There was something unsettling about the Doom Dimension Julie had decided. There was a strange energy that swept through the place, embedded in the patchwork of bruise coloured cloth that made up the sky and in the parched earth that stretched out with no discernible end. All around her it swirled bringing gooseflesh to her skin and made the kernel of dread flourish into a dense jungle of anxious emotion. She couldn't place the feeling that it gave her, feeling the energy dancing around her imbued in the wind, however, all she knew is it made her uneasy and made her eyes shift nervously as the wind picked up and so did the weird energy
She had no idea how long she had been there, in the weird dimension. It could've been years for all she knew, what with no way to differentiate night and day. The first thing she had done when she got there was check her cell phone for the time and was not surprised to only receive static. It seemed the weird energy messed with more than her emotions, it has seeped into her device and left it as confused as she felt. She was lucky she supposed, at least she wasn't alone in the strange and dreary world. To make things better her company was not a stranger but her best friend, the person…being that she had sacrificed her life for
The two had barely spoken since they had arrived. There was a veil of tension between the two that wasn't there previously and all she wanted was to tear it down. She knew he was angry, furious even that she threw her life away for him. He probably felt the guilt eating away at him and was trying to process it. He probably felt angry that she would not grow into the women he knew she would become but, in all honesty… she didn't care. It was her life and there was no one better she could sacrifice it for. They were Gorem and Julie, the Subterra Brawlers of the Bakugan Battle Brawlers. They were family, and one does not leave family. She knew in her heart that if she could go back in time and act differently, she would do the exact same thing, and she thought that's why he was so silent. He knew it too
Gorem had never met such a stubborn, obstinate, hard-headed being in all his years, and he lived with beings who represented that with their element. She was reckless, stubborn, and had such little regard for her own safety. She believed love conquered all and had put him on such a pedestal he was terrified it would crush under his weight and leave her disappointed. By the same token, though he had never met someone as kind-hearted, loving, and selfless as her, and he knew that if the roles were reversed he would've done the same thing without a second thought because they were more than partners, they were a team
"Hey, Gorem?" Julie ventured nervously, "why am I not hungry?" she asked, looking up at him from her perch on his shoulder
"Because Julie, for all intents and purposes we are dead" Gorem replied, pausing a little before he said the final word.
She nodded absentmindedly, expecting his answer. She thought it was something like that, and it cemented the nagging thought about the odd energy that swirled and impregnated every fragment of the place. It was cold and unfeeling, with a lingering feeling reminiscent of the aftertaste of a strong dish. It was the chilling feeling of death that swirled around her, the feeling that made her blood shrink back in fear, sluggishly creeping through her veins as if afraid the energy would punish it for daring to move. They continued in silence for a while, absentmindedly meandering through the desolate world without a clear idea as to what they were doing
"Do you want to talk about it?" Gorem ventured, deciding that if she was brave enough to try to start a conversation, he would try continuing it
"Not yet" she replied, sadness leaking through the wall of conviction she tried to erect
He nodded and kept going forward. The tenseness had mellowed to a companionable silence as he kept walking. They both knew they would need to discuss the lingering topics that they tried to hid within the veil between them, but for now, Julie lay back on the browning grass on his shoulder and tried to let the rhythmic thud of his feet lull her into an unease rest
Dan hadn't felt so exhausted before in his life. it wasn't the tiredness that overtook you after a day of activity, it was the type that set up camp in your bones and covered your mind, forcing it to slow to a sluggish pace. He had no luck following his lead that supposedly had intel as to where Billy and the others were, the message from Joe being as fruitful as planting a lemon tree in an arid desert. He was frustrated, but as they say, when life gives you lemons you make the best of it, and even though these lemons had not grown int trees, he took the knowledge that they were not in England as a positive
If it was not for Marucho he wouldn't have been able to go. He was nowhere near as wealthy as the young heir and if they didn't have an extra smaller jet then he would've been stuck. After dropping Julie in Germany he had continued, and after spending a week talking to the guy who had apparently seen Masquerade's hide out he had given up and returned to the campsite he knew his friends were at.
"Here we are Drago, finally back" Dan sighed, his exhaustion eclipsing his usual enthusiasm
Drago grunted from his perch on Dan's shoulder as they broke the bounty line of the forest. It was as if the Brawlers were frozen in time, seated around the table, Marucho sullen and Runo trying to make up for the lack of energy by exuding forces happiness. They all looked up when and Drago broke the trees and Dan felt a grin overtake his face
"Hey Guys, how's it hanging?" Dan happily asked, putting a bit of pep in his voice to mask the weariness
"How's it hanging, how's it hanging," asked Runo incredulously, "you left 12 days ago without so much as a message to let us know where you were going, and you ask how's it hanging?" she shrieked, her voice raising an octave.
Instead of raising to the bait Dan rolled his eyes and walked over to Alice, giving her a friendly hug which he returned, siling gently at him. He couldn't help but smile back, the Russian Beauty's smile infectious. While to have no feelings for her he'd have to be blind to not see her beauty, the beauty enhanced by her gentle spirit. He carried on and gave Shun a head nod before saying hi to the two remaining Brawlers
"You leave with the ditz and stroll on back, and totally ignore me?" Runa screamed, her voice overlain with her fury
"I'm tired Runo and not in the mood to deal with your stupid temper" Dan growled back, rolling her eyes at her dramatics
"You little worm! Don't you know how concerned we were?" she yelled back, clutching her hands so hard they whitened with a blotchy red ring haloing it
"Could've fooled me" Dan bit back, " at least Julie wasn't screamin' at me Dan huffed, rolling his eyes at the irate girl
"Speaking of that airhead, where is she?" Runo asked, "she got lost in a shopping mall?" she snarked, crossing her arms and jutting her hip
"Finally, someone asked. honestly you are like a pair of children" a cool voice rang out" Honestly no wonder she did what she did, Billy did her a favour getting her away from these idiots" a snarky voice rang out
""Huh?" Dan intelligently asked, eyes zeroing in on the tree line as two figured appeared from the flickering shadows
"Well you won't be winning any prizes at the science fair with that brilliance will you" the figure sneered as they fully emerged
"Chan!" Marucho called out, surprised, " Klaus" growled Dan as he took note of the white-dressed male
"Aw Chan, they remembered us" the white-haired man false swooned
"I know, if feel so honoured to be remembered by the famous Battle Brawlers" Chan false squealed before the two of them let out sardonic laughs
"What are you doing here?" Dan yelled, 'Where is Masquerade?" he finished, fury pulsing from his very being
"Hmm, that is not the question you should be asking" Chan snickered, meandering her way over to the large rock at the end of the clearing
"Exactly Chan, one would think that they would be more concerned with their spunky friend" Klaus lazily replied, as if he were discussing their preference of paint colours
"What are you harping on about" Runo screamed, "tell us already" she finished, holding Tigrerra close
"I don't know Chan; you think we should tell them about what happened?" Klaus faux asked sincerely to his friend
"I guess they have a right to know… after all they won't be seeing them ever again" Chan lazily replied, leaning back on her arms
That was when all hell broke loose. Dan and Runo screamed for the two to tell them where Julie was, even Marucho joined in momentary, channelling his grief about Preyas. This only caused their smirk to widen and Shun's frown to deepen, while Alice stood there staring as her mind worked to try unwrap their taunts,
Instead of replying, Klaus dropped the girl's signature scrunchy on the floor, delighting in the gasps of recognition coming from the team. Chan smugly stalled back to him, leaning against a tree as she smirked at the group
"I believe that is hers" Klaus coolly stated, a small smirk giving him away
"We would love to give it back to her, but we need a certain address to give it to her and figured as her best friends and the losing side you'd know it best" Chan taunted, smothering her snicker
"Address to where?" Marucho cautiously asked, a pregnant silence stretching between them
Just as he asked a portal appeared, the swirled fragments glowing with a spectrum of colour. Chan looked at them and smirked as she strolled though, a snicker lingering in her wake. Klaus followed suit but before he was fully in the portal looked back at them, his cruel words haunting the Brawlers as he was enveloped by the glow
"The Doom Dimension."
Hey everyone I hope you enjoyed this instalment. I had this posted before, but for some weird reason the coding information between lines came up and I had to manually delete them. Let me know if you see any errors or random bits of code, I'v read through it so hopefully there won't be.
I will try have the next part up within the next week, so let me know if there is anything you want to see or any scenes you loved that you want to see in here. I have it all mapped out but am happy to add your suggestions.
Hope everyone is staying safe, until next time,
Everlast.