Disclaimer: I do not own Metal Fight Beyblade.
Japan
"So he really doesn't remember anything?" Madoka Amano asked skeptically, closing her laptop. She and the others—Kenta, Yu, Tsubasa, Kyoya Tategami, Gingka Hagane, Masamune Kadoya, King and Chris—were all crowding up the waiting room of the hospital that Tsubasa, Yu and Kenta had rushed Ryuga to. Everyone was jumpy. Kyoya leaned against the wall languidly, but still glanced at the clock too many times. Gingka had kept himself occupied with a hamburger, but being Gingka, the hamburger didn't last too long. King and Masamune were entertaining themselves by playing Roshambo and Yu had run off to buy drinks for everyone.
Kenta was buzzing with a tornado of feelings. He was delighted that Ryuga was alive, yet he was guilty that he had actually given up on him at one point. And now he was confused about Ryuga's sudden memory loss. How did that happen?
"Guy's faking it probably," Kyoya muttered in response. None of them had believed that Ryuga was back until they glimpsed his body on the stretcher, but Kyoya was still skeptical.
"Yo-Yo!" Yu scolded as he ran back up to the gang. "That's not a very nice thing to say about Ryuga."
The greenhead grunted and shrugged, then snatched his Coca Cola from Yu. "You should learn why I'm called the King of Beasts."
"But what exactly happened when you found him?" asked King after Masamune defeated his paper with a scissor and was doing a victory dance. "How did you find him?"
"He came out of the forest looking very weak and tired," explained Tsubasa. "He had a lot of bruises and injuries. I wonder what happened to him."
"Maybe a gang jumped him."
Tsubasa shook his head. "In the middle of a forest near a cemetery? Seems unlikely."
Kenta closed his eyes. He felt incensed. He loathed the people who had done that to Ryuga. Why would somebody do that? But his angry thoughts were cut off as the nurse walked in, carrying a clipboard. Everyone perked up and Kenta jumped out of his seat.
"Is he okay?" Kenta demanded rather than asked and everyone shot him a warning look, but he didn't care.
The nurse didn't seem to mind though. She nodded. "Yes he is, dear. But you claimed that he had been badly beaten up?" She gave a curious look at everyone. The look was also mixed with disbelief.
"Yes," Tsubasa nodded. "Why?"
"Well, son, once the boy was brought into the hospital wing by the ambulance, he looked just fine. Nothing was wrong."
"Nothing?" everyone chimed in unison.
The nurse nodded. "We checked. No broken bones or concussion. Nothing. He's completely healthy."
"Did you do an X-ray?" Tsubasa asked.
The nurse gave a tight smile. "Twice."
"So nothing was wrong?" Yu asked once again.
"Perhaps I exaggerated that a little. You see, his body is in perfect condition, but he claims that the month is February when it is clearly May." She gestured to one of the many calendars on the wall.
"February?" said Madoka. "That was before the battle of Nemesis."
"Yeah, even before you guys knew you were Legendary Bladers," Masamune pointed out.
The nurse clearly didn't understand what they were talking about and cleared her throat. "You're allowed to see him if you wish."
"Come on!" Kenta proceeded to dash down the hallway, as if something extraordinary lay at the end of it like a pot of gold. The others followed, sweatdropping when Yu cried, "We're coming, Yugie!"
"Excuse me," Tsubasa muttered. "I have to go to the washroom." He stalked back down the hallway and around the corner, receiving a brief suspicious glance from Kyoya.
Nobody noticed the dark figure lurking after the others…
Rome
Diamante loved cats. They were her favorite animals. But Johannes did not earn any chivalry with his obnoxious catty attitude. She was filing through paperwork, trying her best to ignore Johannes.
"My, my, Diamond. Is it me or do you look even prettier than when I last saw you?" Johannes grinned and spoke in a slimy voice. Diamante tried not to cringe.
"It's Diamante, not Diamond. And it's Miss Diamante to you," she snapped and returned to her filing. Her mind was still reeling from the discovery of the Nephilim rebels. She couldn't believe that she was part of them. Actually, Dia shouldn't have been surprised. Elizabeth—Diamante shuddered at the sound of her name in her thoughts—wasn't the saint she always cracked up to be. Dia hated her almost as much as Doji. They were so much alike. They were both evil, psychotic people who would do anything to get their way.
Doji had mentioned a brunette as well and Diamante recognized her just by the verbal description. It was Elizabeth's best friend—if one could call her that.
Katerina.
Dia barely remembered her. She was tall—six foot to be exact, which was characteristic of a Nephilim. She was very beautiful, but looks were deceiving in her case. Katerina—or Katherine as she liked to be called nowadays—was cruel and manipulative and completely selfish. She used people and lied to them just to get what she wanted. Her loyalties only lied to one person—herself.
Dia hated her despite never meeting her. She guessed she was just cold-hearted that way.
"So do you have the file?"
Diamante glanced up and broke out of her reverie. She frowned at him. Johannes obviously pretended to not take that as a response.
"Because Doji told me I needed to check it out."
"I don't care what Doji told you. The file is strictly confidential," Diamante said. She was resisting the huge urge to call security and boot Johannes's ass right out of the office.
"Oh, come on! You can't make an exception for good ol' me?" Johannes leaned into her and Diamante scooted her chair back, taking back her personal space as well. She shook her head and tucked back her curtain of shiny straight hair. She took a look at it. It was an interesting color; a gleaming cobalt black that represented a perfect midnight sky. Actually, it would give midnight a run for its money. Her eyes as well, which were a solid endless black, like night or ebony. It was usually in a high ponytail and Diamante decided to fix it up like that right then.
"Yo, Demetria?" asked Johannes once she finished tying her hair.
"What?" Diamante replied, ignoring the fact that Johannes had gotten her name wrong again.
"Can I have that file now please?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Why?"
"Stop asking."
"Why?"
Diamante nearly flung her whole desk over, which she was quite capable of because of her heightened abilities. He was not going to play the 'Why' game with her. "Because you're an insolent, rotten, scum-filled, Heaven-rejected son of a bitch, that's why!"
"Diamante!"
Johannes's eyes had darkened with anger for a brief moment, but now they glinted shamelessly with raw amusement. He crossed his arms and a smug smile was present on his face while Diamante blanched tremendously. She reluctantly turned around to stare up into Julian's eyes, which were glowing cerulean blue with icy fire at her. Diamante looked back blankly, but felt sheepish inside.
"You shouldn't be so rude to Johannes," Julian scolded, "no matter how much he deserves it." He glared at Johannes, who shrugged.
"Meh," he dismissed. "The half-breed's sharp tongue doesn't bother me. If anything, she's malicious. A good thing to be in the real world."
"I am sorry, Mr. Konzern," Diamante apologized sincerely. Julian was the only one Diamante respected. He hadn't done any terrible things to her. In fact, he was the one who had taken her under his wing and always listened to her, unlike some people…
"Apology accepted," said Johannes.
The words, "I wasn't talking to you," were right on the tip of Diamante's tongue, but she bit back the words. He could be as delusional as he wanted to be. She would never apologize to a lowlife like Johannes.
"As for the file containing information, Johannes," Julian said, regarding Johannes with cold, unforgiving eyes. "I have already bestowed the file to my second-in-command."
Johannes's face fell. "Blubber Boy?"
"Wales is actually very slim, Johannes," Diamante snapped, feeling a shred of loyalty towards the boy they were speaking of. She may have been friendless, but Dia never broke a trust between her and someone and Wales was an extent of Julian, who was best friends with him.
"He's still Blubber Boy to me," Johannes said stubbornly. "I mean, his Beyblade and name both look like the animal."
"The whales species is actually much more likeable than cats if you think about it," Julian said, trying to end the ridiculous conversation. "Now, come with me, Johannes and we will discuss what Doji wants with the Excalibur Haven."
Johannes followed after Julian, throwing a wink at Diamante, who just ignored the gesture. As soon as they entered the other room, a loud sound rang throughout the office once again that morning. This time, it was just the phone and Dia picked it up out of its cradle.
"Hello?" she asked into the receiver.
"I need you to cover for me," an all too familiar voice male voice ordered into the speaker.
"No way," Dia answered automatically. Did he honestly think she would help him?
"Why not?"
"Did you forget that I hate you?"
"Well, did you forget that I hate you as well?"
Diamante rolled her eyes. She was so not in the mood for a bickering fight with him today. "I'm not helping you."
"Are you really that dumb or is that dye-job covering that you're naturally blonde?" the voice snapped back at her.
"Shut up. And goodbye," she said and was about to drop the phone back into its cradle when the voice cried out angrily, "Diamante!" She reluctantly held it up to her ear.
"Fine." The word was choked out against her will. Half of her had wanted to slam the phone down and go on with life, but another part told her to see what he wanted first. "What do you want?"
"I'm going to be… busy the next few days, so you have to cover my shifts." The voice didn't even bother asking; he said it like a command. But Diamante had caught the hesitance in his voice at the beginning of the sentence and stood her ground.
"What are you going to be doing?" Diamante crossed her arms, becoming very suspicious as she always did around him.
The voice once again hesitated before answering. "Family business," he replied slowly. Dia scoffed. He refused to tell her about his family and now he claimed he had business with them to take care of? Something was definitely off about him right now.
"Excuse me, but what is so important about your family?" She knew she sounded insensitive, but she didn't care.
"That's none of your business! Now will you do it or not?"
Diamante sighed and mulled it over. She didn't have any idea of what he was doing and his excuse didn't even fool her, so how would it fool Julian, who trusted this boy completely. After a few long pauses, she sighed and answered in her usual emotionless voice, "Alright. I'll do it."
He hung up without thanking her.
Japan
Kenta was almost scared to enter the hospital room. Did Ryuga remember anything about them? Was he okay? But as soon as all of them entered the hospital room, Kenta's worries melted away, replaced by confusion. The nurse was right. Nothing was wrong with Ryuga. His hair was now a brilliant white, clean from any dirt and his olive skin glowed, completely smooth and unblemished. Not one bruise or scar covered it, just like the nurse said.
"Ryuga?" Madoka started tentatively, her voice soft. Ryuga had been staring at his hands, which were cupped around something. He then looked up and finally noticed them. He blinked in surprise, but didn't say anything in response.
"Do you know who we are?" Gingka said very slowly, as if he were talking to an alien.
"Oh, shut up, Hagane!" Ryuga suddenly snapped at him. Gingka flinched back at his harsh tone.
"Yep, it's him," he muttered under his breath.
"So he remembers you," Masamune said. "Doesn't mean he knows all of us."
"He has to remember me," Kyoya said and brought himself close to Ryuga's face. "What's my name?"
Ryuga glared back at him. "Kyoya."
"See?"
"All right, Ryuga," Madoka pushed everyone back to give the snowy-haired male some space. "What's the last thing you remember?"
Ryuga looked down at his cupped hands again, where his Bey, L-Drago Destructor, lay in the cradle of his laced fingers. "What happened to L-Drago? She looks different and I feel like my power was drained."
Kenta bit his lip. That was because of him; Ryuga had given the source of power, the star fragment to Kenta, but the words to tell Ryuga could never pass his lips, as much as he tried. The sea green haired Blader glared down at the floor, trying to stop the tears reaching his eyes.
"Ryuga," started Madoka. "What's the last thing you remember?"
Ryuga looked perplexed for a moment, his handsome features scrunched up in thought. Everyone was desperate for his answer and Madoka was about to repeat it again when a cold and snarky voice from the doorway intruded.
"Well, that's the million dollar question, isn't it?"
Everyone spun around and looked at the dark figure that had followed them there. It was a very tall girl, clad in tight, black and stylish clothes. Ryuga's face was very pale, whiter than a sheet.
Ryuga was slow to respond, but managed to choke out in a strangled voice, "Katerina?"
The girl smirked. "Hello, brother. Miss me?"
