Episode 48: Truth and Tribulation

[Prof.Dr.Kyuki]

“If that is how you want to play this game, fine.” Creature said and teleported away from Alex to execute a powerful attack. It rose hands in the air. As a result ground began to tremble and sky turned red. Creature then had a sphere of light form between his palms. “I will just wipe you out instead of taking the power. Grand Cross!” Creature said. Sphere transformed into several orbs that appeared to be… a star and planets around it. Planets and the star began expanding as creature tossed them towards Alex. Ability Grand Cross is a stolen version of Perfect Key’s Grand Cross which, literally, can create celestial bodies such as stars, planets, comets, asteroids etc. Once formed, these celestial bodies keep on expanding endlessly while maintaining the same speed so the longer enemy evades the bigger they get and it becomes more difficult to dodge or block. And when someone is hit, regardless of the size, they will feel like an entire planet was shoved into their face. In other words, one hit is enough to one-shot defeat any Bakugan and most other beings. Technically, single usage of this can instantly crush another planet into bits. 

“Whatever you have in arsenal; surviving a planet hit you is not possible.” Creature said. If all facts are taken into account Alex should be instantly killed by this attack without possible exceptions. 

[Alex Andersen]

Seeing Grand Cross used by a foreign being power of all three keys began to tremble inside Alex; not out of fear but out of sheer anger. That someone dared to do copy that power and even dare use the same name; that someone was going to be punished severely. “It does not have to hit ME.” Alex replied and then clapped a single time forming that shining orb similar to what the creature formed. Orb turned into a black orb. Alex tossed it towards incoming planets. It exploded turning into a giant dark hole. All of the planets hit it and were sucked inside the dark hole disappearing for eternity. With that done Alex turned back to the creature. “This is the end.” Alex said before having his both arms turned into frost swords that were surrounded by serpent-like streams of fire. Before there could be resistance Alex teleported in front of the monster lodging the left sword deep into its belly and cutting its left arm off with the right sword. He then teleported away from the monster reforming the swords back into hands and then forming one whip in each hand, charged with electricity. He gave this bastard a good session of beatings with lightning opening wounds that could not be closed.  

“Now, be consumed!” Alex said. 

Power of the Second Key emerged in form of a giant red dragon head spawning near the monster. It chomped on the monster draining it off life force, energy, stamina, power and everything else. This power is known as Punisher. Once creature was withered of all its power it looked like a person who had not eaten for months; skin and bones. Alex teleported right by it and palm-chopped it in the neck. Creature fell down and exploded releasing white tower of flames that were extinguished and revealed a person kneeling on the floor. Old man, skin wrinkled and dry, left part of the face appears to be cybernetic; like a cyborg skull. Alex approached the man and looked down on him with a judging expression. 

[Prof.Dr.Kyuki]

Man on the floor was, without doubt, Kyuki. Face was different; old and drained, but that gaze- it could not have been anyone else. He was just kneeling there motionlessly breathing slowly and gazing in Alex’s general direction. He had no motivation whatsoever to move; the nightmare has finally been lifted after the years and it was time to seal the deal- make sure history does not repeat. Alex approached him, but Kyuki just stared at him motionlessly. One could see those wounds Alex inflicted go away; they were regenerating, but Kyuki still could not move… and he was not trying to. After a few seconds he became impatient with Alex’s silent gaze and just standing there that he finally spoke up. “Kid… what are you standing there for…?” He asked impatiently. Alex was not moving or saying anything which only made Kyuki more angry and impatient. 

“…finish me off, already!” He said. 

“…isn’t that what justice is about?” Kyuki asked. At that point he slowly began to struggle against the loss of consciousness. He was aware of what he was doing and that it caused a lot of pain to everyone. So many families torn apart, so many children without home, so many innocents under the knife. He was aware of all that and was not proud- it was not a case of a psychopath who was killing for sake of killing. There was not another option and there was no other why to speak about it- he was given a broken perception
.

[Alex Andersen]

Alex pointed his palm and put it in front of Kyuki’s face. Electric beam was visibly charging on top of the palm and brought it close to Kyuki. One hit from that when Kyuki is not defending himself will result in him being wiped out instantly. He seemed to want to die anyway… he was aware of his crimes and ready to die at that moment, but… “Justice…?” Alex lowered his hand ceasing the attack. He backed down slowly and his First Key form perished. Orb in purple color emerged and went inside Lydia’s body giving her Perfect Key back. Red orb was given to Kuzuha in same manner. “I don’t know much of justice, but I know one thing… revenge is not justice.” He said repeating the same line Maria used in their conversation years ago. He turned his back to Kyuki and slowly walked away. 

“We’re done here. Let’s hurry up.” Alex suggested. 

“Finally…” Dante said and returned to ball form that was very gorgeous orb colored in scarlet and white. 

Alex moved away from the group. Family terrorized, tortured and destroyed and not only his- many families were because of Kyuki. Without a doubt, he was the most-notorious terrorist Earth ever had to witness and the most effective mass-murderer on the planet… and yet, Alex chose he would not get revenge for what has happened. In his eyes, Kyuki was defeated- killing him would not do anything good for anyone except give them a temporary satisfaction in vengeance that would soon mean nothing to them and they would feel even emptier. Plus, Kyuki was more useful alive than dead. 

[Vince Hardy]

Neither Clayf or Frosch made a move to finish off Kyuki, because they had reasonable suspicion to believe that Alex was going to go through with it. When they saw him turn his back and walk away, that's when they were tempted to offer their opinions on the matter. While they didn't outright say what they were thinking out loud, they talked with each other silently before Alex could hear what they were saying.

"You don't agree with that, do you?" Frosch wondered.

"No...I don't..." Clayf made known. "Justice is one thing...but safety is another. I don't want these people and Bakugan suffering another minute. THAT is my justice."

"Do the honors then, tough guy." As Frosch said that, two other people started to move towards Kyuki's direction. Recognizing this, Frosch retracted his comment, preferring to let them take care of it. After all, the Soldiers were only there to assist, not to interfere. "Nevermind."

[Tank Stryker]

Tank was grinning when Alex started to walk away. That only meant he could do the deed himself. Unsurprisingly, Tracy - a.k.a. Markus 'inside' of her - walked right with him. Gladion and Gargulion were following right along too. They were all on the same page, at least it looked that way.

"Justice is overrated," Tank tauntingly criticized. He looked straight at Kyuki when he made this assertion. He gave the mad doctor a snide smile. "Didn't someone in here talk shit when he killed Tracy?"

"Sure did," Gladion agreed.

"I thought so," Tank nodded. "So let's not get things twisted, asshat," Tank started, pointing to Kyuki as he was approaching him for the kill. "Karma's one hell of a bitch. You probably didn't know that up until now, because no one could sit you down. Now, you'd better believe there's a hell, because that's where I'm sending you."

[Markus Hederick]

The look on Tracy's face showed what Markus was thinking perfectly. There was no look of amusement to be seen. It goes all the way back to when Markus was against Eden. If you're willing to kill someone for an unjustifiable and senseless reason, then it is only fair for you to be killed by someone you've wronged. Whenever there's an act, there is a consequence. The doctor's plan to avoid that consequence has finally failed, unfortunately for him.

Markus was about to have as much fun with this as anyone might expect. He wasn't sick by any stretch of the imagination, but just this once...he might be tempted to get people asking questions about him...

"I told you to watch yourself, didn't I?" Markus queried about what he told the doc earlier. Disrespecting Tracy's corpse didn't give Kyuki any extra credit either. Both Gargulion and Gladion stood above Kyuki, ready to put this man out of his misery.

"Those threats you gave the Resistors and the Spartans... Still think that was a good idea?" Gargulion wondered. This man is liable for every wrongdoing that occurred towards both factions, because he brought the events into existence. For that, he's going to pay.

"Tank...you first," Markus allowed. "Your loss is more recent... Let him have it..."

[Tank Stryker]

"Why thank you, kind sir. Don't mind if I do," Tank jokingly accepted. In a showing of impressive strength, Tank lifted Kyuki off of the floor by his neck with one hand. He turned around to face Gladion who was already getting the Spear of Mars ready to finish this guy off. Tank held Kyuki out to present him to Gladion.

"Get this piece of shit out of my sight," Tank commanded as he launched Kyuki upwards. Gladion followed up with a vicious slam from the polearm that pinned him on the floor. Even though Gladion did this lightly - since it wouldn't take much to kill him anyway - the facility shook a little bit. It was nothing to rattle anyone's feathers though.

"Guess time just wasn't on your side," Gladion clowned after this freak thought he had control over time from earlier. The polearm was coated in a sizzling energy that, when Gladion lodged it into Kyuki's body, sent lethal pulses of power throughout each wound that he had. No one needed Lydia to conclude that Kyuki was on his way out. He was already gone.

[Markus Hederick]

Markus looked at Kyuki's perishing body with pity. While Markus greatly supported Tank's actions, this is what Kyuki wants. Did he need to die? Absolutely. Can he be used as an effective tool of society? Yes, if Markus is the one having a say in it.

"My turn," Markus announced. "Ability activate! Frame Sealing!" This ability could only be used when someone has been killed. He had devised this ability in secret after losing Roxy so he could at least have a say in how the Hurranians do their business IF they slack in their transferring of the individual they infected. Fortunately for the Silver Knights, it can be used here.

Gargulion raised a hand while simultaneously causing a spectral tornado to appear next to Kyuki's body. After Kyuki had passed away, his soul was suddenly ripped from his corpse and planted in a new body. This one was weaker than Gargulion's initial form before evolving. It was very small too. It had no arms or feet. The only means of movement was by what Gargulion commanded him to do. If Kyuki is on good behavior, Gargulion may allow him to float on his own. Until then, he'll have to spend time on the floor. He got a good start on that as the body dropped down there immediately after his soul entered the body.

"You want justice? You're going to love this one," Gargulion promised Kyuki. He wasn't lying either. This was a good one.

"I did what I did to make sure it was the real you. You like to steal bodies of old women like Noland's grandmother, so it was only natural that I check," Markus began. "I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you're alive - well, good for you that is. The bad news is that YOU were the one who came to me willingly, so as a consequence, your soul belongs to me. You will remain in the world of the living for how long I want you to. While you're still here, you will serve the Silver Knights without any breaks. Whatever I or they tell you to do, you're going to do it. You have no chance of resurrection or reincarnation. I command every function of the body you were given, so you WILL obey my every command. For my first command, I want you to do something very simple."

Kyuki's frame was lifted off of the floor and launched towards Tracy. Markus then exited Tracy's body, catching her as he appeared. Markus had his BrawlX pointed towards Kyuki's frame as the body itself turned into a swirling stream of energy that injected itself into the device. "Piss off," Markus concluded, ending the demonstration.

[Tracy White]

Tracy snapped her eyes open after Markus had been absent from her body long enough. It would seem that Markus had consciously kept Tracy's soul intact while her body was being controlled. She didn't feel any pain either, which suggests that her body was being patched up while Markus invited himself in.

"Huh? What the...?" All Tracy could remember now was Markus having his hand around her waist. She didn't realize that she was in a position to fall over. "What's going on...?"

Skystar was secretly sobbing to herself, because it was partially her fault that Tracy died in the first place. Seeing her alive again was too much of a sight for her. If she looks any longer, she might be mistaken for an Aquos Bakugan with the flood of tears she'd whip up.

"Markus...Gargulion...thank you..." Skystar said in between sobs.

Tracy heard Skystar sobbing, so she looked up at Markus who seemed to have a hand in this. "What did you-"

[Markus Hederick]

Markus knew Tracy was going to want an explanation for what happened. Would it really matter if he cuts it short? Does she have to know that Markus was body-snatching without her permission? He knows that Tracy doesn't know anything about her death and the events afterward, so he could keep it a secret if he wants to.

Then again...he does have a good reason to be honest about it. Camaraderie was a good one.

"I possessed you to keep you and Skystar in the fight. He killed you halfway through," Markus confessed.

"We had kept your soul intact while I had to consciously put your bones back together, all while still fighting," Gargulion explained and complained at the same time. "Yeah...not a pretty experience... Let's not do this anymore."

"You've gotten really strong. Skystar was amazing in that battle. I enjoyed fighting alongside her," Markus commended. "And you too... I know what I was saying and doing earlier was unacceptable. It's not hard to find out I did something wrong when even you get that pissed off. You're the kindest woman I know, and I treated you like trash. I hope this is a good attempt at showing how sorry I am, even if you don't want to hear it."

[Tracy White]

Hearing that you died would be enough to shock anyone. Tracy was no different. It would certainly explain how her memory of this battle jumps from healing and buffing to seeing no visible signs of Kyuki.

That combined with cycling through Markus' second apology had to be taxing on the mind, but only if Tracy had to think about whether or not Markus was truly sorry or if he should truly be forgiven when he did all of what he did. He would luck out on this one, because Tracy didn't really think about it. He was glomped within seconds. Now he'd have to worry about making sure there aren't any broken bones in his body.

"Yeah. It is," Tracy happily conceded. She let go of him so he could droop to the floor. "That was on purpose, by the way. If you go rogue again, I might not be so 'careful' when I see you. Got it?"

[Tank Stryker]

Tank was chuckling when Markus got absolutely manhandled by Tracy's death hug. He definitely deserved A LOT more than that, but the battle pretty much solidified where Markus' allegiance was, especially when it came to Frosch's secret art exposing how they saw each other.

He knew deep-down that he wasn't going to hold an intense grudge for Markus, because that would make Tank look pretty bad. What Markus did was basically what Tank did to Noland, but on a less serious scale. Still, what happened happened, and Tank wasn't going to give Markus any brownie points just because someone else made the same mistake he made.

"You're really hard-headed, you know that?" Tank started with Markus. "What asshole thinks he's from Assassin's Creed and can just go around killing everyone when someone close to him dies?"

"Um...we can barely talk..." Gladion mentioned. It was true though. Tank is responsible for three deaths in this room, and they were all related to John and Katherine's deaths.

"Those don't count," Tank immediately countered.

"Yes they do," he responded.

"No they don't."

"Yes they do."

"Oh come on, dude. Give me a break." Tank helped Markus off of the floor, bringing him to eye level. "Listen, man. We both fell off the wagon at different points and became someone we weren't. We won't talk about this to anyone. Deal?"

[Markus Hederick]

Markus deserved every bit of criticism that was sent his way. He took them all with a straight-face, but became shocked at their forgiveness. A big part of him was thinking this was unforgivable, and maybe it was. Fortunately for him, it wasn't up to him whether or not they could look past that.

"Absolutely," Markus agreed. He winced a little as a surge of pain started radiating through his body. That hug was very painful. He could only imagine what Lydia would do if she got her hands on him.

"I have to admit... We make a pretty good team," Markus commended, "but I have to say. I'd rather be in an arena than fooling around out here. This whole kill or be killed type of deal is getting really old very fast."

"Because we killed people in rapid succession within a short amount of time?" Gargulion asked.

"Now you're just taking the piss." Markus extended a hand towards Tank, apparently offering a handshake. "How about we have a rematch later on when we make it through this? No more cheapshots. Just a straight-up brawl."

[Tank Stryker]

Tank was definitely in agreement with these recent events. He chimed in to give his own take of the situation. "I would not give up my contract to do this all the time. That's for sure," Tank sighted. "Still, you've got to admit. These fights are where it's at. Name one person other than us who can fight like this in the pro league and in NCAA. You can't do it. Meanwhile, these Silver Knights and certain Eden brawlers are good competition. I'm more motivated than ever to make sure these guys can't kick my ass whenever they want to."

Now when it came to a brawl proposal, Tank was as childish as ever. Just like old times...

"That's my line!" Tank complained in reference to no cheapshots. Still, he gave Markus a smile and shook his hand. "Count on it though."

Gladion and Gargulion came together and gave each other a bro hug without having to say anything to each other. Having reconciled their differences, they were now rivals again, but - more importantly - friends.