Chapter 26

Dan, Marucho, Shun, and Mira were in one of the many resting rooms in Marucho's mansion.

Dan and Marucho were chatting among themselves.

Mira sat on the sofa, thinking about the battle Ace and Blake had in Interspace. Blake's blank expression stayed in Mira's mind.

Her thoughts so consumed her that she didn't notice Dan getting near her.

"Mira."

Dan sometimes repeated until he got Mira's attention.

Mira looked at him.

"Are you ok?"

Dan asked, concerned.

"I'm fine. I had something on my mind."

Mira forced a smile.

"Ah."

Dan awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

Shun was silent throughout the whole time.

Blake was currently in her room, staring at the night sky from her window blankly. She didn't care about the night's appearance. She just wanted to stare at something that looked void.

"Seems like I'll be battling with myself again. Why can't I do nothing? You stars stay still, lazy, and with zero care in the universe."

Blake looked at the stars wanting to glare at them for her faults.

"I am trapped inside myself in a repetitive petty comedy of my own life. I just want to enjoy life. I am trying to be a better person. Can my past not reappear for a bloody second?"

Blake was annoyed.

Reaper got closer to Blake, noticing something he hasn't seen in a while with Blake – determination.

Blake continued to stare at the night blankly, even bending her neck slightly.

"Blake, don't do this. Your neck will hurt the next day."

Reaper fidgeted in all directions worriedly.

"Don't care."

Blake replied, continuing to stare.

Reaper sighed. Sometimes his brawler was very stubborn to listen.

Blake continued to stay in the same position until she felt her balance going off and was about to fall until someone caught her.

"Keith."

Blake muttered quietly

"Careful next time."

Keith said.

Blake was shocked and returned to her usual composure even if her neck hurt a little.

Keith chuckled.

"No need to get worked up."

Keith assured her.

Blake rolled her eyes.

Keith's eyes landed on a messy stack of paper situated on Blake's night drawer.

"What's that?"

Keith went there, grabbing the stack of paper, which by closer inspection, turned out to be photos. Keith noticed those were photos of when Blake was younger. The first photo he saw was with Blake and Pandora. The second was a guy in a tutu.

Blake went in full panic mode.

"Don't."

Blake snatched the photos from Keith's hands and put them around herself protectively. One more and he'll see Blake in Faceless mask and that part of her life she didn't want to share. If Keith continued, he would have reached the bottom where she had her first albeit drunk kiss with Pandora. Why was it captured on a photo was beyond her? It was not the time to think of possible reasons.

"Step back."

Blake said, protecting her photos.

"I wasn't going to do anything to them."

Keith said.

Blake went to the corner of her room, ignoring his presence.

Keith got worried he might have gone a bit overboard with this one and went near her to calm her, and what he saw was something else.

Blake has quickly put the photos inside the letter, sealing it. Then quickly opened her night drawer and put it inside and promptly returned to staring the night sky.

Keith felt he was not needed and left Blake's room.

Once he left, Helios popped out of nowhere.

"You nearly screwed yourself over with this one."

Helios commented.

"Like I didn't know."

Keith realized his mistake, and he wouldn't be surprised if Blake ignored him for the next few days.

Fast forward with some hours, and Blake was sleeping.

Flashback dream

Faceless was against a Gundalian Aquos brawler.

The Aquos brawler had lost nearly his entire life gauge.

The Aquos brawler knew of what Faceless is but didn't believe the rumors. He should have listened more to his friends. The chances of winning against this entity were small. Faceless wasn't considered a pure living being because everything around it was off, even low-key sinister in away.

"Ability Activate Water Harpoon."

The Aquos brawler called out nervously.

The attack barely did damage to Faceless's bakugan, Ophelia.

Faceless pretended to yawn, still wearing her mask.

"Are you done yet?"

Faceless taunted him in her high pitched voice that sounded like one of those possessed dolls at horror movies.

The brawler was sweating profusely. Every time Faceless spoke, it sends chills to his spine.

"Ophelia, you know what to do."

Ophelia was in a flight position. Her body started to transform into a thick shadow mass that spread everywhere like the flux and attacking everything in sight.

Screams were heard from the bakugan until it couldn't take it anymore and returned to ball form resulting in the loss of the Aquos brawler's life gauge.

The Aquos brawler fell on the ground paralyzed from the whole brawling, while Faceless walked away unbothered.

Flashback dream ends

Blake put her hands on her face in annoyance.

"Ophelia, for Pete's sake, stop manipulating my damn memories.."

Blake groaned.

Not so long ago, she told Ophelia to stop bugging her ever again, but this ancient bat doesn't understand the concept of no.

At this point, Blake has had enough pent-up annoyance that she feared that she might snap at innocent people. Just everything made her want to get some anti-migraine pills.

The next day due to lack of wish to sleep, Blake was up early. She wanted to go and get some coffee from the outside, but she knew she would sabotage everyone, so she started searching her belongings thoroughly for snacks as she usually has some with her. After fifteen minutes, she found some leftover chocolate. She shrugged, but this is what she had now and had to deal with it.

Fast forward to a time when everyone was awake, things become low-key strained, but luckily not enough to disrupt the whole atmosphere.

Hours were passing quickly. Thankfully Blake and Keith had simple interactions such as eye contact, so most didn't suspect anything.

The next day was like yesterday, minimum interactions. Nobody suspected anything as everyone was under stress as they didn't know when they will be attacked.

The third day was like the second. Everyone was too busy. Keith and Blake had a minimum interaction, but this time Blake rolled her eyes at him. Keith ignored it.

The fourth and fifth days passed. The two were still on the 'ignoring each other' bandwagon.

On the sixth day, some of the brawlers, mainly Shun and Mira, suspected that something must have happened between those two as they've been ignoring each other's presence too much, but only the latter was going to involve themselves further.

Once everyone split, Mira went to Keith with a worried expression.

Keith was puzzled at the sudden boldness, but he had an idea why.

"How are you, Mira?"

Keith was going to be casual.

"Good, but that's not the point why I am here. What's going on between you and Blake?"

Mira was straight to the point.

Keith did not expect his sister to be this direct.

"Whatever it's going, it doesn't concern you."

Keith looked Mira at the eyes.

Mira didn't have it.

"I want to help, brother."

Mira insisted.

"I appreciate it, but it's not best to interfere in other people's problems."

"But-"

"We will deal with this ourselves."

Keith left Mira and went inside his room.

He sat on his bed in silence.

Helios floated around him in his ball form. Keith didn't mind him.

Some minutes later, he had an idea of how to apologize to Blake, but he would need help.

The next day after everyone left, he stopped Marucho.

Marucho raised an eyebrow wondering why Keith stopped him.

"Do you need something, Keith?"

Marucho asked.

"Yes."

Keith then proceeded to explain to Marucho the situation. Marucho nodded in understanding and got Kato on the task.

Kato quickly returned with a small box of chocolate and strawberry donuts, which he gave to Marucho and left. Then Marucho gave it to Keith, and he too left.

"It's now or never."

Keith was at Blake's door, knocking.

Blake opened the door slightly, but when she saw it was Keith, she was about to slam the door until he caught it with his free hand and entered her room.

Blake sighed and closed the door.

"Well."

She crossed her arms.

"I want to apologize for peeking through your stuff."

Keith started talking.

Blake nodded slowly.

"And if my spoken apology isn't enough to satisfy you, I got this."

Keith showed the small box.

Blake looked at it puzzled and reluctantly picked it up.

She opened it, slowly revealing six donuts. Her eyes sparkled.

Keith chuckled at her reaction.

She grabbed a donut and started to eat it. After finishing, she got her attention back to Keith.

"Apology accepted, but for the future, don't do this again. Only if I allow you or I am willing to share. Understood."

She firmly said.

Keith nodded.

With that, she got back to eating another donut.

Before Blake could grab a third, Keith grabbed his first donut and started chewing it.

"I won't let you eat all of them."

Keith teased.

Blake chuckled, shrugging his action off, but she wasn't prepared for what was about to happen next.

Keith hugged her.

Blake was shocked, but she returned the hug.

"Don't make me go through such silence ever again."

Keith muttered with head in her hair.

Blake chuckled.

"Truth to be told, I didn't think you'd apologize that quickly."

Blake whispered in his ear.

"I have surprises too, Ice Queen."

Keith tackled her on the ground, but it wasn't for long.

"Keith, get off me. Your body weight is crushing me."

Keith quickly stood up before he crushed his girlfriend.

Blake stretched.

The two of them laughed, albeit Blake more quietly.

"Keith."

"Yes."

"Love you."

"Love you too."