Emptiness

By: Black Dranzer

".." speaking and thinking

---------- Scene Change

--flashback sequences—

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. I only own any of the characters that you haven't seen in the original Beyblade series.

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In the last chapter of Emptiness:

(("So Boris wasn't lying," the man replied with a husky voice, "She really is gone,"

Then, without warning, the man punched the wall with a fist, surprising the butler who was still standing behind the two.

"I-I'm sorry," he said as he tried to calm down, "I just can't believe that she-"he cut himself off and the two hung their heads in gloom.

Kai, being the first to snap out of the misery, asked what had been building up in his chest ever since the man had started talking, "Who are you? How did you know my father? And Anna? And..Boris?" He had to pause when saying his formal trainer's name; it didn't bring back good memories.

"I-My name is Kyle," the man said and looked bitterly at Kai, "I could tell you more, but now is not the time, nor place,"))

(("Battle Form Ceased,"

Zenborg's Beyblade stopped attacking and spun on the spot.

Kai watched as the girl stand above him, but couldn't move as the pain was overwhelming.

"You will feel the pain my mother suffered, ten-fold," Kazuki whispered into Kai's ear as she leaned down and prepared to strike him with her flute-dagger and deliver the fatal blow.))

(("Get off of me Tala!" Kazuki growled as the red-haired boy grabbed her wrists.

That was when Kai noticed that the red-haired Demolition Boy was there too. He watched as the two struggled for control.

"Continue Zenborg!" Kazuki commanded, "Engage Battle Form!"

"Don't risk it!" Tala growled back, "Boris will be furious! Not that he won't be for what you've already did."

"I don't care!" Kazuki shouted, "Let me finish what I've started! I may never get another chance again!"))

(("You've got weird friends," Jackie commented, as she picked up her beyblade up and put into the deep folds in her dress.

"Like he said, he's not a friend," Kai muttered bitterly as more blood spilled out of the cuts on his arms and legs. The red reminded him of something he had seen earlier.

Had he imagined Jackie's Beyblade? But that particular deep red..only one person he knew had that colored Beyblade.

Changer.))

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Chapter TwentyFive: Corollary

"Not a friend? Then why did he just save your life?" Jackie asked. She prayed that Kai didn't see her Beyblade.

"He has his reasons," Kai replied. He didn't want to talk about Tala. It would lead to the Demolition Boys, and BIOVOLT, and..his past. Besides that, there was also their past.

"Let's go back then," Jackie suggested. She wanted to ask further, but she felt that Kai didn't want to answer any questions at the moment, his wounds seemed to be quite deep.

Kai suddenly remembered the stranger Kyle. Did he know of the girl? And why was Tala there? Does that mean that the girl was part of BIOVOLT? Most probably since she was Boris' daughter. And probably why she had wanted him dead; other than the fact that he had accidentally caused her mother's death.

When the two reached the front door, Jackie helped her companion through as he winced from the loss of blood.

"You sure you can make it yourself?" she asked, worried.

"I'm going to be fine," Kai insisted and pushed Jackie away before heading up towards his personal bathroom.

"That's the thanks I get for saving your butt for the second time," Jackie muttered darkly.

"What?" Kai asked. There is definitely something about Jackie that's suspicious.

"N-nothing," Jackie stuttered and avoided Kai's glare.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Kai suddenly said and took something out of his pocket.

It was a small package wrapped neatly in blue wrapping paper. He threw the package to a surprised Jackie and turned around.

"Happy Birthday," he said and started to limp away.

"It's kind of late," Jackie said to his retreating form, "Stupid Kai,"

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"Back so soon?" Boris thought as he saw the private jet plane that had carried Kazuki to Scotland fly into BIOVOLT's personal runway.

Through the window, he sighted the four Demolition Boys. Looking closer, he saw that Tala was carrying his daughter. He waited patiently in his office until a knock came at the door.

"Enter," he called.

As he expected, it was the boys who entered.

"What is it?" he asked, eyeing Kazuki.

Tala seemed to be debating whether to put Kazuki down or just hold her until he was told. He decided to hold her.

"There was a..accident, last night," Tala said, choosing his words carefully.

"Accident?" Boris asked, a glint of suspicion entering his voice, "Are you saying you followed the others without permission?"

There was a slight silence for a moment before Spencer spoke up, "We have just told him of the occurrences."

"That is acceptable, though why have you returned so soon?" Boris finally inquired.

"Yes, it seems that Kazuki feels..badly, towards one of the Bladebreakers," Tala answered, avoiding Boris' eyes. He knew that he shouldn't be answering the questions himself, as it wasn't supposed to be him who was to watch over Kazuki, but he had to risk the chance.

"Which one?" Boris asked, though the boys could sense a tone of knowing in the man's voice.

"Kai," Tala replied. He expected Boris to ask further, but to his relief, Boris just smirked and said, "Put her in her room and leave her there, I will see to her punishment,"

"Punishment?" Tala questioned.

"Yes," Boris said matter-of-factly, "she has disobeyed my instructions by exposing herself to the Bladebreakers,"

"But.." Tala couldn't say anything else; he knew that if he said that Kazuki had tried to kill Kai, she would be worse off than before.

"I am already being very lenient not killing her on the spot for putting the abbey and my plans in jeopardy. I suggest you leave right now and follow orders or the punishment will be doubled," Boris smiled maliciously and motioned for the boys to leave.

Tala could only obey and carried Kazuki into her room.

The other three boys remained silent.

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"What happened?" Ian finally managed to ask.

Tala gave him a look and nodded towards the camera in the corner of the room.

Ian understood and closed his mouth. He knew that if Tala didn't want Boris to know, I would be bad indeed.

"Let's go," Tala said and left the girl on her bed.

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Lying in his bed, a blue-haired boy had bandages wrapped around the wounds he had received from a sharp Beyblade.

Kai kept having images popping into his head.

A woman with shoulder-length black hair.

Anna.

A man in the shadows that looked like an older replica of him.

His father.

And the face of a stranger, Kyle.

As he thought of him, Kai noticed that he looked a lot like Anna.

The same silvery black eyes. The same black hair. The same friendly face..even though the man seemed sullen.

Thinking of Kyle made Kai take out the piece of paper he had given him.

It read:

Swan Lake Hotel, Room 249.

"Might as well listen to what he has to say," Kai muttered and turned onto his side on his bed.

Closing his eyes, he went into a restless slumber wincing at the pains below the bandages.

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"She tried to KILL HIM?!" Ian asked out loud.

The four boys were in their dorm and Tala was telling them the details of what had happened, though somewhat reluctantly. When Ian's outburst came like he had predicted, Tala nodded.

"I suppose she didn't have the courtesy to tell you why?" Bryan asked.

"True enough," Tala muttered, "But I don't think Boris will be pleased to hear any of this," he continued and gave the other three boys a meaningful look.

"We shall keep silent," Spencer said. Ian nodded.

Bryan, sitting on his own bed just turned and pulled his covers over himself.

Tala remained staring at Bryan's back a few more moments before he got up and silently turned off the lights to the room.

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"Where are you going?" Jackie asked, crossing her arms as she stood in front of Kai.

"None of your business," he growled. The boy had intended to visit Kyle the first thing that morning.

"But your bandages.." Jackie said, eyeing the white strips of cloth.

"I'm fine," Kai said.

"Oh really?" Jackie asked and walked up to him.

Carefully, she unwrapped one of the bandages around his arm.

Under the bandage was a large cut that seemed to have stopped bleeding, but it was still bruised from his attempt to escape further injury.

Kai winced as she touched the scar.

"See?" she said and rewrapped the bandage.

"Leave me alone," Kai said and attempted to pass Jackie.

"Nuh uh." Jackie said tutting, "You're not going anywhere in that condition,"

"And why should I listen to you?" Kai shot back.

"As your hostess, I am saying that you, the guest, must heal fully before leaving this house," Jackie said and led him over to a sofa.

Kai tried to restrain, but his scars were tormenting him.

"Whatever," Kai said and decided to leave the stranger be until he has fully recovered from his wounds.

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Kazuki's eyes snapped open. She sat up in bed and looked around.

"My room?" she asked. Putting a hand to her head, she remembered the events last night.

"Tala," she hissed. She had trusted him, but he betrayed her. Though there was a part of her that believed that he had done the right thing.

A knock at the door made her jump.

"Yes?" she asked as she opened the door.

Standing in the doorway was an abbey worker.

"Master Boris has asked that you accompany him for breakfast," he said in his flat voice and, looking at his watch, said, "he will be in the master dining room at 8 o'clock."

"Tell him I will be there," Kazuki replied.

The worker nodded and left.

"Breakfast with father.." she thought with a sigh, "I haven't had breakfast with him for four years,"

She went over to her closet and picked out a new outfit. Putting on her black t-shirt with deep green pants and a gray jacket, she visited her dresser to pick up her comb.

As she stared at the wooden tool, she thought back to the night Tala had helped her comb her hair. It seemed to have been years ago. With all her strength, she threw the comb at her window, only to hear it bouncing off the iron bars placed there. With a frustrated growl, she picked it up and threw it in the closet, slamming the mirrored doors closed with a bang.

As she looked in the mirror, she saw the formation of tears on her eyes. This shocked her more than she imagined as she quickly wiped the drops away before they could fall.

"I can't cry over something like this," she said angrily to herself, "It isn't like he meant anything to me," Though she knew her lies were in vain.

Trying to regain her composure, she straightened up, made sure no traces of the tears could be found and left through the door.

--To be continued