Chapter 3: Dragon Vs. Dragon

Unknown Location Hours Before Present Time…

"So they're heading to New York?" Chan Lee asked.

"That's right. I want you and Julio to go and intercept the Battle Brawlers and, if possible, find a brawler named Ryder Shade and battle them." Masquerade explained.

"With our Bakugan empowered by the Silent Orb, that should be no problem," Chan Lee replied.

"I get the Battle Brawlers, but why this nobody?" Julio questioned.

"Because his Bakugan Leonidas is very interesting. I want to know what it can do, so go and battle them." Masquerade ordered.

"Understood." Chan and Julio replied before leaving.


Inside Marucho's Ship Present Time…

Ryder sat uncomfortably on a couch in a nice room inside the ship across the Bakugan Battle Brawlers. He did not expect his day to go like this, being so suddenly sought out by the Brawlers because of Leonidas. The entire room was silent, as no one knew what to say first.

"So, uh, where would you like us to start?" Ryder inquired.

"We would like you to explain the events that led to you and Leonidas meeting in the real world if you don't mind." Marucho requested.

"Well, it's kinda complicated, and I don't understand most of it," Ryder replied.

"The day I wrote that post, I'll restate it. I was just walking around when well, everything disappeared, and I found myself in what I now know was the Doom Dimension." Ryder began.

"That's where I first saw Leonidas, but it soon ended. I didn't see him again until I was in a brawl with another Darkus user where we talked a little more." Ryder continued.

"It wasn't until my second brawl with said user when Leonidas came to our world because my opponent used a Doom Card," Ryder explained.

"A Doom Card!" The Brawlers gasped.

"So, this brawler was working with Masquerade, right?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, he got tempted into it," Ryder answered.

"But as one of my Bakugan was sent to the Doom Dimension before the gateway closed, Leonidas came out," Ryder added.

"Impossible a Bakugan can't escape the Doom Dimension when they are sent there, nor can one survive the conditions of the Doom Dimension." Drago denied.

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Dragonoid, but you're looking at a Bakugan who did just that," Leonidas replied.

"But how did you do it? How did you escape the Doom Dimension?" Tigrerra inquired.

"It felt as if Ryder was close by when the Doom Card was used and when I found the gateway forced my way out," Leonidas explained.

"Wow, it's that easy. I guess we don't need to fear the Doom Dimension!" Preyas exclaimed.

"I doubt it was that easy something else must have contributed to this," Shun stated.

"I have to agree if it were that simple, then more Bakugan would have been able to escape as well." Marucho began.

"That being said, how did you know it was Ryder that you felt Leonidas?" Marucho inquired.

"I just did. Ever since our first encounter, we've had this strange bond between each other. Sometimes I even feel what he feels." Leonidas explained.

"I've never heard of such a thing happening between a Bakugan and a human before," Drago stated.

"Well, Leonidas doesn't seem to be a normal Bakugan." Julie pointed out.

"Well, I think we first need to know how Leonidas got there and how he was able to survive there. Maybe that could explain the connection," Marucho suggested.

"All I remember is waking up in the Doom Dimension before seeing Ryder," Leonidas explained.

"I have no memory of my life before or of Vestroia," Leonidas added.

"You don't remember your life before entering the Doom Dimension at all?" Runo asked.

"No, I do not," Leonidas answered.

"That is very odd. It could very well mean Dan was right, and Leonidas was born in the Doom Dimension." Skyress pointed out.

"Born in the Doom Dimension?!" Ryder questioned.

"I still have my doubts, but it could explain many things," Drago said.

"What do you think, Leonidas?" Ryder asked.

"I do not know, but it would explain a lot," Leonidas responded.

"So a Bakugan born from the Doom Dimension can force its way out thanks to the Doom Card and maybe even form some sort of mental bond with a human." Marucho theorized.

"We still don't know if this is what happened." Shun pointed out.

"For all, we know something else could have happened," Shun added.

"I guess you're right. What do you think, Alice?" Runo asked the silent girl who looked at the floor.

"Oh uh…I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention." Alice apologized.

"Are you okay, Alice? You've been quiet ever since we found Ryder?" Dan inquired.

"Oh, is it because of…" Julie began before Alice covered her mouth in a panic.

"Please don't say it aloud, please," Alice whispered to Julie.

Alice did not want to reveal exactly who she was to Ryder, seeing as he didn't notice that she was related to his parents disappearing. Though she didn't do anything to him or them personally, she still felt a little guilty about it.

"Uh…okay? So so what if Leonidas comes from the Doom Dimension? I don't really care. I mean, it's not like he came here to hurt others? He just really likes to battle." Ryder replied.

"How much does he like to battle?" Shun inquired.

"That is all I want to do. I wish to battle other strong Bakugan," Leonidas answered in Ryder's stead.

"Yeah, he's kinda obsessed." Ryder laughed.

"Maybe being in the Doom Dimension and supposedly born there has had an effect on Leonidas's behavior." Marucho theorized.

"Alright, now on to the main part of why we're here." Dan began.

"Yes, what we are about to talk about is very private, so if you don't mind, keep it to yourself." Marucho requested.

"Okay…" Ryder replied, getting even more nervous.

"You see, there is more to the relationship between Earth and Vestroia than most know of. At the moment, the world of the Bakugan is out of balance." Drago began.

"A rouge Bakugan named Naga in his lust for power attempted to absorb the power of the two cores of Vestroia that holds our world together," Drago explained.

"But as he tried with the Silent Core with the help of a man known as Hal-G, formerly Alice's grandfather, something went wrong." Drago continued as Alice looked down.

"Naga? Hal-G?" Ryder thought as he looked at Alice, who looked unhappy. He felt bad for her because if a family member joined an evil being, he too wouldn't be happy.

"But Silent Core is that similar to the Silent Orb?" Ryder wondered, opting to bring it up once they were done explaining.

"The next thing I know, all of Vestroia is in chaos, and the Infinity Core had gone missing," Drago stated.

"We've been looking for the Infinity Core for a while now so that Naga can't get to it and Vestroia can go back to normal." Dan continued in Drago's stead.

"That is when we saw your post, and it was a strange coincidence for us," Marucho said, taking the reigns.

"You see, we were in Bakugan Valley looking for the Infinity Core when we had a vision of Vestroia. During this vision, we saw the current state of the world, but that is beside the point." Marucho continued.

"Not too long after this happened, you had your vision of the Doom Dimension and Leonidas. I don't think it happened because of the Infinity Core, but something must have happened in Vestroia to cause it." Marucho finished.

"If a Bakugan can suddenly escape from the Doom Dimension and if that Bakugan was born there, then Naga must have done something or something even worse may have occurred," Drago added.

"Exactly, so can you think of anything that could have caused you and Leonidas to see one another?" Runo asked.

"Sorry, but I don't know why it happened. Leonidas and I just have this strange connection, and we don't know why." Ryder answered, causing the Brawlers to let out a sigh of disappointment.

"I guess we wasted our time coming here." Runo sighed.

"Well, I wouldn't say that there are still many things we could learn from Leonidas," Marucho replied.

"That would be a waste of time," Shun stated.

"What do you mean, Shun?" Dan asked.

"Because if Leonidas is from the Doom Dimension, then I don't trust him. For all, we know he is working secretly for Masquerade as some pet project." Shun explained.

"That's not true. If it was, then why has Masquerade sent other brawlers against me?" Ryder pointed out, getting onto his feet.

"He's got a point, Shun. It wouldn't make sense for Masquerade to go after Leonidas if they're working together." Dan agreed.

"I agree with Shun on this," Drago spoke.

"Wha…? Drago, what's the deal?!" Dan questioned as he got up close to Drago, who was on the table with the other Bakugan.

"I'm sorry, Dan, but ever since we encountered Leonidas, I've felt negative energy come from him," Drago explained.

"It's true I felt it too." Skyress agreed.

"I don't feel anything like that," Leonidas stated, not understanding what they meant.

"I don't think any Bakugan affected by negative energy would be able to tell. But this is concerning." Marucho murmured.

"Exactly like I said, we can't trust Leonidas, and sorry to say I don't think we can trust you either, Ryder. For all we know, the negative energy could have affected you as well," Shun stated.

"Shun, I think you're taking it too far." Alice voiced, not happy with where the conversation was going.

"Why? I'm trying to do the logical thing here, Alice. If anything, we wasted our time coming here. We didn't learn too much new except that we need to keep an eye on Leonidas." Shun replied.

"You're just getting defensive because of his parents disappearing when they were with your grandfather," Shun stated, catching Ryder's attention.

"Wait, how do you know about that, and also, what is this about her grandfather?" Ryder questioned, never actually knowing the name of the scientist his parents visited.

"I…I…" Alice stuttered, not knowing how to talk to Ryder about the subject.

"There's nothing bad about this. She explained how your parents came to help her grandfather before they disappeared. And before he became Hal-G." Julie explained.

When Julie finished, silence fell in the room, and Ryder stared at Alice, who couldn't bring herself to look at him in the eye. She felt guilty, even though she shouldn't. It was the same feeling as when she didn't tell the rest of the Brawlers about her grandfather.

"Is that it?" Ryder asked, not sounding angry in the slightest.

"You're not mad?" Alice inquired.

"I don't see why I should be. Look, I had years to process my parents disappearing, and just because you happen to be related to someone who was there when they disappeared doesn't make you at fault or anything." Ryder smiled, relieving Alice.

"And I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather," Ryder added, causing Alice to smile.

"Back to the topic on hand, I still don't think we have reason enough to trust Leonidas or you, sorry," Shun stated.

"I have to agree if Leonidas is from the Doom Dimension and is tainted by negative energy, then I can't trust him." Runo agreed.

The Brawlers then began to argue back and forth as Ryder became increasingly uncomfortable. It seemed as if they were split in the middle at who trusted Ryder and Leonidas and who didn't. Shun, Marucho, and Runo were on the side who distrusted them while Dan, Julie, and Alice were on the other.

"Look, we aren't getting anywhere just arguing like this, so there is only one way to see who's right and who's wrong!" Dan stated.

"Ryder, I challenge you and Leonidas to a battle!" Dan exclaimed, pointing at Ryder.

"What?!" Ryder questioned, shocked at the sudden challenge.

"Accept it, Ryder. I want a good challenge!" Leonidas insisted, excited at the thought of battling Drago.

"Sounds good enough in a battle we can see one's true nature." Marucho agreed.

"Yes, battling against Leonidas will allow me to understand what he truly is," Drago said.

"I am curious to see Leonidas up close," Alice whispered.

"How the hell did it come to this?" Ryder wondered.

"Alright, I accept." Ryder accepted.

"Sweet, I'm stoked," Dan smirked. With the challenge accepted, everyone got ready, with the Brawlers on one side behind Dan and Ryder and Leonidas on the other.

"Field Open!" Everyone shouted as time slowed to a stop, and they were transported to the battle field.


Doom Dimension…

Marduk wandered around the grey ash-like wasteland that was the Doom Dimension. He had been stuck there for he didn't know how long ever since Masquerade had sent him there. It was excruciating as just being in the Doom Dimension was painful.

His body began to decay slowly due to the effects of the negative energy in the Doom Dimension. The left side of his face even had a large scar at this point. But Marduk kept pushing further his lust for revenge on Masquerade fueled him.

"Just you wait, Masquerade. I will escape from this place and beat you!" Marduk swore as he fell to his knees.

"What is a human doing in the Doom Dimension?" A deep voice questioned as Marduk looked up.

He was met with the sight of a large Darkus Bakugan that seemed to be a Dark Knight. His cape blew in the harsh wind that blew through the world. The very presence of the Bakugan was menacing as Marduk looked at him wide-eyed.

"Who…who are you?" Marduk asked as he got back up on his feet.

"My name is Vladitor. Who are you? How did you get here?" Vladitor questioned.

"I am Marduk Smite. I got here because of a brawler named Masquerade." Marduk answered.

"I see, so there is a breach between the human world and the Doom Dimension," Vladitor murmured.

"That means after centuries, I can finally escape," Vladitor said.

"There's no exit that I can find, though." Marduk pointed out.

"I can make my own way out of here if the walls between the human world and the Doom Dimension is weak enough," Vladitor stated.

"This must be a direct effect of the actions of Naga taking the Silent Core. I've heard what he had done from other Bakugan who've been sent here." Vladitor mused.

"This must have weakened it enough for me to escape," Vladitor added.

"Maybe it was fate that brought you here. I require a human to get out of this hell." Vladitor revealed.

"You can get us out!? Marduk asked.

"That is right, but I need a human in order to get there and to do battle," Vladitor answered.

"You'll be like my partner?" Marduk asked.

"In a sense, yes. But your body has absorbed a lot of negative energy. All due to the increase of negative energy in the Doom Dimension." Vladitor responded.

"What does that mean?" Marduk inquired.

"It means that we must get your body to assimilate your body to it so you can function properly and be able to brawl with my power," Vladitor answered.

"Really? This means I can get my revenge!" Marduk exclaimed.

"Revenge? On who?" Vladitor asked.

"Two brawlers, in particular, their names are Ryder and Masquerade! Because of them, I got stuck here!" Marduk hissed, angry at the two.

"I see you want revenge on those who put you here. I too wish for revenge by taking over all of Vestroia." Vladitor replied.

"So what's it going to be?" Vladitor inquired.

"I'm in," Marduk answered.

"Good, now stand still. This may hurt." Vladitor replied as he hovered his left hand over Marduk.

Suddenly Marduk was surrounded by dark energy, and he screamed in pain. Falling back to his knees, Marduk's body was adjusting to the negative energy. His body slowly turned back to normal, only stopping at the left side of his face with remained the same.

Marduk's hair changed slightly, too, as a few red strands formed as the process ended. The clothes he wore became darker and changed to a coat with a frailed tail. Looking at himself, Marduk felt better than ever before.

"Amazing, I feel like I can take on Ryder and Masquerade all at once!" Marduk laughed.

"Don't get too cocky, Marduk. The last thing you want is to rush into battle. First, we must prepare." Vladitor stated.

"Prepare how?" Marduk asked.

"When Bakugan battle, they become stronger. The more they battle, the stronger they get until. Eventually, they evolve. As well, the stronger their opponent, the stronger they become after a battle." Vladitor began.

"So when we get to Earth, we must battle against strong Bakugan and defeat them!" Vladitor explained.

"So we find brawlers and Bakugan to beat? Sounds easy enough. I do that all the time." Marduk smirked.

"But that being said, I know Masquerade is using something called the Silent Orb to empower Bakugan. If we got our hands on that, it could help." Marduk pointed out, knowing it could get him to Masquerade faster.

"Silent Orb, you say. Interesting. Very well, we shall get our hands on this power." Vladitor replied.

"Sounds like a plan." Marduk smiled as he picked up what looked like a shard of a Bakugan's skull and put it on the left side of his face as a mask.

"So, how do we leave?" Marduk asked.

"Jump on my hand, and I shall open a rift to allow us to escape," Vladitor explained as he lowered his right hand for Marduk to get on.

Marduk hoped on his hand, and Vladitor lifted him up and turned around. The Bakugan used his other hand to create a tear in the world where he walked through with Marduk leaving the Doom Dimension.


Bakugan Battlefield…

Gate Card Set!" Ryder and Dan yelled as they threw their gate cards.

"I'll go first, Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Centipoid Stand!" Dan shouted as he threw the Bakugan on his gate card.

"Pyrus Centipoid G power 495 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"My turn, Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Juggernoid Stand!" Ryder shouted.

"Darkus Juggernoid G power 470 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Gate Card Open! Pyrus booster!" Dan proclaimed as the gate card opened up.

"Pyrus Centipoid G power increase by 40 Gs. Pyrus Centipoid G power 535 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Ability Card Activate! Pyrus Vortex!" Dan added.

"Pyrus Centipoid G power increase by 70 Gs. Pyrus Centipoid G power 606 Gs." The bakupod announced.

The Centipoid was surrounded by a swirling vortex of fire that slowly drew in Ryder's Juggernoid that struggled to escape. Once the Juggernoid reached the center, the Centipoid used it's pincer's to pierce the Juggernoid.

"Ability Activate! Darkus Shockwave!" Ryder countered as Juggernoid struggled against Centipoid.

"Darkus Juggernoid G power increase by 100 Gs. Darkus Juggernoid G power 570 Gs. Pyrus Centipoid G power decrease by 40 Gs. Pyrus Centipoid G power 566 Gs." The bakupod announced.

With the G power now in Juggernoid's favor, the Darkus Bakugan began to overpower Centipoid, snuffing out the flames that surrounded them. Juggernoid headbutted the Centipoid, causing it to fall onto its back before slamming down onto its stomach, defeating it.

"Wow, you're not half bad, kid," Dan smirked as Centipoid landed at his feet.

"Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I'm older than you." Ryder thanked as he caught Juggernoid.

"It seems like Ryder isn't that bad of a Brawler," Julie commented.

"True, but the battle has just begun. I bet Dan is going to turn it all around in this next bout." Runo pointed out.

"I'm just curious about how Leonidas fights," Marucho stated.

"Me too. It's not every day that you see a brand new Bakugan battle." Alice agreed as she looked at Ryder.

"Alright, let's do this! Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Manion Stand!" Dan shouted as the Bakugan was summoned on Ryder's gate card.

"Pyrus Manion G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"A Manion, huh? Okay, let's do this! Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Ravenoid Stand!" Ryder yelled as his Ravenoid appeared across from Dan's Manion.

"Darkus Ravenoid G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.

Ravenoid dived down at Manion, who met it halfway, and the two flew around the field, clashing each other several times. That is until Manion pounced on Ravenoid and pinned it against the ground.

"Gate Card Open! Ravenoid Burst!" Ryder declared.

"Darkus Ravenoid G power increase by 200 Gs. Darkus Ravenoid G power 750 Gs." The bakupod announced.

With the new power boost, Ravenoid pushed Manion off of it before taking to the sky and blowing dark energy at Manion with its wings. The Manion was unable to get away as it was bombarded by the dark energy.

"Ability Activate! Backfire!" Dan countered, negating the gate card.

"Darkus Ravenoid G power decrease by 200 Gs. Darkus Ravenoid G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"I'm not done yet! Ability Activate Firewall!" Dan added.

"Darkus Ravenoid G power decrease by 50 Gs. Darkus Ravenoid G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.

With the tables turned once more, Manion got up from the ground and flew up towards Ravenoid. Manion headbutted Ravenoid before clipping its wing with the spike on its tail, causing Ravenoid to the ground and be defeated.

"One to one!" Dan smirked as he caught his Manion.

"Told you." Runo smiled.

"The game is still far from over. Now we get to see Leonidas in action." Shun pointed out as everyone turned their attention back to the field.

"Gate Card Set!" Ryder and Dan shouted as they threw their gate cards.

"Ready, Drago?" Dan asked.

"I was born ready, Dan," Drago replied as Dan grabbed hold of him.

"Let's go, Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Dragonoid Stand!" Dan declared as Drago appeared on Dan's gate card.

"Rrrraaaaggghhh!" Drago roared as he appeared.

"Pyrus Dragonoid G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Let us battle, Ryder!" Leonidas exclaimed.

"Alright," Ryder smirked as he grabbed onto Leonidas.

"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Leonidas Stand!" Ryder shouted as Leonidas landed and appeared on Ryder's gate card behind Drago.

"Darkus Leonidas G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Huh?" Dan wondered.

"Wha…" Drago questioned, confused at why Ryder didn't put Leonidas on the same gate card as Drago.

"What's he doing? Why wouldn't he put Leonidas on the same gate card as Drago?" Julie wondered.

"Maybe Ryder's nervous," Preyas suggested.

"I don't think so. In fact, I think Ryder is fully intending on battling Drago." Alice stated.

"What makes you say that?" Runo inquired.

"Ryder knows Drago is Dan's ace, so he knows that he needs every advantage he can get to make sure he can get a victory," Alice explained.

"How is he going to do that from another gate card?" Runo questioned.

"Just keep watching. I think you'll see it soon enough." Shun interjected, getting everyone to look back at the battle.

"Alright, let's see how you like this! Ability Activate! Leap String!" Ryder declared.

"I see very clever!" Leonidas smirked as he flew up and charged at Drago. Leonidas clawed at Drago, keeping to the sky, but Drago flew up and caught Leonidas and slowly overpowered him.

"I see that's smart. He used the Leap String ability card so that he wouldn't be caught by Dan's gate card." Marucho noted.

"Listen to me, Leonidas. You need to calm down and stop this senseless lust for battle! The negative energy has warped your mind!" Drago requested.

"Don't patronize me, Dragonoid. I'm not under any influence! My decisions are my own!" Leonidas replied as they broke apart.

"Is that all you've got?" Dan asked.

"Not even close. Ability Card Activate!" Ryder responded.

"Alpha Blaster!" Leonidas finished as he fired a beam at Drago.

"Darkus Leonidas G power increase by 200 Gs. Darkus Leonidas G power at 800 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Drago!" Dan cried out as Drago was hit by the beam and sent towards the ground.

"I've got you, partner! Ability Activate!" Dan shouted as he threw the card towards Drago.

"Boosted Dragon!" Drago yelled as his body burst into flames and stopped Leonidas's Alpha Blaster.

"Pyrus Dragonoid G power increase by 200 Gs. Pyrus Dragonoid G power at 800 Gs." The bakupod announced as Drago charged up towards Leonidas.

"Bring it on, Dragonoid!" Leonidas exclaimed as the two clashed heads before reeling back and returning to ball form.

"All of that just for a tie!" Julie complained

"It was still informational though I see that Leonidas is a truly exceptional Bakugan one that even rivals Drago." Marucho pointed out.

"Which makes it even more dangerous if Leonidas is working for the enemy," Shun added.

"I still think it's too soon to judge them on being an enemy Shun," Alice replied.

"Not bad, Ryder. You're pretty good." Dan complimented as he caught Drago.

"Thanks coming from a Battle Brawler, that means a lot. Before I met Leonidas, I wasn't as good, but I've been improving a lot." Ryder smirked.

"Let's see how good you've gotten then! Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Manion Stand!" Dan replied.

"Pyrus Manion G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced as it appeared on Ryder's gate card.

"Gotcha, Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Juggernoid Stand!" Ryder yelled as Juggernoid appeared in front of Dan's Manion.

"Darkus Juggernoid G power 470 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Gate Card Open! Darkus Drive!" Ryder declared as the gate card opened.

"Darkus Juggernoid G power increase by 80 Gs. Darkus Juggernoid G power 550 Gs." The bakupod announced.

Now powered up, Juggernoid charged towards Manion, which flew up to avoid the Darkus Bakugan. However, Juggernoid managed to bite on Manion's tail and pulled it back to the ground.

"Ability Activate! Firewall!" Dan countered.

"Darkus Juggernoid G power decrease by 50 Gs. Darkus Juggernoid G power 500 Gs." The bakupod announced.

With the power balance now tipped in Manion's favor, it picked up Juggernoid, swinging it up into the air, causing it to let go of its tail. Manion then flew up into the air before diving down and crashing into the Juggernoid, defeating the Darkus Bakugan sending it to Ryder's feet.

"Alright, Dan took the lead!" Julie cheered.

"Unless Leonidas has something up his sleeve Dan's got this in the bag!" Runo agreed, but the rest of the Brawlers knew that the battle was far from over.

"He must be saving the rest of his ability cards for the next bout with Drago." Alice theorized as she watched the battle.

"Not bad, Ryder. This is a fun battle." Dan said.

"Thanks. I'm having a lot of fun as well." Ryder replied as Leonidas floated next to him.

"Ryder, do you have a plan on defeating Drago?" Leonidas inquired.

"I have a part of a plan. Knowing how strong Drago is, this would be an all or nothing gamble." Ryder answered.

"First, though, I need to take out his Manion so that we can take on Drago alone," Ryder stated.

"Let's finish this, Drago!" Dan exclaimed.

"Throw me in, partner!" Drago replied as Dan grabbed onto him.

"Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Dragonoid Stand!" Dan declared as Drago appeared on the lone gate card on the field.

"Pyrus Dragonoid G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Alright, let's go, Leonidas," Ryder said as he took hold of Leonidas.

"First things first. Gate Card Set!" Ryder yelled as he threw a gate card.

"Now Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Leonidas Stand!" Ryder added as he threw Leonidas on the new gate card.

"Darkus Leonidas G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Oh, no, is he going to use the Leap String ability card again?" Julie wondered.

"No, I don't think Ryder is foolish to use a tactic that didn't work the first time again," Marucho replied.

"What do you think he's doing, Alice?" Shun inquired.

"I think Ryder wants to even the odds so that when Leonidas and Drago do battle again, Dan can't give any backup beyond ability cards," Alice explained.

"I guess that makes sense, and it's not like Dan has any other choice but to use his other Bakugan," Runo replied.

"Don't worry, Dragonoid, our battle will come soon," Leonidas stated.

"I'm not worried about our battle. I'm only worried about what will happen if you go around battling with the negative energy that is inside you." Drago replied.

"Okay, guess I've got no choice. Bakugan Brawl! Pyrus Manion Stand!" Dan shouted.

"Pyrus Manion G power 530 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Gate Card Open! Wall Lock!" Ryder declared.

With Dan unable to use ability cards, Leonidas dove down from above and pushed against Manion before biting down on the Bakugan, defeating it. Once done, Leonidas returned to ball form as Ryder caught him, readying to throw him into battle against Drago.

"This is it. Whatever that gate card is will most definitely be a challenge, but hopefully, my double ability will counter it." Ryder thought.

"Time to end this!" Ryder smirked.

"Bakugan Brawl! Darkus Leonidas Stand!" Ryder shouted as Leonidas appeared in front of Drago.

"Darkus Leonidas G power 600 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"Are you ready to lose Dragonoid?" Leonidas questioned.

"No, I'm ready to win, Leonidas," Drago responded.

"Get ready, Ryder! Gate Card Open! Dragonoid Rush!" Dan declared, revealing Drago's character card.

"Pyrus Dragonoid G power increase by 250 Gs. Pyrus Dragonoid G power 850 Gs." The bakupod announced.

"RRRRrrrraaaaagggggghhhhh!" Drago roared as his body glowed red. Drago flew up before diving back down, ramming Leonidas pinning him to the ground.

"Leonidas! Double Ability Activate! Darkus Twister and Alpha Blaster!" Ryder countered.

"Darkus Leonidas G power increase by 450 Gs. Darkus Leonidas G power 1050 Gs." The bakupod announced.

Leonidas glowed a dark purple before spinning around in a dark cyclone, throwing Drago off of him before taking to the sky. The Darkus Bakugan then fired his laser, twisting it around his body as he dived back down to defeat Drago.

"Don't worry, Drago! Ability Activate! Boosted Dragon!" Dan shouted.

"Pyrus Dragonoid G power increase by 200 Gs. Pyrus Dragonoid G power 1050 Gs." The bakupod announced.

With a loud roar, Drago fired a large burst of flame at the diving Leonidas as the two opposing powers shook the battlefield. But as the powers clashed both, Leonidas and Drago began to glow brighter and brighter.

"What's going on?!" Runo questioned.

"Both Leonidas and Drago's power is increasing!" Marucho pointed out as the two dragon-like Bakugan's G power continued to increase.

"I don't like this man. Leonidas is giving me bad vibes!" Preyas panicked as he sat on Marucho's shoulder.

"It's true Leonidas is leaking massive amounts of negative energy." Gorem agreed.

"But why is Drago getting stronger?!" Shun questioned.

"Bakugan naturally get stronger after each and every battle, but with such a strong opponent, it is pushing Drago above his limits," Skyress explained.

"Give it up, Leonidas, before you burn yourself out!" Drago demanded.

"This coming from the Pyrus Bakugan!" Leonidas replied.

The two Bakugan continued their clash as their power increased more and more. However, suddenly Leonidas hit a wall at 1400 Gs while Drago continued to get stronger. Soon Drago's flame overtook Leonidas defeating the Darkus Bakugan and ending the battle.

"What happened?" Runo asked as they returned to the real world.

"I think Dan won," Julie answered as everyone checked their bakupods, seeing that Drago became stronger in the end for the win.

"Aw man, we were so close." Ryder sighed as he sat on the ground with Leonidas next to him.

"That was a great battle, Ryder. You're a great brawler!" Dan complimented as he extended his hand to Ryder.

"Thanks. I had a lot of fun." Ryder thanked as he shook Dan's hand, then stood back up while Leonidas floated next to him.

"I honestly didn't see that last part coming," Ryder said.

"The amount of negative energy that Leonidas was producing did concern me, but hopefully, this defeat purged him of the energy," Drago stated.

"I don't feel any different, so I doubt that. But thank you for the battle, Drago, but next time I shall not lose." Leonidas replied.

"I have to say Leonidas is definitely an extraordinary Bakugan. Not many can go up against Drago in such a fashion." Marucho pointed out.

"Oh please, I totally could have taken them both on." Preyas boasted as he floated next to Marucho.

"Care to put that theory to the test?" Leonidas questioned.

"U…Uh, no thanks!" Preyas responded as he hid behind Marucho.

"It still seems like Leonidas has negative energy. I guess one battle won't take it away." Skyress pointed out.

"I still don't understand what the big deal is. I don't feel this negative energy." Leonidas stated.

"To be fair, besides his rude behavior and his aggressiveness during battle, it doesn't seem to affect him much," Tigrerra noted.

"Maybe Leonidas has some kind of immunity due to being born in the Doom Dimension," Alice suggested.

"That's if he was born in the Doom Dimension. But either way, now that I've seen Leonidas's power for myself, I know he is someone who needs to be kept an eye on." Shun began.

"Clearly, he's going to continue to get stronger and stronger, and if he does, he'll become a threat to us." Shun finished.

"Come on, Shun, don't be like that. We still don't know if Leonidas is an enemy." Dan argued.

"Well, you're the one who battled against Ryder and Leonidas. What do you think?" Shun asked.

"I think they're both good. Ryder's a great brawler, and Leonidas just seems to really like to battle." Dan answered.

"I have to agree with Dan. While I still am a little apprehensive about Leonidas at the moment, I felt no ill intent in Leonidas during the battle." Drago voiced.

"What about you, Ryder? What is your opinion on Leonidas?" Shun questioned.

"I think Leonidas is good at heart. We did have a little disagreement a few days ago, but we resolved it. Overall I'm happy to be partners with Leonidas even if he has negative energy." Ryder answered.

"You seem to really be close with Leonidas even though you two haven't known each other for long." Alice pointed out.

"Well, before I met Leonidas, I wasn't half the brawler I am now. But he helped me gain some confidence in myself. It helped me enjoy brawling even more and to have a friend to play with." Ryder began.

"The thing is I don't have many friends since when my parents disappeared. I kept to myself, but when the Bakugan came, it helped me come back out again. And now, with Leonidas, I feel much better." Ryder smiled.

"I feel similar. Being partners with Ryder has allowed me to battle, and it's been nice being around in the human world. Though that school place is boring." Leonidas agreed.

"How about that, Shun? Is that good enough for you?" Dan asked with a large smile on his face.

"I'll accept it for now," Shun replied.

"He's really weird in real life." Ryder thought.

"But we have another problem. If Leonidas was born in the Doom Dimension, how was he affected by negative energy." Drago pointed out.

"Something must have happened in Vestroia that we didn't see when we visited Bakugan Valley," Drago added.

"Naga. He was the Bakugan who tried to take the Silent Core, right?" Ryder inquired.

"That is correct," Drago answered.

"Does the Silent Core have anything to do with the Silent Orb?" Ryder asked.

"The Silent Orb?" Drago questioned, clearly perplexed at the name.

"What are you talking about?" Alice asked.

"A couple of days ago, Masquerade approached me himself with another brawler for me to battle, and the Hynoid, the brawler, battled with talked about being empowered by something called the Silent Orb," Ryder explained.

"Are you serious?!" Dan questioned.

"Yes, the Hynoid also said it knew about Leonidas ever since receiving that power, so whatever Naga must have done must have something to do with the Silent Orb," Ryder answered as the Brawlers stood shocked.

"That has to be it! Naga must have made this Silent Orb, and when it was created, it must have caused some reaction in the Doom Dimension that created Leonidas." Marucho hypothesized.

"So this Silent Orb can empower Bakugan that could mean the enemy has become even stronger," Julie said.

"This is very concerning, but how did Naga manage to do this in the first place?" Skyress wondered.

"That is uncertain, but if this Silent Orb can empower Bakugan, then our search for the Infinity Core is now much harder," Drago replied.

"Not that we have any other leads for the Infinity Core." Preyas pointed out.

"I wish I could help you with that, but before today, I've never heard of an Infinity Core," Ryder said.

"That's fine, but hey, if you do ever hear about it, give us a call," Dan replied.

"Really?" Ryder questioned.

"Yeah, and maybe we can battle again one day. Besides, we're friends now." Dan responded as Shun huffed, a little annoyed.

"Sure." Ryder smiled as they walked outside the ship, where all the kids from earlier were now gone.

"Is there anything else you know about this Silent Orb or Masquerade?" Shun asked as they stopped in the grass.

"Sorry, but I didn't get that much of a chance to question them," Ryder responded.

"But there was one more thing. The two brawlers who used the Doom Card disappeared. Ever since I beat them, I haven't seen either of them." Ryder informed.

"You don't think Masquerade did something to them, do you?" Julie wondered.

"That jerk, it wasn't enough to take away people's Bakugan. Now he's causing people to disappear!" Dan hissed in anger.

"We don't know if Masquerade is doing anything bad with them, so we shouldn't assume anything just yet." Marucho pointed out.

"You won't find out anyway!" An unknown voice declared.

Everyone turned to see two figures standing across from them in cloaks. Once they were seen, they took off the dark cloaks, revealing themselves as Chan Lee and Julio Santana. Not only that, everyone noted the launchers that both wore.

"They're the number three and four brawlers in the world!" Ryder gasped.

"Not only that, look, they have launchers meaning they work for Masquerade!" Dan pointed out.

"But how did they know we were here?" Marucho wondered as Shun looked at the others in suspicion.

"That doesn't matter," Chan Lee replied.

"She's right. We're here to battle, not talk." Julio agreed.

"Especially since you're all here with Ryder Shade and his Leonidas," Chan Lee smirked.

"Wait, what?" Ryder questioned as he was confused as to how they knew about him but decided it had to be Masquerade.

"Looks like Ryder is now a prime target of Masquerade." Alice pointed out.

"So what's it going to be? Are you going to chicken out?" Julio mocked.

"As if! Bring it on!" Dan replied as he put on his launcher.

"What about you, Ryder? Are you going to battle?" Chan Lee questioned, staring at the black-haired boy.

"He doesn't need to battle. I'll be your opponent!" Runo interjected.

"No thanks, we want to face off against Leonidas, not you Haos wannabe," Julio replied, angering Runo.

"What's so great about Leonidas anyway? Just because he's a new Bakugan doesn't mean everyone has to battle him!" Runo screamed.

"She's really loud." Ryder thought as he covered his ears.

"Sorry, Runo, but it looks like you'll have to sit this one out." Dan apologized before turning to Ryder.

"How about it Ryder, want to battle?" Dan asked. Ryder stood there for a second, thinking about it before coming to a decision.

"Okay, it's not like I have much choice seeing as they'll come after Leonidas and me eventually," Ryder replied.

"Looks like we have a battle then," Chan Lee smirked as she readied a field card.

"Wait, hold on!" Marucho called as he ran back into his ship before returning with a purple launcher.

"Ryder! Catch!" Marucho shouted as he threw the launcher to Ryder, who nearly missed the catch.

"I had an extra just in case, so use it to even the odds," Marucho explained.

"Thanks." Ryder thanked as he put it on.

"Okay, are we done talking because I want to battle now!?" Julio questioned.

"We're ready," Dan responded as he and Ryder took out their field cards.

"Alright, then let's get this started," Chan Lee replied.

"Field Open!" The four shouted as time slowed to a standstill.


Next, Chan Lee and Julio Santana are overwhelming, Dan and Ryder. Can the two who've only just met defeat some of the top brawlers in the world? Next Time on Bakugan Doom World: Tag Team Trouble!


Author's Note:

Hey guys, sorry for the wait. I was working on some of my other fics but encountered writer's block. Eventually, I got out of it and decided to finish this chapter first to get myself out of the block I had for my other stories.

I finally got to rewatching the original Bakugan show, and it's a lot different than from what I remembered, so immediately, if not obvious, I'm changing things up. Some things will happen the same, but there will be some dramatic differences, but I managed to show where this story takes place and parts from canon.

I do know that the G power is not like it is in the show, but like I said before, I wanted to make them bigger for the story to be a little like how they are in the real world. Same thing goes for the ability card and gate card boosts.

Another thing is about the use of Leap String. I don't know if I did it right with not using a gate card, but I think it was, but even if it's not, I'm going to keep it in and make it some custom one because I like the scene just wanted to let that be known.

Also, I realized that I misunderstood how the Doom Card worked in my previous chapters and fixed that. Nothing really changed story-wise, so don't worry about that. Nothing impactful has changed.

I hope you guys like the little bit with Marduk and Vladitor this chapter explaining somethings the game never did. It always bothered me on how it was never explained how they met, so I made my own way seeing that Vladitor did escape the Doom Dimension because of the Silent Orb being made.

Plus, I did make it as to why Marduk wears that mask because while it was cool, I don't think he really needed it since it didn't hide his identity. So I gave him a reason for wearing it and how he got it as a broken face of a deceased Bakugan.

I hope that doesn't sound edgy because I, honest to god, did not want to make it sound edgy, but thinking about it now, it kinda seems edgy XD. I also, if not obvious enough, changed a little on how I write battles in this chapter.

I'm going to try to write it like this from now on, with ability cards being able to be used more than once, just not right after one another. I won't get into the specifics about it, but I'm going to focus on making the battles more entertaining to read.

Finally, about Leonidas exerting the negative energy, it is because of the energy he absorbed from the previous battles, and it will be explained later on. But either way, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Hopefully, I can get the next chapter out faster, but who knows, see you next time!