"If you don't have enemies, you don't have character," -Paul Newman

"I didn't expect you to be so easy to get a hold of, boy," Barodius smirked, stepping toward Dan. The brunet stiffened, his eyes widening, as he looked around. His eyes flicked from Barodius's face to Kazarina's, and then Gill, Stoica, and Airzel's. Disbelief flooded is senses as he scrambled to find some sort of logical reasoning behind these events. How was this possible?

"Wait," he protested, clenching his fists, as his eyes met Kazarina's. He quickly glanced away, meeting Airzel's gaze instead. "How the heck are you still alive?"

"Well you certainly don't waste any time," Kazarina muttered. Dan glared at her, shaking his head to dislodge the wet clumps of hair that were stuck there.

"I'm assuming that Princess Fabia told you about what happened on Gundalia?" Gill asked, crossing his arms. Dan didn't answer, instead glancing toward the gray skinned Pyrus brawler out of the corner of his eye.

"We didn't actually die," Airzel said curtly, a hand on his hip as he started the explanations.

"Yeah, it's much harder to get rid of us," Stoica quipped, earning a glare from Dan.

"We were transported away by the Sacred Orb," Gill said shortly, wanting to be brief with the explanations so that they could put Dan where he wouldn't be a problem. "The rest does not matter."

"Oh, are you sure?" Kazarina smirked. Gill shot her a look, which she either ignored or didn't notice. "But and then again... I suppose that watching him squirm from ignorance is rather amusing."

"What do you want?" Dan demanded. "You can't have the power of the Sacred Orb, we beat you! And besides, Drago's not even here." Dan smirked, glad to have at least that comfort. "Your plan backfired, Barodius."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, boy," Barodius sneered. Dan's smirk vanished slowly and his eyes narrowed, unsure where the Gundalian Emperor was going with this. He glanced from face to face, taking in the telltale smirks that gave away more than words alone. But even so, it still took him a moment to realize what they were implying. His eyes widened and he let out a small gasp, stiffening out of instinct.

He hissed, searching for a gap in their circle around him. Kazarina laughed while Stoica smirked, Airzel letting out a satisfied grunt and Gill's mouth curling into a demonic grin as Dan's angered gaze shot from side to side. He forced himself to summon energy, to find a way to fight back. He couldn't let himself be kept at the mercy of these Gundalians, for he knew the price they would charge his friends for his return.

He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, as he identified the gap behind him in between Gill and Airzel. He knew without a doubt that if they should figure out what he was planning, or if he were a moment to slow, he wouldn't even stand a chance at escaping. He knew he probably didn't stand a chance at escaping anyway, especially in his weakened state, but he couldn't just let himself give up. He had already show his weakness to them through the water, and he couldn't afford to show them any more. He had to show them that he was strong, that Dan Kuso wouldn't be going down without a fight.

Barodius smirked, kneeling down in front of the defiant teen. Dan glared him in the eyes, his eyes suddenly widening when a clawed hand closed around his neck. Dan choked, his hands instantly flying to Barodius's wrist. He pushed against it, trying to turn his head away. Airzel and Gill watched, unconcerned, while Stoica and Kazarina seemed to take more feral stances. Sadistic grins crept up on both of their faces, but Dan didn't see.

"Let... go..." Dan choked, squinting at the Gundalian emperor. The hand on his throat tightened, earning a strangled groan from the boy.

"Don't you dare resist," the man hissed, suddenly very serious. He was close enough to Dan that he could smell his putrid breath, and Dan grimaced as he struggled for oxygen. "If you resist me, I promise you..." The fingers tightened even more, and Dan could feel himself becoming very dizzy, very fast. "You will regret it more than anything else," Barodius hissed, pulling the boy forward and then pushing him toward the ground. Dan gasped, his head bouncing off the hard packed dirt. He instantly propped himself up on his hands and knees, coughing and gasping for air.

"Airzel, Stoica, take him to his quarters," Barodius growled, standing up and glaring down at Dan. Dan panted hard, swallowing after a few seconds, as he struggled to regain his normal breathing pattern. "Make sure he knows his place." Stoica grabbed Dan's wrist, earning an anger fueled resistant slap across the face from his free hand.

Dan yanked his hand back from him and twisted, pushing off the ground away from the two Gundalians. Stoica was now sitting, surprised, on the ground, while Airzel stared at Dan's daring in disbelief. Gill, Kazarina and Barodius had turned away but looked back at the sound of the commotion. Dan's shoes slipped on the wet bank, making him gasp as his foot flew out from under him. Somehow, though, he managed to still keep ahead of Airzel, who was grabbing at his back.

"Get back here!" he shouted. Dan could feel his strength quickly ebbing, dizziness washing over him as he still hadn't recovered his breath, and the next thing he knew, there was no ground beneath his feet. He gasped, his chest slamming into the river again. He bit his lip as he immediately started swimming for the surface, his chest burning. When his face broke the thin surface, he let out a loud gasp for air.

"Get him out of there!" Barodius ordered as Dan was swept down stream, flailing in his desperate attempts to remain above the surface.

Dan squinted to keep the water from splashing into his eyes while he splashed about, his arms and legs burning from the exertion. He spit out water every few seconds, and he caught a fleeting glance of something blue to his right. The color vanished a second later, though, and Dan's body was flipped so that he was being swept downstream backwards. He didn't bother trying to correct it, hoping to get as far away from Barodius and the others as possible.

But of course that wouldn't be the case, as a splash sounded from behind him. Dan glanced back, swallowing a mouthful of water. He coughed, his stomach turning. Trying to drink in air, he reached for the bank. His fingers clawed at the rocks, making him grimace. Dan's left shoulder crashed into an outcropping, earning a pained yell from him. He kept reaching for a hand hold, however, his nails feeling like they could be ripped out of his fingertips at any second despite the gloves preventing that.

Then an arm hooked itself around Dan's torso, startling the boy. A quick glance behind him revealed the person to be Stoica, who was grimacing at the current as they were swept away from the bank. Dan stared at him with tired, perplexed eyes for a brief second, then struggled, his fingers prying at Stoica's iron grip. A hand smacked him upside the head and Dan let out a startled gasp before shaking his head to clear it.

"Will you knock it off? I'm trying to help!" Stoica snarled. Dan doubted that, but held his tongue. Water rushed over his mouth and nose, making him arch his neck toward the sky in order to keep breathing.

The two continued to be swept downstream, Stoica's clawed fingers scraping at the rocky bank. By now, Dan and Stoica were both beyond soaked, but Stoica didn't seem to care. Dan closed his eyes and let himself float in the water, knowing it would be stupid to struggle. It was over.

"Bakugan brawl! Rise Ventus Strikeflyer!" Dan and Stoica both looked up, Stoica looking mad and Dan groggy. The large Ventus Bakugan shot toward the two soaked males, reaching out a hand. It didn't take very long for it to slip under Dan and Stoica and lift them out of the river, prompting Stoica to let go of the rebellious brunette. Dan collapsed in Strikeflyer's hand, panting and shaking from exertion.

"It's going to be irritating if he keeps this up," Gill muttered after he had jumped down from Strikeflyer's shoulder. Dan squinted at him, managing a defiant glare even through his weakened state, as the red haired man walked up to him. "Kazarina! Can't you just knock him out?" Dan hissed, starting to force himself up on his hands and knees, but Stoica pushed him back down. Dan winced when a foot came down on his back, forcing the air out of his lungs.

"Sorry Gill," she said, looking annoyed as she approached the group, "but I just used up most of my energy trying to open a Gate to transport the most irritating human alive into our presence. You're just going to have to take him to his quarters and lock the doors. Maybe stand guard with your Bakugan if you think that he's gonna try to escape again."

"I think that's highly unlikely now," Airzel muttered. "He's exhausted." Dan sighed, feeling really cold, hungry, and miserable. Airzel was right that he was exhausted, and Dan knew he wouldn't be fighting them any time soon. His limbs ached and his head pounded, lingering traces of the vision beginning to flash before his eyes. He gasped, earning the glances of the Gundalians, as he curled his body in a "C" shape, clutching his head. He let out several choked noises to show his distress, and Kazarina's sadistic laugh reached his ears.

"That's what you get for resisting," she cackled, making Dan squint at her in a pathetic attempted to show his hatred for the blue skinned Gundalian. Strikeflyer began to glow then, and he swirled back into a ball. Dan fell the few feet to the ground and landed with a "thump" and a groan. Stoica and Kazarina smirked at him while Gill crossed his arms, and Airzel just put a hand on his hip.

"He's obviously not going to make it that far," Barodius growled, scowling at the Pyrus Brawler. "One of you are going to have to carry him. Once he's locked up join me in my quarters, we have something we need to discuss. Kazarina, Gill, I'd like to speak with you for a moment before we depart.

"Yes Sire," Gill said, earning annoyed glances from Kazarina and Stoica. Barodius frowned at Dan, then turned, heading away from him with his head held high. From there, Gill took charge.

"Airzel, Stoica, you should get going. Kazarina, you might want to join them, just in case he get's out of hand again," Gill muttered, shooting a pointed look at Dan, who was struggling to prop himself up on his hands and knees. Dan glared over at them, fighting his urge to just collapse and sleep.

"Why do I get stuck on guard duty?" Stoica complained, dramatically gathering up his sopping hair and making a show out of squeezing the water out of it. "I just want to get a hot shower and some dry clothes!" He continued loudly protesting while Airzel approached him and Dan. Airzel somehow managed to get the boy onto his back, draping his arms over his shoulders. Dan rested his chin awkwardly against Airzel's shoulder, earning a grunt from the man.

"Thank you for your generosity, Gill," Kazarina said, looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, "but I think I'll join you and the emperor. I don't think the boy is foolish enough to try anything else, are you, Dan?" Dan's lip curled at her comment and she smirked at him. Dan glanced away, wishing he wasn't as weak as he was, and Kazarina made an annoyed face. "Oh how I wish you weren't just being smart," she grumbled, turning away. Dan smirked at that remark. "And besides, Gill, the emperor specifically requested myself as well as you." Dan rolled his eyes at Kazarina and Gill's petty arguments, but proceeded to stiffen when Airzel began to walk.

"Calm down, will you?" the man growled. "You're not going anywhere, and if you don't do anything stupid you won't get hurt. At least, for now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with yet," Airzel replied cooly.

"You seem to have this pretty well planned out, don't you?" Dan muttered, his fists clenching.

"What, you didn't think we'd just randomly single you out and transport you to another dimension, did you?" The smirk was evident in Stoica's voice and Dan suppressed a groan. Stoica was so annoying. Dan chose not to respond and Stoica took it as an opportunity to continue with his jibes. "You're the one that caused us to fall," the Gundalian growled. Dan glanced in his direction at his sudden change of tone.

"Ren was the one that betrayed us in the end," Airzel reminded him and Dan noticed how the man stiffened and his hands tightened on Dan's ankles. "However, you and your friends were the ones that caused him to turn his back on the emperor."

"Not even Princess Fabia seemed like a better target than the one who caused us to lose," Stoica sneered at Dan, whose lip curled in anger. "Dragonoid Colossus chose you, and Drago absorbed all of our other targets. You caused us to fail, since you and Drago battled as one."

"And you took me without him because you want his power?" Dan asked darkly. Stoica glanced at Airzel, a movement that only took a split second and clearly wasn't meant to be revealed to Dan, but Dan noticed. That was all the information he needed and he tightened his fists. "When I get out of this..."

"Who said you're getting out of this?" Stoica smirked and Dan started to struggle. He braced his hands on Airzel's shoulders and started to push away. He stopped a few seconds later though, when Airzel's claws dug into his flesh and he felt like he was about to pass out.

"Hmph," Airzel grunted, clearly irritated. Stoica looked like he was enjoying himself, however, and Dan angrily growled, not lifting his gaze from the cunning blue clad man.

They traveled in silence for a while, and Dan glanced around curiously when they reached a modern looking building. More than modern, actually. Dan's eyes widened when he took in the Vestal technology on doors and the white streets that seemed to weave around the structure.

"This is..." he whispered, twisting his head so that he could get a better look at his surroundings. Lighted screens were flashing ads into the coming dawn, the voices that usually accompanied them silenced by the lingering darkness. "New Vestroia?"

"This isn't the planet you call New Vestroia," Airzel said bluntly. He didn't bother to explain any further, not that Dan expected him to, but Dan recognized the Vestal technology. He wondered if Mira and the others had found a different planet to colonize. One that didn't already have inhabitants, like the Bakugan.

A few hover cars were parked on the side of the road, and it was toward one that Airzel and Stoica now headed, their bodies beginning to glow. Dan gasped at the tingling that touched his front and arms, making him shiver, as Airzel and Stoica changed into their human forms.

Stoica wore his black shirt and jeans like Ren's, his wavy brown hair secured in a very low ponytail. Airzel was sporting a forest green tank top that showed off his muscles and a pair of jeans like Ren's. His skin was dark like Ren's, and his hair remained the same, still pulled up in a high pony tail above his neck.

The two headed to one of the floating cars and Stoica ducked inside. Airzel let go of Dan, hurrying to catch the teen before he sank to his knees. Dan was grudgingly grateful as Airzel helped him into the car, forcing him to sit in between Stoica and himself.

"Input destination please," the robot in front of them said. Dan remembered the time when he demanded it to take them to the BT System, and it had told him that he didn't have the correct authorization for the destination. Mira had hacked it and then it took them there, but it almost cost them their lives.

"Take us to the Muphrid entrance," Airzel growled, snapping Dan out of his memory, and the robot responded by closing the door to the car.

"Please buckle up," it said, a command that no one obeyed. It lurched forward, startling Dan slightly, but he quickly just leaned forward, resting his head in his hands.

Fabia is so going to kill me for this, he thought, shivering as the air conditioning turned on and blasted his soaking neck. I wonder if Drago's woken up yet. Dan sighed, wondering how he could have possibly gotten himself into this mess. This was a serious problem, because this was not only going to end with violence, it would either end with Drago fighting Dharak, or with a blade to his own throat. At first, it didn't seem like Drago and Dharak fighting was much of a problem, since Drago had just evolved with Code Eve's powers, and therefore Drago was at an advantage, but with Dan in the custody of the Gundalians that backed that Bakugan, the chances of getting out of this with both himself and Drago alive were really slim.

Or at least, that was what he could gather. When he had received the energy that fueled his evolution into Infinity Dragonoid, Wayvern had had to die in order to give it to him. The same was true for Perfect Dragonoid and Cross Dragonoid, and also Lumino Dragonoid. The giver of the powers died in all of those special evolutions. He wasn't even sure if Code Eve was still alive after giving Drago the power of the Sacred Orb.

Dan knew it would be stupid to deny that Drago and the others would be stuck now that he was in the custody of the emperor. He was aware that as long as he was at their mercy, Drago and their friends would do anything for his safety. He knew it, Drago knew it, and Barodius knew it.

The price would be the power that Drago possessed. It would be a trade, he knew. Himself for Drago's powers. Thinking about it now, he probably wouldn't have a chance to defend the powers in a battle. Barodius and the others would make sure of that, just as they had made sure of his weakness before isolating him from his friends.

Dan groaned, gathering his strength into sitting up and slamming his fist onto his knee. "How could I be so stupid?" he hissed under his breath. Stoica and Airzel watched him while resting their heads on their fists, eyes narrowed, as he started shaking with anger and exertion. "How could I have let myself get tricked into this?" he whispered. Why did I go outside? That was what they wanted! I played right into their hands, and now... Dan's heated gaze softened as he stared at his fist. It relaxed unconsciously. He twisted his wrist and opened his fist, staring at the gloved palm of his hand. "And now..." he murmured.

After a moment of staring at his hands, he sighed, sitting up and leaning back against the seat. He closed his eyes only to gasp and have them shoot open again. He stiffened, his back arching, as flashes of purple light and explosions assaulted him, overpowering his senses. Before he knew it he was yelling, making both Airzel and Stoica jump.

"What the heck?" Stoica cried. "Is that witch messing with him again?"

"She shouldn't be, the emperor won't be pleased with her," Airzel growled. "Hey!" He grabbed Dan's arm and shook him, but the boy didn't seem to notice the touch. "Snap out of it!"

"Drago!" Dan shouted. "No, get away from me! Let go! Drago!"

"What is he going on about?" Stoica snarled. "Hey! Kuso, wake up!" Stoica's hand came down on Dan's shoulder hard enough to bruise him, but instead of responding to the hit the way he wanted, Dan suddenly relaxed. His eyes went blank and his body leaned forward as he let out a small groan. Airzel and Stoica both grabbed at him to keep him from falling over and the teen leaned to the side, against Stoica.

"What was that about?" the Aquos battler asked a few seconds later, sounding annoyed.

"I'm not sure," Airzel growled. "But it doesn't look like he's going to be waking up any time soon." Dan's eyes were closed and his lips slightly parted, and his body was completely limp. His hair was plastered to his forehead, and his skin was suddenly very pale.

The car slowed to a stop just then, and the doors lifted up. Airzel and Stoica looked at each other, nodded, and then began to exit the car. Stoica leaned back in to pull Dan out, holding the boy bridal style. Airzel came around the back of the car and led Stoica across the street toward a single entrance to the compound.

It was silver, made entirely of metal. There were no windows. The door was locked with a six digit code from the outside and a nine digit code from the inside to ensure that the contents inside was not removed without the correct authorization. The building had an advanced security system, one that the Gundalians were prepared to make use of. Doors inside were fortified with steel and a few other metals, and intricate codes that contained both roman letters, numbers, and Vestal symbols. There would be no chance for him to escape.

Airzel easily unlocked the front door and led Stoica through a maze of metal doors and hallways, finally arriving at a hall that had doors at each end. Airzel punched in the code that would unlock the door and Stoica walked through, shooting glares at the five young adults that parted to let him through. He openly expressed a hatred for the one with blond hair by kicking at his legs, but he jumped away and glowered back at him.

The one with blue hair's eyes widened when she caught sight of the unconscious boy in his arms, recognition flashing instantly. It was an expression that was mirrored by the rest of the people in the hall, especially the light-pink haired teen. She started forward but was stopped by the silver haired boy's hand on her wrist. She turned to look at him in surprise and to ask why he stopped her, but he was looking warily yet angrily at Airzel. She followed his gaze and noted the green electricity coursing down his hand, taking an annoyed step back. He nodded at her, showing that she had made the correct decision, and followed Stoica after locking the hallway door behind him.

Stoica opened a door halfway down the hall and walked through with Dan, followed closely by Airzel. He laid the boy on the bed that was against one wall and stood back, watching him slowly inhale and exhale. He was still completely soaked and looked very pale.

"He doesn't look so good. He looks kinda like Jake did after Kazarina calmed him down enough to hypnotize him," Stoica muttered.

"He'll be fine," Airzel stated. "He'd better be. If he's not, it's gonna be a problem. Now let's go, the emperor is waiting for us." He turned and exited the room, followed swiftly by Stoica. The brawlers in the hallway watched them depart with narrowed eyes, and as soon as the door at the end slid shut and beeped to announce it was locked, the blue haired girl made a beeline for Dan's room. The rest of the brawlers followed, finding the blue haired girl kneeling by Dan's bed.

"What happened to him?" the muscled blond asked. The cruel bluenett didn't answer.

"It looks like they tried to drown him!" the blue eyed boy exclaimed.

"Or he jumped in the river to get away," the tall, muscled Vestal said, crossing his arms.

"Dan," the blue haired girl whispered. "Wake up. You're amongst friends now."

"He's out cold, he's not waking up any time soon," the blond muttered. "I wonder what the Emperor wants with him," he mumbled, moving on.

"Dan?" the girl asked, shaking him gently. He grimaced, moaning. She took the response as a positive sign, but glanced at her boyfriend before doing anything else. He shrugged and she gently shook his shoulder. "Come on, wake up," she whispered, seeming much more gentle than a few years before.

Dan's face screwed up in an expression of pain, but then he squinted. His vision was blurry at first, and it took a moment for him to focus. The girl muttered to one of the boys to turn off the lights but Dan shook his head.

"N-no," he croaked, and everyone was silent. "You don't have to," he coughed, "do that." He forced his eyes open, and when his vision focused on the girls face, the first thing he recognized was the bright aqua hair. His eyes widened, and he started to sit up, but the silver haired boy next to her forced him back down. He stared at him in shock, and then at the girl in shock. His eyes darted from her pale skinned, blue eyed face to the familiar faces of those gathered around him. Once he realized who he was looking at, he gasped, and then turned back to the girl with blue eyes.

"But, aren't you-" he whispered hoarsely, grabbing at his chest. "Mylene?"

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