Note – This chapter is dedicated to my friend Rolly aka R'soriginalusername for guessing correct what is going to happen next.
Glasial
Riri examined the silver box. It had spiral design engraved on it. She had tried every key but the box won't open. She sat on the bed in their room and stared at the box. Kai came in tired after practicing for long. Riri looked at him with a smile. Kai came and sat beside her with his arm over her shoulder. She casually shrugged his arm down and sighed tensely. He looked at her and asked, "What is it? Are you okay?"
"Yeah," She exhaled, "This box has just kept me so worried." He pulled her close, laid her head on his chest, and said, "I'm listening." She smiled and closed her eyes, let his body fragrance in, and said, "I might be raised by Cora but my real mother will always be Dayna. Putting aside how cold she was, Dayna did love me, I think. This box belongs to her and it means something to me."
"Okay," he didn't know what to say but then something came up. "Did you try the key you gave me?"
"No," Riri opened her eyes and said, "Bring it, Kai." Kai went to his room to bring it. Riri just couldn't wait. She was about to get up and go to him when Kai came back. He held out the key. Riri grabbed it and pushed it inside the keyhole and turned it. There was a snap inside the box. They looked at each other in curiosity and excitement. Riri tried opening the lid- it opened.
The lid was connected to the box with a hinge at its back. Inside the box, there was the same spiral design as outside. The design in the inner side of the lid was in such a way that there was space left in the middle of the box. In that space, there was the word 'Glasial' in a beautiful, spirally fond. Inside the box, there were loose papers and beyblade attack rings and cores.
Kai noticed the lid and asked, "What's Glasial?" Riri pressed her finger on the word and said, "My mother's last name was Glasial. She didn't take my father's last name for herself. She had always been Dayna Glasial. It was once a part of my name too, Riri Glasial Katsuko."
"Oh." Kai noticed that she wasn't even talking to him. It was as if she said it to herself. Riri picked up a loose paper and read it. It was a letter written by Cora for Riri. It was the only one that Cora had written for her, everything else was by Dayna.
Dear Riri,
How have you been? I'm sure when you'll read this I will be gone. Take comfort in knowing, heaven is really good so don't worry (assuming I'll go in heaven, lol). Riri, You've always been my own daughter, just like Naomi, and it is true in a way as Dayna and I are sisters it makes you my daughter in some way. After I am gone, please take care of Naomi. Make sure both of you keep up nicely. I love you both a lot. There's a secret you are supposed to know. When Dayna died her dead body was never found. We believe that happened because the car burnt for more than twelve hours. You were too young at the time so it was never told you. Our death was necessary to end the curse, darling. We all have to make sacrifices that give us a little push from time to time. And remember, my child, do not blame yourself for any of this, it is not your fault, it never was. Nothing is permanent in life and eternity loves the creations of times.
Cora Katsuko
Riri smiled nostalgically. Her eyes turn blue. Kai laid his head on her shoulder. Through the time she was reading the letter, she didn't even realize that Kai had sat next to her. Kai watched her as she took out another letter. This one was from Dayna. It wasn't a touching letter like Cora's but it had the information of the attack rings and cores in the box. There was just one sentence in the end that showed that a mother had written it for her daughter, saying, 'I love you, My Frozen Lily.' It was just a sentence that made Riri smile. Kai looked at the letter. It somehow reminded him of his mother, the mother he never saw. He had only once seen her picture he found in the cellar of his grandfather's manor. He knew his mother was alive but he was never allowed to see her. What he remembered of her mother was that she worked for their company. She had bluish-black hair and Amethyst eyes like his. She was kind and always took care of everyone.
The door of the room opened and closed with a loud bang and Tyson came in huffing. Riri and Kai gave him a confused look until Naomi's yelling was heard, "TYSON GRANGER! Get back here right now!"
Riri smirked and said, "So, what have you done this time?" Tyson replied in almost whisper, "I don't know. Your sister is getting crazier day by day."
A vein popped on Riri's forehead. Kai said pointed at Tyson, "He's not wrong." Another vein popped on her forehead. She said with controlled anger and red eyes, "Elaborate."
"Look, Riri, You are giving her too much freedom," Tyson said, "You are letting her go for some science exhibition in Mumbai with just her friends. What if she gets into trouble?"
"Don't worry, Tyson," she said calmly, returning her eyes into normal silver color, "She lived almost four years alone and she is fine. She can make her own decisions." She got up and went to the door. She turned a little and said, "Moreover, she's going somewhere she feels happy. I shouldn't be the one stopping her from her happiness." Then she left.
Sianna was walking with her mother on the road. Her mother was there to visit them. Her mother was forty years old lady but had maintained her body like a teen girl. She had lavender hair that graduated down to red in the tip of her hair. She had burning red eyes. Her skin was pale showing that she had always lived in Russia's cold temperature. She was wearing an orange, high-neck, sleeveless, knee-length, bodycon dress and white jacket hung on her shoulder.
Sianna didn't look happy which showed that she disliked her mother's presence. Her mother, too, wore a cold and unfriendly look on her face and her hand was crossed behind her back. One BBA official came in front of them and recognized the woman. He formally greeted her, "It must be my honor to meet you, Love."
Her mother just gave him a serious nod and he went away. Sianna looked down as it was hard for her to digest the fact that her mother was called Love. Her mother looked at her from the corner of her eye. She sighed and turned to her daughter. She gently placed both her palm on both of her shoulders and said with a much cold tone and a Russian accent, "Eleanor Love Yotsume, that's what my name has become after I received the Love Maiden's power. I don't think it should make you feel uncomfortable."
Sianna couldn't look eye to eye with her mother in fear and said, "I know, mother." Eleanor left her shoulder and started walking again keeping her hand again behind her back. Sianna started to walk with her too. After some silent footsteps, Sianna casually asked, "So, what are you here for?"
"Classified." Eleanor had a cold personality towards her daughter. Sianna asked again casually, "And how long are you staying?"
"Classified."
"Right," Sianna said knowing that it was useless to talk about her mother's whereabouts. She smoothly changed the subject and said, "Mister Kenning allowed us to have a new member but he said that we need a member approved after she goes through the selection process. Mister Dickinson-" She was cut in between by her mother's words, "I know exactly how Luke handles his bureaucracy. It is not the reason why I came here." The word bureaucracy was said clearly by her as if she was trying to hint something.
Eleanor was having a conversation with Reo. There was discomfort in Reo's face too while he talked to her. They were on the empty dining table. Sianna had taken her sibling upstairs and the conversation was not heard by anyone. Eleanor was sitting at one end of the table while Reo was on the other end.
Eleanor started, "Reo, as you may have noticed Luke has made changes for your team's new member. Do you think you can get her to win? How is your brother's experiment on remaking her bit-beast?"
"I know she can win," Reo said calmly without showing any sign of fear, "Joh has fully remade her bit-beast and it is ready." Eleanor smirked and said, "Your uncle will be proud of him. He is just as intelligent as your uncle, isn't he?"
"He is intelligent," he looked down and his eyes were hidden by his bangs, "But he is not like our uncle." The smirk on her face was gone and it was replaced by a scowl. She further said, "As you say. So, how did the Ice Queen leave you?"
"Maybe she didn't love me. Can we not speak what happened between me and Riri?"
"Sure. But don't you think your grudge against her will fuel our plan," she said evilly. Reo looked up angrily but didn't want to argue about it. He casually changed the topic, "The only reason I am doing this is to save Shinyu from Boris's experiments on her."
"You are doing enough," Eleanor said and this time she seemed worried, "Shinyu is going to be fine." That wasn't convincing enough for Reo and he did show it. He got up from the chair which screeched as it scratched the floor, banged his fist on the table, and said in almost yell, "We are not your pawn that you send to die in the hands of Uncle Boris!"
Eleanor frowned. She didn't have anything to say now. She got up from the chair, stood straight and left. Reo let out a worried sigh.
TO BE CONTINUED...
So guys, how was it? Please, do review. Now everyone knows what Reo's motive is and he isn't fighting because of his grudge against Riri. Also, I hinted in the last chapter and this chapter who is going to be the new member of Team Frozen Dark, all you have to do is solve the puzzle until the next chapter comes up.
Many will question about Riri's whole name, so let me tell it here. Riri is written form of Lily in Japanese (It is pronounced Lili in Japanese but Riri's name is pronounced Riri only) and Glasial means Frozen in Romanian, so Riri Glasial typically means Frozen Lily. Katsuko does not mean something in particular. It shows Riri is a child of parents of different nations. Her father is Japanese and mother is Romanian.
Riri's character is inspired by a girl from an old dream I had when I was 10. I call that girl 'The girl of my dreams'. The girl I saw had Brown hair just like Riri's and was standing in the snow in front of a blue leafed tree (which is now called the tree of Melancholy). That girl had a bunch of lilies in her hand and she was really sad. In the same dream she also pointed a gun at my face and that time she wasn't crying or scared but she was rather cold. That's where Riri's concept came from.