~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I don't own anything from Bakugan.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
My friend Dan had just taken me to the infirmary after I collapsed on the field during PE.
As soon as I arrived, the nurse examined me before she placed an IV line into my arm.
My Bakugan friend Preyas and I were alone in the room.
I lay still on the bed while staring down at the Aquas Bakugan who was resting on me.
The constant beeping noises were beginning to make me feel uneasy again.
My heart began to race with anxiety.
A flashback threatened to enter my mind, but I was able to push it away by focusing on Preyas.
I lightly tapped on the orb and said softly. "Hey Preyas, I need a distraction. We can talk out loud now."
"Oh that's great news," Preyas replied cheerfully.
Hearing his lively voice again caused me to perk up with joy.
I giggled before I said to him. "Oh Preyas, you make me so happy. I definitely feel less afraid with you around."
"That's exactly what I'm here for," Preyas replied.
I let out a sigh of relief as I relaxed.
My heart rate gradually returned to normal.
A brief period of silence passed between us.
Preyas looked up at me with a remorseful expression and said sadly. "Sioku, I am really sorry for keeping a secret from you all day. Something terrible did happen to me in the past. Please don't be mad at me."
I smiled warmly at him and replied. "Why would I be mad at you? There are things about me that I haven't revealed to you yet."
"Really? What are you talking about?" Preyas continued.
"I have an uncontrollable fear of medical equipment and facilities. It has been going on since I was a toddler. I've been in and out of the hospital since then," I explained.
"Hold on Sioku, are you serious? Why do you need to go there?" Preyas asked with deep concern.
"I tend to get sick very easily. Also, severe panic attacks can put too much strain on my body whenever I have them. One time, a panic attack from Julie put me in the intensive care unit. The doctors had to shock my heart twice with a defibrillator. I spent a week in the hospital afterward," I explained.
"What? No kidding? How did she make that happen? Can you tell me?" Preyas asked in awe.
Yes, "Julie made me work on Type to Learn during all three of my recesses one day. I had three major panic attacks that day. My third one sent me to the emergency room. The major incident started when I came home from school. My mom took me straight to the ER when I told her that my chest felt like it was on fire. All of that stress caused my heart to go into a dangerous arrhythmia known as ventricular tachycardia. My heart was beating much faster than it is supposed to. I also had high blood pressure. The doctors immediately hooked me up to various machines. I had many IV lines on me that were dripping medicine into my body. Those medications didn't work, and my condition only went downhill. The doctors shocked my heart in an attempt to stabilize the rythm. My heartbeat ended up slowing down passed the normal rhythm. I went into ventricular fibrillation. Once my heart had been shocked a second time, the heartbeat rose back to normal rhythm. I stayed in the intensive care unit for a few days. I still have recurring nightmares about that incident," I explained
"Oh Sioku... I'm so sorry. That must have been really rough on you," Preyas said with a frown.
"It's okay Preyas, you're my only friend who knows about this. Besides, I usually cope with my fears by watching cartoons and playing with my dog. Please don't be sad," I said smoothly.
Preyas took a deep breath before he replied. "Thank you for trusting me with your story Sioku, I would take you to Vestroia if the place wasn't messed up right now."
"You know I would love to see your home world," I said with a smile.
The tone in Preyas' voice came out somber as he replied. "I know Sioku, but there is another reason why I chose you to be my partner. You are a kind person with a bright personality. I had to get away from my previous human. She was selfish and very unkind to me and all of the other battle brawlers. I was always involved in her petty arguments with other kids."
"Thank you Preyas, but do you remember this girl's name? Also, what did she do to you?" I continued softly.
Preyas let out a fearful sigh before he answered. "Yes, her name is... Kiera. Instead of being my friend like you are, Kiera used me as both her mental punching bag and her personal shield in battle. She would force me to fight with every Bakugan in order to attemppt to make me evolve. The evolution didn't happen because Kiera and I couldn't get along. She never paid attention to an opponent Bakugan's attribute or how much power it had. Sometimes, I would be forced to battle two or three Bakugan at once. Also, she never ever cared about my feelings. Kiera constantly insulted or yelled at me, especially when I lost a brawl."
This heartbreaking conversation completely took my mind away from the beeping sounds in the room.
I lay still in shock as I thought about Preyas' explanation.
His previous brawler reminded me of Julie.
In that moment, my relation to this special Bakugan became clear as day.
My Bakugan and I were both living with mental scars.
Preyas broke the silence by asking in a worried tone of voice. "Hey Sioku, are you okay?"
I stared sadly at the Bakugan and answered. "No Dearest, but it's not your fault. You never deserved to go through any of that miserable pain. I'm going to teach that Kiera bully a lesson one day. Kiera will wish that she never harmed a beautiful Bakugan like you."
"Thank you Sioku, you are the best partner I ever had. I'm glad to know that I'll be much safer with you from now on," Preyas said calmly.
"Thank you for entering my life. Preyas, you and I already have a tremendous bond that cannot be broken. I promise to always keep you safe," I replied softly.
Preyas let out a sigh of relief as he slowly started to relax in my warm embrace.
I smiled as a curious thought crossed my mind.
"Hey Preyas, how did you get away from your old master?" I asked calmly.
"I simply floated away from her while she was asleep," Preyas answered.
My smile grew wider as I continued. "Wow Dearest, you are such a couragious Bakugan. I wish I had your bravery."
He closed his eyes and drifted off into the darkness.
I slipped into my thoughts as I stared at him.
The beeping machine didn't bother me as much.
A long period of silence passed by.
A soft knock at the door suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts.
I set Preyas down on the bed beside me before I answered. "Come in."
Fortunately, my Bakugan remained asleep.
The door slowly opened revealing the same female nurse who met me earlier.
"Hello Sioku, how are you feeling?" she greeted.
"I feel much better," I answered with a yawn.
"That's great news, you look good as well. You will be released very soon," said the nurse as she unwrapped my IV.
She then turned off the machine.
"I'm glad thats over," I thought.
"Sioku, are you talking about that repetitive beeping sound we've been hearing?" asked Preyas curiously.
"Yes Love," I answered softly.
I held onto Preyas as the nurce carefully removed the line from my arm.
Afterward, she placed a small bandage over the spot.
I felt instantly relieved knowing that I wasn't hooked up to a machine anymore.
"I need to do another quick examination of your body before I let you go," said the nurse as she grabbed her medical tools.
I continued to hold Preyas as she examined me.
Having the Bakugan by my side made the check up seem less fearful to me.
"You are good to go," she said with a smile.
"Thank you very much," I replied.
I quickly placed the Bakugan inside my backpack before I carefully slid off the bed.
The nurse turned away from her computer and said to me. "Somebody is waiting outside to show you to your next class."
Deep down, I was really hoping that Julie or Mira wouldn't be standing outside the office.
"Thank you," I replied before I exited the room.
To my surprise, I saw Dan and Drago waiting by the front desk.
"Hello friends, I'm glad to see you guys again. How are you doing?" I greeted.
"We're all right, how are you feeling?" replied Dan.
"Daniel and I were very worried about you," added Drago.
"I'm feeling much better now, but I was worried about you two as well. Dan, did you get injured when Julie pushed you on the ground during PE?" I said with concern.
"Fortunately no, I was lucky. Are you ready to go to math class?" Dan replied.
I curiously scanned the area before I answered. "Yes, but where is Julie?"
"She's already in the classroom," Dan answered with a sigh.
"Let's not worry about her," I said quietly.
"Right," Dan replied briefly.
I looked down at my gym clothes and then back up at Dan.
"Hold on, I need to change back into my school clothes first. The gym isn't far from here," I said suddenly.
"We'll wait for you," Dan replied with a smile.
"Thank you," I said as I rushed outside.
Without further delay, I quickly walked down a path that led to the gym.
Luckily, the gym was empty.
Then I hurried inside and headed straight into the girls' locker room.
"Hey Sioku, why are you in such a rush? Are you late for your next class?" asked Preyas telepathically.
"Yes Love, but I'm going to the locker room first. I wouldn't have been late if Julie didn't cause any trouble for Dan and me," I answered.
"I agree 100 percent," Preyas added.
Once inside the locker room, I quickly changed back into my school clothes.
Then I placed Preyas back into my pocket.
"I just love being next to you," the Bakugan said happily.
"Preyas you're adorable," I replied dreamily.
A brief period of silence passed between us.
"Excuse me Preyas, may I please tell Dan about the situation with your previous brawler? He might be able to help you out as well," I said softly.
"Yes, I give you my full permission to tell him. Dan seems to be very loyal to you Sioku. Thank you for asking first," Preyas answered calmly.
"You're welcome Preyas, Dan and I will do everything in our power to help you overcome your past. I promise," I assured.
After storing my gym clothes away in my locker, I raced back through the gym and out the door.
Dan and Drago were waiting near a pillar.
"Thank you for your patience. I hope I haven't kept you guys waiting," I said breathlessly.
"No problem Sioku, Drago and I just came out here. It's all good," Dan replied as he put his arm around me.
I hugged him tight in return.
Without further hesitation, my friends and I hurried into one of the large buildings.
We then entered the first classroom on the left.
All of our classmates were already seated.
Julie was seated in a corner as usual.
She stared at me with a piercing glare.
I ignored her as I quietly sat down at an empty desk next to Mira.
Dan sat down at the empty desk behind me.
Sitting next to Mira didn't bother me as much anymore because my mind was preoccupied by the recent conversation I had with Preyas in the infirmary.
His painful story echoed in my head.
"Look everyone, Sad Sioku just arrived with her nerdy boyfriend," taunted Mira as she smirked at me.
Nobody responded to her which earned them all a glare of annoyance.
"Get over yourself Mira," I said with a look of disgust.
Dan Chuckled to himself at my response.
A female teacher strolled up to Dan and me wearing a concerned expression.
"You two are ten minutes late," she said sternly.
"Pardon me ma'am, but I was at the infirmary. I just had a medical emergency," I replied calmly.
Mira stood up from her seat and interrupted. "Oh yeah right Sad Sioku, you were most likely skipping class just to spend more time with your precious little boyfriend."
Dan glared at the black haired teen as he snapped back. "Will you shut up? You are so annoying!"
Julie glared at Dan from a distance.
The teacher pointed at Mira and said sternly. "Young lady, you had no right to interrupt our conversation. Please sit down."
Mira sat down without a word.
Dan looked up at the teacher and continued. "Sioku passed out after she finished running the mile in PE, so I carried her to the infirmary. Then I waited outside until she came out before I brought her here."
"That was very generous of you dan," the teacher replied before she walked away.
She then walked over to the board and then began her lecture on the rules.
I stayed focused in order to prevent anymore drama from happening.
After the lecture, the teacher instructed us to grab a textbook off of the shelf and store it in our backpacks.
She then dismissed us for the remainder of the period.
I turned to Dan and said with a smile. "Hello friend, would you like to sit with me at lunch today?"
"I would love to sit with you Sioku," Dan answered as he returned the smile.
My smile instantly vanished as I thought about the story that Preyas had told me earlier in the infirmary.
"What's the matter Sioku?" asked Dan with a worried expression.
"There is another reason why my Preyas and I met this morning. I'll tell you about that later," I answered quietly.
"That's understandable," Dan whispered back.
Class was dismissed 20 minutes later.
It was now time for lunch.
"Let's go Preyas," I thought.
Preyas remained silent inside my pocket.
Dan and I waited for everybody to leave the classroom before we stood up.
We walked out the door and then headed toward the cafeteria.
Large crowds of people were gathered outside.
Dan curiously scanned the area before he asked. "Where did Julie go?"
"She probably went to the teachers' lounge," I answered.
"Well that's a huge relief. You and I could use a break from her," Dan added.
After much walking, Dan and I stood patiently at the back of a long line.
Fortunately, we didn't see Mira anywhere.
"Hey Sioku, would you like to have a practice brawl with me after school? I want to see your Preyas in action," Dan started joyfully.
"Sure, I'll meet you at the park. I want to see Drago in action as well," I replied with the same amount of joy.
"Awesome, I can't wait!" Dan hollered.
I couldn't help but giggle at that.
"You're so cute Dan," I commented.
Dan only smiled back.
A few minutes later, Dan and I ordered our food at one of the available windows.
Then we sat down at an empty picnic table.
Dan and I ate in silence while we listened to the constant chattering around us.
I stared at Drago who was hovering above Dan's head.
The Pyrus Draganoid looked so adorable.
"I can't wait to bring my Preyas out more often," I said with a hint of jealousy.
"You'll be able to do that after school," Dan replied.
After lunch, Dan and I cleaned up the table before we stood up.
We then strolled into the other large building.
Mira and Julie met us by the door to one of the science classrooms.
Nobody said a word which made being around the two drama queens a little easier for me.
I finally had a break from Julie's verbal abuse.
I continued looking at Drago as a distraction.
A few minutes later, our science teacher arrived.
"Good afternoon," she greeted warmly.
"Same to you ma'am," Dan and I replied.
"Hello," added Julie and Mira.
She unlocked the door and then propped it open.
Julie led Mira, Dan, and me into the room.
The teacher sat down at her desk.
Dan and I sat down at a table near the teacher's desk.
Drago hovered above Dan's head.
Mira sat down across from us.
"What the heck is this girl's problem?" I thought as I glared coldly at Mira.
"Pay no attention to her Sioku," Preyas advised.
"Good idea Dearest," I replied softly.
Julie sneakily pulled up a chair before she sat down beside a file cabinet.
She watched me like a hawk while situating herself.
"This woman seriously needs to find something better to do with her time than stare at me. It's getting old really fast," I thought with frustration.
"That sounds very creepy," replied Preyas.
"Tell me about it," I added.
I stared up at Drago in order to keep my anxiety under control.
"Are you okay Sioku?" asked Dan.
I only nodded in response.
"Sad Sioku is obviously annoyed by me. She's just afraid to tell you lover boy," teased Mira as she smirked at Dan.
"Knock it off," Dan said with irritation.
I laughed under my breath at his response.
A long period of silence passed by.
People soon began to enter the classroom.
There were many conversations going on around us.
Once everybody was situated, the teacher introduced us to her earth science class and then began her lecture on the rules.
The lecture lasted for 20 minutes.
My mind tried to wander back to Preyas, but I pushed those thoughts away by focusing on the board.
Julie would automatically punish me if I ever lost my focus in class.
I wasn't going to give her that opportunity.
The teacher dismissed us as soon as her lecture ended.
The conversations instantly began again.
I stood up and stretched my legs.
Dan excitedly placed his hand on my shoulder and said. "I can't wait to brawl with you at the park today."
"Same here buddy," I replied with enthusiasm.
My expression instantly changed from excited to worried as I added quietly. "I also want to talk to you and Drago about Preyas."
"I remember that," Dan whispered back.
Dan and I paused as we overheard Mira's conversation with another girl named Kiera.
This girl was tall with light blue eyes and long blond hair tied into a French braid.
She wore black sandals with white straps, a pair of black leggings, and a long silky white dress.
Dan and I remained silent as we listened.
"Hey Kiera, hav you heard of a silly game called Bakugan?" started Mira.
"Yes, I used to play it until the other kids kept winning against me. All except one of my Bakugans were taken by other players. That single Bakugan who stuck with me was extremely annoying though. It was an Aquas Preyas, and that darned thing always got on my last nerve. Thank goodness I don't have it anymore," Kiera explained.
Kiera's explanation made my heart drop.
My breath got caught in my throat as I gasped with absolute shock.
I just couldn't believe that I was in a class with the same girl who mentally scarred my poor Preyas.
The idea didn't seem real to me.
"Really? What happened to it?" Mira continued.
Kiera let out a sigh before she answered. "I don't know, and I don't care either. I'm just glad to have that stupid creature out of my life for good. All it ever did was create stress for me. I am never playing Bakugan again."
Mira patted Kiera's shoulder and said reassuringly. "That's good besty, you don't need to play Bakugan anyway."
"You can say that again," Kiera replied.
The two girls laughed out loud in unison.
"I've been hearing rumors about Bakugan being able to talk to people. Do you know anything about that?" Mira said curiously.
"Unfortunately yes Mira, that is true. The dumb Preyas I had would always talk to me before it randomly disappeared one day. Its annoying voice aggravated me to no end. I wish I never met that bothersome little pest," Kiera answered coldly.
My face saddened as I took in those hateful words.
Hearing Kiera talk about Preyas that way made my heart burn with rage.
A few tears fell from my eyes as I trembled.
"No... no... this can't be possible. She can't be here," I whispered as I bowed my head sadly.
Dan put his arm around me in a comforting way and said gently. "Hey, Sioku, is something wrong?""
I lifted my head and answered softly. "Yes, but I'll tell you everything at the park."
"I understand," Dan whispered.
I hugged him tight until I was able to calm down.
Class was dismissed as soon as the bell rang.
Without hesitating, I hurried out of the classroom and down the long hallway.
"Wait up Sioku!" Dan called after me.
I ignored him and exited the building.
Once outside, I ran back to the secluded area where Dan and I first met.
I sat down on the brick planter box.
The sun beat down on my back.
I slipped deep into my thoughts.
Today had only been one problem after another since I arrived at school.
I felt absolutely horrible for bringing Preyas into all of my stressful school drama.
Preyas had already been through enough misery when he was Kira's Bakugan.
Thankfully, geography was my last class.
A few minutes later, Dan and Drago caught up to me.
"Sioku, why did you run away?" Dan asked as he sat down next to me.
His voice instantly pulled me out of my thoughts.
I looked up at the boy and said sadly. "Dan, I apologize for making you worry. I just have a lot on my mind."
Dan sighed as he firmly placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Please listen to me Sioku, I understand that you are under a lot of stress right now. However, I can't help if you won't tell me what's going on," he replied smoothly.
Tears of sadness welled up in my eyes.
I trembled as I thought about my encounter with Preyas' former brawler Kiera in science class.
The pain in my heart stung worse than a needle.
It was becoming unbearable for me.
I buried my face into Dan's chest and cried silently.
He noticed my distress and wrapped his arms around me in a comforting way.
The pain in my heart lessened as I let out more of my emotions that had built up inside me.
A long period of silence passed between us.
Drago hovered above us as he watched.
The Dragonoid seemed fascinated by our interaction.
I slowly started to calm down in Dan's warm embrace as he continued holding onto me.
"Hey Sioku, are you all right?" Dan said soothingly.
"I guess so," I answered softly.
I lifted my head before I added quietly. "The only detail that I can reveal at the moment is... you and I have a class with my Preyas former master. Her name is Kiera, and she is not a nice person. She said some awful things about Preyas. This girl acts just like Mira. You'll know why as soon as we arrive at the park."
"Thank you for telling me Sioku, that explains your sudden emotional breakdown. I would feel the same way if Drago was in Preyas' position," Dan said sympathetically.
"Thank you so much for your emotional support and patience," I replied as I hugged him.
"That's what friends are for," Dan added.
Dan and I released each other after a few seconds.
Drago smiled at Dan and said proudly. "I admire this side of you Daniel. You really are a true friend to her."
My cheeks pinked up at Drago's complement.
"I love it when he calls you by your whole first name. Drago must really trust you," I commented.
Dan giggled before he said calmly. "Yeah, Drago and I have become best friends."
"It was love at first sentence when I met Preyas. His angelic voice was music to my ears. I also adored his hyper personality," I replied with joy.
"Instant connection is always wonderful," Dan added.
Our conversation was interrupted when I spotted Mira, Kiera, and Julie walking toward us.
Seeing Kiera again made me cringe.
At the same time, I felt relieved knowing that Mira wasn't going to obsess over me as much anymore.
"Oh great... there are three drama queens with us now," I thought sarcastically.
Preyas chuckled to himself before he replied. "Sioku, what do you mean?"
I decided not to reveal the real answer to my Bakugan's question until school was over.
"Mira has a friend," I answered.
Julie snapped me back to reality with a cold glare.
"Sioku ,you know better than to run away from me! Don't ever do that again," she said sternly.
"Yes ma'am," I replied.
Dan wanted to give Julie a piece of his mind, but he resisted the urge.
"It's time to go to class," Julie added roughly.
Without a word, I reluctantly stood up and then walked over to Julie's side.
Dan followed suit and stood beside me.
Julie then led the four of us back across the campus.
After much walking, we stopped at the top of a metal ramp.
I immediately distracted myself from everyone by looking down at the tall grass and flowers.
Dan stared at Drago as he stood next to me.
Mira and Kiera passed the time by talking and laughing about random topics.
"I'm glad she's out of my hair," I thought.
"That's good to hear," replied Preyas.
Julie kept a sharp eye on me as she stood silently on the other side.
I didn't care this time since I wasn't focusing on her.
A few minutes later, our teacher approached the door.
She opened it and allowed us to proceed.
Once inside, Dan and I sat down in the back row.
Mira and Kiera sat directly in front of us.
Julie situated herself in a corner.
I kept myself busy by looking at the board.
Our moment of silence came to an end when a group of students walked through the door.
Once everybody was situated, the teacher took attendance.
Then she explained the rules of her history class.
I did everything in my power to prevent my mind from wandering back to Preyas.
The lecture lasted for half an hour.
We were dismissed as soon as it ended.
"Excuse me Dan, would you mind if I brought Pegasus to the park?" I asked joyfully.
"Not at all," he answered.
"I can't wait until you meet him," I added.
Class was dismissed as soon as the bell rang.
"I'll see you soon," I said to Dan.
"I'm looking forward to it," he replied.
Without further delay, I rushed out the door and didn't look back.