(a Grimm Side Stories) A Test of Power and Fear

[Merchant]

"Well then let see what happens when Leonidas turns on you. . . . ." Grimm says. "I wish I can do something." "What. Hey Atom do you hear a somebody else?" Grimm looks around confused. "No I lost everything I had left!" "Okay that time it was my voice. I know people call me crazy but the may be right." Grimm shakes off the fact that he is hearing things. "Gore now infect Leonidas your your frenzy virus. Ability Activate! Frenzy Flames!" 

Gore Magala spews its purple flame upon Leonidas. Harshly burning him. A purple mist is surrounding him. He uses his wings to blow it away but it wont disappear.

[Atom]

Leo continued trying to blow the purple mist away, and was somewhat succeeding at keeping it at bay. But I knew he wasn't going to last forever. I thought of something. "Hey Grimm, what would you say if I spin the battle a bit?" I raised a card with an image of a star. "Star Ability Activate! Protostar!" I kneeled down to prepare for the ability. Leo stopped flapping his wings and quickly took off as the battlefield began to spin. "I might not be able to use this ability in arena battles, but I can certainly use it in these ones!" Me, Grimm and Gore were being flung around the battlefield as it spun, and I could feel my grip failing. I quickly put everything I had into my right hand, and held on as I grabbed a bracelet from my pocket. My legs kicked out as I put it on. I quickly grabbed the device and aimed my hand at the ground. A small part of it lifted up, and grabbed my legs. The ground pulled me upright, and supported the rest of my body. I felt the G-forces acting on me, but they were manageable. I made a similar platform next to Grimm, and set him up the same way. The mist was flung to the sides because of the rotation, and soon became too thin to cause any harm. "What do you think of this ability, Grimm? Quite the ride, huh?" We were still accelerating.

[Merchant]

Once the ability died down the mist is considerably weaker. "Too bad Atom. Gore Ability Activate! Frenzy Madness!" The sky turns dark. Pockets of black mist appear. Gore leaps into one. Things are hard to see. Then Leo fall down in front of Atom. His skin slowly start to turn purple. The attribute that Leo held and is able to use are drained from him. He begins to drool, and his eye whites turn purple. "The Frenzy Virus." Grimm goes on. "It is cause by Gore's scales. You see Gore is blind. He uses his antenna to see. Using those scales that he spreads than range is vastly increased. With the added bonus of inducing a frenzy into every other living thing excluding humanoids. The slaughter that occurs to everything else gives a good food source and helps Gore remain safe. Humanoids just get sick or bolstered from it. Depends on the situation at hand. Also gore has wings. He is still a dragon." The mist around Leo grows stronger and. Losing all sense of reason in the process. "Oh I forgot the virus is also fatal. Weakening his defenses but overall increasing Leo's power. So I need to beat Leo very soon."

[Atom]

"You think this is the first time Leo's lost his mind?" I asked. "Have you heard stories of the original Battle Brawlers? How about Dan's battle with Spectra while Spectra had Drago? I lived through that, while also having Leo taken from me! It was then that I discovered a very special link between us. Because of the Forbidden Cards, and their mass Negative Energy, I wasn't able to use it to help him then, but I've used it a couple of times since then." I closed my mind, and entered a mindspace with Leo. "Leo! Can you hear me?" I called.
"Atom?" Leo appeared before me, but faint. "It's just like what happened to Pyreon. I don't have any control over my actions."
"Don't worry Leo. I've gotten some intel from Grimm. Those scales don't affect humanoids. Basically, every race except for the Bakugan and Mechtogan. However, do you remember when we battled Zenet and Chaos with Dan? How we shared the burden? I think there's a way for me to break you free of this. But, for now, you've gotta help me. Fight off the infection as much as possible, okay?"
"I can try." I exited the mindspace, and grabbed an ability.
"Come on Leo, you've gotta work with me here!" Leo slowly got up, and growled at Gore. I smiled. "Perfect, you've still got some control." Leo started to turn towards me, then slowly turned back to Gore. I raised the ability, then lowered my hands. Me and Leo began to glow. "Grimm, I've always told you that mindless rages are dangerous." I felt the force of what Leo was facing with the infection. I began to draw on his energy, and force mine into him. "Thanks for the tip, by the way. Humanoids are mostly immune, good to know. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the Bakugan was able to share its burden with a human?" Me and Leo glowed brighter, then the glow faded, revealing us in our Reversion Forms. I ran up next to Leo, and put my hand on him. "Focus now, send everything to me. I can take it." Leo's eyes started glowing a deep purple, and I knew I had to hurry. "The infection is taking over. Leo, give me your burden!" Leo glowed brightly, then I did. The purple energy surrounding him transferred to me, and I felt the chaotic energy rise in me. "I will not fall!" I said. "I can't fall!" The infection continued to transfer to me, and one half of Leo's head got free. His right eye returned to normal, and he looked at me.
"Atom, don't! The chaotic energy will"
"No Leo, it won't." I continued to draw the infection from him. "We share our burdens. I'm the human aspect of it, the one immune to the infection. You need to bring your aspect to it. You're from the Doom Dimension, so you're naturally immune to Chaotic and Negative Energy! You share your immunity, and I share mine!" The infection continued to flow into me, freeing Leo.
"I can get behind that idea, Atom. I'll try." Leo closed his eyes in concentration, and it was my turn to glow. I felt his connection to the Doom Dimension flow through me, helping me to filter out the Chaotic Energy. The infection completely left Leo and flowed into me, and I began to glow a dim purple. I continued to focus, drawing on Leo's immunity just as he had mine, and opened my eyes. I focused on Grimm.
"You see Grimm?" The Infection lost its hold on me. "Rage is easily countered. Now, how about you take it back?!" I focused the infection into my right hand, and thrust it towards Gore and Grimm, along with all of his Bakugan. The infection rocketed out of me, along with all the chaotic energy it had. "Take back your rage!"

[Merchant]

"First don't mistake biological advantage for chaotic energy. Next blood is your real issue. Even if you managed to draw out most of it. It will always come back. You just got to hope Leonidas fights it off. Or repeat your little trick. However. I'm not one too let such an action be left alone. Gate Card Set! Gard Card Open! Darkus Field. I'm going the fray." Grimm hops onto Gore's back. "Blacken the sky. It's a goodie Darkus booster, and  fusion ability Phantasmal Destroyer!" Besides the shadows draning Leonidas. Gore looks different. "I'm reversing your target." Gore's attenna act like horns. And a purple glow runs across his body. The wings lifting up and planting themselves into the ground. With a mighty roar echoing.

"RAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" "Ability Activate! Shattered Earth!"[note yet made still thinking about what it will do.] Gore rushes Leonidas. Knocking him down and slamming his wing claws into him. The erupting earth catches Atom's shirt sending him flying over the cliff edge of Devil's Mountain.

[Atom]

I felt myself fall, but didn't think too much about it. Leo stood back up. "You do realize we haven't even activated a single ability yet, right? Phantasmal Destroyer was useless there! And also, do you think knocking Atom down the cliff does much? I'm surprised that you, being a dragon nerd, didn't realize one thing." I flew up above Leo, and dive bombed the ground.
"Your opponent has become a Dragon." I said as I stood back up. "That's the true power of Reversion, as far as I know. Both Bakugan and Brawler undergo a transformation, making them more powerful. I'm surprised you also didn't remember that, considering you've SEEN me use Reversion before." I drew my blade. "Also, isn't Gore a natural Chaos Bakugan, like Serperios? If so, then he's made of Chaotic Energy." Me and Leo flew up. "Now then, since you were so kind to show your hand, I'll show you mine." I raised my hand, and a card appeared in it. "Ability Activate! Haos Switch!" The Gate Card glowed. "This'll replace your Gate Card with one of mine, and open it at twice its usual power!" The Gate Card opened. "Time for a Double Fighters!" Pyreon and Slight glowed, then launched into the battle.
"About time you brought us in!" Said Pyreon.
"Let's deal some damage!" Agreed Slight. I smiled, and looked at Grimm.
"Send in your two Bakugan. Just keep in mind that you'll be at a 4 to 3 disadvantage."

[Merchant]

"Welp. It is a test of power. Considering reversing the reversion failed." Grimm raise another card. Chaos energy oozing from it. "Ability Activate! Call of the Primordial!" Gaia-Gigas already looming over the battle field shifts. It roars a terrifying roar. "Calm down Gaia. Let your presence be know. What happens next even hits Grimm. Gaia-Gigas aura cause him to stumble a little. The chaos energy being released is that intense. Everyone can hear what comes next. 

"I don't want to lose what I have." It sounds like Grimm.

"Who is using my voice. Show yourself." Grimm start turning in circles looking for another person. When everyone present is all that is there. "Where are you!?"

[Atom]

I froze up, hearing Grimm's voice being used elsewhere. "Who else would have Grimm's voice?" Leo stepped in front of me, taking the brunt of the chaos energy. "What just happened to cause that shockwave? His ability usually doesn't do that." I raised my left hand, and my Attribute Wheel began to glow. "Looks like we've got a big brute on our hands."
"So, let's bring out our own brute." Said Leo. I smiled.
"Pyreon, get ready! Ability Activate!"
"Got it!"
"Gate Copy!" Pyreon glowed, followed by the Gate and Reginas. Reginas was thrown into battle, and rose up, nearly equaling the height of Gaia-Gigas's knee.
"Time to even the odds a little." He said. He grabbed his hammer, and raised it with both hands. "I'll take on Gigas, you guys focus on Gore, got it?"
"You know it!" Said Slight.
"Let's take them down." I said. Me and Leo took off while Pyreon and Slight positioned themselves to the sides of Gore. "Remember, avoid any mist you guys see! Wash it away or burn it, but don't touch it!"
"Right!" Said Pyreon and Slight.

[Merchant]

Gore Magala is acting akin to more of a wild animal fighting to survive. With that logic in mind. This fight is all but easy. For being smaller than the bakugan attacking it. It has thrown them around like chew toys. And Reginas has made no progress on Gaia-Gigas. It hasn't even registered it being attack. It raises its arm, and to everybody but Reginas it is like a mountain is moving.

[Atom]

I sensed nothing coming from Grimm. No energy spikes, no deficits, nothing. "Grimm isn't doing anything." I realized. "He doesn't understand what's happening right now in regards to him. In fact, he doesn't even seem to be helping his Bakugan. Does he really not have that connection?" Reginas swung his hammer again, whacking Gigas's shin. It didn't seem to react. I looked back at Gore, and saw Slight blast water at a cloud of mist to disperse it, and I saw the spores fall to the ground. An idea flashed into my head, and I got to work. I flew down by Pyreon and Slight and began to gather some spores.
"Atom, what are you doing?" Asked Pyreon.
"Showing Grimm why blind rages are a bad idea. The battle isn't triggering anything in him. We need to invoke something stronger, something he wouldn't expect. Just like what happened to you, we can induce it on his Bakugan! All I need is enough spores to infect him. Grimm will respond more powerfully to that." I continued gathering the fallen spores. "I hope that's enough." I stood back up, and took off. "Grimm!" I called. "You're not feeling anything, you're not connecting to your Bakugan, which is the power that I'm trying to find. So, it's time to try something more drastic." I continued flying up, approaching Gigas's head. "Take this!" I threw the spores right at Gigas, attempting to infect it. Without seeing if it worked, I quickly dropped out of the way of any retaliation.

[Merchant]

Grimm looking at Atom finally tries to yell stop but . . . "You will fail." It sounds like Grimm but heavily distorted. "Atom Primordial are immune to disease. Don't!" Gaia-Gigas hand is aimed at the field, and chaos energy forming in his hand. Vitea Musicorum To the field sign your song and dance." Papers that is Vitea Musicorum flutters about the place. "Trap Ability Activate! Percussion of Thundering Mountains!" The music that plays is distorted. "Gaia don't!" Then Black. Atom is floating in darkness. He sees Grimm. Curled up. "I lost control. I lost control. I lost control. I'm weak. I'm weak." "You will lose everything. Your fate is well deserved" Atom can see a second Grimm but isn't Grimm. More of a figment of one's imagination. "I. . . . . I . . I I. Will not let go!" Atom's vision returns with the battle field appearing normal. All the bakugan in their sphere modes, but Serperios and Leonidas. Grimm is standing there in what appears to be a daze.

[Atom]

"What the?" I asked. "A second Grimm, seeming to be in his imagination?" The only ones left on the field were Leo and Serperios, surprising me. "Words of despair, imagination, thinking about fates." I realized what was going through his head. "He has a fear of something." I said. "Something that he's fearing in this battle." I then felt the chaos energy that was distributed across the battlefield. I instinctively knew that I couldn't land, or else I'd get overloaded again. "Grimm, wake up!" I yelled. "Serperios, I saw something, a figment of Grimm's imagination. It looked like him, but was giving him words of despair. Any idea what it could be? What I've figured out is that it's linked to fear!"

[Merchant]

Atom's words fell on deaf ears but the goal was still achieved. Serperios whispered something in Grimm's ear. He comes back to his sense and gathers then energy into one hand allowing Atom to land. The energy grabs a card from his arsenal. "Ability Activate! Snake's Mimic I copy your haos switch effect and switch out with Wrath of the Old Sea. All none aqua's bakugan have their power taken away"

"Revel in our Power." "Sorry I was out. But now I'm in."

[Atom]

"Good thing you still don't fully understand the power of Shifters." I said. My Attribute Wheel glowed brightly, and began to cycle. "What once was light will turn to your blight!" It stopped cycling on Aquos. "Form Change! Aquos!" Both me and Leo changed Attribute, cancelling the Gate's effect on us. "While it's true that in battle arenas, we have to use the Form Change Ability, outside of those battles we can use it at will. And since Serperios isn't Aquos, your card hits him too!" Me and Leo took into the air again, and prepared to fire. "Time for something fun. Ability Activate!" The card in my hand glowed brightly. "Goliath Fortress!" The shop card glowed vibrantly, as a larger version of Leo appeared behind him and a larger version of me appeared behind me. "One other thing about Reversion, any ability I activate can be activated for Leo, me, or both!" The four of us flew in, and landed in front of Serperios. "I hope your head is out of the clouds, Grimm"
"You're going to need to focus." Finished Leo. "Serperios is your Guardian Bakugan, and you last chance to make the connection needed to begin the unlock sequence of your gene!"

[Merchant]

"Don't worry Atom." A faint glow of a wheel Atom is all too familiar with is glowing behind Grimm. Tripe Ability! Tyrant's Aura. No I can use abilities despite the attribute! Next: Beta Gene Ability: Attribute Gain. Now Serperios is aqous. Lastly. Changed by Poison. Become a subterra attribute Leo!" Leo begins fall after the combination layed out by Grimm the wheel behind him taking more form at each word. Then two speak in unison. 

"We won't let you win! Our Final move will end the fight! Final Ability Activate with our power! Snake Hydra's . . . RAMPART!" The blast leads to an explosion. The wheel changing locations. Fully formed and acting differently. The darkus symbol is floating in front of his eye. Taking notice at his whim the wheel fully appears and rotates to haos. Then ventus. Then back to darkus. With a single blink he dispels it can recalls it. 

"Woah this is weird."