Chapter Nine
A/N: …It has been SO long since I've so much as glanced at this story…crazy man, crazy stuff…I had to go and reread through it all…and then try to hunt down what I had of a plot outline…which actually isn't…much…but you know…
…And then I sat in front of my computer dully for a good…two days, just going, 'uuuuuuuhhhh…', and then another week or two of just sitting here…dully…moaning…yeah. No fun. My plot bunny is dying, methinks. I blame Hitler's hair. Just because we were watching documentaries on WWII in Military History and I decided that his hairdo really bugs me…
Also…I has a bow. ^^ And I love it. It's meh darlin'.
Disclaimer: I dun own Bakugan. Though I now own the word 'spaztastic', which I feel correctly describes all of my writing. And I don't care if someone coined that term before I did. I rule the world, so therefore I own that word. Spaztastic.
"NO!!"
"Wha…" Dan blinked helplessly as Julie, eyes glinting, suddenly bolted to her feet with a shriek, hands slamming down on the table in a movement that was all-too-Runo for his comfort. "I-I'm sorry Julie…but it's the truth…Julie…NO---!!"
"LIIIIIIES!!" Dan was pushed ruthlessly to the ground as Julie flew – almost literally flew – at him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him furiously. "YOU HAVE NO CRUSH ON HER!! IT'S YOUR IMAGINATION! IMAGINATIIIOOOOON!!"
"Julie, you're going to kill him!!" Alice was almost immediately standing above the writhing two, forcefully jerking Julie away and reflecting on just how disconcerting it was to hear Runo's name replaced in that particular sentence.
"You do not have a crush on her!! Do you hear me, Daniel Kuso?! It is nothing but your hormones telling you that she is your one and only, that she is your one true love!! HORMONES!!" Julie thrashed angrily in Alice's grip as Dan rubbed one of his shoulders fearfully, looking up at her in solemn fear with wide eyes. "And you can't believe a word hormones say!!"
"…" Dan shrank slightly under Julie's uncharacteristic fury, skirting away as quickly as he could. "Er…I'm really…sorry…?"
"YOU BETTER BE SORRY, DANIEL KUSO!!"
"Y-yes ma'am…" Dan blanched as Julie tore herself from Alice's grip; to his great relief, she simply stalked back to the table, lips pursed in a pout as she sat back down heavily, glaring at the blue-haired girl who sat across from her…
The girl who was shockingly still and silent…who just sat there, deadpanning towards some far off point above Dan's head…the very corner of her eye twitching…
"Erm…" Alice drifted to Runo's side, hesitantly passing a hand over her face. The only reaction she received was a slightly more brutal twitch. The redhead chewed her lip, sending a confused look towards Dan. "Maybe you should go for a bit…I think you might have taken her by surprise. Maybe if you gave her some time to think about it…you know, in a rational and non-violent way…"
"Uh…yeah, of course…" Dan scrambled back to his feet, deep red staining his cheeks as he edged towards the door, giving Runo a desperate glance. "I'll just…go…yeah…"
As a discordant ring of bells and the slam of a door signalled Dan's departure, Alice looked back at Runo; still no break in the blank, spasmodic stare.
"Milady?" Tigrerra rolled against Runo's hand; no reaction. "Milady, Runo? …I do believe she has slipped into a comatose state…"
When the bedroom door had opened, all the jubilant singing of trumpets and harps that played a victory tune in honor of these moments of peace and privacy (because if this experience were to teach him anything, it was that moments peace and privacy were not only pleasurable, but beneficial to one's health and sanity) petered off into a frantic mumble.
Because she was back, she was going to finish him off…perhaps he had gone too far…
"…What's the matter with her?"
His question was answered with a meaningful look from Alice and a hmph from Julie, as he craned his head to peer at the sullenly dull girl floating behind them. "Masquerade, can you please…um…get off Runo's bed?"
And that question was answered by something as equally unhelpful as her reply, to no surprise. "I'm comfy. What's the matter with her?"
"She's tired." Masquerade tilted his head to the side curiously; funny, seemed like Alice was a bit more weary…likely this whole matter was succeeding in slowly eroding away her patience. How accomplished he felt now~. "Please, don't argue with us…"
"If I wanted an argument, I'd either call Julie a bimbo again or try poking Runo with something sharp and pointy. What's the matter with her?"
"I'm not a bimbo," Julie piped up instinctively, scowling a bit. "And you, like, call Runo discriminative…"
He disregarded her with a flippant wave of his hand, inquisitive smirk trained on the trio of girls. "You should all know by now that I don't plan on giving up the comfort of a bed when I get treated so unfairly. The least you can do is tell me what's the matter with her."
"Masquerade, it's rather private, we just can't tell you…ah, Runo…!!"
Alice and Julie were shoved aside as Runo took the step past the doorframe, coolly walking towards the bookshelf; experience had already warned Masquerade of the ensuing action.
"You know what?" he said airily, ducking and slipping to the floor as a book went whizzing over his head, "I don't really feel like being on the bed, it's kind of weak. Only the strong are able to handle hanging out on the floor."
Runo just grunted, stomping towards the bed as he shuffled out of the way, and promptly fell into the rumpled blankets and sheets. "I'm going to sleep. Long day. Tired."
"It is getting a bit late," Alice mumbled, sending a sideways glance at Julie, who surprisingly clicked into the suggestion behind the words, and instantly started whining.
"Aliiiiiiice, it's not that late…and it's not like Marucho and his family are expecting me anytime soon! I mean, they probably wouldn't notice if I went missing or something…they'd probably think I took a wrong turn for the bathroom or something…"
"Julie…"
The silver-haired girl hesitated at the desperate plea in Alice's eyes; finally, with an indignant huff, she spun on her heel and strutted out the door. "Like, whatever, if you want me gone SO much…I'll see you all tomorrow."
"…So…what happened?" Masquerade asked again, as Alice practically dragged herself towards her cot and the door was slammed shut.
"…Closet."
He raised an eyebrow behind the mask at Alice's uncharacteristically curt reply. "Alice, I thought you were the humane one. Surely you realise that a closet is not considered to be suitable sleeping quarters? It's so small…and it smells…kind of like cabbage…"
Alice sighed as she sat down, blinking at him with sleep-heavy eyes. "Masquerade…"
"And clearly I have no inclination of running away. …Well, I do, but that's expected. But it's not like I have any choice as to whether I stay here or not."
"…Well…there's no other beds…"
Masquerade tapped the floor smartly. "Open space, right here. And I swear I won't try to pull any more tricks like I did last night…" He paused, allowing himself a quick, self-satisfied smirk at the memory. "Come on, Alice…I'm trustworthy…"
"Just for saying that you should be locked in the closet permanently," Tigrerra said stiffly.
The blonde just treated the tigress Bakugan with a quick grin that clearly read shut up, before turning his appeals back to Alice. "Come on, I won't be a bother…I swear, I'll stay in one spot, I won't go anywhere, I'll stay on my floor…you have nothing to fear from me. Come on, please? Pleasepleaseplease?"
"I don't know…"
"PREEEEE-tty pleeeea…?"
"OH MY GOD, DO WHATEVER, JUST SHUT UP!! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!!"
"Runo, Alice!" The two girls stiffened at the sound of Mr Misaki's voice, growing louder and louder as he neared the door. "What's with all the noise?"
"Sorry, Mr Misaki," Alice called out as Runo inhaled sharply, glaring at Masquerade and his unhelpful sneer, as though the sheer fury in her eyes would be able to make him evaporate on the spot and prevent the revelation that they were hiding a (dangerous-evil-sarcastic-and-ultimately-sleazy) boy in the room; certainly something that no sane father would approve of. The knob jiggled. "We're just getting dressed!"
All knob-related movements instantly froze. "Oh…well, I don't want to hear any more loud noise from you two, understand?"
"No worries, Dad," Runo assured loudly, shoulders slumping in relief as they listened to his heavy footsteps walking away, eyes still trained on Masquerade. "You stupid idiot," she hissed through gritted teeth, "you nearly got us caught!"
Masquerade ignored the accusation, and the chance to point out that the blame should actually be pointed at her. "I still win, right?"
"Win what?"
"Being able to not sleep in a closet. Duh."
"…Oh, whatever. But if you dare touch me…"
"Because touching you as you sleep is every teenage boy's fantasy," Masquerade replied sardonically, but grinning in victory nonetheless. And smug enough to both ignore Runo's answering snarl, her disgusted expression, and say something that could be possibly lethal to his well-being. "So…when are you two going to get changed?"
"…"
"I mean, good old Pops out there would be awfully confused if you go to the bathroom to get changed after saying you were changing in here…"
"…"
"Just thought I should point out that flaw in your brilliant plan. You know, because I'm a nice guy and all…"
Runo suddenly spoke up, neatly cutting him off. "You pervert."
A/N: …Yes, it is a horrible comeback for this fic after about…two months? Something like that of not being touched…but…it's hard…and…yeah…it's rather shorter than usual…but I had to get SOMETHING out, and…and…I'M SORRY---!! I AM A TRULY HORRIBLE PERSON!! FORGIVE MEEEEEE!!
…But yeah…one of my New Year's resolutions was to get back on track with my fanfiction…so yeah…^^ Let's hope I succeed…
