yugiohfreak: thanks for reviewing! yeah, Kai's cold, but that's why we all love him. :)

BlUeMeCuRy: lol, don't we all wish that! But there's plenty of imagination to go round, ne?

Here ya go everyone, chapter three!

Chapter Three: Eyes of Fire and Hearts of Ice

She was running. She didn't know where she was going, but hell, Chris didn't care. Scrambled thoughts and mixed emotions were flying around her head, buzzing and yelling and screaming at her as she stumbled along the pedestrian road beside the shoreline.

What is wrong with him! She cried silently. Why isn't he like he used to be? I just wanted to be with him, like we used to, but why doesn't he let me? And why…why am I running? Why am I crying so hard?

…who am I kidding! All my hopes have been set on this cup this year, I've wanted it since I was small, and I have never achieved it. Kai promised. He said he'd help me with my blading skills and that's what I've been subconsciously banking on all these nine years. And now…now he's just broken it. What hope do I have now of winning this damn tournament? Why don't I just give it all up and-

WHAM.

Chris went sprawling, multi-coloured stars exploding in front of her eyes as the back of her head hit the ground.

"Watch it!" she yelled furiously, rubbing her head.

"I'm sorry, that was my fault."

The girl cracked her eyes open. The fire in their crimson depths cooled down and a blush spread itself delicately over her cheeks as she found herself staring into a pair of very clear, very bright blue eyes, gazing at her from under ginger bangs. The owner of the eyes had extended a hand and was offering to help her up. In a daze, Chris took it and pulled herself to her feet, avoiding the gaze of the boy she had bumped into.

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm…fine…I wasn't looking…" she mumbled, almost inaudibly.

"You sure?"

She couldn't help but to look up. There was real concern in that voice – something that hadn't been directed at her for years, and made the core of her very feminine heart glow with flattered shyness.

Almost immediately, she wished she hadn't. The teen she had run into was among one of the…cutest (she hated quoting Courtney, but there wasn't many other words to describe him) guys she had ever seen.

"Where are you heading?" he asked. Chris hesitated.

"Back to Keriya, I guess." She sighed briefly.

"Really?" the ginger-haired boy smiled. "I am too. My name's Brooklyn. Mind if I walk with you?"

"No." she wished she didn't sound so off-hand – but then, she couldn't sound too eager either. The two walked on in silence for a while longer, before Brooklyn broke the silence.

"I don't want to be rude," he said hesitantly, "but I noticed you were…upset when you crashed into me. Can I ask what's wrong?"

Again, the bluenette paused.

"It's just…" she sighed. "Someone hurt me."

"Who?" those clear blue eyes flashed.

Chris smiled blandly.

"You wouldn't know. And I don't mean physically."

"In which way then?"

The girl shrugged, half-embarrassed.

"Oh, you know…the easiest way to hurt a girl is through her heart."

"Oh." Brooklyn said, directing an extremely charming lop-sided smile at her. "That way." He fell silent again, as if pondering something. "But why would anyone want to hurt you?"

Chris flushed pink once again. Why did he have this effect on her?

"I don't know," she said honestly. "He has his reasons."

"A boyfriend?"

"No, no!" Chris cut in hastily. "Nowhere near. Just a friend."

"Uh-huh." There was a teasing edge to his voice now.

"Really!" the girl found herself grinning a little. They had reached Keriya, and she led him through the reception area. Just as they picked up the keys and turned to go down the corridor, Chris saw the person coming towards them. Brooklyn noticed the sudden change in her body language immediately, and he swung around. He stiffened.

"What are you doing here?" Kai asked bluntly, amiable as ever.

"I was about to ask the same question." Brooklyn returned coldly.

"You're both here for the tournament?" The bluenette looked at the ginger-haired teen, refusing to look Kai in the eye.

"It certainly seems so." Brooklyn forced a stiff smile onto his face.

Kai's auburn eyes slid briefly to the girl at Brooklyn's side. Chris ignored him pointedly, walking up the corridor.

"This way, Brooklyn," she said airily over her shoulder.

"If you'll excuse me," the blue-eyed boy smirked, a taunting look on his face. He made as if to brush past, but Kai stopped him.

"One wrong move with her, Kingston." He muttered. "Just one."

"I seem to recall you were the one who hurt her." The teen replied calmly. "Twice."

And he went after Chris.

"This is your room," the girl pushed the door open. "Mine's just around the corner at the end of the corridor."

"Good to know," Brooklyn smiled, all coldness gone. "What's happening tomorrow?"

"Lessons until 1pm, and after that, it's free beyblading time." She ran a hand through her blue bangs. "I can't take you around at that point, because I have a team to train."

"A team?" an admiring looked glowed in those ocean blue eyes.

"Yeah." Chris said proudly. "I'm captain of A1, top team in Keriya."

"Oh really?" Brooklyn murmured, still looking at her in an admiring way. "Impressive. I must check your skills out sometime."

"I'd love to," the girl laughed. "But now I have to go."

She went out of the door.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" The ginger-haired boy called after her.

"Definitely." Came the answer. Brooklyn shut the door with a smirk on his face - the kind of smirk that would have made Chris instantly suspicious had she seen it. He had that blue-haired girl under his thumb. He crossed to the window and looked out at the dusk falling over the academy grounds. It was lucky for him she was so upset when he met her, because he had a feeling she wouldn't have fallen for him otherwise. And the fact that she liked him over Kai at that moment was crucial to his plan. Brooklyn chuckled softly – not a pleasant sound. That Phoenix Cup was as good as his. However, it wasn't exactly the cup he was after.

Oh no.

It was the prize that was awarded to the champion of the tournament.

The most powerful bitbeast of all time.

Black Dranzer.

Kai went to bed early that night, but he spent a while staring listlessly at the ceiling, fingers latched behind his head. He couldn't forget that look she had given him that time in the gym. Though Kai had grown to be cold and distant, the one thing he didn't do often was disappointing people, whether it was because he respected them or hated them. And that had to be the one obvious expression on Chris's face when she looked at him, didn't it? Why was she disappointed anyway? Kai almost snorted to himself in the darkness. Almost. He really should stop lying to himself. It wasn't as if that promise hadn't haunted him all these nine years. But Kai wasn't here to fulfil that vow. No. He had one clear target in mind, and he would get it; he didn't care got in the way. It was their problem. Now that Brooklyn was here, he'd have to watch his back; but no matter. Black Dranzer was rightfully his.

His auburn eyes glazed over as he thought about Black Dranzer. He remembered the raw power coursing through him when he had disobediently tried it out when he had been young. It ran like fire through his veins, made him feel invulnerable; invincible; indestructible. That taste of power had made him hungry for more – and that craving was the core for his coldness. At an early age, Kai had learned that in order to achieve his goals, he had to prioritise. And at the moment, Chris was at the bottom of his priorities.

Well, there ya go. Bit of a boring chapter I'm afraid, but it'll get a bit more interesting (hopefully) when I stop writing at 2 o'clock in the morning, ne? Please r&r!