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Chapter 4: Playing the Right Cards


She perched on the floor with a teacup on hand with the rest of the group in the living room. She looked at her reflection at the emerald pool of tea recalling what Hilary had told her earlier.

(Flashback)

"I'm so happy that Kai came back to us!" Hilary chirped as she and Klaire washed the dishes.

"Well, from the looks of it, he's here for business. I can see it, something is definitely wrong," Klaire said handing Hilary a wet clean plate for her to dry.

Hilary sighed heavily as she took the plate from Klaire, "I knew it. It was too good to be true. Something bad is supposed to happen whenever he comes back. I wonder what it is this time."

Klaire stayed silent. Was she supposed to answer?

Hilary bit her lip, "Then he's going to leave again for school…"

"You mean nothing else happens between you two?"

"It's like a fling. Every year gets worst…" Hilary whispered. "He never talks to me anymore. The glares and the stinging silence I and the group get increases and worsen. I don't know if he even cares anymore."

They both heard a soft thud against the doorway of the kitchen. They both turned their heads at the doorway. No one was there.

Hilary instantly shrugged it off, "Boys, they must be fighting or something." She returned to her business.

Klaire kept her gaze at the floor, it was someone…a huge shadow, whoever's it was.

"I hope it won't have to do something with anyone getting hurt," Hilary raised her head up and looked at Klaire, smiling.

Klaire forced a smile on her lips.

'It just might be,' Klaire thought.

(End of Flashback)

"How long are you staying?" Hilary asked curious.

Kai paused then replied, "I don't know, strange things have been happening that forced me to flee. Black Dranzer is gone and someone is after my grandfather's will."

"Oh?" Tyson shot his head up to Kai. Klaire clenched her jaw.

"Someone broke into the abbey and went through my things. They were looking for money and a lot of my things went missing. My comb, my garbage…" Kai suddenly blushed. "Yeah that's about it.

Klaire restrained herself from giggling. They were looking for traces of DNA in his clothes; pants, shirts…you know the rest.

"Do you have any idea who did it?" Ray asked. "They have Black Dranzer, that can't be good."

"Boris…probably," Tyson scratched his head. "When was it?"

"A few days ago," he said quietly.

'Boris and that executive officer must be behind all this. It's a good thing they didn't kill him. They still must be recruiting for members, enough to outnumber the forces that my dad might send…But seven against a hundred people, that hardly seems fair,' she scowled at the floor.

"That's why, I came back," Kai said, taking a glance at Hilary. She frowned miserably at her tea.

"Hmpf!" Hilary hopped off her seat and out of her room.

"Where are you going?" Kai asked. Hilary stopped on her tracks then turned her head. She shot a death glare at him, "For a walk. A long walk!"

Worried about her safety, he called out, "I'll go with you." He placed his cup down on the table. Pissed off, Hilary said, "NO! I'm going alone."

Confused, everyone looked around, each other's faces. Klaire sat up and started walking to the kitchen, quietly.

'I have a plan,' she thought.


'I knew it! He just came back for his Black Dranzer! Ugh!' Hilary clenched her fists tight as she stomped out of the front door. 'Stupid! I thought he knew about the festival! But I guess I was wide of the mark again!'

Hilary stomped off the road with a glare in her face.


"Nice going Kai," Max crossed his arms, pouting at Kai. It can't be helped. He had to pout; Kai was being a jerk all over again and upsetting Hilary.

"What did I do?" Kai was in deep denial. He turned his head the other direction, closing his eyes. Stubborn, he admits to nothing he's done.

"Oh nothing…you just made Hilary pissed off again!" Tyson almost pulled his hair off his head.

"You haven't been around lately. Boy, that girl is one serious headache, literally," Ray said pointing at Daichi's big swelling bump on his head.

Kai's crimson eyes were downcast and was deeply worried, yet stubborn, "HEY! IT'S NOT MY FAULT! I COME BACK HERE ONLY FOR BUSINESS NOT A VACATION!"

"That's just it, Kai," Klaire said, wiping her hands with a towel cloth. "You don't make time for anyone. Especially Hilary."

He sneered at her, "What do you supposed am I going to do? Who are you to tell me that?"

"Jerk," Klaire whispered, walking away.

Max grabbed the same piece of paper earlier, "KAI!" Max shoved the piece of paper at his face.


With that Klaire left the dojo and followed Hilary. She searched frantically, only to find Hilary at the park, alone. Klaire waved hello at Hilary who waved slyly back as soon as she come within eye contact. She was sitting in one of the swings in the swing set. She ran and sat next to Hilary, with a huge smile on her face as they were both facing the bright sunset through the clouds; orange, red and purple in the sky, just beckoning to be painted in a canvas.

"Do you know about the festival?" Klaire asked as shielded her eyes from the sun.

"Everyone does. There are flyers about it and in newspapers," Hilary said flatly. 'Kai didn't. What do you expect from a Russian?'

"Kai didn't," Hilary said softly as she swung herself lightly. She looked away as her ruby eyes sparkled with tears.

"What do you expect from a Russian?" Klaire laughed. Pink petals fell beside them as the wind blew gently against their bodies, letting chill down their spines and giving them goosebumps.

"I was just thinking about that!" Hilary exclaimed, shivering from the breeze.Her lips tugged into a smile, seeing Klaire have fun swinging.

"Tell me more about you," Hilary said as she pushed herself to swing. She quickly wiped her tears away.

"Well…I know self-defence, like pink and almost every other colour, perfection, oh-and I also know how to do kendo!"

"Not beyblading?" Hilary asked.

Klaire paused then lied, "Nope, I can't see anything. I think it takes some real talent to see bitbeasts!" She swung to a halt and caught one of the falling petals.

"You seem so happy about that," Hilary cocked her head in confusion. Some people would go hysterical like she did when she couldn't see anything.

"Heck, yeah," Klaire smirked. "I'm working on it."

'You are definitely weird,' Hilary thought to herself.

"You know…we should do something about the guys. I mean we could switch places for the festival and let's see what their reaction will be when they find out; they were hanging around the wrong girl. And that would be moi," Klaire explained her plan.

"That's a stupid idea," Hilary frowned at Klaire.

"Hey, at least we'll know what they feel about us!" Klaire exclaimed.

Hilary nodded in agreement. There was something Klaire wasn't telling her. Why?


That night, Klaire sat on the desk recording her message on her answering machine. Getting ready for the big day…when anything can happen. She needed to warn him. Soon and fast and by playing the right cards, this just might work.

"Don't say anything…" she had said clearly as the machine whirred, recording her every word.

"Please do as I instruct you, Kai," Klaire said in a low voice. It was no longer a plead but an order.

"You must do everything I say that can and will help you..."


At the same time, Hilary fingered her kimono tentatively, dearly hoping that Kai will eventually ask her for the festival. It was so beautiful. It was purple with small pink cherry blossoms and gold lining on the neck. It showed off every curve she had and with the huge pink obi around the waist, she would look just stunning with her petite figure.

'Wait…what am I saying here?' Hilary sighed, 'I know he will NEVER ask me, even if I was the last girl on earth!'

She scorned at her kimono and threw it aside.

'Why is he so down on the business? Like, why can't he have fun like everyone else?' she thought. Hilary sat on the ground and curled her knees to her chin and began to cry. Those weren't the reasons why she felt such angst in her heart. She wanted him but he just seemed to throw her away like a doll whenever she tried to get close. Hilary's hope was dying and nothing right now could save it.

'STUPID BLACK DRANZER! I DO HOPE YOU GET DESTROYED!' Hilary yelled mentally, letting bitter tears out.


22 Years...

Hilary barged into their bedroom. It was 1:45 AM in the morning and everyone was asleep in the whole mansion. Kai woke up from the noise she made and the commotion she was about to start. Taking the warm comforter off his body, he sat up, meeting gaze with the terrified Hilary.

"What is it?" he asked dreamily. Hilary slowly sat beside him, her hair was tied in a loose ponytail and she wore the usual red velvet dress and slippers. She spoke with tremor in her voice,

"Gou is gone. He didn't come home and look what I found in his bathroom," Hilary held up a black hair colour powder box. It was tattered and torn…from the way it looked, it has been used by none other than, Gou. Another item was a small bottle that contained black-liquid with an eye-dropper.

'Gou dyed his eyes too?' Kai thought as he saw the second item on Hilary's small outstretched palm.

"You were in his bathroom? No, you were in his ROOM?" Kai glared at his wife in suspicion. Hilary nodded guiltily. He then smirked, "Unbelievable, Hilary Tatibana Hiwatari. Unbelievable."

Kai reached for the box and examined it closer, "Remember his favourite comic character when he was twelve?"

"Yeah, I remember saying no to dying his hair black," Hilary replied, clenching her fists.

Suddenly the phone rang in their bedroom. One ring...two rings…three rings. Kai and Hilary exchanged each other looks of worry and devastation. Who could be calling in the middle of the night? Kai reached for the phone and lifted it off its cradle.

"Hello?" he answered the phone.

"Security breached in the lab and the NEO abbey. There was an intruder; black-haired boy but I could've sworn it was Gou, but he looked different…terribly different," the head of the security spoke in a rich French accent. "We can't find him, sir."

"Just a minute, Fache," Kai took the phone away from his ear and placed a hand over the bottom of the phone. He had grown worried…Gou wasn't acting the same ever since Klaire began to train to be a spy like him and have become more powerful than Gou in beyblading with Dranzer.

Kai sighed of the thought. Gou could never understand that he will be always the dominant one between the twins and will be bring the family name. Hilary just sat with tears in her eyes, and asked gradually, "So, Kai?"

"Someone raided in the abbey and the lab," Kai replied.

"Gou knows it inside out. He could've gone in there and back…there," Hilary cried. "He's alone, Kai! Klaire doesn't know that he went back. And I know Gou! He'll never tell anyone he's there!" Kai embraced Hilary tight, letting the phone sit on his pillow.

Kai's crimson eyes were downcast, "I'm worried more about Klaire. Gou has this intention wanting to kill. I know it. I had it once…when I felt alone. I just don't understand why Gou would want to commit murder," Kai muttered quietly. He has family, friends and everything he needed.

He grabbed the phone as he still had Hilary in his arms, "Find the intruder, alive."

Before Fache could say anything, Kai placed the phone down to its cradle. Kai looked at Hilary and smoothed her wet cheek tenderly with his hand, "We have to watch the clone, Clara, closer. It'll keep us preoccupied and a watch on Klaire."

In the darkness of the night, Gou ran down the back alley of the abbey. He had barely escaped the guards. Surely, they had seen a clear image of the intruder: black spiky hair, the palest skin of white and onyx eyes when he had turned his head back as he ran through the fire exit stairwell. Idiot, he snarled to himself as he ran towards the black Audi parked on the empty parking lot of the abbey. He didn't make it in the lab when he had snuck inside the abbey. Gou had to attempt to get into the lab again.

Opening the unlocked car door, he sighed heavily. Gou couldn't go back home tonight…or ever. Settling himself and closing the door, he quickly started his car and revved away, to another place his parents knew nothing about.

"I will get you, Sakura," Gou muttered grimly as he sped off the road before the guards could see him or the car. Gou had to play his cards right, he can't screw up.

"Just wait."


End of Chapter 4

Gaze: Sakura is someone! Please read and review…! To let you know, Gou is an under-aged driver but no one seems to know that back there.