It's been a rough few hours for the Brawlers. After the city-wide assault of the Cyber Bakugan, and the one-side curb stomp from Wratheon, they've all been checked into Bakugan City Hospital. When the city was erected, they needed a place for Bakugan and humans alike to be treated.
Everyone from victims of the Cyber Bakugan, to the Brawlers that engaged Wratheon directly, has been brought to the Hospital for treatment.
Caleb and Jayden are sharing a room together, while Luci and Mei are next doors, receiving similar treatment for their injuries. While they took a beating, they were lucky to not receive anything fatale, or at worse physically damaging.
Their partners have also been aided by the staff. While their ball forms provide a recovery period for their strength, the exhaustion and near-death experience of battling Wratheon was a lot for their physical bodies to handle.
Caleb stares at the TV in his room. It's fixated on the News channel with a substitute filling in for Julie. The reporter on set gives a general rundown of the last few hours, going as far as to interview civilians and Bakugan that were caught up in the attack, as well as the few that were safe outside the combat zone.
Jayden just lays on his bed quietly. He's curled up with his eyes staring at the wall. He took a harder beating than Jayden during the battle. Thus his shirt is off with bandages wrapped around his toned body. The slightest twitch brings a sharp pain to him.
Tired of the news, Caleb grabs the remote on the side and turns the TV off.
"I was wondering when you were going to do that," Jayden remarks, still looking away with his back to Caleb.
"That's the first thing you've said to me since we got here," Caleb tries to make light of the atmosphere, but it's clear by Jayden's cold demeanor, it's not working. "I asked the doctor to inform my Mom that I'm safe. I didn't want her to worry about me, or put herself in danger just to check on me."
Jayden breathes in a hard sigh, still remaining motionless toward his roommate. "Me too."
The room door opens up, catching both of their attention, Jayden even lifts himself up from the mattress.
It's Mei. She's dressed in a Hospital gown, she lets herself into the room. "Oh good. You're both awake. Excellent. We need to talk."
Luci enters the room after her, following just short behind wearing a similar gown. Seeing her coming in, Jayden is quick to look around frantically for his shirt but seems to have misplaced it. He meets eyes with Luci as she looks straight at him.
"I…I wanted to make sure you were okay," she blushes as she says that, sliding her hair behind her ear in that cute way you see in anime.
With a dry throat, Jayden struggles to reply. He manages to muster up the words, "Uh, it's okay. I'm right as rain, see." He pats his body, and once again twitches in pain at his hands slapping his bandaged body. "I'm just happy you seem to be doing good too."
The girls take a seat in the room. Mei grabs a chair from the side and pulls it in front of the two beds facing her, while Luci takes a seat at the edge of Jayden's bed.
Despite all four of them being in the same room together and having fought a difficult battle with one another, an awkward silence falls on the room. This is the first time they've interacted with each other outside of a battle.
While Caleb and Jayden are co-called rivals, their interactions are minimal. Jayden and Luci are penpals, but this is the first time they've met in person. And they've all only just met Mei just before the fighting. They are strangers to each other, barely connected by an invisible thread.
"Soooo…," Caleb tries to break the silence, rewarding him with three pairs of eyes shifting in his direction. It's a little spooky for him, making a chill come up his spine. "Um, Mei. You said you wanted to speak with us?"
"Yes, I did. I wanted to have a heart-to-heart, so to speak," Mei's flat tone speaks out to the others. "After today, I want you to know that despite you all being just civilians, you showed excellent bravery in our battle. Not just against that…thing, but the Cyber Bakugan too."
Jayden scoffs, nodding his head. "You don't need to worry about me. I'd never turn tail at the chance to smash a Cyber." His eyes glance over at Luci, and his demeanor shifts down from his lone wolf persona, "But…thank you. Despite us getting crushed, I'm a bigger man to admit that your help was appreciated." He reaches his hand out and places it on top of Luci's, "All of you."
She let's out a heartwarming smile. "Thank you," she springs into Jayden's arms, hugging him tight. He silently screams in pain as she touches sensitive areas of bruising. He lets it happen, patting her on the back in return.
Caleb smiles seeing this. In his mind, he calls back to his time starting out as a Brawler, when he hung around a different group of hot-blooded Brawlers.
The door opens once again, catching everyone's attention. There stands Marucho holding a tray with a white sheet over it. "Ah good. I was hoping you'd all be together."
Mei is the only one to stand up and bow to him out of respect, "Master Marucho, sit!"
Marucho laughs, "There's no need for that, really. Besides. I came here to check on you. After visiting Julie and seeing that she's all good, I ran into these four." Marucho pulls the sheet off the tray.
Springing from the tray, Leonidas, Beowulf, Cangdi and Renarde launch themselves into the air toward their partner Brawler. The moods of the Brawlers quickly change as they are reunited by their other halves.
Cangdi is the first to return to their partner. Mei catches them on their flat hand. "Mistress, I wish that you accept my humble apologies. I was not able to perform to your standard."
Mei pulls him close and hugs her partner, "You never have to apologize. Just always be sure to come back to me."
"Understood."
Holding both hands out, Renarde lands on Luci's palm. "My lady! I was worried sick. I was scared you may have gotten yourself into…,"
"Ssssh, it's okay. Rennie. It's okay. We're all going to be okay. I have you back now. That's all that matters." She kisses her partner's forehead.
Beowulf lands on the back of Jayden's bandaged fist. "Jayden…that last battle…I wasn't giving it my best…at least, what I know I am capable of. I promise, on my pride as a warrior, I won't ever drag my feet again."
Jayden scoffs and turns to face the wall. "You know what? I am disappointed. I thought such a proud warrior would be above just whining and making excuses like that."
"Jayden…," Beowulf is speechless at their partner's words.
"The only way a warrior, a fighter, a Brawler is truly defeated, is if they don't get back up," Jayden turns to his partner, a fire behind his eyes. "Are we just going to sit here with our tails tucked away, and whimper over an unfinished fight?"
"...No! On my pride, I won't stop until that Bakugan is grooving at our feet, and shown what true strength really is!"
Both of them get too into it to the point of fist bumpping each other.
Caleb sits up in his bed and watches Leonidas hover in the air, his little wings flapping to keep him up. "Leonidas. I'm glad to know that you've recovered. I was starting to worry."
"Ha! It's going to take a lot more than that to take me down. I'm built differently, remember. The two of us, we're special," Leonidas's confidence shines through, reaching his partner's heart.
"Good. Because I'm not sure anyone can replace you."
Marucho stands there, holding the tray, he watches as the Brawlers have become motivated in their own way.
"Well, I'm so glad to see that all of you are doing better. I was starting to worry." He gets in the middle, putting himself in everyone's line of sight. "This Bakugan…Wratheon. He's a menace. One that could threaten our very way of life. The bond between Brawler and Bakugan. While this is a serious matter, I will be looking into it fully. But, I would be requiring your assistance."
...
Reaper is alone, searching the city. Contained in his spherical form, he uses his wings to fly, flapping around Bakugan City in search of his master. He's been at this for a while, growing increasingly tired as time goes on, and is yet to find any trace of him.
"Master….where art thou!" His voice is more breathy, having to be breathing harder as the flying takes more out of him.
As he continues to fly a voice calls out to him. It sounds close.
"Reaper…," it's Wratheon. Reaper can hear his voice calling out to him inside his own head. "To me, my servant."
Reaper can feel his body being pulled in another direction. The voice of his master compelled him to come closer. Their voice grows louder the further he gets to the source.
Reaper finds himself outside Bakugan City Hospital. He hovers in the air, watching as regular people enter and leave the building. Leaping into the bushes, Reaper hides himself so as not to be caught.
"Damn you! If I had the strength I would destroy everything here…but as I am. I doubt I could hold my form for long."
"You don't give yourself enough credit, Reaper." He can hear Wratheon's voice, this time from behind. He turns to see Wratheon, now in their sphere form. "You're stronger than you think. And that's why I need you."
"Master! I finally found you!" Reaper falls to the floor and attempts to bow to Wratheon. "I'm sorry it took me so long to find you. I became lost after being forced down into this form. I had to evade those humans to even get here. Please, forgive me."
Reaper looks down at the floor while Wratheon hovers above him.
"And if I could be so bold. Your new form, it looks…no, it feels incredible. Such power."
"I'm glad you think so, my dear Reaper. I had to go through a few bodies before deciding on this. I was lucky to have such an archive of some of the strongest Bakugan humanity has ever faced. But…they didn't feel…me. But we can discuss this later. Now that we've reunited, let us collect our trump card."
Wratheon leads Reaper to an air duct leading outside. Forcing their way in, the pair travel through the ventilation system of the hospital.
Wratheon moves surprisingly fast for a Bakugan contained in their ball form. Reaper lags behind, still suffering from their energy loss. Reaper watches as his master peers through the vents, as if he's searching for something.
"Master, what are looking for? What exactly is your…trump card?" Reaper finally catches up, floating just a few inches behind.
Wratheon passes a vent cover and then suddenly stops. "Aha!"
Reaper stops and comes to their master's side. "Is this it master?"
Without answering, Wratheon tears through the metal and throws themselves into the room. Reaper joins them. They come into a plain hospital room with just a single bed. A man is laying under the covers, their body hooked up to various machinery to keep him alive.
"What is this master?"
"Say hello to my trump card, Reaper." Wratheon hovers over their body and sits on their chest. Laying on their body, Wratheon immediately starts to channel his energy into their body.
Reaper watches him from above. Finally, his wings give out and he falls onto the body. Laying against them, he feels a wave of Wratheon's power flows through him. It rejuvenates him.
"This power…," Reaper says to himself, not wanting to distract his master. "This is only a fraction of what power he holds. Amazing."
The body moves on its own. Wratheon leaps off of them as they pick themself up off the bed. Removing the connecting wires and tubes, they pull themself from the bed and stand up on their own.
"Excellent, this is what I was looking for, Reaper." Wratheon is pleased with the results of his power infusion.
"A human?" Reaper sounds disgusted at the thought, "How can a human be a benefit to us? They're too weak and frail."
"So were you just a second ago, Reaper. So be sure to hold your tongue next time. Besides," Wratheon jumps into the human's hand as they hold it out for them. "With our bodies forced into these forms, we'd need a pair of hands to help us work with this world's technology."
Not wanting to go against his master, Reaper laments and leaps into the open palm. "Does this human have a name? Or are we meant to just be calling it human or worm?"
"Hmm, I believe their name was…Jinn. Yes, that was it. I remember now. Jinn here will do great things for us Reaper. Or die trying." Jinn's eyes glow the same radiant light as Wratheon. "Now then, Jinn, we must take our leave. We still have much to do. Reaper, round up any surviving Cyber Bakugan. We have an army to build."
