Alright people, I'm back. Sort of. I'm not gonna lie, I've been struggling with my mental health, as well as some physical issues, and because of it, my motivation for some of my fics has been on the downhill slope.
So, last we left off in terms of where the tournament was, we were in Round Two with Team Rinascinta pulling off a win against Team Coastal Riders. Last we left off in subplots, Ian and Helios dug up a secret of the Konzern family on Caspian's orders.
Elements we have so far: Fire, Nature, Life, Earth, Water, Air, which means we have two left to reveal: the element of Death, and Nyx's heir. *grins* and this chapter starts that arc.
Also, Iris! Your suggestion was taken to heart, and I will be trying to dive more in depth on characters' mindsets. I generally try to, but I'll be honest: It's easier for me to do it from an outsider's POV.
Anyways. *sips coffee* Let's jump in!
"Rise and shine!"
"I'm not doing either."
Bao snorted and rolled his eyes, turning from the window to stare at the lump of blankets that made up his sister's bed. He crossed his arms, pouring as much disapproval into his tone as he could, "Of course you are. We have a panel in three hours we need to get to."
There was a muffled groan, a beat of silence, and then the blankets were thrown back as Kuro sat up. Bao just barely managed to bite back a grimace at his sister's appearance, with her black hair looking like a rat's nest, and dark circles hanging under her eyes. Her skin, normally warm in color, was pale and ashen.
"Damn," Bao swore under his breath. "Kuro…"
"I know. I look like hell," Kuro deadpanned. She crawled out of bed, stretching her arms over her head to the satisfying sound of her back cracking, "All this travelling is starting to get to me, I think. Jetlag, time differences … Starting to think signing up for this tournament was a bad idea on my part."
Can't say I disagree, Bao thought.
"But you travelled a lot between the time you left the Beylin Fist and showing up here three years ago… shouldn't you be used to it?" Bao asked.
"Yeah, but never so many countries on such a tight timeline," Kuro replied, digging through her suitcase for some clothes. While the next battle was to be held in China, the location of the battle was in Beijing… nearly a week's travel away from Beylin Temple. The Chinese team had had to book a hotel in their own country just to make it to the next round.
"I mean, c'mon. Just over a week ago we were at Beylin Temple. Before that? Africa. The stress of all this traveling, plus getting in as much training as possible between places is probably getting to me. And if we win this round, we'll only have two weeks to recover, and then we'll be off to the EU to battle them, and they've been going strong this time," Kuro finished, finding her clothes and turning to look at her brother. She crossed her own arms over her chest, "And there's the addition that we're still two members of this whole Nyx prophecy short. We're missing Death and Nyx's heir, right now, and we don't really have a clue on who those two could be."
Kuro never was one to just go with the flow, Bao realized. She liked having all the answers when she needed them, so she could plan for the worst. Having to wait until we figure out who's who is probably not doing her mental health any good.
"All that's true," Bao admitted. "But worrying about all that is not doing you any good, sis, and right now, we need to stay focused on the present. We aren't sure we'll win this battle, so why worry about facing the EU team now?"
"… I suppose you're right," Kuro sighed.
"And we can't do anything about the whole Death and Nyx's heir thing until we know who's who," Bao continued. He stepped forward, laying a hand on Kuro's shoulder and craning his head back to look up at her, "So for now, just focus on what's in front of us. And today, that's the interview panel. Okay?"
Kuro sighed again, shoulders slumping, and nodded, "Sure thing."
"Great. Now hurry up and get ready. The others are already up and ready to go, and Kenchii's choosing where we eat this morning," Bao said with a grin, and walked out of the room, not bothering to await Kuro's response.
The headaches were getting worse. Light and sound made them nearly unbearable, and all Kuro wanted to do was climb into bed, curl up, and not come out. She'd dealt with them before over the years, of course, but that didn't make them any less fun to manage. Normally, she popped a few painkillers, put on a pair of shades, and tuned out the world around her, but today…
Only two of those things were possible.
Kuro readjusted the shades she was wearing, grimacing as the Chinese DJ fired up the crowd of reporters and fans sitting in the auditorium, the noise echoing through the spacious room. She just barely resisted the urge to rub her temples, instead closing her eyes and focusing on her breathing.
"—Team Breaking Dawn!" Kuro was snapped from her reprieve at the DJ's voice, and as Bao nudged her forward. Hissing at him, she followed after him on to the stage, grimacing at the flashes of cameras and cheers that greeted them as they sat down, "And from Russia, the fearsome four, Night Risers!"
Kuro knew she should be keeping an eye on the Russian team, considering that it was, in fact, a Blader team made up of quads and an adult mechanic, Kuro couldn't find it in her to do so. Even with the knowledge that Caspian had recently paid his youngest son a visit that had briefly landed him in the hospital, all Kuro wanted to do was be done with this entire debacle.
She tuned the world around her out, crossing her arms over her chest and letting her eyes slide shut behind her glasses.
Kuro snapped back to the present as she felt someone pinch her arm. Growling, she whipped her head around—and, oh, that was a mistake, she thought as the pain in her head flared—to snap at her brother, "What?"
Bao gave her a concerned look, but Kuro's question was answered by the sound of someone clearing their throat, "Ms. Blackheart!"
Kuro sighed to herself, but turned her head towards the reporter in question, "Yes?"
"Considering that up until this point, Bella has yet to battle anyone in the tournament, are you at all concerned about what will happen tomorrow? Are you concerned you may lose?"
Kuro raised an eyebrow, "Why should it concern me if I win or lose, or what Bella is capable of? Either way, we'll find out tomorrow, and you'll have your answer, correct?"
From the other side of the stage, there was a giggle. Kuro found herself leaning forward against the table to look at who had made the noise; Bella Ranne was staring at Kuro with a sly smile and mischief in her brilliant green eyes.
"I would think you'd be a little concerned, Miss Kuro," Bella said, in a childlike tone of voice. "After all, you're not known as the Wraith for nothing, are you?"
A chill went down Kuro's spine. She uncrossed her arms, leaning against the table with her right and gripping the back of her chair with her left. Eyes narrowing behind her glasses, she ground a cool, "What. Did you just say?"
"In the Blader for Hire world!" Bella kept up that same look, that same tone, "You're known as the Wraith, aren't you? The baddest of the bad? The scariest of the scary? And the reason you got there, the reason you earned that reputation, is because you leave no stone unturned, when it comes to reconnaissance for your missions…" She frowned, "Or, you did, at least. Such a shame that someone of your renown fell far so far."
"Is that what you think I did?" Rage was pushing the pain of her headache away, "That I fell from—what, exactly? Grace? From my pedestal? I still have that name, don't I, missy?"
"But you don't have that same bite," Bella replied, tilting her head. The look in her eyes turned… fractured. Kuro's hackles rose, not unlike that of a wolf poised to jump into action at the slightest provocation, "What happened to the Blader's whose very name was whispered with reverence and fear, Miss Kuro?" She clicked her tongue, shook her head, "I've barely seen her since this tournament started, and considering I look up to her, I'm… disappointed. I would have loved to see a legend in action."
Kuro growled, low in her throat, "I left that life behind me, whelp."
"Kuro," Bao hissed under his breath, wide eyed, but Kuro held her hand up.
"Shut up," Kuro snapped at him, then instantly regretted it as Bao's mouth shut with a click.
"Ooh, there she is," Bella grinned, eyes flashing with glee. "Maybe I spoke too soon, but…" She trailed off, eyeing Kuro, "The Wraith never would have fallen to defeat to someone as weak as Ryuto Katashi."
The reminder of her loss just a couple of weeks earlier grated over Kuro's nerves like nails on chalkboard. She forced herself to keep a lid on her temper, "I'm not that person anymore, Bella. I'm not going to tear into unsuspecting Bladers just for the thrill of it."
"But don't you miss it?" Bella asked.
Kuro didn't bother asking what she was supposed to miss… she knew.
"Don't you miss people clearing the way for you just at the barest mention of your name?" Bella challenged, staring Kuro down with a serious expression, "Don't you miss the amusement, the pleasure you felt when people bowed down to you—when they realized just who they were up against?"
No, Kuro tried to tell herself, but in reality… she did. Growing up in the Beylin Fist, all she had ever wanted was to be respected. Instead, she'd been forced out, and when she'd gone looking for people who respected her skills, she'd thought she'd found it when she'd become a Blader for hire.
It had taken meeting Christina Cadelle to understand that what Kuro had wasn't respect, but fear.
It wasn't the feeling of fear she missed having, Kuro realized. But the time where she'd been naïve enough to think that fear was respect.
"—end up battling a nobody," Bella's words pulled Kuro from her thoughts. She blinked, shook herself mentally, and refocused.
"Excuse me?" Kuro asked, coldly.
Bella looked up, "You heard me."
Bella was goading her, Kuro knew it, and the sad thing was, Kuro was falling for it.
"Fine," Kuro grit out, rising to her feet. "I'll tell you what, Bella, you want to battle the Wraith so badly?" Even as she said the words, Kuro felt her mentality shift, her lips curve into a wicked, depreciating sneer, "Then consider your wish granted. This time tomorrow? You'll be begging for my mercy…" A dark chuckle rose up out of Kuro's throat, "But the thing is, you won't find it."
Bella fucking beamed, apparently excited at Kuro's words, "I won't be looking for it."
Kuro scoffed. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Kuro is the fuckin' Wraith?!"
Chris' accent really came out more when he was emotional, Christina realized. Instead of answering, though, she picked up her glass and knocked back her shot of whiskey.
"Wait, you and Kuro are friends—did you work with her?!" Chris demanded, snapping his head around to look at his sister with wide eyes.
"It's complicated," Christina answered. "Yes, I knew she was the Wraith. As for if I've ever worked with the Wraith… eh, that's a bit trickier to answer."
"Well answer it, please, before I have a full-blown meltdown," Chris pleaded.
Christina sighed and stood up from the couch. The clock was ticking steadily towards nine-thirty, and Christina was feeling the length of the day, too. Explaining this to her brother would easily take this to past ten, at least. Still, the look on his face tugged at Christina's heartstrings. She let out another sigh through her nose.
"I worked with the Wraith once," Christina said, turning towards the kitchen. "And after that, I worked with Kuro. There's a difference between the two of them."
"What, was the Wraith an alter ego of Kuro's or something?"
"… Or something," Christina put her glass in the sink, puttering around the room to put away dishes and reorganize the countertops. "Wraith was born from a dark and lonely place and reflects that with her actions. Kuro is… Kuro. She does battles like a regular Blader would—for the fun of it, not for the money or reputation."
"I'd heard stories about what Wraith did to her opponents," Chris murmured, following Christina into the kitchen. "And clearly Bella has too, so why is she asking to battle against that person?"
Christina bit her lower lip, mulling the question over in search for an answer, and finding that she didn't have one. Kuro was an opponent anyone would willingly battle, while Wraith was one that'd send a Blader with any sense of self-preservation running for the hills. Bella had been right, though, that Blader hadn't made an appearance hardly at all this tournament, which was probably for the best. Reflecting on the battles she'd seen Kuro in since the tournament began, Christina realized that the closest she'd seen Kuro slip back into that fearsome persona had been in her qualifying battle with Johannes. So why would Bella be gunning for that type of battle?
Only tomorrow would bring the answer they needed.
Yayyy more Kuro backstory!
My muse is back for this fic, so I'm hoping to come back with a couple of more frequent updates before I hit a wall again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will leave a review!
Until next time, ciao!