MagicxMusicxMelody: I tend to leave stuff out, sorry. I'll focus more on Julie's individual adventures starting now.

LegoLord: New reviewer! Masquerade will be interfering with everything, since he said so already.

Cherry-Tree: Thank goodness. Serious topics do ruin everything. Stay guessing! And how they really met is way different.

Cup of Violet Tea: Julie tends to do all the odd things. Some honey are only harvested one a year. Technically, Masquerade should do it for the better.

InnocentDiamond: Ours had to do with photosynthesis. It's a volunteer event that I made up on the spot. This Dan has a lot more issues than modern-day Dan.

Flopi216: Thanks for reviewing!

SSR: Done with science projects! The fair officially starts next Monday to Friday.

Dan: Runo, why do you have so many pairs fo flip-flops?

Runo: You guys who rarely wear open-toe shoes won't understand.

SSR: Actually, did I tell you guys that I absolutely HATE the locker rooms for swimming? Look at all the dirty water!

Marucho: I think I should call Kato and the mop squad.

SSR: Haha, very funny. I doesn't own Bakugan!

Chapter Fifteen

Infamous Return

...

...

Alice was awfully mad, especially since Dan impolitely rested his arm on her shoulder. "Are you crazy?! You're so ungrateful to the person who brought—or at least introduced—you and your girlfriend together. Can't believe Runo actually stayed with you."

"You actually do have a point there, Alice." Runo backed. Dan gave Runo a glare, and Runo faced away from him.

Shun was completely shocked to hear what Alice just complained, especially with that tone of voice. He pulled her over and demanded, "What was that? You brought them together?"

"More or less. I was the new student at school, and these two were the first friends of each gender that I made who happened to have a crush on each other back then." While Dan and Runo argued in the background, Alice leaned in and whispered. "The crazy irony is that Dan wants me gone—from their two-person world, at least."

Hopefully, that had nothing do with what she said a long time ago back at the beach.

"That's...definitely not the Dan I know." But they're really not that different before or after. For a moment, Shun and Alice watched the argument and then eyed each other. "Don't tell me he's serious about-"

"You know better than to believe a word that Dan says, Shun. Also, I've been going through a lot of trouble lately and am really disorganized right now. Sorry."

"It's okay. Hopefully, he's the only person who seriously wants you away. Can't imagine what life you'd be living other people were like this to you every day."

Alice gasped. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

She grabbed his arm tightly. "I've never told anyone this, but it's not that people want me gone. I think they just don't want me to succeed. They think I'm a threat who will alter the charts at school or something. You go to our school, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then you should understand. Our class isn't graduating yet, so it doesn't matter. But once we will, who knows what serious tricks they'll do to me." She turned around and split the arguing couple apart. "That's enough, you two. Runo, get me a jar of the most rare or expensive honey you have in your kitchen inventory. Dan, leave me alone."

"So are you going to date Shun or-"

Dan's stubborn behavior prompted Shun to give the brunette a painful smack in the head. "I'm never talking to you again. Thanks for ruining our lives."

"It's not that serious, but now I really wish I hadn't met you at all, Dan. I wish I met Shun first." Shun glanced at Alice, who was giggling to herself. She looked over at him and asked, "You did say you go to our school. Anyway, let's go inside. It's cold out here."

From the kitchen inventory, Runo pulled out a jar of honey with a similar shape and design as Alice's jars. "This Lehua honey is just as rare as your broken jar of Himalayan acacia honey. It's for the food fair, right?"

"Correct." Alice turned the jar over many times, looking from top to bottom, left to right, front to back. "Looks perfectly fine without any funny marks, but the expiration date is the end of next month. You should really use it."

"I wish, but my parents don't want to waste such good food. Business hasn't been well lately, and we're cutting back a lot of expenses. You can have that for free. I don't think we'll be using that to cook our classic honey BBQ ribs ever again."

"Aw, why not?" Alice set the jar down and gave Runo a hug. "Your diner will be fine. By the way, did your mom say that she was going to have a tent set up at the food fair?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Maybe you can attract more customers that way? Give it a try. I actually to have volunteer at-"

"Uh, Alice," Shun interrupted. "You did say that you had to be there within an hour or something? Shouldn't we get going now that you have a replacement jar of honey?"

"Oh, I completely lost track of time. I have to make a call really quickly."

"I'll wait outside." He looked around out the window. "Odd. Dan's gone."

"Probably went home. Sorry you had to go through our problems, Shun." Runo apologized.

"It's okay. Come outside when you're ready." Shun pushed the doors open and saw Julie standing outside. "You scared me. Hey, I have a question. Now that I'm in a time period in which both Dan and Runo have also met me and know all this stuff, where exactly was I at this time?"

"You mean where the 'real' you were at this time? I took care of it. I can't remove the existence of someone or something from people's minds like what Masquerade does, but Marucho probably can."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Julie, tell me the truth..."

"Seriously, I did nothing. People said you were out somewhere, which makes no sense because Dan acts like he knew you didn't go anywhere."

Shun lit up a blank face but snapped his fingers. "Now I remember. I was at my grandmother's funeral." Julie gave him a weird look, and he realized what was going on. "That was awkward. I didn't exactly mention the funeral to anyone because they didn't know my grandmother."

"Oh, I see. But did Dan or Runo have any recollection of this? Like, after you came back, did they bring this up at all? Because if they didn't, then you know Masquerade-"

"Erased every trace of me being here? Probably. Back to square one. Speaking of Marucho, any news from him?"

"Not yet. I was busy looking for 'you', that's why. Now that I'm unoccupied, I guess I'll check on Marucho, but I want to find Masquerade-"

"Oh, no. You're not going after him alone. In fact, if it weren't for that mysterious person, we would've been dead." The bells on the diner doors jingled. "You'd better go. Alice's is coming."

"She can't see me, remember?"

"But I don't want to—shh." Shun dragged Julie over to behind a mailbox. "Watch closely."

Alice put her phone away and looked to her left. "I honestly don't see the need to ask her for a new one."

"Just follow my advice." the invisible person said. "You'll thank me later."

"If you insist," replied Alice with a hint of uncertainty. "But I'm scared. What if they show up? Watching a tent by myself will make them jealous."

"Who cares if they're jealous? I'll help you."

"One against many isn't a-" Alice burst into another coughing fit, and Shun remembered her asthmatic condition. After using her inhaler, she concluded, "I'm certain that they're going to use my asthma against me."

"Asthma, huh? Leave it to me."

Afterwards, Alice stopped talking to the person that Shun and Julie couldn't see or hear. After telling Julie to find Marucho, Shun stepped out and walked over to Alice casually. "Took you long enough."

"It wasn't that long." She held up the large grocery bag in her hand filled with jars of honey. "I'm all set. Let's go."

"Sure."

...

...

"He's escalating this much already?"

"Shun and I could've died, you know."

This time, Marucho personally came to Wardington again to see Julie, although they were in Bayview last time. His main reason for coming here was to personally find and meet Masquerade if possible.

"Technically, you can't die, but the pain would be excruciating."

"Reminds me of when that mysterious person threw a sweep hand that badly cut Masquerade. I'd do anything to replay that scene again! Can I?"

"No, because you interfered with time. I wonder who your savior is. You said the voice specifically called Shun's name? Was it female or male?"

"I don't know. I think only Shun heard the voice. That person might be a Guardian of Space, considering the clock hand and all. You understand the irony of this, right?"

"Very, very ironic. Anyway, I'm afraid that I haven't found anything new in the strips of time I was looking through. The only weird signs Alice's showing are talking to herself and spontaneous coughing fits."

"But those two are completely unrelated. Anyway, I think Alice's invisible friend is a girl. Makes more sense that way. Could that invisible friend be the one who helped us?"

"Interesting theory, but ultimately, Alice's the key to many undiscovered secrets, especially her death. I've looked through that scene over and over, but just-"

"Heads up!"

Flying their way as they walked down the brick road was a fat hour hand, which landed on a tree. A minute hand followed, and like last time with the sign post, the tree disappeared into thin air. "Julie, what happened?"

Julie stood up, eyes fixed one the person ahead of them. "Masquerade...nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you again too, Julie." he greeted, clapping his hands slowly. "Marucho! Long time no see!"

Such stupid sarcasm this was.

SSR: And that marks the return of so many people! Dan, Runo, invisible person, Marucho, Masquerade...

Dan: Are you guys playing Family Feud or something?

Runo: Does this look like Romeo and Juliet to you? NO.

SSR: You all are seriosuly crazy. Review!

Marucho: Or else the locker rooms will get more disgusting.

Everyone: Eeeeeeewwwwwwww...