Sorry about the delay, lost my manuscript, had a writer's block and so much school work to do.

Hope you enjoy reading. ^_^.

Rating may be subject to change. No mature content is assured. :D

Chapter 2

Runo's POV

"I'm so scared right now. What in the world is going on?" Julie was in a fit. But who wouldn't be. I mean since the guys left strange things have been happening. Three men, one man. I'm so confused, one thing's for sure. The answers are long gone.

"Hey Runo" Alice called.

"Yeah"

"We just got a message from the guys, they're coming back! My grandfather told me that they sent him a transmission" she said.

I could feel myself screaming for joy inside but something's wrong.

"Hey Runo, aren't you happy, Dan's coming back, you can't hide that you guys don't like each other." Julie teased.

Something is wrong, why do I feel like something's wrong.

"You can never escape us." "We are coming back" Why are those words echoing in my ear. I closed my eyes to think but now I regret I did.

She opened her eyes, but turning around, Runo found herself in a deserted area. "So many ruined buildings." The sky had lost all cheerfulness and had become sullen. The only birds that bothered to announce their presences were dark ravens, hovering around in the sky. She took a step forward and her feet slipped. But there was nothing there. The gush of cold wind blew into her hair, turning to the source, she could see in the distance a person. A man perhaps. No there were three.

What's going on? Where am I?

"Runo"

Huh? I thought I heard my name. I wish Dan was here. (*blushes* now why would I do that) Wait! That sounded like...

She searched for where the voice came from. She couldn't locate the source. Then her name started to echo everywhere, like multiple screams from people. Angry, sad, in anguish, scared... she couldn't tell their emotions. Then it started to sound like it came from within her mind.

What's going on, who are you?

"Runo."

She turned around and saw Dan. What was he doing here? but she didn't care. She ran up to him. But as she ran three gusts of wind blew past her making her dizzy from shock. When she recollected herself, she looked at Dan and saw them. They held on to him like a captive.

Dan!

He didn't struggle, he did as they wanted and went with them but she couldn't help noticing that his whole demeanour was different, I've never seen him like that before, and she couldn't tell if he was scared.

"He had no emotion."

Runo, runo, runo...

Runo suddenly awoke from her fantasy to meet the girls yelling her name and running up to Marucho's house. This could only mean that the guys were back, she couldn't wait to see Dan. She did her best to run after them.

As they approached Marucho's house, there was a sudden gust of wind from nowhere. This meant that a dimensional rift had opened nearby and the girls, especially Julie, couldn't help but squeal for joy at the thought that the guys were back. They got in Marucho's house, courtesy of Kato and met the guys waiting for them in the ballroom.

"Hey girls, whatsup" Marucho said with a wide and very apparent grin. Shun and Dan smiled and gave them an acknowledged nod.

"Dan seems to be okay, I'm glad he returned to consciousness before we met the girls."Shun thought. He looked at Dan, concern grew in his heart.

The girls went up to them and before any conversion started, Kato ushered everyone to the dining hall. He had arranged a little party for the guy's arrival and the brawlers were impressed at Kato's efforts. Kato was commended and looked quite pleased and satisfied at his master's gratitude.

Everyone enjoyed themselves at the party but Runo couldn't help but notice that Dan was a little off but she put it aside believing that he was probably tired or something. She approached Dan and decided to ask if anything was wrong, just to dampen the anxiety that had decided to start swelling in heart. "Hey Dan, you okay?"

He looked confused at the question but replied. "Yeah, I guess so". But Runo wasn't totally convinced. "You don't seem yourself...

At that moment the lights began to flick. Marucho felt surprised at this. He was sure that his family's house was connected to their very own electricity grid which supplied more than enough power to the house. The lights continued to flick and the intervals were becoming even shorter in length between flicks until the lights finally went off.

"What just happened?" Julie asked. No one had an answer. Marucho asked Kato to start up the back up generators but the efforts were to no avail. The only sources of light were their mobile phones until Kato came up with a fluorescent lamp. He told them that he will continue to try to fix the problem and that they should not worry and continue catching up.

"Hey this reminds me of ..."Alice paused and looked at Runo and Julie who understand what she was about to say. The guys looked puzzled. "Reminds you of what?"Shun asked. Alice looked at the remaining girls and then sighed after they nodded their heads in approval. "Well, a couple of months ago..." she began narrating the incident that they girls found themselves in, involving the three men, the weird movements of the clocks and their warning. "It was during the last couple days of school" she stated. "Not long after you left, we all thought it was real but..."

"Hold on Alice, what do you mean you thought?" Drago asked.

"Drago's here!" Julie exclaimed.

"Yeah, we brought all our bakugan." Marucho explained. "See Preyas and elfin are with me and Shun's got Ingram".

"Wow, you guy's were really silent". Runo stated. "Even hydranoid, gorem and Tig have been quiet".

"We have been silently listening milady, but we bakugan have already exchanged pleasantries whilst you and the rest of the brawlers were having your little party." Tigrerra countered.

Lighting flashed. "Wow, that still freaks me out" Julie said. "You have not answered my question, Alice" Drago reminded.

"Oh yes, sorry, well it seemed like we all daydreaming"

"At the same time, in the same place?"Drago inquired.

"It seemed so"

"Julie, if I may, you said something about it still freaks me out, does this by any chance have anything to do with Alice is saying." Tigerra asked.

"Yeah, kinda, because in our daydreams we all saw a flash of lighting and heard a thunderclap before any of the three dark figures appeared." Julie replied.

I just realised that Dan hasn't said anything at all, is he okay? Shun pondered but it seems like the rest of the team noticed as well.

"Hey Dan, you've awfully quiet, what cat got your tongue?" Preyas giggled. Elfin gave him a smack on the head. "You are so rude, Aquos Preyas!" And thus, their little argument and squabbles started again, the rest of the brawlers ignoring them.

"Dan, are you okay?" Alice asked. The teen didn't answer. All he could do was stare.

Runo's POV

Why is he staring, is he staring at Alice? She became angry but then decided to calm down, "was it jealousy". She blushed. Ignoring the emotion, she looked at the direction he was staring at and so did everyone else. Only then did she (or rather they) realise.

They were there, at the corner of the room, their hoods off but the darkness shielding their true appearances, the three figures.

You could tell that they were staring at someone but whom, was it Dan?

At that moment, one of the figures stood up, it had long hair which swayed as air blew in from a nearby window. It advanced towards us, towards Dan but he didn't move. I didn't know if he couldn't or wouldn't.

I was about to squeal when suddenly the lights came on, they were blinding, my eyes having been stuck in the dark for quite some time but at least the electricity was back on. Thank you Kato.

And they were gone...

Hiya, I might have never said this before (too busy trying to finish up my previous chapters and updating them in the past) but please rate and review, any story, any chapter. :)

I'll try to update as soon as possible. ^_^ C ya!