Hows that? Two chapters because I've taken so long... Hope you forgive me... puppy dog eyes

Disclaimer: Dont own beyblades

Chapter Fifteen : Eyes Opened Wide

It was dark outside but he couldn't sleep. Everything that had been said to him over the last couple of weeks was finally dawning on him. How bad had Adyndryl become since Boris and Voltaire had taken over. Taxes rising, no trade, it didn't sound promising. Which was why he had to leave. He couldn't stay here, in a huge palace, while his kingdom needed him. He had to leave, without Tala and Brian. Without the group. He had to do this himself.

As he put up his wings, he climbed onto the top of the banister, ready to fly down to the gates. As he readied himself to jump he heard a soft voice behind him.

"You aren't leaving are you?" He turned around and faced lilac eyes. Serenity looked heartbroken, eyes almost gleaming with tears. "You can't. Atleast not by yourself. If you have not been there yet, then you have a big job ahead of you. You could get hurt, you could get- "

Kai put his wings away quickly and rushed over to cover her mouth, "Look. I can't just leave Adyndryl in Boris and Voltaires hands. They will destroy it... Whats left of it." Kai sighed, "I'm their Prince, the next in line to the throne. I am the rightful heir to the kingdom. So it's my duty to look after the kingdom. And that's what I'm going to do."

Serenity shook her head, grabbed his hand off her mouth, and spoke softly. "Please, don't. I don't want you to get yourself hurt. You don't really know how bad it is, or how impossible it will be to do it alone. Boris and Voltaire have the loyalty of the Shadow Crawlers on their side. Adyndryl has changed. More than you realise. No light shines; there is no happiness, but their hope for you is still there. Because, deep down, they all know that you are alive, and are waiting for you to come back."

"Which is why I have to leave. Why I have to help them."

"No. No you don't. That is why you must stay here and work out a plan. If they lose you, all hope for them is gone. And hope is something they can't lose, otherwise, what else is there to live for?" She looked up to him, pleading for his people, "Please. Please, Kai. Stay, even for one more night, just to work out a plan. You can't do it by yourself. Please, stay."

Kai didn't know what to do. He wanted to go and help his people, but he knew that she was right. He couldn't do it on his own, but he wanted to. Looking ino Serenity's eyes he saw tears beginning to surface. He sighed and put his arms around her in comfort, Serenity burying her face into Kai. He felt awkward, having not comforted someone like this since, well, ever. The abbey hadn't been a place of comfort, and guys hugging guys? Encouragement was what they used instead.

He lifted her face to face his and wiped away her tears. "Why are you crying? I only met you today. And you don't want me to leave?"

"It's just that, I've seen Adyndryl. I've seen the chaos and destruction. I don't want them to lose hope. Besides, " She wiped away new tears which had fallen and smiled, "Can't I help out one of my brothers friends? Especially considering he is the Prince."

"I guess… But how are you helping me by keeping me away from my kingdom?"

"Look. Kai, it is your choice wether you go there unprepared and outnumbered, but by giving you the circumstances and choices…" She looked away and sighed, "I know how I would feel if it was my kingdom. And I know, although I wouldn't want anything to happen to them, I would wait for my chance. I would wait for the perfect oppurtunity for the circumstance I would be in."

"Circumstance?"

"You. All you have is yourself and your friends. You have no army, no guards and not merely enough weaponry for what you need to do. Kai, you need to wait for your circumstances to get better, to be able to help out their circumstance."

Kai growled and looked away, "How would you know. You're just a kid."

She pulled from his arms, eyebrows creasing into a frown. As she spoke her voice was low but strong in determination, "I am no child. I am fourteen years of age, and with the way you have been acting I would reconsider who you think is actually the child here.

"You are fourteen? You can't be, you're so… young. You just... How?"

"Well, we were born in the same year."

"You know what I mean. How could you look so young?" Kai looked her up and down and gave a short, unsure, laugh, "You can't be. What is it. Are you making an illusion over yourself, so that people see what you want them to see when you're really- "

"The fact that you would even suggest this offends me. How dare you-"

Kai quickly placed a firm hand back over her mouth looking around to see if anyone had heard them, "I was joking. Just- Be quiet, okay?"

Serenity had her eyes narrowed at him, glaring in more frustration than anger, "I would just like to know how you will supposedly destroy both Boris and Voltaire and get past all the Shadow Crawlers at the same time. They may be stupid, but they do know how to fight."

"One person can easily slip in, but a whole army? I don't want to start a war. If Boris and Voltaire do have the Shadow Crawlers under his control, then destroying their leadership, would create confusion. They wouldn't know what to do and would retreat. Thus order will be returned."

She looked sceptically at him, "Oh really.

Kai growled at her and walked towards the window, "I didn't say I would do it all in one night. I want to go to Adyndryl to see the ruins for myself. Okay? It will take me less than a week. Just... keep your mouth shut, and I'll be back before you know it."

"You want me to lie to everyone?"

Kai turned around and raised an eyebrow, "I didn't tell you to say anything, just keep your mouth shut... If you can."

She went to retort but Kai had already spread his wings, a glorious crimson flooding into the room, and swooped out of the window, out of the palace, and out of sight.

Tala stormed into the dining room, face crossed with a mixture of worry and frustration, "So you haven't seen Kai at all? No one has?"

"I didn't say that. I said maybe. Well, yes, but-"

Enrique looked frustrated at her and sighed, "Look, just tell us, Serenity."

"It is difficult to say."

"How! Serenity, say it. Where is he?"

Serenity knew how bad Kai had treated her last night, but something in her mind told her to look at it from his point of view. His kingdom was quickly falling into ruins and she knew she wouldn't have just sat back to watch. He had his mind set, so the least she could do was by him time. Even if it meant that in that time he could get himself into danger. Serenity sighed and looked down. "I told him not to. But he wouldn't listen to me."

Tala stepped forward, the worry increasing, "Where has he gone?"

"To the Neko-jin Village. He said he was going to see if he could get any help, a re-evaluation of the Alliance. Then he said he would return to discuss it with mother."

Tala jumped at her answer looking towards Brian, "We have to go after him. You get supplies; I'll pack our things." He started stalking out of the room muttering to himself, "I can't believe he would do this to us."

"No!" Both stopped abruptly and looked to Serenity and frowned, "I mean, you don't know how far away he is, or you might miss him. You could go right pass him, or even worse, get lost. He knows his way. He has supplies and everything he needs. He should be fine, hopefully."

"Hopefully isn't good enough for me, Princess. And what did you do. See him leave, or wave him off as you handed him all the supplies he needed?"

"I didn't, I told you, I didn't want him to leave any more than you did, but he went anyway. He said he had to do it alone though. He couldn't with you two."

"Why couldn't he?" Tala ran a hand through his hair as he paced in annoyance and horror. He couldn't lose his Prince, "Pah! Forget it. Brian we're going. We're finding our Prince."

"Please, just have breakfast first. Then go. You can not leave on an empty stomach."

Brian gave Serenity a glare and simply walked out of the room for his answer. Tala shook his head and followed, looking behind him at the group, "We can't Princess. It's just like that. We're going after him."

Dun Dun Daaaah... Ooo... I wonder whats going to happen... Review please!