That night was tough. Nightmares of Kai or Black Dragoon being taken away from me haunted me all night. The morning came to soon in my opinion. I found myself waking up without Kai and missed his warmth. It was only when I got up did I realize I was wearing an old pair of trousers and a jacket. (Kai's trousers season one and BBA jacket.) I was not on the couch where I went to sleep in the first place but on Kai's bed. I pictured him picking me up when he woke and placing me on his bed. My dress I found to be on the end of Kai's bed laid out ready to be worn.

Then I heard the sound of a beyblade. I looked out the window to see Kai training hard as usual. He was so great to watch in the fresh fallen snow of the morning. If he loved me as much as blading then our relationship would work. But I know I could never replace his love for the sport, but then again I too loved it very much. But it was more than that. 'To live in pain or die in love.' Who the hell can make that decision? I could hand over my beyblade easy, but if anyone asked me for the bit beast over Kai then that would be the decision I would have to make. 'Not that I would have to make it…I hope.'

It was just then I noticed the time and remembered what day it was. The stable head was going to kill me! I found notepaper and an envelope on Kai's desk. I looked from my dress to the clothes I was wearing to make a split second decision. I just hoped he wouldn't mind too much, after all, I had no time to get home a change.

KAI

I thought about last night and looked at the yang around my neck. I thought she would take the black half. But what she said made sense; yang is masculine, yin if feminine. I didn't know she thought about things like that. She was after all a real tomboy at first glance, but sometimes she becomes a lady when she wants to be. She looked even more like a tomboy when she put my old clothes on last night. I wondered if she was awake as I slowly came up the stairs. I found an empty room with an envelope on my desk.

'I've gone to work. Sorry I didn't say goodbye but I had to run…literally. (I smiled at the image of her running out the house in my old clothes.) I'm afraid I'll have to do the stable work in your clothes…can you imagine me trying to work in a dress? (Yes.) I promise they'll be clean when you get them back. Later.'

Later, huh, she always had such a way with words. She must've been in such a hurry as to leave her dress behind without caring. 'P.S I'll pick my dress up tonight.'

Maybe I'll drop in on her…later.

EBONY

Like always the work was hard but the money more than made up for it. They let me ride Shadow at the end of each day because no one else would. He stayed in the pasture beside the riding school when I wasn't there. I had finished my chores and was riding him around the pasture when I noticed a brilliant gray of the purest white chasing after me. I looked behind me to see Kai coming after Shadow and I.

I slowed my pace and he matched it beside me. I looked at his clothes I was wearing and frowned. They were covered in bits of hay and mud. "Are you auditioning for the part of a scarecrow?" He asked me. "Oh ha, ha." I said dryly and he smirked in reply. "You should be grateful that I let you borrow them."

"Yes master, I am very grateful." I said sarcastically. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked and I suddenly realized what a cow I was being towards him. "It's been a long day and I didn't get much sleep." Was the only explanation I could come up with at the moment. But secretly I was thinking about the choice I hoped never to make.

"I know, you were tossing and turning half the night." He sighed. "Sorry if I woke you."

KAI

I knew there was something wrong. However, she didn't run away this time, which was ok by me. But that's what's worrying me, normally she would run like she was being chased by something. She was distant again but I decided to leave well alone until she was ready to talk. "Your dress is in my car. You want a lift home?" She nodded with the same distant look in her eyes. It was as though the words didn't quite sink in but she knew what was going on.

She followed me back to my car narrowly missing a passing car behind her. "Wake up!" I yelled and she came back to reality with a bump…she bumped in to me. "Oh…eh…heh heh."

"Are you ok?" I asked but he just looked away. Something was definitely up but she still wasn't saying anything. I kept a close eye on Ebony ready to stop her if she decided to take flight. We don't talk a lot together but even a few words would be passed now and then.

EBONY

'To live in pain or die in love?' I kept running these words through my head again and again. How could I tell Kai about this? He knew my connection and it didn't help matters that Kai's grandfather would give his false teeth (I don't know if he does so bare with me on this) to have someone like me. A chill went down my spine as to a reason why his grandfather would suddenly change his mind.

At that moment Kai slammed on the breaks and did a three sixty out of the country road. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I yelled. "I WAS ABOUT TO ASK YOU THE SAME THING!" I stared at his angry face and moved away from him. He really is frightening when he's mad so I decided to confess my thoughts. "Do you think Voltaire found out about my secret with Black Dragoon?" I said rather quickly resulting in Kai needing a moment to process the information that I had just given him in less than a second. He restarted the car and slowly drove back to my house. He seemed to be chewing on my words very carefully. Now he was being quiet with a very distant look on his face.

When we finally arrived he was still looking ahead in a daydream. I didn't know what to do so I kissed him. It brought him back to reality in a snap and he put his arms around me. We parted and I looked in to his eyes. "What makes you say that?" He finally said and I told him everything about last night. "Is that the big thing I was missing out on last night?" I nodded to his question kicking myself that I didn't tell him sooner. "To live in pain or die in love."

"Huh?"

"That's what it'll come to if someone like Voltaire tries to acquire my bit. I'll live in pain because I'll be taken away from you. But if I make the decision to release my bit then I'll die in love." He held me closer with my head on his chest listening to his heartbeat quicken. "It'll never come to that."

"I hope you right." I sighed with two tears leaving my eyes.

KAI

I felt something warm and wet on my chest. Ebony must've really been worried about this to make her cry. I held her tight as the silent tears gently left her eyes slowly rolling down her face. She was like a helpless child and I hoped never to see her like this again.

My chest started to dry as did her eyes and we parted. Her eyes were white whereas her cheeks were slightly pink. I think she was embarrassed about crying like that. "Goodbye Kai, and thanks." I watched her go inside before driving back home.

I kept running Ebony's words through my head again and again. My dinner with Voltaire was tough. It took a lot of self-discipline for me not to ask him why he gave Ebony his blessing. She said something about him asking her not to tell me so I said nothing.

I was about to leave when he spoke instead. "I've heard a little rumour about Miss. Hokinowa." I froze with my heart pounding in my ears. "Apparently…" He paused to take a sip of tea. It only took a few seconds, but what comes after that little pause could change everything. "…she is to come in to a lot of money by her next birthday in a few months." I felt like breathing a sigh of relief but knew I had to keep my face neutral. "Oh?"

"Her uncle was an inventor for Mr. Dickinson at some point. Apparently he was the one that first invented something called a gear for beyblade cores. Then there was a tragic accident and the money he left to Ebony instead of her parents." I looked at him and he looked back as though waiting for me to ask the question one of high standards would usually ask. (Puke! I know how Kai feels.) But why I should have to ask such a stupid thing was beyond me. I sighed on the inside and asked the stupidest of questions. "How much?"

"£50, 000, 000." My eyes opened wide. I may be rich but that is still quite a sum. "I thought you would be interested as am I. The fact that you both love each other is an added bonus."

"Meaning?" I could see where this was going before he even opened his mouth. "You two should marry and soon if possible." I wondered where this was going but listened on. "If you get Miss. Hokinowa pregnant before marriage then it would dishonour our family." What family? I've wanted to say that for a long time but knew I would pay for it. "Yes it would." I said on my way out thinking carefully about our words.