you can get home from there?"

"That's perfect", Runo said to Alice. For a moment, Runo considered telling Alice about her grandfather's condition, as Michael had requested. 'No, I shouldn't', she decided. 'Alice is here now. Michael can tell her in person.'

With that decided, Runo joined Dan and walked with him through the portal, side by side. Moments later, they were both gone.

Julie and Mira were next. "See you soon, hun!", Julie chirped excitedly.

"Call if you need us", Mira requested.

"Of course", Alice agreed. "Safe travels."

A smile from both Subterra battlers, and they disappeared through the portal. Alice closed down the machine as soon as they were gone, leaving her and her Bakugan alone.

With all the commotion gone away, Hydranoid raised himself into the air, looking all around the laboratory. "Gehabich lab. It's been so long."

"You've been here before?", Leonidas asked.

"Many times", Hydranoid replied. "I believe it's where I first met Alice."

"It was", Alice confirmed with a smile. "I never would've thought we'd come so far."

"I did", Hydranoid countered. "With your mind, I knew we were destined for greatness. And look at us now."

"Yes. It's quite the tale of progression, isn't it?"

Alice wheeled around to see Spectra, Ace and Gus, all grinning madly.

At first, Alice wasn't annoyed. She was aggravated. "So, when did you get back?"

"We never left", Spectra admitted. "I'm not too proud to concede that we were about to, mind you. We were in a stalemate with very little to reasonably gain."

"And that's when Lync made a very specific new friend", Ace added. He took a step away from his teammates, allowing Lync to step forward with someone trapped in his grip.

Alice gasped. "Grandfather!", she cried, watching the aged scientist in the Ventus Vexos's grip. Alice's surprise gave way for rage. "Let him go! Right now!"

For a second, Lync cowered, but the reality of the situation - being supported by his allies and having Alice's guardian in his grip - helped him recover his composure. "Sorry, cutie. I'm not taking requests", he apologized mockingly.

"It's not a request. It's an order!", Hydranoid roared. The opened ball form's eyes flashed purple in justified anger.

"That doesn't matter, Hydranoid", Gus said. He ignited his blade and lifted it near Michael's neck. The scientist landed his head and neck back, but he couldn't make much room.

"You just tried taking hostages, Spectra", Alice remarked. "Five minutes ago, at most. You really want to try this again?"

"This time, I hold all the cards", Spectra stated. "Hands where I can see them. Now." He wouldn't risk Alice pulling one over on them with her transporter card.

Taking a good, long look at her carotid family member, Alice raised up her hands, opening them to prove they were empty.

Spectra nodded at Ace. "Take her card."

Ace rushed over to Alice, plucking her transporter card from her pocket and pulling back to Spectra. "I'll just hold onto this", he told her.

"Now, we're going to discuss terms, Alice", Spectra said, betraying just a hint of irritation. "I'm tired of playing nice with you. I'm tired of waiting for you to come to the logical conclusion and join you, so I will force your hand. I have something you need-" He gestured to Michael. "And you can get something that I need."

"What is it?", Alice asked.

"The unique Pyrus Dragonoid belonging to one Daniel Kuso", Spectra elaborated. "You will acquire him for me. Whether by bargaining with Dan, or forcing the issue, I don't care. You will get him here in 24 hours from now."

"No", Alice said defiantly. "I don't. I'd never betray my allies!"

"If you refuse… Gus?" Gus obeyed his master's word, edging his blade closer to Michael, cutting off his space. "Yes, that. If you refuse, the good Professor's years will finally catch up with him."

Alice considered her options. Battling them head on was insane, due to their numbers. Physical combat was an even less plausible option. And without her transporter card, which Ace had "confiscated," trying to get Michael away through underhanded means was ludicrous by concept.

"You can't seriously be considering this." Leonidas was adamant. "Right?"

"I don't have a choice", Alice whispered back. "I'm sorry." She took a step forward and bowed her head. "I'll do it."

"Excellent." Spectra's unhidden mouth curved in a smile. "Remember, 24 hours. Or it's your grandfather."

XXX

And that's the chapter. I hope you enjoyed! If you did, be sure to follow or favorite the story. If you want to say anything, feel free to leave a review or PM me. Before I go, responses:

Guest: I agree with your opinions. Why do you think I made this story?

SkylanderZilla: you can consider your suggestion, noted.

Alice Gehabich: certainly seems that way.

Enigmus-288: Is that a bad thing?

Until next time, goodbye!