I don't know about you guys but I rather liked episode 44 of BNV, can't wait for the next one to come out. But of course, I'm still mad about how they excluded Alice and placed Ace, Mira and Spectra in her place (this is how I see it anyways). She's hardly in these episodes too…

I am so sorry about Terror at Home. I promise you guys will enjoy this story though!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bakugan/NV or any of its characters.

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Alice lived a protected life, she was home schooled, had private lessons and lived in a mansion in the forests of Russia. She never had many friends to start with, because she was never allowed outside her grandfathers' sight. One of the many things her grandfather had told her when she was little was 'Don't talk to strangers', but how was that possible when you hardly see any strangers to start with?

That all changed when Alice turned fourteen, and had gone to visit her grandfather in his lab that faithful day.

"Hello grandfather." She politely said as Dr. Michael came towards her. "Is that a new experiment?"

The memories were like that nova; a flash of fear and amazement. Even today, Alice could still feel remnants of the negative energy emitted by that very same nova. She remembered how her vision was slightly tinted cobalt when she was him. The feeling of a mask strapped onto her face still reminiscent.

And the image of a still figure along a lonely meadow—Masquerade still burned behind her eyes.

Masquerade marked the starting point to which Alice's life was turned upside down and her protected life shattered to pieces. He was the one who started and ended it all—she was the one who wanted to continue her journey with him.

"I cannot help you; that destiny is yours alone." She remembered him telling her; his raspy voice strangely danced with the wind of a lonely meadow.

"No I can't. Not all by myself" she protested. "It's just that… I've only just started playing bakugan, I feel so inexperienced—it all seems too much for me…"

The faint remnants of teardrops trailed down her cheeks as she quivered at the memory.

"You will be alright… Don't you know? It's because I am you, Alice." The words seemed to flow beautifully out of her mouth and yet it seemed so distant without meaning to her.

Since then, Alice's heart, mind and soul became a puzzle--- incomplete with a missing piece. She so desperately wanted that one piece to complete her and yet she was so scared that nothing could fill that void.

By her fifteenth birthday, she had forgotten everything about the masked brawler. Her grandfather gave her more freedom; enrolling her into the nearest high school and allowing her to go to the nearest mall every time he was busy. During her freshmen year, she had made a lot of friends and even fell in love with a boy by the name of Roy. As time had it, Alice and Roy came to know each other more. Roy telling her that he used to brawl and after a long period of time; Alice finally came to tell him that she was actually the masked brawler. Roy still didn't leave her side upon hearing this and eventually the two had started dating.

But destiny wasn't ready for Alice to be swept off her feet and live happily ever after. Destiny was never ready for Alice.

Not too soon had summer break started did her 'prince charming' reveal himself as the sick twisted villain. That first week of summer, she was introduced to the more darker tones of life.

The true dangers that her grandfather so desperately wanted to keep her from.

She was introduced to drugs, alcohol and sex. She became addicted and often found herself not being able to find her way back home.

Reflecting back, that was what Alice feared the most…, falling too deeply into the cracks.

She was so glad she had consulted with Runo in person before her grandfather found out. She was so glad that she had now ended it between that sick psycho before it got worst. She was so relieved.

By the time she returned back to high school did she realize that there was more her grandfather wanted to protect her from—that made Masquerade's leave resurface and become a big impact on her life once again. When Alice returned as a sophomore, this was when the rumors caught up to her.

Slut. Prostitute. Snob. Addict. Transvestite.

She heard them all as she quickly lost all her friends.

The redhead was heartbroken as she retreated back home that day; using the warp card which she unconsciously always took with her.

Shock and terror ran through her veins in place of what would have been adrenaline.

Was this really what life is outside her home?

The phone calls home became too much for her grandfather to bear. He withdrew her from the high school and resumed her private lessons and home schooling.

That night she had cried and cried until she fell asleep and dreamt a dream that would be repeated many nights after.

Alice saw herself; a mirror reflecting a more mature version of her that is. A glistening diadem was entangled in her hair and a dull silver gown trailed down to her knees. It looked like she was going to her own wedding or to a ball; excitement and happiness were reflected in her eyes for the event to come.

Just then, a figure—her memory failed her on how he looked like other than the dull blond hair he had, snuck up behind her and as she let herself be kissed by a voice near her neck area.

"I'll always be here if you need me, Alice."

She awoke with a start as a mask clattered on the ground. Her dream shattered with red, blue and black.

Alice Gehabich feared everything that reassembled him—herself. But if a mask was all it took to comfort her—a mask that forever remained cherished by her heart, a mask that forever was feared by her mind, a mask that which image can't be erased from her soul—if a mask was all it took to identify who she really was. Then why not?

Now to her; the brawlers were her friends; the people she could rely and trust on. They accepted her and understood her. They knew her and she knew them.

"Alice, we're going soon."

But why couldn't she come to tell everyone the complete truth? Why just a portion? Why put up a false façade?

"I'm coming, Hydranoid."

Because she didn't want to fall down the rabbit hole again.

This chapter is set at around Bakugan NV episode… 26-ish? I know that I don't have the best grammar in the world so please review if you spot any grammatical errors. Love you!