Author's note #2: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Well, I have some new plots for this story, but I have to write a few chapters before the first mysteries are discovered. The characters have to develop a little but at first, so that the story isn't too "flat".

When I went back to the English classroom, only Adrian was there and greeted my in quick Russian. "There'll be new battles to decide who'll be on the team. This afternoon!"

This was my chance to see Bryan. "And we'll watch them," I replied in the same tongue.

My friend gave me a strange look. "We can't – We're not good enough to battle against anyone like your brothers or Spencer."

"I said we would watch them – not battle them! Nobody will mind if we're there. So what are you worried about? C'mon, itshall be fun!"

"It is also fun to play softball."

"We can play softball any day."

Eventually, he agreed to come with me. I took out my English book and opened it on page 24. There was a text about King Henry VIII of England that I began to read. "English is difficult," I decided.

"You might be able to speak it more fluently if you tried to speak it more often."

"But I'm Russian, and you're Russian, too. Why should I speak English with you?"

"Because it is against the rules not to do it."

"The rules are dumb!"

Before I could add anything else, the other students and the teacher came in. During the lesson, Adrian and I sat in the last row and tried to talk about the battles, but our teacher, Miss Greta Gerkly, was very strict, especially when she caught someone speaking Russian.

If Bryan was still somewhere around, he would come. I hoped so.

At about 4 p.m. – right before tea time – Adrian and I sneaked out of the training hall for the youngsters to go to the battles for the top bladers. Nobody would notice we would be missing, I was sure.

When we reached the grounds where the battles would take place, we saw coaches walking around with papers. The bladers were preparing themselves and their blades. I saw Ian and Fritz in the middle of the hall. Adrian and I went into the main training room and walked around there without being noticed. We sat down near the battle fields, but still far away enough to be not seen too easily.

After half an hour, the battles began. Well, there wasn't really any battle. It was more complicated – and much more boring. About ten bladers started their blades at once, but they didn't attack one another but led their blades around the others.

"And what's the name of the game?" I looked around, rather disappointed. I could neither see Bryan, nor did I find the sense of the bladers' doing. That made me upset. "Do you think they have bit beasts?"

"I dunno. Maybe some of them have one."

Adrian and I didn't have a bit beast back then. We had been told that we would get bit beasts when we would have reached a certain level.

"Where are the real top bladers? I only see Fritz, but he's a loser. Do you think they're somewhere else? These tests and battles are stupid. C'mon, let's search for some action." I got up again.

"I'm afraid," Adrian admitted. "If we are caught – and I'm sure we will – we'll be in serious trouble, because were not allowed to be here."

"You can go. I don't want you to be punished because of me. However, I have to find Bryan."

He didn't follow me when I walked away, and I didn't look back. It hurt. The others called him a coward, but when I called him a coward, I really didn't mean it, I swear! Though I was disappointed, I didn't stop my search for Bryan.

After I had walked through the rooms and halls without any success, I was close to quitting my quest. At least, Boris was nowhere in sight, so I wouldn't be punished by him in case of being caught. Adrian was already gone.

Feeling rather out of place, I decided to go, too, and to make up another plan in order to find Bryan. Just when I turned around to leave, I noticed the D-Boys, Taylor, and Mikael coming out of a room that had been closed until then. They all looked rather exhausted – especially Ian and and my brother. Bryan walked next to Tala, and when I saw him, it was hard not to run over to him. Instead, I waited until Tala and the others were gone and Bryan stayed in the room with Taylor, talking to her. Not wanting to dusturb their conversation, I watched them a few more minutes until none of them talked anymore.

"Bryan!" I was sure he could hear all the happiness in my voice, though I tried to hide it.

He shot a strange look towards me. "You're around here?" His voice showed me he actually was exhausted, and perhaps even annoyed by me.

"Just wanted to check out if you're a okay, 'cause…," I whispered.

Taylor glared at me with her dark violet eyes, and a hand grabbed me by my neck from behind.

"What are you doing here, rat?" The voice sounded just too familiar.

I didn't even try to fight Mikael's hand off. "Nothing. Just watching the battles…"

"There are no battles. Anyway, that's none of your buisness." Turning me around by my ear that he could look into my face, he added: "You'd better go and forget about everything you saw. Where's your little red-haired friend?"

"He's not here. I'm all alone."

Mikael pushed me down. Tala - who had come with him - crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked pretty annoyed. "You have better things to do, Mikael. So stop that nonsense!" he grumbled.

I got up quickly and turned around to look at Bryan, who ignored me angrily. When I walked past him, however, he mumbled very quietly, just loud enough for me to hear: "See you tomorrow."

At least, Bryan was okay.

I really didn't want to be upset about Adrian, but I couldn't help to act angrily around him. That hurt him. It was weird what we did: causing each other pain without really meaning it. Perhaps, it's just what all people do.

At night, in our dorm, I lay awake, and I was sure Adrian couldn't sleep either, but I didn't want to talk to him.

Right after breakfast, I went to unit Delta in order to meet Bryan. The classroom was empty, so I searched for him in the lab and found him there.

"What did you do yesterday?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I'll tell you later. We have a lesson now, remember?"

The lab was empry, we were the only ones there.

Bryan told me about the genetic of bit beasts. "Bit beats are old, but with the help of modern genetic science we are able to improve their natural powers and special abilities. Bit beasts have DNA like human-beings, that's the key."

"So they're like animals and men, because human-beings are like animals, right?"

Bryan smiled. "Correct. Now, let me show you how we improved Falborg."

After four fascinating hours, we were done. It was difficult to understand how to change a bit beast's DNA, but eventually, I got it.

"Do they do it with humans, too?" I asked.

Bryan ignored my question.

"Do they change and improve human DNA, too?" I repeated.

Bryan didn't answer but told me: "That was our last lesson."

"NO! W-why? No, please!"

"Listen, little one: Things change. And they change very quickly. You're clever, so be clever enough to take care of yourself. There are questions of honour you don't understand yet, because you're too young. But I hope you'll understand one day. Just wait, okay? Wait and watch."

Shaking my head, I said: "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

He smiled. "Don't worry, I'm talking nonsense. Well, I'm going to a training camp for six weeks. I'll leave tonight."

"And why can't we continue the studies when you're back?"

"Things might be too different then."

"I don't understand…"

"Try to stay away from trouble, okay?" He gently brushed the short hair strains out of my face with his hand, but then he messed through my hair and made me giggle.

Inside, however, I felt sad. It was as if I had lost a friend forever. Forever was such a long time! "We'll meet again, won't we?"

For a second, Bryan looked sad, but then he said: "Da."

That night at dinner, when I saw Adrian again, I apologized in both Russian and English for being rude to him. Then, I told him about the things Bryan had said, and the two of us had no clue what was going tp happen.

"Perhaps, Boris got fired in the end," I mused.

"Might be possible. And who will take his place? Who will organize everything and train us?"

"Voltaire is gone. What if he dropped Boris' plans at all?"

"I'm scared," Adrian whispered.

Usually, I would have said something to comfort him, but that night I just couldn't. "Why? I'm also scared, but I don't know why."

"I don't know it either."

We were just two little children. Too little to deal with the cruel things, lonely, clueless, and innocent. Yes, we were innocent in all this, but everything was happening to us. Though we were so little.