Hello ShunxJulie lovers! It's Dan Kuso here…..again :3 I received such great feedback from you all last time, I decided to come back!
Kit Kat-chan: -_- I said you could be 'featured' in this intro, Dan, not that you could completely take over!
Dan: Oh, yeah….right ^^;
Kit Kat-chan: *sigh* Anyway, hello all! How's it goin? I did say I'd be back sooner than last time, and I kept my promise…I think….*becomes confused*
Dan: *pats her on the back* Don't worry Kit Kat :D right! Let's get on with the next chapter!
Dan turned his computer screen off, and sunk deeper into his chair. He looked back at the blank screen and shook his head. No, Shuji was just saying all of that to get on his grill. None of it was true….it couldn't have been. He stood up and walked out of his room, before going down the stairs. Miyoko Kuso looked at her son and smiled, "I'm guessing that you, like the others, are going out," She said, watching him put his shoes on as he nodded, "Have you eaten yet, or are you planning to eat at the café? I've made some baguettes just in case you wanted them." Dan stared into his mother's eyes. Couldn't she see that he was not in the mood to be happy, and the last thing on his mind was food? He then looked at the crispy bread with the layers of ham, half hanging from the edges. Or was it….?
He walked over to the plate and picked up the baguette, before taking off out the door and down the street with it. He wasn't planning on going to Runo's café yet. Alice was there with her, and so were Julie and Mira. Instead, he walked straight to Marucho's mansion. After waiting a while, the door opened revealing Marucho, who looked at Dan in surprise as he entered holding what looked like a half-eaten log. "Err hi Dan, me and the guys were just wondering when you'd get here." He said opening the door wider, as Dan was struggling to get through,"What took you so long?" Dan shook his head, "Nothing, I would've come sooner, but I was talking to someone…"
They walked into the living room, where Shun, Ace and Baron all sat. Ace looked at Dan and rolled his eyes, "Finally! You told me and Baron before we left that you'd catch up with us in five minutes…..that was an hour ago!" Dan sat on the sofa,"Well….just before I was about to leave, I went on a chat-room on the computer and Shuji was on there," He began, "He asked me if I was still going out with Runo, and when I told him I was, he started laughing." The boys looked at him questioningly, "Why did he laugh? He knows that you and Runo haven't broken up." Said Shun quietly. Dan nodded, "Exactly! When I told him that, he started telling me how he'd seen her, Alice, Mira and Julie the other day around town with a bunch of dudes, who took them into different shops, and bought them stuff!"
Baron scratched his head, "But the girls have been working at the café, for the last few days," He said, "And that's why they didn't come to the arcade with us, last night." Dan shrugged, "That's what I thought, but Shuji said that even Akira was with him….the girls were acting all 'girly' and giggly around them, and Julie seemed to be enjoying all the attention, and acted like the leader of all of it." Shuns eyes narrowed, "What does Shuji mean by 'leader'?" Dan sweat-dropped, "Well, apparently she seemed to be her normal self, and was all flirty with the guys," He stuttered, "Shuji doesn't know you and Julie are together….and by the way he said it….she has- hasn't…changed." The room fell into complete silence. Ace glanced at Baron, who looked back at him, before staring at Shun, who sat with an emotionless expression on the sofa. Dan rubbed his arm and looked at Marucho, who cleared his throat, "So what Shuji is basically saying is Runo's cheating on you?" He said, before breaking out into an awkward laugh, "I don't believe that at all! I'm sure there's an explanation for what he saw. Besides, don't you think that he could have been exaggerating? I mean, you've never been on the best of terms with him…..and I don't believe what he said about Julie either. I can't see her doing that….well maybe I can, but she wouldn't do that! Actually from my personal observation, Julie hasn't had eyes for anyone but Shun."
All the boys looked at Shun, except Ace who looked at Dan, "So does that mean Mira….w- was kinda involved?" He asked, "Y- you know with all of this?" Dan shrugged again,"I'm not sure…Shuji did say ALL the girls, so I'm supposing that means Mira too." Baron looked confused, "But wait, Ace you're not dating Mira," He said bluntly, "So would it really matter if she was flirting with a guy?" He received a hard blow to the head, making Marucho, Dan and Shun all feel sorry for him. Suddenly, the boys heard laughing and giggling down the hall, before the living room door opened and Runo and Julie came in. They looked at the boys in surprise, before Runo smiled at them, "Hey guys, what're you all doing sitting quietly in here? Julie left her cell phone, so I came back with her to get it." She said, looking at Julie, who was searching around the sides.
"I could've sworn I left it around here!" The silverette said, going over to the couch and tucking her hands around the cushions, "I was sitting here the last time I had it with me..." Shun stood up and walked towards the door, "I'm goin' out," He said stiffly, "I might be out for some time, so don't be surprised if I'm not back in the next three hours." He turned around and left the room, shutting the door firmly behind him. Julie stared at the door and Runo glared at Dan, "Was you arguing in here?" She asked annoyed, "Honestly! You must have said something to really tick him off, if he's not coming back anytime soon!" Dan shook his head nervously, "N- no we wasn't arguing," He replied, "I think err Shun just wanted to get some air or something!" Julie went over to where Shun was sitting and put her hand under the side of the seat, where she found her phone. She turned around and looked at Runo, "Let's go. I've found it now, so we can go now." She said, going over to her friend and pulling her out the room.
When they left ace looked at Dan and smirked, "So, instead of showing Runo what you're made of, you cower away from her and act like a nervous mouse." He said before folding his arms, "Wow Dan…you're an inspiration to us all!"
~Outside Marucho's mansion~
Runo watched her friend as she walked beside her, whilst holding on to her phone tightly. She put her arm around her, "Stop worrying Jewels, I' sure Shun'll come back sooner then he said," She said reassuringly, "I have the feeling Dan or Ace said something stupid and it peed him off, so he's gone off by himself to get away from them." Julie looked at Runo and smiled, "Yeah, that's probably what happened," She said, putting her phone in her pocket and taking a deep breath,"Shun's fine and there's no need for me to be worried. I mean, that's just me being paranoid in thinking he's upset with me isn't it?" Runo rolled her eyes, "Well you haven't done anything wrong, so I guess it is you being paranoid." She grinned, "You gotta STOP thinking that there's gonna be an accident or a disaster around every corner! You're with Shun and your goin' strong, so BE HAPPY!" Julie laughed and nodded, "I suppose so! Thanks Runo, you really know how to make me feel better!"
The girls made their way to the park, where they had arranged to meet up with Alice and Mira, who had gone back to Dan's for a bit. They both sat on a bench and watched three little girls, who were all sitting on the grass making daisy chains. "Isn't it funny how some things never change?" Commented Runo, "When I was a kid, I used to practise making daisy chains for ages. I didn't give up'till I learned how to do it…do you know how to make them?" Julie broke out into a hysterical laugh, before pulling herself together and nodding, "Well considering that my sister's name is Daisy, I didn't have a choice!" She giggled, "Daisy was adamant that I learnt to make them….we would go to the park and she would spend hours with me on the grass just showing me how to do it…nowadays I consider myself an expert!" They then saw Alice and Mira running towards them, so they both stood up.
"Sorry for taking so long, Mrs Kuso wanted us to stay and do yoga with her, so we had to stay and do a bit, before she allowed us to come out again." Alice told them,"I've never really known how advanced she really is until today! I was struggling the whole way through." Mira smiled weakly, "I knew what I was in for, but it was definitely much more difficult than it was last time." She said. "Well, it's over now. So I'm supposing you've found your phone Julie? Good, at least you didn't lose it. Was the boys there?" Julie nodded, "Yeah they were in the living room talking. I'm starting to think that they're all gossip's, I mean I thought guys were meant to be more active, or is that just what I thought? Billy's NEVER still, he's always out doing something! Back in Australia, he's constantly begging me to go with him to the mini Safari Park out there, so I can watch him go over the bars and touch an alligator's tail….and yes ladies, the stuff Billy does to keep active is completely bonkers!"
The girls walked aimlessly around the park, and Alice smiled at them, "Well, seeing as we're out, what are we going to do?" She asked, "In all truth I don't have anything to suggest…" Runo nodded, "Neither do I….Mira do you have any ideas?" "Sorry girls I haven't got any." Julie went into thinking mode, "Hmmm….well, we haven't really been hanging out with the boys lately, so why don't we be with them?" They all agreed, and on the way back to Marucho's, Runo told Mira and Alice about the boys 'dumb convo' and how Shun was no longer there. "Well that's what I think anyway," She said breezily, "Dan has an annoying habit of peeing people off….'I' of all people know that."
When they got to the door, Runo, Mira and Alice stared at Julie curiously, as she skipped over to the door and tossed her hair over her shoulders, "Hey Mister Door, I'm Julie! I've been going in and out of you for quite a while now, but we've never introduced ourselves to one another!" She began, "I was just wondering if you'd be kind enough to open your big strong self and let me and my friends in? If you did I'd be soooo grateful!" Much to Mira, Runo and Alice's shock, the big door slowly opened, and the indigo eyed girl smiled and walked in. "Now…I believe I've seen everything…" Runo said hazily, following Julie in, as she skipped off in front. They went into the living room, and as before Dan, Marucho, Baron and Ace were all in there. Dan jumped up in surprise as the girls entered, and Ace gracelessly fell of his chair.
After scrambling up again, he glared at them, "You shouldn't look so surprised that I fell of the chair," He choked, "You guys just STORMED into the room!" Mira folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at him, "It seems to me Ace, that you've become more and more scatty as we've been here," She said, "And that's not a good…by the time we go back to Vestroia, you'll have no dignity left." Everyone grinned in amusement as Ace sat in his seat turning redder and redder by the second, until Julie gave his back a hard thump, "N'aww there's no need to be AMBARRESSED Ace!" She said cheerfully, "Hey, I've got an idea, why don't we play a game of Bakugan? That will raise your spirits!" Everyone gave her a blank look, "Umm Julie we don't have our Bakugan's with us, remember?" Said Dan, thinking that she had maybe for a second forgot that their Guardians were all in Vestroia.
The silverette shook her head impatiently, "No Dan honey, I'm not talking about that kinda game of Bakugan," She said, taking out a Wii game box that seemed to have come out of nowhere, "I'm talking about this one! So, who wants to brawl me first? Marucho be a sweetie and set the Wii up for us, oh and by the way, this is Bakugan 'Battle Brawlers' so Ace, Mira and Baron, you guys won't be in it…sorry dudes!" No one knew where she had got it from, but no one seemed to care. As Julie handed the remote to Ace, they all tried to help him decide which character to be. "Be me Ace, I wanna see what Tigrerra looks like!" Yelled Runo, from her seat, "No way, you should totally be me! Drago's the best, and he's awesome to work with!" Shot Dan, before cowering from Runo's fist. "Not trying to get into any confrontation with you Dan, but Preyas is indeed excellent to work with, so I think you should choose me Ace." Marucho piped in.
Ace in the end decided to be Masquerade, which seemed to be the best person to be, as he was also a Darkus, "He's got Hydronoid, which is a pretty awesome Guardian Bakugan," Julie informed him, before whispering, "Just be mindful that you don't, like, say anything mean about him or Masky. Alice doesn't like us doing that."They both turned around to look at the brown eyed seventeen year old, who smiled sweetly at them. Julie tightened the Wii remote around her wrist, "Right Ace, prepare to face your worst nightmare!" "Ha, I haven't had one of those in a while." The Vestal replied back, "Bring it on!" The Brawlers 'ooohed' and'aaahed' as the battle began, and Barons eyes almost popped out of his head when he saw Masquerade, "Wooow, he's, like, got a mask on to hide his identity!" He gasped, "I wonder who he really is…?" Dan began to cough, while Runo and Julie smirked, and Marucho and Alice smiled.
Ace set down a gate card and set down Fear Ripper. Julie smiled, "Well let's make this match even!" She said, "I'll throw down Tuskwor, so now the G power is the same!"they both set an ability card and waited to see what they have to do next,"Oooh it's a shaking battle!" Said Runo, "that means you have to shake the remote when it tells you to and you gotta shake it really fast." "Precisely Runo! Now Ace, let's see how you handle this!" As they began, Mira, Baron, Marucho, Runo, Dan and Alice cheered for them, and they were surprised when Julie came out victorious. Dan stared at a red faced Ace, but said nothing as he got glared back at.
Julie jumped around the room before putting both hands up in the muscle man pose, "This isn't here for show y'know!" She giggled. The next match was a success for Ace as he had decided to use Hydronoid, whilst Julie had used Wormquake. He tightened the strap on his wrist and side smiled at her, "Last match now," He said, "May the best Brawler win." Julie nodded and smiled back, but there was something about her smile that he didn't like. As he went to choose his Bakugan, he knew something wasn't right, "WHERES HYDRONOID? I WON THE LAST MATCH, SO I SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO USE HIM!" "This is a much different game to the real one Ace, so once you've used a Bakugan, win or lose, it won't come back." Julie informed him, as he grudgingly chose Robotallian. "Luck for me….I saved the best till last..." Everyone 'ooohed' as she threw Gorem onto Ace's card, thus starting the battle, before pointing a finger at Ace, "Gorem and I are gonna defeat you!"
Unfortunately for him she wasn't wrong, and the winner of the match was Julie. He shook her hand and admitted his defeat, before they both sat down to let Runo and Dan have a go. Their game was what everybody would have called 'a very intense and scary battle' as neither of them wanted to lose, they both went to extreme lengths to become the winner. Runo on several occasions punched Dan around the face with the remote, while Dan fought back, by pushing her to the floor. "DAN THAT'S THE FIFTH TIME YOU'VE 'ACCIDENTLY' SHOVED ME TO THE FLOOR!" She yelled, detaching herself from the remote and throwing it with force towards him…they never managed to find out who had one….for everyone spent the next fifteen minutes trying to wake up an unconscious Dan. The hours seemed to fly by and before anyone knew it, the time was nine o' clock. Alice stood up and looked at Runo, "I think we'd better go back to the café." She said, as Runo nodded and followed her towards the door. "Yeah I think we guys should get back too," Said Dan," We'll see you all tomorrow!" He stood up and Ace and Baron had to help him walk home, while a concerned Mira followed.
When everybody left, Marucho turned around to look at Julie, who was staring out the room window. "Shuns been out…for quite some time now….hasn't he?" He heard her say quietly, "I hope he's alright…" Marucho felt a lump in his throat. Should I tell Julie what Dan told us…? Or should I just keep quiet…? Maybe this situation will clean itself up…besides, Dan did say for none of us to say anything, and just act like we know nothing about it… He walked over to Julie and smiled at her, "Shuns fine. I think he just wants some space, so he's gone off to get some," He said, "We should get ready for bed now Julie, I'll tell the maids to keep an ear out to hear when he comes back." Julie yawned and nodded her head, "Okey dokey then Marucho, I'll go to bed." She said, before leaning down and giving him a hug. "Nightey, night!" He watched her wearily walk out the room, before looking out the window himself. "I wonder where Shun has gone," He thought, "Well, wherever he is….I hope he comes back soon."