A/N: This should be the third to last chapter of this arc of DD.
The battles begin here. Prepare yourselves friends.
Its going to be quite a ride.
In other news: I'm going to be on a live stream playing pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Saphire so if you want to come watch I'll have it up on my twitter (JETRAVENEX HAS A TWITTER OMQ). I'd love you guys to come support me on this. And if you guys do, I'll reward you with like a weekend filled with updates.
Chapter 74
Masquerade smirked arms folded across his chest as Vanessa moved forwards and nudged Dan with the toe of her boot. The brunette didn't so much as twitch, the black haired woman knelt down and rolled him over inspecting Dan's head fingers moving over his skull, before she sighed.
"He's out." She said straightening up and nodding her head. "And thankfully any damage was minimal." She snapped her fingers and the intimidating shape of Pierce stepped out of the shadows near Spectra, the pyrus brawler regarding the man for a moment before stepping aside allowing Pierce to pass. Pierce walked over to Vanessa and crouched down, and carefully picked up the unconscious brawler.
In Spectra's grasp Drago began to struggle harder. "Daniel! Wake up Dan! Don't let them get away with this!" He shouted desperately.
Vanessa's eye twitched as she turned her head to Spectra. "Can't you shut him up?" She hissed eyes narrowing.
Spectra nodded and tightened his grip forcing Drago closed entirely. "My apologies," He said bowing slightly, as he kept a tight grip on the bakugan trapping him with in his closed fist. Though very muffled sounds could be heard from the dragonoid.
Vanessa snorted and shook her head. "I have no use for you anymore, nor does Docorrus." She said. "So as a gesture of good will," She turned to Masquerade. "We leave these two brawlers from the future as gifts for Naga to use as he sees fit." She said.
Masquerade inclined his head. "I'll be sure to inform Lord Naga of your generosity, will you take your leave now that you have Dan?"
Vanessa nodded. "Yes, we have what we wanted, and we will not intrude on your world any longer." She stepped back and beside Pierce pulling out a device from her pocket. "Let's see to it that our paths do not cross again."
Masquerade nodded. "Agreed."
Vanessa pushed down on a button on the device and the two docorrians and their prisoner disappeared in a flash of light. Overhead Masquerade could hear the loud rumble of the Docorrian's engines as they kicked on, the sound continued to grow louder and louder until a loud boom was heard as the ship blasted away from the hospital, and the sound of the engines faded into the distance.
Silence fell upon the two masked brawlers. Masquerade stood unmoved arms still crossed as he listened to the confusion beginning to develop in the hospital. For a moment he tilted his head back letting the sounds of panic and confusion that was practically emanating from the whole hospital wash over him. A dark smile appeared on his lips.
"It begins here." He said unfolding his arms. "The reign of Naga starts, as the brawlers fall."
Spectra nodded. "They're all separated, I've sent Gus to intercept Shun, and Alica and Aidan have gone to deal with whoever from their world may pose a problem to us."
Masquerade chuckled. "That just leaves me to get rid of the last 3 brawlers." He said his grin broadening. He turned to Spectra. "Go back to the mansion, and speak with Hal-G, although I don't predict any troubles." He scowled slightly. "There's always something that comes up that keeps our plans from going smoothly."
Spectra nodded. "I was planning to visit him anyways." He said tossing Drago up and down. The dragonoid trying to escape but Spectra quickly snatched him out of the air. "I need him to enable me to control the dragonoid." He said.
Masquerade nodded and turned to the door. "Then go do that. I have brawlers to destroy." He said, Spectra nodding and disappeared in a flicker of sparkles.
Masquerade smirked as he opened the door, taking in the sight of the chaos in the hall. "Your end is nigh brawlers." He said with a dark chuckle the door snapping shut behind him with a bang as he stepped out.
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Meanwhile on the other side of Wardington City by the docks and all the storage crates a boy with messy blond hair that was spiked up haphazardly was running up and down the streets calling for his friends at the top of his lungs.
"MIKE! JET! AIIIDDAANNNN! Where are you?" Tyler had his hands cupped around his mouth as he ran along the streets shouting at the top of his lungs.
He paused in his shouting and slowed down a bit and glanced around to see if anyone was responding, but all he got were strange looks from the few people that were around.
"Uh, Tyler," Carniverus spoke up from where he was perched on Tyler's shoulder.
"Yes my awesome partner bakugan?" Tyler said glancing at Carniverus as he slowed his pace even more so that he was walking. "You wish to say something?"
Carniverus sighed. "Well I just wanted to point out that perhaps we're going in the wrong direction?"
Tyler paused and stopped walking. "Whatever do you mean? We're wandering around willy nilly in hopes we bump into someone! There is no wrong direction!"
Carniverus sighed. "And its working so well." The bakugan muttered. "Listen , Tyler, I know your sheer dumb luck runs strong, but I simply must insist we go the other direction."
Tyler blinked and turned and looked about. "But Carniverus there's 3 'other directions'." He said frowning and scratching his head. "Unless you want to split up, we can't go in the 'other direction'."
Carniverus growled and shook himself. He hopped off Tyler's shoulder and nodded towards the north in the direction of Wardington Tower, and in turn the hospital. "Tyler, just a moment ago I saw a strange craft take off from that direction. That is unusual no?"
Tyler scratched his head. "Uh, yes?" He said.
Carniverus turned to face him. "Then wouldn't it be best to head in that direction?"
"But how do you know that that's where they're at?" Tyler asked
"They're certainly not likely to be standing around at the docks!" Carniverus cried.
Tyler frowned. "But this was where all the brawlers met up for Dan and Masquerade's first big showdown that ended with Dan and Drago getting booted to the doom dimension,"
Carniverus began to say something but was cut off by the sound of chuckling.
"That's correct," A voice called from atop one of the crates. Tyler and Carniverus turning towards the source of the voice. Tyler's eyes lighting up as he took in the figure sitting casually sitting atop the crate. He'd recognize that white turtleneck, and gleaming glasses anywhere.
"Aidan!" Tyler cried running over to the bottom of the crate and craning his head up to look at Aidan. "Dude I've been looking all over for you and the others!" He said Aidan smirked slightly and lowered his head.
"Ah, my apologies for not finding you sooner," Aidan said rising from where he stood dusting his sleek black pants off as he straightened up. "I had to set up a big surprise for you."
Tyler's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. The Texan grinned broadly and jumped up. "A surprise! What kind of surprise?" He asks clapping his hands together in excitement. Carniverus however edged back hiding partially behind Tyler's head, eyeing Aidan warily.
Aidan grinned as he pushed his glasses up so they sat more comfortably on his nose. "Oh it's a surprise you'll like," Aidan pulled something from his back, and revealed a switch with a single red button. Tyler blinked in surprise.
"Explosives? Did you set up a fire works show for me? Aww Aidan you shouldn't have!" Tyler said placing a hand over his heart before growing serious. "But dude, you shouldn't play with that stuff, you could get hurt."
Aidan laughed throwing his head back making Tyler blink. The brilliant blond haired boy placed a hand on his face shaking his head as he continued to laugh. "How-how dumb can you possibly be?! Worry about me getting hurt, when you should be worried about yourself." He said pushing the button an explosion erupting from beneath one of the crates behind Tyler making the Texan whirl around.
The explosion ignited the crate, the force carrying it upwards and flipping it in the air. It hit the ground with a resounding thud the blazing wreckage now standing between Tyler and the exit to the docks.
"Because the only one who's going to burn today," Aidan said with a sneer pushing up his glasses once more the light from the sun reflecting off the lens giving Aidan an eerie look. "IS YOU!" He hit the button again and more explosions went off, Tyler whirling around as bombs went off all over. Debris was sent flying into the air, and flames were beginning to appear all over.
"Tyler! It's a trap!" Carniverus cried jumping on Tyler's shoulder as the blond surveyed the flames.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Tyler said frowning slightly as he looked up at Aidan only for his eyes to widen when he realized Aidan was no longer there.
"Tyler…." Carniverus said nervously huddling close to the spot where Tyler's neck met his shoulder. The heat from the flames all around them blisteringly hot.
Tyler closed his eyes and didn't say anything for a moment, he just let the heat from the flames wash over him for a moment, smelled the acrid tang of smoke beginning to form around as it overpowered oxygen. Grinning he opened his eyes.
"But he forgot that I'm the master of explosions! Of bombs! I do not fear the fire! I dance in it! For I am-" Tyler was cut off by a massive explosion that was next to him the force blowing Tyler back and slamming him into a crate. Flame began to grow from the source of the explosion the flames licking at Tyler.
Groaning Tyler slowly picked himself up rubbing his head as he did so. Carniverus floated up in front of him his appearance looking slightly wet, the plastic looking particularly shiny.
"Less talking more running," Carniverus said, and made good on his words as he rushed for the one part of the docks that was still free of flames. Tyler winced rubbing the back of his head, wincing as he felt a bump beginning to form where his head had met the crate. Then he lifted his head to follow where Carniverus had gone and began to run after him, another explosion going off behind him, the flames rising higher. As the flames grew, so did the smoke, which began to gather in a heavy cloud over the dock.
At the entrance to the docks Aidan stood calmly hands clasped behind his back. He surveyed the burning docks his glasses reflecting the image of the flames and he smirked.
"You always loved explosions Tyler," Aidan said shaking his head. "Its only fitting that you should die at the hands of the flames." He said turning and raising his DT disappearing and then reappearing on a rooftop that overlooked the burning docks. He sat down to watch the flames eat at the boundary between them and the water.
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Mike grunted as he sprinted down the street, Shun keeping pace just behind him. Mike could feel a stitch beginning to form in his side, it made him wince but he forced himself to pump his arms harder picking up his pace even more. He could hear Shun take a quick intake of breath before he quickened his pace as well.
"We have to get to the hospital." Mike managed to get out.
"You think I don't know that!" Shun shot back shooting ahead of Mike who frowned and shook his head.
"I know, but…" Mike spared a glance over his shoulder. "I hope Meredith's okay." He murmured before focusing ahead eyes locked on the shape of the hospital with its bright red cross on the side of the building.
Skyress popped open on Shun's shoulder. "She seemed to know what she's doing, I think she'll be more than a match for that other girl." The phoenix said. "In fact I think it should be the other girl who should be concerned."
Shun's lip quirked into a half smile. "Hopefully she'll be the only one trying to keep us from the others."
Mike nodded. "Yeah, Alica's never been much of a threat, she's really been all bark no bite ya know." He said. "It's Masquerade I'm really concerned about." He frowned and glanced over his shoulder. "However."
"What is it?" Shun asked as he kept his eyes focused on their destination that was steadily growing nearer and nearer.
"Meredith was alone," Mike's eyebrows furrowed. "When I talked to her on the phone, she was with Tyler. In fact it was Tyler who reached out to me, and I'm just…" He was cut off by Shun grabbing onto his shirt and tugging at it harshly.
Mike paused and slowed down turning to look at Shun. His eyes widened when he took in the sight of the former ninja doubled over panting.
"So-sorry." Shun rasped shaking his head. "I just, don't have…the endurance… anymore." He said breathing hard; his pale face flushed bright red from exertion.
"Well that's just fine." A voice said behind Mike making the brunette whip around. Standing beside a tree along the path he and Shun had been running on, was Gus Grav, Spectra's faithful lapdog. The blue haired male pushed off the tree and advanced towards the two.
Mike's eyes narrowed and he turned to face Gus following placing himself between Gus and Shun. "Gus, whatever's Naga's offered, whatever Spectra's told you, this is not how things are supposed to go." He said clenching his fists. "Think for a second, what you're doing is changing history, and if you deviate too much from the past you could-"
"Save it." Gus said pulling out his gauntlet and slipping it on. "I have my orders from Master Spectra, and that's to keep you two from getting to the hospital at all costs. So are you going to fight or what?"
Mike gritted his teeth. "This is insane-Gus you-" Shun stepped forwards, his breathing beginning to return to normal, though his face was still fairly flushed.
"I'll battle you." The ventus brawler said evenly, one hand still wrapped around his side. Though he straightened up Skyress nodding from her perch on his shoulder.
Gus nodded. "Master Spectra expected as much." He said raising his gauntlet. "Prepare yourself for battle." He said.
Shun turned to Mike. "You go on ahead and help the others, I'll handle him."
Mike frowned and opened his mouth to refute it but Shun looked at him hard.
"Like this I'll only slow you down, if I can take care of this guy for you, then I'll do it." Shun said firmly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his field card. "I have to accept that while I may not have the strength I used to." He sighed closing his eyes before he turned towards Gus. "I am far from helpless." He said opening his eyes and glaring at Gus.
Mike blinked and then nodded in understanding. "All right Shun, I don't particularly like splitting up, but if that's what you want." He turned to go before he paused mid step "Oh and Shun?"
Shun turned to him and Mike flashed him a grin and a thumbs up that looked achingly similar to Dan's mannerisms.
"You'll do great!" Mike said before he took off running down the path.
Shun's lips turned up in a small smile before he turned to face Gus his smile falling away to be replaced with a calm mask of confidence.
"Let's go." He said raising his field card as Gus's gauntlet lit up.
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'I don't like this. This whole thing reeks of a set up, but for what?' Mike frowned at the thought as he neared the end of the park path he and Shun had been using as a short cut to the hospital. He sighed in relief when he spotted the busy street with people, cars and animals going about their business. For a moment it almost brought a laugh out of him.
Here he and the brawlers were about to engage in what was the equivalent of a fight for their lives and here were all these people going about their daily lives like they did everyday. Not noticing anything different, had they even reacted when they saw the space ship? Had they even noticed it in the first place? Or had they just assumed it was a strange craft made by the military or something of the like.
His musing was cut short by the wail of sirens coming in from the left. Mike paused and turned his head in the direction of the sound, as did several other people. Mike blinked as a bright red fire truck barreled down the street, and rushed past in a blur of red and flashing lights. He followed it with his eyes frowning slightly.
'Firetruck… Wonder where they're going?' He wondered before he shook his head. "Get ahold on yourself Mike." He muttered to himself. "You can't be worrying about where one stinking fire truck is-" The sound of several other sirens drawing near made him trail off, his eyes widening as not one, not two, but three fire trucks shot down the street, following after the first.
"Okay that's not normal." Mike said turning his head to look in the direction of where the trucks were heading and his eyes widened. In the distance a large column of smoke was rising high into the sky. Several people around him were all talking quickly and nervously to each other pointing in the direction.
"There's a big fire at the docks!" One of the pedestrian cried.
"Oh dear!" One of the woman gasped. "I hope no one was hurt."
Mike frowned as he looked from the rising smoke to the hospital that he was only a block or so away from. What should he do? Experience had taught him that whenever there was smoke there was fire, and wherever there was fire, there was Tyler. But there was the possibility that it had no connection to Tyler at all, and he'd be pursuing a dead end that would leave the brawlers without any back up against Masquerade.
He stood there torn and conflicted turning his head between the rising smoke and the looming hospital. Then taking a deep breath he took one step forwards and then bolted down the street. Praying to whatever deity that existed above that he wasn't making a mistake.
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Alica scowled. "How long are you going to keep this up! Get on with it already!" She snapped glaring at the calm green eyed girl across from him.
Meredith chuckled. "Now now Alica, since I'm about to leave you a crying wreck on the floor in the next few moments, its only fair that I let you have the first move." She said resting her head on her hand as she sized up Alica a smirk pasted on her face.
Alica scowled. "All you're doing is stalling! Get to the brawl already!" She gestured around the two of them, at the blank white land they stood on and the colorful space that lay above them and beyond. "Time's stopped your friends can't run any farther when they're trapped in time."
Meredith raised a finger ."Ah but time is only paused for the shortest of seconds." She said. "All that'll have paused is naught but a moment for them, and within that moment I'll have you crying on the floor."
Alica gritted her teeth. "You talk big but yet where's your action?! You're a fake Meredith, if you truly believed you could beat me so easily, you would've GOTTEN ON WITH IT ALREADY!" Alica roared stamping her foot.
Meredith merely shook her head sighing. "Ah Alica you are so foolish," She said softly making Alica's face flush brighter red and nostrils flare. "If you really wish to have this battle then throw out your bakugan, and we can begin."
Alica's eyebrow twitched. Her temper on the verge of bursting and her patience at an end she ripped a bakugan from her baku clip. "FINE! I'll show you!" She said laughing madly her green eyes shrunken slightly. "I'll show you all!" She shouted as she clenched her fist around her green bakugan. "Ventus Strike Lenorence! DESTROY HER!" She roared hurling the bakugan out onto the field, the bakugan appearing on the gate card in front of Meredith.
The ball exploded out into a burst of green light, and a loud roar erupted from the center of the gate card.
As the light faded, a powerful winged lion stood in the center of the card. He wore battle armor over his head, his golden mane filtering out through slots in the armor. He had green armor all over his body, reinforced metallic claws on his feet, and there was even some armor protecting the base of his wings on his back.
Lenorence roared loudly at Meredith making the girls long black hair and sweater billow out from the blast of air.
However Meredith merely quirked an eyebrow as she turned her gaze to the black and silver gauntlet she wore on her arm.
'Ventus Strike Lenorence enters at 480 gs'
Alica laughed. "You see that! He possesses strength that puts him on par with Masquerade's partner Dual Hydranoid!" She said jabbing a finger in Meredith's direction. "I bet your shiny little pet couldn't possibly stand up to the power of my prized Strike Lenorence."
Lenorence pulled his lips back in a snarl as he took a threatening step towards Meredith and bared his sharp teeth.
Meredith sighed. "You really think your little house cat is going to scare me?" She said with a shake of her head as she held up her hand and Superior closed up and dropped into her hand. "Oh please." She said smirking. "Allow me to show you a truly fearsome bakugan. Rise Darkus Superior!" She ordered as she flicked her wrist and tossed Superior onto the field.
The silver bakugan ball landed on the edge of the card and bounced twice before rolling to the center and popping open to reveal the miniature hornless silver dragon in toy form. Dark lightning gathered around the ball form and exploded outwards. Alica was forced to shield her eyes behind her arm, as Lenorence raised a wing to protect its own eyes from the bright light.
As the light faded they lowered their guard, and Alica's jaw dropped as Lenorence drew back wings flared and ears flattening.
Towering over Lenorence, stood what could only be described as a mechanical behemoth. Smooth metal gleamed when the light hit it, wings that spanned beyond the borders of the gate card, and a body that could compare to that of Helios of Hydranoid.
Superior lowered his head slightly, his dark eye sockets lighting up revealing the blazing purple optics hidden within.
"Not so cocky now are you?" He said with a chuckle as he spread his wings and gave a ground shaking roar of his own.
Lenorence hissed digging his claws into the ground to keep from being thrown back by the force of Superior's roar alone. Alica however wasn't able to maintain her balance and was knocked off her feet and landed hard on her butt on the ground.
Wincing the girl rubbed her sore tail bone as she spared a look at her bakupod, a sight which made her bite her lip as she slowly eyed up her opponent again.
'Darkus Superior enters battle at 500 gs,'
Meredith grinned and waved her hand. "So Alica, we've gotten to the battle. So tell me," She smirked as Superior raised his head and straightened to his full height glaring down at the lion who in turn arched his back, wings ruffled and bared his teeth at the towering metal behemoth. "Are you having fun yet?" She asked arching an eyebrow at Alica as Superior dove at Lenorence metal jaws opening wide to reveal rows of sharp metallic fangs.
A/N: Okay so unfortunately I don't think this'll be done at 75, there's just too much going on right now. We have to get into the battle between Masquerade and the brawlers, we've got Tyler trying to escape a fiery death at the docks, we've got Mike stuck between helping one of the two, then we've got Shun keeping Gus busy to allow Mike to help whoever he's chosen, as well as Meredith and Superior preparing to mop the floor with Alica.
And then on top of all that stuff that'll need to be resolved, before this arc of Dual Dimensions can be officially closed, there will be the moment that I've been teasing since Chapter 64 and on. It will be the ending where we and Dan find out something that will shake the way any of us looked at Masky ever again.
Okay, we'll get a shock, you guys will be left with questions, but all will be revealed in D&D which I will be putting off in favor of a project I want to do in honor of being on here for 5 years.
(I've spent 5 years on this site slaving away and creating stories)
My fandom has been primarily bakugan, and I've read a great deal of great stories here. So what I've decided to do is another spin off-esque story to DD.
Basically I'll take Mike, Jet, Tyler, and another Neo Brawler from Dual Dimensions up to the ending of this arc, and they'll be going into several different stories, some of them will be my own, potentially Mishap, Dancing Shadows, etc. And then some will be from my fellow writers, so far I've received permission from Breezyfeather to borrow Ultimatum, and Chaq (sry Chaq I can't spell your whole name .) has granted me permission to borrow a Series of Events that Led to One End as well. They offered me others but I figured those were the two you guys would be most familiar with.
So in your reviews, I want either your suggestions, requests for me to have my characters reap all sorts of chaos in your story, or the like.
Again, I'm going to be on a live stream with my good friend ChaosintheSky13 so I'd appreciate you guys coming out around 2 to 5 pm Central Time and supporting me (if you can).
I'll have information on the stream on my twitter (yup I have a twitter now!) So go check out my twitter, and please come to the stream. I'd really really appreciate it.