Author's Note: Sorry for the slow update. If you had read my profile, I mention that I was having a writer's block. I was also busy with life… that I don't want to talk about. Heh. I probably won't be updating sooner either. I need more time to think about where this story is going, refreshing my mind since I stop for more than a month. Thanks for those who have read this far!
A little chat with the reviewer(s):
Aoiki Moon-chan – Kai's grandfather? That's a secret.~
I Love Beyblade
Chapter 25 – Indirect Kiss
"Ah, Johnny," Leonardo greeted with a hand wave when he saw the redhead walking into the office room. He was sitting on a black hair, legs on the table and arms behind his neck. "I apologize for the sudden change of plans."
Johnny stopped walking and stood at the other end of the table where Leonardo was sitting. "You ask Lucia to bring me here… but why did she leave again?" he asked, half irritated. He really wanted to finish his fight with Kai, to see who is stronger and to see who had trained more. "You could at least let me go with her, Arkwright."
"I thought I told you not to call me by my family's name," Leonardo glared, steam coming out of his nose.
The redhead shrugged. "So, why was I called here?" he questioned.
Leonardo smirked. "Well you see… No one could contact Jamie or Chun Mei after a few days when they made it in America. I send Lucia to look for them and bring them back here. The Empty Hearts members are going to hold a meeting once we all get together."
"Meeting?" Johnny raised one of his eyebrows, puzzled. "For what? I thought Lucia brought me here because we were going to talk about one of the girls who escaped."
"That too," Leonardo said, nodding. He removed his legs from the table and sat up straight. "Boss has two new members he wants to introduce to us. But the other members of the Empty Hearts had all shatter around the world so Lucia will be bringing the two girls back here. While we're busy with that, the two new members had already gone out with missions assigned."
Johnny nodded. "Alright… So what about Rona and her other two friends? Who was the one who escaped?"
"If I said Rona, will you still remain here in the Silver Company?" Leonardo asked, smirking.
"…" Johnny looked away.
Leonardo snickered. "Well, I guess I can tell you, since we're supposed to be teammates after all…" he leaned on his palm. "It was Faina who escaped with the help of Daichi. No one knows where the two of them went nor with Jamie's wide scan. His Strata Dragoon really is something."
"I see," he only said.
"Just a couple of hours ago, there was a report that Rona also went missing."
Johnny looked back at Leonardo. "…How?" he asked.
"If you think about it… the three of them, Mistresses of the Night, were held captive for research for such a long time. One of them could have happen to train themselves in the Second Form when we were not looking," Leonardo said, waving his hand around with a carefree face.
"And the one who secretly trained herself is Rona, right?" Johnny asked. He felt a little relieve that she had made it out unharmed.
Leonardo sighed. "If I keep this up Boss will most certainly replace me with someone else…"
Johnny's sweat dropped at Leonardo's fake tears. He's the leader of the Empty Hearts and he's not acting like one. He even looks defenseless acting the way he is now. "I don't mind taking over your place," Johnny grinned with a light snicker.
"I'm more powerful than you," Leonardo said, annoyed by his chuckle just now. "You've been training yourself but it took you almost a year to use the Second Form. Admit that you're lame!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Johnny glared at him with a big vein on his head. "I bet you can't even defeat Tyson or Kai!"
Leonardo stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "I can beat them up with my eyes closed," he said.
"So you're just letting your bit beast fight for you?" Johnny questioned, grinning. "Is that what you meant by your eyes close? You're no good in your Second Form?"
Leonardo smirked. He was silent and it made Johnny feel tense. The way he was smiling was mischievous and it showed the hunger for more power. "I can devour a city if I have to," he said. "And I don't need a Second Form to do that."
Johnny glared at him. Leonardo looked more serious than before. His eyes show that he is not joking around. "Whatever," Johnny said, breaking the staring contest between them. "If that's all you want to talk about, then I'm leaving for more training."
"Yes, that is all," Leonardo nodded. "I will fill everyone in on another issue when we're all together. Work hard, Johnny."
He looked back at Leonardo with an annoyed look. Then he turned away. "By the way, quit calling your dad 'boss'," he said, grinning. He wanted to bother Leonardo with his father since the two of them do not seem to get along well. All he knows how to get back at Leonardo if his father was mentioned.
Leonardo mumbled. He did not say anything and Johnny had already closed the door on him. Leonardo sighed, his hand running through his dark blue hair. "…It's not easy working under a father who happens to be your boss," he quietly said, upset. "Especially if he's an ass."
Johnny entered the large empty training room as the door closes behind him. He sighed. Something bothered him and coming here felt like a place where he knows no one would be a nuisance him. "Now that I think about it," he sighed again. "Since the day Ruby came here, things got really busy." He walked towards the center of the room, silent. "…Salamalyon?"
The flaming salamander appeared right before him, filling the room with its heat. Salamalyon lowered its head and closed its eyes as Johnny patted on it.
"Am I not training hard enough?" Johnny asked. Salamalyon opened its eyes and Johnny turned his head sharply behind him when he felt someone in the room.
A girl stood with the dark flames dancing around her. She seems to be at the age of sixteen. The girl had very long thin black hair, which was tied loose on her left side over her chest, and she had black eye color. Her face showed no expression as she gazed at Johnny. "It's been a while…" she forced a smile.
Johnny stared back at her. He could not help but snicker after a moment of silence. "Heh. Ten years is not a while, Rona," he told her.
"Have you been on your laptop for four days nonstop, Eve?" Hilary asked, entering the small living room.
It has been four days since they arrive in America. When they got here, Mr. Dickenson's pilot lends them to the apartment around the area where the All Starz might be. The pilot had to leave and contact his friends so they can provide Tyson and the others for food and shelter. Hilary, Rin, and Eve share one room in the rented apartment and the guys have the other room.
Eve did not look up at Hilary. She clicked on the mouse and searched. "I take breaks between showers, snacks, and restrooms," Eve replied. "Any leads on the All Starz?"
Hilary sighed heavily and drops on the sofa. Eve was sitting on the ground, her laptop and mouse on a small table. "No…" Hilary said. "Tyson, Xue, and Rin are wandering outside. Robert seem like he might know something but he's keeping it to himself. Something about 'when the time is right, I'll let you guys know' and stuff."
"Oh?" Eve slightly smiled. "Interesting guy…"
"You think?" Hilary made a face. "He's just better tell us something before it's too late."
Eve chuckled. "When the time is right… eh? He knows what he's doing. He's an adult after all. You and the others will just have to keep on searching."
"What about you?" Hilary leaned towards her. "What are you searching for?"
"That…" Eve typed on her laptop. "Just finding some information on the Silver Company. Any info might help if I find something."
Hilary stared at the screen, clueless. "How can you find stuff online? Don't you sort of hack in on someone's computer?" she questioned.
"Not at all," Eve grinned. "I have the best programs. I get the info I want, just as long as I don't give up."
"O…kay," Hilary slowly nodded. She was not sure how it works but as long Eve knows what she is doing then it must be fine. Hilary stood up. "I'm going to take a shower. Then I'll make something to eat when everyone returns."
"Alright," Eve nodded as Hilary left. Eve yawned and looked at her screen.
After a while, she scrolled down and a link that caught her eyes.
It read: Types of Second Form.
"Types?" Eve clicked on the link. "The Second Forms have types too?"
The page loaded and there were only some notes in lines together. It seemed to be incomplete at the moment and did not look professional. She started to read it.
Types of the Second Form:
Normal Type – One of the easiest Types to obtain through training. The bit beast becomes one with the human and enters into the person. The human uses the bit beast's power to attack or whatever they want to do with it. In battles, they are more focus and have control over the power of their bit beast.
Distance Type – If the bit beast and the human have a strong bond, or have strong feelings for one another, the person can use the bit beast's power from afar and without having their bit beast to be right next to them. In this Type, the bit beast does not enter the person. It is more of a higher level than the Normal Type but it is a little harder to fully control such power.
Spirit Type – The opposite of Normal Type and also requires training. The person enters the bit beast and has much less control over the bit beast. Mainly, in this Type the bit beast has a choice to attack or not. On the other hand, if the bit beast gets wounded, the human will be unharmed. The human can talk through their bit beast as well.
Mix Type – The desire to foolishly learn the skills quickly of a bit beast come with a price. Emotions get erased little by little because of the unknown bond between the bit beast and the person. Their power can be weak or strong. It all depends on how they use it for. This Type of the Second Form is only available for the chimeras that are created by the researchers because the data in the chimeras are function through this way.
Satan Type – Currently testing.
That is the end of the Types. Eve was frightened. She read the Mix Type over again. And she read all of the types over again. "It's… clear now," she thought out loud. "The reason why Ruby did not feel anger… and her love of sweets."
"Eve?" Xue's voice came in. Eve flinched. She looked away from her laptop and saw Xue, Tyson, and Rin walking in. Xue smiled at Eve but it faded. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
"…Nothing," Eve said, closing her laptop. She wanted to tell him but he would just get really worry about it if he knew. Because if he knew, how will he take it? He was the one who gave Sachi the chimera from the beginning after all. Eve knew Xue and he would just blame it on himself if she told him now. "Did you all find anything about the All Starz?"
"Ah, I'm hungry!" Tyson groaned loudly, heading to the kitchen.
"Not really," Rin replied to Eve. She hurried away to the bedroom where the girls are sharing.
Robert came in also after closing the door that connected to the hallway. He looked over to Eve who had a worried expression on. He did not say anything and sat on the sofa across from her.
"Find anything interesting online?" Xue asked, sitting up Eve. She nodded and Xue smiled. "So, what did you find?"
Eve became quiet. But then she replied, "When the time is right, I'll let you know."
Xue looked at her for a moment and then looked at Robert. "You two are almost alike," he said. "Or is it just because you two are adults? You know, since Robert said the same thing about letting us know when the time is right."
"No," Robert quickly said.
Eve glanced to Robert. She did not know how to reply to Xue. She just remembered what Hilary was talking about earlier and it was the only thing she could think of so Xue would not get suspicious. She saw Robert slightly blushing and he looked away. "Eh?" she blinked. "So… what did Rin mean by 'not really' when I asked about the All Starz?"
Xue grinned. "Well, Robert does know about something. Come on and tell us, Robin! The time is right!"
"Don't start calling me that," Robert said, looking back at him.
"I already did," Xue said, waving his arms in the air like he was partying. "Robin!"
"I would like to know as well," Eve said, leaning on her palm. "It wouldn't hurt, now would it?"
Robert sighed. He looked at Eve and said, "I met Tala."
"You WHAT?!" Tyson's head pop out of the kitchen. "When?! Why didn't you tell us earlier?!"
"He ask not to let anyone know," Robert told him. "Tala is currently hiding from the two girls who are members of the Empty Hearts. He wanted to take care of this himself. As for me, I was supposed to keep my mouth shut, not that I would anyway, but I could care less. It's his fight."
Tyson entered the living room and sat on the ground by Eve. He put the soda and pudding on the small table and he plans on getting even more later. "So once Eve starts to ask, you answer?" Tyson exclaimed. "Man, you could at least announce it when we're all together! Why would Tala want to do this on his own? We didn't come here to help him to leave him alone!"
Eve looked at Robert. "He likes me, that's all," she said, taking a guess. He is pretty easy to read because of his reactions.
"Don't get the wrong idea," he said. "You're not like the kids here. You can be trusted and you can help me keep this secret."
"Hello, we here wide in the open!" Tyson reminded. "It's not going to be a secret if you just tell her while we were here!"
Robert sighed, irritated. "I don't care. It… it has nothing to do with me anymore."
"He doesn't know what to say anymore," Eve chuckled.
Xue laughed, "Like Eve said, he likes her. When she asks, he has nothing to hide!" His eyes suddenly sparkled and he smiled brightly at Robert. "Robin! If you marry Eve and if I marry Jamie then that would mean we'll become brother-in-laws!"
"In your dreams," Robert stood up, walking away. He felt his face getting warm so he had to leave the room. "Besides, Rin also met Tala so don't come bother me about it."
"Huh?" Eve turned to Xue.
Tyson drank his soda. "Robert and Rin were together searching around and I was with Xue and Hilary," Tyson explained. "It was yesterday so the both of them could have met with Tala around that time." His face reddens from angry. "Man, I still can't believe Tala! What is that guy thinking?"
Rin could hear everyone through the thin walls of the apartment. She was relieved that Robert did not mention about how she met Tala. She glared and threw herself on the big bed. "I was careless," she mumbled.
She recalls the event from yesterday…
[…]
"Are you tired?" Robert asked.
Rin turned to him. The both of them were walking through the mall that seems to be closing down soon. "No," she smiled. She is carrying a water bottle.
Robert looked around. "Why don't you take a rest?" he asked, walking over to a large water fountain that is also made for sitting.
She followed him and sat down. "Wow, you can really read my face," she giggled nervously.
"You did say you wanted to go back home," he said. "You didn't want to be a part of this, did you not?"
Rin looked away with a dry look. "You… remember?"
He turned away. "I'll go look around for a while. I'll come back in about ten minutes so don't go anywhere."
Rin watched him leave. She did not want to look bad in front of others if she left Robert. He tells her to stay put and say he will come back for her. What a nice guy. If Hilary knew, she would probably yell at her again. The two girls do not seem to get along after the talk about having her own sister being capture. Well, it's true. I'm not worry about Sachi at all. Rin thought to herself. Why would I feel worry for someone I just met? She sighed.
She waited and sat still for as time passed. Then a guy with red hair and aqua blue eyes came and sat a few feet from her. She found it awkward but did not move. She did not want to be rude after all. If she did move, he would have feel offended or something.
"I seen you walk around with Robert," he started.
She glanced at him, quiet. "I'm sorry?"
He looked at her. "Did Mr. Dickenson send you and him to come look for the All Starz too?" he asked.
"Uh…" she blinked. Is he from he Silver Company? She wondered. If he was, she should not say anything to make him get any information from her. "I don't know what you are talking about. I'm here on a date with my boyfriend." She opened her water bottle and drank a little, trying to not say anything more.
The red head smirked. "I'm Tala," he said.
She stared at him and dropped the cap of the water bottle. "…Tala?" she asked. She had not seen a picture of him before but she remembers his name. Tyson had repeated it many times before during their conversations at the dining table.
He nodded. "Tell Mr. Dickenson that I'm fine," he told her. "But I don't need anyone to interfere with me and the members of the Empty Hearts. I have a plan to deal with them so don't tell anyone else that you saw me."
"Robert's going to be here anytime now," she said, pointing around. "If you don't want the others to know, you probably should leave."
"Doesn't really matter," he said. "Just let him know too."
She nodded. "Okay…"
Tala smirked and grabbed her water bottle. "Man. I thought it was weird to see Robert with a nice-looking girl. I even thought it wasn't Robert for a second but when I took a closer took I was like 'what's he's doing here with a hot chick'? But then I came to a conclusion that the two were also here to find the All Starz."
"We're here to find you too," she told him. "Mr. Dickenson said you did not contact them."
"I know," Tala said, drinking the water bottle.
Rin gasped when she just let him take it and drinking it himself. She knocked the water bottle out of his hand, but it was already too late because his lips already had touched the bottle.
Tala watched the water bottle roll away on the ground, water spilling out, and he looked back at her. "Why did you do that?" she exclaimed, glaring at him and standing up.
"…What did I do?" he looked up at her. All he did was drink the water bottle. She did not say anything when he grabbed it from her. "Unless…"
"That indirect kiss!" she pointed, blushing. "Don't you know anything about…?!" She could not finish her line and just looked away.
Tala looked at her back, silent. He smirked, "You're shy about indirect kisses?"
"Eh!" she turned back to him. Her face became redder. "No! Of course not! It's just that…!"
"Let me guess… you're Japanese, right?" he stood up, observing her. "Here I thought you were this gentle girl who isn't worthy of being around Robert… but your reaction just now… was…"
She backed away from him. "Shut up!" she glared. Damn… I'm letting my other side take over! She screeched in her head. "I am gentle! I'm freaking nice to everyone and they all see me as a NICE girl!"
He nodded as if he understood what she said but his face showed that he did not believe her.
Rin stopped blushing and spun away. "Whatever! Leave me alone!" she said. "Robert's going to be here soon. You should leave if you don't want to be seen."
Tala grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "I don't mind him seeing us together," he smirked. "I'm curious how you will react if the kiss was more direct."
"Let go!" she glared, struggling. She looked around and no one was around to witness this. No one is here to help her!
"I didn't catch your name," he grabbed her other arm.
Rin glared at him. "I said, LET GO!" Flames burst around her. It covered her and she felt his hands retreating. The flames quickly faded away by a freezing air. She stared at Tala and knew that the cold wind was coming from him because there were faint snowflakes around him.
"No need to get all fired up," he said. His smirk is still on his face. The cold air disappeared.
She took a step back. "A Second Form, huh?" she glared. It's almost like mine… She thought. Or maybe it is the same.
Tala snickered. "So you also have a bit beast," he rubbed his chin. "Interesting. Fire, huh? Mine is ice. See the connection?"
"Yeah," she gave him a flat look. "Ice and fire are harmful to one another. It's fate that we should never interact with each other." She said, shrugging. She notice Robert and she hurried to him. "Robert!" she called with a relief smile.
[…]
Rin snapped out of her head and sat up. After when Robert show up, the two guys talked for a moment and Tala asked Robert for her name.
"Nice name," Tala said after Robert told him.
Rin was enraged but Tala left before she could throw her anger at him. Rin rubbed her head. "What a pain," she sighed heavily. She met one of the people she would not want to encounter ever in her life. Now she really wished she was not here. "Mom…" she hugged her knees. "I wonder… how you're doing."