IMPORTANT –
Home; Almost Alone will be re-written as a CROSS-OVER. It will be between Bakugan and Beyblade. I have chosen Beyblade as I like Kai from Beyblade, and it's an opportunity to watch Beyblade again! It will only include Kai, and no Beyblades' will be involved. It's only a cross-over because of the inclusion of Kai.
Thank you for your attention.
Home; Almost Alone
"How much longer can this go on?" Dan gapes, staring.
"It's been two hours, it has to stop soon," Marucho replies, unable to tear his eyes away from the scenes unfolding before him.
"It will not be long," Elise murmurs, her hands clasped in prayer. "The darkness could not have tainted so greatly in this time…"
Her words, laced with hope and pureness, have no effect on the battle. She knows that they can't continue in such a way. Her eyes flicker towards the ominous, and hazardous, reactor. The glowing emerald lime embers are blazing. The light is brightening between the ever-growing cracks. The reactor is close to exploding and still the battle continues. Elise's hands slip to her sides as she stares, the beginnings of panic showing in her saddened eyes. As her gaze lowers, a spark of hope still shines within her.
Ventus Circumvelle and Keeper of the Gate stay firmly in place. Neither moves, not even in the slightest. The atmosphere tingles with tension and a great, but terrible power. Kai grips something tightly in his clenched hand, holding it directly over his heart. He glares fiercely at his former best friend; his rage in palpable in the tumultuous room. Shun jerks forward, but stops himself, knowing better than to continue. Kai's eyes glow with a passionate fury in response. He smirks cruelly, the darkness that overtook his heart becoming so terribly clear.
"It isn't over!" Kai roars, having lost all reason and sanity. "You will fall this instant! Keeper of the Gate eliminate his Ventus Circumvelle! End this insanity once and for all!"
Shun's eyes flash with something incredibly bright and powerful, but only for a moment. As the moment passes him, it fades away. His shoulders slump slightly, and surrender washes over him. He lowers his hand that grips the kunai, and his grip loosens. An air of defeat whips up around him. He quickly vanishes in its potent grip.
Elise gasps, her eyes widening. She takes an automatic step forward, but she doesn't make any further move towards them. She glances at Roxanne, desperate, but Roxanne remains still, even to the point of refusing to return Elise's glance. It fills the younger with dread and panic, but through it all she trusts Roxanne. Her only concern is the reactor, and the Brawlers who shouldn't have to perish alongside them. She turns back to the battle, only to find Ventus Circumvelle throwing its head from side to side. Even though Ventus Circumvelle is silent, it cries out, and suddenly Elise is overcome with fear.
"You have the most patience of them all…" Roxanne muses. "Yet even you have none."
Roxanne waits until Elise slowly looks away from her. The desperation in the young girl strains Roxanne's heart, but she daren't allow weakness to enter her life. As soon as she's sure that Elise won't look back at her any time soon she turns and swiftly merges in the shadows. As the darkness swallows her she allows herself one glance back. Shun is now on his knees, and is struggling to stand back up. She tears her eyes away, shocked. She takes a few gasping breathes, and sets off into what could well be the final oblivion.
A loud groaning halts the battle. The reactor is close to falling apart. Even Kai is stunned at the deterioration. Ventus Circumvelle emits a roaring rumble and its legs begin to give way. Before it can truly begin to fall it returns to ball form and lands in Shun's out-stretched palm. He stares at his Bakugan in horror, and his gaze meets Kai. The end should be his decision, but before he can call the final attack Keeper of the Gate shrieks, pained. It trembles for a moment before it returns to orb form and lands at Kai's feet. The two opponents watch each other with scrutinising, untrusting glares.
Kai glares, unwilling to concede. He snatches up the Keeper of the Gate and re-summons it. As reluctant as he is to endanger his Bakugan, Shun re-summons Ventus Circumvelle. The two creatures instantly lock gazes and the atmosphere heats up once more. Elise's hands drop to her sides. Her eyes are wide with fear and horror.
"Keeper of the Gate," Kai yells. "It's time to end this once and for all!"
"Ventus Circumvelle, don't let them win!" Shun shouts. "No matter what they can't be allowed to win!"
As the two beasts prepare to enter battle Elise acts. She runs forward, but she doesn't make it far. A great strip of concrete falls in front of her. Frantically, she casts her eyes over it, seeing how high and wide it is. She knows from one look that she can't possibly bypass it. Elise manages to stay calm and chooses the next best option.
"Shun, Kai, end this madness!" she exclaims. "Please, for us all, end this now and allow us to depart."
The rumbling and groaning of the crumbling reactor overpowers her plea. Her eyes water with desperate tears as the two creatures vie for victory. In her anguish, she automatically clasps her hands over her chest. Her eyes squeeze closed, and a tear falls free. As it drips onto her left knuckle, a glow lustres in the form of a diamond between her hands. The colour is a dulcet pale violet at the farthest edges of light, and deep when conveying the shape.
The battle between Shun and Kai suddenly comes to a screeching halt. Keeper of the Gate catches Ventus Circumvelle in a moment of weakness. Ventus Circumvelle screeches and topples, swaying in tormented agony. The claw-like talons of Keeper of the Gate swipe towards its weakened foe. It stops only moments before it makes contact by an excruciating bang! that stuns everyone into silence. The creatures are hit by a secondary wave of power.
All eyes in the room turn to the source. Shun's jaw drops a moment before Kai's. The Brawlers however can only stand and stare on in stunned shock and silence. The powerful waves begin to fade in power and strength to reveal the focal point. The purple light has changed now – the form, shade, and symbolism.
"No," Shun mumbles, slowly stumbling forward. "No, it can't… Please don't…"
"Get this over with," Roxanne commands, striding into the dark storage bay.
Small hisses and other inhuman sounds rise about her. She ignores them and continues on her way with her head held high in dignity and pride. She comes to a halt at the end of the light. The door slowly starts to slide shut, abandoning her to the darkness. Around her the sounds grow to an orchestral pitch that can only be matched by an actual symphony. A red glow appears as someone opens their eyes, welcoming the darkness. More glowing appears in various locations, and they all are eyes.
Roxanne reaches into her right scabbard and edges out the sword. As soon as the blade is entirely released from its hold, she drops it. The hisses become snarls and the creatures seem to be preparing to launch at her. The sounds die down and they grow fainter. Roxanne watches as Derrigan moves in front of her. He exudes his usual air of authority and power, but his eyes give away his weakness. He doesn't want to make the first move, but the silence has to be broken – they both know that.
"Are you going to make me ask for this?" Roxanne asks; her voice level and calm.
"No, of course not," Derrigan turns and signals to the others. "There was only so much which could be accepted Roxanne; you of all people should have known that."
The large collapsed beam of concrete now has a large hole in the middle. Elise is now by the two warring creatures. A long glowing purple line that starts from the diamond shape glow on her heart chakra to her stomach. Wisely, Shun recalls his Bakugan. Kai soon follows his enemy's lead and recalls Keeper of the Gate. With the warring beasts gone Elise makes her way to the ruined reactor. The growing strength and power she holds begins to expand its grip.
Shun grabs Elise by the waist, pulling her away from the reactor. She gasps as the power re-surges back to its source. Her body promptly falls limp from over-exerting herself, and delving into a power too great for her body to cope with. Shun lifts her over his shoulder, catching Kai's glance, and they quickly start moving towards an exit. Kai starts pushing the Brawlers in the direction of the door. The reactor begins to rumble and tremble. Shun stops at the door, refusing to let anyone pass.
"You hate me," Shun states.
"Of course, traitor," Kai growls.
"Put it aside," Shun says, warningly.
He and Kai both raise their hand. A small orb appears floating next to the centre of their palm. It swirls, growing larger and stronger. Eventually a beam protrudes from both of the orbs. As the two beams meet they form a circle. The circle grows and widens. Once they find it to be a good size and width Shun and Kai let their arm drop to their side. They usher the Brawlers through the portal first and reluctantly follow it through themselves afterwards.
"Where's the water?" Dan exclaims, startled.
"It ended when we left Earth," Shun says. "You called off the search once you thought you had me."
Irked, Kai nods once solemnly, though his eyes never leave Elise. The minor detail doesn't avoid detection, but no one reacts to it. They start to move away struck dumb by the sight of the Earth in the open. They don't move far before Dan turns to Shun.
"What about everyone else? What happened to them?"
"Life is as it was," Kai snarls. "Be pleased."
The Brawlers start to hurry away, not ungrateful, but longing to see their loved ones again. However, only moments before they're too far to see Shun, Kai and Elise, a bright burst of brilliant light explodes forth. The round portal is large and imposing. A melodic tremor is emitted from the portal. Elise, having just regained consciousness, grips Shun's lower sleeves. He meets her worried gaze, but soon looks back at the portal.
"Kai?" he asks, not looking away.
Elise covers her mouth, eyes watering. She looks to Kai, hoping, wishing that he would act – she knows he won't. Shun is standing before the portal by the time she looks back at him. He wants to look at her, but he knows that he'll turn back if he does. He takes a step forward, ready to leave, when Kai's voice reaches him and he can't help but smile.
"At least it isn't abandonment,"
Author's Note: I hope that you like it. This is the last part in the story, and I am sad, but the re-written story is coming up soon! Almost Alone will be easier to follow, and it will be better written. As for the end, I suppose you can tell that this, and the re-written version, will have a sequel. The sequel is called '3 of 13'.