Chapter Two.

"Alice, are you completely sure about this?" asked Michael. "Yes, Grandfather," said Alice shortly. The past day, her Grandfather tried endlessly to talk her out of leaving. But she wouldn't budge. She had to do this. "Alice, please reason this. You won't have anyone with you, except for Hydranoid-"

"Grandfather, I have more people around me than you think," said Alice, biting her lip. The more time that passed, the more she was convinced to stay. But another part of her overwrote the decision; it was stronger. "Grandfather, I have my reasons. Please trust me. I need to do this."

Michael stared at her with a hawk's gaze. "Alright," he sighed. "Get in." What Alice didn't see was Michael's glasses dotting with water droplets. He punched some numbers into a keypad, along with other actions.

"Thank you, Grandfather," said Alice gratefully. She swung her rucksack over her shoulder and stepped into the portal. "Goodbye," she whispered silently. Alice watched his huddled form moving around quietly. I don't want to leave you, Grandfather. I know I'm hurting you, but please, don't worry, for my sake…

"Alice, it's ready," her grandfather said solemnly. "Thank you, grandfather!" called Alice. "I'll think of you!" She swiped Hydranoid onto her shoulder, and gripped the cold metal.

It all happened fast from there. A multitude of colours blinded her, then she was pulled back by some invisible force. "Ah!" she cried. 'Alice!" called Hydranoid. As soon as it happened, the colours faded and Alice got her breath back. "I'm okay, I'm okay…" she panted. "Alice?" said Hydranoid.

"Yes?"

"We're here."

She took a moment to gather herself. "Let's go." Alice gingerly took two steps toward the new world. She tried to take it all in at once. "I-It's beautiful," she whispered. "Yes, it is." Hydranoid jumped off Alice's shoulder, and wandered across the terrain. "It's home." Alice scooped him back up. "It's so different. The last time I -I mean Masquerade- was here, the place was destroyed. Now it's so beautiful…"

"…thanks to Drago," said Hydranoid. "Let's go, Alice. Where do you wish to travel to first?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I didn't plan that far. The first step was getting here, now that's done…"

"Alice? Why do you want to do this? What do you gain?"

"My sanity, Hydranoid. I feel like the past is coming back. I've been having these strange dreams, the ones of Masquerade and Hal-G. They're so real, but when I wake, all I see is you. I keep telling myself these are nothing, but these are recurring. I tried diverting myself completely from Bakugan. That only made things worse. Everything that happened in the past, that had something to do with me, has made my emotions increase tenfold. As a result of that, everything I did before was interpreted into guilt and a sense of weakness by my emotions. I want to stop feeling useless. I want to stand up by myself for once. Every battle I had before, as me, not Masquerade, ended in a loss. I lost against Klaus, Shadow Prove… everybody."

"Is this why you swore off Bakugan?"

"No, I swore off Bakugan after I found I was Masquerade. The added guilt of that ate me alive."

"What do you mean, 'what you did in the past', Alice? You've done nothing wrong."

"Nothing that you saw. I've done plenty wrong, Hydranoid. I was the one who exposed Wavern to Naga. It was my naivety that did it. I kept pushing her to use the Infinity Core energy on Hal-G when I saw she was weak. In a way, I'm responsible for her death. Not to mention the crimes I committed against Bakugan as Masquerade. So, because of that I stopped associating with Bakugan completely. I almost broke the Brawlers apart by running away… and on top of all that, I'm weak. I'm useless… never being able to do anything alone, I don't believe in myself, in you, yes, but myself. No."

"Alice, you put too much blame on yourself. The Negative Energy of the Silent Core affected you badly. It's gone now. You didn't know your grandfather was Hal-G at the time. You were worried for him. He's the only family you have. It is only natural, Alice. You are not weak, Alice. You faced your fears and battled Shadow Prove when you absolutely didn't want to. You saved your friends countless times: when Dan was near dead, you saved him. In the end you came out, and that's all that matters."

"I suppose you're right, Hydranoid, but I still feel useless. This is the only way I can help."

"What if you have to battle?"

"That's a risk I'll have to take, then. I don't want to, Hydranoid, I really don't. But sometimes we have to take challenges, right?"

"Well put, Alice."

"I'll still have you, right?"

"Alice, I stand by your side. Forever."

"Thanks Hydranoid. So, where do I go?"

'Alice, there has to be a purpose. Where do you wish to go?"

"Uh, I don't know… um, why don't we start with where the Darkus Bakugan are? There has to be someone to know the history of the Darkus attribute…"

"Say no more, Alice. I know who to go to. Head north; over there will be some of the oldest Darkus Bakugan. They tend to live together most of the time. To get away from what they call, 'the youngsters.'"

Alice giggled slightly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, but that's what Grandfather does sometimes too." She giggled a little more. "Age does affect the surface of a person," said Hydranoid solemnly. Alice smiled. "Yes, yes it does."

Hydranoid looked at her cockily. "Alice, why do you desire to meet the Bakugan elders?"

"Maybe they can tell me something about Darkus, and… I need to know about… something."

"What?"

"I need to know something about Ma- I mean, a friend's temperament."

"Who?"

"Someone we both know." Alice shielded her face from Hydranoid with her hair. Hydranoid sensed her uneasiness. "Alice, what are you hiding?" Behind the curtain of orange hair, Alice eyes were squeezed tight. She couldn't tell him about Masquerade. He would worry. As if on cue, Masquerade spoke to her darkly, "Alice, my disposition is my own. There are some things you cannot know. Why do you wish to know anyway?" Alice didn't answer. He was taunting her. She could feel it. She needed to know about him, that would probably be a clue to her; a clue to separate them. She needed to know how the Silent Core had affected her, created Masquerade, and most of all, why he was still there. Why hadn't he disappeared? That could only mean that the silent energy was still trapped within her. She needed answers. And fast.

The answer she needed most was how to get rid of it. The Negative energy, the guilt...

"Alice,' urged Hydranoid, "I'm only asking this because I am your friend: Who is the person you speak of?"

"Tell him," whispered Masquerade. "Let him know."

"And make him worry? No." Alice's eyebrows creased. "You just want him agitated. What are you? Your personality…"

"It's nothing for you to know." His mask glinted dangerously. "I am what I am! You've had years with me now! Everything you want to know, you should…"

"But why do you help me at times? Why do you act ruthless and uncaring, when I know you're NOT?" Alice felt the beginnings of a headache. "Masquerade, please, I'm sorry for intruding. You don't want to share your thoughts, okay. Two can play at that. But you will have to co-operate. If you are to be out of my body-"

"That's not possible." Alice cringed. "Why? How would you know if you haven't tried? We've been over this Masquerade." "It just isn't." Alice inwardly sighed. He wasn't going to be much help. But… half of her wanted to believe, and the other half was too scared to believe. She wasn't as positive as she placed herself. She was snapped out of her thoughts by Hydranoid's voice. Her eyes widened. She forgot he was there.

"Alice, who are you talking to? Why are you saying 'Masquerade'?" Again, she didn't answer. Hydranoid drooped a little. She was hiding something, but why? He decided to try again. "Alice, please answer my question. Please."

Alice sat down. She didn't want to tell Hydranoid; the fact his old master was trapped in her head. No… she couldn't. Slowly, Alice let a tiny whisper out. "I can't, Hydranoid."

The girl got so caught up in her trapped emotions; she didn't notice the bush behind her rustle. A pupil-less alien grinned at her form. "She is here." The night sky did little to cover his evil grin.

I'm sorry that this chapter is not up to my usual standard. I wrote this rather quickly. Just to make it clear, in this story, Masquerade and Alice can feel what each other is feeling, but cannot communicate through thoughts. So, either has to speak. Masquerade is better at concealing emotions than Alice. Hers are all over the place! :P Have a Merry Christmas! Consider this chapter a gift! ;) So can you guys tell me if you want Shun/Alice? This is entirely the readers' choice. Please review! (That's all I want for Christmas. Be a dear, and review please!) BTW, thank you for all the nice reviews, everyone! i appreciate it alot!