Beyblades and Blood: The Attack of Shadow Vale

by IloveDranzer

Its been 10 years since the World Championships and the BEGA threat. Tyson, Max, Ray, Kai, Kenny, Hilary and Daichi are older with a new set of challenges in life. They are thrust back together as a new enemy threatens the safety of the World, bitbeasts and the old Bladebreakers/G-Revolution. Highly descriptive. Contains friendship, injury, violence, threat, angst and beyblading.

46. Chapter 46

Hi Guys and SO SO SO SORRY it's taken so long to upload another chapter. Lots of changes in my life, I got a new job, then lost it...and this chapter has been a toughie with soooo much dialogue and mincing so many characters. The next will be more actiony I promise. I hope you like it and please leave a review if you do. And PS love you Vlissan and hope you are well! xx

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Chapter 46

Kai, was classically tight lipped and wasn't divulging anything. Despite not having a clue as to where they were going, Tyson and his hot collared friends eagerly bumbled inside awaiting Hiwatari Enterprises armoured vehicles. Soon they disembarked in style from the Granger dojo which felt stiflingly like an overpopulated high-security prison as of late. Like for VIP's, car doors were held open and shut after them by black-Kevlar clad security personnel, and when all seat belts were buckled and doors locked, the guard-protected entourage hastily hit the road. It wasn't long before the 3 jet black Humvee's turned their bumpers to Tyson's town and sped in close tandem along a Japanese highway. Their drivers were an expert selection of the most elite tactical drivers on the planet, their speciality and experience honed serving in many high risk army tours in Afghanistan and other war torn countries, before being handpicked for grossly paid employment at Hiwatari Enterprises. Their civilian beyblading passengers would have to endure over 2 hours of motorway scene and in-car guessing as to where Kais' mystery destination would be. Feelings were a mixed bag of excitement, boredom, anticipation and the mix of all three caused Kenny, and oddly Mariah too, car-sickness.

One bullet-reflecting car, which was more like a tank in stealth, toughness and intimidation harboured the one and only Mr Kai Hiwatari, and with him...Tyson, Hilary and Saint Shield Dunga. The bluenette was soon plucking at the phoenix blader's last nerve begging and nagging like an over-chatty toddler to know where they were going and how long until they finally get there...until Hilary, after a mere 15 minutes of irritated journey time jabbed the young Granger sharp in the gut with her bony elbow. The spiteful brunette was granted the effect she wanted, the beychamp dramatically choked and spluttered for breath before settling down quietly with a newborn belly ache, slouching with crossed arms in his car seat and pouting his bottom lip. Hilary gleefully hummed to herself as she watched the world she'd missed for the last fortnight flash by outside the car window. She wanted the thrill of a surprise wherever their mystery destination may be and Tyson was just going to have to practise patience for once.

Dunga chewed on the inside of his cheek agitated to know where the hell they were going, but had already established the young CEO was not giving anything away and therefore saw no point in asking. Kai sat quietly with his arms crossed and eyes shut like a statue save for softly breathing and didn't say a word the whole journey, he had greater things on his mind. His fellow car-mates stares were glued to their window's view, and by reading the junction and road signs they quickly established they were not heading to the inner city of Tokyo, more so, out of Tokyo entirely which tickled them with even more guessing and excitement...they weren't heading back to Kai's metropolitan office tower that was for sure.

The vehicle driving close in tandem behind Kai and Tyson's contained Ray, Mariah, Daichi and The Chief. Whenever the groups were split Ozuma always assigned a Saint Shields member to guard either Ray, Max, Tyson or Kai at all times, but after the morning's volatile events and volcanic attitude towards each other in challenge over rightful guardianship of Driger, the Shields agreed travelling with Ray and Mariah in a tiny contained metal space at high speed was not a sensible option for them, or the Neko-jin bladers. After a quick but heated debate, leader Ozuma begrudgingly agreed they would use the car's journey time to simmer their tempers and enjoy some much needed space from the conflicting White Tigers. Driger would be safe enough travelling on the highway where the Shadow Vale bladers could not be a threat, or so they all hoped. Right now, their greatest threat was each other until both parties waved a white flag and sue for peace. Now in a space without Hiwatari guards and Ozuma's posy ogling over them, the car's inhabitants kicked back with small talk, quizzing each other and placing bets on where they thought they were going. Ray guessed a warehouse, Kenny thought another office, Mariah hoped an airfield and Kai was planning to fly them out somewhere exotic, and... Daichi whose tummy was rumbling something chronic didn't care much for where they were being hi-jacked, he only wished for food on arrival and plenty of it.

And the 3rd and final humvee in succession taxied Emily, Max, Ozuma, Mariam, and squeezed tightly between his leader and tall sister in a middle seat was a red faced Josef struggling for a centimetre of elbow and rib space. A packed car to say the least but one filled with chit-chat and speculation about where they were heading. Emily secretly seethed she wasn't at Haneda chilling in an airport lounge with a gourmet lunch and Starbucks iced latte, waiting to board a plane back to California... but was equally itching to know what "Mr Moneybags" Kai Hiwatari had in store for her. She bounced ideas out of her gob, and siblings smarmy Mariam and chatty Josef were cool enough to brain storm with her. The Ginger tennis star guessed they were heading somewhere like a plane hangar to do with Kai's companies aviation engineering ties, and Josef just hoped it wasn't another office trip or boring warehouse for all the time they'd invested in travelling to get to it. Kai had interrupted the Vanishing Moot bladers' chance to take Ray's Driger away in a fair fight and he sorely hoped their destination was worth it. Max was unusually quiet with tiredness caused by the stress and tension of the garden standoff between those wanting to leave and those who refused to let them go, still...he looked forward to where ever they were heading off too and hoped it would be somewhere really interesting or at least have something to eat there. Time was getting on for almost 1pm and lunchtime was well overdue.

Ozuma sat stern and stoic and was the quietest in the car, not because he was hungry or tired, but anxious and on edge for what was in store for the Sacred Spirits his elders had bade him to protect, and the stubborn Guardians that made up the old Bladebreaker team who wielded them. Depending on where and the activity, his job, his destined task could be easier or much much harder.

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2 hours and 12 minutes had passed since the warring friends were luxuriously stolen away from the Granger dojo. The trio of smoking hot and glistening black vehicles turned off of the speeding highway, then spent a further 10 minutes driving through a quiet town, to then turn down an empty old gravel and stone road with unkempt bushes and twigs scratching at the car's metal at either side of the track.

Then...the convoy slowed. One by one, the vehicles softly rolled to a stop one behind the other; but their engines remained rumbling.

The bladers and friends became instantly animated and some, namely Daichi, Hilary, Tyson, Dunga and Josef unclipped seatbelts to get a better view out of their car windows. With faces almost pushed up against the glass, multicoloured eyes were wide and alight as they took in the new and astounding view. This was the mystery place they'd travelled over 2 hours to see?!

What greeted them... was a pair of closed, high, ornate, golden painted gates with lofty dark grey stone walls either side. Paint on the gates had started to flake off after seemingly years of neglect allowing rusty patches of iron beneath to poke through, and thirsty dry ivy with limp leaves from lack of water in the summer heat strangled the bars. The railings were twisted and shaped into the outline of birds with big wings and long tails...they could be peacocks some of the vehicle onlookers debated... or another long tailed avian creature? Phoenix's'? On the right side of the stone wall adjacent to the gates featured a metal keypad the size of a large postcard with flat numbered buttons 1-9 for inputting a code.

The cars inhabitants watched like wide-eyed hawks and jittered with excitement as Mr Cooper, Kai's head of security alone disembarked from the front passenger side of the first car. Gravel crunched under heavy booted footsteps lumbering his great muscled body over to the keypad. He punched in an 8 digit code with his thick dark skinned fingers, and then wordlessly stalked back to the vehicle to retake his seat adjacent to the driver. His sunglasses shimmered with every movement of his body, too cool!

Although needing some sanding down and fresh paint, and despite the weak withered ivy and dying dry bramble wrangled around them, the artisan golden gates worked as they should. With a soft metallic grind of a motor harboured inside the stone brickwork, the pair of gates automatically parted inwards to the property allowing the vehicles to enter the estate grounds.

Mere moments later and the convoy were back on the move. Engines revved as the trio of Hummers began their final leg of the journey. The three black vehicles crept slowly up a white gravel driveway until they lastly drew to a complete stop...and powered down. Hiwatari sentry swiftly disembarked from their front seats to open rear doors to release their youthfully excited yet achy, hungry, curiosity charged passengers from their wheeled prisons.

Hilary, Ray, Mariah, Kenny, Max, Ozuma, Mariam, Josef and Ray ejected from their vehicle politely in turn like normal people, whilst Tyson, Daichi and Dunga unceremoniously and with too much haste comically tripped out onto the gravel driveway face-first. Before anyone could complain about their dead legs, stretch their backs or whine about how long and boring the car ride...they looked...up...at the behemoth of a house that greeted them. All were virtually speechless for a long moment, even motor mouth Tyson as he and his friends stared with half hung jaws, and stretched eyes at the vast stunning grounds and regal property surrounding them.

Far back down the driveway the golden gates clinked closed and the new guests were locked in. A wide expanse of dry lawn decorated the fringes of a gigantic house, and lined in perfect rows before the reddish-brown brickwork were several shrubs and trees of varying species, height and leaf colour. The high stone wall declaring the boundaries of the property kept the garden private and well protected from trespassers and any paparazzi. The sheer space and size of the grounds and house boasted extravagance and wealth but not all was picture perfect. A white marble water fountain aged grey and algae stained spurted no water and waited dry at the centre of the turnabout area of the driveway. Unattended flower beds were rampant with heat resistant wild weeds and the lawn desperately needed watering to turn lushly green again.

Tyson finally found his voice and belted his words at his friend and the apparent land owner. He marched close and shrieked rudely aloud. "WHOOOOAAAAAHHH! YOU LIVE HERE?! SERIOUSLY? THIS IS YOUR HOUSE KAI?!" He jabbed his finger sharply upwards at the stately home with disbelief and his animated brown eyes were wild.

Kai stood proud with one hand on his hip and the other guarded his wound as he glanced up at the multiple closed high windows of his old house. A light breeze swayed his clothing as he murmured nonchalant and was nowhere near as excited to be there as the rest of the group. "Yeah. One of them anyway." He said before slinking without a word more to the front door.

Tyson exclaimed aloud again. "ONE of your properties! Just how many do you have?! Lemme guess you gotta a yacht, a private jet... oh and a bat-cave too in your basement too?" He then sported a short-lived childish pout and crossed his arms in a micro-strop.

Dunga scoffed too loudly to himself. "What a filthy rich snob! Who the hell needs a place this big?! PAHH! I'd say he's seriously over-compensating for something real small in the trousers department."

Kenny added excitedly as he aimed his words at Kai, Ray, Tyson and Max who too would remember their time in France, Germany, Italy and Scotland. "This is incredible! The last time I saw a house this big was when we toured Europe as the Blade Breakers and we met the Majestics. It's not as big or flamboyant as Robert's or Johnny's castle or even Oliver's but I'm still hugely impressed! Did you live here with your Grandfather, Kai?"

Before the young estate owner could retort a reply, another direct question was fired at him.

Ray stepped forward after Kai, whom was slowly and carefully ambling across the crunchy gravel towards the front double doors with his back to the White Tiger, busy with one hand retrieving a ring of 6 silver keys from his trouser pocket. The blader with swaying ebony bangs gestured with open arms and red gloved hands. He demanded an explanation and was still edgy tempered from the morning's strife. "What are we doing here Kai? You miss your old home or something? Do you have a plan for us, or have we just tagged along for the ride?"

Ozuma stormed forward and too demanded an answer. "That has to be my question too Kai. What are we doing here? And when are we going back to Tyson's? The sooner we get back, the safer you'll all be. I hate having to repeat myself but you ALL know the score by now. It won't be long before Shadow Vale know you're not at the dojo anymore and when they do they'll set to work to track you down and that's only a matter of time."

Kai continued the short journey to his front door ignoring all. He ambled up a flat grey marble step and stopped close to the heavy black double doors. With his pale fingers he singled out a key on the ring of keys and readied to insert it into the lock. He half turned his head and said aloud with cool smarm. "Follow me and you'll see. Or you can stay out here on the driveway if you like, makes no difference to me what you do."

Allowing no further hinder, the mysterious lord pushed a long multi grooved and bobbled silver key into the lock and with a twist of his wrist turned it anti-clockwise; the locking bolts and mechanisms metallically clicked and squeaked as they retracted from within the door frame. The dark heavy wooden doors which hadn't been opened in over a decade finally drew breath with the outside world with the downward pull of a handle and the twin doors pushed open wide. Like old bones the hinges creaked with the movement and all gaps whistled as fresh oxygen blew through them. The master of the manor had returned home and the house had turned cold and musty without him.

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"NO WAY! KAI THIS...IS...IT'S LIKE A PALACE IN HERE!" Cried Tyson as he struggled to describe how he felt. The last time he saw decor like this was at a stately home he visited on a school trip in 5th grade. He loitered in the luxurious reception area where his curious chocolate coloured eyes scanned and marvelled at the high class splendour, he daren't touch a thing without permission.

Max, Ray, Dunga, the White Tigers, Hilary, Emily, Kenny, Daichi and the four Saint Shields soon had piled in behind the astonished beychamp and their reactions were too of awe, wonder and some...did their best to hide little green goblins of envy. They gathered in the reception area before slipping off their shoes and placing them next to or near Kai's slip-on trainers like the good house guests they were raised to be and had grown accustomed to doing at the Granger residence. There was no genkan, or replacement slippers, or house shoes on offer to wear, and so, would have to walk around barefoot or in socks...not that this bothered them, especially those raised in Western society where slipper wearing in a home was not commonplace. The gang were free to wander and disperse somewhat but stood clustered and entranced near the doorway with mouths slightly agape, each quietly absorbing the magnificent scene of exquisite domestic architecture. The outside of the home may have been battered by the elements and needed a spot of care, but the interior was outstandingly majestic and perfectly preserved albeit a bit dusty.

Ahead opposite the entrance doors brooded a regal carpeted staircase leading to a second level and beyond, just begging to be climbed and the upper level of Kai's mysterious childhood home to be explored. The carpet was rich and plush to the touch, dark royal blue in colouration and still smelt brand new. The dark stained artisan wooden hand railings were smooth, glazed, thick and twisty, and at the bottom of the staircase perched a pair of carved gargoyles...only with closer analysis they weren't gargoyles at all but russet-brown wooden phoenix statues with a black stain wash to make them more gothic.

To the right of the gawping gang was a long cold and wide corridor no doubt leading to other doors, other corridors perhaps, and to staircases leading to lower levels of the property.

To the left of the entrance was a vast drawing room harbouring a pair of velvet black settees facing each other with a large black glass coffee table in the middle of them. The tall walls were princely wallpapered with light purple background and white royal emblems much like those found in the homes of dukes and duchesses of old. The bottoms of rich midnight-purple crushed velvet drapes bunched heavy at the floor as they were too long for the windows they hung either side of, and at that moment in time were tied back by gold rope and tassel tie-backs. Black iron chandeliers with dangling glittering crystals dominated the middle of the ceilings to add even more grandiosity to the already beautifully and regal decorated space. The drawing room and corridors sported matching decor with a white skirting board and a white border at waist height by design. The flooring was dark, almost black wooden floorboards and 80% of it was covered by an intricate gold embellished rugs or runners.

The scene rivalled that of a monarchical abode and demanded respect like one. As staggering and luxurious the decor, the house had a couple of temporary faults; each horizontal surface suffered a thin layer of dust through lack of cleaning for so long and particles could be seen floating in the air if caught in the right light by the open curtains. The rooms were as cold as a cave as no heating had warmed the home in some time. The foyer, reception, and the connecting corridor smelt of classic old wood, not like Tyson's which smelt pleasantly similar to sandalwood, this was glaze and oily smelling, most likely born from the wooden flooring. The air too was musty having been starved of fresh oxygen in a long time, add undertones of newly laid carpet smell and the property had a scent that would need aerating out for at least a day and air fresheners to fully eradicate.

"WHHHAAAAAA! Kai ! This place is incredible! You gotta give us a tour dude!" Tyson cried aloud to the home owner with his arms crossed tall and stoic and quiet in the centre of his waiting room leaning on the back of his black velvet sofa.

Emily ventured further into the drawing room and adjusted her glasses as she glanced upwards at the glittering chandeliers hanging above her. "I just want to know where the butlers and maids hiding. Who do you live here with Kai? Or should I ask who DID you live here with? Voltaire used to live here didn't he? I'm right aren't I? Only a megalomaniac like him would decorate his home fit for a bond villain."

Hilary clutched her grey skirt to busy her curious fingers from touching something expensive. Her feet squiggled into the soft plush gold embellished rug and the feeling tickled her toes with pleasure. "Your home is beautiful Kai! But why did you bring us here? Please say we're staying for tea. I'm parched."

Daichi crossed his armed behind is head and cheekily burst. "Yeahhhhh why dya bring us? We moving in or somethin'?! Hehehehehe!"

Dunga pounded a foot forward and raised a fist in Kai's direction. "Give us an answer Kai! What are we doing here?! Your flashy house don't impress me and we're bored of waiting for you to tell us what the hell were doing here!"

In typical Kai Hiwatari fashion, the high born gave no direct answers to his bamboozled guests justified questions, and made for a closed white door with a posh golden handle on the far side of the room. He had some things to tend to before he could reveal his true intentions for bringing them there. He stopped as he grasped the cold and dust peppered door handle, and turned to deliver direction to the confused group loitering out of place in his mansions' foyer.

He announced in a soft but assertive tone. "I have something I need to do. Go ahead and take a look around. Just don't break anything. Meet back here in 20 minutes." And without affording them a second longer, the master of the house turned the extravagant door handle, walked though the doorway, and was gone. He left the door slightly ajar and his friends wondering what was so important to warrant a 4 hour round road trip for the sake of a 20 minute task.

Regardless of Kai's reasons for dragging them there, Tyson and Company were just grateful to be away from the dojo, to be given the chance to see and smell somewhere different that wasn't Tyson's kitchen, yard or living room. They immediately relished the newfound space...and the best thing of all was that they hadn't argued once since they got in the cars. Peace amongst friends at last sharing chummy eye contact and exchanging smiles, of which hadn't been possible for recent days due to the tumultuous feelings of entrapment, stress and sleep deprivation they collectively suffered. The abandoned beybladers, Kenny and Hilary too instantly jiggled on the spot with the green-light to explore the glitzy and highly intriguing new playground. The Saint Shields however, saw the whole affair as just another headache to manage.

"Oh man! Let's get going guys! I wanna go this way. Who's coming with me?!" Tyson cried as soon as Kai's back was turned. He excitedly set off towards the right corridor and whatever was waiting to be discovered down there. His heart fluttered wildly with curiosity; he'd always wanted to see where and how his super-private old friend and ex-adversary lived, and now he finally had the chance.

"Ray and I are heading upstairs. I wonder how many bedrooms this place has." Mariah announced with a wink before dashing with speed and grace upward the rich blue carpeted flight of stairs. She hung around for no-one as she raced to be the very first to discover the upper regions of Kai's mysterious mansion. She knew her longer legged mate wouldn't dare leave her side due to recent events and would pursuit her no doubt. Soon he would be hot on her heels and stole the head start to playfully win a race.

At the bottom of the stairs, Ray shrugged his shoulders and smirked as his girlfriend had already made his mind up for him. "Yeahhhh sorry Tyson, I'll catch up with you later. I'm right behind you Mariah!" With no time to waste, the tall Chinese blader bounded up the steps with impressive athleticism, flying up two stairs at a time in an effort to catch up quick and explore unchartered territory with his girl. The pair of White Tigers weren't waiting for anyone and was soon gone from sight on their own little couple's adventure up the majestic flight of stairs with regal phoenix statues decorating the ends of the banisters.

Emily made towards the group's left and to where Kai was last seen standing by a doorway. Her spectacle rims glimmered in the daylight of the open bay window. She smarmed with certainty and sass. "I'm heading this way. I need to know if Mr Moneybags has a big posh library you see in the movies. If he has one, I'm going to be the one to find it first."

Kenny added whilst he shuffled past Tyson standing in his way. "I'm heading with you Emily. Something is telling me to follow Kai through that door, I don't know why but I hope it's something interesting."

Tyson retorted with wittiness. "Fine, just have fun guys and don't forget..." He adjusted his voice to impersonate Kai, flexed his face all serious and put his hands on his hips with imitation authority. "DONT BREAK ANYTHING."

Max chuckled at Tyson's laughable mimicry before exclaiming. "I'll come with ya Tyson! I wanna know what's down the hall too."

Daichi yelled louder than he needed to in the small space of the foyer. "MEEEEEEEEEEE TOOOOO! LETS GO! I WANNA SEE EVERYTHINGMR SOURPANTS HAS BEEN HIDING FROM US!"

Tyson, Max and Daichi cheekily grinned at each other like naughty school boys and burst for the corridor to their right, and to whatever rabbit's hole they were set to find behind the doors leading off of it. Before the beychamp could get too far, Hilary, like Mr Miyagi and a fly with chopsticks grabbed his left ear with a vice grip between her bony fingers and yoinked him back to his previous spot.

"Wait a minute!" Hilary harped loud in the beychamps face. "Remember what Kai said and take him seriously. Do not touch anything Tyson! I bet Kai has lots of expensive things lying around his house." She then switched from scolding to whine. "Urghhhhhh...Looks like I have no choice but to go with you. Someone has to make sure you behave yourselves!"

Tyson, Daichi, Max and Mumma Hilary skipped off down the corridor to begin their self guided mystery tour with bouncing steps and jolly mindsets, leaving the quad of straight-lipped Saint Shields in their dust without a second thought for whether they wanted to come too.

With a sweat drop decorating his forehead, Ozuma huffed deeply before delivering an order. "You know the drill. Head after them and make sure they don't get into trouble. Dunga, go find Kai...if you can. Mariam, you go after the White Tigers and try not to pick a fight with Mariah, there's enough tension between our teams already. Josef and I will babysit Tyson and the rest of his brat pack. Meet back here in 20 minutes, if Kai's planning to leave as soon as he says then let's make sure we're ready to go on time. The sooner we get back on the road...the better."

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Kenny and Emily began their mansion adventure hoping to find an opulent and aristocratic library like those seen in period dramas on TV; libraries with stunning bookcases so high they required ladders to reach the highest shelves...and Kai's giant house did not disappoint them. And it was pure luck for the pair to find it so quickly after following their anti-social host's path through the white door, and was greeted by his magnificent reading room full of brain food and grandeur.

The most intellectual of the all the beybladers without a doubt was Kenny Manabu and Emily Watson, they thirsted for knowledge and understanding of everything. Their minds needed books to stay sharp, like swords need a whet stone. Kai Hiwatari was cut from the same cloth and a prolific reader in his spare time. The gothic Hiwatari mansion library was wall to wall with high dark mahogany bookcases, filled to the brim and immaculately neat with various paper and hardback books ordered perfectly by edition number, category, or colour of the cover. A ladder on railings which matched the bookcases in colour and species of timber leant in waiting to be dragged to wherever the next reader wanted to ascend.

Waiting cold and flameless with no logs or coal was a grand open fireplace made of shimmering black granite in the centre of the widest wall; a pair of regal golden rottweiler dog statues waited either side of the hearth in a sit position and their heads held proud. A thick ornate brown and red rug lay before the fireplace a meter away and so to, two comfy arm chairs was upholstered scarlet satin with matching footstalls looked elegant and inviting, just perfect for someone to sit quietly with their feet up and read a novel beside flickering flames on a cold day as rain cascades down the window panes. Heavy purple velvet drapes with gold rope tiebacks hung before large bay window allowing just enough light in for Kenny and Emily to see the whole room without needing to turn on the lights in the chandeliers above them, nor the 1950's style purple glass shaded lamps atop two mid height oak wood cabinets, of which the doors were kept locked shut and the secret contents hidden. Other iconic items in the room were a vintage gramophone atop a dark wooden chest with a mini library of vinyl discs on three shelves beneath; the artists included Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, Bach, Tchaikovsky and Chopin. And lastly, a classic chest board, and all its 32 pieces sat perfectly in a black or white square ready to duel atop a small coffee bench in easy reach of one of the armchairs.

Through the windows of the newly discovered library, a strong angle of sun beam glittered with dust particles stirred by the BBA research staff's arrival. The pair respectfully investigated the eerily quiet room and its literary contents with hushed voices and was ultra-gentle with everything they touched.

"Some of these books are first editions and must be worth thousands! We must be super careful Emily not to damage them. I think I'll just hold my breath and pinch my nose if I need to sneeze hehe." Kenny joked with an etch of seriousness, before cocking his head almost 90 degrees to read a spine of a red coated book with gold English lettering. He daren't touch it through fear of soiling its covers and pages with the thin layer of sweat sliming his fingers. "Most of these books are in Japanese which is to be expected, but I see English, German and Russian literature too." He scanned another book spine, and another, as his orbs hidden behind goggles and hair travelled across the oiled wood furniture and their contents. He listed out loud what he found. "Law graduate case studies... political journals...history books...Shakespeare...the Koran...and the Bible?! Aviation engineering education...the natural world...business management...Japanese and criminal law...accounting...fantasy novels. This a rather varied collection. There's a copy of "Mein Kampf" here...this is quite controversial and not what I was expecting."

Emily was too busy inspecting a grand piano protected from dust under a thin black drape to answer her male colleague straight away. She pulled a corner of the light fabric upwards and peeled it back to get a better look at the shiny, flawless, black musical furniture beneath only those with privileged upbringings owned. The former tennis star grew up with rich parents and wanted for nothing as a child, but even her home didn't have this extravagance. She did what most people do when they find a piano or keyboard and couldn't help herself but flip the key cover back and jab a white key with her index finger. She and Kenny instantly jumped after the sharp startling noise stabbed the peaceful atmosphere, before shying away from it sheepishly. She hastily flipped the cover back down, rapidly flailed the drape back over, and then finally answered Kenny in conversation.

She cleared her throat and flicked a ginger bang off her shoulder in swagger. She plucked a random book from a shelf and analysed the old cover before flicking through its discoloured and yellowing pages. "Some of these books are historic; the old book smell is a dead giveaway. The oldest educational books would definitely be out of date after new discoveries, law changes and modern innovation. My guess is, the oldest literature has been here since the library was built decades ago, long before Kai was even born. We still don't know who else lived here and we can only speculate until Kai gives us the full story...that's if Mr Private-pants ever does. The ideals of Adolf Hitler and loopholes in Japanese criminal law are more likely to be Voltaire's night-time reading, so I wouldn't worry they are here for Kai's pleasure. I like to think I know Kai rattthhhher well and as clever as he is...he's not a world domination fanatic, or a criminal mastermind like his Grandfather."

Kenny replied with an edge of relief. "Yeah you're right. I've seen Kai read Game of Thrones and crime mysteries before. He likes fantasy and fables. He's not a secret Nazi sympathiser...Or at least I hope he isn't. Heheh." He chuckled at the preposterous thought as Kai was the farthest person he thought could ever be a racist. He then sharply abandoned book searching to make for another door Emily was already ambling through. "Wait for me Emily!" He harshly whispered and shuffled his white socked feet fast across the rug after her.

"Looks like we've found the dining room."Emily announced after entering an oblong room which was more like a wide hallway with a bay window at one end and another white door at the other. A large long black wooden table with a glass topper dominated the middle's entirety with a single black-glazed wooden chair at each end.

Kenny closed in behind her and tweaked his glasses back up his nose before noting something odd. "This is strange Emily. Why are there only two chairs? A table that big could host so many more people. Why just the pair and why sat so far apart? Maybe it's just how the chairs have been placed for the time being and I'm reading too much into it."

Emily pondered aloud as she glanced around the long narrow room. "This whole setup is strange. Only two chairs for a table that can host over 20 and the house plants by the window are long dead. Anyway, I guess the wallpaper and the carpet are nice." The wall decor was indeed pretty with a sky blue base with old style Japanese Edo scenes. The dark blue carpet felt bouncy and appeared spotlessly clean with rowed vacuum streaks in the pile. She and the Chief meandered over to the large window with familiar purple drapes and gold tie-backs and peered through it. The view from the window overlooked the driveway and Kai's thin stretched security staff could be seen patrolling around the grounds' perimeter. It was a welcome relief to see the overbearing goons so far away and out of eye and ear shot for once.

Kenny suggested calmly and with optimism. "Let's see where the other door takes us."

The pair nodded to one another in agreement before wandering quietly down past the length and girth of the lonely dining table to find out what was behind door number 3.

With the downward twist and backward pull of a third door handle, the spectacle wearing tech heads had found... the kitchen. A huge white and silver work area fit for any gourmet chef, it was installed more like a restaurant kitchen than a domestic one. The meals for any masters and mistresses of the residence would have been prepared by staff and therefore no luxury was needed, only functionality and space should a house party of many guests need serving. The kitchen sported multiple chrome cupboards, hanging utensils, pots, pans and woks, industrial dishwashers, large sinks with jet wash heads from a tap, food dispensers, two American style fridges, a walk in freezer and 3 ovens including a pizza oven, stoves aplenty, and a large cutting and preparation island in the centre of the room. If utilized properly this kitchen could feed an army with ample chefs and supplies.

Kenny and Emily began snooping in drawers and cupboards and discovered tucked away stunning vintage silverware, sets of elegant silver cutlery and impressive artisan crockery just waiting to be used.

Emily's curiosity further got the better of her and pulled a flat lever to open the door to the walk-in freezer. She half expected arctic conditions inside and a variety of frozen food, but was met with a musty waft of air, no drop in temperature and no light switched on inside. "This freezer has been long turned off long ago. Hmmmm. Not even a snowflake."

The brunette Bladebreaker poked his head into what he thought was a walk-in cupboard, which turned out to be the entrance to the mansion's pantry the size of a small bedroom. With limited light he carefully shuffled in and plucked a couple of lonely packets off a shelf. He carried them back into the light of the kitchen and analysed them. "Check this out Emily. Pasta and rice... look at the use by dates...these expired over 10 years ago! Is that how long it's been since someone last lived here?! This place is really something. I wonder why Kai hasn't lived here in so long. I guess this place is pretty far from his Tokyo office and the commute is unpractical?"

Emily took the bag of out of date dull dry pasta from Kenny's grip and glared at the packaging as she pondered. She added with a questioning tone. "It does all point to that. The dusty furniture, we've seen no lights on so we can assume the power has been turned off, I bet there is no water supply either, the flaky paint on the gates, no food...this place has practically been abandoned. It seems perfectly comfortable to me." She gripped her chin in her thumb and index finger. "I wonder...why Kai doesn't live here? If it's not practical location wise then why doesn't he rent it out or sell it? Maybe there's dark family history here that he can't let go. There has to be a reason...and one I have to find out."

---

Kai's kingly staircase was lined by the most luxurious carpet known to man, or at least one Chinese beyblader thought so; the sheer bounciness of its density and softness of its' woolly fibres caressed Ray's sticky bare feet with every leap and bound as he sprinted like an Olympian up the winding high steps. The deluxe dark blue floor lining was a luxurious change after walking on mostly hard surfaces for the entirety of his stay at Tyson's wooden-floored dojo.

As he trailed upwards the box shaped staircase, the dashing male White Tiger spied various chalk pastel paintings of European landscapes and fields of flowers in ornate gold frames. Ray assumed they were probably worth a mint painted by some obscure artist at some historical point in time, but he cared not for famous artists or overpriced artwork; family photos would have been somewhat interesting to see, like what Kai's mother and father looked like, his aunts and uncles, and any cousins, but none of those adorned these walls. Family photos must be elsewhere in the mansion he guessed.

The Driger blader's long strong legs adept at leaping high and perfect for his favourite sport of basketball allowed him to practically fly to the top of the stairs in no time. He landed at the summit almost as quick as Mariah...almost. His running partner had reached the landing before him with her second's head start... and was nowhere to be seen. Before him was a long, carpeted and empty corridor with several ajar doors down its length. All was eerily quiet with not a soul in sight.

"Mariah?" Ray quizzed aloud, hoping she would pop her head out of one of the many slightly open doors ahead. A long second passed and his heart began to race hard from the exertion of running up the stairs paired with the sudden alarm of his lover not answering his call. He prowled towards the rooms with a swinging wrapped braid and cried out again with greater urgency. "MARIAH?"

A familiar, cute, and relaxed voice responded from behind, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm here Ray. Come have a look in here!" Her voice full of intrigue sounded echoic.

The relieved boyfriend sharply twisted on his heels to follow her sound. A giant bathroom greeted him as he stepped through a doorway over a carpet threshold... and into the pristine white tiled room.

The sassy pinkette perched on the edge of a large corner tub installed close to the back wall nearby a small window. "Look Ray, it's a Jacuzzi! Oh I'd love to take a dip with some Himalayan bath salts. My body neeeeeeeds it." She whined with funny over-exaggeration.

Ray's cat-like curiosity drilled him to scan the room. His feline yellow eyes spied a Jacuzzi with multiple heat and bubble settings, two white sinks with mirrors on opposite sides of the door, a glamorous gold bathtub with fancy curved feet and old style spout in the middle of the room, in the other corner was an open plan shower with a slanted area for water to drain and a large rainfall style shower head, spotlights instead of chandeliers...although the latter would not look too out of place in the shimmering glitzy bathroom. Ominously there were two medium sized windows with no curtains or blinds which would be odd for a room requiring privacy, but at that high height and with no neighbours nearby, naked bathers would need not worry about peeping eyes.

Mariah's cheeky side took over as she suggestively fingered the edge of the Jacuzzi. "What'dya think Ray. Me and you?" She lowered her head, subtly puffed out her breasts, slanted her stunning golden eyes, and side-smiled seductively.

The male toothily side-smirked at the sexy idea. He and Mariah hadn't been flirty in what felt like weeks and physical intimacy was impossible with the overpopulated cattle yard of security guards and bladers that was the Granger residence. Ever since Kai was almost killed, the horror of Garnetta's attack leaving them both with lifelong mental and physical scars, and no privacy at the dojo...the White Tiger pair had barely touched each other sexually or felt like doing anything of the sort. But with a little space and somewhere to relax they could begin to heal and enjoy each other as a couple again...whenever or wherever that would be. Ray loved the idea of stripping off with her and doing more than just the Jacuzzi. He humoured her for the sake of carrying on the arousing conversation and saucy fun. His tone too was temptingly husky as he coolly leaned against the doorframe with his muscled arms folded. "That'll be a quick dip Mariah. 20 minutes won't be long enough."

Before the hot blooded White Tiger pair could fan the flame of love between them further, a high pitched voice from the close-by hallway shattered their mood.

"Who the hell needs this many bedrooms?!" Mariam screeched in disbelief. As ordered by her team leader, the only female of the Saint Shields had chased the lovers up the staircase, and was wandering around the landing peeping her head into the ajar doors hunting for the neko-jin duo...whether they wanted her company and protection or not.

"What does SHE want?"Mariah grouched with the Saint Shield intrusion. This was the first time, she and Ray had a chance at some alone time and she had to go and ruin it. "Can't they leave us alone for 5 minutes!" The pinkette exclaimed with heat in her breath. She stormed out of the bathroom looking for the blue-haired interrupter to tell her in no polite terms exactly where to go.

Ray sighed. "Here we go again." He massaged his thick black eyebrows and readied for the cat fight that was well overdue between the females of White Tiger X and Saint Shields tribes. "Mariah! Let it go. Don't let her get to you. Josef and I will settle our differences our way, we don't need you two fighting too." The male blader exclaimed after practising a further moments breathing exercise. He then left the bathroom to hunt for the warring women who would no doubt be ripping clumps out of each other's hair and rolling around the corridor biting and choking each other like dirty UFC wrestlers. Sighing he left the bathroom to find them.

"What...are you two doing?" Cried Ray with confused features in an open door way of one of the rooms.

"Look at this Ray. It's like a hotel room." Quipped Mariah as she flopped backwards with outspread arms onto a western style bed covered by a plain white sheet waiting to catch her fall. She playfully waved her legs and arms as if she was making a snow angel on its plush surface.

Mariam added as she opened outwards a pair of white ornate wardrobe doors. "There are fresh sheets and blankets in here, and brand new pillows too. This has to be a guest room."

Clearly exploring Kai's mansion took precedent over murdering the other. For super-nosy Mariah and bossy boots Mariam...this room needed immediately snooping through.

The bed in the centre of the room was king size with a pristine white divan base. The Galux blader sat up and peeled away the corner of the white sheet to inspect the mattress beneath looking for signs of wear. "This mattress is brand new too. Ooo and its memory foam. We've slept on a memory foam bed before Ray; remember at that posh hotel in Shanghai. It was like sleeping on a dreamy cloud."

The Sharkrash blader's poking about extended to a door she assumed was a built-in wardrobe in the wall. She cried out in surprise once she discovered what was inside. "This room has its own en-suite! This is ridiculous. How privileged can this house get!"

The pink haired blader immediately leapt from the bed to sneak a peek at the mini attached bathroom. "RAY! You gotta come see this. This room has its own toilet, wash basin and shower cubicle. We've stayed in whole hotel rooms smaller than this."

Ray wasn't half as excited as the girls and peacefully gazed around the pretty and clean room, all the while enjoying the sunny daylight pouring in from a window warming his face. He didn't have much to say but wait for the girls to get bored and carry on to the next room.

Mariam stormed past the male loitering and in the way to head back to the corridor. "This isn't the only room like it. There's 9 other rooms EXACTLY the same. Even down to the lamp shades and curtains and I bet they have their own bathrooms too."

The female Saint Shield urged the masters of giant cats back to the dark blue carpeted corridor and limply gestured for them to peer inside the opposite room. "See, the rooms are all exactly the same. My question is, why so many? Does Kai have a large family or something?"

Ray pushed a white door inwards and ducked his head inside another bedroom two doors down. "You're right. They like carbon copies of each other. The same cream carpet, same curtains, same beds, same lamp shades too. Maybe Kai's turning this into an Air BnB?"

The rooms were not the most remarkable when compared to the rest of Kai's manor, but the upstairs guest bedrooms were impeccably spotless and at a classier decorative standard than most high end hotels. The king size beds complete with virgin clean white divan bases had clearly never been used and the memory foam mattresses were protected from the last 10 years of dust by a thin white sheet. The wardrobes harboured thick folded grey Sherpa fleece blankets, brand new white duvets, bed sets, and pillow cases still in their wrappers. A pair of dark brown bed side cabinets waited either side of the beds with lilac shaded lamps sat on top. Add a mirrored white dressing table and a rectangular dark purple rug in the middle to give an extra splash of elegance. Each room had its own en-suite with a toilet, shower cubicle, mirror on the wall, a basin and a single empty bathroom bin. The walls were painted magnolia and sported luxurious cream carpet of which sported wide lines from when it was last vacuumed; it was clear it hadn't been walked on prior to the trio of Chinese explorers. Crushed velvet purple curtains with thick silver rope tie backs decorated the sides of a single window. And finally, hung on one side of a wall were canvases of white roses.

"There's one room we haven't checked out yet." Mariam whispered as she sharply pointed a long spiky fingernail at the only closed door in the corridor. "That one down the hall." She was as determined as Mariah to explore EVERYTHING and she wasn't frightened to cross lines to do it.

5 bedrooms lined each side of the corridor totalling 10. At one end was the giant extravagant bathroom of gold and porcelain, and the staircase landing...the opposite end was a closed door, an enigma, and one the three needed to peek behind. The trio snuck to the door and stopped before it. Mariah's unbridled feline curiosity had run away with her as she reached out a girly claw to grasp the golden door handle without thinking first.

Ray rushed his words with a belated thought. "Wait, we should knock first. Someone might be in there!"

Too late.

Mariah had already twisted downwards the gold door handle and pushed. The white door swung open with a low decibel whine of the hinges...and the room was now on display.

Mariah, Ray and Mariam paused for a moment in case someone was inside and immediately braced for an earful. Clearly their prolonged incarceration at the Granger residence had washed them of all common sense and adult manners and immediately regretted their rude actions, bursting into a closed bedroom in someone else's house without knocking was not typical behaviour of the well raised youths in their late 20s. Still...the trio gazed inside to find...another lifeless bedroom. This one was different. This one had light silvery carpet, and another naked king size mattress with a white sheet covering it set atop an ornate chrome bed frame. Fitted grey wardrobes to the left and to the right of the room, add grey bedside cabinets either side of the bed and black lamp shades a pair, a white and grey stripy rug in the middle and a white door inside to probably another en-suite bathroom. A single window to the right of the room poured in strong light between a pair of heavy black satin curtains.

Mariam tiptoed in and stopped short of the middle; she made a promise to herself not to touch anything and planned to scuttle out after a super quick glance. Ray too gingerly stepped inside; he glanced around the room in-taking every detail, he felt very intrusive and naughty for being in there, and within a second or two planned to exit the room with haste. This was the master bedroom, bigger than all the others and was very highly likely Kai's bedroom being current owner of the manor...they shouldn't be in there...least of all without his permission.

Stubborn Mariah...couldn't help herself and before anyone could warn her not to, she snuck over to one of the wardrobes and slid open one of the sliding doors. History spilled out.

Ray whisper scolded with a sweaty forehead beneath his head band and his hands grew instantly clammy. He felt like a wanted trespasser on Crime Watch. His sharp eyes darted back and forth to the door and empty corridor beyond; anxious they were going to get caught. "We have to go, we shouldn't be in here."He sharply whispered.

The girl wearing pink wasn't listening and carried on her curiosity driven poke-around. She peered at an emblem on the breast of a jacket cloaked over a black hanger. "Look, it's a school uniform...Whitney Prep School. That's a school for posh rich boys right Ray?"

Two dark green school uniform jackets hung on hangers on a rail next to two white shirts and a red tie hanging on its own. With one delicate finger Mariah slid each item along the rail, one after the other for all to see. The next garments along were two dark green sweaters, then a black vest with silver studs on the rims, a dark purple turtle neck vest worn during the V-Force arc only Ray of the group would recognise, and finally the jacket Kai wore for the very last beyblade championships he ever participated. On a shelf beneath were sets of folded trousers including grey cargo pants, grey school/office trousers, blue cargo pants, dark purple cargo pants and a folded white scarf in a pile on its own. Attire Kai wore in battles Ray came to know very well as team mates both as Blade Breaker and Team G-Revolution, both with and against him...depending what team Kai was batting for at the time.

Ray had had enough. He confidently grasped his detective girlfriend's arm at the elbow and gently tugged her towards the door. He sternly urged. "We have to go now Mariah. I'm serious, Kai could walk in on us at any minute and I don't want to explain to him why we're snooping around his private things."

Mariah realised she'd pushed her boyfriend's patience a little too far and gave no resistance as she followed him out. "Okay! Okay Ray we're going. The rest of his wardrobe is empty anyway. There's nothing else in there. Just his old school uniform and clothes he wore years ago. Don't you find that strange?"

Back in the corridor, Mariam gently closed the door behind them with care to make as little sound as possible. She pondered aloud in hopes to start an open discussion about it. "I have a question...his clothes in there...they were all sizes to fit a teenager. It's like he just left this big grand old house years ago and never came back. I wonder why."

---

"WHHHAAAAAAHHHHHH?!THIS IS HUUUUGE! I'd kill for a beydish this big!" Tyson exclaimed with a surprised open bodied stance and felt sharply irked Kai's home beyblade dish was easily 10 times larger than his.

He, Max, Hilary and Daichi entered the first door to the left of the corridor from the foyer...to find a room dedicated to the sport of beyblading. Before them was a piece of equipment all professional and amateur beybladers worldwide would recognise. Young children gaining their first beyblades would often start out with plastic beydish's found for sale in most toy shops, older kids would make use of communal outdoor dish's at the park, those taking the hobby more seriously could frequent their local beyblade stores and rent larger, tougher beydishes by the hour, or for free at special events, beyblade expos and local beyblade clubs. Then there were the bladers who took the sport to a whole new level, the talented with future careers competing as professional beybladers... or those with rich parents...could enjoy stadium quality beydishes installed into their houses or back yards.

Taking up a small hall in the right wing of his Grandfather's manor was Kai Hiwatari's personal beystadium. Dominating the room was a blood red beydish like a humongous lacquered china bowl installed flush into the floor with only a single brown bench for furniture. The rest of the room was bare with no visual distractions or clutter with no posters, no fancy wallpaper or carpet. The floor surrounding the sporting dish was dark wood flooring like the rest of the house, and instead of chandeliers were spotlights and sprinkler system heads...the latter for good reason given Kai's Phoenix Bitbeasts' element of fire and his habit of overzealous training. The only other objects in the room were two rectangular speakers affixed in the far top corners assumedly to play music while the previous Japanese beychampion practised. The light in the box shaped room was dim but enough to clearly see...the damage to the walls and scorched beydish when the quad stopped yapping and looked hard enough.

Hilary sniggered at the thought of Grandpa Granger's face when Tyson inevitably asks him for a bigger dish for their already cramped yard, in a desperate attempt to repair his belittled male ego. "Your grandpa wouldn't have any garden left if you had a beydish this size Tyson. There'll be no space for his bonsai collection." She sung with smarm the latter of her words.

Max walked to the very edge of the dish before its form slanted into a bowl shape. He too marvelled at its size. "I thought the beydish in my Dads' shop's basement was decent but this is stadium sized! Kai is super lucky to have a beydish this big to play with."

Daichi edged next to his blonde American mate for a closer inspection. He taunted for fun. "Yeahhhhh. This thing's massive. Hahahah it makes your beydish look like a toddler's paddling pool Tyson! That's another thing of Kai's that's bigger than yours. Hahaha! And I'm not talking about his house!"

Max and Tyson knew what Daichi was grossly referring to...penis length. Locker-room talk dating back as early as the Blade Breaker era joked Tyson had the smallest and Kai the largest judging by size of the teams' front trouser bumps, but really they were making it up for the fun of it and had never actually measured their genitals for comparison; immature boyishness at its finest. The Granger shrugged off his Mini-me's attempt to start a banter war and was trying to behave grown up for once. "Yeah yeah yeah. Grow up Daichi. I'm happy with my package thank you. Kai has the space to have one this big, and the cash to afford it, beydish's this huge are mega expensive. The few lucky rich I guess."

Ozuma silently appeared like a ninja from behind; his sudden appearance caused the beychamp to jerk in surprise. His scold echoed in the largely empty room. "There you are Tyson. No more sneaking off. You know the rules. Stay close." His tone changed after the leader stalked forward to spy the beydish the others were encircling. "Ohh that's convenient, a beydish and it's an impressive sized one. It's miles bigger than yours Tyson. You should ask Kai if you can blade on it sometime and maybe, someday, you'll progress with your training."

Tyson whined in reply as he took his cap off to fan his face. "Will you guys cut it out? Were having the afternoon off and stop comparing what I have to Kai. If I was mega rich too I'd have an eeeeeevvvvvven bigger one."

Max added with a smile and big cerulean eyes, he gently patted his bluenette buddy on the shoulder. "Money isn't everything Tyson, and we do just fine with your little one at your Grandpa's. I like your little blue beydish."

Tyson swiped his nose with his thumb in the quirky manner he sometimes did. "Thanks Max old buddy. At least someone appreciates my beydish no matter her size." Before his sarcastic moan could extend any longer Dragoon's blader noticed something that immediately stole his attention and pointed with a firm finger. "Sayyyyyyy. Are you guys seeing those dents in the walls?"

Josef suddenly appeared, or maybe he'd been there the whole time and nobody noticed him standing there in their midst with his short height. "Yeah I see em. They've taken some serious pounding that's for sure."

The gang of 6 cautiously ambled close to the imperfections on the walls for a better look. Sure enough the brickwork was scarred with various potholes and slash marks of differing lengths and depths. The craters escaped initial discovery thanks to several attempts of reparation and layers of paint to cover the carnage.

Tyson ran his hand over the uneven wall surface, his fingers trailed over a hole and deep scratch nearby it. "The wall, it's been repaired then battered out again, and then more filler chucked in the holes. It's been repainted over and over too. 1000% that damage was made by a beyblade. Kai's had some gnarly training sessions in here that's for sure."

"Training or not, someone had some serious anger issues. He's obliterated it. The damage is on all four of the walls in this room. It's a wonder his house didn't fall down." Josef said as he fingered a shallow hole that produced crumbling brick dust and flaking grey paint as he withdrew it.

Daichi noticed another indentation different to the others and poked his finger at it to guide the others which dent he was referring to. "Say, does that hole look like a fist shape or what?"

The cap-wearing bluenette left his station to see up close. He rolled his right fist into a punching weapon and gently pressed his knuckles into the crater. The outline matched perfectly like a hand in a handprint. Alarm rippled through his body and his voice dripped serious. "Yeah Daichi it does. That's a fist print alright. That musta killed his hand big time after throwing that punch. He's lucky he didn't break it...his hand I mean."

Hilary added with a worried tone. "Kai must have been pretty upset to punch a wall that hard. I wonder what caused him to lose it like that."

Max warned from a one kneed position back at the edge of Kai's glorious red beydish and pinched his chin. His vision followed countless ashen streaks and burn marks. "Sorry to change the subject guys but have you seen these scorch marks! High quality beydishes like this one are designed to take a lota friction and heat, so for this to have scorch marks all over it, Kai must have super gone to town practising his Flame Sabre back in the day. He must have been under some serious pressure to train, or he was having a really really bad day to take it out on the dish like this."

Tyson, Hilary, Daichi, Josef and Ozuma returned to the beydish edge to see the phoenix made scorch marks for themselves. The black burns caused by high friction and flame were plentiful and etched deep into the surface of the high quality battle dish that should have been damage resistant, clearly... it wasn't Kai and Dranzer proof.

Josef straightened and quipped as he crossed his arms behind his head. "We'll just call this Kai's Little Room of Anger from now on. Whatdya say we head to the next room before we find a body buried under the floorboards."

---

The next room over...

Hilary jabbed Dragoon's guardian in the ribs with jest and winked at him playfully. "Oh look! Another room just for you Tyson!"

Daichi humorously burst with not a scrap of sensitivity. "Pahhhh! Yeah Tyson's Dad-bod needs some shapin' up before he needs a bra for his boobies!"

The sextet had found the Hiwatari mansion's gym and without invite wandered inside for a closer look. The room was immaculate and clean with a window gleaming in light from the far side. The equipment glinted like a mini paradise, and was pure heaven for any gym bunny who wanted to work out in privacy. Kai's church, where he worshipped and sculpted his body, and purified his mind and soul.

The Draciel blader exclaimed excited as he glanced at the various sparkly exercise equipment. He'd spent so long cooped up at the hospital and Tyson's dojo that Kai's flashy home gym rivalled the appeal of a fairground. His long stored pent up energy nagged him to have a go on everything for a much needed release. "Wow! There's everything you need here for a super work out. I bet Kai uses this a lot, he's always been a gym rat even when we were teenagers. He was always the first for a run or hit the weights. I wanna have a go. I haven't been on a treadmill in agessss!"

Filling the home gym was everything one would need for a full body workout. There waited a treadmill, a rowing machine, a black and red punch bag hanging from the ceiling, varieties of pairs of dumbbells on a rack, a weights and pulley machine, a stationary bike, an area with thick padding assumedly for yoga, stretches or martial arts, a big black tractor tyre for dead-lifting, a purple medicine ball, barbells and kettle-bells of several different sizes of weights. The room was decorated black and steely grey to go with the furniture and as the same as throughout the house, dark laminated hardwood flooring.

Ozuma's eyes smiled as much as his lips as he lovingly gazed across the equipment. He too liked to look after himself and was a keen exerciser. "This room I like."

Daichi raced for the large heavy thing hanging from the ceiling designed for boxers and fighting sports. "That punch bag is miinnne!" The Strata Dragoon blader ran over and foolishly jabbed a single hard but well placed punch from each hand into the bag that was more rigid than he expected. His knuckles immediately throbbed red and his wrists cracked and ached as if he'd broken them. "YOUUUCHHHH! WWWWOOOOO THAT HURT!"

Hilary hung her head before scolding with her hands on her hips. "Dummy...you should use gloves with a punch bag!"

"Awwww mannnnn. The treadmill and bike have no power. That's a real shame. I really wanted a turn." The blonde blader disappointedly meandered back to the group after discovering the electrical gear had no power supply. "It's been years since I last hit the gym. I should really get back to it sometime."

Ozuma spied Tyson's muffin top bulging from under his shirt and stated without mincing his words. "By the looks of it, Tyson hasn't been back in a while either. If you really want to protect Dragoon, you'll start taking better care of yourself; aim to be in the best shape possible. You too Max."

Max retorted with an air of delightful righteousness. "No need to worry about me, I'm in great shape. I surf back home at least 3 days a week in the summer and play soccer at the weekend. There's nothing wrong with my physique." The blonde then pulled his loose green shirt up to show a flat toned tummy.

Tyson whined back with agitation. "Yeahh yeahh yeahh. What is this? Pick-on-Tyson day? I know I got a few pound to lose. We've been training for 12 hours a day lately. What more can I do? I can't exactly build a gym at home; we've got no room for anything but Grandpa's kendo gear. And you guys aren't exactly gunna let us hit the local pool or gym with those Shadow Vale psychos out there waiting to jump us in the showers or the parking lot...are ya?"

"Here's a thought. Maybe lay off what goes in your mouth. That's a start to lose weight. It's all about calories in versus out. The less ya eat, the less ya have to burn. Simple." Josef remarked whilst shrugging his shoulders, earning him a glare from the man he was implying to reduce his eating and therefore decimate his only pleasure in life.

Hilary could see the jibing was getting too much and didn't want the bluenette's feelings hurt, or for him to throw a tantrum from all the bullying. "All right, all right give Tyson a rest. He knows what he's got to do. Body shaming him isn't going to help."

Daichi smirked like a naughty school boy with the knowledge his next cheeky words would get a fiery reaction. "Yeah Tyson's a World Champion don't ya know. He's gunna be the next World Champion sumo wrestler soon! Hahahahahah!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE...!" Squealed Tyson aggressively as he launched himself at Daichi quicker than the younger shorter blader too busy sniggering to himself realised.

Like Homer Simpson strangling his son Bart, Tyson wrapped his hands around Daichi's throat and squeezed whilst all Daichi could do was flail his arms comically like a trapped crab, endure the feeling of his own eyes popping out of his skull and writhe his tongue about in his mouth as he struggled to breathe. He managed to rasp some noises that sounded like words in a bid to placate the beychampion from collapsing his windpipe further. "*Gargle* TTTYyyyyttthhhhonnnnn *gargle* mmmmm sowwwwwyyyyyyy *gargle**cough*"

Max was close to urinating himself with deep bellied laughter and had to lean against the wall to prevent himself from falling over. Hilary held her head wondering if it was too late to pair off with Kenny or Ray and sorely wished the two would act like normal adults for once. And the Saint Shields wondered why fate ever saw fit to bestow Dragoon, one of the most regal, wisest and powerful spirits ever to grace the planet into the palms of that buffoon of a man with his hands strangling his so called best friend almost to death over a joke about his body fat ratio. Josef's lips contorted and dew grew in the corner of his eyes as he struggled with his facial features to contain a giggle...and Ozuma glumly shook his head with dead straight lips of un-amusement and pan empty eyes waiting for them to finish so they could move on with their day.

Once the pair had stopped fighting and Daichi could breathe again it was time to move on, and the next room was as exercise inspiring as the last.

Max cried as he ran over to its edge. The faint smell of chlorine was unmistakable. "OH MAN! IT'S A SWIMMING POOL!" His excited words echoed in the largely empty hall.

The trio, red faced from strangling, being strangled or laughing at the strangler and strangled were the first to rush in to find a vast rectangular room with a floor completely lined with white tiles, three windows along its length illumined the hall-like space with a high ceiling and engulfing the middle was a large waterless swimming pool. The ample sized black and white tiled swimming pool with 4 ladders at each side had long been drained years ago and was bone dry. The only other features in the hall were a couple of brown benches like the one seen in Kai's beydish room, and a shelving unit with folded white towels in its' pigeon holes.

Tyson clambered down the ladder with no grace, leapt from the last step and landed at the bottom of the shallow end with a thud. His words echoed off the sides of the tiled bathtub fit for a giant and his family too. "Whaaaaooooohhh. How cool! Now I do really wish I was rich. I love to swim! That'll get me fit in no time!"

*THUD* Daichi leapt into the waterless pool like the monkey boy Tyson dubbed him from the first day he met him. His thud was even noisier thanks to his higher drop. His screechy voice too echoed louder. "It's been weeks since I last look a dip. When Shadow Vale finally screws off into the sunset, howzabout we go to the pool regular like we used to. Whatdya say Tyson?"

Tyson felt elated at the idea and quickly chose to forgive his potty-mouthed compadre for his past verbal transgression. The thought of seeing any of his friends more was welcome news and he hoped never go back to the loneliness of previous years after they all scattered across the globe post the last Championships. "I'd love to Daichi. You say when Buddy!"

Max soon joined the duo in the empty swimming pool and added with promise. "I'll join ya too if you'll have me! I wanna spend more time with my Dad which means I'll be coming back to Japan more often and for longer in future..." The latter of his announcement was wrought with frustration, his enthusiasm died away and his gaze veered off to a dark place. "That's if Shadow Vale ever leave us alone."

Ozuma crouched at the edge of the pool nearest the fretting PPB Allstarz blader. "You will...one day. Stay under our protection and do as we say, and you'll live to see that day Max. I promise you. The Shadow Vale siblings are lethal and the cruellest beybladers around but they aren't invincible. We'll stop them, just as soon as we can."

With a twinkling golden ear pendant, Josef somersaulted into the pool too and landed like a shinobi with surprisingly little sound. "Forget Shadow Vale for 5 minutes. You're having an afternoon off aren't ya. This pool...it's pretty cool alright. Shame it's not been used for a millennia." The green haired Vanishing Moot blader wiped the floor with his finger and showed them the dust and residual chlorine on it.

Hilary tucked her skirt under her thighs as she lady-like hung her legs off the edge of the pool and lightly swung them to and fro. "Ohhh what it would be like to stay here? Just get up in the morning and go for a refreshing swim to start the day. The luxury! I could be Lady of the Manor. Hawww haawww. What do you think Kai will say?" She girly chuckled at the idea.

Tyson shot her daydreaming down with a harsh truth. "Get real Hilary. Kai will never let us stay here. You can tell he shut this place down donkeys' years ago and hasn't been back since. The whole place stinks like a museum. I bet the windows are rusted shut they've been shut so long. Kai's never mentioned this place... and there's gotta be a reason for that. We don't know the history of this place, but if Kai shared this mansion with his Grandpa Voltaire...we can bet living here wasn't exactly the bed of roses we think."

---

20 short minutes whizzed past since lofty Land-lord Kai had abandoned his 'friends' in his mansion's foyer. All guests began trickle back to the meeting point from wherever they'd explored, and each couldn't wait to boast about their discoveries. Many of the gang itched too with sensitive but nagging questions... Who did Kai live there with? Why did he leave and not return for a decade? And, why are there no family photos on view?

Team Emily and Kenny were the first expedition to return; in fact they were 3 minutes early and were greeted with the sight of a less-than cheerful Saint Shield. Dunga was sat on one of the black velvet sofas legs akimbo, hefty muscled arms strapped tight across his chest and sported all the grouch and grumpy facial expression of a bee-stung gorilla. The Vortex Ape blader was royally vexed, sweaty and ready to kill, a dark aura of frustration emanated from his dangerous bulky form as he seethed anticipating his team leaders' judgement, and bitterly cursed a certain someone for disappearing on him like a ghost.

Emily un-tactfully jibbed at the already agitated and fiery beyblader. "What's got you so pissed? Let me guess, your job was to keep an eye on Kai and he gave you the slip?"

Dunga spat back at her with hot venom. "Fuck off! Four eyes!"

The ginger tennis star snapped like an alligator, rapid and toothy she lunged into his space. Poor feeble Kenny trembled as he struggled to hold her back by her shoulders. "Say that again! Four eyes?! At least I have a brain and can follow simple instructions!"

Before Emily could rip Dunga's bandana off his head and several clumps of dark blonde hair with it...his spicy tongued team mate joined the club to make things no better for the grouchy fellow.

The Sharkrash blader smarmed after entering the doorway and sought to knock him down a peg after his brash insult, an act of sisterhood with the other female blader? Or simply because she enjoyed winding him up. "Oh what a surprise. Dunga failed to keep watch over Kai again. I mean just how hard can it be? If Kai and my Grandma had a race...Kai wouldn't win...that's how slow he is. How did he get away from you this time?! Pleasssse Dunga, I'm dying to hear in detail how Kai out-manoeuvred you, I could use a good laugh."

Before Dunga, the human bear could be poked any further, more explorers re-grouped in the lavishly decorated space of the waiting room. Fresh attention was instantly afforded to the returnees as the apish Saint Shield sat alone and simmered like a bubbling kettle.

Mariah exclaimed loud as she graced the growing gang. "You won't believe what we found upstairs. 10 identical bedrooms, all spotlessly clean and really pretty decorated. It's like a hotel up there. And in the master bathroom there's a Jacuzzi!"

Kenny finally released his hold of Emily's shoulders as her violent tirade towards Dunga waned. He quickly spoke before anymore drama could unfold to drown him out. "You won't believe what we found either, the most intriguing and charming library."

Emily flicked a thick ginger bang over the left shoulder and pushed her glasses back up her nose; she still reeled from Dunga's rude comment and did her best to brush it aside. "Intriguing. Try eccentric and downright strange. We found a dining hall with a hella-long table with only 2 seats. This place is as odd as it is decadent alright. The more rooms I visit, the more questions I have...and I'll be collaring Kai later for some answers."

The Chief excitedly grabbed at the arms of the accomplished chefs of the team to hook their attention. "That's not all we found, Ray, Mariah you have got to see the kitchen! You guys could really cook up a storm."

Tyson's voice boomed aloud from the back of the room, his presence was instantly felt and unmistakeable as he gelled into the growing crowd. Daichi, Hilary, Josef, Ozuma and Max soldiered close behind him. "Say what?! 10 bedrooms! That's insane! That's almost as cool as what we found. Kai's got a hugggee beydish, a gym..."

"And a swimming pool!" Max eagerly sliced through the Dragoon bladers' sentence cutting him off.

Daichi jealously muttered as he knot his hands behind his head. "Kai's one lucky bastard alright. Rich fellas get all the fun."He then pouted his lips like a duck and his eyes scowled green with envy.

Hilary whined before elevating her tone in preparation for a feisty debate to get what she wanted. *Sigh* "What a shame we have to leave so soon. I would love to see the library, and the bedrooms, and the kitchen. We should ask Kai really really nicely if we can stay longer. If enough of us ask he may say yes. We'll gang up on him with a majority vote. Another hour should be enough? Or should we protest for two?"

Ozuma was not supportive of Hilary's suggestion and shot it down immediately like a sniper. "No, we need to get back, and you know why...or have you suddenly developed Alzheimer's?... Has anyone seen Kai? He said to return in 20 minutes and he's late...why am I not surprised? Dunga, I see you didn't catch up to him like I asked. Why?! Was Kai too quick for you?"

Dunga arose rapidly from the sofa to defend himself. He raised his voice in a way he usually didn't to his respected team leader and peer, a sure sign of how ticked off he was. "Don't start Ozuma. This fuckin' house is like a maze. I followed him through that door and he was gone. I've been going round and round in circles, up and down stairs, through dark rooms where the lights don't work, and out on the lawn tryin' to find him! I swear he just...vanished!"

"Errrrrrrr you might wanna get your eyes tested Dunga... because he's standin' right behind ya." Josef cockily stated with his arms crossed with his back flat against a door frame.

The master of the manor had indeed returned and was now coolly leaning against the back of the sofa exactly where and how he did just 27 minutes prior with his eyes resting closed and his arms loosely crossed.

Dunga shot up, spun on his heels, and grunted loudly at the sight of the human genesis of his problems. He spat, with one curled fist at his thigh, and his other hand jabbed the air like a sword in Kai's direction. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! Where'd the hell you go Kai?!"

Kai's amethyst eyes spared Dunga the smallest amount of attention in the form of a sharp glance and then nothing more. The Saint Shield brute was simply not worth the energy to explain, nor did Kai feel the need to...it was his home and he could do and go wherever he pleased in it. Insulted Dunga, was left speechless and red-faced with embarrassment.

Ozuma decided bollocking his knuckled headed team mate for his failure to carry out a simple guarding task could wait; for now, returning the Sacred Spirit guardians back to the familiar safety of Tyson's dojo was priority no.1. He spurned, part yelling across the room to ensure Kai and the all others heard him crystal clear. "About time Kai. We should head back if you're finished."

Tyson flailed his arms like Jack Sparrow as he made for the centre of the room to negotiate. "Just hang on a minute Ozuma! We wanna ask Kai if we can stay a while longer. I don't wanna go back home yet and I think most of us feel the same. It's been so cool coming here and seeing your house Kai. Could we? Just a couple of hours more? We promise to respect your stuff and all. I wanna see your library The Chief told us about, and your wicked Jacuzzi."

Hilary rapidly joined the plea and begged with a sincere smile as her neck knife wound scab minutely itched with the movement. "Can we Kai? Stay here for a while and maybe we could get some food and have a picnic on your lawn? It took us such a long car ride to get here; it would be nice to see more of your place before we go."

After a long moment... Kai opened his eyes and finally spoke. His voice carried with a rare softness and understanding, and his words were aimed at everyone bar the Saint Shields. "So what do you think? Do you like it here?"

The beyblade champion spluttered on air and almost fell over himself on the spot. "Do we like it here?! ARE YOU KIDDING! This place is incredible! What kind of a question is that?! This is the sorta place people like us could never dream of living in. I've seen your beydish, your gym and your pool. That's pretty cool stuff Kai, this whole place. The whole royal vampire theme is a bit tacky for my taste but if you like it then so what, you like what you like I guess."

Brazen Mariah smacked the Lord of the Manor with a right hook made of blackmail. She was a never frightened to push boundaries and would do or say anything to get what she wanted. "Oh come on Kai. Let us stay for a while longer...another hour or two? Give Ray and me a longer break from the dojo and maybe, just maybe we'll change our mind about leaving Japan."

Kenny spoke up in succession and too tried to pull on heart strings if there were any. "This change of scenery has done us individually and as a team the world of good Kai. This is just the right distraction we needed to enjoy ourselves again and have some much needed breathing space ...and most importantly in safety. Thank you for bringing us to your home Kai... and I hate to be greedy but please, on behalf of everyone, can we pleasssse stay just a little longer. Think of the team!"

Kai silently huffed. He knew they would like it here, who wouldn't enjoy visiting a gallantly decorated manor and its vast estate while having full unsupervised run of it. He dropped his gaze to the floor and allowed time to pass to be sure of his next words and the implications of them thereafter. He then slowly lifted his face, his eyes were stone serious and his amethyst orbs glittered handsomely in a rogue stream of light from the bay window. He flatly asked to all in the room...

..."If that's how you feel...How would you like to stay for a few days?"

The gang were caught completely off guard and needed a moment for the surprising offer to sink in. For short seconds many bewildered glances of confusion, surprise and exhilaration exchanged amongst the collective of beybladers and side-kicks. One blader demanded clarification.

Tyson couldn't believe his ears and blurted. "SAY WHAT?! STAY OVER? HERE?! ARE YOU BEING SERIOUS?!"

Daichi gripped his jaw in scepticism. "Is this some sorta trick Kai?! Really? You're gunna let us stay here?! Why I don't I believe ya?"

Max punched the air with a joyous fist before landing and jiggling about on the spot like a toddler about to pee himself. "Really Kai! We can stay?! Like stay for the night...a sleep over?!"

Kai nodded and smirked before replying dry and sarcastically. "Yes, stay over. Like what you've been doing at Tyson's...but here instead."

Mariam fret as she gazed at her team leader for support. A bulbous sweat drop decorated her forehead and more saturated her head band."Ehhhhhh ummmmmmmm hold on a moment guys. Ozuma...you got anything to say about this?!"

Hilary girlishly daydreamed as she gripped the White Tiger pinkette's hands and bounced up and down on her hocks. "Mariah we're going to stay in a real mansion! We can pretend we're Princesses or characters from Bridgerton...if only we had the ball gowns and cute boutique tea dresses. Wait! Where would we sleep? And how long can we stay?"

The Galux blader wrapped a pally arm around the brunette's shoulders. "Don't worry Hil; Kai has plenty of bedrooms upstairs and fresh sheets too. I'm curious; I wonder what changed Kai's mind. Was it my threat to go back to China?"

Ray smiled with calm elation in his bones. "I'm just glad Kai's letting us stay at all. I couldn't spend one more night at Tyson's; the overcrowding was driving me crazy. For now, White Tiger hills can wait, I'm more than happy to stay here for now. This place is huge and maybe we'll get our own room Mariah. Wouldn't that be nice?"

The White Tiger pair, Hilary and Emily paused to gaze upon the stark view of Ozuma, Josef, Dunga and Mariam's faces and what a picture they were...facial features displaying pure bitterness, and surprise of the unpleasant kind.

The Driger guardian carried on but now spoke in a serious tone and stood in a guarding stance. "Judging the Saint Shields faces right now...this has to be the first they've heard of Kai's idea. They don't look happy so hold your breath guys; I have a feeling this is going to get ugly. You know how over-protective and dominant the Shields are of our safety and where we go. Kai's got some serious explaining to do and Ozuma isn't going to swallow it easily."

Tyson was bursting with kiddish energy. "Oh man Kai! I don't know what to say buddy! This is gunna be so cool! A sleepover at yours...I never thought I'd see the day dude!"

The Saint Shields' leader took no time to stomp like an ogre to the centre of the room. With volatility in his broad shoulders he barged giddy Tyson clean out of the way with ease and without a word of sorry, and prepared to square off with the one who brought forward his terrible displeasure...Kai.

"HEEYYYY! Oh Ozuma...what's...up...dude?" The bluenette daren't retort anything further and slowly backed away from the clearly enraged leader as if he was a wild animal with its claws out. He guessed instantly what the Flash leopard blader's hellish mood was about and quickly shuffled further aside for his own safety. He watched...and waited...for the verbal beating his old buddy Kai had coming to him for his un-approved maverick offer.

All others in the room too, instantly silenced their celebrating, backed away to give Ozuma a wider clearing, and readied for the tsunami of dispute about to batter their happy shore.

Ozuma's clothing smoked with embers, his tight muscles jerked, his green eyes glowered arrows and the hot veins on his hands and arms popped and protruded. The grey and red haired leader paced back and forth livid allowing time for his mind to construe the right words and deliver them to his almost foaming mouth. Once ready, he lunged a stomping boot towards the poised and calm landlord whom displayed not a flicker of intimidation or regret. The Saint Shield's leader made his feelings perfectly clear. All in the room bit their tongues waiting for the inevitable new fallout between him and their new host. The tension in the air was thick and terribly uncomfortable.

Ozuma yelled with a growling and intimidating tone. "WHY?! WHY DIDNT YOU CONSULT ME? Why didn't you come to me before making a decision to move the group like this, a move which impacts all of us, me and my team included...a move that jeopardises EVERYONE'S SAFETY... INCLUDING YOUR OWN! I hope you have a good answer. I REALLY REALLY DO."

Kai silently and sleekly left his leaning post to near the centre of the room in order to greet his cross opponent with at least some decorum and respect. His spine was straight; his head held high and his arms authoritatively interlocked. His demeanour and tone was calm, clear, and assertive and with little emotion. CEO mode took over as he delivered a cold and unwavering statement.

"It's simple. For as long as we are here, I'm taking control.

Current living conditions for the team are not suitable and something has to change. The team trains for 12 hours a day without adequate sleep and rest and are producing no better results for it; in fact their skills are regressing. Recently their beyblading performances and mental resilience have taken a sharp decline. Tyson's dojo although sufficient at first has now become a cage. We cannot reside like that any longer, at least not in the same numbers under one roof. Tala and Bryan have gone but we are still at risk of Max, Emily, Ray and Mariah leaving. Two of them carry Sacred Spirits, a fact you know very well Ozuma. As you have previously stated, Ray and Max are under constant threat of attack and without skilled protection in the form of yourselves and the team as a whole, the risk to their lives and Bitbeasts is high. Max and Ray were prepared to take that risk to return to their home countries, indicating how desperate they feel. This is the only option I could think of at short notice. I don't want them or anyone else to suffer the same fate I almost met and if that means offering my mansion to entice them so stay then so be it. This is a temporary solution to a long term problem, so no-one get too comfortable. I'll be returning to work at my company in 6 days time. We have 6 days to plan an alternative and safe living arrangement. If we fail to agree to a plan then we'll have no choice but to move back to the Granger residence until we do.

...

Moving forward, you and your team Ozuma are welcome to take a bed and stay as guests. You have done more than your fair share of the protection work and my security team will take over from now on. You all look like you could do with some beauty sleep.

...

As for security, I'm installing dog and handler teams to patrol the estates boundaries. As well as the guards you already see outside, more are due to arrive shortly. Staff will be pulled from the Granger residence to join a new and bigger team here so you will recognise some old faces as well as new. Tyson, a crew will remain to safeguard your grandfather, and the security staff assigned to Kenny, Hilary and Max's parents will remain in place. As an extra layer of defence I have two panic rooms should we need them."

Hilary gingerly raised her hand to ask a question like a schoolgirl asking for permission to speak. "Ummm Kai. What about our things? Are we returning to Tyson's to pack our belongings?"

Kai replied bluntly. "I'll arrange for security staff to gather your things and deliver them here."

Emily sassed. "What about electricity and water. The whole time I've been here I've not seen one light on and I assume the water supply is switched off too? We can't live here without running water and a power supply I hope you know."

Kai smarmed in reply. "What do you think I've been doing the last 20 minutes Emily? I've reconnected the power generator, and the water supply will be running within the hour. Don't drink any tap water until it's properly flushed through."

With a rumble in his tummy Max joined to the queue of quizzers as he too shot up an arm to speak. "What about food Kai? Do you have any in storage? I saw a 7Eleven store a few miles down the road, we could walk it but it's quite a hike."

Emily jibbed with a smirk and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with smarm. "All Kai has in his pantry is out of date pasta and rice. We can't be expected to eat that?!"

Kai announced in reply for all to hear. "We'll have a food delivery by the morning and I'll instruct my security team to pick up some lunch for you for this afternoon. We can order takeout for tonight. Fight amongst yourselves what you want to eat; I don't care what you choose."

Emotional Tyson brimmed with thrill and gratitude and skipped close to his new host wanting nothing more than to bro-hug him...not that he dared. "Kai! I don't know what to say buddy. Thanks Dude! We'll be on our best behaviour!" He delivered a huge double thumbs up with a toothy cheesy grin before twisting to engage the others. "This is going to be so much fun huh guys!... That is...if Ozuma has given his blessing for us to stay." The latter of his sentence was sarcastic and pokey towards the Saint Shield who acted like he owned them all.

Ozuma had simmered down considerably. Kai had raised some very valid points and the Saint Shield leader lacked any substantial argument against them. Still, his pride was a beastly thing and wouldn't allow him to back down. "I can't pretend I'm happy with this and NO Tyson I don't give my blessing. But Kai has made a point that you were struggling, and I agree you haven't been your best as beybladers or people. Still, I don't think leaving the safety of the dojo is the best course. We have a system that's working and has kept you safe, until now. We should go back to the dojo and talk through our options."

Mariam unexpectedly turned on her own team captain. She spoke softly and selfishly longed to take Kai up his offer of a king-size bed. "You should give this place a chance Ozuma. It's only for 6 days and you should see the bedrooms. A real bed Ozuma! I could use a proper night's sleep...and you know you do too. I've seen you cradling an achy back and don't you deny it."

Josef too salivated over the idea of an actual bed to sleep on instead of rooftop tiles. Moreover, he wasn't about to let Ozuma's stubbornness ruin his only chance to enjoy a free stay in a real mansion only the rich, famous and royal ever get the chance to experience. "Sis is right. We've taken a hit too Ozuma. Would it be so bad to let Kai's security take over? We could all use a rest from babysitting, even you. The four of us have been squabbling as bad as the rest of them and we don't know how much longer we've gotta do this for; we should take the chance to chill for a few days while we can.

And Kai's got a panic room here right? I've seen them on TV shows and Jodie Foster was in a movie about one. They're like built-in wardrobes made of several inches of layered steel! They're impossible to break into unless you designed them or you have the passwords. With those to fall back on...we're gunna to be finnnneeee. Driger, Draciel and Driger will be totally safe here with a panic room on standby. Trust me. Those things are legit."

Dunga added with haste. He wanted the free mansion stay as much as the siblings and the chance to actually kick back and enjoy some well earned rest for all the stressing and tedious midnight patrols on Tyson's roof. "Security dogs too huh? So, those Shadow Vale shitheads would have to find where we are, scale the walls without being seen, sneak past the security goons and their mutts, dodge all the cameras, avoid us, find their target somewhere in the mansion and assassinate them before the Bladebreakers can run and hide in a panic room?! That's a tall order even for them Ozuma. I say Good luck to em!"

Young CEO Kai took charge of the air once more. "Security cameras see almost every inch of the grounds and cover all entrances and windows to the house. The footage will be manned live 24 hours a day by two officers remotely, so anything you do outside will be watched and recorded. There are cameras in every room except the bathrooms and bedrooms; they are linked to the panic room feed. The hard-drive will self-wipe footage after 14 days unless I download and save a copy. This is to deter theft and ensure to catch any criminal activity if we have a break in; with the mass of security presence we will have in place that's not going to be a concern.

...

A word of warning about the security dogs and especially to you Tyson, they are working dogs, so no belly rubs or you'll lose your fingers. They are nothing like Victor so don't expect them to be. They do not know you and they may perceive you as a threat if you approach them or their handler. Let them do their job."

A small twang kicked Tyson's brain in gear as he realized someone from the pack was missing. "Speaking of Victor; where is he? Did you leave him with my Grandpa or somethin'?"

Kai replied blunt and frosty. "He's back with my Grandmother in Hiroshima. I sent him away in another car when I knew we were coming here. He...doesn't like it here, and its best he doesn't mingle with the security dogs. Victor doesn't know his own size and will pick a fight he can't win so I've removed temptation."

Tyson low key whined. "Oh mannnn! I wanted to say goodbye to him. I'll have to invite myself round your Grandma's Kai for tea and crumpets. Victor is my best friend too ya know!"

Ozuma stomped a foot again to bring Tyson's chit-chat back to heel. There were bigger issues to discuss besides the whereabouts of Kai's pet pooch. The Flash Leopard blader's fists balled up for a moment and clenched tight causing his knuckles to pale, before unfurling them again in bitter defeat. "Grrrrrr I don't like it but I guess it's too late to stop you now. Kai, you've promised a safe retreat behind barbed wire, no different to what we had at Tyson's dojo just in a bigger house and a pretty lawn. This place will give the team the room they need yes, but the larger space...the harder it will be to watch and defend every inch. Tyson's home was modest but easier to patrol. You seem to have the security situation covered but until I see for myself your new team's competency, we Saint Shields won't be sleeping in. We'll stay for the next 6 days and not a day more, and during that time we will plan where and what to do next. You've taken an unnecessary risk inviting us to stay here, and for that you need you to understand...if anything happen to Ray, Max and Tyson and their Sacred Spirits...I'll place the blame squarely on you Kai...and there WILL BE consequences...So make sure your cameras, your staff and their dogs are ready for some hard work because there is too much on the line!"

Ozuma was riling and Kai didn't appreciate threats. The rising tension made the air sticky again.

Tyson comically hastened to add in order to lighten the mood. "Not just bigger space and bigger dogs Ozuma. We have a pool and a sick stadium sized beydish, all the space we could want, and our own bedrooms! We aren't going to find anything more perfect than this and I think you know it too. I hope we can stay here forever! I wish the Blitzkrieg Boys were still with us. They woulda loved this!"

Kai chose to dismiss Ozuma's rude posturing in order to deliver a further stern message. "Let me make one thing clear, this is not a holiday. You're here to realign yourselves in preparation for whatever we have to face next. Get some rest but don't forget your training.

...

Now it's agreed you're staying, I have some house rules. Break them and I'll have you sleeping on the driveway in a cheap one- person tent, and you'll be sharing a single futon with Mr Cooper and a gassy 60kg rottweiler.

...

There will be no TV and no gaming; you need to focus on improving your blading skills or resting. You are free to use my gym, the pool and beydish whenever you like. Clean up after yourselves, you're responsible for keeping your own rooms clean, this is not a hotel. Don't touch any of the paintings or ornaments, I have expensive and irreplaceable antiques here and I do not want them broken or tarnished, especially the books and vinyl. No eating or drinking anywhere but the dining room, reception and the kitchen. You are allowed to eat outside. No alcohol, if I see any ordered in the food delivery I will pour it down the sink. You can go anywhere on the grounds but the attic, the basement, my office, the garage and master bedroom are strictly off limits.

...

Tomorrow you will see a maid and groundskeeper attending the house and garden. Treat them with respect; they are not your personal servants.

...

That's everything. Now, I have matters I need to tend to. Enjoy exploring and...don't get too lost." Kai playfully warned the latter of his sentence as he edged towards another white door with a golden ornate handle.

---

The day had been a strange but a surprisingly welcome and pleasant one. Tyson and his multicultural gang of former guests, add their hard-faced disgruntled babysitters the Saint Shields, had spent a touch over two weeks cramped, confined and slowly losing their minds at the traditionally minimalistic, wooden throughout, and very modest sized Granger dojo and now...their new home for the next 6 days would be this spacious, lavishly decorated mansion, oozing luxury with every velvety curtain and bouncy soft feel of the carpet beneath their feet, with crystal and black iron chandeliers hanging from almost every room. The dojo was light and airy, and spiritually clean with no evil spirits lurking in the rafters, but this brick and mortar structure hid uncomfortable truths and was dense aired with mystery and a heaviness the new inhabitants couldn't put a finger on why. The feelings felt between the two properties were entirely opposite comfort levels both physically and emotionally. Tyson's was basic but warm and welcoming, whereas Kai's home was plush but a tad creepy.

The estates' new guests harboured a library of questions but would have to pick the perfect opportune moment to ask them without overstepping their moody landlord's delicate boundaries. That afternoon, Hiwatari Enterprise's security personnel morphed into a fleet of couriers and delivered Tyson and Co's belongings just as Kai promised, and a small pre-packed bento lunch which the team each enjoyed on blankets on the dry lawn. After hours of mooching around the vast property, toying with some of the exercise equipment, cleaning and filling the swimming pool, assisting a team of cleaners to dust every surface, beat curtains, and vacuum every carpet and rug, playing hide and seek around the grounds, getting lost, and claiming which bedroom would be theirs, the gang self shepherded to the dining room for dinner before an early bedtime.

It was 7:54 pm and pizza had just arrived in 4 large square boxes steaming with the unmistakable scent of cheesy breadiness combined with the salivating aromas of pepperoni, mushrooms, BBQ sauce, peppers, onions and chicken pieces. Kai and Ray carried two boxes each, set them down and flapped open the boxes in the middle of the dining table. Like farm animals at a trough Tyson, Max, Daichi, Dunga and Josef elbowed each other for first dibs, scrubbing the swimming pool was hard thirsty work and they hankered madly for their cheesy reward. Prior to the pizzas arrival Kai had laid out the table with blue and white Greek style porcelain plates, and offered antique silver knives and forks at their sides...although most would eat with their hands in the traditional way of eating the Italian staple despite the offer of cutlery. Eventually all guests had their pick of the floppy hot triangular slices including the Saint Shields surprisingly, whom for once opted to join the feast after seeing exactly how well staffed Kai's newly bolstered security team, and how efficient their patrols with dog leads in hand. The quad with Ozuma's nod decided to kick back and enjoy the fatty fast-food too.

Despite the scene of richly decorated walls, the extravagant black wooden table with its glittering glass topper and luxurious room decor emanating high class, the common born guests were far from sophisticated and key characters would soon bicker over their food like rabid toddlers.

Master Kai sat at the head of the table with his back nearest the door, and Tyson perched at the opposite head by the window, the remainder of the spaces were populated by the rest of the gang each having their space at the table, the spare chairs of which were found in a nearby corridor cupboard and some thought it odd that they were stashed away at all...all aside from two.

Dunga reached for his fork to stab the last slice of meat feast pizza in its place in order to claim it...but was too slow. "DONT take all the Meat Feast Tyson! HEY! Put it back! That was my slice!"

Dragoon's gluttonous guardian had rapidly fished the last slice of the meat laden pizza quicker than Vortex Ape blader could lance it, and slapped it onto his plate ready to eat with his fingers. He pointed a greasy finger at a nearby box most filled with remaining pizza...the vegetarian one that Hilary and Kenny ordered which was only half eaten. "Oh chill out Dunga, there's plenty to around! SEE! There are tonnes of veggie pizza left! Hilary won't mind, she has the appetite of a sparrow anyway." The bluenette cried nonchalantly before scoffing his spoils.

Ray, Mariam, Max, Mariah, Josef, Ozuma, Kenny, Emily, Hilary and Kai quietly, sensibly and with adult decorum ate their pizza slices in silence as the Dunga, Tyson and Daichi dinner show played out.

Daichi jibed with a mouthful of mashed pepperoni and cheesiness in his teeth. "Vegetarian! Pahhhh veggie pizzas are for girls Dunga! Real men eat meat. Why don'tcha start wearing a dress while ya at it too! HAHAHAH!"

Dunga arose from his seat to shake a fist at the rude mouthed Strata Dragoon blader several inches shorter and several kilos lighter than he. He almost grabbed him from across the tabletop if only the table wasn't so wide. "WHATTT YOU SAY!" I'll show you a dress...how to DRESS your wounds I'm about to give ya!"

Hilary scolded after rapidly swallowing a mouthful of her vegetable and cheese delight. "You pea-brains. Can't we have one nice meal with manners and eat like normal people. And yes Dunga, please have some of my pizza as Tyson has eaten farrrrrrr more than he should. He's on a diet now you know."

Tyson almost choked on his mouthful and spluttered with half a wind pipe clear. "Says you Hilary! I'm not on any diet! TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW!"

Max amply chewed a mouthful of his BBQ chicken goodness and calmly swallowed. He didn't have the energy to intermingle with any childish silliness and instead opted to have his curiosity scratched. He was brave to start off the quizzing everyone else was too ginger to begin. "How old is this place Kai? And how come it's yours? Did your Grandfather give it to you?"

Kai simply chose to ignore the blonde ex-Bladebreakers question and further chewed a small mouthful of BBQ smothered chicken topped pizza he wasn't particularly enjoying. Pizza wasn't his favourite food of choice and was only eating it because a majority vote put it on the table. Kai had barely eaten half a slice as other things on his mind stole his focus and killed his appetite. The torturous loss of Dranzer and his endangered future as CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises were never far from his thoughts and killed any sense of joy in his day.

Miss Watson wasn't going to let Lord Hiwatari get away without answering at least some of their questions. Her tone strongly indicated she wanted answers and she wasn't going to back down no matter how much he disliked it. "I've been dying to ask you Kai. I can tell no-one has lived here for some time. Did you live here with your Grandfather Voltaire? Was this his place? Did anyone else live here with you? We have to know Kai, the curiosity is killing us, you have to tell us something."

The diners went silent and all eyes blinked and rolled over to Kai's end seat of the table. Tension built in an instant. Asking about Kai's past was delicate territory and Emily was bravely tiptoeing across the line like a boss.

Kai swallowed his bite and took a moment to muster a simple yet adequate reply. His eyes stared coldly and slowly blinked as he sawed away at another bite size piece of pizza to eventually fork to his un-excited mouth. He barely afforded the quizzers any eye contact as he answered with an air of irritation. "If you must know, yes I lived here with my Grandfather Voltaire for a while. He bought this place from a German national who built this after the 2nd World War. It's mine now."

Emily pressed further without any let up in detective mode. "I wondered why all the German literature in the library. But why the Russian? Did someone Russian live here too?"

Kai hid his agitation well as he kindly gifted another answer in the hopes one more would be enough to satiate the over-curious and overstepping brainy beyblader. "My Grandmother, Voltaire's ex-wife was born in Russia, she used to live here. Some of the books are hers."

Unwitting Hilary tripped a wire with one question blown too close to the heart. "Where is your Grandmother now? Can we meet her?"

Kai froze stiff and ceased anything to do with his cutlery and food to shoot a deafening response. With a low tone and a daring scowl he stated clear and concise. "No more questions about my family. Any more...and you can all leave in the morning."

A heavy and awkward silence engulfed the room...until another question would spell the end of the evening.

Mariam un-tactfully quipped as she half chewed a bite of pepperoni perfection whilst rudely leaning back in her chair. "Why so many bedrooms Kai? You looking to start your own hotel chain or something?"

Kai had had enough. He placed his cutlery down on top of his plate with a sharp clinking sound as they met the porcelain and rested atop his half eaten single slice of pizza. He silently arose from his seat pushing the chair backwards on the carpet and announced with a flat cold expression before turning to leave the room. His tone was coarse and sharp. "It's getting late. I'm going to bed."

Mariam instantly broke into skulk mode as those who knew Kai best sported her a multitude of glares, tuts, and rolled eyes. Kai's patience was a thin fragile line and she had just pranced all over it. "What did I do?!" She mouthed a victims shrieking whisper.

The head G-Revolution blader shot to his feet and hurried a reply just as Kai reached the door handle to leave. Tyson couldn't let Kai go without saying something kind. "Hey Kai, thanks for letting us stay bud. Sleep well and we'll see ya in the morning."

The ex-Blitzkrieg Boy stopped at the doorway, turned his head just enough to connect a frosty single-eyed gaze briefly with Tyson before closing his eyes, turning downward the door handle, pulled the door open, walked through the doorway, closed the door behind him and clicked the door shut without a word or gesture more.

The team couldn't tell if Kai was angry, over-tired, or just wanted to be alone for the rest of his night...or a combination of all three. He was an emotional enigma at times and from then on all made a solid pact to keep their quizzing to a minimum, vitally where his family were concerned. It was barely past 8pm and a worryingly early bed time even for Kai. The Master of the manor had offered them something truly special by allowing them to stay at his grand mysterious old home and they couldn't risk losing that gift. Their curiosities would have to remain unanswered for now as clearly there were things Kai didn't want to talk about, like, the unhappy episodes of Kai's past involving Voltaire, how he raised him at BIOVOLT to become a human weapon and intrinsically his time living at the mansion with his abusive narcissist of a Grandfather. The reveal about Kai's Russian grandmother was grossly interesting and perhaps with some careful digging the gang around the mansion they could find some answers. Or maybe the grounds keeper or the housemaid would know a thing or two. Tomorrow would shed more light on the mansions secrets and Kai's too.

---

Whilst the guys downstairs polished off the last of the pizza and planned the next day's fun filled adventures starting with the pool and not so much the beydish or the gym...Kai upstairs had finally climbed the stairs as fast as his tugging healing wound and depleted energy levels would allow, he ambled quietly down the carpeted corridor, past the bedrooms his friends would soon be sleeping to the master bedroom, snuck inside the door and closed it behind him with little noise. With the twist of a latch beneath the door handle he locked himself in...and the world out.

He stopped in the centre of his bedroom atop the grey stripy rug in its centre and stared emptily at a patch of silvery carpet for the longest time. The setting sun poked through the gap in between his curtains illuminating the room adequately enough as he stood transfixed in deathly silence with shallow breath whilst he contemplated what he was about to do.

"If I do this. There's no going back."

The decision was made. His face finally arose and with alight lilac-grey eyes he strode for a door-sized mirror on the far wall. He pushed down on the right side of the mirror until he heard a faint click and released the pressure. The frame softly swung open on hinges to reveal...a steel door hidden behind it. On its face was a key pad, a small screen above it and hand scanner pad. Kai punched 734961 into the keypad and the screen alighted green, he then placed his right hand on the scanner pad and a beam of light in a line scanned from the southern-most part of his palms to the top of his fingers and back down again. The screen alighted green again and the door mechanisms, bolts and locks receded into the door frame and walls surrounding. The dense metal door several inches thick gently swung outward an inch, just wide enough for fingers to slip in and open the giant steely Pandora's Box.

The grey and blue haired man pulled at the ajar door's rim and stepped inside the safety vault widely known in America as a panic room. He ignored the CCTV screens, the little sofa, piles of blankets and boxes of food and water to kneel for the safe in the middle of the space the size of an average bedroom. That too required a key code and a hand print to open which Kai obliged without delay and without a hitch. He reached inside the newly opened vault to find two boxes. Kai reached for the left one and unzipped the case edge to find inside...a hand gun with 6 bullets wedged into stiff black foam. He zipped the package back up without any lingering thought, and placed it back onto its tiny shelf in the safe in order to retrieve the other black box next to it...containing a weapon far more dangerous and deadly than any firearm known to man.

His pale fingers flipped open the lid similar to that of a necklace box... to find...a beyblade bitchip wedged face up on an ebony velvet cushion...

...Black Dranzer.

Staring up at his old master was a bitchip containing the menacing and lustful raven feathered phoenix. Dranzer's dark twin and BIOVOLTs dreadfully successful science experiment. Kai took the bitchip into his fingers and stroked it with a soft cold thumb...and closed his eyes.

"KKKKKKAAAAWWWWWRRRWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRR!" Black Dranzer echoed haunting and dinosaur-like in Kai's brain. Its malevolent power turned the skin of his digits and thumb grey and blackened the veins of his hands before allowing his tissue to quickly return to normal, all before Kai could open his eyes to see what its venomous touch was doing to him. Black Dranzer would be to Kai as Marvel's Venom is to Eddie Brock...unreasonable, violent, all-consuming, transformative, selfish, and wholly destructive. Time would tell which one would be in control, and who around them would inevitably suffer in their battle for domination over the other. Black Dranzer's menacing cry so similar, yet so sinisterly different to the gallant red phoenix original delivered the familiar feeling of safety, warmth and power Kai had sorely missed since Blake so cruelly ripped him away at deaths door. The bonding between the pained and vengeful man and his cursed Phoenix with ebony feathers instead of scarlet was quick to start.

After shutting the safe, retreating from the panic room and concealing its door behind the mirror once more, Kai fished around in a wardrobe drawer to produce a rectangular shaped titanium locket complete with a chain...and placed Black Dranzer snugly inside of it.

"Now, I just need your beyblade and then we'll see what we can really do. Black Dranzer." Kai hushed with intention as he cryptically closed the locket, hiding his black phoenix in the dark once more. He placed the silver chain with its unholy spirit cargo inside around his neck and retired to bed. The phoenix master lay atop his sheets and stared up at the ceiling glowing orange with the last of the light of the sun, his eyes soon began to feel heavy and just as he closed them giving into exhaustion and allowing sweet slumber to take him, Black Dranzer smouldered the locket a tinge of toxic green as it lay atop his black night shirt, positioned directly above Kai's heart.