Bakugan EQG: Defenders of Equestria

by Banshee531

Rating: everyone
Tags: Flash Sentry, Crossover, Alternate Universe, Human, Anthro, Lyra, Original Character, Soarin, Other, Adventure, Equestria Girls
Length: 152815

A year and a half after the defeat of Lucifer, Flash and his friends learn of a new threat facing Vestroia. In order to save it, they must travel to a new world and meet new friends. Flash and Leonidas must once again save the world, if they can.

A year and a half after the defeat of Lucifer, Flash and his friends learn of a new threat facing Vestroia. In order to save it, they must travel to a new world and meet new friends. Flash and Leonidas must once again save the world, if they can.

Published 2024-10-08 06:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2025-02-18 07:14:26 UTC

Reunions and Revelations

Night had come to Equestria and within his room, Flash lay on his bed.

The teen shifted from side to side, as he dreamed of himself in the battle he had had against Thalia. And just like in that battle, things weren't going well. "Leo!" He cried, seeing his dragon partner trying to fight Thalia. But Tigress multiplied and shot towards him, slashing at him again and again.

"GYAH!" He cried, getting cut multiple times.

"LEO!" Flash cried, as the dragon reverted back to ball form. But instead of falling to the ground, he flew over to Thalia and she caught him. "NOOOOO!" It was at that moment that Flash suddenly woke up. "AUGH!" He panted, looking around and seeing he was in his room. And when he looked over at the table, he saw Leo wasn't there. "Leonidas?"

He got out of bed and looked around, eventually looking out onto the balcony and seeing Leonidas on the banister.

"Hey, bud. You okay?"

Leo sighed. "Not really. I can't get that loss to Thalia out of my head. The others talked about how powerful the Rugenga were and only now am I seeing just how right they were. Against such a powerful opponent, what can we possibly do?"

Flash frowned, feeling the same way. "We've faced strong opponents before. We'll deal with this one the same we dealt with them. By working hard and getting stronger."

Leonidas sighed, unsure if that would be enough to win this battle.

"Ability, Activate!" Flash swiped his card and Leonidas unleashed his laser, "Neo Phaser!"

The laser flew down and almost hit Amazon, who jumped back at the last moments. "Whoa!" Amazon flipped backwards and landed behind Lyra, as she swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon fired his water blast, "Aquos Bomber!"

"Oh yeah!" Amazon cried, as his water blast flew towards Leonidas. But the dragon dodged it before diving down and Flash swiped another two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Leonidas sped up and was in front of Amazon in the blink of an eye. "Speed Burst, plus Power Brawl!" Leonidas unleashed a bunch of attacks, which slammed into Amazon and made him cry out before he was thrown backwards. He reverted back to ball form and fell at Lyra's feet, her Life Gauge hitting zero.

Leonidas roared as he reverted back to ball form, flying back towards Flash and being caught.

"Alright," Flash turned to the other Defenders, "who's next?" Everyone frowned, unsure if they wanted to battle Flash since he and Leonidas had been training for up to three hours now.

"I think you need a break," Sunset stated. "All this training will be wasted, if you let yourself get overwhelmed. Give your bodies time to heal and adjust to the new strength." Flash frowned, but the others nodded in agreement. Flash wasn't going to be battling any of them.

As Flash headed over to get a drink, Sunset teleported over to where Twilight was in the stands.

The alicorn stared at Flash, a worried expression on her face. "What do you think?" Sunset asked. "He's been training hard ever since he lost to Thalia. Too hard."

"Yes," Twilight nodded. "He's taking this loss hard. If we can't find a way to get him over it, I'm worried he's gonna do something stupid." Sunset agreed. She just hoped that the next time a breach occurred, it wasn't Thalia who flew there. If it was, Flash would definitely try and get his own back. And she wasn't sure he was ready for that.

Within the Rugenga's base, Cursor was watching a rerun of Flash and Thalia's battle.

As he watched, the Bakugan floating next to him huffed. "Those two are nothing special. If I faced them, I would defeat them in no time at all." Cursor nodded, but had a feeling there was more to Leonidas than what was being shown here.

At that moment, Thalia stepped into the room. "Master?" She noticed the footage, "you're watching that again?"

"I am," Cursor nodded. "This Bakugan continues to peak my curiosity. I wish to see what he can truly do. And whilst your battle with him pushed him close to his limit, I believe he can still do more once he reaches that limit."

Thalia frowned. "Is that so? Then I will push him to that limit. And when he fails to show any true ability, I will take him and add him to our collection." Cursor nodded, as Thalia moved over to one of the consoles. She prayed the light-bee she had left in Equestria had remained undiscovered and that it had a strong enough signal to let her reconnect to it.

Back in Equestria, the light-bee activated.

It had been left undisturbed since deactivation and quickly flew up and followed the controller's instructions, making its way towards the castle and heading inside before anyone could notice it.

Keeping itself hidden, the machine searched until it locked onto the bracer signal that had been sent to it. And when it determined the signal was alone, the bee flew towards it.

Currently, Flash and Leonidas were taking a break from their training in order to take a bathroom break. All the while, they kept thinking about their loss to Thalia and when they might get a chance at revenge. But that chance was coming sooner than they realised.

Suddenly, a strange device suddenly flew down and stopped right in front of him. "Wow." Flash staggered back, Leo being careful not to fall off his shoulder. "What the?" Moments later, the device glowed and a figure was formed from the light. "Thalia!"

The Rugenga chuckled as she stared at him. "Flash Sentry. I challenge you to another battle. And this time, I will be taking Leonidas for myself." Flash glared back at her. "You don't have to come, of course. If you're afraid, I understand. But if you want to try and settle the score, head to these coordinates."

His Baku-Bracer beeped and Flash saw new info being uploaded.

"The light-bee will lead you to me. I await your arrival. And I understand if you're too afraid to come alone. But if you can only win when your friends are there to cheer you on, that's just sad." With that, the image vanished and Flash caught the device.

"She's trying to goad you into a trap," Leonidas pointed out.

"I know," Flash nodded. "But this might be our only shot at evening the score. So what do you think? You up for this?" Flash knew Leo was the one who had to choose this. After all, it was his freedom they were putting on the line.

Leonidas stopped for a moment, then nodded. "Let's do it! We'll take them down once and for all. But what about the others?" Flash frowned, remembering Thalia's words.

"They'd try and talk us out of this. They're not gonna be happy, but we need to do this on our own." Leonidas agreed, as Flash began to head towards the control hub.

As Flash stepped into the room, the ponies working there turned to him.

"Oh, Mr. Sentry." A mare named Rosemary stood up. "Did you need something?" Flash hoped this worked.

"Yes. Princess Celestia asked me to check out some coordinates in Vestroia. I need you guys to warp me there. That okay?" Rosemary and the others looked confused, but nodded since they had no reason to think this wasn't a request from the princess.

Flash smiled and gave them to coordinates before heading into the transporter, allowing him and Leonidas to be warped into Vestroia. And as soon as they were there, he held up the light-bee.

"Alright. Take me to her." The bee floated into the air before flying off, Flash following for several minutes before arriving at a location. That location was just like the last place they battled. A large open wasteland covered in rocks. "Thalia!" He cried, "I'm here. Let's do this!"

"Took you long enough!" He spun around and saw someone leap down off a rock. Thalia landed as moved towards him. "I was beginning to think you'd chickened out."

"Yeah, right." Flash raised his Baku-Bracer. "I'm taking you down and settling the score."

"Wrong." She raised her bracer. "I'm taking you down and taking Leonidas for myself." Flash glared at her, as they both activated their bracers and created the energy field. At the same time, power-ups appeared all over the place and their Life Gauges filled up before they called out in unison. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Thalia: 100%

Thalia took out a card and threw it towards the ground. "Gate Card...Set!" As soon as it exploded, she took out her Bakugan and threw it. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The Haos Bakugan flew through the air and hit several power-ups before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" Her Bakugan popped open and in a burst of light, the armored tiger appeared. "Haos Tigress!"

Tigress roared, as her power level rose and she was ready for battle.

Tigress: 750Gs

"Let's go, Leo!" Flash grabbed his partner before leaping up into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The dragonoid flew through the air and hit several power-ups before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" He spun open and the tornado of light exploded out of him. "Haos Novus Leonidas!" The dragon ripped himself out of the tornado, roaring as his own power increased.

Tigress: 750Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

As Leonidas dived down, Thalia took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" The light appeared around Tigress' mouth and formed the crystalline jaw. "Crystal Bite!"

Tigress: 1050Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

Tigress ran forward and leapt into the air, slashing at Leonidas and making him cry out as he was thrown back. "And now!" Thalia cried, "Gate Card, Open!" The ground lit up and unleashed a bunch of light, which flew into Tigress. "Mirage Field!" The light flew off and created a bunch of clones, which quickly surrounded Leonidas.

Tigress: 1250Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

They charged, moving at incredible speed towards Leonidas. But Flash had already prepared an Ability Card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" The hexagon sphere appeared around him. "Particle Barrier!" The fakes slammed into the shield and exploded, as the crystal jaws vanished from the Tigress army.

Tigress: 950Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

"That won't be enough to save you!" Thalia took out a card, as the real Tigress leapt at the barrier and ripped through it. "Now, Ability, Activate!" She held up two Bakugan before dropping them to the ground. "Savage Air!"

The Bakugan glowed and unleashed their light, which flew into Tigress and made her roar as her power rose

Tigress: 1350Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

Tigress leapt forward and slashed and Leonidas, the dragon crying out as he was thrown backwards and crashed through a rock pillar.

"Leo!" Flash gasped, fearing his friend would fall back to ball form. At that power difference, he would lose him. But to his relief, Leonidas pushed himself out of the rocks and stood back up. "Phew."

"I wouldn't relax yet!" Thalia cried, as Tigress ran in for another attack. But before she could, Flash took out two cards and swiped them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Leonidas leapt into the air, moving just as fast as Tigress and managing to get out of the way. "Speed Burst, plus Photon Force!"

Tigress: 1350Gs
Leonidas: 1250Gs

Leo created a giant sphere of energy and tossed it towards the ground, straight at Tigress. But the Haos Tiger Bakugan simply leapt up and slashed her claws forward, cutting the orb in half without getting even a sing.

"Is that all you've got!?" Thalia took out another card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" Tigress's body sparked, as she landed and started running around at high speed. "Lightning Whirlwind!" The tornado that formed flew up towards Leonidas and slammed into him.

"Gyah!" He cried, as his power dropped and Tigress' rose.

Tigress: 1450Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

Flash was almost blown over by the wind, but he managed to stay on his feet as he took out another card. "Ability, Activate!" Leo roared, as he flew towards the tornado and broke through it. "Power Brawl!"

Tigress: 1450Gs
Leonidas: 1350Gs

Leo dived down towards Tigress, but she wasn't scared as Thalia took out another card. "Ability, Activate!" She swiped it and the blades on her body glowed. "Cut In Revenger!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" With a roar, Tigress created a powerful wind that flew past her and sent the light flying off her blades. Leo gasped and tried to stop, but the light blades slammed into him and made him roar out as his power dropped.

Tigress: 1450Gs
Leonidas: 750Gs

Flash gasped, realising he was once again at risk of losing Leonidas. "Not gonna happen!" He took out his cards and slashed them. "Double Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan roared, as he fought through the energy blades and his body began to glow. "Neo Phaser, plus Fusion Ability. Neo Photon Blast!"

The light flew off his body and spiralled into an orb in front of him. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He then fired his laser into the orb and made it explode into a larger beam, which flew down towards Tigress.

Tigress: 1450Gs
Leonidas: 1550Gs

As it got closer, Thalia took out her card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" The tiger roared, as her body glowed. "Power Charge!"

Tigress: 1600Gs
Leonidas: 1550Gs

Tigress raced forward and leapt up towards the laser, thrusting her claws into it and cutting the beam in half. And as it slammed into the ground on either side of Thalia, Tigress kept going until she reached Leonidas. And in the blink of an eye, she was behind the dragon as he roared in pain.

"LEO!" Flash cried, seeing his partner suddenly revert back to ball form and fall.

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 100%

"No!" Leo hit the ground and Flash ran over to him, as Tigress reverted back to ball form and flew over to Thalia. "Leo. You okay?"

"Ahhh," Leo opened up, "I'm fine. She's just as powerful as the last time we fought. Possibly even stronger. We need to be careful."

Flash nodded and took out a card and despite her mask, he could tell she was smiling as she stepped forward. "Time to wipe that stupid smirk off her face. Gate Card...SET!" As the card hit the ground and exploded, Flash leapt into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Leo flew through the air, as Thalia leapt up as well.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw hers towards some more power-ups and the two Bakugan flew through them before landing on the ground. "BAKUGAN...STAND!" The two opened up, Leonidas spinning and forming a tornado before the pair appeared in their true form.

They both roared, as their power rose.

Tigress: 700Gs
Leonidas: 800Gs

"Let's go!" Flash pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground glowed and sent the light flying into Leonidas, "Dragon Pulse!" The energy pumped him up and with a roar, Leo charged.

Tigress: 700Gs
Leonidas: 1000Gs

Tigress managed to avoid his attack, leaping around and picking up speed whilst Leonidas chased after her.

As this was happening, neither the Brawlers nor Bakugan noticed someone watching them. Cursor, was staring down at them from atop a nearby rock pillar. Draken was floating beside him, not looking impressed.

"That Bakugan was once the most powerful one in existence," the armored figure stated.

Draken nodded back. "Then he gave his life to allow Vestroia to be reborn. And yet, he lives once again. How curious." Cursor nodded, eager to see exactly what kind of abilities this Bakugan had. And if they were worth him taking him for himself.

"Show me," he stated. "Show me your true power."

Leonidas tried to strike Tigress with his tail, but the tiger leapt into the air to avoid it.

Thalia was about to activate an Ability. But Flash took something out and acted first. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw the wheel-shaped Bakugan into the air. "Haos Lindwhirl!" The Bakugan unfolded and burst into light, which flew behind Tigress and hit the ground before taking his true form.

Tigress: 700Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1350Gs

Leonidas tried to claw at Tigress, but the Bakugan leapt to the side using her incredible speed. She then leapt into the air, to avoid Lindwhirl as he rolled towards her in wheel form. And as she did, Thalia swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" The gemstone jaw once again appeared around Tigress, as she landed and dug her fangs into the ground. "Crystal Bite!"

The Gate Card suddenly shattered into pieces, lowering Leonidas' power as Tigress' rose up. But it was still higher than Tigress', allowing Leo to dive down and deal a kick to her. "Gyah!"

Tigress: 1000Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1150Gs

Tigress was knocked backwards, as Lindwhirl flew towards her. "It's my turn to take you down!" Flash took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, activate!" The spikes on Lindwhirl's back began to glow, whilst Leonidas began to build power in his mouth. "Radiant Stampede, plus Neo Phaser!"

Tigress: 1000Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1600Gs

Lindwhirl flew towards Tigress and before she could escape, he slammed into her and knocked her backwards. She screamed, as she was thrown flying whilst Leonidas unleashed a laser from his mouth.

"Tigress!" Thalia cried, as Tigress began to pick herself up. "Hold on!" She took out an Ability Card and swiped it. "Ability Activate!" She took out the other two Bakugan and dropped them. "Savage Air!"

The Bakugan glowed and and sent their energy towards Tigress, seconds before the laser struck her.

Tigress: 1400Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1600Gs

"GYAH!" The explosion knocked her flying backwards, but she was able to hold on thanks to her fellow Bakugan giving her more power.

She managed to flip through the air and land, as Lindwhirl flew towards her again. But before he could strike, Thalia swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Tigress' armor sparked and she managed to dodge the attack, "Lightning Whirlwind!"

Tigress started running around and formed a super-charged tornado, which flew towards both Lindwhirl and Leonidas before either could try and dodge it.

"Gyah!" Leonidas cried, Lindwhirl howling as they were zapped

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1400Gs

"Hang on guys!" Flash took out another card, as Lindwhirl curled up and spun through the tornado. "Ability Activate!" He shot towards Tigress and uncurled, his claws glowing. "Raging Slash!"

With a swipe, he clawed against Tigress and made her cry out in pain.

Tigress: 1400Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1400Gs

As Lindwhirl leapt back, Leonidas flew forward ready to take her down. But Thalia was quicker and swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The blades on Tigress glowed and Flash realised what was coming. "Cut In Revenger!" The beast roared as the wind flew past her and caused the light to fly off.

But as they approached the two, Flash took out two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He slashed the first card, as the tip of Lindwhirl's tail glowed before it started spinning it around. "Spiral Guardian..." The light flew off and swirled around, forming a barrier that blocked Tigress' attack.

The energy blades bounced off the glowing spiral, disappearing as Leonidas flew over it and Flash swiped the other card.

"Plus, Power Brawl!" He dived down, as his muscles flexed.

Tigress: 1400Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1600Gs

"Raaaaah!" He punched her with everything he had, knocking Tigress back and reverting her back to ball form. As she fell towards Thalia's feet, the woman growled.

"Don't get cocky..." She stated as the Bakugan reverted back to ball form and her Life Gauge dropped.

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 60%

"Two on one would be tough for anyone to beat."

"Maybe," Flash smirked. "But a win's still a win. Not my fault you didn't send out your Bakugan Trap." Though he couldn't see her face, he could tell she was scowling. But before either of them could say anything else, someone suddenly leapt down behind her. "Who's that?"

Thalia looked around and saw Cursor moving towards them. "Master?"

Cursor stepped up next to her and took out a Gate Card. "I've decided to see how powerful this Brawler truly is."

"What?" Flash asked. "Hey, you can't just walk into our battle uninvited. Ever hear of common courtesy? Who the heck even are you?"

"Hold your tongue!" Thalia told him. "You are talking to Cursor. Leader of the Rugenga." This put Flash and his Bakugan on edge.

"So he's the one in charge," Leonidas stated.

"Who cares," Flash stated. "I'll take him down and deal with Thalia once and for all."

"I don't think so," Cursor stated. "Gate Card...SET!" He threw the card and as soon as it exploded, he took out a Bakugan other than the one resting on his shoulder. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The Bakugan flew through the air and hit the ground, Cursor not even bothering with the power-ups. "Bakugan...STAND!" The Bakugan flew open and exploded into flames, which flew up and formed a fireball. "Pyrus Chance Dragonoid!"

Flash watched as the fireball exploded, revealing a humanoid Bakugan.

It was red, with green armor on its neck, chest, waist and on each of its four arms. It had two pairs of wings, a spear head on its tail, a unicorn horn on its forehead and two devil horn-like spikes sticking out of its head. The Bakugan flew upwards and let out a roar as it did so, showing just how strong it was.

Chance: 500Gs

"Now," Cursor smiled, "are you going to fight? Or are you going to run away?"

Flash growled as he held up his Bakugan. "You ready, Leo?"

"Let's show this guy what a big mistake he just made." Flash nodded and flipped him up, catching him as he leapt into the air.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" Leo flew through the air and hit several power-ups before landing, the Bakugan rolling several feet before spinning open. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornado of light exploded out of him. "Let's go, LEO!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He roared, as his power increased.

Leonidas: 700Gs
Chance: 500Gs

Before Flash could do anything, Cursor pointed to the ground. "Gate Card, OPEN!" Suddenly, the ground burst into flames and the fire flew up into Chance Dragonoid. "Pyrus Reactor!"

Leonidas: 700Gs
Chance: 700Gs

The two dragons flew towards one another and started clashing, Leo needing to be careful with the other Bakugan's four arms. But after dodging several strikes, he managed to land a kick straight to its chest.

"Hahaa!" Flash cheered, only for Cursor to take out a card and swipe it.

"Ability, Activate!" Chance Dragonoid's hands burst into flames, those flames beginning to take shape. "Burst Gauntlet!" The flames extinguished to reveal red metal gloves on each hand, each having L-shaped blades sticking out of them.

Leonidas: 700Gs
Chance: 900Gs

The Dragonoid started slashing at Leonidas, who dodged and evaded as best he could. But eventually, he was slashed and flinched in pain. "Augh!"

Over in Equestria, the Defenders were all searching for Flash after he had disappeared.

They, Twilight and Celestia arrived at the control hub, wondering if he had gone there to monitor what was happening in Vestroia. But they couldn't find him anywhere. "Rosemary," Celestia spoke up.

"Yes, your majesty?" The mare stood up from the console.

"Have you seen Flash and Leonidas?" The mare looked confused by this. "Is something wrong?"

"Princess. Mr. Sentry is in Vestroia." This shocked everyone, who turned to the transporter wondering what Flash was thinking. "He said you had ordered him to check out an area of Vestroia. Was that not the case?"

"No," Celestia looked annoyed, "it was not. Where did you send him?" Rosemary used her monitor to focus on an area of the planet, the others seeing it was nowhere special. "So why would Flash go there?" But as she said that, the monitor beeped.

"Your highness. Locking onto that area allowed our systems to pick up an energy signal. Dimensional Field energy. The same kind used to create a battlefield."

"A battlefield?" Twilight looked worried. "So Flash is battling someone there?"

"I hope it's not Thalia," Lyra gulped. "We should get going." The others nodded, with Rosemary trying to lock onto that area. But she frowned.

"I can't get a lock. The battlefield must be interfering with it. But I can transport you to just outside of it." The others nodded and all ran into the transporter, praying they could get there before anything bad happened to Flash.

Cursor continued to watch, as Leonidas and Chance Dragonoid ducked it out. But so far, he wasn't impressed.

"So far, his abilities appear to be completely average. Nothing any other Bakugan couldn't do with training and a competent partner. Maybe the legends about him aren't true after all." But at that moment, he heard Flash call out.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped a pair of cards and Leonidas burst into action. "Speed Burst, plus Power Brawl!"

Leonidas: 1100Gs
Chance: 900Gs

Leonidas dodged Chance's slashes and managed to deal several quick punches to the dragonoid's side. He was moving so fast, Chance couldn't keep up with him. But as Leo came in for another attack, Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Chance spun around, as his eyes began to glow. "Inferno Leer!" The light shot out of his eyes and hit Leonidas, who flinched as he felt his power drop.

Leonidas: 900Gs
Chance: 900Gs

"It'll take more than that to beat us!" Flash yelled, only to see Cursor hold something up.

"Then it's a good thing I have more. Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw another Bakugan onto the field, also ignoring the power-ups. "Bakugan...STAND!" The Bakugan opened up and burst into flames, which flew up towards the other two. "Pyrus Quake Dragonoid!"

The flames extinguished to reveal a red dragon Bakugan who was covered in red armor, with cracks running along it that gave the impression of cracked ground. It had gauntlets around its arms that had blue lines on them, a small green gem on its chest and three backwards pointing horns on its head that were three times as long as its head.

Leonidas: 900Gs
Chance+Quake: 1400Gs

The next thing Leonidas knew, he was being double-teamed by the two dragons. As he dodged Chance's claws, Quake flew up and body-checked him. "Gyah!" He spun around, but managed to stay in control. "Cheap trick!"

"Seriously?" Flash asked, "you're ganging up on me now?"

"I'm just giving you an incentive," Cursor stated. "Show me everything you have, or lose Leonidas."

"You asked for it!" Flash took out three cards and slashed them. "Triple Ability, activate!" Leo dodged another attack, as his body began to glow. "Neo Phaser, plus Photon Force! And don't forget. Fusion Ability, Neo Photon Blast!"

"What?" Cursor cried, "a Triple Ability?" He watched, as Leonidas created the orb in front of him before firing a laser into it. The laser exploded the orb into a large beam, which flew down and almost struck both Bakugan.

Leonidas: 1900Gs
Chance+Quake: 1400Gs

"Take him down!" Flash yelled, ready to beat Cursor in a single move. But Thalia wouldn't have that.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She quickly threw her Bakugan into the battle. "Bakugan...STAND!" Tigress hit the ground and popped open, the Bakugan appearing in a brilliant burst of light. "Haos Tigress!" Flash panicked, realising he was now fighting three on one.

Leonidas: 1900Gs
Chance+Quake+Tigress: 1900Gs

"Double Ability, Activate!" Thalia swiped her cards, as she took out her Bakugan and dropped them. "Savage Air, plus Cut In Revenger!" As the Bakugan fell, Tigress absorbed their power before unleashing a wind that sent it flying up towards Leonidas.

The dragon was shocked, as the wind slammed into him and the energy blades slashed at his body. "GYAH!"

Leonidas: 1300Gs
Chance+Quake+Tigress: 2300Gs

Flash gasped, realising the difference in their power level was way over five hundred. "I'm gonna lose Leo!" He thought about sending out Lindwhirl. But that wouldn't be enough. And as the dragonoids prepared to attack, Flash feared the worse.

But in that moment, a bright flash of green light suddenly filled the air above them. "What?" Thalia asked, as a pair of Bakugan appeared within that light.

"Oh, great. Now who's attacking me?" But Flash's statement was soon proven false, when one of the Bakugan flew out of the light and struck Chance Dragonoid.

It was a Ventus Bakugan, who appeared like a winged woman in armor. Her skin was a shade of green so dark it bordered on black, whilst her hair was a light green colour.

She was wearing a light blue bodysuit that covered everything except her neck and head, with green armor covering her chest, shoulders, forearms, waist and upper legs. She was wearing a green metal helmet that her hair was sticking out the back of that covered everything except her face, which had a pair of light green metal wings on the side. Her hands, lower legs and feet were the same dark green as her face and her knees were surrounded by feathers. The armor around her arms had a hole just above the wrist, which looked like something fired out of them, whilst her wings were a shade of green so light they were almost white in colour.

The Bakugan had stomped Chance away from Leonidas before turning to Quake, who roared and tried to attack her. But another Bakugan flew past and struck it with its wing.

This one was a green bird-like Bakugan. Its body was organic, but it appeared to have mechanical wings.

Its organic sections were a light green colour, Rarity would call it chartreuse, but its chest, back, upper legs and the back of its neck was covered in a green metal armor that its wings were connected to. From out of the armor on its rear came two long metal points that formed a U-shape. And between that shape was some kind of yellow energy that gave it the appearance of having a tail.

The same energy came off the wings, creating feather patterns that it used to fly around. Its talons were also yellow. And standing atop this Bakugan was someone Flash recognised. "No way."

At this moment, Sunset and the others had arrived and spotted the newcomers as well. And Lyra also recognised the new Brawler. "It's Soarin!"

Soarin Skies, dressed a black shirt, dark blue pants and a green open jacket, stood atop his Bakugan with a Baku-Bracer on his arm. And as Flash checked his own Baku-Bracer, he smiled seeing the new score.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2150Gs
Chance+Quake+Tigress: 2300Gs

Soarin took out a card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" He leapt off the bird Bakugan, "Aerial Assault!" The Bakugan dived down towards the two dragonoids, as wind swirled around it.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2350Gs
Chance+Quake+Tigress: 2300Gs

It slammed into the pair and knocked them down, as the other Ventus Bakugan flew down towards Tigress.

"Ability, Activate!" He swiped another card, as she brought her hands together. "Aero Shot!" A ball of wind swirled between her hands and she shot it towards Tigress.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2650Gs
Chance+Quake+Tigress: 2300Gs

The tiger tried to dodge, but she wasn't fast enough and the air blast slammed into her. She roared in pain, as she was knocked backwards and forced back into Ball Form.

"What?" Thalia cried, as Tigress landed down in front of her. "One hit?"

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 0%
Soarin: 100%
Cursor: 100%

Soarin chose this moment to land next to Flash, the pair smirking at one another as their opponents lost serious G Power.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2650Gs
Chance+Quake: 1900Gs

"Sup, Flash." Soarin asked him, "how it's going?"

"Not bad," Flash replied. "Thanks for the save. Now we can take these guys down once and for all."

"You got it," Soarin nodded.

Thalia picked up her Bakugan and turned to Cursor. "Master. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Cursor shook his head. "This match might actually be more fun than I had originally believed. Especially if that Bakugan can handle using Triple Abilities." He smiled, as the Bakugan on his shoulders jumped off. "Are you ready, Draken?"

"I am," the Bakugan replied before folding up.

Cursor then grabbed him before throwing him into the battle. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The Bakugan flew towards the ground and when it struck, it started spinning open. "Bakugan...STAND!" Flames exploded out of it and started forming a flaming tornado, which caught everyone's attention. "Rise...PRYUS DRAKENOID!"

As it did, the Bakugan could feel a power that only one of them recognised. "Oh no," Sorcerell stated. "He's coming!"

"Who's coming?" Lyra asked, as the flames exploded off of the Bakugan. This revealed a large black, red, orange, white and yellow dragonoid Bakugan.

Its head and the back of its long neck was black, whilst the front of its neck, its chest, waist, stomach and the underside of its tail were orange. Black armor ran from the back of his neck, down his back and all the way to the tip of his tail, with yellow spikes sticking out of it the whole way. His arms were red and he had legs that were a mix of black and red with black armoring over his upper legs. His sides were red, with white sections between it and his orange front.

On his arms were a pair of strange looking blades, which suddenly unfolded to reveal black wings with a red membrane and yellow dots. On his head were a trio of horns, two sticking backwards over his eyes and one on the end of his snout. And on his chest was a glowing purple gem.

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" His roar shook the ground around him, everyone covering their ears as Leonidas felt the intense power coming off him.

"What is that thing?" Flash asked.

"I don't know," Leonidas replied. "But this one is powerful."

Moondancer gulped, "that's Drakenoid." The others began to panic, remembering what she had said about him. But someone also had a reaction to this Bakugan. Amazon.

As he stared at the dragonoid, something about him seemed vaguely familiar. "I've...seen that Bakugan before. Or something like it."

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2650Gs
Drakenoid+Chance+Quake: 2500Gs

Cursor quickly swiped two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Chance and Quake Dragonoid began to glow. "Phantom Chance, plus Phantom Quake!" The light flowed out of them and into Draken.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2650Gs
Drakenoid+Chance+Quake: 2700Gs

Draken charged forward and shot towards Valkyria and Skyblink, Chance and Quake flying at them as well. But before they could reach them, Soarin took out two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped them, as Valkyria started spinning. "Blade Wing Dance, plus Shearing Winds!" Valkyria was surrounded by wind and when she stopped spinning, she beat her wings and caused the wind to be sent flying towards the Bakugan.

Skyblink also beat his wings, the air it unleashed joining with the other attack.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 3050Gs
Drakenoid+Chance+Quake: 2700Gs

Draken saw this coming and managed to dodge the wind attacks, leaving Chance and Quake to be struck by them. Both dragons roared in pain before they returned to Ball Form, the two falling towards the ground whilst Cursor smirked.

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 0%
Soarin: 100%
Cursor: 40%

"Yeah!" Flash cheered, as he looked down at his Baku-Bracer. But when he saw the score, his eyes went wide.

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 3050Gs
Drakenoid: 2500Gs

"What?" Flash asked, "why'd his power level only drop by five hundred?"

Cursor chuckled. "Phantom Chance and Quake transferred all their power to Draken, then added a hundred Gs onto himself. With that, Draken is now the most powerful Bakugan on the board." Flash and Soarin frowned, as Cursor took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped the card, as Draken's body burst into flames. "Blazing Dragon, plus Blazing Tornado!"

Leonidas+Valkyria+Skyblink: 2850Gs
Drakenoid: 3000Gs

The Bakugan tried to fly out of the way, as Draken morphed into a massive drill of fire. But Skyblink wasn't fast enough. The bird Bakugan was struck by the flames and with a squawk, he was forced back into his smaller form. Said form was a cube shape, which fell down and landed at Soarin's feet.

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 0%
Soarin: 70%
Cursor: 40%

"Skyblink!" Valkyria cried, as the tornado exploded to reveal a still flaming Draken.

Leonidas+Valkyria: 2500Gs
Drakenoid: 3000Gs

The dragon then turned its attention towards Valkyria and charged in, his still burning body ready to take her down.

But before he could, Soarin swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Valkyria beat her wings and sent a bunch of green energy blades flying towards Draken. "Feather Darts!"

The blades slammed into Draken and caused the flames around him to disappear, but he kept going and didn't seem the least bit damaged by the impact. And before Valkyria or Leo could do anything, he slammed into the Ventus Bakugan.

Leonidas+Valkyria: 2500Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

"Gyah!" Valkyria was knocked back and forced back into Ball Form, the Bakugan falling to the ground as Soarin's Life Gauge dropped.

Flash: 90%
Thalia: 0%
Soarin: 30%
Cursor: 40%

Leonidas gasped, seeing he was now all on his own. And as Draken hovered in the air, the pair glared at one another as the new scores were calculated.

Leonidas: 2000Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

"Ability," Flash swiped his card, "Activate!" Leonidas created a sphere of energy, "Photon Force!"

Leonidas: 2200Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

He threw the orb, but Cursor swiped his own two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Draken unleashed a bunch of fire from his mouth, which formed a wall that countered the Photon Force. "Burst Shield, plus Flame Protector!"

He beat his wings and the flames flew towards Leonidas, destroying his attack before slamming into him. "Gyah!"

Leonidas: 1800Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

The dragonoid charged at him, ready to take him down, but Flash was quicker. "Ability, Activate!" He swiped it and the hexagon orb formed around Leonidas. "Particle Barrier!"

Leonidas: 2000Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

Drakenoid reached the barrier and spun around, slamming his tail into it and shattering the hexagon. "What?" Leonidas cried, as Draken reached out and grabbed him by the neck. "Augh!"

"Leo!" Flash gasped, as Draken forced Leonidas into the ground.

"To think. You were once the most powerful Bakugan alive. And now, you're no better than that Spikenoid I crushed." Hearing this, Leonidas' eyes went wide.

"What?" He glared at him. "You were the one who defeated Spike?"

"I was. And he was pathetic. Barely worth my time. Now you'll-" He stopped when Leonidas suddenly started glowing, causing Draken's hand to burn. "Gyah!" He let him go, "what?" He staggered back, as Leonidas pushed himself up and the light grew brighter.

"I am going to make you pay for that. Do you hear me!?" He roared and suddenly, the ground around him started glowing as well.

"What's happenin'?" Braeburn asked, the light growing brighter and brighter.

"Leo?" Flash cried, as his card box suddenly opened. "What?" A light was coming out of it and when he reached in, he felt a new card in there. "Where'd this come from?" He drew the card and saw it was different from the others.

"It's Leonidas!" Flarenix cried. "He's drawing power from Vestroia itself."

"Of course!" Lyra laughed. "Vestroia was created using Leonidas' old body. He's connected to it and can wield its power. Do it, FLASH!"

Flash nodded and swiped the card. "Neo Ability, Activate!" The light flew out of the ground and began to spiral around Leonidas, shocking everyone as they felt the incredible power coming off him. "SHINING VESTROIA!"

Leonidas: 2700Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

Cursor couldn't believe what he was seeing. "He increased his power by that much?"

"Not just that much!" Flash cried, as Leonidas let out another roar and his power increased even more so.

Leonidas: 3000Gs
Drakenoid: 2700Gs

Cursor's eyes widened in shock, as Leonidas let out another powerful roar. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" With that, the light exploded out of him and flew towards Drakenoid. The dragonoid tried to fight against it, but the power was just too great.

"No!" He yelled, as it slammed into him and he was thrown backward. "AAAAARRRRRHHHHH!" He fell towards Cursor, but was reverted back to ball form before he could crush him. And as he hit the ground, Cursor stared at him in shock.

"We lost?"

Flash: 90% (Winner)
Thalia: 0%
Soarin: 30% (Winner)
Cursor: 0%

Flash panted, as Leonidas reverted back to ball form and flew back to him. And when he caught him, Flash hissed. "Ahh!" He threw him into the air, Leonidas opening up and flying as he remained hot. "Geez. That new attack packs some punch."

"Yeah," Leonidas nodded, "I'm feeling seriously drained." They turned to see Cursor pick Draken up, as their transport flew into view.

"Well, this has certainly been an interesting bout." They leapt up and landed atop the machine. "But don't think your victory here means anything. Now that I've seen what you can do, I will find a way to bring you crashing to your knees." With that, the transport closed and flew off, as the others watched them disappear.

As Thalia piloted, Cursor and Draken thought about the Brawl.

'Now that I've seen the kind of power he possesses, I must make Leonidas mine. Only then, will Draken and I obtain our full power.'

As soon as the battle was over, the Defenders all returned to Equestria.

To say Soarin was amazed by the humanoid ponies was an understatement. And after Flash's chewing out for going off on his own, they all focused on him. "So what happened?" Flash asked. "How'd you get to Vestroia?"

Soarin frowned. "I'm not really sure. One minute, I was on a run preparing myself for a big soccer game. And the next thing I knew, a massive portal formed in front of me and sucked me in."

"I see," Dragonia stated. "It must have been an aftereffect of us attempting to send Leonidas to your world. You being the one to fall through it was either an amazing accident, or fate at work."

Soarin nodded. "It wasn't long after that, I met Valkyria." They all turned to the Bakugan on his shoulder, as Soarin explained everything.

On Vestroia, a Rugenga ship was flying overhead searching for Bakugan left behind by the Guardians.

One such Bakugan was Valkyria, who suddenly found herself being lifted into the air. "What...hey!" She tried to fight the tractor beam, but couldn't. She was almost captured, until someone leapt up and grabbed her before pulling her out of the beam. That someone was Soarin, who quickly hid behind a boulder. "Oh, thank you."

"Don't mention it," Soarin nodded.

"Are you one of the Rugenga?"

"Rugenga? Never heard of them. My name's Soarin." That statement got a gasp from Valkyria.

"You mean Soarin Skies. The human partner of the great Storm Garuda?" Soarin was amazed his partner was so well known, but nodded. "It's an honour to meet you. I am Valkyria."

"Valkyria told me everything," Soarin explained. "And since then, we've been working to figure out where the Rugenga were hiding so we could free the Bakugan they captured."

Lyra stepped forward. "Are you the one who saved me from Beck?"

"Yeah," Soarin nodded. "Sorry I didn't stick around. I was hoping I could follow Beck. But their transport was way too fast. So I had to wait until I ran into you guys again."

Celestia smiled. "Well, we're happy to have you here. With your on our team, the Defenders will be stronger than ever."

"And we're gonna need that strength," Sunset stated as she activated her Baku-Bracer and showed everyone the image she had taken of Drakenoid. "Against this Bakugan, we're gonna need all the help we can get." They all stared at the image, those who hadn't seen it before shivering at how menacing it looked.

But one person saw it and gasped. "It can't be!" Everyone turned to Dragonia, who stared at the image in absolute shock. "It looks...but the colour...no, it is him. But not."

"What are you talking about?" Flash asked her.

"Dragonia," Leonidas cried, "do you know this Bakugan?"

"In a way. Leonidas. Do you remember the story I told you, about my former life?" Leonidas nodded, the others who knew that story listening intently. "The Bakugan who saved Vestroia and became its new core, only to be restored to his Bakugan form years later. The Bakugan who fought in many battles, to protect Vestroia and many other worlds. Pyrus Dragonoid. Or Drago, as I knew him."

"What does this have to do with Draken?" Flash asked.

"Draken looks just like Drago," Dragonia explained. "There are differences in his colour, but that's definitely him. That was the form he became after being reborn from the Perfect Core. Neo Dragonoid. But how is that possible?"

The others wondered the same thing. It was clear the Rugenga were more than just invaders. Who were they? And what could they really be after.

But as they thought about it, Amazon's mind kept repeating the name. "Pyrus Dragonoid. Neo Dragonoid." He thought about Draken and suddenly, he was staring at a differently coloured Draken. More red than black, this dragon appeared in his mind. And then, he was joined by other images of a red Draken. But they weren't dragon. "Ti...ti...Titanium Dragonoid!" The others glanced over at him. "And...Fusion Dragonoid."

"Amazon?" Lyra frowned, "what's wrong? Are you remembering something?"

Amazon was. As soon as the image of Dragonoid was in his head, it seemed to make an explosion of memories flow through his mind. Amazon remembered who he was. Where he had come from. And how he had gotten there. "I remember everything now. My master. My friends. Everything."

This put everyone on edge, all of them curious about Amazon's secret. And if it might reveal anything about who the Rugenga were.

Cursor made his way through the cave, Draken floating beside him.

Eventually, he reached the hole in the floor of the cave and looked down into it. And when he did, he smiled at what he was seeing. A strange purple ooze, which was the cause of the light coming out of the hole.

Multiple Bakugan were half buried in this ooze, with tendrils wrapped around them. Their energy was being drained from it and being absorbed into the ooze. But it wasn't just Bakugan in there.

Along them were six individuals, all appearing to be around twenty years or older. Three of them were male, a brown haired individual in red, a black haired man in black and green and a short blonde man with glasses in blue. There were also three women, a blue haired one with hair in pigtails wearing yellow and white, a dark skinned woman with white hair who was wearing pink and a ginger haired woman wearing a purple coat over a yellow dress.

They were all unconscious, half sunk into the ooze with tendrils wrapped around them. Like the Bakugan, they were also having their energy drained out of them.

As Cursor stared down at the six individuals and the Bakugan around them, he thought about Leonidas and chuckled. "Once we add you to it, our power will grow even stronger. Strong enough to awaken all our partners and become the beings we were always meant to be."

Author's Note

Yikes. That was a tough match. But now the team are all together and they seem to have discovered some interesting facts about the Rugenga. But what is the story behind them? Only time will tell.

For those wondering about the Bakugan in this episode. Drakenoid is basically Vexos Dragonoid in Ball Form and Bakugan Form.

For Valkyria, look up Jessica's season two form from Gormiti. The colours are different and she's wearing a helmet, but other than that it's the same. Her Ball Form is the same as Flash Ingram. Meanwhile, Skyblink is Talan from Geogan Rising.

Friends in Need

When Flash opened his eyes, he found himself in a large open field. A forest of some kind wasn't too far away and some mountains were in front of him.

As he stood there, he looked around and saw Moondancer beside him. Leonidas and Dragonia were on his shoulders and they were also trying to figure out where they were. He then turned back to Moondancer, who was also examining the environment. "Any idea where we are?"

"No idea," Moondancer sighed. "We're definitely in Equestria. I can feel the magic in the air. But I have no idea where we are exactly."

Dragonia nodded. "Spectra's transport only sent us to your dimension. There's no telling where we could be right now. We might not even be in Equestria itself."

"I hope we are," Moondancer gulped. "The last thing we need is to be somewhere like the dragon lands, or the Changeling territory."

"We'll have a better idea of where we are from the air," Leonidas told them. "I got this." The Brawlers nodded and used their Baku-Bracers to create a dimensional field, allowing Leonidas to retake his true form.

Once they were on his back, they took to the air and flew over the landscape. And as they did, Moondancer kept surveying the area. And slowly, she nodded. "I think we are in Equestria." The others turned to her, as she gestured to a forest they were flying away from. "That must be the White Tail Woods."

"So you know where we are?" Sorcerell asked.

Moondancer nodded. "Canterlot is...that way." She pointed in a direction, as they flew over the small mountains they were currently getting over. "If we keep going in this direction, we'll hit Ponyville before anywhere else."

"Ponyville?" Flash nodded. "That's where Twilight lived before this Bakugan stuff happened, right?" Moondancer nodded. "I wonder what state it'll be in, since the Rugenga have taken the place over."

"It's likely being controlled using Bakugan," Dragonia sighed. "We should probably check it out, but we'll have to be careful how we do that." They nodded, as Leonidas kept flying.

After about thirty minutes, they spotted the mountain where Canterlot was located. And as they drew closer, they passed a large hill and saw a collection of buildings at the base of it. "That's Ponyville," Moondancer told them. They all looked down and saw it, Flash surprised by how homely it looked.

However, they quickly realised an issue with it.

Several buildings had been destroyed, whilst what appeared to be a farm on the edge of the town had been absolutely decimated. And as they got closer, they spotted a bunch of Bakugan moving through the town.

A Warius was marching through streets, whilst a Gargonoid was flying overhead. "You were right," Flash frowned. "They are using Bakugan as guard dogs."

"I told you," Dragonia stated.

"But how?" Moondancer asked is shock. "How can they make a Bakugan stay in its true form, without having a dimensional area up?" They frowned, wishing they knew the answer. But they soon had bigger issues, as something else appeared in the distance.

"Rugenga ship!" Sorcerell cried, making them look around and see the machine flying towards them.

Not wanting to be seen, Leonidas flew around the town and tried to escape as they flew over the forest next to the town. But it was too late. The ship suddenly fired a beam of light, which flew at them and hit Leonidas. "GYAH!" He roared, as he suddenly found himself reverting back to ball form. "What?"

Everyone gasped, as Flash and Moondancer found their Baku-Bracers shutting down.

They barely managed to catch their Bakugan, as they began to fall towards the ground and yell out. The ship didn't chase after them, as the pair slammed into the trees off the forest and both ended up blacking out.

Over in Canterlot, Sunset stood there feeling like her heart was about to break.

She was standing in the half destroyed throne room, where Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight and Spike were floating in the tanks asleep. Cursor stepped up to the tanks and placed his hand on Celestia's. "Perfect. Glad to have them out of the way." As soon as he said that, the doors in the back of the room opened.

Beck and Azalea stepped inside, Sunset wondering where Kiyrah was.

The two Rugenga nodded at their returning comrades, then focused on Sunset. "So she did betray her friends," Azalea laughed. "I knew you were good, master. But I didn't think you were that good."

"Hold on," Beck stated. "Don't celebrate too soon. We all know she's only here to protect these five." He knocked at the pod containing Cadance. "She might try and betray us the moment she thinks she can save them."

"Now, now." Cursor chuckled. "If we're to start this relationship right, we need to have some form of trust. If we expect her to betray us, then it's practically guaranteed that she will. But once she sees how much faith we're willing to give her, she'll eventually see that working with us is the best decision she ever made."

Beck didn't seem to believe that, as Sunset just stared at the pods containing Spike and the princesses. "What are you going to do with everypony?" She asked, as Cursor moved over to sit on the remains of Celestia's throne.

"Once we have all the Bakugan, we'll be heading back. Until then, the ponies will be helping us gather some much needed materials, for a few projects we have been working on back in Vestroia." The others nodded, whilst Sunset frowned. She wished she knew what those projects were.

"What about the Bakugan that are being controlled?" Flarenix spoke up, the Rugenga turning to him on Sunset's shoulder. "How are you making them take their true forms without a dimensional area?"

"Oh, that." Beck chuckled. "Relax. They're not in any pain. The collars they're wearing create micro fields around them. it's like having a personal force-field, protecting them from this world's physics. So they can take their true forms." Sunset frowned, remembering the strange antenna that had been on the castle roof. Was that was controlled these collars.

Before anyone could say anything else, Beck's Baku-Bracer beeped and he brought it up. "What?" The others turned to him, "I thought you left those other fools back in the other world?"

"We did," Hayate replied. But Beck then made a hologram of a screen, which showed footage of the skies above a forest. And flying through it was Leonidas, Sunset gasping when she saw him get hit by a beam and revert back to ball form.

Seeing Flash and Moondancer fall into the forest below, she panicked.

"Looks like they found another way back," Cursor shrugged. "No matter. The two of them alone, won't be enough to stop what we've begun."

"I don't like them being left alone like that," Thalia replied. "We should work on taking them down, once and for all." Cursor thought about it, then nodded.

"Beck. Can you locate them?"

"That transporter was flying over Ponyville," he replied. "So they must be in the forest beside it."

"The Everfree Forest?" Sunset frowned. "If you go in there, you'll be in trouble. That place isn't like the rest of Equestria. It's full of wild magical plants and monsters. If you go in there, even with the Bakugan helping, you might end up in trouble."

"I see," Beck hummed. "Then I'll lure them out." He changed the holographic image to show three figures in stasis pods, Sunset's eyes widening in shock. "This should be the perfect bait."

"Do we even need to do all that?" Azalea asked. "You saw how far they fell. No way could they survive that."

"She has a point," Thalia nodded. "Even with those trees breaking their falls, there's little chance they came out of that fall alive. Not unless they get help almost immediately."

Flash moaned, as he felt himself coming back around.

He slowly remembered what had happened and as his eyes opened, he was amazed to still be alive. But his head was bounding like heck. "Flash!" He then heard someone call out to him, making him look around and see Leonidas on the ground next to him. "Are you okay?"

Flash moaned, as he sat up and looked around. They were in what appeared to be a ruined castle. And they weren't alone.

There were a bunch of ponies in what was likely a destroyed throne room, along with several Bakugan. Moondancer was on the ground next to him, unconscious. "Moondancer!" He tried to move over to her, but his body still ached.

"Do not try and strain yourself, you must wait to be back to proper health." Flash looked around and saw a mare with light gray fur, dark gray stripes and a mane that was a mix of the two. "I'm glad you have awakened, now this potion can be taken." She held up a bottle of something and Flash frowned, only for Leonidas to land on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. You can trust her. She treated you after the ponies brought you here." Flash sighed, but took the drink only to flinch at the taste.

"I admit, the taste may irk. But that's how you know it'll certainly work."

"Sure," Flash groaned as Moondancer let out a moan. They looked around and saw her waking up. And as the mare moved to help her, Flash did feel his body getting less achy. "Huh. It does work."

"Zecora is a miracle worker." He looked around and when he did, he thought he was back home for a moment.

It was the Rainbooms. Or most of them. All except Twilight, standing above him looking worried. But as he took a closer look, he realised they weren't actually the Rainbooms. They were their pony counterparts.

"Hey," the Rainbow pony spoke up, "glad you're awake."

Applejack nodded. "When we found ya'h in the forest, we were worried somethin' horrible had happened to ya'h." They watched, as Flash began to pick himself up. "Don't push ya-self."

"I'm fine," Flash told them. "Whatever that potion was, it did great."

Rarity nodded in agreement. "You can count on Zecora for any remedy you might need." She suddenly got serious. "Hopefully, you'll be ready to stop those barbarians before they can cause any more issues." Flash nodded, as he suddenly noticed a few things.

First, Dragonia was on Rarity's shoulder. The next thing he noticed, were a bunch of necklaces the five were all wearing. Gold ones with different coloured and shaped gems on the front. And finally, Fluttershy was holding a crown with a gem on it. "Do you mind telling me what happened, since the Rugenga took over?"

"Wish we could," Pinkie frowned. "We don't really know."

Applejack nodded. "It started when Canterlot was attacked. We saw smoke coming from the city and knew somethin' bad happened. And the next thing we knew, a ship was flying towards the town and shot a bunch of Bakugan out of it."

"Bakugan that took their true form," Rarity continued. "They attacked Ponyville and started rounding up anypony or Bakugan they could find."

Fluttershy looked down. "We barely managed to get the ponies and Bakugan we could evacuated into the forest. We managed to get to the Castle of the Two Sisters and since then, we've been waiting for the chance to stop what's happening."

"But it hasn't been easy," Rarity sighed. "We barely have enough provisions to last and if we don't find a way to get more food, we'll be in trouble."

Flash frowned, hating the sight of ponies cowering in fear. "Those jerks." He turned to Moondancer, who was now standing and nodded to him. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to stop those guys, even if it means fighting all six of them at the same time."

"I wish we could help," Pinkie sighed. "But even with the Elements of Harmony, we can't do anything when a battle is taking place." Flash stared at the necklaces around their necks and remembered Twilight telling him about the Elements, the teen realising those had to be them.

"So what's the plan?" Rainbow asked.

"I haven't thought of one, yet." Flash crossed his arms. "But I'll think of-" Before he could say anything, his Baku-Bracer beeper.

He activated it and when he did, the image of Beck appeared on the screen. "Hello, Flash Sentry. Glad to see you've returned." Flash glared at him, the others crowding around him. "We detected you just outside of Ponyville. I'm sure you're slumming it with the rest of the ponies that managed to escape us."

"What do you want," Flash glared at him.

"I want to end the Defenders of Equestria, once and for all." Flash frowned. "I could simply track your Bracers and find you, but where would the fun in that be. So, you two will meet me in Ponyville and we will battle."

"Why should we do that?" Moondancer asked. "Battling there puts us at a disadvantage."

"Because if you don't, you won't ever see your friends again." The image changed to how Soarin, Lyra and Braeburn, trapped inside pods asleep. They all gasped, Applejack raging at the sight of her cousin in trouble. "Be at Ponyville in one hour to battle. If you win, you can have them back." With that, the call was cut and everyone frowned, realising they had a serious problem right now.

"Are you gonna go?" Fluttershy asked.

"We don't have a choice," Flash told her. "If we don't, there's no telling what they'll do to our friends. We have to do this." Moondancer nodded, as the girls frowned.

"Then we'll go to," Rainbow stated. "We might not be able to enter the battlefield, but we might still be able to help somehow."

"If you're sure," Moondancer frowned. They nodded and the Brawlers smiled, glad they would be having help in the situation.

Back at the castle, Sunset remained in the throne room.

Beck and Azalea had already left, whilst Cursor and Hayate had gone to Vestroia for some reason. That left Sunset and Thalia, with Thalia being sure to keep an eye on the unicorn so she didn't try anything. But Sunset had no intention of risking the princesses. Not yet, anyway.

As Sunset sat on the steps of Celestia's throne, she looked up at Thalia and the Rugenga noticed this. "What?" She asked, as Sunset frowned.

"What exactly are you?" Thalia tilted her head. "You look like Runo, but you're not her. And I'm guessing the others look like Dan and the other Battle Brawlers. But they're not them either. So what are you?"

Thalia chuckled. "You'll find out, in time. But right now. Sit back and watch the show." As she said that, a beeping caught their attention and Thalia pressed something on her Baku-Bracer. Moments later, a holo-screen appeared showing images of Ponyville.

Sunset frowned, not happy seeing the town Twilight called home being a ghost town. All the ponies that had been captured there, had been transferred to Canterlot. But others had apparently escaped. She just prayed they remained safe.

"Now we wait," Thalia stated. "Let's see if your friends are willing to risk themselves for their friends or not." Sunset glared at her, angry she would suggest they would.

"Come on, guys." She turned back to the screen and whispered, "you can do it."

Over in Ponyville, Flash and the Equestrians had finally reached the edge of the forest.

Flash and Moondancer stepped out of the trees, as they spotted Gargonoid in the air. Flash then turned to the five non-brawling girls. "You all better stay here. We'll try and keep the battle away from you, but you need to be careful." They nodded and stayed in the trees, as Flash and Moondancer headed into the town.

They looked around, finding the place was completely abandoned. The pair and their Bakugan frowned, feeling creeped out by the way the place was completely empty.

"This is freaky," Flash frowned. "I thought the Rugenga captured everyone and were using the Bakugan to keep them under control. So where is everyone."

"Good question," Moondancer stated. "I hope they're alright." It was at that moment that they turned a corner and suddenly spotted something. "Look!" She cried, Flash following her finger and seeing their friends. They were in the middle of town square, still trapped inside the pods.

"NO!" Flash rushed over to them, only for the Gargonoid to fly over and glare at them. "Whoa." The pair glared at it, as a pair of ships suddenly appeared from behind some buildings.

The ship flew overhead and opened up, with both Beck and Azalea standing up. "So, you came." Beck chuckled. "I knew you wouldn't abandon your pathetic friends."

"Let them go!" Flash cried, but Beck just smirked.

"I don't think so," Azalea laughed. "If you want them, you're gonna have to beat us for them." She held up a Bakugan. "But you don't stand a chance against my precious little Goliath."

"We'll see about that," Moondancer told her. But then she looked over at their friends. "We need to move away from them. They could get caught in the fight." Flash nodded and suddenly started running, Azalea frowning.

"Hey!" She used her transport to fly after him, as Moondancer followed. Beck watched them, obviously knowing what they're planning.

Flash made his way to the outskirts of the town, as Azalea followed. He then activated the battle system on his Bracer, the others detecting this and locking onto his battle system. This caused the dimensional field to form around them, completely covering the town but not touching the forest. And as the power-ups appeared, Flash and Moondancer stared Azalea down.

"BRAWL!" They all yelled, their life gauges filling up.

Beck: 100%
Flash: 100%
Azalea: 100%
Moondancer: 100%

"Let's do this thing!" Flash took out a card and threw it towards the ground. "Gate Card...SET!" It exploded and as soon as it did, Flash, Moondancer and Azalea took out their Bakugan partners before leaping into the air and throwing them. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The three shot through the air and hit several power-ups before landing on the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" They popped or spun open and unleashed bursts of different light.

"Haos Novus Leonidas!" The yellow tornado exploded and the dragon roared, ready for battle.

"Darkus Sorcerell!" The purple light faded and the magic Bakugan spun around, her hands glowing with the mystical energy.

"Subterra Goliath!" The orange light broke away, revealing the giant Bakugan that Sorcerell and Leonidas both went wide eyed at the sight of. As they did, their power-ups kicked in.

Leonidas: 700Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

"He's huge!" Moondancer cried, but Flash wasn't worried.

"I've seen bigger." He took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas' mouth opened and filled with light. "Neo Phaser!"

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

"I don't think so!" Azalea swiped her own card. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath raised his fist, which started glowing orange. "Hyper Impact!"

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 1070Gs

Both Bakugan prepared to unleash their attacks, but Moondancer stepped in. "Denied!" She swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell forced herself back to her feet and started creating symbols in the air. "Magic Barrier, Level One!" The symbols were soon placed inside a magic circle, with solidified as she sent it up towards Goliath.

He thrust his fist forward and the attack connected, hitting the magic circle but doing nothing to damage it. Instead, the magic inside the circle exploded out and shocked him. "Augh!"

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

As the Magic Barrier disappeared, Leonidas finally finished charging up and unleashed his Neo Phase attack. The laser exploded out of his mouth with extra power and slammed into Goliath's chest, exploding and sending him staggering backwards before falling on a nearby building.

"Golly!" Azalea cried, horrified seeing her partner being knocked over. She glared at them both. "How dare you do that to my precious Goliath!" She glared at Beck. "Aren't you gonna help!?"

"Fine." As Goliath worked to push itself back up, Beck threw his Bakugan into the fight. "Predator, GO!" The Bakugan flew through the air and hit several power-ups before hitting the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" He popped open and exploded into a burst of water, which flooded the town as the Bakugan appeared.

"I AM HERE!" Predator cried, both hands on his hips with his chest pressed out. "Ready to make you all pay!"

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs
Predator: 730Gs

Leonidas didn't look worried, whilst Sorcerell had to pick to Brawlers up and move them to a safe distance. She did her best to stay upright, despite the water currently soaking her up to her knees. "RAAAAAH!" Leonidas unleashed another Neo Phaser, but Predator dodged the attack as Beck swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Predator started swinging his arms around, "Aqua Ninja!" Suddenly, he disappeared and Leonidas frowned before looking around.

"Where'd he go!" Then, he heard splashing and looked as he sensed something flying at him.

"SURPRISE!" An invisible force suddenly slammed into him and he was knocked backwards, as Predator appeared for a brief moment before disappearing again.

Leonidas: 550Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs
Predator: 880Gs

"Augh!" Leonidas smashed into the water covered ground, causing a splash whilst Goliath finally managed to pull himself up. And as he did, the invisible Predator tried to attack again. But Flash was ready and swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas glowed and the light shot off, creating a wall of hexagons that surrounded him. "Particle Barrier!" When Predator attacked again, all he hit was the shield and contact suddenly zapped him and made him visible.

"Gaaah!" He shook his fist, "not cool."

"Gate Card...OPEN!" Flash's command made the ground begin to glow, "Haos Reactor!" The light shined brightly and caused all the water to evaporate, blinding Predator and Goliath whilst Sorcerell used some magic to shield her eyes.

Leonidas: 900Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Goliath: 770Gs
Predator: 730Gs

"I CAN'T SEE!" Predator yelled, covering his eyes as Leonidas flew forwards.

"Then you won't see this coming!" Predator heard this and spun around to try and attack him. But to his shock, Leonidas was nowhere near him. Instead, he flew up towards Goliath and slammed into him hard.

"AAAAARRRRRHHHHH!" The giant yelled, as he was sent tumbling down again. And before Azalea could help him, he reverted back to ball form and fell onto the ground.

"No!" Azalea cried, shocked that her precious partner fell so easily.

Beck: 100%
Flash: 100%
Azalea: 74%
Moondancer: 100%

Leonidas smirked before turning to the now able to see Predator, who Sorcerell was running towards.

Leonidas: 900Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Predator: 730Gs

"Take this!" She leapt up and did a spin kick, but Predator crossed his arms to block her attack and push her back. She did a back-flip and landed, skidding along the ground as Predator charged himself.

"Is that all you've got!?" He asked, throwing several punches at her. Punches she blocked using a magic barrier. But the hits caused the circle to start breaking apart, Predator using all his strength to smash through it. But before he could, Leonidas flew down with a roar and attempted to slash at him.

Predator saw this and leapt out of the way, Leonidas' claws missing him. However, Moondancer used this opening to swipe a card. "Ability, Activate!" Once again, the Sorcerell started casting a spell and formed the mystical seal. "Magic Circle, Level One!" Seal completed, she thrust her hands forward and the circle flew towards Predator.

The lizard-like Bakugan saw it coming, but couldn't escape in time to avoid it and got struck. The seal then exploded and the magic within the seal flew into the Bakugan and shocked him. "GYAAAAAH!"

Leonidas: 900Gs
Sorcerell: 670Gs
Predator: 430Gs

Predator staggered around, as Sorcerell rushed forward and performed another spin kick. And this time, Predator couldn't block it and she slammed her foot into his chest.

He let out a roar and was thrown backwards, almost crashing into a building only to revert back to ball form and falling to the ground.

Beck: 52%
Flash: 100%
Azalea: 74%
Moondancer: 100%

Leonidas and Sorcerell smirked, as they reverted back to ball form and returned to their partners. Flash and Moondancer laughed, the pair high-fiving as they watched their opponents retrieve their Bakugan. "You see that?" Flash asked. "If you don't want us to humiliate you more, give up and let our friends go."

Beck glared at him, as his ship sucked Predator up off the ground. "We've only just got started. This isn't over yet!"

Back in Canterlot, Sunset and Thalia kept watching.

Sunset smiled, happy Flash and Moondancer were okay. But she knew this battle was far from over. And she had learned not to take the Rugenga for granted. "Be careful." She watched, as Thalia moved down from the throne.

"They haven't won yet. Beck never makes the same mistake twice. Plus, he has something that'll help him get the edge over them." Sunset wondered what she was talking about, as Thalia's gaze turned to the pods in the room. The unicorn wondered how the princesses could help them, but then remembered who else were trapped in those pods.

"Oh no." She looked back at the screen, realising the battle had moved to another area of the town.

Flash and Moondancer were so wrapped up in the battle, they hadn't realised how close they were to their friends.

"One more round and this match is over," Flash told Azalea. "We'd better focus on taking Goliath out first again. At his size, his abilities could cause some serious damage." Moondancer nodded, as Azalea took out a card whilst their transporters flew up.

"Gate Card...SET!" The card flew down and hit the ground, exploding before she, Flash and Moondancer held up their Bakugan and threw them. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The three orbs shot through the air and hit some power-ups before landing. "Bakugan...BRAWL!"

Once again, the bursts of yellow, orange and purple light filled the town and the Bakugan appeared. Leonidas took to the air and roared, as Sorcerell stood tall and Goliath towered over everyone else. Their power-ups kicked in, as Leonidas flew down.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

The dragon tried to slash at Goliath, but he raised his shield and blocked it whilst Azalea pointed at the ground.

"Gate Card...Open!" The ground glowed orange before pillars of rock extended out of it. "Subterra Reactor!" Leonidas had to dodge the pillars, whilst Sorcerell found on flying up from under her and lifting her into the air. Several more pillars ripped through the buildings of the town, whilst Goliath felt his power surge.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs
Goliath: 970Gs

He then turned to Sorcerell and attempt to punch her, but she leapt off and fell to the ground as Moondancer swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell's hands began to glow, as she started chanting something. "Mystic Enchantment!"

"Ellora Van Garonok!" The light exploded off of her hands and hit Goliath, making him roar in pain as his power was being drained.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

When the spell ended, Goliath found himself staggering whilst Leonidas dove down. "My turn!" Flash nodded and swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" As soon as Leonidas got in close, he started attacking at full force. "Power Brawl!"

Leonidas: 950Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 770Gs

The dragon's punches, kicks and tail strikes, caused the giant to roar in pain. But he was able to keep himself up and raise his shield to start defending. And as he did, Azalea took out two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped them and the shield glowed, that light flowing off and spreading around Goliath. "Grand Sentinel..." Leonidas punched the shield and flinched, feeling it weakening his energy.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 870Gs

"Plus, Ground Pound!" As Leonidas pulled back, Goliath pushed through the barrier and slammed his shield into him. And as Leonidas was knocked back, Goliath raised his fist before swinging it downwards. Doing so smashed the ground, making it shake but the Subterra Reactor wasn't damaged.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 1020Gs

Leonidas wasn't affected by the shaking ground, but Sorcerell was along with Flash and Moondancer. Several buildings were shaken apart and even those on the edge of the battlefield, had to be careful.

Sorcerell almost fell over and Goliath saw this, so rushed forward to try and kick her into the stratosphere. "WOW!" She barely managed to avoid it, the foot smashing into a building and sending it soaring up like a soccer ball. "Seriously?"

"Hang on!" Moondancer swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell's hands moved in different ways, as she cast two different spells. "Dual Casting, plus Spell of Enlightenment!"

"Ellora Van Garonok!" She thrust her hand forward and used Mystic Enchantment once again, whilst also powering herself up by the same amount Ground Pound had done to Goliath.

The energy exploded out of her hand and struck Goliath again, causing him to be drained once again.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 1270Gs
Goliath: 820Gs

As the two focused on entirely Goliath, neither noticed Beck flying his transport into the optimal position. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" He then threw his partner through some power-ups before Predator hit the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" He burst open and another wave of water exploded out of the ground, as Predator leapt out of it and flew towards Leonidas.

"HERE I COME!" He slammed a fist right into Leonidas, knocking him back with a grunt.

Leonidas: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 1270Gs
Goliath: 820Gs
Predator: 770Gs

Leonidas smashed into the ground and skidded along the ground, straight towards where Soarin and the others were being held.

Flash saw this and gasped, Sorcerell also noticing it and focused on them. She quickly cast a spell and created a barrier, which Leonidas slammed into. He grunted, but the humans in the pods were safe.

Beck noticed this and chuckled. "Of course. How predictable." He took out a pair of cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Predator slammed his hands into the ground. "Blue Tornado, plus Hydro Cage!" Suddenly, water exploded out of the ground beneath Leonidas and Sorcerell.

They both cried out, as the water then formed an orb that sealed Sorcerell into it. She tried to break out, but couldn't and quickly felt herself beginning to lose her breath.

Leonidas: 550Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 820Gs
Predator: 770Gs

"Sorcerell!" Moondancer cried, as Leonidas recovered from his earlier hit and took to the air. But as he did, Predator fired another water tornado. But not at him.

Instead, it flew towards the capsules holding the other Defenders and threatened them. "NO!" Leonidas cried, as he flew down and blocked it with his own body. "GAAAH!" The tornado pushed him back, almost on top of their friends, but he refused to give up.

Flash glared at Beck, who smirked at him. He then saw Sorcerell was in trouble and took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped it as Leonidas created a shield around his body, protecting both him and their friends. "Particle Barrier, plus Neo Phaser!"

Leonidas: 1050Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 820Gs
Predator: 770Gs

The water bounced off the shield, as Leo's mouth filled with light. And as he roared, it flew out of his mouth and the laser shot towards Goliath. But before it did, it clipped the top of Sorcerell's water prison and made it pop.

Sorcerell gasped, as the water fell to the ground and she could breathe. At th same time, Goliath raised his shield and blocked the laser. But the impact caused him to be pushed backwards. "AHHH!" He almost lost his footing, as Sorcerell picked herself up. And as she did, Predator attacked.

Leonidas eventually had to stop his laser and take a breath, allowing Goliath to go back on the attack. As he did, Azalea swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Goliath roared, as his fist glowed. "Hyper Impact, plus Megaton Crasher!"

Leonidas: 1050Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs
Goliath: 1220Gs
Predator: 770Gs

The light then spread down his arm and he spun around, backhanding the shield and causing it to completely shatter. It also sent him flying backwards, Leonidas roaring as he crashed into the town's hall.

As he was half buried by the rubble, Sorcerell dodged another punch by Predator and Moondancer prepared another Ability. But before she could, Beck swiped his card. "Ability, Activate!" He threw the card into the air, "Neo Refrain!"

Everyone saw the card fly upwards and explode above them, causing all the Bakugan to glow. "What did you just do?" Flash asked, as Moondancer swiped the card. But it didn't work.

Beck chuckled. "Now you can't use any abilities for a good while." Their eyes widened, as Predator leapt away from Sorcerell before Goliath charged at her. She gasped and leapt out of the way, but she barely avoided the kick thrown at her.

Leonidas was pushing himself up, but had been seriously rattled by the attack. And as he pulled himself out of the rubble, Goliath turned towards the pods with the other Defenders in it. "LEO!" Flash cried, as Goliath raised a fist and was about to slam it down on top of them.

Leo saw this and gasped, but wouldn't be able to get there in time.

But as he swung the fist down, Sorcerell suddenly appeared below him and created a magic barrier. "GYAH!" She screamed, as he smashed his fist down onto it. The impact was intense making her fall to one knee. But she managed to hold the attack back...for a short while.

Suddenly, Goliath pulled his fist away and Sorcerell was forced to release her barrier. But the next thing she knew, a giant foot smashed into her. "GYAAAAAAAAAAH!" She was thrown backwards and couldn't stop herself from being formed back to ball form, Moondancer gasping as she fell to the ground.

Beck: 52%
Flash: 100%
Azalea: 74%
Moondancer: 40%

"NO!" Leonidas pushed himself up and flew towards Goliath, picking up as much speed as he could. "RAAAAH!" He slammed into him and tried to push Goliath back, the giant staggering backwards as he did. But with his power still lower, Goliath was in a better position.

Leonidas: 1050Gs
Goliath: 1220Gs
Predator: 770Gs

Goliath soon regained his footing and tried to slam his fist down into Leonidas, only for the dragon to fly away at the last moment. "Cowards!"

"Oh, please," Predator rushed towards him. "Don't give us that righteous speel. All that matters is winning." Leonidas, Flash and Moondancer glared at him, as Goliath continued to keep attacking the dragon.

On the outskirts of the town, just outside the battlefield, the rest of Twilight's friends were all watching what they could. But they could tell things weren't going well right now. "Ahhh!" Rainbow growled. "This sucks. I wish there was some way we could help them out."

"Well what can we do?" Rarity asked. "If we step into that battlefield, we'll be riving around in pain."

"Oh," Fluttershy stared down at the Element of Magic, "I wish Twilight was here. She'd know what to do." The others nodded, as he looked down at the necklaces they wore. If Twilight were here, she might know of a way to give them a boost.

But then, the Element of Magic's crystal began to glow.

In the castle, Sunset kept watching as Leonidas was ganged up on and overpowered.

She then turned to the pods holding Twilight and the others, moving over to them and placing a hand on Twilight's pod whilst Thalia kept an eye on them. "I'm sorry," she told her. "I wish there was something I could do, but I can't. Flash and Moondancer are on their own. I can't help them." But then, she felt something.

A magical surge suddenly pulsed out of the pod, making Sunset gasp as she stepped back.

She looked up and saw that Twilight was glowing, a purple light surrounding her as Thalia rushed over. "What did you do?" She gave Sunset an accusatory look, as Twilight's light glowed brighter.

"I didn't do anything," Sunset told her. "Twilight's magic is activating on its own. But that's..." She didn't want to say impossible, because she knew it wasn't. But something had to be causing this.

The Element continued to glow brighter, as the other gems also glowed their respective colours.

"What's happenin'?" Applejack asked, but nopony had an answer. But they could all feel what the Elements wanted. So, they each reached out and placed their hands on the crown. And when that happened, the Elements unleashed their magic.

They flowed through them all and up their arms, into the Element of Magic and making it glow multiple colours. And eventually, the crown's magic exploded out of it.

The girls all gasped, as the rainbow flew into the air before arching back down and shooting towards the battlefield. The light had quickly gained the attention of those battling, causing them to stop their fight and watch as the rainbow made its way towards them.

"What is that?" Flash asked, with Moondancer having an idea.

"I think...I think it's the Elements of Harmony!" Suddenly, the light hit Leonidas and he flinched. But he didn't feel any pain.

"What?" The light flew into him and he felt a new strength flow through him. One that was like nothing he had ever felt before. "This is new."

At the same time, Flash's card case opened and a rainbow glow seeped out. He reached inside and pulled out a new card, which also glowed with a rainbow of light. "Wow." He read the effect and smirked. "This is just what we need." And as luck would have it, the effects of Neo Refrain had worn off. "Let's go, LEO!" He swiped the card, as the rainbow light grew bright. "Neo Ability, Activate!" He threw the card at Leonidas. "Harmonic Resolution!"

The card flew towards Leonidas and hit him in the back, making him roar as the energy within him flew out in a burst of rainbow energy.

The wave struck both Predator and Goliath, causing them to glow, making them flinch as they felt their power drop. "What's happening?" Predator cried, as Flash smirked.

"Harmonic Resolution. It changes the G Power of every Bakugan on the field to that of Leonidas' base level."

Leonidas: 500Gs
Goliath: 500Gs
Predator: 500Gs

"Then, it pumps Leo's power up by two hundred, for every other Bakugan on the field." The light flew off Goliath and Predator and swirled around Leonidas, powering him up as he began to roar.

Leonidas: 900Gs
Goliath: 500Gs
Predator: 500Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Leonidas unleashed a super charged laser, which shot towards the two Bakugan.

Predator gasped and ran for it, whilst Goliath raised his shield to try and defend. But the blast smashed right through his shield and blew him backwards, the Subterra Bakugan roaring in pain as he was blown off his feet.

"GOLLY!" Azalea cried, as her Bakugan reverted back to ball form and crashed to the ground. "NO!"

Beck: 52%
Flash: 100%
Azalea: 0%
Moondancer: 40%

Predator growled, as Leonidas turned to him. Beck also growled, not liking how this was going. "That's an impressive new Ability." He took out a card. "But it won't save you!" He swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" As Leonidas dove down, Predator suddenly vanished. "Aqua Ninja!"

Leonidas looked around, only to suddenly get hit by something and cry out. "Augh!" He fell to the ground, as Flash checked his Baku-Bracer. When he did, he saw that Leonidas' power returned to its base level. Aqua Ninja had cancelled his Ability's secondary effect. Then Aqua Ninja's second effect kicked in.

Leonidas: 350Gs
Predator: 650Gs

As Leonidas picked himself up, he heard Predator chuckle as he suddenly appeared. "Now I've gotcha!" He then waved his arms around, as his body glowed. "Attribute Change!" The light flew off his body and revealed a now purple version of him. "DARKUS!"

"Attribute Changing?" Leonidas asked, as Predator charged forward and Beck swiped another card.

"Ability, Activate!" As Leonidas prepared to attack, Predator suddenly vanished again. "Predatory Strike!" The dragon tried to find Predator, but couldn't locate him anywhere. And as he did, a barely visible figure appeared behind him.

Leonidas: 350Gs
Predator: 950Gs

"Behind you!" Moondancer cried, as Leonidas spun around. But it was too late and he was struck by the invisible for, making him flinch.

"Leo!" Flash took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Predator tried to attack again, but Leonidas disappeared in a blur. "Speed Burst, plus Photon Force!"

Leonidas: 750Gs
Predator: 950Gs

Leonidas appeared in the air and created the sphere of energy, holding it up so the light would spread throughout the entire town. And as it did, a shadow appeared connected to nothing. "There you are!" He threw the sphere towards the shadow and Predator became visible, the lizard crossing his arms in an attempt to block it.

The sphere slammed into him and he flinched, but managed to endure the attack as Beck swiped a card.

"Fusion Ability, Activate!" As soon as the Photon Force faded, Predator shot forward with his claws glowing purple. "Poison Striker!"

Leonidas: 750Gs
Predator: 1450Gs

He leapt into the air and before Leonidas could escape, he stabbed the claws into him. "GYAH!" He cried, feeling the poison flow into him.

"Gotcha!" Predator laughed, as he kicked Leonidas away before back-flipping to the ground. As he landed, he stuck his tongue out and laughed, whilst Leonidas frowned. Then, his body sparked with purple lightning and he roared.

Leonidas: 700Gs
Predator: 1450Gs

"He's been poison!" Moondancer cried, as Leonidas drifted towards the ground. More lightning sparked around him, draining away more power.

Predator laughed and charged, attempting to slash and punch Leonidas. The dragon did his best to avoid the attacks, but Predator was just too fast and the poison wasn't helping either.

Leonidas: 550Gs
Predator: 1450Gs

"It's over!" Predator roared, leaping up and looking ready to slam his foot down on Leonidas. But that was what Flash had been waiting for.

"Neo Ability, Activate!" He swiped a card and Leonidas roared, as light exploded off of him. "Shining Vestroia!" The light shot up and almost hit Predator, knocking him back in the air. It then hit the sky and caused a portal to open, leading straight to Vestroia.

"What?" Beck cried, seeing the portal unleash a bright light that flew down and struck Leonidas.

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He roared, as his power rose to match that of Predator. He quickly leapt up and punched Predator in the chest, knocking him away as Leo's power rose above Predator's.

Leonidas: 1750Gs
Predator: 1450Gs

"Take...THIS!" He launched another laser from his mouth, which slammed into Predator and made him roar in pain as he was blasted backwards. And in the blink of an eye, he reverted back to ball form and the shockwave caused Beck and Azalea's transports to fly out of control.

Beck: 0%
Flash: 100% (Winner)
Azalea: 0%
Moondancer: 40% (Winner)

Leonidas then turned to the Bakugan that had been waiting for commands, the dragon shooting forward and slashing at their collars before the Rugenga could order them to attack. The collars were quickly destroyed, freeing the Bakugan and causing them to revert back to ball form.

"Yes!" Flash cheered, as Leonidas also returned to ball form and flew back over to him. Moondancer had managed to find Sorcerell, whilst the Rugenga had retrieved their Bakugan.

Beck and Azalea glared at them, as they began to fly away. "This isn't over," Beck told them. "You might have won this battle, but we still control the rest of Equestria. And we won't give it up so easily." The pair glared at them, as the Rugenga flew back towards Canterlot.

Flash sighed, as Applejack and the others ran up to them. "You did it!" Rainbow cried.

Leonidas flew up. "We might not have, if that light hadn't hit me. What the heck was that?" The girls replied by holding up the Element of Harmony. "But I thought that thing needed Twilight?"

Rarity shrugged. "I guess there's more to these things than we realise." The others didn't say anything else, instead turning their attention on the pods holding their friends.

As soon as they got to them, Moondancer tried to figure out the lock and nodded. "Stand back." She did something and Soarin's pod opened up, causing the fluid to be released from out of it as the front opened. Valkyria flew out of the holster, as Soarin fell forward and almost landed in the liquid on the ground.

Moondancer caught him in her magic, moving him away from the area fluid. She did the same with the other, the lot of them moving away from the pods.

The three were soon laying against one of the remaining buildings, as the girls looked around and sighed. Their home had been utterly trashed. And whilst they didn't blame the Bakugan or the Defenders, it still hurt to see.

"Those Rugenga are gonna pay," Rainbow growled. The others agreed, but they still had no idea how they were gonna make them pay.

Back at Canterlot, Thalia was no happy.

"You did this!" She cried, pointing at Sunset who looked terrified she was about to be thrown in a blender or something. Currently, Cursor, Hayate, Kiyrah, Beck and Azalea were all on holo-screens, whilst Thalia was making sure Sunset was nowhere near the pods. "You somehow made Twilight do all that."

"I didn't do anything," Sunset told her. "You guys just don't understand magic. Sometimes, it doesn't follow logic. Especially when it comes to magical relics, like the Elements of Harmony. If I'm to guess, Twilight's friends have the Elements and used them to call upon her power."

"How is that possible?" Beck asked.

"Those girls are all connected to their Elements, which are connected to each other. And apparently, they can use them even when one is unconscious. Don't ask me. I never studied the Elements. I have no idea how they work."

"That doesn't matter now," Hayate stated. "What matters is the Defenders have all been freed. Which means, they'll likely be heading here."

"They'll need time to prepare," Draken stated. "Time we can use to solidify our position."

Cursor nodded. "When they get here, we'll be ready. Until then. Thalia. Keep an eye on Sunset. We will continue to trust her, but we still can't be too careful." With that, he cut his call and the others did the same, as Thalia glared at Sunset.

In Vestroia, Cursor was standing in the cave with Draken floating beside him.

He stared down at the pit, as Draken flew over it. "You ready?" Cursor asked, with his Bakugan nodding as he closed up. Cursor then held out his Baku-Bracer and it suddenly started glowing, unleashing all the energy he had been able to collect during his time in the other world.

The energy flew into Draken, then floated down into the pit. The white energy eventually hit something and after a few moments, the energy turned white starting from within the pit and going up until it surrounded Draken.

Cursor smirked under his mask, as Draken's energy levels increased. "It won't be long now. With this, Draken's true power will be restored. And with it, nobody will be able to stop us. Not even Sentry."

Author's Note

Alright. Our heroes are back in Equestria and are reunited, with Leonidas even getting a snazzy new upgrade. But how will things go from here? Only time will tell.

Attack of the Rugenga

One day, what seemed like a lifetime ago, two worlds collided in a way that many never thought possible.

Mysterious creatures named Bakugan, appeared and became part of a battling craze that swept the nation. But there was more to this game than many believed and eventually, it broke into an all out war that threatened to destroy both colliding worlds.

One group of individuals, fought to protect these worlds and managed to destroy the evil that threatened them. The darkness vanquished, the ones who fought took up a mission to restore the natural order of the world.

But in doing so, it required a great sacrifice from all those involved. One Bakugan, the mighty Leonidas, gave his physical form in order to restore the planet of Vestroia. And in doing so, the rest of the Bakugan had to leave Earth and return to their world.

Time passed and the new Vestroia soon fell into a state of harmony. And whilst there was the occasional issue, the combined efforts of the Guardian Bakugan and the five remaining BakuFighter Bakugan were able to quell the troubles and keep the peace.

But that peace would not last forever. For a new evil would soon arrive that would shatter the tranquillity. And only a select group of heroes would be able to stop it. If such a thing was possible.

It was another beautiful day in Vestroia. The sun was shining. The bird-like Bakugan were singing. And everything was just lovely.

In one area of Vestroia, a bunch of Bakugan were simply hanging out near a body of water. And Aquos Scaboid was enjoying the pool, whilst a Ventus Falconeer was sitting in a tree preening his feathers. And besides the pool, Haos Cleopal was using the water to clean the many gems adorning her body.

"Ah," she sighed as she felt the peace and quiet. "What a lovely day." However, she would soon come to regret saying those words.

For in that moment, a bright flash of light suddenly occurred in the sky.

"What?" She and the other Bakugan looked up and saw the light, which suddenly faded as something flew out of it. "That can't be good." She watched, as what appeared to be a fireball suddenly flew down. And as Cleopal ran out of the forest, she spotted it crashing behind a bunch of mountains in the distance.

She frowned and thought about finding some of the BakuFighters or the Guardians.

But before she could, something happened. A bright light suddenly flew out from behind the mountains. "What's that?" Suddenly, the light exploded outwards in a powerful wave that spread out across the land. And when it struck Cleopal, the cat-woman Bakugan suddenly found herself transforming into a form she had not held in some time. And she wasn't the only one.

Every Bakugan struck by the wave, suddenly found themselves reverting back into the ball form they had been in when they were back on Earth. This was quite a shock, especially for those that had never experienced it before.

"What's happening?" Cleopal cried, as she landed on the ground and opened her ball form. She began to move, but it was much trickier in her ball form. And before she could escape into the safety of the forest, something else happened.

A strange ship suddenly appeared and started flying over the area. And as it did, it unleashed a bright light that flew down and hit the ground. And when Cleopal was touched by the light, she suddenly found herself being pulled into the air.

"NO!" She cried, as she was dragged up towards the ship. "HELP!" Soon, she was gone. And the other Bakugan touched by the light soon met the same fate. A great darkness had arrived in Vestroia and the world was in great danger.

Someone needed to do something to stop it.

Over a year and a half had passed since Bakugan invasion and in that time, Earth had recovered and was stronger than ever.

The people who knew nothing about the Bakugan before, had simply gotten on with the rest of their lives. Whilst those more closely linked to them, did their best to return to an ordinary life. This included the greatest hero of that event. Flash Sentry.

The eighteen year old was currently walking down the street, having matured a lot since his time as a BakuFighter. His hair had been cut shorter and he was dressed in a black hoodie with his emblem on his shoulder, along with blue pants and sneakers on his feet.

The teen was simply walking through the city, frowning as he stared at the sheet of paper in his hand.

Flash sighed, as he looked over everything. "I guess world's greatest Bakugan Brawler, isn't a skill people are hiring for." He groaned, wishing he didn't have to get a job. But with college not being an option for him, both financially and grades wise, he didn't have much of an option.

But just as he was about to head to his next potential employer, he suddenly felt a wind blow into his face that seemed to blow away all the sound that was around him.

"What?" He looked around and was shocked to see the world around him was completely frozen, with the birds locked in place whilst the people just stood there mid-step. "What's happening?" It was then that he looked up and his eyes widened, as he saw a bunch of swirling lights in the sky.

These lights, each a different colour of the Bakugan attributes, suddenly came together before unleashing a blinding light.

Flash grunted, as his ears were suddenly hit by the returning sound of everything around him. When he opened his eyes, he saw that time had started once again. And the lights were gone from the sky. "What was that?" He looked up and had a strange feeling he knew. "Is...something happening in Vestroia?" He didn't know if he was right or not, but his gut was telling him something bad was happening.

Night had come to Vestroia and in one area of the planet, explosions filled the sky in the rocky terrain.

In that area, two humanoid figures stood opposite one another. One of them was definitely not human, given she had a pointed snout-like face, hooves instead of feet and a horn on her head. She was a cream coloured girl wearing a black jump, a dark blue skirt and glasses over her face, her hair being mostly red with a line of dark and light purple running through it. And strangely, she had a hole in her skirt that had a horse tail the same colour as her hair sticking out of it.

The other was a tall humanoid, wearing a red coat that had a hood over their head. A white shirt was beneath it and black pants with red boots adorned his lower half, along with a pair of red gloves. Their face was covered by a silver mask with red glass eyes, hiding their true appearance.

Both of these people had a strange looking device on their wrists. They were an odd-looking flat metal box with a screen on top of it, whilst part of it had some kind of slot along one side. The boxes were split into two halves, with the bottom parts both being black whilst the top halves were a different colour. The woman's was purple whilst the male's was red.

The two stared one another down, as a pair of Bakugan stepped into view behind them.

Behind the woman was a Bakugan that resembled a tall woman, with dark blue skin and long purple hair flowing down her back in a ponytail.

The clothing she wore was a mixture of black and purple, and looked like the fusion of a wizard and belly dancer. She wore a silver helmet and mask that covered the entire top half of her face and nose, with a pair of silver ram-horns sticking the sides. She was wearing a purple top around her chest that left her shoulders and arms uncovered and had three triangular strips going down to barely cover her stomach.

A black strip of fabric wrapped around her shoulders and were connected to a silver coin-like badge on the front of her top. She was wearing black belly dancer pants, under a purple skirt and had black boots on with purple fur at the top. She also had a silver metal bracelet on both wrists and a silver ring on her arm just below her shoulder, with the bracelets and rings connected to the ends of a black piece of fabric.

Behind the man was a pair of Pyrus Serpenoid Bakugan, who both charged forward with a hiss as they tried to attack.

The female brawler reached for her waist, where a belt with a purple metal box was located. She opened it up and pulled out a card, which she slashed through the slot on her wrist mounted device. "Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan waved her hands around, causing a circle of light to form with a bunch of shapes inside of it. "Magic Circle, Level One!"

The Bakugan thrust her hand forward and sent the circle flying towards the Serpenoids, slamming into them and knocking them back.

But before the snakes could be defeated, the figure snapped his fingers and the ground began to glow.

Fire exploded out of it and flew into the snake's mouths before they unleashed a pair of flamethrowers, which slammed into the humanoid Bakugan and blasted her backwards. "SORCERELL!" The woman screamed, as the Bakugan reverted back to her ball form. "No!" She cried, as the Serpenoids returned to their brawler. But before she could do anything, another Bakugan floated up in front of her.

"Focus, Moondancer!" The woman turned to her, "we're not done yet."

"Right," the one named Moondancer nodded before grabbing the Bakugan. She then took out a card and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the ground and exploded in a flash of purple, as she threw the Bakugan towards the ground. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" As soon as he landed, the Bakugan popped open. "Bakugan...STAND!" In a burst of purple light, a purple godzilla-like Bakugan appeared with green spikes. "Darkus Spikenoid!"

"RAAAAAAH!" He roared, as the figure stared at him.

"Spikenoid. From what I hear, you fought in the battle against Lucifer."

"That's right," he told the Brawler. "And I won't allow Leonidas' sacrifice to be ruined by you Rugenga!"

"We'll see about that." The Brawler held up a Bakugan that appeared different from the others. This one was grey in colour. "Now that I've gathered enough power, I can finally awaken him." The device on his arm glowed before unleashing a bunch of light, which swirled into the Bakugan.

"What?" Moondancer asked, as the Bakugan suddenly transformed and charged to a red colour. "What is that?"

"Behold!" He held the ball up, "the ultimate Bakugan!" He threw it, as the ball suddenly ignited and transformed into a fireball. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The fireball hit the ground and exploded, "Bakugan...STAND!" The flames swirled into a tornado, which soon exploded to reveal. "Arise, Pyrus Drakenoid!"

Moondancer and Spike flinched at the heat, as the Bakugan appeared. It was some kind of dragonoid Bakugan, wyvern-like in appearance. And as it let out a roar, flames exploded out of it. "GYAH!" They both cried, as Spike found himself getting burned alive. "What is that thing?" That was all he could think before he was suddenly overwhelmed by the flames.

Back on Earth, the sound of a breaking picture filled the air of a dorm room in Everton College.

That dorm room belonged to the glasses-wearing girl named Twilight Sparkle, who turned away from her unpacking when she saw the picture on the ground. "Oh no!" She rushed over and picked it up, frowning as she saw a crack running through it. "Spike." The crack ran right through her Bakugan partner and she sighed, glad the actual photo wasn't damaged.

But as she placed the broken frame back on the table, she sat on her desk and looked up at the sky.

"Spike. What are you doing right now? Are you safe?" She didn't know why she was wondering that. After everything that had happened, she was sure Vestroia was enjoying a time of peace. Even so, she couldn't help but wonder and worry. "Maybe one day, I'll be able to see you again."

Back in Vestroia, Moondancer was laid out on the ground moaning.

At the same time, the figure began to walk away with a particular Darkus Bakugan in hand. "Excellent. This will serve our purposes greatly." He glanced over at another Bakugan, the one that had just awakened. "Excellent work, Draken. Your powers are as incredible as we'd hoped."

"Indeed," the Bakugan replied. "And this is only the start. Once I have awakened all the power, nothing will be able to stop me." The figure nodded, as they continued forward and disappeared in a flash of light.

As they did, Moondancer moaned as she opened her eyes. "Spike." Tears filled her eyes, as she collapsed. "I'm sorry."

In another place, a strange black void full of many different lights and strange mist, a lone consciousness floated around.

"Where am I?" That consciousness seemed to exist as a single golden light, which floated around aimlessly. "Who am I?" Mist began to swirl around him. "No! I know who I am. I am Leonidas. I am a Bakugan. Even if I have no form."

He kept floating around, as he felt something. "Why do I feel so upset? Like...something bad happened? But what could have happened?"

"Vestroia is in danger."

"Who said that?" Leonidas asked, the ball of light continuing to float around. "Show yourself! Who are you?" But then a figure appeared from out of the mist.

"You know who I am?" The figure was a woman dressed in white armor, with a mask covering her face. "Or has your time as a formless spirit, made you forget your own mother?"

"Dragonia," Leonidas gasped. "How are you here? And where is here?"

"You are within the core of Vestroia. An area of the world where Bakugan go when they have lost their physical form. A place that protects them until they are ready to be reincarnated as a new Bakugan. In time, you will reform into an entirely different Bakugan. But in doing so you will likely lose your memories."

"Lose my memories," Leonidas whispered. "I'd forget who I used to be?"

"Indeed. But that cannot be allowed to happen. Vestroia is in danger and only you can save it. The world has been invaded and all the old warriors have been lost."

"Warriors? You mean Nimue and the others?"

"Indeed. If something is not done, Vestroia and our new allies will be put in great danger. That is why we have come to find you."

"We?" Leonidas asked. "And what new allies?" As he said that, a figure appeared out of the mist. A tall figure that definitely wasn't human. She had white skin and hair that was a combo of pink, green and two shades of blue, along with a tail that was the same colour. She had a long snout-like face, a long white horn and wings on her back, along with a pair of hooves and a white dress covering her body with a golden necklace, belt and bracelets. On her head was a golden crown.

"Greetings," she smiled at him. "I am Celestia. Princess of Equestria. And I am here to help you."

"How?" Leonidas asked.

"The same way I helped you before," Dragonia replied. "By taking you into myself, I will be able to grant you a new form. But since we don't have time for you to develop a form naturally, Celestia will help by sharing some of her energy with me."

"I see," Leonidas nodded. "I understand. And my memories?"

"Will be protected," Celestia told him. "Trust me. We've prepared for this moment."

Dragonia nodded, as she took the ball of light into her hands. "However. The power you once had will be lost. You will no longer be the Ultimate Bakugan you once evolved into. You'll be starting from scratch, though we may be able to make you stronger than you were at the start."

"That's fine. I don't care how powerful I am. So long as I can fight, that's all that matters."

"Very well." Dragonia brought the light towards her and placed it into her chest, as Celestia's horn glowed and she thrust her hands out. They also glowed and the light flew into Dragonia, surrounding her as she grunted.

Leo also groaned, as he felt himself beginning to reform in his mother's body. He could feel his spirit becoming ridged, as some kind of shell formed around his body. "This is...really weird."

"Endure it," Dragonia told him. "The body forming process will be uncomfortable. And even though we're speeding the process up, we must be careful not to make a mistake." Leonidas agreed, as he continued to reform.

It kept growing more and more uncomfortable, eventually going into painful territory. But he held on until the process was finally complete.

"Done!" Dragonia cried, as a ball of light flew out of her. The orb stayed there for a moment, as Dragonia then opened a portal. "You can now battle, but not alone. You will need a partner that can stand beside you."

"A partner?" Leonidas chuckled. "My partner can only be him."

Dragonia chuckled. "I thought as much. Which is why this portal will lead you to him. Good luck, my son." With that, Leonidas flew up into the portal.

Lightning flashed in the sky, the light filling a large cave located in the side of a mountain.

As the cave was illuminated, the figure that had defeated Moondancer marched through it until he arrived at an area of the cave where a large hole could be seen on the floor. And that hole was filled with an odd purple light.

"Lightning?" Draken stated. "How strange."

"Indeed." The figure nodded as he stepped up to the hole and dropped the Bakugan he had just won, along with the two he had used before, into it. "A disturbance must have occurred in the dimensional fold. Strange. I have a feeling this lightning will signal the arrival of something...new."

Back on Earth, Flash was in Canterlot Park. The same spot he had met Leonidas so long ago. And he wasn't alone.

Currently, four of the six BakuFighters were there. Flash was sitting at the fountain, with Lyra, Bonnie and Heath there with him. And like Flash, they had all changed as well. Currently, Lyra was dressed in a sleeveless blue hoodie with a pink long-sleeved top underneath, a short white skirt and pink leggings along with her blue trainers.

Bonnie was dressed in an orange summer dress, with white lines running down the front and sides with white at the bottom. And finally, Heath was wearing a red open sleeveless jacket with a yellow short sleeved shirt and brown pants.

As Flash finished explaining what he had seen, the four all frowned. "You really think something's going on in Vestroia?" Lyra asked, all clearly worried about their partners.

"I don't know. My gut's telling me it's something like that. But I can't be sure."

"Have you told Twilight?" Heath asked. "She might know what's going on?"

Flash sighed. "I don't want to distract her if I'm wrong. She worked so hard to get into this summer college internship. I'm not gonna have her leave it for something that might be just my imagination." The others nodded, but were still worried.

"Maybe you should talk to Derpy and Soarin," Bonnie stated. "They'd definitely want to know if something was happening in Vestroia." Flash nodded and took out his phone, only to find the signal was going out of whack.

"What the?" Flash moved around, but couldn't get the signal to boost. And when the others tried, they were also getting the same problem. "Is something interfering with-" He didn't get to finish for in that moment, a massive burst of light and a shockwave exploded behind him and he was thrown forward.

The others screamed as they were also blown away, the four groaning as they stood up and looked around.

Flash then spotted what had caused the explosion. "No way!" In front of them was a large swirling portal. The image was like nothing any of them had ever seen. "That's...that's..."

"Long time, no see, Flash." The teen blinked before he looked around and spotted the source of the voice. A Bakugan, which rolled along the ground before leaping up onto the fountain.

"A Bakugan?" Flash crawled over to it, as the others slowly approached.

"But which one?" Lyra asked, as the Haos Bakugan suddenly started spinning as it opened. When it did, Flash took in the features and instantly recognised the voice that spoke.

"Who else could it be?" He chuckled at Flash's shocked expression.

"Lee...Leo?" The Bakugan nodded, as Flash's eyes watered. "LEONIDAS!" He picked his partner up and cheered, the others smiling as Flash showed them a closer look at him.

"It's really him," Bonnie smiled.

"I can't believe it," Heath smirked.

Lyra smiled. "It's so good to see you again."

"You too, Lyra. Bonnie and Heath. I can see you're doing well. The four of you have barely changed."

"Well it's only been over a year," Flash told him.

"Maybe for you. But from what Dragonia informed me, time runs differently between dimensions. It was only a year or so here, but on Vestroia it's been over a decade. Maybe longer."

"Seriously?" Lyra asked, hardly believing it.

"Yes. Although, our dimensional time should have synced up now that this small connection has been opened. Even so, there's no telling if that'll remain."

"Leo?" Bonnie leaned forward, "is Gaia doing okay?" Lyra followed her pose.

"What about Nimue?"

"And Wukong?" Heath asked.

Leonidas sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't come here to catch up." Flash frowned, knowing his partner's way of speaking.

"Did something happen?"

"Vestroia has been invaded," Leonidas stated. Everyone was shocked by this, with Flash looking outraged.

"Say what?"

Leonidas spun his body towards him. "That's why I'm here. I hate to ask, but I need your help."

"Leo," Flash whispered.

"Will you come with me?"

Flash's shock quickly turned to a smirk. "Duh. Isn't it obvious? If the Bakugan need help, I'll go wherever I need to go." Leonidas smiled at him, as the others stepped forward.

"I'm going too," Bonnie stated.

"I'm game," Heath cheered.

"We'll all go," Lyra agreed. "To save Nimue and all the Bakugan."

"You guys," Leonidas smiled. "Alright. Let's go. All of you, turn around." They all looked confused by this, but nodded as they did so. But as they did, Leo jumped onto Flash's shoulder. "Let's go. Hurry."

"Huh?" Flash asked, as Lyra glanced back at them for a moment.

"We can't take the others. There's only enough energy for you and me to get back. Too many and it could trap us in the void between worlds." Flash frowned, but nodded.

"Okay. Gotcha." With that, he ran into the portal before his friends could notice.

Bonnie and Heath both began to get bored, wondering when the heck the transport to Vestroia would begin. "Are we going or what?" Heath asked, as Bonnie tapped her foot.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked before the pair turned around, only to notice that the portal, Leo and Flash were gone. "WHAT!?" They both screamed, realising they had been ditched. And they quickly noticed someone else was missing as well.

"I am so gonna get an earful for this." Flash watched the energy of the gate pass him by, as he flew towards Vestroia.

"I'm sorry," Leonidas stated. "But this is probably for the best. We're not exactly going on vacation right now. There's no telling what state Vestroia will be in. Without a Bakugan partner, the others would be placed in too much danger."

"I understand," Flash nodded. "I just hope the others understand. And Twilight too, when she and the rest of our friends learn what happened."

"Don't count on it!" The pair's eyes widened as they looked around, only to see someone flying through the portal behind them.

"LYRA!"

Lyra smirked, as she began to catch up with them. "Sorry, but there's no way I'm getting left behind. One other person shouldn't be too much of an issue for the portal." Flash and Leo sighed, knowing there was no point complaining now. All they could do was focus on the battle that was awaiting them.

They didn't know who or what this enemy was, but they had to defeat them. Even if they weren't getting any help to do it.

In a castle somewhere else, a young woman was walking through the hallways.

She was a being similar to Moondancer and Celestia, having yellow orange skin and a both hair and a tail that was red with yellow streaks running through it. She was dressed in a black leather jacket, a blue top and blue jeans. On her head was an orange horn.

As she walked through the castle, she came to a room where a bunch of white guards were stood. They came to attention as she stepped up to them and when she walked into the room, she found it was a large one full of technology. Computers were lining the walls with others like her sitting at the monitor, whilst the back of the room had a large device that was some kind of metal tube.

Standing in front of the tube was another woman, having purple skin and purple hair. She was dressed in a blue button up shirt, a purple sleeveless sweater and white pants with yellow trim. On her head was a crown of some kind.

She turned to the girl. "Sunset. How's Moondancer doing?"

"Not good," the girl named Sunset replied. "She's really torn up about losing Spikenoid." The other girl nodded, "how about you? I know he's not the real Spike, but you guys got pretty close."

"I'm...not great. I know Spike won't be happy when he gets back. He'll probably blame himself." Before Sunset could say anything else, an alarm suddenly sounded and everyone jumped to attention.

"What's happening?" Sunset asked. "Is it another breach?"

"No," one of the people at the computer stated. "A massive surge of energy was just detected in sector seven-G. A dimension anomaly is also being detected, but no breach is being created."

"Do we have any drones in that area?" The other girl asked, another person nodding as a computer screen was changed to show something. The girls rushed over to the computer and when they got a look, they saw a portal of some kind before two individuals leapt out.

"Who the heck are they?" Sunset asked. "Do you think they're more Rugenga?"

"It's possible," the other girl frowned. "If they're not, they're bound to run into them soon. No doubt the Rugenga detected that surge as well." She pulled back, trying to think of what to do. "Maybe we should wait and see what they do."

"No. We need to make sure they're safe." Everyone looked around and saw the woman named Celestia, step into the room. On her shoulders was a Bakugan. Dragonia.

"Princess," everyone in the room bowed but Celestia waved it off.

"Sunset. You need to get there. If this is who I think they are, then they'll be the key to us finally being able to defeat the Rugenga." Everyone looked shocked by this, whilst Sunset just frowned.

She turned back to the screen, wondering what the heck was so special about them.

Flash and Lyra had finally arrived on the other side of the portal, allowing them to come out in a large open landscape with many large rocks covering the area.

"This is Vestroia?" Lyra asked, seeing a bunch of trees in the distance and some mountains in the opposite direction. "I always hoped I'd see it, but not like this." She turned to Flash, spotting Leonidas on his shoulder. "Wait, why are you still in ball form?"

Flash looked at Leonidas and realised she was right. "Yeah. How come you haven't reverted back?"

"It's because of the threat that's attacking this world." Leonidas sighed. "Dragonia was able to transfer some knowledge into me, when she helped restore my physical form. Apparently, a bunch of individuals suddenly appeared in Vestroia one day. They appeared human, but Dragonia believes they're from an entirely different dimension. They used some kind of energy wave, to force all the Bakugan in ball form and then captured them. Some tried to fight back, but they were no match." He sighed. "Nimue, Wukong, Garuda, Gaia, Ragnaroid and many others were captured."

"No," Lyra gasped. "That's awful."

"How could they do this!?" Flash asked, clutching his fist. "I'm gonna make them pay!" He yelled out to the world around him, "do you hear me! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"

"Is that so?" They all gasped before spinning around, seeing a pair of individuals standing atop a large rock.

They were both in very similar dress, but one was clearly a man whilst the other was a woman. Both of them were wearing coats with hoods that were up over their heads, along with masks covering their faces.

One of them was wearing a green coat and hood with a black shirt and black pants, along with knee high green leather boots and green gloves. The other one had a purple version of the other's get-up, except they also had a purple skirt and black tights alongside purple high-heels. Their masks were silver in colour, with either green or purple eyes, whilst their left arms had a strange device that was a mix of black and either purple or green.

Flash glared at them. "Are you the ones who captured the Bakugan?"

"So what if we are?" The female in purple asked. "What are you going to do about it?" They both glared at them, as Flash held up Leonidas.

"I'm gonna stop you. Let's throw down!"

"You wanna Brawl?" The guy in green stated, only to raise his arm and show off the box device. "How do you plan on doing that, when you don't have a Baku-Bracer?"

"Baku-Bracer?" Flash frowned, "what's that?" This made the woman break out laughing, whilst they were feeling lost. But before they could say anything, a sudden burst of light appeared behind Flash and Lyra.

The pair spun around and spotted another portal, which someone stepped through. Someone that the other two seemed to recognise. "Sunset!" The green one yelled, as the girl smiled.

"The one and only." She then turned to Flash and before he could say anything, she threw some kind of light at him.

He cried out, as the light hit his arm and took form. Another light then flew off and hit his belt at the waist. When the lights faded, Flash found a white version of the device on his wrist. And when he checked his waist, a large white box was waiting.

"Sorry about that," Sunset explained as she showed off the red Baku-Bracer she was wearing. "But you'll need that if you want to brawl."

"Who are you?" Lyra asked, as Sunset smiled.

"Sunset Shimmer. And I don't know who you are, but Princess Celestia seems to think you're important." That name struck a chord with Leonidas, who turned to Flash.

"I think we can trust her, Flash. Celestia is the one who helped me return to physical form."

"Really?" Flash asked, his partner nodding. "if you say so." He turned to the two on the rocks, as they both leapt down. "So who are these guys?"

"They're the Rugenga," Sunset explained.

"Well that's a dumb name," Lyra snarked.

"Maybe. But they're dangerous. The guy who thinks he's cool is Hayate. The girl who needs a makeover is Kiyrah." Sunset turned to Flash. "They're not someone you can beat unless you're extremely skilled. Still think you can do this?"

Flash smirked, "I got this."

"Okay." Sunset grabbed his Bracer and hit a button on the side, causing part of the top to slide forward. Doing so revealed a section below that had a round opening. "Use that slot to scan your partner."

"Alright," Flash grabbed Leo and placed him in the hole. The device scanned him and in a matter of moments, all the data was uploaded and Flash noticed the box on his hips glowed. Opening it up, he found a bunch of cards inside. "Alright." He closed the bracer and noticed the slot on the side, slowly figuring out how this was supposed to work. "I'm ready."

"You better be," Kiyrah laughed. "Because there's no backing down now."

"Don't complain when we take your Bakugan." Hayate stated as they all held up their arms, the Baku-Bracers glowing as an energy field was unleashed. An energy field that would allow the Bakugan to return to their true forms. And as their Life Guages appeared, the four yelled in unison.

"LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Kiyrah: 100%
Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 100%

"Here I go," Hayate cried as he took out a card. "Gate Card...SET!" The card flew to the ground and exploded, a green flash filling the air. "Now," Hayate took out a Ventus Bakugan, "it's time to show you why you were foolish to come here. Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw the ball and it bounced along the ground, "Bakugan, STAND!" The ball popped open before a tornado around it. "Ventus Stagasher!" The wind faded to reveal a giant stag beetle, which quickly took to the air.

Stagasher: 400Gs

Kiyrah was quick to follow, the masked woman leaping into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw a Darkus Bakugan towards the ground, the sphere rolling along it before popping open. "Bakugan, STAND!" A dark mist exploded from the ball and began to take shape. "Darkus Kyukin!" The cloud faded and revealed a black weasel creature, with a mane of purple hair on its head. The ends of its front claws were replaced, by a pair of silver scythe blades.

Stagasher: 400Gs
Kyukin: 380Gs

Flash had never seen this Bakugan before, Lyra also being lost by their strange appearance. "Are these the ones that were on the other arc?" Before he could think of doing anything, Kiyrah laughed.

"Are you just gonna stand there slack-jawed?" Flash frowned, only for Sunset to step forward.

'I'd better take the lead,' she thought to herself. 'This kid has no idea what he's doing, so I'll have to pick up most of the slack.' "Alright," she took out a Pyrus Bakugan, "follow my lead." Flash frowned, only for Hayate to chuckle.

"Hiding behind a girl? Where was all that tough talk from a moment ago?"

"What did you say?" Flash asked, growling as the two stared back at him. "I don't hide behind anyone, girl or otherwise." He turned to Sunset, "I'm going first."

"But you don't know how to Brawl!" Sunset pointed out, making Flash look confused.

"What are you talking about? I've brawled plenty of times." Now it was Sunset's turn to be confused, as Flash turned towards Leonidas. "You ready, partner?"

The Haos Bakugan nodded. "Let's Brawl." Flash smirked and grabbed him before throwing him into the battlefield.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" The orb flew through the air before hitting the ground rolling, as Flash called out to make it stop. "Bakugan...STAND!" The ball stopped and the top half spun around as it opened, causing a tornado of light to explode out of him.

That tornado grew larger and larger, eventually hitting Kyukin and surrounding it. Sunset, Kiyrah and Hayate could only watch in shock, as the weasel was then thrown out of the tornado and forced back into ball form.

Flash: 100%
Kiyrah: 76%
Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 100%

"Wha...WHAT THE!?" Kiyrah screamed, as Hayate saw the tornado flying towards his Bakugan.

"Stagasher. Get out of there!" But Flash wasn't going to give him the chance.

"Ability, Activate!" Flash pulled a card out of the Bracer's holster and slashed it down the side, as a figure appeared within the tornado of light.

"NEO PHASER!" Leonidas roared, as an energy beam shot out and flew towards the bug.

Stagasher: 400Gs
Leonidas: 800Gs

It slammed into Stagasher and blasted it back into ball form, Sunset being absolutely stunned by what she was seeing. "He beat them both like it was nothing!" It was then that the tornado finally exploded away from Leonidas and revealed his new form.

He was once again a humanoid dragon, whose body was a mixture of white, yellow and purple. His head looked almost exactly the same as it had when Flash had first met him, with an L-shaped horn sticking out of his head that pointed forwards towards the tip of his snout. However, two new horns could be seen sticking out of the sides of his head. These horns started just above his eyes and curved around them to act as eyebrows before pointing backwards and were almost twice as long as Flash was tall.

The front of his neck was purple and went all the way down to his chest, which had a heart-shaped purple section covering it. This section had a smaller purple heart sticking out the bottom, with another one under that and so on all the way down his stomach, waist, crotch and the underside of his tail. The rest of his tail was white with yellow spots, ending in a yellow spearhead-shaped spike.

The undersides of his arms, the backs of his legs, hands and feet were yellow and covered in a white armor, with the rest of his body also having white armour around it. Yellow spikes were also sticking out of his shoulders, elbows, knees and ran down the back of his neck and between his wings all the way down to the tip of his tail. Said wings were yellow like his old body and had a white membrane.

The sight before them once again amazed everyone, Flash and Lyra included. Having gone so long without seeing Leonidas is such a form, Flash's heart beat with excitement. "LEO! So that's your new form!?"

"That's right! Meet Haos Novus Leonidas!"

Flash gave him a thumbs up, "you look awesome!" Leonidas smirked, as he returned to his ball form.

"Naturally." As Flash caught him, Sunset checked her Baku-Bracer.

Flash: 100%
Kiyrah: 76%
Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 20%

"He knocked Hayate down to twenty percent without even trying." Sunset could hardly believe any of this, as she turned to Flash. "He said he'd Brawled plenty of times. Who is this human?"

The other two picked up their Bakugan, both frowning as they did. "What the heck just happened?" Kiyrah asked, but Hayate had no answer.

"This guy is more than just someone who showed up on accident. With a Bakugan like that, he couldn't have just been some rando. He's more than that."

"It's my turn to play!" Sunset took out a card and threw it towards the ground. "Gate Card, Set!" The card hit the ground and in a bright flash of red light, it expanded as she held up her Pyrus Bakugan. "Please, lend my your strength. Bakugan...Brawl!" She threw the orb and it quickly hit the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" The Bakugan popped open and a blast of fire exploded out of it. "Pyrus Flarenix, rise!"

The flames flew into the air before forming a sphere, which then exploded to reveal a large red and yellow bird.

Its wings were huge, each one stretching at least twice the size of the bird. Its chest and the inside of its wings were yellow whilst the rest of it was red, though it had black markings surrounding its eyes just above its yellow beak and on the tips of its wings. It had yellow hair running from the top of its neck, all the way down its back until it reached its wings. Its tail was a mix of red and black and as it flickered its wings, they almost looked like they were made of fire.

"Another new Bakugan," Lyra stated. "I wonder what this one can do."

"Bakugan," Hayate threw another ball, "Brawl!" The Bakugan flew through the air and hit the ground. "Bakugan, STAND!" It popped open and another tornado appeared around it. "Ventus Batrix, arise!" From out of the tornado, a giant green bat Bakugan appeared.

Flarenix: 450Gs
Batrix: 400Gs

"Bakugan," Kiyrah threw her ball, "Brawl!" The sphere hit the ground and opened up. "Bakugan, STAND!" The Bakugan was once again consumed by a cloud of purple fog. "Darkus Cloptor, descend!" From out of the cloud, a giant purple starfish appeared. Each of its eight arms had a black line running from the tip towards the middle of its body and in the very centre of it, a giant eye opened up and stared down at them all.

Flarenix: 450Gs
Batrix: 400Gs
Cloptor: 400Gs

"Gate Card," Sunset cried. "OPEN!" The field suddenly burst into flames. "Pyrus Reactor!" Lines of fire spread across the battlefield and flew up towards the bird, who squawked as his power rose.

Flarenix: 650Gs
Batrix: 400Gs
Cloptor: 400Gs

As he dived down, Flarenix focused on Batrix. "Hold on, my brethren. I will release you from your bondage!" He slammed into the bat and the Bakugan cried out, as the flames coming off his body burned it. But as he flew around for another pass, Hayate took out a card and slashed it against his bracer.

"Ability, Activate!" The bat dodged the next attack and let out a high pitched scream. "Sonic Death!" The attack struck Flarenix and he cried out, the sound feeling like nails on a chalkboard to him.

Flarenix: 450Gs
Batrix: 400Gs
Cloptor: 400Gs

"That's not enough!" Sunset stated before taking out two cards, then smirked back at Flash. "Your Bakugan's strong, I'll give you that. But it takes more to win a Brawl than a strong Bakugan. Here, let me show you what it really takes." She slashed both guards through her brace. "Double Ability, Activate!" Both Flarenix's talons and wings burst into flames. "Blazing Talon, plus Wildfire Wingbeat!"

With a single flap, the flames on the bird's wings flew off and slammed into both Bakugan. The two hissed, as their power dropped, whilst Flarenix dived down with his talons at the ready. "You're mine!"

Flarenix: 550Gs
Batrix: 250Gs
Cloptor: 250Gs

"I don't think so!" Kiyrah took out a card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" The eye in the centre of Cloptor's body began to glow, "Medusa Stare!" The light flew off the eye and slammed into Flarenix, hitting him before she could evade. And to Sunset's shock, the bird suddenly froze in place. Even the fire was frozen in time.

"Flarenix!" Sunset screamed, Flash checking his Bracer before his eyes went wide.

Flarenix: 350Gs
Batrix: 250Gs
Cloptor: 250Gs

"He froze him in place and lowered his power!" Flash cried, as Hayate slashed another card.

"Ability, Activate!" Batrix flew up towards her, as a swirl of wind appeared within its open mouth. "Typhoon Fang!" The bat screamed again and the wind shot out, swirling into four tornados that flew towards Flarenix. Two flew upwards and curved down to slammed into his back, whilst the other two curved up and slammed into him from below.

Flarenix: 350Gs
Batrix: 450Gs
Cloptor: 250Gs

Flarenix couldn't say anything, as the attack forced him towards the ground. But he still couldn't move and crashed into the ground. "FLARENIX!" Sunset screamed, as Kiyrah took out another card.

"Too bad for you. Abilities are useless if your Bakugan can't move in order to use them. Now. Time to add your overgrown chicken to our collection!" Sunset looked terrified, fearing the worst.

"Not gonna happen!" She gasped and looked up, as Flash suddenly leapt up from behind her with Leonidas in hand. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw his partner and Leo soon hit the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" The ball then popped open, spinning as a tornado exploded out of him again. "Haos Novus Leonidas!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Leo roared from within the tornado, which slammed into both Bakugan and pushed them away from Flarenix.

Flarenix: 350Gs
Batrix: 450Gs
Cloptor: 250Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

As Flash landed, he glanced back at Sunset and smiled. "You're right. It takes more than a powerful Bakugan to win a Brawl. I know that more than anybody." Sunset watched him take out three cards. "And Double Abilities are pretty cool, but only the best can go above that."

"Wait. What are you-"

"Triple Ability, Activate!" Flash slashed the cards, as Leonidas exploded out of the tornado. As he did, light began to form around his body. "Neo Phaser, plus Photon Force, plus Fusion Ability, Neo Photon Blast!" The light flew off his body and into his mouth, Leonidas swallowing it before letting out a roar and unleashing an extra powerful laser.

It was so bright, the Rugenga and their Bakugan were blinded whilst Sunset had to look away.

Flarenix: 350Gs
Batrix: 450Gs
Cloptor: 250Gs
Leonidas: 1500Gs

The laser slammed into Batrix and blasted him, Cloptor soon following as the two were blown into the air. They both roared in agony before glowing and reverting back to ball form. They then flew towards Flash, the teen catching them without even looking twice.

Flash: 100% (Winner)
Kiyrah: 0%
Sunset: 100% (Winner)
Hayate: 0%

Kiyrah and Hayate were both shocked by this, as their eyesight began to return. "Who the heck are these guys?" Kiyrah asked, as Leonidas reverted back to ball form.

Flash caught him, as he moved towards the pair. "My name is Flash Sentry. A Member of the BakuFighters." The two might not have understood what he was talking about, but Sunset did.

"No way." She then looked over at Lyra, also realising who she must be. "Wait. That Bakugan. Leonidas. The one who saved the Bakugan and remade Vestroia."

"That's right," Lyra nodded. "We're here to save Vestroia and the Bakugan."

Flash pointed at the masked individuals. "I don't know who you guys are. But I swear to you. I won't let you get away with what you're doing here. Vestroia isn't just some place that you can do whatever you want in. So you'd better release all the Bakugan you've captured. If you don't. I'll make you regret it!"

The pair just stared at him for a moment before Hayate leapt into the air. Kiyrah did the same and they were soon standing atop the rocks. "Don't think this is over," Hayate stated. "We'll make you pay for this." With that, they both leapt behind the rocks before disappearing.

"That's right," Lyra smiled. "Run away. But come back whenever you want to lose more Bakugan." She and Flash high-fived, as Sunset just stared at the pair.

"With these two...maybe it'll be possible. To defeat the Rugenga and free the Bakugan." She didn't know if that was true or not, but she felt a great sense of hope suddenly fill her. The battle to save Vestroia had truly begun. And with Flash and Leonidas on their side, things were looking up.

Author's Note

Welcome, everyone, to the second instalment of my Bakugan series. A lot of people seemed to like the first one, so I hope this one will be just as enjoyed. And what an opening.

Some people in the last story, wondered why Sunset never showed up in it. Well, here's your answer. This isn't just an EQG story. It's also an MLP story, with the heroes teaming up with anthro ponies from Equestria. For clarity, this would take place a little after season 3 and anything after that finale either hasn't happened yet or won't happen. Anyway, hope to hear what you think of the story so far.

For those wondering, Leonidas' ball form is Cyclone Dragonoid with the head design of his original ball form. And Flarenix's ball form is the same as Wired, which I know is a Mechanical Bakugan but I still think it works.

Into Equestria

Within a large robotic room, five individuals stood around a chair in the centre.

Said chair contained the figure in red, who sat with his fingers interlaced whilst he heard about what had happened from two of the others. Those two were Hayate and Kiyrah, who had just returned from their battle against Flash and Sunset.

"So," the figure in red stated, "the Bakugan said to have saved Vestroia has returned."

"It appears so," Hayate nodded. "Though his power isn't as legendary as it was believed, he was still strong enough to defeat us and capture our Bakugan."

"He got lucky," Kiyrah stated. "I won't underestimate him next time."

"Be sure that you don't." This came from another girl, with a white and yellow version of Kiyrah's clothes. "We need as many Bakugan as possible for our plan to succeed. We can't allow anyone to get in our way."

"Thalia's right." The tallest of the group, wearing a blue version of the male's clothing, crossed his arms. "We must destroy this new Brawler before he becomes a nuisance." The final member, a girl in orange and brown clothes, let out a laugh.

"Would you relax, Beck? This guy just got lucky. We still outclass him in power." She leaned against the chair, "especially Cursor. Now that Draken's awakened, nothing will stop us."

"Azalea's right," the one named Cursor agreed. "In time, our true power will awaken. Those ponies can barely hold up against us as we are now. Once we have grown even stronger, we will crush them once and for all." They nodded, but were curious how these humans had gotten there. And where the rest of the legendary BakuFighters were at the moment.

Back on Earth, Heath and Bonnie had been left with a rather uncomfortable assignment.

"WHAT!?" Twilight's voice cried, as the pair had to move away from the computer screen. They were currently in Flash's house, having just told his parents and sister what had happened. Lyra's house would be next on the agenda, but one worried family at a time.

They had also chosen this time to call Twilight, Derpy, Soarin and the rest of the Rainbooms, to tell them what had happened. And everyone except Soarin had answered.

"You're telling me that Leonidas is back!? Vestroia is in danger and Flash went to help stop it!?"

"Pretty much," Bonnie nodded. "And Lyra went with him. If I know those two, Flash and Leo tried to ditch all of us and Lyra snuck after them." She moaned, "they are so getting an earful after this."

"Er...Bonnie. Focus." Heath turned back to the screen. "As much as I hate being out of the loop when it comes to Bakugan stuff, we can't exactly do anything. The portal's closed and we have no way of opening it again."

"There has to be some way to help," Derpy looked worried. "Ragnaroid and the others could be in great danger. We need to help save them."

"I agree," Rarity nodded. "But what can we do? I'm not exactly a car ride away, after all." That was true, given Rarity had moved to France in order to study fashion in the fall. And the others had also moved all over the country, preparing themselves for the colleges they would be going to.

"I'm not just going to sit around whilst Flash, Leo, Lyra and Spike are in trouble." Twilight looked determined to do something. "I'm going to find a way to help them."

"How?" Rainbow asked, with Twilight clearly not having any idea how to answer that question.

"I'll need to think of something. But I won't rest until I figure it out." Twilight chose to end the call there, clearly needing to think. At the same time, the others also started logging off until only Derpy was online.

"Still can't contact Soarin?" She asked, with the other two nodding. "We have to keep trying. He'll want to know Garuda is in danger. And like Twilight, he'll want to try and find a way to help." They nodded again, as Derpy had to end the call as well.

This just left them with Flash's parents and sister. "I should have known this would happen," Misty sighed. "Even after the Bakugan left, Flash's heart was always in that battle area. It was only a matter of time before he was pulled back into this craziness."

"Flash will be fine," Bonnie assured her. "Lyra's there to keep him from doing anything too stupid. And Leonidas will protect him." Misty nodded, but it was clear she was still worried.

Scootaloo was also looking worried, clearly concerned about her brother travelling to a completely different dimension. And Trail looked stoic, but Misty and Scootaloo knew he was also worried. No doubt if Flash didn't return soon, or news of his state remained unknown, they would all be driven mad with concern.

In her dorm room, Twilight sat on her bed.

She was looking at another framed photo, showing her and Flash at their Senior Prom together. That night had been absolutely amazing and Twilight would remember it for the rest of her life. She had been worried back then, wondering if their relationship could survive long distance.

Even though she was only one city over, she had worried not getting to see each other every day would ruin their relationship. Now there was an entire dimension between them.

"Flash. Where are you right now?" She hugged the picture to her chest, "are you safe?"

In Vestroia, Flash and Lyra were still standing there looking around.

With the battle over, the pair were once again enthralled by the amazing place around them. "Vestroia. It really is amazing." He then turned to their new 'friend', who stood there with her arms crossed. "So. You're not a Rugenga?"

"No, I'm not." Sunset moved towards them. "My name is Sunset Shimmer. A unicorn from Equestria."

"Equestria?" Flash asked.

"Unicorn?" Lyra stared at the horn on Sunset's head. "You mean the mythological horse creature?"

"They might be a myth where you're from, but in my world they're real and evolved into the impressive specimen you see before you." She started typing something into her Baku-Bracer. "Now come on. This isn't the best place to explain everything. And the princesses will want to meet you."

"Princesses?" Flash asked, as a bright burst of light suddenly appeared in front of them.

That light formed a portal, which Sunset walked towards. "You coming or not?" The pair frowned, as Leonidas turned to the pair.

"I think we should go. She clearly knows more about this situation than us. It's better than staying out in the middle of nowhere, with no food or water." The pair sighed, but nodded and followed Sunset as she stepped into the portal.

The pair were blinded for a moment, but the light eventually died down and they were able to open their eyes.

When they did, they found themselves in a large room. They were standing inside a large metal tube, which they stepped out of as they spotted more beings like Sunset. They had hooves and long snout-like faces, whilst some had wings or a horn on their head.

In the middle of the room, two of these beings stood with both wings and a horn. One was a tall white woman, whilst the other suddenly made Flash stop as he felt he recognised her. "Twilight?" He could hardly believe he said that, but the girl did look just like his girlfriend. Only with no glasses and the previously mentioned features.

The girl looked at him in confusion, as Lyra also recognised her. "That is Twilight. What happened to you?"

"This is not the Twilight you know." Another familiar voice filled the air, making them all look over and see a familiar Haos Bakugan ball flying towards them. "It is this world's version of Twilight Sparkle."

"Dragonia?" Flash asked, the Bakugan nodding. "I can't believe it. You're here. But how?"

"Where are we?" Lyra asked. "You called her this world's version of Twilight. What, does Vestroia have human-like beings in it?"

"No," Celestia stepped forward. "You're not in Vestroia right now. You're in an entirely different world. A world of magic and mysticism. Equestria."

"Equestria," Flash repeated. "That's what Sunset said earlier. Okay, does someone want to tell me what the heck is going on? How are we in an entirely different world? And who the heck are those guys that we fought before?"

"Yes," Celestia nodded, "follow me. We'll explain everything on the way." She began to walk off and they all followed her, as they left the room and made their way through a long hallway.

"I guess I should be the one to explain first," Dragonia stated. "Leonidas has likely already told you about what happened in Vestroia."

Lyra nodded. "Those guys showed up, turned the Bakugan into balls and started capturing them. Right?"

"Yes. The Bakugan stood no chance against them in such a state. Which is why myself and the rest of the Guardians, had no choice but to repeat the same plan as the last time Vestroia was placed in danger."

"Hang on," Flash couldn't believe what he was actually hearing. "You transported all the Bakugan into another world...again?"

"Yes. I know it seems to be our go to move, but it was the best plan we could come up with before we were captured. So yes, we were able to transport a good number of Bakugan out of Vestroia. Alas, we couldn't save everyone. Before we managed to open the portal and summoned everyone, about twenty percent of the Bakugan were captured."

"Does that include Nimue and the rest of our friends?" Lyra asked in fear, Dragonia nodding as Lyra looked heartbroken.

"So what happened?" Leonidas asked. "You managed to escape Vestroia and came here?"

"Not by choice. We were actually aiming for Flash's world. But there was a miscalculation and we ended up arriving here. Equestria. A world of magic."

Celestia chose this moment to continue. "When the Bakugan arrived, it was quite a surprise. A brilliant flash of light and suddenly, a bunch of different coloured balls were raining from the sky all over Equestria. It was quite a shock when those balls suddenly popped open and started talking."

"Tell me about it," Sunset smiled as she turned to the Bakugan on her shoulder. "But I got to meet Flarenix, so that's a plus."

"Yes," Dragonia nodded. "The Guardians and I managed to arrive in Canterlot, the capital of this kingdom. When we did, we met with Celestia and told her everything that happened."

"I agreed to grant them asylum in Equestria and we soon fell into a relatively peaceful coexistence. But we quickly discovered a small issue. The Bakugan's arrival had caused the dimensional walls between Equestria and Vestroia to weaken."

"A weakened dimensional wall?" Flash frowned, "that can't be good."

Twilight turned to him. "On its own, it wouldn't be a problem. The weakness is slowly repairing itself and the only issue it causes is portals to Vestroia popping up at random. But they only last a little while before closing back up again."

"Let me guess," Lyra sighed. "Those Rugenga guys are causing a problem?"

"Yes," Dragonia nodded. "Whenever they detect a portal opening, they attempt to come through. On several occasions, they appeared and attacked a settlement in Equestria. Using the Bakugan they have to do serious damage and capture any Bakugan that were there."

"Seriously?" Flash growled. "Who the heck are these guys? What do they want?"

"We don't know," Celestia sighed. "We tried talking to them, but diplomacy doesn't work on them." She closed her eyes, remembering something that she began to describe to the humans.

Celestia and several guards were standing in the ruins of a small town, as a portal to Equestria remained open.

In front of that portal stood a figure, illuminated by the light. And behind him were a bunch of red and yellow Bakugan, all ready to attack and destroy. "Please!" She told him, "you have to stop this! What purpose could these attacks solve!?"

"A great purpose," the figure replied. "And they will continue until all the Bakugan are ours. Surrender them to us, or the continued devastation will be on your head." With that, the Bakugan unleashed blasts of fire that exploded and destroyed more of the town. The figure then laughed and stepped through the portal, Celestia glaring at him.

"You're a monster."

"So they want the Bakugan," Flash frowned. "But why?"

"We don't know," Dragonia stated. "Many believe they want to use the Bakugan as weapons to conquer, but we believe there's more to it than that. Especially since they don't appear to use the stronger Bakugan they've captured. After Leonidas, Ragnaroid was the most powerful. But he hasn't appeared once since he was captured."

"So there's got to be more," Lyra agreed. "Please tell me you don't plan on giving the Bakugan away to them."

"Absolutely not," Celestia stated. "I would never force a race into slavery just to save my own people. But something had to be done. Luckily, during one of their attacks, Twilight was there."

Flash looked confused, "how is that lucky?"

Twilight giggled, Flash suddenly being reminded of his own girlfriend's giggle. "I have a spell that allows me to scan a piece of technology and learn how it works. During an attack, I scanned their Baku-Bracer and learned to replicate it. Once we had those, we learned to fight back."

Dragonia nodded. "I had already told Celestia about the Bakugan's experience in your world and how the Brawls were waged there. Surprisingly, the Rugenga use the same rules. So I taught her how to Brawl and she taught the rest of her kingdom."

"AWESOME!" Flash's eyes suddenly shined, stars appearing within them. "Are you telling me we've got an army of Battle Brawlers, waiting to fight against these guys?" But then, he saw the others frowning. "What?"

"Well," Twilight sighed. "We did send out a call, asking ponies and Bakugan to help us fight against the Rugenga and protect Equestria. And we found that a lot of ponies had already partnered with Bakugan and wanted to help them. The Guards were also keen to fight and protect the kingdom. However..."

At some point in the past, Twilight and Sunset were in an open field somewhere close to Canterlot.

Celestia and several others were also there, as Sunset and Twilight had Baku-Bracers on their arms. "You ready to do this?" Sunset asked, as Flarenix was on her shoulder.

"Let's go!" Twilight smiled, Spikenoid on hers. They both activated their Baku-Bracers and unleashed the energy field, allowing the Bakugan to return to their true forms. But before they could start the fight, Twilight's eyes suddenly went wide and she screamed in pain. "AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHH!"

"TWILIGHT!" Sunset gasped, seeing Twilight collapse to the ground. And she wasn't the only one who did so. The others watching also screamed, all appearing to be in absolute agony as they fell. "What's happening!?"

"Sunset!" Flarenix told her, "shut the Baku-Bracer down. Cancel out the field." Sunset nodded and deactivated her device, this cause it and the other Bracer to shut down and stop the energy field.

As the field vanished, Sunset rushed over to Twilight. "Are you okay?"

Twilight panted, the pain having gone but the after effects were still making it difficult to move. "What just happened?" She looked down at the Baku-Bracer, "what did I do wrong?"

"Nothing," she stated in the present. "I had build the Bracer perfectly."

"So what hurt you?" Lyra asked, wondering why someone would suddenly start feeling pain. It didn't make any sense. But as she thought about it more, she realised what it had to be. "You guys can't survive in Vestroia, can you?" The ponies looked surprised by this, whilst Flash looked confused.

"Huh?"

"The Baku-Bracers work by mimicking the natural dimensional conditions of Vestroia, am I right?" Lyra's question was met with a nod. "It's stupid to think anyone can exist in any universe. Bakugan can't exist in other worlds unless they're in ball form. And the same is true for people from this world."

"You're right," Dragonia agreed. "We've been trying to find a way to make it so ponies can enter Vestroia and battlefields. But so far, we haven't been able to do it."

"Ouch," Flash hissed. "So even if someone here wanted to Brawl, they couldn't." They nodded, as Flash turned to Sunset. "Wait. You were in Vestroia."

"Yup," She nodded. "It seems a small number of Equestrians can enter Vestroia's space without problems. But it's a really small number. So far, there are only three of us who can Brawl without feeling like we're getting ripped in two."

"Yes," Dragonia nodded. "We tested everyone. Even your counterparts."

"Our counterparts?" Lyra asked.

"Yes. It's not just Twilight who has a doppelganger. We've discovered that everyone who we saw in your world, has a twin in this world in the form of an Equestrian. Although most of the similarities are just the name and some physical features. Personality wise, you two are similar but also very different. Byproduct of living in two completely different universes, I guess."

Flash was amazed to hear this, both he and Lyra wondering what their Equestrian Counterparts were like. Hopefully, they would be able to meet them at some point.

"So none of them are able to Brawl?" Lyra asked, as the group stopped before yet another long corridor.

"I'm afraid not," Celestia "Which means only Sunset and the other two have been able to defend our world from the Rugenga. As much as I wish we could help, Equestrian Magic does very little against Bakugan. So if we tried to fight them, we would likely be more of a hindrance then a help."

Flash and Lyra spotted a window off to the side, the pair stepping up to it. Looking out, they were amazed to see a massive city below them. They quickly realised they were in some kind of castle and all over the place, there were Equestrians flying through the air or walking around with things floating around and other carrying objects three times their size.

"Ponies and Bakugan are living in harmony," Twilight explained. "But that peace is fragile. The Rugenga could attack at any moment and they're powerful Brawlers. It's clear they have years of experience, whilst our Brawlers are..." Twilight glanced at Sunset, who didn't look happy to be called weak. "Inexperienced."

"I know we've already met two of them," Lyra stated as they continued through the castle. "But what about the others? How many are there?"

Celestia frowned. "As far as we know, there are six of them. Each one specialising in a particular Attribute." Sunset nodded and held up her Baku-Bracer, typing away at it before a hologram appeared of six individuals in different coloured clothing.

"You've already met Hayate and Kiyrah, the Ventus and Darkus members. But there's also Azalea, a ruthless Subterra Brawler, who loves crushing her opponents under foot. Beck, the cunning Aquos Brawler, that could outsmart even the most brilliant mind. Thalia is the Haos Brawler, who's devious and short tempered. And then, leading them, is Cursor. The Pyrus Brawler, who doesn't just want to win his brawls. He wants to absolutely destroy his opponents."

Flash stared at the images and wished he knew what they looked like in real life. But he would need to beat them, if he wanted the chance to discover their identities.

They finally arrived at a set of large doors, with a pair of guards standing to attention. As they opened, Celestia sighed. "We've been holding them off, but they're powerful. Even when we do win against them, we're unable to free any of the Bakugan they used."

"I see," Flash nodded as they stepped into a large throne room. The place was huge, with large stained glass windows on the sides and marble floors and columns.

Flash instantly spotted two individuals in the room. One was a woman almost as tall as Celestia, with dark blue skin and black hair that had twinkling star-like specks within. She also had wings and a horn, whilst the equestrian next to her was a unicorn with glasses.

"Let me introduce you to my sister, Luna."

Luna stepped forward, taking a closer look at them. "Ah, so these are the humans I was told about. And we're sure they're not spies, sent by the Rugenga?"

"I'm sure," Dragonia told her. At that moment, five More Bakugan flew down and the three newcomers instantly recognised them.

"Seadranoid!" Lyra smiled. "And the rest of the Guardians."

"It's good to sssssee you again," Seadranoid stated. "We had only been expecting Flash and Leonidasssssss. Having you here will certainly improve our chancessssss."

Lyra nodded. "Maybe you and I could work together. Until I find Nimue, I'll need another partner to fight with."

"I would be happy to," Seadranoid agreed. "Alassssss, I cannot battle at the moment. None of usssss can."

"What?" Leo asked, turning to Dragonia.

"It's true," she stated. "Bringing the Bakugan here seriously drained us. And with me granting you another body, I've once again lost all the power I've been regaining since coming here."

"Then we won't be able to have your help for a while," Leonidas sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy." As he said that, the other unicorn stepped forward and looked amazed by what she was seeing.

"So you're the famous Flash Sentry?" She moved around him, "the hero who defeated Lucifer and help rebuild Vestroia."

"The one and only," Flash smirked. "And you are..."

"Moondancer," She stated. "I'm one of the ponies fighting to help protect the Bakugan." As she said that, a Darkus Bakugan leapt onto her shoulder and opened up.

"And I am Sorcerell," she replied. "I have heard much about how the BakuFighters fought to save our world." Flash took a closer look at the Bakugan in question, having never seen this one before.

"I know it's been a decade on Vestroia, but I didn't think any new Bakugan would be born in that time?"

"They weren't," Dragonia chuckled as she explained. "Sorcerell and Flarenix, were both within the arc we kept safe after the destruction of Vestroia. Once Vestroia was reborn, we released them back on the planet and they were free to learn about your exploits from the other Bakugan."

"I see," Leonidas nodded. "I guess we should be ready to meet a bunch of new Bakugan then."

"Indeed," Dragonia nodded. "The battles ahead will be difficult. But I'm sure you and Flash, will be able to turn the tides of this war before the Rugenga can cause any lasting harm to Vestroia and Equestria." Flash and Leo smiled, but their smiles disappeared when they heard another voice speak up.

"Are ya'h sure this guy's as good as ya'h say he is?" Everyone suddenly spun around and spotted someone leaning against one of the pillars.

He was a strong looking equestrian that didn't appear to have a horn or wings. The only thing distinguishing him from a human, was his snout-like face and hooves. He was a creamish yellow colour, with hair that was a mix of orange and the cream colour of his skin.

He was wearing an orange shirt under a brown leather vest and blue jeans, whilst a brown cowboy hat was on his head.

"Who's that?" Flash asked, as the guy pushed off from the pillar and moved towards them.

"That's Braeburn," Twilight explained. "Another Battle Brawler, who uses Subterra Bakugan."

"That's right," he tipped his hat with a smile. "And a'h wanna know if ya'h as strong as the stories say. Nothin' against ya'h. But a'h can't risk us takin' Brawlers into battle, if they don't have the skills needed to face off against the Rugenga."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Flash asked. "You think you're better than me?"

"A'h might be," Braeburn stated. "A'm not tryin' ta be mean or anythin'. But if we let you fight and ya'h not up ta snuff, the Rugenga will eat you alive."

"You don't have to worry about me," Flash told him before taking out the two Bakugan he had won from Hayate and Kiyrah. "After all, I seem to be doing a better job than you guys. Sunset said you haven't been able to free any of the Bakugan they've captured. So I guess this puts me up two over you."

Sunset and Moondancer frowned, not liking being upstaged whilst Braeburn just smiled.

"Don't get cocky. Ya'h might have won once, but that could have just been dumb luck. Anyone can beat them. The trick is ta keep beatin' them. Who cares if ya'h win the first Brawl, if ya'h gonna end up losin' every other battle after that?" Flash frowned, starting to get irritated with how this guy was.

"What's with this guy?" Lyra asked Sunset, who sighed and shook her head.

"He's not a bad guy. He just cares a lot about ponies. He's seen how much damage the Rugenga can do. Half of his home town was destroyed by them, during one of the first attacks. And when the ponies and buffalo there tried to fight back, a lot of them were badly injured and spent weeks recovering."

"That's horrible," Lyra frowned. "I guess it's no wonder, he doesn't want Flash to Brawl if he doesn't have what it takes." She then frowned and stepped forward. "But don't worry. Flash isn't your run of the mill Brawler. Leonidas might not be as strong as he used to be, but those two are super strong."

Braeburn smirked before pushing his hat up. "Then he won't mind if a'h test his strength."

"What are you talking about?" Moondancer asked. "Are you really gonna challenge him to a Brawl? We don't have time to waste messing around, when the Rugenga could attack at any moment."

"If he wants to fight against them, he needs ta prove he has what it takes." Braeburn reached into his vest and pulled out a Subterra Bakugan. "So how bout it. "Ya'h think ya'h stand a chance against Gunstinger an me?" Flash and Leo stared at him for a moment, then smiled before they glanced at one another and nodded.

"Alright," Flash told him. "Bring it on. I'll show you how I became the number one Brawler back in my home world. Besides, I didn't get to test out all of Leo's abilities in the last Brawl. It'll be good to see what we can do, without having to worry about losing."

The others sighed, realising they weren't gonna be able to talk these two out of this. "Guess we don't have a choice," Celestia stated. "I actually think this might be a good opportunity."

"Indeed," Luna nodded before turning to Moondancer and Sunset. "You two should pay attention. If you ever end up Brawling with Mr. Sentry, knowing how he battles will help you better formulate a strategy."

"So where's it gonna happen?" Lyra asked. "We can't Brawl right here. We'd destroy the throne room."

"Don't worry," Twilight assured her. "We have a place we built especially for battle brawling. It's a special stadium, that's enchanted to keep the battle contained within. Plus, the seats have a shield that protects the audience from feeling the effects of the Dimensional Energy. A lot of ponies actually like to watch when the Brawlers are practising. When they learn a new Brawler's here, they'll be really excited."

Flash wasn't sure how he felt about being a form of entertainment, for a bunch of bored socialites. But decided to focus on the battle he was about to have.

Twilight's horn glowed and in a bright flash of light, Flash suddenly found himself standing in a large stadium. Braeburn stood opposite him, whilst the others were in the stands as the magic of the area activated.

A magical forcefield rose and covered the seating area, protecting them as the Brawlers turned to one another. "Time ta see just how good ya'h really ah." Braeburn took out a Baku-Bracer that was brown on the top, strapping it on as Flash checked his own gear. "Ya'h better impress, or a'm taking that dragon of yours for ma'h-self."

"Doubt it," Flash stated. "Never used a Subterra Bakugan, but I bet your Gunstinger will be fun to use once I win him." The pair glared each other down, as Flash held up Leo. "Ready to do this, bud?"

"You know it," Leonidas nodded before the two activated their Baku-Bracers. The energy flew out of them and allowed the Brawl to begin, the two yelling in unison as their Life Gauges filled.

"LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Braeburn: 100%

"Gate Card," Braeburn took out a card and threw it. "Set!" As the card hit the ground, it exploded into a burst of orange light before the pair held up their partners. "Bakugan," they both pulled back before throwing them forward, "BRAWL!" The Haos and Subterra Bakugan shot through the air, everyone watching being amazed as the two seemed to be heading towards one another.

And sure enough, the balls slammed into one another and pushed against the other for several seconds before bouncing back.

"BAKUGAN!" Both hit the ground and spun open, "STAND!" The tornado of light exploded out of Leonidas, whilst a tornado of sand suddenly burst forth from Gunstinger. The two tornadoes slammed against one another, bouncing back and forth like a pair of beigoma. But eventually, the sand spiral managed to overpower the light vortex and knock it backwards.

Flash leapt to the side, as Leonidas flew out of the light and crashed into the side of the stadium.

The impact made the whole place shake, as Leonidas cried out. "LEO!" Flash yelled, as the shaking stopped. "You okay?" The dragon groaned as he rolled onto his front.

"Lucky shot," he told his opponent. But then a voice hissed as it spoke up.

"Hardly." With that, the sand tornado exploded to reveal the Bakugan within. He was a large orange snake, only this one had arms sticking out his body and he was wearing dark brown clothes.

These clothes included a ratty cowboy hat on his head, a poncho on his chest and a belt where his waist would be. His belt had a buckle shaped like a snake and his right arm ended in a second snake-head, with large fangs in its mouth, whilst the left one had a bunch of dark brown stacked orbs that looked like a rattlesnake rattle.

His lower jaw was actually light brown and he had light brown diamond shapes running from the back of his neck, all the way down to the tip of his tail. On the end of said tail was what appeared to be the barrel of a gun or sand blaster pistol. "Look how high my power is compared to yours." Flash did and he frowned at the sight.

Leonidas: 500Gs
Gunstinger: 530Gs

Leonidas reverted back to ball form and flew towards Flash, who caught him whilst his Life Gauge went down.

Flash: 94%
Braeburn: 100%

Gunstinger reverted back as well, Braeburn catching him with a smirk on his lips. "So far, a'h ain't impressed." Flash frowned as he took out a card.

"I'll show you impressed."

Up in the stands, Lyra sighed. "Flash is riled up now. Braeburn better watch himself." The others wondered what she meant by that, as Flash threw the card towards the ground.

"Gate Card...SET!" As it exploded into a burst of light, Flash pulled Leo back with Braeburn doing the same. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They both threw the balls and they shot towards one another, everyone gasping.

"Is he nuts!?" Sunset cried. "He's going for another straight forward attack."

"No," Dragonia stated. "Flash doesn't make the same mistake twice." And so they watched, as the Bakugan flew towards one another. But seconds before they clashed, Leonidas suddenly curved to the side and flew off to one side.

"Bakugan...STAND!" He spun open and in a burst of light, he appeared and spread his wings to fly upwards. "Haos Novus Leonidas!"

Meanwhile, Gunstinger hit the ground and spun open. "Subterra Gunstinger!" The sand tornado formed, but Leonidas was way too high for it to reach. So the snake Bakugan appeared and hissed in annoyance.

Leonidas: 500Gs
Gunstinger: 530Gs

Everyone was shocked by the sudden shift in the battle. "Did you guys see that?" Moondancer asked.

"Nice trick shot," Sunset nodded. "Flash must have put some spin on it right at the last moment." The others nodded, as they watched Braeburn take out a card and swipe it.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger pointed his tail towards Leonidas, the gun on the end of it aimed right at the dragon. "Quickdraw Sand Shot!" Suddenly, blasts of sand exploded out of the gun and flew up towards Leonidas.

Leonidas: 500Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

Leo began flying around, doing his best to avoid the sand blasts. But one managed to hit him in the wing and the feeling of thousands of tiny grains hitting him at high speed, caused serious pain. But Flash was ready.

"Ability, Activate!" He swiped the card, as Leonidas' mouth glowed. "Neo Phaser!"

Leonidas: 800Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Leo fired the light out of his mouth and it flew down, slamming into Gunstinger and pushing him back. But the human snake hybrid just smirked before firing another blast of sand from his tail.

"Not good enough!" The sand slammed into Leonidas and blasted him out of the sky, his laser cutting out as he fell. "Got you now!"

"Flash!" Leo cried, "a little help please!"

"I gotcha!" Flash pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, Open!" With that, the ground began to glow and the light flew into Leonidas, "Haos Reactor!" The light almost blinded everyone watching, as Leo spread his wings and managed to keep himself from hitting the ground.

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

Gunstinger saw him coming and the snake coiled his tail like a spring, which suddenly extended and shot him up and over Leo. "Now try this on for size!"

"Ability, Activate!" Braeburn swiped a card and the rattle on Gunstinger's arm began to glow. "Rattle Break!" He raised it up and prepared to use it like a club, his power raising as he did.

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Gunstinger: 1030Gs

"Ability," Flash swiped a card, "Activate!" Leonidas' body glowed before some kind of shield appeared around him, which was made of multiple hexagons made of transparent yellow light. "Particle Barrier!"

Gunstinger slammed his club into the shield and found himself flinching, as the energy flowed into his body and zapped him.

Leonidas: 1000Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

As the shield vanished, Leonidas flew at Gunstinger and grabbed him. He dug his claws into the Bakugan, making him cry out as Braeburn swiped another card.

"Ability, Activate!" The snake head on Gunstinger's arm flew up and bit Leonidas in the neck, making him finch. "Mercury Fang!"

Leonidas: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

"HA!" Flash laughed. "Not enough!" Leonidas slammed Gunstinger into the ground, as the snake mouth released him. But as Leonidas started punching Gunstinger in the chest, Flash heard a beep and looked down.

Leonidas: 890Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

"What?" Flash asked as another beep quickly followed.

Leonidas: 880Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

"Don't tell me." Another beep.

Leonidas: 870Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

"Poison." Yet another beep.

Leonidas: 860Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

But just as Leonidas lost more power, his punch finally knocked Gunstinger back into ball form. "Now we're even!" Leonidas leapt back and reverted to ball form as well, flying back towards Flash as Braeburn's Life Gauge dropped.

Flash: 94%
Braeburn: 94%

"This might take a while," Celestia stated. "They appear evenly matched and neither of them have yet to really pull out the big attacks." The others nodded, as Braeburn picked Gunstinger up.

"So what do we do?" Twilight asked. "Just watch as they keep senselessly brawling?" Lyra heard this and realised this Twilight clearly didn't understand what being a Brawler meant.

The boys smiled at one another before Braeburn threw down a Gate Card and the pair launched their Bakugan. The fight that followed was an intense one and both sides refused to give the other an inch. But one eventually managed to get the advantage.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger suddenly leapt at Leo and swung his tail around, wrapping it around his body and squeezing him tightly. "Coil Shot!" Suddenly, the sand blaster tail pointed at him and fired sand into him.

"RAAAH!" Leo cried, getting the life squeezed out of him whilst his body was bombarded with sand. And soon enough, he couldn't help but revert back to ball form.

Flash: 88%
Braeburn: 94%

"Ability, Activate!" Flash swiped a card, as Leo flew down towards Gunstinger. "Power Brawl!" Before the snake could say or do anything, the dragon unleashed a flurry of punches, kicks and ended with a tail strike.

"GRAH!" He was thrown backwards and reverted back to ball form.

Flash: 88%
Braeburn: 74%

"Ability, Activate!" Braeburn swiped the card, as Leonidas unleashed his Neo Phaser attack. "Sand Barrier!" A tornado of sand appeared and surrounded Gunstinger, blocking the attack and freeing him up to fire a blast from his tail gun.

"AUGH!" The sand slammed into Leonidas' eyes and knocked him back, blinding him as he was forced to land. And by the time he managed to get the sand out of his eyes, Gunstinger flew out of his tornado and punched him back into ball form.

Flash: 64%
Braeburn: 74%

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas's body glowed, "Speed Burst!" Suddenly, Leonidas' body transformed into a white and yellow blur. One which flew around the arena at super speed before flying down.

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He smashed his tail down onto Gunstinger's head and knocked him into the ground, the snake flinching as he was forced back into ball form.

Flash: 64%
Braeburn: 59%

The two continued to battle, as more and more time passed. Whenever one seemed to have the edge, the other managed to pull themselves back from the brink.

"Ability, Activate!" Flash yelled, as Leonidas's body glowed again. "Photon Force!" The light flew off Leonidas' body and swirled into an orb between his hands, which he raised above his head as it grew to the same size as him.

With a roar, he threw the orb downwards and it flew towards Gunstinger. And since Braeburn had already used his Sand Barrier ability, he couldn't stop this attack from colliding.

Flash: 27%
Braeburn: 21%

"Seriously?" Celestia asked, seeing Braeburn rush to pick Gunstinger up. "How long can those two keep this up? I know Braeburn has impressive stamina. Earth Pony Farmers can usually be active for hours without the need of a rest. But how can Flash keep up with him?"

"That's just Flash," Lyra stated. "He's not exactly the most impressive human most of the time. But whenever he's brawling, he can tap into an inner strength that lets him keep going no matter what happens." This impressed the ponies, as Flash and Braeburn continued their fight.

The entire battlefield was getting utterly destroyed, either through dodge or deflected attacks, or the Bakugan getting smashed up.

The floor of the stadium was eventually completely shattered, the rocks smashed into powder with each passing round. And by the time Celestia had to start lowering the sun, the two stood on opposite sides of a large crater.

The pair were a mess. Their clothes had been ripped up. They were covered in cuts and bruises. And they were panting up a storm whilst checking their Baku-Bracers.

Flash: 10%
Braeburn: 10%

"This has gone too far," Twilight stated.

"No. I think this is just what they need." She turned to Sunset, who smiled as she saw how the pair of them suddenly started laughing.

"Not bad," Braeburn stated as he held up Gunstinger. "But it's time for me ta'h bring this ta an end."

"I don't think so," Flash smirked as he held up Leonidas. "I'm the one ending this." The two pulled their partners back, "BAKUGAN..." They tried to throw them, but suddenly found themselves losing strength.

The next thing they both knew, they fell forward mid throw and the Bakugan didn't even go two feet. "FLASH/BRAEBURN!" They both cried, the others gasping as the two fell into the pit. Luckily, they both landed on the sand-like surface that had been made by the battle and rolled closer and closer together until they were in the very centre of the hole.

Their Baku-Bracers deactivated, allowing Twilight to teleport the others into the stadium. "Are you okay?" The purple alicorn asked, seeing them both face down.

"Say something!" Moondancer yelled, only to suddenly hear laughing. And as the pair rolled onto their backs, they both burst out laughing whilst wiping the sand away from their faces.

Flash forced himself to sit up and turned to Braeburn. "You're nuts!"

Braeburn did the same. "You're one ta talk." They both laughed against and held out a hand, shaking the other whilst everyone except Twilight smiled.

"I don't get it," she looked confused. "They're friends now?"

"They're Brawlers," Dragonia explained. "This is how Brawlers bond." Twilight clearly didn't understand, but it didn't matter. What mattered is that Flash and Braeburn had earned the other's respect.

"You weren't half bad," Gunstinger told Leonidas.

"Neither were you," Leonidas chuckled. Everyone was sure that Flash and Braeburn would be able to work alongside one another. Now, the battle against the Rugenga could truly begin.

Once the battle was over, everyone returned to the castle.

A quick spell had repaired Flash and Braeburn's clothes, whilst also healing the light injuries they had acquired. Now they were standing in the room they had first arrived in, staring at the many monitors that surrounded them. "This is our Bakugan Control Hub," Celestia explained.

Sunset carried on. "Here, we're able to keep a watchful eye on both Equestria and Vestroia. If a disturbance is located in either world, we transport ourselves over to it to make sure everything's okay. We can also detect breaches forming, which is very important to stopping the Rugenga."

"That makes sense," Lyra nodded. "So we've gotta be on alert for anything that might happen?"

"Exactly," Twilight nodded. "But that's not all. We've also been sending drones into Vestroia, to try and find the Rugenga base. If we can do that, we can find where the device keeping the Bakugan in ball forms is located. We can shut that down, the Bakugan will be able to fight back."

"Alright!" Flash cheered as he punched his fist into his hand. "Watch out, Rugenga. The BakuFighters are back and we're ready to take you down. You'll regret ever coming to this place." The others nodded, ready to truly help the Bakugan retake their home and free their brethren. The battles would be long and difficult, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Author's Note

Flash, Lyra and Leonidas have met their new teammates and Flash got to face off against Braeburn, the pair earning the other's respect. Now, how will things turn out for our heroes? And what do the Rugenga have planned? Only time will tell.

For those wondering, Sorcerell's ball form is that of Siege's. And Gunstinger's ball form would be similar to Nemus and Brontes, though there would be some different in how the head and arms appear. How that helps

Moondancer's Trauma

In the dead of night, an explosion rocked the landscape of Vestroia.

On that battlefield, Moondancer and Sorcerell cried out as they were both blown backwards. Moondancer hit the side of a rock, whilst Sorcerell fell to the ground. "Sorcerell!" Moondancer cried, clutching her arm as she looked up and saw her Bakugan struggling back to her feet.

She then turned to their opponent, a figure who couldn't quite make out. With a Bakugan that looked just like the one that had defeated Spike. The Bakugan roared, as the figure held up a card. And the next thing Moondancer knew, a powerful blast of fire flew towards them and struck her Bakugan.

"SORCERELL!" She screamed, seeing her Bakugan revert back to ball form and fly away from her. "No! COME BACK!" With that, the flames from the attack consumed her and she couldn't see a thing.

"NO!" Moondancer sat up in bed, panting as she realised she had been dreaming.

She looked around at the large room she was currently in, part of the palace where she had been living ever since she had joined the Bakugan Defenders. And she wasn't alone, as a Bakugan currently on the table next to her rolled over and jumped onto the bed besides her before opening.

"Moondancer. Are you okay?"

Moondancer sighed, as she grabbed her glasses and put them on. Memories of the dream she had had were still fresh in her mind, reminding her of the Brawl she had lost before. "No. No I'm not."

An hour or two later, Moondancer was making her way through the castle until she arrived at the dining room she could get breakfast in.

There, Flash, Lyra, Sunset, Braeburn, Twilight and Celestia were sitting around eating. Celestia had made her world famous pancakes, which the humans were enjoying for the first time. All the while, they were being told stories about things that had happened in Equestria.

"And the next thing I know, I'm back in the main square. Only now, I've got these wings." Twilight showed them her wings, Flash and Lyra looking amazed by this. "It was kind of a shock, let me tell you."

"I know how you feel," Leonidas stated. "I might not have gained any new wings, but I know what it's like to have my body change. It's quite the shock to get over."

"I still can't believe magic exists," Lyra smiled. "I know the Bakugan have powers that could be considered magical. But still..." She smiled, as she watched Sunset use her magic to pull a napkin over to herself and dab her lips. "I bet having that is really handy."

"It is," Celestia nodded. "However, unicorn magic does have its limits. After all, teleportation and other more powerful spells aren't something any unicorn can perform. Most unicorns have basic magic that allows them to levitate objects or do other simple things, whilst also having a more powerful personal magic."

Twilight nodded. "My friend, Rarity, has a spell that acts as a gemstone detector. She uses it to find jewels that she fashions into her clothing. But other than that, Rarity only has basic levitation magic."

"Still sounds cool," Lyra nodded. It was in that moment that they noticed Moondancer, who sat down at the last empty seat. "Morning."

"Good morning," Moondancer nodded as she started eating.

"Are you okay?" Lyra asked, seeing Moondancer's face seemed to be showing signs that she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep. "You look like you didn't sleep well."

"I'm fine," she assured her.

"No way she couldn't get a good night's sleep," Flash stated. "That bed in my room was the comfiest thing I've ever slept on. If we don't free the Bakugan soon, I might end up being unable to leave that bed in the mornings." The others laughed at this, as they kept eating.

"Speaking of freeing the Bakugan." Sunset got up and moved over to Flash, as she took something out of her pocket. "Here. These should help if you find yourself outgunned." She handed Flash a pair of Haos Bakugan, two Flash wasn't familiar with.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "I know there's safety in numbers, but I'd hate to make the Bakugan fight if they don't want to."

"No need to worry," Dragonia suddenly flew down from wherever she had been before. "Those Bakugan had been eager to help save their world. And now that a skilled Haos Brawler is here, they can finally help when they're needed."

"She's right," Leonidas nodded. "I might be able to take down three Bakugan at once, but I have my limits. The added numbers will help."

"Alright," Flash nodded. As he put them away, Lyra turned to the others.

"I don't suppose you have an Aquos Bakugan that want to help free Vestroia?" Everyone frowned at this, nobody willing to look Lyra in the eye.

"I'm sorry," Celestia told her. "But all the Aquos Bakugan willing to fight have already been captured. The others have even taken refuge with ponies that can't or won't fight, or hide themselves in large bodies of water to keep themselves safe if the Rugenga attack."

"I see," Lyra sighed. "I understand." Flash got up and placed a hand on Lyra's shoulder.

"Don't worry. We'll free those Bakugan and all the other ones from the Rugenga. Just watch." Lyra smiled and nodded, as Flash grabbed the last of his food and shovelled it down. "Alright. If we want to have any chance at saving them, we need to be in tip top shape. So let's get training as soon as we're done eating."

"Right," the others nodded as they also started eating.

As soon as they finished, Twilight teleported them all to the stadium. When they arrived, Sunset looked around and hummed. "Huh. No crowd today?"

"Huh?" Lyra asked.

"Canterlot elites," Braeburn explained. "They enjoy watching our training sessions. They see it as a great way to kill time and they even bet on who'll win."

"Seriously?" Flash asked. "I know Brawling was a fun spectator sport in my world, but we're trying to save the Bakugan. We're not some dancing monkeys born for their amusement."

"Well, what can you do?" Twilight shrugged. "Celestia had to use tax money to build this place. It's only right that the citizens get to watch." They nodded at this, as Flash turned to the others and his eyes focused on Moondancer.

"Alright," he activated his Baku-Bracer. "Moondancer. I haven't gotten to see how you brawl. Let's go for it." Moondancer suddenly looked very worried, but nodded and activated her Baku-Bracer.

Twilight teleported herself and the others into the stands, protecting her from the Vestroia dimensional energy. As she did, both brawlers grabbed their Bakugan and held them tight. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Moondancer: 100%

"Let's go, Leo!" Flash took out a Gate Card and threw it, then grabbed his partner. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" His partner hit the ground and spun into a tornado of light, the dragon exploding out of it and letting out a roar. "Bring it on!" Moondancer stared at the dragon, as she suddenly found her hand shaking. Flash waited, as she didn't seem to have any plan of throwing Sorcerell out. "Uh...Moondancer? Hello?"

"What's wrong?" Sorcerell asked, as the others looked confused as well.

"What's the hold up?" Leonidas asked, his loud voice making her flinch. "Let's go already!" But instead, Moondancer suddenly deactivated her Baku-Bracer. The next thing Leonidas knew, he was back in ball form and falling towards the ground. "WHOA!"

Flash ran forward and managed to catch him before he hit the ground. "What the heck?" The others teleported back down, as they saw Moondancer staggering back. "What's wrong?"

"I can't," she told them. "I can't Brawl."

"What do you mean you can't Brawl?" Twilight frowned. "I've seen you Brawl countless times." But the others could tell this wasn't about being able to brawl. But being willing to.

"You're scared," Leonidas stated. "Scared of what could happen in the brawl." Twilight finally caught on, whilst Sunset moved forward and knelt besides Moondancer.

"This is about what happened to Spikenoid, isn't it?" The rest of the Equestrians looked confused, whilst Flash, Lyra and Leo frowned hearing about Spike.

"I'm sorry," Moondancer told them. "We were Brawling against Cursor. It seemed like an even battle at the time. But then something happened. Something that's never happened before."

"What?" Flash asked.

"It was...I don't know what happened. He had a Bakugan. It wasn't like any I'd ever seen before. One minute it was all gray and colourless. The next...it turned into a Pyrus Bakugan. Drakenoid."

"Gray and colourless?" Leonidas asked, as Dragonia flew up next to them.

"Yes. I was told about that. We believe it was a Bakugan that had lost a lot of its energy. Just like Lucifer was. Best guess is that the energy produced in the battle was able to charge the Bakugan back up."

"It was horrible," Moondancer stated. "Draken was like nothing I had ever fought before. Nothing we did was able to stop him. By the end of the brawl, we were completely overwhelmed. I lost my nerve. Then I lost Spike. He's gone and it's all my fault."

"Spike," Lyra sighed. She was glad Twilight wasn't there. Who knew how she would feel, if she learned what had happened?

Flash sighed and moved closer. "Moondancer. I know losing that fight was tough. But you can't just give up." Moondancer looked up at him, tears filling her eyes.

"You don't get it! I can't risk losing Sorcerell or any other Bakugan. It's my fault Spike was taken. Because of me, there's no telling what's being done to him. I can't let the same thing happen to my other Bakugan." She stood up. "Don't you care about Leonidas? If you lost him, wouldn't your heart break!?"

"Of course it would," Flash nodded. "But that doesn't mean I just give up. Leonidas knows the risks, just like Spike knew the risks. He was willing to risk everything, in order to save his world and his friends. As the Brawlers, it's our duty to help the Bakugan reclaim their home world."

"Even if it means potentially losing them?"

"That's why we have to train. To get stronger so we don't lose them."

"You're not listening to me!" Moondancer screamed. "You weren't there. None of you were! Drakenoid is like nothing any of you have ever faced before. A Bakugan like that can't be beaten. His power was like nothing I'd seen before. Do you really think you can face a Bakugan like that?"

"We've faced tougher opponents," Flash stated. True, it was when Leonidas was much stronger, but Flash was confident this Draken Bakugan wouldn't be as powerful as Ragnaroid or Lucifer. "Moondancer. You can't just give up."

As this was going on, Leonidas moved over to where Sorcerell was standing. "What are your thoughts about this?"

Sorcerell sighed. "I'll admit, the thought of facing Drakenoid again isn't something I wish to experience. But I still want to battle, to save my fellow Bakugan. But if Moondancer doesn't wish to brawl..."

"You must tell Moondancer how you feel," Leonidas stated. "You are her partner after all."

Sorcerell shook her head. "I can't. She is the brawler. I must obey her wishes. That is how a Bakugan and their Brawler work together."

"Don't be an idiot." Sorcerell turned to him. "Just because you've partners with her, that doesn't mean you're her mindless slave. A partnership is an equal relationship. I had to learn the hard way that just because I agree to battle with Flash, that doesn't mean I can't disagree with him. Honestly. If I did agree with every idea Flash had, the pair of us would have been done for a long time ago."

"Even so," Sorcerell turned back to Moondancer. "I can't force her to do battle."

"Maybe so. But you have to decide what you want to do. I know the idea of leaving your partner is hard, but leaving the Bakugan to suffer because your partners won't fight is worse. If Moondancer can't bring herself to battle, it's your responsibility to help her. Either that, or find a partner willing to brawl."

"I...I..." Sorcerell was clearly having trouble deciding what to do.

Moondancer got up and moved over to Sorcerell, picking her up as she turned to the others. "I'm sorry. I just can't do it. I won't risk losing Sorcerell. She's the best friend I've ever had." With that, she walked away whilst the others just stood there in shock.

"Poor Moondancer," Twilight sighed. "She's always been a bit shy. Especially after that party incident." She looked guilty about something. "When she met Sorcerell, she really opened up. I can understand why she would be scared of losing her."

"Maybe," Lyra nodded. "But if she's one of the only three ponies that can brawl, we can't afford for her to lose her confidence. We have to help her overcome this. Before the Rugenga attack."

Over in Vestroia, Beck and Azalea were in a small ship flying around.

Beck was piloting, whilst Azalea was sitting with her feet up on the console. "I'm bored!" She cried, looking absolutely annoyed by the lack of fun things to do. "This sucks! Why can't Vestroia have anything fun to do? Would it have killed the Leonidas guy to make one mall I could shop at? Maybe a movie theatre or something?"

Beck sighed. "We have more important things to worry about, than shopping or going to a movie. We're supposed to be searching for a breach into Equestria."

"I know," Azalea huffed. "That place better have a mall or something. Maybe a beauty parlour. Or a nail salon at the very least." Beck sighed again, shaking his head and wondering why he had been stuck with her as his partner.

But before he could say anything, the console beeped to indicate a breach beginning to form. "Finally. Hopefully, we can get there before the Defenders arrive." He pushed a leaver forward and the ship suddenly flew forward, propelling them both forward at high speed.

Back in Equestria, everyone watched as Moondancer sat in the stands looking worried.

They all sighed, as they tried to think of a way they could help her. "Isn't there anything we can do?" Flash asked, turning to the equestrians. "You guys know her best. Any idea how we help her get out of this funk?"

"I'm afraid not," Twilight sighed. "What happened is just too much of a shock. She lost Spike and it could have been Sorcerell." She turned to him. "How would you feel if you lost Leonidas?"

"Horrible," Flash replied. "But I wouldn't let that stop me from fighting. When we faced off against Lucifer and his minions, every battle we fought in could have ended with us losing everything. But we didn't give up."

"Well you're stronger than she is," Sunset replied. Before any of them could say anything, Sunset's horn glowed before she teleported up to the stands. "Moondancer! Get up! You can't just sit around doing nothing."

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Moondancer asked, with Sunset crossing her arms.

"You have to make a choice. Either you continue to battle, or you can't be a part of the Defenders." This statement shocked everyone. "I'm sorry, but you leave me no choice. Celestia put me in charge and if you're not going to Brawl, we have no reason to let you stay here."

"That's kind of harsh," Flash stated.

Braeburn nodded. "But it might be the only way ta snap Moondancer out of this." Moondancer didn't look like she was snapping out of it. Instead, she looked like she was ready to give up.

But before she could say anything, everyone's Baku-Bracers beeped. "What's that?" Lyra asked, seeing the device signalling something to them.

"A breach has opened," Twilight explained. "Which means the Rugenga could attack." Her horn glowed and before anyone could stop her, they were all teleported back to the castle. As they arrived, they found they were back in the control hub with the ponies working on the computers.

"We've located the breach," one pony announced. "It's roughly two miles south of Baltimare. The breach is level three."

"Level three?" Flash asked, turning to Twilight.

"Each breach is given a level depending on their size. Level three is between ten and fifteen meters. Big enough for anyone and their Bakugan to sneak through."

"So what happens now?" Lyra asked, as the transporter was powering up. Seadranoid and the other guardians then flew in.

"Now you five will travel through the transsssssporter. We will drop you off on the other ssssside of the breach and you'll need to remain on guard. The Rugenga have likely detected this breach and until it closes, you'll need to keep them from entering the portal."

"Got it!" Flash smirked. "Let's go, Leo!" He grabbed his partner and ran into the tube, the others doing the same. Moondancer looked a little unsure, but went with them as the device powered up.

"Transporting in three...two...one...ENERGIZE!" Suddenly, they were all blinded as they were warped into Vestroia. In the blink of an eye, they found themselves in a forest area with strangely shaped trees and odd and a small river running through it.

As they looked around, they saw some kind of shimmering tear in the air not too far away. "Is that the breach?" Lyra asked, with Sunset nodding.

"Yes. That leads back to Equestria and will come out in a forest not too far from the city of Baltimare. Lots of Bakugan live there, so it would be a prime area for the Rugenga to attack if they get here. Since it's Level Three, they'll be able to drive one of their ships through it in no time."

Suddenly, a loud engine could be heard and everyone looked up to see a blue ship of some kind flying above the treeline.

"Speak of da'h devil," Braeburn stated as the ship flew down and seemed to be aiming right at the breach. Sunset quickly rushed over to the portal and her horn glowed, as a wall of light appeared in front of the breach.

This stopped the ship from entering, the transport pulling up at the last moment. It then swerved around before hovering above the ground. "Hey!" The top opened up and a girl stood, "are you crazy? That could have killed us!"

"I'm not hearing a reason I shouldn't have done that," Sunset smirked as the girl leapt down.

"So that's one of the Rugenga?" Leo stated, as Flarenix flew over to him.

"Indeed. Azalea, the Subterra Brawler." He then looked up at the transport, seeing the figure in blue. "And Beck, the Aquos Brawler."

"Great," Lyra sighed. "Two at once. Just what we need."

"Out of our way!" Azalea stated. "We've got business in Equestria."

"I don't think so," Flash told her. "There's no way we're letting you anywhere near Equestria. Why don't you do us all a favour and head back to wherever you came from? And leave the Bakugan behind while you're at it."

"Yeah," Beck spoke up, "that ain't gonna happen. If you want us to give up our mission, then you'll have to defeat us. And that's as likely to happen as us giving up on our own." Azalea nodded in agreement, whilst the Bakugan Defenders glared at them.

"I'll show you how likely it is," Flash stated. "Let's go. You and-"

"No!" Sunset interrupted, stopping Flash before he could say anything. "Not you." She turned to their Darkus Brawler. "Moondancer. This is your battle."

"What?" Moondancer looked horrified, the others being shocked by the statement. "You can't be serious?"

"I am," Sunset nodded. "If you want to remain as part of the Bakugan Defenders, then prove to us you're worth keeping on the team." She pointed at the Rugenga. "Defeat them and recover their Bakugan. Do that and you can stay. Fail and that's that."

"Sunset!" Flash cried, "you can't just force an ultimatum on her like that."

"Yes, I can. Celestia made me the leader and I refuse to let her down by allowing someone on the team, who's too weak to Brawl. Well, Moondancer? What do you say?"

"I...I..." Moondancer looked between her and Azalea, as Sorcerell landed on her shoulder.

"Moondancer. We can do this. We have to. For the Bakugan they have captured." Moondancer still looked unsure, as she glanced over at the other. But they all nodded, showing they trusted her. And after a few moments, she sighed.

"Alright." She stepped forward, adjusting her Baku-Bracer as she did so. "I can do this. I can do this. I, Moondancer, shall defeat you and reclaim the Bakugan you have forced into servitude." Azalea smiled at her, as Flash and the others cheered.

"That's the way," Flash told her. "We know you can do this. Show that loser what a real Bakugan Brawl looks like." Moondancer nodded, but she still felt an overwhelming sense of terror overcoming her.

"This is gonna be fun," Azalea laughed as she activated her Baku-Bracer. Moondancer did the same, as Azalea pressed another button. "And to add a little spice to the game..." Suddenly, a bunch of objects suddenly appeared floating in the air.

Flash and Lyra quickly caught sight of them and realised what they were. "Power-Up Coins!?" Flash asked. "You guys use those too?" They nodded, as Moondancer looked even more nervous.

"Scared?" Azalea asked, "you don't have to do this. Just hand over your Bakugan and this'll all be over."

"Never!" Moondancer cried, as she raised her Baku-Bracer. Azalea did the same and the two spoke in unison. "Let's Brawl!" Their Life Gauges filled and the battle had begun.

Azalea: 100%
Moondancer: 100%

"I'll go first," Azalea took a card out. "Gate Card...SET!" She threw it towards the ground, the card exploding in a flash of orange light. She then took out a brown ball. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw it towards some power-ups, the ball hitting several before landing on the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" It popped open and was consumed by an orange light, "Subterra Slashide!"

From out of the light came a strange looking creature. It looked like a giant orange rodent, which had brown pointed scales sticking out of its back, shoulders and the back of its head. It had large white claws on its front legs.

Slashide: 430Gs

The Bakugan then glowed, as the power-ups kicked in and pumped up its power.

Slashide: 580Gs

Moondancer stared up at the pangolin Bakugan and suddenly felt herself beginning to panic. 'What do I do? Should I send out Sorcerell? But what if this Bakugan is too powerful? I could lose her.'

Azalea quickly grew bored. "Hello. You gonna do something this century?" Moondancer said nothing, still trying to make up a plan. "Fine. I'll just have to make you Brawl. "Gate Card, Open!" Suddenly, the ground began to glow and the light flew towards Moondancer. "Drag Out!"

When the light hit her, Moondancer cried out as she suddenly found one of her Bakugan being pulled away from her. "Sludger!" The Bakugan flew through the air, hitting two power ups by chance, before hitting the ground and bursting open. The light exploded out of the ball and revealed a strange pile of purple slime, with a mouth and eyes.

Sludger: 380Gs
Slashide: 580Gs

The sludge pile then glowed, as its power began to grow.

Sludger: 480Gs
Slashide: 580Gs

"What just happened?" Flash asked, shocked that a Bakugan could be pulled out on its own.

"Drag Out," Azalea laughed. "It forces the weakest Bakugan, out onto the battlefield. And prevents any new Bakugan from being sent out, leaving it all alone." The others turned to Moondancer and saw she was terrified. The sudden send out of her Bakugan had clearly thrown her for a loop.

"Sludger, get out of there!" The slime pile tried to escape, but Slashide was faster and managed to block its exit.

"Pathetic!" Azalea took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" The spines of Slashide's back glowed, "Pin Missile!" The light shot off and flew into the air, then ached down and shot towards Sludger.

"Do something!" Lyra told Moondancer, who panicked and took out a card.

"Ability, Activate!" But as she slashed it, several of the needles stabbed into Sludger and made it cry out.

Sludger: 430Gs
Slashide: 580Gs

The other projectiles shot down, but the Ability finally activated. "Slime Barrier!" Sludger opened its mouth and spat out a bunch of black gunk, which hit the spines and stopped them. But as this was happening, Slashide suddenly curled up and rolled into a ball that shot towards Sludge.

Before Moondancer could counter, the ball slammed into Sludger and knocked it flying backwards. As it did, it reverted back to ball form and fell at Moondancer's feet.

Azalea: 100%
Moondancer: 70%

"Ouch," Flash hissed, "that had to hurt."

"At least she didn't lose Sludger," Lyra pointed out as Moondancer picked it up. "Don't worry about it. This battle's just getting started. But if you wanna win, you've gotta go on the attack."

"She's right," Flash nodded. "Can't win with just defence." Sunset and Braeburn stood there, clearly looking worried with Braeburn turning to Sunset.

"Should a'h take over?"

"No," she shook her head, "Moondancer needs this. If she runs now, she'll keep running and never stop. Win or lose, she has to face this battle head on."

Moondancer took out a Gate Card, as Sorcerell spoke up. "Let me in this next battle. I can beat her."

Moondancer said nothing and threw her card. "Gate Card...SET!" As the card exploded, Moondancer took out another Bakugan and Sorcerell frowned.

"Moondancer!" But she didn't listen and ran to a different spot before leaping into the air.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" The ball flew through several power-ups before hitting the ground. "Bakugan, Stand!" It popped open and was consumed by the dark mist. "Darkus Scutum!" The mist faded to reveal a Bakugan that looked like a large purple barrel, with a large triangular shield attached to the front of it. The top of the barrel had a World War One Brodie Helmet, which rose to reveal a pair of eyes between it and the barrel.

Scutum: 420Gs

The Bakugan glowed, as the power-ups kicked in.

Scutum: 520Gs

"Seriously?" Braeburn frowned. "Moondancer, that Bakugan only has defensive capabilities. You're not gonna be able to win with it."

"Maybe. But I won't lose either." She would tire out Slashide and when that was over, send in another Bakugan to finish it off.

However, Azalea seemed to have other plans. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw the ball and hit several power-ups, eventually landing on the ground and rolling along it. "Bakugan...STAND!" It popped open and the orange light consumed it. "Subterra Death-Top!" From out of the light came a strange looking Bakugan.

It had a round orange head with a brown coned point on the top, a circle of red eyes moving in a ring around its head. It had a smaller round body beneath it, with four belt-like arms sticking out of four sections. Each arm ended in a brown metal spike and on its bottom was a brown coned point, that was longer than the one of its head.

Scutum: 520Gs
Death-Top: 420Gs

The Subterra Bakugan glowed, as the power-ups activated and its power increased.

Scutum: 520Gs
Death-Top: 570Gs

Moondancer gasped, seeing a completely different Bakugan from the one before. But she quickly shook her head and took out a card, slashing it as she did. "Ability, Activate!" Scutum retracted its head, as the shield on its front suddenly glowed. "Iron Defence!"

Scutum: 670Gs
Death-Top: 570Gs

"What a lame attack!" Azalea took out her own card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" Death-Top used its four legs to twist itself around before flinging itself into the air and swinging the legs in the opposite direction. "Razor Spiral!" This caused it to start spinning and as it hit the ground, the tip on its bottom kept it balanced.

Scutum: 520Gs
Death-Top: 670Gs

Everyone watched as the Bakugan turned into a spinning top of doom, the arms held out and making it look even wider.

They watched as the top spun towards Scutum and slammed into it, the spikes on the end of the arms slamming into the shield over and over and cutting into the metal. Everyone could tell that Scutum was having trouble staying upright, as his shield was slowly sliced up.

"Do something, Moondancer!" Flash called out to her, "you need to fight back." But Moondancer wasn't listening.

"Gate Card, Open!" The ground suddenly started glowing a purple light, which flowed into Scutum. "Darkus Reactor!" This seemed to allow Scutum to endure the attack much easier, but it still couldn't fight back.

Scutum: 720Gs
Death-Top: 670Gs

And before Azalea could do anything, Moondancer took out another card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Scutum's head popped out and the eyes glowed before they fired a beam of light. "Total Defence Barrier!" The beam hit the spot right above Death-Top and suddenly transformed into a dome, which split the two Bakugan apart.

"Huh?" Azalea asked, as Death-Top started grinding against the doom. But it wouldn't break. "What gives?"

"Total Defence Barrier," Moondancer stated. "This ability, prevents the Bakugan it hits from using any abilities. Which means, I'm safe."

"Hardly," Azalea laughed before taking out another Bakugan and leaping into the air. "Bakugan, BRAWL!" The orb flew through the air and landed next to the dome, opening up and transforming before Moondancer could react. "Slashide, STAND!"

The pangolin flew forward and curled up again, morphing into a spiky ball that slammed into Scutum.

Scutum: 720Gs
Death-Top+Slashide: 1100Gs

The attack knocked Scutum backwards and it almost crashed into Moondancer, who leapt away at the last moment whilst the barrel skidded to a stop. Slashide uncurled itself as it did and raised its claws, ready to attack again before Moondancer slashed a card.

"Ability, Activate!" The Scutum's shield glowed again, as Slashide rushed forward. "Victory Shield!" The light flew off and formed a shape in front of it that was a larger version of the shield, which Slashide thrust its claws into.

Scutum: 920Gs
Death-Top+Slashide: 1100Gs

"Not enough," Azalea laughed as the claws shattered the barrier. And before Moondancer could fight back, Slashide swung its over claw around and broke Scutum's damaged shield into a million pieces.

"SCUTUM!" Moondancer cried, as her Bakugan reverted back to ball form.

Azalea: 100%
Moondancer: 34%

As Scutum bounced down towards her, Moondancer's confidence shattered just like the shield. And as the Subterra Bakugan returned to Azalea, the others watched Moondancer stand there silently. "Is that it?" Lyra asked. "Is Moondancer even gonna try and Brawl?"

"I don't know," Sunset sighed whilst Flash clenched his fist.

"Alright. Let's go, Leo."

"No," Leonidas shook his head. "We can't. This is still Moondancer's fight. Win or lose, she has to face it like a true Brawler. But more than that, Sorcerell needs to learn how to give Moondancer her two cents. If she doesn't, then it won't matter if they win or lose. The two of them will always be doomed to failure."

Moondancer finally moved and picked Scutum up, as Sorcerell jumped off her shoulder onto her Baku-Bracer. "Moondancer. Please."

"No," Moondancer was close to tears, "I can't. I can't go through that again." Memories of her fight with Cursor came flooding back, making her whole body shake with terror. "Spike. I wasn't strong enough. And if that happens to you..."

"You're breaking my heart," Azalea stated before launching her Gate Card towards the ground. "But now it's time I break you." She took out another Bakugan and threw it. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She didn't even aim for the power-ups, the ball instead hitting the ground and slowing to a stop. "Bakugan...STAND!" It popped open and the light surrounded it. "Subterra Crush-Breaker!"

"Augh!" Moondancer cried, as the light almost blinded her.

From out of the light, a humanoid Bakugan appeared. It looked robotic, having several mechanical parts. It had three arms, two normal ones and a third on its back. each hand ended in a metal pincer that looked like it could crush a car between them.

Crush-Breaker: 460Gs

Moondancer's eyes widened in horror, as she took a step backwards. "It's no use. I don't stand a chance against that."

"Moondancer!" Sorcerell cried, everyone waiting to see if the Bakugan would finally speak up and say what she was holding back. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" Moondancer looked shocked, as Sorcerell leapt off her onto the ground. "I'm sorry. But if you refuse to truly battle, then I can't stay with you."

"What?" Moondancer asked, shocked by her partner's statement.

"I want to stay with you," she explained. "But I also want to help save Vestroia, Spike and all the captured Bakugan. And if you refuse to fight, I have no choice. Lyra needs a partner. I might not be an Aquos Bakugan, but she's willing to fight." Moondancer looked heartbroken. "But it's not too late for you. We can still win this Brawl. But you need to let me battle."

"But...but what if we lose? What if you're taken from me?"

"We have to take that risk," she stated. "Nothing worth having, comes without some kind of risk. To save Vestroia and my home, I'm willing to put everything on the line. Are you?"

Moondancer stared at her for a moment, then glanced over at the others. They all smiled reassuringly at her, Moondancer feeling new confidence swelling up within her. "You really think I can do this?"

"I know you can," Sorcerell stated. "We might have lost once, but that can't stop us from doing what's right. If we do surrender, everything our Bakugan friends fell to will be for nothing."

Moondancer smiled and nodded. "Alright. Then let's do this!"

"That's my girl!" Sorcerell leapt into the air and closed up, Moondancer catching her before throwing the Bakugan into the battle.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" Sorcerell flew through the air and hit the ground, everyone thinking Moondancer had forgotten about the power-ups. "Bakugan...STAND!" Sorcerell popped open and in a burst of purple light, grew into the true form.

The magic wielding Bakugan began to dance around, waving her arms around as she shook her hips. "I am Darkus Sorcerell. And all those that have evil in their hearts will face the full power of my might." She stood firm, ready to fight as the battle truly began.

Sorcerell: 520Gs
Crush-Breaker: 460Gs

"Finally!" Azalea stated. "If I knew you would take so long, I would have brought a magazine!" But as she said that, Moondancer took out a card and swiped it.

"Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell swung her arms around again, her hands creating a bunch of different shapes. And as she did, light came out of her hands and formed a bunch of symbols. "Magic Circle, Level One!" The symbols were soon sealed within a circle of light and once complete, she thrust her hands forwards and the circle flew at Crush-Breaker.

The robot tried to move, but wasn't fast enough and the magic circle slammed into it before exploding. Doing so caused the magic within the circle to fly into the machine and shock it.

Sorcerell: 520Gs
Crush-Breaker: 160Gs

"Oh, so you actually can brawl." Azalea took out a card. "Too little, too late. Ability, Activate!" One of the claws on its arm shot off, still connected to the arm by a strong cable. "Crushing Grip!"

Sorcerell: 520Gs
Crush-Breaker: 510Gs

The claw flew towards Sorcerell, ready to grab her and crush her between the vice. But Moondancer was ready and swiped her own card.

"Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell swung her hands around, light flying out of them. "Magic Barrier, Level One!" The light formed a dome around Sorcerell, which the claw bounced off of before returning to the Bakugan.

Sorcerell: 520Gs
Crush-Breaker: 160Gs

Crush-Breaker then moved forward, swinging its robotics arms around and smashing them into the shield over and over again. But the barrier managed to maintain its integrity as Sorcerell hide within it.

"Hiding behind your shields again?" Azalea laughed. "And I thought you'd finally grown a backbone." She took out her other Bakugan and tossed it forward. "Bakugan, BRAWL!" The Bakugan hit the ground rolling for several moments before popping open. "Bakugan, STAND!" A familiar pangolin leapt out before curling into a ball, "Subterra Slashide!"

Sorcerell: 520Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide: 590Gs

Moondancer watched the new Bakugan fly through the air before falling down towards the shield, slamming into it and causing it to explode and leave Sorcerell exposed.

But as Crush-Breaker reached down to grab her in its claws, Moondancer took out another card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell's hands glowed purple, as she started chanting something. "Mystic Enchantment!"

"Ellora Van Garonok!" The light exploded off of her hands and hit the two Bakugan, making them flinch as they suddenly felt their power being drained.

Everyone checked their Bracers and saw what was happening, their eyes going wide.

Sorcerell: 920Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide: 190Gs

"The difference in power level is over five hundred," Flash laughed. "That's awesome."

Sunset nodded. "Mystic Enchantment steals two hundred Gs from every Bakugan on the field. With two out, that's four hundred power being stolen." She smiled, "you've got this!"

"She's got nothing!" Azalea growled before taking out another Bakugan. "This isn't over yet. Bakugan, BRAWL!" The ball hit the ground and popped open. "Bakugan, STAND! Subterra Death-Top!" The spinning top Bakugan appeared and quickly made itself spin on its tip, moving towards Sorcerell and forcing her to cancel her spell.

Sorcerell: 920Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide+Death-Top: 610Gs

As Sorcerell leapt out of the way, looking almost like a ballet dancer as she did, Azalea smiled before taking out a card. "Ability, Activate!" She swiped it, as Death-Top moved faster and slammed its bladed arms into Sorcerell. "Grind Down!"

"Augh!" Sorcerell grunted, the blades cutting into her arms as she braced herself.

Sorcerell: 720Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide+Death-Top: 610Gs

"Sorcerell!" Flash cried, worried that the Bakugan's arms would be cut to pieces.

Lyra turned to the unicorn Brawling. "Moondancer, do something!" But Moondancer did nothing, even as she took out another card. "What's she waiting for?"

"Not yet," Moondancer stated. "I have to trust in Sorcerell."

"Not gonna make a move?" Azalea took out another card. "Then I will. Ability," she swiped it, "Activate!" Slashide's frills glowed. "Pin Missile!" The light then exploded off and flew towards her, with Moondancer still making no move to protect Sorcerell.

As the magician leapt away from Death-Top, the spikes suddenly started slamming into her. "Gyah!" With each successful hit, she felt her power being taken. And eventually, the last projectile hit her shoulder and she staggered backwards.

Sorcerell: 420Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide+Death-Top: 610Gs

"Hold on," Moondancer cried. "We can do this!"

"I know," Sorcerell agreed. "I promise you. I will not falter. So long as you believe in me, I will keep fighting no matter what's thrown my way." Moondancer smiled, whilst Azalea rolled her eyes.

"Then I'll throw something at you that you can't beat!" She took out a card and quickly swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Suddenly, Crush-Breaker's three arms started flying back and forth with incredible speed. "Powderizer!"

Sorcerell: 420Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide+Death-Top: 960Gs

The Subterra Bakugan raced forward, the mechanical fists smashing into Sorcerell over and over again. She cried out in pain, unsure how much more she could withstand. And as she did, Moondancer took out a card.

And to her relief, the Brawler saw it was beginning to glow. "It's time!" She quickly swiped the card. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell leapt backwards before thrusting her hands down onto the ground. "GREAT SORCERY!" Suddenly, a massive magic circle appeared and surrounded the four Bakugan.

"Huh?" Azalea asked, as the Bakugan glowed before the light flew off of them. Sorcerell's light split into three and flew into Azalea's Bakugan, whilst those Bakugan's lights combined and flew into Sorcerell. Azalea then looked down and was shocked by what she saw.

Sorcerell: 960Gs
Crush-Breaker+Slashide+Death-Top: 420Gs

"Impossible!" She cried, as Sorcerell began to dance around.

"And now. With the mystical energies of gentle darkness, I release my brethren from captivity!" With that, her hands began to glow before she thrust them forward. In doing so, the light exploded into a large wave of purple energy.

That wave struck the three Bakugan and knocked them all backwards, causing them to revert back to ball form before flying over to Moondancer. And as Azalea saw her Life Gauge drop, she couldn't believe it.

Azalea: 0%
Moondancer: 34% (Winner)

"I lost? How is that possible?"

Moondancer smiled. "Great Sorcery is a Fusion Ability, that allows me to swap Sorcerell's G Power with the G Power of any Bakugan on the field. And since the power level between our Bakugan was five hundred, the swap allowed me to win and free the Bakugan." She smiled, staring at the Bakugan in her hand whilst Sorcerell returned to her.

The others rushed over to her, cheering for Moondancer's victory. "You did it," Flash laughed. "Way to go."

"Yes," Sunset nodded, "you won. And because you trusted in Sorcerell, you were able to free those Bakugan. You could have used your Fusion Ability sooner, but you had to wait until you were on the brink of losing everything in order to truly win. You put everything on the line to save the Bakugan. That's what a true Brawler is like. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks," Moondancer smiled as they heard Azalea moving.

Looking over at her, they saw her running back towards their ship. "I hope you're happy," Beck told her. "You had your fun and look what it cost you."

"Oh be quiet," Azalea stated. "Just get us out of here!" She leapt onto the ship and Beck began to take off, flying away in a completely different direction than the one they came from. As they watched them disappear, Moondancer turned to Sorcerell.

"Thank you. For staying by my side."

"Of course," Sorcerell nodded. "I know what happened to you was hard. But now we can work together to save Spike and all the other Bakugan. It won't be easy and we'll face many challenges. But together, we can do it."

"You're right," Moondancer smiled. "No more running away. As long as we're together, nothing can stop us." The others smiled, happy that Moondancer had gotten her confidence back. Now they were stronger than ever.

"Alright," Sunset smiled as she turned back to the breach. "Now we just need to stand guard until this thing closes. Once that's done, we can head back to Equestria without worry of the Rugenga attacking." They all nodded, but wondered just how long the breach would stay open.

As the two flew back to their base, Beck changing direction at one point to really head there, Azalea huffed before taking out a Bakugan.

This Bakugan was a greyish colour, showing it had no power of its own. She then placed it on her Baku-Bracer's scanner and pressed a few buttons. "I guess that brawl wasn't a total waste." Energy seemed to be flowing into the Bakugan. "I'm now one step closer to the sweet little Goliath waking up."

"Yes. We might have lost this battle, but we're drawing ever closer to winning the war."

The sun was beginning to set in Equestria, where we find Sunset at a balcony staring at the descending celestial body.

Flash stepped out onto the balcony and moved up beside her, the pair leaning against it as they watched the sun disappear. "You did great today." Flash smiled at her. "Giving Moondancer the push she needed."

"I'm just glad I didn't have to kick her out of the Defenders. I never would want to, but I wouldn't have had another choice if she couldn't brawl." Flash wasn't sure how he felt about that. "Celestia has a lot of trust in me, but that means making decisions that might not make me popular."

Flash nodded. "Well, we know you're not doing it because you want to."

"Thanks," Sunset smiled. "I just wonder how many hard decisions I'll have to make before this battle's over. There's no telling what challenges we'll face in the future."

"Well as long as we face them together, we'll be fine." Sunset nodded, as they kept watching the sun disappear. Their team was growing stronger every day. And hopefully, the strength their gained would help them overcome the Rugenga once and for all.

Author's Note

Moondancer went through a lot in this chapter. She had to overcome her failures and self doubt, but she showed just how strong she and Sorcerell can be. Next time, something you probably won't be expecting.

An Amazing Encounter

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas roared, as he flew up and charged his attack. "Neo Phaser!" With a roar, the laser fired out of his mouth towards Sorcerell.

The magical Bakugan smiled, as Moondancer swiped a card herself. "Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell swung her hands around, light flying out of them. "Magic Barrier, Level One!" The light formed a dome around Sorcerell, which reflected the attack and bounced it back.

At the same time, Flarenix flew around whilst dodging sand shots coming from Gunstinger's tail blaster. As he did, Sunset swiped her own card. "Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's entire body burst into flames. "Inferno Charge!" The fire bird dived down and flew towards Gunstinger, as Braeburn swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger swiped his tail around and sent sand into the air, "Sand Barrier!" The sand formed a wall, that Flarenix flew through with the fire around him being put out. The two then clashed, creating an explosion.

The four Bakugan and their Brawlers all stared at each other before smiling, enjoying the brawl they were having. With every fight, they got stronger and stronger.

Meanwhile, up in the stands, Lyra could do nothing but sit around.

She looked down at her arm, which now had a Baku-Bracer on it. Even though she didn't have a partner Bakugan, she had been given one. Though she knew it was just so she would feel like part of the team, even though she couldn't do anything to help the others.

"That's the way, Leo!" She looked over at Flash, seeing him laugh as he watched his partner battle.

Seeing Flash and Leo together, reminded Lyra of her own partner. She looked up at the sky and imagined Nimue, the pair having been inseparable when they were together. Nimue had helped Lyra through so much and made her the woman she was together. But now she was gone and Lyra had no idea where she was.

"Lyra?" She looked around and saw Princess Twilight moving towards her, looking worried as she sat down. "Are you okay? You seem to be a little upset about something."

Lyra sighed. "I just wish I could help fight against the Rugenga. I don't even care if I need to use a different Attribute. If any Bakugan was willing to battle with me, I'd accept in a heartbeat. I just hate sitting around, being useless."

"I know how you feel." Twilight sat down. "When I learned about the Bakugan and what happened to their home, I was desperate to help them. A lot of ponies were. But we can't, just because we can't survive in their Dimension. At least you have a chance to help one day. I'll never be of any help."

"That's not true," Lyra stated. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have these Baku-Bracers. And Celestia told us how you managed to design the transporter to send us to and from Vestroia. You've done more than enough to help the Bakugan already. Even if you can't fight."

Twilight sighed, seeing she wouldn't be helping Lyra out of this funk. "Just stay strong. You'll have your time to shine. Until then, just do what you can. I'm sure the others could use your advice when they need it. You do technically have the most experience out of everyone." Lyra nodded, as Twilight got up to return to the duties.

Lyra then turned back to her team and watched, continuing to be jealous of them and their Bakugan partners. "There has to be someone out there that will be my partner. But who?"

In Vestroia, the night air was still and not a soul could be seen.

The Bakugan that had once lived in that area, were now either living in Equestria or held captive by the Rugenga. The whole place was completely deserted. But not for long.

Above a forest, a portal of some kind began to swirl into existence. It spun around and around, unleashing bolts of lightning as it did. And suddenly, something shot out of it. A blue Bakugan ball, which fell down towards the forest and landed atop one of the leaves.

The impact caused the leaf the bend, slowing the Bakugan down until it finally came to a stop.

As the night slowly drew to a close and the sun was moments away from rising, the Bakugan remained there unable to move or do anything. All it could do was wait and see if anyone found it.

In the Rugenga's metal base, Beck was busy working on a machine when he suddenly heard an alarm go off.

He quickly rushed to shut it off, knowing the rest of his team were likely still sleeping. As such, he checked it himself and hummed. "A strange energy reading. Some kind of dimensional breech." He smiled under his mask. "If I can find the source, it might be just what we need to open a portal to Equestria."

He began to walk off, deciding not to inform the others about his discovery. He knew they would want to help and whilst they were all good brawlers, some of them had a tendency to act without thinking.

"I'll find this myself. Brains will win out in this battle."

The Rugenga weren't the only ones who had detected the anomaly.

That same breech had been detected by those working the night shift in the castle's control hub. The ponies quickly found it and sent messages to the Defenders and princesses. The Baku-Bracers all began to sound and this woke most of them up, though Sunset and Moondancer needed some extra coaxing from their Bakugan.

Lyra was the first one up and out of bed, quickly getting changed into her clothes and rushing out of the bedroom. Flash was next, Braeburn following close behind. They soon arrived at the control hub, where Luna was waiting with a frown on her lips.

As they stepped inside, several flashes brought Twilight, Celestia, Sunset and a very sleepy Moondancer into the room. "What's happening?" Celestia asked, Luna turning to them.

"They just detected a dimensional anomaly in Vestroia. But it's not a breech here. Something apparently came through the anomaly from another universe."

"More Rugenga?" Moondancer asked, as she put her mane up into a small ponytail.

"We don't know," a pony at a computer replied. "We're trying to figure it out, but the energy is covering a wide area. There's no telling where it could be."

"Then we'll have to split up," Sunset stated. "The four of us will head over there and split up, heading in a different direction."

"Four?" Flash counted, "there are five of us." Everyone turned to Lyra, who frowned.

"What?" She asked.

"You don't have a partner," Celestia explained. "So it's not safe for you-"

"Oh no you don't!" Lyra frowned. "I might not have a partner, but I am not getting left behind." She marched into the transporter. "Don't forget. I have more experience with Bakugan than almost any of you. You'll need me."

"I'm with her," Flash agreed. "Lyra's tough enough to handle anything, even if she doesn't have a partner." The others frowned, not liking this. But they didn't have time to argue.

The lot of them leapt into the transporter and it was soon activated, the five and their Bakugan getting warped into Vestroia. In the blink of an eye, they all appeared in an open rockland area. A forest was off in one direction and a few mountains were in another, whilst everywhere else was open wasteland.

As soon as they arrived, their Baku-Bracers began to beep. They raised them up and found the energy that had been detected was permeating throughout the whole area. "This is it," Moondancer stated. "The dimensional breech was definitely right above us. But it's closed now."

"That doesn't mean whatever came through is gone," Sunset replied. "Let's split up and head in different directions. Keep a channel open. If you find anything, contact the others." They nodded and began to walk off in five different directions. As they did, Sunset glanced back at Lyra.

"Something wrong?" Flarenix asked.

"I still think we should have left her behind," Sunset explained. "It's nothing against her, but this place is dangerous without a Bakugan. If the Rugenga show up, she'll be a sitting duck for them."

"Maybe," Flarenix nodded. "But how would you feel? If you could come to Vestroia, but couldn't because I wasn't around. Would you simply sit back and let others deal with any issue?"

"I guess not. But still, I'm worried."

"I know you are. But I'm sure Lyra will be fine. You just have to trust her to be careful." Sunset sighed, knowing she should relax. But she just couldn't help be feel that something bad was going to happen.

As she made were way across the landscape, Lyra watched as the sun began to rise in the distance.

She sighed, knowing it would likely get very hot soon. But as she got closer to the forest, he was relieved to think she would soon be in the shade of the trees. However, she also realised heat could get trapped within the forest. "It could get super hot in there. Hopefully, they'll be a spring or something if I get too hot."

She reached the first line of trees and headed into it, sighing as a refreshing wind flew through it. Thanks to how the trees were planted, the place was like a wind tunnel that made it just strong enough to beat off the heat.

"Nice." She began to look around, using her Bakugan Scanner to try and track the signal. And to her surprise, she was actually picking something up. "Yes! This'll show everyone. I don't need a Bakugan to be useful." She began to follow the signal, considering using the coms function to tell the others. But she decided against it. "Wait until I've actually found the source. Then I'll call them."

She made her way through the woods, climbing over large roots, swinging across holes and climbing trees to try and get a better view of where she was.

But after an hour or two of searching, she had yet to find the source of the energy. "Come on!" She cried, feeling tired and a little bit hungry. "There's got to be something around here." She then looked up at a nearby tree and noticed a large piece of fruit the size of a boulder. "Hmm."

She looked around and noticed a rock on the ground, the girl picking it up and using all her Bakugan skill to aim it. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw it and managed to hit the section the fruit was hanging from, damaging it a little bit.

This caused the fruit to snap off and fall to the ground in front of her, the impact splitting it open and making pieces fly everywhere. "Yikes!" She managed to avoid it, smiling as she saw parts of the fruit that hadn't been splattered or touched the ground.

She quickly ripped part of it off and stuffed it into her mouth, getting a sweet citrus taste from it.

She moaned and kept eating, unaware that the fruit's fall had shifted the wait of the tree. This caused something hidden in its leaves to roll out and fall down. And as Lyra reached for another piece of fruit, it struck it and she jumped. "WHOA!" She jumped back, but then realised what it was. "A Bakugan!"

It was an Aquos Bakugan, Lyra picking it up. And as she did, her Baku-Bracer beeped.

"What?" She held it up and saw the dimensional energy was coming off the Bakugan. "No way. Did you...come here from another dimension?" She moved over to a nearby river and placed the Bakugan in the water, thinking that would make it feel better.

As she did, she also opened the coms on her Baku-Bracer. "Guys, come in. Can you hear me?"

"What's wrong?" Sunset asked, sounding terrified.

"I've found something. An Aquos Bakugan, with the same energy we picked up before. I think it might have fallen through the dimensional portal before it closed. But it's unconscious, so I can't talk to it."

"Nice one," Flash told her. "Stay there. We're on our way." Lyra nodded and cut the call, as she felt the Bakugan suddenly wiggle in her fingers.

She gasped and pulled her hand out, placing it on the ground as the ball shook back and forth. And eventually, it popped open and looked around. "Whoa...where am I?"

"Vestroia," Lyra explained. "Are you okay?" The Bakugan turned to her and looked confused.

"I guess, but..." He seemed to be thinking, "what happened? I...I can't remember anything."

"Anything?" Lyra asked, "not even your name?"

"I...wait, I know my name. It's Amazon."

"Amazon," Lyra smiled, "nice name. Anything else?" The Bakugan thought for a moment, Lyra waiting patiently as he tried to remember.

"Ah. Everything else is kind of hazy. I remember being somewhere with someone. Someone important to me. But other than that, I'm drawing a blank." Lyra frowned, feeling sorry for the Bakugan.

"Don't worry," she told him. "I'm sure it'll come back to you in time." She picked him up, "just don't try and force it."

"Thank you," Amazon nodded. "So what's your name?"

"Lyra. Lyra Heartstrings. I'm part of the Bakugan Defenders."

"Bakugan Defenders? What's that?"

"Oh, right. Guess you wouldn't know." And so, as they walked around looking for somewhere to sit and wait, Lyra told him everything about what was going on. Not just with the Rugenga, but how humans and Bakugan had originally met and teamed up.

"Bakugan and humans, working together. Why does that feel so familiar?" He groaned in frustration, moving his arms around to try and hit his head. "Come on. Remember!" Lyra frowned, feeling sorry for the Bakugan who couldn't remember who he was.

"I'm sure you'll remember in time. But it's not safe for you to stay here. If the Rugenga show up, they'll probably try and take you. You should come back to Equestria with us. You'll be safe there."

"Alright," Amazon nodded. "Though I kinda want to fight against those Rugenga guys. I'd show them a thing or two for threatening my world." When Lyra heard this, her eyes went wide as she realised the chance she had presented to her.

But before she could say anything, she heard a familiar engine sound and looked up. There, she saw a transport ship flying over the forest. And as it did, it unleashed a light that flew through the area and eventually stopped on them.

"We've been spotted!" Lyra held Amazon and ran for it, Amazon crying out as he went for a ride.

She ran as fast as she could, through the trees and over a river. But the ship kept following and eventually caught up. And as Lyra ran out into a clearing, which had a large waterfall fed lake in the middle of it, the ship flew ahead and stopped in front of her.

Lyra thought about running the other way, but knew the ship would easily catch up with her. "What is that?" Amazon asked, as the transport's top opened up and someone jumped out of it.

"Beck," Lyra glared at the Aquos Rugenga. As he landed on the other side of the lake, he turned to them and Lyra realised he wasn't here to chat. "What do you want?"

Beck answered by holding up his Baku-Bracer and staring at the screen. "According to these readings, that Bakugan you have is giving off a powerful dimensional energy. With it, I can create a stable portal to Equestria and we can finally conquer." He held up his hand. "Hand him over."

"No way," Lyra stepped back. "I won't let you have him."

"Then you leave me no choice." Beck took out a Bakugan. "If you won't give him to me, I'll have my Bakugan take him from you."

Lyra frowned, as Amazon spoke up. "Not gonna happen!" He jumped up and down. "If you want me, you're gonna have to fight me." He leapt off Lyra's shoulder and tried to do...something. But being in ball form, all he did was fall to the ground and bounce around. "Gyah!"

"What are you doing?" Lyra picked him up. "I told you. They've made it so Bakugan can't enter their natural forms right now. If you want to battle, you need a partner."

"Partner?" Amazon groaned, "I don't need a partner. I'm strong enough to take anybody down."

"Maybe under normal circumstances. But right now, you need someone to throw you in and activate your Abilities." She smiled. "Luckily for you, I'm here." Amazon looked shocked by this, as she pointed at Beck. "If you want him, you need to go through me. I won't let you capture another innocent Bakugan."

"Don't be a fool," Beck told her. "You're way in over your head." But Lyra just smiled at him.

"What's the matter? Scared?" Now Beck was annoyed.

"Fine then." He activated his Baku-Bracer. "But don't blame me when you lose everything." Lyra wasn't scared and instead, turned to Amazon.

"What do you say? Wanna partner up? At least until we've dealt with this guy."

Amazon groaned. "I'd rather do this myself. But if this is the only way to brawl, fine. Let's partner up and take this creep down."

"Alright," Lyra activated her Baku-Bracer and set it to scan mode. "I need to scan you in order to know what you can do."

"You got it," Amazon nodded before jumping into the hole. "Just don't go being too shocked, when you see how awesome I am." The Bracer scanned him and brought up his data, shocking Lyra when she saw what he could do.

"No way. You...that's amazing."

"Told you," Amazon chuckled. "With my awesome power, this guy won't stand a chance." Lyra sighed, feeling his overconfidence might be an issue.

Meanwhile, Beck was curious about this Bakugan and wondered what made him so special. "I'll just have to take the Bakugan and see for myself." He raised his Baku-Bracer, powering it up. "Are you ready?"

"As ever!" Lyra did the same, the dimensional field forming alongside a bunch of power-ups. "LET'S BRAWL!" They yelled together, their Life Gauges filling.

Lyra: 100%
Beck: 100%

"Gate Card...SET!" Beck threw the card towards the water and as soon as it struck, the card exploded in a flash of blue light. He then took out a Bakugan and threw it. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The sphere flew through the air, hitting several power-ups along the way before landing on the water. "Bakugan...STAND!" It popped open and a tornado of water exploded around the sphere. "Aquos Koifin!"

The tornado exploded to reveal a large coy fish, whose body was so light blue it was almost white, with dark blue spots and a pair of dark blue whiskers.

Koifin: 320Gs

The fish Bakugan swam through the air and as it did, the power-ups kicked in and caused it to start glowing.

Koifin: 470G

"Is that it?" Amazon asked. "Oh, this is gonna be easy. Just watch! I'll toast this lame-o."

"Don't underestimate him," Lyra told him. "He's probably got powers and abilities that'll take us by surprise. We'll need to be on guard."

"Would you relax, sister. I got this. Watch. Throw me in already." Lyra rolled her eyes, but did so anyway.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw him in and hit a few power-ups along the way before landing on the water, skipping along it. "Bakugan...STAND!" He popped open and a tornado of water exploded around him, allowing him to take his true form. "Aquos Amazon!" The tornado exploded, revealing a humanoid lizard whose body was mostly light blue.

He had some kind of armoring on his shoulders and knees, whilst his chest and stomach were a lighter blue than the rest of him. A bunch of blade-like fins stuck off his head and ran down his back, whilst his arms each had two blades. His tail was blue, but also a whitish purple on the underside. And on his chest was a red gem of some kind.

"Oh yeah!" He cheered. "Let's...do...this!" He struck a pose, "thing!"

Koifin: 470Gs
Amazon: 400Gs

The Bakugan glowed, as the power ups kicked in.

Koifin: 470Gs
Amazon: 550Gs

"Come and get some!" Amazon cried, as he ran across the water before leaping up and throwing his foot around. The kick slammed into Koifin and knocked it away, but Beck was quick to take out a card and swipe it.

"Ability, Activate!" Koifin recovered and turned back to Amazon, as water filled its mouth. "Water Spout!" The water exploded out of its mouth and flew towards Amazon.

Koifin: 620Gs
Amazon: 550Gs

It slammed into him, Amazon crying out as he was struck and pushed back. "Talk about high pressure battles." He turned to Lyra, as she took out an Ability Card.

"Ability, Activate!" She swiped it, as Amazon leapt out of the Water Spout's way. He then brought his hands together, as a water orb formed between them. "Aquos Bomber!"

"Am...A...ZON!" With that, he thrust the orb forward and it exploded into his own high pressure water blast.

Koifin: 620Gs
Amazon: 850Gs

The water shot towards Koifin and before the fish could do anything, it slammed into it and knocked the fish flying into the pool. "Oh yeah!" Amazon cheered, flexing as he did so. But Beck quickly took out two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He slashed them, as Koifin leapt out of the water. "Icicle Sniper, Plus Hydro Assault!" The fish opened its mouth, causing both a power stream of water and a bunch of ice spears to fly out and slam into Amazon.

Koifin: 920Gs
Amazon: 850Gs

"Gyah!" Amazon staggered back. "Lyra. Maybe use a Double Ability too!" Lyra was already on it, but Beck was faster and pointed to the pool.

"Gate Card, OPEN!" The water glowed. "Attribute Prison, Aquos!" The light flew off and hit the two Bakugan, Amazon curious what was happening. But he got his answer when Lyra tried to swipe her cards. But nothing happened.

"He's blocked our Ability Cards."

"That's right," Beck nodded. "Now every Aquos Bakugan is blocked from using their abilities. Normally, this Gate Card works best with Bakugan not of my Attribute, but my Bakugan is stronger so it's no issue now." Koifin swam through the air, ready to destroy him.

Lyra gulped, realising they were in trouble.

"Relax," Amazon assured her, "I got this!" Suddenly, he started waving his arms around. As he did, the gem on his chest started glowing. "Am...A...Zon...Attribute Change!" The light spread around his body and when it faded, he looked different. His blue skin was now a mixture of brown, orange and cream. "Subterra!"

"What?" Beck cried, as Lyra smiled. "An Attribute Changing Bakugan."

"You know it!" Amazon laughed. "Why be stuck with one Attribute? Always seemed lame to me. So here I am! And your Gate Card can't stop my Subterra Abilities" As he said that, Lyra took out another Ability Card.

"Ability, Activate!" She slotted the card, as Amazon brought his hands together. "Mud Bomber!" A ball of murky brown water appeared between his hands, looking just like Aquos Bomber.

"Am...A...ZON!" He thrust it forward and the orb exploded into a blast of mud, which shot towards Koifin. As it did, Beck checked his Baku-Bracer and gasped when he saw the increase

Koifin: 920Gs
Amazon: 1250Gs

"What?" He cried, as the blast struck the fish and knocked it backwards. The next thing Beck knew, it was reverting back to ball form and falling down at his feet.

Lyra: 100%
Beck: 34%

"Impossible." Beck watched Amazon revert back to ball form and fly into Lyra's hand. "How could a single ability power him up by so much?"

Lyra smiled, as Amazon opened up in her hand. "Mud Bomber normally only pumps him up by two hundred Gs. But since it was used after Aquos Bomber, that power up is doubled."

"Which means I win," Amazon laughed. "I win! You lose!"

Beck frowned, realising he had clearly underestimated these two. "That won't happen again. Now that I know what to expect, I can formulate a strategy to take you both down once and for all." Lyra and Amazon smiled, both thinking that wasn't gonna happen.

Back with Sunset, she was currently using her Baku-Bracer to create a dimensional field around her. One that allowed Flarenix to take her true form and fly towards Lyra's location.

Sunset checked her Baku-Bracer's system and found it had locked onto Lyra's Bracer, telling her the girl's location. But as she spotted the forest she was in in the distance, she suddenly noticed something surrounding an area of the forest. A light she realised was coming from a battlefield that had been formed within it.

"That can't be good," she gulped. "Faster, Flarenix. We have to get there as fast as we can." Flarenix squawked, as he picked up the pace. And as Sunset looked around, she potted a shape in the distance she realised was Leonidas. It seemed she wasn't the only one who had thought to catch a ride. But a single Baku-Bracer on its own, couldn't create a stable battlefield.

"We'll have to land outside the forest and run the rest of the way. If we don't, the Baku-Bracer will short out." She prayed that they could get there in time. "Hold on, Lyra."

"Gate Card...SET!" Lyra threw the card and as it exploded, she grabbed Amazon. "Bakugan..BRAWL!" Lyra threw her partner in, hitting a pair of power-ups as she did before Amazon landed on the water. "Bakugan...STAND!" He popped open and in a burst of water, he appeared and powered himself up.

Amazon: 500Gs

"Oh yeah!" He cheered whilst dancing around, "that's what I'm talking about." He showed his butt to his opponent. "Bring it on, Becky."

"It's Beck!" The brawler cried before taking out a ball. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw the Bakugan and it hit a few power-ups, eventually landing on the water and popping open. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornado exploded out of it, "Aquos Cochlea!" The water exploded and revealed a dark blue snail Bakugan, with a light blue shell that had a white swirl inside of it.

Amazon: 500Gs
Cochlea: 350Gs

As Amazon charged, Cochlea glowed and its power rose.

Amazon: 500Gs
Cochlea: 500Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Lyra swiped her card, "Aquos Bomber!" Once again, Amazon brought his hands together and formed a sphere of water. And as he leapt up, he fired it down towards the snail.

Amazon: 800Gs
Cochlea: 500Gs

The water blast slammed into the snail and knocked it flying back, Cochlea flinching in pain as Beck took out an ability and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Cochlea managed to stop itself, as part of the shell opened up and purple slime flew out of it. "Slime Stinger!"

Amazon was still in midair and couldn't defend himself, as one of the slime blasts hit him. "Gyah!"

Amazon: 750Gs
Cochlea: 500Gs

Several more slime blasts hit him before he fell out of their range, Amazon hitting the water and staggering as his skin burned.

Amazon: 400Gs
Cochlea: 500Gs

"Not fun!" He shook the slime off of him, as Lyra took out an Ability Card.

"Ability, Activate!" She swiped it and Amazon charged, as the blades on his arms suddenly froze over. "Ice Slice!" Amazon leapt forward and swung his ice blades at the snail.

"Time for you to chill out!" He slammed the blades into it and the ice spread to cover Cochlea, knocking it backwards.

Amazon: 550Gs
Cochlea: 350Gs

But as the snail hit the water. Beck swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Cochlea suddenly pulled itself into the shell, which started spinning atop the water "Shell Strike!"

Amazon: 550Gs
Cochlea: 450Gs

Moving like a giant tyre, Cochlea flew forward and slammed into Amazon. And whilst this took him by surprise, Amazon was still strong enough to hold it back. "Not gonna cut it!"

"Look out!" Lyra cried, seeing Beck take out another Bakugan and throwing it towards the lake.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" It landed on the water before opening, a water tornado exploding up around it. "Rise, Aquos Clamax!" The water faded to reveal a dark blue clam, whose round shell had a waving outline. Slowly, it began to open and revealed a light blue interior with a white pearl in the centre that had a pair of eyes.

Amazon: 550Gs
Cochlea+Clamax: 750Gs

Their powers combined, Cochlea suddenly found itself spinning faster and Amazon was quickly overwhelmed. "WOW!" He was rolled over and knocked down, as the shell rolled around him before coming to a stop next to Clamax. "That wasn't fun!" As he said that, Beck swiped another card.

"Ability, Activate!" Clamax leapt into the air, as its shell opened up and giant teeth made of ice formed on it. "Clam Fang!"

Amazon: 550Gs
Cochlea+Clamax: 900Gs

As the Clam flew towards him, Amazon began to panic. But then, Lyra swiped a card for him. "Ability, Activate!" He brought his hands together, as a small cloud formed between them. "Mist Barrier!" He then pulled his hands apart, causing the mist to expand and completely surround him.

When Clamax hit it, the cloud became like a giant pillow and caused it to bounce off.

Amazon: 550Gs
Cochlea+Clamax: 750Gs

"Now's your chance!" Lyra cried, as the mist began to fade away. And as it did, Amazon moved his hands around as the gem on his chest glowed.

"Am...A...Zon...Attribute Change!" The light spread around his body and when it faded, his body was mostly red. The marks on his body, his chest and the underside of his tail were yellow "Pyrus!"

"Another Attribute Change?" Beck asked, as Lyra swiped a card

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon brought his hands together and another orb formed, this one being made up of mist that looked super hot. "Steam Bomber!"

Amazon: 950Gs
Cochlea+Clamax: 750Gs

"Say goodnight!" Amazon fired the attack and it morphed into a long blast of steam, which raced towards the two Bakugan. But Beck was faster.

"Ability, Activate!" He swiped the card and Cochlea's shell opened up, "Slime Barrier!" The shell launched a bunch of slime, which formed a large wall in front of the two.

Amazon: 950Gs
Cochlea+Clamax: 900Gs

The Steam Bomber attack struck and managed to push through the slime wall, though it did less damage when it struck the pair and knocked back back into ball form.

Lyra: 100%
Beck: 24%

"OH YEAH!" Amazon cheered, jumping up and down before returning to Lyra. "How'd you like that?"

Beck picked the Bakugan up, smiling as he did so. "So you can switch between Aquos, Subterra and Pyrus? You just might be worth keeping once I win you."

"Win me?" Amazon asked. "Like that's gonna happen. You're Life Gauge isn't even a quarter of what we have. You really think you can win now?"

"I do," Beck nodded. "Because it's time to bring out the big guns." With that, he took out a card and threw it toward the lake. "Gate Card...SET!" As the card exploded, Lyra suddenly felt something. Something powerful.

"Be careful," she told Amazon. "This guy's up to something."

"Whatever," Amazon stated. "Just throw me in and we can end this." Lyra nodded, though she was still worried something big was going to happen. Even so, she grabbed him.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw him through a trio of power-ups before he hit the water, Amazon popping open as soon as he did. "Bakugan...STAND!" The water tornado flew upward and Amazon blasted his way out of it, the lizard smirking as he landed.

"OH YEAH!" He cried, feeling himself powering up.

Amazon: 550Gs

Lyra stared at her opponent and as she did, she suddenly noticed a crack of thunder and looked up. And in the sky were a bunch of rain clouds, which Lyra was positive hadn't been there before.

Beck then held something up that Lyra raised an eyebrow at. It was a Bakugan, but one unlike any she had seen before.

Instead of being round, this one appeared to be a blue octagonal pyramid. The Bakugan floated above his hand, as he smiled. "May I introduce you, to my Trap Bakugan." The Bakugan then shot into the air, right towards the rain clouds. "Aquos Tentaculled!" The Bakugan opened up, the eight sides flipping down to reveal a head inside of them.

It flew into the cloud and a mighty flash appeared, as the clouds started raining on them.

Then, something began to descend from out of the clouds. It was a giant blue octopus, being mostly dark blue with the underside of its tentacles being light blue. It had a black section on its face, forming a V-shape which its four eyes could be seen. Four of its tentacles ended in a light blue spike that appeared to be made of ice, whilst the other four appeared to have some kind of gun barrel sticking out the ends.

Amazon: 550Gs
Tentaculled: 320Gs

"Trap Bakugan?" Lyra had never heard of such a thing. "What in the world am I looking at?"

"Who cares!" Amazon laughed. "There's no way that eight armed loser can beat me. Come on. Let's end this brawl!" He charged forward, but Beck chuckled.

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions without all the facts." He pointed to the lake, which suddenly started glowing. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The light began to take shape, "Spirit Grudge!" Lyra quickly realised what the shapes being formed were. Koifin, Cochlea and Clamax.

"What the heck?" Amazon asked, stopping in front of the three ghost-like entities. "What am I looking at?"

"This Gate Card allows a Bakugan to absorb the power of any defeated Bakugan, so long as those Bakugan remain off the field. And since you beat three of my Bakugan, six hundred Gs will be added to Tentaculled."

Amazon: 550Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

Lyra frowned, but acted fast and two out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped them, as Amazon brought his hands together. "Aquos Bomber, plus Tornado Ocean!" The orb formed in his hand, only this time it started spinning.

"Am...A...ZON!" He thrust the orb forward and the orb exploded into a tornado of water. One which struck Tentaculled and pushed it back.

Amazon: 850Gs
Tentaculled: 820Gs

The Trap Bakugan quickly raised its tentacles and used the ice tipped ones as shields, as Beck took out another card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" The other four tentacles pointed at Amazon. "Ink Bind!" Suddenly, black liquid shot out of the gun barrels and struck Amazon.

"GYAH!" He staggered backwards, as the ink covered his body. And as it did, he suddenly found himself unable to move. "What's happening?"

Amazon: 750Gs
Tentaculled: 820Gs

"Ink Bind is an Ability that lets Tentaculled lock another Bakugan into place. With this, you won't be able to move and most of your Abilities will be useless."

Lyra took out her cards and realised they were all glowing black, signalling they couldn't be activated. "Not good." She watched as Beck took out another card and swiped it.

"Ability, Activate!" The tips of the ice covered tentacle glowed. "Ice Tentacle Pile-Driver!" With that, the blades started thrusting back and forth, stabbing into Amazon.

Amazon: 750Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

"GYAH!" Amazon cried, as he felt the blade piercing him and causing serious damage to him. And he still couldn't move or defend himself.

"AMAZON!" Lyra cried, trying to think of a way to help him. And as she did, Beck swiped another card.

"Ability, Activate!" Tentacle leapt back, as the gun-tentacles rose. "Wave Assault!" Water exploded out of three of the guns, hitting the top of the lake and morphing into a large wave.

That wave flew towards Amazon and smashed into him, Amazon crying out as he was kept in place by the Ink Bind.

Amazon: 700Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

A few seconds later, another wave of water crashed into him and he felt more of his power being pushed away.

Amazon: 650Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

"Amazon!" Lyra cried, as he finally found an Ability that could save him. "Hold on!" But before she could, the fourth gun tentacle pointed towards her.

"LOOK OUT!" Amazon cried, but the water exploded out of it and shot towards Lyra. "GET OUT OF THERE!" Lyra gasped, as the water smashed into her. She screamed, as she was blown backwards. And at the same time, another wave slammed into him.

Amazon: 600Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

Beck laughed. "I'm going to keep this up until the difference is enough to make you mine." But as he said that, something suddenly happened that blew the water away. "What?"

A familiar cloud of solid vapour surrounded Amazon, blocking the water and causing the ink surrounding him to wash off. "Huh?" He looked around and spotted Lyra, laying on the ground whilst her Baku-Bracer glowed. A card was next to it, having been slotted. "You...you activated Mist Barrier, even whilst you were getting hit by that attack."

"Of course I did," Lyra groaned as she tried to pick herself up. "It'll take more than a little water to take me down. Until I save Vestroia. Until I save Nimue and all the Bakugan, I don't care how much pain I have to go through. I'll overcome it and...and..." She fell forward and lost consciousness, Amazon gasping.

"LYRA!"

"Don't get distracted!" Beck stated, as Tentaculled flew forward. "You might have stopped Wave Assault, but it doesn't matter."

Amazon: 750Gs
Tentaculled: 920Gs

As the cloud vanished, Tentaculled thrust its ice blade forward and stabbed Amazon. This made him scream as he was blasted backwards, reverting back to ball form.

Lyra: 66%
Beck: 24%

Beck smiled, as Amazon landed down besides Lyra. "And with that, this battle is over. You might have more Life than me, but with the Brawler incapacitated there's no way you can save yourself." He recalled Tentaculled and prepared to move around the lake. But before he could, something flew down and hit the ground besides him.

It was a Gate Card, which glowed as it pierced the ground at his feet.

"Who goes there!?" Beck looked up at where the card had flown in from and spotted a figure standing atop a nearby cliff, a frown appearing on his lips as he tried to make them out. But they were too far away to really tell what they looked like.

The figure quickly held up a Bakugan and when they did, a bright flash of light filled the air and Beck cried out.

Sunset continued to search for any sign of Lyra or the disturbance. But it was proving rather difficult.

Just then, she heard an explosion coming from nearby. "Could that be Lyra!" She ran towards the explosion and when she got there, she heard another explosion coupled with a loud male cry. She finally arrived and looked around, hiding behind a tree to not be disturbed.

Beck was on the ground, four smoking Bakugan laying there next to him.

The Rugenga groaned as he picked himself up, seeing his Bakugan on the ground and growling. "How could I lose so badly?" He glared up at the figure, Sunset following his gaze and spotting the figure on the cliff. Like Beck, she couldn't make out anything about him. "You've made a big mistake. Make an enemy of a Rugenga and you're marked for life." Beck began to run off, "I'll remember this!" With that, he leapt onto his transport and flew off.

Sunset continued to stare at the figure, who disappeared behind the cliff. "Who was that? Could another Equestrian have found their way into the breech?"

It was in that moment, Flash, Braeburn and Moondancer arrived. And when they spotted Lyra, they rushed to her side. "Lyra, speak to me!" They helped her up, Sunset running over and casting a simple healing spell.

This allowed Lyra to start waking up, the girl moaning as her eyes opened. "What happened?" She looked around, "I'm...I'm in Vestroia." It was then that she remembered what happened. "The battle!"

"The battle's over," Sunset explained. "Someone managed to take down Beck. I don't know who, but it seems we're not the only ones fighting the Rugenga."

Lyra sighed, only to then remember something else. "Where's Amazon?"

"Amazon?" Flash asked, seeing her continuing to search before sighing.

"Amazon. He's the one behind that strange energy we detected. But I guess Beck managed to take him." But as she said they, they heard a voice coming from near the lake.

"Almost there. Come on. You gotta want it!" They looked around and saw a Bakugan, hoping towards them whilst pulling a leaf full of water behind him. "Lyra! You're awake!"

"Amazon!" Lyra gasped, picking him up. "You're okay?"

"Of course I'm okay," Amazon told her. "Why wouldn't I be? I just thought you could use some water." Lyra smiled, as the Bakugan jumped up and down. "Dude. You're awesome. You're not only a great Brawler, but you've got guts."

"Thanks," Lyra smiled.

"Listen. What you said about saving Vestroia and all the Bakugan. I don't remember much, but I do remember that I care about Vestroia and the Bakugan too. So please. Let's keep brawling together until those creeps are dealt with. What do you say?" Lyra's eyes went wide before she smiled. "Yes. Let's do it. You and me. We'll save all the Bakugan together."

"Oh, yeah!" Amazon jumped around. "Just you watch. We'll beat all those guys, no matter what they throw at us."

Everyone smiled, happy that Lyra finally had a partner of her own. But even so, they were still curious about where Amazon came from and what the strange energy he was giving off was made from. Hopefully, they would learn the secret in time. But for now, they had to return to Equestria and be ready for the next time the Rugenga attacked.

Inside his transport, Beck had set it to autopilot so he could fiddle with his Baku-Bracer.

He slid the top forward and took out a gray Bakugan, which he placed in the slot before energy began to fly into it. "At least I got something out of all this." He waited, but frowned when he saw that the Bakugan hadn't awakened. "Still need more power. Damn. Just you fools wait. Next time, things will be different."

Back in Equestria, Lyra introduced her new partner to everyone and the Equestrians smiled.

"So this is Amazon?" Celestia asked, amazed by his appearance. "And he can change between any three attributes? Very impressive." Amazon laughed, loving the attention he was getting. "But what about the dimensional energy we picked up?"

"You're looking at the only proof anything happened," Lyra replied. "Amazon is charged with the energy from the breech. Somehow, he was sent through it from somewhere else. Somewhere that's not Equestria or Vestroia."

"There's another place with Bakugan?" Twilight asked, amazed to hear that. "How is that possible?" Everyone else wondered the same thing, whilst the Guardians listened from above and seemed conflicted.

"How can there be another place with Bakugan?" Trojan asked, the others wondering the same thing.

"Don't forget," Dragonia explained. "There was once a time Vestroia was connected to many worlds. Until it was sealed away for some reason. It's possible Amazon is from one of those worlds."

"But that was a millennium ago," Zephyria pointed out. "Bakugan can only be born on Vestroia and this Bakugan is obviously young. How could he be from those worlds?"

Dragonia wondered the same thing, but then remembered something. "The time difference between Vestroia and Flash's world was different. Maybe the time difference in that world is also different. Maybe whatever cut off Vestroia from the rest of the universe, also caused time to speed up in Vestroia. And if that's true..." She thought about a certain Bakugan, wondering if he might still be alive. It had been thousands of years for her, but she still wished to see him again.

At the same time, Amazon was thinking about the world he had come from and still couldn't remember.

But then, something happened. Like a bolt of lightning, he suddenly found himself reliving some kind of memory. And it was a surprising one.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself in some kind of ship cockpit. Humanoid beings sat around him, though their forms weren't clear to him. And Bakugan were floating around him as well. "Amazon!" A voice told him, "you've gotta buckle up. We're hitting some kind of turbulence!"

"Yes, Sensai!" He heard himself cry, as he tried to move. But as he did, the ship they were in suddenly shook violently.

Everyone screamed, as Amazon looked towards the window and saw something flying towards them. Some kind of dark energy, which struck the window and caused it to shatter.

The impact made Amazon fly back before hitting something and bouncing off it. He then flew towards the energy, as it began to fill the cockpit.

He flew right through it, screaming in pain from whatever the energy was doing to him. After that, everything went fuzzy. All he could remember was being outside of some kind of ship, as it flew away from a tunnel of light. After that, the memory shattered.

"Amazon!" He suddenly found himself back in the castle, seeing Lyra and the others looking worried. "Are you okay?" His new partner asked, with Amazon looking down to try and figure out what he had just seen.

"I...I think I just remembered something. But I'm not sure what." Everyone shared a look, worry filling their faces at Amazon's voice. Whatever he had remembered, it clearly upset him. Which meant it could be trouble for them in the future.

Author's Note

Boom. I bet you weren't expecting that. For those fans of the original series, we got a Bakugan from Mechtanium Surge. Aquos Amazon, who seemed like a pretty fun character. And now I get to bring him into my story. What did you think of the surprise. Hope you enjoyed it.

Amazon's Ball Form is similar to Horridian, but with only one head that'll be a different shape.

The Rugenga Bite Back

In a dark cave, the Haos Rugenga known as Thalia was standing over the large pit.

A bright light was coming out of it and flowing up towards her, as she held a gray Bakugan in the palm of her hand. The light swirled into it and as it did, it pulsed yellow and Thalia smiled beneath her mask. "Yes. Come on. Just a little more. Do it."

She waited and the pulsing light grew faster, the yellow glow eventually becoming solid and remaining on it for several moments. Then, it faded and the Bakugan was revealed to still be gray. But now, it had areas of that were while and gold in colour.

Thalia stared at it and waited. "Tigress. Awaken."

With that, the ball popped open to reveal a Bakugan that had a tiger head within it. "Finally," it spoke in a female voice. "I thought it would never happen."

Thalia chuckled. "It's good to have you with me. Now that you've awakened, the Defenders won't stand a chance against us."

"Defenders?" Tigress asked. "Who're that?" Thalia chuckled again before turning to head out of the cave. Along the way, she began to explain everything that had been going on. Including Equestria and the ones who were fighting to protect their world, the Bakugan, and free Vestroia from their hold.

In the Rugenga base, the five remaining cloaked figures sat around the room staring at a monitor.

That monitor was showing images recorded by their Baku-Bracers, showing Leonidas defeating Hayate and Kiyrah's Bakugan and taking them away. It then showed how Sorcerell was able to overwhelm Azalea's Bakugan and win them for Moondancer before showing Beck, as he almost lost to Lyra and was defeated by the mysterious individual.

To say Cursor wasn't impressed was an understatement. "Defeat after defeat." He turned to them, as his Bakugan Draken floated down. "This is very concerning. It's clear, you've all been slacking."

"Come on," Azalea moaned. "That girl just got lucky, that's all."

"It's more than just that," Hayate stated. "Ever since those humans showed up, the Defenders have been getting stronger. If we don't do something soon, they may grow out of our control."

"The Brawls haven't been all bad," Beck stated. "We've managed to acquire the energy we need from them. Once we've gathered enough, we'll be able to unleash our true strength." As he said that, part of the door opened and Thalia stepped into the room.

When everyone turned to her, they spotted a Bakugan on her shoulder. "Is that..." Cursor asked, with Thalia nodding as she approached.

"That's right. My Bakugan has finally awakened. Tigress has been brought up to speed and is ready to fight, in order to claim Equestria and all the Bakugan taking refuge there." She looked up at the screen and watched Leonidas doing battle. "About time someone reminded these fools why we are to be feared."

"So you will go after the next breech to open?" Hayate asked, with Thalia nodding.

"But before that, I require more information on my opponent. Beck. How goes the attempts to open a dimension breech of our own?"

"Troublesome," Beck growled. "I can open one, but it's very small and can't last more than a few seconds."

"That's all we'll need." She moved over to one of the consoles and took out a device. "They would most likely detect the breech, wouldn't they?" They nodded, "good. If it's only a few moments long, they won't bother heading to Vestroia." She threw the device and it began to hover and emit light, which took the shape of a yellow unicorn equestrian with blue hair styled in a pair of pigtails. And as Thalia spoke, so did the equestrian. "Time to meet the famous Flash Sentry."

Over in Equestria, morning had once again come to Canterlot and the Defenders were enjoying another Celestia made breakfast.

As they did, Twilight and Sunset stepped into the room and saw Flash once again stuffing his face and moaning in joy. "Geez. In my world, eating something this good would have cost an arm and a leg at a fancy restaurant." He grabbed a large stack of pancakes with one fork and stuffed them all in his mouth.

Lyra rolled her eyes before turning to Twilight. "Out of curiosity, is this world's version of Flash as much of a glutton as mine?"

The girls laughed at this. "Not really," Twilight replied. "The Flash we know is always super serious and eats with poise. Most of the guards in Equestria are like that. Trained to look respectable and cultured."

Flash finished eating his pancakes and thought about this. "I really hope I get to meet this version of me. I bet it would just be weird."

"Maybe," Sunset nodded. "But that Flash is working security in the Crystal Empire. He was sent back after it was confirmed he couldn't Brawl. He was really excited about it until he learned he couldn't."

"Of course he was," Leo laughed. "Doesn't matter what world he's from. Flash Sentry is always a battle maniac." Flash glared at him, as Sunset stepped over to him.

"Speaking of battle. I think it's time you upgraded your arsenal. So this should help you out when you're in a tight spot." Suddenly, something floated into view whilst surrounded by Sunset's magic. It was some kind of Bakugan, but none like any Flash had ever seen.

Instead of being round, it was a thick circular shape that was on its side like a wheel or tyre. "Wow. What is it?"

"A Bakugan Trap," Sunset explained. As soon as she said that, Lyra gasped as she flashed back to when she faced Beck. He had used the one named Tentaculled and it had been serious trouble.

"Beck had one of those. It was like nothing I'd ever seen before."

"I've never heard of a Bakugan Trap," Flash stated.

"Makes sense," Dragonia nodded. "By sheer happenstance, all the Bakugan Traps were placed in the first arc that we managed to keep out of Lucifer's hands. I'm curious how Sombra would have used them if he had any."

"It's called Lindwhirl," Sunset explained as Flash took him.

"This is so cool," Flash smiled. "He's not even round." He held him close to his face, "hey there." Leonidas nodded at him.

"It is an honour to meet you, Lindwhirl." Suddenly, the wheel-shaped Bakugan opened. The whole thing just uncurled, with the sides now acting like arms. Flash couldn't be sure, but he believed it had the head of a wolf. And instead of talking, it let out several growls and dog noises.

"Trap Bakugan never evolved the ability to talk," Dragonia explained. "But they can still communicate in other ways. I'm sure having him on your team will help you a lot."

Flash smiled and stared at the Bakugan. "You wanna help us take down the Rugenga?" The Trap Bakugan nodded, letting out a howl of excitement. "Awesome. Well I've finished breakfast, so let's get to the stadium and do a little training." But as he said that, everyone's Baku-Bracer started beeping and they realised a breech had appeared.

Sunset used her magic to grab some fruit, as Twilight and Celestia teleported them all to the control hub.

There, they saw the ponies looking confused. "What's wrong?" Celestia asked, seeing them type away at the computers.

"A breech opened up. But it was only for a second. And it was tiny." Flash and Lyra frowned, whilst the others looked confused. "Breeches don't usually open and close that quickly. We don't think it was a natural forming one."

"You think the Rugenga opened it?" Moondancer asked, making them frown. "If they're working on opening their own artificial breeches, that could be an issue."

"Beck was interested in Amazon because of the energy he was soaked in," Lyra pointed out. "If he had taken him, he probably would have used it to make this one more stable."

"So what do we do?" Amazon asked.

"Where was the breech on this side?" Celestia asked, as the ponies frowned.

"Canterlot." That shocked them. "Restaurant Row." Celestia nodded and turned to the Defenders, who nodded. They would go check it out.

"I'll go with them," Twilight announced to everybody. "If something's happening down there, I'll work on getting the ponies evacuated." They nodded before she and Sunset teleported them all down to the streets. They all appeared in a bright flash, catching the attention of the ponies around them.

They all bowed when they saw Twilight and gave the Defenders court respect, whilst also staring at Flash and Lyra. Clearly, they were still getting used to having humans around them.

Using their Baku-Bracers, they searched for the breech. And as they did, Flash noticed multiple Bakugan surrounding them as well. Some were riding on top of ponies, whilst others were sitting around in groups chatting with one another or ponies.

"Wow. This is just how I hoped our world would one day be," Flash smiled.

"Maybe it will," Twilight smiled. "I'm sure in time, we'll find a way to open a breech back to your world. Then Bakugan can live there as well as here and Vestroia." Flash also hoped so, as they arrived on the street known as Restaurant Row.

"Over there," Sunset pointed towards an alleyway between two restaurants. "The breech was right there. Likely where nopony could see it."

"You sure nothing came through?" Lyra asked, as Moondancer checked the alleyway.

"It was only the size of a dinner plate," Moondancer explained. "Even if the Rugenga sent something through, how much danger could it cause?"

"We should still look around," Flash stated. "Make sure nothing's going on." The others nodded and all split up, heading in different directions as they searched for what might have come through.

As they did, they were unaware that a yellow unicorn was watching them.

"See anything?" Flash asked, ten minutes after they split up.

"Nope," Leonidas replied. "Nothing. Hopefully, the Rugenga decided the small breech was useless and shut it down." Flash nodded, thinking the same thing. But as they turned to head back the way they came, they suddenly found themselves bumping into someone. "Wow!" Leonidas fell off Flash's shoulder, only to be caught by the person they bumped into.

"Careful," she smiled as she held Leo up to Flash. "Here."

"Thanks." Flash took him and he jumped back onto his shoulder. "Sorry about that. Don't really know these streets yet."

"That's okay," she replied. "That's quite a strong looking Bakugan you have." She then noticed his Baku-Bracer and smiled. "Are you one of the Defenders?"

"That's right," Flash smirked. "And we're going to defeat the Rugenga, free Vestroia and save all the Bakugan they've captured."

"I'm sure you'll try," she nodded back. "I'm curious though. Why do you Brawl?" Flash and Leo looked at her in confusion. "Why risk your life and your Bakugan's safety, to fight against an opponent you don't stand a chance of beating?"

"What?" Flash frowned. "What are you talking about? We so stand a chance against them. Every time we've fought them, we've come out on top."

"Maybe for now, but I'm sure they'll grow stronger. Too strong for you to face. So why put everything you care about at risk?"

Flash's frown turned into a glare, "who are you?"

"Just someone who's curious why someone would choose to fight a losing battle? The Rugenga will be victorious. It'd just be simpler to let them win rather than waste your time and energy resisting them. At least that way, they might be willing to let you live."

Flash watched her turn and walk away, confused about who she was and why she had been saying such things.

"Hey, wait a minute!" He chased after her and as she turned a corner, Flash lost sight of her as he ran around the building. But he soon found himself staring at an empty street, the unicorn nowhere in sight. "Where'd she go?"

"That was weird," Leo frowned. Flash scratched his head, wondering who the heck she was and where she had disappeared to.

Back in their base, Thalia deactivated the light-bee and had it hide once it was somewhere private.

Tigress turned to her, "well? What did you learn about our opponent?" The other members of the Rugenga were keen to hear what she had learned, wondering what she had heard when she and her hologram spoke half a conversation.

"I learned that he is a fool," she replied. "Despite how obvious it is he will lose, he is determined to keep fighting. I guess some people need to be shown how inferior they are before they're willing to give up."

"Then show them," Draken replied. "And determine just how powerful this Leonidas truly is. If he really was an Ultimate Bakugan once, then he must have great power even now. We may be able to use that."

"He's right," Cursor nodded. "I'm just as curious."

"I won't let you down," Thalia promised. "As soon as a breech appears, I will head to it." The others nodded, some curious if Thalia really could defeat Flash and Leonidas.

Back at the castle, Flash and the others had returned having found nothing to indicate that the Rugenga were up to anything.

"And you're sure nothing came through?" Celestia asked, with the six nodding. "Alright. Well that's good. The last thing we need are them to cause more problems than they already have. For now, you should all relax after searching for so long. We'll need you in top form if an actual breech activates."

"Okay," Sunset nodded as she turned to the others. When she did, she noticed Flash looking upset about something. "Are you okay?"

"No," he told them. "I ran into this nuts unicorn down on the street. She was asking a bunch of really weird questions and said that the Rugenga couldn't be beaten. It was crazy." That made them all frown, as Leonidas spoke up.

"And when we tried to chase after her, she just disappeared."

"Really?" Moondancer asked, "she teleported?"

"Is that so hard to believe?" Lyra asked. "Twilight, Celestia and Sunset teleport us all the time."

"They're all magical prodigies," Braeburn reminded her. "Remember. Most unicorns can only use basic magic or their personal magic. If she could teleport, she must have been somepony really powerful."

The others nodded, Celestia turning to Flash. "Who was this mare? Did she give you her name?" Flash nodded, describing how she looked. "I don't remember a unicorn like that in my school. If she could teleport, she must have been a student."

"Unless she didn't get in and learned to do it later," Sunset pointed out.

The others frowned, wondering who this mysterious Rugenga supporter was. But then, an alarm went off in the hub and everyone jumped to attention. "Level two Dimensional Breech!" The pony at the monitor announced. "Opening on the outskirts of Luna Bay."

"Is this a natural one?" Celestia asked, with the ponies nodding. "Alright. Defenders. Deploy!" They nodded and all rushed into the transporter, Celestia, Dragonia, the other Guardians and all the ponies wishing them luck as the tube closed before activating.

And in the blink of an eye, they were all transported into Vestroia.

Now they found themselves out in an open wasteland, similar to the one Flash and Lyra had first arrived in when they followed Leonidas through the portal. Large stone pillars surrounded them, looking like giant mushrooms made of rock.

They quickly spotted the breech in question, this one only being twice their height.

"How long will it be before this one closes up?" Lyra asked, still learning how the breeches worked.

Sunset stepped forward. "In my experience, they only last an hour or two. Hopefully, it'll shut before the Rugenga manage to get here." Unfortunately, the Rugenga in question was already on her way.

Everyone waited, with Flash's mind continuing to drift back to the equestrian he had met before hand. "What do I Brawl for? To help the Bakugan, of course. I love Brawling, but if they need my help that's what I'll Brawl for." Leonidas heard him and nodded, as the hour mark passed.

It was then that they heard an engine and looked up to see a transport flying towards them. "Get ready, everypony!" Sunset created a shield around the portal, as the transport reached them and started flying downwards.

When it did, the top opened up and the person inside jumped out. When she landed, the equestrians froze. "That's Thalia," Moondancer gulped.

"Be careful," Sorcerell stated. "She's a powerful Haos Brawler."

The figure approached and Flash stood ready, eager to get in on the action with another Haos Brawler. "Hello there," she stated before focusing on Flash and Leonidas. "So tell me, Flash Sentry. Have you come up with an answer to my question?"

"Question?" Flash asked. "What question?"

"I asked you why you Brawl. What drives you to fight against an enemy you stand no chance against?" This made Flash raise an eyebrow, only to connect the dots and go wide-eyed.

"That was you?"

Thalia chuckled, as her bracer projected a hologram of the Equestrian Flash had met before. "It was a hologram controlled by me."

"So that's what that small breech was for," Sunset growled. "To send the hologram through."

Flash stepped forward. "I Brawl to protect the Bakugan. I won't let you continue to do whatever you want with their world. I'll fight to see Vestroia liberated from you creeps."

"Even if it's a battle you can't win?"

"We'll win!" Leonidas stated, as Tigress jumped onto Thalia's shoulder.

"Confidence. A fool's substitute for intelligence. You might have once been the most powerful Bakugan ever, but now you've been reduced to another average Bakugan that will fall to us like all the rest."

"We'll show you who'll fall to who," Flash stated before turning to the others. "We're gonna take her down. Got it?" They nodded, as Flash turned back to Thalia. "Time for you to learn what it means to face Earth's number one Brawler!"

Thalia chuckled. "How naive." Flash glared at her.

"Time to see if you Brawl as big as you talk!" He activated his Baku-Bracer, Thalia doing the same.

"As you wish." She activated her's and formed the dimensional field, along with several power-ups that appeared. All the while, Flash's friends watched with baited breath.

"You can do this!" Lyra told him. "Just don't underestimate her!"

Sunset nodded. "Thalia isn't like the other Rugenga. Every time she Brawls, she does so in her master's name. She's obsessed with impressing Cursor, the Rugenga leader. She'll do anything to claim victory in his honour."

"Well then Cursor better be ready to be disappointed." Flash smirked, as their Life Gauges filled up. Thalia glared at him, clearly having no plans on disappointing Cursor. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Thalia: 100%

Flash took the first card out and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the ground and exploded, as Flash held up Leonidas. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Leo flew onto the battle field and hit several power-ups before landing and spinning open. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornado formed and the dragon appeared from out of it. "Haos Novus Leonidas!"

Leo roared, as his power began to rise.

Leonidas: 700Gs

Thalia stared up at the dragon, appearing interested in his design. "So that's the Bakugan that once saved Vestroia." The Bakugan on her shoulder hummed.

"Doesn't look all that impressive. Let us see just how powerful he is." Thalia nodded and picked the Haos Bakugan up before leaping into the air.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw the orb and it shot through several power-ups before hitting the ground and rolling to a stop. "Bakugan...STAND!" The ball opened and unleashed a blinding light, "Haos Tigress!" The light slowly took shape and began to fade, revealing Thalia's Bakugan.

It was a tiger Bakugan, covered in armor. Its body was gray in colour, with white stripes covering it. The armor it was wearing was a mix of grey, white and yellow, with yellow claws on the ends of its paws and golden sticks sticking out of its back. A red gem was on the forehead of its helmet.

Leonidas: 700Gs
Tigress: 500Gs

"That Bakugan..." Flarenix cried, "I've never seen anything like that before."

Amazon hummed. "Something about it seems familiar. But I can't quite place it." As he said that, the tiger roared as its power rose.

Tigress: 800Gs
Leonidas: 700Gs

The two Bakugan stared one another down, as Flash made the first move. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground began to glow and the light flew up into Leonidas. "Dragon Pulse!" As it swirled around Leonidas, he roared as his power rose. "This Gate Card pumps up any Dragon Bakugan by two hundred points. That'll make things a little easier for us!"

Tigress: 800Gs
Leonidas: 900Gs

"Now, check this out!" Flash took out a pair of cards and slashed them both. "Double Ability, Activate!" Leonidas flew around, as the light from his body flew off him and into his mouth. "Neo Phaser, plus Photon Force!"

Tigress: 800Gs
Leonidas: 1400Gs

As he took a deep breath, a sphere of light formed in front of his mouth. And as he roared, light exploded out of his mouth, hit the orb and made it explode into an even larger laser.

Tigress leapt out of the beams path, but the explosion that followed swept through the battlefield and the shockwave slammed into her. "Augh!" She was pushed away, but managed to dig her claws into the ground and stop herself.

At the same time, Thalia took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Light formed around Tigress' mouth and suddenly solidified into a crystal sabre-tooth mask. "Crystal Bite!" Tigress slammed the fangs down into the ground and in doing so, the Gate Card appeared before shattering into a million pieces.

"No way!" Flash cried, checking his Baku-Bracer as he did.

Tigress: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 1200Gs

Tigress then shot forward at blinding speed and leapt into the air, slashing at Leonidas as she did so. But with Leo's G power still higher, it did nothing against him. "Take this!" He spun around and slammed his tail into Tigress' side, knocking her away. But she managed to flip around and land on her feet.

As she did, Thalia took out another card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" She suddenly took out two new Bakugan, which Flash expected her to throw in. But she did, the pair instead glowing as she dropped them to the ground. "Savage Air!"

Flash watched them hit the ground and the light flew off of them and into Tigress. "What's going on?" He checked his Baku-Bracer and saw what had happened.

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas: 1200Gs

Tigress roared as she repeated her last attack, leaping into the air and slashing at Leonidas. And this time, the attack actually hurt him. "GYAH!" Leo was thrown backwards and crashed into a nearby rock pillar, smashing through it and causing the rocks to fall down atop him.

"LEO!" Flash turned back to Thalia, as Tigress did several aerial flips backwards until she landed behind her. "No way. What the heck is that ability?"

"Savage Air," Thalia laughed. "By counting them as defeated, I can transfer two hundred Gs from any other Bakugan into her."

The others frowned at this, Moondancer saying what they were all thinking. "So by giving up two Bakugan, she pumped Tigress up by four hundred Gs."

Lyra nodded. "But that means she can only use Tigress. If Flash can find a way to use that against her..." They heard movement by the rocks and watched as Leonidas pushed himself out of them, groaning as he did so.

"Leo. You okay?"

"I'm fine!" He spread his wings and leapt into the air. "Let's finish this!" Flash nodded and took out two cards

"Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped them both and Leonidas glowed, as he suddenly started moving much faster. "Speed Burst, Plus Power Brawl!"

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas: 1600Gs

"Raaaah!" Leo dived down towards Tigress and when he reached her, he started slashing, kicking and punching at her. But Tigress managed to stay ahead of Leonidas, he natural speed even with his boosted stat. But Leonidas eventually managed to finally get one hit in on her, knocking her back.

"Ability, Activate!" Thalia swiped a card, as Tigress' armor started sparking. "Lightning Whirlwind!" The tiger began to move even faster, running away from Leonidas before swerving and circling around him. She started running in a circle, moving faster and faster until a tornado started to form below Leo.

The dragon looked down and saw it growing, as the lightning coming off Tigress' armor flew into the wind.

Soon, a massive hurricane surrounded Leonidas and started zapping him. "Gyah!"

Tigress: 1600Gs
Leonidas: 1500Gs

"LEO!" Flash cried, yelling over the sound of the wind. He quickly took out a card and as Tigress leapt into the tornado, preparing to slash at his partner, he swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" At the last moment, a bunch of hexagons appeared around Leo, "Particle Barrier!"

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas: 1600Gs

The hexagons formed a sphere around him, which blocked the lightning and Tigress' claw attack. She struck the shield and leapt off it, jumping back as the tornado disappeared. But before Leonidas could attack, Thalia held out another card and swiped it.

"Ability, Activate!" Tigress' claws and the spikes on her armor began to glow, "Cut In Revenger!" With a mighty roar, Tigress created some kind of wing. It flew at her from behind and when it passed over her, the light on her blades flew off and shot towards Leonidas.

"Look out!" Flash cried, but his partner wasn't fast enough. Soon, the blades of light slammed into him and cut into his body. And with each one that struck, he roared in pain as Flash checked his Baku-Bracer.

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas: 1000Gs

"No way!" He cried, "the difference in their power Levels is five hundred." He quickly realised what that could mean. "I might lose him!"

"Leo lost six hundred Gs?" Sunset asked. "How is it possible?"

"Cut In Revenger," Thalia stated. "An Ability that gets revenge for any of my defeated Bakugan." She pointed at the ones on the ground, everyone realising what must have happened. "For each one, you lose three hundred Gs."

"This is bad," Flash cried as he considered using his Fusion Ability to save Leonidas. But that would put him in a serious predicament.

But then, he suddenly remembered what had happened earlier that day. The teen flashed back to his breakfast and the gift Sunset had given him. "It's called Lindwhirl."

"That's it!" He reached into his pocket and took out his new Bakugan, praying it would give him the edge he needed. "Come, Trap Bakugan!" He threw it upwards and the Bakugan spun like a wheel, "Haos Lindwhirl!" The Bakugan suddenly popped open and exploded into a bright burst of golden light, which flew down between Tigress and Leonidas.

Tigress leapt back, as the light hit the ground and began to take shape.

It was a white and yellow chimera-like Bakugan, having the head of a wolf, the ears of a bat, the chest and arms of a bear and a long snake-like tail. Its fur was white, but its fur-less inner ears, neck and upper arms were yellow. Its tail was covered in white fur, but the front part of its tail was hairless and yellow. It also had sharp yellow claws, yellow horns sticking out of its head and black spikes running down its back all the way to the tip of its tail.

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1350Gs

Everyone smiled at this. "Go Lindwhirl!" Braeburn cheered, whilst Thalia didn't look impressed.

"You think a Trap Bakugan will save you? Don't make me laugh!" Tigress quickly charged forward, roaring as she prepared to take Lindwhirl down. But then, Flash took out two cards and swiped them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Lindwhirl suddenly curled itself up, its tail wrapping around its body as it turned into a large wheel "Radiant Stampede!" The spikes on its body began to glow and as it spun forward, the light merged into a single wheel of light.

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1500Gs

Lindwhirl then shot forward and slammed into Tigress, who jumped onto her back legs and used her front claws to grab the wheel. The pair pushed against one another, attempting to overpower the other as Leonidas finally recovered from the Cut In Revenger.

"Plus, Fusion Ability! Neo Photon Blast!"

Leonidas flew up and started glowing, repeating the attack he had performed previously by summoning the orb in front of his mouth. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He fired his laser into it and caused it to fly down towards Tigress, as Lindwhirl stopped spinning and leapt away from her.

Tigress: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2000Gs

Tigress saw the attack coming and her eyes went wide, as she leapt away from the laser as it struck the ground. But once again, the explosion and shockwave that followed threatened to do some serious damage.

"My turn!" Thalia quickly swiped a card. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Tigress started running forward, as her body sparked with energy once again. "Tempest Cyclone!" She leapt toward the explosion and started spinning, wind and lightning swirling around her as she did.

Tigress: 2000Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2000Gs

She slammed into the explosion and drilled through it, breaking through the other side and flying towards Leonidas and Lindwhirl. And as she did, Thalia swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Tigress exploded out the tornado, her claws glowing as she shot forward. "Power Charge!"

Tigress: 2150Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2000Gs

In the blink of an eye, she suddenly appeared behind Leonidas and Lindwhirl. And as she landed, both Bakugan suddenly found an explosion occurring in front of them. The pair roared in pain before reverting back to ball form and flying back towards Flash, the teen looking shocked as his Life Gauge dropped.

Flash: 70%
Thalia: 100%

"Leo!" Flash rushed over to them, as Tigress returned to Thalia. "You okay?" He picked them up, Leo moaning as he opened up.

"These two are no joke. If you hadn't summoned Lindwhirl, I'd have been a goner."

"Yeah." Flash held up his Trap Bakugan, "thanks. Sorry you had to take a beating." The Bakugan let out a noise he felt meant no problem. Flash then turned his attention to Thalia, who smiled at him as she took out her Gate Card.

"So you're the best Brawler of your world. Can't be all that impressive." Flash glared at her, as Tigress opened up on her shoulder.

"Your Bakugan have no discipline. You clearly lack the skill needed to claim victory against us."

"Why not just give up?" Thalia asked, "it'll be easier then having your Bakugan taken from you."

"Don't listen to her!" Sunset cried. "You guys know what you're up against. You can still win."

"She's right," Lyra nodded. "Show it why you guys are the best of the best." Flash smiled at them and nodded, then gave Thalia a serious expression.

"Well, I tried. Guess he'll have to learn the hard way. Gate Card, Set!" She threw the card towards the ground and when it exploded, she held up Tigress before leaping into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw it and hit several power-ups before the ball hit the ground and popped open. "Bakugan...STAND! Haos Tigress!"

Tigress roared, her power rising as she appeared on the battlefield.

Tigress: 750Gs

"My turn!" Flash held up both his Bakugan and threw Leonidas. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Leo flew through several power-ups before hitting the ground. "Leo, STAND!" The tornado of light flew out of him and took shape, the Dragon breaking out of it before roaring as his power level rose.

Tigress: 750Gs
Leonidas: 700Gs

"And come, Bakugan Trap!" Flash threw the other Haos Bakugan into the air. "Haos Lindwhirl!" His Bakugan unfolded and unleashed a brilliant light, which flew across the battlefield before smashing into the ground behind Tigress.

Tigress: 750Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1050Gs

As Leonidas flew down, ready to deal some damage to the tiger, Thalia quickly slashed a card. "Ability, Activate!" Light flew around Tigress' mouth and formed the crystalline jaw. "Crystal Bite!"

Tigress: 1050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1050Gs

She leapt up and met the dragon head on, slashing at him with her claws as she tried to sink her gem-made fangs into him. But Leonidas managed to grab her front legs and keep her claws away, whilst staying out of reach of her fangs. And at the same time, Lindwhirl slithered over to them and swung his long tail around.

The next thing Tigress knew, it was wrapping around her stomach and pulling her away from Leonidas. And as she was thrown away, doing several flips, Flash took out a pair of cards and swiped them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Leonidas flew up, his mouth sparking, as Lindwhirl curled up and his spike glowed. "Neo Phase, Plus Radiant Stampede!"

Tigress: 1050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1500Gs

"Raaaaaaaaaah!" Leo fired his laser, which Tigress managed to dodge, but then Lindwhirl flew forward whilst morphing into a wheel of light. He slammed right into the tiger, making her cry out in pain as she was knocked away.

"Gaaah!" Tigress hit the ground, as Leo and Lindwhirl prepared to attack again.

"You think that scares me!?" Thalia stated. "Let me show you what it truly means to be a Brawler!" She then took out another Bakugan. But this one was a hexagon barrel shape. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air, "Haos Sky Horse!" Everyone watched as the Bakugan unfolded, the light that came out of it almost blinding everyone.

The Bakugan took shape and was soon revealed to be a giant white and yellow seahorse, with giant dragon wings on its back. Its tail ended in a V-shaped blade, as it let out a horse-like neigh and flew down to intercept Lindwhirl.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1400Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1500Gs

This distraction gave Tigress the time she needed to pick herself up, as Thalia swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Tigress' body sparked and she shot off, racing around in a circle that formed a tornado. "Lightning Whirlwind, plus Shine Scream!"

As the Tornado flew towards Leonidas and Lindwhirl, Sky Horse suddenly let out a high pitched scream. Glowing soundwaves escaped its mouth, hitting the pair and making them flinch in pain. And as they did, the lightning tornado struck and zapped them both.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1100Gs

"Hold on, guys!" Flash took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas flew down to Lindwhirl, as the hexagons formed around the pair. "Particle Barrier!" The tornado died down before it was form, whilst the shield protected them from the ongoing sonic attack.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1300Gs

But as the sonic attack ended, Tigress charged forward and slashed at the shield with her claws. This caused it to shatter before she tried to claw at them both, Leo leaping back whilst Lindwhirl used his own claws to block hers. But he was quickly being overpowered.

"Flash!" Leo yelled, "do something!" Flash nodded and drew three cards.

"We got this!" He swiped them all at once. "Triple Ability, Activate!" Leonidas began to glow. "Speed Burst, plus Photon Force..." Leonidas flew around at high speed and formed the orb of energy between his hands, which grew as large as him before he threw it.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1500Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1700Gs

Lindwhirl let himself be overpowered and pushed back, allowing him to dodge the explosion that occurred when the attack struck the ground and exploded. The shockwave then struck Tigress and knocked her off balance, allowing Lindwhirl to leap forward.

"Plus, Raging Slash!" The Bakugan Trap swiped at Tigress and did some serious damage, as she fell to the ground.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1400Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1700Gs

Sky Horse flew down to try and aid her, only for Leonidas to block her. "Hello poppet!" He spun around and slammed his tail into it, knocking it down towards the ground.

Everyone cheered, seeing both Bakugan hit the ground. But Thalia wasn't scared, as Tigress and Sky Horse managed to get back up. And as the other two Bakugan prepared for another attack, she took out two cards and slashed them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" She held up two Bakugan and threw them into the air, the pair glowing before the light flew into Tigress. "Savage Air, plus Flash Blade!" As Tigress powered up, the blade of Sky Horse' tail glowed before it flew over to Leonidas and slashed at him.

"Gyah!"

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1800Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1600Gs

As Leo staggered back, Tigress began to charge at the pair with her claws beginning to glow. But before she could reach them, Lindwhirl slithered over to Leonidas as Flash took out a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He slashed the first card, as the tip of Lindwhirl's tail glowed before it started spinning it around. "Spiral Guardian..." The light flew off and swirled around, forming a barrier that blocked Tigress' attack and negated the effects of Sky Horse's last ability.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1800Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1700Gs

"Plus, Fusion Ability! Neo Photon Blast!" Leonidas then flew up, as his body began to glow.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1800Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2200Gs

The light flew off his body and formed the sphere of light, which he fired the laser into and made explode into a massive beam of energy. That energy shot towards the two Bakugan, who both braced themselves as Thalia took out two cards of her own.

"Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped them and both her Bakugan leapt into action. "Power Charge, plus Glow Gale!" Tigress' claws glowed again, along with Sky Horse's wings. And with a mighty flap, the light flew off and forced a glowing blast of wind.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 2050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2200Gs

The wind acted as a wall, which the Fusion Ability slammed into. But the laser quickly overpowered it and forced its way through. And whilst Tigress was able to avoid it, Sky Horse wasn't fast enough.

The laser struck the seahorse and with a neigh of pain, it reverted back to its smaller form and fell next to the other Bakugan on the ground.

Flash: 70%
Thalia: 70%

Everyone cheered, glad to see that Flash managed to get a win. And with it now being two Bakugan against one, things were looking up for him. "Go for it!" Flash yelled, checking his Baku-Bracer and seeing the power level difference.

Tigress: 1700Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 2200Gs

Leonidas roared, as he flew up before diving down to finally take Tigress down. But she was ready and Thalia quickly swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The blades on her body began to glow and with a roar, a wind appeared and flew past her. "Cut In Revenger!"

The wind carried the light off her body and up towards the attacking Leonidas, who gasped as he tried to stop himself and dodge.

But he wasn't fast enough and the blades slammed into him, "GYAH!" The wind also pushed him backwards until he crashed through another pillar, getting buried as his power dropped.

Tigress: 1700Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1600Gs

"LEO!" Flash cried, as Tigress raced forward with her target being Flash's Bakugan Trap. "Lindwhirl, look out!" But as the chimera-dragon tried to escape, Tigress suddenly turned into a blur that shot past him at break next speed.

The next thing the Bakugan knew, it was getting slashed at by the blur as Tigress appeared behind it. Then, an explosion flew off the Bakugan's chest and it was knocked down to the ground before reverting back to its smaller wheel form.

Flash: 50%
Thalia: 70%

"LINDWHIRL!" Flash gasped, as Leonidas pulled himself out of the rocks.

Thalia chuckled, as Tigress raced over to stand behind her. "Just be glad that Cut In Revenger doesn't count Trap Bakugan amongst it. If it had, you would have been in a much worse state." Flash glared at her, as Leonidas lost the power up from Lindwhirl.

Tigress: 1700Gs
Leonidas: 1250Gs

He pushed himself up and charged, as Flash took out his last Ability Card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leo leapt towards Tigress, "Power Brawl!"

Tigress: 1700Gs
Leonidas: 1450Gs

Despite the power boost, his attacks did nothing against Tigress. He attacked and attacked, but his fellow Haos Bakugan was too fast. And as she dodged his tail swipe, she spun forward and slammed her tail into his head. "Gyah!"

"Time to end this," Thalia stated as she pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed before the light flew over to Tigress. "Mirage Field!" The light swirled around her before flying off and splitting into multiple streams, which flew down and hit the ground before morphing into multiple identical copies of Tigress.

Tigress: 1900Gs
Leonidas: 1450Gs

"What the heck?" Moondancer cried. "What are those things?"

"Holograms!" Sorcerell stated, though she didn't seem sure. "Or something similar. Hard light projections." They could only watch, as Leonidas spun around trying to figure out what to do. But then, one of the Tigress clones flew forward and slashed at him. Then another and another.

"RAAAAAH!" He cried out in pain, as he was constantly slashed over and over again. And eventually, the real one charged with her claws glowing.

"FALL!" She roared, as she leapt up and slashed her claws down Leonidas' front before piercing the ground. And as Leonidas froze, everyone stared at him in shock as he stood there. And as he did, Leonidas felt something. A dark energy, coming off Tigress. Something about her was different from any Bakugan he had faced before. But that was all he could think before he started falling backwards.

"LEO!" Flash ran to him, as the dragon began to glow before shrinking back into his ball form. It was all Flash could do to reach him in time to catch him, moments before he hit the ground.

Flash: 0%
Thalia: 70% (Winner)

"Oh no!" Lyra cried, as they began to run to him.

"Don't worry," Sunset stated. "At least Leonidas won't be taken. The power difference is too low." But they all knew Leonidas had only been fifty points away from being won by Thalia. They had gotten lucky.

Thalia chuckled, as Tigress reverted back to ball form and flew back to her. She caught her partner and picked up her other Bakugan, as the others ran over to Flash. "Now you see, the kind of power you're facing." Flash glared at her, as she turned towards the portal to Equestria. "Now, I have business in that other world." But before she could step forward, the portal sparked and glowed before it started closing up.

The others saw this and smiled, happy to see that the breech was closing. Flash had managed to hold out just long enough.

"No!" She cried, as the portal completely closed. She glared at the Defenders, who all prepared to defend themselves if she attacked. "This isn't over." She rushed over to her transport and leapt into it. "Just wait. Next time, I'm taking your Bakugan for myself."

Flash watched as she flew away, whilst the others crowded around him. He then looked down at Leonidas and Lindwhirl. "Are you guys okay?" After a few moments, the Bakugan popped open and both seemed unaffected by their loss.

"That sucked," Leo stated. Lindwhirl let out several growls and whines. Flash sighed in relief, but then let what had happened sink in. And as it did, he let out a cry of frustration.

"THIS BLOWS!" He fell back and laid on the ground, the others seeing him pouted. "I can't believe I lost like that. How can she be so strong?"

"I've never seen that Bakugan she used before," Sunset stated. "We'll have to ask Dragonia, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't on Vestroia."

Leonidas nodded. "When she attacked, I felt something. Something I've never felt before."

"What?" Flash asked, sitting up.

"I'm not sure. It was some kind of energy. It felt cold and wrong. Like something a real Bakugan shouldn't have. Whatever it is, it's clearly why Tigress was able to beat us so easily."

"So what do we do?" Amazon asked, as Sunset started typing away at her Baku-Bracer.

"For now, we head back home. Flash and his Bakugan need to rest and the breech is closed, so there's no reason to stay here. Let's head back to Equestria and prepare for our next encounter."

"Fine," Flash nodded as he turned to where the transport ship had been. "Just you wait, Thalia. The next time we Brawl, you're going down. Do you hear me? YOU'RE GOING DOWN!"

Back in the Rugenga hideout, Thalia stepped into the base and found Cursor sitting in his chair.

"I have returned victorious," she announced. "The Bakugan Defenders have lost. Though I was unable to enter the breech, those fools will think twice before attempting to get in our way again."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Cursor stated. "If they're true Brawlers, one loss won't make them stop. It'll only drive them to try harder. Another loss is the only way to break their spirit. And when that happens, I expect you to take this Leonidas Bakugan and bring it to me."

"As you command, master." Thalia turned to leave, as Cursor reached up and removed the mask covering his face.

As he did, Draken floated up to him. "I had hoped this Leonidas would be a worthy opponent to face. But if he couldn't defeat Tigress, maybe he's not so special."

"Maybe. Or maybe there's more to him than meets the eye. And the only way to see it, is to push him and his partner to his very limit." Cursor chuckled, as he thought about what would happen when he faced off against this Flash Sentry character.

Author's Note

Well, that sucked. Flash and Leonidas lost, but they'll take this defeat and grow from it. But what could the Rugenga be hiding? Wait and find out.

So, yeah. I basically used my alien from the Omnitrix series as Flash's Trap Bakugan. What can I say, I like the name and the design. At least it's a different colour. Also, those of you who've seen the reboot will have likely recognised Thalia's Trap Bakugan. Yes, I did use the Geogan from that series. Most of their designs were pretty good, so I'm using them here. Hope that's okay with you all.

Sunset's Worth

"A long time ago, humans and Bakugan were divided. And when they were brought together, it allowed the two worlds to enter a time of peace.

Bakugan and humans lived, worked, played and just hung out together. They loved every minute of it and the world was set to become a utopia. Other planets that connected to Vestroia, also joined Earth and they formed the Bakugan Alliance. Everything was amazing, until one day.

Out of nowhere, Vestroia just seemed to disappear. Any attempt to travel there failed, with even the most powerful Bakugan being unable to open a portal. The Bakugan were locked out of their home and nobody could understand why.

For three years, the Bakugan lived on Earth, Vestal, Gundalia and Neathia. But many still missed their home and wanted to know what caused it to be lost. Then, one day, one of the greatest minds found a small crack. A gateway that could lead back to Vestroia.

A ship was constructed and six individuals and their Bakugan were chosen to head there. These individuals were Legendary Brawlers. Who had saved Vestroia a long time ago. They and their Bakugan piloted the ship. And along the way, one young Bakugan was allowed to go with them."

"That Bakugan was me," Amazon stated.

Everyone was in the throne room, shocked by the tale Amazon had just told them. This story indicated three things. That there was another Earth out there, along with three other planets, that knew of Bakugan. And that this world had attempted to enter Vestroia.

"So what happened?" Flash asked.

"We travelled through the dimensional gate in the ship. But along the way, we were hit by something. All I can remember is being thrown out of the ship and into the void. The next thing I remember, I'm waking up in Lyra's hands."

"Who were the Bakugan that were with you?" Dragonia asked, she and the Guardians floating above whilst listening.

"Who else," Amazon stated. "The first six soldier Bakugan. Darkus Hydranoid. Haos Tigerra. Subterra Gorem. Ventus Skyress. My master, Aquos Preyas. And, of course, Pyrus Dragonoid."

"Dragonoid and Tigerra," Flash stated. "Dragonoid looks just like Drakenoid?" Amazon nodded. "What about Tigerra? By any chance, does she look anything like Tigress?"

"Kind of..." Amazon hummed. "Tigerra's more...humanoid. But she is a Haos Tiger Bakugan." Everyone frowned when they heard this, as they tried to figure out what the heck was going on. Amazon's story was strange, but it could answer a lot of questions.

"These Brawlers that went to Vestroia," Sunset spoke up. "Do you think they could be the Rugenga?"

"NO WAY!" Amazon yelled, shocking everyone. "I know those guys and none of them would ever do something like that. They're good people."

"You said they were hit by something during their journey," Twilight spoke up. "It's possible that could have brainwashed them, or corrupted them."

"Maybe," Amazon huffed. "But Beck is way too tall to be Marucho. I love the guy, but he was a serious shrimp. And the others are too...different. I might have only met three of them, but the way they acted was just too unlike the Battle Brawlers I know. I'm telling you. Those Rugenga guys aren't the Battle Brawlers."

"But they do have some kind of connection to them," Moondancer frowned. "So that's one question about them answered. Now we know where they came from. And where Amazon came from as well."

"But there's still a lot we haven't learned about the Rugenga," Sunset sighed. "If they aren't the Battle Brawlers. Where did they come from? And what happened to the Brawlers? And why do they have Bakugan that look like lesser versions of the Bakugan that went with the Brawlers? If they even are lesser versions of them."

"We won't learn anything if we just stand around talking," Soarin stated. "If we want to learn more about them, we need to capture these guys and make them tell us."

"And how do we do that?" Lyra asked. "They run away every time a brawl ends."

"Then we'll stop them from running away," Valkyria stated. "The next time we battle, we'll capture them before they can get back to their ship."

"Alright!" Flash cheered. "Just you wait, Rugenga. The next time we face off, Leo and I will wipe you out."

"I hear that," Leonidas nodded. "Tigress and Drakenoid were strong, but the others don't seem to have any Bakugan like them. We'll take them down and make them talk." The others all seemed to agree, everyone apparently happy with Flash and Leo being the one to Brawl. But one person wasn't.

Sunset frowned, hearing everyone agree with Flash's decision. She didn't like the idea of just letting Flash Brawl every time. He had already lost to Thalia once and had only just managed to defeat Cursor. If he got too overconfident, it could lead to his doom.

"I can't let that happen."

In the dark cave, Hayate was standing over the pit holding out a Bakugan that was colourless.

The light from the pit began to flow into the Bakugan, swirling into it and causing it to pulse green. And eventually, the pulsing stopped and the green glow was constant before completely dying down. And in doing so, it revealed the Bakugan to now be a Ventus one.

"Skyreign," he stated, "awaken." The Bakugan opened and revealed it to be some kind of bird Bakugan, the beast floating into the air.

"Finally. I am free. Thank you."

"Of course," Hayate stated. "Now we have work to do. Our goal to capture and control the Bakugan is being stalled by some do-gooders. It's time they faced the full force and wrath of the queen of the skies."

"Do tell," Skyreign replied with a nod. "I'm always eager to blow away some fools who think they can get in our way." Hayate nodded and began to leave the cave, Skyreign right behind him. He was going to need to find a breach. Though he only wanted to battle the Bakugan Defenders, he knew he also had a mission to accomplish. Entering Equestria and taking the Bakugan there for himself.

Back in Equestria, Sunset was making her way through the city to get a bite at one of her favourite eateries. As she and Flarenix were walking, she could hear the ponies and Bakugan around her talking.

"Did you hear?" One unicorn stated. "The Defenders have a new member. Another human, who apparently helped save the Bakugan before."

"Yes. I heard he's a very powerful Brawler. And Flash managed to defeat the leader of the Rugenga. We're lucky those humans chose to arrive. I was getting worried the Rugenga would attack again, but they haven't been able to get through since they arrived."

"I'm sure Flash and his human friends will be able to defeat the Rugenga in no time." The others were all agreeing, as Sunset tried to tune them out.

"They're not the only reason the Rugenga haven't been getting here." But the more she walked through the city, the more praise she heard for Flash, Lyra and Soarin. There were even one or two ponies and Bakugan who had heard about Moondancer's victory over Azalea. But nothing was being said about her.

She eventually arrived at her favourite bakery and sat outside, ordering a tea and her favourite sweet treat. She needed it after all that.

As she waited, she sat and stewed in annoyance. 'I'm glad that Flash and the others are here. We've gotten so much stronger since they came. But...it isn't just them who've been working hard to protect Equestria.'

Flarenix leapt onto the table and looked up at her. "What's the matter? You seem upset about something."

"It's nothing," Sunset replied. "Just...lost in my own thoughts." Her order finally arrived and she quickly took a bite of the sweet treat, only for her mind to think back on her life up until that point. And how it hadn't gone how she had expected.

Years ago.

A young Sunset was walking through the castle, excitement on her face as she carried her books besides her. She was heading for the library, where she would begin her studies for the day as Celestia's student. But as she arrived, she found Celestia was with another young filly.

"Oh, Sunset." Celestia smiled at her. "Let me introduce you to Twilight Sparkle. My new student."

"New student?" Sunset's eyes widened in shock. "But I'm your student." She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had been Celestia's student for over a year and now she was being replaced. Why?

"Of course you're my student." Celestia gave her a kind look. "Both you and Twilight have extraordinary magical talent. It would be a shame to let you both waste that talent. So I'm going to be teaching you both, so that you can both flourish. And if you help Twilight understand the lessons I've already taught you, I'm sure it'll help you improve your own understanding of it even better."

Sunset frowned, but nodded. "Very well. I'll help her." Twilight smiled at this, though Sunset wasn't happy about having her time with Celestia taken away.

"When Twilight joined me as Celestia's student, I thought she would just be an annoying junior that would be constantly asking me questions to help understand something. But she wasn't. Her magical skill with magic far exceeded my own."

"This spell is easy to understand the theory of," Sunset told Twilight. "But putting it into practise is way harder. It took me a week to get the petals to even change the shade." She pointed at a red flower on the desk and with a grunt, her magic flared and the petals glowed. Within a few seconds, the petals changed to a blue colour.

"Wow," Twilight whispered before reading the spell. She activated her magic and with great effort, the petals turned a slightly different shade of blue.

This caused Sunset's eyes to widen, shocked that Twilight had figured out how to do the spell so quickly. "Beginner's luck."

"But it wasn't beginner's luck. Twilight managed to change the flower's colour by the end of the day. By the end of the week, she had figured out how to change each petal into a different colour in one go. Even I couldn't do that. It took Twilight three months to catch up to me in my lessons. I went from being her senior to being her equal. And even that didn't last."

Sunset was reading a magic book with volume nine written on the front, then looked over at Twilight who was reading from volume twelve.

Time moves on and the pair get older, both working in the lab of Celestia's school. They were both formulating potions and whilst both of their magical skills vastly outweighed the other students, Sunset was still behind Twilight in magical expertise.

Sunset poured an entire vial of her potion into a pot of soil, causing it to shake and begin to grow a flower. She smiled and turned to Twilight, only to be shocked when she saw her only place a drop of her potion into the soil. moments later, a flower that was bigger and prettier than Sunset's appeared.

"No matter what I did, I was always second best. Nopony cared about my accomplishment. All they ever talked about was Twilight. Even Celestia seemed to focus more on Twilight than me. And then it happened."

Sunset was at the castle, looking worried as she stared up at the sun. Not too long ago, during the Summer Sun Celebration, the sun had been missing and the moon refused to lower. Sunset had been so busy working on her magic, that she had hardly noticed.

When she finally learned what had happened, she had been shocked. Twilight had been sent to a small town to make the preparations, only for Celestia to disappear as the evil Nightmare Moon returned and took her captive. Sunset hadn't believed that Nightmare Moon was real, even when Twilight had told her about her fears. Sunset had thought it was just her imagination getting the better of her.

But it turns out Twilight hadn't been wrong. And now, Celestia had returned with somepony else.

"Princess," Sunset ran to her teacher as she and Luna stepped off the carriage. "You're okay!" She then noticed the other alicorn, "who's this?"

"My sister. Luna. Twilight and her new friends were able to save us both from Nightmare Moon's hold. They saved all of Equestria from eternal night."

"She did?" Sunset couldn't believe it. "Where is she?" She expected Twilight to be with the princess, ready to start studying again whilst being adored as the hero of Equestria.

"Twilight has chosen to stay in Ponyville with her new friends. She is going to learn everything there is to know about Friendship. I'm sure when her studies end, she will grow into an even better magic user. And she'll learn to use her magic for the good of Equestria."

Sunset frowned, but then smiled. If Twilight was busy learning about this silly Friendship thing, her magical studies would suffer. This was her chance.

"I studied even harder then. Doing everything I could to improve my magical abilities. I was sure this would give me the edge I needed over Twilight. To finally surpass her in magical skill. But I was wrong.

Months later, Celestia entrusted Twilight and her friends with defeating a powerful villain named Discord. After that, she was able to help save Canterlot from the Changeling invasion, then saved the newly returned Crystal Empire from Sombra. Again and again, Twilight was given the chance to prove herself over and over. And eventually, she proved herself ready for the ultimate honour."

"Arise. Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight stood up, her new wings flexing as she turned towards the crowd that were cheering. The newest princess of Equestria looked a little uneasy about her current state. But she accepted it with grace and humility.

Sunset was clapping, but not as enthusiastically as everypony else.

When the party began to wind down, Sunset left the great hall to find somewhere to be alone. Somewhere nopony would find her in the state she was in. And when she found it, she burst into tears and slid down the wall to curl up on the ground. "Why? Why her? I studied so hard. Why was she always chosen over me? Why wasn't I given a chance?"

"Sunset?" She unicorn was pulled out of her daydreams by Flarenix's concerned voice. "What's wrong?"

Sunset was about to say she was fine, but then she realised she had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry." She rubbed them. "I'm just...it's happening again."

"What's happening again?"

"When the Bakugan came to Equestria. When I learned I was one of the few who could battle with them and protect the world, I thought it was my chance. The chance to prove myself worthy of having Celestia's respect. I tried so hard to keep Equestria safe. I fought the Rugenga with everything I had. I did everything in my power to keep everypony and the Bakugan safe."

"And you've done an amazing job," Flarenix told her. "Equestria is safe. The Bakugan are safe. You should be proud."

"But I wasn't doing a good enough job. I kept the Rugenga from entering Equestria, but I almost always lost. I was never able to free any Bakugan and came out of the battles injured and exhausted. But then Flash showed up and wiped away the Rugenga. He helped Moondancer overcome her fears and helped her save more Bakugan. And now Soarin's here. They're so much stronger than me. And everypony loves them."

"But they haven't forgotten about you," Flarenix stated. "They might have had some amazing victories, but you're efforts haven't been forgotten."

Sunset wasn't sure she believed that. She needed to find a way to prove herself as a true Brawler. Someone the ponies could put their faith in. But how could she prove it?

She finished her snack and drink before picking up Flarenix and teleporting herself back to the castle, the unicorn considering heading towards the colosseum to practise. But she was sure the others were there and she wasn't in the mood for seeing them at the moment.

Instead, she headed for the control hub and when she arrived, she spotted Rosemary and the other ponies sitting at the monitors looking bored. She checked the time and realised they were probably getting hungry. "You guys go get something to eat," she told them. "I'll keep an eye on things."

"Are you sure?" Rosemary asked, obviously worried about getting in trouble.

"Sure," Sunset nodded. "You guys work too hard sometimes. Can't let you overdo it. Go enjoy your lunch break. I got this." They all smiled and nodded before heading out of the room, Sunset taking Rosemary's seat as Flarenix jumped onto the console.

"Are you sure that was a good idea? What if something big happens?"

"We'll be fine," Sunset assured him. "We can handle working all the monitors. We just gotta keep an ear out and be ready for anything." She started rolling from one console to another, checking everything to make sure there weren't any disturbances. "At least I'm good for something."

She kept this up for about ten minutes, with nothing out of the ordinary happening.

But then, one of the alarms went off and Sunset practically jumped at this. She rolled over to one of the consoles and found a level three breach had just opened up. The other side was very close to Trottingham. "We need to get the team there as soon as-" She stopped, about to send an alert to the others. But she didn't.

"Sunset?" Flarenix asked. "What's wrong?"

"We're going," Sunset told him. "Just the two of us." Flarenix was shocked to hear this.

"Sunset. Are you sure about this? What if more than one Rugenga arrives? We might not be able to handle this on our own."

"We can," Sunset assured him. "And we will. I have to show everyone that I can be just as good a Brawler as the others. I'm supposed to be the leader and I haven't done anything to prove my worth since getting that title. Now is the time to show everypony what I can do."

"Even if you risk losing the Brawl and letting the Rugenga into Equestria?" Sunset knew she was being selfish, putting a lot on the line.

"This is something I have to do. Please, Flarenix. Stand by my side."

"Always," Flarenix quickly jumped up into her hand. "I just want to make sure you don't come to regret this." Sunset nodded before activating the transporter and stepping into it. Once it was powered up, she was beamed into Vestroia and left the room completely deserted.

Inside his transport, Hayate was sitting in the pilot's seat heading towards the breach.

He thanked his luck for the breach being detected as soon as he needed one, now that he had Skyreign to battle with. "Almost there," he told his partner on the console. "No doubt the Defenders will be waiting there for us."

"Good," Skyreign stated. "I look forward to spreading my wings." As she said that, the console beeped to show the breach was in range. He pushed the engines to full speed and shot forward, spotting the breach in the distance.

The shimmer of light could be seen from even that high, showing just how strong of a breach this one was. It likely wouldn't close for a long time. All he had to do was beat the Defenders and get through it.

However, as he began to fly towards the ground, he spotted only one person there. "Huh." He set the ship to autopilot and left it hovering over the ground, as he grabbed Skyreign and opened the top before leaping out. He ended up doing several flips and spins before landing on the ground, the Rugenga standing tall and glaring Sunset down. "Where's the rest of your little party? I thought you guys were too scared to Brawl alone?"

Sunset glared at him. "I'm not scared of anything. Especially you. After the trouncing Flash gave you before, it's clear you're nothing to be worried about."

Hayate shook his head. "Maybe I did lose to that guy." As he said that, a Bakugan flew up next to him. "But that was before I had my partner with me." Sunset frowned, realising this Bakugan wasn't like the ones they had captured before.

"Sunset," Flarenix stated.

"I know," she nodded. "That one's gotta be like Tigress and Drakenoid. That means it'll be tough to take down." She considered calling the others for backup, but she couldn't let this chance to prove herself go to waste. Flash had trouble with this kind of Bakugan. If she could defeat one, it would prove she was just as strong as them. "Flarenix. Let's do this!"

"Right," he nodded as activated the Baku-Bracer.

Skyreign chuckled. "You fools need to learn your place."

"And I'm happy to teach it to you," Hayate activated his Baku-Bracer and the pair connected. This caused the energy field to activate and a bunch of power-ups to appear, as the pair's life gauges began to fill. "LET'S BRAWL!" They both cried, Hayate taking out a card as he did.

Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 100%

"Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the ground and exploded, the light spreading across the field as Hayate held up his Bakugan. "Prepare yourself to face the ultimate master of the winds." He leapt into the air and with a spin, threw his Bakugan. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The ball hit the ground and exploded open, unleashing a blast of wind that swirled into a tornado. "Bakugan...STAND! Rise, Ventus Skyreign!"

Sunset watched as the tornado grew larger before exploding. As it did, it revealed a giant bird Bakugan with large wings. It was dark green in colour, wearing a black open vest with red trim. Its feet were also black and it had three long ribbon-like tails, each tipped with a black blade.

Skyreign: 550Gs

Sunset was almost pushed back by the wind, but managed to stay on her hooves as she looked up at the beast. And as it squawked, he could feel a great but disturbing power coming from it. And when she saw its G Power, she gulped. "That thing's strong."

"Maybe," Flarenix nodded. "But there's more to winning than just power. We can do this."

"Alright," Sunset stood strong, "let's do this thing!" Flarenix nodded as he leapt off her shoulder and curled up, Sunset grabbing him before leaping into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw him through a bunch of power-ups and he quickly hit the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" Flarenix popped open and exploded into a ball of fire, which flew into the air and began to take form. "Pyrus Flarenix!"

The fire vanished and Flarenix squawked, as he and Skyreign glared one another down.

Flarenix: 450Gs
Skyreign: 550Gs

"I don't know what you are," Flarenix told his fellow avian Bakugan. "But you're going to regret coming here." As he said that, the power-ups kicked in and his power rose.

Flarenix: 600Gs
Skyreign: 550Gs

Skyreign stared him down, then smirked before speaking. "You think a chick like you can scare me? Please. You don't stand a chance against my power." The two birds flew upwards, as Hayate pointed toward the ground.

"Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed and a bunch of tornados exploded out of the light, "Ventus Reactor!"

Flarenix: 600Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs

Skyreign began to attack, flying at Flarenix and attempting to slash at him with the blades on her tail. But Flarenix managed to avoid them as Sunset took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's wings suddenly ignited. "Wildfire Wingbeat!"

The phoenix gave her wings a powerful flap and sent the flames flying off of them, the fireballs hitting Skyreign and causing her to squawk in pain.

Flarenix: 600Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

"Is that all you got!?" Hayate asked, as Skyreign forced herself through the smoke that formed and let out a horrible shriek. Hayate then took out a card and slashed it. "Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's entire body then burst into green flames, "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!"

Flarenix tried to evade, but the green firebird shot forward at a blinding speed before slamming into him. He cried out, as the flames cut and burned him at the exact same time.

Flarenix: 300Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

"Flarenix!" Sunset cried, watching her partner fall towards the ground whilst the flames on Skyreign continued to rage. But she wasn't done and took out another card. "Ability, Activate!" She slashed the card and Flarenix's body also burst into flames, as he righted himself in the air. "Incineration!"

"Take this!" He beat his wings and the flames flew off of him, flying towards Skyreign before swirling around her to form several spiralling fire streams.

Skyreign flinched at the heat, as the flames on her body disappeared.

Flarenix: 600Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

Flarenix then charged at Skyreign, attacking despite their power being even. The two clashed and got into an aerial dogfight, as Hayate slashed a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Skyreign pushed Flarenix away, then crossed her wings as they glowed. "Serrated Feather Bombardment!" She spread her wings and the light shot off of them, exploding into multiple feather-shaped blades that flew towards Flarenix.

The phoenix tried to avoid them, but they were too fast and he soon found himself getting slashed at with every hit. Every time he was sliced into, he lost fifty Gs.

Flarenix: 200Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

"Flarenix!" Sunset gasped, seeing her partner in serious trouble.

"Give it up!" Hayate told her. "Skyreign is the queen of the winds. What can your bird do, when it's not even a Ventus Bakugan?"

Sunset glared at him, as Skyreign flew in to finish Flarenix off. "Every monarch's reign must come to an end." She took out a card and swiped it, "but the flames of life will always be renewed. Ability, Activate!" Once again, Flarenix's body burst into flames. "Rebirth!"

As Skyreign tried to slash at Flarenix, the firebird shot straight up and dodged the attack. "What?" The Bakugan asked, looking up and seeing most of the flames fade away from Flarenix.

"Surprise," he told her as the flaming aura remained. All of his injuries had completely vanished, leaving him looking good as new.

Sunset smiled. "This ability card allows me to return Flarenix back to the power level he had at the start of the battle."

Flarenix: 600Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

"Then, adds another two hundred Gs on top of it."

Flarenix: 800Gs
Skyreign: 600Gs

"Get her!" Sunset cried, as Flarenix dived at the Ventus Bakugan.

"I don't think so," Hayate took out another card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" A mixture of green wind and green fire surrounded Skyreign. "Aero Style Destruction Dance!"

Flarenix: 800Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

Flarenix glared at Skyreign, as the Bakugan attack with the fire and wind surrounding her. But moments before they struck, Sunset swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Skyreign glowed and the light shot off her and into Flarenix. "Co-Side!"

Flarenix: 900Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

With the extra power, Flarenix managed to slam into Skyreign and knock her backwards. The Ventus Bakugan squawked as she reverted back to ball form and fell to the ground. "No," Hayate cried, "I can't believe we lost that round."

Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 80%

Sunset smiled, as Flarenix returned to her. "Great work."

"That was too close," Flarenix sighed. "And we barely did any damage."

Sunset nodded, as Hayate picked his partner up. "At least now, we know what we're up against. We managed to get a small lead on him and we'll use that to lead us straight to victory." She took a deep breath, "I can do this."

Back in Equestria, Flash and the others were making their way through the castle.

There was still a large section of the place the humans hadn't seen yet, so Soarin being there had seemed like a good reason for them all to know where everything was. "Geez, how do you find anything in a place this big?" Soarin asked, as they made their way down one of the corridors they knew.

"Yeah," Lyra nodded. "I never understood why castles need to be so big."

"Mostly for the staff," Twilight explained. "It needs to be big, to house all the guards that live and defend the place. If it was the size of a mansion, there wouldn't be enough guards to keep it safe from attacks and thieves. Then there's the cleaner, the cooks and any other employee that needs to keep the place running. Don't forget the guests who come and visit, like diplomats and government officials. Honestly, it really needs to be this big."

"I guess," Flash nodded as they arrived at the hub and found the place was completely empty. "What the?"

"I don't believe it!" Twilight cried, rushing to the console. "They left their post." As she said that, the ponies all returned with Rosemary in the lead.

"Oh, your highness."

"Why did you leave the hub unattended?" Twilight asked, sounding disappointed.

The staff were all shocked by this statement. "But...Sunset was here. She took over for us so we could get some lunch." Rosemary looked around, "she should be here."

"Then where is she?" Moondancer asked, knowing Sunset wouldn't just leave her post. The others were wondering the same, Twilight activated the console. And in doing so, she gasped.

"There's a breach." Everyone rushed over to her. "A strong one."

"So that's where Sunset went," Braeburn frowned. "Why didn't she contact us?" Everyone wondered the same thing, but they had bigger issues to deal with.

"If she's on her own, she could be in trouble." Flash rushed up to the transporter. "Let's get going!" The others nodded and rushed into the transporter, as Twilight and Rosemary activated the machine. They just hoped Sunset was okay and if she wasn't, that she could hold on until they got there

"Gate Card...SET!" Sunset threw her card towards the ground, she and Hayate leaping into the air as the card exploded.

"Bakugan," the both threw their partners, "BRAWL!" The two avian Bakugan flew through the air, hitting some power-ups along the way, then landed and popped open. "Bakugan...STAND!" Fire and wind exploded out of the Bakugan, both of them squawking as they took their true forms and their G Power rose.

Flarenix: 650Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs

"Gate Card, Open!" The field then exploded into flames, "Pyrus Reactor!" The flames flew into Flarenix and pumped his power up, as he shot forward in an attempt to overpower Skyreign.

Flarenix: 850Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs

And as he did, both Sunset and Hayate swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The two glowed as the light flew off them and into the other. "Co-Side!"

Flarenix: 950Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

Flarenix slammed into Skyreign and knocked her backwards, but the bird managed to correct herself in the air and fly back up. As she did, Hayate slashed another card.

"Ability, Activate!" Skyreign span, wind swirling around her. "Raging Tyrannical Tailwind!" Flarenix moved to the side in order to dodge Skyreign, but she didn't let that stop her and stopped spinning. And with a beat of her wings, the wind surrounding her shot down towards Flarenix and struck him.

"Gyah!"

Flarenix: 750Gs
Skyreign: 950Gs

Flarenix fell towards the ground and almost crashed into it, but managed to open his wings and level out at the last moment.

As Flarenix flew over the ground, Sunset took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Both Flarenix's wings and talons ignited, as he flew straight up towards Skyreign. "Blazing Talon, plus Wildfire Wingbeat!" He quickly flapped the flames off his wings and the fireballs slammed into Skyreign, burning away her power.

Flarenix: 850Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

Skyreign flinched at the impacts, as Flarenix attacked with his flaming talons. "Take this!" She slashed at her chest and she cried out in pain, but Hayate was ready.

"Ability, Activate!" He swiped a card and Skyreign's body burst into flames. "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!" The flames slammed into Flarenix and forced him off of Skyreign, making him flinch as his power dropped.

Flarenix: 550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

Skyreign then charged at Flarenix, her flaming body ready to do some serious damage. But before she could land her attack, Sunset swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's body burst into flames and when Skyreign slammed into him, their fires cancelled each other out. "Incinerate!"

Flarenix: 850Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs

With Skyreign so close, Flarenix started slashed and slapping at her with his wings and talons. Skyreign flinched, but Hayate was ready and took something out.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air and Sunset saw that it was a square green Bakugan. "Ventus Insectra!"

The Bakugan unfolded and transformed, taking the form of what appeared to be a dragonfly Bakugan. It had a round body and head, with large wings coming off the side of the body that had crystalline claws beneath them. It also had a long flat tail, with a V-shaped stinger on the end made of the same gems as the claws.

Flarenix: 850Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs

The insect flew up and tackled Flarenix, slamming him away from Skyreign and allowing her to blow him away with a beat of her wings.

As Flarenix worked to keep his balance, Insectra attempted another attack. But Sunset quickly swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's body burst into flames. "Inferno Charge!"

Flarenix: 1100Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs

Flarenix quickly flew up and slammed into the Trap Bakugan, knocking it backwards as it hissed whilst Skyreign flew down to take Flarenix head on.

It was in that moment that a portal opened up, Sunset looking around to see Flash and the other Defenders appear. "Sunset!" Flash cried, as they heard the two birds crying out whilst they collided. "Who's that Bakugan?"

"Skyreign," Sunset replied. "Hayate's partner."

"Amazon?" Lyra asked. "Do you recognised that Bakugan?" Amazon stared at the bird, as she and the flaming Flarenix flew around one another.

"Yeah. I've definitely seen her before. She looks different, but she's almost exactly like Storm Skyress."

"Storm Skyress?" Moondancer asked. "What's with these guys having evil twins of those famous Bakugan?" Before anyone could say anything, Insectra flew in and knocked into Flarenix. This pushed him away, allowing Skyreign to blow him back with a gale that extinguished his flames.

"Ah, man!" Flash cried, "it's two against one."

"This is bad," Soarin agreed.

"I've got this!" Sunset cried, taking something out. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air and revealed it to be an egg-shaped Bakugan. "Pyrus Solarmander!" The egg flipped open, the top folding back to become a tail shape and reveal a lizard head that folded out of the body. The bottom flipped down and split into four small legs.

Everyone watched as the Bakugan Trap burst into flames, which shot up before landing on Flarenix's back.

The flames then extinguished to reveal a red and yellow lizard Bakugan, standing on four legs. Its top half was red and it had a yellow under-jaw, neck and belly. Yellow spots were also covering the red parts and the end of its tail quickly ignited.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1450Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs

Flarenix flew them both towards their opponents and as they got close, Solarmander swung his tail around and sent the flames on it flying at Insectra. The other Trap Bakugan cried out in pain, but Skyreign wouldn't be so easily defeated.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Hayate slashed two cards and Skyreign unleashed another powerful gale. "Crushing Cyclone Fortress!" The wind swirled into a vortex, which slammed into the pair and sent Solarmander flying off of Flarenix's back.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs

"Plus, Aero Stinger!" The V-shaped blade on Insectra's tail glowed before firing a barrage of green lights, which hit the two Pyrus Bakugan and made them both cry out. With every hit, their Power level dropped more and more.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 850Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs

Flarenix groaned, but pushed his way through the wind and shot up to grab Solarmander in his talons. As he did, Flash called out to Sunset. "You can do it, Sunset. You've got this!"

"I know," Sunset nodded. "I am a student of Princess Celestia. I might not be as talented as Twilight, but this is something I can do." She drew two cards and slashed them both. "Double Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's body burst into flames, which spread to Solarmander. "Rebirth, plus Sunlight Brilliance..."

As the flames flew off of them, the pair looked like they had been restored to full HP. And as Flarenix dropped Solarmander, the lizard curled up as the yellow spots on his body unleashed a blinding wave of light.

Skyreign and Insectra were both blinded, their power dropping as a result.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1000Gs

The two tried to fight through the light, as Flarenix caught Solarmander and charged. They flew at the pair, Flarenix throwing Solarmander and Insectra whilst he charged at Skyreign.

Solarmander rolled up and body checked Insectra, knocking it back whilst Flarenix used his wing to slap at Skyreign and knock her falling downwards. But as Flarenix caught Solarmander, Hayate took out a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" He slashed them both and a wind appeared around Skyreign, acting like a cushion to slow her down. "Whirlwind Rage, plus Tailwind Cannon!"

Skyreign spread her wings and with a beat, launched the wind towards the pair. At the same time, a swirl of wind wrapped around Insectra's tail and it launched it at the two as well.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1250Gs

The attacks smashed into Flarenix and Solarmander, the pair flinching but fighting their way through it. And as they did, Sunset swiped her own card. "Ability, Activate!" Insectra glowed and the light flew off and into Solarmander. "Co-Side!"

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1300Gs
Skyreign+Insectra: 1250Gs

This allowed them to fly through the wind attacks and charge at the Ventus Bakugan, with Solarmander leaping off Flarenix and diving at Insectra. And before the Trap Bakugan could react, the lizard slammed into it.

The Dragonfly hissed, as it was forced back to ball form and fell to the ground. Hayate gasped, as the square Bakugan landed at his feet. "Not again."

Sunset: 100%
Hayate: 70%

Flarenix managed to catch Solarmander, the pair turning their attention to Skyreign.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1300Gs
Skyreign: 950Gs

But as they charged towards the bird, ready to finish her off, Hayate took out a card. "Alright. No more messing around. I'm ending this now!" He swiped the card, as Skyreign's body burst into a bunch of super intense flames. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's blazing body shot forward, a powerful gust of wind blowing behind her. "Eternal Blades of Flaming Gale Force!"

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1300Gs
Skyreign: 1450Gs

Flarenix managed to dodge the oncoming attack, but the gale she brought with her was so strong that it knocked Flarenix off balance. "Hold on!" He told Solarmander, but the lizard couldn't and was blown off his back. The next they both knew, Skyreign spun around and with a single flap, sent all the flames flying off of her and shooting towards them in the form of massive green fire blades.

Flarenix managed to avoid them, but Solarmander wasn't so lucky. They slammed into him and the Trap Bakugan hissed before his body reverted back to his smaller form. "NO!" Sunset cried, seeing her Bakugan fall to the ground.

Sunset: 70%
Hayate: 70%

As Flarenix gained control of his flight against, Skyreign flew up and slammed into him. "Gyah!" He groaned, trying to throw the Bakugan off but couldn't.

Flarenix: 950Gs
Skyreign: 1450Gs

"This is really bad!" Braeburn yelled, as Sunset took out her card. But before she could play it, Skyreign turned her attention to them and unleashed a powerful whirlwind that slammed into them.

"NO!" Flarenix cried, seeing his friends all getting blown away by the gale. "DAMN YOU!" He charged at Skyreign, but she dodged his attacks before slamming her talons into his back and pushing them deep. "AUGH!" He fell to the ground and Skyreign pinned him down, as she kept blowing the others away.

"This is over," Skyreign told him. "Your friends will be blown to kingdom come and you'll be joining our team."

"Never!" Flarenix yelled, still trying to push himself up. But Skyreign was just too strong.

Sunset screamed, the unicorn barely able to hold on whilst everyone else had been forced to hide behind a rock pillar, to prevent themselves from being blown away. "Sunset!" Flash cried, "you gotta get out of there!"

"No!" Sunset cried, her horn glowing. "I...I can do this." She tried to put up a shield, but the wind was battering against her so hard it was making it almost impossible. "I won't...give up." She tried again, but another burst of wind almost blew her into the air.

"SUNSET!" Flarenix cried, squawking as Skyreign used her tail blades to stab into him.

Hayate laughed. "And with this, it's over!"

"NOT YET!" Sunset cried, her magic flaring at the sound of her partner's pain. "I won't let you take Flarenix. Or any other Bakugan!" With that, her magic formed a protective barrier that blocked the wind. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was all Sunset needed to turn things around. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" She swiped the card and Flarenix's body exploded, "PHOENIX RAISING!"

The flames exploded upwards and blew Skyreign off of Flarenix, allowing him to get up and take off once again.

"Ahhh!" Hayate growled, as Skyreign prepared to attack. But as he checked his Baku-Bracer, he smiled.

Flarenix: 1450Gs
Skyreign: 1450Gs

"So they're even. That won't last for long!"

"You're right," Sunset replied. "It won't last for long." As she said that, Flarenix flew over where Solarmander had fallen. By some miracle, the earlier gale hadn't blown the Trap away. And as he flew overhead, embers flew off of Flarenix and rained down on him. "Arise once again, Pyrus Solarmander!" Suddenly, the Bakugan popped open and transformed.

"What?" Hayate cried, seeing the fire lizard suddenly appear in a burst of flames. "Impossible."

"Not with Phoenix Rising," Sunset smiled. "It has the power to revive a fallen Bakugan." Solarmander leapt onto Flarenix's back, the pair flying towards Skyreign.

Flarenix+Solarmander: 1800Gs
Skyreign: 1450Gs

Hayate gasped and tried to activate an Ability, but the two Bakugan were faster. And in a burst of flames, they both slammed into Skyreign and the bird let out a squawk of pain before she was thrown backwards. And eventually, she reverted back to ball form and fell towards the ground.

"No!" Hayate cried, "that's not possible!"

Sunset: 70% (Winner)
Hayate: 0%

The others cheered, as Sunset's Bakugan returned to her. "You did it, Sunset!" Flash cheered, "we knew you could." Sunset smiled, as Hayate picked up his Bakugan.

"I can't believe I lost so badly," he growled before glaring at the Defenders. "Don't think this means anything. You might have won this fight, but I'll be back. And next time, I'm getting into that world and taking all the Bakugan you have." The Defenders glared at him, as he leapt into the air before doing several spins and landing on his ship.

Once it closed, the vessel flew off and the Defenders watched him leave.

Once he was gone, Braeburn turned to Sunset. "What happened? Why didn't ya'h call us when the alert came in? Ya'h always tell us not to rush inta dangerous situations, but now you went and did the same thing."

"I'm sorry," Sunset sighed. "I just...lately I've been feeling like I'm not needed. Ever since Flash and the others showed up, I haven't been needed anymore. With how powerful they are. I just wanted to prove I can still be a part of the team."

The Defenders were all shocked by this, with Flash bursting out laughing. "Seriously?" Sunset looked shocked by this. "Sunset. Of course you're needed. You're the leader of this team. It doesn't matter if you battle or not. Having you with us is always something we'd want. Don't forget, it was you that made Moondancer battle and helped overcome her fear."

Sunset wasn't sure how she felt about that, but the others looking at her told her they really did appreciate her. Even so, she was still worried about how Celestia would see her little act of defiance. Would she be disappointed in her? Would she make Flash or another leader instead? What was waiting for her back in Equestria?

As he made his way through the cave, Hayate growled at his loss. "I can't believe we were beaten so handedly."

"Problem?" He stopped and turned to see Kiyrah, who was leaning against a wall. "I heard you went off to battle one of the Defenders. And by the way you're growling, I'm guessing it didn't go well." Hayate said nothing, looking away as he did. "Don't worry. You'll get them next time. And you'll have help."

"Help?" He turned to Kiyrah, as she held something up for him to see. "Is that..."

"Meet Hydread." The Darkus Bakugan popped open and Hayate saw it was some kind of lizard creature, which gave off the same imposing dark power as Skyreign. He smiled under his mask, as he realised how much help that Bakugan would be. The Defenders wouldn't know what hit them.

Once the breach closed, Sunset and the rest of the Defenders returned to Equestria.

Sunset had expected to get a lecture from Celestia, but found her mentor wasn't there. Twilight had been the one to give her an earful, but Sunset had been able to tune that out until she was finished.

Now, she was on a castle balcony watching the sun drifting towards the horizon.

She soon sensed somepony behind her and expected Flash or another Defender. She wasn't expecting to see Celestia, who stepped up besides her. "Princess?" Celestia stood there and gave Sunset a look.

"Flash told me you've been feeling...unappreciated."

"No," Sunset shook her head. "I just...I just wanted to show that you can trust me to protect Equestria. That I'm strong enough to keep it safe, like Twilight."

Celestia seemed to understand this. "I see. So this is because of all the times I asked Twilight to save Equestria." Sunset looked down. "There's no need to be jealous. Twilight has done some amazing things, but that doesn't take anything away from your accomplishments."

"I don't have any accomplishments. I was never given the chance to accomplish anything. Every time something happened, you sent Twilight to deal with. I might not have been able to stop Nightmare Moon or Discord, but I'm sure I'd have been able to save the Crystal Empire. If you'd just let me."

Celestia shook her head at this. "Everypony has a destiny, Sunset. Twilight's was to save Equestria and become princess. Yours is to help the Bakugan."

"And I'm going to do that," Sunset stated.

"I'm sure you will. But don't think that means you have to endanger yourself to do so. Twilight might have been the one to discover how to defeat the enemies, but she never did it alone. You have friends and teammates. Let them help you. Because the next time you go rogue on your own, things might not go the way you want it to. And if you're alone, you may end up in over your head."

With that, Celestia turned to leave. As she did, Sunset wondered if she was right. What mattered wasn't getting credit. It was helping the Bakugan. And she needed her friends to do that.

Author's Note

So things in this version of Equestria didn't go exactly how they went in canon, which was likely obvious since Sunset was never in the show. So this is how Twilight and Sunset's relationship turned out. And while Sunset didn't hate Twilight, you can see why she felt overshadowed. Hopefully, her actions in the future will help her make a name for herself in her own way.

Drone Invasion

Within their secret base, the Rugenga were all gathered with only Beck being missing.

Currently, Kiyrah stood in front of Cursor with her new Bakugan in her hand. Cursor and Draken were staring at him and nodded. "Welcome, Hydread. It's good to see you have awakened. With you, now more than half of us have obtained our full strength."

"AHHHHH!" Azalea cried, stomping her feet on the ground. "Why won't my partner awaken? No fair! No fair! No fair!"

"Would you relax," Thalia stated. "It'll happen. Just be patient." Azalea glared at her, as Thalia turned to Cursor. "Even so, those Defenders are getting stronger. Ever since those humans showed up, things have been getting harder and harder for us."

"Indeed," Hayate nodded. "It's because unlike us, they can come and go from Vestroia whenever they please. So when we detect a breach, they warp there and keep us from getting inside."

"We need a way to keep them from stopping us," Cursor agreed. "But how?" It was at that moment that Beck arrived, appearing to have heard what Cursor had asked.

"I might have a way we can solve that issue." The others turned to him, as he stepped aside and allowed something else to float into the room. That something was a metal orb, hovering in the air thanks to a pair of rotors that were connected to metal arms on the sides. The front of it had a red camera lens.

"What the heck is that?" Azalea asked, as the machine flies around the room.

"A drone," Beck replied. "A Brawling Drone. I've built a bunch of them and installed everything our computers had about Brawling into them. They can shoot Bakugan, launch Gate Cards and activate Ability Cards as well as any of us can."

"Is that so?" Draken hummed with suspicion. "If it's a machine, I doubt it'll have the imagination and quick thinking truly needed to be a master Brawler."

"Maybe not," Beck nods. "And it's very likely that the Defenders can defeat these things. But they should work well as a distraction."

"I get it," Hayate nodded. "We send these things all over Vestroia. And when a breach appears, they'll fly through them and cause havoc in Equestria."

"Exactly," Beck nodded. "And with the Defenders distracted, they won't be able to stop us from entering their world."

"Perfect," Cursor nodded. "Send them out. Have them lock onto any portal they detect. If they manage to get through the portal before the Defenders arrive, make them cause as much havoc as humanly possible."

"It shall be done," Beck nodded before the figure left the room with his drone following behind him.

Kiyrah then turned to Cursor and bowed her head. "If it's alright. I'd like to be the one to go through the portal if these drones actually manage to distract the Defenders."

"Yes," Hydread hissed. "I am itching to use some of my power and I think using it to wreck this Equestria place, would be a rather fun way to scratch it." Cursor nodded, as Skyreign spoke up.

"I'd like to go to. I still have a score to settle after how my last battle against them went." Hayate agreed, with Cursor nodding once more. The pair headed out, leaving the other Rugenga eager to see how things work out. And how well the Defenders react to what is happening.

Back in Equestria, almost all the Defenders were enjoying a nice lunch in one of the castle gardens.

The only one not with them was Braeburn, who had decided to decline the event. They had just finished a hard day of training and were sitting under Celestia's golden apple tree, their picnic helping them relax after the stressful work they had been doing. Meanwhile, Dragonia and Leonidas were in one of the tree's branches discussing something.

"Joe?" Leonidas asked.

"Yes. Back during my first life as Wyvern, I met Joe after acquiring the Infinity Core. He was a sickly boy that was always hospitalised and couldn't do anything he wanted. When I first met him, he'd suffered an attack from his condition that very well may have killed him. But I was able to use the Infinity Core to cure him."

"And he became your partner?" Leonidas asked.

"Yes, though not until later. We only ever battled together once, because I was having trouble controlling the Infinity Core. And after I sacrificed myself to pass the Infinity Core to Drago, I was forced to say goodbye to him. I haven't gotten to see him since."

"Because you were a spirit bound to Vestroia?" Leonidas asked, with Dragonia nodding.

"And after Vestroia and his world were cut off, with centuries passing, I believed I would never get to see him. But now that I know barely any time has passed in his world, a part of me wonders if I might get to one day meet him."

"I'm sure you will," Leonidas stated. "But we need to focus on stopping the Rugenga before we can hope to find him."

"Truer words were never spoken," Dragonia agreed.

Down on the ground, Flash was enjoying a spring roll whilst looking over at Twilight as she was sitting away from the others reading an old looking book. Her eyes didn't leave the pages, as she used her magic to feed herself a sandwich.

"Hey, you okay over there?" Twilight looked up from her book for a moment and nodded before looking back at said book. "Geez. Must be one engaging story."

"It's not a story," Sunset replied. "That book is an ancient tome of rare magic. It's written in a language so old, barely anypony knows how to read it. Twilight's one of the only ponies alive that can."

"Is she looking for something specific?" Lyra asked.

"Who knows," Moondancer stated. "The one thing you need to know about Twilight, is that she's obsessed with studying. It used to be so bad that she would ignore almost anything else."

"True," Sunset replied. "You would know. Considering what happened with your party." The humans raised an eyebrow at this, as Sorcerell jumped onto Lyra's shoulder. "Moondancer wanted to be friends with Twilight and threw a party for her, but Twilight never showed up."

"Seriously?" Flash asked, shocked by that. "That doesn't sound like something my Twilight would do."

"Well she's not your Twilight," Sunset pointed out. "And she did kind of have a reason for it. With Nightmare Moon's return and all. Then she moved to Ponyville and well..."

"I get it," Moondancer stated. "I didn't exactly take it well." Sorcerell leapt onto her shoulder. "Who knows what would have happened, if I hadn't met Sorcerell when I did. I'd probably have turned into a major shut-in." Sunset nodded, as they spotted Braeburn walking through the gardens carrying a massive crate above him.

"Wow," Flash whistled, "how's he carrying that thing?"

"Yeah," Soarin nodded. "Even if it's empty, it must weigh a ton."

Sunset chuckled. "He's an earth pony. Every type of pony has something special. Pegasi have wings, unicorns have magic and earth ponies have incredible strength and the ability to help plants grow."

"Really?" Lyra was impressed. "What about alicorns?"

"They have all three," Moondancer explained. "They're the embodiment of tribal harmony between all ponies."

Flash nodded, as he turned back to Braeburn and waved. "Hey, man. Don't you wanna take a break? You were training pretty hard earlier."

"A'm good," Braeburn replied. "If a'h don't get all this energy out of me, a'm gonna be awake all night." Flash looked confused by this, as Twilight explained.

"Braeburn is a member of the Apple Family. And one thing to note about the Apples is that they can't sit still for a moment. If there's work to be done, even if it's not their work, they'll do it."

The humans and Leo were suddenly reminded of a particular Apple named friend of their's and wondered if there was any relation, at least counterpart wise.

"Also, Braeburn's more hard working than any of them." Sunset shook her head. "I guess you'd have to be, to live somewhere like Appaloosa."

"Appaloosa?" Soarin asked.

"Braeburn's home," Dragonia explained as she and Leo flew down. "He actually helped found the town. It was a harsh environment that required only the strongest ponies to settle it."

"Cool," Flash smirked. "No wonder Braeburn's so tough when he brawls. Living somewhere like that must really toughen you up."

"Indeed," Dragonia agreed. "But it comes with a downside of making him too active for his own good. If he only did his Defender training work, he wouldn't be able to sleep at night. And he thinks if he doesn't work, he'll grow soft and be unable to handle things when he returns home."

"So that's why he's working so hard," Soarin frowned. "But he needs to give himself a break. He might be strong, but he's not a machine."

"We've tried telling him that," Sunset stated. "But he refuses to listen."

"Yup," Twilight nodded. "Another thing about the Apples. Stubborn as a mule." They suddenly heard a noise and looked over to see a humanoid mule who was apparently the gardener. He stared at them, having clearly heard Twilight's statement. "No offence."

"None taken," the mule replied before getting back to work.

Everyone kept talking about this for a few minutes, as Braeburn returned no longer carrying a crate. But he seemed to be going back for another crate, as the others finished off their picnic. But as they did, their Baku-Bracers began to beep.

This made everyone jump into action, Braeburn rushing over to them as Twilight vanished their picnic. Sunset quickly teleported them all to the control hub, the Defenders rushing to the computer as Rosemary and the others worked to figure out what was happening. "Is there a breach?" Sunset asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "And not just one. We're getting three different breach signals in varying locations." That was new. "Two level two breaches and a level three one. The level three breach is right outside of Appaloosa." That statement caused Braeburn's eyes to go wide.

"What?" He turned to the others, "that's my home. My friends all live there!"

"Then you should go keep it safe," Sunset stated. "But you can't go alone."

Soarin stepped forward, "I'll go with him." Braeburn frowned, clearly wishing to protect his home himself. "The rest of you should protect the other two breaches. Something like this is exactly what the Rugenga are after." They nodded, Sunset turning to Moondancer.

"You're with me. Flash and Lyra. You head to the other place."

"Got it," they agreed before the lot of them headed into the transporter. Braeburn and Soarin were the first in, the pair getting transported to the location of the breach. In the blink of an eye, the pair found themselves warped an area and the first thing they heard was the ocean.

When they opened their eyes, they found themselves staring at the open ocean.

They looked around and realised they were on some kind of island. The island was crescent shaped in appearance having a large beach that filled up the entire inner section of it whilst the outer edges were covered in rocks that went several feet up to form cliffs.

As they looked around, Soarin hummed. "Maybe this wasn't the best area for you to come to."

"Huh?" Braeburn turned to him, raising an eyebrow at this. "What do ya'h mean by that?" He looked over and saw the large breach. "This leads to ma'h home. Of course a'm gonna protect it."

"But Gunstinger isn't really the best Bakugan to fight in this environment," Valkyria stated. "No offence."

"No," Gunstinger nodded, "I get it. I'm confined to a single area on the beach. You, Leonidas, Flarenix and especially Amazon are much better Bakugan to use this terrain. The only one worse for this area is Sorcerell."

"Doesn't matter," Braeburn stated. "A'm gonna protect this area and nothin's gonna stop me." He moved over to a nearby rock and sat to wait, Soarin also sitting and wondering what was up with him.

"So what's Appaloosa like?" Soarin finally asked. "I don't know much about Equestria, other than Canterlot."

"It's nothing special," Braeburn replied. "It didn't even exist until a couple of years ago. But ma'h friends and a'h worked hard to build it. Every day, we toiled under the sun and slowly managed to build it up to be somethin' worth calling a town. We faced many challenges and almost went to war over land disputes. But now it's our home and a'h won't let it get destroyed."

"I understand," Soarin nodded. "And we'll help however we can. Right, Valkyria?"

"Of course," the Ventus Bakugan nodded in agreement. "We Bakugan owe you ponies a lot for letting us stay here and putting your world at risk. It's only fair we do what we can to keep it from taking any more damage than it's already suffered." Soarin agreed, but Braeburn still didn't look so sure about this.

In his mind, Braeburn imagined Appaloosa being attacked. And whenever he imagined Soarin or someone other than him protecting it, the idea didn't sit right in his stomach.

However, before this thought could fester too long, Gunstinger noticed something. "What's that?" He gestured towards the sky and everyone looked up, expecting to see a Rugenga transport ship. But they didn't.

Instead, four small dots were moving towards the island over the ocean. And with each passing second, they got bigger and bigger. "You ever seen anything like that?" Soarin asked, as they both stood up.

"No," Braeburn shook his head, "can't say a'h have." They watched and prepared themselves, for whatever the heck they were.

"Drones?" Soarin asked, as they finally got close enough for him to identify them.

"What's a drone?" Soarin often forgot that whilst Equestria did have some advanced scientific devices, it had somehow forgotten to come up with others.

"Machines. They're designed for all manner of things. But there's only one place these things could have come from."

"The Rugenga," Gunstinger hissed as the devices flew towards the breach. "We've gotta stop them!"

"How?" Braeburn asked, wishing he had brought Sunset along. Her magic would have been useful to shield the breach. But instead, he and Soarin were alone with no way to stop them. Or so he thought.

"Catch!" He turned to Soarin and saw him toss a rock at him, the Earth Pony catching it as Soarin threw another. And all those hours practising his Bakugan shoot came in handy, as the rock slammed into a drone and damaged its rotor. And as it flew out of control, Soarin started aiming for another one.

Braeburn also threw the rock, his pony strength allowing it to sail up and hit a second drone and rip right through one of the arms. The whole thing was ripped in half and as it broke apart, something fell out from within it.

"Is that a Bakugan?" Valkyria asked, as Soarin rushed over and managed to catch it.

"Gotcha!" He held it up and found it was a Pyrus Bakugan, which led him to believe something else. "The others must have Bakugan inside as well." Braeburn didn't like the sound of that and grabbed another rock off the sand, trying to hit the others but missing each one. Even the broken one was able to avoid him and head to the breach.

And much to their dismay, the two non-broken ones managed to get through the portal. "No!" Braeburn yelled, grabbing another rock and throwing it as hard as he could.

He managed to hit the damaged drone seconds before it flew through the breach, causing its other rotor to break and make it fall to the sandy ground. And when it crashed into it, Braeburn ran towards the drone and ripped it apart.

This caused another Pyrus Bakugan to fall out, Braeburn picking it up and turning towards the portal. "They made it through."

"Then let's not waste anymore time," Soarin cried. "Come on!"

Appaloosa wasn't much to look at in the grand scheme of things.

It was mostly two rows of buildings with a few other buildings located behind them. It was pretty much an old western town, complete with tumbleweeds and ponies that wore cowboy hats to protect their heads. And it wasn't just ponies, as a bunch of humanoid buffalo also called the place their home.

Currently, these ponies and buffalo were all staring at a shimmering thing that had appeared not too long ago.

They all knew what it was, as the few Subterra Bakugan that called it home could feel Vestroia's power behind it. And they all knew that it was very likely that someone or something could come through that portal and cause utter mayhem.

"Alright!" The pony known as Sheriff Silverstar stepped up to the front of the group. "Ya'll know what to do. We gotta evacuate the town in the opposite direction this thing is in. So we need to head up to the rocks." He pointed at a large collection of rocks in the distance, many of the ponies and Buffalo making their way towards it.

"But what about the town?" One pony asked. "It might be destroyed."

"The town can be rebuilt," Silverstar stated. "We can't. Now scram!" Everypony began to move and as they did, the portal wobbled. "HURRY!" They knew what that meant and ran for it, as the two drones flew out of the place.

They started scanning the place and zeroed in on something. "Bakugan located!" They raced towards it, the Bakugan in question riding on a buffalo's head.

But before it could reach it, it picked up another signal. A Baku-Bracer signal. And as it turned around, it saw Soarin and Braeburn leap out of the portal. "Stop right there!" Braeburn yelled, his friends hearing his voice and smiling. Braeburn looked around and saw how close he was to the town. "Ya'll want ta cause problems, ya'll have to go through me."

"You mean us," Soarin replied whilst he quickly activated his Baku-Bracer. "I'm here to help as well, remember?" Braeburn frowned, as he activated his own. The two connected as the drones got closer, they realised the machines really did have some kind of brawling system within them. Their Baku-Bracers linked to two more signals, confirming the drones could brawl. "Let's do this thing!"

"We have to be careful," Braeburn looked around. "One wrong move and the whole town could be destroyed."

"We understand," Gunstinger stated. "We'll try our best to keep the collateral damage to a minimum." Braeburn frowned as he turned to Soarin, who nodded with Valkyria.

"Okay," he nodded, "let's do this." They turned back to the Drones, as their Life Gauges filled. "Let's Brawl!"

Soarin: 100%
Braeburn: 100%
Drone 1: 100%
Drone 2: 100%

"Gate Card...set!" One of the drones suddenly spat a card out of a slot, which hit the ground and exploded.

"A'h can't believe a'h machine is actually able ta brawl," Braeburn stated.

"I've seen stranger things," Soarin replied as both drones suddenly had a gun barrel fold out of themselves. "Look out!" They both leapt back, but they quickly realised those weren't real guns.

"Bakugan...Brawl!" Haos Bakugan shot out of the gun barrels, with the barrels folding back into them. Those Bakugan flew through some power-ups before hitting the ground rolling. "Bakugan...Stand!" The two popped open and exploded into a bright light, both taking shape and forming Bakugan Soarin and Braeburn had never seen before.

"Haos Hoplite!" One Bakugan was a centaur-like Bakugan, only instead of a horse it had the lower body of a big cat. That body was white, with yellow cuffs around the feet. Meanwhile, the top half of its body was also white but covered in yellow armor. That armor covered its entire torso and stomach, but left the white arms exposed. Its head was also covered in a yellow helmet, with only a small opening for its eyes and mouth.

The top of the helmet had blue fur sticking out the top, whilst the back had an opening for a mane of wild white hair to stick out of. In one hand, it carried a simple sword, whilst its other hand carried a large round shield. Both the weapons were bright yellow, the shield having a blue gem in the centre.

"Haos Bellona!" The other Bakugan was a humanoid lion creature, its fur being bright white in colour. Its head was covered by a yellow gladiator helmet, whilst its arms and legs had yellow armor as well. It was also carrying the same sword and shield that Hoplite was carrying, the two Bakugan standing there ready for battle.

Hoplite: 460Gs
Bellona: 430Gs

The pair then glowed, as the power-ups kicked in and raised their power.

Hoplite: 610Gs
Bellona: 580Gs

The two Bakugan roared, as they looked ready to rampage through Appaloosa. But Soarin and Braeburn were ready, both grabbing their partners as they leapt into the air. "BAKUGAN...BRAWL!" They threw the Bakugan through several power-ups before hitting the ground. "BAKUGAN...STAND!" The pair spun open and exploded into tornados of wind and sand, as their true forms appeared.

"Ventus Valkyria!" The winged warrior woman flew out of her tornado, ready for battle.

"Subterra Gunstinger!" The lamia cowboy slithered out of his tornado, his tail gun ready for battle. The two both glowed, their own power-ups kicking in.

Hoplite: 610Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 580Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Drone One then spoke up. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground beneath them began to glow bright, "Haos Reactor!" Hoplite and Bellona both glowed, their powers rising.

Hoplite: 810Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Hoplite then charged towards Gunstinger, who quickly slithered around to avoid getting trampled. Bellona also charged, running towards the skybound Valkyria. It then leapt into the air and slashed at her, but Valkyria managed to avoid it. As she did, Soarin took out a card and swiped it.

"Ability, Activate!" Valkyria brought her hands together, "Aero Shot!" A sphere of wind formed in her hands and with a strong throw, she launched it towards Bellona.

Hoplite: 810Gs
Valkyria: 950Gs
Bellona: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

The Haos Bakugan saw this coming and managed to raise its shield at the last second, the air blast hitting it and knocking it down towards the ground.

As it landed, Gunstinger managed to avoid Hoplite's sword attack whilst Braeburn slashed his own card. "Ability, Activate!" He pointed his gun barrel tail towards him. "Quickdraw Sand Shot!"

Hoplite: 810Gs
Valkyria: 950Gs
Bellona: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

He fired a blast of sand towards Hoplite, who barely managed to raise its shield in time. The sand slammed into the shield and knocked it back, whilst Valkyria threw another Aero Shot down towards Bellona. But as she did, cards suddenly appeared from out of the drones.

"Ability, Activate!" They both spoke in unison, as their Bakugan's shields glowed. "Power Shield!" The glowing from the shield blocked the attacks, the light then flying off and flowing over Valkyria and Gunstinger. Both of them flinched, as they felt their Abilities being negated.

Hoplite: 810Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Hoplite then flew into action, galloping towards Gunstinger before slamming his front paws into his chest. "GYAH!" The Bakugan fell to the ground and was soon pinned under the large paw, as Hoplite pointed his sword downwards ready to stab him.

"Hold on!" Valkyria cried, diving down in an attempt to save him. But before she could, Bellona leapt in front of her. It slashed at her with its sword, Valkyria raising her arms and using her armor to block the attack. But the impact still pushed her back.

"Valkyria!" Soarin cried, Braeburn rolling his eyes.

"So much for the help." He drew a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger's snake-head arm flew up and bit into Hoplite's leg, "Mercury Fang!" Hoplite flinched, as the venom was injected into it.

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

This forced Hoplite to pull its leg back, allowing Gunstinger to roll out from under it. As this was going on, Bellona charged at Valkyria and tried to slash at her. But before it could, Soarin swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Valkyria pointed her gauntlets at Bellona, "Wind Shooter!" Blasts of pressurised air exploded out of the holes on her gauntlets, which shot towards the Haos Bakugan and slammed into it.

Hoplite: 660Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

The Bakugan staggered back, but managed to stay on its feet whilst Drone Two slotted out a card. "Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan's sword glowed, "Razor Light!"

Hoplite: 660Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 730Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Valkyria prepared for the oncoming attack. But was shocked when Bellona suddenly spun around and slashed its sword towards Gunstinger. "LOOK OUT!" Gunstinger heard this and looked around, just in time to see the light fly off the sword and sail towards him.

"WOW!" He barely managed to duck beneath it, the energy blade flying over his head and hitting a nearby building.

Braeburn gasped, seeing that building collapse. A building he and his friends had worked hard to build, causing him to turn toward Bellona and growl. "Damn you!" He took out two cards and swiped them, as Bellona launched another light blade at Gunstinger. "Double Ability, Activate!" The sand beneath Gunstinger flew up, swirling around him and forming a barrier. "Sand Barrier, plus Rattle Break!"

The light blade slammed into the tornado and exploded, but did nothing against Gunstinger.

Hoplite: 630Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

Seconds later, Gunstinger exploded out of the tornado and flew towards Bellona. And with one quick spin, he slammed the rattle on the end of his other arm into Bellona's helmet.

The Bakugan roared, as it was knocked back before reverting back to ball form. It fell to the ground, the drone flying down to retrieve it whilst its life gauge dropped.

Soarin: 100%
Braeburn: 100%
Drone 1: 100%
Drone 2: 60%

But as this was happening, Hoplite charged towards Gunstinger whilst a car slotted out of Drone One. "Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan glowed. "Power Charge!"

Hoplite: 780Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

Gunstinger was still reeling from using his last attack, as Hoplite prepared to run him over. But before he could, Valkyria flew down and Soarin swiped a pair of cards as well. "Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria beat her wings and unleashed a burst of wind, which created a tornado around the two Defender Bakugan. "Whirlwind Defence, plus Blade Wing Dance!"

Hoplite slammed into the tornado, getting pushed back as the light surrounding it began to fade away.

Hoplite: 600Gs
Valkyria: 850Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

And as it tried to regain its balance, Valkyria beat her wings again and caused the tornado to explode into a bunch of wind blades. These blades shot towards Hoplite and slashed at it multiple times, knocking it off its feet and causing it to revert back to ball form.

As it fell to the ground, the first drone also flew down to retrieve it whilst it lost life points.

Soarin: 100%
Braeburn: 100%
Drone 1: 50%
Drone 2: 60%

Gunstinger smiled at Valkyria, who gave him a thumbs up before the pair returned to their partners. "Thank you," the Subterra Bakugan then said. "If you hadn't warned me, that Razor Light attack would have done some serious damage."

"Of course," she nodded. "And Braeburn. I'm sorry for the building that was destroyed. If I had reacted a little quicker, I could have stopped the attack instead of only warning Gunstinger."

Braeburn frowned, as Soarin turned to him. "I'm sorry too."

"No," Braeburn shook his head, "a'm sorry. A'h just...my friends and I worked so hard to build this place and make it somewhere worth living. And now it's all at risk of being lost."

"Don't say that," Soarin stated. "We can keep this place from being damaged anymore than it already has. We just need to work together. Those drones are probably linked by some kind of wireless system, allowing them to know exactly what the other is planning on doing."

Braeburn frowned. "It's almost like we're facin' one Brawler instead of two."

"Exactly," Soarin nodded. "Which means if we want to win this fight, we've got to work together." He smirked at Braeburn, "so let me help you protect this town. Because what matters is having the town be saved. Not who saved it."

Braeburn stared at him, then over at Appaloosa. Soarin was right. If the only way to save Appaloosa was to potentially not be its savior, that's what Braeburn had to do. "Okay." He tipped his hat, "let's do this thing."

"That's what I like to hear," Gunstinger cheered. "And you know you've got my support."

"And mine," Valkyria nodded. "Let's protect this town as best we can." Before anyone could say anything else, the drones spoke up.

"Cease conversing. Make move in next thirty seconds or forfeit Brawl."

Soarin smirked, "I never forfeit!" He took out a card. "We were just coming up with our stratagy. And now that we have it, you bucket of bolts don't stand a chance!" He threw the card "Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the ground and as it exploded, the two leapt up and threw their Bakugan.

The drones also flew up and launched their Bakugan out of the gun barrels. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They all flew through the power-ups before hitting the ground and rolling. "Bakugan...STAND!" The four opened up, Valkyria and Gunstinger spinning as they transformed. In the blink of an eye, the four Bakugan stood in place as their powers rose.

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 730Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

"Here we go!" Soarin and Braeburn swiped their cards at once. "Ability, Activate!" Valkyria spun around, causing the wind to swirl around her, then beat her wings and launched the wind blades forward. "Blade Wing Dance!"

At the same time, Gunstinger slithered forward whilst shaking his rattle arm. "Rattle Break!"

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 950Gs
Bellona: 730Gs
Gunstinger: 980Gs

But before either attack could hit the Haos Bakugan, the drones both activated their Abilities. "Power Shield!"

The Bakugan raised their shields, which started glowing as the attacks landed. Hoplite blocked the wind blades, whilst Bellona intercepted Gunstinger's rattle club. The light from the shields flew out and hit the Defender Bakugan, making them both flinch.

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 730Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

Bellona tried to slash at the Subterra Bakugan, but Gunstinger managed to grab the blade in his snake mouth and hold it in place. "I don't think so!" He smirked, as Braeburn took out a card and swiped it.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger suddenly swung his tail at Bellona and wrapped it around the gladiator. "Coil Shot!" He held Bellona tightly, as the gun barrel on the end suddenly started firing sand into it. This made it flinch, as its power dropped.

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 580Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

However, this seemed to work in the drone's favour. As it soon summoned another card. "Ability, Activate!" The shield it was carrying began to grow hot and Gunstinger suddenly found himself getting burned. "Blazing Lumino!"

Hoplite: 710Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

"Ahhh!" Gunstinger was forced to uncoil and leapt away. Bellona slashed at him as he did, but he dodged the attacks only for Hoplite to try and charge him.

But before it could get close, Valkyria flew down as Soarin swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Valkyria spread her wings as they started glowing green. "Feather Darts!" She swung her wings around and launched the light off them, morphing into a bunch of darts that slammed into Hoplite.

The power each dart removed was small, but they all added up.

Hoplite: 460Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Valkyria then dove down and before Hoplite could counter, she spun around and slammed her foot into its chest. The force of the impact caused the lion centaur to be thrown backwards, crashing into the ground and sliding along it. Valkyria had struck at such an angle, that Hoplite was thrown in the opposite direction from the town.

"Yeah!" Soarin cheered, Braeburn smiling whilst Gunstinger tried to fight against Bellona.

As this was all happening, Soarin and Braeburn were completely distracted from the breach. As such, neither of them realised that a pair of individuals had jumped through the portal.

Hayate and Kiyrah looked around, spotting the battle that was happening. They watched as Valkyria dove down to attack Hoplite, only for Bellona to leap away from Gunstinger to intercept Valkyria's attack. "Looks like the drones are doing their thing," Kiyrah chuckled.

"Good," Hayate nodded. "That means they won't notice us. Now come on. We can't stay out in the open like this." Kiyrah nodded and the pair ran towards a nearby rock. They would stay there until it was safe to move to another spot. By the time Soarin and Braeburn were done, the pair of them would be long gone.

Bellona pushed Valkyria back and slashed at her with its sword, giving Hoplite the time to pick itself up.

Gunstinger slithered forward, only for both drones to activate a card. "Ability, Activate!" Both Bakugan glowed, the light flowing off of them and into each other. "United Front!"

Hoplite: 660Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 830Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Valkyria attempted another attack, but Bellona blocked with its shield and actually managed to push Valkyria back this time. Hoplite then charged at her and tried to stab her with his sword, only for Braeburn to swipe a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger aimed his tail blaster at the centaur, "Quickdraw Sand Shot!"

Hoplite: 660Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 830Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

Gunstinger fired and the sand slammed into Hoplite, pushing it backwards and making the Bakugan flinch. But this didn't protect Valkyria, as Bellona charged and slashed at her. But Soarin was ready. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground began to glow, creating a wall of wind between Bellona and Valkyria. "Ventus Saver!"

The wind wall then blew forward and slammed into Bellona, knocking it backwards before it also hit Hoplite. The two Haos Bakugan were blown even further away from Appaloosa, with the drones controlling them also getting caught up in it.

Hoplite: 460Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

"That Gate Card allows me to negate the Abilities of any non-Ventus Bakugan I choose. And it also keeps you a fair distance away from us and prevents any new Abilities from activating for a short while." The wind stopped, as Soarin took out another card and swiped it. "And now, Ability Activate!" Valkyria brought her hands together and formed a sphere of wind. "Aero Shot!"

"Take this!" She launched the wind sphere towards both Bakugan, Hoplite raising its shield to protect itself as best it could.

Hoplite: 460Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

The sphere slammed into its shield and exploded, unleashing a powerful gale that knocked the Bakugan back until it crashed into a bunch of rocks. Soarin was actually surprised it managed to keep itself in the fight after such a powerful hit.

At the same time, Bellona charged at Gunstinger whilst the drone slotted a card. "Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan raised its shield and the blue gem on it began to glow, "Shield Glazer!" The gem fired the light and it struck Gunstinger.

"Gyah!"

Hoplite: 460Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Despite still being weaker, Bellona charged in an attempt to take Gunstinger down whilst he was knocked off balance. But Braeburn was ready for this and swiped two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Before Bellona reached him, the tornado of sand exploded around him. "Sand Barrier..."

The slash Bellona did had no effect, the sand tornado acting like a solid wall. And even when it fired another Shield Glazer, the light was bounced off.

Hoplite: 460Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

The sand then exploded and the wave knocked Bellona staggering backwards, as Gunstinger attempted to charge. "Plus Mercury Fang!" Gunstinger thrust his fangs forward, ready to sink them into Bellona's body. But before he could, Hoplite suddenly appeared.

It tried to use its shield to negate the bite, but Gunstinger was already prepared. At the last moment, he pulled his snake head back before spinning around. He then thrust the head downwards and bit into Hoplite's leg, making it roar in pain as it threw its weapons away.

Hoplite: 360Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

The shield flew through the air and almost hit one of the drones, with the other one not being so lucky. It was slammed by the shield, causing it to malfunction due to the damage done.

As soon as Hoplite was defenceless, Gunstinger pulled his fangs out of the Bakugan before pointing his tail at it and firing. The sand blasted Hoplite off its feet and before it could land, it reverted back to ball form.

"Oh yeah!" Braeburn laughed, as the small ball flew towards him. "That's what a'h like ta see." He caught the Haos Bakugan, as the damaged drone lost all its life points.

Soarin: 100%
Braeburn: 100%
Drone 1: 0%
Drone 2: 60%

Moments later, the drone finally exploded and fell to the ground in a heap.

"One down!" Soarin cheered, as Bellona turned towards both its opponents. The Bakugan charged forward, as the drone slotted out a card.

"Ability, Activate!" The Bakugan roared, as its body glowed. "Gladiator Rage!"

Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 880Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

The Bakugan started slashing wildly at Gunstinger, but the snake Bakugan was able to shift and move in a way that made him impossible to hit. He and Braeburn were planning to go on the defensive, but Soarin called out.

"Valkyria. Give him cover to make the finishing blow!"

"You got it!" Valkyria dived down and landed in between the two, as Bellona swung its sword down. But she managed to catch it between her hands, as Soarin swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" She beat her wings and a vortex of wind appeared around her. "Whirlwind Defence!"

Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 930Gs

The wind slammed into Bellona and knocked it backwards, with Valkyria still holding the sword and forcing it to release the weapon.

And as it staggered back, Valkyria and Soarin glanced at the other two and nodded. Telling them to finish him off. "With pleasure," Braeburn took out a card and swiped it. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger raised his rattle arm before it started shaking, "Rattling Sand Shootout!"

Valkyria: 1050Gs
Bellona: 630Gs
Gunstinger: 1430Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He thrust his rattle down into the ground, causing a massive wall of sand to explode upwards. And after he pointed his tail into the wall, he fired more sand into it. This resulted in the two sand streams to mix and explode towards Bellona, forming a sand hurricane that looked like it could rip a car apart in seconds.

Bellona raised his shield and tried to protect itself, but the impact knocked it flying backwards and sent its shield sailing away. And as Bellona was slammed into a nearby rock, its shield hit part of the drone and sent it flying out of control.

"Game over!" Braeburn cheered, as Bellona was forced back into ball form and flew over to him whilst the Life Gauges went down.

Soarin: 100% (Winner)
Braeburn: 100% (Winner)
Drone 1: 0%
Drone 2: 0%

The second drone began to malfunction before completely exploding, falling to the ground in a pile of scrap alongside the other one. And as Valkyria and Gunstinger returned to their partners, the pair cheered as they high fived. "Thank you," Braeburn told Soarin. "And sorry a've been so dismissive of ya'h help."

"Don't worry about it," Soarin smirked. "I get it. But you gotta remember. The Bakugan are just as important to me as they are to you." Braeburn nodded, as a light caught his attention and made him look around to see the portal was beginning to close.

Once it slammed itself shut, he sighed knowing his home was safe. "This is Braeburn," he contacted Canterlot. "The breach is closed and the drones are taken down."

"That's great to hear," Twilight replied. "But did you say...drones?"

"Long story," Braeburn replied. "We're ready to be warped back. What about the others?"

"Haven't heard anything from them. But I'm sure they're fine."

In another part of Vestroia, Leonidas and Amazon were standing within a forest as a bunch of Bakugan moved over to Flash and Lyra.

The pair caught them, whilst looking over at the machines that had tried to get through the breach. But they had failed and tried to beat them, with limited success. And in another area, Sorcerell and Flarenix stood victorious as the Bakugan they had defeated flew over to Moondancer and Sunset. The girls also stared at the destroyed drones that had attempted to get past them.

Sunset's Baku-Bracer then went off, the girl quickly answering it. "This is Sunset."

"Soarin and Braeburn have just returned," Twilight explained. "They said some kind of machines attacked and used Bakugan."

"The same thing happened to us," Moondancer was cleaning her glasses as she said that. "And it's weird. They didn't seem all that good. They were able to play, but we didn't have much issue taking them down."

Sunset agreed, as she picked up part of the device and frowned when she noticed something inside of it. She took it out and gave it a good once over. "An energy absorber. And an energy transmitter."

"What was that?" Twilight asked.

"I think these drones were absorbing the energy given off during the battle," Sunset explained. "And sending it somewhere else. But I have no idea where."

"So the battles were just a way to gather energy?" Moondancer asked, with Sunset frowning as she didn't have an answer to that. She knew the Rugenga were after something, but what could it be?

In their base, Azalea and Beck watched as two gray Bakugan sat within a strange microwave-like machine.

"Energy transfer is almost over," Beck stated. "Looks like the drones have all gone offline." Azalea huffed at this, as the energy flowed into the Bakugan. "I was right not to give those drones too many Bakugan."

"They might have won if they had," Azalea pointed out.

"No. Those drones are still a work in progress. They can brawl, but their strategies were too straight forward."

"Doesn't matter," Cursor stated. "What matters is that Hayate and Kiyrah managed to get through to Equestria. And hopefully, they managed to do so undetected." He turned to Beck. "You gave them the equipment they needed, didn't you?"

"Yes," Beck replied. "Once they're in place, the true fun can begin."

"Good," Draken nodded. "Then let's prepare what we need on our end." Everyone nodded, as Beck and Azalea retrieved their partners from the device. They all headed out, ready to give the Defenders the surprise of their life.

Back in Equestria, Flash, Lyra, Moondancer and Sunset had returned after their breaches were closed.

When Flash and Lyra stepped out of the transporter, they looked around and wondered where Braeburn and Soarin were. "They're still in Appaloosa," Twilight explained. "Braeburn wanted to help repair the damage done to the town. I said it was okay, so long as they kept their coms open in case we needed them."

"Good," Sunset nodded. "But I don't like us being split up like this for too long. There's no telling when more breaches will open. Three at once can't be a one off thing. I get the feeling more breaches will open at the same time."

"I'm with Sunset," Dragonia agreed. "The dimensional wall between these two worlds is growing weaker."

"Isn't there any way to repair it?" Lyra asked, fearing what might happen in the wall between worlds grew any weaker. Many of them were imagining Vestroia and Equestria slamming into each other, doing who knows how much damage.

"We've been looking into it," Twilight replied. "Celestia, Luna and I have been searching every scroll and tome we can find, hoping to discover some way to repair the dimensional barrier. But there just hasn't been enough research into this subject."

"We'll find a way," Dragonia assured her. "Even if the Guardians and I have to risk our own lives repairing it. We'll restore the balance between worlds. And hopefully make it safe to still travel between them. Until then, it's up to the Defenders to protect both worlds and find a way to stop the Rugenga once and for all."

"Got it," Flash nodded. That was exactly what Flash intended to do. They needed to locate the Rugenga's base, wherever it was. "Time to strike back against them. No more just playing defence. We're taking the fight to them!" The others wondered what he was talking about, but knew Flash had a plan. Or some made idea resembling a plan.

Back at Appaloosa, as Braeburn and Soarin helped fix the broken building, nobody noticed the two individuals that had snuck through the town and were walking through the desert.

Hayate and Kiyrah groaned, the feat from the place driving them crazy. "Of all the places for that breach to throw us out at," Kiyrah complained. "It had to be a blazing hot desert." She looked around before removing her mask, allowing what little wind there was to blow onto her face whilst keeping it hidden with the hood.

Hayate was about to do the same, only to then hear a sound. "That's a train." He had been walking along the tracks, hoping it would lead them to their destination. And as they looked down the way they had come, he saw a bunch of smoke filling the air.

"Yes!" Kiyrah laughed, "finally."

Hayate looked around and spotted a large rock nearby, the Ventus brawler pulling the Darkus one behind it.

The pair waited for the train to get closer, Kiyrah replacing her mask as the pair looked around and saw it coming. And when it got closer, they realised it was a cargo train. Just what they needed. "Get ready," Skyreign told them. "You'll only have one shot at this."

The pair watched as the train raced past, then leapt out from behind the rock and ran along the train. When they saw an open box car, they prepared themselves and leapt towards it as soon as it was next to them. The two landed within the car and managed to keep their balance, both grabbing onto the sides as they looked in the direction they were going.

"I think I might know where this is taking us," Hayate stated. "And if I'm right, it's exactly where we need to go."

Author's Note

A nice look into Braeburn's determination. He wants to protect not just the Bakugan, but the home he worked so hard to build. And hopefully, Soarin and the others can help him do that. Now, how will things turn out with Hayate and Kiyrah? Stay turned to find out.

Chaos in Canterlot

At Canterlot Train Station, the ponies were disembarking from the train that had passed through Appaloosa on its way there.

As the engine gave off a whoosh of steam, the ponies and a few Bakugan all made their way through the station. And nobody noticed two figures that had hitched a ride, the pair leaping off the train's roof and onto that of the station.

Hayate and Kiyrah looked around, both chuckling as they saw the giant city they had been sent to cause mayhem within. "Let's find somewhere more secluded," Hayate stated. "Then we can complete the task we were given."

"Why did Beck want us to come here again?" Kiyrah asked curiously. "Couldn't we have done this in the desert or anything?"

"No. Beck needs it to be here. The dimensional barrier in Equestria is weakest here. After all, this is where the Bakugan first arrived in Equestria."

"Fair enough. So what's the plan?"

"Find somewhere secluded to do this. We can't risk any of these ponies finding us." He looked over the station roof and saw the ponies walking around. Luckily, none of the pegasi had bothered to fly so they weren't being spotted. But the two would need to be quick and stealthy.

Within Canterlot Castle, Flash and the others were staring at a holographic map of Vestroia.

"We need to be more proactive if we want to stop Rugenga once and for all." Flash turned to the others, everyone except Soarin and Braeburn being there. "We need to go on the offensive and find their base."

"We know that," Celestia stated. "But Vestroia is a big place, with many locations where they can hide."

"Isn't there a spell you can use?" Lyra asked the unicorns. "Some kind of detection magic that could locate them. Or at least narrow down where we need to go?"

"There is," Sunset nodded. "And I've used it several times. But the spell's range of effect isn't that far. I'd have to cast it a thousand times to cover all of Vestroia's surface. And that's just the areas above water. If they're hidden underwater, it'll be impossible to find them."

"Then we've got no choice." Flash pointed at the holographic screen. "We'll just have to search the planet one section at a time. If we're lucky, they'll come to us and we can use that to help us locate their base."

"And where do you intend to start searching?" Dragonia asked, with Flash smirking as he grabbed Leonidas.

"You ready?"

"Do it." He curled up and Flash threw him at the map, not really aiming as the ball flew through a section of the hologram. Once Leo was through, Rosemary circled the spot that he hit.

"That's where we'll start."

"Really?" Twilight asked. "That's how you're gonna locate them?"

"You have a better idea?" Flash asked, with Twilight about to give some long winded explanation that would likely involve several pie charts. "That's what I thought." Twilight closed her mouth, huffing as Flash rushed over to the transporter. "Let's go! You guys with me?" Leonidas landed on his shoulder.

"I'm with you."

The other Defenders sighed, the girls and their Bakugan stepping up onto the transporter with them. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Celestia asked. "What if another breach occurs?"

"Then call us on our Baku-Bracers," Lyra stated in a matter of fact kind of tone. "You can teleport us to different parts of Vestroia, so warp us there as soon as one shows up." Celestia nodded, as Rosemary activated the transporter and sent them through to Vestroia.

As soon as they arrived, the four and their Bakugan found themselves in an open field covered in grass. There were no trees, but several rock pillars surrounded them. "So what now?" Moondancer asked.

"Now, we search the area for any sign of the Rugenga."

"I'm not seeing anything that could be a base," Amazon stated as he looked around.

"Don't be so sure," Lyra told him. "We don't know what kind of tech they might have. The base could be right in front of us, but hidden by a cloak or buried underground. We won't know for sure until we actually search the area." The others agreed and started looking around, unaware they their presence had been known the moment they arrived.

Back in Appaloosa, Soarin and Braeburn had just completed their repairs to the building alongside the other residents of the town.

Once the last plank was in place, Silverstar turned to Braeburn and nodded. "Nice work. Thanks for all the help."

"No problem," Braeburn tipped his hat. "Partly a'h fault the place got busted up." He turned to Soarin, ready to ask him if he was ready to head back to the castle. But as he did, he noticed Soarin was a good distance away and appeared to be looking at something on the ground.

Heading over to him, he couldn't see anything on the ground that would make Soarin look confused.

"What's up?" He asked, as Soarin pointed at the ground. He followed his finger and took a closer look, seeing what appeared to be a boot print. "So what? You must have walked through here."

"That's a boot print." Soarin pointed at his foot, "I don't wear boots." Braeburn stared at the trainers and realised the imprint on the bottom was different from the boot print. "And then there's the prints next to it." Braeburn followed his finger and saw another print. This one appeared to be from a high heeled boot. "Other humans have been here. And that can only mean one thing."

Braeburn's eyes widened. "The Rugenga got through the breach."

"Must have been when we were distracted from the battle." Soarin stood up and used his Baku-Bracer to connect to the castle. "Anyone there?"

"What's up?" Twilight asked.

"We've got a problem. The Rugenga got through the portal without us noticing. We need to find them and fast."

"Not good. Any idea which way they were heading?" Braeburn used his tracking skills to discern which direction the prints were heading, the cowboy following them to some nearby train tracks.

"Best guess. They probably jumped on the train that passed through here earlier. The one headin' northwest."

"Northwest?" Twilight checked a map on their screen. "That train's...heading straight for Canterlot." That made everyone worry, as Twilight turned to Rosemary. "Warp them back here."

Rosemary nodded, as Twilight rushed out of the room. If the Rugenga were heading for Canterlot, the city would be in grave danger. She had to warn everyone.

Out on the street, Hayate and Kiyrah snuck through the city whilst hiding in the shadows.

The pair looked around and saw many Bakugan in the area, all enjoying themselves there. "It's a smorgasbord," Hayate chuckled. "Alright. Let's get the device set up." They took a pair of cases from within their coats and opened them up to reveal a bunch of machine parts, which they started putting together whilst in the alleyway.

Soon enough, they had a small device that was a satellite on a tripod and a box on the side.

Kiyrah placed it down and started hitting the buttons on the device, causing it to power up before unleashing a beam of light. The beam stopped in midair and seemed to be opening something up.

"That's it," Hayate chuckled. "With this, we'll be able to open a portal straight to Vestroia."

Kiyrah nodded. "Better yet. It'll give us the data we need to open our own portals back here whenever we want. Those Defenders won't be able to block our entry here anymore." But as she said that, a loud voice filled the air.

"CITIZENS OF CANTERLOT!" It was Celestia. "TWO RUGENGA HAVE MANAGED TO SNEAK INTO THE CITY! THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE, SO STAY ALERT AND EVACUATE TO A SECURE LOCATION OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OR AT THE CASTLE! THERE MAY END UP BEING A BAKUGAN BATTLE WITHIN THE CITY."

"Well there goes the element of surprise," Hayate groaned as the ponies began to run away.

At the same time, a flash of light caught their attention and made them turn to see Soarin and Braeburn standing in front of them. "What the?" Kiyrah cried, as she watched the ponies and Bakugan around the city run away. "How'd you get here?"

"Teleport," Soarin pointed at the device. "I don't know what that thing is, but the energy it's giving off was detected in a second." The Rugenga glared at them, as they raised their Baku-Bracers.

"Well I hope you understand we don't want you anywhere near it." Hayate rushed forward and grabbed Soarin, spinning around and throwing him out of the alleyway.

"Augh!" He cried, as he hit the ground. Braeburn ran over to him, as the Rugenga left the alleyway . The four glared at one another, as Soarin and Braeburn activated their own Baku-Bracers.

"This is going to be fun," Kiyrah laughed as her Bakugan landed on her shoulder. "Ready, Hydread?"

"I am," it snarled. Soarin and Braeburn frowned, their Bakugan feeling a dark energy coming off that creature. "I look forward to tearing this city apart brick by brick."

"That's not going to happen!" Valkyria yelled, as Skyreign flew up.

"We'll see about that," she stated. "Enough talk. Let this battle commence." The others nodded, as their Baku-Bracers connected and created the energy field around them. Soarin and Braeburn prayed the other ponies had gotten out of range, as their Life Gauges filled.

"LET'S BRAWL!"

Kiyrah: 100%
Soarin: 100%
Hayate: 100%
Braeburn: 100%

Kiyrah took out the first card and threw it to the ground. "Gate Card, Set!" It hit the ground and exploded in a burst of purple light, which spread across the battlefield as she held up a Bakugan. "And now. Prepare to feel the full force of the greatest Darkus Bakugan ever born. Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw the Bakugan and it hit several power-ups before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" It popped open and exploded in a burst of purple fog. "Darkus Hydread!"

Soarin and Braeburn watched, as the purple fog spread out and formed a shape. And when that shape was complete, the fog faded to reveal a sinister looking Bakugan.

It was a large reptilian Bakugan, whose body was a mix of pitch black, grey and red. It had a long neck and tail, with four legs. Its head was pitch black, with the same black armor running down the back of its neck, body and tail. The front of its neck, its under-body and under-tail were gray in colour, whilst having armor on the shoulders of its legs.

Covering its body were a bunch of red spikes, which stuck out of its black armor with lines of then running down the back and sides. On the end of its tail was a club-like appendage covered in the same red spikes. And the tip of its nose had a large red horn.

The Bakugan stood tall on the street and let out a roar, so high pitched that several windows in the surrounding buildings shattered.

Hydread: 600Gs

"What is that thing?" Soarin asked, as the Bakugan's power-ups kicked in.

Hydread: 700Gs

Valkyria flew up next to him. "Whatever it is, it's powerful. We'll need to be careful." Soarin nodded, as he and Braeburn grabbed their Bakugan and leapt into the air.

Hayate did the same, the three throwing their Bakugan at the same time. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Their partners flew through the air, hitting power-ups as they did before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" The three opened, Valkyria and Gunstinger both spinning as they created a tornado.

Skyreign also created a wind tornado and soon, the street had four powerful Bakugan filling it. They all got into a battle stance, ready to fight as their powers rose.

Valkyria: 650Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

"Gate Card...OPEN!" Kiyrah yelled, as the ground started glowing before unleashing a purple mist. "Darkus Reactor!" As Hydread breathed the mist in, its power rose and he began to chuckle.

Valkyria: 650Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

"Prepare yourself," he told them. "For you now face the ultimate Darkus beast."

"I'm so scared," Valkyria stated as both Soarin and Braeburn took out a card to swipe.

"Ability, Activate!" They both cried, as Valkyria formed an air sphere and Gunstinger raised his sand blaster tail. "Aero Shot!/Quickdraw Sand Shot!"

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 980Gs

The two quickly launched their attacks, Gunstinger pointing his blaster in the air and aiming at Skyreign. The sand blasts flew up and slammed into her, making her hiss as she was knocked back. Meanwhile, Valkyria launched the sphere forwards and it morphed into a tornado that slammed into Hydread.

But the Darkus Bakugan was so large, the wind barely did anything to him. "Is that really the best you've got?" He asked, as he spun around and swung his tail at her. Valkyria flew up, barely missing the club. And at the same time, Skyreign flew out of the sand blast's range before diving down towards Gunstinger.

"Ability, Activate!" Hayate swiped his card, as both Skyreign's wings glowed. "Serrated Feather Bombardment!" Skyreign stopped in midair and beat her wings, sending the light flying off them and flying towards Gunstinger.

But before they could connect, Braeburn swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger hissed, as sand suddenly exploded upwards around him and swirled into a tornado. "Sand Barrier!"

The energy darts bounced off the tornado and left Gunstinger safe. And as the sand began to weaken, the Subterra Bakugan unleashed a barrage of sand bullets that slammed into Skyreign again.

"My turn," Kiyrah took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread's mouth suddenly filled with flames that were a mix of black, purple and dark blue. "Chaos Flame!"

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 1200Gs
Gunstinger: 980Gs

"RAAAAAH!" Hydread roared and unleashed the flames into a powerful burst, which flew up towards Valkyria. She gasped and barely managed to avoid it, though he wings did get singed.

"Gyah!" She flew away, but the flamethrower didn't stop. And as Hydread moved his head around, the flames began to get dangerously close to the buildings around them.

"Oh no you don't!" Soarin took out two cards and quickly swiped them, as Valkyria dove down. "Double Ability, Activate!" The Ventus Bakugan got between the houses and the flamethrower, as wind began to swirl around him. "Whirlwind Defence, plus Blade Wing Dance!"

The flamethrower struck the tornado and couldn't break past it. At the same time, Valkyria spun around and beat her wings. Doing so made the tornado explode, dispelling the flames, whilst unleashing a bunch of wind blades that shot towards Hydread.

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 980Gs

"Gyah!" the Darkus Bakugan cried, as the wind blades slashed at him and made the beast stagger back. But as he did, Skyreign dove towards Valkyria.

"Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's entire body burst into flames. "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!"

Valkyria gasped and barely managed to avoid the oncoming attack, as Gunstinger prepared to fire his sand blaster at her. But at the last moment, Skyreign spun around and beat her wings. This sent the flames flying off of her and made them smash into Gunstinger.

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

"GYAH!" The flames knocked the Subterra Bakugan backwards until he crashed into a building, doing serious damage to it as he fell to the ground.

"Gunstinger!" Braeburn cried, as Skyreign and Hydread both attacked him. Luckily, Valkyria was able to stop Hydread before he could get too close. And as Skyreign got in close, Gunstinger pushed himself up whilst Braeburn swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" As Skyreign prepared to claw at him, Gunstinger swung his rattle arm around. "Rattle Break!"

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 900Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

His rattle slammed into Skyreign and knocked her down, sending her skidding across the ground with a squawk.

At the same time, Valkyria continued to shoot Aero Blasts and air blades towards Hydread. The Darkus Bakugan flinched with every hit, but Kiyrah didn't look worried.

"You think that'll save you. I think not." She held up a card and swiped it. "Go, Ability Activate!" Suddenly, Hydread unleashed a purple fog from its mouth and that fog completely surrounded Valkyria. "Merge Barrier!"

Hydread then breathed in, causing the fog to be sucked off of Valkyria and into its mouth. And in doing so, Hydread's body began to glow. "What have you done?" Valkyria asked, as Soarin checked his Baku-Bracer.

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 1400Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

"No way!" Soarin looked horrified. "How did you pump your Bakugan up by so much?"

Kiyrah chuckled. "Merge Barrier. It allows Hydread to absorb all the power you've given your Bakugan. Though it doesn't steal it, it's still a major boost. The more power you give your Bakugan, the stronger you make mine."

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Hydread suddenly unleashed another blast of dark fire, which flew towards Valkyria and smashed into her.

"AAAAARRRRRHHHHH!" The Ventus Bakugan screamed, as she was blown backwards and reverted back to ball form.

"Valkyria!" Soarin cried, as she fell at his feet and his Life Gauge dropped.

Kiyrah: 100%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 100%
Braeburn: 100%

"No!" Gunstinger cried, as Skyreign used this distraction to lift itself up and take to the air. And as she did, Hayate swiped his own card.

"Ability, Activate!" A mixture of green wind and green fire surrounded Skyreign. "Aero Style Destruction Dance!"

Skyreign: 950Gs
Hydread: 1400Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

The Bakugan dived down and before Gunstinger could react, she slammed into him with the two elements blasting him backwards. "Augh!" He fell back and reverted back to ball form, Braeburn gasping as his Life Gauge went down.

Kiyrah: 100%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 100%
Braeburn: 86%

Hayate and Kiyrah smirked, as their Bakugan returned to them.

Soarin and Braeburn picked their partners up and checked them over. "You okay?" Braeburn asked, as Gunstinger spun open.

"Yeah. What about Valkyria?" The Ventus Bakugan spun open as well.

"I'll live. But that Hydread is seriously strong." Soarin nodded, as he turned back to the Rugenga. The pair were strong and since they didn't care about collateral damage, that put them at a serious disadvantage.

"We gotta be careful," Soarin stated. "These guys don't care what happens to the city, so long as they win. We've gotta do everything we can to beat them and keep Canterlot in one piece." The others nodded in agreement, but knew it wouldn't be easy.

Back in Vestroia, the remaining Defenders were still investigating the meadow area when they got a call on their Baku-Bracers.

"GUYS!!" Twilight cried, "you need to get back here. Two of the Rugenga are in Canterlot." That got everyone's attention. "Soarin and Braeburn are battling them right now, but you need to get back here."

"Alright," Flash nodded, "bring us-" He didn't get to finish, as the connection was suddenly cut. "Huh?" The others tried, but they couldn't get through either. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, Lyra heard a whirring sound and looked up. And up above them were a pair of Bakugan Drones, which had appeared out of nowhere. "There! They must be jamming the signal." The others glared at them, as the machines suddenly unleashed a dimensional area. One of them then launched a Gate Card towards the ground.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" They both launched a pair of red Bakugan, which hit the ground and rolled before opening up. "Bakugan...STAND!" They burst into flames and took their true forms.

"Pyrus Ursaron!" One was a large red bear Bakugan, standing on four legs with yellow armor around its paws, head and chest. A mohawk of flames was sticking out of the top.

Pyrus Megaram!" The second was a yellow humanoid ram, with red fur around its chest, waist and wrists. The horns on its head swirled around several times, giving its head the appearance of a hammer, whilst the tip had holes in them that shot fire.

The Pyrus Bakugan charged at the Defenders, the four leaping away as Flash and Lyra quickly activated their Bracers. "BAKUGAN...BRAWL!" They threw the balls through the air and their partners opened up.

"Oh yeah!" Amazon cheered, as he got into a battle stance whilst Leonidas took to the air. "Let's do this thing!"

"Ability, Activate!" Lyra swiped her card, "Aquos Bomber!" Amazon unleashed a blast of water, that struck Ursaron.

"Ability, Activate!" Flash swiped his card, "Neo Phaser!" Leonidas fired the laser and it struck Megaram, knocking it back as well. But before either could attack again, the drone called out.

"Gate Card, Open!" The ground burst into flames. "Pyrus Reactor!" The flames flew into the Pyrus Bakugan and charged them back up, the pair raising as they charged.

"Oh no you don't!" Amazon began to pose. "Am...A...ZON!" He glowed, "Attribute change! Pyrus!" Entering his Pyrus form, Amazon felt his power raise and he managed to rush forward and punch Ursaron in the chest. "Go, Lyra!"

"Ability, Activate!" She swiped the card and Amazon's arm fins ignited. "Razor Blaze!" He swung the blazing fin around and slashed at Ursaron, knocking it backwards into Ball form.

"Ability," Flash then swiped his card, "Activate!" Leonidas formed a sphere of energy. "Photon Force!" He threw the sphere forward with all his might, hitting Megaram and blasting it back into Ball Form. But this didn't stop the drones, who flew down and picked the Bakugan up.

As Leo and Amazon returned to them, the pair knew they still had a while before they could end the battle.

"Gate Card, SET!" Braeburn threw his card, everyone then grabbing their Bakugan before leaping into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!"

The Bakugan all flew through the air and hit the power-ups before hitting the ground and opening, the Ventus Bakugan taking to the air whilst Gunstinger and Hydread stared one another down and prepared for a fight. As they did, the power-ups kicked in.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 750Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Soarin made the first move. "Ability, Activate!" He swiped his card, as Valkyria's wings began to glow. "Feather Darts!" She beat her wings and sent the light flying off, Skyreign managing to avoid them whilst Hydread was showered by the darts.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 750Gs
Hydread: 550Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

As this was happening, Gunstinger slithered up the side of a building before leaping off it. The next thing Skyreign knew, she was being tackled by the lamia whilst Braeburn swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger bit the fangs on his snake arm into Skyreign's back. "Mercury Fang!" Skyreign squawked in pain, as she tried to shake Gunstinger off.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 650Gs
Hydread: 550Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

As they flew down to the ground, Skyreign spun around and Gunstinger was thrown off. He hit the ground and rolled around, as Hydread glared down at him.

"Ability, Activate!" Kiyrah swiped her card, "Chaos Flame!"

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 610Gs
Hydread: 850Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Hydread unleashed the multi-coloured flames, Gunstinger barely being able to avoid them. He dodged them and tried to bite onto Hydread, but the Darkus Bakugan jumped back and unleashed another flamethrower. But before it could hit him, Valkyria flew down and picked Gunstinger up.

"Ability, Activate!" Hayate swiped his card and Skyreign burst into flames. "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!" She flew forward and before either Bakugan could react, she slammed into them with Gunstinger taking the brunt of the flames.

"Augh!" He cried, feeling his power being burned away.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 560Gs
Hydread: 850Gs
Gunstinger: 430Gs

Valkyria accidentally dropped Gunstinger, who barely caught a building to hold onto. As he did, Hydread launched another Chaos Flame and Valkyria narrowly avoided it.

"Ability, Activate!" Soarin swiped his card and Valkyria aimed her gauntlets at him. "Wind Shooter!" The air bullets flew out of the gauntlets and slammed into Hydread, hitting him between bouts of fire breathing.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 520Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 430Gs

Now even, the two launched flames and winds that cancelled one another out. Meanwhile, Skyreign dove towards Gunstinger whilst still on fire.

"Ability, Activate!" Braeburn swiped his card. "Quickdraw Sand Shot!" Gunstinger launched a barrage of sand and when they slammed into Skyreign, she flinched as the flames around her were extinguished.

Valkyria: 700Gs
Skyreign: 490Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Skyreign flew out of the sand's line of fire, doing several barrel rolls as she did. Meanwhile, Hydread had had enough for launching pointless fire blasts and charged towards Valkyria. Every step shook the ground and threatened to collapse buildings, as Kiyrah swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" The red spikes on Hydread began to glow. "Death Stinger!" Hydread roared and the lights shot off, flying into the air towards Valkyria. And though she managed to evade most of them, three ended up stabbing into her.

"Augh!"

Valkyria: 550Gs
Skyreign: 450Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Skyreign kept dodging sand blasts and as she did, Hayate swiped a card and she dove down. "Ability, Activate!" The swirl of wind began to surround her and every time the sand struck it, it disappeared. "Crashing Cyclone Fortress!"

She eventually reached Gunstinger and slammed into him, the wind cutting into him and making him cry out as he was thrown backwards.

Valkyria: 550Gs
Skyreign: 520Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 430Gs

Skyreign flew up and came back around, whilst Valkyria avoided Hydread's mace tail. And as she dove down for another shot, Braeburn was ready.

"Gate Card...OPEN!" Suddenly, the ground began to glow and a bunch of stone spikes appeared out of it. "Subterra Reactor!"

Valkyria: 550Gs
Skyreign: 500Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

Hydread growled, as a stone pillar shot up and got between him and Valkyria. The same was true for Skyreign, as Gunstinger was lifted up by a pillar that she ended up slamming into.

She squawked in pain, as Gunstinger leapt off the pillar and dove down to tackle her towards the ground. As he did, Braeburn swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger wrapped his body around Skyreign before she could shake him off, then pointed the end of it at her back. "Coil Shot!" He fired and the sand slammed into her, making Skyreign scream in pain.

Valkyria: 550Gs
Skyreign: 350Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

She tried to fight the snake off, but she didn't have the strength. And as she fell towards the ground, she was forced back into ball form whilst Gunstinger leapt away.

Kiyrah: 100%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 44%
Braeburn: 86%

As Gunstinger landed, Hayate couldn't believe he had been beaten by so much. "No."

Kiyrah took out a card and swiped it up. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread opened his mouth and breathed out a familiar purple fog. "Merge Barrier!" The fog moved towards Gunstinger, ready to take the power he had built up. "Prepare to have your power taken."

"I don't think so!" Soarin took out three cards and swiped them. "Triple Ability, ACTIVATE!" Valkyria dove down in front of Gunstinger, as a tornado of wind surrounded her. "Whirlwind Defence, plus Aero Shot, plus Blade Wing Dance!"

The fog struck the barrier and was blown away, leaving the Bakugan untouched. At the same time, Valkyria brought her hands together as she spun within the tornado.

Valkyria: 1050Gs
Hydread: 700Gs
Gunstinger: 630Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" With all her strength, she launched the wind blast and blades towards Hydread. The attacks exploded forward and slammed into him, the force of the wind enough to make the beast be blown off its feet and into the air.

Kiyrah gasped, as her Bakugan fell towards. But at the last moment, he reverted back to ball form before hitting the ground and her Life Gauge dropped. "Impossible."

Kiyrah: 30%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 44%
Braeburn: 86%

The pair smirked, as their Bakugan returned to them. But they knew the battle was far from over. With Hayate getting to launch the next Gate Card, they would be at a disadvantage. "Gotta play smarter, not harder." Braeburn reached into his pocket and took something out, knowing it was his best move stopping whatever Hayate had planned.

Back in Vestroia, Lyra and Flash's Brawl against the drones continued.

Currently, Amazon and Leo were fighting Ursaron and Megaram. Amazon was still an Aquos Bakugan, currently fighting against Megaram as it tried to smash him with its horns. "Missed me!" He laughed, ducking under the attack before leaping into the air.

"Ability, Activate!" Lyra swiped her card and Amazon unleashed another Aquos Bomber, hitting Megaram and pushing it back.

And as Leonidas grabbed Ursaron's paw and threw him over his shoulder, Megaram got up as the drone used its card. "Ability, Activate. Smoke-Stream!" The ram opened its mouth and unleashed a burst of black smoke, which hit Amazon and made him flinch.

"Ahhh!" He cried, as he felt his power drop. Megaram then ran into the smoke and smashed its head into him, the Bakugan roaring in pain as he was thrown backwards. "Gyah!"

"Amazon!" Lyra cried, as Leonidas used his Power Brawl to pummel Ursaron and knock it backwards. And as Amazon pushed himself up, Lyra swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon's body was suddenly surrounded in a veil of water, which cured the burns from the smoke and restored his power. "Re-Hydrate!"

"Oh yeah!" He cheered, pushing himself up and running forward. "Attribute Change!" Megaram tried to punch him, but he leapt straight up as his body transformed. "Subterra!" The now earth attribute Bakugan landed behind Megaram, as Lyra swiped three cards.

"Triple Ability, Activate!" Amazon suddenly vanished. "Desert Rocket, plus Sand Striker!" Megaram looked around, only for Amazon to appear behind it.

"Gotcha!" He swung his fins around, as they began coated in sand. And when they slammed into the beast, it roared as it was hit with the fast moving micro-rocks.

"And finally...MUD BOMBER!"

"OH YEAH!" Amazon leapt into the air and unleashed a burst of muddy water, which flew down and slammed into Megaram. At the same time, Leonidas used a combo of Neo Phaser and Photon Force to blast Ursaron.

The two Bakugan roared, as they were knocked flying and crashed into their drones. This caused the machines to explode, as the Bakugan reverted back to Ball Form and flew over to Flash and Lyra.

They caught them and smiled, as the drone crashed to the ground. Sunset then checked and was happy to see the signal to Equestria was no longer blocked. "Twilight. Can you hear me?"

"We hear you," Twilight replied.

"What happened?"

"Explain later," Sunset stated. "Warp us back. Hurry!" Everyone grouped up, as the energy surrounded them and they were warped back to their base universe. All they could do was hope Soarin and Braeburn were alright.

"Gate Card...SET!" Hayate threw his card towards the ground, as he and the other three grabbed their Bakugan and leapt into the air.

"BAKUGAN...BRAWL!" The four Bakugan flew through the air, hitting several power-ups along the way, then landed. "BAKUGAN...STAND!" Once again, the four Bakugan opened and transformed into their true forms. Valkyria and Skyreign took to the air, whilst Gunstinger and Hydread shook the ground as they landed.

Valkyria: 750Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 800Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

This time, it was Kiyrah who was the first to swipe a card. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread's mouth filled with fire, "Chaos Flame!"

Valkyria: 750Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 1100Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

This fire shot out of his mouth and flew all over the place, Valkyria and Gunstinger barely managing to avoid getting burned whilst the buildings around them were set ablaze. And as Valkyria and Gunstinger blew wind and fired sand to put them out, Hayate swiped his own card.

"Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's body burst into flames, "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!"

The bird squawked, as she dove down and barreled towards her target. "Gunstinger," Braeburn yelled, "look out!" His Bakugan saw her coming and tried to dodge, but she was too fast and slammed right into him.

"Augh!"

Valkyria: 750Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 1100Gs
Gunstinger: 480Gs

Gunstinger hit the ground and rolled around, Soarin and Braeburn needing to dodge in order to avoid getting rolled over by him. And as he did, Valkyria flew down whilst both Soarin and Braeburn swiped their cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria formed an air sphere. "Aero Shot, plus Wind Shooter!" She thrust the sphere at Hydread, the orb exploding into a tornado. At the same time, air bullets exploded out of her gauntlets.

As they slammed into Hydread, Braeburn swiped his own card. "Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger raised his tail and aimed it at Skyreign. "Quickdraw Sand Shot!"

Valkyria: 1050Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 950Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

The tail launched a bunch of sand bullets, that exploded against Skyreign and extinguished the flames still covering her body. As this was happening, Valkyria flew towards Hydread as he was still off balance.

She quickly dealt several kicks to his chest and side, making him roar as she fired more air bullets from her gauntlet.

But Hydread fought through the pain, as Kiyrah swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" His front feet were suddenly surrounded by a black energy. "Phantom Claw!" Before Valkyria could fly away, the Darkus Bakugan leapt onto his back feet and swung his claws around.

"GYAH!" Valkyria cried, as she was slashed down the front. She also felt her energy being drained out of her, as she fell to the ground.

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 1050Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

At the same time, Hydread's body began to glow with a purple light. "Plus Darkus Rage!" His eyes suddenly turned wild, as he let out an ear piercing roar.

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 700Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs
Gunstinger: 780Gs

Before Valkyria could recover from before, the Darkus Bakugan spun around. And the next thing she knew, she was getting smashed into by the club tail. "AAAAARRRRRHHHHH!"

"Valkyria!" Soarin cried, seeing her being thrown backwards before crashing right through a building and getting covered in rubble. "Are you okay?" He ran over to her, as Gunstinger started shooting his sand blasts at Hydread.

But they did nothing and soon, Skyreign flew down as Hayate swiped a card.

Ability, Activate!" Wind swirled around her, as she shielded Hydread. "Crashing Cyclone Fortress!" The sand blasts were deflected and Skyreign rushed forward, slamming into Gunstinger before he could react.

"Augh!" He cried, feeling the power of his Quickdraw ability being negated.

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs
Gunstinger: 480Gs

Gunstinger fell to the ground, as Valkyria pushed herself free of the rubble. But as she did, Hayate pointed to the ground.

"Gate Card, OPEN!" The ground began to glow, "Attribute Terror! DARKUS" That light flowed up and into Skyreign, causing her body to change. In seconds, her green feathers turned black with her jacket turning purple.

"What the?" Soarin asked, as Hayate smirked. They then heard Valkyria and Gunstinger beginning to groan, as the pair felt their energy weakening.

"Attribute Terror," Hayate explained. "This Gate Card transforms any of my Bakugan into the Attribute I choose, then cuts the G power of any Bakugan not the chosen Attribute in half."

Valkyria: 475Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs
Gunstinger: 240Gs

"What's more..." They both held up a hand, as a card materialised within them. "It also lets all Bakugan of that Attribute regain an Ability they already used."

"No way," Braeburn gasped. As he said that, Hydread unleashed another Chaos flame. One which struck both their bakugan and burned them up. They cried out, as the pair struggled to not be defeated. If they were, they would be taken.

"We gotta do something!" Soarin cried, as Braeburn took something out.

"A'h got this! Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air and everyone saw it was a brown hexagon barrel, "Subterra Buffaload!" The Bakugan unfolded, the barrel splitting down the middle and a section extending between them. Four shot legs came out the bottom and a head folded out, a pair of horns also poking out of it.

The Bakugan began to glow before transforming into a stream of light, which flew down and crashed into the ground. The light explosion that followed, caused Hydread's Chaos Flame to be extinguished.

When the light faded, it revealed a giant armored bull-like Bakugan. It was light brown in colour, whilst the armor on its back and around its legs was dark brown with yellow streaks. The horns on its head were grey and instead of having points, the ends were blunt with holes within them.

"Now," Braeburn swiped a card, "Ability Activate!" Buffaload raised its front hooves before slamming them into the ground. "Quaking Charge!" The stomp caused the Gate Card to break apart before shattering, causing Skyreign to revert back to her Ventus form and the other two's power to be restored.

Valkyria: 950Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

Buffaload then charged forward, shaking the ground as he did. And before Skyreign could fly up and escape, it rammed its head into her and knocked her backwards.

This gave Valkyria and Gunstinger the time to pick themselves up, Soarin taking this chance to swipe a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria flew up, her wings glowing as she began to spin around. "Feather Dart, plus Blade Wing Dance!"

"RAAAAAH!" She beat her wings and sent the energy flying off of them, a bunch of energy darts flying down and raining upon Hydread.

"Aaaah!" He cried, feeling his power drop whilst Valkyria's rose.

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1000Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

Valkyria then flew down, as her wings became as hard as steel. She got in close and started slashing at Hydread, hitting him again and again whilst the Darkus Bakugan staggered back.

Kiyrah glared at this and swiped two of her own cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Hydread quickly breathed out a bunch of mist, that surrounded Valkyria before she could retreat. "Merge Barrier..." He breathed the fog back in, allowing it to power him up once again.

Valkyria: 1150Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

"Plus Death Stinger!" The spikes on his body then glowed, as Valkyria tried to escape. But the light exploded off of them and slammed into her.

Valkyria: 1000Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

Valkyria flew back and hit a building, as Hydread prepared to unleash another Chaos Flame. But Soarin was ready.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" Soarin threw the rectangular cube into the air, "Ventus Skyblink!" The cube opened up and morphed into a light, which flew over to Valkyria and shielded her. The bird appeared and blocked the incoming flames, flinching but able to withstand it.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1350Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

"Now," Soarin swiped a card, "Ability, Activate!" Skyblink flew forward, its body becoming surrounded by wind. "Aerial Assault!"

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 900Gs

It slammed into Hydread, knocking him back and stopping him from unleashing another Chaos Flame. This also allowed Valkyria to get up and take to the skies again, the warrior diving down to deal more attacks.

At the same time, Gunstinger slithered towards Skyreign and prepared to do some damage with Buffaload.

But Skyreign was ready as she picked herself up and Hayate swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Her wings glowed as she crossed them, "Serrated Feather Bombardment!" With a powerful swing, the light flew off her wings and slammed into the two Subterra Bakugan, making them both cry out as they were knocked back.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 300Gs

Skyreign then took to the air and dived at the two, but Braeburn was ready for this. "Double Ability, Activate!" He swiped the cards, as Buffaload's horns unleashed a bunch of sand from the holes. "Sand-Screen, plus Rattle Break!"

The sand created a wall that Skyreign slammed into, knocking her back and letting the two recover from her last attack. Gunstinger then sprung forward on his tail, his rattle arm shaking.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1500Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1100Gs

He flew through the sand wall and swung his rattle at Skyreign, slamming into her and making her scream in pain as she was knocked to the ground.

But before Gunstinger could attack again, Hydread charged at him ready to defend his partner. And Kiyrah wasn't holding back. "Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped both cards and Hydread's mouth filled with flames. "Chaos Flame, plus Fusion Ability, Raging Shadow, CHAOS INFERNO!"

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 2300Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1100Gs

A super intense wildfire exploded from his mouth and filled the streets, igniting all the houses around it. The flames slammed into Valkyria and Skyblink, forcing them both back, then headed towards the Subterra Bakugan.

But before it could strike, Braeburn was able to swipe two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger acted fast and slammed his tail onto the ground. "Sand Barrier!" Sand exploded out of the ground and formed a shield around him and Buffaload.

The flames slammed into it and whilst the barrier couldn't stop the attack, it did slow it down enough for the two to leap out of the way before it exploded.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 2000Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1100Gs

The sand flew around and landed on the buildings around them, extinguishing it all whilst Buffaload pointed its horns at Hydread. "Plus Horn Bullet!" Suddenly, a bunch of small rocks exploded out of the horns and slammed into the Darkus bakugan. Hydread roared, as his power was lowered with each hit.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 1550Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1700Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1100Gs

"Now!" Braeburn told Soarin, "finish it off!"

"With pleasure!" Soarin took out two cards and swiped them as well. "Double Ability, Activate!" Skyblink flew up and took a deep breath. "Sonic Squawk..." It let out a high pitched cry, which hit Hydread and made him flinch. "Plus Fusion Ability! Wild Wind, SPIRAL STRIKE!"

Valkyria spun through the air, as her hands were surrounded by spheres of wind. She then brought them together and when they merged, the sphere surrounded her as she dived down. "Time to end this!"

Valkyria+Skyblink: 2050Gs
Skyreign: 800Gs
Hydread: 1700Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1100Gs

Hydread tried to fight back, but the high pitched scream was making it impossible to focus. And before he could, Valkyria slammed into him and the wind around her exploded forward and tore away at his body.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He roared, as he was once again blown off his feet. Kiyrah gasped, as her Bakugan suddenly reverted back to ball form and fell at her feet.

"NOOO!"

Kiyrah: 0%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 44%
Braeburn: 86%

"YEAH!" Soarin and Braeburn cheered, only for Skyreign to fly overhead.

"This isn't over!" Hayate took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's body burst into flames. "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm, Plus Raging Tyrannical Tailwind!"

Valkyria+Skyblink: 2050Gs
Skyreign: 950Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 800Gs

Skyreign flew over the city and unleashed a bunch of flames, which ignited the building below her. She then beat her wings and sent the flames shooting down, a powerful gale increasing their power. Before Braeburn could do anything, slammed into Buffaload and making it moo as it was forced back into ball form.

"Buffaload!" Braeburn cried, as the Trap Bakugan fell at his feet.

Kiyrah: 0%
Soarin: 50%
Hayate: 44%
Braeburn: 56%

Soarin saw the flames beginning to spread and realised he had no choice. "Guys! Stop the fire from spreading!" Valkyria and Skyblink flew over and started cushioning the flames with their wings. But this meant Gunstinger had to face Valkyria alone

"Ability, Activate!" He swiped a card as Gunstinger leapt into the air grabbing onto Skyreign. "Mercury Fang!" He sunk his fangs into Skyreign, making her cry out as she was injected with the metallic venom.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 2050Gs
Skyreign: 850Gs
Gunstinger: 480Gs

"Get off me!" She cried, trying to throw him off with little success. And even after Gunstinger retracted his fangs, she couldn't do so and felt more of her power being drained.

"Let's end this!" Braeburn took out two cards and quickly swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger coiled his tail around her, then pointed his gun tail towards her back. "Coil Shot, Plus Fusion Ability! RATTLING SAND SHOOTOUT!"

A super powerful blast of sand slammed into Skyreign, making her scream in pain as she was blown towards the ground.

Valkyria+Skyblink: 2050Gs
Skyreign: 670Gs
Gunstinger: 980Gs

As she fell towards it, Gunstinger uncoiled himself and leapt off of her. She tried to regain control, but crashed into the ground. And as Valkyria and Skyblink put out the last fire, Gunstinger raised his rattle as he fell towards the ground. "It'sssss OVER!" He swung his rattle down and smashed it into Skyreign, the bird squawking as she was smashed into the ground. And that was all she could handle before reverting back to ball form.

"NOOO!" Hayate cried, as Skyreign landed by his feet.

Kiyrah: 0%
Soarin: 50% (Winner)
Hayate: 0%
Braeburn: 56% (Winner)

Battle over, Valkyria and Gunstinger returned to their partners and the pair moved towards the Rugenga. Hayate and Kiyrah glared at them, as they picked their Bakugan up. "It's over," Soarin announced as he sent a signal to the castle. "Come quietly and nobody gets hurt."

The pair glared at them, as a flash of light occurred behind the Defenders.

From it, Twilight, Luna, Celestia and a bunch of guards were standing there. The other Defenders were also there, ready to brawl if needs be. The guards raised their spears and prepared for an attack, as the two decided it was time to leave. "STOP!" The lead guard yelled, as the pair ran back towards the alleyway they had been in before.

As they did, the device they had set up was humming. "Looks like it's ready." Hayate hit a button on his Bracer and the device's beam powered up, causing a portal to open.

The two leapt through it, Hayate grabbing the device along the way. And as they did, the others arrived and saw the portal. But as Soarin and Braeburn tried to get through it, it closed and the Rugenga were gone. "No!" Flash cried, as the others frowned.

They looked around and saw the damage done to the city. It was gonna take a lot of magic to undo everything. But at least nobody got hurt. As far as they knew.

Back in the Rugenga base, Hayate and Kiyrah returned.

They placed the decide down and Beck plugged it into a device. "Please tell me we got the data we needed," Kiyrah frowned. Beck went over everything and nodded.

"Yes. Although we won't be able to aim where the breaches send us in Equestria, I should be able to open them. But they won't remain open for long."

"They don't need to," Cursor stated. "Just long enough for us to get through and do some damage."

The others nodded, as a beeping sound caught their attention. They looked over at the microwave device and inside, two Bakugan were being hit with the energy from the drones. And soon enough, one of the Bakugan glowed before transforming.

"Finally." Beck stepped forward and took a now blue Bakugan out. "Predator. Awaken." The Bakugan opened and laughed.

"Alright. Finally. I thought I'd never get to stretch my legs. So, we ready to do some damage?"

"Not yet," Beck stated. "I have some work to do. But once it's complete, the Defenders won't stand a chance against us." The others nodded, ready to cause some real mayhem and take as many Bakugan as possible for themselves.

Back at the castle, everyone was outside staring down at the damaged city.

"I'm sorry, guys." Flash turned to them. "If I hadn't insisted on heading to Vestroia, we would have been here to stop those two. Now the city's been wrecked because of me." The others shook their head.

"No," Sunset told him. "It's not just your fault. We all decided to go. So we're all the blame. Besides, it's not like anyone got hurt. The buildings might have been damaged, but those can be repaired. What matters is protecting the ponies and Bakugan. And that's what we were able to do."

"I just wonder what the Rugenga were after," Moondancer stated. "Were they trying to open a permanent breach or something? That would seriously eat up our focus if they did."

"Who knows," Soarin replied. "All we need to focus on right now, is making sure we're ready for whatever the Rugenga throw at us." They all agreed, knowing that something big was about to happen. And they weren't wrong.

It wouldn't be long before an event happened that would change the state of the battle they were in. One that would effect them all in a different way and change Equestria forever.

Author's Note

Another impressive tag team between Soarin and Braeburn, along with seeing some new Bakugan. What do you think of all the OC Bakugan I've made so far? Which one's your favourite?

Twilight Reunion

Flash let out a yawn, as he left his room in the castle of Canterlot.

He was dressed, with Leonidas on his shoulder as he headed towards the dinning room from breakfast. But along the way, he spotted Twilight walking around a corner and she wasn't alone. Down beside her was a small purple creature that looked like a lizard, with green spikes on his head, back and tail. The front of his body was also green, making Flash feel like he had seen him somewhere before.

"Morning Twilight," he waved. "Who's your little friend?"

Twilight smiled, as the lizard crossed his arms. "Who you calling little?" Twilight laughed, as Flash rolled his eyes. "The name's Spike. I'm Twilight's number one assistant."

"I see," Flash scratched his head. "Wait, Spike. As in Spikenoid?"

Twilight nodded. "Yeah, we're still figuring out how that works. But we're pretty sure Spike and Spikenoid are somehow counterparts of one another."

"So Bakugan can have counterparts as well?" Leonidas asked. "Amazing. So many questions about this world's connection to our world and Flash's. If we ever manage to stop the Rugenga, someone will have to try and understand how it works." They nodded, as the group headed towards the dinning room.

"So if Spike is your number one assistant, where's he been all this time?"

"I've been helping out in Ponyville," Spike replied. "Ever since the Bakugan showed up, a lot of craziness has been going on. I was helping our friends over there keep things under control. But now that things are starting to settle down, I could finally come back and help Twilight."

Flash nodded, as he turned to Twilight. "So what's this Ponyville place like?"

Twilight smiled at his question. "It's the best place ever. It's where I learned what friendship truly meant. I really miss it sometimes. And all my friends."

"So why don't you go back there?" Flash asked, as they reached the dinning room.

"I can't just leave. I'm needed here. With the Rugenga always a threat, I can't just go back home. Even if I can't Brawl, I still have a role here. There's no telling what could happen next." They stepped into the dinning room, Flash nodding in agreement. "And even if I'm not with them, my friends and I are still connected. So even if they're not here, they're still with me."

"I guess that makes sense." He spotted the others already eating, with Celestia looking over some reports as she ate her meal.

They sat down and Flash continued to think about his counterpart. He had been told that his doppelganger had been tested to see if he could Brawl, with little success. And that whilst the pair of them shared a name and appearance, that was all they apparently shared. With everything that had happened since getting to Equestria, Flash hadn't had a chance to meet his twin. But now he wondered if he could.

Over in Vestroia, the Rugenga were still in their base attempting to get whatever work they needed done finished.

"Almost finished," Kiyrah stated as she welded something within an open panel of the base. As she did, Hayate walked up to her with a large green circuit-board. "There," she sighed. "It's ready." Hayate nodded and handed it to her.

"Alright. Then make sure it doesn't touch the sides when you slide it in." She nodded and took the device, slowly sliding it in and being careful to not touch the sides. With there only being an inch or so of free space, this was rather tricky. But eventually, they managed to slot it into place.

"Done," she stated. "Glad that's finally over."

Hydread then spoke up. "But there's still several more sections we need to finish before we can be considered done." Kiyrah moaned, as Hayate helped her stand back up.

"This would be so much easier if Beck was helping." She brushed herself off, as Hayate shrugged.

"He's way too busy working on his little project. And once it's completed, we'll be able to go into Equestria and take all the Bakugan we want." She nodded, as Hayate closed the wall panelling before moving to another area. "Which means we need to get this place ready for when he's completed it."

"I guess. But why isn't Azalea helping? If we're already down Beck, losing her's gonna make this whole thing almost impossible to get done in time."

Hayate sighed. "She's out looking for a way to finally awaken her partner. Now that she's the only one whose partner hasn't awakened, she wants to get him to wake up as soon as possible. So she's out searching for breaches, hoping to get there before the Defenders arrive." Kiyrah nodded, as they got to work on the area they were now focusing on.

In another part of the base, Beck was inside some kind of lab working on something.

"Come on," he placed several parts together and tightened several screws before attaching a bunch of wires. "That should do it." He closed the device and picked it up, revealing a device that looked similar to a gatling gun. Only instead of a gun barrel, the end had a large satellite device.

Predator floated above him and whistled. "Looking good. So when do we get to take this thing for a spin?"

"We'll need to make sure it works properly," Beck replied. He pointed it towards a nearby wall and powered it up, the satellite humming as a glow appeared on the end of it. "Just a small portal. Bakugan sized." He pulled the trigger and fired a beam, but when it hit the wall the portal it formed wasn't a smooth circle. It was a wobbly line, going up and down all the way around.

Beck tried to get the portal to stabilise, but part of it sparked and smoke came out of it. "Ah!" Predator cried, "turn it off!" Beck shut it down and the portal began to close, disappearing with an audible pop. "Well that didn't work."

"Stupid thing." He propped it back on the desk, as Predator flew over to him.

"Don't worry. You'll get it working."

"If I had the right tools and materials, this would be easy. But we're running low on materials. If I don't find a way to jury rig it into working, we'll never get off this world. And if that happens, our food reserves will run out and we'll starve."

"Okay," Predator gulped, "that sounds bad. But I'm sure you'll figure it out in time. Don't forget whose mind you inherited." Beck nodded, as he opened up the side and got to work.

Back in Equestria, Flash and the other Defenders were busy training.

Currently, Sorcerell and Valkyria were battling against one another in the stadium. The others were watching from the sidelines, as Soarin and Moondancer battled it out. The two jumped around the battlefield, as their Bakugan tried to attack each other with everything they had.

The only one not there was Twilight and as Valkyria managed to defeat Sorcerell, a flash of light made them look over and see the alicorn appear. And she wasn't alone. For she was with two individuals that looked very familiar.

"Hey guys," Twilight called out to them as they began to make their way over to her. "Sorry to interrupt your training, but I thought you guys might want to meet some people." Sunset had teleported down and warped Soarin and Moondancer up into the stands, allowing Soarin to see someone who looked just like him.

This individual was almost Soarin's exact copy, only he was a little taller, had wings on his back, hooves and a snout pointed face. Meanwhile, the other pony Twilight had brought was a near perfect clone of Lyra. Like with Soarin's lookalike, she also had hooves and a snout, along with a horn on her head like the other unicorns.

"Soarin, meet Soarin. And Lyra, please say hello to Lyra."

"Wow," Soarin moved up to his twin, "so you're the me from this world."

"Looks like it." This Soarin was wearing some kind of jumpsuit, with goggles around his neck. "Man. Twilight wasn't kidding about you not having any wings. Dude. How do you live without being able to fly into the sky?" Human Soarin wasn't sure how to answer that, since he had never felt a major desire to actually take to the sky.

The two Lyra also smiled at one another. "It's nice to meet you," H-Lyra held out her hand.

"Like, totally." P-Lyra shook it as she looked down at Lyra's feet. "Geez. How do you walk on those things? They look like they would be impossible to balance on."

"I could say the same about your hooves," she looked down at said limbs. "Where I come from, creatures with hooves need four feet to stop from falling over." The two laughed, as Flash moved over to Twilight.

"Sorry," she told him apologetically. "I know you were eager to meet your counterpart, but he's all the way in the Crystal Empire. Teleporting there and back would have been exhausting."

"Sure," Sunset laughed, "that's the problem. Not the fact you're too embarrassed to be around him." Twilight's face turned red, as Spike laughs before getting swatted on the back of his head by Twilight's tail.

"That has nothing to do with it and you know it!" Twilight cried, as Sunset laughed again.

"Come on, Twilight. Just admit it. I mean, it's obvious you two are gonna get together. Flash, aren't you dating your world's version of Twilight?"

"Yup," Flash nodded. "Although, she might not be happy with me when I see her again. She's gonna be annoyed I came here without telling her."

"It's not like you had much of a choice," Leonidas pointed out. "I'm the one that asked you to come and we didn't have much time to call her."

"True," Flash nodded. "Heath and Bonnie have probably already told her and our families about where we are right now. No doubt she went nuts when she heard about it. Which likely means she's gonna try and go to Equestria on her own."

"But that's impossible," Sunset stated.

"I know that," Flash nods. "But let me ask you something." He pointed at Princess Twilight. "If her friends were in danger, somewhere she shouldn't be able to get to, would she just sit around and do nothing?"

"Nope," Spike said with a pop of the lips. "She'd do everything she could in order to try and help them, even if it seemed impossible." Sunset and Moondancer nodded in agreement, Twilight rolling her eyes as they did.

"Exactly." Flash sat on one of the seats and thought about his girlfriend, who should be focusing on her studies right now. But if he knew he, she was likely working on some harebrained way of getting to Vestroia. If such a thing was even possible. "Twilight."

On Earth, a train had just arrived in Canterlot and pulled into a station.

From out of that train, Twilight Sparkle stepped out looking like a woman on a mission. She made her way out of the station, carrying a large rucksack full of stuff that was clanging together as she moved. She appeared to be having trouble carrying it, but didn't let that stop her as she headed towards her destination.

Soon, her phone rang and Twilight answered it with a frown. "Twilight, where are you? Your teachers called and said you haven't shown up to your lessons in the last few days." Her father didn't sound happy.

"I'm sorry, dad. But a friend of mine really needs me. If I don't try and help them, I'll never be able to live with myself. I promise, I'll try and get back to my classes as soon as possible. But right, this is more important than anything else." She hung up before her father could say anything else, texting someone else as she did so.

She carefully made her way through the city and eventually, she finally arrived at the park where her boyfriend had disappeared. And standing there, waiting for her, were Bonnie and Heath. The BakuFighters watched her approach and had unsure looks on their faces.

"Hey, Twilight." Bonnie began to show her where it had happened. "Are you sure this is a good idea? We don't really know anything about dimensional travel. Do you really think you can open a portal that'll get us to Equestria?"

"I don't know if I can," Twilight replied. "But I have to try. Flash needs all the help he can get. And Spikenoid could be in serious trouble right now. Isn't it worth the risk, to help Gaia and Wukong if they're in trouble?" The pair shared a look, knowing she was right.

"I understand how you feel." Heath held up his phone, showing Derpy on the screen. "I want to help Ragnaroid as much as I can. But what if this just causes more problems. We could end up ripping a hole in the sky, just like what happened during our battle against Lucifer."

"I know it's risky. I'll be careful. The second something seems like it's going wrong, I'll shut it down." They finally reached the area where Flash and the others had vanished. "Is this the spot?"

"Yup," Bonnie nodded. "The portal was right there," she explained whilst pointing at the spot it had been in. "But do you really think you can open it up again?"

"Only one way to find out." Twilight took the large rucksack off her back and started to take everything out of it. That included several tripods with weird devices on them, a computer, a large battery pack and several other pieces of tech the three were amazed Twilight could carry.

She started putting everything together, pointing the devices on the tripods towards the spot where the portal had been.

"So what exactly is the plan here?" Heath asked, hoping he could explain this to the cops when they eventually showed up. "The portal's been closed for a while now. You really think you can open it up?"

"The portal might be closed, but a tear in the dimension like that can't just heal like that. It likely left a scar of some kind. Like a cut that scabs over. If I can punch a hole through the scab, I should be able to open another portal and let us enter Vestroia."

"I still don't like this," Bonnie frowned. "I want to help Gaia, but I don't she wouldn't want us to take a risk like this."

"Maybe. But if the roles were reversed and we needed the Bakugan's help, even if it was dangerous for them to try and help, wouldn't they do anything to help us? Even if we didn't want them to take that risk?" The three thought about this and realised she was right. Their Bakugan would risk anything for them, even if it was a thousand to one shot of working.

"Okay," Heath nodded. "Let's do this." Twilight nodded before activating the devices, powering them all up once they were properly set up.

The battery pack hummed, sending power to all of them. Twilight started typing onto the computer, using a special camera to do what appeared to be a thermal scan of the section in front of them. And as she did, she smiled as she saw something. "We've got something."

The others looked down at the screen and saw some kind of white line running down the screen. It looked like it was just floating in the middle of the park, not moving or doing anything. "That's the scab?" Derpy asked, with Twilight nodding.

"Yup." She adjusted her glasses before she positioned the satellites on the tripod, aiming them towards where the line on the computer was. She kept looking between their sight-lines and the computer, wanting to make sure she got the aim perfect. "Okay. Now we just need to punch the scab open."

"Punch sounds a bit harsh," Bonnie stated with concern in her voice. "You're sure this isn't gonna cause any serious damage to the dimensional wall?"

"Okay, maybe punch was too strong of a word. Think of it more like a scalpel. It'll carefully create a small opening and once the power shuts off, the opening will seal itself up. Or it should." The three were once again nervous, as Twilight finished aiming the devices. "Alright, let's do this."

Bonnie and Heath decided to take a few steps back, as Twilight powered the satellites up.

The machines began to spark and glow, creating an aura around them that was a lime green colour. And once they were both powered up, Twilight hit the enter button and the light exploded off of them and hit the spot where the tear was on the screen.

Everyone was blinded for a moment, the group looking away as they shielded their eyes. And slowly, the white crack appeared in the air exactly where it was on the computer. Twilight looked through the light and at the crack, which was being bombarded with the energy from her devices. And slowly, it was beginning to be pulled apart.

"It's working!" She cheered, Heath and Bonnie smiling. They watched and waited for the portal to completely open, as the crack began to be pried apart and slowly formed a circle. It was beginning to look just like the portal Flash and the others had vanished into, though it was a bit smaller.

Derpy was also watching through her computer, the girl wishing she could have been there.

Twilight smiled, realising she was moments away from seeing Flash again and helping her Bakugan friends. But before she could truly celebrate, something happened that she wasn't expecting.

Suddenly, one of the satellites sparked and a warning alarm sounded with the computer. "What?" She rushed over to it and saw that the device was short-circuiting, the machine unable to handle the power that was flowing into it. "No, no, no, no!" She tried to fix it, but it was too late.

Heath, Bonnie and Derpy could do nothing but watch, as the energy the device was making began to weaken.

This was beginning to put more of a strain on the other satellite, causing it to start short-circuiting. Eventually, the second satellite just blew up and the energy it was giving out was completely cut out. "Twilight!" Bonnie cried, "get away from that thing!"

"I can fix it!" She cried, refusing to surrender. She wouldn't let herself be stopped when she was so close. If she let the portal close now, it might not be safe to open again. "I can do this." She rewired the device whilst trying to keep it working, but the device kept sparking and she was forced to jump back. "Ahhh!"

The other two could only watch, as the device blew like the other. And then, the portal began to go completely out of whack. And eventually, it shrank down to nothing for a moment before a bright flash of light filled the air. "TWILIGHT!" They screamed, as the girl was completely enveloped.

Twilight let out a horrible scream, but that cry soon faded away along with the light. And slowly, the three's eyes recovered from the blinding flash that slowly died down. And in doing so, they looked around and saw that the portal was gone.

Twilight's equipment had been completely destroyed, all of them smoking and sparking with the pair fearing it would soon set the park on fire. But what worried them more was that Twilight was nowhere to be seen. She was completely gone and the pair had no idea where.

Back in Equestria, the pony versions of Soarin and Lyra had had to return to their work. Even so, they were interested in talking to their human counterparts when time permitted it.

Currently, Flash and the others were enjoying a nice lunch after a hard day's work.

However, just as they were halfway through the great meal, something happened that caught their attention. A massive burst of light, coming from outside. "What the heck?" Flash cried, as they all got up and headed for the nearest doorway. When they got out onto a balcony, they looked up and saw a massive aurora in the sky.

All over Equestria, the sky was glowing. Many ponies were amazed by it, whilst others were scared it meant the end of days.

"What is that?" Lyra asked, as Dragonia flew down.

"This isn't good. Something is affecting the dimensional barrier between worlds. That light is being caused by the energy that's being released. It might look pretty, but those lights will devolve into a massive hole in the dimension if we can't find a way to fix it."

"What could be causing it?" Sunset asked, as their Baku-Bracers suddenly beeped and Rosemary spoke up.

"We just detected a major energy surge, coming from Vestroia. A dimensional breach like nothing we've ever seen before. But it's not connecting to Equestria."

"So a breach to another word has opened?" Moondancer asked. "how is that possible?"

"I have a theory," Dragonia stated. "The Rugenga came from another world. It's possible a breach to that world has opened. Or maybe...it's connecting to Flash's world."

"Seriously?" Flash asked, as Celestia teleported them all to the hub. "How could one to our world be here?"

"I fell through a breach," Soarin pointed out to them. "And didn't Dragonia create a portal that brought you and Lyra here in the first place? That must have left the dimensional wall unstable." They frowned, not liking the sound of that as Rosemary showed them the map.

"The surge is coming from this location," she stated before something happened. "Wait. I'm getting another signal. It's weak, but I'm picking up some kind of life sign ten miles from the surge."

"A life sign?" Celestia frowned, "is it Bakugan, human or equestrian?"

"It's...unclear. We have a drone close to that area. I'm sending it there now." They waited and eventually, the screen changed to show a flat rockland. Vestroia's skies were just like Equestria's, with a bright aurora in the sky. But as the drone drew closer, they saw something.

"Is that a person?" Leonidas asked, as the camera zoomed in on the figure.

Said figure was humanoid, though they were having trouble making out their feature. Mainly due to the figure being transparent, like a ghost. And as they looked around, they finally saw their face and they all gasped.

"No way!" Spike cried in surprise, turning to Twilight and glancing between her and the copy on the screen. "Is that a magical clone of you?"

"No," Twilight shook her head, "that's not a clone." She noticed her twin's lack of horn and wings, along with her non-hoof feet. She turned to the human Defenders and they all looked terrified.

"Twilight," Flash whispered seeing his girlfriend. She looked terrified and glanced around, trying to find anything or anyone. "Get me there, right now!" Flash ran towards the transporter, the others following behind.

"Are you sure about this?" Princess Twilight asked. "With the dimensional field so unstable, sending you there could be dangerous."

"I can't just leave her there," Flash stated. "Send me there now!" Princess still didn't look convinced, but Celestia nodded and ordered the controllers to do so. The Defenders all prayed they wouldn't end up inside out, as the device powered up.

"Good luck," Dragonia told them before they vanished.

Over at the Rugenga base, five of the six also found an alarm going off and pulling them away from their work.

They all stepped into the main control room, where Beck and Kiyrah used the computers to figure out what was happening. And as they did, a call came in before Azalea appeared on a holo-screen. "Are you guys seeing this?" She asked, showing them all an image of the aurora.

"Pretty," Thalia stated. "But I'm guessing it's bad."

"Very bad," Beck nodded in agreement. "Some kind of dimensional anomaly is causing serious issues with the barriers between worlds. If it isn't fixed, Vestroia could end up getting ripped apart." He did something and brought up another screen. "I've located the source of the anomaly."

"I see," Cursor nodded as he saw where it was at the moment. "Azalea. Your ship isn't too far from it. Go and investigate. Hayate, Thalia and I will be there as soon as we can."

"Understood," Thalia nodded before cutting the call.

"Beck and Kiyrah. Keep monitoring and let us know if any new developments occur."

"Understood," the other two agreed before the three headed out.

Twilight was still terrified, in a completely unknown place whilst being practically a ghost.

She looked down at her hands, as they flickered in and out of sight. "What's happening to me?" Suddenly, a flash made her look around and see a bunch of people standing a short distance away. "FLASH!" She cried, as Flash and the others ran over to her. "Lyra, Soarin. Where did you come from?"

"Twilight," Flash reached her and tried to hold her. But his hands went right through her. "What happened to you? How did you get like this?"

Twilight frowned. "I was trying to find a way to get to Vestroia. To help you. But something went wrong and now..." She looked ready to start tearing up, "what's happening to me?"

"Don't worry," Sunset stepped forward and used her Baku-Bracer to scan her. "We'll figure out what's wrong with you. I promise." Twilight turned to Flash, as if asking who this person was. "Twilight?" The girl turned to her, "Princess Twilight. You getting this?"

"We are," Princess replied through the Baku-Bracer. "It looks like whatever happened, has caused her to become trapped between dimensions. She's visible, but not completely transferred over. If we don't find a way to fix this, she could leave the visual spectrum and be lost between worlds forever."

"So what do we do?" Lyra asked, clearly worried about what would happen to Twilight.

"The only hope you have is getting her to the breach we detected earlier. That has to lead back to your world. Sending her back through it, should allow her to properly sync with the dimension and return to normal. But you have to hurry."

"Then there's no time to waste!" Flash cried, using his Baku-Bracer to locate the breach. "Twilight. This way!" He started running and Twilight followed, the others doing the same as they made their way towards the breach.

"Flash!" Twilight cried, "why did you leave like that? The Bakugan returned and you didn't even tell me."

"It's not like I did it on purpose."

"Don't blame Flash," Leonidas stated. "I was the one who asked him to help. And the portal created wouldn't have lasted long enough for him to tell you. I'm sorry." Twilight nodded, but she still wasn't happy about being left behind. And now she would be returning to her world, which meant she still couldn't help.

"The portal's getting closer," Lyra stated. "It should be getting into visual range soon." They all looked ahead and saw a twinkle in the distance, which they realised was the portal. "We're almost there!" But as she said that, something else appeared in their vision. A ship. "Oh no."

"The Rugenga!" Moondancer cried. "They must of detected the breach as well."

"Rugenga?" Twilight asked, as the ship flew overhead and came to a stop above them. It was then that someone leapt out of it and landed in front of them. "Who's that?"

"Azalea!" Sunset growled, "out of our way. We don't have time to deal with you."

"Oh, you'll make the time!" Azalea stated, as she activated her Baku-Bracer. "You know I can make life very difficult for you and your little ghost friend. So what's it gonna be, Sentry?"

Flash frowned and prepared to brawl, only for Lyra to step forward. "I'll deal with her," she told them. "You need to get Twilight to the breach and hurry." Flash and Twilight smiled, as Lyra activated her Baku-Bracer. "You ready to brawl?"

"Bring it on," Azalea laughed. "I'll destroy you, then finish the rest of them off in quick succession." The two's bracers connected, power-ups appearing around them as their Life Gauges filled up. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Lyra: 100%
Azalea: 100%

As soon as their Baku-Bracers activated, unleashing the dimensional energy, the portal off in the distance suddenly went nuts. Sparks began to fly out of it and the edges of the portal started wavering.

This was noticed by those in Equestria, Princess Twilight analysing the sudden change in the portal's wave function. "Everypony," she called out through the bracers, "be careful. Activating the Baku-Bracers has caused the portal to become unstable."

"That's not good," Sunset gulped as Lyra frowned.

"Dang. And I can't just cancel the battle. Azalea might try something. We're gonna have to end this quickly."

"Gate Card...SET!" Azalea threw the card to the ground and as it landed, she took out a Bakugan and leapt into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She launched it and hit several power-ups on the way down, eventually hitting the ground. "Subterra Zugaidos, STAND!" The Bakugan popped open and exploded into a burst of orange light, as it took its true form.

That true form was a giant brown dinosaur Bakugan, which seemed to have the body of a T-Rex but with a different head.

Said head was smaller and the top of its head was covered in some kind of orange shell, which looked almost indestructible. It also had orange rings around its neck, wrists, knees and tail, along with an orange line running down its back. It also had white horns sticking out the sides of its head, knees and several on the end of its tail.

Zugaidos: 360Gs

The dino roared, as the power-ups kicked in and its strength rose.

Zugaidos: 510Gs

As soon as it did, it started stomping on the ground to cause it to shake and make everyone lose their balance. This included Flash and Twilight, who found it difficult to keep themselves upright as they ran. "Ahh!" Twilight tripped and hit the ground, Flash gasping as he couldn't help her get up.

"LYRA!"

"I'm on it!" Lyra yelled, as she regained her balance. "You ready, Amazon?"

"I was born ready!" Amazon cheered, as he rolled up and Lyra caught him before leaping into the air.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" She threw her partner and hit several power-ups before Amazon hit the ground, which was still shaking and made him bounce. "Bakugan...STAND!" Amazon popped open, right as he was bounced into the air.

Water exploded out of him and his true form appeared, only to be sent flying out of control. "GYAH!" He hit the ground rolling, as his G Power rose thanks to the coins he hit.

Amazon: 550Gs
Zugaidos: 510Gs

He stopped rolling right as he reached Zugaidos' feet, the dinosaur staring down at him as he looked up and waved. "Hi." The Bakugan roared and tried to crush him underfoot. "WHOA!" He leapt out from under it and the beast stomped onto the ground again, shaking it and almost knocking everyone over.

As Amazon got some distance, Azalea took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Zugaidos lowered its head and started rushing forward, the shell on its head suddenly glowing. "Iron Skull!"

Amazon: 550Gs
Zugaidos: 760Gs

The beast's charge continued to shake the ground and as Amazon leapt into the air, Zugaidos kept running and was heading straight towards where Flash and Twilight were. "NO!" Lyra cried, as the pair looked around to see the beast approaching. "Amazon!"

"On it!" Amazon raced forward, as Lyra swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon got on the dino's left, as a ball of water appeared in his hand. "Aquos Bomber!"

Amazon: 850Gs
Zugaidos: 760Gs

"TAKE THIS!" He quickly thrust the orb forward and it exploded, the jet stream slamming into Zugaidos' side and sending it flying away. The beast roared as it crashed into a rock pillar and got buried.

"HEY!" Azalea cried, as the others frowned.

"She's not trying to win," Sunset stated. "She's trying to make it so Flash and Twilight don't reach the portal."

"Then those two need some protection," Braeburn looked ready to activate his Baku-Bracer. But before he could, Soarin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hold on." The others turned to him. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"What?" Moondancer asked, "why?"

"The dimensional area became unstable when Azalea and Lyra activated their Baku-Bracers. Another signal could cause the portal to destabilise and collapse completely."

The others sighed, realising he was right. Lyra had to be the one to do this. And as Zugaidos forced itself out of the rock pile, Azalea laughed. "Your little friends aren't gonna be making it to that portal." She took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" The spikes on Zugaidos' body glowed, as it leapt into the air. "Super Quake, plus Spike Stinger!"

The dino came crashing down and caused the ground to shake even greater than before, which led to Amazon losing his balance. Then, the lights on its spikes exploded off of him and flew towards him.

"GYAH!" He cried, as several of them slammed into him.

Amazon: 550Gs
Zugaidos: 760Gs

To make matters worse, the shaking from the earthquake once again caused Flash and Twilight to lose their balance. And as they ran past a rock pillar, the shaking caused it to be ripped apart and fall towards them. "FLASH!" Twilight cried, as a rock flew right through her.

Flash had to do his best to avoid the rocks, even jumping as far as he could to avoid it. "AUGH!" He cried, hitting the ground as Leonidas fell off him.

"You okay?" Flash asked, as Twilight ran over to him.

"I'm good," he assured them both. "Let's go." The two nodded and kept running, as Amazon charged towards Zugaidos.

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon became surrounded in a veil of water. "Re-Hydrate!" Amazon sighed, feeling the water roll over him and refresh his skin.

Amazon: 850Gs
Zugaidos: 760Gs

This allowed him to get in close and leap towards Zugaidos. "Amazon kick!" He yelled, slamming his foot into the beast's chest and knocking it staggering backwards.

Azalea growled before pointing towards the ground. "Gate Card, OPEN!" The ground started to glow, before rock pillars exploded up out of it. "Subterra Reactor!" The pillars almost knocked several of them into the air, everyone jumping out of the way at the last moment.

The only one who didn't avoid it was Twilight, who simply ran through the pillar whilst Zugaidos roared.

Amazon: 850Gs
Zugaidos: 960Gs

It charged again, reaching Amazon and slamming into him. "AUGH!" The Aquos Bakugan was knocked back and crashed into the pillar behind him, making him flinch. "Ouch."

"Hit him again!" Azalea ordered, as Zugaidos charged. But this time, Amazon leapt to the side and the dino rammed its way through the stone pillar.

"Time to even the score!" He cried, as he struck a pose. "Am...A...ZON!" The gem on his chest glowed, "Attribute Change!" The light spread around him and in the blink of an eye, he was transformed. "Subterra!" Now the same Attribute as Zugaidos, the Subterra Reactor's power pumped him up.

Amazon: 1050Gs
Zugaidos: 960Gs

"Oh yeah!" He leapt forward and quickly swung his tail around, smashing it into Zugaidos' head and sending it staggering back. "That's what I'm talking about!"

Azalea growled as she swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Zugaidos roared even louder, as the shell on its head unleashed a blinding flash of light. "Hyper Head Smash!"

Amazon: 1050Gs
Zugaidos: 1210Gs

The beast charged, the light swirling around it and transforming it into a comet as it grew closer and closer to Amazon. And before he could do anything, it slammed right into him. "Ahhh!" The impact seriously hurt and he was thrown backwards, barely managing to avoid getting knocked back into Ball Form.

"Double Ability, Activate!" As Amazon landed, his entire body suddenly disappeared. "Desert Rocket, plus Sand Striker!" Zugaidos' energy shield disappeared, as it looked around. And before it could even locate Amazon, the lizard appeared behind it.

"Surprise!" Sand swirled around his arm fins and with a quick slash, his struck Zugaidos and knocked it back.

Amazon: 1150Gs
Zugaidos: 1060Gs

Amazon then vanished and the lizard raced forward at high speed, getting in close before dealing a barrage of bunches and kicks into the beast. "Take that and that and that and that!"

Zugaidos staggered backwards with every hit, eventually managing to escape a punch and spin around to slam its tail at him. But Amazon leapt into the air, as Azalea swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Zugaidos rushed forward. "Wild Rush!"

Amazon: 1150Gs
Zugaidos: 1260Gs

He picked up speed and headed straight for Amazon, who landed whilst Lyra quickly swiped her card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon formed a sphere of earthy water, as Zugaidos got closer. "Mud Bomber!"

"Oh...YEAAAAH!" He thrust the sphere forward and it exploded into a stream of muddy water, which headed straight towards Zugaidos.

Amazon: 1550Gs
Zugaidos: 1260Gs

The dino slammed into the water stream and whilst it was able to hold its ground against it for a few moments, the force of the attack and Amazon's increased power was too much for it. Eventually, the mud jet pushed it backwards and it let out a roar as it was slammed into a Subterra Reactor rock pillar.

And as it smashed its way through the pillar, it reverted back to ball form and fell to the ground. "NO!" Azalea cried, her Life Gauge going down in the process.

Lyra: 100%
Azalea: 42%

As Amazon returned to Lyra, the Subterra Reactor Pillars retracted into the ground. This allowed the others to move through the battlefield easier, Sunset and Moondancer racing over to where Flash and Twilight were whilst the others stuck with Lyra and Amazon.

Azalea growled, as she picked up her Bakugan and the pair glared at one another.

Flash and Twilight kept running and eventually, they spotted the portal in the distance. "There it is!" Flash turned to Twilight, "we're almost home free!" Twilight smiled, but then spotted something.

"Up there!" Flash looked up and saw another ship heading towards them.

"Oh no. Come on!" Flash ran quicker and Twilight tried to keep up, but she still wasn't as fast as Flash. And as they neared the portal, the ship flew overhead and three individuals leapt out of it. "Not you guys!" Flash cried, seeing Cursor, Thalia and Hayate standing in front of the portal.

Flash and Twilight glared them down, as Sunset and Moondancer approached.

"I'm afraid we can't allow your little friend anywhere near that portal," Cursor stated. "However, if you give up all the Bakugan you have, I might be willing to let her return."

"You scumbag!" Flash cried, as Leonidas and the other Bakugan considered giving themselves up. But before they could, Twilight stepped forward. "Twilight!"

"Relax," Twilight stated. "There's nothing they can do to stop me!" She ran forward and the Rugenga tried to grab her, but she phased through them like they were nothing.

"Stop!" Cursor yelled, as Twilight made her way towards the portal. As that happened, Lyra and Azalea started their next battle.

"Gate Card...SET!" Lyra launched the card towards the ground and when it landed, it exploded as both Lyra and Azalea leapt into the air. "BAKUGAN...BRAWL!" They threw their Bakugan and the two hit some power-ups before landing and opening, "BAKUGAN...STAND!"

Amazon and Zugaidos appeared, both ready for a fight as their G Power rose.

Amazon: 550Gs
Zugaidos: 560Gs

Twilight ran into the portal and as she did, Cursor held up his Baku-Bracer. "Fine. If I can't have her, I'll take you down." But as soon as he activated it, unleashing the dimensional wave, the portal suddenly started freaking out.

"What have you done!?" Sunset screamed, as Flash heard Twilight scream.

"NO!" He ran forward, pushing past Cursor as he ran towards the portal. And as he looked inside, the portal suddenly exploded with a bright flash of blinding light.

Everyone cried out, as the light enveloped Cursor, Thalia, Hayate, Sunset, Moondancer and their Bakugan.

The others saw this and were blinded, but the light didn't envelop them. And eventually, the light died down and everyone looked over to see the portal and all those around it had vanished. "What?" Braeburn cried, "what happened?" The others had no idea, but Azalea turned back to them.

"I'll figure that out once I've wiped you idiot out!" With that, Zugaidos charged forward and Amazon was forced to defend the others. They all had to focus on the battle, but were terrified something horrible had happened to their friends.

Flash felt like he was floating on water, as he began to come around. And as he did, he heard Leonidas' voice.

"Flash! FLASH!" His eyes shot open and he sat up, looking around and finding he was in some kind of alleyway. Leo was right beside him. "Are you okay?" Flash groaned, clutching his head but nodding.

"I'm fine." He looked around and spotted Twilight, gasping as he realised she was solid again. "Twilight!" He rushed over to her and helped her up, as she began to awaken. "Talk to me! You okay?"

"Flash?" She groaned, blinking her eyes open and seeing him. "What happened? I ran into the portal and suddenly, everything went out of whack."

"I'm not sure. Cursor activated his Baku-Bracer and the energy must have destabilised the portal. An explosion happened and the next thing I knew, I was waking up here."

"So where are we? Canterlot?"

"I don't think so," Leo stated with a shake. "Unless Canterlot suddenly gained a monorail whilst I was gone." Flash and Twilight frowned, as they picked themselves up and moved to the edge of the alleyway. And sure enough, they spotted a monorail track not too far away.

"Definitely not Canterlot," Flash nodded as he spotted the tip of some kind of tower behind some of the buildings.

They stepped out of the alleyway and moved down the street, as many other people were making their way down the street. They were human and several of them had something floating besides them. Bakugan. "Where are we?" She asked, only for a bright flash to make them look around and see some kind of Subterra Bakugan that was an armored brachiosaur.

They thought a battle was starting, but then saw the creature leaned down and picked up a bunch of building materials. Several builders also climbed up its neck and they all began working on the building they were beside, the two realising the Bakugan was helping with construction.

"What is this place?" Flash asked, as he spotted a woman, her son and an Aquos Bakugan heading towards them. "Um, excuse me. Can you tell us where we are?"

The woman looked confused. "You're on twenty-seconds street east."

"Um...which city?" Now she really looked confused, as the Bakugan spoke up.

"Where else? You're in Bakugan City." Flash and Twilight shared a look, as they realised they weren't in their world anymore. Whatever happened to that portal, it had transported them somewhere completely different. But where? And would it be possible to get back to their original world?

Author's Note

You all thought they were heading back to Flash's world, weren't you? I can't be too predictable, otherwise people will get bored. So, how will our heroes handle being in this new environment. Find out next time.

Strange New World

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MY SISTER VANISHED!?"

Heath and Bonnie flinched, wishing they didn't have to do this. They were currently in Twilight's home, her family staring at them in absolute shock. Her brother, Shining Armor, did not look happy. Meanwhile, Twilight's parents and Shining's wife Cadance looked just as upset.

"She tried to open a portal to Vestroia," Bonnie explained. "But something went wrong."

"Vestroia?" Cadance asked. "That place those Bakugan are from?" They nodded. "Why would she try and do that?"

"The Bakugan are in trouble," Heath replied. "Something's attacking their world and they needed help. Flash went to help and when Twilight learned about this, she couldn't just sit back and watch. She had to do something to help."

"Twilight," her mother looked close to tears whilst her father spoke up.

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"Well," Bonnie scratched the back of her head, "we're not sure. We're hoping she somehow made it to Vestroia. She managed to open a portal there, but her equipment couldn't handle keeping it stable."

"So she might not have been sent to that world?" Shining asked. "For all we know, she was blown somewhere else entirely. She could be in a world made of fire, for all we know. And that's if she's even alive to begin with."

"We're sorry," Heath sighed. "We tried to convince her to stop, but she was desperate to get there. She had to try and help the Bakugan. And Flash." The family didn't seem to take comfort in this.

"So what do we do?" Cadance asked.

"There's nothing we can do," Twilight's father announced in frustration. "We don't know anything about any of this dimensional travel stuff. Heck, scientists are still stumped about what happened last year. All we can do is sit around and hope Twilight comes back."

Those words didn't sit well with anyone, as Shining moved over to a picture with him and his sister in it. "Flash better be taking care of her. And if he comes back without her, I'm gonna make him sorry." He didn't hate Flash, but Twilight had been put in a lot of danger since meeting him. Shining could only hope Flash was keeping her safe at that moment.

Flash, Twilight and Leonidas were still shocked by what they were looking at.

The city they had found themselves in was like nothing any of them had ever seen before. A technological marvel, with Bakugan absolutely everywhere. They were flying around, either with people or on their own. Some were heading somewhere, whilst others appeared to just be relaxing and talking with one another.

And as the three made their way through the city, they noticed some of the people weren't actually people at all.

A man suddenly walked around a corner and looked nothing like an ordinary human, instead having grayish skin and brown hair. But the most noticeable thing about him was the crown he was wearing, which looked like it was made out of yellow bone and appeared to be actually growing out of his head. it went around the front of his head, over his eyes and forehead, whilst wrapping around the back before curving around his ears and sticking out behind them like a pair of horns.

The two tried not to look at him, as he passed them by. And as they did, two other humanoids stepped around. They weren't human either, though their differences weren't as obvious. the tops of their heads were further forward than the rest of their head, making it look like their forehead and nose were larger. And their eyes didn't have pupils and irises, instead being entirely green or blue.

Again, Flash and Twilight did their best not to draw attention to themselves. But as they passed by more ordinary humans, they realised this would be difficult. From how it looked, skin tone choices were much less numerous there. So Flash's bright yellow orange and Twilight's purple skin stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Geez, what is this place?" Twilight asked, as she spotted some kind of notice board that was actually a screen.

Having an idea, she stepped up to it and gently pressed the screen. And sure enough, it was a touchpad one. "Welcome," a voice replied. "How are you in need?" It showed a bunch of different tabs, offering directions, history lessons, how contact to authorities, bus schedules and other items.

Twilight hit the history section and the screen changed to show an aerial view of the city.

"Bakugan City. After the destruction of Bakugan Interspace, the legendary Bakugan Battle Brawlers worked to build somewhere where humans and Bakugan could live in harmony. Built for humans and Bakugan, by humans and Bakugan, the city is the symbol of unity between the two races. And after the defeat of Mechtavius Destroyer, the city also became the place where the Bakugan Alliance was formed. Now it sits as the central hub of the five worlds. And when Vestroia became inaccessible, it grew into the number one location Bakugan call home."

"What does any of that mean?" Flash asked, but Leonidas appeared to be understanding.

"I think I know." The two turned to him. "Remember what Dragonia told us once. About how your world wasn't the first one to come in contact with Vestroia. There was another world that also became linked to it. Where humans and Bakugan learned to live with one another."

"Oh yeah," Flash nodded. "I remember her talking about that. The great devastation that caused most of the original Bakugan on Vestroia to vanish was actually them coming to that world, only for Vestroia to somehow get cut off from it. Then the new generation of Bakugan were all born from the few that were left."

"Exactly," Leonidas nodded. "I think this is that world. The original world that connected to Vestroia and got cut off. Somehow, we ended up falling into this world."

"I see," Twilight looked around and saw a few more of those born horned individuals and the strange eyed people with elf ears. "But what about those people?"

"Didn't the board just say this world is one of five that are part of some kind of alliance?" Flash asked, with Twilight nodding back. "If Vestroia is one of those worlds, then that means there are three others out there connected to this one. They must be from those worlds."

"It's possible," Twilight agreed. "But what do we do now? We're in a world we know nothing about, with no idea how to get back to ours. And whilst we're here, Vestroia is still in danger."

"Yeah," Flash nodded. "This isn't the best situation. I just hope Lyra and the others are okay."

In Vestroia, Azalea and Lyra's battle continued with Zugaidos attempting to ram Amazon down.

"Take him out!" Azalea screamed, as Amazon narrowly dodged the dino's attack. "Ability, Activate!" Zugaidos leapt into the air. "Super Quake!" The Bakugan slammed down onto the ground, causing it to shake once again and make Amazon lose his balance.

Amazon: 400Gs
Zugaidos: 560Gs

"Not good!" Amazon cried, as he struggled to stay on his feet. Zugaidos then charged forward and rammed its head into him, knocking him backwards. "Ahhh!" He hit the ground, but managed to use his tail to push him up and back flip back to his feet. "Lyra!"

"Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon brought his hands together and formed a large sphere of water. "Aquos Bomber, plus Tornado Ocean!"

"Oh yeah!" He thrust the sphere forward and it exploded into a tornado jet stream, which slammed into Zugaidos and knocked it backwards.

Amazon: 600Gs
Zugaidos: 410Gs

The Subterra Bakugan crashed into the ground, roaring as it rolled along the ground. And as it did, Soarin and Braeburn ran over to where Flash and the others had been. "They were right here!" Braeburn cried, "what happened ta them?"

"I don't know," Soarin checked his Baku-Bracer. "Twilight. Please tell me you have a lock on them."

"I'm sorry," Twilight told them. "But we've lost their signal. There was a massive surge of energy, that forced our systems to reboot. And when it finally did, their signals were gone." Soarin frowned, but couldn't think about it due to Zugaidos getting up.

"Ability, Activate!" The dino ran forward, "Wild Rush!"

Amazon: 600Gs
Zugaidos: 610Gs

As it charged towards Amazon, the lizard side-stepped its attack as Lyra swiped two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon created a ball of mist, which he thrust forward in order to unleash a massive cloud. "Misty Barrier, plus Ice Slicer!"

Zugaidos looked around, unable to see a thing as it felt its power beginning to drop. Then, Amazon charged forward. "I gotcha now!" His arm fins froze over and he slashed at the Subterra Bakugan.

Amazon: 750Gs
Zugaidos: 260Gs

The ice blades slashed against Zugaidos and knocked it staggering back, roaring in pain as it did so. Amazon smirked and chased after it, spinning several times to slash at it again and again to do more damage. But eventually, Zugaidos dodged an attack as Azalea swiped a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" The spikes on Zugaidos' body glowed, along with its helmet. "Spike Stringers, plus Hyper Head Smash!" The light on the spikes flew off and shot towards Amazon, who tried to use his ice blades to deflect them. But three managed to get past and hit him, making him flinch as he was knocked back.

Amazon: 500Gs
Zugaidos: 510Gs

Zugaidos than exploded forward, attempting to ram into him. But Lyra was ready.

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon's body was surrounded by a veil of water, "Re-Hydrate!" He thrust his hands out and caught the dinos' head, getting pushed backwards for a few feet but regaining his strength as he did.

Amazon: 750Gs
Zugaidos: 510Gs

As he slid to a stop, Lyra then pointed to the ground. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground began to glow, as the light flew into Amazon. "Double Gap. This card increases the G Power of a Bakugan with the highest power level, doubling the difference between it and the weakest Bakugan.

Amazon: 990Gs
Zugaidos: 510Gs

"RAAAH!" Amazon overpowered Zugaidos and threw it away from him, as Azalea swiped her card.

"Ability, Activate!" Zugaidos' helmet glowed again, "Iron Skull!" It charged, as its power rose.

Amazon: 990Gs
Zugaidos: 760Gs

The beast tried to ram into Amazon, but he dodged the head and spun around to deal a kick to its chest. This knocked it backwards, as Amazon struck a pose and the gem on his chest glowed. "Am...A...ZON!" The light spread around his body, "Attribute Change! Pyrus!" The light faded and revealed his red and yellow form.

And as Zugaidos regained its balance, Lyra swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" His fins burst into flames, as he rushed forward. "Heat Striker!" With a single swipe, he slashed at Zugaidos and knocked it off balance again.

Amazon: 990Gs
Zugaidos: 610Gs

Azalea gasped and tried to swipe a card. But before she could, Zugaidos slammed into the ground and shook it. This caused her to lose her balance and the card in her hand slipped out. "NO!" She cried, trying to grab it but staggering around out of control.

And as she almost fell to the ground, Lyra took this moment to take out another card and swipe it. "Ability, Activate!" As Zugaidos tried to push it up, Amazon leapt into the air as a ball of steam appeared in his hands. "Steam Bomber!"

Amazon: 1390Gs
Zugaidos: 610Gs

As Azalea stood up, Amazon thrust his attack downwards. "OH YEAH!" He cried, as the ball exploded into a steam blast and slammed into Zugaidos. The dinosaur roared in agony, as it was knocked backwards and glowed.

"NO!" Azalea cried, as the Bakugan reverted back to ball form and flew over to Lyra.

Lyra: 100% (Winner)
Azalea: 0%

As Lyra caught the Bakugan, she smirked as Azalea stood there. "Game over. Give up!" Amazon returned to her, as Soarin and Braeburn prepared to attack. Azalea glared at them, then called upon her transport.

The ship flew down and she leapt up onto it, as the three ran after her. "This isn't over!" She told them. "You'll pay for this. I promise you!" With that, she flew off whilst the others watched her leave.

Lyra sighed, as she turned to where the portal had been. "Flash...Twilight. What happened to them?"

"I don't know," Soarin sighed. "Hopefully, they all got sent back to our world. And if they did, they might be able to get back. But if not..." Everyone remained quiet, fearing the worst.

"Let's not think like that," Valkyria told them. "Right now, we have to focus on keeping Equestria safe. Now that it's only the three of us, there's no telling how much damage the Rugenga can create."

Everyone frowned, but knew she was right. Even though the Rugenga were also down three members, that didn't make them any less dangerous. It would be up to them to protect Equestria from their evil ways. "Flash," Lyra sighed, "Twilight. Please be careful."

Up on her transport, Azalea had contacted Beck and Kiyrah.

"What the heck happened!" She cried, the other two frowning. "The portal exploded and they all vanished. I need explanations, with lots of pictures to help me understand!" Beck sighed, as he was trying to figure it out himself.

"Cursor activated his Baku-Bracer, which caused the portal to become unstable. The energy surge that resulted, seemed to suck everyone in. It's possible they've all been thrown into another dimension. Or become trapped between dimensions."

"Oh no," Kiyrah gasped. "What do we do?"

"There's nothing we can do," Hydread stated. "We have no way of searching for them. Which means they either have to find a way back themselves, or we complete this mission ourselves." The Rugenga clearly didn't like that idea, but knew they didn't have a choice.

Azalea sighed, as she checked the energy she had been able to collect during the battle. And when she did, she seemed to notice something.

She placed the colourless Bakugan onto the Baku-Bracer's scanner section and watched as the energy flowed into it. And when it did, the Bakugan glowed orange. "YES!" She cried, seeing the Bakugan come to life. "My little Goliath is awake!"

The light died down and the Subterra Bakugan was left in the colourless one's place, the Bakugan popping open and looking around. "Where am I?" It spoke in a deep male voice.

Azalea smiled. "You're with me, in Vestroia. Welcome to the land of the living, Goliath." She laughed, happy to finally have her partner with her. With this, the Defenders wouldn't stand a chance.

Back in the other world, two other individuals were feeling very out of place.

Sunset Shimmer and Moondancer, their Bakugan there beside them, gulped as they made their way through the city full of Bakugan. Despite being surrounded by four different races, they were feeling very self conscious about being there. But they had bigger problems at the moment, as Sunset tried to get in contact with Equestria.

"Hello?" Sunset cried, trying to get a signal on her Baku-Bracer. "Come on. What's wrong with this thing? Why won't it connect?" She tried everything she knew to get a signal, but there was nothing. "This doesn't make any sense. It can connect to Equestria when we're in Vestroia, so why won't it connect whilst we're here?"

"Maybe because there's a connection between Vestroia and Equestria," Flarenix suggested. "We came here from Vestroia, so there's nothing connecting this world directly to yours. So there must not be a way the signal can connect to Equestria."

Sunset sighed, realising he might be right. "Great. Now what do we do?"

"Ahhhhhhh!" Moondancer cried in frustration. "I can't believe this is happening! We were finally starting to win against the Rugenga and now this. What do we do? What do we do?!"

"Just relax," Sunset told Moondancer. "We'll figure out where we are and how to get back to Equestria."

"How?" Moondancer asked. "We don't even know how we got here in the first place." Sorcerell leapt onto her shoulder.

"Moondancer, you need to stay calm. Nothing bad is going to-"

"Hey!" The pair jumped and looked around, as they saw a man walking towards them. He appeared to be in his early twenties, with light peach skin and brown hair. He was wearing a white leather jacket over an orange shirt and blue pants. "Sorry, but you were looking a little lost. Are you okay?"

"We're...new here," Sunset explained. "We don't really know where we are."

"Well you're in Bakugan City," the man replied. "Birthplace of the Bakugan Alliance. The Name's Joe. I don't think I've seen people of your race before. Sorry if that sounded rude. So where are you from? Neathia? Vestal? You don't look like you'd be from Gundalia." They had no idea what any of that meant.

"We're from a place called Equestria," Sunset replied. "And we're just trying to get home."

"Equestria?" Joe frowned. "I don't think I've heard of that place before." He then noticed the Bakugan currently riding on the pair's shoulder. "Huh. Never seen those Bakugan before."

"My name's Flarenix," the Pyrus Bakugan replied. "Sunset's Bakugan Partner."

"And I'm Sorcerell," the Darkus Bakugan continued. "Partner to Moondancer and protector of all." Joe stared at them in amazement, clearly wondering where they came from.

"I'm sorry," Sunset told him. "We really need to get going. We need to find a way home and standing around talking isn't going to help with that." She began to walk off, Moondancer going with her. But Joe then followed.

"If you need help getting home, I might be of assistance. I work with the Bakugan Battle Brawlers. I might not know where this Equestria is, but I'm sure I can find it for you and our dimensional transporters can get you there." This made Sunset freeze, the unicorn slowly turning towards him.

"You have a dimensional transporter?"

"That's right," Joe nodded. "Honestly, there are a bunch of them in this world. It's how we get between the four worlds. So does this Equestria place have a dimensional transporter. Is that how you got here?" However, before either of them could reply, the one named Joe seemed to finally notice something on the girl's wrist. "Wait, where did you get those?"

The girls held up their Baku-Bracers, as Joe frowned. "These. We made them. Or, someone else made them. But we got the designs from a group that's been attacking our world."

"What?" Joe frowned. "That's impossible. There's only one group that has those things and there's no way they'd attack anyone." He stepped forward, looking certain about something. "You'd better start talking. Who are the people who have those devices?" The girls frowned, wondering what they had gotten themselves into.

In another part of the city, two individuals were standing atop a building.

Cursor and Thalia were both there, their Bakugan floating besides them as they looked out at the city. "What a nice looking place," Thalia stated. "The memories I have of it, don't compare to seeing the real thing with my own eyes."

"Indeed," Cursor nodded. "But we're not here to sight see."

Draken nodded. "We have to find a way to return to Vestroia. If we can't get back, we won't be able to absorb more energy."

"He's right," Cursor nodded. "Our best bet is to get to a dimensional transporter and warp back there."

"That might be easier said than done," Thalia stated. She was using her Baku-Bracer, attempting to locate something with little success. "I can't seem to connect to Vestroia. Whatever that explosion was, it scrambled the dimensional beacon circuits. I can't get a signal to Vestroia."

"Which means finding its dimensional coordinates will be next to impossible," Tigress stated. "So what do we do now?"

Cursor thought for a moment. "If we were pulled through, it's likely everyone else that was near the portal suffered the same treatment. That means Hayate is likely here as well"

"Along with those three Defenders," Draken agreed. "This might work out in our favour. If we can get back and leave those three here, that'll mean three less obstacles stopping us from taking over Equestria and claiming the Bakugan."

Cursor nodded. "For now, let's focus on finding Hayate. He's bound to be around here somewhere." They all nodded and started searching for a way down. As they did, Cursor was almost excited for the chance to battle in this new world. With all the different brawlers there, it would be the perfect place to grow stronger.

In Equestria, the remaining Defenders had returned to the castle and all looked worried as they watched the ponies at the control console work.

"Please tell me you've found something," Lyra asked. But Rosemary shook her head.

"I'm sorry. But we can't lock onto their Baku-Bracers. Wherever they are, it's somewhere we can't get a signal to." The Defenders all sighed, as Celestia and Luna both frowned. Twilight was also working on the console, Spike standing besides her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get a lock on them.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Soarin asked, only for the Guardians to float down.

"I may be able to find them." They all turned to Dragonia, shocked by this sudden revelation. "Don't forget, Leonidas and I are connected. I was the one who gave him my power to help create his body. That created a connection between us and even when he's in another world, I should be able to locate him. But it'll take time."

"Alright then," Celestia nodded. "Then until she's able to find him, we have to keep Equestria safe." Everyone nodded, though they were all curious where Flash and the others had ended up. And if they were safe there.

Back with Joe and the Equestrian, the girls had finished explaining everything to him.

To say Joe was shocked by their story was an understatement. "So let me get this straight. You girls come from another world, where the Bakugan from Vestroia escaped to, after their world was attacked by a group called the Rugenga." They nodded. "And another friend, from another Earth, tried to get to Vestroia but got stuck halfway through. And when you tried to help her, the portal blew and you all got sent here?"

"That's pretty much the gist of it," Sorcerell stated.

"Huh," Joe seemed to be having a hard time deciding if he should believe them or not. "That's an interesting story."

"So you don't believe us?" Sunset asked.

"I didn't say that," Joe replied. "After everything I've seen, your story's totally plausible. But..." The girls groaned, thinking they weren't going to be believed. However. "Alright, I'll trust you." The girls blinked, having not expected that. "Until you say or do something that'll make me doubt you, I'll believe what you're saying. And if you are telling the truth, it means Vestroia is in danger."

"So what do we do?" Moondancer asked.

"First, I'll take you to the Battle Brawler's HQ. I don't know if we can find the location of Equestria, but if it's possible we'll find it." The girls smiled, as they began to follow him. However, before they could even leave the street, something happen that drew their attention.

A huge explosion, coming from several streets away.

The three spun around and saw part of a building blowing up, as several Bakugan were sent flying and forced back into Ball Form. "What's going on?" Moondancer asked, Sunset unsure. But then they heard a familiar squawking sound and from out of the smoke, Skyreign flew into the air.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Sunset rushed towards the battle, with Joe and Moondancer right behind her.

In an unknown location, two individuals had just been alerted to the attack that had just happened.

One of those figures, the shorter of the two, stepped towards a computer and brought up footage of the attack. And when they saw the Bakugan responsible, they were shocked. "What?" They spoke with a female voice, "is that who I think it is?" The other figure stepped forward and took a look.

"It appears so. But there's something different about it."

"Who cares how different it is." A Darkus Bakugan flew up, its voice rather deep and gravely. "It's attacking the city. We have to stop it." The two figures nodded, only for someone else to appear on the screen. Sunset and Moondancer.

"Hello," the figure zoomed in on them and noticed their horns and hooves. "That's new." He then noticed who was with them. "Joe. What's he doing with them?"

As Skyreign flew overhead, Hayate chuckled seeing all the Bakugan that were forced into ball form.

There was one Bakugan that wasn't in ball form, this one being an Aquos Bakugan that looked like a large blue walrus. And as Skyreign dove down, the walrus tried to blast her with water. But she fought through it and slammed into the beast to send it flying.

"Raaah!" He cried, getting reverted back to ball form.

Several humans were also there, each of them trying to get to one of the Bakugan that had been knocked down. "Leave them!" Hayate stated. "Those Bakugan are now the property of the Rugenga!"

"What are you talking about?" A young woman stated in fear. "Bakugan don't belong to anybody." But Skyreign unleashed a burst of wind, that knocked her flying backwards.

"They do now!"

"HAYATE!" He looked around and saw Sunset and Moondancer running towards him, the Rugenga growling.

"So you annoying pests got sent here as well. No matter." Skyreign flew down, but Moondancer threw Sorcerell and the Bakugan appeared before creating a magic barrier that blocked the wind. "Interesting place, isn't it. Projectors all over the city, are creating a constant dimensional field, allowing Bakugan to enter their true forms whenever they want."

"It's impressive," Moondancer stated. "Too bad it lets people like you cause problems."

Hayate chuckled. "Not my fault the Bakugan here don't have a spine." Skyreign flew down behind him, as Sorcerell prepared to protect the girls. "How about you and I show these losers what a real brawl looks like?" He held up his Baku-Bracer, Moondancer doing the same.

"I'm down for that." She turned to Sunset and Joe, who nodded and prepared to move so that they could help those Hayate had attacked. "Bring it on!" They activated their Bracers, which caused their Bakugan to revert to ball form. And as the power-ups started to appear, Joe and Sunset ran past Hayate towards the others.

"Hurry," Sunset picked up some of the Bakugan, "let's get out of here."

The people noticed her horn, but didn't seem to give it a second look as they started running away. As they left the street, the Bracers finished booting up and their life gauges began to fill up. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Hayate: 100%
Moondancer: 100%

Moondancer quickly took out a card and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" As soon as it hit the ground, it exploded in a burst of purple light whilst the pair leapt into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They threw their partners, both hitting power-ups before they landed on the ground. "Bakugan, STAND!" The two popped open and in a burst of wind and purple light, the Bakugan took their true forms.

Sorcerell stood tall, as Skyreign took to the air and let out a squawk. Both Bakugan stared up at each other, ready to fight it out as their G Power rose.

Skyreign: 700Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs

"Gate Card!" Moondancer cried, "OPEN!" The ground began to glow and out of it, a bunch of purple clouds flew out and swirled around Sorcerell. "Darkus Reactor!"

Skyreign: 700Gs
Sorcerell: 920Gs

Sorcerell breathed in the mist, as magical circles formed in front of her hands. And as she thrust them forward, purple lightning exploded out of them and almost struck Skyreign. But the giant bird was able to avoid them, shooting through the air as the lightning struck the buildings instead.

In another part of the city, Flash and Twilight were making their way through the town whilst still trying to figure out what to do.

But as they passed through a park, they noticed a lamppost with a TV on it. And whilst this wouldn't usually catch their attention before a simple glance, the pair suddenly stopped when they heard a woman's voice coming from it. "This just in. An unsanctioned Bakugan Battle has just begun in the upper west side of Bakugan City."

The screen changed to show a familiar Bakugan, Flash's eyes going wide when he saw Skyreign. It then changed to show Sorcerell, Flash realising Moondancer had to be there.

"We need to get there, now."

"How?" Leonidas asked. "We don't know where the battle's taking place." But as he said that, Twilight spotted another notice board and moved over to it.

"Welcome," the screen came online, "how are you in need?"

Twilight pressed the tab stating map, which caused the screen to show the entire layout of the city along with a red circle stating that was where they were. "Okay." She pressed another tab that showed a direction arrow and when a touch keypad appeared, she typed in upper west side.

Soon, a red line appeared from the park and made its way through the city to eventually stop and reveal the location designated as the upper west side.

"Nice," Twilight memorised the directions before turning to Flash. "This way!" He nodded and followed, the pair racing out of the park and hoping they got there in time

Back in the battle, Sorcerell continued to blast lightning at Skyreign. But the bird managed to avoid every shot, as Hayate swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Skyreign began to spin, wind swirling around her. "Raging Tyrannical Tailwind!" Skyreign dived down and tried to hit Sorcerell, who launched several lightning bolts. But she dodged them all before beating her wings and sending the wind flying down towards Sorcerell.

"GYAH!" She cried, as they slammed into her and knocked her staggering back.

Skyreign: 850Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs

"Sorcerell!" Moondancer cried, as her Bakugan pushed against the building and staggered forward again.

"We're not going down that easy!" Sorcerell stated, with Moondancer nodding as Skyreign flew back up to a safe distance. "Moondancer. Show him why they shouldn't mess with us." Her partner nodded before taking out a card and swiping it.

"Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell swung her arms around again, her hands creating a bunch of different shapes. And as she did, light came out of her hands and formed a bunch of symbols. "Magic Circle, Level One!" The symbols were soon sealed within a circle of light and once complete, she thrust her hands forwards and the circle flew up towards Skyreign.

The bird tried to dodge, but wasn't fast enough and the magic circle slammed into her before exploding. Doing so caused the magic within the circle to fly into the Bakugan and shock her. "GYAH!" She squawked in pain, almost falling towards the ground.

Skyreign: 550Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs

Sorcerell used this opening to try and blast her with another round of purple lightning, but Skyreign recovered at the last moment and managed to pull herself away from the lightning's path.

"Ability, Activate!" Her body burst into flames. "Deadly Whirlwind Firestorm!" Skyreign dove down and picked up speed, the green embers flying off her as she did. And before Sorcerell could escape, she smashed into her and an explosion followed.

Skyreign: 550Gs
Sorcerell: 420Gs

"AUGH!" Sorcerell was sent flying and crashed into the ground, as Skyreign flew back up and prepared to attack again.

Moondancer gasped, as Skyreign dove down to attack again. But before she could, Moondancer took out a card. "Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell forced herself back to her feet and started creating symbols in the air. "Magic Barrier, Level One!" The symbols were soon placed inside a magic circle, which solidified as Skyreign slammed into it.

As soon as she did, the remaining flames flew off her body and into the circle. Those flames were then changed into energy, which flew into Sorcerell and powered her back up.

Skyreign: 550Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs

As Skyreign was pushed backwards, Sorcerell unleashed another blast of lightning that struck her and made her cry out in pain. "That's the way!" Moondancer cheered, as Hayate growled before taking something out.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw the object into the air, "Ventus Insectra!" The Bakugan popped open and in a burst of green light, transformed into its true form. That form that shot towards Sorcerell and slammed into her, knocking her away before she could attack Skyreign again.

Skyreign+Insectra: 850Gs
Sorcerell: 720Gs

As Sorcerell regained her balance, Skyreign recovered whilst Hayate swiped his cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Insectra's tail stinger glowed, as green wind and flames swirled around Skyreign. "Aero Stinger, plus Aero Style Destruction Dance!"

Insectra fired the attacks, which slammed into Sorcerell and made her cry out as her power dropped.

Skyreign+Insectra: 1050Gs
Sorcerell: 570Gs

Skyreign then charged towards Sorcerell, attempting to attack her head on. But Moondancer was ready. "Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped the cards and Sorcerell glowed.

"Dual Casting! This Ability lets me reuse the effect of an Ability I've already used. Like Magic Circle, Level One!" Sorcerell once again formed a magic circle, which she launched at Skyreign and hit her dead on.

"Augh!" She cried, feeling her power lower. But that wasn't all that happened.

"Plus, Spell of Enlightenment. This lets me gain the same power increase given to you by your last Ability Card!" Sorcerell's glow increased, as her power rose whilst Skyreign's dropped.

Skyreign+Insectra: 750Gs
Sorcerell: 770Gs

Sorcerell launched several lightning bolts, which struck the area all around the Ventus Bakugan. And as it did, Moondancer took something out. "And now. Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air and it was revealed to be a cylinder-shaped Bakugan that was pointing horizontally. "Darkus Kyubinx!"

The Bakugan popped open, creating the shape of a canine Bakugan sitting on its hind legs with nine leaf-shapes coming out the back. And as it flew up, it glowed before transforming into a bright purple light.

That light shot down and landed in front of Sorcerell, taking the form of a quadrupedal fox with nine tails. It was mostly purple, with black fur around its chest, on its feet and the tips of its tails. Around its neck was some kind of metal pole, with had been bent and wrapped around it to for a metal bow that was a combo of black and yellow strips. The ends of this pole had purple bell-like objects on them. On its forehead was a ying-yang symbol, with the same symbol on each of its hind legs.

As soon as the Bakugan appeared, the power of Darkus Reactor flew into its body and powered it up.

Skyreign+Insectra: 750Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1200Gs

The sudden power up allowed Sorcerell to unleash a powerful blast of lightning, which almost hit the two Ventus Bakugan as they flew around.

Hayate then took out a pair of cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Wind swirled around Insectra, whilst Skyreign's wings glowed. "Whirlwind Rage, plus Serrated Feather Bombardment!" The two's power rose, as Skyreign launched her glowing feather darts down towards the pair.

They tried to avoid them, but both Bakugan found themselves getting hit several times and losing a lot of their combined power.

Skyreign+Insectra: 850Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 800Gs

But Moondancer wasn't giving up so easily. "Ability, Activate!" Kyubinx stood still and spread her nine tails, as the tips of them each caught fire and glowed a strange dark blue flame. "Fox Tail, Dark Flame!" The fireballs blasted off the tails and flew up towards the two, all nine fireballs then exploding into several others that moved even faster

The two Bakugan flew around, attempting to avoid the attacks. But one managed to hit Insectra and exploded, making it hiss as its power dropped.

Skyreign+Insectra: 720Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 800Gs

More of the fireballs then slammed into them, exploding and causing them to roar in pain as more and more of their power was lost.

Skyreign+Insectra: 670Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 800Gs

Hayate frowned, as he took out a pair of cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Skyreign beat her wings and created a powerful gust of wind, whilst a sphere of air swirled around Insectra's tail. "Crashing Cyclone Fortress, plus Tailwind Cannon!"

Skyreign's wind swirled around them, creating a barrier that blocked the remaining fireballs and extinguished them. At the same time, Insectra fired the sphere on its tail.

Skyreign+Insectra: 1100Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 800Gs

As the sphere shot towards them, Moondancer took out two cards. At the same time, Sorcerell leapt onto Kyubinx's and held onto the metal bow around its neck. The fox started leaping around, dodging the wind sphere that struck the ground and exploded.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Sorcerell leapt off Kyubinx, her hands glowing as she started chanting something. "Mystic Enchantment..."

"Ellora Van Garonok!" The light exploded off of her hands and hit Skyreign, making her squawk in pain as her power was being drained.

Skyreign+Insectra: 900Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1000Gs

"Plus, Magic Flame Aura!" Kyubinx's entire body was suddenly surrounded by a blue flaming veil, the Bakugan looking up towards Insectra before letting out a howl. As she did, a stream of blue and black flames shot out of her mouth and flew towards the Trap Bakugan.

Skyreign+Insectra: 900Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1150Gs

The flamethrower slammed into the insect, making it cry out as it was knocked backwards and crashed into a building. Moments later, it reverted back to ball form and fell to the ground. "What?" Hayate cried, as his Life Gauge dropped.

Hayate: 70%
Moondancer: 100%

As Hayate rushed over to pick up his Trap Bakugan, Skyreign kept a safe distance from the other Bakugan due to her loss of power.

Skyreign: 600Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1150Gs

Hayate growled, "this isn't over yet!" He took out a card and swiped it, as Skyreign's body burst into flames. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Skyreign's blazing body shot forward, a powerful gust of wind blowing behind her. "Eternal Blades of Flaming Gale Force!"

Skyreign: 1100Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1150Gs

The flames flew down, but Sorcerell and Kyubinx were able to withstand them as they were pushed back a foot or two. Moondancer also protected herself, as she took out a pair of cards. "This is over, thanks to Magic Flame Aura." Hayate wondered what she meant, until he realised Kyubinx was still surrounded by the flaming veil. "Thanks to that Ability, Kyubinx has gained the Pyrus Attribute on top of her Darkus Attribute."

"So?" As he asked that, Flash and Twilight suddenly appeared down the street. They both spotted the battle, as Moondancer took a step forward.

"So, I can do this! Double Ability, Activate!" She swiped the card, as Kyubinx's body burst into blue and black flames. "Astral Flame..." From out of the fire, a ghostly fire fox appeared and flew through the air towards Skyreign.

She tried to avoid it, but the fox was too fast and slammed into her. She hissed, as the fiery ghost passed through her body and out of her back. It then returned to Kyubinx, giving her some of the power it had stolen from Skyreign.

Skyreign: 1000Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1200Gs

"Plus, Diagonal Correlation!" Hayate's eyes went wide, as h realised what a Darkus and Pyrus Bakugan together truly meant.

Kyubinx howled again, as a stream of energy flowed between the pair. Sorcerell felt a great wellspring of power flow within her. "Fire and darkness. Unite and unleash the great power of the cosmos!" Sorcerell created a magic circle, as Skyreign tried to escape. "Give me the strength to vanquish this evildoer!"

Skyreign: 1000Gs
Sorcerell+Kyubinx: 1400Gs

It was at this moment that Joe and Sunset had returned and saw what was happening. "GOOO!" Sorcerell cried, as she thrust the magic circle forward. In doing so, it unleashed an extra powerful burst of purple lightning that shot towards the avian Bakugan.

Skyreign tried to avoid it, but the lightning seemed to be tracking her. And eventually, it slammed into her and she squawked in agony. "GYAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"SKYREIGN!" Hayate yelled, as his Bakugan was forced back into Ball Form. He looked absolutely shocked, as his life gauge dropped all the way to nothing.

Hayate: 0%
Moondancer: 100% (Winner)

He rushed over to grab his Bakugan, shocked by what had happened. "I was defeated so easily." He growled at Moondancer, as her Bakugan returned to her. Sunset moved over and patted her on the shoulder, smiling as Flash and Twilight headed towards them.

"Guys!" Flash yelled catching their attention.

"Flash," Sunset gasped, "Twilight. You're okay." The pair nodded, as they all turned to Hayate. "It's over." Hayate glared at them, but another voice spoke up.

"Not yet, it isn't." Everyone looked up and saw Cursor and Thalia, both of which stationed atop a lamppost that had survived the battle. "You may have beaten him, but you'll find the two of us won't go down so easily." He and Thalia prepared their Baku-Bracers, Flash and Sunset doing the same.

However, something happened that suddenly stopped their oncoming brawl.

Out of nowhere, their Baku-Bracers all deactivated. "What?" Flash asked, trying to get his to work. "What's going on?"

"I've shut them down, along with the Bakugan Dimensional Areas in this part of the city." Everyone looked around and saw a pair of figures standing atop one of the buildings.

It was a man and woman pair, the man being a blonde wearing dark clothing. He also wore a mask over his eyes, with only one of them not being hidden behind his large mop of blonde hair. The other was a slightly shorter woman, with orange hair wearing white and blue clothing.

The pair leapt off the building, landing on a lamppost before jumping off it onto the ground.

"Keith!" Joe smiled, "Mira!"

Cursor didn't look happy. "Who do you think you are?"

The blonde man chuckled, as he stepped forward. "I am Spectra Phantom. And whilst my friends are away, I am the protector of Bakugan City. Which means you are all in trouble."

The other two Rugenga leapt down, the three glaring at them all before Cursor turned to Hayate and nodded. The Ventus Brawler quickly reached into his jacket and took something out, throwing it to the ground with an explosion of smoke filling the street.

Everyone coughed, as the smoke filled the area and blinded them.

They tried to blow it away, but it was just too strong. And eventually, the smoke faded but the Rugenga were all gone. "Ahh!" Flash cried, "they got away." But the girls were more focused on the new arrivals, as Spectra and the woman named Mira moved towards them.

"Who are you?" The woman inquired, noticing the hooves and horns Sunset and Moondancer had. "You're clearly not from this world. Or any other world we know of. So start talking."

"We can explain," Sunset stated. "Kind of. It's a long story."

"Please," Twilight spoke up, "we're trapped in this world. We didn't mean to come here. It was an accident."

"Accident, you say?" Spectra stated, only to then notice Leonidas on Flash's shoulder. This along with Sorcerell and Flarenix, made him raise an eyebrow. "If you're from another world, how is it you came into possession of Bakugan?"

"It's a long story," Leonidas replied. "By any chance, do you people know a brawler by the name of Dan." Their eyes widened, "and his partner Drago." Now the pair were really shocked. "And what about a Bakugan named Amazon."

"We know them," the woman stated. "But how do you know of them?" The group shared a look, all wondering how they were going to explain this to them.

Author's Note

Boom. The Defenders meet some of the Battle Brawlers. Well...I think Keith and Mira count as a Battle Brawler. Joe does. Anyway, hope you enjoyed it.

For those wondering about Kyubinx. Look up Youkomon and make its white parts black.

Face of Evil

Bakugan City, despite the insanity that had occurred earlier that day, seemed to be just as serene as it was on any other day.

The people and Bakugan that had been attacked by the Rugenga, had been treated for their injuries and found to be perfectly fine. And now that their images had been recorded, every screen and billboard in the city showed the three individuals that had threatened the city.

Those three and their Bakugan, had taken refuge in an empty area of the city. An old warehousing district that contained a bunch of old machines that may have a use in the future. Currently, the three were hiding within that warehouse as they tried to come up with a plan.

"I say we sneak into the Battle Brawler's HQ," Cursor suggested to them. "Then we can use their dimensional transporter to get us back to Vestroia."

"Except they don't have a way into Vestroia," Hayate stated. "The only places we could go would be Vestal, Neathia and Gundalia. And none of those places have a way to Vestroia either."

"So what do we do?" Skyreign asked. "We can't just sit around and do nothing. We need a plan."

As this was going on, Thalia opened one of the crates filling the warehouse. Looking inside, she shook her head before closing it and opening another one. As she did, Tigress floated up besides her. "What are you doing, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"I'm looking for something that'll help us hack into the Battle Brawler's systems." She opened another crate and found something. "Ah, here we are." She took out a tablet-like device and carried it over to them, switching it on and finding it still had power.

The tablet protected a holographic screen and transformed into a laptop, the Rugenga beginning to hack into something with it. "What are you planning?"

"You'll see," Thalia chuckled. "Just wait and see."

Flash and his friends were amazed by the building they had just arrived at.

Said building was a large dome, which was white in colour with glass covering most of it and yellow accents. The front of the dome had a large tower and as they stepped inside, they were greeted to an entryway that seemed like something out of a posh hotel.

Standing in the entryway were a pair of individuals, who both bowed as they saw them. One was an old man in a suit, with hair only on the sides of his head, a moustache and glasses. The other was a blue haired individual, wearing an unusual brown with orange accents.

"Welcome back, Ms. Mira," the old man stated.

"Master Spectra," the blue haired individual continued. "I trust you were able to deal with the disturbance."

"In a way," Spectra replied before gesturing to the four newcomers. "Kato. Please prepare some spare room for our guests. They're going to be staying here for the foreseeable future."

"Of course," the old man nodded before walking off.

Flash, Twilight, Sunset, Moondancer and their Bakugan stared at the room around them, barely able to believe they were in such a super luxurious place after getting thrown into a completely foreign world. "So this is your headquarters?" Flash asked.

"Yup," Joe nodded. "This place doubles as both a research centre, and the Battle Brawlers' base of operations. Whenever a situation involving Bakugan occurs, we get the lowdown here and can come up with a suitable counter plan to deal with it."

"So it's just like the hub in our world," Sunset realised. "Do you often have issues you need to fix?"

"It's a rare occurrence," Mira replied. "What happened in town today, is the biggest problem we've had to deal with in over a year."

"Sorry about that," Moondancer frowned. But Mira smiled at her.

"It's not your fault. It's thanks to you, that Hayate guy didn't get any of the Bakugan he attacked. You did us a big favour." Moondancer smiled, as Spectra led them through the building. As they reached a hallway, Sunset noticed a bunch of framed pictures on the wall.

One of them showed a large group with Joe in it, though he appeared to be a young boy at that time. He was roughly twelve or thirteen and he was surrounded by other kids his age. A brown haired boy in red and yellow, a short blonde boy in blue and white, a black long-haired boy in purple and black, a girl in yellow and white, with blue pigtails, a dark skinned girl in pink with a white ponytail, an orange haired girl in cream and green and many others.

There were other pictures as well, though most of them didn't have Joe in it. Mira and Spectra were in a few of them and in each one, the same three boys were all in it at different ages.

"That's Dan, Marucho and Shun." Joe stepped up to her. "Out of all the Battle Brawlers, those three have fought in the most conflicts. They've worked hard to make sure the humans and Bakugan are able to live in peace."

"We've heard of them," Flash stated. "Dragonia told us all about them."

"Dragonia?" Joe asked, with Leonidas speaking up.

"You may know her by another name. Wyvern." That name caused Joe's eyes to widen in shock, whilst Spectra, Mira and the blue haired guy seemed intrigued by this. "She told me all about you. And about this world, where humans and Bakugan first came together."

"Wyvern...she's alive?"

"Yes," Leo nodded. "In fact, she's my mother." Joe clearly hadn't been expecting that, "in a way. It's complicated. Basically, when Vestroia was in a time of crisis, she allowed herself to be reincarnated into a new form. She became one of the most powerful Haos Bakugan of her time. Haos Dragonia. She helped protect Vestroia from evil, along with several other Bakugan. But eventually, they weren't able to stop Vestroia from being destroyed."

"What do you mean, destroyed?" The Darkus Bakugan next to Spectra growled, with Spectra keeping him from charging at Leonidas.

"Easy, Helios. Let him explain." And so Leo did, with Flash and Twilight filling in some of the pieces as they made their way through the building.

Once Leonidas finished telling them about how he remade Vestroia with his own body, Flarenix and Sorcerell took over and told them about the decade that followed until the arrival of the Rugenga. This was where Sunset and Moondancer explained what happened as well, with Flash finally returning to the story.

"And that's when I tried to get to Vestroia," Twilight sighed in disappointment. "But I failed and almost killed myself. And now, we've been thrown into this world with no idea how to get ourselves home."

"I could have been worse," Spectra stated. "You could have been thrown into a world that had no idea about Bakugan, Vestroia, or interdimensional travel. At least this way, you have a chance at getting back there."

"But first," Mira spoke up. "We need to find a way to deal with those Rugenga. And figure out who the heck they are."

"That Bakugan," Joe stepped in. "Skyreign. It looked just like Skyress. Or what Skyress used to be before she evolved."

"And she's not the only one that apparently looks like other Bakugan," Flash stated before Sunset held up her Baku-Bracer. She typed at it and all four of the Rugenga's partner Bakugan appeared.

The three stared at the holograms and were shocked by what they saw. "Drago?" Mira asked, seeing Draken. "That's Neo Dragonoid. But he's different."

"Hydranoid and Tigrerra," Joe agreed. "These were the original forms of the Battle Brawler's first partners. Well, except for Drago. But that's what he looked like when he was reborn."

"So you know all these Bakugan?" Twilight asked. "What happened to them?"

"We have a vague idea," Moondancer spoke up. "Base on what Amazon told us."

"Amazon?" Mira asked. "You know Amazon?"

"Right," Flash nodded. "We forgot to mention that. We met Amazon a little while back. He fell into Vestroia, out of a dimensional breach, and lost most of his memories. But he managed to get some of them back. He told us he was part of a mission to try and get back to Vestroia."

"He was," Spectra nodded. "But if he managed to get back to Vestroia, what the heck happened to the others?"

"Could you tell us more about that mission?" Sunset asked. "Maybe if we know why they were trying to get back to Vestroia, we might be able to figure out how the Rugenga fit into all of this."

They nodded, as Spectra led them to a room full of computers and other equipment.

Mira started the story off. "It all started about a year after the defeat of Mechtavius Destroyer." The four and their Bakugan raised an eyebrow, wondering what Mechtavius Destroyer was. "Everything was great. Most of the Bakugan had come to live on Earth or one of the other worlds part of the Bakugan Alliance. The world was at peace and nobody seemed to want to destroy it."

"But then it happened," Joe stated. "Vestroia just disappeared. All connection to the realm was cut off and no matter what we did, we couldn't open a portal there. It was like Vestroia just ceased to exist."

"But we knew Vestroia was still there," Spectra replied. "Drago had a connection to the world and could sense it was still there, even if we couldn't get to it. However, two years after it disappeared, something new happened.

Two years ago.

"GYAH!" Within the Bakugan Battle Brawler's headquarters, a Pyrus Bakugan let out a cry of pain. He fell to the ground, as his partner rushed over to him.

"Drago!" His partner, Dan, ran over to him and picked the Bakugan up. As he did, Marucho and Shun ran over to him. "Drago. Talk to me. What happened?"

Drago let out a moan. "I...I don't know. Vestroia. My connection to the Perfect Core. It's been severed."

The Brawlers all shared a shocked look, as Marucho spoke up. "But that could only happen if..."

"The Perfect Core's been destroyed," Drago stated. "And if that's happened, it means Vestroia's also been destroyed. Our world is no more." None of them could believe this. They all wondered how on Earth this could happen. And what it could mean for the Bakugan."

"It was a terrifying discovery," Spectra stated. "Everyone feared the worst and Drago was in a weakened state for months afterwards."

"Ouch," Flash hissed. "That must have been when Lucifer destroyed Vestroia and the Bakugan were all sent to our world." The others nodded. "But Vestroia was restored. Did Drago feel that?"

"He did," Mira nodded. "But whilst he could sense its restoration, he knew something was wrong. The world wasn't like it used to be and whilst he could sense a Perfect Core, he couldn't connect to it like he used to. That's why we decided it was finally time to go there."

"How?" Twilight asked.

Joe replied. "In the time since Vestroia was lost, Marucho and everyone else with the technical skills, worked to design a ship that could finally break through whatever was keeping Vestroia locked away. It was a lot of work, but we managed to create a ship with a dimensional engine able to break through to Vestroia. And when it was finished, we knew there was only one group worthy of riding it there.

Several Months ago.

On the outskirts of Bakugan City, many people were staring at a large ship that had been built to finally return to Vestroia. It was an arrowhead-shaped vessel with four wings that had tube-like thrusters on the end, being silver in colour with blue trim.

Within the ship, Marucho was at the helm with Dan, Shun, Runo, Julia and Alice. Each of them was dressed in a flight suit and strapped around their arms were Baku-Bracers. Along with them were Fusion Dragonoid, Preyas, Storm Skyress, Blade Tigerra, Hammer Gorem, Alpha Hydranoid and Amazon. The young Aquos Bakugan was excited, happy his master had let him come with.

"All systems online," Marucho stated. "Dimensional engine ready." He turned to Dan, "is Drago ready?"

"I am," Drago nodded as the round slot he was inside began to glow. "Even with my weakened connection to Vestroia, we should be able to break through to it."

"Then all systems are a go," Marucho stated as he opened a comms channel to those in the control centre.

There, Spectra, Mira, Joe and several of their friends were watching. This included the Battle Brawler's families, who were all worried about their children leaving. "It's time," Doctor Micheal stated. "Preparing for take off."

The Brawlers nodded and the engine began to power up, Spectra typing at the computer and spoke to them. "T minus sixty seconds to launch." The passengers were all strapped in tight and the ship began to power up, its thrusters unleashing smoke as the power within it built. "T Minus fifty seconds. All systems are green."

Everyone waited with baited breath, many fearing the ship would explode upon take off.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three...two...one...BLAST OFF!" The thrusters fired and pushed the vessel upwards, everyone watching as it soared into the air. After several long minutes, the ship breached the atmosphere and was safely in space.

They all cheered, as Micheal spoke again. "It's time to activate the dimensional warp drive. Are you ready?"

"We are," Dan replied. "Don't worry. We'll make it to Vestroia. And we'll be back soon." Everyone watched as the signal on the screen showed the ship's dimensional engines powering up. And eventually, a large surge of energy was registered before vanishing.

"Well?" A blonde woman asked, "what happened? Did they make it?"

"They escaped our dimension," Spectra replied. "But we won't know if they made it to Vestroia until they get there and set up a communications frequency."

"But they never contacted us," Joe finished. "We've been trying to locate them ever since, but we haven't been able to find a trace of them."

"We weren't even sure if they made it to Vestroia," Mira sighed. "But if these Rugenga arrived at around the same time, and have Bakugan like the ones that went with them, it's possible they made it."

"But your friends are supposed to be the good guys?" Flash pointed out. "So why would they try and attack Bakugan and Equestria?"

"We're not saying they're the Rugenga," Joe replied. "In fact, do you have any images of these guys?" Sunset used her Baku-Bracer to create holographic images of the six villains, the three staring at them and nodding. "Yup. That can't be them. I mean, Marucho's half the size of that Aquos Brawler."

"Then who are they?" Mira asked. "And what's their connection to our friends?"

"We'll figure it out once we've found them," Spectra replied. "We just need to find them. But first, we also need to find our own way to Vestroia or Equestria."

"And maybe our world," Twilight stated. "My parents are probably freaking out about me disappearing."

"So how do we get there?" Flash asked, as everyone thought about it. But Spectra seemed to already have an idea.

"It's quite simple. Every dimension has its very own unique energy signature. It's one of the ways we Vestals managed to get to Vestroia all those years ago. So long as we have that dimension's energy signature, we can track it back to the dimension of origin."

"Okay?" Flarenix frowned, "but how do we get the energy?" Twilight then snapped her fingers.

"We already have it. If every dimension gives off a kind of energy, then being in that dimension must cause you to get bathed in it."

"Exactly," Mira nodded. "It's harmless. Just something you happen to pick up when you're in that world for a long time. So we can take samples of that energy and use it to find our way back to your worlds."

"Great," Flash smirked, "what do you need from us?"

"I'll take you to the scanner room," Joe replied. "But we've only got three scan chambers, so one of you will have to wait."

Moondancer turned to Sunset. "I'll take the scan. The two of us have both been to the same worlds, so they don't need both of us." Sunset agreed, as Joe led them away and asked more about Dragonia.

Spectra and the blue haired guy began working on something, leaving Sunset and Flarenix alone with Mira stepping up next to them.

"Come on. I know you're probably worried about getting back to your world, but you should take this time to explore. It's not every day you get to be in a completely new universe."

"Sure," Sunset nodded. Mira led her out of the building, the pair beginning to explore the many different facets of Bakugan City.

One such facet were the many battle arenas, where Brawlers of all kinds could apparently battle against one another. "Bakugan," Sunset looked up at a TV screen, "Brawl!" A blonde human threw a Bakugan into battle, the humanoid Haos Bakugan appearing with a leap into the sky. "Rise, Haos Reptak!"

Sunset kept watching and was amazed by all the different battles taking place.

"Wow. In Equestria, the only battles we have are for training or when we're trying to fight off the Rugenga."

Mira sighed, "that's a shame. Battling is a great way to bond with your Bakugan and your opponents. Here, we battle just for the love of the game. To improve ourselves and show the world our strength. That's why we fight so hard to defend it when needed."

Sunset watched several battles and wondered if Equestria could ever have something like that.

"Mira!" The two look up and see a pair of Bakugan flying towards them. One was an Aquos Bakugan and the other was a Haos Bakugan. "There you are. What happened earlier? Apparently, there was a fight going on in town."

Mira nodded, "there's been a development with Dan and the others. We may have a lead to help find them."

"Really?" The Haos Bakugan asked. "Great. What is it?"

Mira turned to Sunset, "sorry. Let me introduce you." She gestured to the Bakugan. "This is Aquos Minx Elfin and Haos Aranaut. They're really close to two Bakugan that went missing. Tigerra and Preyas."

Elfin floated forward, "do you two know anything about Preyas and the others? If you do, can you please tell us." She sounded desperate. "Oh, I knew I should have gone with them. I can't believe I let Amazon go."

Sunset wasn't sure why, but Elfin almost sounded like a concerned mother.

"Relax," Mira told her. "We'll find them. We just need to-" She didn't get to finish, as the TVs on the stadiums suddenly went static and changed to show an image of a familiar masked individual.

"Thalia!" Sunset growled, seeing the Rugenga in question.

"Hello, Bakugan City. Sorry for the hijack, but I need to talk with a friend of mine. Defenders. Come to Twelfth and Aquos if you know what's good for you." Suddenly, the TV changed back to normal. But as it did, something happened and the Bakugan all suddenly started glowing.

"What?" Elfin asked, "what's happening?" She grunted, the other two doing the same.

"What's wrong?" Mira asked, as Aranaut groaned.

"It's...it suddenly feels like I can't hold ball form any longer. Like if I'm not careful, I'll turn back to my true form."

"What?" Mira then took out a phone and fiddled with it, frowning as she did. "No way. The dimensional wave projectors have been kicked up to full power. The Bakugan will have to really work to keep from going big."

"What's the problem?" Flarenix asked, grunting as he did. "Wasn't this place built for Bakugan to be able to transform into their true forms?"

"Yes. But if every Bakugan transforms, the entire city will be overcrowded with them. And there might be ones inside buildings when it happens."

"Can you fix it?" Sunset asked, as Mira tried. But she was having no luck.

"I don't know how she did this, but she's good. I can't override the hack."

"Then there's only one option." Sunset started running. "I need to find her and stop her." Mira frowned, but nodded before calling out to her.

"Okay. But you're going the wrong way." Sunset stopped and groaned, Mira actually chuckling before the pair heading in the right direction.

On Twelfth and Aquos, Thalia sat atop a building watching the many Bakugan attempting to stay outside in case they couldn't hold their smaller form.

And sure enough, a flash of light revealed a Ventus pterodactyl Bakugan that couldn't hold it. She chuckled, but then noticed someone running into the street. Sunset.

She and Mira quickly arrived and spotted the Ventus Bakugan, who had already taken to the air to keep himself from causing any trouble. But they both knew he couldn't stay up there for long. "Thalia!" Sunset yelled, "where are you?"

"Up here!" They looked and spotted the Rugenga, who leapt off the building and landed a ways off. "So you're the one that came. Shame. I was hoping to settle the score with Sentry. But you'll do."

"What are you planning?" Mira asked, "why do this?"

"It's quite simple," Thalia replied. "We need a way back to Vestroia and you'll obviously find a way there. So we're going to make sure you take us back with you and don't try and capture us. And the best way to do that is to hold your Bakugan hostage."

Sunset's eyes widened, "you're gonna try and take Flarenix?"

"That's right. And if you want me to lower the energy of the field, you'll battle me. If you don't, this city will suddenly find itself with a lot less space."

Sunset glared at her, then turned to Flarenix. The Pyrus Bakugan turned to her and nodded, "let's do this. We've got no choice." Sunset nodded and turned back to her.

"Fine. We'll brawl. But you have to turn to generators back down before we do."

"Very well," Thalia nodded. "I'd need to do that anyway." She took out the tablet and lowered the energy, Flarenix confirming that he was no longer having to hold back his transformation. The Bakugan in the air also managed to revert back to ball form, as Thalia and Sunset held up their Baku-Bracers. "Let's do this."

"Lets!" Sunset cried, as the Bracers activated and created the power-ups. And as their life gauges filled up, Elfin and Aranaut arrived to see the battle begin. "BRAWL!"

Thalia: 100%
Sunset: 100%

"Gate Card...SET!" Thalia threw It and once the card hit the ground, it exploded as the two grabbed their Bakugan and leapt into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Their Bakugan flew through several power-ups before landing on the ground, both rolling along it before popping open. "Bakugan...STAND!"

The Bakugan exploded, light and fire filling the street before their true forms appeared. Flarenix flew up high, whilst Tigress stood strong on the ground. Tigress roared, as her and Flarenix's power rose.

Tigress: 650Gs
Flarenix: 650Gs

Elfin and Aranaut stared at Tigress, their eyes going wide. "No way," Aranaut cried, "Mistress Tigerra?" Tigress heard that name and growled, but kept her focus on the battle.

"Ability, Activate!" Thalia swiped a card, as light formed around Tigress' head. "Crystal Bite!" The gemstone jaws formed, ready to do some serious damage as Tigress ran forward.

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 650Gs

As the tiger picked up speed, she leapt up and actually ran up the side of a building before leaping off and attacking the phoenix. Flarenix tried to escape, but Tigress was too fast and slashed at him.

He barely managed to keep his wings from being bitten into, Flarenix blowing Tigress back as Sunset swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Flarenix's body burst into flames, as the bird dove down towards the Haos bakugan. "Inferno Charge!"

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 900Gs

Flarenix slammed into Tigress, but the tiger blocked with her claws and was able to keep Tigress at bay.

"Is that all you've got?" Thalia laughed. "Pathetic." She pointed toward the ground. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground began to glow, as Tigress pushed Flarenix away. "Haos Reactor!" The light flew into her, powering her up as she charged forward.

Tigress: 1150Gs
Flarenix: 900Gs

Flarenix tries to fly back up, but Tigress leapt at him and caught up before he could get away. The tiger roared, as she sliced at Flarenix and made him squawk. And before Flarenix could attack back, Tigress leapt away.

Mira gasped, seeing Flarenix take a lot of damage whilst Sunset took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Flarenix recovered before flying towards Tigress, his wings and feet bursting into flames. "Blazing Talon, plus Wildfire Wingbeat!"

He stopped moving and thrust his wings forward, sending the flames flying towards Tigress and hitting her.

Tigress: 1000Gs
Flarenix: 1000Gs

Tigress flinched, as the flames washed over her body. Flarenix then attacked, slashing at her with his flaming claws. But Tigress quickly leapt out of the way before they could make contact. And as she landed on the side of a building, Thalia swiped a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Tigress leapt off the building, as light and electricity swirled around her. "Power Charge, plus Lightning Whirlwind!"

She landed on the ground and the lightning exploded off of her, swirling around Flarenix and zapping him.

Tigress: 1250Gs
Flarenix: 900Gs

The big cat then shot forward and flew through the tornado, slashing at the bird and making him scream in pain. This caused him to be blasted back and revert to ball form. "Flarenix!" She gasped, as the Bakugan fell to the ground and her life gauge dropped.

Thalia: 100%
Sunset: 30%

Thalia smirked, as Tigress returned to her. "You're in trouble now. Do yourself a favour and give up." Sunset glared at her, as Mira stepped up.

"Don't listen to her. You can still win this. You just have to remember to play to Flarenix's strengths." Sunset nodded, as she looked down at the Bakugan she had just picked up.

"Flarenix's strengths?" She couldn't really out-muscle Tigress. But she could undo a lot of the damage the Bakugan did. She just had to play it smart. "I can do this."

Back at the Battle Brawler's HQ, Flash, Twilight and Moondancer stepped out of a trio of chambers.

They had just spent a short while being scanned and now that it was over, they could finally step out. "So?" They asked Spectra, as he worked on the scans, "did you get what you were looking for?"

"I did," Spectra nodded. "With this, I should be able to locate your world's point of origins and send us all there."

"Great," Twilight nodded. "Any idea how long that'll take?"

"None, I'm afraid. These things take time. I'm searching an entire multiverse for one with the same energy signature as yours. It's not gonna be easy." They nodded, but hoped he would be able to find the world soon.

In that moment, the doors opened before the blue haired man rushed in. "Master Spectra?"

"Gus? What's wrong?"

"Someone's hacked into the city's dimensional field generators and has set them to max. Bakugan all over the city are turning into their true forms."

"What?" Spectra moved over to a computer and brought up the info, the man realising he was right. "How? Our systems are encrypted. Marucho made sure that nobody could ever hack in. How could they have enough in-depth knowledge of the systems to get in?"

"Does that matter?" Flash asked. "Can you stop it?"

"No need," Spectra stated. "The system's already been returned to normal. But whoever hacked in can put it back to its max at any moment." As he said that, another alert sounded.

"Now what?" Twilight asked, as a holo-screen appeared showing Sunset and Thalia's battle. They all gasped, as Flarenix was knocked back into ball form. "I think we know who hacked into your system."

"So what now?" Moondancer asked, but Flash was already heading for the door.

"What else. We've gotta go help before it's too late!" The others nodded, Joe and the girls quickly heading out with him. Meanwhile, Spectra and Gus worked to try and undo the hack. But it wouldn't be easy. Whoever did this was a skilled computer user.

"Gate Card...SET!" Sunset threw her card to the ground, causing it to explode in a burst of red light.

Sunset was about to grab Flarenix, but Aranaut flew over to her. "I don't know what's going on. But please, let me help. I wanna battle this Mistress Faker." But Sunset just shook her head.

"I can't," she told him. "Thalia wants to take Flarenix. If I don't use him, she might call off the deal and raise the generators again. Flarenix and I need to be the ones to win this." Aranaut looked upset about this, as Elfin flew over to him.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be able to win this. And when she does, we can figure out who those weirdos are."

Sunset nodded, as Thalia called out to them. "Are we doing this or not?" Sunset glared at her before grabbing Flarenix, both Brawlers leaping up and throwing their partners towards the ground. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They flew through the power-ups and eventually hit the ground, "Bakugan...STAND!" Once again, a burst of flames and light revealed their Bakugan. And as they got ready for battle, their power-ups kicked in and powered them up.

Tigress: 650Gs
Flarenix: 700Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Thalia then held up a pair of Bakugan, which started glowing. "Savage Air!" She dropped the Bakugan, as the light flew off them and into Tigress. The Bakugan roared before rushing forward, her soon power rising.

Tigress: 1050Gs
Flarenix: 700Gs

But as she got in close, Flarenix was able to avoid one of her slashes as Sunset took out a card "Ability, Activate She slashed the card and Flarenix's body also burst into flames. "Incineration!"

"Take this!" He beat his wings and the flames flew off of him, flying towards Tigress before swirling around her to form several spiralling fire streams.

Tigress flinched at the heat, as the light on her body disappeared. "Sorry, Thalia. But this effect will cancel out your Ability's increase. But those Bakugan you sacrificed are still out of the match.

Tigress: 650Gs
Flarenix: 700Gs

Thalia glared at Sunset, as she took out a card. "Ability, Activate" Tigress glowed and ran forward, the fire around her extinguishing as she approached Flarenix. "Power Charge!"

Tigress: 800Gs
Flarenix: 700Gs

She leapt at the bird, slashing at him and making Flarenix flinch. But before she could attack again, Sunset pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, OPEN!" The ground burst into flames, creating a firewall between the pair. "Pyrus Reactor!"

Tigress leapt away from the firewall, only for Flarenix to dive through it and catch fire.

Tigress: 800Gs
Flarenix: 900Gs

He slammed into Tigress, knocking her back whilst burning her, then flew up as Sunset swiped a card. "And now. Ability, Activate!" The flames surrounding Flarenix moved to her wings, "Wildfire Wingbeat!"

He let out a squawk and with a single beat, the flames flew off his wings and slammed down onto Tigress.

Tigress: 650Gs
Flarenix: 900Gs

The Haos Bakugan flinched, but stayed strong as Flarenix dove down to attack. But before he could, Thalia swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The light formed around Tigress' mouth, creating a bunch of gems. "Crystal Bite!" The gems formed into fangs and the tiger slammed them down into the ground, causing the Gate Card to shatter.

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 700Gs

As the flames vanished, Tigress leapt up and slashed at Flarenix. He hissed, but grabbed hold of Tigress with his claws. As she did, Sunset swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The claws burst into flames. "Blazing Talon!"

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 800Gs

The flames burned Tigress, but the Bakugan managed to endure it as she slashed at Flarenix again. The bird flinched and dropped Tigress, as Thalia took out another card.

"This will end it. Ability, Activate!" Tigress' claws and the spikes on her armor began to glow, "Cut In Revenger!" With a mighty roar, Tigress created a powerful wind that blow the light on her blades flew off her.

It shot towards Flarenix, slamming into him multiple times. "Augh!" He cried, feeling a lot of his energy being drained away.

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 200Gs

"No way!" Mira cried, seeing Flarenix begin to fall toward the ground. "One attack did all that?" But Sunset wasn't worried, even as Flarenix grew closer to the ground.

"Let's go!" She swiped a pair of cards, "Ability, Activate!" Flarenix burst into flames, as he spread his wings and stopped himself from falling. "Rebirth!" Flarenix felt the power he had lost being restored, as the damage he had taken also started to heal.

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 1000Gs

"Plus, Inferno Charge!" The flames around him grew more powerful, as he shot towards Tigress at full speed.

"BRING IT ON!" He yelled, turning into a blazing arrow as his power rose.

Tigress: 950Gs
Flarenix: 1250Gs

Tigress tried to avoid the oncoming attack, but Flarenix shot straight at her and smashed into the tiger at full speed. The explosion that followed, knocked her flying through the air and she crashed into the ground.

This caused part of the ground to break apart, sending a small junk of rock flying towards Thalia. And she was so focused on Tigress returning to ball form, she didn't notice it until it was too late. "GYAH!" She cried, as the rock hit her mask and caused a small crack to form in it.

Thalia: 40%
Sunset: 30%

"YEAH!" Aranaut cheered, Elfin and Mira looking pleased as Thalia staggered back and Tigress landed at her feet.

She reached up and felt the crack on her mask, which angered her as she picked up Tigress. "You'll pay for that!" She turned to Sunset, as Flarenix returned to her.

"Bring it," she stated. Thalia then took out a card and threw it.

"Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the ground and exploded, the two Brawlers leaping up once again and aiming at the nearest power-ups. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They flew through the air, hitting the power-ups and landing once again. "Bakugan...STAND!"

Fire and light filled the street and the two Bakugan took their form, the power-ups kicking in as the brawlers took out their cards.

Tigress: 700Gs
Flarenix: 650Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Tigress roared, as the gems appeared around her jaw once again. "Crystal Bite!"

Tigress: 1000Gs
Flarenix: 650Gs

Tigress charged at Flarenix, but Sunset was ready for that and took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Flarenix squawked, as he unleashed a burst of fire that struck Tigress head on. "Incineration, plus Blazing Talon!" The flames burned away the crystal fangs, as Flarenix's claws ignited.

Tigress: 700Gs
Flarenix: 750Gs

Tigress was forced to stagger back, as Flarenix dove at the beast with both burning claws at the ready. And as he slashed at Tigress, Thalia pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground began to glow, "Element Merge! This card steals away two hundred Gs from every opponent on the field!"

The light from the card flew up and hit Flarenix, making him flinch as his power was sucked out.

It then flew into Tigress, powering her up whilst Flarenix was powered down.

Tigress: 900Gs
Flarenix: 550Gs

Tigress took this chance to leapt at Flarenix, pouncing on him the way a cat would a pigeon. The impact slammed Flarenix down into the ground, Tigress pinning him down and digging his claws into him. "Augh!" He cried, as Mira gasped.

Sunset was also worried, but acted quickly and took something out. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air, "Pyrus Solarmander!" The egg-shaped Bakugan flew up before opening, light surrounding the Bakugan as it took its true form and shot towards the others.

Tigress looked up and was blinded by the sudden light of the fire, as the lizard Bakugan slammed into her and knocked her off Flarenix.

Tigress: 900Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 900Gs

As Tigress hit the ground and Flarenix got up, Sunset swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Solarmander took a deep breath. "Burst Fire!" The lizard spat a fireball at Tigress, which exploded as it slammed against her.

Tigress: 900Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1000Gs

The Bakugan was knocked staggering, as Flarenix leapt into the air. But before he could attack, Thalia took something out. "Now come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it upwards, "Haos Sky Horse!" The Bakugan unfolded and transformed, the light shooting towards Flarenix and slamming into him.

"Gyah!" He cried, once again getting knocked to the ground as the seahorse Bakugan appeared.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1250Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1000Gs

And before Sunset could counter, Thalia swiped two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Tigress' body sparked, as Sky Horse flew up. "Shining Scream, plus Lightning Whirlwind!"

Tigress ran forward and before the Pyrus Bakugan could try and get away, Sky Horse unleashed a high pitched sound attack that deafened them both. They screamed in pain, as Tigress started running around the pair and forming a lightning tornado.

The combo of the sound and the electric wind, caused the pair to both flinch and cry out as their power dropped.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1350Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 600Gs

The high pitched sound was also causing the Brawlers issues, Sunset and Mira forced to cover their ears as Sky Horse kept making the horrible noise. "You've gotta stop them!" Mira cried, seeing the surrounding windows were getting close to shattering.

Sunset nodded, as she took out two cards. "Let's go, guys!" Flarenix forced himself to fly over to Solarmander, wrapping his wings around it. "Double Ability, Activate!" Flarenix burst into flames, which surrounded the two Bakugan. "Rebirth!"

He swung his wings apart and unleashed a wave of fire, which blew away the lightning tornado and knocked Tigress away.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1350Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs

"Plus, Sunlight Brilliance!" As Tigress hit the ground, Solarmander leapt out from under Flarenix and unleashed a blinding blast of sunlight from the spots on his body.

This light struck both Tigress and Sky Horse, forcing them to look away and weakening them.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1150Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs

As the two Bakugan tried to see through the light, Flarenix dove down and aimed at Tigress. He then slammed into her, knocking her backwards as she let out a roar of pain. But as Flarenix flew up to take another shot, Sky Horse flew at him and tried to keep him distracted.

This gave Tigress the time she needed to get up, as Thalia swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" She took out two Bakugan and dropped them again, the Bakugan glowing as they sent their energy towards Tigress. "Savage Air!"

Tigress roared, the light flowing into her, as she then charged forward with her target being Sunset's Trap Bakugan.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1550Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs

"You're mine!" She snarled, ready to deal a serious clawing to Solarmander. But as she got close, Sunset swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Solarmander unleashed a blast of fire, which formed a wall Tigress was forced to run through. "Flame Defence!"

The wall of fire burned away the light surrounding Tigress, cancelling Savage Air and leaving her once again weaker than Solarmander.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1150Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs

The lizard quickly curled up and dodged Tigress' attack before using his tail to send him rolling forward, slamming right into Tigress. And as she was knocked back, Flarenix's wings burst into flames.

"Plus, Wildfire Wingbeat!" The bird beat his wings and sent the flames flying at both Sky Horse and down at Tigress.

The flames slammed into them both and they cried out, both of them barely able to hold on. But they muscled their way through, even as their power weakened.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 850Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1200Gs

Thalia growled, as Solarmander leapt up onto Flarenix's back. "I'm not losing this. Do you hear me!" She took out a card and swiped it, but Sunset swiped her own card as well. "Fusion Ability, ACTIVATE!"

The two abilities activated and both Tigress and Flarenix, began to charge at each other. As they did, Flarenix's body burst into flames whilst Tigress' was covered in lightning. And as they got closer, Solarmander leapt off Flarenix's back and curled himself up.

"Phoenix Rising/Tempest Cyclone!" Tigress began to spin into a tornado of lightning, whilst the flames around Flarenix took the shape of a giant bird.

Tigress+Sky Horse: 1350Gs
Flarenix+Solarmander: 1700Gs

The two attacks collided and the impact was insane, the shockwave it caused making the entire area shake. And as the two pushed against one another, Solarmander spun through the air and shot straight towards Sky Horse.

His body was still ablaze and when he smashed into the seahorse, the flames spread to it and made it cry out. And as Sky Horse was knocked backwards, Flarenix overpowered Tigress and knocked her back as well. The two Haos Bakugan screamed, as they both slammed into the ground.

Once again, the ground broke apart and pieces of it flew all over the place. And as the Bakugan reverted back to ball form, Thalia tried to protect herself from the rocks. But one managed to hit her in the mask and make the crack on it grow larger.

Thalia: 0%
Sunset: 30% (Winner)

Sunset sighed, as Flarenix and Solarmander returned to her. "Nice work, guys." The Bakugan were exhausted, but gave her their thanks. And as Mira rushed over to them, they saw Thalia pick the Bakugan up.

"You did it!" Mira smiled, as she prepared to take Thalia in for questioning.

But as she did, a cracking sound filled the air. Thalia's mask was breaking apart and as she stood up, a large chunk of the right side fell away from it. "No!" Thalia cried, trying to cover her face. But it was too late. Mira, Aranaut and Elfin had seen her face and they all gasped, shocked by who was behind the mask.

And as Sunset looked, she also felt like she recognised her.

Thalia's skin was the same colour as a lot of the humans in this world, but her single visible eye and hair were a colour she recognised. The eye was a dark green colour, whilst the locks of hair visible under the mask were blue.

Mira just stared at her, clearly having trouble believing what she was seeing. "R-Runo?" Sunset heard this and remembered what she had been told before.

"Runo? One of your friends that went missing?"

"It is her," Aranaut nodded. "Mistress Runo. You've returned. But why are you doing all this?"

Thalia didn't answer and picked the mask pieces up, as Mira ran forward. "Runa. What are you doing?" But Thalia didn't answer, instead jumping up and landing atop a nearby lamppost. "Runo!"

"I am not Runo," she replied. "I am what Runo could be, had she not been completely stifled by all those annoying weaknesses. Compassion. Love. Honour. I am the Runo who can exist without all that baggage tying her down." She pointed at Sunset. "The next time we meet, you won't get off so easily. Remember that." She then leapt into the air and up the side of a building, reaching the roof and disappearing as she did so.

Mira watched her leave and was still in shock, clearly unable to believe what she had just seen. "Runo. What happened to you?" In that moment, Flash and the others arrived.

"SUNSET!" Flash cried, reaching her and looking around. "I guess this means we got here a second too late?" Sunset nodded, as she looked up towards the building that the Rugenga had disappeared behind.

"Who...what are they?" She asked, having more questions than answers.

Back at the warehouse, Hayate and Cursor were still there.

It was then that Thalia returned, her mask still damaged as she made her way towards them. "Well?" Hayate asked. "Did it work?" He noticed Thalia's revealed face, the girl removing her mask to reveal her entire face.

"It worked." She placed the pieces of the mask down, the whole thing turning into a black slime that began to merge together. She then took out the tablet and nodded, seeing that Spectra had been able to bypass the hack. But he hadn't discovered what she was truly after.

"I'm still lost," Cursor stated. "You were able to hack into their systems. So why did you need to implant this trojan program?"

"That hack was way too noticeable," she explained. "They would have detected it in time. But this program will be completely invisible." She fiddled with the tablet and eventually, it showed images of the Battle Brawler's HQ. They had complete access to their security system. "Now we can know everything that happens in there. When they find a way to Vestroia, we'll know about it."

"Perfect," Draken nodded. "Then it's just a matter of time before we're back there." They all nodded, as Cursor and Hayate removed their masks. In doing so, they revealed their true faces. Cursor was a young man with brown hair and reddish brown eyes, whilst Hayate was a man with black hair and orange brown eyes.

The three smiled at one another, knowing that they would find a way back to Vestroia. But until then, they had an entire world of Bakugan to play with. And Cursor already knew how he wanted to spend his time.

Author's Note

Happy Christmas Eve, everybody. I hope you have a good Christmas and hopefully, this chapter will be a fun way for you to enjoy yourselves. Let me know what you think of the chapter and the reveal at the end.

The Rugenga Assault

The mood was dire, in the Battle Brawler's HQ.

After Spectra had expunged the hack that had allowed Thalia to control the systems in the city, they had all checked the CCTV footage in the area. A single camera had been able to capture the moment when Thalia's face mask broke, revealing the person hidden behind it.

"That is Runo," Joe cried in shock. "I can't believe it."

"It doesn't make any sense," Aranaut cried. "Mistress Runo wouldn't do something like this. She might have a temper, but she's a good person. And what's with that Bakugan, looking almost exactly like Mistress Tigrerra? Well...in the face, anyway."

"That's what Tigrerra used to look like," Joe replied. "Before she evolved. Just like how Skyreign looks like how Skyress was before she evolved. And from what the others told us, the other Rugenga have Bakugan that look like Hydranoid and Drago, back when they were in their first forms."

"So what are they?" Moondancer asked. "Is it possible whatever happened to them, turned them evil?"

"I don't know," Mira sighed. "If it did, it must have also given Marucho a growth spurt. And if something did turn them evil, did it also make the Bakugan revert back to their base forms? If so, why? There's so many questions left unanswered." The others agreed, wishing they had at least one answer.

"So what happens now?" Flash asked.

"Well," Spectra spoke up. "We completed the scan on your dimensional background energy. Now it's just a matter of locating the world with the same dimensional energy signature. But that could take a while. For now, you should all get some rest. You've been through a lot since getting here." They didn't like the idea of just going to bed, but they knew they didn't have much of a choice.

Kato, the butler, soon arrived and showed them all to the rooms they would be staying in.

Said rooms weren't as large as the ones they had at the castle, but they were just as luxurious. And as Flash jumped onto the large bed, Leonidas leapt onto a nearby table and spun open. "Not bad. I could get used to living in this kind of luxury."

Don't get too excited," Flash told him. "Hopefully, we'll be back in Equestria soon. And even more hopefully, we'll deal with the Rugenga and be heading back home once that's done." Leonidas nodded, as the pair of them started to relax.

Flash soon got up and removed his jacket, also finding some spare sleep clothing of multiple sizes in the nearby closet.

Once he was dressed in some comfortable sleepwear, he headed back to his bed and really got to relax. But before he could fall to sleep, he heard a knock and looked up to see the door open before Twilight stepped inside.

She was dressed in a blue nightdress and looked a little sheepish. "Hey. Is it okay if I sleep in here tonight?" Flash smiled and nodded, moving over to let her lay down beside him. "Thanks. That bed in there is so big, there's no way I'd be able to sleep in it."

"No problem," Flash sighed as he put his arm around her. Leo decided to leap away from the bed and landed on the windowsill on the far side of the room. This allowed the pair to hold one another, Twilight having removed her glasses to hold him tight. "Been a while since we got to do this."

"Yeah," Twilight smiled. "I'm sorry I caused us to come here."

"It's not your fault. And at least we learned some more about the Rugenga. And when we get back to Vestroia, I'm sure Spectra and the others will come with us. With their help, those creeps won't stand a chance." Twilight smiled and snuggled closer to him, as Flash's mind wandered back to Equestria and Vestroia.

Even though the Rugenga were down three members, the remaining three were just as dangerous. There was no telling what kind of trouble they could cause. Flash could only hope they would return home before they did anything serious that their friends would have to clear up.

The next day.

Within his lab, Beck was working on the device to open another breach.

Using what he could find, he managed to rework the device and smiled as he connected a computer up to it. "This should do it." He typed at the computer, as it ran a diagnostic on the device. As he did, Predator floated above him.

"We good?" He asked. "How long until we can open a portal?"

Beck checked the results and smiled, nodding as he did so. "Yes. The results are in. We're heading to Equestria." Predator cheered, as he headed out of the lab and made his way through the base until they arrived at the bridge.

Kiyrah and Azalea were both in there with their Bakugan, the two turning to him as he walked in carrying the device. "Is that what I think it is?" Azalea asked, looking giddy as she pushed herself up out of her seat.

Beck chuckled, as he held the device up. "If you think it's our way into Equestria, you're right. With this, we'll be able to open a stable portal into that world."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Kiyrah asked. "Using that thing when the dimensional wall was stable is one thing. But we have no idea what that incident did to the space between worlds. What if you use that thing and it rips a massive hole in the dimension. I want to rule these worlds, not have them crash into one another."

"Relax," Beck told her. "I've made sure nothing like that could happen. The portals we make will be stable."

"How long will they last?" Hydread asked. "If they only stay open for a short time, we won't be able to do much before getting stranded in Equestria."

"I already thought about that." Beck held up his Baku-Bracer. "I'm going to implant a new beacon system into our Bracers, that'll connect to this device. So long as one of us is here to use it, they can open a portal to the exact location the beacon is coming from."

"Nice" Azalea smirked. "Alright. So who's gonna try it out first?"

"I made it," Beck stated. "I have every confidence it'll work perfectly. But just in case something unexpected happens, I'll be the one to test it out first. One of you two can head there afterwards, so long as the other remains behind." But as he said that, the computers beeped to alert them of something.

Kiyrah headed over to it and checked, nodding as she did. "Looks like you won't need to use it. A breach just opened up."

"Perfect," Beck laughed. "You were concerned about this, so you can use that portal and I'll use this one. We'll hit two areas simultaneously. That'll force the Defenders to split their focus and we'll be able to do more damage." Kiyrah nodded, but Azalea slumped.

"That means I have to stay behind? No fair. Goliath and I want the chance to crush some Defender Bakugan. Ain't that right, Golly."

"I am anxious to battle," Goliath agreed. "But I'm also fine with staying behind if they need us to." Azalea huffed, but nodded as Beck and Kiyrah made preparations to head out. Soon, the Defenders wouldn't know what hit them.

Back in Equestria, everyone was in the castle library. Princess Twilight was with them, trying to find anything on dimensional communication.

"If we can find a spell to let me contact Sunset and the others, we can find out if they made it to the other world. And if they didn't, we might be able to bring them back to this world." The others were in agreement, all hoping they made it back home. But they also knew there was a chance they had been thrown to some unknown universe made of blenders or something.

Dragonia had been working to establish a connection with Leonidas, but it was a slow process. And they needed as many aces in the hole as possible. Even though the Rugenga were down three members, that didn't make them any less dangerous.

Amazon suddenly pushed a bunch of scrolls out of a kite-shaped hold in a shelf and caused a bunch of dust to be released, the Aquos Bakugan accidentally breathing it in before he started sniffing. "Ah...ah...ah...CHOO!" He accidently blasted snot all over the scrolls, which Lyra was about to pick up.

"Ew!" Lyra pulled her hand away and glared at Amazon, who sniffed as a sweatdrop appeared on his head.

"Sorry. All these dusty books are really killing me with my allergies. Why do we have to look through all these boring things? Dragonia's gonna find a way to contact Leo."

"She's gonna try," Twilight told him. "But Dragonia's power isn't at its fullest right now. Even if she manages to locate Leonidas, opening a portal to him could drain a lot of her power. Power she might need in the future. It's best if we find a way to transport them back here ourselves."

"Can't we just use the dimensional transporter?" Gunstinger asked.

"We've never used it to go anywhere except Vestroia and Equestria," Twilight replied. "Besides, the transporter works by tapping into the natural connection between worlds. A connection formed when the Guardians brought the Bakugan here. That connection doesn't exist between Equestria and wherever the others ended up. Our only hope to find them, is to open a portal ourselves. That's our best chance."

"Fine," Amazon sighed as Lyra picked a scroll up by the edges with two fingers.

She threw it at Twilight, who simply caught it in her magic to keep from touching the snot covered scroll. After performing a quick drying spell, she unfurled it and started reading. "Nothing here. Maybe there's a way to combine several spells in order to create a way to track and transport them all."

Soarin frowned, as he carried a stack of books over to her. "I don't know much about magic. But is that actually safe?"

"Of course it...is. Um..." Twilight used her magic to lift the books and flick them open. "Creating new spells from old ones is something a lot of ancient Unicorns did. Magic used to be very simple, only able to do simple things. But when it was discovered one could combine magic, a whole new realm of possibilities was born. Fusing two relatively simple spells into something more advanced, then fusing that spell with another advanced spell. And so on and so on, until anything becomes possible."

"Still sounds kind of dangerous," Soarin told her. "Twilight...the other Twilight, thought she knew what she was doing when she opened that portal. And that caused this whole mess."

Princess Twilight chuckled. "No insult to your friend. But I've got a better understanding of all this stuff. The whole reason I was able to become an alicorn princess, was because I managed to complete a spell that the greatest wizard of all time couldn't finish. I know what I'm doing."

"If you say so," Braeburn frowned before handing her another book.

But before Twilight could try and read it, the Defender's Baku-Bracers all beeped and they realised their homework would have to wait. Twilight put the book down and flew over to them, her horn glowing as she enveloped them all in her magic and teleported them into the control hub.

"Where's the breach?" Soarin asked, but Rosemary frowned as she worked on it.

"I'm unsure where it is in Vestroia. The sensors there are still suffering from what happened before." They frowned, as the holographic map appeared and showed when the breach was located in Equestria. "It's about a mile or two away from the Crystal Empire."

"The Crystal Empire?" Twilight looked worried. "Shining...Cadance."

"Looks like we've got no choice," Soarin stated. "We'll have to warp to this place and head to the breach from there." They nodded, only for another alarm to go off. "Now what?"

Rosemary and the others managed to quickly locate the reason for the second alarm and were shocked. "Another breach is forming."

"What?" Celestia looked shocked, "two? There's never been two breaches open at the same time."

"Until now," Lyra frowned. "Could it be because of what happened before? Maybe the other Twilight's actions, weakened the dimensional barrier."

"It's possible," Twilight agreed. "But does that mean more breaches could open at the same time."

"A'h say we focus on these ones for now," Braeburn stated. "Where's the other breach open at?" The controllers managed to pinpoint the Equestrian exit and highlighted it on the map, their eyes going wide when they saw the exact location.

Manehatten was the biggest city in Equestria, being almost twice the size of Canterlot and having roughly four times as many buildings. The place was so jam packed, it was impossible to walk down a street without bumping into somepony.

The city was built upon a large peninsula of Equestria, with the ocean on either side of the city. North of that peninsula was a giant plot of land that meant the water between them formed a large bay area, with a bridge connecting the tip of the peninsula to the mainland. This made the city a perfect port city, with ships from all over sailing in to distribute its goods.

Within the city, ponies and Bakugan were living their busy lives whilst keeping a watchful eye out for the Rugenga.

A breach had occurred a while back and both the Ventus and Subterra Rugenga, had used it to attack the city and capture several Bakugan. The damage had been repaired, but the sting was still fresh in everyone's hearts.

So when the Bakugan suddenly felt a sensation they recognised, they all began to worry. "A breach is forming!" A Darkus Bakugan yelled, making everyone begin to panic.

The ponies asked where the breach was and all the Bakugan pointed out towards the bay, where a shimmer was located. And that shimmer quickly opened to create a full portal to Vestroia, which the ponies and Bakugan new could mean the Rugenga would arrive. And they did.

A transport flew out of it and moved towards the mainland, Beck inside ready to do some serious damage.

"Manehatten," Beck chuckled. "Azalea said it looked like a pretty fun place to be. We'll have to see what fun things they have, once we're finished making this place ours."

"Oh yeah," Predator laughed. "I can't wait to see what good food they have here. We can gorge ourselves stupid, once all the Bakugan and Ponies are under thumb." Beck nodded, only to suddenly get a signal coming from the mainland.

"Transporter signal," he told his partner. "Looks like the ponies realised we made it through the portal. This should be fun." He flew in that direction, as a light could be seen on one of the streets next to the water's edge.

From out of it, Braeburn appeared and the Earth Pony looked up at the ship. As he did, he remembered what he and the others had agreed to.

Moments ago.

"Manehatten?" Twilight asked, seeing the portal's location was within the city itself. She remembered the last time that had happened and it hadn't been good. "I hope Rarity didn't decide to take a trip there."

"What's the plan?" Amazon asked. "Do we go to this new one, because it's in the city? Or to that Crystal Empire place?"

"We can't leave one place unprotected," Valkyria stated. "Our only option is to split up and go to both places."

"So two of us go to the Crystal Empire and the other four go to Manehatten?" Gunstinger asked. "Or the other way around?"

"No," Celestia replied. "One team goes to Manehatten. Another goes to the Crystal Empire. And the third stays here." That statement surprised them, but Celestia quickly explained. "Those two portals might be the only ones to open right now. But we don't know that for sure."

Twilight nodded. "A third might open."

"And if that happens, somepony needs to go and protect it. And I can only pray that a fourth doesn't open." The Defenders all nodded. They weren't sure if the portals would open more regularly now, but they had to keep Equestria safe. No matter what.

Now.

The ship flew low until it was right above the water and came to a stop, the top opening with Beck standing up to stare at him. "Beck!" Braeburn growled. "How the heck did you get to the portal so quickly?"

"It's quite easy, when you're the one who made the breach."

Braeburn's eyes widened, as he realised why two portals had opened at the same time. "You opened your own breach?" Beck smirked, the cowboy realising things might have just gotten a whole lot more difficult. If the Rugenga could open their own portals, it meant they could come and go from Vestroia whenever they wanted.

"Scared?" Beck asked, "you should be. Now that you don't have the advantage of reaching the breach before us, this world will fall."

"Not gonna happen!" Gunstinger told him. "You might have come to Equestria, but you won't go any further than that. You'll have to get through us, if you want to do anything here."

"Why, that's exactly what I plan on doing." As Beck said that, Predator floated up.

"So these are the Defenders," the Aquos Bakugan chuckled. "I have to say, they don't look like much. Shouldn't take us too long to wash them away and get back to work." The other two frowned, as they realised this must have been Beck's true partner. If that was true, it meant this was going to be a tough battle.

Braeburn checked his Baku-Bracer and set it to scan the surrounding area, as he looked around and saw that there were a bunch of ponies running out of nearby buildings in an attempt to get away. He had to be careful. If he activated his field, he would cause them to all feel pain and be unable to move.

"There's somethin' a'h want to know before we do this!" Braeburn stated. "Why? You've never told us why the heck ya'h so eager ta make all the Bakugan yours. What possible reason could ya'h have, for attacking Vestroia and Equestria?"

Beck chuckled. "For us, it's a matter of survival. If we don't make the Bakugan ours, we will simply cease to exist. Either we take their energy for ourselves, or our lives will simply end pitifully." Braeburn and Gunstinger frowned, unsure what he meant by that. Why would their lives end without the Bakugan?

"That makes no sense."

"It makes all the sense in the world," Beck stated. "To us at least. You might not be able to understand, but that's your problem and not mine. Now if we're done talking, let's get this over with."

"Wait," Braeburn cried. "There has ta be another way. A'h sure if ya'h just explained the issue, we'd be able to find a way ta help ya'h."

"It's too late for that," Predator stated. "This is our only chance, now stop stalling and let's get brawling."

Agreed!" Beck activated the Baku-Bracer and Braeburn did the same, making sure to keep the field from only covering the water and the now empty area of the bay. The field was soon established and the power-ups appeared, both of them glaring at each other as their life gauges appeared. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Beck: 100%
Braeburn: 100%

As soon as the match began, Braeburn took out a card and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the water and exploded, as Braeburn leapt into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw his partner forward and hit several power-ups before landing on the ground. "Gunstinger...STAND!" The Bakugan spun open and a tornado of sand exploded out of him, covering their side of the battlefield before exploding to reveal the snake cowboy.

"Let's go!" He hissed, his tail blaster ready to fire as the power-ups kicked in.

Gunstinger: 720Gs

Beck chuckled, as he held up a Bakugan. "It's finally time, my friend. Let's do this." The transport flew up as he threw it. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The Aquos Bakugan sailed through the air, hitting several power-ups before landing on the water. "Bakugan...STAND!"

The other two watched, as the Bakugan popped open and the water beneath it exploded upwards into a water column.

The pair flinched, as water began to rain down from the top of the spout. And within it, a dark figure appeared. "Allow me to introduce...Aquos Predator!" The water exploded off the Bakugan and revealed its true form.

It was a strange lizard-like Bakugan, whose body was a mix of dark purple, blue and black. Its main body was a dark purple colour, but it had dark blue armor running down its arms, sides, the front of its legs and feet. It had a strange collar around its neck, that looked like black fish fins coming out the top of its blue and black helmet that surrounded its entire neck and shoulders. Only the front of its head and neck were uncovered by this.

Black fins were coming out the sides of its arms, with black spikes sticking out its elbows and black knee-pads on its legs. Its stomach was dark blue and covered in tiny black spikes, which also ran down the sides of its arms and legs.

The lizard jumped forward and landed on the water, standing on its surface without issue whilst taking a Spider-Man pose. "Hello there," he said in a creepy way. "So nice to eat ya'h." He cackled, his long tongue sticking out before he snapped his teeth together.

Predator: 530Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Braeburn and Gunstinger frowned, as the power-ups kicked in and Predator's power rose.

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Before Braeburn could try and activate his own ability, Beck managed to swipe a card first. "Ability, Activate!" Predator thrust his hands forward and water exploded out from under him. "Hydro Cage!" The water flew down and slammed into Gunstinger, making him cry out as it formed a large sphere he was trapped within.

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 580Gs

Gunstinger began to panic, as he felt himself running out of breath. If he didn't do something quick, he was gonna drown and revert back to ball form.

But Braeburn managed to swipe a card before that happened. "Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger pointed his tail towards the edge of the water sphere, "Quickdraw Sand Shot!"

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

Sand exploded out of his tail and struck the water, ripping through whatever was keeping it from escaping. The water exploded out the whole and Gunstinger fell out with it, quickly pointing his gun towards Predator and firing again.

Predator hissed, as the attack slammed into him over and over again. But Beck quickly swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Predator leapt back and started moving his hands in a strange way, "Aqua Ninja!"

"Now you see me..." Suddenly, he completely vanished. "Now you don't."

"No way," Braeburn cried, as he and Gunstinger tried to see where he went. But he was completely gone. And before either of them could think of a way to find him, something suddenly slammed into Gunstinger from behind.

"GYAH!" He cried, crashing into the ground as he heard Predator's annoying cackle.

Predator: 930Gs
Gunstinger: 730Gs

Gunstinger pushed himself up, but suddenly felt himself getting punched by something he couldn't see. And when he tried to blast where the punch had come from, he missed. "Not there," Predator laughed before the snake was kicked again. He tried to sweep his tail, but it didn't work. "Not there either." Another punch and when Gunstinger fired randomly, he still missed. "Oh, so close."

"This is infuriating!" Gunstinger growled. Braeburn frowned, only to then realise what he had to do.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Predator was rushing towards Gunstinger, completely invisible. But before he could land another punch, the sand that had been scattered by Gunstinger's entrance and attacks exploded upwards and forward a tornado around the cowboy. "Sand Barrier, Plus Rattle Break!"

Predator couldn't stop in time and slammed into the barrier, making him hiss as his invisible body became covered in sand. "Augh!" He couldn't stay invisible, allowing Gunstinger to spot him.

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 1080Gs

He raised his rattle arm and charged, breaking through the tornado and throwing his attack forward. It slammed into Predator and knocked him backwards, the Aquos Bakugan hissing as he was thrown backwards into the water.

"YES!" Braeburn cheered, hoping that would be enough to know Predator down. But beck just chuckled.

"Don't get cocky." He swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Suddenly, the water exploded upwards and swirled around. "Blue Tornado!" The swirling vortex arched around and shot towards Gunstinger, slamming into him before he could avoid it.

"Augh!" He cried, feeling his Rattle Break deactivate.

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

Predator then swam into the tornado, following it as it curved down towards Gunstinger. But as he reached the Subterra Bakugan, he tried to deal a kick only to get blocked by his snake arm. "That's not enough!" He cried, pushing Predator away as the tornado exploded.

Braeburn then pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, OPEN!" The ground began to glow, as stone pillars suddenly grew out of it. "Subterra Reactor!"

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 1080Gs

The stone pillars also grew out of the water, giving Predator less room to run and swim around. "Now I got you!" Gunstinger started firing, knowing that this was his best chance to knock him down.

Predator started jumping around, leaping off the water and using the pillars to bounce off or hide behind. "It ain't gonna be that easy to beat me!" Predator then leapt out from behind a pillar and as he did, his body suddenly started glowing. "Attribute...Change!" The light flew off him and when it did, it revealed his body was now a mix of brown, black and dark orange. "SUBTERRA!"

He landed in front of Gunstinger, as the Subterra Reactor powered him up.

Predator: 980Gs
Gunstinger: 1080Gs

"No way!" Gunstinger cried, as Braeburn realised what had happened.

"He's an attribute changer, like Amazon!" It was then that Beck swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Predator suddenly shot forward, his entire body glowing brown. "Slumping Missile!" Predator threw his fist forward and transformed into a brown glowing projectile.

Predator: 1280Gs
Gunstinger: 1080Gs

And before Gunstinger could react, the projectile smashed into him at high speed and he let out a roar as he was thrown backwards. The cowboy cried out, as he was thrown backwards and reverted back to ball form. "NO!" Braeburn cried, his partner landing at his feet whilst his life gauge dropped. "A'h can't believe it."

Beck: 100%
Braeburn: 60%

Predator returned to Beck and the man chuckled, as Braeburn picked Gunstinger up. "Now you see the true power of my partner Bakugan." Braeburn glared at him. "What will you do now? You could barely stand up to me whenever I used normal Bakugan. How will you fare against me now that I'm at full power."

Braeburn said nothing, remembering all the times he had battled Beck in the past.

Though it had only been a few times, each fight ended with Braeburn losing whilst barely keeping his partner from being taken. And that was when Beck wasn't using this extra strong Bakugan. "Braeburn." He looked down, as Gunstinger spun open and looked up at him. "Don't listen to him. We can still win this thing."

"How?" Braeburn asked. "Against that kinda strength-"

"Strength isn't everything," Gunstinger told him. "We've faced bigger challenges than these bozos before. We were able to defeat Hydread and Skyreign. This guy's no different."

"Maybe," Braeburn frowned. "But we had Soarin's help last time. Now we're on our own."

"We're not on our own," Gunstinger assured him. "Don't forget. We have each other." Braeburn smiled at this. "We've had one another's backs since the day we met. You remember?" How could he forget. It was one of the strangest yet best days of the Earth Pony's life.

It had just been another day in Appaloosa.

Braeburn was heading out to the orchard, ready to pick a bunch of apples with the help of the buffalo and the rest of his town's ponies. The harvest had been good this year and he was sure the apple pies they made, were gonna be the best ones yet.

However, in that moment, a bright flash of light suddenly caught his attention.

He and the other citizens turned in the direction of Canterlot, where the light was coming from. And as they did, that light flew towards them in the sky. Many ponies were terrified, fearing it might be the return of Discord or another ancient evil. But as the light flew over them in a strange wave, something happened.

From out of the wave, a bunch of strange multicoloured balls began to fall and rained down on them.

Some thought it might be hail, though that seemed impossible in their climate. And as they reached the ground, some landed on the roofs of buildings and bounced off them. Others simply hit the ground, the ponies and buffalo moving to avoid them landing on their heads.

One hit the ground and rolled in the dust until it came to a stop at Braeburn's hooves, the pony looking down and seeing the ball. "What is this?" He reached down and picked it up, being careful in case it was hot or exploded.

Once he had it in hand, he held it up to get a better look. But he had never seen anything like it before.

"What are you?" Suddenly, the ball twitched. He was shocked, but didn't drop it. He kept staring at it until the ball sprang open, spinning around until it took a completely different shape.

"Wha...where am I?" Braeburn's eyes widened, as he realised whatever this thing was could talk.

"Um...Appaloosa."

"Appaloosa?" The creature looked around, "what happened? I was in Vestroia. Then...I can't quite remember."

"Vestroia?" Braeburn was utterly lost, but he could tell this little guy was confused and needed help. "Don't worry. Whatever happened, ya'h safe." He looked around and saw the others beginning to investigate the other balls, which all sprang open to reveal they were also alive. "If ya'h don't mind my askin'? Who are you? What are ya'h?"

"My name is Gunstinger," the ball creature replied. "I'm a Bakugan from Vestroia. And I think I was somehow sent out of my dimension and thrown into yours."

"Gunstinger," he tipped his hat. "A'm Braeburn. And a'h don't know much about this whole dimension and Bakugan stuff. But if ya'h need a place ta stay until ya'h figure all this out, Appaloosa is the place for ya'h."

"Really? You'd let me stay here? Even though we've only just met."

"Sure. A'h can't very well just turn ya'll away. Ya'h lost and don't know what ta do? It wouldn't be right to make ya'h leave until ya'h get ya'h bearings."

"Thank you," Gunstinger nodded. "You are clearly strong in character. I won't forget this kindness."

"And I haven't," Gunstinger told him. "You have always been a caring and strong individual. It's what I admire about you. When you decided to help us Bakugan get our home back, I knew I could trust you."

"Gunstinger," Braeburn smiled. "Thank you. But havin' a strong character, might not be enough ta help us beat these guys."

"I don't believe that," Gunstinger stated. "So long as we stick together and fight with everything we have, we'll find a way to overcome whatever powers and tricks they use against us. But we won't be able to win unless you believe we can win. Now, do you believe we can win?"

Braeburn frowned, trying to say it but having trouble. "Maybe."

"DO YOU BELIEVE WE CAN WIN!?" Gunstinger yelled, making him jump and almost forget what he was worried about.

"YES!" Braeburn yelled back, "a'h believe we can win!"

"Then let's do this!" Gunstinger rolled himself back up, whilst Beck seemed to have been waiting for them to finish their little talk.

"Are you done?" He asked, taking out a card as he did so. "Good. I was starting to get bored. Now that that's out of the way, it's time to finish you two off once and for all. "Gate Card...SET!" He threw the card and when it hit the water, it exploded as the transport flew up.

Meanwhile, Braeburn ran towards the edge of the pier before leaping up. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They threw their partners, hitting the power-ups before landing on the ground and water. "Bakugan...STAND!"

Tornadoes of water and sand exploded upwards and from it, the two Bakugan appeared with the power-ups kicking in.

Predator: 730Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

As Braeburn landed, Beck quickly swiped his card. "Ability, Activate!" Once again, Predator moved his hands around like a guy doing a card trick. "Aqua Ninja!"

"Bye bye!" He vanished and Gunstinger went on guard, keeping an eye out for any sign he might be around. And suddenly a splashing sound made him look around and see wet footprints rushing towards him. "GOTCHA!" Predator punched him in the face, knocking him back.

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger: 530Gs

He grunted and hit the ground, but managed to push himself back up. "No. I got you!"

"Ability, Activate!" Gunstinger raised his tail and followed the footprints, as they tried to make their way back to the water. "Quickdraw Sand Shot!" He fired at the prints and struck something in the back, Predator hissing as he appeared.

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger: 830Gs

He didn't seem injured, however, and managed to dive into the water as Beck swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Water exploded out and struck Gunstinger. "Hydro Cage!" Once again, Gunstinger found himself in a large sphere of water. One he had trouble getting out of.

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

This sphere was bigger, so he couldn't reach the edges. And when he tried to blast sand from where he was, it was stopped by the water around him. 'Not good.'

"Hang on!" Braeburn yelled, as he threw something into the air. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" The oddly shaped Bakugan unfolded, "Subterra Buffaload!" The Bakugan glowed and began to transform, the light flying over to Gunstinger and taking form.

The large bovine let out a snort, as it turned towards the water sphere and charged.

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1000Gs

It rammed its head into the sphere and burst it, freeing Gunstinger. But as it did, Predator leapt out of the water.

"Ability, Activate!" Predator slapped his hands down on the water and two spouts shot out of it. "Blue Tornado!" The water vortexes shot towards the pair, ready to take their power away. But Braeburn was ready.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Buffaload fired sand out of the holes on its horn. "Sand Screen, plus Rattle Break!" The sand formed a barrier, which the water struck only to be stopped. Doing this caused the sand to clump up and form a solid mould, which Gunstinger slithered up and leapt off.

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1200Gs

"Raaaaah!" He swung his rattle down towards Predator, as Buffaload ran through the sand structure and grabbed the end of his tail.

Predator barely managed to avoid getting hit by the rattle, leaping over and landing on the pier. Buffaload then pulled Gunstinger back, keeping him from falling into the water. And as they did, Predator began to glow again.

"Here I go! Attribute...Change!" The light exploded off of him, revealing his dark blue body was now purple with light purple armor. "DARKUS!"

Braeburn frowned. "A'h was expecting Pyrus. But a'h guess the attribute depends on the Bakugan."

"That's right!" Beck stated. "And now, time to really make you suffer. He pointed to the ground. "Gate Card, OPEN!" The ground glowed before turning purple, the light flying into Braeburn's Bakugan and causing them to cry out in pain. "Envious Thief!" The light completely surrounded the two before flying off towards Predator. "This Gate Card causes the power level of a stronger opponent to drop to that of my Darkus Bakugan. Then it pumps Predator up by the amount you lost. Essentially swapping their power levels."

Predator: 1200Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 880Gs

Predator laughed, as he charged at the pair. "NOW I GOT YOU!" With that, he started throwing punches wildly at the two Bakugan. His arms were nothing but a flurry of motion, both Gunstinger and Buffaload crying out as they were assaulted again and again.

"GUYS!" Braeburn cried, quickly taking out a card. "Gotta stop this!" As he said that, Gunstinger leapt in front of Buffaload and started taking the worst of the attacks.

"DO IT!" He cried, as Buffaload staggered back.

"Ability, Activate!" Braeburn swiped the card and Buffaload let out a large snort, then jumped onto his back feet. "Quaking Charge!" He slammed his hooves into the ground and caused the ground to shake, resulting in the Gate Card cracking about and shattering.

This caused the power swap that had occurred to reverse, as Predator tried to punch Gunstinger again.

But the snake cowboy managed to catch his fist before it made contact, his snake hand's mouth holding him by the wrist. "That's enough of that."

Predator: 880Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1200Gs

"Raaah!" Gunstinger threw Predator away, then fired several sand shots towards him. Predator hissed, as he shielded himself from the attacks. And as he landed, Buffaload charged ready to take him down. "Wait!" Gunstinger cried, but the Trap Bakugan was still charged up from his ability and needed to attack.

Predator chuckled, as Beck swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Predator ran forward, as black water started swirling around his leg. "Maelstrom Kick!" Suddenly, seconds before Buffaload could ram into him, Predator leapt into the air and did a forward spin.

Gunstinger tried to blast him with sand, but missed as Predator spun around and swung his water covered foot down on Buffaload's head.

The Trap Bakugan let out a moan, as the impact knocked it downwards and made it crash into the ground.

Predator: 1080Gs
Gunstinger+Buffaload: 1000Gs

Predator then spun around again and smashed his tail into Buffaload, knocking the bovine flying as it suddenly reverted back to ball form. "Buffaload!" Braeburn cried, rushing over to get him as Gunstinger slithered forward.

Beck: 100%
Braeburn: 44%

Gunstinger fired at Predator, but the lizard simply backhanded the sand shots away thanks Gunstinger's significant power loss.

Predator: 1080Gs
Gunstinger: 680Gs

He charged at Gunstinger, ready to deal another water covered kick at him. But Braeburn was ready. "Double Ability, Activate!" The sand around them shot towards Gunstinger and surrounded him. "Sand Barrier, plus Mercury Fang!"

Predator kicked the sand and flinched, feeling the water getting blown away. Then, before he could pull back, Gunstinger's snake arm shot out and bit into his leg. "Hey!" He cried, leaping back as his power dropped.

Predator: 780Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

Predator growled, as the sand disappeared. Gunstinger then started slithering to a safe distance, as he fired his sand blaster at Predator.

Predator dodged, his leg stinging but nothing he couldn't endure. However, as he ran, he could feel the venom coursing through him and taking more power from him every few seconds.

Predator: 720Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

He jumped up, avoiding another sand shot as he flew towards Gunstinger and tried to hit him with his tail. But Gunstinger dodged and swung his rattle around, Predator avoided it before spinning around and throwing a kick at him. Gunstinger raised his snake arm and blocked it, as more and more of Predator's power was drained away.

Predator: 690Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

But as Gunstinger pushed him away and prepared to blast him with sand, Beck swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Predator vanished again. "Predatory Strike!"

Predator: 990Gs
Gunstinger: 880Gs

Gunstinger searched for Predator's footsteps, as the ground was now covered in sand, spotting some and firing. But Predator managed to avoid it before leaping up and slamming an invisible tail into him. "Gyah!" He was thrown backwards, but managed to stay up as Braeburn tried to end this.

"Fusion Ability, ACTIVATE!" Gunstinger raised his rattle arm before it started shaking, "Rattling Sand Shootout!"

Predator: 960Gs
Gunstinger: 1380Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He thrust his rattle down into the ground, causing a massive wall of sand to explode upwards. And after he pointed his tail into the wall, he fired more sand into it. This resulted in the two sand streams to mix and explode towards the spot Predator had just been, forming a sand hurricane that slammed into him.

"GYAH!" He cried, as his body became visible again. But the attack had only clipped him, leaving the Bakugan ready to keep going. And as he landed, Beck swiped his own card.

"Fusion Ability, Activate!" Predator once again went invisible, the chameleon running around the giant wall that had formed. As he did, the claws on his fingers tripled in size. "Poison Striker!"

Predator: 1460Gs
Gunstinger: 1380Gs

Before Gunstinger could spot his sandy footprints, he leapt up and used a nearby building to propel himself towards the Subterra Bakugan. And by the time he reappeared, he was already too close for Gunstinger to stop.

"RAAAAAH!" He stabbed his claws, which suddenly glowed purple, into Gunstinger and made him cry out.

He kicked away from Gunstinger, as the stand wall collapsed. At the same time, Predator's body glowed and he reverted back to his Aquos form.

Gunstinger gripped his chest, panting as he glared at Predator. He raised his gun tail, ready to fire, but couldn't.

Suddenly, Gunstinger let out a cry as purple lightning sparked around him. Braeburn gasped, as he checked his Baku-Bracer. And to his horror, Gunstinger's power went down.

Predator: 1450Gs
Gunstinger: 1330Gs

"Don't tell me!"

"You're not the only one with toxic Abilities," Beck laughed. Predator quickly rushed forward and body checked Gunstinger, knocking him down as the lizard ran towards the edge of the pier and leapt off onto the water. "And my poison is much more potent.

Braeburn frowned and took out a card, but Beck was quicker. "Ability, Activate!" He swiped it before throwing the card into the air, the card exploding above them both and making the two Bakugan glow. "Neo Refrain!"

Braeburn tried to swipe his card, but it wasn't activating. "What's going on?"

"Neo Refrain. It blocks every Bakugan from activating an Ability for a short time." Braeburn's eyes widened, as he looked down and saw Gunstinger lose more and more power.

Predator: 1420Gs
Gunstinger: 1180Gs

"It's over!" Predator told him, raising his hands. "YOU LOSE!" He slapped both onto the water and doing so caused a massive wave to explode up behind him, Braeburn and Gunstinger's eyes going wide.

"BRAEBURN!" Gunstinger slithered over to him and picked his partner up, attempting to escape as the wave approached. But it was just too fast and before either of them could do anything, it slammed into them both and they were swept away.

Both cried out, as they were rolled around and around in the water. The wave slammed into the nearby buildings and did some serious damage to them, whilst Gunstinger couldn't hold on any longer and was forced back into ball form.

Beck: 100% (Winner)
Braeburn: 0%

As the water retracted back into the ocean, Predator returned to Beck as he flew overhead. He flew around, smiling as he saw the damage that had been done to that part of the city. And amongst the wreckage, floating in a small puddle, Braeburn was laid out with his hat floating beside him.

Beck chuckled, as he looked out at the city all around him. The ponies who hadn't been able to evacuate, along with all the Bakugan, were his for the taking. "This is Beck," he opened a channel. "Manehatten is ours."

Author's Note

Happy New Years Eve. Shame we'll be ending the year on a bit of a downer for our heroes. But I'm sure things will get better for them soon. Maybe. Let me know what you think.

Winter War Zone

The Crystal Empire was one of the most beautiful places in Equestria.

Made entirely out of glistening gemstones and crystal, the city was a massive circular area located in a massive snowscape that stretched on for many miles. South of the Crystal Mountains, it was the most northern city in Equestria. A beautiful grassland with crystal roads paving the streets that all headed towards the crystal castle located in the middle of the city.

The city was protected by a light blue energy shield, which kept the cold weather out and allowed those inside to live without fear.

But the citizens and the Bakugan that lived there, all currently felt on edge due to the news that had just been received. That a breach to Vestroia had opened up outside of the city, which meant the Rugenga might appear and attack the city soon.

At the crystal castle, the guards were all being given details about the defence plans.

Amongst them was a pony that looked different from the crystal ponies that defended the city. He was a yellow pegasus wearing golden armor, having blue hair and a blue tail. This was the equestrian counterpart of Flash Sentry, who was working to protect the city as best he could.

"Sentry?" The pegasus spun around and spotted two others walking towards him. A white unicorn stallion and a pink alicorn mare. "How go the preparations?"

"Good," he stood to attention. "We've got every area of the city under surveillance. If the Rugenga enter the city, we'll know about it." He frowned. "But given how little effect our weapons have had on enemy Bakugan before, we're not sure how we're supposed to protect the city if they show up."

"Stay strong," Cadance told him. "Part of your duties is to project an air of control for the citizens to see. So long as they believe we have what it takes to protect them, they won't panic and things will go a lot smoother. If all goes well, the Rugenga won't get anywhere near the city." As she said that, a flash of light made all the soldiers jump to attention.

"At ease," the white stallion announced. "That's our reinforcements."

Everyone watched as the light faded and revealed Lyra Heartstrings, she and Amazon standing ready as they looked around. The sight of the Crystal Empire amazed them both. "Wow. This place looks amazing." Lyra then noticed the ponies and her attention fell to the alicorn and she quickly bowed. "Your majesty. I am Lyra, of the Equestrian Defenders."

"It's nice to meet you," Cadance nodded. "Twilight has told us much about you." She looked around, worried. "But why are you here? And alone. Where are the other Defenders?"

Lyra frowned. "I'm afraid this breach isn't the only one that opened. There's another one in Manehatten. Braeburn's gone to deal with that one and Soarin was kept back in Canterlot, in case another one appears."

"What about the others?" Shining, the white stallion, asked.

"They're...not here right now." She wasn't sure how to explain, that three of their number had been lost in a dimensional explosion. There was no telling what kind of panic that could cause. "Don't worry. I'm here and I'll deal with whoever shows up through that breach. Now," she looked around, "where's the breach located? They were only able to get a general idea of its place."

"It's outside the empire," Cadance explained. "It's not too far away and that's worrying our citizens. If the Rugenga show up, it'll only take them a minute or two to get here in those ships they have."

"Relax," Lyra told her. "Amazon and I have got that. Right?"

"You know it," he leapt up and down. "I can take those freaks down, no problem. You ready, Lyra?" She nodded and they headed towards the edge of the city, Cadance, Shining and the guards going with her. They were all a little concerned, since Lyra on her own didn't make much of a defence force. But Cadance seemed to have some faith in the girl.

They soon reached the edge of the city and Lyra stared at the barrier in amazement. "Wow." She reached up and touched the shield, her hand going right through it. And when she did, she suddenly felt a painful blast of icy air on her skin and screamed as she pulled it back.

She rubbed her hands together, trying to heat it back up. The others' faith in her went down even more after that.

"Here." Cadance's horn glowed before the light flew off and began to swirl around Lyra's body, forming a veil around her that disappeared after a few moments. Lyra looked confused, but Cadance explained. "It's an anti-cold spell. It'll only last a few hours, but it'll protect you from the cold. Can't have you getting frostbite and losing from the chill."

"Thanks," Lyra smiled before Cadance cast another spell. This time, it was on her shoes.

"And this'll keep you from sinking in the snow. It gets pretty deep out there and the last thing you need is being unable to fight because you're wading through the snow."

"Is it possible for me to learn magic?" Lyra asked. "It sounds really handy." They all smiled at this, as she took a deep breath. "Ponies of the Crystal Empire. I know you're worried about getting attacked. But I promise you. I'm going to defeat the Rugenga and send them packing. Celestia and everyone else in Canterlot, put their trust in me to protect this city and I'm gonna do it."

Cadance smiled, "we know you will. I have faith in you. Just be careful. I might have never met a Rugenga. But from what I've heard, they can be dangerous when pushed to their limits."

"I will," Lyra nodded. "Don't worry. I got this." With that, she turned towards the edge of the dome and stepped outside.

As soon as she was through the magical shield, she was suddenly hit by a slight chill as the wind flowed past her. She gasped and shivered, but realised the cold would have been much worse if Cadance hadn't cast the spell on her.

She looked around and sure enough, she was standing in a snowy landscape that looked like it went on for miles.

She started heading towards the breach's signal, her feet not even dropping an inch into the snow covered ground. And it was a good thing it didn't for as she continued through the open snowscape, she found herself climbing up a large hill she realised was actually made entirely of snow.

If she didn't have the spell, she would have probably already been buried up to her neck.

She kept trekking through the winter wonderland until, finally, she spotted the shimmer of the breach in the distance. "There it is." But as she approached, she saw the breach flicker before something flew out of it. A ship. "Oh no you don't." She activated her Baku-Bracer's systems and threw Amazon. "Go!"

"You got it!" He unfurled in the air and transformed into his real form, the lizard blocking the ship's path and forcing it to serve around to avoid getting knocked out of the sky.

Once the ship was out of his reach, Amazon returned to his ball form and shot back over to Lyra. Moments later, the ship stopped in the air and opened up. Kiyrah stood up and stared down at the Defender. "I was hoping you had gone to Beck's breach."

"We've got someone down there already. He'll take out Beck, just like how I'm gonna take you down." Lyra stood ready for a fight. "I promised the ponies of the empire I'd keep you out and I intend to keep it. So you'd better be ready to fly home crying."

Kiyrah frowned. "Why risk your life like this? If you lose, you realise I'll make sure you can never be a bother to us again. This isn't your world, so why put everything on the line to defend it?"

Lyra frowned. "When I came here, my goal was to protect the Bakugan and free their world. But in the time I've been here, the ponies have been nothing but kind to me. They opened their home to the Bakugan without even a thought. And you attack them, just so you can have the Bakugan under your control. Well I won't let you hurt these ponies. If you want to get to them, you have to go through us!"

"That's right!" Amazon yelled in agreement. "I don't care how strong you are. We're gonna take you down and protect Equestria."

"So be it," Kiyrah stated. "But you were warned."

Hydread growled. "I'm going to enjoy tearing you limb from limb. When I'm done with you, there won't be enough to take home in a paper bag." Amazon glared at him, as Lyra and Kiyrah activated their Baku-Bracers. Once the two connected, the power-ups appeared around them as their Life Gauges filled.

"BRAWL!"

Lyra: 100%
Kiyrah: 100%

Kiyrah took out a Gate Card and as the transport flew up, she threw it towards the ground. "Gate Card...SET!" The card hit the snow and as it exploded, Lyra ran across the snow with Amazon in hand. She spotted a large mound of snow and ran up it, leaping off the end and thanking Cadance for the magic that kept her from sinking on the snow.

"Bakugan," they both threw their partners, "BRAWL!" The Bakugan flew through the air and hit some power-ups before landing on the snow, which they started sinking into. "Bakugan...STAND!" From out of the two holes, tornados of water and purple clouds appeared.

"Rise, Aquos Amazon!"

"Devour, Darkus Hydread!" The two appeared out of the tornados and Amazon landed in the snow, as Hydread stood there swinging his tail around.

Amazon: 400Gs
Hydread: 600Gs

The pair glared at one another, as the power-ups they hit kicked in. But as their strength increased, Amazon started to sink in the snow and his whole body shivered feeling the icy touch on his skin.

Amazon: 650Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

"GYAH!" He cried, jumping up and down whilst shivering. "So cold. SO COLD!"

"Tough it out!" Lyra told him, but she was starting to feel the chill as well. "We have to be strong."

"You be strong. You've got something separating you from the cold." But as he said that, Hydread roared and swung his tail around. It smashed into him, knocking the Aquos Bakugan away. "GYAH!" He slammed into the snow and almost caused a tidal wave of it to hit Lyra.

"You okay?" She asked, as Hydread laughed.

Amazon picked himself up and glared at him. "Low blow!" His anger seemed to make his blood boil, causing the snow to no longer affect him. "Lyra, let's get this guy!"

"With pleasure!" Lyra swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon leapt up, bringing his hands together as he did. "Aquos Bomber!"

Amazon: 950Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

"Oh yeah!" He cried, thrusting a sphere of water forward as it exploded into a stream that slammed into Hydread and made him roar. He was knocked back and thanks to the freezing conditions, the water covering his body quickly started to freeze.

Amazon landed and chuckled, as he prepared to fire another Aquos Bomber. But Kiyrah swiped her card first. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread's mouth filled with flames, the heat it gave off causing the ice covering him to melt. "Chaos Flame!"

Amazon: 950Gs
Hydread: 1000Gs

Hydread and Amazon launched their attacks at the same time, the water stream and dark flames clashing to create a burst of steam. That steam filled the air and caused the snow around them to start melting. And eventually, the Chaos Flame overpowered the Aquos Bomber and slammed into Amazon.

"Gyah!" He was pushed backwards and crashed into a large pillar of ice, causing it to crack.

"Amazon!" Lyra cried, as Hydread prepared to launch another flamethrower. As such, Lyra quickly grabbed a card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon pushed himself off the ice pillar and let out a blast of water vapour from his mouth, "Mist Barrier!" The water vapour created a thick fog all around him and when the Chaos Flame fired, it couldn't get past the cloud and just stopped.

Amazon: 950Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

As soon as Hydread's flamethrower ended, Amazon leapt out of the mist and flew towards him. "Take this!" He spun around and slammed his tail into the dragon's face, making it flinch.

But Hydread fought through the pain and glared at Amazon, as Kiyrah swiped two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" His front feet were suddenly surrounded by a black energy, as the red spikes on Hydread began to glow. "Phantom Claw, plus Death Stinger!"

Lyra gasped, "get out of there!" Amazon didn't need to be told twice and leapt away, but the lights exploded off Hydread's spikes and shot towards him.

They slammed into him and exploded, Amazon crying out as he felt his power drop. And as it did, Hydread ran forward and swiped at him with his energy coated claws. "Gyah!" The energy flowed into him, then flew off and into Hydread's mouth.

Amazon: 700Gs
Hydread: 800Gs

Amazon staggered backwards, clutching his chest as Hydread tried to attack him. But Lyra took out her own two cards and swiped them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon was quickly covered in a veil of water, which healed his wounds, allowing him to dodge Hydread's attack. "Re-Hydrate, plus Ice Slicer!"

Amazon's arm fins froze over and as he swung them towards Hydread, they cut into him and made the Darkus Bakugan flinch.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 650Gs

As Hydread staggered back, Amazon landed as the thrill of the fight got to him. "Hahaaa!" He cheered. "I know this is an important battle, but I'm having a blast. Even if I'm freezing my tail off."

"You won't be laughing for long," Kiyrah stated. She then pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground began to glow purple, as a dark mist rose up. "Darkus Reactor!" Hydread breathed the mist in, powering it up as Amazon charged forward.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 850Gs

"Not enough!" He laughed, throwing a bunch of punches right at the giant dragon. Each one made Hydread flinch, but the beast wasn't done yet.

"Ability, Activate!" Hydread's body glowed, as his eyes turned wild. "Darkus Rage!"

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 1050Gs

"RAAAH!" He swung his tail around and the spiked club on the end of it slammed into Amazon, knocking him flying backwards before he could escape.

"Gyah!" He fell back and crashed into the ground, sliding through the snow. But he refused to give up and used his tail to kick himself up onto his feet, the snow making him shiver. "Time to heat things up." He struck a pose. "Am...A...zon!" The gem on his chest glowed, "Attribute Change!" The light spread across his body and it quickly changed colour. "Pyrus!"

Lyra reacted fast to her partner's change and swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon rushed forward, his arms and legs bursting into flames. "Heat Striker!"

"Take this!" Amazon once again slammed his fists and feet into Hydread, burning him multiple times.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 900Gs

But as Hydread staggered back, Kiyrah had had enough and held up a card. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread opened his mouth and breathed out a very strange purple fog. "Merge Barrier!" The purple fog moved towards Amazon, surrounding him before Hydread breathed it back in. And in doing so, he gained all the power Amazon had gained from his Abilities.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 1300Gs

"Finish him!" Kiyrah cried, as Hydread charged forward and caused the ground around him to shake.

Lyra asked and realised Amazon didn't have time to activate his Steam Bomber. Having no other choice, she swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon's fin blades burned into flames, "Razor Blaze!"

Amazon: 1150Gs
Hydread: 1300Gs

"Raaaaah!" Amazon leapt into the air and tried to slash his flaming fins at Hydread, but the Darkus Bakugan spun around and slammed his tail into him. "GYAH!" He cried, feeling the club smash into him before he was thrown backwards and returned to ball form.

"Amazon!" Lyra cried, as Hydread returned to Kiyrah.

Lyra: 70%
Kiyrah: 100%

She ran over to her partner, who fell into the snow and forced her to dig him out. "Are you okay?" She asked, Amazon moaning as he unfurled.

"That sucked. This guy's no joke. Valkyria said he was strong, but she wasn't kidding." Lyra frowned as she stood up and looked over at the city in the distance. Their battle had pushed them closer to the empire and that wasn't good.

"We can't let her get the better of us. We have to defeat her, here and now!"

"I'll try," Amazon nodded. "But she's tough."

"Well so are we," Lyra replied as she took out a card and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" It hit the ground and as it exploded, Kiyrah's transport flew up whilst Lyra ran towards another snow back.

"Bakugan," they both threw their partners, "BRAWL!" Once again, Amazon and Hydread flew through the air and struck some power-ups before landing in the snow. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornados of water and dark mist exploded out of the snow, Amazon and Hydread appearing out of them. The two glared at one another, as their G Power rose.

Amazon: 550Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

"Ability," Kiyrah swiped a card, "Activate!" Hydread's mouth filled with fire. "Chaos Flame!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" The flames exploded out of his mouth and shot towards Amazon, the lizard attempting to avoid it as best he could. The heat from it, caused more of the snow around him to melt.

Amazon: 550Gs
Hydread: 1000Gs

As Hydread kept firing, Lyra took out two cards and swiped them.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon stopped running and breathed out a bunch of water vapour. "Mist Barrier, plus Aquos Bomber!"

The mist formed a cloud around him, which stopped the flamethrower dead as Amazon swirled his hands around to form a sphere of water. "Take this!" He thrust it forward and unleashed the aqua blast, which shot through the barrier and rocketed towards Hydread.

Amazon: 850Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

The water slammed into him and Hydread roared in pain, as the speed of the water felt like he was getting hit by a very wet meteor. He staggered back, but then charged forward and forced himself through the water before swinging his tail around.

Amazon stopped his attack and leapt into the air, avoiding the tail as Kiyrah swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The spikes on his body glowed. "Death Stinger!"

"RAAAH!" He fired the light off them and with Amazon in the air, he couldn't avoid the glowing red needles as they dug into him.

Amazon: 700Gs
Hydread: 700Gs

"Ahhh!" Amazon fell to the ground and flinched, as Hydread charged again ready to claw at him.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Lyra swiped two cards and Amazon was covered in water. "Ry-Hydrate, plus Ice Slicer!" As the water healed his wounds, Amazon ran forward as his fins froze over. He then swung them at Hydread and sliced at him, forming a bunch of ice on him.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 550Gs

Hydread staggered back, as Amazon prepared to slash at him again. But before he could, Kiyrah swiped her own two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Hydread's body glowed and his eyes went wild. "Darkus Rage..."

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 750Gs

He swung his tail around and hit the ice covering Amazon's fins, causing them to crack and knocking Amazon off balance. And as he did, Hydread spun around again as his mouth filled with flames. "Plus, Fusion Ability. Raging Shadow, Chaos Inferno!"

The dragon Bakugan roared, as he unleashed an insane amount of flames from his mouth. Flames that flew all over the place in a wild manner.

Amazon: 1000Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs

Amazon gasped, as he started jumping around trying to avoid the flames. But he got struck by several of them and gasped, whilst Lyra also did her best to avoid them. "Lyra!" Amazon cried, "what do we do?" Lyra only had one idea and smirked, having been waiting for this.

"Get them!" Kiyrah cried, only to see Lyra suddenly take something out.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air, revealing it to be a four-sided pyramid-shaped Bakugan that was white with a blue base. "Aquos Diverak!" The Bakugan flipped open, the left and right sides of the pyramid folding down whilst the front and back split apart. The middle part of the front flipped up and over the top, where it was connected to the back and created a tail-like structure. Meanwhile, the other parts of the front folded down to become mandibles.

Once it was unfolded, the Bakugan glowed before shooting over towards Amazon. And once it was above him, the light transformed into a Bakugan that resembled a stingray.

Its body was a mix of blues, white and orange. It was mostly dark blue, with a line of white triangles running down its back with orange markings covering it. The tips of its wings and the mandibles on its white face appeared to be made of a light blue material, almost resembling ice. And its tail was a collection of dark blue triangles stacked together, with a large spearhead made of ice on the tip.

The Bakugan floated above Amazon, moving like a real stingray would in the water.

Amazon+Diverak: 1350Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs

As it hovered there, it beat its fins and made the snow around them fly up and form a wall that blocked the flames. As it did, Lyra swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" As the flames melted the snow, Diverak's eyes glowed before the water formed a large wave. "Surf Strike!"

"Oh yeah!" Amazon cheered, as Diverak flew down and landed on the wave. He then ran forward and leapt up onto the Trap Bakugan's back, balancing on him as the wave flew towards Hydread. "Surf's up, dude!"

Amazon+Diverak: 1450Gs
Hydread: 1250Gs

Hydread saw the attack coming and tried to get away, but couldn't move in time to avoid getting slammed by the water.

It washed him away and the Aquos Bakugan flew overhead, Amazon continuing to ride Diverak as they soared through the air. Hydread groaned, as he pushed himself to his feet. "Let's get him!" Amazon cried, as Diverak flew around and they charged at him again.

But before they could reach him, Kiyrah swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Hydread unleashed a burst of dark clouds, which slammed into the pair. "Merge Barrier!" As the pair flew out of the cloud, Hydread drank it down and gained all their power. "Not gonna be so cocky now, are you?"

Amazon+Diverak: 1450Gs
Hydread: 1800Gs

"Get them!" Kiyrah cried, as Hydread unleashed another bombardment of dark flames. Diverak had to use every manoeuvre he knew, to avoid getting blasted by it. And even then, he just barely managed to do that.

"You'll have an easier time dodging without me!" Amazon stated, leaping off as the gem on his body glowed. "Attribute Change...SUBTERRA!" He landed, as his body turned a mixture of brown and orange. And without him on his back, Diverak was able to dodge the flames as Lyra swiped a pair of cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" The two Bakugan glowed, as the energy flowed from Amazon into Diverak. "Diagonal Correlation, plus Sand Striker!" Amazon charged forward, as his fins became surrounded by sand.

He swung them at Hydread and slammed into him, the sand grinding against him as he flinched in pain.

Amazon+Diverak: 1650Gs
Hydread: 1650Gs

Amazon then leapt back, as Diverak body checked the dragon and knocked him off balance. And as he did, Lyra swiped one more card. "Ability, Activate!" Amazon brought his hands together and formed a sphere of murky water. "Mud Bomber!"

"TAKE THIS!" He thrust the sphere forward and it exploded into a burst of muddy water, which shot towards Hydread and slammed into him.

Amazon+Diverak: 2050Gs
Hydread: 1650Gs

He let out a roar, as he was finally knocked backwards and almost crashed into Kiyrah's transport. But before he could hit it, he reverted back to ball form and fell to the sand below. "Hydread!" She gasped, flying down to get him.

Lyra: 70%
Kiyrah: 20%

Lyra smirked, as her Bakugan returned to her. "Great work guys." They both unfurled and Amazon turned to Diverak.

"You were awesome, dude. Loved the surfing attack. Totally hope we get to do it again." Diverak let out several sounds, which Lyra couldn't understand. But Amazon nodded at him, appearing to get the gist of what he was saying.

As this was going on, Kiyrah used her ship's tractor beam to pull Hydread out of the snow. And once he was inside, he popped out of a hole in the console for her to catch. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he growled. "I will not allow that fool to make a mockery of me again." Kiyrah nodded, also done playing around.

"Definitely. No more kid gloves. Time to pull out all the stops." With that, she took out a card and threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" As it landed in the snow and exploded, the ship flew up whilst Lyra ran over to a large rock that had been part of a now broken rock pillar. Once she jumped on top, she leapt off it and aimed for the most power-ups she could see.

"Bakugan," they threw their partners towards the power-ups, "BRAWL!" The Bakugan flew through two different clouds of power-ups before hitting the ground and sinking into it. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornados of water and dark shadows flew out of the snow, as the Bakugan broke out of them.

Amazon and Hydread glared at each other, ready to end this brawl once and for all as the power-ups kicked in.

Amazon: 600Gs
Hydread: 850Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Kiyrah swiped a card and the spikes on Hydread's body glowed. "Death Stinger!" He roared and the lights shot off, the needles they created shooting towards Amazon as he tried to avoid them all.

But he couldn't dodge forever and the Aquos Bakugan was struck. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

Amazon: 450Gs
Hydread: 850Gs

Hydread used this chance to charge forward and once he was close enough, he swung his tail around hoping to knock Amazon down in one hit. But Amazon managed to do a matrix style back lean and the club flew over his body, Amazon rolling backwards once it was away from him.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon stood, as the water veil quickly formed around him. "Re-Hydrate, plus Aquos Bomber!"

Amazon: 800Gs
Hydread: 850Gs

"Hahaa!" Amazon cheered, as he swung his arms around and formed a sphere of water. "Am...a...zon!" He thrust it forward, "BLAST!" The water fired at Hydread and slammed into him, knocking the dragon staggering backwards again until it crashed into a large snow pillar.

Amazon laughed and once he stopped the water shots, he ran forward as Hydread began to pick itself up. As he got in close, it swung its tail around and he easily leapt over it before dealing a kick to his head. "Raaah!"

"Ability, Activate!" Kiyrah swiped a card and Hydread spun around, his front claws becoming surrounded by dark clouds. "Phantom Claw!" Before Amazon could get away, he swung his claws at him and slashed at the Aquos Bakugan.

"Gyah!" He was thrown backwards and crashed into the snow.

Amazon: 700Gs
Hydread: 950Gs

Hydread charged and tried to stomp down onto him, but he rolled away at the last moment.

"Ability, Activate!" Amazon raised his fins, as they became frozen over. "Ice Slicer!" Amazon leapt forward and slashed at Hydread, taking back to the power that had been stolen from him.

Amazon: 850Gs
Hydread: 800Gs

As Hydread staggered back, Amazon landed with a smirk. "I got you now." Lyra nodded, only to notice Kiyrah taking something out.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air and revealed it to be a six-sided drum that was mostly black with purple markings. "Darkus Arachnia!" The Bakugan flew up and once it was high enough, it opened up to almost resemble a scorpion-shaped Bakugan with six legs. Except the tail part had a head and arms.

The Bakugan glowed purple before flying over and crashing into the snowy ground, transforming into a giant spider. Its body was made of a black armored material, like what a scorpion would have, with three long spindly legs sticking out of the sides. the tips of the legs were covered in a purple crystal, whilst a pair of purple crystal fangs were sticking out the front of its head.

The spider didn't have a rear and coming out the top of its body, was a humanoid torso made of the same material as its shelled body. That armor was black, but there were purple sections that weren't covered in armor. Those sections were around the elbows, wrists, shoulders and necks. The body appeared female based on the chest area and the head was covered in a black helmet, with a purple line of spikes sticking out the top from the forehead all the way to the back.

"Wow," Amazon jumped back in surprise. And Lyra frowned, as she checked her Baku-Bracer.

Amazon: 850Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1050Gs

"Ability, Activate!" The human on the spider thrust her hand forward, as something shot out of the finger-tips. "Shadow Webbing!" Black webs flew towards Amazon and before he could escape, they started wrapping around him.

"Gaaah!" His arms were suddenly bound to his side, the Bakugan unable to pull himself free. Then, his legs and tail were tied up as well. "Gross!" He fell into the snow, as his power dropped.

Amazon: 750Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1050Gs

Hydread charged forward and tried to stomp on Amazon, who rolled out of the way. But he could only evade for so long, causing Lyra to take something out.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw the pyramid into the air. "Aquos Diverak!" The Bakugan unfolded and transformed, the stingray appearing and flying over to his fellow Aquos Bakugan.

Amazon+Diverak: 1000Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1050Gs

Arachnia launched several webs towards him, but he managed to avoid the attacks as Lyra swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Diverak sudden disappeared, "Cloak Defender!"

Unable to see the Trap Bakugan, Arachnia and Hydread looked around but saw nothing. Then, something slammed into Hydread and knocked him away from Amazon. The next thing Amazon knew, water was being sprayed on him and the webs melted away.

"Yes!" He cheered, able to jump up as Diverak reappeared.

Amazon+Diverak: 1100Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1050Gs

"Raaah!" Amazon leapt up and kicked Hydread in the chest, knocking him back as Amazon back-flipped and landed on Diverak's back.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Hydread glowed and his eyes went wild, as Arachnia's spider mouth unleashed a web-line that struck Amazon in the back. "Darkus Rage, plus Dark Lightning!" The gem fangs on the spider's mouth sparked and the electricity flowed into the web, flowing through it before shocking Amazon.

"Gyah!" He cried, falling off Diverak. As he did, Hydread charged forward.

Amazon+Diverak: 1000Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1250Gs

As Amazon fell towards the ground, Hydread spun around and smashed his tail into him. "AUGH!" He was thrown through the air, as Diverak tried to save him. But Arachnia used its webs to catch his tail and pull him away. But as Amazon hit the snow and bounced around, he fought through the pair and managed to slam his hand into the ground. This caused him to slow to a stop, as the gem on his chest glow. "Attribute Change!" As he landed, his body glowed and shifted colours. "SUBTERRA!"

Diverak managed to cut the web off him and fly over to Amazon, who ran forward as Lyra swiped her cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" The two Bakugan glowed, the light flowing off Amazon and into Diverak before the lizard suddenly disappeared. "Desert Rocket, plus Diagonal Correlation!"

Amazon+Diverak: 1300Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1250Gs

Diverak dived towards Arachnia and swung its tail around, hitting her in the human chest and knocking her back. Meanwhile, Hydread was suddenly struck by something fast and invisible. "Gyah!" He tried to attack back, but the invisible attacker vanished. "Where are you? Show yourself!"

"I don't think so!" Amazon replied, Hydread trying to attack that spot. But he had already moved out of the way and the next thing Hydread knew, he was struck once again.

Kiyrah frowned and quickly swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Hydread unleashed a burst of dark coloured fire, whilst Arachnia's spider mouth breathed out a dark fog. "Chaos Flame, plus Shroud Nightmare!"

The fire began to melt the snow around Hydread, creating a puddle that splashing could be heard in. At the same time, the cloud struck Diverak and completely surrounded it. Doing so caused a wave of dread to wash over the Trap Bakugan, as he started to fly upwards out of the cloud.

Amazon+Diverak: 1200Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1550Gs

"Diverak, don't!" But Lyra's command came too late and the stingray Bakugan flew out of the smoke, only to get slammed by the Chaos Flame attack sent his way.

He let out a cry, as he began to fall towards the ground. But before he landed, Amazon reappeared and caught him. "I gotcha!" But another blast of fire almost roasted them. "Lyra!"

"Ability, Activate!" Diverak opened its eyes and they glowed, as the water that surrounded them suddenly morphed into a wall to protect them from the flames. "Surf Striker!"

Amazon+Diverak: 1300Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1550Gs

Diverak jumped off Amazon and landed atop the wave, as it began to move forward. But before it could hit, Arachnia launched another blast of webbing that struck him in the eye.

Diverak screamed, as it couldn't see and lost control of the water. And as it fell towards the ground, Hydread ran over to it and swung his tail around. "TAKE THIS!" He smashed it into the Trap Bakugan and sent it flying. Lyra gasped and Amazon's eyes widened, as he hit the ground.

Lyra: 20%
Kiyrah: 20%

"You'll pay for that!" Amazon ran forward, only for another blast of webbing to hit him. "Augh!" He tried to pull himself free, but it was no use thanks to his loss of power.

Amazon+Diverak: 950Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1550Gs

Arachnia pulled him back towards her, as Hydread prepared to unleash another Chaos Flame. But Lyra swiped her cards first. "Double Ability, Activate!" Amazon's fins became surrounded by sand and as Hydread fired, he launched himself at Arachnia. "Sand Striker!"

He managed to move his arms around and cut through the webs before striking Arachnia, knocking her backwards.

Amazon+Diverak: 950Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1400Gs

"Plus Mud Bomber!" He then spun around and thrust his hands forward, as a blast of muddy water exploded out of them and shot towards Hydread.

Amazon+Diverak: 1350Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1400Gs

It slammed into the Darkus Bakugan and whilst it made him stagger back a few steps, it wasn't enough to hurt him. "Not enough," Lyra gasped as Kiyrah pointed towards the ground.

"Gate Card...open." The ground began to glow purple. "Darkus Soul Reap. This Special Gate Card summons the spirit of any defeated Bakugan." The light flowed into Diverak before the light flew off him and over to Hydread, taking form and transforming into a purple ghostly image of the Trap Bakugan. "Now, its power will be taken from its ally."

"What?" Lyra asked, as Hydread unleashed a blast of fire that struck the ghost.

Diverak exploded and the light covered flames flew towards Amazon, slamming into him and knocking him backwards. "GYAAAAAAAH!" He cried, digging his heels into the snow as he felt his power being burned away.

Amazon+Diverak: 1000Gs
Hydread+Arachnia: 1400Gs

"It's over!" Kiyrah cried, as Hydread unleashed even more fire. This proved too much for Amazon, who was knocked backwards and let out a scream as he was blown away. And as he smashed into the snow, he created a tidal wave of it that flew towards Lyra.

She gasped and tried to escape the snow tsunami, but it slammed into her and she let out a scream as the avalanche overwhelmed her. And as Amazon was forced back to ball form, she was buried alive and her life gauge dropped.

Lyra: 0%
Kiyrah: 20% (Winner)

Hydread and Arachnia returned to Kiyrah, who moved over to where Lyra had been buried. The avalanche had sent Diverak over to this area and by some miracle, it hadn't been buried by the snow. And as they both lay there, part of the snow broke apart before Lyra pulled herself out of it.

She groaned, as she dragged herself over to her Bakugan and picked them up. But that was all she could do before the strain became too much. And soon, she fell to the ground and her vision became blurry. The last thing she saw before darkness overtook her, was Kiyrah's mask.

Back in the Empire, Cadance was at the castle staring at the area that Lyra had stepped through.

She watched and frowned, as Shining stepped up next to her on the balcony. "Don't worry. Lyra will keep us safe. The Defenders haven't let us down once." Cadance nodded, but suddenly noticed the shield flash as something flew through it. And it wasn't Lyra.

She gasped and realised it was the Rugenga, dread flowing through the alicorn as she feared what had happened to the Brawler they had sent to stop them. "Guards! Battle stations!" The ponies who heard this got into a fighting stance, with Flash leading a bunch of crystal pegasi into the air.

But it wasn't long before the ship unleashed a wave that covered half the city, the pegasi all flying into it before screaming.

"GYAH!" Flash screamed, as he felt like his insides were being torn apart. He remembered this feeling from when he tried to become a battle brawler and fell to the ground, the other pegasi falling with him and crashing into the ground and through houses.

Shining frowned at the sight of this and his horn flashed before unleashing a bright light, which created a shield between the ship and the rest of the city. Flash and the other ponies were behind it and they all felt the pain they had been feeling beginning to fade away.

But before anyone could think of trying to escape, the ship opened up and two things were thrown out of it. In a flash of purple, Hydread and Arachnia appeared before crashing into the ground.

Hydread roared and swung his tail around, smashing into the shield to try and break through it. But the shield held, though Shining felt the impact. Arachnia shot a web and used its Dark Lightning attack, shocking the shield and doing more damage to it.

Meanwhile, the ponies on the other side of the shield were running as fast as they could. Some had been caught in the dimensional field and were crippled by the pain, which Cadance could sense.

"Enough of this." She leapt off the balcony and as Hydread and Arachnia attacked the shield again, she flew down to the area below the castle. There, a strange heart-shaped gem was floating there. "Our magic might not be able to stop Bakugan. But maybe this can." She placed her hands on the crystal and summoned its power, calling upon the light and love flowing through it.

Back on the ship, Kiyrah watched as Hydread suddenly unleashed a Chaos Flame and Death Stinger. The attacks combined with Arachnia's Dark Lightning, caused a serious strain on the shield. But just as it seemed the barrier was about to break, Kiyrah got a warning.

"Energy surge?" She wondered what it was, as a bright flash of light suddenly exploded out from the castle.

It flew through the crystals of the streets and when it reached her Bakugan, they both cried out as they were being zapped. "GYAH!" Hydread roared, "what is this?" He fought against the pain, as Arachnia was overcome and reverted back to ball form.

"Hydread!" Kiyrah cried, seeing the light was still coming from the castle. Whatever was happening, it was coming from there. "Blast them!"

Hydread called upon all his power and after letting out a mighty roar, his mouth filled with the dark coloured fire. "Raging Shadow...CHAOS INFERNO!" A supercharged flamethrower exploded out of his mouth and struck the shield, completely shattering it before continuing towards the castle.

It struck the crystal structure and blew a massive hole in the side of it, the castle shaking as Shining was knocked down and Cadance was blown away by the shockwave. This also caused the Crystal Heart to stop glowing, the energy that was hurting Hydread disappearing.

The Bakugan sighed in relief, as he and Kiyrah both continued towards the castle. That caused the dimensional field to spread, making more ponies scream in pain. Kiyrah and Hydread laughed, especially when they reached the castle and found Cadance withering on the floor.

"This kingdom is mine," she stated firmly. "And everything that's within it belongs to the Rugenga. Including the Bakugan, ponies...and you." Cadance glared at her, as something was suddenly dropped down from within the transport.

Cadance gasped, seeing an unconscious Lyra laying on the ground. Seeing their Defender defeated was too much for her and coupled with the pain of the dimensional field, Cadance felt herself dropping to the ground and losing consciousness.

Back on the Rugenga ship, Azalea was sitting around looking bored.

The breach Kiyrah used had closed, so now she was forced to wait and see if either of her teammates called. And this meant she had nothing to do. "Ahhh!" She cried, sitting in Cursor's chair. "I'm so bored. I want to do something, but I can't." Goliath floated beside her, wanting some action as much as she did.

Just then, a beeping filled the air and they looked over at a computer before heading towards it.

"Finally," she said once the comms were open. "What took you so long?"

"Apologies," Beck stated. "Had a lot of work to do. But good news. Manehatten is now under our control. Now that I don't have to worry about getting trapped here, I can stay as long as I want." Azalea smiled, as another beep caught her attention. She opened the comms and Kiyrah's voice spoke up.

"The Crystal Empire and all its Bakugan are ours."

"Good," Azalea smirked. "Why don't you bring them all back here."

"Actually," Beck stated. "I have a better idea. A little something else I've been working on on the side. Azalea. Open file thirteen-B. And activate the fabricator."

"The fabricator?" Kiyrah asked. "That takes a lot of power. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Don't worry about it," Beck assured her. "It'll be worth the power drain. And once I have them, I can return to the ship without worrying about losing any of the ground we've taken over. It won't be long before all of Equestria is ours."

"Good," Azalea smiled. "If you're coming back, I can go and have some fun." She laughed, as she opened the file and activated the fabricator. Equestria was finally succumbing to their might. And eventually, both it and Vestroia would belong to them.

Author's Note

Ouch. Another area of Equestria conquered. The Crystal Empire just can't catch a break, huh. Hopefully, our heroes will be able to save them soon.

What did you think of the two new Trap Bakugan? Yes, they are Stingzer and Arachnia from Geogons Rising. What can I say, they look cool. Hope you like them.

Fall of Equestria

In the city of Canterlot, Soarin remained in the hub waiting to hear from Braeburn and Lyra.

The breaches in the areas they had headed to were already closed, which meant the Rugenga had already retreated, never came through, or were stuck in Equestria. And Soarin was hoping it was the last option, as he waited for the two to contact them.

"Anything?" Soarin asked, but Rosemary and the others shook their heads.

"Nothing. We haven't gotten any messages from Lyra or Braeburn." Soarin frowned, as Valkyria leapt onto his shoulder and turned to him supportively.

"That doesn't mean anything," she told him. "They're probably just exhausted from the battles. The Rugenga are powerful and it wouldn't be easy to beat them."

"Maybe," Soarin sighed as Twilight, Spike, Celestial and Luna arrived. "Maybe we should try and contact the cities they went to." He turned to Twilight, "your brother and sister-in-law are in charge there, right?" Twilight nodded. "So let's try and contact them. If they answer, we'll know nothing's wrong."

"That might be a good idea," Luna agreed. "Though I am concerned about the two not contacting us at all. Have you attempted to call them yourselves?" they all shook their heads, with Rosemary attempting it.

"Contacting Lyra." The signal was sent and they waited for a response, but were left waiting almost a full minute.

"Lyra should have answered by now." Soarin frowned. "Even if she was in the middle of a battle, she would have taken two seconds to answer the call. Something's wrong." Rosemary tried Braeburn, but got no response either.

"What about Shining and Cadance?" Twilight asked, as another pony tried to contact the Crystal Empire. But there was no answer either, which began to worry Twilight.

"I'm heading over there," Soarin moved towards the transporter. But before he could leave, Valkyria flew up in front of him.

"Let's all calm down. You can't just go jumping into a random place. You could find yourself in a trap and unable to get back here. Until the others come back, you are the only one able to protect Equestria if another portal opens. We can't afford to lose you."

"She's right," Twilight agreed. "So I'll go." That surprised them. "Send me to the Crystal Empire and I'll check it out. Hopefully, everything's fine and there's just something keeping the signal from getting through." Spike was about to say something, but Twilight teleported away before he could.

When she warped back, she was wearing a purple Baku-Bracer.

"Twilight," Celestia frowned, "I don't think this is such a good idea."

"I'll just take a look," Twilight promised. "If something is happening, I'll warp back here as soon as I can." The others didn't like this idea, but nodded.

"Be careful," Spike told her. Twilight nodded and headed up into the transporter, the other ponies powering it up and hoping everything was fine. If it wasn't, they weren't sure what they could do.

Back in Vestroia, Azalea was still in the base and itching for someone to return. And eventually, it happened.

"Alright," Beck told her, "everything's sorted out here. Open the gate." Azalea smirked and held up the device Beck had made, setting it to low whilst connecting it to Beck's signal. Once it was connected, she fired and the beam hit a blank wall.

The portal formed and from it, Beck stepped out with Braeburn being dragged behind him. Once he was through, the portal closed and Beck dropped the unconscious equestrian onto the ground. "Another person for the pit?" Azalea asked.

"No," he shook his head, "I have a better idea for him. Even if we conquer more of Equestria, those fools will keep fighting so long as they have hope." He turned to Braeburn, "so we need to destroy that hope with a symbol."

"Oh," Azalea laughed. "I like the sound of that."

"Kiyrah's already caught the Aquos Brawler. All that's left is to add the Ventus Defender to our collection and we'll have everything we need to hold this kingdom as long as we want."

"Perfect," Azalea smirked. "So, I'll head there and start attacking the nearest settlement. He'll show up better than ever."

Beck smirked, as he took the device from her. "I think I can make it easier to find him." He walked over to a console and placed the device down. "Now that the device has opened a few portals, I should be able to refine it to target certain areas of Equestria."

"Oh, perfect. That means I know exactly where to head." Beck nodded, as he got to work. "I wonder how Kiyrah's doing. I sent her those things you had me make. You sure they're gonna work?"

"Perfectly," Beck smirked. "As fun as it would be to keep the ponies in total agony, they wouldn't be much use to us in that state. This should allow us to keep them in line and not have them be completely useless." Azalea smirked, wishing she could be there to see the situation herself.

Twilight blinked, as she suddenly found herself appearing within the Crystal Castle.

She was in the throne room and looked around, but found it was completely empty. "Cadance?" She called out, but her fellow princess said nothing. "Shining?" His lack of answer made her worried. "Anypony?" When nobody answered, she spread her wings and flew over to the balcony.

And when she got outside, her eyes went wide when she saw the city was half destroyed.

Buildings had been crushed, sections of the road were broken up and even part of the castle was destroyed. It was then that Twilight was certain something horrible had happened. And she soon got her answer what, when a loud roar made her look around and see something marching down the street.

A Haos Saurus lumbered towards the castle, looking like it was sleepwalking as its eyes were glowing bright red.

"What?" Twilight couldn't understand how this was happening. She wasn't feeling any pain, so how could this Bakugan be in its true form?

But before she could think of anything, the Saurus saw her and threw a punch in her direction. She gasped and flew out of the way, barely managing to escape in time despite the wind the punch sent her way. "GYAH!" She fell towards the ground and barely managed to land, the alicorn wishing she had spent more time learning to fly properly.

She spun around and saw Saurus moving towards her. And as she did, she heard a squawk and looked up to see a Ventus Ravenoid flying down towards them. It dive bombed and tried to hit her, but Twilight was able to teleport herself behind Saurus and run for it.

"Twilight to the castle. Teleport me back! HURRY!" She glanced back at the Bakugan and as they turned towards her, she notice something.

Some kind of collar, around each of their necks. She had never seen a Bakugan with something like that, which made her think they weren't naturally occurring.

The two attacked again. But before they could reach her, she was surrounded by light and disappeared. The next thing Twilight knew, she was standing inside the transport tube as it opened. "Twilight!" Celestia looked worried, "what happened?"

"The Empire..." Twilight couldn't think properly, as Spike rushed up to her with a drink she gulped to settle her nerves. "It's...it's being attacked by Bakugan. But, I didn't feel any pain. They were in their true forms, but there wasn't a dimension field up."

"How is that possible?" Soarin asked, the others wondering the same thing.

"There's more," Celestia stated. "We detected another breach at Manehatten. But it was only open for a few moments." Twilight frowned, confused by what the heck was going on.

"I did see something. The Bakugan had some kind of collar around their neck. And their eyes were glowing in a way I've never seen Bakugan eyes before. I'm not sure, but it's possible those collars were keeping them in their true form and controlling them."

"Seriously?" Soarin frowned. "Where the heck did the Rugenga get something like that?" None of them said anything to explain, making them worried that these criminals were pulling new tricks out of their hats. Tricks they'll need to deal with.

"Did you see Lyra there?" Celestia asked, but Twilight shook her head.

"I didn't see anypony. Just the Bakugan. I don't know what the Rugenga did, but they've hidden all the ponies away. Including Cadance and Shining." They all hated the sound of this. But before anyone could say anything, Rosemary's console just beeped and she gasped.

"Your majesties!" They turned to her, "another breach just opened."

"Manehatten?" Celestia asked, but Rosemary shook her head.

"No...it's here." Their eyes widened, "in the middle of the city."

"That's not good," Luna cried. "We need to evacuate everypony." They nodded, as Soarin ran towards the transporter.

"It'll be quicker if you warp me to the breach's location!" The ponies nodded and began to power up the machine. And in the blink of an eye, Soarin was suddenly standing in the middle of the city.

Ponies had spotted his appearance and clearly, teleporting in was a warning sign to everyone around him. And as Soarin looked around, he spotted the shimmer of the breach currently several meters away. One that the ponies had already noticed, as Celestia's voice called out.

"CITIZENS OF CANTERLOT!" Everyone looked up. "A BREACH HAS OPENED IN THE CITY. STAY ALERT AND EVACUATE TO A SECURE LOCATION OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OR THE CASTLE! THERE MAY END UP BEING A BAKUGAN BATTLE WITHIN THE CITY." Soarin nodded, as the ponies started making their way through the city. Some of them were heading to the locations they wished to go.

Some were making their way towards the outer edges of the city, whilst others were heading towards the castle. Hopefully, they would all get away before the Rugenga would get out.

But Soarin's hopes were soon dashed, as a transport suddenly shot out of the large portal. Soarin leapt back and saw it fly through the air, making ponies scream as they were forced to run. And as it came to a stop, the top of it opened with Azalea standing up.

She saw the ponies and Bakugan beginning to flee and it made her laugh, loving the site of them in such hysterics.

But before she could do anything, a rock suddenly bounced against her ship. "Huh?" She looked down and spotted Soarin, standing on the street with rocks in his hand. "Ah, there you are." She flew down, "I was hoping to run into you here."

"Leave," Soarin told her. "You don't want to mess with me right now. I am not in the best of moods."

"Yes," Valkyria stated. "We won't let you hurt the ponies of this city. Leave, or face our fury." Soarin nodded, but Azalea didn't look worried.

"I'm not scared of you. You might have stood a chance against me before, but not anymore." Her Bakugan flew up, "not now that I have my partner with me." Soarin frowned, seeing that she now had a Bakugan that would likely be as strong as Drakenoid or Tigress. "Now, why don't you give up and I promise not to hurt you and your little Bakugan friend."

"Never!" Soarin yelled, hoping all the ponies had gotten to a safe distance. "I won't let you hurt anyone. This city is under our protection and as long as I draw breath, you're not getting your hands on it."

"Draw breath?" Azalea smirked, "that can change real quick." She then held something up and dropped it, Soarin jumping back in case it was an explosive. But it wasn't.

It was some kind of plate, which glowed as soon as it hit the ground. And when it did, it created a holographic projection of two individuals. "LYRA! BRAEBURN!" The pair were floating, unconscious with their Bakugan floating next to them. "What have you done to them?"

"Me? Nothing. But my teammates said they put up a good fight. Just not good enough." Soarin glared at her, as Azalea laughed. "Don't worry. You're going to be joining them soon enough." The hologram vanished and she raised her Baku-Bracer, and Soarin did the same, activating them and causing the power-ups to appear. And as their life gauges filled, the pair called out in unison. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Soarin: 100%
Azalea: 100%

"We can do this!" Valkyria stated, Soarin nodding as he took out a Gate Card and glared at Azalea.

"Let's do this thing, Valkyria! Gate Card..." He threw it towards the ground, "SET!" As soon as the card hit the ground, Azalea flew up in her transport.

"Bakugan," she threw it, "BRAWL!" The ball spun through the power-ups before hitting the ground and bursting open. "Bakugan...STAND!" The Bakugan glowed and a brilliant orange light filled the air, as the ground started shaking. "Goliath...RISE!"

Soarin gasped, barely able to keep his balance as the entire city shook. And as it did, a massive humanoid form appeared. It was so big, the buildings on either side of him were smashed through by his sides. And when the the light finally faded, it revealed the Bakugan's true form.

He was huge. One of the tallest Bakugan Soarin had ever seen. He was a giant humanoid Bakugan, covered head to toe in metal armor that was a combo of dark brown, orange and black. A large round shield was attached to his left arm and on the tops of his shoulders and head, he had a bunch of what appeared to be shrubs that were turning an autumn brown.

Goliath: 520Gs

Goliath towered above the city, many ponies seeing him and looking shocked. "Since when do they get that big?" One pony asked, Soarin knowing that answer.

"He's as big as Gaia used to be." As he said that, Goliath's body glowed as the power-ups kicked in.

Goliath: 770Gs

As Azalea's transport flew up next to him, Goliath stared down at Soarin. "Come, little gnat. Send in your overgrown pigeon so I can swat you both out of the sky." Soarin and Valkyria nodded, as Soarin grabbed her and started parkouring to the rooftops.

Once there, he leapt off the roof and threw Valkyria. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" She flew through the air and hit a few power-ups before landing on the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" She spun open and a tornado exploded out of her. "Valkyria, DESCEND!"

The tornado exploded off of her and Valkyria took to the air, flying up to come face to face with Goliath. But this meant her legs only reached his waist. He truly was large.

"Bring it on," the sky warrior announced as her rose and Soarin swiped a card.

Goliath: 770Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Valkyria flew up and formed a sphere of wind, "Aero Shot!" She thrust her hands forward and the sphere exploded into an air stream.

Goliath: 770Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

Goliath raised his shield and the wind slammed into it, the impact almost knocking it off-balance. The Bakugan was so heavy, he couldn't be pushed back. But his size had its drawbacks. However, he managed to keep himself standing as Azalea took out a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Goliath swung his arm around and deflected the wind, as he pulled his fist back whilst it glowed. "Hyper Impact!"

Goliath: 1070Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

He threw the punch forward and despite Valkyria flying out of range, the light on his fist exploded off it the second he fully extended his arm. The light remained fist shaped and slammed into Valkyria before she could react, exploding and making her scream as she fell towards the ground.

Goliath stomped forward, shaking the ground with every step. He tried to slap at Valkyria, but she managed to open her eyes and avoid the attack at the last moment. Though it unleashed a powerful wind that almost knocked him away.

Soarin was also having trouble, the shaking ground making the building he was on also shake. But he kept his balance and swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Valkyria flew up again and her wings glowed. "Feather Darts!"

"Take this!" With a beat, the light exploded off her and turned into a bunch of green energy feathers.

Goliath raised his shield and blocked some of the darts, but others hit the parts of his body not protected. He grunted with every hit, but stayed strong as his power dropped.

Goliath: 820Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

Once the barrage ended, Valkyria unleashed another Aero Shot and the gale force attack slammed into his shield. Again, he held his ground but he seemed to be having more trouble holding up.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Goliath's shield glowed orange, "Grand Sentinel..." The light expanded outwards and formed a dome, the light from it raining down on him and repairing the damage done by the Feather Darts.

Goliath: 1170Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

"Plus, Megaton Crasher!" Goliath charged forward out of the light, Valkyria having dropped into his attack range. He spun around and performed a backhand with his shield, slamming into Valkyria before she could fly away.

Goliath: 1370Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

"GYAH!" Valkyria was thrown across the city and smashed through two buildings, as Goliath continued to stop around like an angry giant. Valkyria pushed herself out of the rubble and leapt into the air, but she was looking a little shaky. Soarin then pointed to the ground.

"Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed before a bunch of tornados appeared. "Ventus Reactor!"

Goliath: 1370Gs
Valkyria: 1250Gs

As Valkyria felt the energy of the wind flow through her, Soarin swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" She started spinning and flew towards Goliath, as the wing swirled around her. "Blade Wing Dance!"

"Raaaaah!" She beat her wings and set the wind blades flying towards him, Goliath once again raising his shield.

Goliath: 1370Gs
Valkyria: 1450Gs

The blades slammed into him again and again, the Subterra Bakugan grunting with every hit.

The wind from the Gate Card was making Azalea have trouble with her transport, the woman growling as she took out a card. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath's fist began to glow and the second the last air blade hit him, he raised his fist before throwing it down. "Ground Pound!"

The fist struck the ground with enough power to make the entire city shake, reducing several more Buildings to rubble. It also caused the gate card to crack before exploding, destroying it and weakening Valkyria.

Goliath: 1520Gs
Valkyria: 1250Gs

Valkyria gasped at the sudden loss of her power and she tried to fly away, but Goliath was ready.

He pulled his shield off his arm and threw it like a discus, the spinning dome flying through the air at high speed. And before Valkyria could get away, it slammed into her and she let out a scream before falling to the ground. As she did, she reverted back to ball form and Soarin gasped.

Soarin: 46%
Azalea: 100%

"HA!" Azalea laughed, as Goliath returned to her. "Was that the best you've got? How pathetic!"

Soarin frowned and leapt down off the roof, running over to where Valkyria had fallen. As he picked her up, he thought about what had just happened and one thing was instantly clear. "That Goliath is one tough opponent."

"Very," Valkyria agreed. "It's not just his size. He's endurance was incredible. Able to withstand such brutal punishment and barely losing any ground."

Soarin nodded. "But bigger isn't always better. We're gonna find a way to take him down, promise." Valkyria nodded, as Azalea took out a card.

"My turn!" She threw it. "Gate Card...SET!" As soon as it hit the ground, Azalea flew up whilst Soarin leapt back onto the roof. "Bakugan," they both threw their partners, "BRAWL!" The Bakugan shot through the air, hitting several power-ups before landing. "Bakugan," they popped or spun open, "STAND!"

The tornado or light filled the air, as the two Bakugan appearing before their power-ups kicked in.

Goliath: 720Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs

"Double Ability, Activate!" Azalea swiped two cards, as Goliath raised his fist and slammed the ground. Doing so caused rocks to fly out of it and shoot towards Valkyria. "Ground Pound, plus Endless Crushing!"

Valkyria did her best to avoid all the rocks, but a few managed to hit her and forced her down. And once she was low enough, Goliath grabbed her in both hands and held her tightly. "Augh!"

Goliath: 870Gs
Valkyria: 650Gs

He kept crushing her with all his strength, Valkyria screaming as she felt the life being squeezed out of her. But Soarin quickly took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" A tornado exploded up from the ground, wrapping around Valkyria and Goliath's hands. "Whirlwind Defence!"

The wind cut into Goliath's arms and forced him to let go, allowing Valkyria to fly up as she brought her hands together.

Goliath: 870Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs

"Plus, Aero Shot!" The sphere of wind formed and she thrust it down towards Goliath, the attack slamming into him before he had a chance to defend himself.

Goliath: 870Gs
Valkyria: 1050Gs

Goliath staggered around and almost fell over, as Valkyria put as much power as she could into her attack. But then, Azalea swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath's shield glowed. "Grand Sentinel!" The light flew off the shield and formed the dome, with protect him from the Aero Shot.

Goliath: 970Gs
Valkyria: 750Gs

Soarin frowned before taking something out. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air, "Ventus Skyblink!" The Bakugan unfolded and glowed, the light shooting over to Goliath and getting behind him before vanishing.

The bird Bakugan squawked, as it flew towards Goliath and smashed its way through the barrier.

Goliath: 970Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1100Gs

Goliath managed to avoid the oncoming wing attack, as Valkyria flew down before spinning around and dealing a kick to his chest. "HEYAA!" She knocked him back and Skyblink flew under his legs, tripping him up and making him fall to the ground.

The impact made the entire city shake, Soarin almost falling off the building.

Azalea growled and as Valkyria dived down to attack again, she took out a card. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath's fist glowed "Hyper Impact!"

Goliath: 1270Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1100Gs

Valkyria saw this and tried to stop, but Goliath was faster and thrust his fist upwards.

The light from the fist flew up at her and slammed into the Ventus Bakugan, knocking her backwards as she let out a cry of pain. But Skyblink managed to grab her in his talons and keep her from falling. She shook her head, as Goliath picked himself up. She then pulled away from Skyblink, the pair heading down as Soarin took out two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria spun, wind forming swirling around her as she did, whilst Skyblink started to let out a high pitched cry. "Blade Wing Dance, plus Sonic Squawk!" Goliath was forced to cover his ears, the pain of the noise making him unable to think properly.

Goliath: 1270Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1300Gs

"Raaaah!" Valkyria beat her wings and sent the air flying towards Goliath, smashing into him as he let out a cry of pain.

He staggered back, still unable to activate any Ability, making Azalea frown as she took something out. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air and revealed it to be a brown drum-shaped Bakugan. "Subterra Montrapod!" The Bakugan flew up before unfurling, becoming a long snake-shaped creature that suddenly glowed orange. The light flew over to Goliath and hit the ground in front of him.

In a blinding flash, a giant centipede appeared. It looked like a long brown snake, with an orange line running from its mouth all the way to the tip of its tail. It had twelve pairs of legs, which were brown with orange tips. The tip of its tail had an orange crab claw on the end of it and it had four eyes, along with a pair of brown mandibles on the side of its mouth.

"Gross," Valkyria growled. "Hate insects." Skyblink squawked, Valkyria rolling her eyes. "Yeah, well you eat them. Of course you like them." The pair then had to move, as another Hyper Impact almost hit them.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1600Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1300Gs

The Ventus Bakugan dove towards the other two, as Soarin took out two cards. But before he could swipe them, Azalea did so. "Ability, Activate!" Montrapod's tail claw glowed. "Power Vice!"

Goliath+Montrapod: 1700Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1300Gs

The centipede rolled forward and thrust its tail up, the insect balancing on its front two legs as the tail extended. And the next thing Valkyria knew, the claws grabbed her around the waist. "Augh!" She struggled against the hold, as it tightened up around her. "Let me go!"

Goliath started swinging his fists around, trying to hit Skyblink. But as the bird dodged each attack, Soarin swiped his cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria's wings glowed, as Skyblink flew up. "Feather Darts, plus Aerial Assault!"

"I said...LET GO!" She beat her wings and the energy darts flew off, all of them hitting Montrapod and making it stagger back whilst its claw lost its grip.

Valkyria pulled herself free and Skyblink dove down, air swirling around him as he did.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1400Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1500Gs

Goliath raised his shield to try and guard himself, but Skyblink ducked under the shield before doing a V-turn and flying straight up into his chest. "Augh!" He staggered back, as Valkyria prepared to use her Aero Shot attack.

"Ability, Activate!" Montrapod suddenly started scurrying around. "Scuttle Guard!" It ran in a circle, causing a bunch of dust to fly up into the air. And as Skyblink tried to hit Goliath again, the dust was sent flying at him.

It slammed into him, making his squawk as he was thrown away.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1500Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1300Gs

Valkyria was able to fly over and catch him, but this left them open as Goliath rushed forward and threw a punch right into them. And with a single hit, the pair was knocked flying and began to fall towards the building Soarin was on.

"WOW!" He gasped, running away as Valkyria and Skyblink smashed into the roof. He let out a cry, as the roof was ripped apart and he ended up falling over the edge. At the same time, the Bakugan reverted back to ball form and fell down.

The three hit the ground and all moaned, Soarin clutching his side in pain.

Soarin: 6%
Azalea: 100%

Azalea laughed, as Goliath and Montrapod returned to her. She then stared down at the teen, laying on the ground looking pretty banged up. "How sad. And here I heard you were an incredibly powerful Brawler. One of the ones that helped save his entire world from destruction. But now, here you stand. A weak little boy, who can't take being beaten."

Soarin groaned, as he rolled onto his front and started pushing himself up. But as he did, his side felt like it was about to be torn apart.

Valkyria rolled over to him, Skyblink bouncing along with her. "Soarin. Are you alright?" Soarin didn't say anything, as he barely managed to hold himself up on all fours. "You're hurt. This is bad."

"Valkyria," Soarin groaned. "I'm sorry." He pushed himself up to his feet, as he stared up at Azalea. "I...I can't beat her. She's too strong."

"We can beat her," Valkyria assured her. "I know you're hurt, but we can't let that stop us. If we lose now, Equestria will fall to the Rugenga. We can't let that happen." Soarin knew she was right, but he also knew Goliath's power was just too much for him to handle on his own.

"If we fight, I could lose you. What if we lose and you're taken? They already have Garuda." His fists clenched at that thought, "I couldn't stand losing you to."

"Soarin," Valkyria assured him. "I know you're scared. But we can't let fear overwhelm us. If we do nothing, Azalea could take me anyway. If we fight, there's a chance we can still win. But if we just give up, we'll have definitely lost."

"But..."

"Garuda used to talk about you all the time." Soarin's eyes widened in surprise. "Whenever someone asked him about his battle against Lucifer's evil, you were all he ever talked about. He mentioned your strength. Your courage. And you unwavering will to keep fighting, no matter how hard the fight got. He spoke with such pride and if he were here right now, he would be telling you to get up and keep fighting. No matter how impossible victory seemed."

"Valkyria," Soarin couldn't believe Garuda had told others about him.

"When we met, I was honoured to be able to fight with you. Not just because I got to fight to try and save my world, but because I was fighting with someone I had come to admire so much. Someone who I knew would never give up. Tell me, was I wrong to believe in you?"

Soarin stared at her for several moments before smiling. "No." He used all his strength, ignoring the pain he felt. "You weren't." He stood tall, glaring up at Azalea as he took out his Gate Card. "I won't quit. My body may be screaming at me, but not loud enough to make me give up."

"That's what I like to hear." Valkyria and Skyblink leapt onto his shoulder. "I don't like making you brawl whilst you're injured, but we don't have a choice. Once we take her down, I'll get you to the nearest doctor I can find."

Soarin smiled and nodded before throwing his card. "Gate Card...SET!" As the card landed, it exploded and Soarin leapt up onto another rooftop. His side was still killing him, but he fought through it and leapt up before he and Azalea launched their partners. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The balls flew through the power-ups and landed, "Bakugan...STAND!" They popped and spun open, the pair taking their true forms as Canterlot shook once again.

Valkyria flew up and glared Goliath down, as their power-ups kicked in.

Goliath: 670Gs
Valkyria: 700Gs

Not waiting a moment, Valkyria dived down. She had to do as much damage as she could, as quickly as she could. "Ability, Activate!" Azalea swiped her card and as Valkyria got in close, Goliath reached up. "Endless Crushing!"

"Gyah!" She was caught around the waist and legs, her arms free as Goliath tried to crush her.

Goliath: 670Gs
Valkyria: 600Gs

Soarin quickly took out his cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Valkyria pointed her arms at Goliath's head. "Wind Shooter!" Air bullets exploded out of her gauntlets, hitting her in the head and making him flinch and let her go.

Goliath: 520Gs
Valkyria: 600Gs

"Plus, Blade Wing Dance!" She spun around and before Goliath could react, she beat her wings and sent the wind blades flying at him once again.

Goliath: 520Gs
Valkyria: 800Gs

As they approached, Goliath finally recovered and managed to raise his shield. The first few blades struck and he endured them, as Azalea swiped her card. "Ability, Activate!" The shield glowed and it spread into a dome, which blocked the air blades. "Grand Sentinel!"

Goliath: 620Gs
Valkyria: 600Gs

As Valkyria flew up, Goliath took off his shield and threw it at her. The disk spun through the air and Valkyria barely managed to dodge it, as the shield curved around and started heading towards one of the buildings. One her partner was standing on. "SOARIN!"

The teen saw it and gasped, running as he had an idea. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw the Bakugan into the air, seconds before the shield struck the building and made it explode. "Ventus Skyblink!" Soarin was thrown into the air, as the Bakugan opened up and glowed.

Valkyria watched the light shoot down and hit Soarin, picking him up before he could crash into the ground. It then flew up and disappeared, revealing Skyblink with Soarin on his back.

Goliath: 620Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 950Gs

Soarin sighed in relief. "That was too close." He patted the Trap Bakugan, "thanks." The bird squawked, as Soarin glared at Goliath. "You'll pay for that!" Skyblink dove at him, as Soarin swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" The wind swirled around him, "Aerial Assault!"

Goliath: 620Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1150Gs

Goliath tried to get his shield back, but Skyblink reached him before he could get there and struck him head on. "Gyah!" He was thrown away from the shield, as Skyblink flew away and Valkyria attempted to strike him as well.

But before she could, Azalea swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath spun around and threw a glowing punch. "Hyper Impact!" The fist collided with Valkyria, but she managed to grab the fist and hold it back.

Goliath: 920Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1150Gs

The pair pushed against one another, with Valkyria quickly getting the up hand. However, Azalea wasn't finished and took something out.

"Now come, Bakugan Trap!" She threw it into the air, "Subterra Montrapod!" The drum flew up and suddenly sprang open, glowing as it did before transforming into its full form above Valkyria.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1250Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1150Gs

The centipede fell down and crashed into Valkyria, pushing her down to the ground and pinning her down. "Valkyria!" Soarin cried, as she found the beast's mandibles attempting to take a bite of her. But before it could, Soarin took out his cards and swiped them. "Double Ability...ACTIVATE!" Valkyria dodged the fangs and brought her hands together. "Aero Shot, plus Sheering Winds!"

A wind sphere formed and she thrust it up into Montrapod's face, making it cry as it was blown away.

Valkyria leapt into the air before she and Skyblink unleashed their attacks at the same time, the wind stream merging with the blades of air that Skyblink launched.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1250Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1750Gs

Both Goliath and Montrapod were struck by the wind, which blew them both away with Goliath crying out. But Montrapod managed to dig its legs into the ground, tearing it up but keeping it from being blown away.

The wind also tried to blow Azalea away, but her transport was able to keep up with the gale. And as she held on tight, she swiped a card. Ability, Activate!" The Trap Bakugan started scuttling around, fighting against the wind as another dust storm appeared. "Scuttle Guard!"

The dust somehow didn't get blown away and was sent towards Skyblink, slamming into him and making him squawk as he stopped beating his wings. "Wow!" Soarin was almost thrown off by his sudden jerking, Valkyria quickly trying to wipe the dust from his eyes.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1350Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

Realising he still had the advantage, Soaring quickly took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Eye clean, Skyblink stared down at the Subterra Bakugan and took a deep breath. "Sonic Squawk!" The bird unleashed a high pitched cry and once again, Goliath and Montrapod flinched at the pain.

"Ahh," Azalea growled, "that's really annoying."

"Annoyingly useful," Soarin stated. "Now," he gestured to the ground, "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed before somehow turning into a bunch of sand. "Quicksand!" The Subterra Bakugan found themselves beginning to sink, both of them unable to pull themselves free.

Goliath+Montrapod: 1150Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

"GET THEM!" Soarin cried, as both Valkyria and Skyblink dove down. And whilst Goliath was barely able to dodge the kick from Valkyria, Montrapod couldn't pull itself free as Skyblink flew past and smashed its wing into it.

The Trap Bakugan was ripped out of the quicksand and hissed, as its body reverted back to ball form and fell to the ground.

Soarin: 6%
Azalea: 40%

"Gotcha!" Soarin cheered, as the Ventus Bakugan flew up.

Goliath: 820Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

Goliath continued to sink into the quicksand. And as he did, Valkyria prepared to fire an Aero Shot at him. However, Azalea wasn't going to let them beat her so easily. "No more holding back!" She swiped a card. "Ability...ACTIVATE!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Goliath brought both his hands together before swinging them downwards. "Ground Pound!" The fists slammed down into the quicksand and struck with such force, that it sent out a shockwave that blew the sand upwards.

Valkyria and Skyblink gasped, as the sand slammed into the pair of them and made it almost impossible to fly. It also destroyed the Gate Card, Goliath's fists striking the ground with enough force to demolish every house around them. Even the castle, which the battle had slowly been moving towards, shook and cracks formed along the side.

Goliath: 1070Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

Both Valkyria and Skyblink tried to get the sand off of them, as Soarin coughed and took out a card. But Azalea was faster. "Ability, Activate!" Goliath charged forward and once he was close enough, he swung his arm around. "Megaton Crasher!"

Goliath: 1270Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

The Ventus Bakugan did their best to fly up and avoid the attack, with Goliath's arm missing them. However, the wind this caused buffeted the pair and caused them to almost lose control. As such, Soaring swiped his card.

"Ability, Activate!" Valkyria swung her arms around and took control of the wind, making it swirl around them instead of hitting them. "Whirlwind Defence!" She then blew the wind forward, slamming it into Goliath and making him stagger back.

Goliath: 1070Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

The wind also struck Azalea's transport, causing it to fly out of control. She screamed, but managed to hold on as Valkyria and Skyblink attempted to take Goliath out once and for all.

"You were warned!" Soarin told her. "This is what happens when you try and attack somewhere protected by me and my friends." Valkyria and Skyblink unleashed a bunch of wind attacks, which slammed into Goliath again and again. They slammed into him over and over, as Azalea was also blown back. "Now give up!"

"NEVER!" Azalea told him. "You think you're hot stuff, but you're nothing. It's time you saw what happened to those, who try to get in our way." She took out a card and swiped it. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" The card glowed along with Goliath, who kept enduring the attack. "HYPER CRASHING DEMOLITION!"

Soarin could sense something big was about to happen and had his Bakugan fly up, as he prepared to use his own Fusion Ability. But before he could swipe it, the light on Goliath exploded off and was bright enough to completely blind him.

"GYAH!" He accidentally dropped his Fusion Ability card, as the light started taking shape. All over the city, anyone still there was suddenly blinded as well. If anyone could see, they would witness a massive humanoid figure made out of light.

Goliath stood within that figure, which was ten times his size and only existed from the waist up. The figure was a perfect copy of him, made out of transparent orange light. And as Goliath moved his arms, so did the figure.

Goliath: 1570Gs
Valkyria+Skyblink: 1450Gs

The Bakugan couldn't see a thing and as Goliath raised one of the avatar's arms, Azalea flew up and laughed. "Now you'll see. Why trying to get in our way..." Goliath launched his attack towards them, "WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU EVER MADE!"

At the castle, Twilight, Spike Celestia and Luna were in the throne room and trying to see what was happening.

Everyone in the city had been evacuated into the castle, but the light that filled the city streamed in through the windows and almost burned every eye that looked at it. "What is happening?" Spike cried, as Twilight tried to conjure a pair of shades.

The only one not affected by the light was Dragonia, the Haos Bakugan looking out the window. "This must be Azalea's power. She-" Dragonia gasped, making everyone worry. "EVERYONE TAKE COVER!" Nobody argued and ran to the other side of the throne-room, seconds before the light suddenly got blocked out by something.

Then, as Celestia put up a shield, the wall exploded as something crashed through it.

That something was Valkyria, she and Skyblink both being thrown through the wall by an incredible impact. And as they fell through the wall, Soarin was sent flying and crashed into the ground. "SOARIN!" Twilight cried, as Valkyria and Skyblink both reverted back to ball form.

Soarin: 0%
Azalea: 40% (Winner)

The alicorns couldn't believe it, as Twilight ran over to Soarin and made sure he was okay. But what terrified them more, was the ship flying towards them.

"This is bad," Luna gasped. "We have to get out of here!" But before she could do anything, the four of them were suddenly overwhelmed with an unbelievable pain, causing them all to fall to their knees. They all realised that the dimensional field had reached them, which meant it wouldn't be long before they fell unconscious.

"Celestia!" Dragonia cried, she and the other guardians flying down. "You have to get up and escape." Celestia kept flinching, unable to really focus.

The alicorn stared at the approaching transport, then turned to the Bakugan. "I can't...teleport us." She raised her hand, as her horn glowed. "But...I can teleport you." Dragonia's eyes widened, as she and the other Bakugan glowed. "Find Leonidas and the others. Bring them back. They're our only hope." Before the six could say anything, they all disappeared in the blink of an eye.

As they did, Twilight and Spike collapsed from the pain.

The stronger alicorns were able to hold on, but neither of them could do anything else. And as the transport finally reached the castle, Azalea chuckled as she and Goliath stared down at them. "Canterlot...is ours." That was the last thing the ponies heard before they fell to the ground.

In another area of Equestria, a burst of light signalled the Guardian's arrival.

The six fell to the ground before opening up, all of them frowning. "I can't believe we let that happen!" Zephyria cried. "First we allowed Vestroia to be conquered. And now, we couldn't do anything as this world's capital is forced under villainous rule."

"We've failed," Regulus agreed. "This world will soon be controlled my the Rugenga and there's nothing we can do about it."

"Not true," Dragonia told them. "We do what Celestia said. We find Leonidas, bring him and the others back. Then, we help them free this world and Vestroia. And we won't rest until that happens."

Back in Canterlot, Azalea stood within the destroyed castle throne room.

A portal suddenly opened and from it, Beck and Kiyrah both arrived with a bunch of objects with them. Strange egg-shaped devices that were made of glass with a metal ring around the middle. Inside three of them were Braeburn, Lyra and Princess Cadance, all unconscious as they floated within a strange clear substance they appeared to be able to breathe. Within a section metal ring, a hole could be seen that their Bakugan were trapped inside.

Azalea nodded at her compatriots, then out at the city. "Canterlot is ours. And soon, the rest of Equestria will be ours as well."

Her transport was flying around remotely, unleashing a tractor beam that was sucking any Bakugan caught in its pull. Meanwhile, Beck stepped forward with multiple black bracelets in hand. Ones that appeared to be smaller versions of the collar Twilight had seen before.

As the transport flew back, it unleashed several of the Bakugan it caught. They landed at their feet and Beck smirked before placing the bracelets around each one, the collars shrinking down around the Bakugan before a green light appeared on each one.

The Bakugan began to glow and the Rugenga quickly threw them out into the city, causing a bright light that signalled their transformation back into their true form. "Go get the ponies that have tried to escape!" Beck stated, the flying ones going off to do just that. The rest of you, keep this city under our control. The ponies can live their lives, so long as they do exactly as we say."

Azalea laughed, as she moved back into the throne room and strode over to the still standing throne belonging to Celestia.

She sat down in it, as the egg devices suddenly had Soarin, Twilight, Celestia, Luna and Spike within them. Soarin, Lyra and Braeburn were moved away from the other five, The Rugenga having a plan of where to keep them once they had complete control of the kingdom. It wouldn't be long before all of Equestria belonged to them.

Author's Note

And thus, Equestria has been completely conquered. How will things turn out? Will Flash and the others be able to return and save everyone? Only time will tell.

Raging Curse

Bakugan City was on high alert, with the images of the three Rugenga on every screen that could be seen.

Everyone saw it and knew to be careful around them. To contact the Battle Brawlers, should anyone see them. And at the Bakugan Battle Brawler's Headquarters, Joe, Mira, Spectra, Gus and Kato were talking with others on multiple holo-screens.

"Are you sure?" A dark skinned Gundalian asked on one screen.

"I'm sure," Mira told him. "The one called Thalia was Runo. There's no doubt about it." A holographic screen of the six Rugenga and four of their Bakugan appeared, everyone staring at the images of Drakenoid, Tigress, Skyreign and Hydread.

"Those are definitely what their Bakugan used to look like," a guy with an Australian accent stated. "All that's missing is Gorem and Preyas."

"So what's going on?" A Neathian woman asked. "Are Dan and his friends being controlled by something?"

"I don't think so," Joe shook his head. "Unless it also made Marucho double in height. I think there's something more going on here. And the only way we're gonna get any answers is by capturing at least one of them."

"But we can't make that a priority right now," Spectra told them. "At the moment, finding our way to Vestroia is what's important. Three of them might be stuck here, but there are still three over there causing problems. Not to mention, this other world that they're attacking."

"But what if they are being controlled?" A woman wearing a red Chinese dress asked. "If that's so, shouldn't we try and help break them out of it?"

"Keith is right," Mira sighed. "We can't split our focus. If we try and do too many things at once, we'll never get anything done. If Dan and the others were here, you know what they'd tell us."

"Focus on helping others before helping them," a silver haired man in a blue suit agreed. "Alright. So what's the plan?"

"We're working on locating Vestroia and Equestria," Spectra told him. "It's a slow process, but we'll find it eventually. Until then, we need to keep the Rugenga who are here from causing any more problems. They've already caused some serious issues before. The last thing we need is for them to cause even more problems."

They all agreed, as a bulky guy with orange dreads spoke up. "What should we tell Dan the Man's parents? And all the other Brawlers' families?"

Mira frowned. "I don't think we should tell them, yet. At least until we figure what the Rugenga are." Everyone frowned, but they didn't argue and nodded.

Outside the room, Flash, Twilight, Moondancer and Sunset were waiting. "What do you think's going on in there?" Flash asked, staring at the door. "Doesn't feel right, us not being part of the conversation."

Twilight frowned. "You can understand why they wanted to discuss this on their own. We don't know these friends of theirs. Us being part of the conversation would just complicate things."

"Maybe," Sunset sighed. "But I'd still like to hear what they're thinking. I was the one who found out who Thalia was under that mask." They kept waiting and nothing happened, the four and their Bakugan feeling stir crazy.

"That's it!" Flash standing up and heading away from them.

"Where are you going?" Twilight asked, fearing Flash was gonna do something stupid.

"I'm not just gonna sit around doing nothing. Until we decide to do something, I'm gonna spend my time in the gym. Making sure I'm ready for anything that happens." Leonidas went with him, as the girls watched them leave.

"Well at least he isn't going out to find the Rugenga himself." Twilight sat back in her chair, as Sorcerell spoke up with a chuckle.

"Are you sure you don't want to go with him? Seeing him working up a sweat, maybe taking his shirt off. Sounds like something you would enjoy." Twilight's face suddenly went red, as the Equestrians and Bakugan laughed.

"OF COURSE NOT!" But as she imagined Flash in such a way, her face went even redder and they all laughed.

In the warehouse, the Rugenga were sitting around waiting.

Thalia was keeping an eye on the laptop, that was tapped into the Battle Brawler's security system. Hayate was simply leaning against the wall, whilst Cursor sat on a crate whilst tapping his fingers on one next to him impatiently. And eventually, he couldn't take any more.

"I'm done with just sitting around," he stood up and Draken spun open to turn to him. "I'm heading out."

"Where?" Hayate asked, as Draken leapt onto Cursor's shoulder.

"I'm going to use this chance I have, to finally take that Bakugan away from the little boy. Leonidas' powers are impressive. Too impressive to allow him to keep them."

"Then we'll all go," Thalia told him. "If we can find a way to get Sentry alone, he won't stand a chance against the three of us at once." Cursor turned to glare at her.

"Are you saying I need help defeating one brawler?"

"N...no. But...last time you fought-"

"The last time we fought, Leonidas only won by tapping into the power of Vestroia." Draken jumped off Cursor's shoulder and flew around. "If he hadn't have had that, he never would have defeated me. And since we're not in Vestroia right now, it's the perfect chance to defeat him whilst he can't access that power."

"He has a point," Skyreign stated. "But even so. It would be smart to not go alone. There's no telling what other surprises he might have."

"He's not the only one with surprises." Cursor reached into his card holder and took out a particular card. When the others saw that, their eyes widened.

"You can't be serious!" Thalia told him. "You're going to use those cards. There's a reason we haven't used them before. No Bakugan can handle them. And with our partner's current states, using even one could burn them up from the inside out."

"He's right," Hayate nodded. "Don't risk it. There's no telling what damage it could cause."

"Fine," Cursor put the card away. "I won't need it anyway. If Leonidas can't access his full power, Sentry won't stand a chance against me." He made his way towards the door, Draken landing on his shoulder. "And I'm going alone." Thalia stopped herself from getting up. "I don't need help defeating him. Having you all there, will just give Sentry an excuse to mock me. I will face him, one on one. As a true Brawler."

The four shared a look, but knew not to argue. So, Cursor and Draken left to finally settle the score against Flash and Leo once and for all.

Flash was in the Battle Brawler's Gym, currently on an exercise bike.

As Sorcerell had joked, he was working up a sweat. He had changed into some workout clothing and currently, he had taken his shirt off as he pedalled with everything he had. At the same time, Leonidas was on one of the treadmills.

It had been set to a gentle pace, which would be considered walking to most. But at his size, he needed to do a lot of jumping in order to keep himself from being thrown off the end.

The two groaned, as they glanced up at the digital timer on the wall. And when it eventually hit zero, the pair began to slowly come to a stop. Leonidas curled up and rolled on the treadmill, as Flash eventually slowed the pedals to a halt before getting off.

He groaned, his muscles aching in a good way. And as he moved over to the treadmill, he hit the button and it also slowed to a stop. "Ahhh," Leonidas jumped up and landed on the railing. "Tiring, but refreshing."

Flash nodded and grabbed a nearby water bottle, taking a large drink from it as he wiped his face with a towel. "My legs feel like they're on fire."

"That just means it's working," he told him. "Now you'll be able to jump higher and manoeuvre around on any battlefield. That'll come in handy." Flash nodded, finishing off the last of his drink and sighing.

"I must have burned off a thousand calories, at least!" Leo laughed at this before flying over to his bike and hitting one of the buttons.

"More like three hundred." Flash pouted, as his Baku-Bracer suddenly started beeping besides him.

He picked it up and realised he was getting a message from an unknown sender, Flash frowning as he opened it up and his eyes went wide. "Hello, Sentry. Don't bother trying to trace this message. You won't find me." Flash glared at Cursor. "But if you want to find me, come to the coordinates I sent with this message. Alone. It's time you and I settled the score once and for all." The message ended and Flash just stared at it, as Leo flew over to him.

"What are you gonna do?" The Bakugan asked, with Flash remaining quiet as he thought about it.

"What do you wanna do?" He turned to him. "You think you can handle Draken again?" Leonidas didn't answer for a moment, clearly remembering their last match and how it had gone. He then nodded.

"Let's do this. We'll take them down and bring them back, to find out what the heck is going on with them." Flash nodded and the pair got up, deciding to shower and get ready for this match. They were going to deal with Cursor once and for all.

Having sent the message to Flash, Cursor was making his way to the location of their fight.

He had to be careful not to be seen, by either the cameras or general populace. As such, this meant his trip to the location of his battle was going to take longer. He might even get there after Sentry, which could work in his favour since Sentry might bring his friends with him.

"No," he stated, "a true Brawler does not hide behind others. He knows I'm coming alone, so he will not insult himself by doing anything less." He stepped under a bridge and as he did, he noticed a woman sitting on the ground behind a folding table.

"Would you like to see your future?" She asked, shuffling a bunch of cards. "I can tell you are someone with a great weight on their shoulders. Lost in the shadow of another, wanting desperately to become your own person."

Cursor said nothing, but didn't leave. He was interested in what this old woman had to say.

She split the deck into three and flipped the top card of one pile. "You came into this world, not of your own volition. Placed on this path by another, who intends to use you for their own good." Cursor seemed interested in this, whilst she flipped the second pile's card. "Currently, you stand at the crossroads of a decision. You can give in to your base desires and remain the tool you were designed as, or you can rise above it and evolve into something all your own."

"And what does the future hold for me if I do that?"

The woman smiled and flipped the entire third deck over, letting them spread across the table. "That future is constantly changing, shaped by the decisions of now. But currently, I see two futures that are very likely. One, where you rise above and become the hero you could be. You will fight and protect many, but fall quickly and fade into nothing at a young age. In doing so, you will be remembered for all time as a great hero."

Cursor glared at her, "and the other future?"

"You stay on this path," she replied. "Hurting many and creating a hatred towards you that will never be forgiven. And in doing so, you will find yourself in a battle that will decide your fate. I cannot see what that fate is, but it will not be a happy one." She looked back at the Rugenga. "Now...what will you choose?"

"So I either die a hero, or become a villain that could still die." He chuckled. "Sounds to me like being a villain will give me a better chance of survival." He began to leave. "I make my own future. And I will stand above all as the mightiest Brawler. Mightier than even the one I spawned from."

Back at the Brawler's HQ, Spectra, Joe and Mira stepped out of the room after their meeting.

They arrived at the building's common area and found Twilight reading a book that didn't exist in her world, whilst Sunset and Moondancer were busy giving their Bakugan a cleaning. Both had a small brush and were using them to scrub their Trap Bakugan, whilst Flarenix and Sorcerell were relaxing on the table.

Mira than looked around. "Where's Flash?"

"He's in the gym," Twilight explained. "He wanted to be ready for the next time he faced one of the Rugenga."

"That sounds just like Dan," Mira sat down. "He didn't know how to sit down either. If he wasn't Brawling, he was training for a Brawl." Spectra and Joe nodded, whilst the girls smirked.

Kato then stepped into the room, "I'll have lunch done for everyone soon. I would suggest being in the dining room in about ten or fifteen minutes, unless you would rather it be cold." They nodded and Twilight got up.

"I'll go get Flash." The others nodded and once Sunset and Moondancer finished their Bakugan cleaning, they headed to the dining room. But on the way there, Twilight returned looking confused. "Flash wasn't in the gym."

"He probably finished his workout," Sunset replied. "Did you check his room?" Twilight nodded, as Mira took out a tablet.

"No problem. I'll find him." She started typing, "locate Flash Sentry." The tablet beeped and eventually, she frowned. "He not in the building." This worried everyone, Twilight heading towards the exit. As they stepped outside, she looked around wondering if Flash was just getting some air. But he was nowhere.

"Where is he? He wouldn't just wander off. And even if he did, Leo would tell him not to go too far."

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Spectra told her. "He's an adult and he's clearly able to look after himself. He'll be back when he wants to come back."

"Maybe," Twilight then noticed a bunch of dark clouds in the sky. "I just hope he's back before it starts raining."

Flash had followed the directions to one of the city's stadiums.

The place had been deserted, the area apparently closed for maintenance. But it appeared that Cursor had other ideas and Flash managed to find a way inside, following the directions on the walls until he reached the battle arena. And there, standing in the centre of the battlefield, Cursor was waiting.

"Be ready for anything," Leo told him. Flash nodded and the pair stepped forward, glaring their opponent down.

Though he couldn't see anything under Cursor's mask, Flash could tell he was smiling. "So...you came. Alone, I assume."

Flash smirked, "I don't need a cheering section to beat you." He pointed at him, "you're going down. And I'm gonna drag you back to the others and figure out what the heck you are!"

Cursor chuckled. "What I am is the greatest Brawler of all time. And I won't allow you to get in my way." Now he pointed at them. "Leonidas. Your power will be mine."

"Not happening!" Leo cried. "You and Draken don't stand a chance against us."

"Really?" Draken asked. "Are you going to use that same cheap shot you used last time? You both know that the only reason you won, was because you tapped into Vestroia's power. But we're not on Vestroia anymore. The only power you can rely on is your own."

"It's all I'll need," Leo stated.

"Then let's not wait any longer." Cursor began to mess with his Baku-Bracer and suddenly, the entire arena began to change.

"What the?" Flash watched as the ground split into a bunch of squares before some of them rose up, creating towering structures of different heights that kept changing. The blocks all went up and down, none going higher than a Bakugan's shoulder. Flash quickly realised how this match was supposed to play out.

"Are you ready for this!?" Cursor asked, activating his Baku-Bracer's battle system. Flash did the same, the two connecting as the power-ups formed around them.

"Let's go. Let's do this!" Their life gauges filled and the pair prepared for battle. "LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Cursor: 100%

Flash quickly took out a card and as he leapt up onto a large block, which began to rise as Cursor leapt up onto another. "Gate Card...SET!" He threw it and when it hit the ground, it exploded and Flash was quick to throw his partner in. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Leonidas shot through the air, Flash's aim perfect as he hit a trio of power-up before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" The ball started spinning and a tornado form. "Let's do this, Haos Novus Leonidas!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Leo roared, as he broke out of the tornado and stared Cursor down.

"Leonidas!" Cursor yelled. "You will soon be mine!" He flicked Draken up and caught him, "It's time. Show no mercy, Drakenoid."

"Mercy if for the weak," the Bakugan stated. "There is nothing in my heart but power." Cursor nodded, as the block he was on rose to full height.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" His aim was also dead on, the Bakugan hitting a bunch of power-ups before bouncing on the ground. "Stand...Pyrus Drakenoid!" The Bakugan spun open and a fire tornado exploded out of him, Draken appearing out of it and roaring as well.

Leo and Draken stared one another down, as their power-ups kicked in and increased the two's G Power.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 650Gs

Leo quickly charged forward, throwing a punch at Draken only for the fire dragon to dodge before spinning and slamming his tail into Leo's face. "Augh!" He staggered back, as Flash swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Leo regained his footing, as his mouth filled with light. "Neo Phaser!"

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 950Gs

With a roar, Leo unleashed a blast of light that shot towards Draken. It slammed into him and the wyvern roared, as he was blown backwards and slammed into one of the pillars. Leo smirked and charged up another attack, but Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Draken pushed himself up, as his wings ignited. "Flame Protector!" As Leo fired, Draken's wings crossed in front of him and the flames blocked the laser. He then leapt forward and slammed his burning wings into Leonidas, making the Haos dragon flinch.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 750Gs

Leo leapt back, as Draken's wings went out and he leapt into the air. He took off, as Flash swiped a pair of cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Leonidas started running around, picking up speed before leaping into the air. "Speed Burst, plus Power Brawl!"

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

Leonidas flew towards Draken and reached him in seconds, the Haos Bakugan unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks at the dragon. This made him roar, as he took a lot of damage. But he eventually managed to dodge an attack and Cursor swiped another card.

"Double Ability, Activate!" As Leonidas tried to attack again, Draken spun as a ball of fire exploded around him. "Burst Shield, plus Blazing Tornado!" Leo's fist hit the flames and he flinched, as the sphere suddenly shot upwards and began to spiral into a drill.

"Get out of there!" Flash cried, but Leo couldn't react in time and the tornado smashed into him.

"RAAAAAH!" He cried, feeling his energy being burned away whilst Draken grew stronger.

Drakenoid: 1000Gs
Leonidas: 750Gs

Draken's fire tornado continues to fly around, curving around with intentions of attacking again. But before he could reach Leo, Flash swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" the sphere of hexagons appeared around him. "Particle Barrier!" The fire tornado slammed into it and the flames vanished, Draken flinching as he was knocked back.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 950Gs

Leo tried to use this opening to take Draken down, but the wyvern pulled itself out of the way at the last moment. "Ability, Activate!" Draken's mouth filled with flames. "Blazing Dragon!"

Drakenoid: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 950Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Draken launched the fireball and it flew towards Leonidas, exploding as it slammed into him.

"Gyah!" Leonidas fell towards the ground, but managed to spread his wings and stop himself before he crashed into one of the pillars. And as he pulled himself back up, Flash pointed towards the ground.

"Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed a bright yellow light, which flew up into Leonidas. "Haos Reactor!"

Drakenoid: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

Leo flew up and slammed a fist into Draken's chest, the slightly higher power causing him to flinch. And before he or Cursor could react, Flash swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Leo created a sphere of energy. "Photon Force!"

Drakenoid: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 1350Gs

"Take this!" Leo threw the him sized sphere forward and it crashed into Draken, making him flinch but he managed to fight through the explosion. And as he did, Cursor swiped a card.

"Fusion Ability, Activate!" Suddenly, Draken's entire body burst into flames. "Pyrus Revenger!"

Drakenoid: 1600Gs
Leonidas: 1350Gs

Draken's blazing body exploded out of the Photon Force's blast and shot towards Leonidas, slamming into him before Flash could swipe a card. "GYAH!" He cried, falling down towards the ground and smashing into one of the pillars.

Said pillar had been the one Flash had been standing on, the teen having leapt off it seconds before Leo smashed through it. Flash hit the ground, his partner reverting back to ball form as they both groaned.

Flash: 50%
Cursor: 100%

"Hahaa," Cursor laughed as Draken returned to him, "is that the best you've got? I had heard such good things about you. Maybe it was just luck that allowed you to win last time."

Flash picked himself up and smirked, "don't count your chickens before they hatch." He moved over to pick Leonidas up.

"I want to see everything you have," Draken told him. "Show me what makes you the greatest Brawler on your world. I won't accept anything else."

"Bring it!" Flash cried, Leonidas nodding as Cursor pulled out a card. "No holding back. Right, Leo?"

"You know it," Leonidas agreed as Cursor threw the card.

"Gate Card...SET!" As soon as the card hit the ground, Flash and Cursor began to claim the pillars before leaping into the air. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" They both threw their partners and after hitting some power-ups, they both landed and started spinning. "Bakugan...STAND!"

The tornados of light and fire exploded upwards, both of them slamming into one another before the Bakugan broke free and roared.

Drakenoid: 750Gs
Leonidas: 750Gs

"Ability, Activate!" Leo flew up, as his mouth sparked. "Neo Phaser!"

Drakenoid: 750Gs
Leonidas: 1050Gs

He roared and let the attack loose, the flames shooting down towards Draken. But the dragon managed to dodge it and kept flying, as Cursor swiped two cards.

"Double Ability, Activate!" Draken roared as he started spinning, fire spewing from his mouth and swirling around him. "Blazing Dragon, plus Blazing Tornado!" The flaming drill slammed into Leonidas before he could react, the dragon flinching as he was knocked down towards the ground.

Drakenoid: 1250Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

Leo managed to once again save himself from crashing into the pillars, as Draken flew around and attempted another tornado attack.

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas summoned the energy hexagons once again. "Particle Barrier!" The sphere formed and Draken slammed into it, his Blazing Tornado vanishing as Leonidas launched another Neo Phaser.

Drakenoid: 1050Gs
Leonidas: 1050Gs

The laser slammed into him, making Draken groan as he was blasted back. Leonidas then dove down, preparing to strike at Draken with his tail. But before he could, Cursor acted.

"Ability, Activate!" Draken's wings ignited again, "Flame Protector!" He crossed his wings, seconds before Leo's tail slammed into it.

"Gyah!"

Drakenoid: 1050Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

As Leo pulled back, Draken unleashed his Blazing Dragon attack and it slammed into Leo. The Haos Bakugan flinched, as Draken flew down and prepared to attack again. But Flash was ready.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw the wheel-shaped Bakugan into the air and as it spun, it flipped open and began to glow. "Haos Lindwhirl!" The light enveloped the Bakugan and shot towards Draken, slamming into him before he could reach Leo.

"RAH!" He was knocked back, as the curled up Trap Bakugan ground its body against him.

Drakenoid: 1050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1200Gs

Lindwhirl flicked his tail and knocked Draken away, making him crash into a pillar as Lindwhirl landed and Flash swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Lindwhirl curled up and started spinning, his spikes glowing as he shot forward. "Radiant Stampede!"

Drakenoid: 1050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1350Gs

But as he approached Draken, the Pyrus Bakugan picked himself up and Cursor swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Drake unleashed a flamethrower, as he spun on the spot. "Whirlwind Barrier!" The flames swirled around him and formed a fire tornado, which Lindwhirl slammed into.

This made him flinch as he was knocked back, his power getting burned away as his ability was negated.

Drakenoid: 1050Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1100Gs

Leonidas picked himself up, but Cursor acted before he could. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground suddenly burst into flames, making the Haos Bakugan flinch. "Pyrus Reactor!"

Drakenoid: 1250Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1100Gs

Draken took off again and unleashed a burst of fire, slamming into both Leonidas and Lindwhirl. The pair flinched at the intense heat, but refused to give up and turned to one another. They nodded before Lindwhirl leapt at Leo, Flash swiping a pair of cards as he did. "Double Ability, Activate!"

Leo caught the curled up Trap Bakugan, as energy began to swirl around Lindwhirl. "Photon Force!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He lifted Lindwhirl up, as a sphere of energy formed around him. And with all his strength, he leapt up before throwing Lindwhirl and the energy sphere forward.

Drakenoid: 1250Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1300Gs

"Plus Raging Slash!" Draken unleashed a flamethrower, which struck the sphere. But despite destroying the Photon Force, Lindwhirl continued to spin forward and cut through fire. He then uncurled himself and in the blink of an eye, he slashed at Draken and was behind him whilst the dragon roared in pain.

Drakenoid: 1150Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1300Gs

Draken staggered around and tried to regain his composure, but Leo flew in before he could and dealt a powerful punch right to his face. "AUGH!" He was thrown backwards and reverted backwards, falling to the ground as Cursor just stared at him.

Flash: 50%
Cursor: 70%

Flash smirked, as Leo and Lindwhirl returned to him. "Now you see how we roll. Still want some more?" He watched as Cursor picked Draken up.

"You needed two Bakugan to defeat mine and couldn't even bring the scores up to even." He turned to glare at Flash. "I said I wanted to see your best. The full power of you and your Bakugan."

"What?" Flash frowned. "What are you talking about?" Leonidas leapt out of his hand and spun open.

"Enough of this farce . Stop messing around. We're not some fun kind of lap dog, ready to do a trick just for your amusement. We're here to take you down, once and for all. To stop you from hurting anyone else."

"Is that so?" Cursor smirked. "Then maybe that's what I've got to do." Flash frowned, as Cursor pointed at him. "When I'm done with you, I'll go find your little girlfriend. Without a Bakugan, she'll be an easy target." Hearing that made Flash's blood begin to boil. "Or perhaps I'll deal with those other two Defender friends of yours. I'm sure their Bakugan will be quick useful, once I've added them to my collection."

"Stop messing around!" Flash cried, taking out a card. "I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

"Then show me your true power!" Cursor yelled, as Flash growled. The sound of approaching thunder masked it, the pair glaring as the dark clouds swirled around them.

"Oh, I'll show it to you. Let's do this, LEO!" Leonidas nodded, Flash quickly throwing the card and grabbing him. "Gate Card...SET!" As soon as the card hit the ground, both of them leapt up to the highest pillar they could find. "Bakugan," they threw their partners, "BRAWL!" The Bakugan shot through the air and slammed into a bunch of power-ups before landing. "Bakugan...STAND!" They spun open and the tornados of fire and light formed before exploding, revealing the two dragons.

Both roared, as they flew around and their power-ups kicked in.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 750Gs

Before either Bakugan could attack, Flash pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card...OPEN!" The ground glowed and the light flew up into Leonidas. "Glow Burst! This Gate Card grants any Haos Bakugan an extra hundred Gs, whenever he uses an ability." Flash then took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leo's mouth filled with light, as he glowed as well. "Neo Phaser!"

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He roared and the laser exploded out of his mouth, but Cursor swiped his own card.

"Ability, Activate!" Draken spun and a sphere of flames appeared around him, "Burst Shield!" The laser struck the shield and seemed to be weakened by it, Leonidas' power dropping.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

However, before the laser disappeared, it managed to break through the shield and blew Draken back. "Gaaah!" He crashed into a pillar, as Leonidas flew down.

"Ability, Activate!" Leo suddenly started moving much faster, as he glowed again. "Speed Burst!"

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

Draken pushed himself up, only for Leonidas to reach him and slam his foot into the dragon's chest. This made Draken flinch, as he was thrown backwards again. And as Leo landed, he looked ready to deal another strike to him.

"Ability, Activate!" Draken leapt up and spun, fire appearing around him. "Blazing Tornado!" He flew down and slammed into Leonidas, making him flinch as he was knocked staggering back.

Drakenoid: 1000Gs
Leonidas: 950Gs

But as Draken prepared to attack again, Flash swiped a card and Leo stood tall. "Ability, Activate!" A shield formed around him. "Particle Barrier!" For the third time, the flaming drill slammed into the shield and was cancelled out.

Drakenoid: 800Gs
Leonidas: 1250Gs

"Raaah!" Leo leapt out of the shield as soon as the fire drill faded, swinging his tail around and smashing it into Draken's face.

"Gyah!" He was sent flying backwards and crashed into another pillar, as Leo prepared for another attack. But as he did, Cursor took something out.

"I don't think so. Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air and revealed it to be a red cylinder on its side, "Pyrus Surturan!" The Bakugan flew up before unfolding, the cylinder splitting in two along the middle with the top flipping up. Doing so caused sections of the sides to fold out to reveal arms and some kind of legs, whilst a head folded out the top.

The Bakugan flew higher and suddenly burst into flames, which shot down like a fireball before slamming into the ground in front of Drakenoid. The flames swirled around and slowly faded away, revealing the Bakugan.

It appeared to be an almost demonic Bakugan. Its body was bright red with yellow triangles running down its chest, arms and all four of its legs. Said legs were almost tentacle-like, being short but long enough to lift its body off the ground as they stuck on in an X shape. Its head looked almost bat-like, being red with a yellow triangle nose and large yellow ears. its shoulders appeared to be on fire and its hands were covered in clawed gauntlets made of what appeared to be gold.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1050Gs
Leonidas: 1250Gs

The Trap Bakugan stared Leo down, as he chuckled. "Is that the best you've got?" He flew forward, "not gonna be enough!" But as he tried to slash at him, Surturan leapt into the air and Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" The Trap's four legs moved downwards until they pointed straight down, "Flame Drill!" Surturan suddenly started spinning and fell towards the ground, the tips of his legs bursting into flames and turning it into a spinning inferno.

"WOW!" Leo leapt back, as Surturan flew past him and hit the ground. "Ha, missed." But then, he realised Surturan's attack was still going, drilling into the ground. And eventually, the Gate Card began to crack apart and the flames filled those cracks. "Don't tell me."

The Gate Card finally exploded, its effects being destroyed as well. Leo quickly felt his energy levels beginning to drop, as Draken picked himself up.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1150Gs
Leonidas: 950Gs

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Draken flew forward and slammed into Leonidas, making him roar in pain as he was thrown backwards. He hit the ground rolling and used his claws to keep himself from sliding too far.

Draken flew up and Surturan scuttled forward, its claws ready to do some real damage as it reached Leo.

"Ability, Activate!" As Surturan slashed at him, Leo spun around and kicked his claws away. "Power Brawl!"

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1150Gs
Leonidas: 1150Gs

Leo practically break-danced until he was back on his feet, standing tall as he started dealing several punches and kicks towards Surturan. But the Trap Bakugan managed to block and evade several of the attacks, as Draken flew down.

He roared and as Surturan pushed Leo back the dragon slammed into him and he was knocked away. Then, as Leonidas regained his balance, Surturan leapt up and spun back into his flaming drill form. But Flash was ready.

"Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air and the wheel spun towards the fire drill. "Haos Lindwhirl!" The Bakugan opened and glowed, the light flying forward as it took its true form.

Before Surturan's attack could collide with Leonidas, the curled up lindworm slammed into it and knocked the drill away. Both Surturan and Lindwhirl landed, glaring at one another as Leo took to the air.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1150Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1500Gs

Leonidas flew towards Draken, ready to do some real damage. But before he or Lindwhirl could land an attack, Cursor swiped his cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" Draken's wings ignited, whilst Surturan's arms did the same. "Flame Protector, plus Hellfire Rage!"

Draken crossed his wings and Leo's fist slammed into it, making him flinch. At the same time, Surturan swung his arms around and unleashed a wave of fire in a ring around him.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1350Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1300Gs

The fire wave slammed into Lindwhirl, making him flinch as Draken pushed Leo away before swinging his tail around and smashing it into his face. "Gaaah!" Leo fell back, whilst Lindwhirl forced his way through the flame wave. As he did, Flash swiped a card

"Ability, Activate!" Lindwhirl leapt forward and spun around, morphing into a swirling buzzsaw of light. "Radiant Stampede!"

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1350Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1450Gs

The saw slammed into Surturan and knocked it backwards, causing it to crash into a pillar. But as Lindwhirl rolled around to attack again, Draken flew down as Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" A tornado of fire appeared around him and Surturan, "Whirlwind Barrier!" The wheel slammed into it and was knocked Lindwhirl back, making it roar in pain as he was slammed into the ground.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1350Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1200Gs

Draken and Surturan jumped out of their tornado and Surturan leapt into the air, preparing to take Lindwhirl down. But Leo flew down before he could get close.

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas formed the energy sphere in his hands. "Photon Force!"

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1350Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1400Gs

"Raaaaah!" He thrust the sphere into Surturan and blasted him backwards, the Trap Bakugan flinching as it crashed into another pillar.

Leo prepared to attack again, but Draken tackled him. "Your fight is with me!" He growled, pushing him away from Surturan. And as he did, Lindwhirl picked itself up and charged forward again. However, as he began to pick up speed, Surturan opened its eyes and Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Surturan pushed himself up and leapt into the air, Lindwhirl missing him and Surturan suddenly started spinning. "Pyro Whirlwind!" His legs burst into flames and as he spun, the fire flew downwards and formed a tornado.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1550Gs
Leonidas+Lindwhirl: 1400Gs

The flaming vortex slammed into Lindwhirl and he suddenly found himself being overwhelmed by the heat and slicing wind. And eventually, he couldn't take anymore and was forced back to his ball form. "Lindwhirl!" Flash and Leo cried, as Cursor smirked.

Flash: 20%
Cursor: 70%

As Flash leapt down to get his Bakugan, Draken flew towards Leonidas. "Time to take you down!" He roared, whilst Leo felt the loss of Lindwhirl's power.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1550Gs
Leonidas: 1050Gs

He barely managed to avoid Draken and fly down, only to get struck by Surturan's Hellfire Rage. "Gaaah!" He was thrown back and the heat was so intense, he barely managed to endure it.

Flash finally picked up Lindwhirl and as he did, he saw Draken flying down to attack once again. But he was ready and swiped a card. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Leo stood tall, his body glowing as he took a deep breath. "Neo Photon Blast!"

The light flew off Leonidas and formed a sphere in front of him, which he unleashed a laser into with a powerful roar. As it struck the orb, the sphere exploded into an even stronger beam of light.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 1550Gs
Leonidas: 1550Gs

Draken saw this and his eyes widened, the Pyrus Bakugan spinning and forming another Burst Shield. The Fusion Ability struck him and he flinched, but managed to maintain the power. "You think that's enough to stop us? Don't make me laugh. Cursor!"

"I hear you," Cursor took out two cards and swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Draken broke out of his shield and dove down, as flames exploded out of his mouth. "Blazing Dragon, plus Fusion Ability! Pyrus Revenger!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He roared, as the flames enveloped his entire body. And as Flash checked his Baku-Bracer, his eyes widened in shock.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 2350Gs
Leonidas: 1550Gs

Leonidas gasped and barely managed to dodge the attack, Draken missing him and smashing through a pillar. Leo then tried to get away, but Surturan rushed towards him and he was forced into the air to avoid it. Draken kept flying around, unleashing multiple Blazing Dragon attacks in an attempt to hit Leo as he kept dodging.

"Just give up!" Cursor told him. "Don't you get it? Nothing you do will change this. You will lose, here and now. Just surrender and accept your fate."

"NEVER!" Flash and Leo cried, both yelling at the top of their faces as Leo avoided another attack. "I don't care how powerful you think you are. You're not going to win this battle. Not so long as we draw breath."

"He's right," Leo agreed. "No matter how impossible this battle might seem, we'll keep fighting until the end." A glow appeared around him. "For Vestroia. For Equestria. For all those you have wronged. We'll keep fighting until we win or we fall."

"Then you will fall!" Draken charged at him, his still blazing body smashing into Leo.

He roared in pain, but endured it. "No. Not now...not ever. I've beaten stronger opponents than you. And I'll beat strong opponents after you. Because you're nothing. Not even a real Bakugan. Just a shadow of what Pyrus Dragonoid was." Draken glared at him, as the light around Leo glowed brighter. "I don't know where you came from, but I won't let you hurt anyone else. Your reign of terror...ENDS NOW!" Suddenly, the light exploded off of him and pushed Draken away.

"What?" The flames around him vanished, as the light shot upwards and hit the sky.

Everyone watched, as some kind of portal suddenly appeared within the sky. One that the light flew into and began to shoot through the dimensional void, eventually hitting another dimension. One that Leo was strongly connected to.

Equestria.

The Guardians had been on the run for a while, doing their best to keep hidden. And so that, it was working.

However, as they hid inside a cave, Dragonia's body suddenly began to glow. "What?" She looked up, as she felt something. "Leonidas." The others turned to her, wondering what she was talking about. "I can feel him. He's tapping into the power of Vestroia."

"Seriously?" Trojan asked. "How? If he's in another world..."

"His connection to Vestroia is powerful," Dragonia stated. "If his will is strong enough, he must be able to summon the power even without being there." She smiled. "This might be just what we need. So long as he keeps using Vestroia's power, I should be able to follow it." She looked out of the cave, up to the sky. "Keep fighting, whatever's going on."

Back in the battle, the light that had flowed into the portal returned.

It struck Leonidas and he felt the power of Vestroia flowing through him, as Flash's card holder glowed. He took a card out and saw it was the one from last time. "This is just what we need." He smirked, as he swiped the card. "Neo Ability, Activate!" The light spiralled around Leonidas, increasing his power to match Draken and Surturan. "SHINING VESTROIA!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Leo roared, as his power pulsed once again.

Drakenoid+Surturan: 2350Gs
Leonidas: 2650Gs

The light exploded out of him, his roar making the entire stadium shake and the attack blasted towards Draken. The dragon Bakugan's eyes widened, as he tried to get away. But the light was too fast. And no doubt, the impact would do some serious damage.

However, before it could strike, Surturan suddenly leapt up and got between Draken and the laser.

The Trap Bakugan was struck by it and blasted backwards, right into Draken. Surturan wailed in pain, as it and Draken were slammed into the ground. Draken used his feet and tail to keep himself from crashing into the pillars, as Cursor watched in horror. And eventually, Surturan couldn't handle anymore and was forced back into its ball form.

But this allowed Draken to leap into the air, the laser missing him before it finally faded.

Flash: 20%
Cursor: 10%

Draken spread his wings and glided back to the ground, as Leonidas flew down and landed. The two stared at one another, as the Brawlers checked their bracers.

Drakenoid: 2100Gs
Leonidas: 2650Gs

Cursor couldn't believe it. If he didn't do something, Draken would be defeated and taken. "It's over," Flash told him. "You're going down!" Leonidas charged at Draken, who barely managed to avoid the punch thrown at him.

It instead struck one of the pillars, the impact causing it to explode as Draken was struck by the flying debris. "Raaaaah!" He staggered back, feeling himself getting close to being knocked back to ball form. He glared at Leo, as he slowly turned to him. "You dare? I will not allow this! I am the most powerful Bakugan in existence. I will not be defeated by a worm like you! Cursor...do it!"

Cursor stared at him, as he took out a card. "Are you sure? There's no telling what'll happen."

"I don't care about the risk. DO IT!" Cursor looked down at the card, then nodded as Leonidas charged forward.

"Very well. Prepare yourself!" He swiped the card, causing his Baku-Bracer to spark. "Ability, Activate!" Cursor's body suddenly started steaming, as an intense heat began to come out of him. "Pyrus Flux!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Draken roared, as his entire body exploded into flames. Flames that flew off his body and began to wrap around Leonidas.

"Gyah!" Leo cried, feeling his body being burned. "What is this?" Flash checked his Baku-Bracer and his eyes went wide, seeing Leo's power level dropping whilst Draken's rose.

"What's happening?" Flash asked, as Leonidas continued to cry out in pain. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and eventually, their points stopped.

"Power exchange, complete."

Drakenoid: 2650Gs
Leonidas: 2100Gs

The flames extinguished and Leo stood there, swaying as the heat made him feel weak. And as Draken stared at him, flames filled his mouth. "No," Flash cried in horror, "DON'T!" And then, Draken launched the fireball and it exploded into Leonidas' chest, the blast blowing Leonidas backwards until he smashed into one of the tallest pillars.

"GYAAAAAAAH!" He roared, his eyes going wide as Flash just stood there in shock.

"No," Flash whispered, "this...can't be." Leo's eyes slowly moved down towards him.

"I'm...sorry, partner." Flash's eyes widened, as Leonidas began to glow. "Goodbye." With that, he reverted back to ball form and flew over to Cursor, Draken doing the same as Flash felt his heart stop.

Flash: 0%
Cursor: 10% (Winner)

The stadium began to return to normal, as Flash just stood there in absolute shock. He watched, as Leonidas landed in Cursor's hand. "This...this can't be happening."

Cursor looked down at the Bakugan and chuckled, as he moved over to Flash. "Thanks for the match. It was fun." He stepped past him, Flash still frozen on the spot. "We should do it again, sometime. If you manage to get another impressive Bakugan like this one."

"Stop!" Flash finally moved, turning to glare at him. "I won't let you take him!"

Cursor stopped and turned back to him. "Would you have given Draken back, if you had won him?" Flash couldn't reply to that. "I didn't think so." He held Leo up. "You are a Brawler. You knew this was a risk when you activated your Baku-Bracer. Have some respect and take this loss with dignity."

Flash's body shook, "you..."

"If you really want him back, you know what you have to do. Defeat me in battle." Flash just stood there, as Cursor once again turned to leave. And Flash could do nothing but watch, as his best friend was taken from him. And as the rumble of thunder raged above his head, rain began to fall upon him just in time to mask his tears.

And eventually, his legs gave out as he fell to his knees and the frustrations of what had happened exploded out of him. "LEONIDAAAAAAAAAAS!"

Author's Note

Well that sucked. Flash and Leo have been defeated and Leonidas as been taken. Many probably expected that, but I hope you still enjoyed reading. So, how will Flash deal with this? Find out next time.

Missing Friends

When Flash opened his eyes, he was somewhere he didn't expect to be. Canterlot.

The teen looked around, seeing the large city around him. But it wasn't how he remembered it, as the entire place had been completely raised to the ground. Every building was either a pile of rubble, had massive holes in the walls or was nothing but dust in the wind.

"What happened here?" Flash stepped forward, moving through the street attempting to locate any pony that might help him understand the situation. But there was nopony.

The streets were empty. Not a single pony or Bakugan in sight. Flash frowned, not liking this. Something horrible had happened here and Flash had to figure out what. As such, he turned in the direction of the castle.

Whilst the large building was still standing, Flash could tell it had received the same treatment as the rest of the city. Large sections of the building had been broken, whilst a bunch of towers were missing. But if any place would have someone there, it would be there.

Flash started running towards the castle, praying that his friends would be there. "Lyra! Soarin! Anyone!" But nobody answered, Flash hoping it was just because he wasn't close enough.

However, as he got closer to the place, something happened that took Flash completely by surprise. The castle suddenly exploded.

The shockwave that followed was intense, throwing Flash backwards as he cried out and hit the ground. He flinched, as large sections of the castle started reigning down on the destroyed city around him. He frowned, watching as the remaining houses were crushed.

He then turned back to the castle and saw three Bakugan, which appeared to have been blasted out of the castle when it exploded.

Valkyria, Amazon and Gunstinger. The three let out cries of pain, as they too crashed into the buildings around him. Each one screamed as they crushed the houses under them, the debris clearly hurting them as they landed atop them. And then, instead of turning back to ball form, they started disappearing.

"GUYS!" He cried, as different coloured lights began to float off of them as they got fainter and fainter. "NO!" And finally, they completely vanished and Flash could barely believe it.

The smoke that had filled the street was also fading, revealing three individuals laying on the ground.

Lyra, Soarin and Braeburn were unconscious, their bodies beginning to give off the same light specks as they lay there. "No!" He made his way over to them, lifting them all up and praying they would be okay. But slowly, they began to vanish as well. "Hold on!" But it wasn't working and soon, they all vanished into nothingness.

Flash couldn't believe this was happening. Anger surged through his body, which shook violently as he felt himself getting more and more enraged.

But before he could let his anger loose with a scream, another scream filled the air. Or more specifically, a roar.

He looked over towards the destroyed castle, where smoke and dust still filled the air. And standing in the ruins of the building was a figure, hidden within the smoke. But Flash could see an outline of it and he instantly recognised who the form belonged to.

"LEONIDAS!" He pushed himself up and ran towards the figure, as it let out another roar. And as he called out to him, Leonidas looked down and Flash could see his eyes were glowing bright red. "Leo?" Flash's heart beat at the sight of those eyes. Eyes that told him there was something terribly wrong with Leonidas. "Did you...did you do this?" He couldn't believe it. There was no way Leonidas was the one responsible for the city's destruction.

Leonidas roared again, as his mouth filled with light. Flash quickly realised what was about to happen and gasped, as the laser exploded out of his mouth and shot towards him.

Flash could do nothing but scream, as the light hit him and he was suddenly being jolted away. "NO!" He sat up and looked around, seeing that he was back in the Battle Brawler's HQ.

"Flash!" Twilight was standing beside his bed, looking worried. "Are you okay?" Flash tried to remember what had happened, but the last thing he could recall was the end of his battle with Cursor. "When you didn't come back, we tracked your Baku-Bracer and found you unconscious at one of the battlefields."

Flash heard this and his body shook, anger overflowing through his body as he relived the entire battle. "It's my fault," Flash started crying. "I...I...Leonidas..." He felt a hand on his and looked over at Twilight, who was clearly worried about him.

"I know. We tapped into the arena's security system and saw what happened. I'm so sorry." She got on the bed and knelt beside him, pulling him close to her as she did. "We'll get Leonidas back. I promise." Flash wanted to believe her, but how? How could they get Leonidas back?

In the computer room, Spectra, Mira, Joe, Sunset, Moondancer and their Bakugan were all watching a rerun of the Brawl.

When they got to the part that showed how Cursor defeated Leonidas, Sunset and Moondancer flinched whilst the others frowned. Especially Spectra. "That Ability he used. I know it." The Equestrians appeared shocked by this. "Right before they disappeared, Marucho and I were working on new Ability Cards. Powerful Ability Cards."

"How powerful?" Sunset asked, as they watched the G Power of the two Bakugan change.

"An Ability to instantly swap G Power like that shouldn't be easy to activate," Mira stated. "Most of the time, it's a Fusion Ability and requires the user to be at risk of complete defeat. But Draken was able to use it instantly, with no special requirements."

"Exactly," Spectra nodded. "But these Ability Cards were only prototypes. Marucho took them with them when they left for Vestroia."

"Prototypes?" Sunset frowned. "So they're not finished?"

"Exactly. They worked, as you can see. But they had too much backlash. Draken was able to defeat Leonidas, but I'd be amazed if he isn't in complete agony right now."

"Indeed," Helios agreed. "I used one of those Ability Cards I couldn't move for a week afterwards. Draken must be regretting his choice to use it right now."

"I doubt it," Sunset sighed. "Since it let him beat Leonidas, I don't think he's regretting anything right now. He probably thinks the pain was worth it to win."

"Maybe," Joe stated. "But that means he's probably out for the count right now. Cursor's not gonna be able to use him."

"Which makes them vulnerable," Spectra agreed. "We wouldn't have to worry about Draken being in the battle, so long as we can find them before he's able to recover."

"But we've been searching for them," Mira told him. "And we've had no luck finding them."

"They've got to be somewhere," Moondancer frowned. "We have to find them and quick. We have to get Leonidas back before Flash-"

"Before I what?" Everyone looked around and saw Flash and Twilight, moving into the room. Flash looked exhausted, but he also looked determined enough to run a 10K run. "I've gotta get Leonidas back."

"We know that," Flarenix assured him. "We're all upset about what happened."

"Indeed," Spectra agreed. "But you're in no fit state to try and win him back. You need to rest and regain your strength for the battle that awaits you." The look on Flash's face was all he needed to know. Flash wasn't going to rest.

"I don't have time for that. I have to get Leo back before Cursor does something to him." It was at that moment he saw the battle on the screen and growled. "You saw what happened. That card he used on Draken. It wasn't a normal card."

"A prototype ability," Mira explained. "A very dangerous one."

"Exactly. What if Cursor uses something like that on Leo? I can't risk something like that happening to him. I have to save him." Before anyone could say anything back, Flash started heading out of the room towards the gym. Twilight watched him and looked terrified, as Sunset stepped forward.

"How exactly are you gonna win Leo back?" She asked, making Flash stop. "He was the only Bakugan you had on you. Are you seriously going to try and win using only Lindwhirl? That won't work."

Flash stood there and his hands shook, as he knew he was right. "Flarenix?" He turned to the Bakugan in question, but he shook his head.

"I will not risk myself, with you in such a state. We wouldn't stand a chance." Flash glared at him, then turned to Sorcerell.

"I want to help Leonidas, but you are in no fit condition to win any battle."

"Forget it!" Flash growled as he headed off again. "I'll find someone else to help me get Leo back." With that, he was gone and everyone felt awful. They knew Flash was feeling horrible for what had happened. And the longer he was without Leonidas, the worse he would get.

"We have to do something," Moondancer frowned.

Joe nodded. "First, we've gotta find out where those guys are hiding. We find them, we find Leonidas. And hopefully, we can get him back before Flash kills himself preparing for the fight."

In their warehouse hideout, the Rugenga were sitting around with Cursor rolling a particular Bakugan around on the crate.

Hayate and Thalia were watching him, both smiling under the mask at the sight of their toughest enemy being their's. But then they noticed Draken, as the Pyrus Bakugan sat on another crate barely moving.

Skyreign flew over to him. "How are you feeling?" She asked, seeing him grunt a little as his body seemed to hurt when he moved.

"Better. My body isn't so much hurt as...sore. I should recover soon."

Hayate turned to Cursor. "You got lucky nothing worse happened. We told you, using one of those cards was too risky. What would you have done, if Draken couldn't handle the backlash of the attack?"

"Would you stop whining," Cursor told him. "Draken asked for me to use that Ability and he was able to handle it." He held up the Haos Bakugan, "and we got a sweet prize from it."

"He's right," Draken nodded. "I'm fine. My body's already feeling much better."

"Maybe," Hayate replied. "But don't forget the state you were in when you first arrived. You were so hot, Cursor had to carry you in wrapped in his jacket to not get burned. It's a miracle you didn't set it on fire."

"Yes," Tigress nodded. "You need to be careful with all the extra energy that's still flowing through you. There's no telling what'll happen, if you don't take the time to recover and readjust to the energy. If you lose control, the power could destroy you."

"I know that," Draken nodded. "But it could also be just what I need. Defeating Leonidas and controlling this new energy from the Ability Card. It could be just the thing to help me take more energy from my host. And if that happens, I'll be one step closer to reaching my full potential."

"Exactly," Cursor nodded as he held up Leonidas. "And this will be our first stepping stone to achieve that full potential. Soon, we will have everything we need to become completely unstoppable. Once that happens, nobody will be able to defeat. Not The Defenders, or anyone else."

"We'll need to get back to Vestroia before we can unlock that full potential," Hayate pointed out. The others agreed, but they all knew getting back wouldn't be easy.

Back at the Battle Brawler's HQ, Flash was in the gym.

The teen was currently bench pressing some extremely heavy weights, making him flinch as he lifted them up over his head. He knew he should have had someone to help him, but he couldn't face everyone right now. Not until he was ready to save Leonidas.

"Raaaaaaah!" He roared, raising the dumbbell to full height and keeping it there. His muscles felt like they were going to explode, but he refused to give up. And when he finished counting to ten, he moved the bell back to the hooks and put it down.

He started panting, as he sat himself up. He then moved over to a treadmill, his arms screaming at him. As such, he chose to torture his legs instead. But as he moved towards the exercise device, he was suddenly reminded of the last time he saw it working.

Leonidas had been using it, Flash's mind picturing the small Bakugan running along it as it attempted to push him backwards. The memory had been a fun one before, but now it just hurt. Hurt because Flash might never get to see Leonidas do something like that.

Flash shook his head and jumped onto the treadmill, turning it on and setting it to the fastest setting it had. Flash started running with everything he had, as the device picked up more and more speed.

Flash's heart was beating a mile a minute, as he did everything he could to keep from being thrown off the end. He just kept running and running and running, his mind filled with the memories of his battle against Cursor. And as they flowed through his head, his eyes began to water and he let out a roar of frustration.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" But this proved to be his undoing and his feet suddenly tripped over each other. This allowed the treadmill to push them backwards and he suddenly fell to his knees, which were also pushed away and he slammed into the conveyor-belt.

The next thing he knew, he was thrown away from the device and sent flying across the gym. Luckily, nothing was directly behind the treadmill and he didn't hit anything.

Instead, he rolled to a stop a foot or so away from an exercise bike.

The teen just lay there, his body appearing to be giving up from all the exertion Flash had put it through. He had already been exhausted after waking up from his previous black out. And now he was even more tired. So tired that he couldn't stop himself from falling asleep. He lay there and his eyes began to drift off.

As he did, he was once again reminded of his battle. Then of the dream he had had before. The memory of Leonidas in such a state hurt him. But there was nothing he could do. It had been his fault Leonidas was lost. And he wasn't strong enough to get him back.

"Someone," he begged, "please. Help me."

In Equestria, Dragonia and the rest of the Guardian Bakugan were doing what they could to keep themselves from being found and captured by the Rugenga.

They were currently in a large sandy desert, somewhere between Las Pegasus and the Pie Rock Farm.

The six Bakugan were slowly making their way across the sand, Trojan and Salamandra appearing to be the only ones not suffering under the great heat. The others, not so much. "Ahhh!" Seadranoid hissed, "I can't take thisssss much longer. If we don't find some water ssssoon, I won't be able to last much longer."

"I know," Dragonia told him. "But we may have bigger issues right now. Leonidas."

The other Guardians turned to her, as they reached the top of a sand dune. "You're still worried about what happened to him, aren't you?" Zephyria's question made her look down. "You're positive something terrible has happened."

"Yes. My connection with him grew stronger, when I sensed him tapping into Vestroia's power. And not long after that, I felt a great wave of pain flowing from him. Something awful has happened to him."

"If that's true..." Trojan frowned. "Then something must have happened to all the other Defenders."

"This is bad," Regulus agreed before they heard movement above them. When they looked up, they saw a large ship moving in their general direction. "And that's worse!" They started running away, praying that they could escape it. And as they did, the ship unleashed a quartet of light that flew out in a vertical line. Once they reached full strength, the four wall-like constructs started moving around the ship.

The scan threatened to hit the Bakugan and detect them, making them fear for their freedom.

"Over there!" Salamandra cried, pointing out a cave off in the distance. They ran and rolled as fast as they could, trying to reach the large rock construct whilst avoiding the light. But as they got close, the light hit them and they all flinched as they realised they had been detected.

They leapt into the cave, as the ship made its way towards them. "Great," Trojan growled, "now what do we do?"

"What can we do?" Zephyria asked. "We can't outrun that ship. We're going to get captured."

"We don't all have to get captured," Regulus stated before turning to Dragonia. "One of us needs to escape and get help." Dragonia looked around, as she realised they were talking about her.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"We will give you the energy we've built up," Regulus told her. "With it, you can follow the connection you have to wherever Leonidas and the others wound up. Then bring them back."

"But that'll leave you all defenceless," Dragonia stated "I can't just abandon you to whatever fate the Rugenga have planned."

"You're not abandoning us," Zephyria replied. "We're entrusting you with the fate of Vestroia and Equestria." The others nodded, Seadranoid speaking up.

"Either you take our power and leave usssss behind, giving all of ussss a chance of being freed. Or we all get captured and have no chancesssssss." Dragonia frowned, hating this idea but seeing no other alternatives.

"Okay," she nodded. "Let's do this. But quickly. The ship's almost here." The Guardians nodded before glowing and transferring all the energy they had recovered back to her, Dragonia feeling her strength being restored. She sighed, as she focused on the connection she had to Leonidas.

She then channelled some of the power given to her and unleashed it out of her horn, hitting the back of the cave and making a small portal. One big enough for a Bakugan to fit through and strong enough to transport only one.

Once the portal was open, the other Guardians fell to the ground. Dragonia looked around, hating the sight of her friends in such a weakened state. "Go!" Regulus cried, as the ship reached them.

"I promise. I will return!" She closed up and flew through the portal, which closed as soon as she was gone.

"We know you will," Trojan replied before a tractor beam hit them. They all felt themselves being pulled out of the cave, the lot of them losing consciousness before they were sucked up into the ship.

Back in the Battle Brawler's world, Twilight stared down at Flash as he lay on the bed.

Having found him unconscious in the gym, she had instantly called for help with Spectra and the others rushed to her aid in getting him to bed. Kato had done a quick examination of him and found that despite having a few bruises, Flash was find. Just tired.

"I knew I should have stopped him," Twilight sighed.

"You couldn't have stopped him," Sunset told her. "The best we could have done was try and tie him to the bed. And even then, he wouldn't have gotten any rest. He probably would have exhausted himself worse, trying to get himself free. As much as we hate this, it's probably for the best that it happened. Now he can rest and recover properly."

"But how long will that take?" Moondancer asked. "Flash was right about not letting the Rugenga have Leonidas for too long. If he's busy recovering, who's going to save him?"

"It'll have to be one of us," Sorcerell quickly stated. "There's no other option." Sunset and Moondancer nodded, thinking the same thing.

"I think not," Spectra told them. "You two aren't the only Brawlers in this world. And not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty sure my Brawling skills outmatch yours. And Helios is much stronger than your Bakugan. We should be the ones to get Leonidas back."

"Yes," Helios agreed. "Whilst Leonidas is strong, he is nothing compared to me. I'll be able to overcome anything he tries. And anything that Rugenga tries." Spectra nodded, as the others thought about it. It may very well be the best choice.

But before they could try anything, a brilliant burst of light suddenly filled the room.

Everyone screamed, covering their eyes to shield themselves from the glow. "What's happening?" Mira asked, as the source of the light began to move through the room towards Flash. As it did, Joe suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.

"I...I know this light?" He looked down at the little orb, that was now floating above Flash. "Wyvern."

Flash once again stood in the ruins of Canterlot, terrified as he saw every building destroyed in some shape or form.

It was then that he heard the roar again and looked over to see the shadow of Leonidas, standing in the ruins of the castle. Once again, he turned towards him and began to charge up an attack before firing. The laser shot towards Flash and he screamed, wanting to wake up. But he couldn't.

But before the laser could strike, a ball of light appeared before him and blocked it. "ENOUGH!" The light exploded outwards and destroyed not only the attack, but the entire dream.

Flash opened his eyes and found himself in a black void, as the light floated in front of him. It then glowed before taking shape and fading, Flash seeing a familiar white armored figure. "Dragonia?"

The Haos Bakugan nodded. "Hello, Flash. You appear to be in a rather perilous predicament." Flash stared at her, realising this wasn't just a dream.

"You're actually here?"

"I am. And I have come to save Leonidas from the fate that has befallen him." Hearing this made Flash's heart sink, the teen falling to this knees.

"I'm sorry. I let Cursor take him away. It's my fault he's gone."

"This is not your fault." Flash looked up at her. "Though I was not there, I know you battled with all your heart. What happened to Leonidas was Cursor's doing, not yours." Flash didn't take much comfort in that statement. "Now, I must ask you an important question. What will you do now?"

"What do you mean?" Flash asked.

"I mean, what will you do now that Leonidas has been taken from you? Will you simply give up?"

"Never!" Flash cried. "There's no way I'm letting Cursor keep Leo." But as he said that, he remembered how the last battle had ended. "But...how can I fight against that kind of power?"

"Have you not faced powerful opponents before?" He thought about it, as images appeared around him. Images of his former battles. The many battles against Phantom, Twilight, the hybrid Bakugan and Lucifer. "You have faced many a strong enemy in the past. And though you stumbled on occasion, you were able to find a way to defeat them."

"But...without Leo..."

"Leonidas was never the source of your strength. Though being together amplified your strength to quite an unbelievable level, it never depended on you fighting together." Flash thought about it and realised she was right. "Flash. I trusted you with Leonidas because you were a human like no other. Brave, kind, smart, and filled with a determination that made me believe you could overcome any obstacle placed before you. Tell me...was I wrong in my easement?"

Flash didn't need to think about this, the teen pushing himself up. "No. I won't let this stop me. I'll fight Cursor again and get Leonidas back. Because no matter what, we are partners. Even if he's with someone else, we'll also be connect."

Dragonia chuckled, "that's what I like to hear. And don't worry. You are not alone in this fight. Together, we will get Leonidas back!" With that, Dragonia unleashed a brilliant light that forced Flash to close his eyes and fly backwards.

The next thing Flash knew, he was slamming into something soft and his eyes shot open. Doing so allowed him to see the ceiling of his room in the Battle Brawler's HQ, making him realise just where he was.

Twilight's face suddenly appeared above him, looking relieved. "You're awake." Flash got up, as she checked his temperature. "Looks like your fever's broken. How do you feel?"

"Better," Flash nodded before a look of determination appeared on his face. "And ready to Brawl."

"That's what I like to hear." Flash looked around and saw a Bakugan on the bedside table, which popped open to make Flash realise who it was.

"Dragonia. Let's do this thing." Dragonia nodded, as another voice spoke up.

"Wyvern?" They turned to Joe, as he stepped forward. "Is that really you?" The Bakugan leapt into the air and flew up to his eye-line. Joe stared at her for a moment, then smiled. "It is you!"

"It's good to see you, Joe." She landed on his hands. "I wish we could talk more, but I must do what I came here to do." Joe nodded, as Flash got out of bed and got his jacket on. "It is time to bring Leonidas home, where he belongs." She leapt onto Flash's shoulder and her eyes glowed. "I will find him."

From her point of view, it was like she was zooming through the city and phasing through anything between her and her child. And after a few moments, she zeroed in on a warehouse.

"There you are." She glowed and everyone could tell what was about to happen, the lot of them stepping up to Flash and placing their hand on him. They were soon enveloped in the light and in a flash, they all disappeared from the room.

Within the warehouse, Cursor and the others were suddenly being blinded by a bright light.

Looking towards it, they saw the light fade as a bunch of people suddenly appeared in front of them. "What?" Thalia cried, seeing the Battle Brawlers and Defenders standing there. "How did they find us?"

Hayate looked ready to try and escape, but Cursor jumped off the crate and smiled at them. "So, you've returned. I was expecting you to do so." Flash glared at them, as he stepped forward.

"I've come to take Leo back!"

"Is that so? And why, pray tell, should I agree to brawl against you? I've already claimed the only thing of interest about you. Brawling you again would just be a waste of my time."

"What's the matter?" Flash asked. "Scared? Maybe you know the only reason you won last time, was because you used a cheap trick to beat me."

"You dare!?" Thalia cried, but Cursor stopped her from saying anything more.

"You really are a sucker for punishment. Fine. If that's how you want it. I guess I can take time out of my busy schedule to teach you what a real Brawler's capable of. Besides," he held up a particular Bakugan, "I was looking for an excuse to try this out for myself."

Flash glared at him, as his gaze fell upon the Bakugan. "Leo."

"And what will you battle with?" Cursor asked. "Will you be borrowing one of your friend's Bakugan? I hope they don't hate you when you lose it as well." But then he noticed the Haos Bakugan floating beside him.

"I will be brawling with him," Dragonia stated. "I will not allow my son to remain your prisoner any more."

"That's one of the ancient Guardian Bakugan," Hayate realised. "Haos Dragonia."

Thalia laughed. "That relic won't stand a chance against Master Cursor. And here I was hoping to see something that might actually challenge him, not that it's possible." Cursor nodded, as the pair stepped forward and activated their Baku-Bracers.

"This is it," Flash told Dragonia. "Now or never. We have to give this battle everything we've got."

"Agreed," Dragonia nodded. "Be careful. There's no telling what tricks he'll try and pull. This battle won't be easy, especially considering what you'll have to do." Flash nodded, understanding what had to be done.

"I don't like this," Twilight frowned. "Flash and Leonidas are best friends. He shouldn't be the one to battle him."

"That's exactly why he needs to be the one," Spectra told her. "If he doesn't do everything he can to get him back, he might never be able to look him in the eye again." Mira turned to Twilight.

"If it was your Bakugan. Wouldn't you want to be the one to save him?" Twilight thought about Spikenoid and nodded.

"Yeah, I would." They watched as the pair activated their Baku-Bracers and the warehouse filled with power-ups, the two staring one another down and they yelled out in unison.

"LET'S BRAWL!"

Flash: 100%
Cursor: 100%

Cursor took out a card, then turned to his partner. "Draken. I want to see just how powerful this guardian Bakugan is. Such an ancient thing might not even be worth using Leonidas."

"Don't worry. I will crush her, like I did Leonidas."

"We both know you would have lost, had it not been for the experimental cards. But against this old fossil, your natural abilities will be all we need." Draken nodded, Hayate spoke up.

"Be careful. Draken still hasn't fully recovered from using those cards. Pushing him too far could be dangerous." Cursor knew he was right, but he refused to give this battle anything else than his all.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" Flash cried out, making Cursor growl.

"Gate Card...SET!" As soon as it hit the ground and exploded, Cursor grabbed Draken and threw him. He didn't even power with the power-ups. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" The Pyrus Bakugan hit the ground and rolled before bursting open, spinning as flames appeared around him. "Rise, Pyrus Drakenoid!"

Everyone gasped, as the fire tornado hit the roof and ripped through it. They all screamed, shielding themselves as best they could from the debris falling towards them. Many of the crates were shattered, as Draken exploded out the tornado and roared.

"What?" Flash asked. "That's Drakenoid!"

"We don't want him!" Twilight yelled, the others nodding.

"Yeah," Moondancer told the Rugenga. "We want to battle a real Bakugan."

"Bring out Leonidas!" Flash cried, angry that he wasn't getting the chance to save his friend yet. But Thalia chuckled.

"I don't recall Master Cursor agreeing to just use Leonidas. If you want him, prove that Draken isn't enough to defeat you." They all glared at her, whilst Mira and Spectra frowned. Something about this whole situation seemed familiar.

"Fine!" Flash cried, "then I'll force you to bring Leo out." He turned to the guardian, "you ready?"

"I am. Besides, I've been hoping for the chance to smack that Drago fake down a notch. Let us show them what true Brawling looks like." Flash nodded and grabbed her.

"Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw Dragonia forward, also forgetting the power-ups as she hit the ground and rolled. "Bakugan...STAND!" She burst open and unleashed a blinding burst of light, which forced everyone to look away. "Haos Dragonia...RISE!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" She roared, everyone who hadn't seen her true form before marvelling at her white feathered wings, star tipped tail and yellow feather head crown. Cursor checked his Baku-Collar and frowned.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Drakenoid: 600Gs

"Impressive," he nodded as Draken and Dragonia stared one another down.

"So you are the Bakugan reborn from the one known as Wyvern. I'll admit, the rebirth was certainly kind to you."

Dragonia growled. "You may look like Drago, but you lack his heroic will. And his kind heart. I refuse to let such a poor replica defeat me. You will fall, so I may save my son from your evil clutches."

"Not gonna happen!" He growled, as Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" His mouth filled with flames. "Blazing Dragon!"

Dragonia: 700Gs
Drakenoid: 900Gs

He launched the fireball at Dragonia, who crossed her arms to block the attack. It exploded against her and she flinched, but stayed strong before spreading her wings and taking to the air.

Draken followed her up and prepared to fire another blast, but Flash swiped a card before he could. "Ability, Activate!" The purple gem on her chest glowing before unleashing a transparent energy, full of differently coloured sparkles." Glimmer Shield!" It formed a barrier around her, protecting her from Draken's attack.

Dragonia: 800Gs
Drakenoid: 600Gs

As soon as the attack faded, Dragonia dove out of the shield and slashed at Draken. He roared, attempting to hit her with his tail. But she blocked with her own tail before dealing another slash at him. "Raaaah!"

Cursor saw this and took out two cards. "Double Ability, Activate!" As Dragonia tried to slash at him again, Draken's wings ignited and he crossed them. "Flame Protector, Plus Blazing Tornado!" She slashed at him and flinched, Draken spreading his wings and pushing her away before spinning.

The flames on his wings then spread around him and he spun around, forming a flaming drill that shot towards Dragonia and slammed into her. "Gyah!"

Dragonia: 400Gs
Drakenoid: 800Gs

The fire drill pushed her backwards and she groaned, as the flames continued to burn away at her stamina. But she refused to give up and forced her hands into the flames. Everyone saw this and were shocked to see her stopping the fire tornado, the flames fading to reveal she had Draken by the neck and wing.

"Wow!" Moondancer cried, "that's amazing!"

"What did you expect?" Sorcerell laughed. "She's fighting for the sake of her child. When it comes to protecting their offspring, nothing is impossible for a mother."

Flash heard this and smirked before swiping two cards. "Let's do this. Double Ability, Activate!" Dragonia threw Draken down, as her body started glowing. "Radiant Glory, plus Shining Dragonia!" She spread her arms, wings and legs wide as the light exploded off of her.

The wave of light flew down and blinded Draken, making him roar as he was forced to shield his eyes.

Dragonia: 650Gs
Drakenoid: 650Gs

Dragonia's mouth then filled with light, which quickly exploded into a laser. It shot down towards Draken and he was still blind, so couldn't protect himself from the attack that slammed into him. "GAAAAAH!"

Cursor glared at Dragonia, seeing just how powerful she really was. But he refused to give up, as she unleashed another laser. "Ability, Activate!" Draken spun around and fire swirled around him. "Burst Shield!"

Dragonia: 400Gs
Drakenoid: 650Gs

The laser struck the shield and was repelled, Draken quickly launching himself forward and slamming into Dragonia before the flames could extinguish.

Dragonia flinched, but managed to power through and knocked Draken away. "Ability, Activate!" The orb on her chest glowed again. "Mega Burst!" She fired a beam of light out of her chest, hitting Draken and making him flinch as his power was drained away.

Dragonia: 550Gs
Drakenoid: 500Gs

Draken almost crashed into the warehouse, but managed to hold on as Cursor swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" He spun around, another tornado forming around him. "Whirlwind Barrier!" This shield blocked the Mega Burst's beam, reflecting it back so that it hit Dragonia instead.

"Augh!"

Dragonia: 300Gs
Drakenoid: 650Gs

Draken then flew out of the shield and grabbed Dragonia, clawing and biting at her. "I'll rip you to pieces!"

"You can try!" She wrapped her tail around his and yanked him off, the surprise causing Draken to lose the struggle despite having over double her power. "You only focus on power and overwhelming your opponent. But there are other ways one can win a brawl besides strength. That's something the real Drago and Dan knew all too well."

"Don't make me laugh!" He growled. "Power is all that matters. And I'm the most powerful Bakugan that ever lived."

"Your delusions run deep. But you will soon see what true power looks like. The power granted by believing in those around you. FLASH!"

"Oh yeah!" Flash swiped the card. "Ability, Activate!" Dragonia flew backwards and spun her tail around so the star tip was in front of her chest. "Star Heart!" The gem on Dragonia's chest fired a beam that struck the one in the tail, which glowed and unleashed an orb of light.

The orb expanded and surrounded the entire battlefield, Draken flinching as he suddenly felt his power weaken. "What?" Cursor checked his Baku-Bracer and his eyes went wide.

Dragonia: 800Gs
Drakenoid: 600Gs

"But how?"

"Star Heart!" Flash told him. "It returns all Bakugan to their Base Level, then pumps Dragonia up by a hundred Gs." His friends all cheered, as Dragonia dove down and slammed a fist into Draken's face.

He roared and fell backwards, the others cheering as Sunset realised something. "Cursor's already used most of his Abilities. He and Flash must only have their Fusion Abilities left. And I bet if they both use them, Flash will come out on top."

"I think you're right," Flarenix nodded when he saw Cursor not trying anything.

The Rugenga took out his Fusion Ability, but Hayate spoke up. "Don't. Draken might not be able to handle that much power in his weakened state." Cursor knew he was right, as Dragonia slammed her tail into Draken and he fell down into the warehouse floor.

Everyone staggered as the ground shook, whilst Cursor took something else out. "Come, Bakugan Trap!" He threw it into the air, "Pyrus Surturan!" The Bakugan unfolded and burst into flames, flying over to Dragonia and slamming into her before she could attack Draken again.

She was pushed away, as the flames flew down and hit the ground before exploding.

The four legged demon Bakugan stood there, ready to attack as Draken picked himself up. Dragonia glared at it, whilst Flash checked his Baku-Bracer.

Dragonia: 800Gs
Drakenoid+Surturan: 850Gs

"Ah no!" Twilight cried. "He was seconds away from beating him." Draken charged forward and rammed into Dragonia, pushing her into a wall in the side of the warehouse. Everyone screamed, as more of the building came down. And as it did, Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Surturan's claws burst into flames and it swung them around. "Hellfire Rage!"

Dragonia: 600Gs
Drakenoid+Surturan: 850Gs

The fire exploded out in a wave, threatening to hit Dragonia and those watching. But before it struck, she flew down and knelt in front of them to block the oncoming attack. "Ahh!" She flinched, as Draken started slashing at her

She endured the attack, using her wings as added protect, as Surturan moved forward to attack as well. But Flash wasn't gonna let that happen and swiped a card. "Fusion Ability, Activate!" Using all her strength, Dragonia swung her arms and wings apart.

This knocked the pair back, as she raised her tail up in front of her. "INFINITE SHINING SPIRIT!" This time the orb on her chest fired the light alongside her mouth, which shot a blast of light into the tail orb. The tail orb then exploded with a powerfully bright light, which expanded outwards and formed a massive sphere that completely filled the warehouse

"What's happening?" Draken cried, only to then feel himself growing weaker. "Augh!" He cried, felling to the ground along with Surturan. Cursor checked his Baku-Bracer and his eyes went wide, as he realised what was happening.

Dragonia: 1000Gs
Drakenoid+Surturan: 850Gs

"NO!" Cursor yelled, as Dragonia lowered her tail and unleashed another blast from her mouth. One that struck both Draken and Surturan.

The pair roared in pain, as they were blasted backwards before reverting back to ball form. Cursor just stood there in shock, horrified that Flash and Dragonia managed to overpower them.

Flash: 100%
Cursor: 70%

"Impossible!" Thalia cried, as Dragonia returned to Flash. The teen smirked, the others cheering as Cursor picked his Bakugan up.

"Nothing is impossible. Not when it comes to me getting Leo back." Everyone else nodded, with Joe smiling as he remembered everything his old partner was able to do.

"Wyvern. No...Dragonia. You've come so far since I last saw you. If only Drago could see you now."

Dragonia heard this and smiled, as she opened up and looked at them all. "Thank you. But this was not me alone that did this. You have all proven yourselves worthy guardians of the Bakugan yourselves. Even those who took the wrong path at one point, have proven you love Bakugan more than anything."

Spectra smirked. "High praise indeed. But we shouldn't be celebrating too soon. This battle is far from over." Flash nodded and turned back to Cursor.

The man smirked at them, as Draken leapt out of his hand. "So her power is legendary. No doubt she went through some tough times in order to acquire it. She'll come in handy once we've taken her from this fool of a boy."

"Then let me take her," Draken growled. "She took me by surprise once, but I won't underestimate her again."

"No," Cursor shook his head, "not this time. I will break them using the Bakugan they're desperate to save. Losing to their beloved Leonidas will surely destroy any hope they have left of standing against me."

Flash glared at him. "Come on, Cursor. We're tired of waiting for the main event!"

Dragonia nodded. "Only one opponent is worthy of facing me. My son. Bring out Leonidas this minute." Flash took out a card and leapt up, spinning as he threw it.

"Gate Card...SET!" Once it hit the ground and exploded, Flash landed and threw the guardian Bakugan like a bowling ball. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Dragonia rolled along the ground and glowed, eventually bursting open as she bounced into the air. "Bakugan...STAND!"

"RAAAAAAAAAAH!" Dragonia exploded out of the tornado that formed and was ready for this battle to begin, glaring at her opponents and slowly landed in front of her friends.

"This is gonna be fun." Cursor held up the Bakugan he had one. It seemed weird, using a non-Pyrus Bakugan. But he would happily wield its power, so that he could see just how strong it truly was. "You want Leo! Fine then! Bakugan...BRAWL!" He threw him onto the field and once he hit the ground, he instantly spun open. "Bakugan...STAND!" The tornado of light exploded out and filled the building, everyone flinching at the power coming out of it. "Stand, Haos Novus Leonidas!"

The tornado exploded away and revealed Leonidas. But he was not how Flash knew him.

The white sections of Leo's body were now a dark grey colour, the purple sections also being darker with black streaks now covering them. The only parts of him that weren't changed were his yellow hands and spikes, but the rest of him was completely different. This included his wings, as the yellow seconds were now the same purple as his chest. But the most noticeable thing about him were his eyes, which were completely white and lifeless.

Leonidas let out a horrifying roar, the sound being completely beastly and lacking any of the controlled focus he normally had. Everyone could only stare at him in horror, Flash and Dragonia shocked more than anyone at what had happened to him. "No way," Flash whispered. "That's...Leonidas?" He kept examining him, feeling sick to his stomach at what had happened to him. "What have they done to you?"

"It can't be," Twilight cried, the others just staring at him in shock.

Meanwhile, Cursor just laughed as Leonidas spread his wings and let out another roar. "What's the matter? Don't you recognise your old friend, Leonidas?"

Author's Note

Dragonia has arrived to help. Whilst Joe obviously wants to catch up, that'll have to wait until later? Will they be able to save Leonidas? Only time will tell.

Battle for the Bakugan

The beastly roar echoed through the city, terrifying anyone that heard it.

"What was that?" A young boy asked, as his Bakugan partner listened. Another roar followed, sounding louder and more monstrous. It made the Bakugan shiver, as he had a feeling he knew what it was. And he pitied the poor soul that was suffering.

"That, my friends, is a Bakugan in turmoil. I don't know what happened to it, but a sound like that does not occur without a great amount of pain and hardship behind it." The child frowned, also feeling sorry for the Bakugan. They could only wonder what could be happening to the poor creature, to make it unleash such a sound.

Back in the warehouse district, Flash and everyone was in absolute shock.

Leonidas had finally been unleashed, but he wasn't the Leonidas they knew. He was now a sickly gray in place of white, the rest of his colours being much paler. Whatever Cursor had done to him had also robed him of any sense of reason, the dragon appearing worse than any Bakugan that they had ever seen brawl.

"What have they done to you?" Flash asked, his legs shaking.

"It can't be," Twilight cried, the others just staring at him in shock.

Meanwhile, Cursor just laughed as Leonidas spread his wings and let out another roar. "What's the matter. "Don't you recognise your old friend, Leonidas?"

Dragonia stared at her son and frowned. "I can't believe it. The dark energy the Rugenga use to control their Bakugan, was even able to affect Leonidas."

Thalia and the other Rugenga smirked. "Leonidas isn't like any other Bakugan," she told them. "We've heard the stories of his origins. How he originated within the Doom Dimension. For all you know, this is Leonidas' true being. Finally brought to the surface."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sunset cried. "There's no way Leo could be anything like this."

"No," Flash shook his head. "Leonidas started out angry and spiteful. It was only thanks to my friends and I, that he was able to step out of the darkness."

"Yes," Dragonia agreed. "Without you, this could have been what he would have become. And now, Cursor has caused him to regress into this mindless beast."

"Then you've gotta get him back," Mira cried. "Maybe beating him will snap him out of it."

"Maybe," Cursor chuckled. "But I'm not going to let that happen." He pointed at Dragonia. "Leonidas. Rip those fools apart!" Leonidas roared and charged forward, claws at the ready as he tried to attack Dragonia. As he did, Flash checked his Baku-Bracer and nodded.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

Sure enough, Dragonia caught him before he could attack and threw him to the ground. "I'll smack some sense into you." She pinned him down and Leonidas roared, Flash hating the pained sound he was feeling. But he knew this was the only way to save him.

"Don't think you've got this fight won." Cursor took out a card. "Don't forget how this ended last time." Flash's eyes widened, as Cursor swiped the card. "Ability, Activate!" The card glowed and so did Leonidas, "Haos Flux!"

Leonidas roared again, as the light grew brighter and his body became surrounded in veins. "LEO!" Flash cried, seeing this and realising something unnatural was happening to him. And when he checked his Baku-Bracer, he frowned.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 700Gs

Leonidas' new strength allowed him to push Dragonia off of him, the Haos Guardian staggering back before crashing into the wall. This caused the place to shake, as more of it started falling down. "Everyone out!" Spectra cried, the others nodding and breaking for the exit.

The Rugenga also took the hint and when part of the wall broke apart, they all leapt through the hole and raced out of the warehouse.

Leonidas leapt into the air and as Dragonia picked herself up, Cursor swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas' mouth filled with energy. "Neo Phaser!"

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 1000Gs

He let out another roar and the light exploded out of his mouth, shooting down towards the building as Dragonia saw it coming. "Look out!" Flash cried, as she crossed her arms and braced herself.

The beam struck her and exploded, destroying the rest of the building as she was sent staggering out of it. "Gaaah!" Her body smoked, but she refused to let herself be beaten. "Is that the best you've got!?"

Cursor chuckled. "Maybe if you showed me something impressive, I'd be willing to give this battle more effort." Flash glared at him and took out a pair of cards.

"You want impressive? Try this!" He swiped them. "Double Ability, Activate!" Dragonia's mouth and the gem on her chest glowed. "Shining Dragonia, plus Mega Burst!" The beam exploded out of the gem and hit Leonidas, draining away some of his power as her rose.

Dragonia: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 850Gs

She then let out a feminine roar, as the laser exploded out of her mouth and slammed into Leonidas.

It exploded and he roared in pain, falling towards the ground and almost crashing. As he did, Flash smirked at Cursor. "How's that? Impressive enough for you?"

Cursor chuckled. "Not bad. However..." Leonidas suddenly glowed, "not good enough." Leonidas fired another laser and Dragonia did the same, the two attacks slamming into one another and appearing even in strength as they faded out. Flash then checked his Baku-Bracer and his eyes widened.

Dragonia: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 1100Gs

"What? How?"

"Ability, Activate!" Cursor swiped a card and Leonidas charged forward. "Power Brawl!"

Dragonia: 1100Gs
Leonidas: 1300Gs

He reached Dragonia and started punching and kicking at her, Dragonia crying out as Flash swiped his own card.

"Ability, Activate!" Dragonia's chest gem glowed and unleashed a radiant pulse of energy, which glittered as it surrounded her. "Glimmer Shield!" Leonidas punched the energy barrier and couldn't break through.

Dragonia: 1200Gs
Leonidas: 1100Gs

He kept punching at the shield, appearing to do nothing. But Cursor didn't worry, as he suddenly glowed again. Flash and Dragonia saw this, as it seemed his punches got stronger.

Dragonia: 1200Gs
Leonidas: 1200Gs

"What's going on?" Flash asked, as the energy field seemed to start cracking. "How is Leonidas getting stronger without using any Abilities?" But then, Mira realised what was happening.

"It's that card." The others turned to her. "Haos Flux. It must give Leonidas the power to increase his strength, in order to match that of an opponent."

Cursor chuckled. "That's right. With Haos Flux, Leonidas' power will rise to that of the strongest Bakugan on the field. Which means no matter what you do, you'll always be playing catch up." Flash glared at him, believing that an Ability like that was just too strong.

"There's gotta be a way to stop it," Flash growled.

"Maybe. But by the time you figure it out, this match will be long over." He took out another card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas pulled away from the shield and created a ball of energy. "Photon Force!"

Dragonia: 1200Gs
Leonidas: 1400Gs

He threw it forward and it smashed into the shield, the cracked energy exploding as it forced its way through it and smashed into Dragonia. "GYAAAAAAAH!" She was blown backwards and smashed into another building, everyone running away to avoid the debris.

Dragonia fell out of the building, as Leonidas flew down and tried to attack her. But before he could, Flash pointed towards the ground. "Gate Card, Open!" The ground glowed, the light hitting both Bakugan. "Reset!" The pair felt their energies completely drain, as their power was reverted back to its base level.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

This also seemed to negate Haos Flux, allowing Dragonia to rush forward after picking herself up and slam her fist right into him. "I'm sorry!" She cried, as Leonidas was thrown backwards.

He roared as he hit the ground, whilst Dragonia prepared to fire another laser. But Cursor swiped a card first. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas's body bulged again, a light forming around him. "Blistering Radiance!" He roared and the light exploded off of him, being so bright nobody could see a thing.

Dragonia was also blinded, the light also burning her as Leonidas picked himself up. Flash checked his bracer and his eyes widened.

Dragonia: 400Gs
Leonidas: 800Gs

"A three hundred point energy transfer. That shouldn't be possible without being a Fusion Ability." Leo charged at Dragonia and clawed at her, Dragonia roaring in pain as Flash pulled out a card. "Ability, Activate!" She managed to push Leonidas away, as her tail moved around in front of her. "Star Heart!"

Before Leonidas could stop her, the gem on her chest and tail unleashed the light that created the energy barrier around the Bakugan. Leonidas roared, as he felt his power drain whilst Dragonia's rose.

Dragonia: 800Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

Cursor growled, as Dragonia began to charge up another laser. "Ability, Activate!" He swiped his card and Leonidas turned into a blur, "Speed Burst!"

Dragonia: 800Gs
Leonidas: 700Gs

Leonidas started flying around at super speed, zipping from side to side before attempting to hit Dragonia head on. Had he been in his right mind, he would have tried to attack from a different angle. But having been reduced to a mindless fighting machine, all he could do was attack straight on.

This meant that when he slammed into Dragonia, she was able to grab him before he could pull back. "Big mistake!" With that, she fired her laser point blank and blasted the dragonoid backwards. He let out a roar as he fell backwards, reverting back to ball form and slamming into the ground at Cursor's feet.

Flash: 100%
Cursor: 50%

"No," he growled as Dragonia returned to Flash's grasp. "You think you're winning, but I'm still holding all the trump cards." He picked Leonidas back up. "Don't forget, you can't have Leonidas back, unless your power level is at least five hundred more than mine."

Flash frowned, knowing he was right. And the longer this match went on, the more danger Leonidas was put in. "We've gotta do it in the next round," he told Dragonia.

"We will. Cursor might have those prototype super abilities, but I have a few tricks up my sleeves that even you haven't seen before." Flash raised an eyebrow, as Draken flew up.

"Pathetic. Leonidas didn't do any better than I did." He turned back to Cursor, "let me finish this battle. I can turn this match around.

"No. I think it's time we pushed Leonidas to his true potential. And with it, we'll gain the power we need to help you achieve perfection." Draken looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" Cursor didn't reply, instead taking out a card and throwing it towards the ground.

"Gate Card...SET!" It exploded and as soon as he did, he threw Leonidas in. "Bakugan...BRAWL!" Flash watched as his best friends hit the ground and started spinning. "Bakugan...STAND! Rise, Haos Novus Leonidas!" The tornado exploded upwards and Leonidas broke through it, the mindless roar escaping his mouth once again.

Flash frowned and clutched Dragonia. "Leo...I'M COMING FOR YOU! Bakugan," he threw Dragonia, "BRAWL!" She flew forward and opened up before even hitting the ground. "Bakugan...STAND!" A light exploded out of her, "HAOS DRAGONIA!"

The former White One flew out of the light and let out her song-like roar, she and Leonidas glaring at one another whilst hovering in the air.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

Dragonia flew forward, but Cursor swiped a card before she could reach Leonidas. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas glowed and his veins pulsed, "Haos Flux!" He roared again, as his power rose and he slammed into Dragonia.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 700Gs

"Not again!" Moondancer cried, the others glaring at Cursor for using that Ability. Flash frowned, as he took out a card. But before he swiped it, he realised it was a big mistake.

"If I use Dragonia's abilities, Leo's power will rise to match it." He growled, "I've gotta find a way to undo Haos Flux before I power her up."

"Not gonna happen," Cursor chuckled. "You don't have your Gate Card to cancel it out again. And there's more Haos Flux can do, after analysing the data from our last battle." Flash frowned, he and the others not liking the sound of that. "It's time, Leonidas. Time to awaken to full power you can wield."

"What's he talking about?" Mira asked, turning to Sunset and Moondancer. But those two had no idea what he meant by that.

Suddenly, Leonidas pushed Dragonia back and roared. The light surrounding him then exploded off of him, fly up into the air. Everyone saw this and flinched at how bright it was, as the light hit the sky and seemed to stop before opening a portal of some kind. It wasn't a big portal, but it was noticeable to everyone in the city.

"What is that?" Joe cried, as the Bakugan suddenly sensed something coming out of it.

"It's Vestroia," Flarenix cried in shock. "I can feel it. That portal leads to Vestroia." Everyone gasped, having no idea Leonidas had that kind of power.

Flash then remembered what had happened during his last battle against Cursor. "Leo managed to open a portal before and tap into Vestroia's power. Is that what he's planning on doing again?"

"No," Dragonia stated. "It's not the same." She watched as the portal unleashed a burst of energy, which flew down the light pillar and into Leonidas. As it did, Leonidas' body started glowing multiple colours. "Leonidas is being forced to summon the power of Vestroia." She could feel the energy coming off him and knew this wasn't good. "This is way more power than Leonidas tapped into before."

"How much?" Flash asked, as Leonidas suddenly roared and unleashed a wave of energy that cracked every building around them and almost knocked them all off their feet.

"Too much power!" Dragonia cried, doing her best to shield everyone.

"I don't understand," Mira frowned. "How is Leonidas able to channel Vestroia's energy anyway?"

"Leonidas became Vestroia," Twilight explained. "His old body was used to create a new version of the planet, whilst his spirit was left wandering until Dragonia found it. Because Vestroia was made from his old body, he has a connection to it. So he can tap into its power."

"Yes," Dragonia nodded. "But this is way too much. And it's not just Vestroia's Haos Energy."

Cursor chuckled. "That's right. Before, he was only summoning the power of the light element. But now, his full power will be unleashed. Power enough to rival those he had before his body became the new Vestroia." It was then that he took out a card and swiped it. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas started glowing red. "Blazing Vestroia!"

Leonidas let out another beastly roar, as he suddenly unleashed a powerful blast of fire from his mouth.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 1200Gs

The flames slammed into Dragonia and made her scream, as she was blown backwards and crashed into the ground. "What?" Flash asked. "Leonidas just used a Pyrus Ability?"

"How?" Twilight asked, as Cursor swiped another card.

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas glowed purple. "Shrouding Vestroia!" As Dragonia picked herself up, Leonidas flew forward before his body exploded into a cloud of purple smoke.

Dragonia: 700Gs
Leonidas: 1700Gs

The cloud began to swirl around Dragonia, making her gasp as she felt like she was breathing acid. "Gaaah!" She clutched her neck, as she fell to her knees. Flash gasped and checked his Baku-Bracer, shocked by what he saw.

Dragonia: 400Gs
Leonidas: 2000Gs

Spectra frowned, as the cloud flew away from Dragonia and reformed into Leonidas. "This time it was a Darkus Ability."

"How is this happening?" Joe asked, as Leonidas spun around and slammed his tail into her. They all gasped, as she was blown away and smashed through another building.

As she was buried, Leonidas roared whilst his body started becoming bulkier and more veins covered his body. Dragonia then pulled herself free of the rubble, but did not look good. "It's Cursor. He's forcing Leonidas to channel the attribute energies of Vestroia." She pushed herself up to her feet, but looked unsteady. "His connection to Vestroia, gives him the power to access any of the Attribute Energies that were used to remake it. the Attribute Energies that were once a part of him."

"I had no idea Leo had that much power," Flash stated. But then he saw how strained and in pain his partner was. "But he can't handle something like that."

"Indeed. Were Leonidas still the Ultimate Bakugan that defeated Lucifer, he would be able to access these abilities with ease. But..."

"He's not anymore," Twilight caught on. "So what will happen if Leo keeps using those abilities?"

"Let's find out!" Cursor laughed as he swiped a card. "Ability, Activate!" Leonidas glowed blue, "Tidal Vestroia!" Suddenly, his body turned into water that seemed to triple in volume. It shot forward, morphing into a massive wave that threatened to wash them all away.

Dragonia: 400Gs
Leonidas: 2500Gs

Dragonia forced herself over to the others and raised her arms, slamming them into the wave as the tsunami smashed into her. She roared, the force of the water feeling like a meteor was slamming into her.

The water finally receded and she fell to her knees, as Leonidas reformed and Cursor swiped another card. "Ability, Activate!" He glowed orange. "Quaking Vestroia!" Leonidas flew down and slammed his feet into the ground, causing it to shake.

Everyone was almost thrown off their feet, as Dragonia suddenly found a bunch of stone spikes exploding out of the ground and stabbing into her. "GYAH!"

Dragonia: 200Gs
Leonidas: 3000Gs

"This is insane!" Flash cried. "Leo's power level is going off the charts." He watched as Leonidas' body became more and more muscular, as more and more energy was being sent into him. Energy he couldn't handle.

"This is bad." Dragonia broke out of the stone spikes. "When Celestia and I remade his body, we used my own as a base the same way I did the first time. He inherited my Haos energy. Even though he's able to summon the Attribute Energies of Vestroia, his new body wasn't built to handle all that power."

"What does that mean?" Moondancer asked, as Cursor swiped a card.

"Ability, Activate!" Leonidas glowed green. "Gale Force Vestroia!" A tornado appeared around him and with a beat of his wings, it exploded into multiple blades of air that quickly smashed into Dragonia and cut her up as she screamed.

Dragonia: 200Gs
Leonidas: 3500Gs

Dragonia moaned and fell to the ground, Flash gasping as he took out his Ability Cards. "I'll use Star Heart."

"No," Dragonia moaned. "It won't work. This isn't Leonidas' natural power. The energy from Vestroia won't be so easily defused." She pushed herself up, as Flash tried to think of another way to save him. But he couldn't.

"There has to be something we can do!" Flash cried, as he looked up at Leonidas. And when he did, his eyes widened when he saw Leo's eyes beginning to tear up. "Leo...he's crying." The others saw this and realised he was right. "Cursor...you're tearing him apart!"

"What's happening to him?" Sunset asked.

"It's like I said," Dragonia stood up. "All that energy wasn't meant for Leonidas. His body wasn't designed to handle that many Attributes. It's like putting gasoline in a diesel engine. Even if the engine can use it, it'll destroy itself in the process."

Everyone began to panic, fearing Leonidas wouldn't survive. "Stop this, Cursor!" Flash turned to him, "haven't you done enough?"

Cursor laughed. "If he can't handle it, then that's not my problem. Leonidas is the key to unlocking the energy I need to achieve my destiny." He took out another card, "and nothing is going to stop me. Ability, Activate!" He swiped the card and Leonidas' body glowed even brighter, with multiple colours surrounding him. "Vestroia Unlimited!"

Everyone watched, as the light around him grew brighter and brighter. And as Flash checked his Baku-Bracer, his eyes widened.

Dragonia: 200Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

Leonidas roared and unleashed a super powered laser, which struck Dragonia and made her scream in agony. All the while, the veins on Leonidas bulged so much it looked like they were about to burst. "NO!" Flash cried, as the laser finally faded and Dragonia fell to her knees once again.

As she did, Flash heard another beep and checked, his eyes widening.

Dragonia: 199Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

Dragonia: 198Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

Dragonia: 197Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

"No way," Flash cried. "It's draining Dragonia's power."

Cursor laughed. "Once it hits zero, your precious Dragonia will be destroyed. That will be sure to break any will you had left to resist me." They all glared at him, as Leonidas unleashed another laser that slammed into Dragonia.

"GYAH!"

Dragonia: 144Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

"Dragonia!" Flash gasped, as she fell to the ground. "No. This can't be happening. There's gotta be something we can do."

The others began to worry as well. Spectra looked ready to throw Helios into the battle, but even he wasn't sure there was anything they could do to help Leonidas at this point. He seemed to be in too bad a state to help.

But then, Dragonia pushed himself up. "There...there is a way." She turned to Flash. "But it's risky."

"Risky?" Flash didn't like the sound of that, as his card holder suddenly opened and unleashed a light. One that almost blinded everyone. "What's this?" He reached in and took out the source of the light. A card. "Power Dimittis?"

"That ability will allow me to revert us both to base form and grant me an extra hundred Gs for every Ability Leo's used. But there is a risk. Once you activate it, you will need to keep me connected to Leonidas until the process is complete."

"Is that it?" Flash smirked. "Alright."

"No. Once I start, losing contact for even a second will result in the energy I'm removing going out of control. Leonidas is already on the verge of overloading. This could accelerate the process. If you fail to hold on, you could be the one to end up taking his life."

Flash's eyes widened. "I...I can't risk that." As he said that, Leonidas unleashed an extra powerful laser. It hit the ground and exploded, unleashing a shockwave that almost blew everyone back. All the while, Leonidas' eyes kept crying. "LEO!"

"Flash!" Spectra cried, "you might not have a choice. At this rate, I don't think Leonidas will last much longer. You either do it and risk losing him, or don't and definitely lose him." Flash realised he was right, as Leonidas prepared to fire another blast.

He checked his Baku-Bracer and saw he didn't have much time left.

Dragonia: 50Gs
Leonidas: 7000Gs

"Alright," Flash stood tall and held up the card. "LET'S DO THIS!" Dragonia let out a roar and pushed herself up, as Leonidas unleashed the attack again. "Ability, Activate!" He swiped the card and it glowed, shooting towards Dragonia and slamming into her back. "Power Dimittis!"

She gasped at this, as the laser almost hit her. But a forcefield appeared around her and whilst it struggled to hold the power back, he gave Dragonia the time she needed.

Suddenly, she transformed into a bright light that flew towards Flash. And as if on instinct, Flash threw his right fist forward and punched it. Doing so caused the light to spread around his hand and arm, morphing into a shining white gauntlet that looked like a dragon with Flash's hand coming out of the mouth. The eyes were bright yellow, whilst the white glove over Flash's hand was covered by white metal plates.

Everyone was amazed by this, as Flash clenched his fist. "Leonidas..." He ran forward, "I'M COMMING FOR YOU!" They all gasped, as Cursor and the Rugenga looked shocked.

"Is he insane!?" Thalia cried, Cursor pointing at him.

"Leonidas. BLOW HIM AWAY!" Leonidas unleashed another laser, which flew straight at Flash. Everyone was terrified Flash would be blown up, but Flash leapt forward to avoid the attack. It struck the ground behind him and the following shockwave almost blew him off his feet.

"Gaaah!" He staggered, but he kept going and turned to a nearby building.

Said building had a chain hanging from the roof for some reason. A chain that Flash ran forward and grabbed before running as fast as he could.

The chain went taut and Flash was able to use it to help pull himself up the side of the building, allowing him to get up to Leonidas' arm height.

"LEO!" Flash leapt forward and grabbed his arm, the dragon seeing this and roaring as he tried to swing him off of him. But Flash held on tight, with Leonidas attempting to claw at him. Flash barely managed to pull himself out of the way, the claw missing him with Flash leaping forward and grabbing onto it as it pulled back.

Now on Leo's arm, Flash panted whilst the dragon roared at him.

He was almost thrown off the dragon, but he held on as tight as he could. And when Leonidas tried to swallow him, terrifying everyone, Flash leapt straight up.

"LET'S GO!" Flash fell down and landed on Leonidas' snout, sliding down it and landing within the Bakugan's horn. he then thrust his gauntleted hand onto his head and unleashed a brilliant light. "LEO!"

The dragon roared, as the light caused his power to explode out of him. All the energy he had called upon in Vestroia, was being sucked out of him into the gauntlet. It then exploded out the eyes of the gauntlet and shot back into the portal, returning it back to the source of its power.

He started swinging his head around, violently trying to throw Flash off of him.

The teen gasped, as he felt his hand slide around on Leonidas' head. The hand stayed connected to him, whilst Flash was rocked around. He held onto the horn as best he could, doing everything he could to not be flung off him. "I'm not letting go!" Flash cried. "Do you hear me, Leonidas!? I'm not letting go!"

"He's insane!" Hayate cried, as Leonidas' claws reached up to try and get him. "If he's not careful, the energy he's unleashing will burn him to a crisp."

"Some people are just too foolish to see when they should give up."

"This isn't foolishness." They all turned to Spectra, who smirked as he was watching Flash hold on. "That is friendship. Something I would have thought you'd understand, given who you all seem to be connected to. What you're seeing, is what a true friend would do for the one they care about. It's something I had to learn from Dan Kuso. And something these two share and know naturally."

"That's right," Sunset told them. "If it was Flarenix, I would do anything to save him."

"And Sorcerell," Moondancer stated. "I don't care how impossible and dangerous it seems. Nothing would stop me from saving her." The others nodded, believing the exact same thing.

Flash grunted, as he felt more and more power being drained out of Leonidas. But as he did, the dragon flew over to a building and smashed his head into it. "Gyah!" He gasped, feeling himself being jostled around. Parts of the building broke apart and hit him, Flash flinching in pain but still not giving up. "I...won't...quit!" He pressed his armored hand into his head even harder.

More energy exploded out of him, blinding Flash who refused to let this be the end.

Everyone watched, as Leonidas kept thrashing about. But Flash kept holding on. "Don't fight me, Leonidas!" The dragon gauntlet exclaimed. Then, slowly, something started happening.

Leonidas' body started becoming less bulky. His muscles started to deflate, whilst the veins covering him disappeared. He kept roaring, but it became less strained as more and more power was being drained away.

"What's happening?" Cursor asked, as he checked his Baku-Bracer and saw that Leonidas and Dragonia's power levels were changing. Dragonia's had stopped depleting when she had less than five points left before rising back up, whilst Leonidas' was going way down.

"Recalculating power levels."

"I don't believe it!" Cursor cried out. "They're actually able to undo the power of our prototype super Abilities. Impossible." Leonidas was still roaring, attempting to throw Flash off. But the teen knew he couldn't give up now. Not when he was so close.

"Almost there!" Dragonia told him. "Just a little longer." Flash nodded, as Leonidas began to fall onto all fours and smash his head into the ground.

Everyone gasped, But Flash had been able to position his body so that he was crushed by the impact. His hand had almost been removed, but he managed to keep his hold on him.

Then, as Leonidas lifted his head up again, something happened that Flash hadn't been expecting. The light coming out of his gauntlet surrounded him and his was forced to close his eyes. And when he opened them again, he wasn't in the battlefield.

Instead, he was in a black void.

Images surrounded him, floating in the air like pictures on a wall. When he saw them, he realised they were all moments of Leonidas' life. His memories. "Leonidas?" He looked around, but couldn't see any sign of him. "Leo, you in here? Say something!" Then, he saw a light right below him.

Looking down, a sphere of darkness was shown with something inside it. Something Flash realised was Leonidas, the dragon curled up with is wings and tail wrapped around him.

"Leo!" He found himself beginning to float downwards. "Hang on! I'm coming!" And eventually, he reached out and touched the orb. "Leo...wake up!" As soon as he said that, the light within the dark sphere began to grow brighter. And slowly, the sphere began to crack and Flash could feel Leonidas' true power being awakened. "LEO!"

It was then that the sphere shattered, blasting Flash back as Leonidas let out a roar that wasn't the beastly one Flash had been hearing. It was Leonidas' roar. One filled with very soul. and as the orb shattered, Flash saw him uncurling himself. He was free.

Flash suddenly blinked and when he did, he was back in the battle. He was still holding onto Leonidas' head, the gauntlet still drawing the energy out of him.

Cursor had had enough of this. "LEONIDAS! I order you to get rid of that pest once and for all!" Leonidas didn't seem to be listening, Cursor growling. "Did you not hear me. GET RID OF HIM!"

Then, suddenly, something happened. Leonidas just froze as the last of the energy flew out of him and returned to Vestroia. "Flash!" Dragonia cried, "do it now!" Flash let go of Leonidas as the dragon threw his head up, causing him to be thrown into the air.

Everyone watched and gasped, as Cursor checked his Baku-Bracer and couldn't believe it.

"Power exchange, complete."

Dragonia: 1400Gs
Leonidas: 500Gs

"Impossible!" He cried, taking out a bunch of cards he was ready to use. But before he could, Flash began to fall towards Leonidas.

"LEO!" He yelled, "it's time to come home!" With that, he thrust his fist forward as the gauntlet unleashed all the extra energy it had absorbed. It struck Leonidas right in the head, making him roar as it spread across his entire body and he suddenly found himself getting blown backwards.

Everyone watched in shock, as Leonidas fell to the ground and suddenly reverted back to ball form. And as Flash fell, the gauntlet around his arm transformed into light that surrounded him and Leonidas.

Flash: 100% (Winner)
Cursor: 0%

"He did it," Twilight gasped. Flash and Leonidas were slowly lowered to the ground, the light disappearing as soon as they landed and transforming back into Dragonia's ball form.

They all ran over to them, Spectra keeping an eye on Cursor and the other Rugenga. "We're getting out of here," their leader stated. Hayate stepped forward and as Spectra was about to go for them, he threw something to the ground and a bunch of smoke filled the air.

Spectra ran over to them, but the smoke faded and they were all gone. "I can't believe it!" He growled. "They got away."

Helios flew up and looked around, trying to see if they had leapt onto the nearby rooftops. But they were nowhere in sight. "Slippy little fools, aren't they." He flew back down and the pair headed over to the others, who were all circling around Flash and Leonidas.

The teen appeared unconscious, likely overwhelmed by the effort he had put in to save Leonidas.

But slowly, be started to come around and open his eyes. He moaned and sat himself up, the others being sure he was good. "Don't push yourself," Twilight told him. "Be careful." Flash took several deep breaths, the teen being exhausted after everything that had happened.

But then he remembered what he had been doing all that exhaustive work for and looked around. "Leo? Where's Leonidas?" But then, Sunset held something out to him. His Bakugan. "Leo!" He took him into his hand and held him close, waiting for him to answer. "Leo. Are you okay?" When Leonidas didn't answer, Flash feared he had lost the ability to speak. He remembered when Twilight and the other Rainbooms had lost their partners. When they got them back, none of them could speak.

But before he could state this fear, Leonidas started spinning and opened up. Once completely open, he looked up at Flash. "Yes," he nodded, "I'm fine." Flash was close to tears at this, as he hugged his partner close.

"Leo, I'm sorry I let you get taken."

"It wasn't your fault Flash. I'm sorry I couldn't resist the Rugenga's power. I can't remember what happened..." He looked around and saw all the damage done to the surrounding area. "But I'm guessing it wasn't good. I'm sorry."

Flash smiled at him. "If losing you wasn't my fault, then all of this isn't your fault. Cursor did this." He looked worried. "Please tell me you're okay. Cursor used some weird cards on you. They made you really strong, but they could have killed you."

"He's right," Spectra agreed. "We need to get him back to the base, so we can start doing tests on him. There's no telling what side effects those cards could have had on him." They nodded, Twilight helping him stand up as Leonidas looked around.

"So what happened? How were you able to save me?" At that moment, Dragonia flew up and landed on Joe's shoulder.

"It wasn't easy," she told him. "You put up quite the fight." Leonidas nodded, only to then notice she was there.

"Dragonia? How are you here?"

Dragonia laughed. "I came to bring you all back." She jumped off Joe's shoulder and flew around them. "Things have not been good since you all left. The Rugenga have overthrown Equestria." That statement brought a look of horror to their faces, Sunset and Moondancer looking sick.

"But...Soarin," Flash told him. "Lyra...Braeburn."

"Defeated," Dragonia looked down. "They tried, but the Rugenga were just too much for them. They and the princesses were all captured by the Rugenga. Celestia was able to warp myself and the rest of the Guardians away. She sacrificed herself in order to give us a chance to bring you all back."

"No way," Flash whispered. Moondancer and Sunset looked ready to start crying.

"This is all my fault," Twilight stated. "If I hadn't tried to go to Vestroia, none of us would have been brought here. The Rugenga wouldn't have been able to overwhelm them." She clutched her arms, squeezing them as the pain felt like the only way to make her feel better.

"Don't say that," Sunset told her. "You weren't the one that made the Rugenga attack Equestria. This isn't your fault. And we're gonna find a way to save everypony there." Twilight smiled, as Dragonia floated forward.

"Indeed. But the longer the Rugenga have control over Equestria, the more damage they can do."

"How the heck are they controlling an entire kingdom?" Moondancer asked. "Even if they were able to capture the princesses, there's no way three people can take over an entire country. Ponies must be trying to fight back."

"They are," Dragonia nodded. "But the Rugenga have discovered a way to make Bakugan return to their true forms without being in a dimensional area. Canterlot...Manehatten...The Crystal Empire. They all have Bakugan roaming the streets, keeping the ponies from being able to fight back. If anyone tries, they'll be attacked by the Bakugan and forced to retreat."

Flash's body shook in rage. "Those jerks."

"And it gets worse. The more the Rugenga have control over Equestria, the more Bakugan are captured. They have ships flying all over the place, searching for Bakugan that are hiding. Whenever they find one, they suck them up like they did when they first arrived in Vestroia."

"This is bad," Mira frowned at this. "Whatever they're using the Bakugan for, it can't be any good. We need to do something and fast."

"We will," Dragonia nodded. "Like I said, I came here to bring Leonidas and his friends back."

"Well it won't just be them," Joe told her. "I'm going with you. I can't just sit around and do nothing, whilst the Bakugan and an entire other world is in trouble."

"I'm going too," Mira stated before turning to her brother.

Spectra frowned. "We should make a plan. Let's not forget, there are still three Rugenga here. With Dan and the others away, someone has to make sure Bakugan City is safe. If we all leave, that'll make this place a sitting duck for them."

"You're right," Joe nodded. "But there are plenty of friends we can call upon to protect this city. I'll contact them as soon as we get back. If they can get here in time, they can keep the city safe whilst we head to Vestroia."

"I'll be sending you all to Equestria," Dragonia told them. "Our first task will be helping free it from the Rugenga's grip. Once that's taken care of, we can work on freeing Vestroia once and for all. But I'll need to rest before I can send us there. The battle with Leonidas has seriously drained me. But I should be able to open a portal by this time tomorrow."

"Alright," Spectra nodded. "That gives us twenty-four hours to prepare. We need to make sure the city remains safe, pack everything we might need to help once we get there and also make sure Leonidas hasn't suffered any ill effects from the proto-abilities." Everyone nodded, knowing that was a lot to do in a relatively short amount of time.

Flash and the Equestrians all turned to the sky, imagining the world they had left behind and the friends they hadn't been able to save. "We're coming, guys. And the Rugenga are gonna pay for what they've done."

In an alley several miles away, the Rugenga were all hiding from sight.

Thalia had managed to grab the laptop before the warehouse came crashing down and was once again connecting it to the internet, whilst Hayate was leaning against a wall thinking about what had just happened. Meanwhile, Cursor just sat there next to a large dumpster.

He was doing something with his Baku-Bracer, whilst Draken sat on the ground next to him. "Well," he stated, "that was a waste. We finally had Leonidas and we lost him before we could get any serious use out of him." But then he heard Cursor laugh. "What?"

"Oh, we got some use out of him." The others turned to him, as he showed them a bunch of data on his Bracer. "That brawl gave me a wealth of energy. You and Dragonia, Dragonia and Leonidas. And that final round more than anything. Dragonia might have forced Leonidas to release the energy from the proto-abilities, but the excess power was all loaded into my Bracer."

"Is that so?" Draken leapt onto his Bracer, as the front slid forward. "Then what are we waiting for." He landed within the device's Bakugan slot and the energy was channelled into him. "Oh yes!" He glowed, as more and more power flew through him. "That feels good."

Cursor smirked. "I'm sure of it. With this, you'll be able to access the next level of your power. We just need to get to Vestroia." The others nodded, though they were unsure how they could possibly do that.

But then, Hayate's Baku-Bracer beeped. He raised it and answered the call, his eyes going wide. "Beck?" The others rushed to his side and saw the Aquos Rugenga staring back at them.

"Finally got through. Something kept opening a portal in Vestroia and when I tracked it back to the source, I located your Baku-Bracer signals. Where are you? What's been happening there?"

Cursor chuckled, "it's a long story."

Back at the HQ, Leonidas was inside a device that was scanning him six ways to Sunday.

Flash, Twilight and Mira were also there, Mira operating the device as they waited to see the results of the scan. Flash waited, attempting to look calm but feeling like a nervous wreck. He turned to Mira, who was analysing the data with a stoic expression. "Well?"

Mira finished the scan, Leonidas jumping out of the machine as soon as it was done. "He's fine. Whatever Dragonia did seems to have cancelled out the negative effects of the proto-abilities. A good night's rest and Leonidas should be fit and ready for battle by tomorrow."

Everyone sighed at this, Flash turning to smile at Leonidas. "That's great. I'm glad you're gonna be okay."

"Same here," Leonidas nodded. "But we should still be careful the next time we battle. There's no telling what could happen." Flash nodded, as Spectra stepped into the room carrying Flash's Baku-Bracer.

"Thanks for letting me check the data." He handed it to Flash, who quickly strapped it back on whilst Twilight spoke up.

"So what were you looking for?"

"I was analysing the data Flash's bracer acquired during the battle. Using those proto-abilities might have put Leonidas in danger, but it's also given me a bunch of answers when it comes to those cards. We never fully tested them, because we couldn't find a way to do so without putting the Bakugan at risk."

"Guess something good came out of this," Leonidas stated. "What did you find?"

"Is there a way to make those proto-abilities safe?" Twilight asked. "As horrible as it was to watch, Leonidas was extremely powerful when he used them. If we could make them safe to use, they could be a valuable weapon against the Rugenga."

"My thoughts exactly. But whilst I could lessen the strain on the Bakugan, I don't think I could make them entirely safe to use." They all frowned at this. "At least without some form of protection."

"What do you mean?" Flash asked, as Spectra stepped over to the computer.

"I'm talking about equipping the Bakugan with a device that could take some of the strain of the abilities. Armor designed to protect the Bakugan from the overload of energy feedback. That combined with more refined versions of these abilities, might be just what we need to make them work."

"Awesome," Flash smirked. "How long will it take to make that armor?"

"That's the bad part. It could take a long while before a working form of this armor could be made available. Months, even." They didn't like the sound of that.

"We don't have months," Flash sighed. "Looks like we'll have to shelve that idea." The others nodded, as Spectra stared at the data he managed to retrieve. "We'll just have to rely on our own skills to beat the Rugenga. With the rest of you helping, those guys won't stand a chance." They all smiled, hoping he was right.

They didn't know what was awaiting them in Equestria, but they knew they could handle it. No matter what those psychos threw at them. As long as they were together, nothing could stop them.

In her room, Sunset lay on her bed thinking about her home.

She could only imagine the horrors going on in Equestria, fear overflowing her at the thought of Celestia and the others in terrible danger. And she could do nothing to help them. "Flash...Twilight...Spectra. They're all so much better than me. When we return to Equestria, they'll be the ones leading the charge. And I'll..." She sighed, as she felt relegated once again. "All I can do is help, whilst real heroes save my home. I'm pathetic."

Author's Note

Yikes. That was a close call. But Flash managed to get his partner back and now, they can all return to Equestria. But how will things turn out when they get there? Only time will tell.

Sunset's Choice

In the alleyway where the Rugenga had taken refuge, the three and their Bakugan were talking with Beck and the other Rugenga.

"What do you mean, you can't get us back?" Beck frowned at the question, as he, Azalea and Kiyrah stared back at him. "I have more power than any other time. But my Baku-Bracer won't be able to hold it for long. If we don't get back soon, it'll all be wasted."

"I'm sorry," Beck replied. "I might have been able to create a signal, but tracking it to your exact coordinates is proving tricky. I can't create a stable enough portal to get you back."

"So we're stuck here?" Hayate asked, but Thalia stepped forward with something in hand. The laptop.

"I don't think so. It seems our friends are preparing for a trip?" She showed them the laptop and on the screen, security footage from the Battle Brawler's HQ showed everyone working on packing what they could. "They must have found a way back to Vestroia...or Equestria."

Cursor hummed. "So, there's a chance we could be left behind whilst they go off and cause problems for the others."

"Let them try," Azalea laughed. "We have control of Equestria. They'll be fighting a losing battle." The three turned to them in shock, as Beck and Kiyrah nodded before explaining everything that had happened since they disappeared.

"Is that so?" Cursor chuckled. "That might work in our favour, then. Beck, I need you to do something for me. I require video of everything that's happening in Equestria. Make it as heartbreaking to watch as possible."

"I can do that. But why?"

"I think it's time to add to our ranks," Cursor stated. "And in all the times we've fought the Defenders, I've come to realise one major thing. One of them will do anything to protect her world. If she sees the state her world is in, she'll do anything to save it. Even if it means betraying everything she stood for."

"You can't be serious," Thalia cried. "You want her to join us. She can't be trusted?"

"None of us can be trusted," Hayate stated. "Which means we're the only ones you can trust, since you can trust that we can't be trusted."

"What?" Azalea asked.

"It doesn't matter," Cursor stated. "Unless you can think of another way for us to get back, this is our only hope of getting back. So get to work. I need as much footage as possible. I want to see pain. I want to see drama. And I want to show them what happens when they try to stand against us, now that we are in control." The Rugenga nodded before the call was cut, though the signal there remained.

"Let's say this works," Hayate replied. "And we somehow get back to Equestria with her. What do we do with her then?"

"We keep an eye on her," Cursor replied. "Hope she plays ball. But if she doesn't, there are ways we can make her see things our way." He chuckled, as the others wondered what he had in mind.

At the Battle Brawlers HQ, Mira and Joe were once again talking to the large number of different individuals that were a part of the Bakugan Alliance.

"So you're going to this Equestria?" The Neathian woman asked.

"We are," Mira nodded. "We're hoping that we can find some clues about Dan and the others. Something happened to them and if we want to find out what, we have to get to Vestroia. And since Equestria is the only world that can apparently connect to Vestroia, we need to start there."

"And we need to help the ponies," Joe agreed. "They were willing to protect the Bakugan up to this point and now their world has been conquered by these Rugenga. We need to help free them before we can work on finding out what happened to Dan. And hopefully, it'll lead to us finding out what happened anyway."

"Sounds like a plan," the Gundalian agreed. "But are you sure about leaving Bakugan City unprotected like that? With you gone, there's no telling what could happen."

"That's why we're calling," Mira explained. "We're hoping some of you can come protect the city in our absence. Three of the Rugenga are still here and they're powerful. So we need some of you to make sure they don't try anything until we get back."

"Got it," the well dressed individual replied. "I shouldn't have any trouble running my company from Bakugan City. I'll start making preparations to be there as soon as I can."

"I'm in too," the woman wearing a Chinese dress replied. "It might take me a little while to get there, though."

"Don't worry," Mira told her. "Kato's already getting Marucho's jet ready. He can be there to pick you up in no time."

"Then we'll head there too," the Australian man replied. "Cycloid and I can handle anything those Rugenga guys throw at us."

"Me too," dreadlocks guy stated. "I've been itching to throw down for a while. Battle Brawlers stick together, no matter what."

Mira smiled. "Billy...Jake...Chan. Thank you. And Klaus. You're the best."

"Just doing our duties as Battle Brawlers," Klaus replied. "You wanna thank us, save the Bakugan and figure out what's going on in Vestroia. Because I'm sure there's more to this story than we know." Mira nodded, as Chan focused on Joe.

"And be careful. There's no telling what could be waiting for you there." Joe nodded, as the calls came to an end.

"We should start getting ready," Mira replied. "I'm sure we're gonna need all the equipment we can carry. So let's start gathering everything we need." Joe nodded, the pair heading off in different directions to prepare. This was gonna be a long trip. They couldn't afford to not have what they needed.

Meanwhile, Flash, Twilight, and Leonidas were in one of the bedrooms.

Twilight was packing a bunch of clothes into a bag she had been given, the clothes having been procured for her by Mira and the others of the world they were in. She doubted she would have a chance to go clothes shopping, once they returned to Equestria.

"Hey." She turned to Flash. "Have you been wearing the same clothes since going to Equestria?" She stared at the hoodie and jeans he had been wearing every day since being sent to this world. And since their trip to Vestroia had been completely out of nowhere, she doubted he had had time to pack anything else.

Flash chuckled. "Princess Celestia used a spell to multiply my clothes. Seemed easier than trying to get shoes specially ordered for me." He wiggled his feet and Twilight laughed, as Leonidas turned to them.

"I know we should focus on saving Equestria and Vestroia." They turned to him. "But have either of you thought about what'll happen when we finally manage to do that?"

Twilight sighed. "The first thing we need to do, is find a way to get home." Flash nodded.

"Yeah. I'm betting my parents weren't happy with me just disappearing like that."

"You have no idea," Twilight laughed. "But they understood you had to do it. You wouldn't be you if you didn't." Flash smiled, as he thought about what would be waiting for them later down the road.

"Once we get home, I hope we'll be able to stay connected to Equestria, Vestroia, even this world and the rest of the ones in that Bakugan Alliance."

"Indeed," Leonidas nodded. "We've made many good friends in those worlds. It would be terrible to have to say goodbye to them so soon. Imagine, your world being able to connect to any other world. The travel between them."

Flash smirked. "I heard that each world has its own Bakugan Battle Brawler league. Just think how cool it would be, if our world and Equestria could have their own leagues as well. Although, considering the limited number of ponies that can actually brawl, I guess their league wouldn't have a lot of Equestrian representation."

Twilight nodded. She didn't know what the future held for their worlds, but she hoped it would be one they could all enjoy. But before that, they had to save Vestroia and Equestria.

Mira and Moondancer were currently in the living area, Mira having acquired a bunch of different ration packs that they were trying to store in as many bags as possible.

"Chicken pot pie?" Moondancer read, raising an eyebrow. "Just add water." She raised an eyebrow and turned to Mira. "This tiny pack contains an entire pie?" Said pack was the size of a seasoning packet and just as thin, Mira laughing.

"That's Vestal science. Dehydration so we can eat anything we want whilst still travelling light. Flavour's a little off, but it's still good."

Moondancer nodded, amazed by the words she was talking about. "So your world. Vestal. How did it come in contact with Bakugan?"

Mira sighed. "Our world conquered Vestroia." Moondancer and Sorcerell's eyes widened. "When we discovered Vestroia, our king chose to make it our new home. But to do that, he had to remove the Bakugan. So they used a dimension controller to force all the Bakugan back to ball form, allowing us to capture them."

"Like what the Rugenga are doing?" Sorcerell asked.

"Yes. Except we didn't know the Bakugan were sentient. The Vestals used a special machine to make the Bakugan almost mindless. So when we battled with them, they were unable to tell us they were intelligent beings. Only a select few were able to break free of that conditioning, made easier when the controllers were destroyed. When I discovered the truth about them, I swore to free the Bakugan. And when I met Dan and the other Brawlers, we were able to do just that."

"What happened to the king after the Bakugan were saved?"

"That's...a long story. After that, Vestal entered a new era. The royal family was no more and a new government was established to help run it. It was a little tricky for the first few years, but things eventually calmed down. And now Vestal is enjoying a time of peace. Entering the Bakugan Alliance was a big turning point. Now, Vestal, Earth, Neathia and Gundalia work together to help each other out."

"That sounds amazing," Sorcerell nodded. "And hopefully, when Vestroia is freed, it can rejoin this Bakugan Alliance."

"Vestroia was the corner stone of that alliance," Mira nodded. "Worlds connected to Vestroia, joining together. When it was lost, many feared the alliance would break apart. But we managed to make it work."

Moondancer nodded. She didn't know what the future held for Equestria and Vestroia. But she hoped that when this was all over, her home would get to join the alliance and the Bakugan could stay a part of her life.

In another room, having gathered everything he prayed they would need, Joe stepped inside and found Dragonia on the desk.

Joe smiled, finally having time to sit and talk to his former partner. And even if she was in another form, he knew she was still the Bakugan he loved. "Hey, Wyvern." He sat down, as Dragonia turned to him. "It is okay if I still call you that?"

"If that is what makes you feel comfortable," she nodded. "But it's been a long time since I was known as that Bakugan. Almost centuries."

"It's really been that long?" Joe asked, wondering how that could be possible. "Is there some kind of time dilation?"

"It appears so," Dragonia nodded. "After Vestroia was cut off from those worlds, time seemed to move at a different speed in my world. Centuries past. Long enough for the Bakugan race on Vestroia to naturally return to the numbers it had before all the Bakugan came to this world."

"And you chose to be reborn," Joe asked.

"Yes. I felt I had no choice. Vestroia had entered a time of turmoil, with all the different factions warring with one another. It seemed peace was returning, when a Bakugan known as Lucifer arrived. But he turned out to be the greatest threat of all. I couldn't bear to let him cause so much destruction, so I chose to reincarnate. I knew I risked losing all my memories, but I couldn't just sit back and do nothing."

"But you managed to keep your memories," Joe smiled.

"Yes, though I wasn't reborn with them from the start. For a long time, I was simply Dragonia. But as I grew stronger, memories of my old self resurfaced. In a way, what you see is a fusion of the Bakugan I was and the Bakugan I became. Dragonia, the inheritor of Wyvern's will."

Joe nodded. "Then Dragonia you are. I understand. But it doesn't matter to me what you look like or what name you go by. You'll always be the Bakugan I knew."

"Thank you," Dragonia nodded. "I'm so happy I got to meet you again. After so many centuries, I thought I'd never get to see you, Drago or any of my old friends again. It was part of why I decided to allow myself to reincarnate. I thought you had passed on a long time ago. But when I realised that wasn't the case, I prayed I would get the chance to see you again."

"And now you have," Joe smiled. "And this time, nothing's gonna keep us apart. We'll fight together and save Vestroia."

"I'm glad," Dragonia nodded. "I just hope we can find Drago and the others. When I was fighting Draken, I was sure of one thing. Though his power is similar to Drago's, he's not truly Drago. I don't even think he's a real Bakugan, but some form of facsimile created using Drago's own power. Which is worrisome."

"Why?"

"If you think of Drago like a battery, charging Draken up and keeping him going, what happens when the battery eventually runs out of power?" Joe thought about it and began to get worried.

"It dies." Dragonia nodded.

"If we don't find a way to save them soon, there may not be anything worth saving." Joe frowned, not liking the sound of that.

"Then we'll save them. Before any of that happens, we'll find out what happened to the real them and stop it. No matter what, I won't let Dan or any of my friends be lost." Dragonia nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.

"Just hold on, Drago. We'll find you. And save you. No matter what."

Within her room, Sunset was laying on the bed continuing to imagine what Equestria would be like once they got back there.

The unicorn could only imagine the horrors that awaited them. Though they hadn't been in that world for long, it was clearly enough time for the Rugenga to take over their world and turn the place into a nightmare. A nightmare they would need to wait it up from.

Sunset sighed, as she thought about what would likely happen once they had returned.

No doubt, Flash would rush in and fight the first Rugenga they found. Now that he and Leonidas were back together, nothing would stop them. The pair would fight with everything they had and trounce whoever got in their way. And with Spectra also going, he and Helios would likely wipe the floor with anyone else that tried to stop them.

Meanwhile, Sunset would be left bringing up the rear. As those more powerful than her saved her world.

"I know it's good that we have such powerful Brawlers on our side, but why can't I ever be the one who's strong enough to be the hero?" She remembered back before Flash had arrived. Whilst her Bakugan hadn't been the strongest, she had considered herself the best Brawler amongst their side. But when Flash arrived, she quickly realised she had been a big fish in a small pond.

She imagined what would have happened, had Twilight and her friends been able to Brawl. If they could, no doubt Celestia would have charged them with saving the Bakugan. And she would have been waiting on the sidelines...again.

"Sunset?" Flarenix turned to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm...I don't know." Sunset wasn't sure how she felt. She just wanted to do her part for her kingdom. But once again, she would have to step back and let others be the hero.

Suddenly, something happened that took her by surprise.

He room's TV suddenly switched on. The screen was bright blue and Sunset sat up, raising an eyebrow before levitating the remote over to her. She tried to turn it off, but the device refused to listen. "Come on. What's wrong with this thing?" She was about to get up and unplug it, but the TV suddenly began to show an image.

That image was of Canterlot, Sunset's eyes going wide seeing the city in such a state.

She pulled herself off the bed and rushed over to it. "What's happening?" The camera shifted and showed several Bakugan, who were marching around with strange collars around their necks. "This can't be real." Dragonia had said things were bad, but she never thought it would be like this.

Then, the camera changed to show another city. Manehatten. The large metropolis was also full of Bakugan, also wearing the collars. And this time, Sunset saw all the ponies who lived there. They were all forced into hastily built cages, filling the streets and being guarded by the Bakugan keeping the city under their control.

Another city was soon shown. This one being The Crystal Empire. And like Manehatten and Canterlot, it was also under the Bakugan's watchful eyes. And the Crystal Ponies were all chained up, collars around their necks that were bolted to the ground. The sight of it was making Sunset feel sick.

"Horrible, isn't it?" Sunset's eyes widened, as the screen suddenly changed to show Cursor on it. "Apologises for showing you this, but I thought it would be a good way to get your attention."

Sunset glared at him. "You're sick. Forcing Bakugan to do those things. Holding ponies captive. Do you have any shame?"

"A little. But that's not important, right now. The fact is, I know you and your friends are going to be returning to Equestria. So I'm going to give you an ultimatum."

"What kind of ultimatum?"

"I want you to join the Rugenga. To betray those other fools and help us return to your world."

"And why the heck would I do that?" Sunset asked. "You monsters invaded not just my world, but Vestroia's as well. Why would I ever want to be connected to a bunch of creeps like you?" Cursor said nothing for a few moments before the screen changed, Sunset gasping when she saw the image on it. "Celestia!"

The screen showed Celestia, in a metal and glass container filled with a strange liquid. She appeared to be asleep, though Sunset feared she was more than that. And as the camera moved, it showed Luna, Cadance, Twilight and even Spike in these tubes.

"What have you done to them?" She cried, as Cursor reappeared on the screen.

"Don't worry. They're alright. For now." Sunset glared at him. "I might now be able to transport out of this world, but we've been able to get back in contact with Beck and the others. And they have specific instructions. If we do not return to Equestria by tomorrow night, they will make sure those princesses never awaken."

Sunset's stomach turned, as she realised what he meant. "How could you? Causing all this pain. This suffering. Why?"

"We have our reasons," Cursor explained. "And this doesn't have to be a bad thing, you know. It could be a great opportunity for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"The ponies aren't our true targets. They were just in the way. All we want are the Bakugan. Once we have them, we won't need your world. So long as you promise to stay out of our way, we'll happily leave your world alone."

"Celestia would never abandon the Bakugan!"

"Exactly. She...Twilight...all the princesses. None of them have the strength to do what is best for their kingdom. But you're different. You can see the writing on the wall. That as long as the Bakugan were in your world, it would always be in danger. That's why Equestria needs a new leader. One able to make the hard decisions that are necessary for the good of your world. Someone like you."

Sunset just stood there, as the images of Equestria in such a state continued to flow through her head. She thought about all the ponies held captive. The young ponies that were likely going to be traumatised by the fear they were experiencing. And all of it would end, if the Bakugan were gone.

"Now, I'm not completely heartless. We don't need all the Bakugan. I'm willing to let a few that you care about remain with you. Like your own Bakugan. But the rest become ours and once we have everything we need, we leave with them and a few insurances."

"What insurance?" Sunset asked, only for the image to change back to the princesses. "You can't be serious."

"I'm doing you a favour here. With them gone, nobody will be able to dispute your leadership claim. You get to be the new ruler of Equestria and if anyone decides to try anything, we use them to make them stop. Win win for everyone." Sunset glared at him. "Think it over. If you agree, then stop them from leaving for Equestria." With that, the TV died and Sunset was simply staring at a blank screen.

She stood there, her mind racing a mile a minute.

She wanted to refuse his offer, but then she remembered the images she had been shown. And Cursor's threat. If she didn't help, Celestia, Luna and the others would all be in serious trouble.

"Flarenix," she turned to her partner, "what do I do?"

The Pyrus Bakugan looked down, appearing to be unsure himself. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like either choice is one we want to make." He looked back at her, a serious expression on his face. "You wanted to be the one to protect your world. This decision may end up deciding the fate of Equestria. Will you help Cursor and save the princesses, but risk enslaving your world to the Rugenga? Or do you stand against the Rugenga and fight for your world, like how Celestia and others would, but risk leaving it without its leaders?"

Sunset felt close to tears, as she fell onto her bed. "I don't know what to do. No matter what I pick, I'd be letting those I care about down."

"I know it's hard." Flarenix jumped onto her head to try and comfort her. "But just know. No matter what you choose. I will always stand by you. I promise." Sunset felt a little better, but she was still worried about what her future might hold. Would she make the right choice, or the one that would doom everything she loved?

The Next Morning.

As soon as the sun was up the next morning, everyone was up to complete their final preparations. Bags were packed with every supply they might need to help Equestria overthrow the Rugenga, along with data files they hoped would help the ponies improve their technology in order to help in the battle.

Flash and Twilight had just stepped out of their room, Leo on his shoulder as they headed towards the main control room. Twilight looked extremely excited. "I can't wait to meet my Equestrian counterpart." She turned to Flash. "What's she like?"

"Kind of like you," Flash told her. "Only instead of being just a science nerd, she's a science and magic nerd. So she's twice the nerd you are." Twilight pouted at him, as she pushed her glasses up her face. "Oh, and she doesn't need glasses. Guess they have a spell to fix that."

"But Moondancer wears glasses," Twilight pointed out. She was starting to feel a little bit jealous of this other Twilight. She got to study two different types of sciences, she was guessing magic had some form of rules and logic, plus she didn't have to constantly get her eyes checked for worsening vision.

"Well from what I've seen, screens and computers are a rare thing in Equestria. Maybe she didn't spend her whole life looking at a computer screen."

"I do not spend that much looking at screens." Flash and Leonidas gave her a 'seriously' look. "I read real books too...sometimes." They both laughed at this, Twilight pouting, as they reached the main control room. There, Sunset, Moondancer, Spectra, Mira, Joe and Gus were waiting for them.

"Good," Mira nodded, "we're all here."

Flash nodded, as they stepped forward. "Were you able to find someone to look after the city, until you get back?" The three nodded, Joe checking his phone.

"Kato's bringing them. I wish we could be here to welcome them, but we can't wait any longer than we already have. The longer we leave it, the longer Equestria's in the hands of those creeps." Everyone agreed. It was time to return to Equestria and save it from the Rugenga. They didn't know what was waiting for them there, but they would be ready for anything that was thrown at them.

"Dragonia's on the roof," Mira told them. "The portal's apparently gonna be big, so she thought it would be best to open it somewhere open." They all nodded and headed up towards the roof. As they did, Flash noticed Sunset had an odd expression on her face.

"You okay?" She jolted at the question and turned to him. "You look like something's troubling you."

"I'm...um..." Sunset looked down, as Flarenix stared at her on her shoulder.

"I get it," Flash told her. "You're worried about Celestia and the other princesses, aren't you?" Sunset frowned. "Don't worry. We'll save them. With Cursor and the other two stuck here, the rest of the Rugenga are gonna be easy to deal with. Once we find Lyra and the others, it'll be all hands on deck."

"He's right," Twilight nodded. "I don't know much about Equestria. But from the stories you've told me, it's clear your people are strong. If they can survive an immortal evil moon witch, the physical embodiment of chaos, a swarm of shape-shifting bugs and a shadow monster from a thousand years ago, they can handle whatever the Rugenga have planned. They'll stay strong until we get there."

Moondancer nodded, whilst Sunset just remained as stoic as she could possibly be. And as they arrived at the rooftop, they spotted Dragonia floating in the middle of it.

"Ah," she nodded, "you're here. Good. I'm ready to open the portal. Are you all prepared? I can assure you, the Equestria we're heading to won't be the same one you remember. It'll take everything we have in order to save it and everypony there."

"We're ready," Flash assured her. "And I don't care what the Rugenga have in store for us. Nothing's gonna stop me from saving the ponies and the Bakugan." The others nodded.

"Then I shall open the portal." She flew up higher and everyone watched, as she began to glow. And eventually, she fired a beam of light from her horn that flew down and struck the air in front of everyone.

They watched, as the energy began to swirl around and slowly form a whirlpool of light. One that made many of them dizzy just looking at it.

Eventually, the portal was complete and Dragonia finished blasting it with energy. And as she did, she moaned before falling down towards them. Luckily, Joe was able to catch her. "Dragonia? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Dragonia assured him. "Just tired. We should hurry." They nodded, preparing to jump through the portal. However, before they could, Spectra suddenly sensed a presence.

"We've got company!" He spun around and everyone turned to the edge of the roof, where three individuals suddenly shot up and landed. Cursor, Thalia and Hayate, the Rugenga having arrived just in time.

"Hello there," Cursor saw the portal and chuckled. "Planning a little trip, are we? That wouldn't happen to lead back to Equestria, would it?" They all frowned, as the Rugenga laughed. "Good. We needed a way back. Thank you for providing us with one."

"You're not getting anywhere near that portal," Moondancer told him. "You're staying here and when we finish dealing with your friends, we'll be back to deal with you." The others nodded, but Thalia chuckled.

"Please. You really think you can stop us?"

"We don't have time for this," Dragonia cried. "We have to get through the portal, before it closes." Everyone frowned, as they looked over at the portal and saw it was already starting to grow smaller.

"Master Spectra." Gus stepped forward. "Let me deal with them. You and the others get through the portal and I'll hold them off until it closes." Spectra smiled and nodded. However...

Suddenly, a dome of energy appeared around the lot of them. Everyone gasped at this, Flash reaching out and touching it only for the dome to zap him. "Ahh!" He hissed. "What is this?" The others were just as shocked, but Moondancer knew what it was.

"A magical barrier." She could sense the magical power coming off of it. And the red glow that it had, made Moondancer instantly realise who had cast it. "Sunset?" She turned to where the girl had been, only to see the unicorn had moved from her spot. Now, she was standing on the other side of the magical dome. "What are you doing?"

Sunset looked down in shame. "I'm sorry."

"Sunset?" Flash moved over to her, the energy field the only thing separating them. "What's this about?"

"Haven't you figured it out?" Cursor chuckled, as he and the other two moved over to her. "Sunset has accepted my offer to join us. She will now be working with us, the Rugenga."

"What?" Flash couldn't believe this. "That's not true. There's no way Sunset would ever join you."

"Oh, but she would." Thalia placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Because we're offering her the one thing she has always wanted. Power. With Celestia, Luna and the other princesses out of the picture, Equestria needs a new ruler. One that will agree to anything we demand of them."

"Sunset," Moondancer stepped forward. "They're not serious, are they? You're not actually going to work with them, are you?" Sunset's look of shame grew stronger. "Please, don't do this. Think of everything we've done until now. Everything we've fought for. Are you just going to throw that away?"

"I don't have a choice," Sunset told her. "Even if we went back to Equestria, they have the princesses captured. If we tried to save them, there's no telling what they could do to them. If I go with them, Cursor promised the princesses wouldn't be hurt. I have to do this."

"This isn't what Celestia and the others would want," Flash stated. "Come on, Sunset. Use your head. They're tricking you."

"I have used my head," Sunset replied. "I'm sorry, but it has to be this way. Equestria belongs to the Rugenga now. But they don't want it. All they want is the Bakugan. Once they have everything they need, they'll leave and Equestria will be safe."

"So you're just going to abandon the Bakugan?" Dragonia asked. "Let them remain slaves to the Rugenga. How could you think of doing something like that?"

"Now now," Hayate chuckled. "Sunset's being smart. Equestria didn't ask to become a part of this situation. Why should her people suffer, because you and the rest of the Bakugan were too weak to defend yourselves?" They glared at him, as Hayate turned towards the portal. "This thing won't stay open much longer. We need to go, now."

Thalia nodded, turning to Sunset as she did. "Stay until the portal is about to close, then jump through. Your magic is the only thing keeping them there. Can't have them following." With that, she turned to the portal and leapt through it.

Everyone watched, as her form seemed to swirl in on itself and she vanished. Hayate then stepped forward, as the portal drew smaller and smaller. "Well, I guess this is it." He turned to them. "Sorry to leave you like this. But I think we can all agree, it's for the best." With that, he leapt through and disappeared just like Thalia.

Cursor and Sunset stepped up to the portal, as it slowly began to close. All the while, Flash started slamming his shoulder against the shield. No matter how many times it zapped him, he kept pushing against it. "SUNSET!"

"Later," Cursor chuckled before vanishing through the portal. Now, it was just Sunset and the others.

"Sunset!" Twilight called out to her, "please. You don't want to do this. If you do this, there's no going back." Sunset remained still for a moment, looking as if she was actually regretting it. But as the portal began to wobble and shrank more, she sighed.

"I'm sorry. But I have to do this." She glanced back at them. "I hope you manage to get back to Equestria. But the next time we meet, we'll be enemies." With that, she leapt through the portal.

The shield remained up for a few more moments before it suddenly flickered out of existence, Flash being the first to run forward once it was down. The portal kept shrinking and despite fearing being sent back alone, Flash tried to leap at it hoping to get through. But the portal vanished with a pop before he could reach it and he fell to the ground behind where it was instead.

"Ow."

"Flash!" Twilight rushed to his side, as the others also approached. "I can't believe it."

"Sunset betrayed us," Sorcerell cried. "What could she be thinking?" Mira and Spectra shared a look, the two appearing to be having flashbacks of something. But they decided to stay quiet, since they had bigger issues to deal with at the moment.

"We have to get to Equestria," Flash groaned before turning to Dragonia. "You need to open the portal again, quick." Dragonia sighed.

"I'm afraid I can't," she looked down in shame. "Opening that portal took a lot out of me. I won't be able to open any portal until I've regained my strength."

"So you're saying we've gotta wait another twenty four hours?" Leonidas asked, but Dragonia's expression told him something different. "Don't tell me..."

"Yes. It'll take far longer than that for me to recharge. My battle against you and opening that portal, has completely drained me of all the energy I had. The other guardians were the ones who helped me get here, by lending me the power they had all regained since sending the Bakugan to Equestria. But that energy wasn't enough to completely restore my strength. It'll be months before I'm strong enough to open another portal."

Flash's frustrations got the better of him and he threw a kick into a metal wall. "RAAAAAAAAAAH!" He fell to his knees, Twilight placing a hand on his shoulder. "That's it. If we can't get back, the Rugenga will have free reign to do whatever they want in Equestria and Vestroia. By the time we get there, who knows what they'll have done."

Spectra remained silent for a moment, then spoke up. "We're not out of this yet." He turned to walk away, the others following as he headed back into the HQ. Once inside, he led them towards the main control room. There, Spectra started working on a computer.

"Keith," Mira spoke up, "what are you planning? If you have another way to get there, why did Dragonia have to strain herself opening the portal?"

"I do have another way to get to Equestria," Spectra replied back. "The way we were originally going to get back there."

"You mean through your dimensional transporter?" Twilight asked. "Are you saying you managed to locate the dimensional coordinates."

"Yes," Spectra nodded. "I was able to find it when everyone was focusing on getting Leonidas back. But when I tried to open a portal there, I couldn't. We have a lock on Equestria's location, but it's not precise enough to open a stable portal."

"Okay," Flash was confused, "so we don't have a way to get to Equestria."

"We do. Whilst I wasn't able to make the portal stable enough to transport us all through it, I can make one stable enough for a few of us to travel through it. Specifically, those already saturated with the energy of that universe." Everyone's eyes went wide.

"Wait," Moondancer spoke up. "So anyone who's already been in Equestria, can travel back there?"

"They are the only ones who can," Spectra stated. "As soon as we open the portal, the Equestrian energy you, Flash, and your Bakugan are bathed in will be pulled towards the source. Others could try and go through with you, but I've estimated that there would be a seventy percent chance of them getting lost along the way. It's too risky."

"Which is why you decided to have me open a portal instead," Dragonia realised. "If we use this method, only the five of us will be able to travel back to Equestria. And the rest of you will have to remain behind."

"Exactly," Spectra nodded. "And with the Rugenga there controlling the kingdom, it won't be easy for you to liberate Equestria." Flash and Moondancer turned to one another, they and the Bakugan sharing looks as if they were having a mental conversation.

This was the facts as they saw them. Either they wait for Dragonia to regain her power, letting the Rugenga have free reign of Equestria and Vestroia, or they go alone. And whilst it might be harder, they could take the Rugenga by surprise before they realised they were there.

"Spectra," Flash turned to him, "power up the machine." Spectra nodded, as Flash turned towards Twilight. He could tell she wasn't happy about this. Being left behind again. "I'm sorry. I promised we'd save the Bakugan together, but it looks like that's not possible."

Twilight sighed. "I understand. It's not your fault." She turned to Leonidas. "Please. Take care of him. You know how reckless he can be."

Leonidas chuckled and nodded. "Don't worry. I won't let him out of my sight. We'll face whatever's waiting for us on the other side together. Then, we'll find Spike and all the other Bakugan that were taken by the Rugenga."

"Thank you." She turned back to Flash. "Just be careful. Even if Leo's with you, I know you're gonna find some way to get yourself into trouble." Flash chuckled and nodded, as the pair pulled each other into a hug.

At the same time, Moondancer turned to Mira. The woman had all of their bags open and was starting to take things out, rearranging everything the pair might need. "I doubt you're gonna get the chance to eat any real food for a while." She finished zipping up a pair of bags, now filled with all the food and water she could get in there. "Those rations should sustain you and Flash for a few days."

"Thanks." Moondancer took the bags in her magic. "We'll find a way to save Equestria as soon as we can. You guys focus on getting to Equestria yourselves. No matter what, Flash and I won't be able to save the Bakugan by ourselves."

"Don't worry," Spectra assured her. "I won't stop until we find a way to get into Equestria. And once we're there, I'm praying we can also open a portal to Vestroia. It's time that world was brought back into the Bakugan Alliance." They nodded, as Dragonia turned to Joe.

"I'm sorry, Joe. It seems I have to leave you once again."

Joe smiled, patting her on the head. "I know it's not by choice. And it won't be forever. Like Spectra said. We won't rest until we find a way into Equestria. And when we get there, we'll figure out what happened to Dan, Drago and the others. We'll save them, Dragonia." The Haos Bakugan nodded before turning to leap onto Flash's shoulder, standing beside Leonidas as Flash and Moondancer held the bags.

Flash and Twilight smiled at one another before Twilight kissed him, Flash kissing her back before he and Moondancer headed towards the machine.

They stepped inside the chamber, as Spectra finished powering it back up. "It's time," he told her. "Activating interdimensional portal." The machine slowly began to light up, Flash and Moondancer bracing themselves for what came next. "Transport in five...four...three.."

Flash looked back at Twilight. "We'll see you soon. I promise." Twilight nodded.

"One. ACTIVATE!" The light filled the chamber and the two Brawlers and their Bakugan suddenly disappeared. The light within the chamber disappeared, revealing they were completely gone.

"You think they made it?" Mira asked, making Twilight worry.

"I'm sure they did," Spectra replied. "But there's no way to tell for sure. All we can do is trust in them. They've got a difficult mission ahead of them. And we've got a difficult task ahead of us. We have to find our own way there." They nodded, knowing they had to find a way to Equestria. If they couldn't, this battle could end up going badly for their friends.

"We'll get there," Twilight stated. "No matter what."

In Canterlot, Cursor, Hayate, Thalia and Sunset were walking through the half destroyed city.

Sunset felt like throwing up, the sight before her making her pray nopony she knew would see her. Her heart was still breaking from what had happened back on Earth, but she couldn't chicken out now. Not when so much was on the line.

Several Bakugan could be seen, keeping watch over the city. And as they got closer to the city, Sunset spotted several ponies staring out of the windows looking worried. Sunset wasn't sure if they were actually hiding, or had just been left by the Rugenga as they weren't seen as a threat.

When they finally arrived at the castle, Sunset spotted a large antenna sticking out of the roof. She frowned, wondering what the Rugenga had been up to.

When they stepped through the gates, Sunset instantly saw a bunch of ponies wearing manacles and collars. They were the staff that worked in the castle, along with several high ranking society ponies that were likely in the castle when it was conquered.

When they saw Sunset, they looked shocked to see her. Sunset just turned away, unable to look them in the eye. "Not bad," Cursor nodded. "I could get used to living here. At least until we're done with this world." Sunset glared at him, as they stepped into the castle. "Just think. If you play nice, all this will one day belong to you."

"So long as you don't do anything stupid," Thalia mentioned. "Now, lead us to the throne room."

Sunset nodded and they made their way through the castle, which was still half destroyed from some kind of battle. And eventually, they came to a set of double doors that Sunset pushed open. And when she did, her eyes went wide at the sight of what was located within the middle of it.

Five stasis tubes, four of them containing the most important ponies in Equestria. Sunset had prayed that had been some kind of deception, but it was true. Equestria's leaders had been captured and if Sunset wanted them to remain safe, she had to play ball. No matter what the Rugenga had planned.

Author's Note

Oh geez. Sunset was caught in a catch twenty-two. Save the princesses, or help her friends. Neither option was great. Will she come to regret it? Find out next time.