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

[Merchant]

"Not without a couple more clues. And doing some basic research. But I can help out with the filter problem in several ways. Two of them I highly prefer. One would be to increase his tolerance. And since the adaption method wont work. Well I have another idea but it will be very painful. The filtering out is more easily done. I just need to know. How does Atom filter all that energy?"

[Atom]

"It's his Genetics." Said Reginas. "It's difficult to explain in words anybody would understand, but think of it this way. A Coffee Filter keeps impurities in, but lets the water through. That's how Atom filters out Chaotic and Negative Energy. His Genes naturally filter it out, weakening it to the point where he can basically just get rid of it. It's said that Energy cannot be Created or Destroyed, but in Atom, whatever Chaos or Negative energy he creates he also destroys. But he's still limited to the amount he can hold. Think of a cup of water. You can fill it to the brim, but add just a tiny bit more and it spills. And, here's the most interesting part, his Chaos Storage has been amplified. Multiple times. It just doesn't work. His ability just uses up all of the available space, and no matter how much we increase that space it fills up just as quickly." Reginas thought for a second. "You know, now that I think about it, haven't you been experiencing any decrease in your powers? You have a Beta Gene in you, which would suggest that your body is filtering out Chaos and Negative Energy, just like any other Shifter." Reginas shook himself out of it. "Actually, never mind. We need to focus on Atom. And as for your other suggestion, improving his filtering capabilities, well, it's never been done. No Shifter has ever been in his position before. And, as a side note, you may find that more difficult than you think. One wrong move, and you may make his body start producing Chaos Energy instead of his normal energy. And if he can't filter it out quickly, well, think of a system tat's overpressured. Boom."

[Merchant]

"Well what if. And hear me out here. What if the solution is to change not only change how his body reacts to it, but producing something. And while you make think of it as a horrible idea but. . ." Gimm reactivates the attribute wheel this time the aquos symbol. "It is instinctual at this point. But none the less. Atom is producing something alright. And absurd amount of something that reacts badly to chaos energy. It isn't even order. Let fill you in on chaos energy. Everything that is exist that we know of, and everything before and after needed chaos energy. The thoughts and blah yes, but everything starts with chaos and ends with order. Have you ever noticed that Atom can't really take that many hits. His stamina and durability are stupidly low." (a peak at what Grimm see's with the aqous symbol active: [Atom's normal aura. His statistics, and the constantly oozing strange aura energy like substance gushing out from Atom's body destabilizing the space around him] This has been what Grimm sees. Now back to your normal show) "What ever else is coming out of him. Whatever it is it is warping the space around him, and that is what is reacting especially bad to chaos energy." Both Grimm and Reginas can see Serperios crawl his way back up for he is now climbing over the edge towering over Atom.

"NEVER USE ME AS A WRECKING BALL EVER AGAIN!" The pissed of hydra yells.

"Which gives me several ideas." Grimm finishes his thought tho Reginas.

[Atom]

"Grimm, that energy you're detecting is energy from me Genes." I said. "It's what allows me to slip through the Realital Barriers, and gives me access to my Shifter Abilities. And of course it reacts badly to Chaos Energy. Think about what I'm about to tell you. Origin Genes were originally generated by the Negative Energy between Realities to fight against the Chaos Energy the Destruction Generated. When he was defeated a few million years ago, the Origin Genes downgraded to Alpha Genes. No Origin Gene has ever been recorded since the original ones. And, I happen to have an Alpha Gene. It was my original Gene. I got my Omega Gene later to help me against the Destruction. So yes, my body naturally gushes an energy designed to protect me from Chaos Energy and allow me to actually be a Shifter. But when it gets overloaded by an excess of abundant Chaos Energy, or if I generate the Chaos Energy in me, then it can't protect me from its effects. So no, don't go messing with my natural defenses. If I don't have them, well, take anything you do to cause chaos, and amplify it by an exponent of ten, and you'll get close to the amount of destruction I can cause from a Chaos Overload."

[Merchant]

"While yes there is that you fool things still need chaos to exist and grow. You are surviving on an unhealthy substitute and either way things work out for me. Serperios ready. Ability Activate!" Grimm calls while nabbing Regina's and placing a special sealing barrier around him preventing from releasing himself to his true form even if Atom brawled him. While this happens.

"Serpent's Panthyon!" Serperios calls out. Pinning Atom in a swarm of snakes and in that swarm the rest of his bakugan are scattered in it also trapped.

"Gasp. What a twist. I'm evil remember. I got to thank you for the new powers. Who knew letting a little personal information can yield such great results. Grimm is bragging. "And you Reginas. We are going to have fun. I really don't like taking bakugan from their partners. But. This is a very special case. I want to see what happens when I turn a normal bakugan. Into a chaos bakugan. And what better. You would still be you." Grimm leans in close to Reginas so that only he can hear him. "If you want to help Atom out with his unique predicament. I highly suggest you take advantage of the situation. As much as I'm vile. On my name I will see to it that you make it back to Atom. But on this condition. You get turned into a chaos bakugan. And preform the experiment. Filtering out the chaos energy for Atom. And as a chaos bakugan. The amount of chaos energy you can withstand will be far greater than needed to help Atom. So Reginas. Is it going to be willing? Or? Is it going to be a kidnapping?"

[Atom]

Reginas squirmed in Grimm's grasp. "There's one thing you don't understand about me." He said. He slid out of Grimm's fingers. "I used to be the partner of Clate, who Atom told you about. That makes me the Bakugan of a Negative Shifter. I already have a massive capacity for Chaos Energy. I also have additional immunities to Chaos." The barrier around him was drawn in, and vanished. "So, while you think you're mighty, keep in mind the other powers that are at play. For example, Shifters don't need as much chaos around them as other beings. Atom's body is doing what it's supposed to do. So, here's an experiment for you. You attempt to travel between Realities without the barrier he has. You'd become a melted pile of goop before you could even leave the Reality. Even though you have a Realital Gene, it's still not active. You can't access the Tachyon fields surrounding Realities, nor could you counteract the Negative Energy between Realities. There is so much more you don't yet understand, and of that which Atom understands, there's still millions upon trillions of other things nobody knows about Shifters. Any attempt to alter their natural processes could result in complete devastation of entire cities, worlds, dimensions, even entire Realities. So, no. You'd have to kidnap me if you wanted to do your little experiment on me. No amount of coercing would make me come with you. And that's my answer." A shadowy figure appeared next to Reginas.
"You'd better listen to him." Said the figure. "Look at what happened when the Destruction decided to meddle with Realital Genes. My actions before Atom purified me are a good example." A vision was imposed onto Grimm, showing what happened at the Bakugan Reality when I defended it. "As you've probably guessed, I'm Clate. While I'm usually unable to communicate with others, besides Atom, I can use the excess Chaos and Negative Energy within him to gain a corporeal form, until his reserves run dry. And no, nobody except Reginas knew I could do this. I experimented while atom was asleep with his Chaos Poisoning. You have about two minutes to ask me questions. And if you attempt to lay one finger on Reginas, well," Clate reached behind him, and grabbed a sword similar to mine. "You may be as resilient as a cartoon, but my attacks are based off of what would actually happen. So, if I slice at your arm, you would be wounded just like any other, and it will take as long to heal as any other. So, don't attempt it. My chaos is far greater than yours."

[Merchant]

Clate sword shatters. "How many times do I have to say this. Never underestimate me." Grimm's eyes glow signifying his mask is active again. "As for traveling to other realities via tachy whatever. Yeah don't know what that is for but Reginas. You say the tree. Voids between realities have nothing inside of them. By all means we should have been turned to goo them. Lastly." The barrier reappears around Reginas, but far stronger. "How about you spend time on the tree. Don't worry. You will be fine." Grimm snaps his fingers and Reginas just disappears. No flashy stuff. He just goes. Grimm block the next attack with unnatural ease. "Yawn. Atom will need consoling after this." Grimm raises his hand. The wheel reappears over his left eye. "Abusing reality. How fun it is." Clate begins to turn to stone. "Stronger than me by this. Stronger than by that. Hasn't Atom warned you about me. I tend to escape. See ya . . . Never." Grimm laughs once again. "Lets part two this crap now shall we. Tell Atom. His test of fear may prove. Harrowing." The snakes are gone. Serperios gone. Grimm. Can't even be found on Earth. And the tracking system says he is at all of his random locations at once. But checking the areas yields nothing.

[Atom]

Clate smiled, then raised his hand. The Chaos that Grimm just spread vanished, and he reappeared in front of them, along with Serperios and Reginas. Reginas's barrier burst again, freeing him, and Clate returned to normal. "No Grimm, Atom hasn't warned me about you. I've warned myself." His sword reassembled itself. "Now, pay attention here. Every chaotic action you do until I vanish will reflect extremely negatively on you, do you understand?" Clate didn't wait for a response. "Now that I have your attention, I do outrank you in the chaos department by a couple factors of ten. Did you ever hear the origin story of Chaos Seeds? Let me give you a quick synopsis. They were created BY the Destruction. They were forgotten about for eons, but they were created by him. So guess what? That means that me, as a Negative Shifter, can control them just like he can. My control is weaker than his, naturally, but no less potent." Clate's face turned dark. "Now that your lesson is over, it's time for your punishment. You didn't lay a finger on Reginas, no, but you still took him without permission!" Clate swung his sword, and inflicted a shallow wound on Grimm's arm. It was no thicker than a paper cut, but it ran down the entire length from his elbow to his wrist. "And now that you know I'm not joking, one last tidbit. I am always watching. I'm always aware. I have a direct-line access to Atomspliter, the writer of Atom's story, and I can tell him exactly what Atom needs at any point in time. The flash idea to use Dopples? That was my suggestion to the writer. How about lifting Serperios using Atom's Dark Ability? Me again." Clate again gripped his sword. "And, also, thanks to your chaos energy, I'm sticking around for even longer now. Like I said, any chaotic action you do will reflect negatively on you, being that for every ounce of Chaos Energy you use, you give me more time to be here talking to you. Every teleport you attempt, every attack you try, every Reality Bending idea you have, they will all fail against me because they all share one concept. Chaos. And, since you seem to be so desperate to claim Reginas and turn him into a Chaos Bakugan, you'll have to capture him from me. And I mean that. Actual brawl, claiming him as a prize as I can only watch. And don't attempt to use your incomplete Beta Gene against me. It'll do the reverse, due to the nature of Chaos Energy." He looked back at me. "Atom, give me Reginas's cards. I have something I need to do." I quickly dashed over and handed Clate Reginas's cards.
"Just do what you have to do." I said.
"Thanks." Said Clate. "If I need more Chaos and Negative Energy to finish the brawl, I'll let you know." He faced towards Grimm again, and grabbed Reginas. "Now then, my not-so-good-friend, let's see what you can do. Remember, no Chaos or you make me stronger." Reginas's abilities glowed in Clate's hand, and a few more cards appeared in the bundle. "Oh yeah, and one more thing." Clate waved his hand at Grimm, creating a dark seal on all but one of his Bakugan. "Serperios, one of the two sources of Chaos for Grimm. I need a word with you, and it will not be spoken with language, but battling."

[Merchant]

"Sorry. But I' tired. Ferro." Grimm raise his arm. Then something happens. No chaos was used. But his arm looks like it is now steel. "First. Do not mess with me." Grimm grabs Clate's sword and crushes it with his hand. The sound of metal against metal. "Second. Do not ever claim you have control of me." Grimm punches Clate's face. Breaking it in the process. "Third. I always get away." Then Grimm impales Clate. Right through his heart. "Let me make myself clear again. Chaos is more than destruction. Chaos is more than just pain. It is about existing. That random thing that happens in life. Chaos comes from anywhere. Those who can manipulate it are natural more powerful than others. Metendum Messis." Grimm pulls something out of Clate. It looks like the last thing a reality shifter would want to lose. "Or in English. Reaping Harvest. Necrotic in nature. But a life spell none the less." Grimm closes his grip on the gene. "Now before you ask how is that possible. Well. I call magic. Et Conlidam" The gene shatters into tiny fragments. "Captionem, Contineant: Cincinno." Reginas can feel the barrier around him for the third time. But this is not like the last two. Grimm plucks him out of the air. "Cruciatu." Reginas feels pain. Like it is torture. "As for you Clate. Somnum. With your condition. Sleep is a mercy." Grimm enjoys the shocked expression on Clate's face. As the man before Grimm stumbles. He tries to use the chaos to heal what has been done. Only to find  that the chaos isn't responding to him. "Oops did I forget to mention. You aren't the Reginas isn't the only one with a barrier." Clate collapses.  "Now Reginas know. That you will go back to Atom. But not after my experiment." Grimm counters Atom retaliation to what Grimm has just done with ease. "And for you. Go find Ivan. He is next in my list." Grimm walks off fading away. His bakugan go with him.

---

After the initial shock goes into place which was 30 minutes. Somebody just barely crawls up to the top of the mountain. A girl. And she sees what is in front of her. "Oh no. Hey!" She runs up to Atom, and Clate. She reassure Atom. With a strange glow of light from her hand. Clate is healed. Alive but his condition remains unchanged other wise. "I can't undo the sleep spell placed on him, but I can make sure he lives. No sit still your turn." The strange glow washes over Atom. It feels nice and warm. Even the chaos energy built up just goes away. "My name is Alice. Alice Hallow. And I'm Looking for my brother."

[Atom]

I quickly turn to the girl, hearing her coming. I heard what she said, and felt her healing ability wash over me. "Okay then. I will be honest, did not see that coming." I stood up, and watched Clate's form vanish. "Don't worry too much about him. That body is not actually a body. It was created from the Chaotic Energy inside me for him to use. And I'm glad Grimm missed that." I grabbed a small disc from my pocket, and flipped it up. It expanded and landed on the ground with a small thud. I quickly grabbed a holographic scanner, and scanned myself. I looked at the readings, and gave a sigh of relief at what I saw. One Red Gene, one Yellow Gene, and one Black Gene. I quickly switched off that screen, and pulled up the one that predicted Grimm's next location. "Alice, I'm sorry but you just missed him. Luckily for you, I'm the only person in this Reality besides Grimm who can pinpoint his location. Just gotta add a few more calculations, carry the extra integers and" the map specified two different locations. "Of course." I sighed, and looked at Alice. "Okay, here's what we need to do. I need to go find another friend to help me with this. And you're going to come with me, because I'll be able to help you find your brother." I grabbed my phone and prayed that I had reception. I turned it on, and barely had a signal. "Just enough." I dialed a phone number, and held it to my ear. I got voicemail. "Ivan, it's Atom. Listen, I know you may be busy practicing, but I need your help. Grimm's taken Reginas. I've narrowed down where he'll end up to two locations, but I need your help to find him. You in? Also, I have something I need to tell you. Call me back as soon as you can. I'll be heading to my house as soon as possible to get started on tracking Grimm. I'll message you the address." I hung up, and quickly sent Ivan the address of my apartment. I looked back at Alice. "Okay Alice, we're off." I generated a small, black box with a button on it and pressed it into her hand. A small light came out of it and went into her. "Don't be alarmed. That was just a Temporary Realital Gene. It'll make the next part easier and faster." I looked at my Bakugan. "Come on guys. We have a friend to save!" I waved my arm to the left and opened a Dimensional Gate. I grabbed Alice's hand and jumped through it. My Bakugan followed, and it closed behind us. "Don't worry Reginas. I will save you."

---

We'll continue this in part two, sound good?

[Merchant]

The writer for Grimm returns. He turns to Atom's writer. "Finally we finished this one. Part two is going to be fun. Well things are finished here. And the wall is back up." As Grimm writer glares at Atom's writer. "Now part for part 2 please reuse the name for this one just add part 2. My psa is over. Any last words from you?" Grimm's writer gestures to Atom's Writer.

[Atom]

"My only last words are for you." Said Atomspliter. "You forgot something vital."

[Merchant]

leave it for part too. Now I will leave that thread to you.