Shugorei
Chapter Two
by Shadou-sama

People just assumed that Ka-Shoku could neither love nor hate. That was true. But that didn't mean she couldn't like or dislike. She liked sitting in the shade on a hot day and eating the beef the chiefs so expertly prepared. She disliked wool and cold iron. And there was something else too. Oh yeah, having to trudge five hundred miles in the pouring rain and muddy roads. She passed a town sign. Now only four hundred and ninety-nine miles to go.

"Why do we need a new teammate?" Max asked. The Bladebreakers were talking to Mr. Dickinson, who had just finished up congratulating their win against the Majestics and had moved on to telling them this new news.
"We can win the World Championships by ourselves!" Tyson added.
"She's more of a – incase. You may need her help, you might not. But it's better that she's there and you not need her than if she isn't and you do." Mr. Dickinson explained.
"But why now?" Ray asked. "Why not before on of the other tournaments?"
"That's a good question," Mr. Dickinson mulled it over. "And the answer is that I only err—met my associate a short time ago. We both agreed to give this new beyblader a chance, and this is the soonest we could arrange it."
"What do you think, Kai?" Kenny asked.
Said beyblader just shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me because I don't need her help."
"You might find her interesting," Mr. Dickinson prophesized. "I think you all will."
"Does she have a bit-beast?" Max asked.
"I do believe she does. A very powerful dragon called Dryu," he answered.
"So when will we meet her?" Ray inquired.
"At your hotel in Russia. That's where I asked her to go. She may be a little late, she's coming in from Japan," Mr. Dickinson explained.
"And what's her name?" Ray asked.
"Did I forget to tell you? Very sorry. It's Ka-Shoku. I'm told she has a bit of a err—personality problem," he looked pointedly at Kai, who was leaning back on the wall, eyes closed and uncaring, "but I daresay you'll be able to handle it."

Ka-Shoku walked up to a building in Tokyo. She was totally soaked and her clothing was mostly covered in mud. She slipped. Now she was totally covered in mud. Definitely not up to the standards of this wealthy part of the city.
Just inside the lobby, she shook herself much like a dog. Mud and water flew onto the furniture. She gently squeezed the rain out of her ponytail.
"Eh-hem," a person coughed pointedly. Ka-Shoku's head shot straight up. A trim woman was standing behind a receptionist's desk, looking more then a little peeved that the once clean room was now flecked with muddy water. A small piece of mud had hit her in the cheek. "Is there anything I can help you with? Or would you just like to roll around on the floor for a bit?"
"Yes," Ka-Shoku replied, ignoring the woman's rudeness. "I'm here to see Mr. Dickinson."
"I'm sorry," she said, not sounding sorry at all, "but he is out of the country currently. Anything else?"
"He's not here?" ("That's what I said," the woman muttered.) "But I was told to come here to meet him." All that walking in the rain for nothing.
"Oh, are you Miss Ka-Shoku," the woman asked.
"Yes."
"He left a letter for you." She pulled out a white envelope with the BBA logo on it from somewhere behind her desk. She practically flung the thing at Ka-Shoku when she took a step forward, trying to avoid more of the lobby being mudified.
Ka-Shoku ripped open the envelope.

'Dear Ka-Shoku,
'I hope you had a pleasant time getting here ("If I was a duck," she muttered.). I'm deeply sorry that I couldn't meet you at my office, but urgent business came up in Europe. Please head over to Russia, the hotel address is on the card.
Mr. Dickinson'

A cream-colored business card fell out of the envelope. She absent-mindedly picked it up. Russia. She had to get to Russia. But she couldn't walk; there was a huge ocean between the two nations. Unless she was a duck. She would have to fly, meaning she'd have to get a fan. She had foolishly left hers at the Bathhouse.
Ka-Shoku left the building, grateful that the rain had stopped. She was oblivious to the other piece of paper that had fallen out of the envelope. The receptionist picked it up.
"A plane ticket to Russia," she murmured. "Serves her right! Getting my nice clean lobby all filthy." She walked away to retrieve a janitor to clean it up.

To be continued...