Hey guys, it's been about a month so I figured I'd update. Finals and term papers are coming closer so I've got to buckle down and study and work hard. The reason I was able to update this fic only is because I've got the next few chapters already written up. Thanks for all the +favs, +alerts, and reviews. They really mean a lot to me.

Review replies:

Sheridan: Thanks. The Gundalian division of my Next Gen OCs are some of my favs, so thank you ^^ Zeke and Juliet are one of my fav pairings too XD. Yes, as you will read in this chapter, Ren is still very close with Lena, Mason, Jesse and Zenet.

drake: Thanks. I'm glad I didn't get this far until AFTER I made the rest of the Next Gen characters. I think it was a great idea including them in the story ^^

Stormfang: Thanks. Yes, Soren has learned a thing or two, mostly from Shin since Shin is his best friend. I didn't even realize that the name was changed to BakuColars lol. Personally, I liked it when they just held the card up like in season 1 and GI. I wasn't a fan of the bracelets, but I did like the Gauntlets. So I'm going with the battling system where they just hold up the cards.

sakura: hehe, hope so!

Alana: Thanks. I needed some way to get them to meet and Floria was the one to do it.

I do not own Bakugan, only Soren, Lex and the Next Gen Brawlers. This fanfiction is not associated with the Bakugan Battle Brawlers series.


Soren's POV

"Those kids were really nice," said Lex, surprised.

"Yeah, it's too bad they couldn't help me find dad, but I understand. They all have their own engagements. Any clues as to where we should start today?" I asked. I kept walking down the street, but stopped when I felt that Lex was floating next to me anymore. I turned around and saw him staring up at a building across the street. "Lex?"

"Soren! Look!" I looked in the direction he was facing.

"What? What is it?" I asked, scanning the entire other side of the street for what Lex was talking about.

"Look at that announcement!" he pointed with one of his claws.

I scanned the text of an announcement on the digital bulletin board that sat on the side of a tall building right in front of us. "The winner of this tournament will have a chance to meet and battle with legendary war hero and army commander, Ren Krawler!" I read aloud.

"Soren, this is our chance! If we enter and win that tournament, we can get to your father!" cried Lex.

"But I-I'm not very good…" I said. I hadn't had a lot of experience with Bakugan battles. I didn't have a real Guardian Bakugan like all my friends and I wasn't nearly as good as DJ or Shin! And their Bakugan, Drago and Taylean, were already so skilled.

"Soren, this is our best chance. Like it says up there, your father is a war hero. It's not like we can just walk in through the front door and expect him to see us! We have to enter that tournament!" Lex cried, stressing his point.

"But I don't have a Guardian Bakugan, let alone any of my own!" I replied.

"You can use me!" he exclaimed.

"What? Are you sure? You're my mom's Guardian Bakugan." I asked, uncertain.

"It would be my honor, Soren. I know Aquos isn't your preferred attribute, but I know that if we work together, we can win that tournament and you can finally meet your father."

I hesitated for a moment. I hadn't been that good of a battler. Most of the time, Shin would give me pointers. But Lex was right. This was my best and probably only chance at finally meeting him! "All right, Lex. Let's do it…thanks, Lex. I'm lucky to have a friend like you," I said, holding him in my hands.

"Don't mention it kid. You're my partner's son and I love you. I want you and your mother to be happy more than anything and I truly believe that if Ren meets you, he'll find the courage to come back to you, both of you."

"You really think so?" I asked hopefully. That would be just wonderful, having my dad come live with us! We'd be a real family. All three of us together...yeah, that sounded nice.

"I saw the look in his eyes when he rescued your mother. He still loved her, despite what he was doing. I'm sure that he still loves her." Lex looked back at the announcement. "We better hurry to that stadium and sign up. Looks like the tournament sign up is closing in a couple hours."

"Then we better get going!" It took us a while to find the stadium, but by the time we arrived they had just closed the sign ups. I begged and pleaded and be allowed in. The administrator took pity on me and finally conceded.


Ren's POV

"Guys, you can't make me do this! I've got a ton of paper work due tomorrow and I haven't even started!" Mason and Jesse dragged me down the hallway of the stadium. I would have physically fought with them, but I was just too tired to give a crap. "Come on, guys! Lillith's going to be back in town in a few days and she'll freak if she sees the pigsty I call my office.

"Aw, forget Lillith, we never really liked her anyway. You can't be such a party pooper, Ren. You need to get out more," said Mason.

"Mason is right. Our lead cannot simply hide himself in the shadows. He must be on centre stage for all the audience to see!" said Jesse.

"Aw come on, I don't want to go to some amateur tournament!" I groaned. I was still Commander of the Gundalian army, but after the whole Chaos Bakugan and Mag Mel fiasco, things got pretty quite and all I really had left to do was mountains and mountains of paper work.

"Ren, despite the job, steady income and fiancee, we can tell you're still not happy," said Lena, pushing up her glasses with her index finger.

"Yeah, Ren. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that, especially since you sulk at home all day long," added Zenet.

"Then why bring me to an amateur tournament?" I asked, confused.

"Because…we said that the winner gets to battle you!" said Linehalt suddenly.

"What? Why would you do that?" I shouted.

"Ren, you need to get out more and I thought that a battle with a fresh face would help you," said Linehalt.

"Linehalt…" I groaned.

"Please Ren…if not for yourself, do this for us: your friends, who care about you," said Linehalt.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Fine, I'll play along. Might as well check out the next generation of battlers."

"That's the spirit!" exclaimed Zenet.

It had been about fourteen years since the end of the Gundalian-Neathian war. And Gundalia had never been better since! Nurzak established a new government and was elected Prime Minister, using the old royal palace as their new parliament building. Mason, Lena, Zenet and Jesse all worked in the parliament building with Nurzak while I was still an army commander. They had all come such a long way since our time as lowly soldiers.

Mason and Lena got married and had three kids, Izumi, Bruce and Floria, whom they named after Nurzak's daughter. Jesse married as well and had a daughter named Juliet who was as much of a Shakespeare nut as he was, but his wife died in childbirth. Zenet started a family as well and had a son of her own, Zeke, but she caught her husband having an affair and divorced him. She and Zeke haven't spoken to him since. Everyone was moving forward and I was stuck living in the past thinking about what I had left behind.

We walked into our private box with a perfect view of the arena and the stands. It was the opening ceremony so all the contestants were gathered in the arena. I scanned the row of my potential opponent and my eyes landed on a young boy with white hair like mine.

"Hey, Ren. That boy looks just like you!" said Linehalt, motioning to the white haired boy.

"Yeah, he does…" My thoughts instantly went back to Sora, the woman I fell in love with and who I left behind back on Earth. It had been a while since I thought about her. I had tried to move on and forget about her, like I'm sure she had about me, but every tiny thing just made me think about her again. Not even Lillith could take my mind off Sora. Lillith entered my life a few years after the end of the war and we got engaged just about a year ago. I couldn't help but feel like I made such a big mistake not going straight to Earth after we defeated Barodius, but Gundalia was in ruin and I needed to help my home rebuild! And it's not like I could just go back now after all these years!

Sora's probably gotten over me by now. She's probably married with kids of her own now. Whoever was lucky enough to get her heart was a lucky man. I missed her. But that was the past. I had to move on, she must have by now.


Well, hope you enjoyed that!

Next Chapter - Our First Battle: With Lex's help, Soren advances to the final round of the tournament and finally faces Ren Krawler in battle.

Review! ~ZP