Hourglass

Chapter 5
"Dreams of the Future"

The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future.
- Eric Hoffer

A. Kai disappeared, ushering the group of Russians out the door with comments about testing the stadium. The children followed them out, wanting to spend time with the visiting group. In more words then necessary, Gou turned down the offer to join them. He watched them go with steely eyes before returning to the back to let them know the coast was clear. A. Max gave them some hats and jackets that had been laying around, so they could go out without too many peering eyes 'recognizing' them. A. Tyson had said something about getting back to orientation before blazing out the door, leaving baffled customers in his dust. With a laugh, the group departed with a few quick goodbyes to A. Max and Mariam. A. Hilary quickly led the group back to the Granger household.

"I'm sorry about the walk, though I'm sure you all are used to it." A. Hilary gave them a bashful smile. "We left the car at the dojo, a little ways from here."

"It's no problem." Rei pulled on his paper boy cap, his pony tail tucked into it. "A little walk never hurt anyone."

"Speak for yourself." Tyson groaned and his stomach rumbled loudly. "I think the time travel messed with my cotton candy!"

Hilary gave an unfeminine snort. "Or maybe you just ate too much of it!"

"You can never have to much cotton candy!"

"Ugh, whatever!"

A. Hilary watched them from the corner of her eyes, smiling. "You know, you all are handling this pretty well. It's not everyday you travel through time. Are you the least bit worried?"

The group shared a look, save for Kai who scoffed loudly. "With all the things we've gone through by this point, it'd take Boris coming out as a woman to shock us." Tyson made a gagging noise while Max dissolved into laughter. Rei and Hilary just threw mortified looks towards the captain. Gou sniggered, earning a wondering look from Kai.

Trying to stifle his laughter, Max nodded. "Y-yeah. Kai's right. I mean, Brooklyn pretty much destroyed the world for a few minutes. How can things get any stranger then that?"

"Guys, maybe she-I-she's right!" Hilary bit her knuckle. "This is different then before! No maniac scientist trying to get us, or rampaging bit beasts, or any cosmic temper tantrums being thrown. We don't have the slightest clue why this happening!" The girl's eyes began to moisten.

"Hilary, calm down!" The bluenette huffed, patting her back. "Just like always, we'll figure things out and be back in time for dinner! Besides, this is the future!" He threw his arms up. "The future! They probably have tons of time machines laying around!"

The elder woman didn't hold back her laughter. "Tyson, you're only twenty five years into the future! Time travel isn't some everyday occurrence or vacationing method. It's still, supposedly, science fiction."

The future Hiwatari cut in. "And even if it was real, I don't think the government would let the public know. People are idiots and would want to screw with the time stream. Too dangerous. Who knows what damage is happening with you guys here."

"Oh."

"Oh, indeed. And we're here." A. Hilary walked forward into a well trimmed yard towards a decently sized home. The group quickly followed her in, checking out there temporary home. The quickly chucked off their hats and jackets as she spoke again. "Feel free to make yourself at home, just don't go snooping. I don't know if we can reveal too much of the future to you, so it's best to just try not to learn too much."

Max and Tyson took a flying leap onto the living room couch as Kai walked around, taking in the room. He stopped to glance at a few pictures, spotting one of with him and a tall dark skinned woman with black and bright green eyes. He peered warily at it before moving onto others. He nearly pointed out a wedding picture but decided he wasn't in the mood to deal with another one of Tyson and Hilary's wars. He felt eyes land on his back.

"Is there something you want?"

"Nothing." Gou replied shortly.

"Then do you mind?"

Gou shrugged. "No, not really." He didn't budge, still watching the other male. Kai held back a sigh. He glanced back at his friends, who had pulled the elder Hilary into a conversation.

"So what can you tell us?" Max asked hopefully.

"Well," A. Hilary made grinned. "I can tell you that you'll have some more crazy adventures after this."

"And here I thought that was a given." Rei quipped jokingly, causing his friends to laugh.

Kai rolled his eyes then drifted back to the picture of the woman and him.

"That's mom."

"I figured as much." Kai retorted.

This didn't deter the boy. "Her name is Ano."

"So I heard."

"She's a nurse."

"Interesting."

"She originally from Hawaii."

"Special."

Gou finally frowned. "Don't you care at all?"

"Not really." Kai moved on, trying to get the other to leave him alone.

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter."

"But-"

"Gou, none of our 'future selves' remember this happening." Kai turned to him, arms crossed. "So it doesn't matter what I learn now. When this is all over, for whatever reason, we won't be able to remember it." The younger male fell silent, contemplating what he said. Kai turned away.

"And if you don't forget?" Red met challenging green eyes. The two had a silent battle, daring the other to blink or look away. The sounds from his friends drifted away. All he concentrated on was the two piercing green eyes. He could feel his friend eye him and his 'child' questionably. Finally, Kai spoke.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

Gou gave an unabashed smirk. "I guess we will, Dad."

The Bladebreakers broke out in laughter while Kai made a noise and took up residence in a corner. It wasn't long before A. Tyson returned, greeted with a hug and a kiss from A. Hilary, much to their younger selves horror. After another quick fight from the two, Rei volunteered to help A. Hilary with dinner, earning a groan from Tyson and Max before the older woman quickly assured them that her cooking ability was much better then when she was younger. They disappeared into the kitchen while A. Tyson gave them a quick tour of the house before being called down for dinner("FINALLY!" "Tyson, wait for us!"). Makoto and Rina had appeared only moments earlier, going on about their test on the new stadium and how it apparently now needed new repairs("It's Mako's fault!" "How was I suppose to know those beams were weak?"). The group spread out, seeing as the dining room was too small to accommodate the whole group.

Rei glanced up from his plate. "Gou, aren't your parents going to wonder where you are?"

"No, I'd spend the night here all the time." He replied with a casual shrug. Rina and Makoto nodded in agreement.

"Gou pretty much got his own room here after he and Mako got tired of sharing a room when he stayed over." The female twin said with a giggle. "We used to have tons of sleepovers with Takeru, and Rin whenever she was in town."

Makoto and Gou groaned while she laughed. Her brother made a face at her. "Rina, stop being embarrassing! That was a long time ago!"

"More like two years ago!"

"Rinaaaa!"

"You should have seen them." A. Tyson spoke up between bites. "They used to share the bed and everything."

"Dad, nooooo!"

"Mr. Tyson, please…"

The elder bluenette grinned at the boys pleas. "When they were young enough, Makoto, Gou, and Takeru would try to sleep in the same bed, but one or two usually fell off. By the morning the only one still on the bed would generally be Gou! Kai used to tell how bad a kicked Gou was, so I think that had something to do with it." Rei bit his lip to keep from laugh, unlike his other three friends, while Kai looked over Gou.

Gou looked ready to bury his head into his food. "It's not that." He muttered, looking away from Kai.

"Dad, this is such a pointless story! Can't we talk about time travel or something?" The young boy slapped his hands together, pleading. "Please, Dad, I can't take much more of this embarrassment!"

With a chuckle, A. Tyson grinned at Makoto. "This was just the first part of your pay back for damaging the new stadium. I can already feel Kai ranting my ear off about it."

"Ugh, Dad!"

"Serves you right, Mako!"

"Shut up, Rina!"

"Makoto!"

"Sorry, mom."

Rei leaned towards Hilary, a small grin planted on his face. "Tyson makes a really good dad." He whispered with a wink. "Who could of guessed?"

The brunette blushed, but couldn't help but agree, as she watch the man tease his children and their friend. "Yeah. Who could of guessed." Rei turned with a nod, picking up a chat with Max. Once his eyes were off her, a small smile graced her face, as she looked between both Tysons. Her blush deepened, but her smile didn't go away as she continued eating.

The house fell quiet as night took over and bed were laid out. The Bladebreakers where giving the guest room(Or 'Gou's Room' if what Rina said meant anything) while Hilary shared with Rina. Makoto had somehow talked Gou into staying with him.

Kai laid back on his makeshift bed, staring at the ceiling, unable to silence his mind. Everything that had happened played over in his head. Nothing had seemed out of place before everything went 'Back to the Future' on them. It was a normal day… So what spurred all of this to happen? He shot a look toward his teammates. Max had won the bed in a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, while the rest to refuge on the floor. Tyson had already created a mass blankets around himself, snoring peacefully away while Rei seemed right at home on his mat, his back towards Kai.

Outside, the wind rushed by the window, howling through the quiet night.

Red eyes glanced over, out the window. Clouds blocked out the moon, leaving the room in total darkness.

His thoughts flashed back to Gou and the woman. His wife. Ano, he remembered. He couldn't wrap his mind around it. A wife and child… having either had never crossed his mind in his seventeen years of life. Besides Beyblade, the thoughts in the forefront of his mind had been on survival. Whether it was his night in the Abby or the cold nights on the street.

Eat or be eaten.

His friends laughter flashed through his mind, causing him to rethink.

Beyblade, survival…. And a little bit of friendship.

But family seemed so far fetched, out of the question.

That only brought his mind back to earlier. He had caught a few looks his older self had shot Gou.

He had been told plenty of times how cold his eyes were, despite being a blazing red. But on him, his 'father' self… they were warm. When he looked at Gou, his eyes had softened, each time.

Is that his future?

"You awake, Kai?"

The two toned male broke from his thoughts and looked at the bed, where Max peered tiredly at him.

"Obviously."

This caused the blond to smile then frown. "Hey… Kai, what do you think about this?"

"You mean the time travel." It wasn't a question. The younger blond waited silently for a response. Kai sighed, knowing the blond would wait forever for a reply. "It's… not good, Max."

"Yeah…" Max laid back, knitting his hands together over his stomach. "I mean, I think it's really cool, 'cuz we're getting to see the future, see what we become… it's pretty awesome, ya' know? I'm married, I have a booming business, a-a wife and kid…" Kai could see the blush, even through the darkness. "It's all… It's all like a dream. I never wanted to be some big fancy scientist like my mom. Just a small family, a happy, together family… That's what I've dreamt about."

'Are you talking about in your future… or your present?' Kai bit back the words. Even he wasn't that mean.

Max continued. "But seeing it all displayed before me… It takes away the surprise. The wonder of what the future holds… and-and then I think about getting home, to our time… What if we never figure it out? What if we're stuck here, and it mess the time-line all up… What will happen to us?" He stifled a yawn. "W-will we ever get see our families, from our time, ever again?" He pulled the covers up, nearly covering his head.

The moonlight shown through the window, laying a glow over the group.

"Will we get home, Kai?"

Kai shut his eyes, pushing his own doubts back. "Yeah, Max. We will."

"That's good… Hey Kai?"

"What?"

"Thanks for listening…"

"Hn."

"Tyson, you dope, what are you doing up?" A. Hilary leaned against the frame of the door, watching her husband with curiosity. "It's late and these next few days are going to be hectic with them around."

A. Tyson shot her grin from where he sat. "What are you doing up, then?"

"Not fair, I asked you first." She walked over, joining his on the couch. Resting her head on his shoulder, she yawned. A. Tyson wrapped an arm around her.

He sigh and replied. "I know, Hil. I'm just thinking."

"The time traveling?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Hil, we've been through strange stuff in the past. A second ice age, crazed scientist, people trying to rule the world with spinning tops-"

She smirked against him. "Sentient spinning tops."

He laughed. "Yeah. Weird things one after another. But this totally takes cake. It's different."

"Different?" A. Hilary frown and pulled back. "I don't understand. Tyson, this is right up our ally. We've dealt with all sorts of weird things, just like you said. What could make this any different?"

"A feeling."

"A feeling?" She echoed.

A. Tyson nodded, his hands clutching into fists. "Something just feels wrong about all this. It's like there's this voice at the back of my head, screaming at me to do something. You know, like what you usually do!" His wife hand met the back of his head with a good smack. "Ow!" He rubbed his head. "I guess I deserved that."

"You did." She pouted at him. "But Tyson, do you really think something's different about this?"

Quietly, he shifted against her, leaning his head over hers and sighed. "Yes. None of this sits right with me."

"Well, then," His wife placed a hand over his, clutching it. "We'll have to figure how what's different."

He blinked. "You believe me?"

"Of course I believe you, you dope." She laughed softly. "You don't have any reason to lie about this. And if something is 'different' or wrong about this, then we have to do something."

"Yeah." He gripped her hand back. A. Hilary's warmth filled him, but his wary thoughts didn't disapear. "Back then, when we were younger, this wouldn't faze me. But now, with the children… I'm not sure. I don't want them to go through some of the shit we went through."

Releasing a breath, A. Hilary nodded. "I know. I thought about that too. And of all time for this all to happen, right when we have our 'special' visiting team? It like someone conspiring against us or something."

He had to quickly stifle his laughter and nodded. "No kidding. Though I'm pretty sure little Kai put all the pieces together by this point."

"Well, he would. Their parents we're his old teammates and only friends before you guys."

A. Tyson made a scoffing noise. "If you could call them that back then. They were bat-shit insane when we first met them, but I don't know if they were always like that or if that was just part of Boris's brain rape. They've changed so much since then, but I can't help but wonder what they'd be like if we never took down Boris and Voltaire."

"That bad?"

"That bad."

She rolled her eyes. "Knowing them now, I'm glad I didn't know them then. They still freak me out sometimes. It doesn't help that they could probably kill me and not leave any evidence….Don't tell them I said that?"

"I won't." A. Tyson sniggered. "And as far as I know, they only eat babies every other Friday."

"Shut up, Tyson!" She swatted at him and stood, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder why I married you."

"I think it's my rockin' hot bod' or maybe my rib-cracking jokes!"

"Right, well why don't you bring that 'rockin' hard bod' of yours to bed before I look you out of the room. Again."

"No, not again! Last time I woke up duct taped to the couch…"

"Working Sector 1, Guard Zaria, report status now."

"Yes sir. After minor difficulties, the signal blocker is functioning once more, sectors 2, 4, and 7 are wired, with sectors 5 and 6 being hardwired as I speak. 1 and 3 are locked down while repairs are prepared. In Lab Room Zero-One, capsules 1 through 5 are filling, while capsules 6 and 7 require replacement after the surge. but Alpha I.P. has stabilized without a hitch."

"And what of the wards? I take it they were detained without fault?"

"Wards Giena-0, Volk-2, Morzh-5, and Grif-0 have been apprehended and sworn in. We have Sector Guards Pana, Pyotr, and Lubov tailing Lev-2 and Shakal-0 at the moment. However, during apprehension of Bita-2, Guards Aleksei and Olegushka came across problems and were forced to be rid the subject."

"I see."

"Would you wish us to send Aleksei and Olegushka up, sir?"

"Yes, see to it."

"Yes, sir. Anything else, sir?"

"What is the word on Nosorog-1?"

"Nosorog-1 has departed the country with her team at the time being, as you said they would, sir. We have two undercovers tailing them. They will be reporting to us later tonight."

"Very good. That will be all for now. Return to work."

"Yes, sir."

With a soft click, the com went dead, save for the low buzz of the electronics lining the room. Screens lined the room, some showing corridors or showing nothing but blur of TV snow. Some would blink to life, only to die again a moment later. These were the only source of light in the dank room but it did not seem to both the single resident.

A man sat back, his legs cross, a smirk on his face.

Deep red eyes gleamed from the shine of the screens.

"It's only a matter of time now." His low voice muttered. "Soon… Soon everything will fall into place, everything that I've waited for my entire life. No one has the power to stop me, not this time…"

One screen flickered off with a deep hum.

"Just wait, my boys." A delighted smirk filled his face as he stood to exit the room.

The screen flickered to life, showing a small group of children, huddled together in a small room. They looked pale, terrified.

His laughter echoed through the halls.

"Our reunion is coming."

'Tyson…'

Brown eyes dart around, taking in the dark void. Tyson shifted, stepping back. "Who's there? Where am I? What's going on?"

'Tyson…'

"Answer me!" The bluenette shouted angrily. He spun around, trying to find the source of the voice, but could find nothing. Chills ran down his back. "Who are you and what do you want from me?"

'I am a friend…'

"A friend?" The boy blinked.

'Yes… you must be forewarned…'

Tyson gulped uneasily. "What do you mean? Forewarned about what?"

The blackness seemed to shift around him, forming shape after shape, to quickly for him to catch a good look of them. Stars blinked around him, shifting with the darkness. He gazed curiously at the display. Four shapes appeared, unchanging. He recognized them in the back of his mind, but could not name them.

'Tyson…' The slimmest shape glowed as it spoke. 'Danger is nearing and those destined to stop cannot do it alone…' A new shape formed above the four others. Tyson recognized it as a skull. Two blinking red stars sat inside the eye sockets. 'A spirit, buried long ago has been awoken before time dictated…'

"What?" Tyson gripped his hands into fists. "I don't understand. What's the danger? Who are the destined? Why can't they handle it?"

One thicker, rounder, shape spoke up. 'The time has been altered, things are not as they should be.'

'The destined are too young, too inexperienced.' Another spoke, stressing the word 'young'. His long tail seeming to sway with a nonexistent breeze. 'They will surely die if you and your friends do not intervene.'

"But what could we do?"

'Do as you must, what feels right.' The last shape spoke, in a soothing voice. "Though you are young yourself, you hold the knowledge and heart to do what you must. You have experienced much, learning even more then that… The destined have not experience enough. They were not meant to, not yet. But the time line has been set astray. The only way to fix it…'

'Is fight fire with fire.' The thin form spoke again.

The skull seemed to roar and dive down at the bluenette, before bursting into flames and melting away.

"Fire with fire…" Tyson flinched back and gasped. "You mean… Did you send us to the future?"

'Yes.' The rounder shape spoke. 'We had to. Your elders have grown weak in the years. While they still retain the good meaning, they do not hold the pure spirit to do such. We need the hearts from the moments before."

Speaking again, the tailed figure peered straight at Tyson. 'The great darkness is awakening. You must prepare before it is too late… Or this could be then end of it all. The spirit was stopped before on pure luck and sacrifice…Even then, it was barely a success. Many lives were lost.' Pain filled its voice. 'Do not let time repeat. Stop him, before he rips away innocent lives.'

"Ahg!" Tyson grabbed his hair yanking. "That's so confusing! What are you talking about?"

The last figure chuckled. "You will understand as the time comes."

"And if I don't?" The male challenged.

'You will.' The thin figure grew closer to Tyson. 'I know you will. No matter how far you have strayed in the past, you always found the right road.'

The shapes fell silent as Tyson gawked.

'Are time grows short.' The one with the long tail spoke again. 'We've split ourselves to thin. The others are weakened as well. I can feel their calls.'

'Yes…' Nodding, the thin figure glowed bright, looking at Tyson one last time.

Brown eyes grew wide.

Light began to shine through the darkness, blinding Tyson, as the shape called out one last time.

'Tyson! Do not forget what we have told you! All that is lays in the balance!'

"WAIT-"

"DRAGOON!" Tyson shot up from his make shift bed, panting deeply, fear sweeping through his veins. He jerked, taking in his surrounds. His friends were no where to be seen, their mats and blankets folded up. No doubt they had gone to breakfast with out him. Again. But for once, that was the least of his worries.

The dream blurred in his mind, disappearing like smoke. He racked his brain trying to remember everything. Bits and pieces echoed through him. Warnings about an evil…. Something to come.

He dropped back against his mat, groaning.

"This is so messed up."

TBC