Hello everyone. The 3rd dragneel, coming back with the thirty fifth chapter of Bakugan The Dragon Slayer Saga. I hope everyone is doing well. I will be quite honest, it has been hard to think of these original chapters prior to the start of the Grand Magic Games arc. Still, I do love a challenge, so I will bust my ass to find ways to move the story on while keeping it fresh.
Now let's read some reviews.
Shadow Joestar: Trust me, they'll need all the training they can get.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Hey, life gets in the way of creativity, so it does take some time to make a new chapter. I am sorry about that. You won't be able to see who dies until after the Grand Magic Games, and let's just say it'll shock you to the core.
Docron: I like mixing things up, but we'll definitely see a much more serious arc than the previous one.
MeteorElDrago: Hehehehe, me too. If it's a good cliffhanger, then I'll like it.
Neo Infinity: Thanks.
NoxShiningAbyssal: I know, I've killed some people on the inside. But trust me, the death will affect everyone.
GKBlue.92: Yeah, shit is getting real.
Fpinheiro96: Thanks.
Guest: Well technically, the Trap Bakugan are more like supporters than actual Bakugan. Though they could fight, they aren't as strong as a regular Bakugan.
Shadic: Thanks pal.
So to recap the last chapter: The Fairy Tail Guild was in a state of shock upon the return of a beaten and burned Baron, Sona and Romeo. Though they would recover, the rest of the Guild felt the need to attack the Spectres and Vexos, even though they didn't know where their base was. In order to help them prepare for the Grand Magic Games and the Vexos, Makarov declared that the Guild should split up in order to confuse their enemies. Meanwhile, Mylene argued that they should man a frontal assault while the Brawler's moral is crippled. However, Damus and his sense of honor went against the idea, which led to a small confrontation, though the Vexos eventually agreed to his terms. In a surprising flash forward, a broken Natsu Dragneel meets Dan Kuso, who declares his mission to put an end to Damus' life permanently.
What will the Wizards do to prepare for the Grand Games Games? Will the brawlers be able to keep their enemies away from the innocent? Let's find out...
'Natsu's House, the next day'
"Okay, let's make sure we have everything we need." Natsu said while looking at the pile of random things in front of him. "Clothes?"
"Check!" Happy declared while sitting on top of a brown suitcase.
"Sunscreen?"
"Check!" Baron shouted while holding up a white bottle with a blue top.
"Map?"
"Right here." Ace said while showing the map between his fingers.
"Money?"
"Here." Leonidas called out while he, Nemus and Percival were on top of a white envelope.
"Extra food for the road… right here." Natsu took out a sack of different food from the fridge. He let out a smile while putting down the sack. "Okay, I think that's everything."
"I can't believe I'm going on vacation in another world! This is so awesome!" Baron exclaimed in glee. Vacations on Vestal were nice, but now he was in a world where magic was common, which added to the mystery. "Hey, do you think we'll see giant fish at the beach?"
"I hope so. Just imagine how tasty they are." Happy sighed dreamily, imagining himself pulling a massive fish from the ocean before nibbling on the side… yup, he wanted that fish. Bad.
"This may be the best time for all of us to rest after the last two battles." Leonidas called out. He and the others may live to fight, but even they needed a break from time to time. He could only hope that the Spectres and Vexos don't drag anymore innocent people into their fight.
"How are you feeling Nemus?" Percival asked his fellow Bakugan with mild concern. He knew how the Haos Bakugan might feel after yesterday's battle. The last thing he wanted was for Nemus to pass out in the middle of the trip.
"Other than my shattered pride, I'm alright. Thank you, Percival." Nemus said in a tone that made it clear he didn't want to talk about his loss. "Personally, I'm more concerned about Baron and the others."
"Don't worry about me, pal." Baron said in a reassuring tone while patting his arm. "Wendy and that old lady healed me up. I barely feel anything."
"Still. Take it easy for now. I don't want to be the guy who has to carry you around." Ace said nonchalantly while leaning against the wall. To most, it seemed like he didn't care about the youngest of the Battle Brawlers, yet his friends knew otherwise. "So Pinky, you know where we're going?"
"I heard about it a long time ago." Natsu said while putting his pack on. "It's supposed to be this small spa and resort that people go to whenever they need time to relax. Plus it's cheap, and has a big beach for us to train in." A smile crept on Natsu's face before he looked at Happy. "Remember that resort we went with the others, Happy?"
"Oh yeah! Akane Resort, if I remember." Happy said with a nostalgic smile. "There were soft beds, a fancy casino and a big beach to go fishing. I caught so many yummy fish." The more Happy thought of the resort, the more he began to drool. There were so many good fish, he could live there forever. A chuckle escaped Natsu's mouth as he picked up his little buddy, putting him on his right shoulder.
"We'll get some fish while we're there, kay?" Natsu said while patting Happy on the head. Fish(and Carla) were the only things Happy really loved, so Natsu would do as he pleased. "Leo, ready to go?"
"I am, Partner." Leonidas said before he leaped as high as his little body could, successfully landing on Natsu's left shoulder. "So what do you do on a beach? Bakugan normally stay near the shore and watch the waves form."
"Well there's swimming in the water, making sandcastles, eating watermelon contests…" Natsu listed while raising each of his fingers.
"Watermelon eating contests? What are you, five?" Ace said with a small shake of his head. How the hell can a guy be so strong, yet so damn childish?
"It does sound interesting, Ace. You should give it a chance." Percival said to his partner, hoping it would help his partner ease up.
"Swimming sounds fun. I know Tyna would love the open sea." Nemus added.
"Alright, let's do this, Brawlers!" Natsu shouted while stomping his foot on top of the table. "IT'S BEACH TI-AAAHHH!" Unfortunately, due to the force behind his stomp, Natsu caused the table to fall over, his face crashing onto the hardwood floor with a thud. "Ooowwww…"
"This is why you don't kick the table." Happy said in a matter of fact tone, having activated his Aero magic just before Natsu fell, carrying Leonidas in his little paws. Ace couldn't help but snicker a little while Baron helped Natsu up.
"He's right. If I did that back home, my parents would ground me for a week." Baron said while patting Natsu's back. "You okay, Master Natsu?"
"I'm fine." Natsu said while rubbing his face. "Like I was saying… IT'S BEACH TIME!" Regaining his excited tone from earlier, Natsu quickly picked up the sack of food before he rushed out of his house.
"AYE SIR!" Happy cheered before he began to fly after Natsu with Leonidas.
"Wait for me!" Baron called out as he ran after them.
"Baron?" Nemus asked with a confused tone. One second later, Baron ran back into the house, a sheepish grin on his face before he picked up Nemus and left.
"This should be interesting, don't you think?" Percival said with an amused tone.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Ace said with a smirk before he gathered the last of their things and closed the door.
Vacation, here they come.
'Yakaboto Beach Retreat, two hours later'
"Alright, WE'RE HERE!" Natsu, Happy and Baron cheered happily as the rest of their friends arrived at the Yakaboto Beach Retreat, a small and affordable place to stay whenever someone needed a break from their everyday struggles. There were already several visitors relaxing at the beach or conversing with one another.
"Amazing. It's so beautiful." Mira said with a smile on her face, admiring the view of the water. The views in Vestal were nice, but there was something so naturally beautiful about Earthland that made her beam in joy.
"Take in that fresh water smell." Kallen said while taking a deep breath through her nose, letting out a content sigh. "I love the beach."
"My family would always plan a trip to this private resort in Japan with my cousins. It was nice, but there wasn't anyone else around." Sona said with a slightly somber tone. She loved spending time with her family, but it always felt isolated compared to what she was witnessing now.
"It's so peaceful." Tsubaki said with her own smile, extending her finger to allow a butterfly to land on it.
"And the best part is the Vexos won't ambush us with everyone here." Ace said strategically. However, a small part of him was mildly glad they were somewhere they can relax in.
"Erza, are you sure you don't… want to take a break? You were pulling our luggage the whole time." Alice said while pointing at Erza's wagon, which was piled with different suitcases and bags.
"It's no trouble, Alice. I'm used to pulling this much weight on missions." Erza replied with a small smile, effortlessly pulling the wagon with one hand.
"Humans in this world are truly strong." Vladitor said in a slightly astonished tone. He witnessed Natsu's power back in Vestroia, but to see someone else pull such weight, and to be human was amazing. He had a great deal of respect for the Titania.
"So which rooms are we staying in?" Gray asked nonchalantly while holding his pack over his shoulder.
"Master said he rented rooms 12 and 13 for all of us." Levy said while looking at the brochure of the beach retreat. "The rooms aren't too big, but they were the best we could afford with the seven years we were away."
"I can't wait to eat at the buffet." Droy said with a goofy smile.
"You can eat after we do some swimming. It's good for the body." Jet said to his friend.
"I would like to g-go to the hot springs." Juvia said rather timidly, glancing at the Ice Make Wizard with a large blush. Just think: her and Gray, alone in hot water, steam covering their nude bodies as they press against one another… it's every girl's dream(at least hers.)
"This could be the chance I need to use Grandeeney's spells." Wendy said to Carla with a big smile.
"Yes, but you must remember that we are here to train, child. Don't forget the Grand Magic Games are in three months." Carla said in a serious tone… while wearing a small red bikini with a pink skirt, a small red swimming hat and a yellow floater around her waist.
"Aye! So don't get lazy!" Happy agreed while wearing yellow swimming trunks, a matching swimming hat, orange flippers and a yellow floater.
"And yet you two look like you're going to be at the beach all day." Ace said with a blank tone while staring at the Exceeds.
"So partner, will you start your training now?" Leonidas asked Natsu innocently, only to sweatdrop at the child-like smile on his Brawler's face.
"LET'S GO SWIMMING!" Natsu shouted loudly with his fist raised high. Just as he was about to run, Lucy grabbed him by the scarf.
"Hang on, Natsu!" Lucy shouted while pulling the white fabric. Thankfully, Natsu heard what she said and stopped before he could pull her to the ground. "We still need to check into our rooms. Not to mention we still need to change."
"Oh right, sorry." Natsu said with a sheepish smile. He just wanted to go to the beach so badly, he forgot he was still wearing his normal clothes. "Okay. Let's get changed, everyone."
"Race you, Master Natsu!" Baron shouted gleefully before he runs past Natsu.
"Wait up, Baron!" Natsu retorted before he rushed after his friend.
"How did Natsu ever get him to call him Master? It's insane." Gray said with a small shake of his head, though he did have a very small smirk on his face.
"I could start calling you Master, my love." Juvia said with hearts in her eyes, hugging Gray's arm, much to his shock.
"But Natsu has the right idea. Let us go to our rooms." Erza said stoically, getting everyone to nod in agreement before they went after their friends.
'Several minutes later'
After leaving their belongings in their rooms, the Fairy Tail wizards and Bakugan Brawlers regrouped at the beach, clad in their bathing suits. "Ahhh, I love the sun." Natsu said while stretching his arms wide. He was wearing a pair of red swimming trunks with small flames drawn on the side. His scarf was wrapped around his waist and his long hair was tied in a small ponytail.
"I can't wait to swim!" Baron said with an excited tone, wearing a pair of yellow trunks and goggles.
"You can swim all you want. I'm going to try and catch a wave." Ace said with a smirk, wearing purple trunks with a white surfboard under his armpit.
"This might not be so bad. With this much water, I think I can use it for some new spells." Gray said cooly, wearing light blue swim trunks and his silver necklace.
"But we still need to train for the Grand Magic Games." Droy said with some concern in his voice. It may be a beach, but they came here for a reason.
"Yeah. Don't forget, we have everything riding on this." Jet added with equal concern.
"We know, we know. But I haven't hung out with you guys in a long time." Natsu admitted with a serious tone, much to their shock. "I don't know how much you guys went through, but I want to make sure we get to the top again. Seeing how small the Guild was and how many people are left… it hurts. I don't like seeing everyone so sad." Clenching his fist, Natsu stared at the sea with a calm tone. "The Grand Magic Games is our only chance of getting back to the top. There's no way we won't stop training." He then turned to Jet and Droy before giving his toothy grin. "So don't worry about it." To say Jet and Droy were touched by the Dragon Slayer's words would be a major understatement. They thought Natsu was rather nonchalant about the whole thing, but they were gravely wrong. He was just as serious as they were. They did their best to hold back their tears, though they were failing rather miserably.
"Wow, you made them cry." Happy said while flying next to Natsu, flapping his wings softly.
"Come on, guys. You don't need to cry." Natsu said while rubbing his head. It was one thing if he made a girl cry, but seeing a guy cry was just plain weird.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting." An all too familiar voice called out from behind.
"Good, you guys ready to sw-aaaaaaa…" However, Natsu's attitude took a 180 when he turned around… and was stunned by what he was seeing.
There stood the ten females of their group, each wearing different swimsuits.
Erza wore a pitch black bikin that hugged her curves. Her long red hair was tied in a high ponytail that made her look even better.
Lucy had on a white bikini with pink flowers, all while her hair was tied in twin ponytails. Natsu did his best not to look at her bust.
Juvia wore a light and dark blue bikini with her hair let down. Even though he saw her as the weird, but friendly stalker of Gray Fullbuster, even Natsu needed to admit she looked good.
Levy wore a cute white and red bikini that made her look cute.
Wendy had on a one piece green bathing suit that resembled one of her clothes with her long hair tied in a ponytail. Natsu was by no means attracted to her(she was like a sister to nim for Igneel's sake!), but he would be lying if he didn't say she looked adorable.
Mira was clad in a very cute orange bikini that showed of her impressive physique.
Kallen wore a red bikini that should off her flat stomach. Her headband was removed, allowing her short red hair to be let down.
Tsubaki wore a tight one piece peach colored bathing suit that really showed off her body.
Sona also wore a one piece blue swimsuit that made her petite body stand out.
And finally, Alice wore a green two piece bikini. Natsu didn't know how Alice looked underneath her clothes, but now… she could compete with any supermodel.
'Oh… my… god…' A small blush appeared on Natsu's cheeks as he checked out all the females inch by inch without being caught.
"Looking good, Levy!" Jet and Droy shouted in unison, throwing her a thumbs up. The bookworm of Fairy Tail gave a slightly forced smile as she waved her hand.
"Thanks guys." Levy said, much to their joy.
"Let me guess: they try fighting for you everyday?" Kallen asked Levy with a raised brow. It was more of a fact than a question, considering how many times she's seen this on Earth. The nod Levy gave her confirmed her theory. "Why don't you just tell them the truth?"
"I don't want to hurt them. Plus, it could tear apart Team Shadow Gear." Levy said with a nervous smile.
"T-This is a little… tight." Tsubaki said with an embarrassed tone. She could feel some of the beach patrons staring at her, which only added to her embarrassment.
"At least yours covers most of your body." Mira said with an equally embarrassed tone. Yes, she used her charms on Vestal a few times, but wearing something so… revealing wasn't something she was comfortable with.
"Thank you for these clothes, Erza." Alice thanked the Titania of Fairy Tail. Unlike some of the girls, she wasn't as self conscious of her body. "Your magic is so amazing."
"It's no trouble at all." Erza said with a smile. "As long as the item is in the pocket dimension, I could call on it whenever I please. It's where all of my armor is."
"Gray darling, what do you think of my swimsuit? I chose it specifically for you~" Juvia said while striking a pose for Gray, who merely sweatdropped at her 'not-so-subtle' hint.
"It's... nice. I guess." Gray said, trying his best to sound passive. His words did cause the water mage to squeal in delight.
As for the other guys: Jet and Droy were obviously complimenting Levy, Ace looked to the side with a very small blush(you would too if you saw Mira in a bikini) and Baron was rather indifferent to it.
"Wow, you all look great!" Baron said while giving them all a thumbs up. Mira smiled in gratitude towards her friend before glancing at Natsu. She suddenly felt self conscious at the wide eyed expression on his face. Did she look bad? Was it too much skin showing?
"S-So Natsu, do you… like it?" Mira asked with a hint of nervousness in her voice. 'Dammit, what was that? Come on, Mira.'
Taking a deep breath through his nose, Natsu opened his mouth… and turned his head towards the ocean. "You guys look… okay." Natsu said with as much of a flat tone as he could muster.
'Just okay?' A hint of disappointment struck the girls of the Brawlers. Sure, they were a little embarrassed with some of their swimsuits, but he could at least give them a better compliment. Erza gave Natsu a glare, seeing the disappointed expressions on their faces.
"So, should we start training now?" Jet asked, finally getting everyone together. However, Erza placed a hand on his shoulder while smiling.
"There's plenty of time to train. It's important to balance work and pleasure." Erza said confidently before she appeared in the water, wearing a snorkel and tube float(how she did this, the world may never know.) "We'll play hard!" She began swimming calmly. "Eat hard!" She karate chopped the water. "Sleep hard…" Finally, she began to relax on her float.
'And SHE'S the one who disciplines everyone?' Ace thought with a sweatdrop. Even serious people need to relax occasionally.
"But what about the Bakugan?" Lucy asked with a curious tone.
"We can't bring them with us when we swim since they could drown. Not to mention they deserve a break after all the Brawling we put them through." Kallen said with a small shrug. "We put them on a table near our rooms."
"I can stay with them, if you want." Wendy suggested while holding up the book Porlyuscia gave her. "I want to start studying these spells as fast as I can before the Grand Magic Games."
"There's no rush, Wendy." Levy said with a supporting smile before she pulled out a pair of red glasses. "But if you really want to read, you'll need my Gale-Force Reading Glasses. They can help you read as fast as you want."
"Magic reading glasses that can let you read at any pace. This world is truly amazing." Sona said, her eyes directed at Levy's glasses.
"Alright, no more wasting time!" Natsu suddenly shouted, turning back to everyone with a determined expression. "Let's have as much fun as we can today, and train our asses off tomorrow!" He then threw a fist in the air. "We'll show everyone that Fairy Tail isn't a bunch of losers!"
"YEAH!" Without a second to waste, the group rushed towards the water(or in Wendy's case, she went to read about her new spells.)
"Somehow, I knew they do that." Jet said with a sigh.
"Hey, at least we're keeping the Spirit of Fairy Tail, right?" Droy said while nudging his friend, earning a smile. "Come on, first one in the water gets to talk to Levy first!" The bloated plant wizard pushed his friend to the ground, running as fast as his fat legs could run.
"HEY!" Glaring at Droy, Jet quickly ran towards the water, though he still had his smile on his face.
'With Natsu and Gray''
"Awww, this is great. It's been so long since I've had a tan." Natsu said with a content sigh as he laid on an orange towel, arms spread as he stared at the sky. He could already feel his skin begin to warm up and it was more than enough for him.
"Yeah. I kinda brings you back, doesn't it Flame Brain?" Gray said with an equally content expression, lying on a blue towel with his hands behind his head. He glanced at Natsu before speaking up. "So how was Earth?"
"Hmm?"
"I said how was Earth. And that world where the Bakugan live… Vestroia?" Gray said with a curious tone. Just because he was one of Natsu's rivals didn't mean he wouldn't have a civil conversation(with an occasional jab at his ego). Natsu looked surprised for a brief second before he looked at Gray.
"Honestly, it was crazy when I first got there. The beings who brought me there, the Six Legendary Warriors, showed me where you guys were and how you survived Acnologia's attack." Natsu said with a small frown. "I wanted to wake you up, but they said Fairy Sphere would stay up until seven years. Then they told me about the Vexos and how they were treating the Bakugan… I don't know, I just felt that I needed to help. So they dropped me off in the middle of the desert and that's where I met Leo and Mira."
"So out of a whole planet, they put you in the middle of a desert?" Gray questioned with a raised brow.
"No, they LITERALLY dropped me off. From the sky." Natsu said while pointing upward, getting an 'oh' from Gray. "Damn, I forgot to ask them about that. Oh well, maybe next time, when I bring you guys."
"Bring us?" Gray turned his body towards Natsu, balancing his head with his left hand. "You seriously want us to come to another world, where you had to fight with monsters for months?"
"Well, yeah." Natsu also turned his body, a puzzled expression on his face. "I mean, there are some things you might like about it. Maybe you'll find your own Bakugan and we can Brawl."
"Don't make promises you can't keep, Natsu." The two males turned their heads as Mira laid her own towel down, sitting on top of it. "We don't know how long we're staying here, and you need to focus on helping your family."
"That doesn't mean I can't help you guys." Natsu said while looking at his girlfriend with a smile. "We can have our own training together. I know there's a good place for us to Brawl, and I'm sure Leo and the others would love to stretch their legs."
"Just make sure you don't blow up a mountain." Gray teased with a smirk.
"Hey, I learned to hold back!" Natsu countered with a glare. "Tell him, Mira!"
"Well…" The Subterra Brawler looked to the side in order to avoid seeing her boyfriend's shocked expression. "You did destroy part of Beta City when you and Kallen were brawling Mylene and Shadow Prov. Not to mention all the times you destroyed most of the training grounds when you were having fun with Leo." A gasp escaped Natsu's mouth as Gray chuckled at him before he scoffed and laid back down.
"Whatever. You guys are just jealous."
Unbeknownst to the three, a certain bluenette was watching them with a not no pleased expression.
'How dare that orange haired bimbo take my darling away from me! And just when I was about to show him my new bikini.' Juvia thought in anger, increasing her grip on the tree she was hiding behind. 'Now I have another rival for my love's attention! I WILL WIN!' Juvia didn't even notice the looks everyone was giving her.
Best keep away from her, if they valued their lives.
'With Wendy'
"Okay. Time to start reading!" Wendy said with an enthusiastic tone as she sat against a large rock, which was covered by the shadows of the palm trees. It was the best place to start studying while she was there. Taking out her own Gale Force Reading Glasses, the young Dragon Slayer began reading the papers left by her mother.
"Wendy?" The bluenette was pulled out of her reading when she heard a deep voice call out to her. She lifted her head and noticed the nine Bakugan from Vestroia, all sitting on top of an empty table.
"Oh, I didn't know you were here." Wendy said, referring to the table. She stood up to talk to them properly. "Are you alright?"
"More than alright. It's peaceful here." Guren said with a relaxed tone. "The breeze feels amazing."
"I would love to swim in the ocean, but I can't revert to my true form, nor would I like drowning in this form." Tyna confessed, her gaze focused on the ocean overhead. She was an Aquos Bakugan, so it was only natural she would find comfort in water.
"What about you? Aren't you going to swim?" Nemus asked curiously, giving the Bakugan equivalent of a head tilt.
"I will, but first…" She lifted Grandeeney's notes so they could see. "I want to get started on Grandeeney's spells before I forget."
"Your/Dragon/Mother?" Hydranoid asked, hearing something along those lines from Alice.
"That's right." Wendy said, a somewhat sad smile on her face. "I was too young to learn any of the advanced spells, so Grandeeney left them with Porlyusica so she could give it to me. Since we have a few months before the Grand Magic Games, I want to get as strong as I can." The Bakugan could understand the desire to get stronger, and even for a young girl, they could see the fire in Wendy's eyes. It was something they could respect.
"I see. Don't let us stop you from learning." Ingram said with a respectful tone.
"But don't forget to ask for help if you need it. We can help you if we can." Percival also added, getting a smile from Wendy.
"Thanks." Wendy said with a grateful tone before she thought of something. "Ummm, can I… can I ask you a question?" Each Bakugan were a little surprised by her words, yet they saw no problem in answering her.
"What is it?" Wilda asked with an interested tone. The Sky Dragon Slayer looked nervous for a moment before she opened her mouth.
"Can anyone be a Bakugan Brawler?" Wendy couldn't help but ask. "Seeing you fight against Damus… it was scary, but also fun. N-Not that fighting to the death is fun! It just looks…" Wendy began to poke her fingers, trying to find the best words to use. The Bakugan looked at her with mild amusement. They didn't take offense to what she was saying about Bakugan Battling, they knew she was just interested.
"If you come with us to Vestroia next time, maybe we can find you a partner." Leonidas said with a small chuckle as he turned his body towards the beach, watching as Natsu and Gray began arguing. "The first time I battled with Natsu, it felt natural. He was somewhat of a novice, but he grew, as did our bond."
"You're right. That's exactly how I felt when I met Ace." Percival added with a nostalgic tone. "I know one day you'll meet your Bakugan, and you two will have a strong-"
*SQUACK*
Before Percival could finish, a pelican suddenly flew in… and grabbed the Bakugan with its mouth, flying up. Wendy and the Bakugan all looked at one another, then at the sky before yelling out one name.
"PERCIVAL/PERCIVAL!"
"Ahhhhh… this is so nice~~~" Baron sighed, floating on a tube looking at the sky. "I bet my brothers and sisters would've loved to come here."
"You have siblings?" Happy said, floating towards the Haos Brawler with his own tube. "Natsu never said anything about you having any brothers or sisters."
"I have six of them. Five brothers and one sister." Baron said, glancing at the Exceed with a smile. "They're a bunch of scamps, but I still miss them. I bet they'd love to swim her."
"Do they have Bakugan too?" Happy couldn't help but ask, getting a chuckle from Baron.
"No, I'm the only one in my family who has a Bakugan. They're too young to be brawling." Baron said before a small frown appeared on his face. "I don't want them to brawl like the others in Vestal."
"Oh yeah, Natsu told me about how the Bakugan were treated." Happy said with droopy ears. If anyone treated him, Lily or Carla like that, he would never forgive them. "But at least you're fighting for them."
"That's true. And Earthland is nice with its magic and stuff, but I kinda miss Vestal… and the Mobile Base." Baron said with a sigh. Seeing the confused look on Happy's face, Baron decided to elaborate. "The Mobile Base is like a moving house we used when we were in New Vestroia. It had a map of the world, comfy beds, a training room, it was just awesome. And we had to leave it behind. I hope no one broke it, or stole it." Little did the two of them know, Wendy(and the Bakugan in her hands) was trying her best to catch the pelican that was carrying Percival.
"Wow, Vestroia sounds really cool. Next time, Natsu better take me." Happy said with an annoyed pout, having not been able to go with Natsu the last time. However, an idea popped into his mind. "Are there fish in Vestroia?"
"Ummmm….. I'm not so sure. Unless you count the Aquos Bakugan." Baron said while rubbing his head in thought. "I know you like fish, but I don't think even you can try eating the Bakugan." He looked back at Happy and sweatdropped at the dazed expression on the Exceed's face. "Nevermind."
"Requip!" A bright light emerged on the beach for a split second before a sword materialized in front of Erza, her hand grasping the handle.
"Wow, even after your fight with Natsu, I still can't believe you can summon a weapon without any trouble." Alice said in astonishment, her brown eyes glued to Erza's weapon. Despite being the more mature one of the original Bakugan Brawlers, Alice couldn't help but act a little kid in the face of magic. "How many weapons do you have?"
"I have over one hundred weapons and armors at my disposal." Erza answered, slightly amused by the orange haired girl's enthusiasm. "I can only summon a certain amount from the pocket dimension, hence why I pull around a large cart whenever we travel."
"And your armor lets you use different magic." Alice said with small stars in her eyes. "Could I… hold your sword?" Yes, it was a dangerous weapon for her to hold, but she couldn't help it. It was a sword that was summoned through magic! Letting an amused smile appear on her face, Erza handed Alice her sword. Carefully wrapping her fingers around the sword, Alice pulled it away from Erza's grip, wobbling a bit from the weight. "It's heavier than I thought. Is there magic powering it?"
"Not necessarily." Erza said honestly, helping Alice hold the handle with both hands. "Most of my weapons are standard, though when I requip to my other armor, the weapons I summon are given enhancements. It's best if I learn how to use different weapons rather than just swords." An idea suddenly came up. "Alice, have you considered using a sword?"
"Me?" A confused expression appeared on Alice's face as she gave Erza her sword back. She never considered using a weapon at all, given how there was no need. Not to mention the fact she disliked hurting anyone. "No. I'm not much of a fighter."
"And yet you're with the Battle Brawlers. It shows you have some idea of combat tactics." Erza spoke up, though when she saw the conflicted expression on Alice's face, she frowned. "You don't like to battle?"
"I'm a pacifist." Alice confessed she sat on the sand, hugging her knees. "I don't like hurting anyone, or even calling them names. My grandfather taught me that words are stronger than fists, and I always believed that." Lowering her head, Alice looked at the waves, a smile appearing on her face as she saw Natsu and Gray running towards the water. "But I hate when others are hurt and I can do something about it. That's why I came back to help Hydranoid and the others from the Vexos."
"There's nothing wrong with that." Erza said as she took a seat next to the Darkus Brawler. "I never wanted to harm others as well, but… certain things forced me to draw my hand. If I was being honest, I'm jealous." Alice turned to her with a surprised expression. "You want to ensure no one is hurt, yet you continue to fight in order to protect the ones you care about. I'm sure the Master would invite you to join the Guild if you asked." A blush appeared on Alice's face as she looked down. Her, as a member of Fairy Tail? That would be crazy! And yet, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed by Erza's words.
"Thank you, Erza. I-"
"SKY DRAGON ROAR!" A sudden burst of wind was shot towards the sky, catching Erza and Alice's attention. They turned and saw Wendy using her magic to try and knock down some pelicans. One of them seem to drop something which Wendy quickly caught. "Percival, are you okay?!"
"Tell… NO ONE... about this. Ever." Percival told her with a shaky tone. To be in the mouth of something so small, and to be so high up while in ball form was terrifying. As long as no one else saw, he would be fine.
"Maybe we should try to find a bird free area." Wilda said with a small gulp. No telling how long it would be until another pelican tried to pull another stunt like this. Wendy gave a nod before she began carrying the Bakugan away.
"It looks like Wendy is training hard. Good for her." Erza said with a warm smile. It was good for the young wizard working hard to keep up with the others.
"Why did that bird have Percival?" Alice asked with a confused tone. Did it… steal him? She mentally shrugged it off before standing up. "Do you want something to drink?"
"I would love a drink." Erza said as she also stood up, walking away with Alice.
'With Sona'
"And this is how you can calculate the Powerlevel of each Bakugan on the field." Sona said to Levy as the two were seated near the ocean, with the former showing the bookworm the functions of a Bakugan Brawlers Gauntlet.
"And depending on the ability, you can either increase the power of your Bakugan or lower the power of your opponent's." Levy said, mentally taking notes on everything. "What about Ability Cards that freeze an opponent? Do those exist?"
"Some Bakugan have similar abilities like that, and there are some Gate Cards that can do that as well." Sona said with a smile. "Bakugan like Tyna can even change their own Attributes in order to use different abilities."
"Amazing. Bakugan are so interesting." Levy said with a big smile, wiggling her toes in anticipation. "I would love to have a Bakugan as a partner. There's so much I can write in a book for everyone to read… if the Bakugan would let me." That last part came out with a nervous laugh. Since the Bakugan were living creatures, it was only fair to ask permission to write about their existence. Sona let out an amused chuckle at this.
"I'm sure the Bakugan wouldn't deny a chance to be written in books. I've actually kept a small journal to record everything about our adventures in Vestroia. I can show you, if you want." Sona offered, getting wide eyes from Levy.
"You'd do that? Thanks!" Levy said while giving Sona a one armed hug, making her smile. "You know, I have a collection of books on Earthland if you're interested in reading."
"It wouldn't hurt to read something like that." Kallen called out, sun tanning next to the other two females with a pair of sunglasses. "For a long time, I never believed in magic. Then again, there's a world where giants live and a whole game was built around them, so anything's possible."
"I'm worried about what the Vexos and their friends might do." Ace called out from Kallen's left, joining her in a session of tanning. He put his hands behind his head while glaring at the sky. "They could attack at any time, yet they haven't shown up since yesterday."
"Maybe they're still planning. You never know what those bastards are thinking." Kallen responded, though her eyes were on the sky.
It may not look like it, but she too was concerned with the whereabouts of their enemy.
'The Calamity Training Room'
*Thud*
Mylene groaned as she fell hard on her back, hitting the cold metal floor. Instead of her usual attire, the Aquos Brawler of the Vexos was dressed in a tight blue and grey bodysuit, pure black shoes and grey gloves. These clothes were graciously donated to her and her comrades by the Spectres for training purposes. A single light illuminated the center of the training room. Wiping away the small amount of saliva from the corner of her mouth, Mylene picked up the metal bo staff on her right, standing back up. "Don't tell me the Queen of the Vexos is done. I've barely gotten started." Alister said with a mocking tone, wearing a similar outfit to Mylene and a bo staff of his own. He spun his staff while putting his right hand in his pocket. "I was sure the Vexos were given some type of combat training."
"You're starting to annoy me." Mylene said with narrowed eyes, though Alister didn't react. Annoyed by his lack of a reaction, Mylene rushed towards his, thrusting her bo staff towards his neck, only for him to block it with his own weapon. To his surprise, Mylene expertly spun her body, swinging the other side of her staff at Alister's face, barely scraping his right cheek. Rather than flinch at the pain, Alister let out a small, but satisfying smirk as he stepped away from Mylene. Gripping the staff with both hands, Alister began to spin it, his yellow eyes staring straight at Mylene's blue ones. There was an uneasiness to his gaze, as if he was a predator stalking his prey.
And then he moved forward.
Mylene quickly attempted to block his attack, only to realize that he had simply treated her. "Predictable." Alister quickly struck Mylene's left knee, earning a small groan from the female as she momentarily lost her balance. Taking advantage, Alister began swinging his staff, forcing Mylene on the defensive, parrying each strike. "You rely too much on eyesight." He hit her elbow. "To truly take down an opponent, you must show no mercy." Mylene attempted to hit his chest, only for him to block it and strike her right cheek, leaving a visible mark on her face. "You must use their weakness to your advantage, and ensure they never stand against you again." Smacking the bo staff out of her hands, Alister delivered a sharp kick to Mylene's stomach, causing him to fall down again. "How are you going to be able to take the other Attribute Energies if you aren't willing to go to the extreme to-"
*WHIP*
It was by sheer luck that Alister was able to jump out of the way just as a blue energy whip came out of nowhere. He watched in amusement as Mylene glared at him, holding her energy whip that she had secretly stored. "Now that's what I was looking for." Alister said with sadistic amusement. Feeling a burning sensation on his leg, he looked down and noticed a small lash mark just below his knee, blood slowly dripping out of it. "And I wasn't fast enough to dodge."
"I hate when others mock me." Mylene answered as she stood up, deactivating her weapon. She wasn't going to kill the guy, but it did bring her a bit of satisfaction to see him in a little pain. "It's funny how you speak about using someone's weakness against them when your leader is so high strung about honor."
"That's where we and Damus… argue over." Alister said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two small white medical patches. He offered one to Mylene, who simply glared at him before taking it. "We have an objective, yet he stalls for time to see who deserves our full power and who doesn't. Honestly, it gets annoying at times." Alister then placed the patch on his wound, putting his bo staff over his shoulder. "But, I owe him a debt, and I intend to pay it."
"I don't care about your debts." Mylene said as she placed her own patch on her cheek, briefly surprised at the strangely warm feeling it provided. "Why aren't we attacking the Brawlers again?"
"Because they moved." The lights to the training room turned on, allowing Volt and Talia to walk towards them, with the latter looking at her Gauntlet.
"What?" Mylene practically demanded while Alister looked curious.
"We checked the scanners this morning. It looks like they went south, towards the ocean." Volt replied with his arms crossed. "They haven't left the planet, so it isn't hard for us to find them."
"They might be attempting to protect the allies they've made her by moving away from them." Talia said, lifting her head to stare at them. "This is a perfect opportunity."
"To attack them." Mylene said, though to her annoyance, Alister chuckled.
"Have you forgotten what I said about using someone's weakness against them?" Alister said rhetorically. "They've left the area they were staying in for days. If that's the case, then we could learn more about the people here."
"Sneaking into a building and stealing any information. It's not something I would do, but considering we're in unknown territory, it might us find a strategy against the Brawlers." Volt said with a small nod.
"And since we aren't attacking any civilians, Damus would agree with our plan. Are you in?" Talia asked, her eyes focused on Mylene. She may prefer reading her book, but if Damus wanted information about the enemy, she could at least provide it.
Mylene stayed silent for a few moments, taking into consideration what they were offering. Those Brawlers were always able to get their grubby little hands on any information that the Vexos tried to hide, hence why Alpha, Beta and Gamma were now nothing but bubble. If she and the others could one up them, that would make her day. With a dark smirk, Mylene ripped the medical patch off her face before answering.
"What are we waiting for?"
Unbeknownst to them, their little meeting was being watched by Damus himself, who allowed a small smirk to grow on his face. 'Interesting.'
'Yakaboto Beach Retreat, night'
"Oh man, now THAT was a hot spring." Natsu said with a heavy sigh of relief. He and the rest of the males in their group were currently walking back to their rooms, wearing dark blue robes with red leaves on the sides. After an entire day of rest and relaxation, with a hint of training, the group decided to turn in for the night with a visit to the hot springs, followed by a nice dinner. "So what'd you think of it, Leo?"
"The heat from the water was nice." Leonidas answered while riding on Natsu's shoulder. Being a Pyrus type Bakugan, Leonidas was immune to common heat, yet if his Brawler could relax, he would relax as well.
"First a hot shower, now a hot spring? Man, I love going to other worlds." Baron exclaimed while stretching his arms with the happiest smile anyone had ever seen.
"I agree. I wonder how many more similarities there are in this world compared to Vestroia." Nemus agreed with his Brawler.
"How did you feel about today, Ace?" Percival asked Ace, who walked with his hands in his robe pockets.
"It was alright. Relaxing on the beach is good to take away some stress." Ace confessed with a small smirk. While he did have some concerns with the Vexos, he actually enjoyed a day at the beach… except for the guys burying him in sand. That was annoying. "So, how many things can you make with that ice magic, Gray?"
"Whatever I can think of." Gray said with a shrug. "My Master's other student, Lyon, is able to make creatures out of ice. All I can do is make things. Still comes in handy when you need it to."
"Nice." Ace said with a small nod. For some reason, Ace and Gray just clicked, neither arguing with the other. Almost as if they shared a similar trait. "But did you really need to strip in front of those kids?"
"Don't remind me." Gray said with a groan. All he did was turn around and his swimming trunks were gone. And a family just so happened to be walking by. Gray was lucky that they weren't kicked out for public nudity, though they were warned never to do that again.
"Well I'm glad you had your fun for today, but can you please focus on training tomorrow?" Droy begged.
"Yeah. We still have three months left before the Grand Magic Games. Maybe it's a good time to start refreshing your magic." Jet added. Relaxing in the water and building sandcastles is nice, but that wasn't why they were there.
"We will. Don't worry about it." Natsu said with a small wave of his hand. "But let's get some food. I'm starving!" The group eventually reached their room, standing in front of the japanese style screen doors. Gray and Droy grabbed one side of each door before sliding it open.
However, instead of seeing a nice assortment of food waiting for them… it was chaos.
A single bottle of Akane Beer rolled in front of them, followed by another… and another… and a fourth one.
"WHO THE HELL GAVE THE GIRLS ALCOHOL?!" Gray's voice could be heard throughout the Retreat.
Sure enough, all the females were completely drunk, though the alcohol seem to have affected them in different ways.
Erza looked beyond angry, cross legged in front of a small table with a bottle of Sake in her hand.
Lucy and Mira were hiccuping while leaning back to back.
Wendy, being the poor young girl she was, laid on the ground with swirling in her eyes.
Kallen was lazily eating potato chips while giggling to herself.
Tsubaki was against the wall, occasionally raising her head in order to stay away.
Levy and Sona were laughing as loudly as they can.
Juvia was trying her best to wake Wendy up, tears pouring down her eyes like a waterfall(ironically.)
And Alice was simply sitting in place, her bangs shadowing her expression.
"WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE ALCOHOL!" Erza roared as she threw the empty bottle, hitting the wall next to them. "BUY US MORE!"
"Why is the world… the world… it's so... Spinny~~~~" Wendy said in her unconscious state, seeing mini Grandeeneys flying over her.
"Wendy~~~ wake up. We need you~~~~" Juvia begged as more tears ran down her cheeks.
"She looks so *hiccup* funny, right Lushy?" Mira said in a slurry voice, drinking another bottle of alcohol.
"Don't cry Juvy~~~ have some fun with *hiccup* uzzzz….." Lucy added with a drunk laugh, accidently spilling her Sake on the floor mat.
"Hehehehehe, sheb con't wayb ub." Kallen said with a mouth full of chips, falling to the side.
"Sleepy… WAKE UP!... Uuuuu…." Tsubaki began to dooz off before she fell over, finally falling asleep.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, SHE FELL DOWN!" Levy said while pointing at the Ventus Brawler, laughing like an idiot.
"SHE'S SO DRUNK~~~~~~" Sona said, her glasses falling off her face as she look another swig from her Sake bottle, spilling it in the process.
"All the food… gone…" Droy whimpered, seeing what was left of their dinner sprawled on the floor.
"This is insane!" Jet exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Why?" Baron said with tears in his eyes. He wanted to eat, but now… he was going to starve. At least until tomorrow morning.
"Why would they even start drinking?! Erza can't even take her liquor!" Natsu pointed out, more shocked than annoyed. He remembered the first time Erza tried alcohol… he and Gray had to stay in the med bay for a whole week.
"Hey, Madam! Why did you give them alcohol?!" Ace called out to the owner of the building, frustrated by the mess in front of him.
Natsu and Gray quickly took a step back, knowing how much Ace just screwed up.
*SMACK*
A single glass struck the side of Ace's head, causing him to fall back. "ACE!" Gray acted fast and caught the Darkus Brawler, whose eyes were white as a small amount of blood ran down his head.
"Stay with us, Ace!" Percival shouted as he landed on Gray's shoulder, looking at his Brawler in concern.
"Who threw that?" Nemus questioned… only to sweatdrop at the expression on Erza's face.
"Shut up. Your voice is too loud." Erza growled as a fiery aura surrounded her. "We need more alcohol so we can continue drinking."
'Holy crap, ERZA'S GONE CRAZY!' The Fairy Tail males thought in horror. If normal Erza was scary, drunk Erza was a true nightmare. They would even take fighting Acnologia then deal with her!
Unfortunately, Baron didn't get the memo.
"Ummm, m-miss Erza? I think you should… stop drinking." Baron said meekly, catching everyone's attention.
"Baron, nnnnoooooo…" Natsu whispered in distress. However, it was in vain as Alice stood up, walking towards Baron.
"A-Alice?" Baron asked, hoping she was fine.
"Baron…" Alice barely let out a whisper… before she grabbed his collar and pulled him close. Instead of the beautiful and kind girl she and the others knew, Baron came face to face with a seriously angry Alice, who had a drunk blush on her cheeks. "WE NEED MORE DRINKS, SO GET THEM!"
"YES MADAM!" Completely terrified, Baron rushed out of the room towards the store. There was no way in hell he was going to stick around for that.
"Alice, what… what's wrong with you?!" Natsu exclaimed in pure shock. He would never expect Alice of all people to yell at Baron like that. It was almost as scary as when Mirajane got mad. However, the moment he yelled at her, Alice's demeanor changed and she looked at him with teary eyes.
"NATSU~~!" Alice embraced Natsu tightly, crying on his shoulder. "I missed you~~~ where did you go?"
"Ummm, what?" Natsu questioned with wide eyes. He then gasped as Alice grabbed his ponytail, pulling it a bit.
"WHY DON'T YOU CUT YOUR HAIR?! I LIKED YOUR OLD HAIRCUT!" Alice said harshly. She then let go of him while laying her head on his chest, smiling lazily. "You're so warm~~~"
"Again, WHAT?!" Okay, now Natsu was completely confused. One minute, Alice was yelling at him, the next she was crying or being close.
"This is getting out of hand." Leonidas said with a serious tone. He looked around and noticed his fellow Bakugan on another table. He let out a gasp as he saw Hydranoid, Vladitor, Wilda and Guren lying on their backs. "WILDA!" Leaping of Natsu's shoulder, along with Percival, the two Bakugan landed on the table, waddling towards their allies. "What happened?"
"Leonidas… Percival…" Wilda moaned tiredly.
"Run… away…" Guren added, much to their confusion.
"Why?" Percival asked in a confused tone.
"They/have/ lost control…" Hydranoid said, trying to move his body.
"They're… here…" Vladitor said in a dreaded tone.
"Well… well… WELL." Leonidas and Percival shook as they turned around, only to come face to face with Tyna and Ingram.
However, rather than being the composed Bakugan they knew… they were drunk.
"Why are you late, Perzivalllll?" Ingram said in a slurry tone.
"You too, Leo. It's been so… BORING without you~" Tyna whined before she reverted to ball form, rolling in front of Leonidas.
"Tyna, Ingram. What happened to you?" Leonidas said with concern as the Aquos Bakugan appeared in front of him. He was surprised when Tyna poked his chest.
"Listen here, you!" Tyna said harshly. "I don't feel like… rolling. Carry me~~~" The last word came out as more of a whimper than a yell.
"W-What?"
"CARRY ME!" Tyna yelled harshly, causing Leonidas and Percival to flinch before their female allies jumped on their backs.
"How did this even happen?!" Percival said, trying his best to ignore Ingram's weight on his back.
"The girls… they were going to try this thing called Sake… Tyna and Ingram were curious and drank some… we should've known." Wilda said in a regretful tone before he passed out due to exhaustion.
'Why did this need to happen?' Natsu thought with a twitch of his brow as he attempted to console a crying Alice.
What a way to end the first day of training.
Well… this happened. Yeah, I know having a beach chapter felt cliche, but I think our heroes deserve a little rest after the shit that happened two chapters ago. Yes, I know some of these felt weak, but I tried to get some interactions between everyone. It just helps move the story a bit for me.
I know some of you might be asking: why the hell is Natsu affected by the girls in their bikinis? Well… ever since his kiss with Mira, Natsu has slowly become less dense and can now fully appreciate the female body(he won't perv over them, just to make that clear.) I think is is a good way to show how much he's grown. The drunk scene was from the OVA, and I thought it should fit in the end of this chapter, just to get a laugh for two.
As for the Vexos/Spectres thing, I think as a way to show how serious the threat is, they should try to sneak into the Guildhall and learn as much about Fairy Tail as possible. Trust me, when we reach the GMG, it'll be a major shock to the Brawlers.
Next chapter will have a Brawl, I promise you. Just having people talk doesn't make for an engaging story.
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Next time: Close danger