Hi guys! I'm starting to think making a sequal was sort of a bad idea. I'm reading this and thinking what the hell am I doing. I'm not sure. But I've started it now so I can't go back! I've introduced some of the substorylines and storylines in this chapter so I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

Ugly

Taking another sip from his mug of coffee, Kai Hiwatari picked up the top sheet of paper on the pile and looked at it wearily. Another bill to be filled in and another chip from his ever decreasing bank account. He shook his head and looked at his schedule for the day again. He'd already memorised it from that morning, but he was willing to do anything to get his mind of filling another Goddamn bill. Anyway, how hard is it to remember that you have no appointments for the day? He remembered only a year ago his business had been thriving with countless people forking out thousands of dollars to help their loved ones pass on to the next life but lately it seemed they were finding it cheaper to take matters into their own hands. Cheaper for them but costly for him.

He thought bitterly that this was just like the music industry only sped up. For years music could only be bought in shops but as technology advanced people decided to save their pennies by downloading it from free websites and that left the music industry in a bit of jam, finding that record sales were decreasing and new artists were being dropped when many people actually liked their music.

Right then, he felt as if it was he who had been dropped by his label. He just didn't understand it. If the people needing help had been alive, the relatives would gladly send them to a psychiatrist but when they're dead? Nope. It was acceptable to play the shrink themselves. Obviously it had to be working or there'd be lots of unhappy customers deciding that the professionals are best after all.

Maybe he was looking through the wrong window. After all, people in this modern world believed in modern ways. How many people do you pass down the street believe ghosts actually exist? Kai was pretty sure he could count the number on a single hand. What did they actually think when they saw spirits then? That they were dreaming? That they were delusional? That it was them that needed the psychiatric help?

There was a knock on the door and Kai was relieved to finally have a break from finding an excuse not to fill in anymore bills.

The relief was gone when he saw who it was that was coming in. And the look on her face said trouble.

Hilary folded her arms and leaned against the door, not letting her ruby eyes leave Kai's. He could feel the coldness from them all the way across the room. "My parents were just on the phone there."

"Were they?" Kai asked, knowing what was coming. He tried to contain a sigh, at least until she left the room again. It was funny, but as his business was failing his relationship with his fiancé seemed to be too. It was partly his fault and he knew it.

She took a few steps towards him and the image of a dragon instantly came to Kai's mind. If she could, Hilary would probably be breathing fire right then. "Uhuh. Do you know what they asked me?" Kai shrugged. He knew the answer anyway but why stop her when she was on a roll? "They asked me has that Kai finally decided on a date for the wedding. Do you know what I had to say?" Again silence. "Not yet."

"Hil…"

"Don't 'Hil' me! When you proposed to me you promised we'd be married within a year! It's been almost two years now!" Though her will was strong, her face couldn't hold the anger and crumpled. Kai knew she hated to keep telling her parents that their big day's been put off again and he hated to do it. "Kai, I just want to have a date. That's all."

"Hilary," he said, getting up, "I love you and we're going to get married but business is continuing to be poor."

She turned her back to him and made for the door. "Business may be poor but you, Kai Hiwatari, are not."

She stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. That was just like her to leave without letting him give her a reply. Sometimes he wondered why he'd even proposed to her in the first place but he quickly cast that thought away. It wasn't fair on her and he loved her really. He could understand why she was so upset over this too. After all, girls waited their whole life for that one magical day when they're joined to the man the love forever and when that day seems to be getting further and further away it must hurt like hell. If only he could make her understand. If only he could understand. It just didn't seem right. It felt like something was coming, something which he would need no distractions to deal with.

Garnet Granger sat at the reception desk filing her nails and trying to make it look as if she wasn't listening in to Hilary and Kai's argument even though it sounded like one of their better ones. She would need to have another word with her boss about this and it wouldn't be the first time. He was being totally selfish and it wasn't fair on her having to listen to their rows all the time. Besides what if potential clients came in and heard that commotion? A psychiatrist who can't even handle his own problems? Some portrait to paint yourself.

She sighed loudly as Hilary left the office looking considerably upset. "Didn't go well, did it?" Instead of answering her, Hilary just looked at her helplessly and walked past.

Garnet groaned outwardly. That was her chance to get some entertainment and now she had nothing. What was there to do here when there were no clients to help or no phone calls to direct? She was almost wishing she had some files to sort or if Tyson was here they could try and throw paper balls at things. Where was her cousin anyway, she wondered to herself, just when she needed him the most?

There was a tingle in the air from the bell above the door as the front door opened and Garnet looked up in amazement that they actually had a potential client in the very room. She hadn't seen one of those in weeks!

"Hello," Garnet said in her most prim voice, "welcome to Paranormal Psychiatrists. Do you have an appointment?" She knew they wouldn't but procedure was procedure.

The woman who'd just came in looked at her with disgust, or what Garnet assumed to be disgust since most of her face was covered with huge over-the-top sunglasses and there was a scarf around her neck which covered her mouth. Garnet couldn't help but think it was weird she should be so covered up when the sun was blazing in the sky.

"I don't make appointments to see people!" The woman spat.

Immediately Garnet disliked this woman. If there was one thing she hated in the entire world it was people who were more brattier than her. Therefore it was her solemn duty to but this person in her place.

"If you want to see one of our highly qualified doctors then you do."

The woman sighed impatiently. "What's the point? It's not like you have any other customers. I want to see the head honcho here. I need the best on my case."

Gritting her teeth, Garnet forced herself to smile, though it came out more like a grimace. "If you could just wait here I'll see if Mr. Hiwatari is free at the moment."

"I don't wait for people," she said, "people wait for me."

Holding her head up high, the woman walked right past reception and into the corridor where the offices were. "Wait!" Garnet called. "You can't just walk in!"

She tilted her head in Garnet's direction so she revealed one glasses covered eye. "Watch me."

She confidently strode into the office of Kai Hiwatari and sat down on the chair in front of his desk. She didn't need to be invited to sit down. She crossed her legs and folded her hands neatly onto her lap as if she was about to be interviewed on live television. Inside her scarf, she smiled at who she assumed to be Kai's expression of bewilderment and then his questioning glance at the stupid receptionist. She could hear the poor girl blubbering out apologies and how 'I couldn't stop her'. Of course she couldn't. No one could stop Ming Ming.

The doctor himself was almost as good looking as she was and that pleased her. She hated dealing with ugly people. They made her uncomfortable. He had thick two toned hair that was kept neatly gelled and his eyes had an unusual crimson colour that she'd never seen before. From judging by his appearance she could tell that he took pride in what he wore and that he worked out. If things went well she might even get a view of his six pack, which she assumed he had. And so young too! She guessed he must be in his early twenties at the most which begged the question why he had been able to become a psychiatrist being so young. As far as she knew such courses took years to do to become fully qualified. Maybe he took one of those home courses. Anyway, who was she to complain? It wasn't exactly his psychology skills she was after, after all. It was more his abilities that held her interest.

Her eyes then fell to the silver engagement ring on his finger and she mentally swore. So it seemed that there was soon to be a Missus Hiwatari. That hadn't been something she'd uncovered in her research. Well, no matter. It had never stopped her in the past.

For him, she decided smiles and giggles would be far more likely to convince him to help her. Plus the fat cheque she was willing to pay would seal the deal. "Mister Hiwarari – may I call you Kai? So Kai I have this majorly big problem that I need you to take care of. You see, I have this huge concert to perform in two weeks time and recently there have been quite a few glitches, mainly about my appearance. I'd be so grateful if you would help me out. I'd pay you, of course." She went into her handbag and fished out a cheque which she placed on his desk, smiling sweetly all the while.

Kai picked it up and stared at it with little humour. "It says one dollar."

"That's so you can fill in all the zeros you want." She tossed her hair back. "Money's no matter to me."

"Uhuh," Kai said, "Who exactly are you again?"

For a brief moment the smile disappeared and Kai had a glimpse of the devil within. "I'm Ming Ming, world famous musician. Loved by all and all is loved. You've heard of me."

"Yeah…sure. Anyway, you said that you have a problem that's to do with your appearance. What makes you think we can help?"

Her hands twitched on her lap and then they removed her sunglasses and scarf. She heard Kai make a short intake of breath and she didn't blame him. Anyone would be surprised to see her, or maybe horrified's the better word?

For all he knew about this popstar (which wasn't much) he knew that she was one of the most gorguess girls in the industry and what he saw before him was not gorguess at all. In fact it was the very antithesis of gorguess. Her eyes had sunken in and her skin was beginning to fold over on her cheeks. Even her hair was wiry and he could see flakes of dandruff littering the scalp like deformed snowflakes. He would have loved to say that appearance didn't matter to him, but on this occasion he felt repulsion far greater than anything he'd ever known.

There was only one word to describe her and 'ugly' seemed the best fitting.

"You see Kai, something's doing this to me! I just know it is. This is no medical condition, this is something supernatural and I don't know what to do! I can't go on stage like this! Do you know what would happen to me? I'd be dropped. My label would drop me like I'm hot and my life would be over."

Kai shook his head. "How do you know for sure that it's something supernatural? It could be a medical condition. Have you even gone to see your doctor yet?"

"No," she admitted softly. "I couldn't risk it. If anyone sees me like this they'll think I'm a fake. A fraud. I can't let that happen and I won't let that happen. So you see why I've come here? I've been interested in your business since it started up. I mean people who can see and talk to the dead? Uberly cool! I've collected every magazine article, every newspaper clipping and basically anything that's come up about you guys and I hoped one day I'd be able to go to you for help and see you in action and I guess I've got my chance now. But to be honest I'd have rather just been haunted or something. Anyway, I know almost everything about you guys. Even that little incident over a year ago with that Craig East guy."

"Wait a minute," Kai said, frowning. "You've not gone to your doctor because you want to see if we could help you first? You don't even knew wither its supernatural or not! And anyway, we don't specialise in things like this. We deal with ghosts Miss Ming. I thought you knew everything about this place."

"Ming Ming."

Kai frowned deeper. "What?"

"That's my first name. Ming Ming."

"What's your second name?"

"Oh please. I don't need one."

There was a splutter at the doorway and Kai saw Garnet in tears of laughter. He glared at her but she didn't notice. She continued to giggle, holding her sides which where beginning to ache. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She said in between bursts. "I'll go out, this is too much!"

Kai noticed Ming Ming looked furious and decided he should probably try to console her, mainly because he didn't want to have a cat fight in his lobby. "I'm sorry about her. She's…weird. But back to you, how is it that you know it's supernatural? As far as I'm aware, there's no solid proof. For all you know it could just be stage make up taking its toll on your skin or something?"

The popstar rolled her eyes impatiently. "Look, I only ever use the finest products. There's no way that they're the cause of this. Be honest with me, Kai. You're a doctor or sorts, right. Even if you're not fully qualified or whatever. The point is you're a doctor, so you went to some sort of medical school. Have you ever seen something like this in your entire life?"

"No…"

"My point is made."

Kai looked again at the one beautiful woman in front of him. For all her skin might be hideous, her eyes were still bright and sparkling. He could see that there was also a knowing, mischievous and clever. How much did she really know about him and his friends? He never really expected some one with such a busy schedule to have time to research in such great proportions. And especially for a popstar like her. From what he'd experienced, it was only the super nerdy kids who spent all their free time gathering information about ghosts and see-ers and things.

"Anyway," She continued, her mischief becoming evident in her sagging mouth, "I know how we can tell if there are forces at work here or not. Like I said, I've done my homework."

Kai cocked an eyebrow. He couldn't help it but now he was intrigued. Just what did she have up her sleeve that was so ingenious that twisted her face into something that was supposed to be a smirk.

"We do a spell!"

Slapping a hand to his forehead, he groaned. With this girl he could see that this was going to be a long, long day.

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