AN: Okay, admittedly writing fight scenes is not my strong suit (though I'm trying to get it down). It was a bit hard to do this chapter, because it was actiony. And there's even more fighting up ahead in Nuuma. But, oh well.

36- Reunion and Farewell

Hunter and the others were a little down, having lost Aqune and Portia so quickly.

"It's just wrong," Hunter said. "I'm positive she really is our friend."

"I agree with you," said Brade. "But, I'm certain you'll meet her again. She is going to Nuuma."

"I know," replied Hunter. "Well, we're Spider Riders. We're never going to give up."

Seeing Hunter upset also upset Corona, so she smiled at Hunter's burst of optimism.

"Hero Brade-sama, are you sure you don't want to come with us to Nuuma?" Magma asked.

"Didn't I tell you I'm old?!" Brade responded.

"You're not too old for me!" declared Magma

"I think Magma is right," Hunter chimed in. "A Spider Rider is still a Spider Rider at any age. Anyone can be a hero, young or old."

"That may be true, but I will not go with you to Nuuma. Corona-chan, I'll miss you, but this time it's up to you all."

Corona cringed.

"Won't you miss me too?!" asked Magma, excitedly. "Because I know I'm going to miss you so much!"

"….Yeah," Brade answered, though he was strongly looking forward to getting a break from Magma.

"This is farewell, for now," said Brade. "Good luck, all of you."

Then he tapped his staff to the ground, and disappeared somewhere.

"Noooooooo!" Magma yelled. "Hero Brade-sama!"

"Where did he go?" Hunter asked.

"He has magic, remember?" Corona pointed out. "But that was pretty abrupt."

"Princess Sparkle," Grasshop began. "Where are we going, exactly?"

"To find Hunter," she said. "And Corona and Magma. You should probably apologize to them as well."

"Or, I could just give you another beating for each of them," Lumen suggested, amused at the idea.

"No way!" Sparkle exclaimed. "That was mean!"

"And it was also mean when Grasshop destroyed our father's ship," he said.

Sparkle looked sad. She knew Lumen was upset about that, and it was Grasshop's fault. But she liked Lumen and she liked Uncle Hop, and just wanted the two of them to get along.

"Sparkle!" Lumen exclaimed, seeing her sad face. "Please don't feel down."

"I agree! You're the cutest when you smile," said Grasshop.

"Okay," she said, and smiled for both of them, though Lumen was shooting Grasshop another glare for chiming in like that.

"So where do we head?" asked Corona. "To Nuuma, or should we backtrack to find Lumen and the others?"

"Hmm…" said Hunter. "I have a feeling they're going to head to Nuuma looking for us. Let's just keep moving forward, and I'm sure we'll meet soon enough."

"Hey, look!" Magma pointed up to one of the cliffs.

"It's Buguese and Aqune!" Hunter exclaimed.

"And Portia!" added Magma.

"We have some unfinished business, Spider Riders," Buguese called down, when he realized they noticed him. "And this time, there shall be no interruptions!"

He jumped down from the cliff, and made no delay to charge at Hunter with his sword.

"Hunter!" Corona yelled.

Hunter tried to dodge the attack, but his arm was grazed, and blood was drawn.

"That was cheap!" Hunter yelled.

"Oracle's Power!"

He needed to at least transform, if he was going to fight.

"Buguese, you're my opponent!" Magma declared. "You turned Portia against Brutus, and for that, I can't forgive you."

He lunged at Buguese with his mace, though Buguese blocked the blow with his sword.

As for Aqune, she had her sights set on Hunter. She forcibly threw down her electrically charged sword at him. Much to the surprise of Corona, Hunter wasn't even moving.

"Hunter!" yelled Shadow. He was perched on a cliff, and quickly grabbed Hunter with his webs to pull him away.

"Thank you, Shadow," he said.

"What were you doing?!" Shadow scolded. "She could've killed you."

And then, with Portia's help, Aqune was quickly atop the same cliff, and throwing more blows in Hunter's direction.

"I won't fight Aqune!" Hunter declared. "Because Brade taught us. We shouldn't be fighting our friends!"

Corona cringed though, as some of Aqune's attacks were making contact. She absolutely didn't want to see Hunter getting hurt.

"Surrender the Oracle Keys!" Aqune yelled, firing another strong blast of lightning.

"No!" Corona started to glow, and Aqune was stopped in her tracks.

"Huh?" Aqune was very confused as to why her attack didn't work.

"Hunter might not want to fight you," said Corona. "But I will! I'll do anything to protect him."

She had her bow and arrow aimed at Aqune.

Hunter looked down at the sight below, and it was clear that Magma was struggling against Buguese.

"I'd better help him," he decided. "Come on, Shadow."

"Right!" Shadow replied. He was rather troubled seeing Hunter refuse to fight against Aqune, but glad that Hunter was quickly back in action.

'I have to try and break Aqune's mask,' Corona thought to herself. "Then, she'll be herself again."

Corona started to fire shots at Aqune's face. But naturally, Aqune was very agile, and easily dodged all of them. Aqune swung her sword at Corona, who also successfully jumped out of the way. For a bit, they were having an almost even match. But Corona was tiring faster than Aqune.

Because Magma was still pretty weakened himself, it was Hunter who was mainly dealing with Buguese.

"Why are you making Aqune fight against us?!" Hunter yelled, as their blades collided.

"Aqune is our ally!" Buguese answered. "It must pain you so that one of your fellow Spider Riders will be your downfall!"

Hunter scowled.

"Aqune likes you, but she doesn't like to fight! Despite that, you still force that on her?!"

"That is none of your business!" Buguese shouted back. Managing to strike Hunter where his arm was injured earlier, Hunter fell back in pain.

"It's over now!" declared Buguese. "Give up the Keys!"

"Not so fast!"

It was Igneous' voice, and he fired at Buguese, who was caught off guard.

Lumen and Sparkle made it atop the cliff, and aimed their weapons at Aqune.

"You guys!" Hunter shouted, overjoyed to see them again.

"Buguese, do you think you can win against all of us?" Magma asked.

Buguese growled in frustration, quickly trying to think of a strategy. But at the moment, he didn't have any.

"Fine!" he said. "We'll settle this in Nuuma! Aqune!"

Aqune rode Portia over to Buguese, who leapt on. The two retreated back to the transport.

"We're okay," Corona sighed in relief.

"Yeah, I think so," Magma said. "But still… we couldn't get Portia back."

"What happened to you guys anyway?" Igneous asked.

"It's a long story," said Hunter. "But we'll tell you everything."

"We had some adventure too!" Sparkle stated. "And made a new friend. Come out, Uncle Hop!"

"Grasshop?!" Hunter, Corona and Magma yelled in unison.

"Yeah… somehow," said Lumen.

"Yes, and I'm sorry," Grasshop said, getting down on his hands and knees. "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! And Lumen, please don't hit me."

"Really?" Hunter asked.

"It's true," said Sparkle. "He's a hero now. He saved me!"

"I guess we do have a lot to talk about," commented Corona.

She looked to Hunter, worriedly. He was back to himself, or so he seemed. But yet, Hunter was willing to die in battle just to avoid fighting against Aqune. Even though she was their friend, why would he do that? Shaking her head, she decided to put those thoughts aside for now. They were going to Nuuma now. Saving the people there had to be her main focus.