A/N:

kd: Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I'm a bit late in updating because I'm currently in Flordia on spring break. It's a bit of a coincidence that I'm in Flordia while I'm making Masquerade leave Flordia in this chapter. Oh, well. I don't think this chapter is all that much, just Masquerade scaring Hydranoid and Shun trying to figure what the Masky's planning to do, but I hope you enjoy this chapter anyways!

"Wow what a nice story, Hydranoid." Said a certain blonde.

"Why thank you…" Hydranoid trailed off as he realized it wasn't Runo who said that. He slowly turned around to see the cold stare of his master. "M-m-masquerade!"

"That's my name, don't wear it out." He said as he leaned his back against the wall.

"How'd you get in here?" Runo asked. Masquerade pointed to the open window next to him with his thumb. "Alright, then, why are you here?"

Masquerade didn't answer her directly as he looked at his bakugan and said, "Hydranoid, we're leaving."

"What! But I was in the middle of—"

"Now." Masquerade said, rudely cutting off Hydranoid. Hydranoid just looked sadly at Runo and then rolled toward his master, who picked him up and used the DT. And just like that, Masquerade's vacation ended.

Back at Masky's Mansion

"Why are we here?" Hydranoid asked as Masquerade dropped him onto the floor of their home.

"Why wouldn't we be here?" Masquerade artfully dodged his question.

"You know, 'cause we're on something called a vaccine."

"Well, not anymore."

"Alright, fine. I get it. Vaccine's over, but why so abruptly?"

"Because that's the way I roll, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen." Masquerade said, briskly walking to the computer room. Hydranoid knew that when Masquerade used such phrases which excluded people from his thoughts, that there was something bothering him. So Hydranoid silently followed him, hoping to find out what it was. The way to the computer room was kind of creepy. At night Masquerade's mansion looked like it was owned by a classical vampire, not a teenage brawler. Yet what made it the creepiest by far was that, since Masquerade inherited the mansion, his most personal and darkest secrets laid deep in the house.

Hydranoid knew little, if anything, about Masquerade's past. And though he didn't know much information of Masquerade's past, he knew where to findit. There are parts of the mansion that not even Hydranoid is allowed through. One of these areas is a closet door that Hydranoid cannot pass. And it was probably the most darkest and tempting of all the restricting places because he would have to pass by it every time he walked down the hall to the computer room. It was tempting…and yet creepily so. Hydranoid didn't know whether to feel intrigued or fearful of this door as its dark wood loomed over him and the shadow through the bottom crack seemed to grab at him.

Hydranoid stopped following Masquerade to stare at the door. Do I dare go in?He continued to stare at the door in wonder. What could be in there that Masquerade would hide it from his own guardian bakugan? Could there be pictures? Of his parents Hydranoid had heard very little about? Or maybe…pictures of Masquerade, beforehe was Masquerade, maybe you could see his real face! Or even better…one of Masquerade's baby pictures. But Hydranoid tried to quickly throw away the last thought as a mental image of a baby with the head of Masquerade (mask and all) came into his mind. Hydranoid shivered, the image of that creepy, evil, genius baby will forever scar Hydranoid, that was for sure…

"So, you're thinking about going through that door, huh?" Hydranoid jumped five feet into the air as Masquerade surprised him. Masquerade actually sensed that Hydranoid was no longer following him so he just turned around and watched him stare at the door.

That's so cute, he's actually scared of a door. Masquerade thought humorously. "You know, I tell you not to go through certain doors for a reason."

"Because you'd be embarrassed if I saw your personal information?"

"Uh, not really. I guess you haven't heard about my aunt, then…"

"You have an aunt?"

"Well, used to would be a better use of words, but yes, I do, Aunt Mariel."

Hydranoid gulped, "Wha-what happened to her?"

"Oh, how madly in love was Aunt Mariel that she did not know if she could live without her husband." Masquerade said rather over dramatically.

"And?" Hydranoid said, wanting to get to the point.

"Well, one day she got hit by a car and—"

"That's how she died? Then what about what you said earlier, about the love— "

"And became paralyzed from the waist down at the age of 26."

"Wow, that sucks. What happened after that?"

"Her husband left her. She became so depressed she went into the closet and refused to come out, even for meals."

"This closet?" Hydranoid said, a bit scared.

"Yes, that closet. After a while people just forgot about her until one day, three months later, the maid came in to look for cleaning supplies and discovered Aunt Mariel's body, withering in her wheelchair, an empty shell of a woman…"

Hydranoid was now shaking.

"And now they say her very ghost resides in this very closet, waiting for her true love to come back for her…" Masquerade then, without another word, turned around and walked away. Hydranoid hastily followed behind, losing all interest in the door.

At the brawlers'

"What do you mean, he just disappeared into thin air?" Alice asked Runo in disappointment.

"Well, yeah. He kinda seemed very preoccupied, to be honest." Runo said.

Shun was listening and he was satisfied that Masquerade was probably far, far, away but he also found this action a bit strange. Is he already trying to prepare for the ritual?Shun thought as he tried to fully understand Masquerade's motive, finding out very little besides that he was after Wyvern. The more he thought about it the more he ended up wondering why Masquerade was working for Naga in the first place. It just didn't make sense. No matter how much Shun tried to find cause and effect throughout Masquerade's action but he only got this far, Masquerade befriended Alice so he could kill Wyvern Masquerade was plotting to kill Wyvern because Naga ordered him to do so Masquerade follows Naga's orders because he works for him Masquerade works for Naga because…? There was really no answer, still so many gaps to fill, it couldn't be as simple as he made it in his mind.

"What's wrong, Shun?" Dan asked Shun, making Shun slightly startled as Dan interrupted him from his deep concentration. "Scared you, didn't I?"

"Oh please, I'm a ninja; I don't get scared; I get defensive." Shun said with a dismissing wave of his hand.

"Call it what you want but you were so scared." Dan said confidently.

Shun shrugged it off, "If you say so." Then Shun thought he would see what the other brawlers thought about why Masky worked for Naga. "So…Dan…"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you think Masquerade works for Naga?" Shun asked seriously.

"Because he's evil, why else?"

"It can't really be that simple."

"But it is. Don't you see Shun? Evil people work for other, powerful, evil people. And it's our job to stop those who are evil."

"You know, there aregrey areas, it's not just black and white. There must be another reason Masquerade would just let some oversized white lizard boss him around."

"Shun, stop over reading this, why would you even need to find out why he does this stuff. The important thing is that he does it anyways."

"Alright then, Dan, then how about this? Why is Masquerade evil?"

"Ummm…he was born that way?" (A/N: Great, now I can't get the song 'Born This Way' out of my head!)

"So people are bron either good or evil and later in life they just battle it out?"

"Yup."

Shun sighed, "I wish the world was as simple as you see it, Dan."

Dan rolled his eyes, "Stop being an idiot, Shun, the world is simple."

And there goes Dan, calling the smart one the idiot again…

Shun walked over to Runo, "Runo, for what reason does Masquerade work for Naga?"

Runo just stared at Shun, "Oh, I don't know, well, actually, my best guess would be that he's a sadist."

"A sadist?"

"Yeah, he just gets that creepy smile on his face whenever he sends a bakugan to the doom dimension and watches their owners cry. It's kinda sickening, to tell you the truth. It's as if he takes pleasure in the great loss of others. It's downright haunting. He knew if he could team up with Naga he would have lots of opportunities to fight and win against other brawlers, it's as simple as that."

"Um, thanks Runo."

"No problem."

Shun had to admit Runo had a point, he wasa bit of a sadist, but there must have been another reason because Naga doesn't always order him to fight against brawlers. Shun didn't like Masquerade but there was something close to respect that he felt for Masquerade. He refused to underestimate him and just give in, thinking that he simply joined Naga because he was evil or a sadist, even if it was true. He decided to ask Marucho, because he was pretty intelligent, something that's lacking in the brawlers as a whole. Shun looked around the corner to see Marucho quickly type into a normal computer. "Hey, Marucho."

Marucho spun around in the office chair to face Shun, "What's up Shun?"

"I'm just wondering, I'd like your opinion in something."

Marucho got excited, people barely pretended to notice him and now one of the most respected brawlers was asking for his opinion, "Yes?"

Shun was a bit taken aback by Marucho's obvious excitement but continued, anyways, "Why do you think Masquerade works for Naga?"

Marucho didn't really know how to answer this, so he said, "'Cause he's evil….right?"

Shun sighed, he was hoping that Marucho, the smart one, would be able to come up with something a little more creative.

Marucho then decided to change his answer, "But maybe…maybe he does it for the money. I mean, he owns a mansion, and the beach house next to us. I doubt he owns those things personally. Working for Naga must have some perks. And if Naga is trying to dominate the world, then Masquerade might get a piece of it."

Then Shun asked Julie (I think it was more for entertainment)…

"Obviously Masquerade likes Naga!"

"…WHAT?"

"I mean, yeah, people work for other people they like, isn't that how it works? You know, I work with you guys…"

Then Shun decided to finally ask Alice. He quickly looked around the house and found Alice sitting in a chair, looking out the window. "Hey Alice, I have a question."

Alice turned around in the chair enough to face Shun, "Yes, Shun?"

Shun almost didn't want to ask since she was acting weird about the subject but he thought, now or never, "Why do you think Masquerade works for Naga?"

Alice looked at Shun a bit weird but answered anyways, "Because Naga's the only one who understands him…"

"Because Naga understands him?"

Alice blushed as she realized that that was what Masquerade had said in her dream, Because he may be the only one in this world who understands me. "Well, I've asked myself that a lot but I've just come to the conclusion that Naga just understands him well, after all, here we are questioning his very motives, we don't understand him so he must appreciate someone who I can come to understand him."

Whatever his reason, Shun thought, he sure is one wacked guy…