It's Just For Fun, Right?
by Shadou-sama
Chapter 10 - Darkness Enshroud

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

Kai woke up early Saturday morning. A chill went down his spine. Something evil was here. Something satanic. Something so black that even hell wouldn't accept it.

Or it could be his grandfather was standing in the front hall with his luggage. But then again, those two ideas were the one and same.


"Oh, good morning sir," Boris said, shocked at Voltaire's appearance at the training base. Voltaire never visited, especially in the morning.

"Where's the two experiments?" Voltaire asked, not even greeting the purple-haired man.

"Training, sir. Would you like to watch them?" Boris asked.

Voltaire nodded, his motion stiff and grim.

"Experiment #C90003768 is the closest." The two men walked down the hallways. As they went, Boris told his employer the improvements the experiment had made since the last progress report.

"Just three days ago, its mother died. Yet, it hasn't even asked to cut down training or took any time to mourn. It seems almost like nobody told it about its mother."

"Interesting."

"In just a short time partnered with Black Dranzer, there has been a significant improvement in both power and skill. But so far, it has only been tested against bey-bot beyblades."

They stopped in the lab overlooking the giant beydish. The computer was humming, starting its launching sequence. Boris and Voltaire stepped up to the window to see the female figure standing in launching position.

"It looks scrawny," Voltaire commented.

"Don't be fooled by outer appearances. Her strength has increased four fold," Boris said, closing his eyes and slightly grinning.

"I thought you were going to give Black Dranzer to Kai," Voltaire said as the girl and the rifle launchers launched together.

"There is still time to bring him to our side," Boris said. "He will get the bit-beast then. But for now, it is a invaluable to Shadra's progress."

"Shadra… As in Shadra Stephens?" Voltaire asked.

"Yes sir."

"I've heard my grandson mention that name once."

"Well, sir, they were friends."

"Are they still on good terms?"

"Well enough… Are you planning something, sir?"

"She may be our ticket to getting Kai."

They watched silently as the black beyblade stormed around the dish, destroying anything that came even close to it. All of its opponents were smashed to pieces, and the dark phoenix returned to its blader's hand.

"With your grandson as it's master… well, the show will be much more impressive, sir."


Shadra jogged home. Boris had ordered her to go home, that she had been training non-stop till nightfall. She would've continued anyway except their corporate sponsor had been there, and rebel team members weren't good on the checkbook. She could use the time to read that stupid English book Ms. Chan had assigned them and insisted she read. Even Boris couldn't get her around it.

At least it seemed semi-interesting. A girl, who wants to be a warrior but couldn't fight worth a darn. Plus she was a girl. Then this House did some magic so she could fight better than anybody, but only because she vowed to obey their commands. And, of course, they're evil and use her to try and kill the prince or something like that. Pasha, like anything like that would happen in real life. That's why they call it fantasy.

She went into her room and climbed onto her bed with the book in her hand. Soon she was halfway through. Her reading speed had quadrupled in the past few months.

"Shadra, are you almost ready?" Dick called from outside her room. He slid the knot of his tie up.

"For what?" the answer was.

He frowned. How could she have forgotten? "Your mother's funeral."

Silence. Then, "Not going."

"WHAT?" he opened the door. His stepdaughter was looking up at a book, dressed in her now usual black and gray.

"Not going," she repeated, still reading that book.

"Why not?"

"Practice," Shadra said.

"You're missing your own mother's funeral for some stupid game!" Dick yelled, slamming his fist down on her desk.

Shadra just keep on reading that blasted book. He grabbed it from her, throwing it at the door.

"As of now, you are officially off that team!"

This got her attention. She sat up facing him and glared at him. Her eyes, they were so different. Red and cold. How could he have not noticed till now?

"No."

That was all she said in defense. But she sounded authoritative, and unswayable. Carly was watching from the door.

"Oh yes you are if you want to live under my roof!"

"Fine."

"Now get ready for the funeral," he snarled.

"No. It was fine, I'm leaving," she said as she got up and grabbed a duffel bag from under her bed. She grabbed a few clothes out of her closet (all black and gray).

"Don't be ridiculous. You have nowhere else to go!"

"I do." She grabbed her face paints off her desk and her spare launcher. She pushed past her stepfather and her stepsister, leaving the household for good.

Dick watched out the window, a small figure with a duffel bag walking in the snowfall.


"I'm coming, I'm coming," Boris growled under his breath. He bet it was Voltaire. The old man just left, for crying out loud! He started to understand why it was good that Voltaire never came. The old man questioned everything he did and wouldn't leave.

He hesitated at the door. Maybe he could just turn around. Voltaire would never know. Boris could say that he was down in the training facilities and hadn't heard. And it was locked because Boris was sure that Voltaire hadn't wanted to come back so soon.

He sighed. He had to. So, he opened it.

A huge gust came in, snow flying everywhere in the foyer. Great, now he was freezing and covered in berg. Plus, he had one unwanted…

It wasn't Voltaire. Shadra stood there, looking up at him stonily from beneath her bangs. She couldn't want anymore training, it was physically dangerous and he couldn't risk the experiment like that. Wait—A bag stuffed full of something?

He grinned. This made up for everything the old man had put him through. He stepped away to allow Shadra entrance to her new home.

To be continued...