Episode 44: This is Sparta

[Dasia Turano]

Whatever Vince had planned by doing this would be news to her. How was she 'had' in this situation? This little entrapment cannot prevent Diablo 2 from finishing Apollonir off. In fact, one could argue that Vince did her a huge favor. Now Apollonir couldn't move all that well since he had to focus on making sure Diablo 2 didn't move.

It was time to blast him into little bits and pieces...

"No...neither of you will make it to that weapon...I promise," Dasia declared. "Ability activate! Carnage Laser!" A bit excessive, but very effective.

In order to ensure the defeat of both Drago and Apollonir, Diablo 2 would fire a wide beam that'll cover the amount of space needed to hit both of them at once, even if Drago should attempt to move towards the BT System.

[Noland Hardy]

Noland angrily grunted on Dasia's persistence to destroy them. It was now that he could finally put an end to this monster. What better way to go out than with a bang?

"I'll break that promise for you!" Noland declared. "Nexus Ability activate! FLASH DAMAGE!"

The combination of a space-time ability and a death ball was just what Dasia ordered. Making use of the absurdly improved space-time ability, Drago could attack through Apollonir's own attack, and his attack will suddenly benefit from it. Drago accumulated the Dextra-colored electricity needed for the attack on his wings. There was only one thing to do now.

"HERE!" Drago gladly gave. He swiped his wings to send a destructive force of nature towards Dasia in the form of a sphere. It completely tore through the Carnage Laser, as they were now having to contend with the Diablo 2 that was on its knees before being restored by its FARBAS ability. Apollonir's ability was now contending with that state of Diablo 2 as well, acting as a perfect counter to that ridiculous ability of Dasia's. Now, she couldn't help but get another serving of the Dragonoids' overwhelming power.

[Dasia Turano]

Dasia gasped when Noland declared that move. That's what Vince was fighting towards... It all made sense now.

Apollonir goaded Dasia into declaring an attack like that by erroneously telling Drago to immediately go for the BT System, even though he knew Diablo 2 could stop him. Dasia gave in to that demand, because the power displayed by both Dragonoids together increased the risk of the present situation to where she COULD potentially be defeated by them or have the BT System shut down if she wasn't careful. They knew Dasia saw them as threat, and exploited that threat level so they could tempt her into doing exactly what they wanted her to do.

She did...and now it was going to cost her.

Diablo 2 could do nothing to stop the blast from hitting it, due to Drago manipulating space-time to where a version of Diablo was there when - in actual reality - it didn't appear to be that way. Its weapon was cut into, and then...Diablo 2 was engulfed in an explosion that not even Dasia could say she could escape from safely. Diablo 2 was knocked flat on its back, and the energy veil that Apollonir had made stuck with it, keeping it on the ground and making it hard for it to get back up...

[Vince Hardy]

"Got her," Vince announced, just like he said. He looked at the BT System next, and pointed to it. "Shut it down! NOW!" He sounded a lot more serious than he usually is.

That's because...they were only seconds away from doom...

Apollonir and Drago stopped what they were doing and ran towards the thing immediately. It was here that Apollonir had to give specific instructions on what to do, since the traditional method of shutting it down was no longer going to work.

"Drago, to the other side of it! Now!" Assuming he complied, Apollonir went to where he would be on the opposite side of Drago. "Hold on tight!" The BT System rose higher into the air now that it was finished charging. It started its firing sequence. The plan was for it to emit a pulse across the planet and beyond, killing all it touches instantly and assimilating them at the same time. It turns out that wasn't exactly what was going to happen with two Duality Bakugan stuck to it. The energy was being held back.

[Noland Hardy]

Even though Noland and Vince managed to repulse Diablo 2, the victory celebration would have to wait, as it looks like their time was up and the BT System was going off. Apollonir's advising of Drago to do whatever he was doing was causing some reaction to build within the BT System. It wasn't working like it was supposed to.

"I see what you're doing..." Noland notified Apollonir. "You're both causing a buildup of the energy inside of the BT System by doing that. That way, the energy can't leak out to destroy us all, but..."

There had to be that one thing that has to be brought into the conversation when something too good to be true happens. There was also a stipulation...

"That'll destroy the BT System, wouldn't it...? How do we counter the Hurranians if we destroy the only weapon that ever beat them?" Noland wondered.

[Vince Hardy]

"Sometimes...that's how it is, son," Vince began to answer Noland, looking at the display of energy mastery going down right before their eyes. "The BT System is far too powerful for one being to have. This amount of power requires more responsibility than we collectively have as a society. I believe this battle has proven that this weapon is too dangerous to exist, even if it is an effective end to the Hurranian disaster."

Vince sighed about that fact. Hopefully, there would be a more effective end to the Hurranians once they destroy Dasia. That'll come shortly after the BT System is taken offline permanently.

"The outburst of energy from the BT System should be powerful enough to break our comrades free from their imprisonment. With Diablo 2 being this weak, combining our efforts should wipe her out for good. I'm looking forward to it, just so we can get back to normal for old time's sake."

Speaking of which...

"First thing...I'm going to hunt down the ones responsible for putting that racist graffiti on the house, and make them clean it up. Then...we'll have milkshakes on me."

[Dasia Turano]

Dasia exited Diablo 2's body after it had been semi-neutralized. This was done as a blue light being transmitted on the ground next to Diablo 2, digitally materializing her figure so she could spawn in. She lied on the ground, defeated and awaiting her impending demise for her failure.

"That's such a nice bond that they have... I wish Father was still around...but the Hurranians took him away from me..." Dasia depressingly said out loud. The Dasia that just fought that battle wouldn't have said such a thing, meaning...

This was the REAL Dasia speaking, in what appeared to be a very long time of not doing so.

"I've already done too much though... They'll never believe me if I told them that I was still here, even if it's just a little bit of me..." she believes. "Help me...someone...please help me..."

For that mentality, she shall pay. That's the form of mental instability that the Hurranains thrive off of. They were able to regain control of her body.

"Forget...everything you just heard, if anyone even heard that ridiculous chain of comments," Dasia uttered. She looked up at Apollonir and Drago and noticed something oddly peculiar about the situation. She gradually returned to her feet, and stood in a very week pose. She was holding her right shoulder and had one eye closed, wincing in the pain she had to bear.

"Your premature celebration is touching, but it's too bad," Dasia responded to Vince and Noland's talk. "Someone isn't quite holding up his end of the bargain..."

[Vince Hardy]

Vince heard Dasia mention that someone was dragging the team's foot into the ground. He looked around to see who it was, and...it stuck out like a comment in chain of comments that refers to Neo-Nazi marchers as very fine people.

"Oh..." Vince decided not to pay any attention to what he was seeing. It was best that he didn't think about it. It helps keep the mind stable, especially if things were going to get...unpleasant.

"Yeah...that is too bad, isn't it?" Vince somewhat shared Dasia's opinion of the situation. "I really want to cry right now..."

[Noland Hardy]

Noland looked at both Vince and Dasia like they were crazy. Well, one of them was far beyond crazy, but Vince? What was so wrong that he had to get concerned all of a sudden?

Then the fire in his eyes faded... This could only mean one thing: the Duality mode expired as quickly as it came, which means...Drago does not have the necessary power to counter the BT System's energy, which also means that Apollonir can't either, which also means...they're all about to be destroyed.

"Oh no..." Noland grieved. If he didn't do something, the energy will leak out, and destroy everyone. What could he do though...? Was there even anything that could be done...?

With Drago returning to his Switch Code state, one had to wonder if this was really it...

"We've held enough back, so...I guess there's really only one option I have..." Noland turned to Vince. He walked up to him and gave him a hug without warning. "I'll take mine to go, if that's alright with you. Buy one for Yita too...make it chocolate. Tell her that it's chocolate Noland flavored for me..."

[Vince Hardy]

Vince was horrified to hear Noland talk like this. It was a stab in the heart. Apollonir did his best not to make his emotions known on the battlefield, but even he had to hang his head down, because Drago was about to make the same decision that Noland was about to make to ensure that - despite their failure - they were going to make things right to give them all a chance.

"Let us do it..." Vince stubbornly asked his son. "Both you and Drago are the young... You're the future... I'm not supposed to see my own child go down like this..." Rarely has Vince's voice ever showed signs of cracking up from emotions like this. He knew what Noland was thinking of doing. While the BT System's energy was too much for Drago to handle at his state, he was capable of pushing himself to the point where he could cause a bit of damage and cause an energy destabilization, but...in doing so...he would...

"You've performed admirably, Drago," Apollonir congratulated. "I enjoyed fighting alongside you. You're the best teammate I've ever had..."

[Noland Hardy]

"Right back at ya, Apollonir," Drago gladly returned. "I valued the time I got to see you. It may not have been long, but to me...every moment was valuable."

Noland looked away as he shed a tear for what he was about to say to his dad. He didn't want to say it, but he was going to anyway. "The future looks a lot brighter with you and Apollonir right now. You're a lot stronger than we are," Noland admitted. "It makes sense that I be the one to do this, so that I may give you all the best chance at winning this war. Besides..."

Noland cut his eyes to Vince one last time, before making his final play. "...I lost you before, and it's not happening anymore."

He swiped a rainbow-colored card on his BrawlX to get started. "Ability activate! Advanced Supremacy!" With this ability active, Drago's Switch Code shielding flowed throughout his body like a fierce flame. Now he could activate his new powerful ability for the Switch Code that he never got to use to its maximum potential, due to it having the ability to kill his allies at the time.

"Here it goes, Drago. Ability activate! Supremacy Big Bang!" A thin, circular outline hovered in place around Drago's body. It progressively accumulated power, as shown through tin energy waves being sent from the outline to his body at a rapid pace.

"You're number one in my book," Drago said to Noland. "This is one for the history books."

"Yeah? I tried to be on your wavelength. You're the legend here," Noland responded, smiling at him.

"Heh. We both are now. No doubt," Drago accepted. He finally accumulated the full capacity of the ability, which - if used in a combat situation - would be enough to blow dents into foes even stronger than Drago is. With all of the power gathered, Drago released a shout that produced such an extravagant force that completely obscured most of the available vision. The encasement covering the rest of the brawlers were progressively broken and torn apart, resulting in everyone being sent flying in separate directions. The entire Earth shook at this display of force, putting the whole planet in a state of fallout.

The final noises of this display of power was the thud of two warriors. There was a Gundalian and a Dragonoid lying in the ground next to a dormant BT System, unconscious and still as the Earth was this day.

[Noland Hardy]