Chapter 7 - Desert

Hello everyone. I've been away for a while. Well... I'm sorry for that. I've been dealing with a handful of ridiculous problems, including lack of motivation, family issues, and others I can and can't talk about. Anyway, I'm back, folks!

As usual, even though I'm unable to post a chapter every day, I'll try to post one chapter a week. I hope my dear readers are still around.

Have a nice day! Don't forget to keep your power stones handy! You're all loved.

***

The heat of Vestoria's desert served as a reminder of how the sun could be both beautifully gentle and ruthlessly harsh.

Vestoria's desert stretched out with endless dunes, wild and unforgiving. The golden sands glimmered under the sun, as the wind swept across, forming small ripples. Not a single cloud was in sight; only the sun reigned supreme, fiercely radiating heat onto the ground.

VRUMMMM!

Disrupting the desert's tranquility and cruelty, a motorcycle blasted through, kicking up a cloud of sand. The purple, enclosed motorcycle sped across the dunes, leaving a trail of dust behind. Racing with the wind, it climbed a dune at full throttle.

As the motorcycle reached the dune's peak, it suddenly launched into the air. During its brief airborne moment, it performed a small flip. The screams of the two riders pierced the desert's silence even more.

"YEHUUU!" the girl screamed, overwhelmed with excitement.

"YOU SAID YOU COULD RIDE A MOTORCYCLE!? AAAAH! SLOW DOWN!" And in contrast to her excitement, a different voice than hers was filled with fear and panic.

When the motorcycle hit the ground, sand flew up again. Its wheels gripped the desert surface firmly, and the vehicle accelerated once more. The screams mixed with the growl of the engine and the sound of the sand.

As they sped forward, the girl's voice was heard again.

"ARE YOU SURE WE'RE GOING THE RIGHT WAY~!?"

In the wind's howl and the engine's roar,her partner's voice barely came through.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

The girl slowed down a little, then shouted again, this time in a slightly lower tone.

"I asked if you're sure we're going the right way!"

As the motorcycle slowed down, the wind's noise decreased and the engine's sound softened. This revealed the identities of the riders more clearly. They were Siren and James!

James, clutching Siren's inner pocket to stave off nausea, was observing the surroundings. He could see birds flying overhead. Trying to steady himself, he looked out at the endless desert and spoke in a serious tone:

"No."

Siren chuckled, her eyes glinting with madness, as she revved the throttle again, laughing:

"Great! Then onwards into the unknown! Let's gooooo!"

The motorcycle surged forward, sand flying up once more. James clung tighter, his heart pounding. He wondered how things had escalated to this point...

***

Looking back a bit, it was all clear. While preparations were underway:

James, with his eyes closed, was motionless in his ball form. He still couldn't understand why she was so comfortable despite his presence. Was it because he was a Bakugan? He didn't know.

He pushed these thoughts aside and decided to focus on the main issue.

"Esther, it would be better if you were Siren for this."

Esther paused as she scanned the clothes in her wardrobe. She wasn't surprised; on the contrary, her lips curled upwards, and curiosity sparkled in her eyes. She placed the outfit she wore as Siren on her bed and asked:

"When did you realize?"

James's ball form moved slightly.

"I had my doubts. It's one thing if you make me feel different in behavior, but come on! You're the only person I've ever met in my life who hides her face, and when I saw you as Esther, you acted like you knew me intimately."

James paused for a moment. Leaning against a lamp that felt as solid as a tree, he exclaimed:

"And of course, I saw your wardrobe… Oh my God, you know I'm a man, right? Why are you changing clothes in front of me?"

Esther paused for a moment at this. Her cheeks reddened slightly, but then she looked at James and giggled.

"So you saw, and you want me to be Siren…"

She paused. With a thoughtful expression, she looked at the clothes she had placed on the bed.

"I don't know, James. Siren was an identity I created to fight with passion. To join the Vexos with her… And you still haven't told me how this is going to work."

James transformed from his ball form to his mini form before answering and looked into Esther's eyes.

"Half of them are currently on another planet called Earth. The other half is going to defeat the Resistance. If we are among those who defeat the Resistance, we will gain value in their eyes."

James nodded slightly.

"However, in this case, I believe Siren will be a more suitable identity. A girl who has made a name for herself with her own Bakugan is better than an unknown girl."

It would also be safer. However, James preferred not to say this. Joining the Vexos was temporary. If they wanted to join Spectra Phantom, they would have to betray the Vexos eventually. Otherwise, they would face a great downfall.

To avoid this downfall, the best option was Spectra Phantom's side. Because it was the best way for them to stop being bad after a certain point. After getting what he wanted, who did what was not James's most important priority.

When he considered all this, his plan was flawless. Join the Vexos, approach Spectra Phantom, switch to his side, betray the Vexos, gain a human form, and live a proper life. That was all it was.

The real difficulty was convincing Esther's mother in this limited time frame. Esther's mother's behavior, or more precisely, her hatred of Bakugan, reminded him of an obsessed scientist, and yes, that didn't end well for him.

Nevertheless, James didn't plan to make the same mistake twice. If the scenario couldn't be broken or he couldn't change the outcome, then he would bend it a little. If the outcomes were against him, he had to adapt them to suit him.

Even though he was embarking on another limited-time endeavor, he was relieved because Esther's family wasn't involved in the scenario this time. And speaking of the scientist...

At that moment, an idea came to mind, and his eyes sparkled. Scenario, fate, or whatever it was called, that thing supported the side of the good. So, what he would do was undoubtedly bound to succeed!

Lost in his thoughts, Esther spoke:

"I understand what you mean. Earth… The legendary warriors that Xayah spoke of live there, huh? In that case… There's no other option."

Esther sighed and looked at the mask. She wondered for a moment what Xayah was doing. But then this curiosity faded. She had full faith that she would be fine.

***

Time passed after this. James and Esther made the necessary preparations. Finding someone to help Lucy was easy. Victor, the owner of Eclipse Restaurant, was very enthusiastic about this.

Despite all the absurd situations that had occurred, Lucy had no choice but to accept Eclipse's help, and so James and Esther—no, from now on, James and Siren—left the city.

As James looked at the motorcycle Siren had acquired, he asked:

"Can you ride a motorcycle?"

I mean, even though he had seen Siren/Esther do many things, he had never seen her ride a motorcycle. He didn't even know if she had a motorcycle license.

Siren, however, laughed with an embarrassed smile.

"Yes, although my mom kept saying it was too risky, she preferred me riding a motorcycle over playing Bakugan."

As she approached the motorcycle, James didn't know what to say. In response, Siren asked:

"Nevermind that, where did you say we were going?"

Before answering, James searched his mind and then replied:

"I'm not sure right now. But first… We're going to the desert."

The quickest option would undoubtedly be to go to Beta City. However, they wouldn't be able to get what they wanted there and might even be kicked out. Especially if they arrived at an inconvenient time, this was certain. So, the next best option was to 'coincidentally' run into a Resistance fighter in the desert.

Of course, James had two alternative plans in case they failed. But there was no need to talk about those now.

Hearing what James said, Siren was initially surprised. Then she grinned.

"Alright! Let's… Go!"

…

And now they were here. In this desert, where it was uncertain if any living being existed. As the motorcycle sped ahead, James watched the surroundings like an explorer. Siren, on the other hand, focused on her enjoyment, laughing occasionally as her pink wig's hair blew in the wind.

It was fun. The thrill of riding the motorcycle and the adrenaline coursing through her veins was intoxicating. That's why she also loved playing Bakugan. The excitement of the moment, the adrenaline... This feeling was so wonderful!

Just as Siren was getting lost in these feelings, a major clash was seen on the horizon. Her heart started pounding. They had finally found what they were looking for!