Beyond the Mask - A Bakugan fanfic

Chapter 2

Amari told Kumiko about the mysterious Bakugan during lunch the next day at school.

"You said you found him where?"

"Just floating around in the fountain in the middle of the park."

"Think someone abandoned him there?" she asked, picking up the Bakugan between her thumb and pointer finger and bringing it to her face for a closer examination.

"I don't know, it's possible, but I don't know anyone who would just throw one away like that. Although-"

Amari paused, unsure if whether to bring up the topic or not. She hadn't done much research about that Brawler, Masquerade, other than what she heard from the boy in the park yesterday and the few chats online. Other than that, she had no idea about anything else relating to him. She wondered, briefly, if the masked Brawler did have some faint connection to this abandoned Bakugan. How much of a stretch would that be?

"Although, what?" Her friend asked, rolling the Bakugan around her hand, watching how it moved with a critical eye.

"I found him after a battle with some kid. He had mentioned something about someone taking his Bakugan. I didn't think too much of it until I went home and read a few things online-"

"Oh, you mean that masked guy? Yea, I've read a few things about him too. He sounds like a major creep. Think he has anything to do with this little one?" Kumiko asked, holding out the Bakugan for Amari to take. She did and stared down at the stagnant ball in her hand.

"If he does, I don't think it's the Bakugan the kid was talking about. He was a Subterra user," Amari sighed, and looked up to her friend. "What do you think I should do?"

Kumiko hummed a response and took a seat in the chair across from Amari. Her head rested against her hand as she leaned onto Amari's  , deep in contemplation.

"Do you know anything else about this Bakugan, other than it being a Darkus attribute and you finding it at the park?"

Amari shook her head and her friend made another humming noise.

"He hasn't talked or moved on his own, so he can't be one of those cool and ultra-rare Bakugan, but he won't even open up when I roll him onto a card either."

Kumiko cocked her head to the side when she asked, "What do you mean?" Her brows furrowed as she waited for Amari's response.

"I mean that he won't open. Usually other Bakugan open when you put them onto a card, even if it's not in battle, or if you poke it hard enough. I've been prying at this thing all morning and I can't get any part of him to budge, even the parts that look like they're supposed to open."

"Can I see him again?"

Amari handed the Bakugan back to her friend and she continued her previous examination. She squinted her eyes down to tiny slits as she picked at the different gaps and ridges along the ball's surface. Amari leaned onto her desk, assuming Kumiko's previous position as she watched. It stubbornly remained in the ball form, even when Kumiko dropped it onto the desk. The sudden action forced Amari to sit back in her chair. She acted quick enough, however, to cup her hands in her lap to catch the Bakugan as it rolled towards her off the desk.

"I don't know why he's stuck that way," Kumiko said, "but I bet there's one thing we can try that might break him out of his shell for sure."

Amari didn't even have to look up at Kumiko's face to know what she meant, she could hear it in her voice alone.

"Let's brawl."

~☼~