Chidsengan: Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!
Ryuga: Ugh... welcome everyone to another... chapter, I guess... which, even if I could insult it, I wouldn't be doing much good because Chidsengan's been 'happy dancing' since yesterday... ever since she found out that Starlit Skyline is officially a member of fanfiction and read her fanfic... and loved it to bits...
Chidsengan: It was amazing! *pulls out a jewel-encrusted scepter* And now, loyal 'fanfic family', we shall go in happiness to read it... with reviews ready and waiting to be typed! That's an order! Not a request!
Ryuga: An order...? 0.0 ...? Since when did you start giving orders, 'Geek-sengan'...?
Chidsengan: Don't worry, I don't give them very often. Just when someone so amazing posts something so wonderful! ^_^
Ryuga: Ummm... o-kaaaaaaaaaaaay... weird... -_- ... you, that is... not Starlit Skyline and her fanfic...
Chidsengan: And that's why, today, this chappie is dedicated to Starlit Skyline, too! *claps hands happily*
Ryuga: Ahem... In addition to that, though, kid, don't you forget who ELSE this chapter's dedicated to, dork...
Chidsengan: Right! As always, thank you to the most amazing 'fanfic family' ever! *cries hysterically* ^_^ :
SkylarkOfTheMoon
MoonBlazer
FutureCharacterDesigner4Pixa r
dreamlily
DragonFang2011
Allycat
Darknessrules
RoxasOtaku
Bes9200
The-Silver-Butterfly1500
The Thunderstruck Tiger
Fangtooth
Tiger
Starlit Skyline
Powerless Flames
Marai
KikiForbid
theforgotten
azure blue espeon
A.B.D.Y.Z.
GalaxyPegasus14
ilovedogs12
Andromida105
YuTendo9
JuniperGentle
SayoCross (Guest)
BlackholeRaven1311
DragonSiren
Chidsengan: And a big welcome to PinkiePie30 and 'Guest' (although, I'm sorry if you're the same person... I can't... really... tell... sorry...!)! Welcome to the family! We're all so happy to have you here! And, PinkiePie30, thank you for complimenting my buddy DragonSiren's fanfic! Her writing IS amazing, isn't it ? ^_^
Ryuga: *shudders* Ugh... so... sappy... willpower... to... be... the announcer... for... this... worthless... fanfic... fading... *pulls himself together* Anway, this is probably going to make things even sappier, but, in addition to Starlit Skyline, this chapter's also dedicated to SkylarkOfTheMoon and MoonBlazer...
Chidsengan: *stops crying* Yes! Thank you both! SkylarkOfTheMoon... awww... you're so nice, endearing, and have such a way with words that your reviews always leave my smiling! I'm so happy to have you as an adopted younger sibling and thank you for the nickname 'Chi-San'! I love it! Is it alright if I call you 'Skylark-sama' on occasion ^_^ ? And don't worry, I still act like a seven-year-old... so you canc ount me as your little sister, anyway! ^_^ MoonBlazer... wow... we've just become really close since this fanfic started... I just want to thank you for being there for me and for all the great reviews... but mostly for just being you! You're talented, kind, and know exactly how to make people smile! I just know that one day we'll be seeing your name in the 'Best Seller' charts! :)
Ryuga: Yeah, yeah... whatever, you little geek... now, back to basics... Chidsengan doesn't own Beyblade or the characters... until chappie thirty... where she'll be posting an OC form for everyone who wants to have an OC in this worthless gunk of a fanfic...
Chidsengan: TT_TT
Ryuga: Great... the idiot's crying now... Anyway, before she starts crying hysterically, this chapter translates to: 'The Mystery Boy With a Plan and a Fan!'... -_- ... I'm still hating these chapter titles, you know...
Chidsengan: TT_TT ... I know... I'm sorry...
Ryuga: You should be, you little dweeb...
Chidsengan: Please... Forgive me...?
Ryuga: Only if you never talk again, laugh again, and, under any circumstances, write again...
Chidsengan: You're the boss, Ryuga...
Ryuga: Yay! I'm invincible!
Chidsengan: But then that means that you'll have to make the special announcement at the end of this chappie...
Ryuga: 0.0 ...? What... 'special announcement'...?
Chidsengan: You'll just have to see... ^-^
Ryuga: Grrr... shrewd, you little brat... very shrewd...
After a few more moments of traveling in complete silence (all of them, minus Ryuga himself, all pondering about Ryuga's past on the way there), the group finally arrived at the tavern...
None of them noticed, however, until Ryuga's voice cut through the quiet.
"Alright, you losers, we're here..."he said roughly."Get out of the cart or become The Thanátos soldiers' midnight snack..."
Everyone jumped slightly, snapped from their thoughts and wonderings, before nodding hastily and following Ryuga... through the back entrance of the tavern...
"Ummm... Ryuga... why... are we going through the back entrance of the tavern...?"Yu queried, avoiding the broken glass and debris that was scattered around the path leading to the door.
Ryuga didn't even bother to look at Yu as he answered the younger boy's question.
"Like you really have to ask..."he responded flatly.
Yu looked bewildered at first as the older boy opened the door, which caused a resounding 'creeeeeeaaaaaak' to sound through the entire tavern and the surrounding area, and blinked iquisitively.
"What... do you mean...?"he asked.
"He means that if you entered through the FRONT entrance, you'd be wide open for the Thanátos soldiers who patrol these streets to arrest you, myah..."a voice, rather high-pitched, though still a guy's, said from the left of them.
The group froze in terror for a moment before they looked in the direction of where the voice had come from to see a boy about Ryuga's age (about a year older than most of them), leaning against the doorway of the room... his arms crossed over his chest and a slight smirk on his face.
He was dressed in a long, white cloak with gold marking that reached down to his ankles and black jousting pants, along with brown, fingerless gloves and a baggy-style hat that was also white with gild markings hanging over his right eye. His hair was shaggy and coal black and his eyes were yellow... exactly like cat eyes. His clothing looked a size too large for him and hung rather sloppily on his frame, but compared to how the rest of them must have looked, they were in no position to judge.
"Myah... what are you all doing here so late at night, myah...?"the cat-ish boy began, his eyes glinting."It's not exactly like this is the place you want to go skulking around at at this time of night, myah..."
"Ummm... we can... explain..."Masamune chuckled nervously.
The boy with cat eyes smirked deviously.
"I'm sure you can, myah..."he started with a small, hissing, chuckle."But, unfortuneately, you won't have a chance to once I turn you over to the Thanátos soldiers..."
"T-turn us over...?!"Madoka shrieked in terror."But... wh-why on Earth would you do THAT ?!"
"Because, if you're out this late at night, then that can only mean you're two things..."-the cat-like boy held up a finger as he listed the reasonscounted-"One: You're all really stupid... or two: You're spies against The Thanátos Army... which means I have to turn you into them, myah..."
"Y-you work for The Thanátos Army ?!"Wales stammered, taking a step back in fear.
The cat-boy chuckled again at the query; his laugh, once again, more of a hiss than an actual laugh.
"I don't WORK for them, myah..."he answered with a sneer."I'd just like to have something to eat once in a while instead of whatever milk I can get my hand on, myah. The Thanátos pay big for those who turn in tresspassers, myah..."
Everyone tensed in fear and Kyoya stepped forward defiantly.
"I'd just like to see you try..."he challenged.
The cat-eyed boy puffed out his chest.
"Fine, then..."he said."Good thing I sharpened my claws this morning, then... myah..."
"Enough!"another voice interjected before Kyoya and cat-boy could get into fisticuffs with one another.
Both stopped and turned to look at Ryuga as he pushed in front of them all and nodded at the cat-eyed boy, his expression level.
"I'm sorry to dissapoint you, but these brats are too idiotic to be spies... Believe me, I would know..."
"Huh...? They... are...?"
Ryuga smirked.
"Still as stupid as ever yourself, huh...?"he questioned... almost... fondly...?"Hmmm... it's been a long time no see... Johannes..."
The cat-eyed teenager, 'Johannes', squinted at Ryuga for a moment as if trying to recognize him.
"Myah! It... can't be..."he started."Is it...?"
Ryuga scoffed.
"What do you mean 'it can't be', Johannes ?"he returned coolly."Of course it is. If you can't recognize that, then it's about time you had your eyes checked..."
Johannes let a surprised laugh escape from his lips and strode towards Ryuga.
"Myah... well, well, well... look what the cat dragged in! It is you! Ryuga... in the flesh!"he exclaimed.
"Well, duh. What else would I be in if it WEREN'T for flesh ?"
"Wait a moment... you guys... are...-?"
"Old buddies, myah!"Johannes purred, cutting Gingka's sentence short.
"I'm still thuroughly confused..."Masamune muttered.
Ryuga rolled his eyes.
"We're not buddies..."he said emotionlessly."We just know one another. I saved his life once. It's no big deal..."
Johannes clapped Ryuga on the shoulder and smiled mischievously.
"Myah... what brings you back to Anaro̱tiémai, myah...?"he asked, every 'myah' he said sounding strangely more and more like the 'meow' of a cat."When I last saw you, you were heading into enemy territory. But I see you survived, myah ?"
"Idiot. Of course I survived."Ryuga responded smugly, an air of authority in his voice even more so than usual."If I can handle being around you for two seconds, then I can handle anything..."
Johannes sniggered through his teeth, then turned to the rest if the group with a curious gaze.
"So... those kids are with you, huh...?"he inquired.
"Yep..."Ryuga answered coolly.
"You brought friends with you for once, myah ?"Johannes asked, his cat-like eyes still fixed on the others.
Ryuga looked over his shoulder in annoyance and shrugged with a small huff.
"Yeah... them..."he noted dully."They're hardly my friends... actually, they're just not. They're just a bunch of babies who are at my mercy until I decide to dump them off in the middle of nowhere..."
Everyone else practically panicked, but Kyoya scowled at Ryuga furiously.
"Why you-"he snarled, but Ryuga cut him off before he could get any further.
"So, Johannes, we came here to ask you a favor..."the white-haired boy started.
"Myah... what are their names...?"Johannes queried.
"What ?"Ryuga responded flatly.
Johannes gestured to the others.
"The people you want to dump 'off in the middle of nowhere'..."the cat-eyed boy quoted Ryuga's prior statement."What are their names ? Aren't you going to introduce me, myah ?"
Ryuga scoffed.
"Nope."he refused.
"Myah ? You're not ? But why ? Don't tell me they're some of those kids you hear about who don't have names, myah..."
"No, they all have names..."
"Then why not tell me, myah ?"
"Because..."-Ryuga smirked cunningly-"It's not worth wasting my time to try and remember them..."
Everyone all but glared at Ryuga, but Johannes merely sniggered once again.
"Myah... well, either way, it's nice to have you here..."he said."Now, Ryuga, what favor is it that I can assist you with, myah ?"
"We're headed to Íroes and need someplace to bunk over for the night..."the white-haired teen responded.
Johannes cat-like eyes grew wide with surprise.
"Myah...? Íroes...?"he inquired."But it's so far away, myah! And a dangerous journey to get there, too... myah...!"
Ryuga shrugged slightly.
"I know..."he responded, slipping a few, expensive-looking coins into the cat-acting-like teenager's hand inconspicuously."But I figured you might have a room or two where we can stay until tomorrow morning, anyway..."
Johannes glanced at the coins in his hands, then smiled cunningly.
"I might have a couple rooms. But... they're not exactly the most desirable ones..."he began."Is that okay with you, myah...?"
"That's fine. As long as I have my own room."Ryuga said coldly.
Johannes nodded slightly, then waved Ryuga and the others along with him as the walked towards the stairs near the back of the tavern.
As they headed through the musty corridors and liquor-smelling rooms, they couldn't help but observe that there was no one else throughout the whole tavern...
"Where is everyone ?"Madoka queried, glancing around her uncertainly.
"Hiding..."Johannes replied without a moment's hesitation.
Madoka quirked a curious eyebrow.
"Hiding ?"she repeated.
"That... or sleeping..."Johannes clarified."But most likely hiding, myah..."
"Why ?"
Once again, Johannes didn't hesitate... by the same token, however, he chose his words with a considerate amount of care which seemed to more or less sugar-coat the issue somewhat.
"You could say that... Anaro̱tiémai isn't as safe as it used to be. The Thanátos Army controls every inch of the city, myah. The slightest thing that you do wrong could result in execution..."he answered Madoka's question.
Madoka's eyes widened in horror.
"E-execution...?"she stammered, ger vouce squeaking slightly in fear."But... for minor offenses ? I don't understand..."
"How do I put this ?"Ryuga sighed, clearly aggravated by Madoka's naïveté."A lot of places nowadays are more strict due to being overtaken by The Thanátos Army. Anaro̱tiémai just happens to have stricter rules due to the fact that it was one of the first places to be overtaken by the Thanátos. Even the most minor thing in the world could mean death..."
"That's why no one comes out of their rooms this time of night, myah..."Johannes added, glancing over his shoulder at the group."It's the time of night where every Thanátos soldier is out patrolling the city and the curfew's put up. And the citizens here figure that if they don't leave their rooms, then they can't do anything wrong. And if they can't do anything wrong, then they can't be executed, myah. After all, if you even trip over an officer and the Thanátos soldier's injured in this city, you can face death..."
"What ?!"Madoka breathed in shock as everyone else either gasped or stifled their own horrified breath."You could be executed... just for that...?! If they really wanted an extreme punishment, they should have used exile... not execution...!"
"They can't..."Ryuga said plainly.
"But why not ?!"
Ryuga glanced at Madoka seriously... the most serious the boy had been since she had known him.
"Because... if exile was the punishment for a crime like that... then everybody would be intentionally stumbling over guards..."he stated.
"What ? Why...?"
"Because... everyone WANTS to be exiled from Anaro̱tiémai..."Johannes finished for Ryuga."To leave this place... would be like a wish come true..."
Yu lowered his head for a moment.
"So... everyone hides in their rooms to avoid doing anything that could anger the Thanátos soldiers and avoid execution..."he started thoughtfully."And exile would be like some kind of a treat for the civilians that live here..."-he raised his head and glanced around at his friends-"Ummm... guys... I don't think I like this place..."
Before anyone could reply, something else caught Kyoya's eye.
"Okay, so if everyone's either asleep or hiding in their rooms like a bunch of saps..."he started."Then who's that...?"
Everyone turned their attention to who Kyoya was pointing at.
It was a boy... perhaps a year or two older than most of them, sitting at a rickety, old table in the farthest corner in the back of the room they had just walked into...
The boy seemed to be deep in thought and was hunched over the table with his eyes closed; fiddling with a fan and muttering slightly to himself.
By the dim candlelight, they could make out that the boy had short, dark, blue hair and a white tunic, but the rest of his outfit and appearance was blended with the ominous shadows that surrounded him.
"Oh, him...?"Johannes asked, his cat-like eyes widening slightly."That's just the 'loon about town'. He likes to come here and just sit at that table for hours, myah... completely silent... always thinking. The only thing I've ever heard him say is 'good luck come my way'. Weird, myah ?"
"I'll say..."Zeo muttered pessimistically (per usual).
"But... who is he...?"Kyoya asked again, unsure why he even cared one way or another.
It was almost as if something was compelling him to...
Johannes pulled on Kyoya's arm and started to pull him out of the room.
"It doesn't matter, myah..."he said."Unless you believe in psychics, I wouldn't pay him much attention, myah..."
"Psychics ?"Gingka queried, perplexed.
"Myah... the guy says he's psychic..."Johannes explained."He thinks he can predict the future..."
"Can he...?"Masamune asked in equal parts wonder and suspense.
Johannes shrugged.
"Who really knows, myah...?"he replied."All I know is that if you're trying to get to Íroes, you fourteen don't have time to be worrying about stuff like that, myah..."
Shrugging, the group followed Johannes out of the room, deciding he was right...
... what they didn't see was that the blue-haired boy's shoulders jerk back and his eyebrows raise in surprise.
"Fifteen of them...?"he queried aloud."Journeying to Íroes...?"-he opened his eyes and smiled, raising his head slightly-"Well... it seems as if good luck really has come my way... At last... I've found them... the heroes of legend..."
* Y * Y * Y *
"So... do you have anything with you ? Clothes... money ? Personal belongings ?"Johannes queried as he led everyone to their rooms.
"The clothes on our back. Nothing more... nothing less..."Ryuga said calmly as Johannes nodded in understanding.
"Myah... I see..."he said."Myah... you all must have come such a long way to get here..."
Kyoya instantly bristled and glared at Johannes accusingly.
"Why do you say that...?"he snarled at him.
Johannes shrugged calmly.
"No reason..."he responded coyly, glancing over at Kyoya and the others."It's just that... myah... you all look so disheveled and such, myah... I can't imagine how rough it must have been for you all to get here..."
"No... you probably can't..."Tsubasa said quietly, stifling a cough.
Johannes sighed.
"That's the thing about sacrifice, myah...?"he queried."Sometimes... you have to wonder if it's worth it..."
For a moment, only silence could be heard as the effect of Johannes poignant words sunk in...
... until, once again, the cat-like boy broke it with his quickly-becoming-familiar voice.
"Well... here we are... room number one..."he purred, turning a key to the door in it's doorknob.
He opened the door slightly to reveal a small, dismal room... barely big enough to fit two people... with barely more in it than a rickety, old bed, a table that was warped from mildew and moisture, and a chair that was so lopsided that it looked as if it would fall over at any moment... and it definitely would if someone were to sit in it...
"Well this looks... cozy..."Gingka said, trying to sound optimistic (though his heart clearly wasn't in his words).
Kyoya shrugged coolly.
"I've seen worse..."he remarked calmly.
Yu was the first to enter the room, chuckling happily.
"Yay! Goody! A bed! How cool is that ?!"he exclaimed, making a beeline for the 'sorry-excuse-for-an-actual-bed'.
"Myah... you might not to run so fast!"Johannes warned the boy.
Before Yu could take his suggestion, however, it was already too late.
With a startled scream, he tripped over a lumpy 'something-or-other' and stumbled face-first to the floor... landing with an exceptionally loud 'THUD' when he did.
"Ouch!"he winced, pushing himself up with his right elbow and rubbing his sore forehead with his left hand."What was... that ?"
Johannes knelt down in front of Yu and shrugged.
"I tried to warn you, myah... but you just rushed in..."he started.
Yu merely blinked in query.
"Warn me about... what...?"he asked, confused.
Johannes gestured to the room with his hands.
"That this is THEIR territory, myah..."he said.
Yu cocked his head towards his shoulder questioningly at first, then glanced around to see just who Johannes was talking about...
... and when he did, he shrieked in surprise a little...
The room... almost every inch of it... was covered by a seemingly impossible number of cats!
"What the-?"he faltered, getting a good look at the sight.
There were cats everywhere the eye could see...
Cats beneath the table...
Cats on top of the bed...
Cats even in the wardrobe that was in one of the corners of the room!
"No... way..."Yu gasped, his eyes wide.
"Where did all these cats come from ?"Madoka queried as everyone else looked around in equal surprise.
"I've never seen so many of them in one place in my life...!"Teru added, blinking in astonishment.
Ryuga scoffed a bit.
"It's nothing that surprising, really..."he said nonchalantly."Anyone who knows Johannes knows he likes cats..."
Ryuga was instantly met with incredulous gapes from everyone at the blatant understatement...
"LIKES cats...?"Masamune asked."Really ? He only LIKES them...?"
"Well..."Ryuga started to explain.
"It's much more than I just LIKE cats..."Johannes began."You see... what it is is that I'm LOYAL to cats, myah... I owe my life to them..."
"You're... life...?"Sophie asked.
Johannes shooed the cats away slightly and the felines 'meowed' and 'swished' their tails until they reached the hallway and settled down there, instead.
"I was born in a rich town... but my family was anything but..."he explained, his eyes downcast."My parents... myah... they were always so concerned with keeping up appearances that they'd gamble any money they'd make in hopes to become rich... When my little sister was born... they became upset that they had another mouth to feed... and abandoned her in a dark alleyway one night when she was one..."
Everyone gasped and Kyoya flinched uncomfortably at the mention of abandonment in a dark alleyway as a child...
"That's terrible!"Madoka screamed.
"What kind of parents... would do THAT ?!"Tsubasa exclaimed, coughing slightly after the statement after straining his voice.
"Just what we all need... a darling bedtime story..."Zeo muttered sarcastically.
"B-B-B-BULL! THAT'S JUST EVIL! YOU DON'T GO ABANDONING A ONE-YEAR-OLD! EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT!" (A/N: I'll let everyone reading guess who said that... ^_^ )
"I still don't get what this has to do with cats..."Klaus said calmly through the midst of emotion.
Johannes merely shrugged as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
"It's not that hard to figure out, really..."he explained."I rescued my sister... and promised to take care of her from that day forth, myah. I left our home and our parents and decided that we would live on our own... just the two of us. If our parents didn't want us, then why bother going back to them ? I didn't have many resources at all, however, and things soon became... complicated, to say the least. After weeks of hardly any sleep and anything to eat for either of us, I collapsed in the middle of nowhere... sure that I wouldn't be able to walk another step..."-his eyes brightened-"And that, my friend, is what cats have to do with this!"
Everyone couldn't help but blink blankly at Johannes hardly-well-explained story and stared at him in bewilderment.
"Ummm... the cats... did... WHAT, exactly...?"Kenta prodded.
"Everything..."Johannes answered plainly."You see, they were the ones that led me and my sister to this tavern... the ones that scratched me back to reality..."
"Scratched... you... back... into...?"Gingka faltered.
"Before unconsciousness could take me, myah, a cat scratched my face and gave me a start..."Johannes explained."It was only then that I realized something that I hadn't seen before... candlelight in the distance... I followed the cats and... well... that's how I ended up here, myah. The owner of this tavern gave me a job and I've been working here ever since. That's how I met Ryuga, myah..."
"So... you like to keep cats around... because...?"Yu prodded, still trying to get to the bottom of things.
Johannes knelt down and pet the lone cat that had stayed behind before replying.
"I like to take care of them... like they took care of my sister and I all those years ago..."he said.
"That's still no reason to keep so many of them around..."Wales muttered flatly.
"And... your sister..."Sophie, the only one who had seemed to have been truly touched by the tale, piped up."Does she work here, too ?"
Johannes froze.
Then, calmly, he got to his feet and headed for the room's door... ignoring Sophie's comment completely.
"Your room is just down the hall, Ryuga,"he told the white-haired boy."I hope everything suits your requirements..."
"Thanks, Johannes..."Ryuga said calmly as the cat-like boy exited the room... closing the door curtly behind him.
Sophie bit her lower lip in worry and wrung her hands nervously; the cold chill that had suddenly entered the room sending a shudder down her spine.
"Was it... something I said...?"she queried worriedly.
Ryuga glanced over his shoulder at the blue-haired girl with a emotionless expression on his face.
"Yeah. You asked him what happened to his sister..."Ryuga said coldly.
Sophie tensed at the iciness of Ryuga's voice and fumbled for an answer.
"I... I..."
"Johannes' sister... joined The Zoun Army... and was killed in a training accident..."Ryuga cut Sophie short.
Sophie shrunk back.
"I-I didn't know..."she stuttered."I... I didn't mean anything by it..."
"I'm sure you didn't..."Ryuga said sarcastically, rolling his eyes and sitting down on the rickety bed in the room.
"I was only wondering..."Sophie tried to defend herself."It was only a question..."
Ryuga sniffed.
"The best thing to do sometimes is NOT to wonder about things and question them,"he said plainly."Haven't you noticed that that always seems to be what gets people in trouble...? What starts trouble...?"
"Questions... and... wondering...?"Yu asked, confused.
"Half the problems in the world are based on wonderings and questions..."Ryuga remarked coolly."Think. How do you suppose wars are started ? How do you suppose lives are destroyed ? How do you suppose dynasties fall ? All from one simple wondering... one simple question..."
"What... wondering... what... question, Ryuga...?"Kenta queried.
Ryuga looked at the younger boy sternly.
"All from wondering: "How far can I push the limits...?"... from wondering: "Just how much can I test the boundaries..."-he glanced down, a glare flashing in his eyes-"One rebel decided they've had enough of being ordered around or something like that and decides to do something about it. So they wonder just how far they can get by trying to assert their independence... they question what would happen if they do. So they keep pushing the limits... further and further until someone get killed. Well, one side hears about what happened and the friends of the person who was killed especially, aren't exactly apt to just let it be... and then they recklessly lash out for revenge. What's the next thing you know but THEY get killed by people from the other side... Now, the friends of the people that got killed next won't exactly stay quiet. They'll try to avenge their friends. And if anyone else got killed, then OTHER side won't stay silent...andif any of them who were out to avenge the ones who died were to get killed... more people would set out,and before you know it,it'd be a war... You see how it works ? All from a simple wondering... all from a simple question..."
Everybody was silent for a moment... all of them suddenly seeming to be very interested in something on the floor before Ryuga spoke again.
"Now you see why I don't ask questions too much... or wonder things as much as you babies do..."he said, gripping the bedsheets tightly."We can't afford to make the war any worse than it already is... We can't trust anyone, either. Not even eachother."
"You don't have to tell me not to trust you..."Kyoya muttered, folding his arms over his chest."I learned that a long time ago..."
Ryuga only scowled at the other teenager.
"We're not little kids anymore, Kyoya..."Ryuga told him."We're in a war. We all have to do what we have to to survive. Be it selling furs to the highest bidder or joining an army for the sake of... FRIENDS..."
"And you would know WHAT about friends, again ?"Kyoya snapped at the golden-eyed boy.
Yu stepped between the two of them before they could get any farther.
"Come on, you two, don't fight..."he said."We have to get along... we're all we have, you know...? We can't be fighting all the time..."
Kyoya flinched at Yu's words.
"Then keep that... monster... out of my way..."he ordered.
Ryuga's eyes narrowed into little slits.
"Monster...?"he snarled."Be careful who you're calling a monster, kid. i'm trying to be nice to you. You're the one who's acting like a creep. Watch your step, or I'll deal with you old-fashioned way..."
"Kyoya! Ryuga!"Kenta pleaded."Stop! Please!"
Kyoya grit his teeth and clenched his fists angrily, then turned on his heel and headed towards the door.
"Forget it. I'm out of here..."he said, his voice completely cold and unfeeling.
"WAIT! KYOYA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING ?!"Madoka screeched.
"Anywhere but here..."Kyoya spat, looking over his shoulder at Madoka."If I have to spend one more minute with that self-centered, despicable traitor, I'm going to be the one questioning and wondering just how far I can press the limits, if you know what I mean..."
"Oh, dear. That hardly seems like the attitude of a legend..."a mysterious voice said from the doorway.
Everyone's attention was diverted from Ryuga and Kyoya's 'daily fight' to the door, where a teenager, maybe a little older than Kyoya was... perhaps Ryuga's age... was standing... a boy with short, blue hair and dressed in a white tunic, to be exact...
"Hey... I know you..."Masamune began, scratching his head in thought."Aren't you..."
"... the psychic guy Johannes was telling us before...?"Wales finished for Masamune... talking to no one in particular.
"Ah, so you've heard of me..."the boy with blue hair began, whipping out a fan and fanning himself with it slightly."Then you wouldn't mind coming with me somewhere, then, would you...?"
"Woah, hold it right there, buddy!"Gingka said quickly."Come with you somewhere ?! Are you nuts ?! We... we've heard of you, yeah, but that hardly means that we're going to go anywhere with you...!"
"Not to mention you just suddenly showed up out of nowhere and are kind of creeping us out..."Tsubasa added flatly.
The boy with blue hair just continued fanning himself with his fan nonchalantly, almost as if he could care less about what any of them were saying...
Wait... did he...?
"I assure you, I mean you all no harm..."he explained."I am merely but a humble merchant who's been met with... hard times..."
"Yeah, well, haven't we all...?"Zeo responded, rolling his eyes.
"I'm sorry, but we haven't got any money to bu anything right now..."Julian said as nicely as he could, conidering this guy had just appeared and was, truthfully, getting on his nerves with that fan of his."We would if we did, but-"
"No! No! You're mistaken!"the boy with blue hair chuckled, fanning himself even more quickly (which was quite a feat, since he was already fanning himself quickly enough)."I am not here to sell anything to you... and even if I was... I wouldn't take money from the ones of legend!"
Silence resounded in the room for a moment after that comment; everyone's eyes wide and their expressions ones of utter and complete perplexion.
"Ummmm... legends...?"Yu queried blankly.
The boy with blue hair nodded.
"Yes... legends..."he said."Legends. Legends that will help save the world!"
More silence.
"Ummmm... yeah... that's nice, pal..."Ryuga began, getting to his feet and ushering the blue-haired teen out of the room."But... I think you're confused... you see, the legends are right down the hall... about five rooms down... So, I guess we'll be seeing you, then... Thanks for stopping by. Buh-bye now..."
The boy ground his heels into the floor and stopped Ryuga from shoving him out of the doorway, however.
"Ah-ha-ha... I see what you are trying to do... but it will not work, you see!"the boy with blue hair explained.
"Would it if I said please ?"Ryuga inquired in mock innocence.
"No. It wouldn't. Because, you see, you... and your friends... are legends! And it is my mission to tell you so!"the blue-hair boy insisted.
"Welp, you told us. Good job. Now leave us alone."Ryuga spat, trying to push the boy through the door again.
Once again, the blue-haired boy stopped Ryuga from pushing him out the door by digging his heels into the floor.
"That is not what I mean..."the boy with blue hair said."What I mean... is that I must tell you about the prophecy..."
"Look... if you don't leave right here and now, I promise you, I'll-!"
"Prophecy...?"Kenta's voice interrupted Ryuga inquisitively."What... prophecy...?"
The blue-haired boy turned around with a huge smile on his face and nodded at Kenta.
"Ah, yes! The prophecy! Well... I cannot tell you what it is here! The walls have ears, you know...!"he answered.
Everybody 'anime sweatdropped'.
"Isn't it... the walles have eyes... not ears...?"Julian queried.
"Well, yes! But they have ears, too!"came the enthusiastic answer.
"Ummm... o... kay..."Kyoya said flatly.
Ryuga grumbled, aggravated by words.
"Look, you lunatic..."he snapped."We don't have time for this... Now... take your fan... your nerve-wracking personality... and your idiotic salesman pitch with you and LEAVE US ALL ALONE!"
Much to Ryuga dismay (and anger), however, the blue-haired boy snapped his fan closed and tapped Ryuga on the forehead with it.
"Ah-ah-ah... none of the cantankerous attitude, legend-boy!"he corrected him.
By now, Ryuga's face was red with rage.
"Why... you...!"he growled, ready to strangle the boy.
Then, taking a deep, forced breath, he calmed down to the best of his abilities and clenched his fists.
"You know what ? Never mind. I'm not going to waste my time strangling a worthless idiot like you..."he finally muttered, turning away from him.
"Very well..."the blue-haired boy sighed nonchalantly."But, might I just warn you... knocking me over the head with a heavy object like you're thinking of doing may not be the best idea, either... would it...?"
Ryuga tensed for a moment, before whirling around and facing the blue-haired boy with a cleary shocked expression on his face.
"How... did you know...-?"he faltered.
"What you were thinking...?"the blue-haired boy asked innocently, finishing Ryuga's sentence for him.
Ryuga nodded slowly and the blue-haired boy chortled slightly; whipping his fan open once again and fanning himself with it.
"Allow me to introduce myself..."the boy with blue hair began."My name is Ryutaro... and I welcome you all to Anaro̱tiémai... the ones of legends..."
Chidsengan: I'm sorry everything wasn't as... well-written as I would have liked it to be... at all... but...
Ryuga: WOO-HOO! VIRTUAL BUFFET CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND EGGNOG! *dives in to eat it*
Chidsengan: Ummm... well... Ryuga seems to be a little busy at the moment... but... I just wanted to say sorry... for... the chappie and for Ryutaro being completely OOC... and acting more like Kisuke Urahara from Bleach... but... *pulls herself together* Anyway! I can't insult myself! ... even though I should... TT_TT ... but... *smiles* I'm sorry... and due to all the requests that I've gotten recently... I just want to say that I will answer them all in the following chappies... because I've been extremely busy lately... (I'm so sorry! *cries hysterically*)... but I promise that I will answer all of them! Today, however, I have a small offer to issue for everyone... an oppurtunity to become closer as a fanfic family... by writing a bunch of Christmas-based fanfics!
Ryuga: *eating cookies and drinking eggnog* THAT was your big announcement...? *scoffs* Yeesh... what a doofus...
Chidsengan: Anyway, it's not technically a 'challenge' per se, but I couldn't think of a way to incorporate everyone for Christmas or how to thank you all, so I decided that this would be a great oppurtunity for us to all bond using something we all love... writing!
Ryuga: IF anyone wants to accept this stupid offer, that is...
Chidsengan: *sighs sadly* I hope they do... it would really mean a lot... and I think it would be fun... *smiles* Anyway, if anyone's interested, the guidelines are as follows (sorry if I sound too demanding... I'm not very good at this kind of stuff :( ...)-
1. If you'd like to participate, the first step is to pick two, different themes that you like and would like to write about. The different themes are:
· Christmas Tree
· Snow
· Decorations
· Ice Skating
·Velvet (the material or the cooking type… like red velvet cake)
· Santa Clause
· Candy Canes
· Lights/ Red, Green, Gold
· Sledding· Blankets, Scarves, Mittens
· Mistletoe and Hot Chocolate
· Gift-Giving
And, the only other things that pertain about are as follows:
1. Pick the two themes that you'd like to write a oneshot about, and you can either post your picks under the review section or PM me. It's first come, first serve, however, so if anyone picks the same theme, the person who picked it first will have that as their official oneshot (like if two members of our 'fanfic family' pick 'sledding', the person who picked it first claims it as theirs). That's why I thought picking two would be... maybe... well... helpful, I hope... That way, even if you don't get one, you can always get the other! Then again, there's no harm in writing a oneshot based on BOTH themes that you pick! The more the merrier! ^_^
2. The oneshots will revolve around the Beyblade characters. Feel free to pick any character(s) you'd like. You can even have other characters enter the scene... OC's, characters from other animes... the sky's the limit! ^_^
3. All oneshots need to be turned in by December 25th, 2012... Christmas... through January 6th, 2013... 'Little Christmas', in my Religion! ^_^ ... when the chappie will be updated. All the oneshots will be posted beneath the same chappie to share with others who read the fanfic... ^_^
4. Please, no foul language, suggestive themes, or yaoi. I'm not a hater, but it makes me uncomfortable because they're all such arguable topics, and I would rather not have arguements at Christmastime (it would be nice not to have any all year long, but... am I right...? Please say I am!)... Oh, and I'm Catholic, so saying 'Oh, my g-o-d', either is another rule that I enforce. It goes against my Religion. All oneshots within the guidelines will be posted! ^_^
5. Enjoy! There are no mistakes at Christmastime! It's a happy time of year! Have fun... be creative... and just be yourself! Any kind of genre is accepted, too! Spiritual, adventure, angst, drama, family, friendship, humor, hurt/comfort, poetry... the sky's the limit! And even if you don't celebrate Christmas, there's enough love for everyone! Now's your chance to without breaking any of your own traditions! It'll be fun... and I'd love it if you all participated! ^_^ For me, it's a Happy day to celebrate when Jesus was born (I'm Catholic, as mentioned before)... and, of course, to spend time with family! And since you're all my 'fanfic family', this was a way I thought we could all be together without having to hop on a plane, calculate our time zone differences so we don't arrive where we're celebrating at 1:00 a.m. in the morning, and having to have our aunts pinch our cheeks to death (no offense to everyone)... Thank you, all so much for listening to me rant! I'm unworthy of your wonderfulness!
Ryuga: Please! It's not like anyone's going to actually accept that idiotic offer, you dolt!
Chidsengan: TT_TT You're... probably right... *cries hysterically*
Ryuga: Might as well enjoy the virtual buffet, everyone, because that's as good as it's going to get when it comes to Chidsengan's fanfics...
Chidsengan: Thank you all... and... I understand if you don't want to accept the offer... TT_TT