A/N: Here it is, the (not so) epic conclusion! Well, actually it's just the epilogue. I apologize if anyone seems OOC. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I still don't own Bakugan.

3 months later:

"Get out, you little weasel," Spectra snapped.

"I'm allowed to see Alice if I want, bird-brain. Just because she's your girlfriend doesn't mean you own her," Lync retorted, using the nickname for Spectra that he had unfortunately picked up from Masquerade.

"I never said I did!" Spectra babbled, looking somewhat embarrassed, "But she certainly doesn't want to see an annoying troll like you."

"It's alright, Keith. I invited him. You know we're having all the Vexos over for dinner tonight. Lync is still part of the team."

Spectra grumbled something in Lync's general direction and took a plate from the stack that Alice was holding so he could forcefully place it in front of the Ventus brawler.

For his part, Lync stuck his tongue out mockingly when Alice had turned her back.

Next to arrive were Gus and Julie.

"That's a lot of bags," Spectra looked at his friend with pity as the Subterra brawler dropped his burden on Alice's floor.

"This is just today's load," Gus said in a monotone, "She goes shopping at least once a week."

"With your money," it wasn't a question.

"Yes."

"How are you ever going to get anywhere if she takes your whole paycheck?"

"Not the whole thing. I save some," Gus replied.

"Why you would want to work for some infernal juice company…" Spectra trailed off. Actually, he understood it quite well. Gus's passion for juice bordered on an obsession, and he had cited the practical reason of learning the trade so that he could open his own juice in boxes company on Vestal at some point in the future. At least it was some kind of ambition, Spectra tried to convince himself, but couldn't help adding, "When I take over Vestal you can be my chief advisor, Gus. I'll pay you very well."

"Keith, what have I told you about hostile takeovers?" Alice called from the kitchen.

"That they're evil and wrong, It's fine, Alice. I'm going to be a great King, you'll see. Besides, you get to be Queen, you know." Spectra replied.

His comment was met with silence until Lync smirked, "Awfully forward, aren't you, Spectra? Only been dating three months and he's already proposing. I'd leave him for someone less crazy if I were you, Alice!" Lync yelled to the red-head still preparing dinner.

"What? I wasn't-" Spectra's protest was cut off.

"Well that is a bit sudden. I don't plan on getting married to anyone for a while…" Alice tried to sound unconcerned.

Spectra's defense fell on deaf ears, "I'm telling you that's not what I-"

"That's really creepy. You should totally dump him, never do something like that," Lync said smugly.

"I will wring your scrawny little neck, weasel," Spectra glared at the Ventus brawler so much he half expected Lync to burst into flames.
"Alice! He's threatening me!" Lync whined.

"It's not a threat if I actually intend to do it," Spectra responded.

Then the brawlers showed up, saving Lync for the moment.

"Crashing the party!" Dan shouted, receiving a smack from Runo for being rude as she, Shun, and Marucho drifted in.

"Sorry to show up without calling, Alice, but my idiot boyfriend insisted," Runo apologized.

Marucho and Shun meanwhile had already helped themselves to the cheesecake, and Alice just smiled.

"It's fine, Runo. It wouldn't be the same without everyone here," Alice said cheerfully, "How have things been with you and Dan?"

"Oh, you know. He's the same idiot as usual. We're working on being more direct with our feelings. Aren't we, Dan?" Runo looked pointedly over at the Pyrus brawler in question.

"What's that?" Dan looked up with his face covered in cheesecake, completely unapologetic.

"Get over here and spend time with me instead of running straight for the food!"

"But if I don't someone else will get it!" Dan protested, digging into the poor dessert with renewed vigor.

"As you can see, it's still a work in progress," Runo sighed and took a seat beside her oblivious boyfriend.

Volt came next and sat down quietly in his seat. The conversation was minimal at first, but with prodding from Alice it eventually picked up.

"So, Gus, what have you been up to?"

"Well I obtained employment at an Earth juice factory, and I am gradually collecting information to open up my own juice in boxes company back on Vestal. I predict it will be a great success." No sooner had Gus finished answering than Julie piped up, "And he's been buying me lots of nice presents. Gussy buys me anything I want!" she said brightly.

Gus hissed out, "I told you never to call me that! And in front of people, too!"

Julie just giggled innocently and paid the blushing Subterra brawler no mind, although Lync laughed uproariously across the table, and Spectra smirked at his friend's discomfort.

"Volt?"

"Not much-" Volt started, but was cut off by Lync. "Hey! Why don't you ask me Alice?!"

"Because she knows you've been coming over incessantly to bother us, and that's all you've been doing," Spectra snapped.

"Not true! I've been looking for a girlfriend."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, but all the girls I know are lame," Lync said, then added, "Except for you, Alice!"

"It seems as though everyone we know has already paired up," Volt nodded, "Well, except for-"

"Oh, yeah! She is kinda pretty. I call dibs, Volt!"

"I was the one who thought of it, " the Haos brawler replied monotonously.

"But you know how much I like red-heads. Be a pal, Volt!"

"You two aren't talking about Mira are you?" Alice asked curiously.

"Yeah. I bet that idiot teammate of hers still hasn't confessed. When she gets here-"

"NEITHER OF YOU IS GOING ANYWHERE NEAR MY SISTER!" Spectra shouted glaring murderously at the Ventus and Haos brawlers.

"You're not the boss of me!"

"You wanna bet, pipsqueak?"

"Calm down, please! I have cheesecake," Alice held up the dessert in supplication, but it didn't alleviate the hostile atmosphere.

Not a moment too soon Mira arrived, arm in arm with Ace. This did not escape the notice of Lync, who visibly deflated and muttered something about stupid people with green hair.

The development was not entirely pleasing to Spectra, but he was forced to admit it was better than Mira being snatched up by one of his teammates.

"So, did you finally tell her, Ace?" Alice smiled knowingly.

"Shut up," he snapped, "But, yeah."

"Don't mind him. He's just shy," Mira laughed and gave her boyfriend a peck on the cheek, which only heightened his embarrassment.

"Mira! Stop being indecent. Public display of affection is disgusting!" Spectra choked out.

"Then what do you call what you and Alice were doing when I got here?" Lync smirked.

"You came in unannounced! And you picked the lock!" Spectra was beyond flustered and Alice put a hand on his shoulder, "It was just a kiss, it's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Can we please end this dinner?"

"No. Mira and Ace just got here, that would be very rude. Oh, and do you know if Baron's coming, Mira?"

"He got stuck babysitting so he can't make it," Mira answered.

"Well, more food for me!" Dan commented, eliciting many glares.

When Mylene and Shadow finally showed up, the last to arrive as usual, they were holding hands, although Mylene quickly shook him off when she saw people had noticed.

"It isn't what it looks like," she grumbled, but one look at Lync's face told her that all the Vexos were already convinced it was exactly what it looked like.

"I'm just letting him sleep on the couch in my apartment because the homeless population of Vestal is high enough! Don't read into this!"

"Then why were you holding his hand…?"

"So he doesn't run out into the street and get hit like a stray dog. Do I need to explain everything to you?"

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I am not blushing, it's ridiculously hot in here. What are you people, cold blooded?" she made exaggerated fanning motions while trying to hide the color on her face as the rest of the table laughed.

"Well, you've got to admit Mylene's got epic denial skills," Lync said, then turned to his spiky-haired friend, "So, Shadow, tell us everything."

The Darkus brawler had no sooner opened his mouth than Mylene threw a roll at him and hissed, "Not. One. Word."

"Aha! You do have something to hide!"

"Nonsense! He'll just deceive you with his delusions!"

"So we aren't going out to a movie after this? I paid like twenty bucks for the tickets and everything!" Shadow pounded on the table and sulkily bit into the roll Mylene had thrown at him.

"I didn't say that, just humor me and be quiet, will you?" Mylene tried to whisper in an aside to Shadow, but everyone heard her anyway.

"Lying is bad for your health, Mylene. Causes wrinkles," Lync nodded sagely as if he were an authority on the subject.

"You're one to talk about lying, brat," Mylene shot back.

Alice tried to restore the relative peace, "Can you all please try to get along? Why don't we have a toast? To Wardington's new heroes!" Glasses were raised and the toasts continued:

"To Alice's cooking!" a certain brawler announced.

"To not having to work with any of you again!"

"To Alice! We couldn't have done it without her."

"To me!"

"Shut up, Dan," several people said in unison, and everyone excluding the Pyrus brawler laughed.

Meanwhile, inside Alice's mind:

"Is there anything interesting on, Hydranoid? The 'happy reunion' channel is getting old," Masquerade mimed using a remote, although of course he could only see what Alice saw at any given time and his mention of channels was just a joke he shared with the illusionary Hydranoid he had conjured up. The real Hydranoid was out in the 'real' world with Alice, but Masquerade could create a simulation because he had total control over his domain inside Alice's head. It was kind of depressing when he thought about it, trapped inside the mind of a teenage girl with only an imaginary Bakugan to keep him company…

"Let them have their fun," the first hydra head replied, and the second continued, "It won't last."

"Of course, it never does. Or where you referring to a specific plan on our part to disturb the peace?"

"What do you think?"

Everyone had cleared out a few hours later, and once the house was put back in order Alice began the trek to her room. She made it to the door before she blacked out, falling into a sea of darkness.

When she woke up, she had no idea how long she had been out, there was just a crisp white piece of paper in front of her.

She read it in the dim light of the hallway: "My departure may have been exaggerated. Enjoy this moment of peace, trust me it won't last long. Is it because I'm going to do something? Well, let's just say you always were my better half, Alice. I may have just helped save the world, but who says there isn't a little hero and villain in all of us?

~Masquerade"

"I wouldn't expect any less," she said, tossing the paper into the trash.

"Goodnight, Masquerade," she whispered, and the mask behind her eyelids seemed to smile.

A/N: Ambiguous ending? Maybe, but you didn't really think I was getting rid of Masquerade, did you? ;) I hope you liked the story! Please review and let me know what you liked or didn't like about it!