Shun's POV:

Alice stayed with me for a week now. She was indeed a quick learner. Since she was here her power blast levels were rare. It was once in the Bakugan Park when I went to bring some ice-creams that some bullies started to scare a little boy, who ran and hid behind Alice. Alice started radiant but I was at perfect time to soothe her, preventing the boy's journey to god damn hell. Yeah, Alice just gave the leader a slap after he forgot how to behave, throwing him back 6 feet, and others running away nicely afraid. Alice was so sweet, she gave up her ice-cream to that boy, and we came home together, well I came with an open mouth, still wondering about that slap. From that day, I took her to training with me near the waterfall. She meditated under the waterfall water gushing over her head, and I meditated on the cliff. Today, I was also meditating; and thinking about time spent with Alice. These last days of weeks have been of perfect happiness. My grandfather was not here to interfere in my business, and I was unbelievably happy mood. But nobody except skyress noticed this change, I think as one day she asked me.

(Flashback)

Skyress: hey Shun, well if you don't mind, can I ask you something?

Shun: of course skyress, anything.

Skyress: it's that... I have never seen you like this from the day Mrs. Kazami... you know.

Shun: what do you mean skyress? I asked gazing at Alice who was making breakfast and singing.

Skyress: you are happy Shun. This thing, this feeling was long lost in you, locked up inside, to which from the first day of us together I couldn't find an answer. Now it's like... you're changing.

Shun: let's have breakfast skyress, please just don't take that topic out up infront of Alice.

*flashback ends*

Well thinking. I opened my eyes to see Alice standing on one leg. I wondered "didn't she said me that she learnt martial arts only a month since? How could she handle so much pressure?"

Well this is going to be fun... I muttered to myself and jumped from the cliff.

Alice' POV

Well I was standing on one leg stance, when I heard some muttering, and looked up to see Shun jumping from a cliff obviously 200 feet high and landing like he jumped from a chair. I held back a scream and stared at him. He landed one hand on ground on knee position and got up, dreamy type.

Shun: hey Alice would you like a match?

I was dumbstruck. I? A match with him? I swallowed a gulp of saliva and put my both legs down, raising one eyebrow.

"Are you for real?" I asked still a little afraid.

Shun: yeah. I am for real, asking you. A practise match wouldn't do much of harm.

Alice: but...

Shun: no but, it's on.

He took up a sneer and I was in a great problem. Hope this goes well, was my last wish. I took on my stance. We were ready to pounce in matter of seconds.

(Dan's pov)

Marucho organised a meeting on something deadly important and I was almost there at shuns practise area, where he mostly spends time with. Runo joined me shortly accompanied by billy and Julie, marucho came in his jet and we were there to see Alice and Shun crouched in like lions ready to pounce. They hadn't noticed us, so I shushed all of my friends, to grab a view of ferocious battle.

Runo: Dan, this is gonna be fun.

Julie: let's watch, ninja fight! whoopee!

Marucho: lets watch.

"Yeah," I said

Alice:*smiling * ready?

Shun:*smiling * yeah, let's set the fire.

I smiled to see to challenging smiles on the faces. "Its gonna be fun" I thought.

The battle commenced. Shun, jumped up to Alice to deliver a on fire kick but Alice dodged them with ease and followed his attacks by smacking a punch in his stomach which he easily dodged by. He smirked finding an honourable and worthy opponent. Alice attacked his fist rolled into a ball and punched Shun nice hard at stomach and Shun pinned her to the ground at a roll of fist. She smirked and elbowed him enjoying the fight, he was pushed five feet by that elbow. She stood up and started running at an invisible speed, Shun doing the same lunged at her. Smack after smack, kicks and punches viciously shot at each other were drawing them to climax. Both were injured with bruises, but thrill went through them, not twice or thrice but thousandth time. After an equal battle, they laid down on grass. I decided to show up, after all marucho was pulling me down. "It was urgent" was all that he said.

(shuns pov)

Alice was lying beside me. the soft air was brushing us. Peace. It was nice feeling. The battle was nice, but more advance than I thought, I tried to get easy on her, but her level was very high for an immature inexperienced one. Then I heard her breaths, the sensation was seductive. I heard some footsteps approach, and jumped up to see Dan and others following him. I jumped up to see Alice waving to them. I waved and ran to them, followed by Alice.

(narrators pov)

They all embraced each other. Runo was relieved to see her best friend as was Dan.

Marucho: guys, get back to the topic, there's a trouble.

Dan: yeah, he's been suckling like a sissy, so get it out of her, behaving like a girl.

Runo: dare you say something about girls...I'LL BREAK YOUR EMPTY HEAD!

Dan: oh damn shit god save me.

Marucho: GUYS! It's so stupid of you, THEN LISTEN DEARS, MASQUERADE AND Hal-G HAVE CREATED A SMALL TRANSLOCATOR AND RESEARCH STATION IN AIR! THEY ARE GOING TO LOCATE Alice IN NO TIME!

All the teenagers dropped their jaws down and stared at marucho. Just then the sounds of someone floating above them hired their attention and they bust back to see...

Alice: masquerade

Masquerade: you remember me dear? Oh I thought it wouldn't be difficult for you to forget your other-half when you are with you your ninja-boyfriend?

Shun: stay the hell far from her?

Masquerade: over aggressive and over obsessive, right? Alice, you should teach him meditation, I am sure he'll need it.

Runo: you ass hole, I am going to beat you to pulp!

Masquerade (chuckling): Dan's hit-hard girlfriend, isn't you?

Dan: you dumb! How dare you call her like that?

Masquerade: oh, well no offence meant. I am sure you'll mind it, but probably straight to work. I want Alice, you'll be left safe and alone. Deal?

Shun: IS SHE SOME OLD BASTARD GOOD YOU'RE PROBABLY TRYING TO BET US WITH? DAMN, SHE'S NOT GOING WITH YOU DUMBHEAD, FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, DONT ANNOY ME OR I AM GOING TO TEAR YOU TO PIECES!

Alice: you can't get through us, masquerade, remember last time you tried getting through me?

Masquerade: Are you sure kiddo?

He waved his hand and all his friends rose up in pain and groaned and screeched.

Alice: leave them you moron!

Masquerade waved his other hand and a teleportation pad appeared a little above the ground.

Masquerade: if you wanna see your friends alive then step onto it.

Runo: leave her alone, do whatever you want with us! Aaaaaaahhhhhh!

Shun: please Alice, run away! Get over from that moron's grasp!

Alice: I am sorry friends, but...i can't bear it that you'll be in trouble cause me. bye, I hope I'll be able to see you again.

A tear rolled down her cheeks, and she trembling set her foot on the transportation pad and...poof! she disappeared into thin air.

Masquerade: oh, poor brawlers. You know, I could have never killed you. I have power, but they are incomplete without Alice...that's why I need her so much, my lust for her is growing day by day as she is gaining more power I am weakening. You know, I fooled her, as she is as always a naive.

Shun: you can't lay a hand at her till I am alive, and a drop of blood dwells in my body.

Masquerade: you spoke truth Shun, I can't have her powers, till she has the hope and will for you to come, by any means or trust in you, but as you know she's so naive, a three yrs old can fool her. After I receive the powers, she'll be right fully mine. My soul will fuse with her pure and complete one, providing the source of my powers and well I won't keep her too waiting. Well brainwashing is an option but I think she'll blow up our air research station if I don't reach their at time, so goodbye brawlers, soon to be mine Alice is waiting for me.

Shun was feeling like blowing up now, for a huge weight had fallen on his heart. He had failed. She was in danger by protecting him but that should be exactly opposite.

Others fell from the height as masquerade disappeared and Shun began beating the ground and crying. His Alice was I danger and he won't lose was the only thing in his mind. Just then something strange happened; all the bakugans flew and returned to their original form, of huge giant beasts.

Drago: Dan, What just happened?

Skyress: Shun, is that you crying; wait, where is Alice?

Runo: masquerade...took her!

Runo fell onto ground and was nudged by the giant tigerra.

Tigerra: we'll get her back, I promise madam runo.

Runo: oh tigerra!

Marucho: this is what I was trying to tell when that moron appeared, and...damn shit.

Shun: marucho, where is their location coordinates, I'll leave for it and rip that morons head off.

(just then they disappeared into a sudden light flash)

I love cliff hangers, where are the brawlers? How are they going to face masquerade and Hal-g's power without any power themselves? Keep on reading and do review!