"Shun!"

Alice. Shun looked at the girl held in the arms of his blonde-masked enemy. "Alice!" he exclaimed, bending his knees in preparation to jump off his Bakugan to help her get away from Masquerade.

Suddenly, her outstretched arm pointing at pointing at him with fear on her face seemed to make everything go into slow motion. Shun felt a chill go down his spine at the same time he felt Skyress start to fly upward. Looking behind him, he saw Naga with an orb of power charging in his mouth. With the vibration that came from underneath, Shun could tell Skyress was saying something—but he couldn't hear it. As he turned his head to look back at Alice saying something in his direction with tears in his eyes, he realized he couldn't hear her.
He couldn't hear a thing.

Is this death?

Shun felt the warmth of what he presumed was Naga's final attack on he and Skyress.

Did I truly come all this way to endanger you, Skyress?

Slowly, he closed his eyes in a final act of trying to think of an evasive maneuver like he had done so many times before.

Alice.

"Shun!"

Alice, I failed you.

"Shun!"

I got distracted.
"Shun, please!"

And that's why I must go…because I can't protect you like this.

"Shun!"

I can't help you like this.
"Shun!"

I love you.

So, please, when I go…

"Shun!"

Just don't…

"Shun, get down!"

Alice. Suddenly, Shun turned his body toward Naga with new determination and a command for Skyress…

Only to find Naga's attack barreling toward them.

Shun's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to give Skyress a command…one final command that had his eyes closing in preparation to what would probably be a fatal attack—
When suddenly he felt water hit his left cheek.

Don't cry for me, Alice.

"Runo! Chan! Did you feel that?" Marucho called from as he and Preyas dodged another attack from one of Naga's soldiers. The young boy had lost his glasses earlier on in the battle, but didn't let that usual inconvenience stop him from going on.

Alice, he thought to himself with a pained smile as he looked toward Tigrerra and Runo who had just helped an unnamed, but on their side brawler and his Bakugan. Do you realize you've always been the glue to our little group?

Chan led Fourtress in a leap toward the younger boy and his Bakugan as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm her suddenly cold arms.

"I did. What was that?" she asked, suddenly clinging to Fourtress as he landed another attack on an enemy coming toward Marucho and Preyas from the back. Marucho gave a shaky nod in thanks to the martial arts master and her trusted Bakugan.

Tigrerra with Runo situated on her back met up with them on the ledge—Runo, too, looking just as concerned as Chan and Marucho did. "Something's wrong. Something happened."

"What do you mean?" asked Preyas, as he sent a water-based attack toward another Pyrus Bakugan working for Naga. He, like Tigrerra and Fourtress, froze when they formed a back-to-back formation.

All three Bakugan looked up to the darkened sky at the same time they heard a familiar screech throughout the entire area.

"Skyress."

"Look alive, Dan!"

Dan heard Klaus scream in his direction as Sirenoid let out a power stress of water from her staff that flew passed the right of him and Drago.

The Aquos Bakugan and her young master looked at Dan and his dragonoid Bakugan with concern. They knew they young leader was tired. Dan had always done the most in any battle and he wasn't disappointing in this fight. When Klaus had a second to glance during the fierce fight, he would find Dan and Drago in one spot and then another helping their newfound comrades when he could.

Klaus looked down toward Billy and Cycloid. The duo was just as determined as Dan and Drago are and were too getting tired. Unlike Dan, though, Billy had not just frozen up.

Dan had.

Though he had not known the boy for long or worked with him quite like this, it was plain as day for anyone to see that freezing up isn't something Dan Kuso did. He was headstrong, always went in without a plan…just action.

Sometimes that gets him into trouble, Klaus remembered Shun telling him of his friend. But he always finds a way out…whether it's by himself or I come in to save that idiot.

Klaus sighed when Sirenoid took out another Bakugan headed Dan and Drago's way as he and his guardian Bakugan went toward the duo.

Looks like it's time for me to step up and be you already, Shun. Klaus closed his eyes.

"Klaus," his eyes popped up in surprise as he heard Dan call his name in an unfamiliar sound between fear and confusion.

"It's Shun," Dan said, as he turned those fearful eyes toward Klaus that made the young Aquos master look at him with abrupt concern. "He's—."

"Never knew you were one to give up so easily, kid," he heard a masculine voice call from in front of him.

That voice.

"Shun!" A familiar, female voice called.

That is a voice he definitely knew. His eyes snapped open to reveal a few things:

He and Skyress were still alive and still up in the air, floating in the same spot.

Naga appeared to be forcefully pushed back against a wall a few hundred feat in front of them.

In front of them, floated Hydranoid with Masquerade and Alice on top of the Darkus Bakugan, the former who looked at him with a smug face and the latter who—

Shun raised his hand to touch his right cheek, only to find a single spot of water against. He swiped it with his hand and brought toward the front of his face to stare at it before looking up again at Alice.

His Alice—who had a breathtaking smile on her face and tears coming down her cheeks.

His Alice—who was crying for him.

His Alice—who suddenly leaped from Hydranoid onto Skyress and landed a few feet away from him.

His Alice—who had seemed so out of reach from him just moments ago when he thought it was over.

"You came," she whispered.

Shun smirked, stretching out his hand in a welcoming gesture toward her. "Don't I always?"

"What about Skyress?" asked Runo, as she looked around to see where she and Tigrerra needed to go next to help. Beside her, Marucho and Chan did the same.

Suddenly, all three Bakugan left out a sigh of relief, confusing all three young heroes.

Before any of the humans could ask about Skyress again, Fourtress spoke up. "Nothing. She's fine."

"Shun's what, Dan?" Klaus all but yelled out at Dan, who hands were clenched tightly into fists.

By this time, Billy and Cycloid had reached their two comrades. He looked at the two pairs confused. "Is something going on?"

"There's something wrong with Dan…or with Shun," Klaus responded. "I'm not sure what's going on, but Dan—."

"To your left Drago!" the leader of the team yelled as his Bakugan turned toward the named direction and let out a ball of fire at a series of Bakugan, defeating them all with one hit. Klaus and Billy looked at Dan on top of Drago, who had just defended them from an attack while they were distracted.

Klaus immediately noticed a different demeanor in Dan—a more confident one as the boy and Drago looked up toward the sky.

"Shun's fine," Dan said firmly, a determined smile on his face. "Shun's fine."

A deep growl formed in the back of Drago's throat as he prepared a fire attack for the sky. "Then I think it's time, Daniel."

Dan gave a nod as he looked at Billy and Klaus.

"It's time."

Stumbling into Shun as Skyress suddenly lurched to the left, Alice felt Shun's arms wrap around her waist as a reaction to the shock of the abrupt movement. While she knew it wasn't the time for it, the redhead couldn't help but close her eyes and bask in his warmth.

He came.

"Alice," his strong voice pulled her out of her reverie, as she tilted her head up to look at him. Shun looked down at her with a soft expression on his face. "Sorry it took me so long," he whispered.

She shook her head against his chest before looking back up at him. "How long it took doesn't matter. What matters is you're here, Shun," she said back to him softly. "You're here and—."

Shun dropped down onto his back on Skyress, pulling Alice down to fall on his chest. The girl felt a dark energy blaze over her that made her turn to the direction she felt it come from to see Masquerade and Hydranoid, who had just attacked Naga from the other side of Skyress. The Ventus Bakugan was already poised for another attack toward a different foe in front of her that she hadn't even noticed Naga from the opposing side preparing to attack before Hydranoid stepped in.

"I know you two are happy to see each other," Masquerade drawled in a smug tone, "but I think unless you want your reunion to come to an end fast, you better get your head in his."

Shun stood after steadying Alice on her feet. "Maybe I'll start with you then."
Masquerade rolled his eyes, but couldn't help to smirk.

"Shun," Alice said hurriedly, placing her hands on his arms. "He's on our side."

Both Shun and Masquerade brought their eyes to the girl in confusion.

"How do you know he won't turn on us?" asked Shun, as Skyress flew toward Hydranoid after defeating her original target. Alice looked at the glasses on Masquerade's mask and smiled at him, taking the young man by surprise by how genuine it was.

Skyress and Hydranoid both faced toward Naga and a now on top of the ultimate Bakugan Hal-G, preparing for an attack on the villainous duo.

"Joe," Wavern called as she and the boy floated toward Julie and Gorem and Komba and Harpus. The three duos managed to fend of their location, but not without a few scratches along the way and the help of Bakugan and their Brawlers from across the world. Truly, none of them had ever seen anything like the teamwork before them.

"What is it, Wavern?" question Joe, sounding warn out from the fight.

Harpus and Gorem turned toward the direction Wavern was looking in.

"It's time," she said, as they all turned to look at a flame rising from what appeared to be the ground to sky from what looked to be afar. "That's Drago."

All three Brawlers looked at each other with newfound faces of determination.

"Then what are we waiting for?" the only human asked confidently as they all took toward the direction of the strong flame.

"I know he won't turn on us because not only can he be just," Alice smiled, never removing her eyes from the area on the man's mask where he knew his were.

"He is just."

1,891 words.

2.5 hours. Tonight. Because of you all who have messaged me, reviewed, and messaged some more. I have one thing to say:

You are my muse.

Somewhere down the line, I became selfish and I forgot that you were all the reason this series is what it is. When I started this story nine years ago, I had every intention of seeing this series through. Over a series of great moments, hardships, and everything in between...I couldn't see it through then. And I tried to last year, but everything soon came crashing down.

That's not an excuse, though, to leave you amazing beautiful and kind people waiting. So please, if you can find it somewhere to forgive me...even when I know I shouldn't be asking that of you...please do.

I realize now-this isn't my story. It's ours. 2018 is our year. Let's finish this together.

I love you all so much from the bottom of my heart and can't thank you enough for being patient and always so kind.

So come on...let's give Alice and Shun the end they deserve.

Forever yours and asking for forgiveness,

~Lady Anata~