SailorStar9: 11 chapters up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Pouts). Anyway, this is Chapter 14. read and review..
Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 14: A Fish Called Taygen
On the helicopter...
"There, that's it." Runo looked at the screen as the portal came into view.
"Yes, and I can feel the negative energy flowing from its core." Tigrerra remarked.
"Oh goody! we're so close!" Preyas squealed.
"Well, I don't like this one bit." Angelo remarked.
"Nah, that's because you're a wuss, Angelo." Diablo chided.
"Okay!" Dan started. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah!" the group chorused.
At that, the five jumped right into the portal.
In the middle of the portal...
The Bakugan returned to their original forms.
"Woah! What is that?" Dan exclaimed.
"It couldn't be..." Drago realized. "Is that, Vestroia?"
"Dan!" he scooped up his partner before Dan fell to the ground.
"Runo!" Tigrerra caught her partner.
"Shun!" Skyress dived underneath the ninja-in-training, catching him.
"I've got you, Julie." Gorem scooped up his partner.
"You saved my life, Gorem." Julie looked up at her Subterra Bakugan.
"Don't worry Marucho." Preyas started, diving towards his partner. "I'll save you!" before sweatdropping when Angelo scooped up the pre-teen.
"AH!" the Aquos Bakugan screamed when he fell headfirst into the ground.
"All clear, guys!" he declared after getting up. "I don't detect any negative energy."
"Huh? Are you sure?" Dan poked his head out from an icy wall.
"Well, I guess we should check this place out." Runo suggested.
"Good idea, Runo." Drago agreed.
"Oh well, at least I think it's safe." Preyas sweatdropped as the teens walked out of their hiding place.
"For your sake." Tigrerra warned.
"Wait, is this really Vestroia?" Gorem inquired.
"No." Tigrerra replied. "It's never been an Aquos attributed dimension."
"Indeed." Angelo agreed. "And I do sense a strong Aquos presence."
"Yes." Skyress added. "And I can sense the power of Ventus."
"That will be both water and wind." Marucho mused.
"I believe this may be a new dimension where those elements have mixed together to form one." Drago surmised.
"Huh? You serious?" Dan exclaimed.
"Never more, Daniel." Drago replied. "Vestroia was originally a world unto itself, when the six attributed dimensions coexisted in balance. But now, Naga has seen fit to disrupt that balance. One explanation may be the new worlds were formed, created from the over-lapping of the original dimensions."
"Wow!" Julie gushed. "We're in a whole new world!"
"Okay, let me get this straight, Drago." Dan summarized. "Does that mean we have to travel to different worlds just to get to Naga?"
"I believe so." Drago replied.
"Oh man! All this thinking is giving me a giant headache!" Dan complained.
"Hey, there's no point in getting frustrated, Dan." Julie chided. "I see we should just keep going."
"She's right." Runo agreed. "We're on a mission."
"Right?" she smiled and slapped Dan on his shoulder.
Dan slid down the snow slope, the aftershock breaking the snow cliff apart and sending the rest of the group downwards.
"Are you alright?" Drago asked, the rest of the Bakugan flying down after the children crash-landed.
"Yeah, that looked majorly nasty." Preyas agreed.
"Oh wow." Runo blinked as the group detangled themselves. "That was a smooth move, Dan."
"Hey, it's not my fault." Dan protested.
"Take a look at this!" Drago exclaimed, cutting off any more arguments.
"Huh?" Runo blinked as several frozen Bakugan of Ventus and Aquos attributes came into view.
"Woah!" Julie gasped, wide-eyed. "Check out the Baku-icles!"
"Those Bakugan have water and wind attributes." Shun noted.
"But who did this?" Dan wondered.
"I'll bet you, Naga is behind it and we got to stop him." Marucho remarked.
"Hang on!" Preyas whined. "Do you know which way to go?"
"Gee, I never thought about that." Marucho confessed.
"I see." Skyress realized. "The center of Vestroia was a restricted area where, even we Bakugan were not allowed to set foot."
"But that was when the balanced power of all six attributes are protecting the Core." Drago added. "I believe that has all changed. And it would appear Naga did it with the help of Hal-G's power."
"Hang on." Shun cut in. "You're saying the power protecting the Core has been disrupted?"
"Yes." Skyress nodded. "And that maybe a good thing. Because it just might allow us to enter the Core. But for now, we should see if we could find the entrance to the next world. Unless we do, our whole mission could be in jeopardy."
"Right." Angelo agreed. "We must begin with baby steps.
"Yeah, but how are we supposed to find the next entrance?" Dan fumed.
"Allow me to direct you." Gorem offered. "I'm picking up a big signal."
"But from where, Gorem?" Runo asked.
"That way." Gorem pointed forward.
"So beautiful!" Julie gushed at the rainbow-colored aureole in the sky.
"I didn't know there were aureola in Vestroia." Runo added.
"And they exist because of one thing." Marucho noted. "Aureoles are powered by a magnetic field."
"Are you sure?" Dan asked the youngest of the Brawlers.
"I get it." Shun realized what Marucho meant. "It might be that that magnetic field could be having an effect on all dimensions in Vestroia."
"Of course!" Drago agreed.
"Yes!" Tigrerra concurred.
"Ah!" Skyress nodded.
"Okay!" Dan decided. "Let's check it out, guys."
"Stand hot!" Preyas barked, and the group marched forward. "Move out."
"Hey look, up there." Dan pointed upwards.
"It appears to be a wormhole." Marucho noted, as their eyes focused on the swirling hole.
"Yes." Gorem agreed. "And that's where the signal's coming from."
"I may be guessing." Shun added. "But you think that could be the entrance to the center of Vestroia?"
"Yes." Gorem replied. "But we'd better hurry. Once the aureole disappears, so too will the entrance of the next dimension."
"Oh no!" Dan exclaimed as the portal started to close. "We got to get moving, pronto, you guys! It's closing. Come on!"
"Huh?" he then noticed the upper half of Taygen's body in the middle of a frozen lake.
"What?" he blinked upon hearing Taygen's sobs. "Is that some kind of mirage?"
"You must help me, please." Taygen begged. "Do not leave me here all alone."
"Let's be careful, guys." Runo warned as the group hurried over to the shore of the lake.
"Who are you?" Dan asked. "And what are you doing way out here?"
"I swim." Taygen replied.
"You swim?" Dan echoed. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"Come on, quit wasting our time with those smut-mouth, kid." Preyas chided.
"I'm a water-attributed Bakugan." Taygen remarked. "See?"
"What do you think?" she asked, revealing the lower part of her body which was under the lake. "I am Taygen. I understand your journey has been a long one. Why not stay here and rest awhile?"
"We are the Gate Keepers of this world and we've a job to do." Hairadee appeared beside her. "And that's to protect our leader, Naga."
"Naga?" Drago growled.
"You're Gate Keepers?" Dan echoed. "You must be Aquos and Ventus and I get the funny feeling you two were expecting us to come."
"Forget them." Preyas remarked. "They're not so tough. Come on kid, we're wasting time."
"If you insist on continuing, then you must first defeat us in a battle." Hairadee commented.
"Let's go!" he took to the skies. "Air Attack!"
"What are you doing?" Drago demanded as Hairadee smashed into his chest.
"Drago!" Dan shouted at his partner.
"Stay out of this!" Hairadee barked at the incoming Skyress. "Blow Away!"
"Where did he get such power?" the Ventus bird wondered as she was smashed against an ice cliff.
"Now it's my turn." Taygen declared. "Aquos Blow Jet!"
The whirlwind washed the group into the water.
"No!" Preyas exclaimed. "I'm coming, Marucho!"
"Runo!" Tigrerra shouted, jumping into the water with Preyas.
"Ah!" Dan panicked as Taygen swum towards them.
"Oh?" he opened an eye to see Tigrerra had stopped Taygen's assault.
"Preyas, now! Do it now!" the Haos Bakugan barked.
"That's a big 'Thank For, Good Buddy'." Preyas nodded. "Aquos Bubble!"
"Thanks you guys." Dan noted as Preyas' air bubble floated up top, with them in it.
"All right, are you guys ever out of shape." Preyas remarked, jumping onshore.
"Thanks Preyas." Marucho noted.
"The signal from the Inner Core is starting to fade." Gorem stated.
"That means we've got to step on it or we'll be stuck in this dimension forever." Dan concluded.
"But there's no time." Marucho pointed out.
"Marucho." Shun stepped up. "Do you think you and Preyas can find a way to lure Taygen underwater?"
"Do you have... some kind of plan?" Marucho asked the older Brawler.
"Yes." Shun nodded. "And Skyress, you and me will lure that other overgrown freak on the shore."
"The one they call Hairadee?" Skyress asked.
"Wait a minute. I think I'm starting to get it." Marucho realized what Shun was up to. "That's it! One is Aquos and the other is Ventus. We take them out of their own elements."
"You're right." Preyas agreed. "That gives us the advantage."
"What a heavenly plan." Angelo added. "Simply heavenly, Shun."
"With them battling outside their elements, this should be a snap." Gorem noted.
"'K Skyress." Shun turned to his partner. "Time to get this show on the road. You know what to do."
"It shall be done." Skyress nodded.
"Gate Card, set!" Shun placed a Gate Card down as Skyress took to the skies.
"Now, it's my turn!" Skyress declared, taking over the battle with Hairadee from Drago.
"Ah! Mind your own business!" Hairadee scoffed.
"Gate Card, set!" Marucho followed suit.
"It's now or never, you guys." he turned to Preyas and Angelo. "You ready to play?"
"You bet!" Preyas replied.
"As it is written, let's get this little party started." Angelo added.
"Now!" Marucho dived into the water, along with the two Bakugan.
"Hey Taygen!" Preyas mocked as the three landed at the bottom of the lake.
"Think you're pretty tough, huh?" Angelo added.
"Well, there's a new sheriff in town." Preyas snapped.
"Bring it, Preyas." Taygen scoffed.
"With pleasure." Preyas grinned.
"Gate Card, open!" Marucho called out his next instruction. "Triple Battle!"
"Huh? What's this?" Taygen inquired. "I don't move forward."
"Okay Angelo." Marucho turned to the Haos-Aquos Bakugan. "Time to morph."
"Gotcha!" Angelo replied.
"Aquos-Pyrus Diablo, descend!" Diablo posed. "This is going to be so much fun. Thanks kid. I promise I won't let you down.
"Okay, let's give these grunts a taste of the great 'Preyas Combination Attack'."" Preyas looked over at his twin.
"Attribute change!" he changed his attribute. "Darkus! I'm all tingling!"
"Feast your eyes." Preyas posed. "Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's only me, Preyas the Magnificent."
"Ability activate!" Marucho pulled out an Ability Card. "Diagonal relationship between Pyrus and Darkus."
"I can feel the power surge!" Diablo declared.
"Excellent, two birds with one stone." Taygen scoffed as the two Preyas brothers charged.
"Ability activate!" Marucho pulled out another Ability Card. "Water Refrain! Hey Taygen, that move just nullified our ability!"
"Oh no! I can't attack!" Taygen whined.
"Incoming!" Diablo declared as the two brother rushed in.
Up top....
Skyress and Hairadee took their battle the skies.
"Ah! What now?" Hairadee scoffed as Skyress stopped in mid-flight. "Are you giving up, Skyress?"
"Now Shun!" Skyress told her partner.
"Gate Card, open!" Shun called out. "Energy Merge."
"What?" Hairadee blinked as his energy was taken by Skyress. "What's wrong? I'm losing my power. Why you little... you can't do this!"
"I just transferred all your power to Skyress." Shun informed the hybrid Bakugan. "I would try to explain to you, Hairadee, but I'm running out of time."
"Now to finish what we started." Skyress added and rammed herself into Hairadee.
"Sweet! You did it!" Dan beamed as Hairadee was sent crashing into the water.
"And that's a warp folks!" Runo added as Taygen was sent crashing onto the shore.
"And I didn't even break a nail." Preyas joked.
"Okay kids, it's time to blow this Popsicle stand." Diablo reminded.
"Wow, I can't believe we pulled that off, you guys." Dan noted as the Preyas brothers dived back to get Marucho.
"And it's all thanks to you, Shun." Julie commented. "And your amazing little plan. That was incredible."
"The old switch-a-rue." Taygen realized what had happened. "And I fell for it. But if you think I'm washed up, you're badly mistaken!"
"But I thought she was..." Runo gasped, mirroring Dan's shocked expression as Taygen got to her feet.
"Blow Away!" Taygen summoned her attack at the unsuspecting Skyress.
"No way!" Shun was shocked. "She's using a wind attribute."
"But Shun, I didn't even think a Bakugan could do that." Julie pointed out.
"Aquos Battle Dance!" Taygen fired her next attack at Tigrerra.
"That's water!" Dan gasped.
"Hang on." Shun realized. "I think I get it. This must be a world where water and wind have come together. So both Bakugan can use either attribute whenever they want."
"Are you sure?" Drago inquired.
"I always thought that was impossible." Gorem noted.
"Oh no!" Shun gasped. "Marucho!"
Underwater...
"Guys, we have to finish him off or we'll be stuck here forever!" Marucho reminded his partners.
"A wind-attributed Bakugan can't beat us underwater." Diablo snorted. "Totally impossible."
"Impossible just became possible." Hairadee snapped his eyes open.
"Dive Mirage!" he summoned an attack.
"Oh crud, he's a Ventus Bakugan. He can't do that!" Marucho exclaimed.
"We're done for!" Preyas exclaimed as the whirlwind came thundering towards them.
"Yeah, and it ain't going to be pretty." Diablo agreed.
"Nice to see you again boys." Hairadee burst out of the water. "Freezing Wave!"
"Whoa! Intense!" Dan was wide-eyed as Hairadee froze the water surface.
"What attribute is he using now?" Tigrerra inquired.
"Now look! The water's turning to ice!" Runo exclaimed.
"Marucho!" Shun shouted.
Underwater...
"He's freezing us in!" Diablo remarked as the water surface froze over.
"How is he doing that?" Preyas was confused.
"We're doomed." Marucho noted.
Up top...
"Marucho!' Julie gasped. "Come on guys. We got to do something and fast!"
"Marucho! Marucho!" Dan shouted.
"So that was you brilliant little plan, hrm humans?" Taygen scoffed. "Sorry, but you're no match for the likes of us!"
"Yes, this whole battle's been nothing more than child's play." Hairadee agreed. "Oh! And one more thing, who wants to be our next victim?"
"Why you critter!" Drago demanded and charged.
"Fool!" Taygen chuckled. "Aquos Blow Jet!" and the attack sent Drago crashing to the ground.
"Aquos and Ventus together." Drago winced. "It doesn't make sense. Wind and water are two totally different abilities and a Bakugan can only have one."
"Man, this is my fault." Shun growled. "I should've come up with a better plan."
"Oh no!" Julie gasped. "Look everyone! The wormhole is closing!"
"The signal from Vestroia's Core is fading." Gorem added.
"Dan, we have to hurry or we'll all be trapped here." Julie looked at Dan.
"We can't." Dan protested. "Not without Marucho. We have to save him before we leave."
"Ability activate." Shun pulled out an Ability Card. "Blow Away!"
"What in the world is happening?" Julie demanded as Shun's whirlwind carried them upwards.
"Freaky!" Runo added.
"Huh?" Hairadee growled.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, Shun?" Dan snapped.
"I've got to finish this, Dan!" Shun reminded him. "You three make a break for it!"
"No Shun, that's just crazy!" Dan protested. "We battle as a team, remember? Come on! Shun!"
Within the portal...
"He... must feel responsible for Marucho and the others being trapped." Runo realized as Shun's whirlwind carried them into the portal.
"What now, Dan?" Drago asked his partner.
"We leave." Dan replied, ignoring the gasps of the two girls. "At this point, we don't have time to turn around. We have to trust Shun and his word. We got to believe he can get Marucho and his Bakugan out of there safely."
"But Dan! That's crazy!" Julie objected.
"Come on!" Dan dived deeper into the portal.
Runo and Julie nodded at each other and took off.
Meanwhile...
"Let's get this over with, Taygen." Shun growled.
"What do you think, Hairadee?" Taygen chuckled. "Is this human worthy to battle us?"
"Well, probably isn't. But why not?" Hairadee shrugged. "I've got nothing else on my schedule this afternoon. Besides, I haven't have a good laugh in a few decades."
"No, the joke will on you, pal." Shun corrected, throwing down a Gate Card.
"What are you attaining, little man?" Hairadee pressed.
"Enough chitchat!" Taygen snapped. "If you want to fight, then you'll get a fight!"
"Skyress, counterattack!" Shun instructed as the two hybrid Bakugan charged. "Now, Gate Card, set! Force Wind!"
"Huh? What happened?" Taygen asked.
"I... can't move!" Hairadee added, the two hybrid Bakugan were frozen in place.
"Let me explain it to you." Shun started. "My 'Force Wind' ability allows Skyress to net your Ventus-attributed power and because you can switch attributes, I can just as easily steal them."
"Thank Shun." Skyress remarked as she powered up and charged at the two hybrid Bakugan. "I'm powered up and ready for battle!"
"Playtime is over, Skyress." Hairadee flew back to avoid getting another hit.
"You're dreaming if you think you can defeat both of us!" Taygen snapped.
"Heh, just wait and see." Shun smirked.
"For what?" Hairadee demanded.
"Skyress!" Shun told his partner. "Here's the plan. Scan the ice and find the weak spot."
"I'm on it." Skyress replied, activating her heat sensors. "That's it."
"I had all I can take." Hairadee retorted.
"Storm Stinger!" Shun called out another of Skyress' attacks and Skyress rained her charged up feathers at the ice.
"Ah!" Marucho exclaimed as he, Preyas and Diablo were washed up to shore via a waterspout.
"Whoa! What happened?" the pre-teen was still confused.
"I thought we were goners back there." he shivered after Preyas placed him on land.
"Hey, Marucho!" Shun shouted. "You okay?"
"I'm good." Marucho replied, still shivering.
"Oh please." Hairadee scoffed. "Quit pretending you're some kind of hero."
"For your info, the Brawlers fight as a team." Shun informed the hybrid. "So, you ready, Marucho?"
"Yeah." Marucho replied. "Hey, Diablo. we're going to battle. I need Angelo."
"Ah man, I was looking forward to a fight." Diablo complained.
"Aquos Angelo reporting." Angelo declared as he swapped places. "Here to serve and protect. Tell me what to do Master, and your wish is my command."
"Diagonal relation between Ventus and Haos, engage now" Marucho pulled out an Ability Card. "Now Skyress and Angelo's powers are jetted up to the limit."
"Oh, oh goodness." Angelo blinked.
"I can feel the surge!" Skyress added.
"Let's do this, Skyress!" Marucho shouted and jumped onto Skyress' back. "So, are you ready for battle, guys?"
"Oh yeah." Angelo replied. "I'm in and I'd like to start with my 'Wind and Light Friendship Attack'."
"Marucho, Phase Two!" Shun shouted from the ground after Angelo and Skyress' attacks hit head-on.
"Right!" Marucho replied. "Preyas, you're the next one up!"
"I thought you'd never asked, kid." Preyas grinned. "Attribute change! Darkus! Am I cool or am I cool?"
"Tada!" he landed on Skyress. "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr.-The-Man. Make sure you get my good side."
"Diablo." Marucho cast a side-glance at Angelo. "You're up!"
"Oh, all right!" Diablo complained. "But what's up with all the changes, Marucho? I'm not sure I'm coming or going."
"Diagonal relation between Pyrus and Darkus, activate." Marucho cast another Ability Card. "Preyas and Diablo, power boost!"
"Shall we, Diablo?" Preyas grinned at his twin.
"You know me." Diablo replied. "I'm always ready."
Preyas then hammered Taygen on her forehead as Diablo gave Hairadee a kick to the stomach.
"Where did that come from?" Taygen demanded.
"Incredible!" Hairadee added.
"Shun, your turn!" Marucho passed the baton to the older Brawler.
"You got it." Shun pulled out an Ability Card. "Gust of Wind Blow. Destruction Meteor Storm!"
"We won!" Marucho beamed after Skyress' attack blew the two hybrid Bakugan away.
"Boy, that was fun." Preyas whined as both he and Diablo crashed onto the ground. "Can we go again?"
"Yeah ma, one more time please." Diablo added.
"Thank Shun." Marucho walked towards the older Brawler after Skyress put him on the ground.
"No sweat." Shun told him.
"All right." Marucho noted, the two exchanging a handshake.
"So, you ready to go?" Shun asked.
"Yeah, you bet, Shun." Marucho nodded.
"I can't believe we lost to humans!" Taygen complained as she and Hairadee hid behind an ice wall after their defeat.
"Don't worry. This fight isn't over." Hairadee replied.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.