Home; Almost Alone
Nothing, there's simply nothing. Racing down the darkened halls, Shun searches for any sign of Elise. The way she had run off worries him, but there's no trace of her. Perhaps she disappeared, or returned to Crescentia; a voice in his mind whispers. He quickly shakes it off and veers down another pathway. However, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind says something is awfully wrong. Seeing someone ahead of him, he skids to a halt. Wide-eyed, he stares as Alice steps out from the shadows. She glances down at a small weapon in her hand before looking back to him. Cautiously, Shun steps back, and she follows. Then, Shun stops dead in his tracks, and there's no movement from her either. Shun's only just noticed her eyes.
They are lifeless, dull and utterly devoid of all purpose. It's suddenly apparent how much damage has been done, and that Alice has been subdued by one method of control or another. It's an empty shell facing against Shun, and ready for combat. Regretfully, he draws a sai from a hidden pouch. Through his eyes he watches her, carefully considering how to act. However, with no valid excuses and coherent thoughts, there's only one option left. He races towards her, his weapon raised, but the moment before the attack, he instantly regrets his actions. He stops right in front of her, and her shell takes advantage of his hesitation. She stabs him and vanishes; disappearing into the darkness of oblivion, as if nothing had happened at all.
Only later, much, much later, do the consequences come into play. Confused and unknowing, he stirs. In a small, cramped cell with no light Shun finds himself staring out through bars at Kai. Neither of them moves to speak, and neither has to. They already knew, deep down, how things would end. So, in an unbreakable silence, they sit and read between the lines. Their friendship has long ended, but they can still read each other and somehow respond without the need to even bat an eye lash. Locked deep inside their silent, non-moving conversation, they don't notice Elise standing at a corner and watching them.
In silence, sadness coats the strange world. Elise, disappointed, turns and vanishes down the tunnels. However, she leaves a small amulet in her wake, as a sign of her presence and guardianship. She'll always be watching, and ready to offer legitimate protection, much like the relationship of moon and Earth. Deep down, she knows there's nothing to be worried over.
"So, you know your place?" Kai grins.
"Not until you learn yours!" Shun snarls.
In Kai's left hand is a small, but modified pistol. Shun, on the other hand has a kunai. Both of them seem ready to tear each other apart. Something silver clatters down onto the ground, and the two of them lunge for each other. There's an immediate hail of bullets and shuriken. They clash and attack in an unstoppably fierce blur. A few minutes in, they both stop. Shun draws out a Bakugan, and Kai removes a small glowing sphere.
"You scared?" Shun smirks.
"Not me," Kai replies, snidely.
Shun's eyes narrow. "Bakugan Brawl!"
Kai throws the sphere. "Rise, Keeper of the Gate!"
Instantly the sphere glows. It starts to burst open, a hard edged cube shape emerging. Growing larger, it soon lands. Two mechanical legs protrude from the sides, but the main body stays as a glowing sphere. It doesn't move at all.
Kai smirks. "You know, I've been waiting for this moment since you abandoned us!"
His Ventus Bakugan emerges, and Kai scoffs. It's an unknown Bakugan on four pillar-like legs, with a neck like a Giraffe's and long tusks reaching the ground. Its back is armoured like a turtle's, and it has three long tails. The Bakugan's head is too high to clearly distinguish. It grumbles loudly, and the entire room trembles. The ceiling lets loose large boulders which swiftly cascade to the ground.
Shun frowns. "Ventus Circumvelle, stand proud!"
Circumvelle roars in response, throwing its neck around. It stamps its front feet, and the room seems to bounce. More boulders cascade down. Then, suddenly, it seems to stop. Circumvelle stands perfectly still and ready for battle.
Kai laughs. "Get ready to pay the price for your actions!"
Shun grimaces. "It wasn't my fault! The Elder lied to us!"
It's clear that Kai has no intention of believing Shun. "Go, Keeper of the Gate, crush his Ventus Circumvelle once and for all!"
"No," Elise says, standing on the other side of the wall. "This cannot be allowed to happen. Two kingdoms must not fall."
She pushes away from the wall and hurries away. Her silhouette quickly disappears amidst the darkness. In her wake, she leaves a small circular moonstone. Some of the stone has been chipped away at, and is thinner than the rest. Of the full moon, a crescent is clearly visible. It glimmers innocently in the low light, waiting for Elise to return.
A bright flash of blue light comes from where Elise had gone. It lasts only a moment, and leaves no trace of her. She's already miles away, and doubting whether she could go back or not. Her guilt over the past is almost greater than Shun's.
The moonstone glimmers in the pale glimpses of rare light. Then, suddenly, it shatters into a million pieces. The fragments glisten as they start to slip through the floor as though it's made of quicksand.
"Roxanne," Derrigan breaths, surprised.
She glares at him. "Traitor,"
Before he has the chance to do anything, a portal opens. The moment he catches sight of the portal, his vision blurs and he sways. Derrigan almost collapses, but manages to stay on his feet. He staggers forward, and mouths why? at her. She turns on her heel and passes through the portal without replying.
Roxanne emerges at the other side in an open space. The grass is dark green and dying. A high rising cliff stands at one side, and on the other is a dense forest. Mist swirls everywhere, cloaking the uneven ground. Ahead of Roxanne and behind her is nothing. The land seems to flow onwards forever in both directions, but only a fool would believe that.
"You summoned me?" Elise asks, stepping out from the forest.
Roxanne's eyes narrow, warily. "It seems we have reason to ally ourselves this once. If you will hear me out,"
"As you wish," Elise nods. "However, this is not for your sake."
"I know," Roxanne almost smiles. "It's always for Shun, you are very loyal… I suppose you want to end things now, before we lose it all."
"The fate of every dimension, universe, planetoid… The fate of life rests with us in some way or another," she frowns. "I don't intend to lose to the darkness. I have to stop those two, so please, say what you must; time will not wait for us."
"You never know with time," Roxanne replies. "However, Shun must know, there's a limit to…"
"I didn't betray you!" Shun yells.
"You abandoned us all, and left us to rot!" Kai roars, furious. "Keeper of the Gate; Metal Hammer Spirit End!"
A brilliant burst of blue-grey light explodes. Swirling around and round, it hurtles towards Ventus Circumvelle who roars. Despite Circumvelle's best efforts, the attack is a direct hit to the base of the neck. Circumvelle shrieks and its neck swings round before it begins to collapse.
Wide-eyed, Shun stares as Ventus Circumvelle returns to its ball form and goes to Kai. Kai catches the Bakugan, smirking maliciously. He thrusts his hand out, showing Shun his fallen Bakugan. He laughs, maniacally.
"I hope you don't feel bad Circumvelle!" Kai yells. "He betrays everyone in the end!"
Shun staggers back. "… I didn't… It wasn't my fault… It was the Elder!"
Kai shoves the Bakugan in a back pouch and scoffs. "As if, can't you take the blame? I'd hope you were guilty in the least," he catches his sphere, raising it high to look over it. "I think you deserve the fate I have here."
Kai throws out another sphere. This one has a green glow. The moment it's out, Shun's eyes widen. He staggers back in shock and horror. He glances around the new creature, and meets Kai's eyes in desperation.
!
Author's Note: The story will be finished and then separately re-written.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you have a nice day/night.
darkstardragon432 – I thank you very much for your review. I truly appreciate your feedback.