Chapter 12

A/N: Nyaaaaaah…have fun with the fluffish/extremely-terribly-sadly OOC moment coming up.

By the way, there is a poll on my page that is of the upmost importance. It doesn't have anything to do with this fic…or any of my fics…or really has anything to do with anything…BUT I MUST KNOW. I may DIE if know one votes in my poll. So…VOTE!!!!!!!! Kyah…

Disclaimer: I, CloneGirl, do not own any rights to Bakugan whatsoever. If I did, every episode would have had an explosion in it…like in CyberSix. ^.^ There were a lot of booms in that show…

Masquerade stared at her. "…I thought you didn't want me to help with this…"

"Well, I…I really need help, okay!" she snapped, pressing her pillow against her face in embarrassment. "I can't afford to have this mark brought down, it's my best class! Trust me, if there was any other way…"

The blonde boy continued to gaze at her, slowly shaking his head. "I don't know…what's in it for me?"

She lowered the pillow and gawked at him in disbelief. "What do you mean, what's in it for you?! What happened to trying to be a nice guy?!"

"Sorry if I don't want a bowling ball to fall on my head. Besides, I don't dance."

"Please!" Much to her surprise and disgust, Runo found herself clasping her hands together, begging her enemy to help her…dance. This was worse than math tutorage. "I really, really, really, really really really need help with this! Folman will never end this unit if I never get better…and I don't want to be taught by him personally!"

"You'd rather it be me?"

"…" Runo lowered her head and studied the pattern of her blanket, trying to figure out how to say this right. Finally, she muttered, "Yeah…"

"Well…I can't dance myself, but I suppose…just to prove that I am a nice guy…but you owe me…"

"YES!" Without even thinking about it, Runo launched herself off of her bed and wrapped her arms around the blonde boy's neck, squealing in a way that only Julie should be able to accomplish. It was scary. He stumbled back. "YES! MY GYM MARK IS SAVED! SAVED!"

"…Um…yeah, that's great…mind letting go of me? It's just kind of awkward…"

Happily, she let him go and hopped back into her bed, opening her binder much more cheerfully than minutes previously. "Okay! How about we start that tomorrow?"

"…Sure?"

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Isn't this great, Tig?" Runo hugged her pillow, a goofy grin on her face. "Gym is saved! SAVED!"

"Yes, I believe that you have reiterated that enough, milady," Tigrerra muttered tersely. "However, I find your enthusiasm a bit…too abundant. Do you not remember who is going to help you?"

Runo stared at her, puzzled, until she finally remembered. "…Right. Dang it, I have to dance with Masquerade…but if it means that I might be able to get through the dance unit…"

"Runo, how can you be so…nonchalant about this? He is our enemy…I think you're getting too…comfortable with him. You still allow him to enter your room, you asked him to help you with this…new predicament, and with your reaction when he agreed…"

"CRAP!"

It was just about time she realized.

"DANG IT! I…I hugged him, didn't I?!" Before Tigrerra could confirm this for her, Runo had picked up textbook and began smacking herself with it…for the second time that day. "I can't…oh my god! I can't believe that I…I should have hit him…CRAP!"

"Runo?"

"Alice." Tigrerra glanced at her mistress nervously, who hadn't stopped hitting herself with the hardcover book.

The red head looked rather alarmed as she hurried across the room to snatch the textbook out of her friend's hand. "Runo! What are you doing?!"

"Trying to undergo brain damage," Runo answered her snappishly, crossing her arms. "You have a problem with that?"

"…Well, yes I do, and your parents really need you in the restaurant right now, so I think that they might too…"

"…Fine then. I'll try to undergo brain damage later."

* * * * * * * * * * *

Hydranoid refused to speak to his master as he entered the computer room, instead choosing to turn his back on him. Ever since Masquerade had refused to confide in him his reasons for tutoring the Brawler girl, he had been shunning the blonde boy, insulted and indignant. However, today Masquerade didn't remark upon Hydranoid's unreasonably sullen behavior.

He fiddled with the mouse, bringing up random Bakugan scores without really looking at them. Finally, Masquerade broke the silence.

"Hydranoid…you watch a lot of TV, right?"

The Darkus Bakugan refused to answer, although all of his instincts were demanding that he set the boy straight and let him know that he only watched TV for the information it provided him. Not because he thought it was entertaining. Especially not SpongeBob. Of course not…

"Do you know…if there are any shows…on…" Masquerade had to force himself to say the final word. "dancing?"

Hydranoid forgot his anger and turned around to gawk at his embarrassed master. "What?! Why…what…you hate dancing! Why do you want to watch TV shows about it?!"

"No reason," he mumbled, without looking directly at him. "It's just…well…"

"This has something to do with the Brawler girl, doesn't it?! This does have something to do with hormones! I was right, wasn't I?!"

"It has nothing to do with Runo," Masquerade retorted stiffly, turning his head away more. "It's just…it might be interesting…"

"I can't believe you!" Hydranoid roared, rolling around the little table in order to try and catch Masquerade's gaze. "You're…this is definitely the Brawler girl! It is! She is somehow seducing you! You are fa…"

"Hydranoid," Masquerade interrupted softly, glaring at the little ball coldly, "shut up or God so help me I will throw you over the side of this platform and leave you there for as long as it takes."

Hydranoid went silent, and turned around to judge exactly how deep the room was. Finally, he figured it was just in his best interests to take Masquerade's advice.

A/N: Na, I think that I'm making Hydranoid OOC…sweet. OOC Hydranoid is pretty nosy. And grouchy. ^.^ I'm going to use OOC Hyrdanoid to my advantage…*shifty eyes*