The Dranon Heiress

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade

A/N: Well, so the nineteenth chapter is under way. WARNING: this is going to be SAP. Almost entirely Kai/Chika based (thank you very much, you may stop giggling now, Naoko!) and really sappy.

So, hope you enjoy this instalment of 'The Dranon Heiress'

---- Chapter Nineteen ----

Chika walked down the street, hands in her pockets and head down. Two days left until she had to go - there was some regret that she never really felt before. The gravity of the situation had hit her just after Kai's outburst. Leaving Japan meant leaving the college, Mr Dickenson, who had taken care of her and a secure, safe environment without having to fear for her own life. Leaving Japan also meant leaving HIM.

"The only secret I've kept from you is that I like you!"

"I - I like you too."

But did she like him enough to risk everything? Returning his feelings meant turning her back on her father, her family, her heritage and even her own bit-beast. Dranon meant everything to her and to lose it would mean a part of her would be ripped away. But she couldn't imagine a life without ever seeing HIM again.

"Why can't we be like normal people?" He had once demanded. "Why is it so wrong for the two of us when there are so many other people together? It's a normal thing!"

"Because we AREN'T normal, Kai," she shot back. "We've never been normal."

"So, just because we aren't like normal people, we don't deserve the right to do what we want? What kind of a life is that? If you can give me five reasons why we don't deserve what normal people have and I'll leave you alone forever!"

He had her stuck on that. She just looked at him, anguished and upset, until he stopped glaring. The brief argument had occurred only hours after their confession. She hadn't felt as much like a child as she had felt that day. An overwhelming urge to both prove him wrong and yet let him convince her that he was right consumed her. Her heart beat painfully fast, like their first encounter in the library's restricted section.

The look they shared was intense; she could almost feel the air between them boil. She felt her cheeks warm considerably at the proximity of their positions. At that point in time, she decided that being backed up against a wall while he was standing so close was NOT a good idea. He probably wasn't feeling much different, except that he hid it better than she would ever. Just because she wasn't easily impressed didn't mean she had very good control over her emotions. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that she was waiting for Rika, something would have really happened between them.

"I feel like I'm going crazy," he said finally. A defeated sigh followed. "All this for a girl who doesn't even return my feelings the way I wanted. I've even gone to lengths which killed off whatever is left of my reputation to get you to see what I feel."

"And I think you ARE crazy," she replied in a sudden burst of anger.

"Don't -" he interrupted, before she could ramble on. " - I don't want to argue right now."

"I'm not going to start an argument!"

"Oh yeah, and an ant eats more than Takao."

--------

Halfway across the city was the guy she had been thinking about. And, in a weird twist of fate, he seemed to be preoccupied with thoughts of her.

Hitawari Kai sighed. He had let himself lose control of his usual emotions just because a girl happened to turn up in the college and just HAPPENED to be treated even worse than him by family and just HAPPENED to be so goddamn attractive. In a cold, stand-offish way though. But then she had warmed up considerably and her personality was now near unrecognisable.

Every time he saw her angry, or upset, he had to fight the urge to comfort her. He didn't know much about comforting, except that it was supposed to make the person being comforted feel better. Unfortunately, it seemed that the normal methods of comforting didn't work very effectively on Chika Dranon. Of course, he could have been doing it wrong. If he did, he wouldn't have been surprised. He, Hitawari Kai, comforting a girl?

Just that thought was enough to make Kai want to find the nearest hole and crawl into it, hopefully forgotten, then curl up and die of embarrassment.

Fate worked in strange ways, as Kai soon found out. Every time he wanted to stop thinking about her, something always turned up to remind him. As in, something always happened to stop him stop thinking about her. Like just then, when he was trying to finish off an essay on the history of the weight disk, but knocked the radio off his desk and it turned on, to start playing a rather old song on a rather neglected channel.

"What the hell is WRONG with me?" He muttered, bending down to pick the radio up.

"Welcome to today's broadcast of 'Lover's Concerto'," the smooth male voice said silkily, from the radio. "I am your host, Dean, and today we will be focusing on songs that send messages we are too afraid to say aloud."

His hand stopped mid-way from picking up the radio. Messages? He had already gotten over the stage of messages - having delivered his in the worst way possible. But messages they were too afraid to say aloud? There was something in his mind he had not wanted to tell anyone about. Something to do with the girl who he was convinced was a devil reincarnate.

"Our first caller," the host, Dean, purred. "Tell us the song you wish to dedicate."

"This is for my ex-boyfriend," a female voice announced. "I have to go overseas to study soon and I won't be back for years and I've already told him that we'd have to break up. I want you to play 'Autumn Goodbye' for him."

"Thank you for that call," Dean replied. "This is 'Autumn Goodbye', by Britney Spears."

At the sound of the name 'Britney Spears', Kai was convinced to turn it off. He had never really liked the western pop princess and besides, didn't he have an essay to write? He picked up the radio quickly and straightened on his chair. Moving to switch it off, Kai froze when the song began to play.

'I never promised you a happy ending

You never said you wouldn't make me cry

But summer love will keep us warm long after

Our autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye.'

--------

//Thinking of you and the love of our lives in the sweet summertime

So sad but true, we must leave it behind it our hearts in our minds

From April through September, bittersweet was the love that we shared

Don't forget I'll remember//

Chika moved to turn off the radio on her cell phone. It was only a song anyway, nothing important. But why, if it wasn't important, did she feel like she was about to start crying? Why did she feel that this song had a particular meaning?

//I never promised you a happy ending

You never said you wouldn't make me cry

But summer love will keep us warm long after

Our autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye//

She decided against turning it off. Instead, she spun on her heel and raced off in the opposite direction to where she had been going. There was something she needed to do before she went and if she didn't do it, she knew that, when she went back to England, she would regret it. Her heart raced as she sped up so that she was a faint blur amongst all the other people on the street.

//I never promised you a happy ending

You never said you wouldn't make me cry

But summer love will keep us warm long after

Our autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye//

--------

He watched the radio on the desk, transfixed. The song kept playing and he had long since decided that turning it off was not an option at the moment. It was strange, the reason why he was reluctant to turn it off. He thought the song actually fitted the situation he was in - holy hell, did he just compare his life to a goddamn song? What was the world coming to?

//Memories can fade but my heart has a place for the smile on your face

And maybe some day we can be more than friends, love will find us again

Red leaves and blue tomorrows, time will give back the love that we shared

On the time that we borrowed//

Footsteps sounded through the hallway outside his room. Kai looked up, mildly surprised and annoyed, when the door burst open. The feeling drained away when he saw just who had appeared in the doorway, slightly out of breath and looking exhausted. He scrambled to his feet, off the desk chair, in time to not be surprised by the swift movement that landed him in her arms. He stood there, shocked, for a second, before he realised what was going on.

"I'm really, really sorry," she whispered. "I really do like you."

"Chika . . .."

//I never promised you a happy ending

You never said you wouldn't make me cry

But summer love will keep us warm long after

Our autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye, autumn goodbye//

--------

"This is Mystique, sir."

"Your report?"

A slight pause and the sound of a breath being drawn.

"She won't let me get within two metres of her. I am watching her from a great distance every day. She has changed sir and it seems she has fallen in love with him. At the moment, they don't pose an immediate threat, but if any other changes take place - if their feelings deepen - "

"I know what will happen."

The voice was irritable and sharp.

"I will arrive tomorrow morning. Tell no one of my movements. If anything happens - take immediate action. You do not have to answer to her, only to me, and I give you permission to take necessary procedures to ensure her safety."

Another pause.

"Yes sir."

--------

How long they stood in the middle of his room, neither could tell. But they didn't really care anyway. All they noticed was that they were together and trying to heal the pain inflicted on them because of their sad fate. That was, if fate even existed. She buried her face into his shoulder and near choked him to death with her hold.

"I'm sorry I -" she started, voice muffled.

"No big deal," he cut in quickly, finding his own voice. "You don't have to apologise."

"But I -"

"I said," he interrupted again, sounding a little annoyed, "no big deal."

She pulled away a little, looking at her feet and a faint blush staining her cheeks. He just stood there, not knowing exactly what to do. They were both lost in a situation like this. Apologies had been said and accepted, sense had been knocked into their numbed minds and now they didn't know what to do.

"This feeling sucks," she said finally. Her voice came out in a croak. "I hate not knowing what to do. It doesn't feel right. This feeling really, really sucks -"

He startled her with a kiss, leaving her slightly breathless. When he pulled away, she was speechless, but the blush on her cheeks definitely went darker.

"Good," he said firmly. "Now you can be quiet and stop rambling."

"That's just wonderful," she said dryly. "I wasn't expecting that."

"I didn't think you were supposed to."

She moved to hit him lightly - lightly being on her terms, which wouldn't have been very light on his - but ended up still blushing when he grabbed her hand to stop her. He didn't let go. They stood there again, silent, the awkward feeling building up between them, until she couldn't stand it any more and jumped back, away from him.

//Can you hear it in my voice?

Was it something I let slip?

Does the whole world know?

Isn't it obvious?//

//I'm the one who's in control . . .

Now I'm acting like a fool . . .

Do my feelings show? Is my face aglow?

Isn't it obvious?//

She avoided his eyes in a way that, if she had been a normal girl, guys would have called modest. Of course, technically there was nothing modest about a fifteen-year-old Beyblader who was the captain of a team called 'Deadly Terror' and who killed people by making their hearts implode, but that still would have been the term used. The radio was playing a different song now, one they both didn't recognise.

//That I don't know what I'm doing any more?

I'm feeling like a little girl

Caught up in emotions . . . I'm out of control

Isn't it obvious?//

//Do you see my hands? They tremble . . .

Wonder why I can't look you in the eyes?

Don't know how long I can keep this inside . . .

Isn't it obvious?//

//That I don't know what I'm doing any more

I'm feeling like a little girl

Caught up in emotions . . . I'm out of control

Isn't it obvious?//

What was it with the world? Or, more specifically, with the radio station? It always played the songs that fitted their emotions the most. It must have been a cruel twist of fate, or just the plain irony of life. Kai could have cursed the DJ into oblivion, if that was possible - and if his own actions weren't already embarrassing him. And did he REALLY just kiss her?

//Suddenly these emotions are in control of my heart . . .

Can you see it in my eyes?

Every glance, every smile must give me away

And I feel so much, I can't hide//

//That I don't know what I'm doing any more

I'm feeling like a little girl

Caught up in emotions . . . I'm out of control

Isn't it obvious?//

She looked up at him, face still flushed darkly, before ducking her head again. Mumbling a quick excuse, which sounded something like 'I've got to go kill a certain radio DJ', Chika raced out the door at top speed. That left Kai, still standing there with the blasted radio playing its mechanical heart out as if nothing happened, wondering if that really happened.

--------

The next morning, Kai felt strangely - different. What it was, he had absolutely no idea, but it certainly had something to do with yesterday. He had finished off his essay at last, which wasn't exactly a big deal, and he had also -

"Bloody hell," he whispered, sitting up. "Did that really happen?"

He remembered she had come here, exhausted, as if she had run the full length of the city just to get there. Then he remembered feeling annoyed at her continuous apologies and just wanting her to be QUIET and yet also enjoying the feeling of being so close to her. Finally, remembered the single, most important thing so far.

He had KISSED her.

"If Takao ever found out about this . . ." he moaned quietly, rubbing his temples.

"Found out about what?"

Kai looked up to the sound of the door being closed. Standing in the shadows, leaning against the back of the door, was a tall silhouette. It was too lean to be Takao himself and so Kai had to settle for the worst. Only one person could be that tall, lean and stand in the shadows. He put down his hands and glared at the person.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Nothing really," the person replied lightly, coming forward. Green eyes flashed. "I saw what you did yesterday. In fact, I know what's going on between the two of you."

"So?"

Kai swung his legs over the side of his bed and stood up, only to be punched straight in the face as soon as he did. Catching himself before he fell, Kai stood up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Kaika was seething.

"I TOLD you to stay away from her," he whispered in a deadly voice.

"Is that any of your business?"

"She's MINE!"

"She doesn't belong to anyone."

WHAM!

Another punch. Kaika had him by the collar of his shirt and he looked ready to murder. Kai just looked at him indifferently, anger suppressed by a cold, flat look. It wasn't worth fighting him, after all, Kai had more sense than that.

"Let me remind you, Hitawari," Kaika hissed. "Chika Dranon has been betrothed to ME by her father. She's too much in his control to disobey him on this matter. Count Dranon chose ME - do you think he'll really let his daughter be with someone who doesn't have power to rival his? You don't stand a chance against me."

"That may be so," Kai replied coldly. "But let me remind YOU, Woodrow, that she won't give herself to you willingly. That bastard of a father of hers may have chosen you, but we both know she's chosen ME. Do you understand that?"

"F*** you!"

--------

The door opened slightly, just enough to let a fairly slim person through. A quiet figure slipped into the dark room and the door clicked shut. A pause. Then, after making sure that no one had been alerted, the figure moved swiftly and silently across the room, past several beds and towards the one near the window.

A sharp intake of breath was heard as the person reached it.

"Kai . . . I can't believe this . . ."

Hitawari Kai was lying on the infirmary bed, bruised and beaten up badly. He had bandages all around his chest and side. There was also a thin layer of bandages on his forehead, though not covering his closed eyelids. Chika eased herself onto the edge of the bed and took his hand in both hers. His eyes opened.

"Chika."

"Hey," she murmured. "Sorry I couldn't come earlier. Rika was watching me like a hawk today. So how are you feeling?"

"Fine," he lied, looking at her. He winced. "Actually, I feel rotten. My side kills, my head kills, I think I might have broken a rib -"

"I get your point," she said, amusement trickling into her quiet voice.

"Thank you for coming though," he added. "I think I feel a little better."

She was careful not to move around so much to accidentally bump him. Her emotions were in turmoil. First, she was furious. Kaika had done many idiotically dangerous things in his lifetime, but she had never really felt like killing him as she did now. Secondly, she felt as if her heart was aching. Kai could have died and she would have lost him. Thirdly, she was just so ANNOYED. Rika and her stupid obedience.

"I hope I'm not bothering you."

"You're not," Kai assured her. Then he managed a short laugh. "It's funny. We're both probably the most uncaring people in the world when it comes to others, and yet look at us both now. What do we call this?"

"Lots of things," she replied. "Degradation, insanity provoked by insane emotions, losing our heads, shameless, unwitting victims to our own darker sides -"

Being in love, they both added silently. When she realised what had just gone through her brain, Chika flushed yet again and turned away. He shifted slightly and a groan escaped through his gritted teeth. She seemed to jerk out of her trance and moved to help him.

"I'm fine," he said, teeth still clenched.

"Well, I'm not too sure about that." Her eyebrows were raised. "I think I'll stay here a bit longer, just to make sure you don't kill yourself."

"I won't."

"And pigs fly."

"Well, houses can, why can't pigs?"

"What?"

He looked at her expressionlessly, as if he had just said the most obvious thing in the world. She returned his look with one that clearly thought that he had grown two heads.

"Houses -" he repeated slowly. "House flies."

"That was stupid."

"I know."

She smiled and let go of his hand. Then she walked off for a moment, returning with a chair, which she set down next to his bed and sat down. He realised that she was seriously going to sit down next to him and watch. As a safety precaution, or just because she wanted his company, Kai really couldn't tell. But when she leaned over and kissed him lightly, he didn't really care.

"You were serious."

"Yeah, I was," she agreed, pulling away to sit back down again. "Now, if you really want me to go away, you'll have to either knock yourself unconscious, or fall asleep."

"I think I'll fall asleep."

---- End of Chapter Nineteen ----

A/N: OH MY GOD, WAS THAT SAP???

OMG, I wrote a sappy thing! You happy, Naoko? YOU HAPPY NOW??? You made me write something so sickly sweet, I AM sick now! EEW!!!

Ok, over reaction there. Sorry. Anyways, the first song was indeed Autumn Goodbye by Britney Spears and the second song was - I seriously dunno. I just saw it on Lomelindi's Digimon fic 'The Gem of Oracles' and I liked it.

If anyone knows what it is, you HAVE to tell me!

REVIEW!

Bittersweet Angel Chika