Chapter 4 Epiphanies

"So, I guess Bakugan are intelligent beings, huh?"

"That's about the gist of it, yeah."

After the shock that Leonidas could talk, the two have being going over of what they know on Naruto's bed.

"If you don't mind me asking, Leonidas, how come you can talk now? I mean before you made gestures that I could somewhat understand, but why now?" Naruto asked.

"Honestly I'm not so sure myself. When I came to Earth my ability to talk was taken away. Now all of a sudden I can talk freely now." Leonidas said.

"I wonder if it's linked to the vision I had with that Kyuubi Bakugan before I brought it into battle." Naruto thought before looking at his dragon Bakugan. "Well let me say it's nice to officially meet you, Leo." He grinned.

"Leo?" Leonidas said in confusion.

"Yeah, Leo. Your nickname. Short for Leonidas, like it?" Naruto wondered.

Leonidas was quiet for a bit before chuckling.

"I like it. It sounds fierce. Call me Leo from now on." Leonidas now Leo said.

"Great!" Naruto smiled brightly. Just then a thought occurred that had Naruto flush. "So wait, this whole time you knew what was going on and what I've been saying?"

"Yep." Leo nodded.

"Even my thoughts about Runo, Julie, and Alice?" Naruto squeaked.

"Yes I have." Leo said in a smug tone.

"Oh man!" Naruto groaned slapping his face.

"No need to be embarrassed. For humans, those girls are pretty attractive. Especially that Julie one." Leo giggled perversely.

"You are a perv, aren't you?" Naruto deadpanned.

"And proud of it!" Leo said without shame.

"Unbelievable." Naruto sighed.

Just then Naruto's computer started to ding signaling a request for a group chat.

"I guess the others want to talk." Naruto said picking up Leo and going to his computer and linked with the chat to see Runo, Marucho, Julie, and Alice. "Hey guys, what's going on?"

"Naruto! You will not believe what's going on right now!" Runo said.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"All around the world other Bakugan are talking! It's all over the Baku-web!" Julie exclaimed.

"Really?" Naruto blinked.

"Yeah! Everyone's talking about it!" Marucho said.

"So it wasn't just Leo." Naruto said.

"Leo?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. Leo as in Leonidas." Naruto said picking Leo up. "Say hi to everyone, Leo."

"Whassup everybody!" Leo said surprising Naruto's friends.

"No way! Your Bakugan can talk too?!" Marucho gasped.

"Yep." Naruto grinned.

"Amazing." Alice said in awe.

"Aww! No fair! You got your own talking Bakugan!" Julie whinned.

"Yeah! No fair!" Runo agreed.

"Hahaha!" Naruto laughed. "Yeah Leo can talk, too. I actually gave him a nickname, hence he's Leo short for Leonidas."

"It's nice to talk to Naruto's friends. He said only great things about you all in private." Leo said.

"Really?" The four friends blinked.

"Of course. He goes on about how Marucho is such a genius and a great friend to have."

"Aw, shucks!" Marucho laughed blushing.

"Not to mention how sweet Alice is, caring for others."

"Why thank you." Alice smiled.

"Or how lucky he is to have Julie as a fan and a amazing friend to talk to."

"That's so sweet! I'll be here for you forever, Naruto!" Julie squealing making kissy noises making Naruto blush.

"Not to mention loving Runo's firey personality and how she doesn't take crap from no one."

"Really now?" Runo smirked at Naruto making him dunk his head in embarrassment.

"In short, Naruto sees you guys as his closest friends." Leo said.

"Come on, Leo. Don't tell them all that." Naruto grumbled.

"It's nice to see how much we mean to you, Naruto." Alice smiled.

"Yeah, well... y'know..." Naruto muttered rubbing the back of his head.

"Aw, he's embarrassed." Runo teased.

"I know. So cute!" Julie squealed.

"We see you as a close friend, too, Naruto." Marucho smiled.

"Aaaah!" Naruto whined making everyone laugh.

All the while his new Bakugan was on the bed listening to everything.

"It seems you grew up well, huh Naruto." Kurama thought.

The Next Day

After getting up and ready for the day of school, everything seemed to be normal. Well despite everyone being excited about talking Bakugan.

It was lunchtime and Naruto was on the roof eating his food while talking to Leo.

"So, you and the other Bakugan come from a world called Vestroia?" Naruto asked.

"Correct. It's a home filled with six other mini worlds filled with Bakugan to each of their own attribute." Leo said.

"If that's the case, then what made you all come here in the first place?"

"No idea. Even I don't know that."

"Bummer."

"Speaking of Bakugan, don't you think you should talk to the new one you got yesterday?"

"Oh yeah, you're right." Naruto said reaching into his pocket and pulled out the Kyuubi Bakugan. "So, um hi, Mr. Kyuubi Bakugan. I'm Naruto and I was wondering if I could get the chance to know you."

"I actually know who you are, Naruto. We meet once before." Kurama said.

"We have?" Naruto blinked. "Then again, your voice does sound familiar for some reason."

"Of course. After all we started out as friends in the Elemental Nations." Kurama said opening up.

"Elemental Nations?" Naruto said having not heard that name in a long time. "Wait..." He said as if he was starting to remember. "K-Kurama?! Is that you?!" Naruto said hoping he was right.

"Got it one, kit!" Kurama chuckled.

"Kurama!" Naruto cheered as tears came in his eyes and rubbed his first friend against his cheek. "Oh man! I can't believe it's you, pal! I thought I would never see you again!"

"Hahaha! It's nice to see you too, Naruto." Kurama laughed.

"Wait a sec." Naruto said as if remembering something. "You're a Kyuubi, but in our old world you said something about sealed again." Naruto looked at Kurama as if putting the pieces together. "Meaning you were the Kyuubi that attacked Konoha and was sealed inside of me, weren't you?"

"Yeah, that is correct." Kurama sighed. "I can understand if you hate me."

"Why would I hate my first friend?"

"Huh?" Kurama said looking at Naruto.

"You went out of your way to teleport me into a new world away from Konoha's hate, thus giving me an amazing new life with a new Mom. How can I hate you for that." Naruto smiled.

"B-But it was because of me you were hated!" Kurama stuttered.

"And it's also because of you I'm here on Earth in this new life. So, if anything, thanks Kurama. And I'm glad we're reunited again." Naruto said.

Kurama was shocked that Naruto didn't hate him and still considered him his friend.

"I'm glad we're together again too, Naruto." Kurama said.

"Um, excuse me." Naruto and Kurama blinked before turning to Leo. "Somebody mind explaining what's going on?"

"Oh/Whoops." Naruto and Kurama said.

One explanation later

"Wow. So you both actually come from another world all together that separated from Earth and Vestroia." Leo said amazed.

"Yep." Naruto said.

"Pretty much." Kurama said.

"But wait, if you were an energy being, how is it you're now a Bakugan, Kurama?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I was wondering that myself." Naruto said.

"Oh, that's easy. After I separated from Naruto I found myself in the Pyrus space in Vestroia where some Pyrus Bakugan explained a few things to me thinking I was a new Bakugan. Which I was turned into coming to Vestroia." Kurama explained.

"Huh, go figure." Leo said.

"By the way, Naruto. If you have been playing Bakugan as a game, how have you been doing?" Kurama asked Naruto.

"Oh! I've been doing really well. I'm actually in the top three being ranked the third." Naruto said.

"Not bad." Kurama said.

"It was thanks to my awesomeness that Naruto got ranked in third place." Leo bragged.

"Yeah. Leo has been my ace in the hole." Naruto chuckled.

"Well you now have two aces now that I'm here!" Kurama laughed.

"Right!" Naruto nodded.

"Though I think to make it fair you only use one of us in each brawl. Unless the situation called for both me and Kurama to be used." Leo suggested.

"True, I wouldn't want to destroy my opponents." Naruto said.

"Aw but where's the fun in that?" Kurama whined.

All three of them laughed at that.

After School

Naruto was walking home deciding to take the long way home.

"So, what do you think about Earth, Kurama?" Naruto asked.

"It's pretty cool. Though I think the concept of school is boring." Kurama said.

"You're telling me. When I hear the teacher the talk, I can't help but snooze." Leo said.

"Yeah, school can be like that." Naruto chuckled.

"So you're Naruto Kuso, huh?"

Naruto stopped walking to look around where the voice came from only to see someone come out from behind the tree.

The person looked to be male around his age peach skinned having blond hair that is styled upwards with a purple and blue visor mask likely made out of glass over his eyes wearing a blue shirt and two cross something that seem to go together with what appears to be armor on his upper chest having a white cape-like coat buttoned by straps on its chest however towards the waist it is unbuttoned, purple jeans with three belts, and black boots with small heels at the bottom that have straps and buckles on them as well.

From what Naruto felt from him he meant bad news. Something that Leo and Kurama felt as well.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked.

"The name's Masquerade. And I challenge you, Naruto to a little brawl." Masquerade smirked.