~~Hello readers, Welcome to my Bakugan fanfiction.

Bakugan does not belong to me.

I only own my original characters.~~

~Introduction~

My name is Sioku Marie.

I am an autistic 13-year-old girl with curly brown hair and blue eyes.

I live in an apartment with my mom, my younger sister Lynn, and our dog Pegasus.

My hobbies include watching Tv, playing video games, walking my dog, and spending time with my family.

My fears include: medical facilities, upsetting people, going under water, and losing my loved ones.

~Story~

Today was Thursday, also known as the day when my sister and I would start Middle school.

I woke up to the constant beeping sound of my alarm clock.

My eyes opened as I felt the sunlight shining in them.

I tiredly reached over to my bedside table and then pressed a round button on the clock to turn it off.

The screen on my alarm clock read: 7:00 AM.

Complete silence filled my room as I lay still.

I really wanted to sleep longer, but I couldn't.

A few minutes later, I let out a yawn as I stretched.

I carefully sat up in bed and then pushed the covers off of me.

My mind began to wander as I sat silently.

Knowing that I was going back to school today made me feel very uneasy.

I sighed in disappointment as I thought about my academic assistant Julie and her annoying daughter Mira.

Their constant negativity could ruin any moment in an instant.

Julie is supposed to help me out with my school work, but she does the exact opposite.

I've known Julie and Mira since the start of kindergarten.

Instead of explaining the instructions to me, she makes rude comments about my struggles.

Julie would also yell at me publicly if I make even the smallest mistake such as answering a math problem incorrectly or tripping over a backpack.

Worst of all, Julie would call me hurtful names and say ruthless things to purposely make me cry whenever she was angry.

Julie's bratty daughter Mira is just as bad.

Mira came up with the nickname Sad Sioku because she always liked to see me break down.

Julie and Mira are the main reason why I don't have any friends in school.

They told everyone to stay away from me.

As the years went on, I eventually got used to being the lonely outcast that Julie wanted me to be.

I shook my head roughly in order to suppress those bad thoughts for now.

My morning didn't need to be ruined.

Then I swung my legs over the side of my bed before I stepped onto the fluffy carpet below.

Before I could start getting ready for school, I decided to put on an episode of Bakugan Battle Brawlers.

That Anime always put my mind at ease whenever I felt sad or stressed about something.

My favorite characters were all six Battle Brawlers and their guardian Bakugans.

I quickly walked over to my closet and then slid one of the glass doors open.

My outfit was neatly laid out on a tall wooden dresser in front of me.

The outfit contained sparkly pink flat shoes, white ankle socks, pink dress pants, a purple blouse, and a thin purple cover.

My face lit up with joy as I watched Marucho release Preyas from his orb.

I immediately started to like Preyas because he has a lively voice that would always brighten up my day every time I heard it.

Out of all the Bakugans, Preyas was my favorite.

Preyas had a wonderful sense of humor and an expressive personality that made me fall in love with him right away.

I could always rely on Preyas whenever I needed to relieve my anxiety.

After changing into my school clothes, I stored my red fuzzy pajamas in a drawer.

I closed the closet before I sat down on a stool in front of my vanity.

Then I retrieved my brush from a drawer and started brushing the tangles out of my messy hair.

I styled my hair into two long braids.

The battle between Marucho and Jennie and Jewels had me distracted in a good way.

I focused on Preyas' elegance in order to temporarily forget about Julie.

My mind couldn't have been in a happier place.

A knock at the door suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Come in," I answered.

The door opened to reveal my younger sister Lynn standing in the doorway.

"Good morning Lynn," I greeted with a smile.

"Same to you Sioku," Lynn replied.

Lynn is a 12-year-old girl with curly red hair and brown eyes.

She wore green tennis shoes, blue socks, blue jeans, and a green long-sleeved shirt.

"You look beautiful Sioku," Lynn complemented as she stared at me.

"Thank you very much," I replied.

"What brings you in here?" I continued.

"I just wanted to see if you were awake," she answered.

I stood up from the stool and said. "Thanks, my alarm woke me up at 7:00."

"Sioku, will you please walk the dog as soon as you come out?" she replied.

"Yes, I would love to do that for you. Pegasus is probably still waiting for me in his kennel right now," I answered happily.

"Thank you Sioku, I'll see you soon. I'm going to help Mom make breakfast now," Lynn said before she exited my room.

I quickly packed a few things into my backpack and then put on my favorite necklace.

The necklace is a blue jewel that hangs down from a silver chain.

After making my bed, I rushed out of my room leaving the door wide open.

Our apartment was a small area that contained three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a short hallway, a living room/dining area, and a kitchen.

The little dog began to whimper in excitement as I entered the living room.

"Stop it Pegasus," called a female voice.

Pegasus is a Pomeranian with long black fur.

He is very hyperactive and loves to bark at everything.

My mother Kara was sitting on one of the couches and watching Tv.

"Good morning Mother," I greeted.

"Hello Sioku," Kara replied.

Kara is a woman in her early forties with straight red hair and brown eyes.

She wore blue tennis shoes, blue socks, blue jeans, a red T-shirt, and a red sweater.

I then plopped down on the opposite couch.

"Are you excited about your first day of school?" Kara continued.

I frowned and let out a sigh before I answered. "Not really, I don't have any friends to talk to. Everybody at school dislikes me and thinks that I'm weird. They would either avoid me like a contagious disease or laugh at my mistakes. I am also not looking forward to seeing Mira again. She is nothing but a big bully."

"I don't expect you to talk to Mira because I know how she is. You're right, Mira isn't a nice person. Please listen to me Sioku, you'll never know what a person is thinking unless you try talking to him or her. You're going to middle school now, so the students there should be more mature. They should also be patient enough to understand who you are," Kara explained.

I bowed my head sadly as I imagined Julie yelling at me in class today.

"I just hope that Julie won't scare my classmates away from me this time," I mumbled under my breath.

"Sioku, why did you just say that?" Kara asked in a slightly stern voice.

"That evil woman doesn't do her job right at all. Instead of helping me understand my school work, Julie yells at me all the time for stupid reasons that never make sense. She also embarrasses me in front of huge audiences by calling me a selfish baby or criticizing my emotions. Julie will find every opportunity to take advantage of my autism by intentionally making me cry. There is never a day at school where I don't feel sad, stressed, or ashamed," I answered in frustration.

Kara's voice grew more stern toward me as she argued. "Sioku Marie, that is enough! Julie is only trying to help you become a better student. You have no right to talk badly about her."

Preyas' voice echoed in my head which gave me a major boost of encouragement.

"Thank you Preyas," I thought.

I straightened myself up and replied. "Hold on Mother, you aren't listening to what I am trying to tell you. I have literally been forced to become an introvert at school. My back is always against the wall. Besides, you're not around to witness the horrible things that Julie does to me."

Kara glared at me in annoyance and said bitterly. "That's it young lady, I've heard enough out of you. Don't say another word about Julie. Do I make myself clear?"

My heart began to race with fear and anxiety.

"Yes ma'am," I answered.

Knowing that my mother disagreed with my statement only made me feel more upset and apprehensive about going to school.

I immediately started thinking about Preyas in order to calm myself down.

Picturing the jubilant Bakugan in my mind caused my agitation to fade away almost instantly.

"I'm going to walk the dog now," I said quietly.

"I'll see you soon," Kara replied calmly.

I stood up from my seat before I walked over to Pegasus' kennel.

Pegasus was standing in front of the door while wagging his bushy tail.

"Come on buddy," I said as I opened the metal door.

Pegasus panted with excitement as he jumped into my arms.

I held him close while ruffling his long fur.

Pegasus licked my face while still wagging his tail.

"Let's go outside," I said as I quickly carried him to the front door.

After clipping the metal end of a leash to Pegasus' harness, I gently set him down on the floor.

Pegasus shook off with excitement.

I gently opened the door and then led him outside.

All of the apartment buildings on this block were lined up beside each other and separated by patches of dirt and grass.

The weather outside was sunny and perfect.

There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

I slipped into a pleasant train of deep thought about Bakugan Battle Brawlers as Pegasus and I leisurely made our way down the block.

The street was mostly quiet because there weren't many cars driving on it.

The dog stopped to take a break whenever he needed it.

My walks with Pegasus were always peaceful because I was able to let my mind wander to a better place.

I turned around once Pegasus and I had reached a chain-link fence at the end of the block.

As Pegasus and I were walking back home, I spotted a familiar looking ball-shaped object rolling around in one of the patches of grass.

I curiously stopped and stared at it from a distance.

"Wo, could that be a Bakugan? If it is, somebody must have dropped it by accident." I thought.

Pegasus began to bark crazily as he stared down at it.

"Quiet down Pegasus," I said firmly.

The dog only dragged me as he ran toward the rolling ball at full speed.

I tugged on the dog's leash roughly and shouted with irritation. "Pegasus! I told you to calm down!"

Pegasus whimpered as he tried to struggle out of my grip.

I firmly held onto his harness in order to prevent him from dragging me again.

Then he continued to bark at the object lying in the grass.

A frightened scream was heard from inside the ball as it rolled away from us.

"There's a big four legged creature after me! Someone please help!" a male voice hollered from within the orb.

I gasped in awe at the voice and thought. "Oh my gosh... that gorgeous voice sounds very familiar. Where have I heard it?"

Scenes from Bakugan Battle Brawlers played in my mind as I stood still.

"Is that... Preyas?" I whispered as a joyful smile formed on my face.

In that moment, all of my worries about Julie and Mira had been completely wiped away.

I was only focused on this new situation in front of me.

Pegasus began to bark again as he heard the voice.

"Knock it off Pegasus," I commanded.

Pegasus let out a growl in response.

"Oh no... I have to get away! I need to get out of here! Somebody save me!" the voice hollered a second time.

I gasped in surprise as I realized who the wondrous voice belonged to.

"Pegasus, that is Preyas! Let's go boy," I said suddenly.

I scooped Pegasus into my arms before I chased the traveling ball down our block.

"Hold on Preyas, I'm coming for you! Please don't go anywhere!" I called after him.

""A human girl is here to rescue me. How does she know who I am?" said Preyas in a happier tone.

Preyas relaxed a little as he spotted me walking toward him.

I finally caught up to the frightened Bakugan who was lying in a patch of grass near my apartment.

"Hello Preyas, it's nice to meet you. Do you know how you came here?" I said gently.

Preyas rolled backward fearfully as he spotted Pegasus in my arms.

"Don't worry Preyas, this little knucklehead right here is harmless. Pegasus won't bite you," I assured as I looked down at the dog.

Preyas rolled slowly toward Pegasus and me with a timid look in his eyes.

My heart sank a bit as I sensed the new creature's fear.

Seeing Preyas like that only made me want to help him even more.

"It's okay Preyas, my dog and I won't hurt you. My name is Sioku," I said smoothly.

The Bakugan took a deep breath as he stared up at me.

"That's it Preyas, you're okay. I'm right here," I assured.

Talking to Preyas for real was definitely a dream come true for me.

I almost couldn't believe it.

My worries about Julie were non existent in this moment of peace.

I stood still in order to let Preyas take in my appearance.

A long period of silence passed between us.

"Preyas, are you all right?" I asked softly.

"I should be fine," he answered with a relieved sigh.

The Bakugan still seemed a bit unsure since he was not familiar with his surroundings yet.

"You'll be okay Preyas, I won't leave your side. I promise," I reassured.

I cautiously knelt down to the Bakugan's level so he can get a better look at Pegasus and me.

Preyas finally started to relax when he saw Pegasus laying down on my knees.

Seeing Preyas in a calmer state made me feel relaxed as well.

A warm and fuzzy feeling coursed through my body as I stared down at him.

He just looked so adorable and innocent.

"Hey Preyas, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better. Can you tell me where you came from?" I started gently.

"My friends and I live in another world known as Vestroia. It is in danger right now because negative energy is overpowering the positive energy. There are other Bakugan here on Earth as well," Preyas answered.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I continued.

"Sioku, you and I met for a specific reason. I am your guardian Bakugan. You and I must assist the other brawlers in their quest to save our world from doom," Preyas explained.

Helping Preyas save Vestroia seemed like the perfect way to finally take my mind off of Julie and Mira.

I grinned at the Bakugan and said. "Wow Preyas, that sounds like a grand adventure. I would love to help you guys out. Besides, I could use the distraction anyway."

"Why do you need a distraction?" Preyas replied curiously.

Our conversation caused my mind to wander back to Julie and Mira.

I hesitated for a minute before I took a deep breath.

"My sister Lynn and I are about to start middle school today. My social life has been nothing but rough and stressful. I have an academic assistant named Julie who bullies me every day. I always end up in tears because she verbally abuses me for her own pleasure. Julie has a daughter named Mira who is also a bully. Mira gave me the nickname Sad Sioku because she likes to see me break down and cry," I answered sadly.

Even though this topic had usually been hard to talk about, telling Preyas about my social life was much easier than I thought it would be.

Preyas' expression changed from curious to sympathetic as he said. "That doesn't sound good at all. I don't know anything about school Sioku, but why do you require an academic assistant?"

I didn't know why, but opening up to Preyas felt right.

He was like the best friend in school that I never had.

"I have a mental disability called autism. It makes learning and sitting still very difficult for me because my mind is always wandering. I also have special interests and constantly obsess over them. Those intrests often make me hyper whenever I think or talk about them. My emotions are hard to control as well," I explained.

Revealing my disability to Preyas was necessary because I already sensed a bond forming between us.

I felt like a ton of emotional weight had finally been lifted off of my chest.

"Sioku, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I already like you just the way you are. You can always express yourself around me. Doing that will help me learn more about you," Preyas said with love.

The Bakugan's kind words made me feel emotional in a good way.

An overwhelming feeling of joy washed over me as I smiled at Preyas.

Without thinking, I lifted Preyas into my hands and held him tight.

Pegasus carefully hopped onto the ground and then sat down beside me.

Preyas was surprised by my quick action, but he didn't resist.

Tears of joy welled up in my eyes as I held the Bakugan close to me.

"Oh Preyas, I love you so much. You are already the best friend I ever had," I said cheerfully.

My heart pounded rapidly in my chest as I tried to hold back my tears.

Preyas looked at me wearing a confused expression and asked. "Are you okay Sioku?"

There was no response from me.

Those tears that I was trying so hard to hold back began to stream down my cheeks.

I wiped them away before I answered. "I'm so sorry Preyas, my emotions just got the best of me. I've never had a true friend before. Although you're not a human, you are still my first real friend."

Preyas' expression instantly changed from confused to shocked as he asked. "Sioku, are you serious? Do you really not have any friends? Why not?"

"Unfortunately yes, I have always been either teased or pushed away by other people because they don't like my personality. I eventually got used to being a permanent outcast," I answered sadly.

"Sioku, you don't deserve to be treated that way. All of those people who refused to talk to you are missing out on a beautiful friendship," Preyas said smoothly.

"Thank you so much Preyas," I replied softly.

I took a minute to pull myself together before I stood up with Preyas still in my hands.

"Hey Preyas, Pegasus and I need to go back inside my apartment now. My mother and siblings are waiting for us. I'll place you in my pocket so we can still be together," I said in a happier tone.

"That sounds like a great idea Sioku. I could really use a break," he replied.

I couldn't help but giggle at that.

"Let's go Pegasus," I commanded as I slipped the Bakugan into my pants pocket.

Pegasus shook off in response.

With Preyas safely stored in my pocket, I walked back inside the apartment with Pegasus happily running next to me.

"Welcome home Preyas,"I said softly.

After hanging up the leash, I strolled into the kitchen with a joyous expression on my face.

"Hello Mother," I greeted.

Pegasus panted as he ran circles around me.

"Settle down dog," Kara ordered.

"Pegasus, out," I commanded while staring at him.

Pegasus immediately ran into the living room.

Kara was standing by the stove wearing an apron over her clothes.

She looked sternly at me and replied. "Sioku, you are late. What took you so long?"

I immediately thought of a way to cover up my encounter with Preyas.

"This knucklehead challenged a bigger dog to a fight at the end of our block. I tried to pull him away, Pegasus kept dragging me toward the dog. The bigger dog barked at Pegasus and then started to chase us back home. I held Pegasus in my arms until the other dog's owner arrived. The owner came and got his dog a few minutes later," I explained.

"Wow Sioku, our dog has never done that before. Waiting for the other dog's owner was a wise decision," Kara replied calmly.

"Pegasus is probably intimidated by bigger dogs and wants to prove himself," I said in confusion.

"You should go wash up in the bathroom now. Breakfast is ready," Kara replied.

"Yes ma'am," I said before I quickly exited the kitchen.

I rushed down the hallway before I entered the small bathroom.

As I was washing my hands, Preyas looked up at me and said quietly. "I forgot to tell you something earlier. You and I can also communicate through telepathy."

"You and I should do that both at school and around my family," I suggested.

"I like that idea," Preyas replied.

Our conversation was suddenly interrupted when I heard Lynn calling out to me. "Sioku!"

"I'm coming," I called back.

After drying my hands on a towel, I ran back into the kitchen.

Kara carefully handed me a plate containing hot food.

"Thank you Mother," I said graciously.

"You're welcome Sioku," Kara replied before she walked away.

I carried my plate over to the table slowly.

Lynn sat in the seat to my left.

"Hi Lynn, what's up?" I greeted as I plopped down in a chair next to her.

"You and I have to clean the kitchen when we're done eating," Lynn answered.

"Okay," I said plainly.

Lynn and I ate our breakfast in silence.

I watched the Tv in order to keep my mined off of Bakugan Battle Brawlers.

It seemed to work since I didn't notice that Preyas was resting inside my pocket.

Preyas acted as if he wasn't alive.

This made me feel relieved because nobody else knew about him yet.

"Preyas is such a good Bakugan. He is also a great friend, " I thought with a dreamy smile.

After I finished eating, I carried my empty dishes to the kitchen sink and then rinsed them out.

Then I sat on the couch and waited patiently.

Pegasus hopped onto the couch before he laid down beside me.

I looked down at my Bakugan and whispered. "Preyas, are you all right in there?"

"I'm fine," Preyas answered telepathically.

I slipped into a pleasant train of thought as I continued staring at him.

Having Preyas around made me feel less afraid of going to school.

I finally felt safe and secure knowing that I had a true friend by my side.

Lynn's voice gently brought me back to reality. "Sioku, it's time to do our chores now."

"I'll be right there," I replied while staring up at her.

I stood up carefully in order to prevent myself from disturbing Pegasus.

Then Lynn and I hurried into the kitchen.

I washed all of the dirty dishes, and Lynn wiped down the counters.

Once our chores were done, I rushed back to my room and then grabbed my backpack off of the desk.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" asked Preyas.

"The bus will be here soon," I answered as I slipped the straps over my shoulders.

Then I ran back into the living room.

Lynn was already standing by the front door.

"I apologize if I kept you waiting," I said breathlessly.

"The bus isn't here yet," Lynn replied.

Pegasus panted with excitement as he jumped on me.

"Come here Pegasus," I said as I lifted him into my arms.

The dog snuggled against my chest as I held him close.

"Sioku, will you please put the dog in his kennel?" asked Kara.

"Of course," I answered happily.

I carried Pegasus over to his kennel before I gently lowered him to the floor.

Pegasus shook off before he reluctantly stepped inside the cage.

"I'll see you later," I said as I locked the door.

Pegasus let out a sigh in response.

Then I joined Lynn by the door.

A few minutes later, a bus came into our view as it pulled into the driveway.

Pegasus began to bark as he heard the engine rumbling.

"Oh shut up dog," ordered Kara.

I couldn't help but laugh at that.

Kara then turned to Lynn and me with a smile as she said. "Good bye girls, have a fun firstday of school."

"We will," replied Lynn.

"Have a good day Mother," I added.

Then Lynn and I walked out the front door.

The bus was parked next to the curb.

Preyas became fearful as he heard the engine up close.

"Hey Sioku, are you in any danger? What is that loud sound?" he asked apprehensively.

"Of course not Preyas, you don't have to worry. This large object is called a bus. It's a vehicle that is used to transport a lot of people somewhere. This bus right here will take Lynn and me to school. The bus driver will also stop and pick up other kids too," I explained telepathically.

"I'm so sorry Sioku, I am still getting used to being in your world. I hope I didn't upset you," Preyas said sadly.

"It's all right Preyas, I'm not upset at all. I would feel the same way if you and I were in Vestroia. Besides, I really enjoy teaching you how things work in the human world. I will always be here to answer your questions," I replied with love.

Preyas relaxed as he listened to my voice.

Lynn and I boarded the bus as soon as the doors opened.

A group of other kids followed behind us.

I sat in the seat directly behind the driver.

Lynn moved toward the middle before she sat down beside another girl.

I really didn't mind sitting alone since I haven't had any friends for years now.

Preyas and I were silent during the entire bus ride.

I kept myself busy by looking out the window.

Preyas rested peacefully in my pocket as he took in the sounds around him.

More kids continued to board the bus as the driver stopped at their bus stops.

I paid no attention to anybody because I didn't want to risk getting teased.

Also, receiving their dirty looks would get annoying really quick.

A half hour later, the bus pulled into the middle school's parking lot.

I decided to let everybody get off the bus before me.

Once the isle had been cleared out, I exited the bus.