I wrote this cause I have writer's block on my other stories and I was hyper and bored.
Enjoy!
"Hey- Give it back!"
Kuro looked up from her spot on the steps, her hands pausing in the motion of polishing Fernis. Looking out across Beylin Temple's courtyard, a frown marred her features as she saw a group of taller students surrounding a younger student, obviously shorter. They held what looked like a Bey high over the shorter student's head.
Kuro sighed, and ignored the scene- one of the best ways to get stronger was knowing when and how to pick your battles, and of course fight your way out.
She stood up, intent on going back to her room, but she heard more of the conversation.
"I'll call my sister on you!"
"Hah! Your sister is a nobody- she wasn't accepted among Beylin Temple, and not among you Beylin Fist members either! And Da Xiang was a fool to let you Beylin Fist idiots to come back to the temple. There's no way you could match up to our level!"
Kuro turned, eyes burning as she took in the scene before her again- now, she saw her brother, saw how his fists were curled and body trembling in contained rage. She saw how the leader of the group of bullies tossed Hades Crown up and down in the air while smirking in a sadistic sort of glee at the redhead.
She started to make her way over slowly.
"Except a piece of the star fragment went to Beylin Fist member." Bao hissed back, venomously, "Clearly we were the better group, if no member of the Beylin Temple got a piece of it!"
"It was pure coincidence that a member of the Beylin Fist was a descendant of one of first Legendary Bladers! And really, what's so great about that- everyone knows that every Bey in existence has a piece of a star fragment in them now! Anyone could've been a Legendary Blader! Aguma's nothing special!"
Bao snarled, and lunged, trying to snatch Hades Crown back, and ultimately failing as his opponent evaded. Bao fell to the ground, the bullies laughing cruelly.
Bao landed at Kuro's feet, and the laughter abruptly stopped. Kuro watched as Bao slowly looked up at her, eyes widening. Kuro cocked an eyebrow, then reached down and pulled Bao up by his shoulder.
"Up." She ordered, and he scrambled to obey, dusting himself off, cheeks pink with embarassment. She turned to the group of five bullies, "Give my brother his Bey back."
The leader sneered, "Why should I? He doesn't deserve it- Gah!"
Kuro grabbed the teen by the shirt collar, towering over him, and slowly, methodically, reached out and tauntingly plucked Hades out of the his hand. She tossed it over her shoulder, and released the bully with a shove.
"If I ever hear you or anyone else trash talking the Beylin Fist, my brother, or Aguma again, you'll answer to me- and you won't like it, understand me?" Kuro snarled, quietly.
The bullies nodded quickly, huddled together. Kuro narrowed her eyes, "Fifty laps around the courtyard for you. Go."
They scurried off, and Kuro turned to see Bao staring at her.
"You didn't have to do that." He muttered.
"How long has it been going on?" Kuro shot back.
"... since the first day Beylin Fist and Temple reconciled." Bao sighed, "They go after me, since I'm the leader. They wouldn't dare go after Aguma."
"His sheer size is enough of a threat." Kuro agreed. Her voice hardened, "Come to me if it happens again, got it?"
"I can handle it, Kuro!"
"Bao." Kuro's voice was dangerously quiet.
"... fine." Bao sighed. "I'll come to you if it happens again, or something worse goes on."
Kuro had her doubts.
Of course he didn't come to her.
"What happened to you, little man?"
Kuro looked up from her lunch at Chao Xin's voice, eyes narrowing as she caught sight of her brother.
Bao was trying to wave Aguma and Da Xiang off. He sported a black eye, a split lip. Bruises were forming around his wrists, shaped strangely like fingers, and he curled in on himself, cradling his ribs and sides.
Kuro stood up, appetite forgotten as she pushed through the students and got right into the middle of Wang Hu Zhong. She bent down, grabbing Bao's shoulder. His eyes widened at the fury on her face.
"Who was it?" She asked, quietly.
"No one!" Bao exclaimed, jerking, and wincing as he did. Kuro's eyes narrowed again.
"Don't lie to me." She said, coldly, and Bao froze, "Now, who. Was. It?"
"I don't need you fighting my fights for me!"
"I'll fight your fights if it means making sure you don't killed by a bunch of history hating concieted little brats!"
Kuro was well aware that the rest of the group was tennis watching the two of them in confusion, but she could really care less.
"What are you talking about, Kuro?" Da Xiang said.
"Not a word!" Bao grabbed Kuro's wrist, "Kuro, please..."
"Tell me who it is then, and I'll handle it myself." Kuro shot back.
Bao tried to look defiant for a moment, he really did, but finally, his shoulders slumped in defeat, mumbling under his breath in Chinese, low enough for only Kuro to hear.
"Thank you." Kuro said, "Now let's get you to the infirmary. I'd bet you have a few broken ribs, and the last thing you need is that lip to get infected..."
Kuro lead Bao out of the mess hall, not at all aware of the exchange behind her.
"What was that about?" Mei Mei asked.
"Eh, who knows?" Chao Xin said, "Siblings can be so damn secretive!"
"Clearly it's something!" Aguma shot back.
"But what?" Chi- yun asked.
"We'll keep an eye on him." Da Xiang decided, "Hopefully we can figure it out without having to ask them."
Kuro waited a full month before she decided to strike. A full month of holding her tongue every time she saw the group of five she knew to be responsible for slowly chipping away at Bao's confidence, his will to fight back. A full month of evening visits to the infirmary for some injury. A full month of listening to Bao make excuses on not to attend training or practice.
A full month of watching the light die out of his eyes- he was losing his passion for Beyblade.
And, because he had sworn her to secrecy, Kuro didn't mention a damn word to Aguma.
She decided to strike one afternoon where the entire temple was training for the upcoming Tag Team Tournament.
"Bolin, Cheng, Feng, Jun, Qi!" Kuro called out, when said five students were taking a breather, "I challenge all five of you to a battle!"
Next to her, Bao hissed, "What are you doing?!"
Even Da Xiang looked confused.
Kuro ignored them both, "Unless you're scared? I'm sure going against some nobody like me would be great practice for you."
The five in question looked at each other, the only one not looking nervous being Cheng.
"We accept your challenge." Cheng smirked, and he and and his buddies took up their stances on the far side of a Bey dish. Kuro stepped up to the other side, well aware of the murmuring and the crowd gathering.
"I hope you're ready to taste defeat, Blackheart!" Cheng called, pulling out his Bey and launcher, "3!"
"2!" The crowd chanted, Kuro readying herself.
"1! Let it... rip!"
Six Beys shot into the stadium.
Fernis went straight to the center, spinning steadily. Kuro crossed her arms and closed her eyes, feigning indifference.
"Hey, this is supposed to be a battle! Pay attention! Gasher!" Bolin shouted.
Kuro heard, rather than saw, the sound of a Bey rushing for Fernis. She twitched, and she heard Fernis dodge, then whip around and slam into Bolin's Bey, viciously.
"No!" Bolin shouted.
"Stadium out!" Chao Xin laughed, "With one hit!"
Kuro felt the unease of her opponents. She hid a smirk, imagining their faces.
"Attack! Get her!" Cheng shouted.
Kuro's eyes flew open, and she spread her feet, moving her body in flowing movements.
Fernis dodged the first attack as Kuro slid to the right, bringing a leg up off the ground. Fernis ducked under another attack as Kuro slid low to the ground, standing back up tall and whipping around slamming into the third attack head on, knocking that Bey out of the stadium- Feng was out.
Three Beys left, but they had all drawn up to a stop, their Bladers staring at her with wide eyes- well, two of them were. Cheng was glaring at her, upper lip curled into a sneer.
Kuro decided to get it over with for the two she wasn't as focused on.
"Fernis!" She spoke for the first time since the start of the battle, and Fernis pulsed a dark gray, whipping around the stadium edge, before barrelling down the side and striking Qi and Jun's Beys out.
Which left Cheng.
Cheng was twitching in anger.
"Here's the deal, Cheng. I'm done with listening to you trash talk my brother and the former members of Beylin Fist. I'm done listening to you degrade a Legendary Blader. I'm done listening to you talk bad about your teachers- behind their backs, no less! Only a coward does something like that!
"And even more... I'm done watching you beat my brother up day after day- I'm done watching him lose his passion for Blading just because of words you say only to him, in private. What, are you scared to say it where everyone can hear you? Are you scared that people will riot and chase you out?"
"No!" Cheng snapped back, "I'm not scared of anything!"
"Then say it now!" Kuro snarled back, "Say it where everyone here can hear you! And attack me by yourself! Now that I got rid of your buddies, you're all alone- against someone who won't be so easily cowed! Now you don't have other people doing your dirty work for you, no one to hide behind! Attack! With everything you've got!"
Cheng roared with anger, "DIABOLIC WARRIOR! SPECIAL MOVE, KUNAI STRIKE!"
Kuro watched as Warrior excluded a barrage attack on to Fernis, before looking up and smirking, "That's it? All of that talk and bravdo, and this is the power you have? You wouldn't stand a chance against a five year old! Fernis! Special Move, Shadow Claw Uppercut!"
Fernis' Beybeast appeared- a black wolf coated in silver, ornate armour, and red eyes gleaming. The beast snarled, and lunged, claws swiping upwards and sending Warrior and Cheng flying to the ground, defeated.
Kuro smirked, and caught Fernis in her open hand. Her features hardened, "You have an hour to pack up and get out of here, before I come after you again. Your friends can go with you too." She turned to the crowd, most of which stepped back, just from the look on her face, "And here me now, Beylin Temple, if any one of you has something against Beylin Fist... Bao... Aguma... even Wang Hu Zhong's choice of reconciling with them, leave now, or you'll answer to me, got it? Because if I find out you're bad mouthing them... there won't be a place in Heaven or Hell you can hide from me."
Kuro turned to face Bao, expression softening just a little. He was staring at her in utter shock and maybe a little fear and horror.
"I'm not leaving you behind again, little brother. I'm just starting for making up the wrongs I did you. Get used to it."
Kuro personally saw Cheng and his friends off. She stood at the gates, watching them struggle with their luggage.
She didn't offer to help them.
"You're making a huge mistake!" Cheng snapped, "They'll turn on you all- just watch! And then you'll see who the fools are!"
Kuro glared, "I doubt that."
"Just you wait! You haven't heard from the last of me!"
Kuro snorted, "Pretty sure I have. Now, get lost."
She shut the gates with a resounding BANG!, before sighing and slumping against the wooden and metal gates.
Her gut told her that Cheng was right- that they hadn't heard the last of him, that he'd be back, and with it his wrath.
Even if she told herself that she was wrong, that nothing would happen, she had her doubts.
She really hoped she was wrong.
I left the ending open like that for a reason- I may or may not continue this as a story. If I do... It will NOT be as long as my other stories. Less than 10 chapters, at least.
For now, leave a review and let me know what you think! Toodles!