Chapter 7

Puzzles and pieces

"Alice, are you okay?"

The Russian girl turned to the source of the voice who was Runo. She nodded and went back to the dishes she was washing. They had just finished lunch and the two hadn't had the chance to have a proper conversation, between Julie's loud boasts and Dan's annoying manner of chewing.

"Are you sure?" Runo asked and her tone implied that she didn't believe her friend at the very least. "You seem a bit… spaced out…" she gasped and asked, "Is it about Shun?"

Alice shook her head, but it wasn't the messy one that she used to give way back; before she got to Vestal.

"What's wrong Alice?" Runo asked again. "Aren't you happy to see us again?"

The red head turned to her and replied, "Of course I'm happy to see you guys again."

"Especially, Shun?" Runo sounded too hopeful for her tastes. "We both know you've a huge crush on Shun."

Alice turned to Runo and shook her head and smiled, "I'm just glad to see all of you again…"

Runo's eyes widened. "Then you don't have a crush on him anymore?"

The red head considered the question for a moment. "Yes…" she replied.

"Why?" Runo could not help but wonder.

Alice just shrugged and dried the plates.

"Is it because of that Keith boy?" She could not help but release the bitterness in her voice.

And the Russian red head heard it as well. "Runo…"

"Alice," she mimicked her tone, "Shun has been worried sick about you. He really cares about you…"

"I know that Runo but," Alice licked her lips.

Runo nodded in understanding. "I have nothing against the guy, but it's Shun that I'm worried about."

The Russian girl just looked down. She and Spectra purposefully left out the fact that he was a member of the Vexos. Marucho will take note of that information and think that he's a villain.

And they also haven't told them about the kiss at the front yard before lunch.

"Runo," Alice called uncertainly. When she got the blue haired girl's attention she continued, "How did you know that you were in love with Dan?"

A blush crept onto the skin of Runo's face. "Wh—what made you ask that question?"

"Well," Alice fidgeted, "I'd rather ask your opinion than have an hour-long discussion with Julie."

Runo chuckled, "Well that's true…" she paused for a moment but then replied, "I can't really remember how; I just well, I just found out. By the way he talks to me or how he holds my hand and squeezes it. His actions all say it for me; then I've decided that I've fallen for that Bakugan-obsessed idiot."

Alice giggled silently before she took Runo's words into consideration. "Then I guess it's safe for me to tell you this,"

The blue haired Japanese gave her a questioning look as the blush on her cheeks started to reveal themselves.

"I… I'm in love with Keith, Runo."

"WHAT?!"

"Is everything alright there, Runo?" Julie called out.

"No… It's nothing…" Runo shouted after her. She then turned back to Alice and asked, "How can you be so sure of that?"

"He's been with me since I got transported to Vestal and though I never asked for his help, he gave it willingly," Alice replied, "He makes me feel warm and safe."

"Are you sure you aren't just treating him as a brother, Alice?" Runo clarified with a raised brow.

The red head shook her head. "He doesn't treat me as a sister… So I would assume that what I feel for him is nowhere near sibling affection. It's somehow similar to what I felt about Shun but deeper and more inexplicable."

She frowned and said, "If you're sure then I see no harm in pursuing it. But what about Shun?"

Alice thoughtfully placed a hand on her chin and said, "I'm sure he'll understand me."

"We all know that you two have been on really good terms before you suddenly disappeared to Vestal," Runo reminded her.

Alice nodded as she recalled the events of that day.


It was after the havoc with Naga. Shun had asked Dr. Michael to let him stay in Russia for a couple of weeks to enhance his skills in terrain adaptation. He had persuaded his grandfather by telling him that ninjas were supposed to be flexible on all terrains.

Alice could hardly believe it.

Especially when Dr. Michael had told her that she and the young Japanese ninja were to be left alone for a few weeks since the scientist had to take care of a few things in the city.

"Take care of Kazami-kun," he had told her before he left her with the ninja.

Of course Alice didn't need to be told how to take care of a guest properly. She strengthened the fire as it was a little chilly and she made supper early.

"So how have you been Alice?" Shun asked to break the awkward silence as he meditated at the corner and Alice read by the fireplace.

Alice looked at Shun. She thought that meditation should be done in complete silence but she replied nonetheless. "Fine... Why do you ask, Shun-kun?"

"Well... I guess I owe you an apology..." Shun said through half-closed eyes.

Alice tilted her head at him, placed a finger on the page she was reading and turned to him. "Why should you apologize Shun-kun?"

He opened his eyes and bowed his head. "Well... I said something bad when we found out that you were Masquerade. I should have been a bit more considerate..."

She smiled at him and set her book down. "At least we're back to what we used to be right?"

"And that would be?"

"Friends..." Alice replied as she stood up and walked towards him. She extended her hand and smiled. "We're friends right Shun-kun?"

She didn't take notice of the blush he had when he took her hand and shook it.

"I guess... We're not exactly like the others who are really close..." Shun said as he shifted his legs to a more comfortable sitting position.

Alice raised a brow and said, "No one from the girls is exactly close to you Shun-kun..."

He let out a chuckle and a dashing smile that Alice knows is one of the reasons why she likes the boy in front of her. "Well that's true..."

And suddenly they're just foolish teenagers that are smiling from ear to ear until Alice tells him that dinner's done.


"You know I really thought that the two of you will take it to the next level," Runo mentioned as she helped Alice sort out the plates. "After all, your grandfather and Shun's grandfather seemed to like the thought of having children-in-law that came from the Battle Brawlers."

Alice paused at that. "It all changed when I was transported to Vestal right?"

Runo nodded thoughtfully. "Well your grandfather died so I doubt anyone would agree to that anymore..."

To this, the Russian girl gave a sad smile. She rinsed her hands under running water and wiped them on her apron. "Can you please keep this between us for now?"

Runo nodded and said, "You won't be able to hide that for long though..."

Alice smiled and said, "I know. I'm sure the others can understand me..."

"But what about Keith?" Runo suddenly asked. "I mean, he's practically stranded here now. I doubt any of the guys would let you live here with him. Alone."

A faint pink graced Alice's cheeks. She fixed her eyes on the ground and wove her fingers together. "I... I'm sure I can work things out somehow..."

"And what about Keith?" Runo asked with a regretful tone.

Alice sighed and bit her lip. "I'll talk to him..."

The blue haired girl nodded and let her go. She turned to the window and whispered, "You're a masochist you know that?" She looked up and noticed the end of Shun's vest dangling from the branch.

Shun had his eyes closed as if in deep meditation. His legs were stretched in front of him as he leaned against the tree trunk and crossed his arms over his chest. Runo sighed and opened the window slightly just for him to manage to hear her voice. "You know eavesdropping is a bad habit..."

But he still remained unresponsive. Runo closed the window shut and headed to the living room where the others were. Alice was sitting beside Spectra and they were both looking over the same book. Dan and Marucho were discussing battle strategies and Runo couldn't help but mentally scoff at the thought.

Julie on the other hand had her radar on full alert. Runo didn't blame the obnoxious and bubbly silver-haired girl since Shun wasn't around and Alice is suddenly beside Spectra like she has no other care in the world. Julie sent Runo an accusing look, but Runo didn't even seem t be fazed as she strode over purposefully towards Dan and Marucho.

"Where's Shun?" Julie suddenly asked.

Runo shrugged innocently and looked over Dan's shoulder. "What's that?" she asked.

Dan looked up at the blue haired girl and replied, "Marucho and I were looking over how the dimensional transporter managed to reverse its effects and brought things over here that..."

Alice turned to them and nodded. Keith tensed for a moment before he flipped the page and resumed reading. His action was barely noted for by the others but Alice saw it anyway.

She pretended to flip the page but then she gently brushed her fingertip against his. He turned to her with an inquiring expression and she held his gaze with a knowing one. Spectra was the one who tore his gaze from hers quickly lest someone might see them.

The door suddenly burst open and a rush of cold wind came in. Shun walked inside as if the cold didn't bother him at the very least even with his sleeveless clothes. He passed by them wordlessly and headed for his assigned room with Dan and Marucho. Spectra had a room of his own because both he and Alice feared that Dan and Marucho might interrogate him too much and there's also the issue of his isolation so they agreed on that.

"What was that all about?" Julie asked with a knowing glance towards Runo. But the blue haired girl, as usual didn't catch the silver haired girl's eye.

"Something must have interrupted Shun's meditation." Dan supplied as he looked away from the screen of the laptop that he and turned to Julie. "That's always the reason why he's mad."

"Who could possibly disturb him?" Runo asked. "We're all here and there's nothing outside that can possibly disturb him..."

"Maybe he disturbed himself..." Spectra supplied with a shrug. "It happens to people who pretend to be strong..."

Dan scoffed at this. "Shun pretending to be strong? That's the craziest thing I have ever heard..."

With another shrug Spectra said, "If you say so..."

"Maybe we should all head to bed for now..." Alice suggested. "We can all talk again tomorrow morning."

They all reached a consensus at that and they dispersed to their respective rooms.


Spectra found himself walking towards the living room again. He made sure that they were all in their rooms and in deep sleep when he slipped out of his room a few moments ago. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was three in the morning. He mentally counted the hours of his sleep and reduced them to five hours.

He took out the photo album again and flipped through the pages. He didn't know why he had the feeling that he missed something in the album that he needed to see for some unknown reason.

When he arrived at the last page that he viewed earlier that morning, a photo fell from the album.

He bent down to pick it up and flipped it over.

It was a picture of Shun and Alice together. Both were smiling shyly and awkwardly as the distance between them is non-existent. Both had a small blush on their cheeks and Spectra then understood.

The doors suddenly squeaked in protest as it was opened. Spectra nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of it.

Alice eased herself out of the door of her room that she currently shared with Runo and Julie. She smiled at the sight of Spectra standing before her and asked, "You're awake already?"

The Pyrus brawler shrugged and replied, "I couldn't sleep..."

The red haired Russian girl had a worried look on her face. "Were you uncomfortable?"

The Pyrus brawler shook his head. "I'm just not used to sleeping long hours..."

She nodded in understanding and said, "I can feel that Dan and the others are very wary of you..."

"That doesn't really bother me Alice..."

"But it bothers me..."

Spectra's eyes widened at her declaration. Alice shyly deflated and walked beside him to grab his hand and envelope it in hers.

"It bothers me because I know how it feels," she told him. "It bothers me because the looks they give you really undermines you and I don't like it..."

"Alice," he started patiently but was cut off by her.

"Keith," she said with a voice that was barely a whisper. "I'd be willing to let you go and to let you go back home just as you've tried to help me before..."

"Now why would you even think of that?" Spectra asked her as he faced her and caressed her cheek. "You don't know how hard it is for me to work on those blueprints for the transporter to here..."

"Then why did you suggest it in the first place?" Alice asked.

He gave her a sad smile. "You wouldn't be safe in Vestal even when you're with me... Gus, Volt and I wouldn't be able to fully protect you if you stayed." He ran a hand through her orange locks and said, "You'd be safer here where Prince Hydron can't touch you without my knowledge. I could mess up his transporter and make him end up in some forgotten dimension."

"You'd do that for me?" Alice sounded unsure of the sincerity he showed her.

Spectra nodded and said, "I would do anything to keep you from being harmed, Alice."

"Because of amendment?" She asked bitterly.

"Because of endearment," he corrected her with a smile. "I love you..." Before she could say anything else he added, "It seems to me though that your friends will not welcome me as that..."

Alice turned to him with worry once more visible on her face. "How so?"

"Kazami Shun, I believe..." he told her.

That one name explained everything for them. Alice nodded and bit her lip. "Shun and I were the ones that always got teased to one another. My grandfather told me that he would like to have Shun as a son-in-law and Shun's grandfather agreed to that as well."

"And I'm the one that just popped in uninvited..." he finished for her.

"Ultimately, the decision is still mine..." Alice told him. "And if I chose you they won't be able to do anything about it..."

Spectra licked his lips. "What if they know what's best for you? And I'm not the one that's best for you?"

She gave him a coy smile. "How would they know? They're not Alice; I am... I have the right to chose what I want. And if it's not what's best for me then I'm the only one who'll suffer..."

He was struck for a while then he returned her smile with a bright one of his own. "You never cease to amaze me Alice..."

With that he bent down and kissed her. His mind was set along with hers. They were going to continue loving one another, come hell or high water.


DONE!

I think I did a crappy job at this one...

Romance isn't really my cup of tea so if anyone felt like this chapter should be burned up, please do say so.

Please do not hesitate to click the REVIEW button and feel free to convey your deepest darkest thoughts regarding the fic as it is greatly appreciated...

I'm also thinking of adding two or three more chapters till I conclude this... So please bear with my slow updates...

Thanks for reading and God bless!

chquine_harvinellisse