I do not own Bakugan, please enjoy this chapter!
"Here's your caramel latte and one slice of cherry bake"
Julie plastered her best customer service smile on her face as she handed over the customer's order. Once they were gone, she clasped her hands behind her back and stretched her muscles
"That's the lunch rush over Julie, you can go and take your lunch break now" told her boss
Julie thanked her and grabbed her lunch, heading out towards the outdoor picnic tables. It was a nice warm day after all
Resting her chin on her palm, her feet hooked around the legs of the chair she was sitting on. Julie watched as the crowd went by, it was nice sitting back and just people watching
As she watched. Her body stiffened and her breath held
No way!
The girl squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again… She wilted, sadness clouding her features
"It must have been someone else. Yeah, that's what it was. Someone who just looked like him that's all" she whispered
I wish Gorem was here, he always knew what to say to cheer me up thought the silver haired girl
Unfortunately, the original guardian bakugan decided to go back to New Vestroia for a little while, and they were not due back for another month at the least
She sighed as she picked up her sandwich, too upset to eat however
"What's up Julie?"
The silverette inclined her head to the side, to find Jake standing next to her table
"Oh! Hi, Jake, I never saw you there. How are you?"
Jake leaned against the table as he spoke to her "That alright, I just got back from a practice match with Marucho, he's been helping me train to be one of the brawlers"
Julie smiled at that, knowing that Jake would make a good brawler. All he needed was more confidence.
Jake then frowned and looked at her worried
"But what about you? You looked upset, penny for your thoughts?" he offered
Julie exhaled her breath "Yeah, I'm just a little bummed right now" she said
Jake's eyes softened at her words, he gave her a soft half-smile
He looked back out to the crowd "I guess Shun or Marucho told you about Dan then, yeah that would bum me out too"
He never notice Julie's eyes widen, or the tensing of her shoulders. Question marks surrounding her, as she listened to his words
"I mean it must be pretty shocking. Finding out that your friend is being held captive by hostile race on another worl—Ah, Julie?"
The girl jumped to her feet knocking back her chair. Her hands slammed on the table in front of her, startling the people around them
Jake cowered as he took a step back from her, he could see a vein about to pop out of her forehead
Expression furious, she yelled
"WHAT!"
Peace and quiet, only the sounds of the birds, the wind and rustling of trees could be hear
Taking in a long deep breath, Shun relaxed into his meditating. For the first time in days, he felt at peace, he was in his element
ring – ring, ring – ring
he took in another deep breath
ring – ring, ring – ring
…Shun was just going to ignore it
Ring – ring, ring – ring, ring – ring
He let out a harsh breath as he uncrossed his legs to rise off the bedroom floor
Stalking over to the computer to find the cause of the insufferable noise. It was the brawlers video chat
"This better be worth it" he grumbled as he answered the call
It wasn't worth it, as he was staring into the furious face of a certain light blue haired Haos brawler
"How dare you keep it a secret from us!" screeched Runo
Shun kept a cool face as he glanced at Marucho's window. The short Aquos brawler looked apologetic, having already been on the receiving end of her anger
"Jake ran into Julie on his way back from our practice match. He let it slip about Dan" he explained
Of course, he did Shun sighed, he had noticed that Alice and Julie were also logged onto the chat. They had yet to say anything, but both wore looks of displeasure
"We only just found out ourselves" he said
Alice's face lit up "So it is true then, Dan is still alive, and Drago is with him as well"
"So why are we just standing around! We need to go get him, and away from those alien creeps" shouted Julie, with her arms gesturing wildly
She 'eeped' when Shun's eyes bored into hers "And how are you going to do that without any bakugan" he said, coming out as a statement more than as a question
The silverette cringed at his words, then pouted as she knew that he was right
Runo on the hand, being the as stubborn she is, refused to back down. Glowering through the webcam, she shouted at Shun
"So, what! That shouldn't stop us from saving him. Or are you that cold-hearted that you just don't care about him!"
Marucho and Julie gasped whilst Alice said her name in shock at what she called Shun
Runo's mind was fogged with anger, she ignored the dangerous narrowing of Shun's eyes as she snarled at him
"Just admit it. You don't care about Dan whatsoever, I bet your glad he's gone because that means that you're the number one brawler again. That's all you ever cared about, brawling"
Shun had heard enough, hostility ran through him. His voice harsh and cold as he belittled the raging Haos brawler
"And what about yourself Runo. Were you not supposed to be his girlfriend, if you were then why didn't you stop him? Oh, or were you too busy making out with another guy from his school"
Runo's eyes widened and the colour in her face drained away. Every word that Shun said had felt like a stab to the heart, he was merciless. Marucho and Julie could only watch in panic at the exchange, Alice had squeezed her eyes shut
"Every time he tried to make a date with you, you would stand him up. He kept giving you so many chances, and you kept breaking his heart. Every. Single. Time! Even on that day it was you who told him to just dissa-!" "ENOUGH!"
Shun's venom melted away at once, and everyone looked at their, normally placid, red headed friend in astonishment.
Alice was trembling with anger, her eyes blazing at them with disappointment
"Both of you that is enough! Shun you went too far this time! And Runo, be reasonable, you cannot just up and leave whenever you want. Think about it, you don't have Tigrerra to protect you, and what about your family and their restaurant. You cannot just up and leave them"
Both Shun and Runo turned their head away, shame running through their veins
"This fighting has to stop. What ever happened with Dan in the past, all of you played a part in that, and it's too late to change that now. What's done is done! You can fix it later, after we get Dan back"
Seeing that her words did not fall onto deaf ears, Alice took a deep breath herself. Her anger at her friends subsiding. Her voice, clear as day, continued
"Marucho and Shun are our best hope, because they are the only ones who have bakugan right now. They are better suited to protect themselves against these…. ah…Neathians? And if they are targeting Bakugan Interspace then they would have a better chance to come across Dan, and help him"
Runo deflated at the truth in her Russian friend's words, her eyes became glossy as she held back her tears
"You're right Alice" turning back to her computer, looking at Shun
"I'm sorry Shun, it was wrong of me to say those words to you" she apologised, her words full of remorse
Shun's own hostility faded away, his features softened slightly towards the bluenette. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry too Runo, what I said was out of line I let my anger get the best of me there"
In the background Marucho, Alice and Julie smiled as they watched the touching exchange. No one liked to see their friends fight.
Marucho sighed, then he gave a bitter laugh. "We really screwed up huh"
"Yeah…." agreed Julie
Shun lowered his head, saying nothing. But was true they had screwed up big time
Alice looked at all of them with pity in her eyes. She wasn't there during the fight; she had only learned of it when they had started to search for Dan's whereabouts
To say that she was upset was an understatement, she was livid. She gave them all a good chewing out and refused to speak to anyone for days. Despite the sadness that she felt, she forced a smile on to her face
"We'll get him back; I know we will" she told them
Runo looked to her friend, her lips pressed together, eyes flickering with unease
"But Alice…what if he doesn't want to come back" she asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty
Alice's smile slipped off her face at that thought, eyes showed her worry
What if Dan didn't want to come back? After the way he was treated by them, it wouldn't be surprising
Shun looked up then, his expression determined
"Then we'll just have to convince him to want to come back"
Marucho looked at him curiously and asked
"But Shun, even if he did come back where's he going to go? He's technically dead remember"
"Then we will cross that bridge when we get there" the raven head replied, his tone leaving no room for argument
A flicker started to burn inside all of them, a flicker of Hope.
Julie pumper her fist in the air as she cried "Operation: 'Bring Dan Home' is a go"
The rest of the brawlers laughed alongside their Subterra brawler, and then they gradually logged off
Once Shun was sure that he was cut off from the others, he grimaced. Leaning back in his chair, crossing over his arms and legs, he thought hard
How were they going to get Dan back? And better how were they going to find him first?
(Flashback)
"I thought that you were Dan's friends, after everything he told me about you, I thought that you would help us. But I guess I was wrong"
(End Flashback)
Shun's eyes widened at little bit, after the memory popped into his head
That girl, Fabia, maybe she's the key to finding Dan…. come to think of it. Shun narrowed his eyes in suspicion, he wasn't entirely sure how mind control works, but Dan didn't seem like he was under any of it. When he came for Fabia, he looked worried for her, and the way she spoke of him too…. Ren, why was he so eager to capture her but not any of the other Neathians? And why did he never mention the digital clones being from Neathia? Something isn't right…...
Questions were swirling in Shun's mind, unease drifting into his stomach. He needed answers, there was a lot more to the whole war than what they've been told
And he knew where to get them from
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