Chapter 18: Darkened Winds (Part 2)

Reality came to a halt around the three. The battlefield instantly revealed itself as the Ventus, Darkus, and Aquos brawlers stood on their respective sides of the battlefield, ready to brawl for their Bakugan's sakes.

"Capture Card, Set." The Luna Diviner said as he dropped his Capture Card into the ground. The Capture Card then expanded, incorporating the entire battlefield, only raising the stakes even higher.

"Gate Card, Set!" All three Brawlers exclaimed.

"Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Darkus Bahamut!" Sage began, throwing the dragon-like Bakugan out on the field.

"You're dealing with the big guns now, punk!" Bahamut roared pridefully, baring his claws.

Darkus Bahamut G-Power 450

"The Black Dragon… Hm. It does not matter. He shall be mine. Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Aquos Juggernoid!" The Luna Diviner said calmly.

Aquos Juggernoid G-Power 330

"Ability Activate! Depth Tornado!" The Luna Diviner continued.

Aquos Juggernoid G-Power 430

Bahamut just yawned as he punched Juggernoid lazily with one fist, thus ending the battle.

"What?" The Luna Diviner said, a trace of irritation evident in his voice.

"Look, lady, if you don't know how to brawl, take up a human sport you can actually win with low numbers." Bahamut said, putting one clawed hand out to the side.

"Lady?! I am a man, you dull creature!" The Luna Diviner spat angrily, clearly offended by Bahamut's comment. The dragon laughed.

"How about you try a sport more up your alley, like golf, for example!" Sage continued as she grabbed Bahamut.

"Insignificant wretch! That does it! Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Aquos Siege!" The Luna Diviner roared, having now almost completely lost his temper.

"My turn! Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Ventus Ravenoid!" Astrid exclaimed. The humanoid raven flourished its wings as it stood.

Aquos Siege G-Power 360

Ventus Ravenoid G-Power 380

"Gate Card, Open! Character!" The Luna Diviner exclaimed, tossing his hand to the side.

Aquos Siege G-Power 720

"Ability Activate! Blow Away!" Astrid countered. With a flap of Ravenoid's wings, Siege had been moved onto another Gate card, and frankly wasn't happy about it, but the Aquos Bakugan's displeasure could only be seen for a small moment.

"Try as you might, there is nothing you can do! Ability Activate! Dive Mirage!" The Luna Diviner hissed.

"You know what you just did? You just nullified your own Gate card!" Astrid laughed.

Aquos Siege G-Power 360

"What-My Gate Card! You little brats!" The Luna Diviner roared.

"It was your own fault for diving in like that." Sage joked, smirking. Astrid, Odin, and Bahamut laughed at Sage's joke, while the Luna Diviner looked like he was ready to blow a gasket…. if said gasket hadn't already blown!

"Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Aquos Shade Sirenoid!" The Luna Diviner snapped, throwing out the twisted Sirenoid.

Aquos Shade Sirenoid G-Power 400

"Ready for this, partner?" Astrid asked.

"It would be my grand pleasure, milady!" Odin replied.

"Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Ventus Odin!" Astrid exclaimed, throwing Odin with (almost) all of her might. Odin took the battlefield with a beautiful flurry of rose petals accompanying him.

Ventus Odin G-Power 410

"Gate Card, Open! Triple Battle!" Astrid continued, throwing her hand out to the side.

"Sage, ready to knock some heads?" Bahamut asked.

"Yeah, because we're winning this brawl! Bakugan, Brawl! Bakugan, Stand! Let's do this, Bahamut!" Sage replied, spinning around once and throwing Bahamut on with a bit of dramatic flourish. The Black Dragon appeared, and let out a savage roar to announce his presence.

Darkus Bahamut G-Power 450

"Ability Activate! Gestalt Mode Activate!" Astrid and Sage exclaimed in perfect tandem. Bahamut and Odin nodded as the transformation began.

Odin dropped his massive S-shaped blade into the ground, leapt skyward, and shined with blinding light. After this, his arms folded in on themselves, becoming hooves. His core twisted around as already-transformed back hooves came together and his previous legs fused into his upper "legs". The plate of armor blinding his new equine "head" flew off, becoming a saddle on his back. Letting out a whinny and kicking his two front hooves forward, a flurry of rose petals flew up around him as a backdrop of the moon appeared behind him. He galloped down, and Astrid took it as her cue. She grabbed the gigantic S-blade, mounted him with great ease, and split the S-blade into two sections, silently thankful for her Asgardian strength. He reared up, kicking his front hooves again, but Astrid was not phased.

"Let's ride!" Astrid exclaimed as they finished.

Not unlike Odin, Bahamut thrusted himself upwards, and shone with equally blinding light. Bringing his legs together began a whole series of mechanical changes, with resounding crashes. His fused legs folded backwards, creating a new "head", as the armor that once draped around his legs flew off. Two red sections deployed on either side of his "head", and his claws changed to look more like a quadrupedal, earthbound animal's would. The sectioned armor that was once around his legs attached itself around where his other head was, locking into place with three clangs. Five sections that widened and curved as one looked farther away from the core body on either side lengthened and deployed, revealing themselves and becoming his new "wings". With a dramatic loop, he flew down, and when he was at his lowest, he slowed just enough for Sage to leap on. Finishing it with another dramatic loop, the two came back down, Sage half-kneeling on a "saddle" of sorts on Bahamut's new form.

"Now that's more like it!" Sage exclaimed as they finished.

Ventus Odin G-Power 510

Darkus Bahamut G-Power 550

"Ready to finish this?" Sage asked Astrid.

"Yeah!" Astrid replied with a firm nod.

"Ability Activate!" The two said in tandem.

"Zantetsuken!" Astrid yelled.

"Megaflare!" Sage continued.

Darkus Bahamut G-Power 750

Ventus Odin G-Power 750

Realizing what was about to happen as Odin reared up on his hind legs and Bahamut suddenly flew higher, the Luna Diviner snarled.

"Insignificant wretches! I won't let you win! Ability Activate! Forcement Wave!" He exclaimed, desperately activating his ability card.

Aquos Shade Sirenoid G-Power 500

It was for nothing. He watched in complete shock as the two Bakugan opposing him unleashed their power.

"The storm is here!" Astrid exclaimed as Odin rode forward, much closer to Sirenoid. She leapt up high, and began spinning around, raising one leg up against her other, bending it. She made a show of the twin blades, powerful wind gathering around as blinding light shone forth from them as rose petals came from seemingly nowhere, being blown about by the wind. It almost seemed to shatter reality itself, as there was a strange semblance of glass shattering as Astrid finished. She landed on the ground with a resounding thud, arms out to the side and on one knee. One last burst of invisible energy dealt more damage to Sirenoid, and then Astrid put the S-blade back together, giving it to Odin as she stood up. He took it in his mouth, turned around, and galloped off, returning to Astrid's hand.

"Rain down hell!" Sage exclaimed as Bahamut's eyes became pure white, the dragon being at maximum height in the air. His side jaws opened wider, and he gathered a sphere of black, dark purple, and dark blue energy in the open space, a white glow surrounding the sphere. It then suddenly shrunk, and he launched the sphere from his jaws. The sphere spiraled to the ground, making a violent and explosive impact upon landing on the ground… right underneath Sirenoid. It let loose a burst of various lights, finishing off Sirenoid by sending the twisted Aquos Bakugan skywards, before she crash-landed on the ground. Sage leapt off as Bahamut soared into the sky, landing on one knee, before standing up, and the dragon reverted back to ball form and returning to Sage.

The flow of time returned to normal. The Luna Diviner just stared for a moment before his glare became narrow and focused. He hissed, raising his hand, beginning to gather dark energy around it.

"So, this is your choice, children of the gods…. Hmph. Very well. You will rue the day you crossed the Black Empire!" He vowed, throwing his hand out. The energy created an arc, and, in the heat of the moment, Sage and Astrid grabbed each other as they began to fall down on their knees, Sage raising a defensive arm. Much to Sage's shock, the energy was blocked by a light green barrier that came from seemingly nowhere, but when both energy and barriers faded, they realized that the scorned man had escaped. Astrid hissed.

"It was just a diversion! Damn him!" She cursed.

"What was that, just now…?" Sage wondered to herself as the two stood up. Astrid noticed Sage's awed expression.

"You're telling me you have no idea how you made that barrier just now?" Astrid asked, raising an eyebrow. Sage shook her head.

"Not a clue, but, if we're going to be honest, it's not the first time something like that's happened." She confessed. Astrid let out a heavy sigh.

"So, you've got powers… and you have no idea how they work or what they are. Great." She droned. Just then, the whirl of helicopter blades was soon heard, and a powerful, continuing gust of wind soon followed. The two instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces, but it soon was over as a Quinjet landed not too far from them.

"ASTRID!"

Astrid didn't even have two seconds to react before Thor came barrelling towards her, scooping her up, and crushing her to him, all the while practically sobbing his eyes out. The other Avengers (and their children as well) just sighed and stared. What was to be done…

"Oh, Astrid… how I worried when I was told how you risked yourself! Thank the Norns you are unharmed!" He sobbed, overjoyed.

"Okay, okay, I get it… BUTIREALLYCAN'TBREATHEANDI'MGOINGTO SUFFOCATELETMEGO!" Astrid struggled to say, rushing the last part. Realizing what he was doing, Thor let his daughter go. After she caught her breath, Thor pulled her close again, this time being more gentle. The others smiled.

"You can't blame him. She is his daughter, after all." Steve said.

"Heh. Nothing like family love." Clint mused.