The Dranon Heiress

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

A/N: just this chapter, plus two more and this is FINISHED! I've been pretty dedicated to this story, wouldn't you say? And don't kill me for the ending; because I'll put up a sequel later on and it's going to be tragic . . . yes, tragic. I'm a tragedy/angst/romance writer. Anyway, so Kai and Chika have confessed their feelings for each other . . .

---- Chapter Eighteen ----

"So . . ."

"Yeah . . ."

She turned away again, flushing even darker than before. Her eyes were a normal, sapphire blue again, only that it was tinged with a dark purple shade he had never seen before. From where he was standing, Kai could have almost sworn she was embarrassed. But because he was almost no different, he couldn't really say anything about it.

"It's out then," he managed to choke.

"Yeah, it's out in the open," she agreed, in a voice barely over a whisper. "Who'd have thought the two of us would -"

"Well strange things have happened since the start," he pointed out.

Another very tense pause. Finally, she sighed.

"It's hard to believe that it's the end."

"Pardon?"

"The end," she repeated. "I'm leaving in five days and we'll both lead normal lives again."

"So there's really no other way?"

She shook her head and his heart sank. Of course there was no other way for them. It wasn't destined anyway, anyone could tell by the number of times they had been interrupted when they finally found some time alone. They both knew it.

"I made a mistake, coming to Japan," she said suddenly. "Nothing's gone right since I left England. Perhaps this was all just a mistake. We're wrong about our feelings."

"All I know is that I really, really like you," he replied stubbornly. "If I'm wrong about that, then the whole concept of the democratic system is wrong. Feelings aren't a mistake, that's what I've learnt, and that's what's made the Bladebreakers so strong a team."

"It's also what destroyed me."

Her eyes turned to the packing she was meant to do. In her frenzy to find the diary, she had thrown most of them back out again. That meant she had to start over, in hope of actually finishing before her father arrived. Two months had gone by so quickly. She threw the diary into the bottom of the closest case and began to fold the clothes again. A hand grabbed hers and yanked it away.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Stop packing," he ordered, still clutching her hands. "I'm talking to you."

"Let me go!"

He didn't and he also knew that she wouldn't throw him like she had done Yatashima all those months ago. And she didn't. He shook her painfully hard and finally she broke away and slapped him across the face. Several seconds passed, without either of them doing anything, the action sinking into both of their minds. She was breathing heavily.

"If you're done being an idiot," she ground out. "I have a lot of packing to do."

"I'll be - somewhere else," he managed to reply.

Kai turned around abruptly and went out, leaving a very shaky and angry Chika to her messy room. The anger turned into pain and she furiously occupied herself with folding and packing to keep the oncoming show of emotion at bay.

//Damn all guys//

--------

Miyuki was standing in the middle of a deserted courtyard, somewhere on the outskirts of the extensive college grounds. She didn't know exactly what to expect, only that Naoko had 'requested her presence' at this place and at this time. She had something important to say, or do, which Miyuki needed to help her with.

//But I'm useless without my Beyblade . . . or my bit-beast//

She bit her lower lip miserably and cursed the day Naoko had heard the voices from the laboratory. The price for that was very dear - Count Dranon had taken both their Beyblades, destroyed them, and held their bit- beasts as blackmail. If they ever told anyone else about the human experiments below the mansion, it would mean their bit-beasts would be utterly destroyed - wiped off the face of the earth. It was painful to be parted from her bit-beast, but Miyuki bore it well, as long as she knew that it was unharmed.

A faint sound of motor came through the stillness. Miyuki looked up and saw a dark silhouette approaching. A helicopter. It landed several metres away from her and the sound of the motor died (A/N: too lazy to describe everything). Naoko jumped out and waved her over hurriedly.

"Naoko, what's going on?"

"Listen up, Miyuki," Naoko said excitedly. "I've found a way to get our bit-beasts back!"

"Yeah and does it involve breaking into the underground laboratory, killing any guard that comes in our way and/or killing the count and taking it by force?" Miyuki asked sarcastically.

"Don't be stupid," Naoko retorted. "Actually, I've kind of employed the Majestics from Europe to help us get them back."

Miyuki leaned forward and saw that Enrique, Oliver, Johnny and Robert were also inside the helicopter, the latter two looking thoroughly disgruntled about something. Enrique grinned and waved at her enthusiastically; Oliver managed a small smile and a half-wave, half-salute. Robert gave her a curt nod and Johnny grunted and looked out the opposite window.

"Don't worry about them," Enrique said bracingly, "they're just a bit put out that we're doing this for free. It'll pass. Hey, I'm Enrique, if you still remember me. Enrique Giancarlo."

"Michelle Katerina," Miyuki replied stiffly. "Or Kamiya Miyuki."

"Pleasure," Naoko interrupted, annoyed. "Miyuki, are you coming or not?"

"Of course I'm coming!" Miyuki cried.

--------

A dark blue Beyblade sped around the dish at lightning pace, charging into a light grey one. The core of the second Beyblade glowed bright green as the first approached. Kano Rei yelled out to his bit-beast as Dranzer charged forward and Driger swerved aside to avoid the oncoming attack.

"Remind me once again, Kai, why are we training now?"

"Because I feel like it," Kai snapped.

"Right . . ." Rei said slowly. "So, how is it between you and Dranon-san?"

"None of your business."

But Rei knew that something was wrong. Kai didn't usually train with them unless he really wanted someone or something to vent his frustration or anger out on. And he looked pissed - REALLY pissed. Lately it seemed that Chika Dranon had done a lot to anger him, besides the fact that Kai was really protective of and worried about her. His 'interest' in her and her bit-beast had definitely developed into something different.

"It's Dranon-san, isn't it?"

Kai's brow furrowed darkly and Rei was proven right. With the air of the infamous school counsellor, he sighed deeply.

"Listen, Kai, if you like her - and don't even TRY to tell me you don't -" he said warningly, when Kai opened his mouth to do exactly that, " - well then, you just have to tell her. A crush is a crush, they pass pretty quickly. But yours is more than just a crush. Tell her."

"I did," the other managed between gritted teeth.

"Then what's the problem?" Rei asked, surprised.

"She says we're wrong about our feelings and that it's not real. I just can't BELIEVE her!" Kai burst out suddenly. "I've been thinking just how obvious it really is and we both know it - hell, the whole school probably knows it by now! She just can't seem to face it. Keeps saying something about it not being right and that we'll both end up seriously hurt."

Rei decided to not mention the fact that Kai had just said more than three sentences without him having to prompt after the first two. In fact, the Chinese teen was more than willing to let him keep rambling on. He was venting feelings and also giving Rei enough information to know how to help him.

"Then she goes and throws a fit, saying that if she hadn't left England, then none of this would have happened - which is true, by the way. I'm starting to wish she had never even COME here so that we never got to know each other and she can just stay with that wretched bastard of a father of hers and marry that stupid jerk!"

"You don't," Rei interrupted quietly. "She means too much to you. You say those words aloud, but your heart feels differently. Listen to me - don't turn away, Hitawari Kai - you've only got FIVE DAYS left to fix things. You know she feels the same way about you. If you don't SHOW her just how much you care, you'll regret it when she goes."

"If I don't -" Kai nearly spluttered. "Well, EXCUSE ME for being some jerk who doesn't know how to show feelings! I've been damaging my reputation in the school to make her happy! What else do I need to show?"

"Kai . . ." Rei said warningly.

"All right, all right," Kai muttered. "And you lose, Kano."

"WHAT?!" Rei exclaimed.

It was true. Dranzer had just ran over Driger at top speed and knocked the other Beyblade clean off the dish. Kai smirked and picked up Dranzer, giving a half-wave to Rei as he left the training room. Rei grinned and picked up his own Beyblade, glad that Kai had finally gotten the message through his head.

--------

"You think you're going to get away with it, don't you?"

Kaika Woodrow was glaring at him, but Kai couldn't really care.

"Yeah, I think I am."

Kaika grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall roughly. He carried the strong smell of alcohol and looked a little haggard. Perhaps he was drunk.

"Well, you're not," Kaika breathed. "Cos she's mine, got it, punk?"

"Punk yourself," Kai retorted. "I'm not the one who goes around drinking and getting drunk just for the fun of it. Or sexually harass random women because I'm rich. Face it, Woodrow, she doesn't belong to you."

Kai shoved him away, hard, so that he fell against the opposite wall. Kaika glared at him and staggered to his feet drunkenly, looking a little green. The Japanese teen brushed himself off and walked away. Kaika threw up on the floor noisily.

"You'll regret it!" he yelled. "She'll choose me in the end! Betcha she's already turned you down as well, punk! Don't worry, I'll treat her nice - when I feel like it!"

His drunken laughter echoed and followed Kai through the hallway. He clenched his teeth and gritted his teeth, walking determinedly forwards and blocking out the sound.

//Bloody bastard//

---- End of Chapter Eighteen ----

A/N: OMG! Finished this chapter as well!

Well, I couldn't really think of anything to do as the last scene, so I just made up a drunk Kaika and threw him into it, because he really should have a bigger part than he already has. Plus, he DOES turn up in the sequel - but I'm really not gonna tell youse what he does in there! It's gonna be strange and angsty and such . . .

Anyways, REVIEW PEOPLE! It's not that hard ya know.

Bittersweet Angel Chika