"Alright… Let's see…", Kudo Shinichi mumbled to himself as he chose his Pyrus Bakugan for today's battles. He wore black sneakers, blue jeans, black fingerless gloves and a red shirt. At his jeans' belt was attached a black white white outline pouch, holding all of his Gate Cards & Abikity Cards, while next to it was a Bakugan holder, where he would place three Bakugan.
"KUDO!!! COME ON!!! I'M NOT GONNA WAIT ALL NIGHT!", a male voice cried from outside Shinichi's room window.
Shinichi opened the window and shouted, "IF YOU CAME ALL THE WAY TO EKODA TO BATTLE ME AS USUAL THEN YOU GOTTA WAIT, KUROBA!!".
Shinichi closed the window before grabbing his Bakugan, placing them in the holder, and going downstairs to leave the manor.
He reached the streets to see Kuroba Kaito waiting impatiently. He was wearing blue sneakers with khaki shorts, same holder and pouch (blue outline) attached, and blue shirt, blue fingerless gloves, with a blue cap on his head, with the visor pointing behind him.
"Just because I couldn't find any Bakugan Players in Ekoda and I've been coming here for two weeks to battle with you, doesn't mean you get two to take two hours getting ready!", Kaito said annoyed.
"I was giving you the chance to back down, since my Bakugan are stronger than yours.", Shinichi smirked making Kaito snort.
"Your Bakugan may have greater G-Power but my magic tricks always find a way!", Kaito cried.
Both eyed each other before they pulled out a black card and cried as they flipped it with Shinichi's card glowing red while Kaito's glowed blue, "Field Open!".
The world changed around them into a vast area with a smokey like sky with different glowing colors while the ground was pure white.
Both 12 year olds pulled out a black card with gray circular area in the middle and threw them on the field crying, "Gate Card, Set!".
Shinichi's gate card landed across Kaito while Kaito's landed across Shinichi, both expanding into gigantic sizes.
"You started the last battle, I'll start now!", Kaito cried as he threw an Aquos Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl!".
"Bakugan Stand!", He cried once the Bakugan landed on his card, the Bakugan opening, it's eys glowed blue before blue light surrounded it as it growed into gigantic humanoid falcon.
"Aquos Falconeer!", Kaito announced it's name.
Shinichi started at the red device placed on his red wrist with a small screen and keyboard; his BakuPod. It displayed his and Kaito's image and showed that both didn't win any battles, and displayed Falconeer's Bakugan image and his monster image, under it his G-Power.
Aquos Falconeer: 340 Gs
'His Bakugan, his card, I better be careful. He won last time because he always tricked me into battling on his card.', Shinichi thought before he pulled out and threw and another Gate Card, "Gate Card, Set!".
His Card landed next to Kaito's and expanded.
Shinichi then threw his Bakugan and it landed across Kaito's, "Bakugan Brawl!".
"Bakugan Stand! Pyrus Mantris!". A mantis-like Bakugan stood face to face with Falconeer.
Aquos Falconeer: 340 gs
Pyrus Mantris: 390 gs
"Gate Card Open!", Kaito cried. The black gate card glowed before showing on a purple background the six Bakugan attributes as he cried, "Attribute Boost!".
Aquos Falconeer: 340 Gs 200 Gs = 540 Gs
"Ability Card Activate! Frame Water!".
Aquos Falconeer: 540 Gs 100 Gs = 640 Gs
"Bye Kudo!", Kaito smirked in English as Falconeer hoarsed while flying down towards Mantris.
"Why?", Shinichi asked with a smirk as he pulled out a card and cried, "Ability Card Activate! Marionette!".
Mantris's green eyes glowed as it grabbed Falconeer once it was close with its legs and threw it on Shinichi's Gate Card.
"What the…", Kaito cried in disbelief.
"I can't really leave your Bakugan waiting so… Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!", Shinichi shrugged arrogantly before throwing his Bakugan towards his card where Falconeer was present.
"Pyrus Warius!", an ogre-like Bakugan holding a club appeared across Falconeer.
Aquos Falconeer: 640 Gs
Pyrus Warius: 350 Gs
"Gate Card Open!", Shinichi cried as his card changed into a gray one with a mysterious language writing in black, "Final Judgement!".
Aquos Falconeer: 640 Gs – 640 Gs = 0 Gs
Pyrus Warius: 350 Gs
Warius growled as he swung his club, throwing Falconeer, who cried in pain out of the gate card, before it changed in blue light back to its sphere form and landed at Kaito's feet.
Shinichi's gate card disappeared just as Pyrus Warius transformed into it's sphere form and returned automatically to Shinichi's hand.
Kaito Kuroba: 0
Shinichi Kudo: 1
"You should really get a Mantris Bakugan, since you're supposed to be a Magician with tricks.", Shinichi teased.
"Oh I'll show you!", Kaito cried angrily as he threw his Bakugan at where Mantris was standing, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Aquos Siege!", a knight-like Bakugan stood face to face with Mantris.
Aquos Siege: 400 Gs
Pyrus Mantris: 350 Gs
"Ability Card Activate! Marionette!", Shinichi cried.
"Ability Card Activate! Water Refrain!", Kaito cried.
Siege slammed his lance on the ground forming a large water dome around Mantris, preventing it from moving. Siege then charged at Mantris and stabbed the lance in its heart, throwing it outside the gate card, before it changed to its sphere form and landed at Shinichi's feet. Kaito's card disappeared as Siege changed into sphere form and returned automatically to Kaito's hand.
Kaito Kuroba: 1
Shinichi Kudo: 1
"Don't get too cocky, Kudo, I'm not called the Aquos Magician for nothing!", Kaito cried proudly.
"And I'm not called the Pyrus Detective for nothing, Barou!", Shinichi cried as he threw his last Gate Card, "Gate Card, Set!", it landed and expanded next to his current one that was present.
Shinichi pulled out the only Bakugan he was allowed to use as he used the other two, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
The Bakugan opened to reveal a dragon-like bakugan before a huge fire tornado surrounded the sphere for seconds before it disappeared, revealing a large two headed Dragon Bakugan with two wings.
"Pyrus Nillious!".
Pyrus Nillious: 450 Gs
"Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!", Kaito cried as he threw his last Bakugan at Shinichi's card across Nillious.
A huge whirlpool appeared on the ground before a frog-like humanoid jumped out of it and landed across Nillious.
"Aquos Elfin!".
Aquos Elfin: 450 Gs
Pyrus Nillious: 450 Gs
"Gate Card, Open! Mind Ghost!", Shinichi cried as his card changed into gray.
Kaito's eyes widened once he saw both Bakugan returning to their sphere forms and falling on the ground toward their owner's feet. He looked at his blue BakuPod placed on his right wrist.
Kaito Kuroba: 2
Shinichi Kudo: 2
'Why would Kudo make himself lose and be at risk like that?', Kaito wondered.
"Kuroba,", Shinichi called making Kaito look at him in interest, "Listen, if I win this time, I want you to join me.".
"Join you?", Kaito asked with a raised eyebrow.
"My neighbour two blocks from here happens to be Kuso Danma, the Pyrus Battle Brawler. He spoke to me about forming a corresponding Battle Brawlers team and a part of them called Battle Vanguard, of the best players in each attribute, to stop the players using Bakugan for evil purposes or stealing other players' Bakugan. And you're the best Aquos player I know, if I win you join me, alright?".
'So Kudo wanted to shorten the battle to get straight the point huh?', Kaito thought before he tilted his head to the side, 'So I get to battle bullies and kick their asses as much as I want? Neat!'.
"Alright, but if I win… I'll be the leader!", Kaito smirked before he threw his Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Aquos Elfin!", Elfin appeared as before and stood ready.
"Pfft.. In your dreams.", Shinichi scoffed as he threw his Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Pyrus Nillious!", Nillious appeared as before and stood ready.
Aquos Elfin: 450 Gs
Pyrus Nillious: 450 Gs
"Gate Card Open!", Shinichi cried, "Trade Off!".
Elfin changed back to its sphere form and landed in front of Kaito's feet.
Kaito Kuroba: 2
Shinichi Kudo: 3
"What the…", Kaito mumbled in disbelief.
"Trade off is a Gate Card that has my opponent's Bakugan, if it's G-Power is 400 or more, automatically lose.", Shinichi said before he smirked widely, "See why I'm the leader now?".
The arena changed back to the real world as Kaito said, "I'm actually impressed, you don't battle with the same Gate Cards or Bakugan every time.".
"Can't let you read my moves before doing it.", Shinichi said before he motioned for Kaito to follow him.
"Nice house!", Kaito said as he hopped on Shinichi's bed.
Both boys were present in Shinichi's room, with the latter sitting at his desk, using his laptop, while Kaito was slouching on the bed.
"So where are your parents?", Kaito asked curiously.
"America. I live alone from now on.", Shinichi said coldly, making Kaito look at him with slight pity.
"Why would they leave you?", He asked.
"Don't know, and since they didn't care to tell me, I don't care to know. I have my Bakugan, Ran, and Agasa-Hakase here.", Shinichi added, "What about yours?".
"Funny thing, my mother did like your parents, she is in Vegas now… Oyaji… died when I was 8.", Kaito said solemnly.
Shinichi stopped typing at the laptop and turned to Kaito with pity, "I'm sorry.".
"It's okay… I often hang out at Aoko's house.", Kaito said, a slight blush escaping him, making Shinichi smirk.
"You're Girlfriend?", He asked.
"No!", Kaito denied, but his now fully blushing cheeks weren't helping him, "Childhood friend, like you and Mouri.".
"You said no Bakugan players were in Ekoda, right?", Shinichi asked as he stared at something on his laptop in confusion.
"Yeah, I tried to convince Aoko, but she thinks Bakugan is boring, she doesn't believe the whole monsters and stuff… And she is currently traveling, her parents got the chance to have a holiday and they're traveling together for a week.", Kaito explained, "So I'm staying alone now.".
"Well, considering the fact that we've been meeting each other for battles, talking, and hanging out for two weeks…", Shinichi trailed off as he raised his hand for Kaito, "Friends? You can stay here for the mean time.".
"I already told Aoko about my new Beika friend a week ago.", Kaito smiled as he got up and shook hands with Shinichi, "Yeah, Friends.".
"Then look here.", Shinichi said as he pointed at the laptop screen. The screen displayed the Bakugan News website and Kaito looked at where Shinichi was pointing.
"It says here, a new boy has arrived yesterday in Beika, and no one was able to defeat that Subterra user.", Shinichi explained.
"He must not be in the same area as I am in Ekoda, or else I would've met him.", Kaito said confused.
"I need to check that guy out, he might be the Subterra Vanguard Brawler I'm looking for.", Shinichi said.
"So you're the Pyrus Vanguard Brawler and I'm the Aquos Vanguard Brawler, so only four Bakugan Vanguard Brawlers remain.", Kaito counted on his fingers.
"Three.", Shinichi corrected for Kaito making him look at him confused, "Ran is the Haos Vanguard Brawler.".
"No.", Kaito disagreed.
"What do you mean by no?", Shinichi said as he shut down his laptop and closed it, turning to face Kaito.
"You may be the leader, but I'm one of the team, and you need to take my opinion. I haven't seen Mouri brawl, so I'm not sure if you chose her for her skills, or because you'd like to stare at her face all day long.", Kaito said seriously, making a vein pop in Shinichi's head.
"You wanna see her brawl?! I'll-". Shinichi was interrupted by children crying outside of his window. He and Kaito shared a look before they ran downstairs and outside of the house.
Kaito and Shinichi paled at the scene they saw. Mouri Ran was twisting the arm of a 17-year-old teenager, who was crying and begging to be let go, while the other two boys were staring at her fearfully.
She was wearing a white jeans, with same gear as Shinichi attached but with white outline, black shirt, over it a white opened vest, and black fingerless gloves, and her white BakuPod on her right wrist.
"Try to touch me or my Bakugan again, and I'll make you all regret it.", Ran told the three boys with a sweet smile.
"I still can't tell if she can Bakugan Brawl or not, but she can definitely Brawl…", Kaito commented fearfully.
"H-how about a Bakugan Brawl?!", One of the boys cried, "You defeated our cousin in hand-to-hand combat but you won't be able to beat me and Akira in a Bakugan Brawl!".
"Then I'll be her partner for this tag team battle!", Kaito announced as he ran to stand next to Ran, Shinichi following him behind.
Ran looked at Shinichi and Kaito as she let go off the boy's arm, who ran back to stand behind the brothers as she iasked, "Let me guess, this is Kuroba whom you talk about?".
"Yeah… I won today and he joined the Vanguard Brawlerd and I told him you're the Haos Brawler, but he wants to make sure you're good enough for it.", Shinichi sighed tiredly.
Ran blinked before she looked at Shuji and Akira, who looked at her and Kaito ready. "Weird coincidence this is.".
"I'll just watch you guys then.".
Shuji, Akira, Kaito, and Ran pulled out a field card as they cried, "Field Open!".
The world around them changed again as before with Shinichi and Kaito. Now Ran and Kaito stood next to each other, Shinichi behind them. Across them were Shuji and Akira, behind them their crying cousin.
The four pulled out a Gate Card before throwing it while crying, "Gate Card Set!".
Akira's card landed across Ran while hers across Akira, while Shuji's card landed across Kaito while his across Shuji.
"You guys start.", Ran said nicely.
"Being nice won't get you out of here.", Shuji smirked.
"I'm being nice now because I won't be in brawling.", Ran continued in the same nice attitude.
Shuji looked at her angrily as he said, "Then I'll start!".
"Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!", Shuji threw a black Bakugan that landed on his card.
It opened to reveal a scorpion like Bakugan. It's eyes glowed purple before in purple light, it changed into a large scorpion-like creature with two pincers.
"Darkus Stinglash!", Shuji cried.
"My turn then.", Kaito said as he cracked his knuckles before he threw his Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Aquos Falconeer!", Kaito announced as his Bakugan's monster form cried, flying across Stinglash.
Darkus Stinglash: 360 Gs
Aquos Falconeer: 340 Gs
"Gate Card, Open! Attribute Boost!", Shuji smirked.
Darkus Stinglash: 360 200 = 560 Gs
Aquos Falconeer: 340 Gs
"Not so fast, Bush head!", Kaito cried as he pulled out an Ability card, "Ability Card Activate! Jump Over!".
"Huh?!", Shuji's eyes widened once he saw his gate card's ability nullified as Falconeer flew ahead to stand on Kaito's gate card.
Darkus Stinglash 560 – 200 = 360 Gs
"Don't worry, Shuji. I'll handle the horned girl!", Akira cried before he threw his Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl, Bakugan Stand!".
"Subterra Terrorclaw!", He cried as the Bakugan's true form was revealed on his gate card.
Subterra Terrorclaw: 300 Gs
"Horned girl…", Ran mumbled as she touched her hair. She narrowed her eyes at Akira and Kaito moved two steps away from her, feeling the deadly aura around her.
"Alright then… I'll show you…", Ran cried as she pulled out a white Bakugan and threw it, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Haos Juggernoid!", A tortoise-like Bakugan's true form was revealed.
Subterra Terrorclaw: 300 Gs
Haos Juggernoid: 330 Gs
"Gate Card Open! Hyper Merge!", Akira cried with a victorious smirk.
Subterra Terrorclaw: 300 100 = 400 Gs
Haos Juggernoid: 330 – 100 = 230 Gs
Juggernoid cried in pain while Terrorclaw howled in power.
"Not so fast, Ability Card Activate! Lightning Shield!", She cried once she pulled out an Ability card, stopping Akira's gate card's ability.
Subterra Terrorclaw: 400 – 100 = 300 Gs
Haos Juggernoid: 230 100 = 330 Gs
"What the?!", Akira cried in disbelief just as Juggernoid charged in anger and knocked Terrorclaw out of the gate card, before in brown light, Terrorclaw returned back to its sphere form and landed at Akira's feet.
"You need to have some focus, you could've stopped me but you were busy being shocked.", Ran pointed out to Akira as she caught her Bakugan that returned back to his sphere form.
Shuji & Akira: 0
Kaito & Ran: 1
"Oh, I like her.", Kaito smiled in excitement before he looked at Stinglash then he threw his Bakugan, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Aquos Elfin!", Kaito cried as his main Bakugan appeared
Darkus Stinglash: 560 Gs
Aquos Elfin: 450 Gs
"Ability Card Activate! Shooting Stardust!", Kaito cried with a wide victorious smile, "Finish him off, Elfin!".
Darkus Stinglash: 560 – 200 = 360 Gs
Aquos Elfin: 450 200 = 650 Gs
Elfin jumped, performed several front flips, before sending a kick down on Stinglash's head, making him cry in pain. Both Bakugan returned back to sphere forms, with Stinglash landing at Shuji's feet while Elfin returned back to Kaito's hand.
Shuji & Akira: 0
Kaito & Ran: 2
"There is still a chance!", Shuji cried angrily as he threw his Bakugan on the only empty Gate card remaining, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
"Darkus Gargonoid!", he cried as a gargonoid-like Bakugan appeared and growled.
Darkus Gargonoid: 350 Gs
"They bullied you, so you must get a chance to kick both their asses.", Kaito told Ran before he pointed at Shuji, "By all means, win this battle.".
"Weird, Shinichi said you're always a menace, I'm surprised you're acting like a gentleman.", Ran said making Kaito glare at Shinichi, who was smirking back at him.
Ran looked at Gargonoid before pulling out a Bakugan and staring at it. She smiled before she threw it, "Bakugan Brawl! Bakugan Stand!".
The Bakugan landed across Gargonoid and opened to reveal dragon-like Bakugan. His eyes' glowed green as a beam of light shot upward, forcing everyone to cover their eyes from the brightness, until the beam disappeared, and a ferocious winged dragon howled.
"Haos Leonidas!", Ran cried.
Darkus Gargonoid: 350 Gs
Haos Leonidas: 450 Gs
"Ability Card Activate! Darkness Judge!", Shuji cried.
Darkus Gargonoid: 350 100 = 450 Gs
Haos Leonidas: 450 Gs
"And you knew need to work on your game strategies.", Ran pointed out to Shuji before yawning as she said, "Gate Card Open. Joker's Wild.".
Shuji's eyes widened as Gargonoid automatically returned back to sphere form and landed at his feet.
Shuji & Akira: 0
Kaito & Ran: 3
"Joker's wild automatically defeats the opponent if his Bakugan is Darkus.", Ran explained as the world around them changed back to the real world.
"This isn't over! We will be back!", Shuji cried as he, Akira, and their cousin ran away.
"Okay I see now why you chose her, she's good.", Kaito told Shinichi.
"We haven't officially met. Mouri Ran.", Ran smiled at Kaito as she raised her hand.
"Kuroba Kaito.", Kaito said as he shook her hand before he used his other hand, performed a magic trick, and a white rose appeared in his hand.
He handed it to her, "A white rose is perfect for a Haos Brawler.".
Ran looked surprised before smiling widely as she took the rose, "Wow! You're a Magician! Thank you!".
Kaito laughed once Shinichi pulled him from the back of his jacket as Shinichi cried angrily, "Oi!".
"So since we got half of the team as Dan-kun wanted, how about we have lunch? I know a place that makes the best ramen in Beika!", Ran said.
"Oh yeah, I'm starving honestly.", Kaito mumbled.
"Let's go then!", Shinichi nodded.
Ran knelt to Kaito and whispered, "Pray a murder doesn't happen as Shinichi has murders happen around him often wherever he goes.".
"OI!!".