A/N Guess what loyal readers? TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY! that's right April 6th is my b-day so I am now 16 years old!

Masquerade: yes because your name is oh so important to us.

Jetravenex: Hey! HEY! It is so important!

Masquerade: says you,

Jetravenex: well anyways *kicks Masky* I have Takara Matsudaira here to help by doing the disclaimer for me.

Takara: *waves*

Masquerade: hmph, you're still lame Jet

Jetravenex: ARE NOT!

Masquerade: are too.

Jetravenex: *jabs finger at Masquerade* I AM NOT LAME!

Masquerade: are too.

Takara: *facepalms*

Jetravenex: Er, sorry Takara...Um would you say the disclaimer for me *shoots glare at Masky*

Takara: *yawns slightly* JetravenEx doesn't own bakugan.

Chapter 40

Vanessa was sitting on a black throne in a large cavern, dark stalagmites reaching up from the floor like claws while stalactites hung over head. In front of her Trent and another boy, dressed in a leather jacket his black hair spiked up slightly, were working on a large computer in front of them.

"How much longer are the repairs going to take?" Vanessa shouted at the two, causing the boys to flinch slightly. A cruel smirk formed on Vanessa's lips at the reaction to her order. "Still the baddest in Doccorus." She thought with a chuckle.

The boys fingers' flew over the keyboard and then the screen before her flickered to life. A blue screen greeted them but the image was unimportant as a modified electrical voice flowed from the speakers.

"Well it's about time!" The voice said as the two boys stepped back.

Vanessa narrowed her eyes. "yes, yes," She said waving her hand. "We've had some technical difficulties, unsurprising as your location is hard to transmit to.' She said. "But, we've established a connection now, you said you wish to speak with us?"

There was silence for a long moment, and the two boys fidgeted slightly looking around and then glancing at Vanessa.

"Issues have arisen." The voice said at last. "You have waited too long."

"Mistress Vanessa has no-"

"Victor!" Vanessa shouted, the thin boy who'd spoken turning his head to look up at her. Vanessa glared down at him making him shrink back slightly. "Do not speak unless asked to do so, remember who your superior is."

Victor nodded meekly as the voice continued.

"And I thought I was the only one who had to deal with useless subordinates… Back to matters, I'm afraid your target has gained something that could prove… problematic."

Vanessa laughed. "A new ally I presume? Masquerade's going to need it! I've analyzed the file you've sent me completely! I know exactly how to take him on and take him apart." She said smiling white teeth flashing against her blood red lips.

"That's not what I meant," The voice said irritably. "And I'm telling you this now because I want this problem taken care of! I want that masked blond taken out as soon as possible."

"Of course, of course." Vanessa said in a soothing tone. "Now why don't you tell me what the problem is." She said resting her arms on the armrests of her throne leaning back and smirking slightly.

The voice sighed. "Being's from another dimension have arrived and are armed with exceptionally stronged bakugan… I will do what I can to alleviate the problem… But the rest will remain up to you."

Vanessa sighed. "Things would be much easier if you just warped us to Masquerade's location." She said resting her chin on her hand as she stared at the screen. "The fact that we have to scrounge around through your planet trying to find our target is slowing us down the most."

"Yeah, you shouldn't be complaining if it's your fault that we're taking so long." Victor muttered under his breath, before shutting up after receiving a fierce glare from Vanessa.

The voice seemed to rear up in rage as it spoke much more loudly. "I cannot risk letting Masquerade in on the fact he's being hunted ! Or risk my position…" Then it took a few deep breaths. "Work as quickly as you can, I don't care what you have to do just get it done!" Then the transmission cut out and the screen went completely black.

Victor grumbled slightly about their employer being a 'pompous ass' before grudgingly working to start up the computer.

Vanessa sighed and drummed her fingers on her chair as she glared at the blank computer. "Our employer is getting restless…" She mused. She looked down upon her two servants. "Boys face your mistress!" She barked the two boys stiffening at her command

As one the two boys turned around and knelt down before her, heads bowed, waiting silently for her orders.

Vanessa rose from her throne, hands clasped behind her back slowly pacing in front of it. "We've already identified our target, now the only problem is finding where his exact location is on Earth." She looked at the two. "How close are you to locating him?" She asked.

Trent and Victor exchanged looks and Trent lifted his head but remained kneeling.

"Well, milady… We've identified what his location looks like and the general area… It's just that we need to find it."

Vanessa sighed as she halted in front of him. "I don't care about that! I care about knowing how long it will take for you to find him."

Trent flinched and bowed his head, trembling slightly. "W-well…" His hands fidgeted slightly as he cast a sidelong glance at Victor. "With me and Victor looking around the planet... We should be able to find him…"

Vanessa snorted and glared at him making him shrink even smaller then she walked over to the cave wall and seemed to study the fingernails of one hand intently. "No, I want to know where his mansion is, I want to trap him in his den, prove to him who's the real master." She raised her hand and clenched and unclenched her fist, shining black metal claws extending over her fingers and on her hand from a device on her wrist. "That's the first step to breaking one's like him." she said dragging the claws against the wall relishing in the sparks they produced and the painful screeching sound they emitted.

Victor and Trent swallowed at the sight of her claws, shifting backwards, all too familiar with them and the pain they could inflict.

"Well… I suppose we could find him… And then trace him back to his mansion but we'd need your assistance then milady…" Trent said making sure his head was bowed low, eyes focusing on the steel floor beneath him.

Vanessa stopped her movements and with a flick of her wrist sheathed her claws. "Very well then. We'll depart for Earth shortly." She said turning to leave. "Gather your bakugan and this time, let's not have any mistakes." The boys exchanged looks as Vanessa looked back at them and grinned wickedly her sharp fang like canines glinting. "Wouldn't want to have me make the same mistake I did with Jake and the other one now would we?" She asked throwing a sneer at the two over her shoulder, Victor and Trent stiffening and exchanging worried looks.

"Let that be motivation to prevent failures this time." She said turning and walking out, the sound of her boots on the floor echoing throughout the cavern.

Masquerade entered the dining room, just as Billy was trying to make a sneaky escape with a plate bearing a sandwich. He froze at the masked blond's arrival. Masquerade frowned and folded his arms across his chest as Billy's eyes darted from the plate and the masked blonde, then his eyes flicked towards the doorway.

"Where are you going with that?" Masquerade asked raising an eyebrow behind his mask.

Billy swallowed. "Uh, well, ya see, Komba's been eating all the good stuff lately and-and he's been taking my food from me! Yeah. So, I was-was," His eyes darted around the room searching for some way to divert the blonde's attention.

"What he means to say," Cycloid said popping open on Billy's shoulder. "Is that he was just going to just go eat lunch in his room, right boss?" He asked turning to Billy.

Billy jolted and nodded his head vigorously. "Yes! Of course, I was just," He began to edge around the blond who watched him calmly an impassive expression on his face. "Going to take this sandwich to my room," He half mumbled edging out of the room as Masquerade turned to watch him go but aside from that made no move to stop him. Billy chuckled weakly. "yeah, so, um, yeah, well I'm super hungry! Gotta go bye!" He said turning and running as fast as he could from the masked blond with the plate in tow.

Masquerade's frown deepened as he sighed and shook his head slightly before turning back around, only to pause when he saw Klaus sitting at the far end of the dining room table, a cup of tea in his hands, a smirk on his face.

"I'm surprised you let him go," Klaus said lifting the cup and taking a sip from it. "That babble he produced could hardly count for an excuse." He lowered his tea cup and seemed to consider Masquerade for a moment.

"Your point?" Masquerade said.

Klaus sneered. "It seems you're starting to slip up."

"What's Billy going to do with a sandwich? Aside from eat it?" Masquerade said simply. Was Naga's control really that flimsy to allow for such insubordination? "Besides I hardly see how that should concern you." He said his tone containing the slightest edge, an underlying warning for Klaus.

Klaus snickered. "I'm just concerned that you might be becoming distracted… By that Jet girl." He said simply, as Masquerade scowled slightly, Klaus set his tea cup down on the table and considered Masquerade. "I mean after all you're keeping her in your room rather than throw her in the dungeon where she belongs. Now, that leads me to wonder if perhaps she is something more than a simple prisoner, to you."

Masquerade's expression didn't change. "Klaus, you'd be wise to remember who's superior. Stay out of my business or you'll regret it." He said icily as he walked towards the door to the kitchen, stopping when he was beside the Aquos brawler. "Jet is not your concern, she is my prisoner, and thus what I do with her is my business. Remember that." Then he continued out of the room, the kitchen door slamming shut behind him.

Klaus chuckled as he took a sip from his tea again a sly smirk on his face. "We shall see Masquerade,"

It was really dark; everywhere Mike looked there was darkness. He took a few uncertain steps forward moving his arms about him searching for anything solid that might be out there. He continued forwards for a little bit, but the darkness didn't let up. In fact it seemed to deepen, he frowned befundled by this debut he waved his arms in front of him.

"Is-Is anyone out there?" Mike asked looking around taking a few steps back, noting that the darkness seemed to reduce slightly all though he could still see nothing in front of him.

Irritably he whirled around and instead focused on what had been behind him, and he jumped at the sight of the masked blonde standing before him.

He looked exactly like he did in the show, Mike frowned taking a step towards him opening his mouth to speak when the blond smirked and stepped to the side, the darkness letting up enough to reveal something that made Mike's breath catch in his throat.

The was a person lying on the ground, chains extending from their wrists and ankles into somewhere in the darkness. The person was bleeding from multiple cuts and wounds on their body, the black clothes they wore were torn to the point where they were practically rags hanging off the girl's form. Her brown hair disheveled and messy, she managed to weakly lift her head, her blue eyes dull and weak she extended a hand towards Mike before it dropped back to the ground and she lay there staring up at him, her mouth opening and closing but no sounds came out.

"J-Jet!" Mike shouted running towards her only to have the darkness suddenly close down upon her like a curtain, making her vanish once more into the darkness. He halted where he'd last seen Jet and looked around wildly, "Jet! Jet! Come on where are you?" He shouted.

"She can't hear you," Mike stiffened at the sound of the voice and he whirled around as the masked blond walked up to him his footsteps echoing throughout the black world. "And she never will," Masquerade said slyly his smirk in place and his mask seemed to glint deviously.

Mike snarled, balling his hands into fists and charging at Masquerade, trying to punch the blond who easily jumped to the side. Mike whirled to face him again and lashed out again only to stiffen as Masquerade caught his hand and halted his attack. Mike's eyes widened and he struggled to tug his hand free at which Masquerade chuckled. He stopped and glared at him his hazel colored eyes blazing up at the blond who's mask only reflected his angry face back at him. "You-you-What have you done to Jet!" He demanded.

Masquerade pushed him back, watching as he fell on his ass with a grunt. "Only what was necessary," He said chuckling.

Mike scowled as he struggled to regain his feet. "Necessary for what?" He demanded his face red with rage.

Masquerade chuckled his teeth flashing slightly as he erupted into maniacal laughter.

"What's so damn funny!"

Masquerade chuckled slightly. "You shouldn't bother with Jet anymore," He said walking forward his white coat billowing out behind him by some invisible wind. "Because Jet," His voice dropped slightly as the darkness began to deepen slowly swallowing up the masked blond before him. And when he was on the verge of vanishing into the black ness he said. "Is mine."

A/N

Jetravenex: well wasn't that interesting :)

Masquerade: and now it's official

Jetravenex: that?

Masquerade: *smirks* I own Jet.

Jetravenex: you do not own me!

Masquerade: *facepalms* no your former OC!

Jetravenex: what you cannot claim ownership of my OC!

Masquerade: *Points up* I just did.

Jetravenex: *Facepalms and rubs hand down face* UGH

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