SailorStar9: 13 chapters up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Pouts). Anyway, this is Chapter 16. read and review..

Disclaimers: I do not own both the animes. However, I do own the pairing, I hope.

Chapter 16: Soldier's Rest

"Runo, Julie, no!" Dan exclaimed.

"Don't worry Dan." Drago assured him. "It's up to Tigrerra to look after of them. We must keep going."

"I guess you're right, but..." Dan started. "I can't help worrying. Well, let's get out of here."

"Right." Drago replied. "Hold on."

Dan winced as Drago shot through the dust cloud into the next world.

"Holy crud!" he gasped, upon seeing the hybrid world. "Drago, look out for the lightning!"

"Oh man!" he exclaimed when the Pyrus Dragoniod dodged the lightning. "Sure hope you know where you're going, buddy."

"By the looks of the terrain, I would venture to guess we're in another newly formed world. One that is a combination of both the Darkus dimension and the Pyrus dimension." Drago surmised. "Now I can see why the turmoil is slowly killing the Princess."

"Huh? You sure?" Dan asked.

"I can't be 100% certain, but it would appear so." Drago replied. "It was once Vestroia, but now it's being destroyed from within. And to stop its destruction, we must find Naga."

"An army of Darkus Gargonoids." he looked at the opposing army.

"Drago, we're surrounded my them." Dan told his partner.

"They've absorbed the negative energy of this dimension which has turned them to the dark side." Drago realized.

"Oh man, we're doomed." Dan cursed. "Okay creep. Ability activate! Fire Wall!"

The swirl of flames wiped out the Gargonoids with one blow.

"Hang on, Dan." Drago found a spot to land. "This may be a little bumpy."

"That's enough!" he barked at the Gargonoids who had landed around him. "This isn't a Bakugan battle. So there's no reason to fight me. Now disperse and make it quick!"

Centorrior then galloped in

"Vortex Dark Pyrus!" he let loose a stream of Darkus energy that destroyed the Gargonoids.

"What's going on, Drago?" Dan asked.

"Trouble." Drago replied.

"Vortex Dark Flame!" Druman descended from the clouds, the blast from his mouth obliterating the rest of the Gargonoids.

"Who are those freaks?" Dan asked.

"Oh, a feisty one." Druman chuckled.

"Welcome to our world. I hope your stay here is a pleasant one."Centorrior remarked.

"It appears we've saved you from the Gargonoids." Druman added.

"I've never seen any of these Bakugan before." Dan noted.

"Who are you?" Drago demanded. "Tell us!"

"I apologize for our late introduction." Centorrior began. "I am Centorrior."

"And my friends call me Druman." Druman added.

"My friend Druman here, might have been a little presumptuous when he said he saved you from the Gargonoids." Centorrior remarked.

"Yes, my motive was rather greedy." Druman admitted. Because the only reason I saved you was, I want you all to myself. You're history, Dragoniod."

Centorrior galloped over to Drago after Druman tackled him.

"Move off to the Doom Dimension, Dragoniod." Druman declared.

"Good riddance." Centorrior scoffed. "Vortex Dark Pyrus!"

"Vortex Dark Flame!" Druman added his attack.

"Rapid Chamber!" Nova Lion whisked both Drago and Dan away, causing the two attacks to miss.

"It's Nova Lion!" Centorrior noted.

"What is that old fool doing here anyway?" Druman demanded.

"Just ignore him, Druman." Centorrior told him. "When the time is right, we'll destroy him as well."

In a cave...

"Where am I?" Drago demanded upon awakening.

"Dan!" he exclaimed, seeing his unconscious partner on the ground.

"Drago." Dan peered open his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Drago asked.

"Yeah, but where the heck are we?" Dan asked.

"It appears to be some kind of cave." Drago replied. "However, I'm not sure how we got here."

"Of course!" he realized. "That's it! But who was that?"

"So Drago, you finally made it here." Nova Lion remarked.

"It's a... Pyrus Tigrerra." Dan blinked.

"Forgive me, but I didn't realize it was you who was making all that racket back there." Nova Lion noted. "What with all the Dark Gargonoids screeching and all. So, this is the human I've heard about. I never met one before and I must say you're not much to look at."

"Wait, how come you're not affected by the negative energy?" Dan thought to ask.

"Blah, I'm too old for that." Nova Lion scoffed. "Besides, not all Bakugan are affected, especially when one still have half a brain left, like me."

"So, why did you save us?" Drago asked.

"I suppose it's because I have nothing better to do." Nova Lion replied.

"Thanks." Dan smiled. "By the way, my name is Dan."

"Nice to meet you, Dan." Nova Lion replied. "You can call me Nova Lion."

"It's nice meeting you too." Dan added.

"Don't let my age fool you." Nova Lion chided. "I still got it."

"Impossible!" Drago exclaimed. "Nova Lion, the wisest of all Bakugan."

"The wisest?" Dan echoed.

"And the oldest." Drago added. "He knows everything there is to about Vestroia."

"I don't know if I'm the wisest, but I will grant you that I'm indeed the oldest of the Bakugan." Nova Lion chuckled.

"Wise Nova Lion." Drago greeted the elder. "Please tell us about this dimension and what precisely has happening here."

"First of all," Nova Lion started. "Vestroia continues to deteriorate and if it didn't stop immediately, then the Human World will be destroyed as well."

"That means we've got the bring down Naga." Dan decided.

"What must we do?" Drago asked.

"To begin with," Nova Lion advised. "You wouldn't mistake the changes in our world. And what is happening isn't merely the merging of Pyrus and Darkus. Oh no, ever since our world and the Human World crossed over into each other, our dimensions began to take on their characteristics, like the formation of sky and land."

"My world is changing too." Dan recalled. "Like totally freaky winter in Hawaii and floods in the desert."

"In order to stop this chaos," Nova Lion added. "Not only must the Infinity Core and the Silent Core be restored to their original positions, the Princess must reinstated as the Pillar and both must be done quickly. Then, and only then, will balance be restored to Vestroia."

"Wavern possess the Infinity Core, so it remains in good hands." Drago informed the aged Bakugan. "We just have to retrieve the Silent Core from Naga. This is our mission, Nova Lion."

"Then, you must follow me." Nova Lion instructed. "I will take you to the center of the universe. That, is where Naga is waiting."

"But I'll fry!" Dan protested. "Drago!"

"I will protect you, Dan." Drago lowered his palm and Dan hopped onto the claw.

With that, the two took off after Nova Lion.

"I can't believe how much things have changed in my old world, Nova Lion." Drago reminisced.

"Oh, not just our world, my dear friend." Nova Lion corrected. "But the Bakugan World as well. Let me explain, when the different attributed dimensions overlapped, the ecosystem collapsed and a different species of Bakugan that have both Pyrus and Darkus attributes emerged."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Dan noted.

"That included Druman and Centorrior." Nova Lion added.

"Then the Bakugan we battled in the Ventus and Aquos dimension, and in the Haos and Subterra dimension were of the same origin." Drago realized.

"Yes." Nova Lion confirmed. "They were all created from negative energy, which inherently makes them evil creatures. Their job is to protect Naga."

"Go ahead and run my friends." Druman chuckled.

"It makes that much more of a sport for us." Centorrior added.

"These Bakugan are freaks of nature and should never have been created." Nova Lion sighed. "It's sad, but I suppose in a way, we're all victims of Naga's selfish motives."

"So, you think we're just Naga's lackeys, Nova Lion?" Centorrior scoffed, appearing in front of the trio. "It's time you learnt your lesson, old timer."

"Get out of our way!" Drago barked.

"And who suddenly made you the boss, Dragoniod?" Druman mocked. "There's only one way to get past, that is to battle us. So if you think you're brave enough, bring it on, my friends."

"As you wish, my friends." Nova Lion growled. "Power Change! I've never backed down from a battle and I'm not going to start now!"

"Attack!" Centorrior charged at the flaming Tigrerra.

"Woah, that was nuts!" Dan exclaimed after Nova Lion pushed into the lava pit. "Nova Lion!"

"No need to worry, Dan." Nova Lion assured the teen. "I am a Pyrus attributed Bakugan, falling into a searing river of lava is like taking a warm bath to me. But just for safety kid, don't try this at home. It doesn't work for humans. Trust me on this, kiddo."

"Hey, wasn't planning on it, big guy." Dan added.

"Don't move." Drago warned. "You just stay close to me, Daniel, and I'll protect you."

"Thank bud." Dan noted.

"You're mine, Dragoniod!" Druman charged.

"This is it." Drago cautioned. "Hold on tight and stay low."

"Okay, but you've got to power up, Drago." Dan pulled out an Ability Card. "Ability activate, Fire Judge!"

"Eclipse Assault!" Druman fired his attack.

"My power has been immobilized!" Drago gasped as the Darkus power cancelled out his power up.

"Fire Tornado!" Druman added another attack.

"He is using his Darkus attributed abilities to shut down my power." Drago growled. "That in turn increases his own. There's not much I can do."

"My dear, dear Nova Lion." Centorrior mocked. "You should have used some of your wisdom and turned back. Why did you insist on defying Naga? Even you know you cannot win this battle."

"Allow me to teach you not to disrespect your elders." Nova Lion growled.

"What?" Centorrior hissed.

"I've been waiting for a Bakugan with a human to show up in our world." Nova Lion informed him.

"Hang on, Nova Lion!" Dan shouted, as Drago hurried to the elder Bakugan's aid.

"If the destruction of Vestroia began when Naga entered the Human World, then the only way to save it will be for a Bakugan to make contact with a human being." Nova Lion reasoned. "Do you understand, my friend?"

"Interesting." Centorrior noted. "That would mean you are of no use to me. Begone!"

"Nova Lion, no!" Dan exclaimed as Nova Lion was blasted away by Centorrior's attack.

Drago dived in and grabbed the fallen Pyrus Tigrerra before Centorrior released another attack.

"You must hang on, Nova Lion." Drago told the Tigrerra within his claws.

"Can you hear me, Nova Lion?" Drago asked, after landing on a rocky ledge.

"I'm getting too weary for the 'Wonder Evolution', Drago." Nova Lion panted. "Get up and go, just caught up and left."

"'Wonder Evolution'?" Drago echoed. "What do you mean?"

"Listen closely, and I'll explain. When the universe was created, it was peaceful, without a single battle." Nova Lion explained. "Bu then, one day, something happened that changed everything. The Core the Pillar guarded, split into two. And the attributes that all fed into the Core fractured into six separate worlds. That was the beginning of the end."

"Okay, was that Vestroia?" Dan asked.

"Yes." Nova Lion replied. "Bakugan with different attributes were no longer able to survive in each other's attributed world. It became the survival of the fittest and in that process, strange and powerful Bakugan were created. The Bakugan that didn't fit into any of the new worlds were driven into the void between the different dimensions and that, my friends, was when Naga was born."

"Amazing." Drago noted.

"So, the 'Wonder Evolution' was when the Core split, when Naga was born, when chaos reared its ugly head." Nova Lion revealed.

"Nova Lion!" Dan gasped at the coughing Bakugan.

"Be still, my friend." Drago told him.

"The only hope to restoring peace to the universe is for Bakugan and humans to battle as one." Nova Lion panted. "Destroy Naga before he becomes Master of All Dimensions. You must hurry, time is not on our side. Now go, go quickly, before it's too late."

"Hand this to the Princess." he passed a silver statue to Drago. "This is the Messiah's Holy Cloth, without it, she'll never be able to win this war."

"Nova Lion!" Dan exclaimed in shocked as the aged Bakugan panted his last.

I'll leave the Messiah to you, the Messiah's next generation of Warriors. Nova Lion passed his mental message to Drago before he shimmered into red dust.

"Here you are." Druman mocked, having attacked the ground with his attack. "Thought you can hide from us?"

"Let's get this over with, shall we?" Centorrior added.

"And I say, the sooner, the better." Drago growled, taking to the skies.

"Nova Lion says you two freaks are connected to that creep, Naga." Dan snapped. "Is that the reason you have to go off and destroy him? Revenge is mine for what you did to Nova Lion."

"Let's do this, Drago." he tossed down a card. "You show them."

"With pleasure, Daniel." Drago replied.

"Okay, Gate Card open." Dan instructed. "Energy Merge!"

"My energy is draining." Druman stopped in his tracks. "I'm getting weaker, weaker."

"That's because your powers are being transferred to Drago." Dan supplied. "Okay Drago, finish him off!"

"Boosted Ultima!" Drago fired a fireball at Druman.

"I'm impressed, not." Druman scoffed. "Destroy Force Down!"

"Somehow, he nullified the Command Card." Dan gasped.

"Your little tricks won't work on me, Dragoniod." Druman snorted, dodging the fireball. "Attack!"

"Now is my turn." Centorrior remarked after Druman rammed into Drago.

"Drago!" Dan shouted a warning. "I've got to do something quick. Okay, take this, you creep! Mind Ghost!"

"Oh right!" he beamed when the two hybrids dashed into the trap.

"Eh? No way!" he exclaimed when the two came out unscathed. "How come that move didn't work? How did they keep nullifying every Gate Card I throw down?"

"Foolish human, you cannot defeat us." Centorrior mocked. "Vortex Dark Pyrus!"

"Hey stop!" Dan shouted as the attack rained on Drago. "You got to stop. Please, stop it now! I'll do anything. Just make it stop."

"Get your filthy human hands off of me!" Centorrior growled, kicked Dan off.

"Dan!" Drago hollered.

"It's over, Dragoniod." Druman told him, after Drago caught Dan with his claw. "Vortex of Flame!"

"Drago..." Dan moaned after the attack knocked Drago against the cliff, the teen rolling out of the Bakugan's claw.

"Dan..." Drago looked over at his partner.

"Drago..." Dan willed himself up and crawled over to Drago.

"Dan..." the two reached their hands out to each other.

"Drago, I wish that he was still here." Dan remarked. "With us."

On Earth...

Oh, it's Dan. Alice realized upon hearing the echo as she watered the flowers.

"Lunch is ready, Alice." her aunt told her. "Come on."

"Be right there." Alice replied.

"Everything okay?" her aunt asked. "If you need to talk, let me know. Just remember, I'll always be here for you, all right?"

"Oh thanks." Alice beamed. "I appreciate it, Aunt Clara. Can you give me a second? I'll be in right away."

"Okay, hurry because your lunch is getting cold." Clara reminded.

I was positive that was Dan's voice I just heard. Alice mused. I wonder what he mean. If he is in some kind of trouble, oh, I wish I were there to help him. Okay, I have to think positive thoughts. Dan can take care of himself. I know he can. Oh, what am I thinking? Dan is in some kind of trouble. I just know it. I can feel it.

"My Masquerade mask!" she gasped when the said mask appeared before her.

In Klaus' castle...

"There was a warrior who ride through the night." Klaus narrated. "To see this young boy, upon morning's first light. He rode swiftly along, the wind through his hair and hopes that he soon would be there."

"How sweet." Sirenoid remarked. "Klaus, look. It's Alice."

"Are you leaving us?" Klaus asked.

"I am." Alice replied. "It's my duty as a Battle Brawler to help out Dan."

"Good luck, Alice." Klaus remarked as Alice looked at the Darkus Hydranoid in her palm "Good luck."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.