Chapter 2

Decode

One year after BEGA, alrighty?

I'm making Bryan 17 in this fic I hope it's ayt with all y'all since it would be awkward that you're 18 or 20 and you still Beyblade :-j

Don't forget, read and review :D
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Voltaire invited Bryan to join him in his dinner. He wasn't alone; there were executives, and other important people in the conference room they entered. Bryan felt like a small fry when he saw everybody's nose which seemed a wee bit higher than how an average person would hold his or hers up. "Do take a seat." Voltaire said as he took his seat at the far end of the table.

He was wet; they were dry, they were rich; he was poor in a way, they had champagne and caviar; he had beer and pretzels. In shorter terms there was a big difference in their lives from his. One of them gestured to an empty chair beside him and another rich person he'd never really know.

Bryan hesitated and almost denied the offer, but this would be the first time he'd ever eat at a restaurant like this so might as well he just sit and suck it up. "So… why'd you call me here?" Bryan asked. Then all of them gestured to the window behind them. "We couldn't help it son… you just looked so petty out there in the elements." The one that gestured to him said. "That's the elements for them? Geez, they just haven't been to the Russian wilderness yet." Bryan thought to himself. "And the main entrée isn't served yet so we thought, why not help a poor soul today?" a stout one that was seated across him said. Bryan could only nod in response.

Then, waiters came in carrying the main entrée with champagne and other alcoholic drinks. The waiter then reached him and first looked at the wet boy. "I'm… under aged…" Bryan said with a nod and a thin smile. "Disregard that; serve him a glass of champagne." Voltaire said from the other end of the table with a smirk on his face.

Then there was a glass of champagne before Bryan. It looked tempting as the bubbles of a sort ascended to the surface of the liquid. The man beside him then gestured for him to take a sip. When he looked at everybody else, the same was written on their faces. "I did say I'm under aged, didn't I?" he asked, nobody protested or said anything; they just stared at him and waited for him to take a sip.

It left him without a choice, so he took a sip. It ran through his mouth, it slipped down his throat, and he found a sort of satisfaction in drinking the sinful drink.

The night was then wasted away on luxurious cuisine, when out of nowhere he saw Kai on the other side of the street, looking with a grim expression. It was a sign which clearly said to not come back to the hotel because his head would be ripped off by the one and only Kai Hiwatari.

Soon, the feast was over and Bryan was the only one who had no place to go. He then approached Voltaire who was about to get in his car. "Uhm… sir? Is it alright if I come along with you back to your Villa? I'm homeless for the night…" Bryan said as he felt queasy saying what he said. He was ashamed, who wouldn't be? "Of course it is." He said gently with a thin smile on his face.

On their way to the villa, there was complete silence in the Rolls Royce. The only thing that made a sound was the rain the pitter-pattered against the car's exterior. "Why did you runaway?" Voltaire asked as Bryan looked back at him. "Well not really runaway… kind of like, fight and go." He said as he looked down at his shoes.

"Fight and go?"

"I got into a fight with Tala… well aren't you supposed to be in jail?"

"They let me off…"

"Really?"

"Yes, saying that I just needed a psychiatrist who needs one too…"

"Well that's ironic…"

"I know… so what did you and your friend fight about?"

"Uhm… well… you really wouldn't want to know…"

"If you say so…"

"Why are you here in Paris anyway?"

"The executive board suggested a vacation… more like a break I suppose…"

"Who wouldn't want one? You seem busy all the time."

He just shrugged at the answer and the two went back to staring out the window.

A few minutes passed and they finally arrived at the villa. It was gastronomic and majestic. It was hard to believe one man lived here. What was he to do with all the space?

When they entered, there were these two enormous stair cases that swirled to the second level. There was then a bridge of some sort in the middle of the ceiling which bridged the two wings together. There was flamboyant furnishing, and marble floorings.

Bryan's mouth hung open at the sight as he dropped his bag on the floor. The ceilings were embellished intricately, the arches were carved meticulously, and the paintings of a sort on the walls were detailed, very detailed. This was nothing of how he lived. It was just moss and stone with white lights in the abbey, whereas here there were chandeliers with yellow lighting and marble floors and plush carpeting.

"Is there a matter?" Voltaire asked as the butler took his coat. "No… there's nothing wrong it's just that this is… I guess me first time to see something as grand as this…" he said picking his bag up. "Then come with me, I'll show you to your room." Voltaire said as the butler put his robe on his master. "There really isn't a need for a room, I could always sleep in your living room…" Bryan insisted. "No… I don't think you'd be comfortable in Italian chairs, and I can't let the fireplace keep burning for the entire night. Now stop being so stubborn and follow me to your chamber." Voltaire said as he walked past the young man.

Bryan was left without a choice again, so he decided to follow the old man. They climbed the swirling stairs and passed different doors and decors, until they reached two doors which kept a chamber behind them. The butler then took out a key and opened the door which revealed a room that was much grand than villa itself.

The bed was draped with red tapestry, it's sheets were red and it's pillows were white and enormous. The floor was carpeted with a plush red carpet. There was an arm chair that sat before a fireplace on the left side of the room, on the right was a row of windows which led to a balcony. The curtains were red and looked heavy.

"Well, this is where you'll be staying tonight, if you need anything, there's an intercom on the bedside table you could use to call any household help." Voltaire said as he was about to leave the room to the young man. Bryan began to get the heebie-jeebies from staring at the place, how would he fare if just by staring at it he was already scared? "Wait, isn't there any room that's closer to yours?" Bryan said with fear written all over his face. For a kid raised in the abbey, he was pretty chicken. Though Bryan didn't like what the room had.

He didn't like the fact that there were tree branches that dangled in front of the mirror, and that it was big and that there was a fireplace. It was scary he thought. He'd rather sleep on the streets than in this room, it was creepy with the red and the canopy. He just had a long list about the canopy. It looked like the teeth of a monster who was about to swallow him up. Other than that it was like there was something hanging beneath it and when you'd lie down you'd see it. The room wasn't that welcoming in Bryan's terms.

"Is there a problem with the room?" Voltaire asked stepping into the room, inspecting it's every corner. "Well… you see… it… kind of… well… creeps me out I guess…" Bryan said with a tone of hesitation. It was embarrassing, he was already being given a place to stay and he still rejects it.

Voltaire then chuckled and approached Bryan. "If you say so… I wouldn't like it if a guest was uncomfortable. Edward, you know what to do." He addressed to his butler, he nodded in response.

A few moments later, they arrived at a much brighter room. It had a big bed and it had a brighter feel to it. The windows showed a rice field and some hills in the background. Bryan was pleased.

Later that night while Bryan was sound asleep, he felt something crawl into his bed. He was startled so he woke up to see a familiar face beside him on his bed. He just smiled and ignored the fact there was someone else in his bed, thankfully, it wasn't a female.

As he lay in bed, he began to think of his teammates. He was thinking if they were out searching for him, or still in the hotel room, practically forgetting that he has left the team. He had all the reasons to leave. He hated that part though, when he had to say goodbye. It was a decision he decided to stick to, he didn't want to have a snobby, stuck-up, spoiled, self-righteous brat on the team, whether he was captain or not. It was hard for Bryan, leaving everything he knew just because of Kai… ugh, how he dreads the sound of that name.

There was nothing he could do now. He couldn't turn the hands of time back and change whatever happened hours ago. So he let it be and dozed off into dream land, awaiting for the next day to come.