A/N: Final chapter folks, this fic will now slowly wend its merry way down the list of UM fics as it fades into the past just like its predecessors. I nearly shot myself about five times when writing this chapter, especially the bits about Mars's feelings; as you read on, you will all see why…

The song The Reason belongs to Hoobastank, and was the inspiration for this fic, hence the title.

Recap: Kevin tried his best to convince Mars to return with him to the IWF as a Muscle Leaguer, but Mars was not keen to turn into a "babyface" like Kevin and the others.

Chapter 39 – The Reason

Kevin Mask turned his motorbike into the parking lot of the dance hall, feeling more than a little apprehensive about returning after the welcome he had received the first time around. He could only hope that the news he brought with him would act as a nice diversion, and draw the attention of the McMadds, the Muscle Leaguers and the girls away from himself.

Kevin had never enjoyed being at the centre of attention under any circumstances, but least of all in a party situation. He liked to just be alone, riding his motorbike to anywhere or nowhere. Alone with his thoughts, he could truly be at peace.

Although, Kevin had to admit that his journey back to the dance hall had turned more than few heads. It was no doubt a shocking sight for anyone, especially so late at night, to see the new Chojin Crown Champion riding a motorbike in a tuxedo and with a most unexpected passenger.

As Kevin turned the key in the ignition to silence the motorbike, he felt a thud behind him as Mars sat back down.

"Was it really necessary for you to stand all the way here?" Kevin asked him.

"You said it was gonna be just like da old times in da DMP," Mars reminded him, clapping a hand onto his shoulder. "So let's start as we mean to go on, yeah?"

"Certainly," Kevin agreed.

Together, Kevin Mask and Mars leapt off the motorbike and started towards the doors of the dance hall, walking side-by-side at Mars's typical, leisurely pace.

"You know it's strange," Kevin began.

"When I joined da DMP, I never thought it would just lead me right back to da Muscle League, da place my father always wanted me to go in da first place," Mars finished.

"Exactly," Kevin agreed.

"And it's kinda weird," Mars added.

"I am a changed man since my days in the DMP, but I don't know if I'm quite ready to confront anyone inside that hall just yet," Kevin said.

"Exactly," Mars agreed.

Kevin and Mars paused by the doors, turning to each other apprehensively.

"You go on ahead, I just need a minute," Mars said, indicating for Kevin to take the lead.

Kevin hesitated, not particularly wishing to walk into the hall on his own again, lest he be subjected to the inevitable barrage of insults from those within.

"Alright, but don't be too long," he eventually said, reaching out a hand to the doors. "And don't even think about changing your mind."

"And miss all da comedy? What are you nuts?" Mars laughed.

Kevin nodded his head, before disappearing through the doors, leaving Mars alone in the parking lot. Mars sighed, looking up at the sky above him, glancing between the various constellations, momentarily musing over which ones looked the same from Wrestle Planet, home of the Hercules Factory. Mars had spent so much of his free time between training sessions there looking up at the stars, mulling over his thoughts and plans for the future; and latterly his plans for the Chojin Crown Tournament itself. All the apprehension and excitement he had felt at the prospect of returning to Earth as a bona fide Muscle Leaguer, fighting for the side of good, washed over him as he perused the constellations again.

"How am I gonna do dis?" he muttered to himself, lowering his eyes to the door once more.

I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do

Mars took a deep breath, drawing himself up to his full height.

"It's now or never," he told himself.

Mars opened one door and slipped inside, pausing in the shadows of the entrance hall to study what lay ahead of him, within the main dance hall beyond. Kid Muscle, Terry Kenyon and Jaeger were giggling over a half-empty punch bowl, Dik Dik Van Dik, Checkmate and Wally Tusket were having a drinking competition at the bar, Ikeman and Jacqueline McMadd were arguing about something whilst their father tried his best to referee the dispute, Robin Mask, Terryman, Buffaloman and Ramenman were sitting around a table in the back corner of the hall in deep conversation, Kevin Mask was loitering around the spread of sandwiches, pretending to be extremely interested with the selection of tuna sandwiches.

And Roxanne and Trixie were sitting at a table on the right-hand side of the room, huddled close to Kiki, who looked as though she had been crying; a pang of guilt stung at Mars's chest.

But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you

As Mars watched the girls, he began to wonder if going back to join the Earth division of the IWF was such a good idea after all. All the horrid, negative emotions he had endured three years ago at the end of the Generation Ex Tournament, all the self-doubt he had felt, all suddenly came rushing back to him; was he really worthy of someone like Kiki? It was a question Mars had never thought he would ever ask himself about anyone, but Kiki was different. She was so good and so right, and he was so bad and so wrong. If he could not even forgive himself for so many of the things he had done in the past, how could he honestly expect her to?

But, Mars thought to himself, of all the bad things he had done and regretted, the worst one had to have been running away from the hospital on Dik Dik's word alone. He should have stayed to hear Kiki's side of the story, or at least left her a note. But instead he ran away, and made no attempt to contact her for over three years.

I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday

Mars took another small step forwards, edging out of the shadows for a better view of Kiki and the girls. If she were to see him, he would not have the option of leaving again; he could not put her through all that emotional turmoil all over again. In his mind, Mars was still in doubt; but his heart wanted to stay more than anything. But not only did Mars have his own reserves about staying, he also worried about Kiki's feelings. He had run away again, only leaving her the most miserable of notes, he had hurt her feelings all over again, and maybe now she had decided that she hated him. Maybe she would not want him back. What would he do then?

And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears

Mars knew that he had changed; he was not the same person that he had been in his days with the DMP, and he was not even the same person he had been during the Generation Ex Tournament. He had never thought that he could have changed, never thought that he could have been anything other than the scar-faced Devil Chojin he had always been, but in Kiki's love he had found the reason to want to change, the reason to want to be a better man.

He just wished that he could explain it all to Kiki, to let her know just how much she truly meant to him.

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

Mars took another step forwards, studying Kiki carefully. She looked upset, but she was forcing a smile for the sake of her friends who were fussing around her. Mars found himself smiling too; Roxanne and Trixie had, at times, been so inconsiderate towards Kiki, and yet still she stood loyally by them. And Kiki's loyalty was just another one of her many qualities that Mars admired so much.

It seemed so bittersweet and ironic to Mars that, although Kiki was younger, and far less worldly-wise than he himself was, Mars had still learnt so much from Kiki. The life he had always wanted, the life Doomsmane had taken from him many years ago when he had first joined the DMP, suddenly seemed to be within his grasp once more; and all because of her.

I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

Mars straightened his back, and walked right up to the table Kiki and the girls were sat at, stopping directly opposite Kiki. Trixie was the first to spot his presence, doing a dramatic double-take as she recognised just who he was. Trixie, with her eyes still locked on Mars, reached a hand across the table and grabbed Roxanne's wrist, shaking it violently.

"What, Trixie?" Roxanne snapped, turning to look at her.

Trixie pointed at Mars, and Roxanne turned around to see what it was that had alarmed her friend so, gasping in shock as she too caught sight of Mars.

But Mars ignored both girls, his attention remaining solely fixed onto Kiki, who was still hanging her head and was yet to notice his arrival. Roxanne and Trixie both simultaneously slid their chairs back from the table and stood up, slinking away to leave Mars and Kiki alone. Kiki frowned, glancing from side to side as she realised that her friends had just abandoned her.

"Hey, guys!" she said, lifting her chin. "Where are you…"

Kiki's voice trailed off as she caught sight of Mars standing in front of her. At first, she simply stared up at him, her face blank and devoid of any emotion. Then, very slowly, she placed her hands on the table in front of herself and pushed herself up into a standing position, never moving her eyes from Mars's face as she did so.

"I came back, sweetheart," Mars explained. "And dis time it's for good, I promise. I'm gonna join da Muscle League here on Earth, and I'm gonna work for da IWF."

"Flhuwha?" Kiki echoed, her mouth failing to close after she finished uttering her indecipherable question.

"I'm gonna join da Muscle League here on Earth, sweetheart," Mars repeated. "I'm gonna help Kevin Mask and Kid Muscle and all dose other IWF jerks fight da DMP!"

Mars opened out his arms, smiling optimistically. Kiki awkwardly clambered up onto the table, staggering across it towards him.

"Hey sweetheart," Mars began, frowning up at her in concern as she stumbled towards him. "Are you oka-whoa!"

Mars quickly grabbed his arms around Kiki as she leapt off the table and grabbed onto him. He staggered back, smiling at her as she clung to him, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her legs locked around his waist.

"I ain't gonna leave you again, sweetheart, I promise," he whispered.

"Damn right you're not," Kiki whispered. "I'm gonna get a collar for you and keep you on a leash…"

Mars smirked to himself at the mere idea of Kiki's threat, amusing himself further with the notion that Kiki had probably meant the remark to be completely innocent; and not at all sexually suggestive, as it had sounded to Mars's ears.

"Oh, this is so cool!" Trixie squealed, jumping up and down. "This has been like totally the best summer ever! I got Kid and Roxanne back together, I got Mars and Kiki back together, I got Dik Dik and Sally back together, I got Terry…"

"You so totally didn't get Dik Dik and Sally back together!" Roxanne scoffed. "Or Kiki and Mars!"

"Yeah, it was Kevin Mask that brought Mars back!" Kid pointed out, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at Kevin, who was standing alone a short distance behind them.

Roxanne and Trixie turned to look at Kevin, before turning back to face each other.

"Who the heck cares about Kevin Mask?" Trixie asked, shrugging her shoulders.

"Not me, that's for sure!" Roxanne laughed. "He's turned into such a complete asshole!"

"He just doesn't like being around people," Kid said.

"He just doesn't like people, plain and simple!" Terry muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Which is cool, cause nobody likes him, right?" Trixie said to the others.

The others nodded their agreement, before all four set off to join Kiki and Mars as Kiki finally released Mars to stand on her own feet. Kevin watched as Kid Muscle, Terry Kenyon, Roxanne, Trixie and Kiki fussed around Mars, welcoming him into the Muscle League. The girls all hugged him and the men all shook his hand. Before long, Checkmate and Wally Tusket joined the group, each shaking Mars's hand to welcome him into their ranks. Vance McMadd joined them to shake Mars's hand and welcome him onboard, and so did Ikeman. Jacqueline stopped in front of Mars, eying him over cautiously. Mars extended a hand towards her, and she smiled, shaking his hand. Even Dik Dik Van Dik, who had always famously hated Mars, joined the group to shake Mars's hand and welcome him back.

Kevin smiled to himself as Jaeger threw himself at Mars, almost winding his old friend as he grabbed him into a bear-hug. Mars forced a tight smile, patting Jaeger on the head before pulling Jaeger's arms off of himself and pushing his former classmate back to a respectable distance. Kevin's smile began to fade as a group of the Legend Justice Chojins came to welcome Mars to the IWF. Kevin suddenly felt very cold as he watched Buffaloman shake Mars's hand and pat him on the back; and as Robin Mask shook Mars's hand and told him how glad he was that Mars had joined the side of good.

Kevin tightened his hold of the glass in his hand, only vaguely aware of the squeaks of protest it made as he compacted it to breaking point. The glass shattered in Kevin's grip, and his fingers closed into a fist. The warm and stinging sensations of the glass shards biting into his skin and drawing blood drew Kevin's attention away from the group for long enough to note that he had hurt his hand. Kevin opened out his palm, lifting it up in front of his face to watch as small lines of blood slid between the creases of his skin.

Kevin's eyes shifted to one side of his hand, watching the joyful group, all of who were preoccupied with Mars. Looking back at his hand again, Kevin began to suspect that some of the lacerations he had suffered were quite severe; but what did it matter, he thought to himself?

Kevin closed his fist around the damage, lowering his hand to his side. His pain, both internal and external, meant nothing; after all, who did care about Kevin Mask?

The End

Yes, I went with the Disney ending this time. And this time I also made it quite clear that there will be a sequel.

But alas, the never-ending story has finally come to an end! At last, I finished writing and posting a story I had planned out from start to finish many months ago! At this point, any sensible person would take a little holiday. I am many things, but a sensible person I ain't!

There will be a four-part sequel to this fic, under the name of Kinniku Roxanne. I think the title is rather self-explanatory, but nevertheless, I have included the synopsis below. Although it is only a four-chapter fic, Kinniku Roxanne will be almost as long as Bad Boys in terms of number of words, as each chapter tells a mini story, making them very long (even by my standards!) – but this one probably won't start appearing for another couple of weeks yet.

Kinniku Roxanne: Kid Muscle and Roxanne are finally getting married, but not everything goes according to plan. From the two parties the night before the wedding, through the ceremony and to the evening's celebrations, Kid and Roxanne's wedding is full of surprises: for more than just the bride and groom!

Now please, I have given months of my life and 188,281 words of my creativity, so please, for the love of God, REVIEW!