Note – Hey, Guys! Sorry for such a late update. My laptop had some problem and its screen went blank. Well, now it is okay and luckily I didn't have to format it.

In this story, there will be Scythestone as a rare element from Regen.

Apathy

Riri was sitting on the floor of her room with a picture album and a bunch of pictures. Kai came in and sat beside, looking at the pictures. There were pictures from the Shimla Tournament and Mumbai Tournament, some pictures of training sessions, and some trip pictures. Seeing all of it, Kai asked, "What are you doing?"

"Putting the pictures in the album," she replied without looking up as she posted another picture- it was of Mariah in front of Ray's hotel room in Mumbai where Ray was shirtless. Riri looked at Kai and then looked at the picture again, and said, "Tyson took it secretly. Mariah came to meet Ray at night for a friendly conversation." Riri pointed out the word 'friendly' in a pun. Kai gave out a smile and Riri started giggling.

Suddenly, Tyson loudly called for Riri. She looked at the door and then said, "What has he done now?"

When she reached the living room, the rest of the team pointed to the television. She looked wide-eyed, in shook, it was unbelievable for her. She froze at her place. DJ Jazzman came on the screen and announced his throat out, "Bladers! Welcome to the selection process for Team Frozen Dark's fifth member. We have some new bladers here with some old members of the Indian teams."

When he moved away from the front of the camera, a big dish was seen around which many kids were ready for the match. Between all the bladers, there was Alia and... Naomi!

Everyone in the room was looking at the television. There was a sound of keys jingling and someone walking away. They didn't look that way. Tyson asked Riri without looking at her, "Riri... Why is Naomi...?" He looked at where Riri was standing and did not find her there. She was already gone. As they heard the sound of the bike buzzing, they realized that she was going for the stadium. They followed her in the SUV to the stadium but lost her in the traffic.

Riri ran from the unlighted hall to the battle arena. She jumped onto the railing and watched down the stair seats which were empty. She looked at the players, who were all defeated already. Alia had collapsed in front of the dish and it seemed she was defeated. DJ Jazzman gave a roaring announcement, "And Naomi wins! Her redesigned Apathy Taurus is magnificent and scary at the same time." Then the broadcast cut the feed and DJ Jazzman went to take Alia to the hospital. Naomi strode out of there and went to the exit. Riri went back into the hallway and climbed down the stairs hurriedly. She looked here and there when Naomi came towards her from the battle arena. She didn't even look at her older sister. She walked past her just as Riri walked past her in Shimla. Riri didn't flinch, she didn't move, she was frozen. She mumbled to her, "Why, Naomi?" Her voice echoed in the hallway and she made Naomi slow down. Naomi replied, "I'm doing just what you did, carving out my own way."

Naomi regretted what she said immediately but she didn't change it. Her words pierced through her sister's chest like a knife. She still stood frozen. Riri didn't turn to look at her, thinking it would easier to let go. Naomi started going again, showing she was apathy but deep inside she wasn't. She turned to her sister once, with wetted eyes she looked at her sister being broken. Then she turned back again and went on, knowing this is the path and destiny she chose.

Riri came out of the stadium, into the courtyard, and saw her team waiting for her. They gave her a friendly look saying it-is-okay. She didn't look at them, it was impossible for her to look in their eyes. She sat on her bike and went back.

The rest of the day, Riri spent her time under the tree of Melancholy while the rest practiced in the backyard. They knew it was better for her to be in her isolation so that she can cope up with the situation.

Under the tree of Melancholy, Riri sat with her legs stretched straight and her eyes closed. She let a memory slip in- about the time when Naomi, Cora, and Riri used to spend time together under the tree. Cora used to work on her researches while Naomi and Riri used to play around and round around the tree. Sometimes they used to surprise Cora from behind and hug her tightly.

Riri smiled sadly after remembering that. She felt cold under the shadow of the tree. She almost drifted away into a slumber when she heard the sound of chain clanking. She opened her eyes and saw a lady in front of her. It looked like she was made of ice; she had light blue hair and skin and wore a white dress that had snowflakes on it. Her arms and legs were chained and she wore a golden tiara. Her eyes were ashen black and didn't have white at all. Riri looked at her and said, "Polaris..." She gave a smile to her.

She walked closer to her as her chains clanked again, and she said, "My child, why are you dejected?" Her voice sounded so godly. Riri asked her in hatred, "Why did you curse me?" Polaris patted her head but Riri slapped her hand away. She replied, "I did not curse you, my child. You are the loved child of the goddess. You are gifted, my dear."

"Gifted?" Riri made a snorting sound and said, "I am gifted to be lonely my whole life." Polaris smiled sadly and tilted her head, and said, "You do not see what you have, do you?" She turned to the wall behind which Bladebreakers were practicing and continued, "The master of sacred beasts, they should be more like a family than any. I do not think the beast chosen for the bridge would make the wrong choice."

"They are not the wrong choice. They are great friends. Family." Riri defended her friends and deep down she accept it that they are more than friends, they are family. Polaris said noticing her feelings, "You must protect what must be protected, my child, or it will be lost to you." Riri realized what she meant but before she can say anything else, Polaris was gone. Why is she always so... different? She thought.

There was a boom behind the wall and a large tornado was formed there. Riri exhaled sharply and said, "What has he done now?" She jumped on the top of the wall and saw that Dragoon was spinning rapidly backward in the eye of the tornado. She sighed angrily and yelled at the top of her lungs, almost cracking her voice, "Oh, you insufferable little red!"

She, then, raised her hand with her two fingers pointing out and summoned something and released it on dragoon. There was a blue sigil formed under dragoon and dragoon lost its vigor. Riri jumped from above. Tyson looked at dragoon stunned as dragoon stopped spinning. He asked Riri as she passed by her, "What was that?"

"Retardation, you idiot," she slapped his forehead, "And, for what reason did you spin you beyblade backward?" He didn't answer but Kenny did, "We were trying out the new parts you gave us, the one made by your mother." Riri gave a serious look and stood in front of the dish, and said: "Spin it again."

Tyson launched his blade. It landed on the dish and went straight to the middle. Tyson summoned all his energy and commanded, "Dragoon, Turbo Tornado!" The blade started making a tornado and it grew large. Suddenly, another tornado started forming inside the one formed earlier. Riri launched a blade from the robot launcher. As the blade went in between the two tornados, it was ripped into pieces. Riri was about launch another blade but dragoon already lost its vigor and stopped spinning.

Riri gave a pleased smirk and asked Kenny, "What core and attack ring is it?" Kenny replied, "The core is Titanium and the attack ring is scythestone." Riri looked stunned and asked, "Scythestone? The Regenian element?" Kenny nodded a yes.

In the house of the Yotsume's, Alice was talking with her parents on call. Her parents were out of town for a while and right then, they were extending the time. Alice had to stay with Sianna, not that it was a problem for her, but she was missing her home and parents. They would sleep late, wake up late, eat as much as they like, and browse the internet all day, plus adding he fact, Sianna was basically a rich princess, and they would do online shopping for each other. Also, Shinyu's all-night gaming with pizza was all of the fun she could have. But after Reo came back, she was a little embarrassed to be around him, and can she not be, that guy is her crush.

"A month!?" She almost yelled at her phone, "So, you will come back after the tournament?" She was actually happy that she would spend more time with Reo only if he would pay attention to her.

In Sianna's room, she was sitting on the study table's chair and doing her homework. Reo came in from the open door. He sat on the table and said, "You are doing your summer vacation homework?" She closed her notebook and replied, "No, I completed my summer vacation homework." Reo casually said, trying to mock her, "Take some chill pill, Sia. You don't have to complete your homework right at the start of the vacation. Look at me; I won't even do my homework."

"That's because you're a dumbass," she said so calmly that is sound super funny. She got up from her seat and went to keep her notebook on the shelf. Reo was already teased, he said, "That is not a way you should talk to your brother."

"Only if my brother was not an idiot," she said without even looking at him, "Why did you accept mother's offer?" She turned to him angrily.

"I had no choice. Cause' unlike you, Sia, I care about Shinyu," he almost blamed her, "I do not want her to be Boris's experiment." Sianna replied to him with a yell, "Why do you even care? You are working as a puppet for him!"

"I am NOT their pawn!" he almost shouted at her. It hurt her. He had never shouted at her. She was about to cry. He held her in his arms and patted her head. She wiped her face on his white shirt. He apologized, "I'm sorry, sis. It was just too much for me."

He pulled her away and looked at her face, and said, "Now, don't ruin my nice white shirt or you'll have to clean it." She gave out a muffed laugh. He smiled and said, "Now that's how my baby sister is supposed to be. Always happy."

She gave out fits of laughter and said, "Just remember, I am the older one." He patted her head again and said, "You'll still be my baby sister."

TO BE CONTINUED...

So guys! How was it? Please review and read my new fic 'Black Swanne'. Stay Safe!