Illusions

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any beyblade characters like Kai and Tyson and everyone else, though like everyone else, I wish I did...sniffs Chris is MINE, do not use her without my permission! And lastly, thank you for reading this and enjoy!

Prologue

The rain lashed down in torrents outside, soaking the dark world. Inside the mansion, two men sat at a table, drinking tea and talking in low voices in front of a flickering fire.

"Voltaire, are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am, James. I am going to Russia, and I'm taking my grandson with me."

James, the younger of the two, sighed.

"I'll have to tell her, obviously. She's going to be devastated…"

"Hah." Voltaire snorted in contempt. "He's getting too attached to that granddaughter of yours."

"It's only childhood friendship," James said mildly.

"Perhaps, but one day," the older man muttered, his voice sinking lower, seeming to be talking to himself. "One day, it will be more than that. And on that day…" his cold grey eyes looked at James. "On that day, Kai will fail to achieve what he was born to achieve."

A young eight-year-old boy stood on the steps of the grand Hiwatari Mansion, gazing up at the house that he had spent his childhood in since birth. Sadness lingered about his auburn eyes, but the depression he felt wasn't to do with leaving the house…

There was the sound of a car's wheels grinding up the drive, and before it had stopped, the door swung open, and a girl came flying towards him.

"Kai!" she cried, coming to a juddering halt in front of him. "Please don't go!"

"I don't really have much of a choice, Chris," Kai replied sadly.

"But – but…" she suddenly glared at him. "But you promised that you'd help me with my beyblading!"

"I'm sorry." Kai said, a little unhappily. He glanced over by the car, where his grandfather was shooting him impatient looks. "I have to go."

Chris's outraged countenance didn't last long. Presently, her bottom lip trembled, and a large tear rolled down her cheek. Kai felt a strange ache in his heart, and his eyes sparkled with suspicious moisture. Chris had been his best friend and playmate for a good many years, and he suddenly didn't want to leave more than ever. He lifted her drooping head up, trying to smile.

"We'll see each other again, I promise." He cast a glance towards his grandfather, and nodded to acknowledge the elderly man's glares. "When I finish my training in Russia, then I'll come back and teach you everything I know."

Chris sniffed, looking up at her friend, and smiled through her tears.

"Promise?" she whispered.

Kai smiled too, and gave his companion an awkward hug.

"I promise."

Chapter One: Nothing and Everything

Gradually, Kai woke up.

"I promise." He whispered to the empty room. The memories of the dream about that day, so long ago, clung to his mind, and he didn't try to shake them off. He got up and crossed the room to his window, looking out at the sun sparkling on the snow. Putting a hand to his face, Kai was shocked to find wetness on the tips of his fingers. But then, Kai's face hardened. That day, he was going back to Japan for the tournament. He was going back to the country that held the childhood he had left behind.

He was going back to Chris.

No. Kai shook his head, going out of his room. As he walked to Voltaire's chamber, he locked away the memories and emotions of his past, just as he had done for the past nine years. He knocked on his grandfather's door.

"Come in." Voltaire had been expecting Kai.

"Grandfather." It wasn't a greeting; such things did not exist in the icy depths of Valkov Abbey. It was an acknowledgement of presence, nothing more, nothing less.

"You will be leaving for Japan in half an hour."

"Yes grandfather."

"The car will be waiting to take you to Keriya Blading Academy where you will begin your work straight away."

"Yes grandfather."

"Do not forget what I have taught you, and never," the cold grey eyes suddenly flashed with hot vehemence, "let emotion get in the way. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes grandfather."

"Dismissed."

Kai turned and went towards the door.

"And Kai."

"Yes?"

He turned around again. And for the slightest of moments, dark auburn eyes locked with steely grey ones.

"Don't let me down."

"I won't."

The teen exited the office and strode down the hallway. Perhaps, nine years ago, his grandfather's words might have meant something to him, may have made him feel something, anything – pride, fear, excitement. But as Kai walked away, he felt nothing.

Nothing.

Chris walked at a leisurely pace along the corridor of the Keriya Blading Academy. The afternoon sunlight was pouring in the large glass windows on her left, sparkling on the sea and lighting up the sand just a couple of hundred metres away from the front gates of the Academy. She hummed under her breath, deep crimson eyes glowing with happy contentment. Everything seemed to be going brilliantly. She was the captain of A1, the Academy's top team, and she had just emerged from an extremely successful practice session. The sun was bright and hot, and she had the afternoon off. The girl couldn't help but smile, her spirits soaring high. Suddenly, the PA above her head gave a tinny shriek.

"Attention, everyone," principal Dickenson's voice echoed throughout the corridors. "The Tournament, as you know, is starting in just over a month. Students and bladers like you will be arriving during the course of the next few weeks to train and lodge here. I expect you to be on your best possible behaviour."

Chris shrugged, dismissing the thought. It happened every single year. And every single year, she had failed as an individual to gain the Phoenix Cup, the winner's trophy for the tournament. She was good, the best in the Academy – but there was always someone better than her.

This year, she thought determinedly, this year, I'm winning the Phoenix Cup. I'm not letting anyone get in my way.

The girl passed the A1 common room and poked her head around the door. For some strange reason, there were far more people in it than usual – and why were most of them girls? And…Chris stepped into the room, thoroughly mystified and a little annoyed. Courtney Wilson! What was that…cow doing in here!

Courtney was a natural brunette, but, like many, had taken it into her coquettish little head that blonde hair would have the desired effect on boys. It was that horrible, fake, tacky platinum-blonde that always drove Chris insane. Fine, fair enough, Courtney was very pretty and had a great figure. But she always used it to her own advantage, and quite frequently got through five or six so-called 'boyfriends' in a week…once she was through with all the 'decent' guys at the academy, of course.

"OK, what's going on?" Chris demanded, trying to see what Courtney and her cronies were giggling over.

"It's nothing you'd understand," the blonde replied in her sickly syrupy voice. "I mean, you don't really need to know, do you?"

Chris's hackles rose and her crimson eyes blazed with her swiftly rising temper, tanned cheeks flushing slightly.

"You're saying that in my team's common room?" she snapped. "You're right, I don't need to know. But either move now or I kick your tarty arse out. Am I clear?"

"Whatever," Courtney simpered at her friends, making an exaggeratedly cross face.

Chris knew she was being goaded, but that didn't stop her anger from erupting within her. If looks could kill, Courtney should have been dead a long, long time ago. Finally, the door slammed shut behind the girls – and Chris spotted a clipping from a beyblading magazine being clutched by Courtney. Reaching up a hand to swipe the blue hair wearily away from her forehead, Chris turned to her team.

"Anyone care to offer an explanation?" she asked mildly. Tyson, Enrique, and Rei all shook their heads in bemusement; but Mariah, being a girl, nodded.

"It's the usual," she said, rolling her amber eyes and shaking her head, pink-haired ponytail swinging from side to side. "Guy coming for the tournament, labelled as 'hot'."

"Oh." The bluenette rolled her eyes. "We've heard that one before."

"Actually, no," Mariah continued, twirling a lock of pink hair thoughtfully around her little finger. "This guy's international – from Russia, I think."
International? Chris thought confusedly. How can that be? If he's coming from another country, then he was originally Japanese. He's from Russia, but Japanese by birth? That could only mean…
Her face, despite its natural tan, suddenly blanched.

"Kai." She whispered.

Thanks for reading people, but please be nice and review my fic! THANKIES!