A week has passed since the events of the Cyber Bakugan attack on Bakugan City. After waiting for them to recover from their injuries, Mei Fan and Luci have been recruited by Marucho for a special task.
Arriving via a private jet, Mei Fan and Luci land on the runway just two miles off the newest town. Stepping off, they are escorted via a stretch limo. They dress for the weather, while Mei keeps to her usual style, Luci puts on a loan outfit from Julie, a pair of colour cargo shorts, and a jacket that covers her arms from the sun.
Sitting opposite each other, the girls have differing expressions to them. Luci is happy, grinning ear to ear. She's excited to be experiencing more of the world. She's amazed by how familiar the human world looks in comparison to her home in Neathia. Mei Fan is different. She sits quietly and solemnly with no sign of any emotion on her face. For her, this is just another mission. The only difference is the company.
Staring out the window, Luci blooms with her joy. "Renarde, come look. It's like the dessert on Nethia. But the sky is more clear, it's amazing." Her partner, Renarde leaps from her shorts pocket. "My lady. It pleases me to know how much you are enjoying your stay here on Earth. I was truly worried for you."
"I just wish Jayden came with us. I would have been nice to see this together." Renarde scoffs at Luci's words. "Yes. I'm sure that dog would love this heat." Luci disapproves of her partner's comment. She flicks them back, "Hey! He's my friend! I would prefer if you don't speak about him so lowery."
Mei watches the two have their spat. "You're quite close to him. I guess distance makes the heart grow fonder. As the saying goes. Where did you tell him you were from again?" Luci turns her head in shame, feeling guilty over not telling Jayden where she's really from. Mei continues. "It's a moot point. Marucho chose us for this mission for a reason. One that you'll find out soon enough."
Mei gestures out the window as the town in the distance becomes more clear. It's a Western-inspired town. A home for the spaghetti western. A place Clint Eastwood would go for a summer holiday.
"Remember. While our target has a name, do not use it. According to the file, she prefers to be referred to as 'Queen'." Cangdi emerges from Mei's dress. "Of course, royalty and a monarch are important figures. . I want you to be on your best behavior, and to show nothing but respect on this mission." Mei nods, "Please, Cangdi. This isn't my first meeting with a royal."
The limo pulls up in the middle of town. It gathers the attention of the patrons and citizens as it looks out of place with the rest of the town's theming. Stepping out of the limo, the girls wave their ride off to begin their search.
Before they can even fully start looking, they become surrounded by a group of leather-cladded women. Dressed as if they belong to an 80s biker guy but with more ponchos, they don't come off as being friendly to newcomers.
"Oi" One of them called out. Their voice sounded gruff, and lacking in charm. "Fancy ride. You must be loaded, ain't you?" Another voice chimes in, "Yeah. How about you hand over what you got, and maybe we won't rough you up too much? And even leave a little something for you to eat tonight."
One of them tries to reach for the girls, the closest being Mei. She in turn just rolls her eyes, "We don't have time for this." She grabs the gang member's arm and pulls them closer before taking their collar. Showing technique, she throws the gang member over her shoulder.
The other members retaliate, going after both of them. Mei is fast, able to dodge the attacks as they come. Using her knowledge of pressure points, she brings down her share of gang members hitting those points at the right time, before just punching the last one in the fast and they stagger back.
Mei turns round, thinking she'd need to assist Luci with her share, but as her attention is pulled to her teammate, she finds Luci dusting her hands with her share of gang members on the floor licking their wounds.
Renarde applauds her partner's skills. "Bravo my lady. You've truly shown these wholigans their place."
Before Mei can process what she sees, they hear clapping from behind. Both girls turn to see four more gang members carrying a mobile platform. On top of it is a motorcycle, one far too clean for such an environment, showing no dirt, dust, or sand over it. Riding on top of this motorcycle is a woman the same age as Mei and Luci, and the source of the applause.
She's dressed in a more fashionable version of the gang members, being the leader of them all, and the one in charge of the town. Her outfit combines elements of a rugged cowboy's attire with the rebellious style of a greaser well, with an open leather jacket, cowboy boots, and a hat. Beneath the hat is an unruly mane of wild, untamed hair that cascades down her back, reminiscent of a wild stallion's mane. Her piercing eyes, the color of stormy gray, look down upon the girls with an unseen intensity, despite the curled smile on her lips.
"Not bad. Not bad at all. I never would have guessed two people alone could take on my gang. I'm actually impressed."
Mei recognizes her face from the file they had on her in Bakugan City. It takes a while, but it finally clicks for Luci too. She joins Mei at her side.
"So girls, what do you say? Are you in the market for a job? I could use some strong, able-bodied women like yourselves."
Mei Fan cuts them off, "Actually, Queen. We're here on the order of Master Marucho. You have been summoned to become part of the New Battle Brawlers."
Queen's demeanor changes as hearing those words twists some part of her. "Oh? I'm being summoned, am I? Like some dog? And what does that make you? My caretakers?" Queen reaches into her pocket and pulls out an envelope with the Battle Brawlers logo on the back of it. "I thought I made it to your boss before when didn't send any response to his letter. I have no interest in your little club. Now beat it!"
With a snap of her finger, she orders her girls to carry her away. They turn around without issue like they'd done this routine before. However, as they walk away, Luci steps in.
"Please, Raven! This is a serious issue, and we need your abilities as a Brawler to combat it. Please, lend us your strength to defeat this ungodly enemy, or else the world could be doomed." Luci pours her heart out into her speech. While it strikes a chord, the gang members look terrified as Queen goes quiet.
Her body shakes with a silent rage as she gets up from her bike. Turning on the heel, she slams her foot down on the edge of the platform and screams out "Don't you dare call me by that name!"
"Why not? It's a nice name. It's much nicer than Queen," Luci is digging herself into a deeper hole.
Queen stands there, gritting her teeth. With a clenched fist, she punches the platform, making it shake. The gang members beneath her struggle to keep them afloat. "You think you have the right to tell me what I can or can't do? I make the rules around here. You come here demanding I join you, and then you mock me to my face?" Queen pulls out a gate card from her jacket pocket, "If you want my strength as a Brawler, then here it is."
Everyone else takes cover as she tosses the gate card onto the field. It opens, making the town the battlefield.
"Here, strength means power. This means the strongest makes the rules. Beat me, and I'll come with you." A brown, Subterror Bakugan springs from her motorcycle, and she catches it. "Bakugan Brawl!" It slams into the ground before opening, "Bakugan Stand! Come! Subterror Boudicca!" Queen's Bakugan stands, revealing a warrior-type Bakugan resembling an Amazononian, with long wavy hair, and horns like an Oni. [600Gs]
"Renarde?" "Yes, My lady!" Luci grabs her partner Bakugan and tosses them into the ring. "Bakugan Brawl! Stand, Haos Renarde!" Contrasting her opponent, Renarade stands in her elegant dress which shines from the sun's light, as does her white fur. [600Gs]
The two Bakugan square off against each other, both keeping guard on their respective sides of the field.
"This won't be fun if we're just defending," Queen activates the gate card right off the bat, "Gate card open! Battle Frenzy!" Both Bakugan become heated, and their battle instincts take control. They charge for each other, with Boudicca being the fastest of the two.
"Renarde, wait!" Luci tries to call back her partner, but they have no control over their body.
The Bakugan clash. They grapple with their hands locked together with Boudicca easily showing up Renarde in feats of strength.
"Look at that. I guess your abilities as a Brawler don't matter much. Maybe you being my girls earlier was a flook too. Ability card, activate. Iron Sword!" With Queen's ability card, a sword materializes in her hand. [800Gs]
"Sorry to cut this fight so short, but my partner is a busy woman," Boudicca speaks clearly, her mental state has been unaffected by the gate cards influence.
Swinging the sword down, Renarde uses their closed fan to block the attack. They guard against it, trying to fight the effects of the gate card, "I'm…not…finished…" Their strength weakens another side effect to the gate card.
"Sorry, didn't I say? Non-Subterror Bakugan loses half its G power while it's activated. Better luck next time."
Hearing Queen's explanation, Luci reaches into her shorts and pulls out a small Bakugan from the pocket. "Good to know. I just need to destroy the gate card." Queen's eyes widen when Luci tosses the Bakugan into the fight. "Bakugan Support Brawl! Stand, Haos Femme!" The small Bakugan opens up and takes the form of a large, swan. [400Gs]
"What is that?" Queen is amazed by the sudden appearance of a second Bakugan.
"Ability card activate, Perfect Harmony!" Femme spreads their wings. A rain of white feathers spreads over the battlefield. Renarde pushes back against Boudicca with ease.
"What is this? How are you even doing that?" Boudicca is pushed back. The ground returns to normal as the gate card is completely negated.
"Perfect Harmony destroys any activate gate card, and then returns my Bakugan to their base level." [600Gs] "Now then, Double ability, Blessing Cross, plus Light Disruption!" Renarde's g power increases. She puts all her energy into her closed fan. She extends it to Boudicca before firing a concreated ray of light at them. [800Gs]
Boudicca tries to guard against the attack with the sword, but on contract, the sword is destroyed. Light Disruption negates an opponent's ability card. [600Gs] The attack sends Boudicca flying back. She reverts back to ball and returns to Queen. [300LP] Renarde returns to Luci after winning the first fight.
Queen is at a loss for words. While she had the advantage at first, she didn't expect Luci to so easily turn the fight around. Queen's inner thoughts are in a mess, but she wants to continue.
"Gate card set. Bakugan Brawler, Stand back up Renarde!" Luci is the one to start the fight this time. She waits for Queen to make her move.
"Bakugan, Brawl! Stand, Boudicca!" Once again, her warrior Bakugan stands to engage.
"Ability card, Blessing Cross!" With their signature attack, Renarde creates an X shape with their fan out of light before firing it towards Boudicca. [800Gs]
"Not this time. Ability, Steel Guard!" Queen's ability summons a shield from nowhere. Boudicca equips it to take the attack head-on without damage. [900Gs]
Luci counters with Light Disruption again to negate the ability card, reducing Boudicca's g power back down. [600Gs]
"You fell for my trap. Double ability! Quake Halberd, then Fusion ability, Thunder Halberd!" Boudicca equips itself with a halberd before it morphs, growing in size with an edge made of pure thunder. [1100Gs]
"Care to dance?" Boudicca displays an impressive amount of weapon play. Wielding it like a staff, she conjures the thunder on the edge of the Halberd. The power flows through their body.
She charges for Renarde. While they prove to be the faster of the two, Renarde's experience in avoiding attacks allows them to trick Boudicca into attacking where they thought they'd dodge, instead of where they are.
She parries the warrior's halberg with their fan before creating distance between them in the air.
"You're not so safe up there. Watch!" Boudicca channels the thunder in her weapon before firing it like a wand towards Renarde.
"Ability, Mirror Barrier!" Renarde opens her fan. Waving it in the air, she creates a barrier around herself. The lightning strikes it before being sent back onto Boudicca. Taking the attack head-on, she becomes stunned. "Double ability! Holy Hammer, then Enlighted Spiral!" [1000Gs] Renarde charges her power into her fan before closing it. As well, Boudicca loses an additional g power from the other ability. [900Gs]
Renarde fires a beam of burning light onto Boudicca. Arms spread, and she took the hit directly without moving. By the time the attack has finished, Boudicca is still left standing, although they drop to their knees.
"That's enough!" Queen calls out. "I've seen enough from you," Queen recalls Boudicca, ending the fight, and the battle altogether. "If we continue on from here, there's a chance I might lose. However, I've seen enough to know what I must do."
Queen drops down from her platform, much to the surprise of her gang members. She walks over to Luci, "I forfeit this battle to you. I will be joining your team after all."
With the battle called off, Queen knees to Luci, declaiming her the victory of their battle, for now. "Don't get this twisted. In time, I should be able to overcome whatever you can throw at me, so be prepared for that day to come."
Mei Fan approaches the two, satisfied with the outcome.
Queen turns her attention to her, "If your friend here is anything to go by, I'm going to guess that the rest of the team is full of members who can pull their weight, and show off in ways others can't."
"While I wouldn't exactly phrase it like that, we the Bakugan Battle Brawlers are chosen to take on the mantle of the previous team in order to ensure the future of all life, human, Bakugan, or otherwise."
"That's great, really great. So when do I meet the other girls? Or are they waiting for us back home?" Mei and Luci share a look to one another at Queen's question. She notices it. "What? What was that? Did I miss something?"
