Chapter 9: It's Showtime.

Review Replies

Romance Breeding: I guess it's too much to ask for the return of this original story's spin-off? The one that had Shiro and Zina(futa) getting together to dominate and impregnate women from other series and franchises.

ThermalsniperN7: Sorry. We're pretty much done with stories like that.

Dragon Emperor0: We will be doing a different spinoff that'll better fit this version of the story. One that'll still be up your alley, I'll wager.

At the Wardington Hospital, the resident loudmouth known as Tatsuya stepped outside after spending a few weeks recuperating after getting drained by Katie in the days since.

Needless to say he was less than enthusiastic about the whole thing.

"What's got your face so long? You're finally out of the hospital!" Baragon questioned.

"No one'a gonna take me seriously anymore now that I've lost twice to a girl." The boy grumbled.

"News flash, Tatsuya. No one took you seriously before then, either!" The Kaijugan heckled.

"You're not helping!" The loudmouth snapped back irritably. "Whatever. Didn't that Shiro guy say for any Kaiju brawlers to meet up at some cafe if they're looking to join?" He questioned.

"Heck if I know, no sense in not trying." The bakugan replied.

"Fair enough. I guess we're checking that out." The teen grunted as he started walking in the direction of the cafe.

(Elsewhere)

"Alright, guys. We have exactly three days before the tournament starts." Shiro said as everyone gathered at the cafe. "Marucho, what exactly can we expect from it?" He asked.

"Arenas geared toward each attribute. They'll buff any and all Bakugan attuned to whatever attribute is in effect." The young genius replied. "This one has no pickups or specific buffs." He continued.

"Alright, how are the matches set up?" He questioned.

"Randomized matches, I believe. All one on one." The blonde replied.

"We should keep our guard up in case one of us ends up fighting Masquerade." Gaia stated before she returned to her disguise as Petra.

"That's pretty much common sense, but yeah." Zina nodded in agreement.

"Any word on if Katie or Masquerade will be participating at all?" Magnus questioned.

"Masquerade is gonna participate, but I'm not sure about Katie yet." Marucho replied, wondering what was up with Katie.

"That's going to be a pain in the ass." Riki sighed, right as the cafe door opened, causing everyone to turn and see Tatsuya walk in.

The boy was wearing a new outfit of green boots, brown boots, a brown vest like he usually wore and a green shirt with black gloves along with his bakupod—Baragon resting on his shoulder.

"Hey, Tatsuya. Decided to join us?" Pamela hummed upon seeing him.

"Don't make a big deal out of it." The teen sighed as he sat down, Runo set a cup of coffee in front of him.

"How are you feeling? Not too bad, I hope?" The bluenette asked.

"Well, I don't feel like a used ketchup packet anymore, so there's that." The boy sighed in reply.

"Katie really sucked you dry, didn't she?" Dan chuckled.

"Like you're one to talk, Danny boy, Runo's standing right there." Shunji heckled.

"Hey, don't you dare start!" The Pyrus boy warned with a glare.

"Okay, let's get serious, people." Shiro told them.

"Shiro, this is my serious face." Dan retorted. "Can't you tell?" He added.

"Uh huh." The hybrid boy uttered flatly. "Anyway, we'll need to get some training done so we can get better with our Kaijugan, and help the newer people get acclimated with theirs." He stated.

"Kaijugan vs Bakugan Sparring matches. I can work with that." Riki nodded.

"Alright. The tournament is in two weeks. Let's not waste time." Magnus nodded.

"Let's go, guys." Shiro nodded as everyone broke to get started on training.

(Timeskip)

Shiro sighed as he and Aki sat with Nene and Zina while they waited for the matches to start.

"Jeez, I feel nervous." The younger Hiroshima brother sighed.

"Because you're fighting in front of the masses?" His little brother asked.

"No, because we're fighting the brawlers." The boy replied.

"Hmph. They're not as strong as you think." Gojira scoffed.

"Don't start saying stuff like that. You could tempt fate into working against you." Zina warned the King of Monsters.

"She's got a point, Big G." Zilla pointed out.

"Don't worry about it too much, Aki." Nene said, hugging her friend as the Matching system came onto the screens.

The matches were all selected via random lot slot machine, and the first round of the tournament so far was… Akira and Gigan vs Komba and his partner Harpess.

"Well, wish us luck." Akira said as he went to get to the arena.

"Try not to mess anything up!" Junior called.

"Oi! Bite my shiny metal a—." Gigan started to call back.

"Don't you dare finish that!" Shiro barked as he covered his little brother's ears.

(Later)

Akira entered the arena as the Baku atmosphere opened and his opponent stepped forward.

"Hey, aren't you that shorty who Dan and Master Shun keeps beating all the time?" Komba questioned.

"Shorty?! Well there's the pot calling the kettle black!" Akira shouted.

"Oh, it's on!" Komba snapped as both of them held up their gate cards.

"Gate Card Set!" The two yelled.

"Bakugan brawl!" Komba called. "Bee Striker, Stand!" He added as a giant bee rose up.

"Bakugan Brawl!" Akira yelled as he hurled Gigan as hard as he could, causing saw blade-like air to gather around the Kaiju as it collided with the Bee Striker's head—before it was sent flying back to Komba!

"Critical KO!" Their bakupods beeped.

"Whoa! The show has well and truly started!" Shiro exclaimed in surprise.

"Not bad at all." Zina nodded in approval.

"Gate Card Set!" Komba yelled as he set another card down. "Bakugan Brawl!" He exclaimed as he sent out another Bakugan out, El Condor.

"Let's go Gigan!" Akira called as he threw his partner again.

"We'll be coming round the mountain when we come!" Gigan sang as he collided with El Condor square on to its full body cranium—sending it kreening back to its brawler.

"What is going on here?!" Komba exclaimed in disbelief.

"I'm winning. Bakugan Brawl!" Akira called as he threw in Gigan again. "Subterra-Haos Gigan!" He exclaimed as the Kaijugan rose.

"Death to humans!" Gigan exclaimed as he got into a battle stance.

"Typical alien robot tendencies…" Magnus muttered.

"Tell me about it…" Pamela muttered in agreement.

"What the-?!" Komba gasped.

"What is that?!" Harpess exclaimed in surprise.

"What, never squared off against a Kaijugan before?" Gigan taunted.

"This is nuts!" The boy yelled.

"Ventus-Haos Gigan power level 375 Gs." The Bakupods exclaimed.

"Grr! Harpess, get in there and take him out!" Komba exclaimed as he grabbed his partner. "Bakugan Brawl!" He added as he hurled Harpess in.

The harpy Bakugan rose up and appeared in front of Gigan.

"Bring it on, baby!" Gigan exclaimed as he suddenly launched a sickle whip at Harpess and dragged her in as the saw blade on his stomach started spinning. "AAAHHH!" He yelled as he released her at the last second and charged into her.

"YIPE!" Harpess shrieked as the blade cut into her.

"Harpess power level decrease to 150 Gs!" The machines buzzed.

"Ability Card activate!" Komba called.

"Feather Blaster!" Harpess yelled as she blasted Gigan with her ability, but due to her power level being lower, it didn't work.

"Bite my shiny metal ass!" The Kaiju yelled as he kicked the harpy clear across the arena, sending her flying back to Komba.

"... That was way too unfair to be called a fight! I CALL HAX!" The Ventus boy yelled indignantly after he mentally rebooted after what just happened.

"Ah Shaddap!" Akira yelled.

(Later)

"Well! Looks like your losing streak has finally ended!" Dan chuckled.

"You are going to milk this for all it's worth, aren't you?" Akihito deadpanned.

"Do you even need an answer to that?" Petra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"So who's up next?" Shiro asked.

"Shinji, he's facing…" Julie said before an image of Billy appeared. "Billy?!" The girl exclaimed.

"Uh… Yeah, I got nothing to say to this." Magnus blinked as he watched the chunky teen head for the arena.

"Let's go!" The two called. "Gate Card Set!" They yelled in unison.

"Bakugan Brawl!" Billy called as he tossed his first bakugan down. "Hynoid Stand!" He added as a Subterra Hyena werewolf rose up.

"Heh." Shunji grinned as he tossed his bakugan in. "Mantris stand!" He added.

The gate card opened immediately after, turning the ground to sand while Hynoid ran circles around Mantris while the giant mantis tried to swipe at it with its pincers.

"Ability card activate! Slice Cutter!" Shunji yelled as his bakugan slashed Hynoid in an X motion, taking him out.

"Hmph! Alright, let's go!" Billy scoffed with a grin as he threw out his next Bakugan. "Bakugan Brawl! Wormquake stand!" He called as the Subterra Worm from Tremors rose up.

"Heh." Shunji smirked as he set down another card. "Bakugan Brawl!" He called as a second Wormquake appeared. "Ability Card Activate! Sand Trap!" He added.

"Right back at you!" Billy called back.

The two worms then dove underground and slammed into each other, popping out of the ground as Billy's was sent flying back to him.

"Okay, what is happening here?" Billy wondered in confusion. Last he checked, Shunji wasn't that good of a player, so how'd he get so good?

Then he remembered that Julie mentioned that Shunji had been training with the Brawlers lately…

"Oh shit." He uttered. "Well, time to put in overtime, Cycloid." He told his partner.

"I got you, boss!" The cycloptic Bakugan nodded as he went into ball mode, allowing his partner to grab him.

"Bakugan brawl! Cycloid Stand!" The blonde called.

"Awww yeah!" Cycloid yelled as he rose up.

"Bakugan Brawl! Megalon Stand!" The heavy set teen yelled as the rhino beetle Kaiju rose up, drumming on his belly like a seal.

"Get in my belly!" The Scottish accented Kaiju yelled.

"Subterra-Ventus Megalon Power level 450 Gs." The machines buzzed.

"... A beetle? Really?" The blonde Subterra brawler couldn't help but deadpan. "… Hold up. Did you just say his name was Megalon?" He questioned.

"You know what you heard." Shunji shrugged.

"Okay, this could be a problem." Billy muttered as he looked at the Kaijugan Cycloid was about to clash with. "Ability Card Activate! Right Gigante!" He called.

"Somebody need a hand?" The cyclops called as his hand grew larger and slamming it down on Megalon.

"Oof! … Barely even felt that." The beetle Kaiju scoffed after recovering from a small stagger.

"Ability Card activate! Drill Runner!" Shunji called as his partner started spinning with his drill arms outstretched and burrowed underneath Cycloid's hand—before bursting from the ground in an uppercut and sending the cyclops flying.

"AGH!" Cycloid grunted as he landed on his feet, not quite done yet.

"Ability Card Activate! Smack Down!" Billy yelled as Cycloid's hammer arm grew.

"It's Hammer Time!" The beast roared.

"Ability Card Activate! Horn Buster!" Shunji countered as Megalon's horn suddenly became metal, allowing him to break through Cycloid's hammer and charge and throw him clear across the field.

"Cycloid!" Billy exclaimed as his partner was knocked back into ball form, landing at his feet.

"Ha ha! Oh yeah!" Shunji cheered.

(Timeskip)

"You have got to be kidding me." Shiro uttered in disbelief. "Shunji actually beat one of the top ten brawlers." He muttered.

"Looks like that training has done him wonders." Zina noted.

"Megalon probably helped too…" Magnus huffed, right as the matches for the next day was revealed. "Speaking of…." He said as everyone turned towards the screen.

Seconds later, an image of Hinoa and Minoto could be seen, with them being slotted to face Chan-Lee and Julio.

"So we're going to be facing two more of the top ten." Minoto muttered.

"We'll need to bring our A-game for this." Hinoa nodded, knowing the top ten got their spots for a reason.

"Yes we will." Shiro nodded. "Alright guys, let's break for the day. We'll reconvene at Runo's place tomorrow before the next matches." He added.

"Brawlers, let's do the same." Dan chimed in.

"Right." The Brawlers nodded as they packed up and headed home.

Dragon Emperor0: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update. We had other things to take care of and couldn't get to this story until just now—so, here's the next chapter. Hopefully you guys aren't too disappointed.

ThermalsniperN7: The reason for this being shorter than normal is so we can cover all the matches at a decent pace. We hope that this chapter will serve as a good start to the tournament arc going forward.

Dragon Emperor0: We also want things to be paced appropriately so that when we upend things in the tag team tournament, it'll have the sufficient punch needed for the big status quo change when Marduk comes on the scene. Speaking of which, during the tag team tournament, if you guys see a kid named Tomi Ginryuin fighting in a match with a Ford Brody… watch out for them. They'll be important.

ThermalsniperN7: More than you think. Anyway, see you guys next time.