Bakugan Battle Brawlers: Invasion Core

by Switch - On - 97

Two years after Dan and the brawlers saved Bakugan City from Mechtavius Destroyer a lot has changed. New battlers have appeared on the scene and will discover what it is like to brawl. Watch as the Neo Brawlers will team up, and fight with and against the newest generation of battlers, and a against a race of aliens that seek to invade Earth and all other Dimensions.

67. Bayview Beatdown

The Bakugan Battle Brawlers in:
Bayview Beatdown

---

Hours Earlier

The main group was still going through their plan after they got the locations of each major city that was taken over. Their eyes were turned to the map of Bayview. "Now that we know who will go to Bakugan City, we need to send a team to Bayview," Spectra said. "It looks like we only have four battlers there, the Gundalians Lena and Zenet, and our old friends, Shun and Marucho."

Garfield, whose hands were folded, spoke up. "Aquafibian and I can take on Marucho, I'll make it as quick as possible so we can help elsewhere."

Maia raised an eyebrow as she faced the Aquos battler. "You're not going to take your frustrations out on him, are you?" Garfield huffed in response.

"I'm not going to comment, besides... the sooner we stop this invasion, the better. And the best way to do it is to cut off the major battlers."

"Gotta agree with him there," Zaria said. "That being said, Dragness and I pack a real punch," she said with a smirk. "So, I'm gonna take on Shun."

Jayden spoke. "Hey, I like you and all, but don't you think Akira would be better suited to take on Shun?"

The lioness folded her arms. "Hmpf are you saying I can't pull my weight!?"

Akira meanwhile, was facing away from everyone; her arms were folded with shut eyes. "No, Zaria can go."

"Heh, alright!" she eyed Jayden. "Just 'cause you have some fancy new powers, doesn't mean I can't keep up. Ain't that right, Dragness?"

"No need to be hasty, your friend is right to consider other options." Zaria lowly growled in response.

Phoenix on the other hand was deep in through. "If I would hazard a guess. I'd say Shun is the strongest battler there, apart from Marucho. Meaning we've got to knock off Zenet and Lena quickly, without Shun intervening. Then we can leave Garfield to defeat Marucho." he eyed Zaria. "I think you should fight Shun."

"Really?" she lit up.

"Yep, I think if you can annoy him enough, you should be able to keep his attention off the others."

"HEY! I'm supposed to be nothing more than a distraction?!"

Phoenix huffed. "Don't take it personally. The goal is to keep Shun from helping the other battlers. Returning him to his senses will be a huge step into bringing an end to all this. So, in other words, don't hold back."

Zaria chuckled. "Got it, but who will take on the Gundalian pair?"

"I will," Phoenix replied. "But I think Jax can come with me."

"W-wait!? Really?" The younger Fabregan questioned.

Marvellion leaped on Jax's head. "Of course. We fought awesomely last time we teamed up."

Aisha eyed Phoenix's partner and thought back to his previous duals with the mechanical Bakugan."How's the metal bird doing though?" she asked. "Wasn't it pretty wrecked the last time?"

"The Valkyrie helped me patch him up. And I did a routine checkup, Almos is good to go." Phoenix replied, doing a very brief check-up on Almos through his Gauntlet.

"Those mechanical things sure do need a lot of maintenance, huh?" Marvellion said.

Phoenix eyed Almos' ball form that sat on his hand. "Think about it this way... a robot loses an arm, it's a repair job, at best a part swap, at worst, a chassis change. But the fact is, the machine can be repaired. Can't say the same for organics, can you?"

Marvellion was nervously sweating. "U-um... um..."

The Fabregan sighed. "Just focus on one thing, we'll figure out everything else when the fighting stops. Then hopefully they won't be a factor in the war."

"Um... isn't calling it a war a bit of a stretch?" Cameron spoke up. "I mean-"

Spectra threw his gloved palm onto the desk, instantly getting everyone's attention, but mostly Cameron's. It needed to be drilled into his head, how serious the situation was. "They came into Earth's atmosphere by force and are currently putting cities under siege. And Earth fired nuclear artillery at them." Spectra noted. "Like it or not, we're far past the point of a war declaration. We must put an end to all of this. One, because it looks like we're the only ones who can. And Two, because it looks like Earth doesn't have a reasonable way of fighting back against Bakugan without destroying their cities in the process."

Cameron dipped his head and Zavanna patted his shoulder to cheer him up. "Cameron..."

"I know, Zavanna."

At the same time, Garfield had left the meeting and hung outside of the doorway with his arms folded while the others were determining where they would battle to fight off Yukiko's forces. However, he wasn't alone.

"Garfield?"

"Hmm." He saw Alice approaching, albeit slightly nervously due to Garfield's hostility towards... well almost anyone.

"How are you feeling?"

Garfield let out a sigh. "I just want to get all this over with. Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind. Something wrong?"

Alice outstretched her hand. "I want you to do me a favor." he saw Preyas's ball form on her hand. "If you are going to battle Marucho. I want you to return Preyas to him."

"Are you asking me to give him an advantage when I battle him?"

"They are partners, and you have no idea how deep their bond is. Maybe if they battle together, against you. He might snap out of it. Please?"

Garfield grabbed the closed form of Preyas and looked down at him. "And what do you think of all this?"

"Me? I just want my best friend back. And I'm going to bring him back, no matter what!"

Aquafibian leaped onto his partner's shoulder."Good choice, Preyas. However, if Marucho won't snap out of it, we may have to beat some sense into him."

"You won't hurt him, will you?"

Garfield glanced away. "I'll try not to, but at the end of the day, I have to defeat him. So hopefully it won't come to that."

---

Right by the Bayview Towers, Marucho was staring down Ascended Garfield and a gust of wind blew past them as explosions and battling could be heard in the background. The cloudy sky almost reflected the tense atmosphere it was a spectacle too. Both Aquafibian and Minx Elfin were on the field, waiting for their partners.

Minx Elfin: 700 / Aquafibian: 950

The brief wait was too long for Elfin, though. "Um... so are we doing this or?"

Right at that moment, both Garfield and Marucho both went on the offensive immediately. "Torpedo Spritz!" Aquafibian cloaked himself in waves of water.

"Ding Dong Ditch!" Marucho exclaimed.

As the water was charging around Aquafibian, he was sucker-punched in the face by Elfin before she disappeared from his view.

Minx Elfin: 700(-350)= 350 / Aquafibian: 950(-500 +350)= 800

Elfin appeared behind him and swung her leg to Aquafibian's face, but it was suddenly caught. "U-um..." Aquafibian covered himself in waves of water and shot up into the sky. He spun before he tossed her down.

"AHHHH!"

"Elfin change into Ventus!" Marucho yelled.

She brandished her magic wand, making it shine brightly as she quickly changed to her Ventus attribute, making her nimbler, and allowing her to glide down to her feet, she glared at the floating Aquafibian. "Um... he's got all attributes, doesn't he?"

"It looks that way, be he's not unbeatable!" Marucho replied. "But we're going to need some backup! Come Bakugan Trap, Tripod Epsilon!" he tossed up his Tripod Bakugan and once it opened, the frog landed on its feet.

"Looks like we got a frog party over here!" Elfin joked.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 350(+350)= 700 / Aquafibian: 800

Marucho put two abilities into his gauntlet. "Double Ability Activate, Glow Snail, plus Wing Harrier!" Elfin's Ventus wings extended, and she shot up into the sky where Aquafibian was waiting. And she got an additional 100G power boost from Glow Snail, covering her in a yellow aura.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 700(+400+100)= 1200 / Aquafibian: 800

She flew so fast that she disappeared from Aquafibian's view over and over, not wanting to get caught by her again, he immediately turned around but saw nothing, but when he looked straight up, he saw Elfin shooting down, before flying straight through him, making him fall hard to his feet causing cracks in the ground.

Elfin landed on the ground and faced him while keeping her guard up in case Aquafibian would attack. "Hey," Garfield looked up at his partner. "How are you feeling?"

Aquafibian was recovering from his last hit. "She's hits hard, but I can take her."

Garfield clenched his fists. "Good, because I don't want to hold back."

"Garfield, I understand you're working through your anger with Maia and Hikari. But Marucho is still under their control."

Garfield shook his head. "I get it, but beating and taking their Bakugan is the best way to snap them out of it, right?"

"Garfield..."

"Look, we're both in our most powerful Reversion Forms, I can do the battling if you don't want to." Aquafibian shook his head.

"That's not my concern... besides. What about Alice's favor? You said you'd give Preyas back to him."

"I will... but not before I bring him out of the Fabregan mind control he's under. So, since she's fast, you go after her first, and I'll go after the other frog." He raised a card. "Ability Activate, Ringed Spiritz!" the feathers on Garfield and Aquafibian shone as they generated sharp rings of water. Garfield instantly tossed his rings at Tripod Epsilon dazing the large frog in a splash of water, the Bakugan trap was on his back with swirls in his eyes.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 1200(-700)= 500 / Aquafibian: 800

"Oh, you-!" Elfin didn't have enough time to think about Epsilon as Aquafibian was speeding right to her, water rings in hand. "You'll have to catch me first!" As she extended her wings, she shot herself up into the sky, but Aquafibian flew so fast that he shot past her and appeared in front of her, making her stop instantly. "U-um... you caught me?" Aquafibian tossed his water rings right at Elfin.

"Ability Activate, Sky Hearty!" Marucho exclaimed, he watched as Elfin pulled out her magic wand, spreading green sparkles around her. As the water rings closed in, they absorbed the green sparkles that Elfin generated, turning the water to a bright green color. Aquafibian watched as his water rings were slowly orbiting around Elfin.

"What is that?" Garfield asked.

"That is Sky Hearty." Marucho started. "It's able to reflect an opponent's ability at them! But that's not all. Gate Card Open Ventus Reactor!" Marucho's command card opened making bright green winds surround them.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 500(+300)= 800 / Aquafibian: 800(-700)= 100

Elfin suddenly tossed her Ventus water rings that shot at a faster speed and they cut through Aquafibian. Garfield could feel the cut and he fell to his knee as Aquafibian fell and landed next to him with a thud.

"Gah! Are you OK?!" Preyas asked as Garfield was recovering from the cut he felt from Aquafibian.

"Yes... and now I'm just angry!"

"Did you see that even if he was in his fancy Reversion form, we still hurt him!" Elfin cheered.

"Uh-huh, but that doesn't mean we can slow down. His abilities are powerful, so we need to shut him down before he can use them."

"Gotcha."

"So now we need Darkus."

Elfin pulled out her wand and winked at him. "You want Darkus? You got it!" She drew a magic circle with her wand and once she passed through it, she changed her appearance and attribute to Darkus. Once her attribute changed, she performed a pose, making two finger guns.

Garfield had two cards he was preparing to use. "Double Ability Activate, Slashing Fury!" sharp jets of water covered the arms of both him and Aquafibian. "Plus, Aqua Shroud!" both Garfield and Aquafibian had camouflaged themselves in the background.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 800(-400)= 400 / Aquafibian: 100(+250 +600)= 950

"U-um... where are they?" Elfin inquired in a shaky voice. Marucho was listening for footsteps, and he could hear they were getting closer.

His glasses shone as he raised his head. "Heh, nice try! Ability Activate, Diamond Snail!" Tripod Epsilon had recovered from his hard hit, his tablet necklace had rotated and landed on the Haos emblazoned tablet and the snail on top of his leaf staff shone bright yellow.

Soon after, both Garfield and Aquafibian were instantly found as their camouflage wore off and their power fell by 250, putting them at 700Gs. "Are you kidding me?" Aquafibian threw himself at Elfin, connecting an aquatic slash that Elfin wasn't fast enough to dodge.

"AAH!"

"Hold on, Elfin. Ability Activate, Energy Flatter!" When Aquafibian was going for a second slash, Elfin caught the blade by clapping her hands on it. Aquafibian could feel Darkus energy taking over the water and both his water blades splashed outward. The dark water was absorbed into Elfin, she displayed a confident smirk before elbowing Aquafibian in the chest.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 400(+400*2)= 1200 / Aquafibian: 700

"What the heck is energy flatter?" Garfield questioned.

"Energy flatter returns any energy that was lost in a previous power exchange... but at double the value."

"So that means-!" both he and Aquafibian saw Elfin jumping up to the top of one of the Bayview Towers. The moon became a crescent while purple clouds hung over the dark sky.

"They're ready for you, Elfin! Super Moon Bow!" Elfin stood on the tower and eyed Garfield and Aquafibian.

"Anyone who messes with my Marucho will pay the price!" she roared as she crossed her wrists with her fingers making a peace sign. Her four rounded fingers were glowing with Darkus energy, and she shot four energy beams down at her foes, they were thin and fast, too fast for Garfield and Aquafibian to avoid.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 1200(+350)= 1500 / Aquafibian: 700(-350)= 350

The beams passed through both Aquafibian and Garfield, bringing both to their knees. Garfield reverted to his base form and felt his entire body ache. Aquafibian stood on his feet after getting up. Sparkles leaked off his body when he saw his partner in agony.

"Yes! We got 'em!"

Aquafibian held on, even though his power fell by 200Gs since he reverted. His power level hung at 150Gs. "I don't get it... Why can't I hold onto my Ascended form?" He thought back to when he was fighting the Fabregans and Alursians while in Hawaii. "I-Is that why? Did we over-strain ourselves back there?"

He saw Elfin changing back to her Aquos form. "Finish them, Elfin! Ability Activate, Shooting Fury!" Elfin's heart was glowing while a bright blue aura surrounded her.

Minx Elfin | Tripod Epsilon: 1500(+300)= 1800 / Aquafibian: 350

Elfin was about to pummel Aquafibian, but she was stopped as her fist was caught. Everyone on the battlefield was surprised at the sight they were greeted with. Aquos Preyas was standing on the field, and he was the one who caught Elfin's fist. Aquos Diablo also stood on the field, looking prepared to battle.

"Elfin... please don't make me hurt you!"

"Preyas... What. The. Hell!?" Elfin exclaimed. "You're with them now!?"

"It's complicated!"

Marucho stood there and saw more memories of both him and Preyas fighting side by side, moments when he fought alongside Dan and Runo specifically. "Wait... what's going on here?"

Garfield slightly got up from his injuries. "It may take a while, but just let me explain." Marucho let out a sigh. The next moment, Elfin shrunk and was returned to her ball form letting Marucho catch her.

"Tell me everything!"

---

Elsewhere within the city of Bayview, around the city center close to the beaches and waterfront, Lena stood on top of her Phosphos while using an ability on her gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Spit Poison!" The central head of the Bakugan had fired a poisonous, watery torrent at Marvellion.

Phosphos: 900 / Contestir: 900

Metal Almos: 900 / Marvellion: 750(-300)= 450

"Um, Jax..." Marvellion started.

"I've got your back! Ability Activate, Mizu Slicer!" Marvellion swung her arm and sent water crescent blades, managing to counter the Spit Poison.

Phosphos: 900(-300)= 600 / Marvellion: 450

Both attacks had canceled each other out and exploded in a large splash of water, but as the water was falling as rain, Contestir suddenly was in front of Marvellion.

"GAH!"

"Blow 'em away Contestir!" Zenet excitedly exclaimed while she swung her gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Bleach Out!" Contestir fired a bright orb of light at Marvellion, blinding her. "And now you can't use any abilities."

Phoenix placed an ability into his gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Charge Cycle!" Green electric bolts were dancing around the mechanical bird. Before they created a burst of energy. The bird's star core could be heard whirring faster as a green aura surrounded it. This increased Almos' power by 500Gs putting his total at 1400Gs.

"Let's match that Contestir!" Zenet held up her gauntlet and pointed at Phoenix with a mocking smirk. "Ability Activate, Volting Storm!" A bright, electrical aura was surging around Contestir and he discharged a beam that was speeding to Almos.

Contestir: 900(+300)= 1200 / Metal Almos: 1400(-300)= 1100

Phoenix placed a card in his gauntlet. "Almos, wait for my mark!" the beam was curving and whizzing up toward Almos. When the beam was close to his chest, Phoenix made his move. "NOW! Triple Strike!" right as the beam was about to strike, Almos split into three and the beam shot straight past all of them. All three Almoses were speeding down to Contestir.

Contestir: 1200(-300)= 900 / Metal Almos: 1100(+300)= 1400

Zenet decided to double up her abilities. "We're ready for ya! Double Ability Activate! Vanguard Lola plus Volting Glow!" Contestir aimed his hands upward at the Almoses and fired streams of electric bolts while his horn was shining

Contestir: 900(+200 +200)= 1300 / Metal Almos: 1400(-200 -200)= 1000

His horn fired a sharp beam upward and the beam pierced through one of the Almoses, and the second was zapped by electric bolts. Almos was avoiding all of Contestir's remaining blasts, and he managed to fly right through the Haos Bakugan.

Phoenix's glasses shone. "I've managed to stand up to Yukiko and Kyubis. Compared to her, you two are just lousy grunts."

Zenet glared at him. "Why you! If you think you're so strong... let's, see how you like it?!"

Phoenix smirked for a moment. 'All according to plan.'

---

Hours Earlier

Phoenix could seen to be eyeing his gauntlet with both him and Jax flying on Almos across the sea. "What's Evil Copy...?" Jax who was dressed in a red top, and beige cargo shorts, was curious about one of Contestir's abilities as he read the data on Lena and Zenet.

"It makes Contestir shapeshift into an opposing Bakugan, copying their appearance and Abilities."

"Oh, that's so cool!"

Marvellion was swimming through the waters diving up and down like a dolphin. "I wish I could do that!"

"It's a powerful ability, but it can't copy everything. I'm going to bait her into copying Almos, then I'll need you to fight her from there."

"W-wait really?"

"Yes really, which means you need to be fast in taking her down. Think you can do that?"

He looked down into the water and he saw Marvellion winking back at him, filling him with confidence. "Yes, I'll beat her."

"Heh, good answer," Phoenix replied.

---

Zenet held up a card and slotted it into her gauntlet, the exact card Phoenix predicted. "Let's wipe 'em out Contestir! Ability Activate, Evil Copy!" Contestir looked to be glitching out in bright yellow energy, before morphing into a near replica version of Almos who let out a metallic caw. Contestir's image on the battle display changed to an image of Almos and his attribute changed to Ventus. "Oooh, let's see what this bird can do! Ability Activate, Hailing Destruction!" the Javelin Guns attached to Almos-Contestir Ejected from his wings and hovered around his body.

Phosphos: 600 / Contestir: 1300(+600)= 1900

Metal Almos: 1000 / Marvellion: 450

Zenet was pointing at Phoenix before she moved to point at Jax as if she was picking a target. "Let's see... Eeenie, meenie, minie..."

Jax, using her distraction had tossed up his Bakugan Trap. "Come Aquos Dragpuff!" The trap shaped like a blue crystal rhombus had opened high above Contestir-Almos. The smaller serpentine Bakugan Trap curled open, fluttering its four wings.

Phosphos: 600 / Contestir: 1300(+600)= 1900

Metal Almos: 1000 / Marvellion|Dragpuff: 450(+300)= 750

Two cards were seen being slotted into Jax's gauntlet. "Let's hope this works, Double Ability Activate! Aquatic Arena, plus Speed Scale!" Dragpuff flew up into the sky and screeched, summoning rain that fell all over the field, despite the field not being covered by cloud cover." Marvellion was covered in a bright green aura that healed her and allowed her to use abilities again, and she winked while pointing at the fake Almos.

"Hit me with your best shot!" Marvellion's power increased by 100 and soon after 200 was added. Putting her total Power level at 1050.

Zenet growled and she angrily pointed at Marvellion. "Grr hit her with everything!" Contestir had fired all his Javelin guns, but Marvellion was expertly dodging the attacks. "Whoops! Nice try!" She was hovering in the air as if she was swimming underwater in thin air.

"But how!?" Zenet asked. "

Marvellion continued to evade the green beams as many of the Javelin guns were following her. "I hope Jax and Phoenix have a plan! I can't keep dodging like this!"

"Lenaaaaa! A little help!" Zenet cried.

She let out a sigh in response. "Fine, the faster they go down the better! Ability Activate, Gorgon Viper!" Phosphos's additional four heads had grown from his body, and they all charged aqua-colored energy within their maws. They all fired their beams, the seven beams shot into the sky and Marvellion wasn't able to dodge it since Copy-Almos' Javelin Guns were surrounding her.

"Jaaaaxxx!"

Phosphos: 600 / Contestir: 1900

Metal Almos: 1000 / Marvellion|Dragpuff: 1050(-500)= 550

"Ability Activate, Serpent Screen!" Marvellion had thrown her hands forward and made a large circular, flat, sky-blue screen and the screen had to block both Hailing Destruction beams and the energy from Gorgon Viper. Her power was brought up by 500Gs, putting her back at 1050. The screen was cracking.

Phoenix then made his move. "Ability Activate, Impaling Bullet!" The real Metal Almos shot himself up into the sky before swooping back toward Contestir-Almos.

Contestir: 1900(-400)= 1500 / Metal Almos: 1000(+400)= 1400

Before Marvellion's screen could shatter, the javelin guns that Contestir-Almos commanded had moved to counter against the real Almos who was diving toward him. As Almos was falling, it was able to dodge the beams that Contestir-Almos was firing. Phoenix made his next move. "Shred them to pieces! Zephyr Javelin!" The Javelin guns on the real Almos had ejected but fell with Almos and turned to their sharp ends. Subtracting 550Gs from Contestir-Almos, putting him at 950.

Zenet gasped and wasn't fast enough as both Metal Almos and his Javelin guns sped through the clone, immediately making Contestir-Almos fall into one of the large rivers in Bayview creating a huge splash.

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is getting out of hand..." she extended her left palm and was building the battle gear for Phosphos. "Battle Gear Boost!" she tossed her gear and it attached itself to Phosphos's hands and arms as his power increased to 700Gs. Phosphos was eying Marvellion who was slowly hovering with Dragpuff at her side "Ability Activate, Tri Viper!" the three main heads of Phosphos hissed and he fired blue poison beams at Marvellion. She couldn't dodge in time, and she sat on her tail, feeling very weak.

"Marvellion? What's wrong?"

"Tri Viper prevents you from using any more abilities." Lena briefly explained while Marvellion's power level fell by 300, putting her at 750Gs.

"Again!?" Jax he cried, but soon after he heard Dragpuff squeak, when he looked back at him the little winged serpent was letting out a hinting squeak. "Right, I get you!"

"Eliminate them, Battle Gear Ability Activate, Terrorcrest Stigma!" Phosphos reeled his arm back before throwing it forward, sending three sharp energy beams at Marvellion.

Phosphos: 600(+400)= 1000 / Marvellion: 750(-400)= 350

"You're up Dragpuff! Ability Activate, Healing Bubbles!" Dragpuff blew a stream of bubbles that re-energized Marvellion, giving 300Gs back to her, putting her back at 750Gs. But crucially, she could use her abilities again. "Ability Activate, Dazzling Voice!" Marvellion then took a deep breath before screaming out loud at the top of her voice, sending pinkish-white shockwaves that sped right through Terrocrest Stigma, making the energy beams explode before they made their mark.

Phosphos: 1000(-550)= 450 / Marvellion: 750

The shockwaves engulfed Phosphos and all heads roared while their ears could hear nothing but loud screeching.

Lena placed another card into her Gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Head Plasner!" Phosphos had charged an icy blue orb on his head. As the beam was charging, Marvellion had seen the attack coming.

"Jax?!"

"Wait for it..."

"Destroy them Phosphos!" Lena exclaimed while swinging her arm. The orb then fired an icy energy blast toward Marvellion. 500 was sapped from her power level, bringing her down to 250Gs.

Jax placed two cards into his gauntlet. "Here goes nothin' Double Ability Activate Draconic Tail..." Marvellion had thrown herself toward the blast, increasing her power level by 300, putting her up to 550. Her tail was shining bright green as she headed towards Phosphos's attack. "-plus, Vengeance Scale!"

Marvellion watched as the attack was getting closer. "Come to mama!" The blast had engulfed her entire body as a bright blue outline covered her body. As Phosphos's attack covered her, the energy surrounding her was pulsing before they turned to energy scales. The energy scales had moved down to her tail.

"What!?" Lena gasped.

"Here goes nuthin'!" Marvellion exclaimed as she swung her tail, slapping the main head of Phosphos before springing up with her tail. She looked down at the dazed Bakugan.

Phosphos: 450(-500)= 0 / Marvellion: 550

Whips of water surrounded Marvellion's tail, she flipped downward using the momentum and aimed her tail down at Phosphos. Her tail slashed right through Phosphos, the aquatic Bakugan roared as he turned to his ball form in defeat. Phosphos bounced back to Lena's feet as her life gauge fell to 45%.

"Wooohoo! We totally rock, Jax!"

Lena bit her bottom lip, as she watched Marvellion dance around after winning. "This will be difficult. That pairing is tough as it is."

Contestir-Almos shot out of the river and was shooting right up into the real Almos. "Let's see how you like it, Ability Activate, Triple Strike!"

Contestir: 950(+300)= 1250 / Metal Almos: 1400(-300)= 1100

Contestir-Almos split into three as she flew up toward Almos. Phoenix immediately knew the right ability to use in the situation. "Phoenix, make them disappear! Hailing Destruction Almos unleashed his Javelin guns while he shot up to a higher altitude to dodge the Triple Strike. The additional energy provided increased his energy by 600. Raising his power level to 1700. The javelin guns had fired piercing green beams which the Contestir-Almoses were trying to avoid. Two of the three Almoes were hit, leaving Contestir Almos vulnerable as The Javelin guns all clumped together and fired, focusing all beams on their single target.

Zenet grits her teeth at how Phoenix seemed a step ahead of her at every turn. "Eat this, Double Ability Activate, Core Blast! Plus, Fusion Ability – Flurry Blast!"

From Contestir-Almos's core, a blinding glare was being produced. Zenet smugly laughed as she saw her power increase.

Contestir: 1250(+500 +700)= 2450 / Metal Almos: 1700(+500)= 1200

"Let's see you beat this, chump! Get'em Contestir!"

The Core Blast was still charging, and Phoenix knew the exact time it would take to charge. "I'll need to delay that charge time!" He responded with a single card for the moment. "Ability Activate, Static Hurricane!" Metal Almos flapped his wings generating and sending a dark green cyclone at Contestir-Almos, engulfing the Bakugan in rapid winds, and electrical sparks that were disrupting the systems of the faux mechanical Bakugan, increasing the charge time of Zenet's attack.

Contestir: 2450(-100)= 2350 / Metal Almos: 1200(+100)= 1300

He decided to play his trump card. "Copy this, you Gundalian savage!" he typed on his gauntlet, and it was generating green electric sparks, as Phoenix was activating his Assault Gear.

'Ready: Defendtrix Prime' the Assault gear had built itself, and once it was fully constructed. Phoenix snatched it and tossed it skyward to his Bakugan. "Defendrix Prime! Destroy!" The Assault gear had fused with Almos's wings, forming wing boosters as well as blasters flanking the sides of Almos' head. His power increased by 100, putting him at 1400Gs.

Zenet didn't look afraid and retained her confident smirk. "Hah! That all you got?" she eyed her Bakugan who was still charging the attack as the cyclone had subsided. "C'mon hurry up and end this!"

Phoenix chuckled. "Do your worst." He eyed the screen that was showing Almos's internal diagnostics and saw that Defendrix Prime was fully charged and ready to fire. "Double Ability Activate, Fusion Ability – Flurry Blast, plus Assault Gear Ability – Beam Rifle!"

Almos transferred the power his core generated to Defendrix Prime, immediately supercharging the next attack that would be fired from it.

After what seemed like a long wait, Contestir-Almos fired a bright beam from his core that was speeding toward Almos.

"Almos... ENGAGE!" Phoenix commanded, the dual cannons on the sides of Almos's head had discharged a thick, bright green beam with white energy trailing it.

The blasts were on a collision course and as soon as they collided, Beam Rifle was tearing right through Core Blast at a moderate rate of speed.

"H-huh WHAT!?" Zenet took a second look at their power levels and the sight shocked her.

Contestir: 2350 / Metal Almos: 1400(+700 +700)= 2800

"W-what... no way!" the dual beams had beaten out Core Blast and struck themselves right in Contestir-Almos' core causing an explosion.

"Contestir!" she exclaimed as the Bakugan morphed back to his real form as he lay on the ground. He then shrunk to his ball form and rolled over to Zenet as her life gauge fell to 55%.

Both Almos and Marvellion returned to their partners. "I'm warning you right now, we're fighting for keeps. I'm aiming to take your Bakugan. So, if you give up and help us, then we can save a lot of time!"

"How dare you! You underestimate us that much!?" Lena spat.

"Keep in mind, I wasn't fighting with Almos' full power. Why do you think I didn't summon my Assault Gear until the very end? So, you have a choice to make, fight or help us. I'm not giving you a third option!"

Jax awkwardly cringed. "A little rough don't you think?"

"They are the enemy, Jax, they will go to every length to eliminate us. We should do the same... the difference is I am giving them a chance to make the right choice. If they don't, then they will suffer the consequences. Besides... we've got to shock them out of their mind control."

"He's got a point there, Jax..." Marvellion added. "We can't do much. If we go easy on them, they will only be a problem later. We've got to end this, here and now."

He didn't like battling this way, but he couldn't argue against this. And if Leiya was there, she would do the same thing as Phoenix. "Fine... I'll do my best."

"That's the spirit kiddo." Marvellion cheered.

Lena, on the other hand, held a gate card in between her fingers. "Zenet? Do you wish to keep battling?"

"Of course! I'm going to get back at that metal bird thing, but more importantly, I'm going to have your back."

"Thank you." she eyed her opponents, and she felt a pain in her head. "Ow... Zenet, are you getting headaches too?"

"Now that you mention it-"

"Never mind, we need to focus if we want to keep this territory for Yukiko!"

"Got it!"

"Gate Card set!" she tossed a card that let out a blue ripple as it set the field around them.

---

The skies of Bayview were eerily quiet, as both Dragness and Skyress both with their partners on their bodies, were hovering high above the city, not one of them daring to make the first move. Zaria held a card in her hand. "Zaria, don't rush in. I have a bad feeling about him."

Zaria cracked her neck and eyed and remained confident. "I'll feel him out to start with, see what he can fight back with." She held two cards in between her fingers. "Double Ability Activate, Talon Strike, plus Dragon Aeria!"

Storm Skyress: 750(-400)= 350/ Dragness: 850 (+200)= 1050

Streaks of pink fire surrounded Dragness's body as she shot through the sky, and she was seen closing in on Skyress and was about to swipe her flaming talons through Skyress with her leg.

Shun remained calm, his eyes were closed as he heard Dragness and Zaria getting closer and closer. "Skyress, Storm Stinger!" Green electrical bolts sparked around the phoenix. Her wing met with Dragness' claw immediately stopping her momentum as the flames quickly fizzled out.

Storm Skyress: 350(+400)= 750 / Dragness: 1050(-200)= 850

Zaria saw Shun glaring right through her as he was about to use another ability card. Skyress then shot upward in anticipation of Shun's next move "Ability Activate, Destruction Meteor Storm!"

Skyress covered herself in green flames before swooping toward Dragness, instantly transferring 400Gs between them.

Storm Skyress: 750(+400)= 1150 / Dragness: 850(-400)= 450

Zaria didn't look at all phased while Skyress was shooting toward them. "My turn to put a stop to ya' Ability Activate, Chakra Fire!" Two rings of fire had formed around Dragness and flew up to meet Skyress as her power rose by 200, putting her at 650Gs.

Both Bakugan collided, orange flames meshed with green in an explosion, heating the area around them. Destruction Meteor Storm was nullified bringing Skyress back to 750 while Dragness was up to 1050. The rings disappeared soon after. Zaria pulled out another card. "Let's cut through 'em! Ability Activate, Wing Burst!"

Dragness eyed her opponent before flying upward as her wings were engulfed in flames. This increased Dragness' power by 500, raising her power to 1550Gs. Dragness was so fast that Skyress was cut through with the dragon wings before both she and Shun could respond.

Skyress hit the ground, kicking up dust in the area. The shockwaves from the impact had shattered the glass windows of the nearby homes. Once they were both on the ground, Shun got off his partner. "Are you ok, Skyress?"

The Ventus Bakugan had slowly risen. "Yes... just slightly wounded..." Shun eyed a silver bracelet that was attached to his arm with a green gemstone embedded in the bracelet. "Shun, you can't possibly be thinking-"

"Not yet, but if the situation gets worse, then I'll be left with little choice." They both saw Dragness and Zaria landing on the ground.

Shun quickly slotted a card into his gauntlet, Skyress in preparation, extended her wings. "Ability Activate, Sky Meteor Flare!" Skyress' body shone brightly as white flames surrounded her. The flames were blinding Dragness and Zaria, keeping them in place as 450Gs were transferred between both Bakugan.

Storm Skyress: 750(+450)= 1150 / Dragness: 1550(-450)= 1100

While their opponents were blinded, Skyress flew up into the sky, her wings were shimmering with green energy. "Whirlwind Lightning Sword!" As she extended her wings, she shot down feather darts from her wings. Dragness quickly grabbed Zaria and shielded her as the dart feathers peppered her, making her grunt in pain.

Storm Skyress: 1150(+300)= 1450 / Dragness: 1100(-300)= 800

After Dragness grunted in pain, she slowly stood with the feather darts sticking out from her back. "Dragness... are you all, right?"

"Tch... just a scratch!" They both saw Skyress looking down at them from the sky. "Zaria, she's going to try something!"

Shun placed a card into his gauntlet. "Skyress put everything you've got into this. Destruction Maximum Impact. Skyress flew up higher before swooping back down while lime-green flames cloaked her. As she fell, her horn was also engulfed in green fire, and four wisps of white fire surrounded her.

Storm Skyress: 1450(+500)= 1950 / Dragness: 800(-500)= 300

"Holy Crap!" Zaria exclaimed as she prepared her counter. "We gotta hit them harder!" she exclaimed, holding three abilities. "Triple Ability Activate, Flare Dive!" Dragness dug herself deeper into the ground as she cloaked herself in bright pink flames, instantly reducing Skyress's power by 700, bringing her power to 1250. "Plus, Reversion Ability – Flare Drive!" the pink flames grew brighter as pink runes surrounded her body, plus Dragon Dance!" The flames turned purple as Dragness shot up toward Skyress.

Storm Skyress: 1250 / Dragness: 300(+150 +550*2)= 1550

"And now that Dragon Dance is doubled... there is no way he can turn this around." Dragness was flying up to the falling Skyress. Two comets flew into each other, and when they clashed. The explosion of heat radiated around the entire city, sending a shockwave of purple and green fire that turned orange as they cooled.

Skyress was falling while being burned by purple flames. Dragness on the other hand, crashed onto her foot and one knee while a fist punched the ground. She had purple electricity that surged all over her body, immediately taking 100Gs in recoil damage from her.

Both she and Zaria saw Skyress crashing into the streets below, making a crater where she landed.

They only saw Shun's life gauge fall to 80%. Zaria caught Dragness as she was returned to her, while Skyress rolled back to Shun. This could take a while Dragness."

"That was close, Zaria."

"But we got him, we just need to finish the job."

Shun on the other side, gently picked up Skyress. "Sorry, Skyress. I was careless... But that won't happen again. Now I must stop holding back."

"You are the only person I can trust to share my power with. But are you sure you want to do this?" He heard an explosion coming from where Zenet and Lena were battling.

"She might not be the only one we have to battle. So, we might need all the strength we can get." He touched the silver bracelet and pressed the green gemstone, making tiny needles from the underside prick his wrists instantly. They started to pump the upgraded Ventus Reversion Catalyst. Once it flowed through his veins, he felt pain shooting through his body as he temporarily shared his vision with Skyress, seeing what she could see.

Skyress's ball form opened as her real form took shape. She was covered in green flames; she had a green pulsing aura around her. The ends of her wing and tail feathers ignited with green flames. She had long, red lashes spreading from the top of her eyelids, her eyes became bright red with a black slit as her iris.

Shun on his end, had green flames radiating around his body, and from his back were flaming green wings. His eyes were the same as Skyress, and he had feathers covering his arms and his legs under his clothes. He could feel Skyress's power surging through his body. "Shun are you all, right?"

"AHHH!" His vision went black before he fell to one knee and punched the ground. When his vision was returning to him, he saw a green feather in front of him with a red, pulsing aura. He slowly stood and eyed his hands to see both fiery and wind-green auras flowing off his body. He tightened them before eying Zaria.

Zaria stepped back slightly after watching Shun's transformation. "Aw great!"

"Calm down, Zaria," Dragness said. "Reversion can't assure victory. This is his first Reversion Transformation, so he will likely build up fatigue at a faster rate. Keep your distance. I'll take all the hits, then have me counterattack him."

Zaria shook her head. "Here's a thought. Why don't we-?"

"You know why we can't do that. We can still beat him; we just can't let his power level get out of reach."

Zaria sighed and grabbed Dragness. "So, she still doesn't trust me... Screw it! Here goes nothing, I guess!" She reeled her hand back before tossing her Bakugan at both Shun and Skyress. "Bakugan Brawl, Dragness stand!" Dragness stood and faced Skyress. Despite her being a Pyrus Bakugan, she could intensely feel the heat pulsing from Shun and Skyress.

Storm Skyress: 750(+200)= 950 / Dragness: 850

Dragness saw Zaria was spacing out for a moment with her arms folded. "Zaria, Focus!"

"GAH, right! Ability Activate, Roaring Dragon!" Flames filled Dragness's eyes as she aimed at Skyress and fired a pink burst of fire from her maw that was speeding right at her opponent. 200Gs were transferred between them. Putting Dragness at 1050 and reducing Skyress's power reduced to 750.

Skyress watched the fireball, speeding toward her, she guarded herself by crossing her wings and as soon as the flames hit, they temporarily added to the flames that were already surrounding her. "Not even a wince!" Zaria said. "Hang tight, Dragness. Double Ability Activate, Dragon Aeria plus Dazzling Burst!"

Storm Skyress: 750(-300)= 450 / Dragness: 1050(+200 +300)= 1550

Streaks of pink energy surrounded her as pink flames outlined her body. She disappeared from Skyress's sight, she appeared right above the green phoenix and kicked her downward, before scratching Skyress' face over and over, pink fiery streaks followed her limbs as she moved. She finished her attack with a hardtail swing, when Skyress was hit, she was sent flying through two small buildings that toppled over, covering Skyress in debris.

"Zaria! While she's wounded, we need to end this!"

"Ability Activate, Talon Strike!" Dragness hung her hand back and it radiated orange flames, she ran over to where Skyress was lying within the rubble. Dragness reeled her arm back as 400Gs were sapped from Skyress, dropping her to just 50Gs. Dragness was close, and she threw her flaming claws down, but they were stopped dead. Dragness' flames immediately fizzled out.

The Dragon's pupils grew as in front of her, she saw what she feared. Shun had grabbed Dragness's talons with his hands. Swirls of wind and green fire were circling him. "Reversion Ability – Phoenix Storm Riser!" The flames around him turned red as the ground beneath them shook. Skyress's power increased by 300Gs.

Storm Skyress: 50(+300)= 350 / Dragness: 1550

"Dragness!? What's happening!?" Zaria asked as she ran to the scene, Skyress soon after, bashed her head into Dragness' chest. She stumbled back but remained on her feet.

"Thank you, Shun," Skyress said.

"You would have done the same for me," he said in response as he held two Reversion Ability cards in his hand. Double Reversion Ability, Burn Drive plus Whirlwind Impact Storm!" Orange flames were covering both Shun and Skyress. The latter was flying over to Dragness, blinking in and out of thin air. 550Gs was transferred between the two combating Bakugan.

Storm Skyress: 350(+550)= 900 / Dragness: 1550(-550)= 1000

Skyress's Burn Drive Reversion ability activated, immediately lighting her body ablaze. Adding another 500Gs to her. Putting her at 1400.

Dragness took it upon herself to keep Skyress at bay. "Enough! Scale Block!" Dragness's dragon scales hardened and had spikes growing on her arms, back and legs. She outstretched her arms, allowing Skyress to bash into her. The impact only pushed Dragness back into a roll sending her back toward Zaria. She balanced herself onto her feet and glared at Skyress as Burn Drive was halved thanks to Scale Block.

Storm Skyress: 1400(-250)= 1150 / Dragness: 1000(+400)= 1400

She growled before Zaria went for another ability. "Ability Activate, Wing Burst!" Dragness's wings extended while being covered in flames. She leaped off her feet, flying to Skyress as embers were leaving her wings. Her power increased by 500, putting her at 1900Gs

"Ability Activate, Storm Stinger!" Shun was seen leaping on a piece of rubble and was in the path of the rushing Dragness. He flung what looked like an electric orb of energy. It struck Dragness' body sending electric pulses through her body. As this happened, the spikes and scales that grew on Dragness's body were retracted.

"He nullified Scale Block?" Zaria questioned aloud as she saw Dragness lose 400Gs, putting her down to 1500Gs.

Skyress was flying toward both Zaria and Dragness while green flames covered her. "Destruction Meteor Storm!" she cried out before both Bakugan collided yet again.

Storm Skyress: 1150(+400)= 1550 / Dragness: 1500(-400)= 1100

This time, however, Dragness was hurt as she was on her knee looking at Skyress who was hovering above her.

Zaria gasped as she saw a glint speeding down from Dragness's behind. "BEHIND YOU!" she screamed.

"Too late!" Shun exclaimed as his entire body was covered in green fire and let his right foot lead his fall. "Destruction Maximum Impact!"

Dragness was kicked from behind, eliciting a pained roar from her.

Storm Skyress: 1550(+500)= 2050 / Dragness: 1100(-500)= 600

Shun got up to see the Dragonoid, struggling to get up. "Alright Skyress, one last attack should do-"

"RAH!" As soon as Shun turned his head he was met with a punch from Zaria that sent him off his feet. The girl was taking deep breaths as her muscles were shivering and could feel Dragness's fury coursing through her.

"Zaria... what did I say about getting close...!" Dragness said.

"Yeah, and risk losing you! Forget it!" At that very moment, she was palmed in the stomach by Shun, making her fall to one knee.

"You allowed yourself to be distracted," Shun said as he heard Zaria coughing. "It will be easier for both of us if you just surrender. No harm will come to you and your-"

*BAM* Shun was interrupted by Zaria bashing her head into his face. Shun had a bleeding lip and wiped his mouth "You really want to do this?!"

Zaria was holding a Reversion Ability card in between her fingers. "Fire Drive." a pink, fiery aura grew around Dragness. Strangely there were pink runes that were shining on Zaria's arms.

Skyress was flying down to Dragness, and when Zaria saw this, she leaped, springboarded off the back of her partner, and hovered in between Dragness and Skyress. "Zaria what are you-"

"JUST USE FLARE DIVE!" Skyress heaved Zaria out of her path, and the Lion Alursian landed hard on her side as Dragness's power increased by 150, which brought her power up to 750Gs.

"Zaria!" Dragness quickly got up an explosion of pink fire expanded from her body, heating the air. "Flare Dive!" She launched skyward to meet Skyress, and they both collided.

Soon after the explosion, Dragness landed on her feet, as pink flames covered her entire body.

As Skyress landed on the ground, sliding to a stop with her talons, she heard. "Fusion Ability – Dragon Dance!" Zaria was rushing toward Skyress and threw a knee onto the back of her neck while cloaked in purple fire.

Storm Skyress: 2050 / Dragness: 750(+500)= 1350

"Skyress!" Shun exclaimed, but he looked up to see Dragness edging very close to all of them, using her own Flare Dive. "NO!"

*BOOOOM* The explosion that resulted from Dragness crashing into Skyress with her enhanced Flare Dive created a deep crater that destroyed a good number of city infrastructure in the area.

Storm Skyress: 2050 (-700*2)= 650 / Dragness: 1350(-100*2)= 1150

Within the fiery explosion, Shun was thrown back, but Skyress made sure to get in the way to shield him from any injury.

When the dust cleared, Dragness saw Zaria on her stomach but she fearfully stepped back when she saw her skin transitioning into dragon scales. "Zaria! You've been absorbing my energy!?"

The girl got up but looked away from her partner. Pink fiery embers were rising off her scaly skin. "I know I'm not meant to be your partner... But we can't beat those two as we are... and you know that."

From the distance, they saw Skyress with a few bruises hovering flying up into the sky. Her tail was electrified. Shun was seen on her back with a Reversion Ability in his gauntlet. "Reversion Ability Activate, Lightning Slasher." her tail feathers had come together, and they were charging an electrical mass of green energy. As the electrical energy discharged, they separated into smaller, piercing beams and they were passing through both Dragness and Zaria.

Zaria let out more pained screams as she wasn't using Dragness's full Reversion Power.

Storm Skyress: 650(+300)= 950 / Dragness: 1150(-300)= 850

"I warned you!" They both heard Shun say. "But you've left me no choice! Reversion Ability Activate – PHOENIX STORM RISER!" Shun leaped off Skyress and the pair sped down to the ground, as raging orange flames surrounded them.

Dragness stood in front of Zaria. "Run Zaria!"

"Huh!?"

"You're right. We can't beat them, not like this. But I can't let you borrow my power; I've seen what it does to you. You become an entirely different person, blinded by power, you make mistakes and just attack everything with little regard. I don't want to see that happen to you again."

"And let you get taken?! Absolutely not!" Before long, her eyes turned yellow.

Storm Skyress: 950(+600)= 1550 / Dragness: 850(-600)= 250

Zaria walked in front of Dragness and clenched her fists. "I know you don't think much of me. That you wish you were paired with someone else. But I can't just sit and let this happen!"

Dragness's eyes shone bright yellow, and she raised her arm. "Reversion Ability…" Zaria saw that her right arm was covered with bright pink fire. She saw Dragness waiting for both Shun and Skyress to clash with them.

"TALON SLASH!" both Zaria and Dragness exclaimed. The pink flames shone brightly as they swung their arms right as their Ventus opponents flew right into them.

Storm Skyress: 1550(-750)= 800 / Dragness: 250

Both Bakugan collided and the impact created tremors across the entire city and even rocked the beaches, making oncoming waves crash into waves coming from the sea.

…

Soon after, Zaria found herself floating where it looked like she was in the vacuum of space where she could hear her echoing in her mind. "Zaria… Zaria…" Her entire body felt numb and could barely open her eyes to see what was in front of her. "ZARIA! WAKE UP!"

"GAH!" Zaria woke up with a gasp and could see the real form of Dragness in front of her. "Whoa… where are-?" she noticed the area around her. "I'm not dead… am I?"

"No… just unconscious…" the lion Alursian sat up to hear Dragness's voice. "You're wrong by the way. I know you might think I don't care about you. I do… but Reversion requires a perfect sync from both partner and Bakugan… and I'm sorry to say, I don't think you're the one. That's why you lose control whenever I grant you my power."

"But we're not completely out of the battle, are we?" Zaria stated before she came up with an idea. "Gimme half!"

"Huh?"

"If I'm not meant to handle your full power, then let me use half of your Reversion energy. You can do that, right?"

"Zaria…"

Dragness saw that Zaria wasn't about to back down, her partner continued. "How about this, if you let me use half, then I'll do most of the fighting, keep Shun and Skyress at bay. You go at them from a distance while making sure I don't use more of your power than I need to."

"Hmmm. Very well. This might be our only option, there may be a time I'll give you full power, but when I do. You must end the battle. And not just end it but take Skyress so we can snap Shun out of his hypnosis. Can you do that?"

Zaria clenched her fist and her blue eyes showed how serious she was, and with a single nod, Dragness got her answer.

…

Zaria got up and saw that Dragness's ball form was by her side. She could feel her entire body was in pain. "Ow… what's our life gauge looking like?"

"45 percent," Dragness said. "And given Shun still has a much higher gauge, we need to get him to take a big hit. I said that I'll give you half my power, but if sense for any reason you start to lose control, I will pull the plug."

"Yeah, I get you. Thanks, Dragness… for putting up with me." Dragness leaped up onto Zaria's palm.

"Don't say that. Forget about everything. Focus on what's in front of us." Zaria clenched her fist and eyed Shun and Skyress who observed them. After taking a deep breath she tossed Dragness onto the field, and the second Dragness stood, Zaria felt her body heating up, rapidly. The Dragon had a constant red aura around her and the same surrounded Zaria. Her arms up to her elbows transformed into dragon arms, and her legs had transformed as well up to her thighs.

She had red dragon scales covering her neck and covered a portion of her cheeks. She had Dragness's feelers that stretched down her back and had the same wing shape as her partner. She closed her eyes and when she re-opened them, her left eye was the same draconic yellow as Dragness while her right eye remained the same shade of blue. "Whoa... I feel awesome! I wanna punch something!"

"Stay composed, Zaria. Remember what we discussed?"

"Ok, I get it." she punched her hand into a fist. "Time to get to work."

Storm Skyress: 950 / Dragness: 850(+100)= 950

"So, you're capable of Reversion too?" he held up his gauntlet. "It doesn't matter! Reversion Ability – Whirlwind Impact Storm!" Skyress and Shun disappeared and were speeding to both Zaria and Dragness. They clashed with them, over and over. Disappearing from thin air after each hit, making it so Zaria and Dragness couldn't track or stop them.

Storm Skyress: 950(+550)= 1500 / Dragness: 950(-550)= 400

Shun had kicked Zaria in the chest and floored her. She saw him speeding toward him and saw him disappear. "Ok Dragness, hold on! Ability Activate, Dragon Aeria!" Pink streaks shimmered around both as their power level rose by 200, putting them at 600Gs. As Shun sped over to Zaria, she blocked his palm, disappeared from his sight, and drove her knee into his back, throwing Shun hard to the ground. "Now Dragness!"

"Reversion Ability, Talon Slash!" Dragness's Reversion ability had a reduced power siphon and her arm had pink flames around it, combining it with the power of Dragon Aeria. She appeared right in front of Skyress and slashed her, sending her down to the ground.

Storm Skyress: 1500(-550)= 950 / Dragness: 400

When Skyress hit the ground Zaria was seen running over to the downed phoenix. "Double Ability Activate, Roaring Dragon!" Zaria's eyes filled with pink flames. She leaped up and above Skyress before firing a blast of pink fire from her mouth that grew as it fell to the Ventus Bakugan. Once it exploded on her, 200Gs was transferred between the two, bringing Skyress to 700 and Dragness up to 600.

Zaria landed on the ground and saw Shun standing on his feet. "I'm comin' for ya! Ability Activate, Dazzling Burst!" Zaria covered her body in a fiery aura and sped over to Shun, launching forward, causing an explosion of fire from where she stepped.

Storm Skyress: 700(-300)= 400 / Dragness: 600(+300)= 900

When Shun saw her coming, he formed a defensive stance. "Storm Stinger!" he said as Zaria was throwing rapid punches his way, but he was blocking them with his electrified palms. He then jabbed Zaria in the face, immediately nullifying her ability. Putting Dragness at 600 and Skyress was back to 700.

After this, Shun flew skyward. "Destruction Meteor Storm!"

Storm Skyress: 700(+400)= 1000 / Dragness: 600(-400)= 200

"Shit!" Shun flew down to Zaria.

"Scale Block!" Dragness had used the ability, but only passed on the effect to Zaria, hardening the dragon scales on her body while horns grew on her arms, wrists, back, and knees. Immediately halving the power loss of Destruction Meteor Storm while adding 400Gs to her power level. Bringing her power up to 800.

Zaria extended her wings and flew up to challenge Shun and bashed his head in response to his attack, Shun flew away after the impact, leaving Zaria hanging in the air. She could see Shun flying over to Dragness.

"Oh no, you-"

"Whirlwind Lightning Sword!" Skyress was underneath Zaria and was firing bright green feathers at her, some of them were cutting past her.

"Ow! Why you!"

Storm Skyress: 1000(+300)= 1300 / Dragness: 800(-300/2)= 650

While she wasn't feeling the full brunt of the attack, she watched Shun flying over to Dragness. "Sky Meteor Flare!"

Storm Skyress: 1300(+450)= 1750 / Dragness: 650(-450)= 200

Shun extended his wings, while his whole body was shining brightly. Dragness was blinded and Shun was hanging in the air and held two pointed fingers as he was about to use another attack. "You're finished! Valiant Fang!" Shun pointed his fingers at Dragness and he fired an ocean-green beam at the Dragonoid who was struggling to keep herself together. This added another 500Gs to Skyress, putting her at 2250G.

Dragness had flames in her eyes as the beam sped over to her. "Prideful Roar!" Dragness activated her Reversion Ability. Dragness's maw filled with flames, and they turned purple, when she discharged three fireballs ignited and they crashed into the beam, countering it while transferring 450Gs between them.

Storm Skyress: 2250(-450)= 1800 / Dragness: 200(+450)= 650

Shun flew over to Dragness, who just recovered, and he attempted to kick her down. Before long, when she dodged, on the side of her eye, she saw Zaria crashing into the ground.

"Zaria!" she outstretched her hand to her. "Fire Drive..."

As Zaria lay flat on the ground there were pink runes on her arms. Her eyes shot open, and a pink fiery aura surrounded her, she felt a power rising inside her, as her and Dragness's power rose by 150, putting her at 800Gs. "This isn't going to work... Dragness, I need all your power..."

"Zaria... we talked about-"

"Holding back is meaningless... because at this rate... we have no chance at winning."

Skyress was speeding toward her, and Zaria's eyes were closed. "I'm sorry, but I must take things into my own hands... You can yell at me later!" Using her connection to Dragness, she used a Reversion ability, and the pressure she put into the ground was rising so much that it caused cracks in the earth below her. "WINGED SURGE! HAAAAAA!" She stood up while clenching her fists, her wings immediately ignited, her hair stood up on end and there was a hot wind swirling around her. Within the heat, she smiled as she used the full power of Dragness's Reversion Ability.

"Zaria... you fool. I told you not to use my full power!" Skyress flew over but found herself running into a raging firestorm. Within the orange flames, bright yellow eyes were gleaming at her. The flames turned pink and fire blades were flung at Skyress. They were coming at a rapid speed, and they all impaled her.

"Skyre-!" Shun coughed as he felt the exact pain that Skyress was going through.

The firestorm exploded and when Zaria was revealed, she was breathing heavily, but her expression soon turned to a sinister grin as her draconic yellow eyes were gleaming and her hair was standing upward. "Heh, been a while since I've felt this powerful!" she pointed at Dragness. "Hey, you better keep up partner, 'cause I'm done holding back!"

Storm Skyress: 1800 / Dragness: 800(+850*2)= 2500

While Dragness's power was at its apex, Zaria was seen with pink fiery blades surrounding her. Zaria, within the blink of an eye, was in front of Shun and punched him in the gut. He flew off across the area and into an evacuated building. Zaria's sinister smirk remained. "You keep Skyress busy... the human is mine!" Her wings extended and she shot off after Shun.

But Skyress gave chase after Zaria. "Zaria, behind you!"

"You will not hurt Shun any further! Destruction Maximum Impact!" Skyress was surrounded by lime green fire her horn was bright green as she took off while catching up with Zaria.

"Oh SHIT!"

Storm Skyress: 1800(+500)= 2300 / Dragness: 2500(-500/2)= 2250

Zaria saw the power level difference and smirked as she stopped mid-air, turned around, and faced Skyress. "Come and get me, birdie!" Skyress got closer and Zaria had blocked the strike with her dragon wrist, still being under the effect of Scale Block, which had saved her from most of the damage. "C'mere!" her wings ignited with orange flames. "Ability Activate, Wing Burst!" she threw herself at Skyress and cut through the back of Skyress with the tip of her wing by banking to the left.

Skyress screeched in pain as 500Gs were added to Dragness's power level, putting her at 2750. As Skyress's pained screams echoed, Shun who was under building rubble had opened his eyes, and as soon as the cutting flames had seared across his back. He was seen shooting out from the rubble. He was letting out a battle cry as he was speeding back to the center of the battle.

"Reversion Ability – Phoenix Storm Riser!" there were glowing red accents all over his exposed skin and Zaria had turned to face him before getting elbowed in the stomach. She was sent to the ground beside Dragness. Both his and Skyress's power increased by 300, putting them at 2600

"Shun?" Skyress said as she was regaining her strength.

"I'm here, Skyress."

"I thought you were hurt."

Shun shook his head. "We feel the same pain, remember? But nothing comes close to the pain of losing you." Shun's head was starting to hurt and he could suddenly see a woman with long, flowing, dark purple hair looking at him with a sweet smile.

'Go have some fun.' Skyress's roar was heard in the background.

He snapped out of his daze and he felt moisture falling from his eyes. "Huh… am I crying?"

"HEY! EYES UP HERE!" he saw Zaria dropping down toward him. He leaped back and bounced on his feet.

"Skyress… you saw all that, right?"

"Mmmhmm… I'm not sure why. Do you know her?"

Shun held his head. "No… but… I feel like I'm supposed to!" he saw Zaria speeding to him again. "Skyress, do you notice something odd about that Dragonoid?"

Skyress had thought about the last moments of the battle and she came to the same conclusion that her partner did. "That Alursian is doing most of the fighting… and she is the only one whose appearance changed. So… she's siphoning power from her Bakugan."

"So if I keep her distracted, you get a clean hit on Dragness…"

"It will cut their Reversion Connection!"

"Exactly!"

"God you're so boring!" Zaria roared as she sped over to Shun, who blocked her fist. "Are you going to fight me or just stand there like prey wanting to be eaten!"

"You think I'm prey?" Shun questioned. "Then why am I still standing here, child!"

Zaria growled and stepped back. "You won't be standing after this!" she flew straight up. "Time to finish this!" She had a regular ability card and pink flames was surging around her body. Zaria smirked but Dragness could see what was coming.

"ZARIA STOP IT'S A TRAP!"

"Ability Activate, FLARE DIIIIIIVE!" she shot down head first toward Shun who stood on the ground waiting for her.

Storm Skyress: 2300(-700)= 1600 / Dragness: 2250(-100)=2150

Shun planted his left foot back and took a deep breath. "Ability Activate!" he crossed his arms. "Storm Stinger!" Zaria had clashed her head into Shun's crossed wrists, as green sparks surrounded the two of them as whips of pink flames were shooting in all directions.

Storm Skyress: 1600(+700)= 2300 / Dragness: 2150

The pressure and heat Zaria was putting out was shrinking and shrinking, and Shun threw his knee as hard as he could into Zaria's abdomen, immediately ending the attack. Shun elbowed her in the chest which sent her back.

"Now Skyress!" Shun exclaimed as he shot off his feet toward the staggered Zaria. At the same time, Skyress was heading for Dragness.

"NO! ZARIA!" Dragness cried.

Shun had two abilities in his gauntlet, both Reversion Abilities. "Double Reversion Ability Activate! WHIRLWIND IMPACT STORM!" Shun swung his arm and eight long feather blades appeared from the swing of his arm, and they spun around him giving the appearance of a buzzsaw.

Skyress finished the combination. "Plus PHOENIX STORM STRIKER!" the enhanced version of Destruction Meteor Storm activated and when the green flames surrounded her, those flames turned orange and she sped right over to Dragness.

The Dragonoid prepared a defensive stance, however, she felt a deep pain in her stomach.

"AAAAHHH!" Zaria was cut through by Shun's Whirlwind Impact Storm, with blood being shot from her wound. As she fell, the Reversion Form quickly faded away and she hit the ground with a thud and remained motionless. Because of this, Dragness felt the horrible pain Zaria was going through and she saw Skyress speeding toward her.

The phoenix cut through the Dragonoid with all her power as there was a huge power transfer between the two.

Storm Skyress: 2300(+550 +600)= 3450 / Dragness: 2150(-550 -600)= 1000

Dragness was surrounded by flames as sparkles leaked off her body while she found it increasingly difficult to hold onto her form as everything around them whited out.

…

Shun looked to be meditating in what appeared to be a Zen Garden. "Shun…" he heard a whisper calling out to him and when he opened his eyes, he met the same woman whom he had seen previously, his head hurt as soon as he saw her, but for some reason, he felt a huge pang of sadness hitting him.

"W-who are you?" he asked. In response to his question, she smiled and everything went white again.

And he could hear muffled voices, voices of different people, some he recognized, others were completely alien to him.

…

"SHUN!"

"HUH!?" Shun found himself lying on the ground with Skyress's and Dragness's ball forms on his palm. "Skyress?"

She popped open and questioned her partner. "You passed out. Are you hurt?"

Shun sat up and shook his head to get his bearing. "Please…" he heard the weak plea coming from Dragness's ball form. She remained closed out of shame.

"Huh?"

"I know that we are enemies, but please help, Zaria…" he stood and saw Zaria hadn't moved and there was blood under her. Shun didn't think twice and ran over to her. "I'll help her, then put both of you somewhere safe."

He started to take some of his jacket to prevent Zaria from losing more blood. "Thank you, you have a kind heart. If only things hadn't turned out like this…"

Shun hummed to himself as he bridal carried Zaria's unconscious body.

---

Phosphos and Contestir stood after Lena had set her Gate Card, and before Phoenix tossed in his Bakugan, something came to mind, he grabbed Jax's shoulder and gave him a smirk. "Hey, Jax... why don't you take charge this time."

"Ehhhhh, me?"

Marvellion excitedly jumped into her ball form. "Yeah, why not? We're super powerful anyway! Aren't we!?"

Phoenix held Almos tightly. "I'll back you up, you go after whoever you want, and I'll fight the other and keep them distracted. But you'll take the lead this time."

"Oh... um... well."

"I'm sure your friend Leiya would be impressed," Phoenix said, trying to tempt him, and it looked to have worked as Jax's eyes glared at the battlefield.

He held Marvellion in between his fingers. "Then follow the leader! Bakugan Brawl! Marvellion Stand!" After standing on the road, Marvellion shot up into the sky and slowly hovered back to the ground with rain. "Ready for your second beating?"

"Bakugan Brawl, Almos Stand!" From a green flash of light, Metal Almos appeared, and it roared as it eyed its targets.

Phosphos: 900 / Contestir: 900

Marvellion: 750 / Metal Almos: 900

"Make the first move, they won't be expecting it. Pick whoever you want." Phoenix said.

He thought and he didn't take long to pick his target. "Ability Activate, Watera's Charm!" Marvellion placed her hands on the ground, making large bubbles appear around both Phosphos and Contestir. Marvellion smiled as she swung both her arms, making the bubbles pop violently, hurting both Phosphos and Contestir.

Phosphos: 900(-300)= 600 / Contestir: 900(-300)= 600

Marvellion: 750(+300)= 1050 / Metal Almos: 900

"Huh?" Phoenix asked. "Why?"

Jax grinned back at Phoenix. "Why attack one when I can attack both?"

"Not bad, so it looks like I'm picking a target! Ability Activate, Hailing Destruction!" Almos flew up, ejected his eight javelin guns and they all locked onto Phosphos. This added 600Gs to his power level, putting him up to 1500Gs

Lena's glasses shone as she held her two abilities in between her fingers. "I'm not getting caught out a second time!" Double Ability Activate, Tri Viper plus Gorgon Viper!"

All of Phosphos' heads had extended, with all 7 heads charging dark blue poison energy. He fired seven beams at Almos and the metal bird fired eight beams that were falling towards Phosphos.

The Aquos and Ventus energies met in the skies with the blasts fighting each other off.

Since Almos' power was still higher, Hailing Destruction was beating out Lena's combination attack.

"Hold on Lena!" Zenet exclaimed as she threw up her gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Shiny Lock!" Contestir charged a bright yellow electrical orb and tossed it up at Almos who still was firing his attack. The orb connected, staggering Metal Almos leaving him wide open to face the wrath of Phosphos's assault. He lost 400, putting him at 1100.

"Marvellion!" Jax exclaimed as the Bakugan was hovering in front of Almos.

"Alright, you know what to do!" she extended her hands forward.

"Ability Activate, Serpent Screen." She made a thin, blue barrier that managed to block Phosphos's double ability.

Phosphos: 600 / Contestir: 600

Marvellion: 1050(-300 -500)(+500)= 750 / Metal Almos: 1100

As soon as the ability was blocked, Jax had a plan. "Hey, I've got another plan. Could you make those sharp thingies follow Marvellion?"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, I like what you're thinking. Okay." he slotted an ability into his gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Zephyr Javelins!" The javelin guns flipped over to their sharp ends and hovered close to Marvellion. He was trying on his gauntlet and soon after, the javelins were surrounding Marvellion. "Pick a target, and they will follow."

"Then let's go! Marvellion dive down, Mizu Slicer!" she had sharp water blades covering his arms. And she shot downward while the Javelins fell around and with her.

Lena then countered and had a card in her gauntlet. "You can't hit what you can't see! Ability Activate, Stealth Claw." Phosphos's claws extended while he cloaked in the background. Transferring 300 between Phosphos and Marvellion. Bringing Marvellion down to 450 and raising Phosphos to 900.

"WHAAT BUT WON'T THEY GO FOR ME!?" Zenet comically exclaimed.

When Marvellion was close to the ground, she split off toward Contestir and the moment she picked her target, the Javelins immediately moved to track Phosphos. "They split off!?" Lena said with shock.

Phosphos: 900(-550)= 350 / Contestir: 600(-300)= 300

Marvellion: 450 / Metal Almos: 1100

Marvellion, still powered by Mizu Slicer was slashing Contestir with her watery blades, hurting him while Phosphos was trying to dodge the javelins that were tracking his invisible body. Phoenix was wearing a pair of goggles that were in infrared mode and when his eyes tracked Phosphos, they easily kept track of him, and he was using his claws to block and parry them.

After Contestir was slashed, he stepped back. "Zenet!"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it! Ability Activate, Volting Storm!" Contestir threw his hand out and fired a tracking beam toward Marvellion.

Contestir: 300(+300)= 600 / Marvellion: 450(-300)= 150

Jax already had two abilities in his gauntlet. "Here we go, Marvellion. Double Ability Activate, Speed Scale plus Dragonic Tail!" Marvellion was covered in a bright green aura and she disappeared from Contestir's sight, successfully dodging the beam. The serpentine appeared at Contestir's side and slapped his upper body with her tail, while adding 300Gs to her power level, putting her at 450. The larger Bakugan was staggered but it wasn't enough to worry him.

"Hehe, that all you got!" Zenet mocked and used another ability. "Ability Activate, Advanced Rapier!" Contestir had leaped back far from Marvellion and he was charging energy from within his shoulder cannons as well as his fists. "You might be fast, but you can't even hit me! Now finish 'em Contestir!"

He discharged a bright yellow beam at Marvellion.

Contestir: 600(+400)= 1000 / Marvellion: 450(-400)= 50

"Uh... Jax...?"

Jax put a card in his gauntlet. "I've got your back! Ability Activate, Vengeance Scale!" A bright blue outline surrounded Marvellion as she let the beams consume her. After they passed through her, her outlines turned white and there were energy scales surrounding her body.

Marvellion bounced off her tail and shot herself to Contestir and slapped him upward with her tail fin with the white scales cutting through him.

Contestir: 1000(-400*2)= 200 / Marvellion: 50(+800)= 850

Contestir fell to his backside. Marvellion smiled and blew a raspberry at both him and Zenet. "Oh, how the turn tables!"

"Wait... don't humans say, 'how the tables have turned'?" Jax questioned.

Marvellion smiled. "I'll explain later, hun!"

As Marvellion was dealing with Contestir, Phosphos was cut by the Javelins, and it broke the invisibility and he fell to his knee. Metal Almos was hovering over Phosphos, and Marvellion hovered around, Contestir.

Phoenix adjusted his glasses as he raised his goggles off his eyes. "Last chance to give up," Phoenix said.

"We really don't want to hurt you or your Bakugan," Jax added. "We just want to stop the invasion!"

Lena sighed. "I refuse to give up! Gate Card Open, Battle Gear Turbocharger!" the command card opened and the ball forms of Zenet and Lena's battle gear were shining their attribute colors. "Turbocharger is a command card that doubles the power of any battle gear abilities." Phoenix didn't look fazed as both Lena tossed her battle gear toward Phosphos.

Zenet did the same as she held out her palm, generating electric sparks that were building her Battle Gear: Spartablaster.

"Battle Gear Boost!" After throwing them skyward, they attached themselves to their Bakugan instantly adding 200Gs to their power levels, an increase from the usual 100Gs a Battle Gear attachment would add.

Phosphos: 350(+200)= 550 / Contestir: 200(+200)= 400

Marvellion: 850 / Metal Almos: 1100

Phoenix folded his arms. "Throw everything you got at me; it won't be enough!" Phoenix dug into his pocket and pulled out his already built Assault Gear. "Defendtrix Prime, destroy!" he tossed the Assault gear upward and it attached itself to Metal Almos increasing his power by 100, increasing his power to 1200.

Phoenix eyed Jax. "If you have any Reversion Cards up your sleeve, now is the time to use them."

Jax shook his head. "Marvellion and I haven't been battling for long, plus I don't even know if we're... well, compatible."

"You kidding me!?" Marvellion exclaimed. "Battling with you has been a real hoot, especially after Liz. Jax, there is so much to you, and I want to learn more about you, your past, everything and when this invasion is over, we'll become the best battling team the universe has ever seen!"

"Whoa... you mean that?" He looked down into his pockets and saw a couple of new cards that took the shape of Reversion Ability cards. "No way..." he whispered to himself.

"That's all it took?" Phoenix said with a slight hint of jealousy. "Oh well, ready to pummel them into the ground?"

Jax awkwardly laughed. "Maybe, just beating them is okay."

"Fine, fine! Just don't let that Reversion stuff get to your head too quickly!"

"Ok, I'll focus on Phosphos."

"Leaving me with Contestir." He saw Jax extending his palm toward him, Phoenix was confused and Jax only replied with a toothy grin.

"What you gonna leave him hanging?" Marvellion questioned.

Phoenix drooped his shoulders and reciprocated Jax's hi-five. Marvellion flew forward while Jax held up his gauntlet. Phoenix put on his goggles before Metal Almos hovered up, watching Contestir standing in the air, using the glowing battle gear on his back that extended like a four-petal flower.

"Let's throw that thing into the scrapyard, Double Ability Activate, Volting Glow plus Vanguard Lola!" Contestir aimed his arms while his horn was shining. He fired electric bolts from his arms, while his horn fired a sharp beam.

Phosphos: 550 / Contestir: 400 (+200 +200)= 800

Marvellion: 850 / Metal Almos: 1100 (-200 -200)= 700

When the attack was closing in on Almos, he had a counter in place. "Ability Activate, Triple Strike!" Almos split itself into three making two duplicates, this allowed him to evade the beams while transferring 300 between himself and Contestir.

Contestir: 800(-300)= 500 / Metal Almos: 700(+300)= 1000

"OH, COME ON! Fine time to end this!" She placed a Battle Gear ability into her gauntlet. "Battle Gear Ability Activate, Spartablaster Sunbeam!" The petals shone brightly as he hovered up and shone as bright as a star, nearly lighting up the entire city. Phoenix was blinded and his goggles couldn't see through the light. "Ahaha! I gotcha!" Contestir pointed downward. "Put 'em down, Contestir!"

Spartablaster fired an all-consuming blast down at Almos and the mechanical Bakugan was caught in the blast.

Metal Almos was blasted down into the sea, making Phoenix gasp. "Crap, that's salt water!"

Contestir: 500 / Metal Almos: 1000(-400*2)= 200

Phoenix was rapidly typing on his gauntlet and forced a shutdown from Almos to prevent his systems from being corroded. The Bakugan then compressed to his ball form and bounced at Phoenix's feet. His life gauge fell to 70%.

While Marvellion was avoiding slashes from Phosphos, Jax noticed and looked back in fear. "They knocked back Almos into the water! You're on your own, kid."

"WHAT!?" Contestir fired his attack down past Marvellion and it was heading for Jax.

"NOOOO!" Marvellion had snaked around Jax protecting him from Spartablaster, but Marvellion was hurt. When she uncoiled, she smiled down at Jax. "Heh, what are you giving that face for? I'm still standing.

"Not for long!" Lena snapped while she primed her battle gear ability. "Battle Gear Ability Activate, Terrorcrest Stigma!" the claws on Terrorcrest were gleaming bright blue and he threw one claw forward, sending cutting beams toward Marvellion

Phosphos: 550(+400*2)= 1350 / Contestir: 500

Marvellion: 850(-400*2)= 50

Jax after seeing the power level difference went for one of the Reversion Abilities. "Reversion Ability Activate, Scaled Screen!" Marvellion placed her hands together and she made a very wide barrier that was colored light green, increasing her power by 400, putting her up to 450Gs, and as soon as the sharp beams hit, they instantly deflected right back toward both Phosphos and Contestir.

"HUH?!" both Bakugan were forced to evade the energy beams and as a result, Phosphos felt the damaging effects of his ability.

Phosphos: 1350(-400*2)= 550 / Contestir: 500

Marvellion: 450

Jax was purely wowed by how Marvellion had deflected the attack despite the large power gap. "Whoa... you're awesome, you know that?"

Marvellion returned the compliment in kind. "Ah shucks couldn't have done it without my partner. I've never used that move before. You're awesome too. You believe in me, right?" the young Fabregan nodded. "And I believe in you, now believe yourself and believe in us!"

Jax eyed Phosphos and Contestir who stood on the other side of the battlefield. There was a large circle of bubbling water surrounding them. Held a Reversion Ability and he could feel Marvellion already being powered.

"Believe…" he thought before using a new ability. "Reversion Ability Activate! Skating Scale!"

The serpentine smirked and launched off her tailfin, water was surrounding her as she sped toward the Gundalian Bakugan. Phosphos was firing Terrorcrest over and over, but Marvellion disappeared, leaving behind a water clone that continued her previous trajectory. Phosphos was confused as the water splashed into him, while he was blinded, he saw Marvellion above him.

Phosphos: 550 / Marvellion: 450(+250)= 700

Marvellion's fin had slammed into Phosphos's head. She leaped up into the air like a spring and felt a lot lighter than before. "Whoa… It feels like I'm flying!" When she was in the air, she aimed herself toward Contestir. And Jax was thinking exactly when she was thinking, so he used his ability.

"Reversion Ability Activate-"

"Watera Slicer!" Marvellion finished as she fell. She crossed her wrists as water cloaked her arms. She cross-slashed through Contestir. Afterward, she uncrossed them with force and flung a stream of rapid-firing water X's at the Haos Bakugan.

Contestir: 500(-500)= 0 / Marvellion: 700(+500)= 1200

"This is bad! This is bad! Battle Gear Ability Activate! Spartablaster Rigel!" Contestir hovered off his feet, faced the rapid attacks, and fired rapid energy needles from his battle gear, the energy needles were piercing through the watery x's, reducing them into mere puddles as they got close to him.

Contestir: 0 / Marvellion: 1200(-500*2)= 200

Right as the Gundalian Bakugan fought off the attack, Marvellion was still being powered by skating scale. "Double Reversion Ability!" Garfield exclaimed as Marvellion's tail was shining green with swirls of water surrounding it. "Dragonic Whip!" Marvellion had swung her tail, throwing Contestir up into the sky.

Constestir: 0 / Marvellion: 200(+600)= 800

He along with his Battle Gear were shining his attribute in defeat as he dropped right to Zenet's feet, and Zenet's life gauge fell to zero.

Marvellion then disappeared from everyone's sight, Lena grew concerned as she knew her partner was Marvellion's next target. "Plus… Slicing Scales!" Marvellion had watery beam sabers jutting out from her wrists, and she was slicing Phosphos as she moved around him like a whirlpool. She cross-cut through Phosphos, producing a large slash, and took a staggering 850Gs from him, while taking 100Gs from herself.

Phosphos: 550(-850)= 0 / Marvellion: 700

After a bright flash of blue light, Phosphos and his battle gear bounced in front of Lena. Garfield was panting as he felt his adrenaline rise. "Hey, you good, Jax?" she asked, turning to her ball form and resting on his shoulder.

"Y-yeah… I'm just feeling quite a rush just now."

"That's just 'cause we're so awesome! I feel so great, I feel I could fight anyone now!"

Phoenix grabbed Jax's shoulder from behind. "Hope you're sharing the sentiments as your partner. Cause…" he pointed deeper into the city to where they heard explosions from within the city. "I'll keep an eye on these two. You move on and see what is going on. And don't overstrain yourself."

"B-but… Shun is out there, do you think I can-"

"One… you won't be fighting him alone, Two…" he gestured to the beaten Gundalians making his point clear. "You can't hide behind Leiya anymore. You're a strong battler now, now show them what you're made of." He nodded before taking off into a jog. "That kid... the only thing holding him back is himself. The others better not have lost." He turned to both Lena and Zenet. "Alright, you two… let's have a little chat."

---

Near the Bayview Towers, Both Marucho and Garfield had their Bakugan in their ball forms. Preyas was seen explaining things to Marucho. Garfield stood on the other side wondering what he was explaining. The Battle Brawler nodded. "Ah... now it all makes sense!" he said as he eyed Garfield. "I appreciate you bringing my Bakugan back to me... but I still can't fail Yukiko!" he exclaimed while pointing at him.

Garfield's eyes grew wide. "Wait, what!?"

"Sorry kid..." Preyas said. "But win or lose, I'm battling with Marucho! No matter what!"

"You, backstabbing son of a-" Marucho threw out Preyas, Elfin, and Diablo and they stood on the battlefield together.

"Haha, time to put on a show!" Elfin sang. "Though..." she side glanced at Angelo. "I wish we wouldn't have a third wheel."

Diablo quickly took over and glared back at her. "HEY! WHO'S THIRD WHEELING, GIRLY!"

Garfield was tightly gripping Aquafibian in anger. "Garfield...ow!"

He immediately loosened it and looked at his partner. "Oh, sorry about that."

"I understand your frustration."

Garfield shook his head. "I'm well past that! I'm furious!" He looked right at Marucho while trying to build up power within himself. "I've been given a lot of power, but I'm still too weak to change a damn thing!"

Aquafibian rested on Garfield's shoulder. "Garfield, we can't change what happened in the past. The only thing we can change is what is happening at the moment. And we can bring Marucho back to his senses. But we must be smart about it. I don't think we can maintain our Ascended forms for the entire battle."

"You're kidding me. So, we must hold back!?"

"Not necessarily. We can build up our power as the battle goes, hopefully tiring out all Marucho's Bakugan, then at the end, we can use our Ascended form to finish the battle."

Garfield closed his eyes. He tried to focus but once again, his mind drifted back to when he first lost Hikari, and when he saw her again, she was a completely different person, the heartache, evident due to his anger and frustration. He brought his mind back onto the battlefield. "Bakugan Brawl, Aquafibian Stand!" Aquafibian rose as he faced three foes in front of him, he also allowed Garfield to climb on top of him.

Preyas: 800 / Minx Elfin: 700 / Diablo: 700

Aquafibian: 700

Garfield immediately powered Aquafibian. "This must be quick, if they slow us down, we're finished! Double Ability Activate, Power Spirtz, plus Bullet Spritz!"

Aquafibian was surrounded by a glowing circle of water and ran forward at an increased speed. Five spheres of water were created above him. He skated around the three Bakugan and tossed them at Diablo, quickly flooring him before the other two had a chance to respond.

Diablo: 700(-300)= 400 / Aquafibian: 700

After Diablo was down, Aquafibian's increased speed took him toward Elfin. "Reversion Ability, Ringed Spirtz!" A pillar of water had covered both Aquafibian and Garfield, transforming the pair of them into their Reversion Forms. Garfield was seen leaping off his partner, the feathers on his body were glowing bright blue with blue watery rings forming around him. Once he grabbed the rings, he tossed them down to Preyas.

"HUH!?" the Chameleon exclaimed as the large rings were approaching him while a staggering 700Gs was sapped from him, putting him down to 100Gs.

"That's a Reversion Ability, we can't stop it!" Marucho exclaimed, they both saw Elfin speeding forward while using her staff to change her attribute to Darkus.

"If we can't stop it, then we'll cut it to pieces!" she exclaimed as her fingertips were glowing. "Super Moon Bow!" she cried and aimed two pointing fingers at the oncoming water rings, firing razor-thin beams of darkus energy, dissipating the water rings.

Minx Elfin: 700(+350)= 1050 / Aquafibian: 700(-350)= 350

Once the water rings were destroyed, Elfin went on the attack, trying to shoot down Garfield with her finger blasts, but Aquafibian who was still enhanced by Power Spritz was running interference.

Garfield glared at Elfin. "Double Ability Activate, Hydro Cover!" both Garfield and Aquafibian immediately disappeared from Elfin's view.

"Elfin! Get out of there! He's going to attack!" Marucho exclaimed while he watched their power levels increase to 450Gs.

Though she wasn't fazed. "Oh puhleeeez! Like he's got anything to take me out!"

Garfield's pink eyes shone before he shot himself toward Elfin, his clothing changed to a purple and black theme. "Gear Shift: Darkus!" As soon as he changed his attribute, he added 500Gs to his power level, putting him up to 850Gs. "Plus, Spinning Fury!" He leaped up to Elfin's level, spun like a drill, and had Darkus energy swirling around him as water surrounded him, the power of Spinning Fury was doubled, thanks to Gear Shift Darkus

Minx Elfin: 1050(-400*2)= 250 / Aquafibian: 850(+400*2)= 1650

Elfin smirked. "Heh!" when she flashed a toothy grin, Aquafibian immediately grew concerned.

"Watch out, she's planning something!"

Marucho held up his gauntlet. "Get him Elfin, Ability Activate, Energy Flatter!" strings of Darkus energy were flowing into Elfin from Garfield. "Energy Flatter takes back any power that was taken from Elfin and doubles it!"

"That's - WHOA! That's a LOT of power! Hah, more for me~!" Elfin sang.

Minx Elfin: 250(+800*2)= 1850 / Aquafibian: 1650

Elfin's hand had a Darkus energy drill around it, and when she rushed her palm at the oncoming Garfield, she stopped his attack in his tracks and threw him back, and he flipped and slid onto his feet while losing balance and rolling backward.

"And now! PREYAS ATTACK!" Preyas exclaimed while both he and Diablo were heading right to Garfield.

"Double Ability Activate; Blue Squall plus Demonic Pounding!"

Preyas: 800 / Diablo: 400(+400)= 800 / Minx Elfin: 1250

Aquafibian: 1250(-200 -400)= 650

Aquafibian threw himself in front of Garfield and his eyes were glowing brightly. "Reversion Ability - Gear Shift: Pyrus!" his appearance took the red, yellow, and pale beige colors of the Pyrus attribute, and the ends of his winged scarves had flames trickling the ends. This added 500Gs to their power level, putting them at 950Gs. "Plus, Water Gaia!" Aquafibian threw himself into both Preyas and Diablo, tripping them up. As soon as they were floored, Aquafibian was sprinting around the two Preyases while flames were following him.

Below them, boiling water was bubbling underneath them, before it exploded into a tremendous water tower of scalding water.

"AHHHHHH! HOT!" Preyas cried.

Preyas: 800(-400)= 400 / Diablo: 800(-400)= 400 / Minx Elfin: 1250

Aquafibian: 950

"I'm going for Elfin!" Garfield exclaimed. "I still have one turn of Darkus Gear Shift left."

"Then use Doomdart!"

Garfield gasped when he realized Aquafibian's logic. "That's perfect! I didn't think about that!" Garfield had Darkus energy building up around him in dark purple swirls.

"He's going for something big, Marucho!" Elfin said.

Marucho put a card into his gauntlet. "I'm ready for him and when we counter it, we'll hit him with Leap Frog!" Elfin changed back to Aquos and watched Garfield sprinting toward her with raging Darkus energy around him.

"Fusion Ability Activate – DOOMDART!" Garfield's hair which turned dark purple due to the Attribute change was glowing orange, and red as energy reflecting his hair colour was surging around him within the purple Darkus energy

"Heh, this might hurt, but I've taken everything you've dished out, kid!"

"Ability Activate, Mega Blue Shield!" Elfin flung her hands forward, creating a bright blue barrier that formed from bubbles of blue water.

Garfield charged headfirst into the barrier, initially staggering Elfin, but she kept the barrier up.

Minx Elfin: 1250(+400)= 1650 / Aquafibian: 950(-400)= 550

"Heh, I got you right where I want- HUH!?"

Minx Elfin: 1650(-650*2)= 350 / Aquafibian: 550

Garfield passed right through Elfin's shield, and he bashed into her frog head, making it cry out in pain. After the impact, Elfin was dazed, and she immediately retreated to her ball form while covered in a sky-blue aura. Marucho's life gauge fell by 20%.

Garfield stood to face Marucho as he changed back to Aquos. "Doomdart immediately defeats a Bakugan if their power level is below 900Gs." He briefly explained,

"GOTCHA!" Garfield saw Diablo coming and he leaped up and flipped over him.

Garfield landed behind him. "Next time... don't announce your 'surprise attack'!" Aquafibian was falling from the sky over Diablo. "Reversion Ability – Torpedo Spritz!" As he fell, he was still in his Pyrus form and scalding water surrounded him as he fell like a comet.

Diablo: 400(-350)= 50 / Aquafibian: 550

"Screw this! I'm tagging out!" Diablo flipped in place, instantly changing into his Aquos Haos variant. "Whoa... that was sudden." he eyed Marucho. "Over to you, master."

"Way ahead of you! Ability Activate, Divine Punishment!" Angelo summoned a white bow with a bright yellow arrow and aimed it skyward. "And now comes retribution for our fallen ally!" He fired the arrow, but he immediately felt a burning pain going through his body.

The arrow had sped through Aquafibian, causing great pain, but he kept going and headbutted Angelo making a large splash with steam filling the battlefield.

Angelo: 50(+800 -350 -200)= 300 / Aquafibian: 550(-400 +350)= 500

Garfield's Bakugan was still standing tall and saw his body slowly turning to stone while Angelo's body had a red pulsing aura around him. "Ah... what is this burning pain...?"

"That's the effect of Gear Shift: Pyrus. It superheats out abilities and it takes away 200Gs every time you attack!"

Marucho smiled. "Not a bad strategy, I'm impressed, but Divine Punishment turns the opposing Bakugan to stone after they are hit, preventing them from moving." Aquafibian's feet were petrified, preventing him from moving. "Now your Bakugan is vulnerable." Garfield felt annoyed but tried not to let it break his focus. "Now see if you can stop this. Ability Activate! Blue Squall Combo!" Preyas's muscles had flexed and his fangs showed as he rushed to the petrifying Aquafibian.

"This is for what your kid did to my Sweet Little Elfin!" He angrily exclaimed. But he immediately lost 200Gs as a red aura burned him. "OW!"

Preyas: 400(-200)= 200 / Angelo: 300

Aquafibian: 500(-400)= 100

Garfield took a deep breath and showed zero emotion as he placed his hand on Aquafibian's stone knee. "Purify Spritz." a healing layer of water formed over Aquafibian as the stone layer was chipping off his body. When Marucho gasped, Garfield spoke. "Purify Spritz removes effects from enemy abilities." Aquafibian's power level rose to 300G. And on the other side of the pair, Angelo was flying toward them.

Water was swirling around both Garfield and Aquafibian as the Preyases pincer attack closed in. Aquafibian shifted back to his Aquos form, and he covered Garfield as the Preyases were starting to pummel him. And Garfield was feeling the pain from what was happening to Aquafibian.

"Let's keep up the pressure, Double Ability Activate, Heavenly Healing." Angelo extended his wings.

"As you wish, young master. Both himself and Preyas were healed, increasing both of their power by 500.

Preyas: 200(+500)= 700 / Angelo: 300(+500)= 800

Aquafibian: 300

Marucho confidently placed a card into his gauntlet. "Hit him as hard as you can Preyas! Ability Activate, Wave Jet!" A burst of water engulfed Preyas and he launched off and headed to Aquafibian, flying toward him with the force of a waterfall around him. Angelo flew at his side.

While Garfield was being covered by Aquafibian, he was on his knees, feeling extremely exhausted, and was holding onto his Reversion Form, but it wouldn't be for very long. Within his thoughts, he heard a voice, that very voice was from the person who constantly tugged on his heartstrings. The very person who in her absence, he had become a mess over.

"Garfield..." He clutched his head with his hands, almost trying to silence the flood of memories he was having of her. "I'm sorry..." He heard again as fresh tears fell from the corners of his closed eyes.

"I can't take it anymore!" His eyes shone brightly as there was bright blue energy surrounding his body. In his frustration, he let out an angered cry while all his muscles tensed up.

As Preyas and Angelo were closing in, a rushing tower of water exploded upward, making the pair stop in their tracks.

"OH NO!" Marucho cried. "Be careful you two, something is happening!"

When the waterfall tower exploded outward, there was rain and mist that fell all over the battlefield. Garfield appeared while standing in his Ascended Reversion form with Aquafibian following behind him. However, there looked to be constant tears falling from his eyes. Their power levels increased by 200Gs, putting him at 500Gs.

Garfield was thinking about attacking Marucho directly and both his right fists clenched. "Garfield... you know we can't."

"Fine!" Preyas was covered in water and was speeding to the pair of them.

Garfield held up a card and his legs were shining bright yellow. His four arms created a tremendous orb of water that had electric surges dancing around it. "Ability Activate, Surf Aura!" He flung the orb at Preyas which completely stopped his attack, making him fall to his stomach.

"Ow! That hurt!"

Preyas: 700 / Aquafibian: 500(+500)= 1000

Angelo flew up and he flipped, changing back to Diablo. The demonic chameleon tightly held his pitchfork. "Let me finish these two!"

Marucho put a card into his gauntlet while watching Diablo dive toward Aquafibian. "Ability Activate, Eternal Torment!"

Preyas: 700 / Diablo: 800(+800)= 1600

Aquafibian: 1000(-400)= 600

"It's OVER!" Diablo exclaimed.

Garfield immediately had an ability ready. "Reversion Ability Activate, Terrain Shroud!" Aquafibian changed his attribute to Subterra and his body became encased in rocks with Garfield standing behind him when Diablo's pitchfork crashed into the rock barrier, he bounced right back and flipped onto his feet. Marucho's mouth was a gape as Aquafibian's power level increased by 500. Putting him at 1100

"WHAT!"

"Terrain Shroud makes Aquafibian immune to your next three abilities!" Garfield said with an angered tone. Garfield extended his hands as he changed to Aquos, his feathers were glowing and there were large water rings that were generated on each of his four hands. He tossed them, making them grow in mid-air and they each cut through Diablo forcing him down to his knees.

Diablo: 1600(-700)= 900 / Aquafibian: 1100

Aquafibian then rushed as sharp jets of water cloaked each of his arms while returning to his Aquos form. "Slashing Fury!"

Diablo: 900(-400)= 500 / Aquafibian: 1100(+600)= 1700

"CRAP!" Preyas exclaimed. "Do something, Marucho!"

"R-right!" He panicked and quickly threw a card into his gauntlet. "Ability Activate, Water Refrain!" The water blades dissipated as Preyas was in front of Diablo.

"Hang back, let me handle this!"

Preyas: 700 / Diablo: 900

Aquafibian: 1100

"This is our last chance. Let's make it count! Ability Activate, Blue Stealth!" Preyas waved his hands over his face.

"Haha, now ya see me! Now you don't!"

Preyas: 700(+400)= 1100 / Aquafibian: 1100(-400)= 700

When Preyas was heading toward Aquafibian, both he and Garfield hovered up to avoid Preyas attacking them from the ground. "If Preyas was to attack us up here..."

Garfield nodded. "He can't naturally fly so he will only come at us from one direction, and that is where we will hit back." right as he mentioned this, they heard cracking from the ground below them indicating that Preyas had leaped up. They heard screaming coming from Diablo as his wings were engulfed in flames as he was attacking from the air.

Garfield closed his eyes. "I'm getting tired of this! Aquafibian, go for Diablo, I'll take care of Preyas!" He dove right to where he could see the slightly distorted camouflage that Preyas was hiding behind. He held a brand new ability card and it had a multicolored shine as he used he triggered its activation.

"Ascended Reversion Ability…" Garfield had crushed the card by punching the side of his fist into his open left palm. In the process of removing his fist from his palm, he was creating a tremendous blade of water, roughly four times bigger than him with rock lining the back of the sword, steam was rising from the watery blade as it looked to be heated, with gusts of wind keeping the water together. Sparks danced around the entire water blade while there was poisonous darkus energy forming the tip of the weapon

"WHAT THE HELL!" Aquafibian built the same blade as he flew on a collision course with Diablo.

Garfield swung his tremendous sword down on Preyas who didn't have anywhere to go.

"NO PREYAS!" Marucho saw yet another glimpse of Preyas going into a black whirlpool created by a certain Mermaid Bakugan. His eyes grew wide open as Garfield went for his final attack.

"INFINITE SILENCE!"

His elemental blade made contact with Preyas, forcing his entire body down while Garfield continued pushing the blade down. Aquafibian had sliced right through Diablo with the same blade and the pain was tremendous, to the point where he was instantly defeated. "DAMMIT!" After taking the hit, he transformed into his ball form.

"RAAAAAHHH!" Garfield was screaming in anger and frustration; he channeled all his stress into that large sword that had contacted Preyas, and rather than slice through him, the impact was blunt, sending him falling to the ground, along with Garfield and the large blade. The sword slammed Preyas into the ground, creating a tremendous flash of white energy that created a violent tremor that shook the entire city while forcing a huge shockwave that managed to topple over any small buildings within a several-mile radius. The Bayview towers somehow still stood, but all its windows were destroyed, and several upper floors were blown off.

"PREYAS!" Marucho and Elfin exclaimed as they were both rushing through the dust as Preyas hadn't returned to them.

Preyas: 1100(-800)= 300 / Diablo: 900(-800)= 100

Aquafibian: 700(+800)=1500

When the dust cleared, Garfield was on his hands and knees in his base form and he appeared to be in a giant crater. Inside the mass with him, were the two Bakugan Preyas and Diablo, both lying silent in their ball forms.

"Hurry Marucho! We gotta get them back!" Elfin exclaimed as Marucho slid down into the crater. When he saw Garfield on his knees, he attempted to run toward him but Aquafibian landed in between them, and he let out an angered roar.

He saw that he was getting a transmission from his gauntlet. "Marucho!" He heard Shun's voice. "Something happened around the Bayview Towers, and I'm not getting responses from Lena and Zenet, I'm coming over to you!" Marucho didn't respond as he saw Garfield's body shivering.

"H-hey!" he exclaimed, getting Garfield's attention. When the fellow Aquos battler rose, he could see tears falling down his cheeks.

"Whoa…" Elfin gasped. "Um… weird that you're crying… especially since you won."

"Just shut up…" wind blew past them as both battlers just stared in silence at each other, Garfield maintaining his glare as he held both Preyas and Diablo/Angelo in his hand.

"This isn't right…" Marucho said. "For some reason… something is telling me that we shouldn't be battling." Garfield remained silent. "And I've been seeing things, memories that couldn't have happened yet they felt so real. And losing Preyas…" he clenched his fists. "I see that over and over…"

Garfield sniffed. "I'd help restore your memories… but your friend is on the way and… I've got to fight him off…" Garfield collapsed to one knee in pain and exhaustion.

"ENOUGH!" Aquafibian exclaimed… "You are in no shape to keep fighting…" Marucho had put his backpack down in front of Garfield.

"There's water and a few rations in there. Based on where Shun was, it will probably take him ten minutes to get here."

"You're helping me?"

"I lost to you… besides fighting like this… bringing a planet to ruin… it just feels wrong. I just ask that you-"

Before Marucho could finish his request, Garfield had tossed the two Bakugan toward him. Garfield sat down and had his hands over his eyes. Marucho decided to sit down next to him. "You know if you need someone to talk to…"

Garfield shook his head. "Maybe… but right now, I have some memories to restore. Wait..." he eyed Preyas. "Why did you decide to help out Marucho like that? Even though you knew what was going on?"

"Well, me helping Marucho would hopefully help jog any dormant memories. And it looks like it worked. Somewhat... It was Alice's idea."

Garfield rolled his eyes. "Of course, it was." He started to eat the munitions that Marucho provided.

---

As quakes and crumbling of buildings were echoing around the area, Zaria groaned as she was slowly rising from the rubble around her. "AH!" She held her pained stomach, and when her eyes examined it, she saw bandages stained with dry blood covering the wound that Shun had caused.

"Zaria." She saw Dragness standing on a broken-down wall while watching her. "How are you feeling?"

Zaria tried to stand but her midsection was hurting too much so she slowly moved her legs, but she wasn't fit to stand yet. "Like I just walked out of a tornado..."

"Take it slowly... you're still recovering."

She remembered the outcome of the battle. "I over-did it, didn't I?" Dragness didn't respond but only lowered her head. "The others put their trust in me... Hell, even you trusted me! And I blew it! God, what is wrong with me!?" Dragness said nothing, as much as Zaria needed to hear an 'I told you so' from her. With the combination of the wounds and the crippling loss, she didn't want to push Zaria over the edge.

"We can't stay here... we must get to a safe area." Zaria slowly tried getting up, but the pain overwhelmed her. Her anxiety spiked when she heard footsteps approaching her.

"Oh great... now what?" While she tried to move her legs, she saw three people coming over to her, with one of them being Phoenix. The other two were the Gundalians whom he was formerly engaged in battle.

"Huh? Oh, it's you. Hold up... aren't those two on Yukiko's side." Zaria asked.

"Never mind that. What happened to you?" The Fabregan inquired.

She tried to provide levity to the situation. "Heh, Shun, happened. I tried to show off and got a major ass-kicking for it."

Lena nodded. "Well, you certainly look worse for wear."

The Alursian saw Zenet reaching her hand out to her. "C'mon, you can trust me. Your friend over there explained everything. Plus he and his friend beat us... so no use fighting against you if we've got no strength to fight y'know..." Zaria reached her hand and was being pulled up slowly by the Gundalian. "Geez why are you so heavy!?"

The lion scowled at that statement. "You trying to say somethin'!?"

Zenet became flushed as she tried to laugh off her unintentional insult. "Forgive my companion." Lena started. "Zenet isn't very... thoughtful with her words."

"By the way..." Phoenix eyed Lena. "Did you send out that withdrawal order yet?"

Lena nodded. "Yes, I sent it out, but it only spread as far as Bayview... as for the other attacking hotspots, I nor Marucho have any authority there."

"SCREEEEEE!" they covered their ears as a speeding Skyress was heading over to the damaged Bayview towers.

"Right... Shun is still standing..." Phoenix said. "He looked over at his gauntlet to see he still had some of his life gauge left."

"Don't even think about it..." Zaria said in between coughs. "Shun's way too powerful now that he's got a Reversion Form."

"And I don't know where that Garfield is... which means the only one who would even stand a chance against him is-"

"MAKE WAY!" They saw Marvellion with Jax on her back, flying through another street, going in the same direction as Shun.

Zaria was being held up by both Phoenix and Zenet. "So, on a scale of one to ten... how screwed are we?"

"We'll be a lot less screwed if we stack the odds in our favor." He let out an audible sigh. "I'm about to help the kid do something incredibly dumb…" he tossed Metal Almos skyward making the Bakugan stand in the air. As soon as Almos appeared in the air, it lowered to the ground allowing Phoenix to climb on. "All of you get on, right now! We're heading to the center of all this!"

---

At the same time, Marucho was giving a pitied look toward Garfield, his memories had been restored and he had learned of what Garfield had been going through. "Whoa…" Preyas said. "That's a lot, kid."

Marucho got up and reached a hand to the sitting Garfield. "Getting over someone who is gone isn't easy, especially if you keep seeing her. A lot is being asked of you, you're even putting yourself through so much. And you haven't had enough time to heal… And taking your frustrations out will only be a temporary fix in your case." Garfield took his hand and was helped up to his feet. "I think you should seriously consider therapy; you've got to have someone talk you through this, maybe a professional can help you better than your friends could."

Before Garfield could give his answer, they both heard Skyress' caw echoing through the air. Garfield's fists clenched on instinct. "Wait!" Marucho exclaimed. "If Shun used his Reversion Catalyst, I'm not sure if you've got enough to"

He saw Garfield and Aquafibian transform into their Ascended Reversion Forms. "I've got to do something…" he thought about it. "I've got two Reversion Abilities and some regular abilities in me… He eyed his partner.

"If you can't go on, I'll cut off the connection. I don't want you to completely fatigue yourself." He slowly nodded before leaping up into the sky to meet the green glint that was Skyress.

Marucho looked skyward. "You think he will be, ok?" Elfin asked.

"He's going for a quick finish, and if he can't handle it. Do you think you can take on Skyress?"

She shivered. "O-oh me! U-um… maybe…? Probably not..."

Storm Skyress: 950 / Aquafibian: 950

…

Shun was eying the battlefield where Garfield and Marucho battled, he noticed that it was completely decimated. "SHUN BELOW US!"

"HUH?!"

Garfield was holding a card as he quickly switched attributes to Ventus and flew straight up, past Shun and Skyress, and looked right down at the Ventus pairing. "Ability Activate, Sludge Explosion!" both Garfield and Aquafibian grabbed their oval-shaped pods on their shoulders and they tossed them.

Storm Skyress: 950(-600)= 350/ Aquafibian: 950

Skyress was caught and both of them were caught within the toxic pods that exploded in front of them.

The toxic cloud consumed them and Skyress had to take to the ground to get her bearings. On the other end, Garfield and Aquafibian landed hard. Garfield was sweating and letting out tired panting. Shun also looked fatigued, but not to the same extent as Garfield.

Shun was seen placing a card into his gauntlet. "Reversion Ability Activate, Whirlwind Impact Storm!" Skyress extended her wings and flew right at Garfield and Aquafibian while she had bladed feathers surrounding her, however, there was a purple sheen surrounding her. Shun felt fatigued and fell to his knee.

Storm Skyress: 350(+550/2)= 600 / Aquafibian: 950(-550/2)= 700

Aquafibian had thrown himself toward Skyress and they both collided. Skyress flew back and she recovered but her exhaustion was showing. "Ok… let's do this together!" Garfield said to which Aquafibian nodded. But Shun was sprinting over to the pair of them.

"Reversion Ability - Lightning Slasher!" Shun swung his arm and made small, piercing beams that were passing through both Aquafibian and Garfield, cutting through them.

Storm Skyress: 600(+300/2)= 750 / Aquafibian: 700(-300/2)= 550

Shun palmed Garfield in the stomach, sending him flying back. He was trying to knock him out of his Ascended Reversion Form, but Garfield got up and rubbed his nose. Garfield raised his fists. "I'm going to distract him. See if you can hold off Skyress… as soon as you find an opening, we'll strike!"

Aquafibian nodded. "That won't be easy… but I'll try!" But Skyress had flown through Aquafibian, damaging both him and Garfield.

…

Marucho was trying to climb out of the crater that was created. "Hurry Marucho!" Preyas exclaimed. "I'm not sure if the kid can hold off Shun."

When Marucho climbed out he stretched his back and a blue blur rushed past them. "Whoa... what was that!?" Elfin questioned.

...

Shun threw a palm into Garfield's chin, dazing him, while he dizzily stepped back. "Draconic Tail!" he heard, within a second, Marvellion was seen slapping Skyress with her tail. Jax was seen running over to Garfield. "Hey! Need help?"

Storm Skyress: 750

Aquafibian: 550 / Marvellion: 750(+300)= 1050

Shun immediately flew back as the Aquos battlers stood together.

"Do you think you can fight him head-on?" Garfield asked. To which Jax gasped and rapidly shook his head. "Then get Marvellion to keep Skyress busy!"

Marvellion eyed both Jax and Garfield while being out of earshot and nodded with a wink. "Keep Skyress busy. Got it!"

"H-huh? How did Marvellion hear that from all the way out there?"

Garfield closed his eyes and gave the Fabregan a knowing smirk. "Perhaps... you two are closer than you think if you know what I'm saying." he gulped. "I'll keep Shun busy, then Aquafibian and Marvellion will double team Skyress." he rushed toward Shun. "Slashing Fury!" Aquafibian and Garfield both had their arms covered in rushing water before progressing toward their opponents.

Storm Skyress: 750(-400)= 350 / Aquafibian: 550(+600)= 1150

Shun immediately threw a card into his gauntlet. "Reversion Ability Activate, Phoenix Storm Riser!" both his and Skyress's accents were pulsing red. Shun sped right to Garfield and both their upper arms clashed like swords as Shun had made himself immune to abilities for a limited time, returning 400Gs plus an additional 300.

Storm Skyress: 350(+400 +300)= 1050 / Aquafibian: 1150

Aquafibian swung his upper right arm while Skyress crossed her wings in defense.

"Ability Activate, Watera's Charm." Marvellion stood within range of everyone on the battlefield while creating a tremendous bubble. It quickly grew to a tremendous glob of water above her head. Her power rose by 300, putting her at 1350Gs.

Marvellion giggled. "Get Ready!" the large mass of water exploded sending water bubbles flying to both Skyress and Shun. The latter separated himself from Garfield and tried to dodge the bubbles. Marvellion eyed her partner. "Hey, partner check this out!" She was using an ability all by herself.

"H-huh!?"

"Speed Scale!" a bright green aura oddly surrounded Jax, his body felt extremely light. Jax was extremely confused. "What are you waiting for? Go get 'im!" Jax saw Shun trying to avoid the water bubbles. The Fabregan took a deep breath before he took off into a sprint. Everything around him became a blur as he was leaping across everything as if the world was slow around him. So much so that he was instantly closing in on Shun. He steeled himself and shoved Shun, throwing him off balance, and allowing Watera's Charm to fully make its mark

Storm Skyress: 1050

Aquafibian: 1150 / Marvellion: 1350(+100)= 1450

"Sorry!" Jax exclaimed while Shun stood up.

"NOOO! Don't apologize!" Marvellion cried. Skyress and Aquafibian were still crashing in the air.

"Skyress's power is not going down!" Jax noted.

"That's because of the Phoenix Storm Riser, so they are immune to their power levels dropping!" Garfield responded.

Shun was approaching them. "Double Ability Activate, Sky Meteor Flare!" Shun's body gleamed brightly blinding both Garfield and Jax taking power from Marvellion and Jax.

Storm Skyress: 1050(+450)= 1500 / Marvellion: 1350(-450)= 900

When the glare started to fade, they heard a phoenix screech from above them. "Destruction Maximum Impact!" he dove down toward Jax aiming to kick him.

Storm Skyress: 1500(+500)= 2000 / Marvellion: 900(-500)= 400

Everything darkened around Jax as all he could see was Shun falling toward him. He was about to bring his arms over his head to protect himself, but he heard Marvellion's voice echoing in his head.

"Believe in yourself and believe in the both of us!" He eyed his hand where he could see scales growing over his skin. His blonde hair was blowing as his body started to mirror Marvellion's, with his skin becoming blue with two separate mermaid tails each with three tail fins growing from his backside, his ears were replaced with aquatic frills, and his red eyes took more reptilian shape. A seashell formed on his head and there was a seashell on the top of his hands.

He watched Shun getting closer and closer and his eyes flashed blue. "VENGEANCE SCALE!" A blue outline covered his body. He crossed his arms over his face and felt Shun's foot crashing into his arms. "AAAAAHHH!" he felt the pain, but fought against it and when Shun stepped back, he could see that his body was encased in a bright white aura as energy scales formed around him. He threw his hands sending the aquatic needles in Shun's direction as they all passed through him, hurting him greatly. The glowing red aura faded as he fell to his knees.

Storm Skyress: 2000(-500*2)= 1000 / Marvellion: 400(+500*2)= 1400

"SHUN!" Skyress exclaimed. Thanks to this reaction, Marvellion in her new Reversion Form had butted heads. The phoenix crashed into the ground.

Marvellion floated down to her feet with her new twin mermaid tails that were mostly green going to blue and her skin was a pale blue and her eyes had eye rings that mirrored Jax's gold eye rings. She had seashells on her forehead and the tops of her hands. "Whoa…!" Marvellion exclaimed. "Un-real! I've got a Reversion Form!"

"No!" she heard Jax say as he eyed her seriously before he grinned. "We have a Reversion Form!" he quipped before giving a thumbs up.

"Aww haha!"

Shun was slowly getting up and Garfield had communicated something to his partner within his mind. He then touched Jax's shoulder. "Listen, we've got to end this! And I can do that… so I need you to keep him busy."

"U-um..."

"We're on it!" Marvellion exclaimed. She flew toward Skyress while Jax was running toward Shun.

When the Ventus pairing saw Jax and Marvellion heading toward them. Shun tried to move forward, but he felt his lower half aching. "Shun, you're pushing yourself too hard! The last fight already took a lot out of you."

When he saw Jax come close, his head was hurting but fought it, stood up, and gazed right at his opponent. As he got close, he slowed Jax's charge and threw an elbow into the chest of the young Fabregan. When Jax rolled back, he bounced off his two tails. 'Wait... That didn't hurt as much as I thought it would!' He bounced back toward Shun while he smiled. Both were exchanging blows while they hung in the air.

Skyress was also absorbing blows from Marvellion, but she was on the defensive and this would prove to be fatal as both Jax and Marvellion were starting to attack in sync. "You're in for it now, Buster! Draconic Whip!" her twin mermaid tails shone bright green with swirls of water surrounding them. Jax and Marvellion had front flipped, maximizing the momentum they could get from the impact their tails would provide. Both Shun and Skyress were hit.

Storm Skyress: 1000 / Marvellion: 1400(+600)= 2000

When Shun and Skyress were struggling to get up, Garfield saw his chance. "If this won't take them out, nothing will." He held up a Reversion Ability Card and it would hopefully for him, be his last one. "Reversion Ability Activate, Toxic Pump!" the toxic pods on their shoulders were glowing dark purple. The toxins were traveling through their veins and made their way to the veins in their throats. Garfield had leaped onto the shoulder of his partner, and he saw that the poison was spreading through his veins to his hands.

"Garfield..."

"Yeah, I'm ready!" Aquafibian then fired a powerful jet of purple water from his mouth while Garfield fired two jets from his hands that looked to cross with Aquafibians's water jet, creating a drill of poisonous water that was so toxic it looked to be burning the ground it traveled over.

Shun saw it coming toward him and he eyed Skyress for a second and saw the ghastly figure of the person that had been haunting him for the past couple of hours. "Now, Go have some fun." Something clicked inside of him, nothing about what he had seen made sense, he didn't know this woman, he knew for a fact that she meant nothing to him... but he was swept by an overwhelming urge to protect her, to save her... he felt a sense of helplessness as he saw her shut her eyes on her literal death bed, he didn't want that feeling again! He didn't want to lose her again! "NO!" using the last of his Reversion Power he flew in front of Skyress, both his hands were shining ocean green. He extended his arms and was the first point of contact that Garfield's combination attack had hit.

"SHUN! NO! What are you doing!?"

"I'M... I'm not going to lose you! NOT AGAIN!" he roared but the tremendous water jets were slowly overwhelming him as sparkles were leaking off his body and into the atmosphere.

Storm Skyress: 1000(-800)= 200 / Aquafibian: 1150

Shun could barely hold onto his Reversion Form, right when his eyes shut, memories started flooding into his head, battling alongside Dan, defeating Oberon and a visage of his mother, as well as watching his partner dealing the final blow to a Fusion Bakugan named Hairadee. All the while the voices of his grandfather trying to make him quit Bakugan while his mother was encouraging him. Shun returned to reality as he was still somehow holding back Garfield's attack.

His eyes shot open as the artificial eye rings had disappeared. He was filled with a sense of tranquility and the next second, he was covered in the toxic water as the water drill broke through Shun's defenses throwing him backward, luckily for him, Skyress was right there to catch him as he shifted back into his base form. Both were sent crashing hard into the ground.

"SHUN!" Marucho worriedly screamed as he was running over to where Shun and Skyress were last seen. Ahead of him, he could see Garfield and Aquafibian heading over toward Shun while in their base forms. Above him, Metal Almos was seen flying overhead. "I hope he's ok!"

"You and me both little buddy," Preyas said.

…

Elsewhere, Shun was on his back on the broken-down roads of Bayview, to his side he saw his closed ball form of Skyress crackling with bright green electricity, there was a crack in his gauntlet display but he could read his life gauge reading 0%. "Sky…ress…" he called out with a weak, whisper.

"Shun…? What happened…?" He sat up and he saw the crackling bracelet on his wrist, he grabbed it and threw it off.

"Skyress… what do you remember?"

"It's all hazy… I remember fighting for the Fabregans…"

"Yeah... but I think the others snapped out of it…" he lay back on the ground and closed his eyes. "I'm so tired…"

---

About an hour later, Shun slowly opened his eyes and tiredly sat up, he was greeted with the sight of Zaria who sat in front of them both him and Skyress. "Oh… you're awake." he noticed that his battle scars were bandaged up. "Yeah, I owe you for patching me up after you beat me. I figured I might as well return the favor."

"Where are we?" Shun noticed that he was sitting at a base camp somewhere in Bayview that looked to be watched over by some of those in Fabregn Royal Guard uniform.

"We're in a base camp." they both saw Marucho walking past them. "We're pretty safe here, this was made by some of those from Yukiko's forces that defected. At the moment, Phoenix, Lena, and Zenet are assisting with the evacuation effort. Jax is looking for any stragglers from Yukiko's forces. As for you, you need to rest."

He thought back to the final attack that defeated him. "Wait… where's Garfield?"

"He said he wanted to be alone… he's going through some stuff… right now we just have to wait and recover and hope the invasion doesn't get worse."

-A-

Garfield and Aquafibian were on top of a building, the former was resting on Aquafibian's standing leg. "I'm… I'm sorry…" he said apologizing with tears hanging from his eyes. "I'm always letting my emotions get out of control and I took it out on the nearest thing I could…"

"You just need time… a lot of it. Are you going to consider Marucho's suggestion?"

Garfield pulled out his phone. "Y-yeah I might… but first…" he saw Aisha's name and he pressed her name and tried to dial her. He could hear a dial tone… but nothing afterward as she didn't answer. "She must be in the middle of a battle right now. I hope she's all right. They were in Wardington, right?"

"She's a strong girl, you shouldn't worry about her. You should restore your strength."

Garfield lay his back on the ceiling. "Y-yeah… thanks for not giving up on me, even though I've been very difficult to deal with."

"I didn't give up on you, because I know the real you. The you that is kind and compassionate. You just need a lot of time to heal."

"Thanks, partner. I promise you; I'll pay you back for sticking with me for so long." As he looked up to the night sky, he heard a ding from his phone. He read his notification and saw it was from Aisha

'Sorry, just arrived in Wardington. We'll talk as soon as things calm down here!'

Garfield pocketed his phone. "I wonder what's happening in Wardington?"

---

On the other side of the world, the sun was still high as it was hitting noon in the Japanese city. However, explosions were echoing through Wardington as smoke was rising from many buildings that had been reduced to rubble. Disaster alarms were blaring through the city as police, firefighters, and other public servants were trying to lead civilians to safety.

Many of the local battlers of the city were trying to fight against the invaders, while other Bakugan were hiding or even fighting against the Alursians and Fabregans.

During the evacuation effort, there was an Aquos Juggernoid who was standing by an evacuation route, his partner, a boy in his late teens wearing a blue top, and white shorts was pointing people in the direction of the evacuation shelters. "Hurry! This way!"

"Christopher! Above us!" His Bakugan called out. He looked once he looked up, his purple eyes shrunk as he saw a certain Dragonoid land close by with his partner, Dan Kuso, smirking at him with his artificial eye rings, glowing. His short brown hair blew wildly after Drago produced a shockwave that threatened to blow him off his feet.

"Dan?"

In response, he mockingly chuckled. "Do I know you?"

Another rumble was heard and Linehalt landed next to Drago. "Dan, stop messing around, we've got to clear out the city of all resistance. That includes any Bakugan that aren't ours." Ren said as he leaped off his partner.

"Chill, Ren I can send this guy packing in my sleep!"

Before they both could do something, a Ravenoid landed beside Juggernoid. Leaping to the ground was Nene, she glared at the two as her Ravenoid folded his arms. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but if you're helping the invaders, then I'm going to beat some sense into you!"

"You're welcome to try, brat!" Dan spat back as Drago angrily roared, the angered bellow was enough to shake the entire area. Dan flicked his nose with his thumb before his confident demeanor turned serious. "Let's get to work, Drago!"

---

I'm really, really sorry for the long wait. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Take care and I'll hopefully see you guys soon.