Summary- Life is a long hard struggle; one full of complications and doubts. Comprehending one's feelings is the hardest thing to do. The path to realization is hard and tough. And it may not always bear the anticipated results. DanxRuno. Based on a true story.

My fifteenth story…. And my first DanxRuno, be kind please.

Yes, this is based on a true story. I guess I should say that the characters in this fiction are purely fictional… You know, just incase there happens to be any copyrights. Just so you know; I was a first-hand witness in the following events. This fiction shall utilize the characters of Bakugan Battle Brawlers as a way for me to interpret the events.

Thank you for clicking the link. And please enjoy.

Naively Clueless

crystal-mist

Chapter 1

Meeting

Runo was a different girl; she was different from the rest of them. She had always been different and she will always remain different, regardless of what anyone says.

She was smart; she was always first in class yet she was rarely seen with a book in hand. The teachers adored her yet she was never once seen sucking up to them. She was a girl yet she was never once seen crying. She was a bit tomboyish and wasn't embarrassed to admit it.

Whenever a guy hit her for no reason, she wouldn't cry all alone in a corner like the other girls, she would either report it to the teacher fearlessly or she would smack him right back.

Dan was a typical guy; a regular heartthrob. He was very interactive with others. Everyone loved hanging out with him and above all; he had an extremely magnetic personality. He had a personality that drew everyone towards him. His grades were just about average but everyone adored his company.

Runo was young when she first met Dan. She was ten and he twelve. She was introduced to him by Dan's cousin.

"Hey guys, this is my cousin, Daniel Kuso." Introduced Joe; who was Dan's cousin.

"Hi Daniel." chimed the kids.

Dan had come to visit Joe for the vacations. Joe thought it would be cool to introduce Dan to the other kids in the apartment complex, and so he did.

"Nice to meet you." said Julie, a girl with silver hair as she smiled at him.

"This is going to be fun." Whispered Alice to Runo while the latter hardly even paid attention to what the red-head was saying.

"Let's play hide and go seek. Let's play, let's play." yelled Marucho, the youngest of the bunch as he started jumping up and down.

Runo observed the new kid through her bright blue eyes for a little while; that was until the game began.

Dan vaguely noticed Shun Kazami, the black hired boy who was also there.

When it was Runo's turn to seek she skillfully found almost everyone. She caught Julie, Joe, Alice and Marucho. Now only Dan and Shun remained.

She caught a glimpse of brown hair hiding behind a car; she also noticed the bright red overcoat.

"Found you, found you." She cheered happily.

"Found whom?" asked Julie.

"You know…" Runo paused for a bit as she rubbed her head…. "Hm... You know…that….that kid… that kid who came with Joe….He's there behind the car."

"No I am NOT." Came a voice, the kids turned round and saw Shun standing coolly at 'home base' with Dan by his side.

"No way….no way…I so totally caught you. I saw your flimsy hiding." exclaimed Runo indignantly as she ran towards the brown haired boy.

"You did not." taunted Dan.

"I did too."

"Did not."

"Did too…" she pouted fiercely then turned to Joe with a dagger-like glare... "Joe, your cousin is cheating!" she declared.

Joe, being the oldest of the bunch opened his mouth to say something but Alice cut him short.

"Runo dear, Dan is new here. Perhaps we can let it slide." Alice was young but her wisdom was beyond her age and the effect her persuasion had on Runo was tremendous.

Runo sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright. I will let that kid get away with it…. for now."

She did not see the amused smirk on Dan's face.

They continued the game.

The next day, the group of kids decided to play soccer. Runo and Shun were team captains.

[A/N: The next part is just a new way I just figure to write the story for bits, so that the dialogues don't get mixed up.

Runo: I pick Joe for my team.

Shun: Julie.

Runo: What about 'new kid'? [She gazed doubtfully at Joe as she said this.]

Joe : Good choice. He's great at soccer.

Dan : I have a name you know.

Runo: I'm sorry but… I think that I have forgotten. [She said embarrassedly.] What was it?

Dan: You forgot? [He exclaimed, but then sighed seeing the wide eyes of the girl in front of him.] Fine, whatever; it's Daniel Kuso.

Runo: Ah yes, it was Daniel... [She exclaimed in a victorious tone.] Aha...I thought it was Wilhelm.

Dan : What exactly does Daniel and Wilhelm have in common? [He gaped]

Runo: [She thinks for a while] nothing I guess. Your name is just so different that it is hard to remember

Dan : You can remember a weird name like Marucho and NOT Daniel? [His eyes were wide with disbelief and his mouth was drooped open.]

Runo: Sue me, why don't you? [She was just getting annoyed now.]

Dan : Are you always this rude?

Runo: I am NOT rude.

Dan : If you weren't then you would remember a small name like Daniel.

Joe : Guys stop bickering and let's just start the game.

Runo- Ah yes…

Shun: Marucho, in my team.

Alice: I'll be the referee.

Runo: But Alice…. [Alice looked at Runo expectantly. Runo sighed; she knew that Alice didn't like to play soccer. That was probably why Shun avoided picking her.] Fine, be the referee... Be impartial Kay?

The game was nice and in the end Runo's team won. After all both, Joe and Dan were on her team and they were amazing players.

Over the duration of the following week the group of kids had a very good time playing with one another. There was only one minor setback. No matter how hard Runo tried to, she could not remember Dan's name. She kept referring to him as 'That Kid' 'New kid' 'Joe's cousin' or some variation there-of.

Runo was a bright student, always scoring well and with lots of common sense. Then how come she was unable to remember his name?

Whenever Runo referred to Dan like that he would retort to her. And then they would start some petty bickering. He would say that 'Runo' was a strange name as well and then she would say something back, then he would use his age as an advantage.

Their bickering would normally end with either Alice advising Runo or with Joe dragging Dan off.

Dan was just so surprised that someone could absolutely not remember his name. He could remember her name just fine; it was Runo Misaki.

One evening Runo approached Joe with a determined expression on her face.

"What is it Runo?" he questioned.

"What's the name of 'that Kid'?"

"You mean my cousin?"

Alice nodded and Joe laughed slightly at her forgetfulness. "His name is not that strange you know…It's Daniel." stated Joe, with a smile still on his face.

"Thanks." Saying this she ran up the steps to her room muttering 'Daniel' all the while. She ran to the fridge and took a piece of paper.

She scribbled the word Daniel on it and stuck it onto one of the magnets. "Now, I will remember." She concluded with happiness.

The next day she scribbled the name into her hand using her mother's red pen.

They decided to play something that required the formation of two teams and Runo was once again the captain.

"I pick..." she gazed at her hand. "Daniel…" she shouted in triumph.

He gazed at her wide-eyed. "You finally remembered."

"Well...I won't let anyone take me down." She declared enthusiastically as she grinned happily.

He only smiled at what she said… "And just so you know…I saw that you wrote it in your hand…." He added. "That is cheating."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "SO cheating on hide and go seek is NOT CHEATING?" she asked indignantly.

And thus, they continued another round of bickering.

The others meanwhile went on with the game.

The next day Daniel left back home, he was just on a brief visit to his cousin after all…It was comparatively quiet now.

"Daniel left." muttered Runo to herself, then she then turned to her mother. "Mommy, I never want to leave this apartment …Never…I don't want to be separated from my friends. Never ever." She told her mother. "I hate changes."

Her mother only smiled at her. "Changes are a part of life….You just have to live with it…"

"Hm…I still hate changes though." Concluded the little blue haired girl...

Her mother's smile widened when she heard Runo's adamant voice.

"Well dear, life is complicated. And you cannot understand what is happening half the time."

"Huh?" asked the young Runo as she slightly tilted her head to one side.

"Never mind dear… It's time for lunch."

One year later, another summer vacation came. Runo skipped down the stairs as she hummed happily. She was as happy as an eleven year old could be in summer break.

She ran and felt the cool wind rush past her face.

She spent some time just wandering here and there in the grounds of the apartment complex.

She then started running all over the place because she was getting bored. She ran to the sand-box. [A/N: Well, not exactly a 'sand-box' but something where they played often.]

When she reached there her bright blue eyes widened as she saw an older, taller boy sitting in it with a couple of sea-shells in hand.

She was surprised as she saw his brown hair and matching eyes. He apparently hadn't noticed her.

"You…you are here…Da- Da-." She paused for a bit as she thought deeply. "Dan- 'Joe's kid cousin'."

"How many times should I tell you?…my name is Daniel." He said as he stood up.

"Ah…yes, that's right."

"I guess you can call me Dan though. It sounds cool….Nice to see you again….Runo."

"I guess...it is quite nice to see you again as well."

"What do you mean 'you guess'?" He retorted.

"Oh nothing." she said with a wide smile.

As the days passed by, Runo came to know that Dan was about to move in with Joe that year because his parents were about to go abroad and for some reason they couldn't take Dan along with them. Joe told Runo the reason but she was too young to comprehend even a single word of what he explained.

A long time of bickering and squabbling awaited them.

SO how was the chapter?

I hope you liked this. I had to work very hard to compile most of the happenings into one single chapter. But I think it is okay for an introduction chapter.

I hope it is.

And yes, all this really happened and I am not making it up, and please don't sue me or anything.

I mean no harm by this story. I am just voicing stuff out.

Please Review and tell me what you think.

I was intending on making this AlicexShun but well, taking the characters of the main characters Runo and Dan fitted more into the equation. Sorry if they are a bit OOC.

Tell me what you think kay?