by Shadou-sama
Chapter 11 - The Countdown Begins: One Month
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.
Kai walked into his grandfather's elaborate home office. What the hell did Voltaire want from him? Did he know that Kai had snuck into his office to go through his files? It had been a waste of time 'cause apparently his grandfather didn't have any files there.
Voltaire stood proud and grim behind his desk. Kai sat down opposite to him.
"Do you realize just how disturbed your friend is?" Voltaire started out by asking.
Kai kept silent. There was only one friend he had who had any connection to this warlord, and only one friend was… okay, so maybe more than one friend was disturbed. But still, he knew his grandfather was talking about Shadra.
"You couldn't believe how much," Voltaire continued. "Doesn't care about her friends, her family, her dead mother… All she care's about is pleasing me."
"Perverted old man," Kai mumbled, but Voltaire still heard it.
"I am not some pedophile, grandson, you most definitely know what I mean."
"So why are you telling me this?" Kai asked. "To see my expression, beat me mentally, brag."
"I'm telling you because you have the power to make it stop."
Eh?
"We'll release her from our program at your say so," Voltaire said. "But there's a price."
"What is it?"
"You take her place."
Kai stayed silent. So all of this was just so he would join his grandfather's little team. Shadra wasn't the only one who was disturbed.
"You'll save your friend, and, under Biovolt's training program, you'll become the best. You'll become perfect."
Enrique lied on his back, staring up at his bedroom's ceiling. His father had finally moved out that morning. The house was quiet for once. No screaming, no yelling, no breaking objects. He only wished this could last.
The phone rang on his night stand. He automatically picked the receiver up, tossed it into the air, then caught it with his other hand and held it up to his ear.
"Yo?" he greeted.
"Enrique."
"Carly. What's up?" She still sounded distraught, which sent a pang into his stomach. He had been more worried about his parents' divorce than her parent's death.
"Before the funeral, something happened and I didn't think it was appropriate to tell you at-at…"
"Yeah?" Enrique sort of interrupted, trying to get her mind off the event. He had gone to the funeral, he had liked her stepmother, and so had Mariah (though he was sure some convincing had happened), Rei, Oliver and even Kai.
"Dad and Shadra got into a fight before. He said that if she didn't quit her team, she'd have to move out of the house."
"She didn't… did she?"
"Yeah."
"Yeah she did or yeah she didn't?"
"Yeah she did."
Enrique took a moment to process the information. Shadra had changed so much… He hadn't even seen her at her only living-Er, her last living blood relative's funeral. Her own mother.
"We don't know where she is. She didn't even bother. Just packed up a few things and left."
"Uh Carly, can I call you back? I should pass this down the grapevine and all. But as soon as I am I promise to call you back!"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Thanks."
"What!" Mariah shrieked. Enrique winced. She had been the first name to come to her mind, since Mariah felt she and Shadra were archenemies. He had no idea what Shadra thought about this.
"She moved out of her house when her stepfather told her to quit the team."
"I know what you said. Could you excuse me? I have to tell my inside informant."
Enrique sweat dropped. "Yeah, and I have to call Carly back."
They hung up on each other.
Mariah immediately dialed Kai's number. She leaned back against her wall, listening to the dial tone. After twenty-eight rings, she hang up. If that guy was so rich, why couldn't he afford to have an answering machine? She'd just have to try again later.
There was a ringing in the background, Kai thought. He ignored it. His grandfather was waiting for an answer. Eventually it stops ringing.
"So what is your final response?" Voltaire asked.
Easy access to the files, a voice in his head said. He was sure it wasn't his own, because it sounded kind of high for his voice. Shadra can go free. But, what if—Moron, just say yes!
"Yes," Kai said.
Kai grew increasingly uncomfortable and regretful as Voltaire's grin developed into some twisted satanic object. Mariah definitely owed him one.
"So aren't you going to ask how the date went?" Miriam asked. She was sitting across from Kenny in a both at Gary's family's restaurant. They had just ordered and so far, they had only talked about school.
"How did it go?" he asked.
"Great!" Miriam exclaimed, drawing on the attention of the rest of the restaurant's attention and many loud shushes. She continued quieter. "Plus, I convinced Emily's crowd to go so she was there and saw the whole thing. She's probably sitting at home crying about it. So gimme, gimme, gimme."
He pulled out a copy of his Physics notes and handed it to her. Smiling, she slid it into her bag.
"Pleasure doing business with you!" More shushes and a few wary glances.
Shadra was training in the weight room alone. The three boys had gone to run on the track. She'd stayed behind because she still wanted to work her lower back.
Boris walked up to her on the machine. She glared up at him, then sat up straight on the machine, stopping the exercise.
"There has been a change in plans," Boris said.
"What kind of change, sir?" she asked, wary.
"You will not be battling with Black Dranzer."
"What!"
"We decided that our new member would be more appropriate for the bit-beast."
She stood up and swung her leg over so that she was standing beside the weight machine. "Who?"
"I believe you know him."
"Who?" she demanded, her voice louder.
Boris tensed; ready to move incase she tried something stupid. "Kai Hiwatari."
"What?"
"Our sponsor's grandson and a better beyblader than you. The team can benefit more if a skilled blader used Black Dranzer."
She growled. Of course, it would be Hiwatari. He always figured out someway to screw her. But if he thought she'd just roll over, well, he better not underestimate her.
The next day, Monday, Kai came for the morning practice. The four boys were changing into their workout clothes, the three Russian boys ignoring Kai and vice versus.
A few minutes later, Shadra walked into the room and went to her locker, giving the cold shoulder to Kai. She hadn't even asked why he was there. He looked at her. She wasn't clearing out her locker but changing! He looked away. No reason he should watch her change. But what gives?
They would've told her yesterday if she were cut. Keyword: if. Apparently, his grandfather hadn't held up his side of the bargain.
But Kai could still make it work. He was in the base. He was in the loop. He'd find out what was wrong with her.
Tyson, Max and Rei waited diligently in the beyblade training room at their school for their captain. Practice had been supposed to start a half hour ago, so that they could get a full hour's training in before school started.
"And he complains about me being late?" Tyson said, groaning, and leaning back on the bench. "He seems to need that lecture more than me!"
"No, you still need it more than he does," Max said. "Otherwise, we'd never get you up in the morning."
"Maybe he's sick," Rei said. "Mariah said she couldn't get a hold of him yesterday."
"Like the sourpuss ever gets sick," Tyson grumbled under his breath.
"It kinda gets you down how bad Shadra's become," Max said. "Once a happy go lucky kid, then…"
"Don't worry Max. If you ever get that way, I'll shoot you," Rei said.
Tyson had jumped up, and was stomping a tiny imaginary Kai while he grumbled, "Get up, Tyson! It's only two in the morning, Tyson! Stop eating, Tyson! You're as big as a blimp, Tyson! Why can't you be mean and emotionless and suck the fun out of everything, Tyson!"
"Aww, thanks Rei," Max said.
"No problem."
"But won't you get caught?"
"I'll make it look like a suicide."
Tyson reduced to just yelling, "Die, evil boy, die!" as he stomped his captain to smithereens.
The door to the training room clanged loudly as it shut. All three boys looked up expecting to see their sort of beloved captain, but it was only their sort of beloved teacher supervisor, Mr. Dickinson, who was also the school principal.
The old man looked grim as he walked to where the three boys were. He leaned on his cane, his old age starting to appear, and his other hand clutched his hat in his hand held above his chest.
"What's up, Mr. D?" Tyson asked. Rei and Max stood up to stand on either side of their friend.
"I have some bad news, boys," Mr. Dickinson said. "It's about Kai."
The boys gasped, waiting anxiously for the news.
"This morning I received a call from Mr. Boris, the teacher advisor for the Demolition Boys. He informed me that he had sent the proper forms to the IHS Beyblade headquarters, filing for the transfer of Kai to his team."
"They can't do that!" Tyson exclaimed.
"What do they need Kai for? They already have four members!" Rei added.
"Mr. Boris can, with the consent of Kai, which apparently Kai had willingly given."
"No way," Tyson said. The other two boys were speechless.
"We have until the Finals' registration to find a fourth member," Mr. Dickinson informed them. "Which will be tricky because it is only a month away."
"There's no good beybladers left! Except for the blader that the Demolition Boys kicked off, which will probably won't be," Rei said.
"This is so not fair," Tyson said, punching the air.
"I know, but we have no choice. Otherwise, we'll forfeit."
"Kai…" Rei whispered. "You stupid bugger."
To be continued...
