#Beyblade au: Fractured reflections

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Contd. to this event

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

Hiromi imagined her first beyblading match to be vastly different. Probably with some other rookie in a smaller, more manageable stadium, and under less threatening circumstances.

Not against one of the strongest bladers of their generation, and Kai may kill her. And she wants to save him.

Whatever.

If... the desire to win, or love beyblading is a source of motivation for her team... then is... wanting to save people... a source of motivation?

And then she thought of the sleepless nights lately.

She thought of Grandpa, waiting for Takao to come home.

She thought of Mao crying on the phone.

This Blake ... he has control of her team.

And the flames around her grew in response to her feeling of frustration.

"Hey!" she screamed through the flames. "KAI!"

He wasn't listening, as he was getting angrier.

"KAI!"

"These disgusting flames!" he snarled. "I will extinguish them."

"What?" she asked slowly.

She looked around herself at Blue Suzaku.

Why does... her bit-beast infuriate him?

Whatever!

"Kai, I don't know if you can hear me, but you're part of our team. Takao, Myself, Max, Rei, Daichi, Kyoujyu," she called out to him. "You fought with us for BBA, against Brooklyn, against the odds—"

"SHUT UP!"

"YOU WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TEAM!" she yelled.

But it doesn't matter anymore who he beat... does it? This is not him... is it? What does she really know of Kai?

He roared in anger. "SHUT UP!"

Her Suzaku and Suzaku clashed at the heart of the warehouse, as they both yelled in unison, lighting up, and blowing off the rooftop as their beyblades rammed into each other. Sparks flew. The windows blew out. The night sky was lit up with sparks. Heat and wind surrounded they yelled their attacks.

"SUZAKUUUU! FIRE ARROW!"

"SUZAKUU!" she repeated. "FIRE-ARROW!"

"STOP COPYING ME!"

They both clashed and set the entire warehouse walls on fire as Hiromi felt the bit-beast surround her with blue flames to protect her from the onslaught. Her beyblade collided into his.

For a brief second, a sliver of a second, through fire, sparks and smoke, she saw his eyes clear from that cloudiness. He stared at her. Hiromi was thrown back.

"I..." she got to her feet. She may not know everything about him. But one thing's for sure. "YOU ARE NOT A PUPPET!"

For a split second, he widened his eyes at her.

And then he clutched his head.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP!" he screamed.

"NO!" she yelled back. "IF MY VOICE ANNOYS YOU! LET IT! THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE! YOU'RE NOT A PUPPET!"

Hiromi got to her feet, ignoring her burns.

"I SWEAR WHATEVER IT TAKES, I'LL DRAG YOU AND THE OTHERS OUT OF THIS HELL, BUT STARTING WITH YOU! WE'RE GOING BACK HOME. I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM USE YOU!"

Then she felt it. A link. Something tethering the two of them.

This... Connection. Their flames started to connect, creating a circle around them.

The fires around Kai collapsed, as he's struggling against something, the mind-control or whatever. He trashed around, as he crashed to his knees.

She tried to cross over towards him.

Then circle of flames collapsed.

His flames barred her.

"I..." she thought. "I'm not strong enough to brave Suzaku's flames... but still... I can't do nothing. He's so close."

The flames increased in intensity.

"Kai..." she held out her hand.

He had his head in his hands.

"Kai, listen to me," she said. "You're strong enough to break free of this. You're stronger than you think. I..."

He then stood up as the flames around started to coil, and they increased in ferocious intensity forming a powerful fire vortex around him.

His eyes were red again.

Hiromi stared at him with wide eyes.

"Suzaku," he said. "Burn her."

Seriously?

Hiromi stared up at the powerful vortex.

She... she can't copy this one... This... true Suzaku is too powerful. She felt her helplessness fight against her frustration.

That's when another beyblade entered the fray. "You ain't gunna do that to her, KAI!" she heard. "YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

"Wolborg! ATTACK!"

And an ice-bridge divided them protecting her from Suzaku's onslaught.

"FALBORGGG!"

"SEABORG!!"

What?

Hiromi kept her eyes trained on Kai, who glared at them, and Suzaku shattered the ice. He was struggling.

Suzaku churned within fire, as a maniacal grin overtook Kai's face, and Hiromi's heart broke.

And with one final clash, Suzaku sent their beyblades flying. The Flames covered his departure through flames and smoke, as he looked over his shoulder at her one last time.

She thought she saw someone else through the flames.

She got to her feet.

Huh?

And then she broke into a run.

"OI!" Yuriy yelled at her.

She ran through the warehouse, past the smoke and fire, and the falling beams. And out into the cold night, where she saw nothing. HIromi spun around.

"Kai?" she called out into the night. "KAI!"

The sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline met her followed by the sound of another beam falling.

.

.

.

"I dunno what to do!" Boris said. "We looked all 'round for 'im, and can't find him."

Hiromi walked up to them, past the warehouses which were on fire.

"Drat," Yuriy said. "So he's gone or something."

"I was gunna beat 'im up before he tried to beat me up!" Boris said.

Sergei nodded solemnly, and he glanced over at Hiromi.

"What do we tell Kyoujyu? Is this the girl he was worried about?"

There was... a moment there... She sighed. She's so tired.

"Oi," Yuriy called out to her. "Are you the one who Kyoujyu was worried 'bout?"

"Oi, GIRL! YOU! GIRL!" Boris said. "If we weren't gunna save ya, you'd be roasted. Where's our thanks?" He wagged his finger at her.

She blinked as she looked up.

"Oh," she said with a smile "Thanks for that."

And they stared at her awkwardly, like they didn't expect her to thank them.

"Kyoujyu sent you?" she continued. She had been talking to him on the phone when she spotted Kai around the town.

"I didn't know Takao's teammate could beyblade," Yuriy said as he squinted at her.

"I don't."

"Huh!?" Boris said. "Then whaddya doing beyblading Kai?! Are ya crazy?"

"Haha. Well he was in town... for one reason or the other... likely to finish off Brooklyn, and I ran into him on my way back."

"Oh."

"Oh okay?!?"

"GUYS!"

She spun around to see Kyoujyu.

"You guys are safe! And Kai didn't destroy you guys."

"Whaddya mean Kai can destroy us?" Boris got all up in his face.

Yuriy stared at Kyoujyu and then he pointed at Hiromi, who rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish look.

"She was beyblading him, actually."

"Huh!?" Kyoujyu asked her. "I... I thought I told you not to do that!"

"Kyoujyu," Hiromi said with a smile.

"We don't know the capabilities of... something like that?! Incomplete Suzaku. What kind of... it's so cold and weird...?!"

"Kyoujyu."

"And beyblading Kai?! Are you serious!? Do you want to die!?"

"Kyoujyu."

"I KNOW WE'RE both frustrated! But you can at least wait for Brooklyn and me?!"

He pointed at the warehouse which was still burning.

"Kyoujyu!"

"What!?"

He was fuming. The Demolition boys stared between them.

"I think..." she said with a sooty smile. "I think I almost managed to break control off Kai."

He stared at her with wide eyes.

"Wot," Yuriy asked.

[berserker-syndrome]

Berserker Syndrome

Chapter 1: Zero Tolerance

Berserker Syndrome: A Beyblade AU - Master Post

Read on Ao3

Read on Fanfiction.Net

Read on Wattpad

Or Read it right fuckin' here.

---

Outside, the morning was quiet. The rising sun sat low in the sky, peaking through a veil of thick fog that rose from the cool water of the harbour as it met with the unusual warmth of the early autumn air. A light breeze swayed the branches of the aspen trees that lined the courtyard of the London based school grounds, rustling the leaves which had only just begun to change into their fiery red and orange hues.

Sleepy students dressed neatly in their grey and black uniforms paraded along the pathways that crisscrossed through the school's atrium where the Historical, weather-warn stone buildings of the campus loomed high above, shading them from the morning light. Some eagerly raced across the grassy lawns to get to their destinations faster while others dragged their feet across the cobblestone in absolutely no rush to attend their first class of the morning. They yawned and chattered among their peers, laughing or complaining about the early hours, describing a weekend full of melodramatic relationship woes, homework struggles, parties, or shopping sprees.

Outside there was a calming sense of harmony.

But inside, in the washroom on the second floor of the Kings Hall dorm building, chaos had erupted.

Three teenage boys sat in a heap on the floor atop shards of porcelain and broken glass, each suffering a varying degree of hurt. The muffled cries of one indicated a severely broken jaw, another was hindered with a bloody, blackened right eye and a likely concussion, while the third voiced his agony in shrill, profane curses as several adults knelt down and tended to his two dislocated shoulders.

Standing over this mess, with red eyes wide in a dangerous fury, flaring nostrils hemorrhaging blood, and a bruised fist clenched at his side, Kai Hiwatari watched the disorder unfold as a teacher held an arm across his chest, keeping him separated from the targets of his rage. Though aware voices were scolding him with an urgency to gain his attention, they sounded muffled to Kai, like he were deep under the water, drowning beneath the waves of his furor. The only clear sound was the blood thundering in his ears, and a dark, seductive voice that craved more carnage.

“MR. HIWATARI!”

Finally a voice broke through. Someone familiar enough with him to know him by name, his dorm’s Housemaster.

Kai blinked rapidly and the stiffness he’d been holding in his body loosened. Momentarily he found himself lost in a state of confusion as he took in the messy scene unfolding before him. A dented stall door that barely clung to its hinges told some of the story, a broken urinal, a shattered mirror, and the smear of blood that covered some of the graffiti on the far wall described a little more. Despite this he wasn’t entirely certain he understood what had just happened. He looked back briefly towards the voice who had broken him from his stupor, then faced the mayhem again as one of the boys released a cry of pain.

Had he done this? 

Kai's mind raced, desperately trying to fill in the blanks of what had led up to this uncharacteristic outrage. There was a tightness growing in his chest and he felt his stomach flutter as the reality of the situation became just a little more clear. He relaxed his fist, aware now of a possible broken ring finger and of the blood dribbling down his chin.

He suddenly felt extremely exposed. 

Agitated, he pushed himself away from the man who held him back and grabbed a wad of paper towel from the nearest dispenser to wipe the blood from his nose. In a shard of the smashed mirror that still clung to the wall he glared in dismay at his fractured reflection, fighting a desperate internal battle to regain control over his emotions. He couldn’t let anyone see the fear bubbling beneath the surface.

But that person he saw starring back at him, that cracked and fragmented reflection... 

It terrified him.   

The Housemaster stepped up behind Kai and with a gesture to the mirror he encouraged him to follow, eager to get him away from the three boys he had just beaten so badly. “Come on.” He barked. “Headmaster’s office. Now!” 

With a deep, unsteady breath Kai collected himself the best he could. He threw away the blood soaked paper towel, and followed without dispute.

Outside the washroom a sizeable crowd had gathered in the hallway, keen to see the perpetrator of the fight, as well as the outcome. In front of the congregation of teenagers stood a small, skinny boy, his hair, face, and front of his shirt drenched with water and a look of grateful reprieve in his eyes. He mouthed an “I'm sorry” to Kai as the aggressor of the fight passed by, but earned only a despondent sideways glance in response.

Kai was led to the far East building where the administration station was located. He was escorted to the office of the Headmaster and left alone to wait in an uncomfortable silence while the director of the school was filled in on the situation. He took a seat in the small rolling chair that sat opposite the Headmaster’s desk and allowed his eyes to wander, searching for anything to focus his attention on that was not the disorganized thoughts racing through his skull. He browsed the titles of the texts on the bookshelf, taking note of the inches of dust that had built up over top of them and concluded that not a single one of them had ever been read. He read over the diploma that hung above the Headmaster’s chair, visually explored the stacks of paperwork and office supplies scattered over the disorderly mahogany desk, and studied the elegantly framed family photo of a smiling man, his wife, and two children with a hint of jealousy.   

By the time the rotund and disgruntled administrator finally waddled his way in Kai had memorized every inch of that office. 

The balding man took a seat, the brown leather chair creaking beneath his shifting weight. He quickly tidied up a patch of his desk and folded his hands in front of him, leaning in just a little bit to close the space between himself and the very disinterested teenager. 

“Are you hurt?” The Headmaster gestured to the blood staining the front of Kai’s open grey coat, white dress shirt and loosely hanging tie.

Kai crossed his arms to close himself off and hide as much of the wet crimson stain as he could, and shook his head.

Truthfully he wasn’t entirely sure what had caused the nosebleed as there was no pain to indicate he’d been struck. He could barely recall the events that had led him here, but realistically there had been no actual fight. The three boys were not nearly skilled enough to so much as graze Kai, even in his blacked out state of fury. His suspected broken finger was the result of the poorly structured punch that had struck the one student in the jaw, and it was entirely Kai’s bad form to blame.

“You understand, Mr Hiwatari,” The Headmaster began, his voice stern but not entirely antagonistic. “that our school has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any act of violence. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Kai glanced to the side, let out a bored sigh, and shook his head again.

“Nothing at all?”

Another shake of his head followed by a quiet grunt. Kai was growing irritated with the conversation.

“Well, one of your classmates did come to your defence before I came in here to speak with you.” The Headmaster explained as he removed his glasses and began cleaning them. “Mr. Colin Edwards, I believe he said he is your roommate, he wanted me to know that your actions were taken in response to those three boys bullying him in the restroom. Is this correct?”

“Sure.” Kai mumbled and offered the administrator a shrug in response.

Truthfully he wasn’t really certain.

Perplexed by the boy’s contempt, the Headmaster replaced his glasses on the bridge of his nose and sat back in his seat. He was growing frustrated. “You really don’t want to try and defend your behaviour?”

“For what reason?” Kai snorted, a distasteful smirk painting his lips. “The end result will be the same.”

“Not necessarily, Mr. Hiwatari. You know that what you did goes beyond a simple schoolyard brawl. We had to call an ambulance to take all three of those boys to A&E. Their parents will undoubtedly be furious that you’ve injured their children so severely. It is very likely that you are likely looking at charges--“

“Right.” Kai scoffed, interrupting the headmaster’s concerns.

“You don’t agree?”

Kai flashed the man a cold grin, but chose not to voice his thoughts regarding the case. Considering the power and wealth his family held, the truth of the situation was that Kai could have killed those three boys and would have likely gotten away with little more than a slap on the wrist. The families could press charges if they wanted, but they wouldn’t win. Not against his father.

The Headmaster sighed, emotionally exhausted by the teenager’s indifference. “I suppose, whatever happens in that regard is beyond my jurisdiction. That’s a matter for your parents to deal with.”

Still refusing to speak on the matter, Kai raised an eyebrow. A problem for his absent father and dead mother? Oh, how frightening.

“For your actions I’m afraid I have no choice but to expel you from Bromley Academy. You’ll return to your dormitory with your Housemaster, Mr. Perkins, and pack your things while we contact your family.” He stood and sauntered to the door, opening it and dismissing Kai from the office. “Good luck, Mr. Hiwatari.”

Back in his dorm room, under the strict supervision of Mr. Perkins, Kai stuffed what few possessions he had brought with him overseas into his duffle bag. All the while his dorm mate, who was skipping class as a result of the chaos of the morning, watched him pack up with remorse.

“Hiwatari, why did you do that?” Colin finally asked after an extended awkward silence had passed between them. “You’ve barely acknowledged my existence since the semester began, barely said more than two words to me, and yet you stood up for me today at the cost of getting your ass kicked off campus. Why?”

Kai offered no verbal explanation, but he stopped shovelling his clothes into his bag to met the eyes of the boy who had been relentlessly bullied by those three brutes since the day classes had begun. “Give me a piece of paper and a pen.”

Surprised by the response, the boy scrambled to dig through his bedside desk for the requested items, then delivered them into Kai’s outstretched hand. He watched as his stoic roommate scribbled down a name, a number, and an address before handing the paper back to him.

“Saville is a top MMA trainer here in London, I’ve been working with him since I got shipped to this school last year. Tell him you know me and he’ll take you on.”

“Respectfully, I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t think I can afford it.” Colin replied, fiddling nervously with the note in his hands. “I’m here on scholarship you see, and--“

“Tell him to bill me.” Kai sharply interrupted.

“I don’t understand.” Colin sputtered and blinked several times in his confusion.

“You need to stop letting people walk all over you. Saville will teach you how.”

“I don’t... I--“ Dumbfounded, grateful, and lost for words in the wake of this decency offered by someone he once thought rather harshly of, Colin smiled. “Thank you.” Kai grunted in response as he zippered up his bag and lifted it onto his shoulder.

“You’re kinder than your reputation precedes, aren’t you?”

A rare genuine grin formed on Kai’s lips. “Don’t tell anyone.”

In contrast to the lovely weather in London, that same Monday morning was violently stormy in Russia. The wind howled angrily as it ripped through the trees, aggressively tearing the dying leaves from the branches with little resistance. The cold, heavy rain, mixed with an unseasonably early wet snow, thudded against a grimy, leaky window that whistled and creaked with every powerful gust of air.

“I thought you were going to fix that window over the weekend, Boris.” Yuriy grumbled from his cozy nook on the opposite end of their raggedy old couch, a well read book in front of his nose and a coffee steaming on the messy, water stained table next to him.

“I was gonna, but then I remembered that’s the landlord’s job.” Boris challenged as he dipped the needle of his tattoo gun into some more ink before resuming whatever new doodle it was he was carving into his leg. A cigarette hung loosely from his lips, filling the air around them with an ugly stink of stale smoke which none of them seemed to mind. 

“Mm, yeah. I’m sure that scumbag is really interested in taking time out of his day and money out of his pocket to do repairs on this shit stain of an apartment.” Yuriy took a sip from his mug. The coffee was cheap and bitter, but it did the trick.

Boris glanced up at the discoloured stains and cracks in the ceiling, then to the holes he was mostly responsible for creating in the dirty, eggshell painted drywall. Next door the angry shouts of their chronically arguing neighbours carried through the vents, filling the air with obscene curses and insults. Shortly, however, it would be replaced with the uncomfortable noise of explicit make-up sex. “It’s still cozier than the abbey.” He shrugged. The steady buzz of the gun came to a stop and the grey-haired member of the team picked up one of the empty beer from the side-table next to him and launched it at Ivan where he lay on the grungy purple carpeted floor playing with a busted up old GameBoy. “Hey Ivan, when are you gonna let me give you a tattoo?”

“Whenever you can successfully draw a photo-realistic portrait of your dick.” Ivan jeered as he recovered the trash that bounced off his head and launched it back at his teammate.

“Oh c’mon! I’ll give you some ink to match what I gave Sergei.” Boris urged as he flicked some ash into the tray next to him.

“Don’t listen to him, It’s a trap!” Sergei desperately shouted from the kitchen amidst the clanging of pots and pans.

Ivan snickered and sat upright. “I said a realistic portrait.”

Boris crossed his arms, feigning insult. “Sergei’s tattoo is realistic.”

“Sergei’s tattoo is of a crudely drawn dick that’s ejaculating sperm with whale heads.” Yuriy chirped with a smug grin, his eyes never straying from his novel.

“He said to give him a tattoo of a whale. He didn’t say what kind of whale.” Boris shrugged and picked his gun back up, pointing the needle towards Ivan. “Now c’mon Ivan, lemme give you a snake tattoo.”

“Oh yeah. I can’t see what could possibly go wrong with that idea.”

It was that moment when the sudden crash of glass shattering erupted in the tiny apartment. A canister spewing gas bounced a few times on the floor before rolling along the carpet finally coming to a halt next to the couch at Yuriy's feet. Ivan and Boris leaped up to their feet, shielding their faces with their sleeves while Yuriy launched himself towards the canister and pitched it back out of the broken window. They began to sputter and cough as Sergei raced into the room, a towel pressed tightly into his face.

“Everybody okay!?” 

“Maybe?” Ivan hacked.

“The fuck was that!?” Choked Boris as he waved a hand in front of his face to clear some of the air.

“I’m not su--“ Yuriy started before a wave of exhaustion suddenly swept through his body, he felt abruptly weak, and he noticed his senses beginning to dull. The gas was having a tranquilizer effect, but it wasn’t entirely incapacitating. Immediately Yuriy recognized the response his body was having to the fumes. He’d felt this sensation before, on the day they’d challenged BEGA to shut down Volkov’s plan during his match against Garland. “Was that Neistovycaine...?”

Coming to the realization of the drug that was in the air, the boys had no time to assess the situation before the front door of the apartment was violently kicked in, shattering the heavy metal deadbolt, before a barrage of men fitted in tactical gear and heavily armed came barging inside, furiously shouting out their commands.

“ON YOUR KNEES, HANDS OVER YOUR HEADS!”

“The actual fuck!?” Boris coughed. His first instinct was to fight, but when he saw Yuriy obey he decided it best to do the same. The four boys knelt, placing their hands above their heads, their defiant eyes fiercely glued on the masked faces of their assailants.

If they were afraid they didn’t let it show. 

As the smoke began to clear from the air the steady thud of boots on the rickety floor reverberated to their ears from the hallway. They waited in anticipation with baited breath, past anxieties and trauma culminating in their minds to conclude the identity of this person long before he was in sight. A cockroach they just couldn’t seem to be rid of, a plague on their existence.

“Pardon the intrusion, boys.”

Before them loomed a villainous figure, familiar and unwelcome. He stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back as he closed the distance between himself and the NeoBorg team members. His thin lips were pulled back in a grin reminiscent of a carnivore who had cornered its prey and was about to feast, and upon his face he wore a visor, a signature tactic he used to instill fear.

He was a predator in every sense of the word.

“Volkov...” Yuriy spat the name and tightly clenched his jaw.

“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Boris snarled, his muscles tightening beneath his skin.

“Oh, I just thought I’d stop in to check up on you boys, see how you’re acclimating to life outside of Borg.” Volkov mocked as he glanced around the dilapidated home. “Not much of an upgrade, I must say.”

“What do you want, Volkov!?” Yuriy snarled, his body trembling with rage as his blue eyes locked with the red of Volkov’s visor.

“Straight to business, as usual, eh Yuriy?” Volkov exhaled. He stepped before Yuriy, reached out his arm, and gently took the red-head’s chin in his hand. As Yuriy growled his disdain, the armed men that stood behind Volkov adjusted their aim to remind the boy that he and his friends were helpless to resist. “I suppose, I didn’t raise you to be particularly hospitable, now did I?”

“Get to the point, you prick.”

Volkov’s tender grasp tightened around Yuriy’s chin and he lowered himself so that their faces nearly touched. “I am here on behalf of the NWO.” He explained, locking eyes with Yuriy for a solid minute before forcibly thrusting him into the ground. “General Koscheyev has requested all former Borg trained personnel be collected and brought in to headquarters to resume military training and operations, immediately.”

“Over my dead body!” Boris snapped. “I’d rather be eaten by bears than sell my soul to you bastards again.”

“Oh, well, if that’s what you prefer...” Volkov gestured to one of the soldiers and an automatic rifle lit up the room, the thunderous discharge of the bullets tearing through the furniture inches from Boris’ head.

Sergei reached out a hand to his comrade to calm the anger he could see boiling in Boris, threatening to drive the younger man to do something incredibly stupid. 

“You have a choice, boys.” Volkov announced, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. He stopped in front of Boris, plucked the cigarette out of his lips, then turned and started for the exit. “Either you come with me like the obedient dogs I trained you to be, or your journey ends here.”

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

How can I destroy my weakness? ‘Cause I wanna be stronger I need to keep them all safe, but I lack the power

Never give into that ungodly night What good is a star that has lost its light? I watch as they fade one by one

A bit of angst for mayblade with brainwashed bladebreakers thanks to @zennx-23's villain oc Blake

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Prequel to this.

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

Kyoujyu told her to put it back.

She doesn't know how to put it back exactly. But Hiromi's got a beyblade in her room for a few years now since the last time Takao saved her and Kyoujyu from some crazy scientists. She took the wrong beyblade.

It's been on the side of the parrot plushie she's found cute when she was 10. She started to use it, watching most of Kai's matches, since for some reason he's simple to follow. And he's got a cool style! Hiromi's pretty simple in that sense.

And she'd begun using it sometimes. Just to see if she can. And then she realized it wasn't an ordinary beyblade. She started to have some strange dreams of a skeletal bird in blue flames. In these dreams, she doesn't sense anything malevolent, but rather... it's got something hollow and empty about it.

Is this the power she needs to save her teammates?

Hiromi takes a gamble.

"I don't know what you are, but will you help me?"

"Suzaku..."

"W-what?" she asked. "Doesn't Kai already have Suzaku?!"

Hiromi gets engulfed in blue flames, and she wakes up like several times before.

And later she finds that whenever she beyblades, she knows Kai's moves.

Hiromi doesn't know what Kai would say if he knew about this. He doesn't even remember her. Maybe like Kyoujyu, he'd tell her to put it back. Kyoujyu thinks it's like... an incomplete version of Suzaku which was created by scientists... like those cyber bit-beasts.

Hiromi isn't remembered by the Bladebreakers for some reason. Kyoujyu is. It's like she's a blip removed from their memories.

That's fine, right?

"My friends," she tells the beyblade. "My friends are in trouble. I don't want to rely on many people, because they are stealing their bit-beasts. But if you're not worth stealing, and I'm not worth remembering. Maybe we can use this to our advantage?"

The bit-chip glows blue. And so do her eyes.

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

From the brainwashed bladebreaker au!

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

Myself and @zennx-23 will be tagging any ideas or artwork stories under #beyblade au: fractured reflections since it involves her cool villain OC blake!

Presenting Hiromi and a engineered incomplete version of Suzaku which has blue fire, from the "ashes of Black Suzaku" which bonds with her. Confronting a brainwashed evil kai!

Kai's lips curled. He glared at the girl... what was her name? Why was she so familiar? And why is he feeling uneasy. Suzaku screeched in his head. The girl's eyes glowed eerily blue. She looked hesitant. "I..." she said. "Kai." "How do you know my name?" Kai snarled. "That's not important," she said. "I... I'm someone who cares, and I just want my team back." "I don't know who you are," he said. "I'm... I'm going to save you. That's all you need to know." "Save..." Kai asked. Blurry black fog moved like a curtain over his memory, as he heard a girl's laughter along with Max and Takao's voice with.. Ugh... And then nothing. Why does it feel like he's forgetting something? Something important? "I don't want to hurt you," she said. He narrowed his eyes. A tear rolled down her eyes as she seemed to find the resolve anyway. "Then leave," he said. "I..." Blue fire started to form around her. "I'm tired of crying. I'm tired of the tears. I WANT MY TEAM BACK!" "SUZAKU! FIRE ARROW!" he yelled. The arrow streaked through the erratic blue fire, and was met by something similar, as a familiar... cold eerie bit-beast resurfaced. The girl's eyes glowed blue. She was hesitant, looked on the verge of tears, but determined. "I... Suzaku!" she said. "What?" he asked. Why is her... everything from the launch style... copying him? Who is this girl?! What kind of bitbeast is this? Blue fire engulfed her body. "SPIRAL FIREBALL!" she screamed. Her eerie skeletal bit-beast erupted into flames as it streaked up over head before crashing down on his Suzaku filling up the stadium with blue blazes. He could feel Suzaku's fury, as he held up his arms to shield himself from the intense heat. "But..." he snarled. "You're too weak."

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Prequel to this

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

Blake is @zennx-23's OC.

Ryu Kinomiya is a creature of habit.

That's why after breakfast, stretching, and making sure he feeds the cat that they took in, and doing house work, he... goes out to the townsquare and hands out leaflets.

"Have you seen Kinomiya Takao?"

Hiromi passes by him on the way to see Kyoujyu.

"Grandpa," she said. "It's going to rain."

"Is it?" he asked disinterestedly.

"Can I take you back home?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I'm old but not invalid."

"Grandpa."

He ignores her as he holds out a flyer. "Have you seen my grandson, Kinomiya Takao?" he asked as he holds out a flyer which has the picture of Takao from the last BEGA championship. "Excuse me. Have you seen his friends?"

Hiromi sighs as she pulls up her umbrella for the two of them, as he clutches the pamphlet to stop it from getting wet. It takes ten minutes. Kinomiya men are all very very stubborn, in Hiromi's experience. And they get it all from him.

"Grandpa," she says more insistently. "Let's go home, or I'll call Max's Dad. You can't get sick like this."

He sighs as he acquiesces.

It's been nearly three weeks since the Bladebreakers went missing.

It's raining buckets outside.

"This guy then?" Brooklyn asked Kyoujyu, as he sat in his room. They could hear the sounds of restaurant downstairs. He picks up several articles stitched together in a notebook which all has a name messily scrawled around it. "What's his name?"

"Yes," Kyoujyu said. "His name is Blake. Arashi Blake."

"... he's a rockstar? I think?" Brooklyn asked.

"Yeah, beyblader too."

"Oh. So like Ming Ming."

"Hiromi has listened to more of his songs."

"Hiromi?"

"Our manager," Kyoujyu said. "She didn't come along this time for this tournament..."

Brooklyn blinks. "Oh." He does vaguely register her being there. She wasn't of importance at the time.

"I um... I said no, as well, because it was a small tournament, and they'd been trying to drum up support for BBA again. I had so much work myself for their beyblades. And my mother's been making me help out at the restaurant."

"Right."

"And then the next thing you know, they've disappeared. I..."

"Goodness."

"Yes... and I want us to find him, if you'll help us Brooklyn."

"Oh, alright. Not like I have anything better to do. But about this Blake Guy..."

"Yeah?" Kyoujyu asked.

"What makes you think he's involved?"

"Takao said on the phone that they were going to meet with Blake Arashi. And then he hung up."

"Yes," Kyoujyu said. "And two days after. Rei visited White Tiger hills and took away Rai and the rest of the team's bitbeasts. They said he was terrifying. I'm racking my brains for why Rei would do that."

Brooklyn furrowed his brow.

The door opens, and then Hiromi walks in. "I just got Grandpa back home. I think Hitoshi or someone should be there for him."

"Hitoshi... you know he's out looking for Takao."

"Well," she said irritably. "Someone should—oh. Hello."

Brooklyn blinked. "You must be..."

"Tachibana Hiromi," she said with an awkward smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Um... Brooklyn, if you're here to help..." Kyoujyu began.

"I don't know how I can," he said sincerely. "But I owe Takao a favor, so sure, I'll help."

The girl looks hesitantly at him with a brittle smile. Brooklyn thinks it's because of his reputation, before she shifts her eyes over to Blake's image on the scrap book that Kyoujyu created. She looks pensive like she's not slept for nights.

"Can we call Hitoshi at least? Or I'll have to ask Grandpa to stay with either of us. This is not good for him."

"Hitoshi's out looking for Takao. I've called him like 10 times."

"What a mess," she said, as she dragged her hand down her face. She pulled up her phone, and dialed Hitoshi.

"Besides, he'll just say Grandpa is fine on his own."

Hiromi got mad.

"I don't think he realizes that the shock of Takao going missing is getting to him. He's not the most protective parental figure, but this isn't like Takao at all for him... not to mention... the White Tiger Hill incident. It's come as a shock for him."

Kyoujyu looked at her.

"He just wants Takao home."

"We all do, Hiromi."

"He keeps calling Daitenji Kaichou up."

"I know, Hiromi."

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Sequel to this

Background of Incomplete Suzaku

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

And Kai slammed his fist against the walls of the building, as he looked over at the warehouse fires. 

This Hiromi girl… 

Why does it feel like he knows her… but why does he feel like he doesn’t. 

Why does she affect him? She’s not even that strong. He turned to look at the mirror fully. 

Kai looked ahead unseeing, and he could see his reflection amidst the cracks. Distorted. Imperfect. It made him angry. 

 “Well, that was certainly interesting.” 

Kai froze, and he turned around to see the singer leaning against the tree. 

Blake smiled, as he turned his head towards the fire. It burned and cackled, smoke pitch black blackened more, as a hazy veil covered the area, and the warehouse was soon no longer there. It wouldn’t be long before the trucks arrived to stop the spread, which meant that they had to get out of there.

“You know, for someone who likes to keep it quiet, I didn’t expect you to make quite the noise Kai.”

“Hmm, it’s not my fault.” He grunted, “I got distracted…”

“You, distracted? By that cute girl with the bird bey?” Blake teased. Kai’s face tightened up and his eyes narrowed at him. 

“Tch, as if…” his eyes wandered off into the ground. “Just, something about her, I can’t put my finger on it, but, I feel like I’m supposed to know something about her, but I can’t remember what. And that bird… why does it look like Suzaku…?” 

At that his head began to ache, a pulse hitting him as harder as the last, as if it was revolting against his thoughts. 

“Looks to me they had quite the effect on ya,” He heard Blake’s voice coming closer, as the young man made his way towards him. “Are you sure you’re doing ok?” 

“I’m fine,” he said coldly.

“M’kay, if ya say so.” Blake waved. “Still, I suggest you be more careful in choosing your fights then. The last thing we need is you screwing everything up now, like you always do. You don’t want to be a failure now, right, Kai?” Kai scowled and turned his head away from him. “I was expecting more, from the infamous Kai Hiwatari, is this seriously what you and Suzaku have to offer?”`

”Course not!” Kai scoffed at him. His eyes burned red. Blake cackled.

“Pft, yeah ok! Whatever you say hot stuff, not like you didn’t just fail to stop and deal with the girl and that Blue Suzaku right then and there! Nope, not a problem at all! Haha!!”

Kai glared at him. 

“Listen kid, there’s no shame in being a shame! That girl and her freaky lil copy has nothing against us! You have nothing to worry about! Gotta fight through the pain and when you see her again, you’ll be able to get back at ‘em no sweat! That is, don’t tell me you’re too chicken to face her again?”

That’s it, he thought, as he shook his head and glared at the singer. 

“Hmph. As if.” He turned and started to walk away, as sirens started to blare from the distance, Blake watched him, before staring back down below the warehouse, now nothing as the fires continued to flare. 

Despite the heavy smog, he could see the small group of six made out in the flames. Chuckling to himself, before leaving it all behind.

.

.

.

Things were not going well at Grandpa’s dojo, where the Demolition boys, Kyoujyu, Hiromi and Brooklyn himself arrived.

Hiromi glanced between the two groups, dumbfounded. 

Kyoujou tried to speak up in defence, but fell short as the arguments continued between the Blitzkrieg and Brooklyn, at a stalemate. She didn’t know what exactly to say in that moment, but the more that it began to escalate, the more frustrated she became at the incompetence. 

It’s not like she didn’t understand the Blitzkrieg’s hesitance, with what Takao and Kyoujyu had told her about their past, she knew they lived an unfair life, especially seeing who Volkov was during BEGA. But even then, there was a bigger issue at hand and BEGA was already taken care of. 

Why couldn’t they understand that they’re on the same team? 

“You can’t be serious,” Boris scoffed. “Could’ve at least warned us about working with these guys.”

“You have a problem with that?” Brooklyn asked blankly. 

“Your teammate put Yuriy in a coma!” The slate haired teen snide. “You expect us to just let that go?” 

“It’s not my fault for what Garland did to you guys.” The redhead waved flippantly. “If you have a problem with that, go issue it to him, not me?”

“Are you always this indifferent about these sorts of things?” Sergei glared at him, while Boris was starting to get real irritated. Yuriy’s face had become hardened, a cold expression fallen onto him. 

“Look, I get that you guys are trying to make up for what happened with BEGA, but if you expect us to just work with you? I’m sorry, but as much as I get it, I don’t think this is gonna work out.”

“Yuriy…” Kenny muttered. “Please…”  

“Wow, so much for help from you guys,” Brooklyn spoke up. “And here I thought you guys cared for your friends”

“…Excuse me?” Yuriy stared at him, indignantly. 

“I’m just saying-“

“No, you should just shut it-“ Boris grabbed Brooklyn harshly by the collar. 

“You can’t be serious” Brooklyn looked at him, unfazed. “You really wanna do this?”

“You have some nerve acting like this is all normal” Boris narrowed his eyes at him, holding him in place.

Kenny was now in a panic, this was all just a big mess and a big mistake and everything was going completely wrong. Hilary stood there, words lost at to what to say, but she wanted to say something, before things could get even worse.

As if something had ignited within, a passion she knew she had became something more, something burning deep inside her. 

And with that she couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Boris!” She yelled, the room was silent, and all eyes were on her. “Let go of Brooklyn this instant! Now!” Her eyes burned, startling him and Brooklyn, then turning over to Yuriy to meet the other’s gaze. 

“I understand you’re mad at Garland and everything about BEGA, but now is not the time! Please!” She pleaded. “BEGA is over and we have bigger problems to deal with here!” 

Yuriy stared at her blankly, as he turned to meet her gaze. Something about it seemed off, he couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about the look in her eyes caught his attention, and demanded him to look her way. Brooklyn just stared there in awe while Kenny was gradually losing it behind her, his fear winning over him as he watched on in horror, dreadfully watching Yuriy stare down at her, waiting. 

Yuriy let out a small sigh, and turned to Boris. 

“Let him go, Boris.”

Boris stared down at the redhead, before releasing his grasp of him and returned back to Yuriy and Sergei.

And he did. He glanced back at his captain. 

Yuriy kneaded his forehead. “So you’re expecting us to work with Brooklyn and Garland?” 

“Um,” Hiromi said. She wasn’t the one who called them. But Kyoujyu looked terrified to respond, and they’ll probably pick on him. “Not in the strictest sense. We still have to figure out where exactly they are, and then work on a plan so you guys don’t get your bit-beasts stolen.” 

“We won’t go down as easily as Rai,” Yuriy said, as he arched an eyebrow at her.

“Let’s start with what we know,” she said with a smile. “There’s Blake. The Rockstar. Who has brainwashed the beybladers, but—” 

“Right,” Kyoujyu said. “You almost broke control off Kai.” 

“With what?” Yuriy said. 

She laughed awkwardly. 

Her bit-beast broke off control? Her words? The diary from the Russian scientist mentioned a project which he worked on, related to Black Suzaku. But she can't say... that... directly.

“I told Kai that…he’s no one’s puppet.” 

“That’s it?” Yuriy asked. 

Sergei tilted his head in confusion.

“Yes,” she said. “Also yes… this—” 

“How did you survive that ordeal?” Brooklyn cut in.

Hiromi stared at him.

“You don’t know how to beyblade,” he said.

She took a deep breath. 

“I—don’t beyblade. I know… beyblading… because I’ve been part of this team for a while now, so I watch and observe… but, it’s a bit complicated to explain. We um—we got kidnapped once, and one day, I got my hands on a beyblade or a bit-beast which a scientist was engineering before his death—and you know it’s a form of… Suzaku… so I suppose—that explains it?” she asked. 

“A form of Suzaku?” Yuriy asked sharply.

“I—”

“And you didn’t surrender this blade to the BBA…?” 

“I didn’t know… and the circumstances around it are a bit complicated.” 

“What do you mean?” he asked. 

“BEGA happened, and I was given clearance. And now it doesn’t just… matter. It doesn't seem to be anyone's business.”  

“You never told me all of this,” Kyoujyu said. “I mean I knew bout Suzaku. I asked you to send it to Emily. You didn’t do it.” 

“I uh—I had a journal in Russian scientist who worked on Suzaku before—” 

“Russian?” Yuriy repeated with a laugh. “Borg?” 

“What?” Kyoujyu asked. 

“It’s a bit complicated! I—” she stuttered, feeling somewhat intimidated.

He gave her a look. His lip curled.

“So you’re using a weapon that was created for Kai against Suzaku and Kai? Could this form of Suzaku be Black Suzaku? And you’re using it irresponsibly?” Yuriy asked.

Kyoujyu was staring at her in horror. 

“I— no, it’s… different. It doesn’t affect him… I… I’m not using it irresponsibly, I swear.”

“We can’t work with these two,” Yuriy cut in. “I know you, Kyoujyu, but I don’t know about your friend here.” 

“Yuriy,” Kyoujyu said.

“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “We’re still going to find Takao and Kai and the others, but we’re doing it on our own terms.” 

“Sounds good to me,” Brooklyn said. “As if I’d like to work with someone who has a grudge on my teammates.” 

Yuriy turned on him in annoyance. The rest of his team glared. 

“You’ll just be a detriment.” 

“Hah?!” 

.

.

Yuriy and the other two ended up leaving to live somewhere else in town—probably funded for by Daitenji-Kaichou. They’d likely come here in the morning to discuss—or directly with Kyoujyu. 

Hiromi sat in the spot where Takao liked to sit when he didn’t get any sleep, and he’d look up at the stars. Takao doesn’t sleep a lot, as he got older, either it’s the pressure of being a world champion blader. So he’d always struck Hiromi as kind of lonely, which explains why he’s so good with people. 

Hiromi’s popular at school, but she doesn’t have that gravitational pull. 

Even Kyoujyu doesn’t want to talk to her right now. . 

“Can’t sleep?” she heard.

Hiromi looked up at Brooklyn.

“You’re not going to sleep?” she asked him. 

“Nah,” he said. 

“I—I’m sorry, he was open to working with us, until me. Me… and my irresponsible mess.” 

“Yeah, but,” he said. “If what you say is correct—you did have a chance of getting to Kai, before everyone of us. I can see why you needed to hold your ground, to try and get to him. I don’t think it’s really using a weapon against him…”

Hiromi sighed.

“What? I’m not going to chew your head off like that guy.” 

She stared at her fingers.

“You’re willing to walk into fire for your team—what’s got you all nervous about them?” 

“Kyoujyu’s against it as well, but I feel like this could be a tool… to save my teammates. ” 

“Right,” he said. “And Yuriy’s point is that there might be something weird that might happen to Suzaku and Kai instead—with your version of Suzaku?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then… could it harm Kai?” 

“I didn’t do it with the intention to harm Kai.” 

“Oh? But he wasn’t referring to your intention.” 

“I don’t think it will, either. It can brave Suzaku’s flames long enough for me to get to Kai mentally. Black Suzaku is just a name. It’s not… evil. At least the clones aren’t. The scientist didn’t input a personality apart from its desire for ambition and power over it’s counterpart—to kidnap bit-beasts. I cross checked and looked through all the footage I could find of Kai’s matches with Black Suzaku, and I don’t feel like I’m going crazy. At least not yet.” 

She held up the beyblade. 

“But I respect Yuriy’s opinion,” she said.

Brooklyn tilted his head at her.

“I truly… realized the other day, I don’t know Kai as well as I thought I did. Maybe he’s driven by a sense of a team work. Maybe he’s driven by personal ambition. Maybe it’s somewhere in between.  There were things that happened before I joined, which is why Kyoujyu refuses to let me work with this Suzaku. And I’m learning new things about him through this bit-beast ironically.” 

“How so?” 

“It’s something… delicate and complicated,” she said. “If I can, even for a moment, break him off that mind-control with my words, what are the right words to say?” 

Brooklyn stared at her.

“And this Suzaku helped me… So yes, I have been responsible. I don’t know what I can do. But I did get all of Kai’s moves in my brain. I’m just—I’m just trying to get my teammates back. And so is Yuriy, and for that I’ll take a step back.

“Oh,” he said. “Wow. I—I wasn’t expecting that depth.” 

Hiromi said nothing but she gave him a delicate, brittle smile. 

She's been thinking a lot lately, on my own. She doesn’t know anyone really beyond Mao and Emily, and they are struggling with their own issues. And… her team is the cause of them. 

“Hm. But what if Suzaku harms you?” 

She looked down. 

“I…” He smiled at her. “You’re truly an altruistic one. Though I must say, I haven’t given much thought to teamwork… friendship maybe. But since this is important to you, let me help.” 

“Oh?”  

“Are you sleepy?” 

“No. Not really.” 

“You wanna try and figure out your beyblade together?” 

“Huh? Here? Kinda don’t want to burn down Grandpa’s house.” 

He smiled as he stood up. 

“Nah,” he said. He released Zeus, and a light from the bit-chip enveloped the world. The world around Hiromi went pitch black, for all but a brief second, before the blackness rippled out into starry night skies, and a beautiful field of purple and blue flowers littering the fields, as far as she could see. Rolling hills.

They were standing on a circular large gazebo, held together by columns, but there was no ceiling as Brooklyn turned to her.

Hiromi stared at the large stone bey-dish at the heart of the gazebo.

A gentle breeze lifted her bangs as she looked up. 

He turned to her with a smile.

“Let’s practice here. Zeus will aid in stopping Suzaku and hurting you in the process. Let’s see if it truly has an impact on your mind.” 

“Sure,” she said. She held out her beyblade and the launcher. “Sorry about the beautiful flowers though.” 

“It’s fine,” he said. “Zeus controls Time and Space in this dimension. We’ll just make a prettier field of flowers. Do you prefer rose bushes? A lake? What kind of scenery would you prefer?”

He released a beyblade into the bowl. 

And Hiromi’s eyes lit up with flames, as Suzaku—at least the perfect replica was released from the bit—burning against the starry night sky. She felt that familiar heat.

“A memory of mine, from my battle with Kai,” he said. “Let’s see how well you face his wrath.” 

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Beyblade: Fractured Reflections is a WIP non-chronological collection of ficlets and art looking into an AU where the Bladebreakers get brainwashed by @zennx-23's OC, Blake. We're kind of filling in bits and pieces as we go to tell a story, and also to flesh out concepts.

Here's whatever I have in order!

How it happened

Aftermath of Kai vs Brooklyn.

Incomplete Suzaku, Hiromi, vs Kai, Suzaku.

Contd of Incomplete Suzaku, Hiromi vs Kai, Suzaku.

Aftermath of Incomplete Suzaku, Hiromi vs Kai, Suzaku

Prequel and background of Incomplete Suzaku

Background of Incomplete Suzaku

Background of Incomplete Suzaku 2

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Sequel to this and prequel to the entire AU.

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

After Hiromi realized that it wasn't an ordinary beyblade, and she started to have strange dreams of "Incomplete Suzaku," she consulted Daitenji Kaichou.

“Daitenji-Kaichou?” “Yes, Hiromi?” “What are the results from the cops?” “Ah yes, Clearance for things from that island—yes you may see the notes. But Hiromi, we’re definitely keeping it a top secret. Please do not let anyone else know about it.” “Not even the team?” “They need clearance.” “What kind of background check would you do on them, though?” “Haha, I mean—It’s really our council deciding if you can get access. You’re a reliable girl and you probably won’t put it to any underhanded use.” “Oh! Yes."

"Can't imagine what you'd want it for though, Hiromi." From the island, they confiscated data, things that could be used against the Bladebreakers—more data on the bitbeasts. Cyber bit-beasts of other kinds. Hiromi specifically took a journal, some diagrams, some maps, and a tape recorder in an envelope, and it all belonged to a deceased researcher. The maps had notes littered all over it. See, all of this goes haywire after Brooklyn and Takao destroy the BEGA tower, and also all of the research material also gets destroyed… Except for whatever Hiromi took. PPB at some point took the cyber bitbeasts. And no one from BBA required it what was taken back from her, since now it’s no one’s business. BBA doesn’t really exist as a research facility one year after, and they are slowly rebuilding. Hiromi spent her free time painstakingly translating a russian’s scientist’s journal on the matter to Japanese.

She didn’t tell Kyoujyu or Takao or anyone, because he already told her to put this Suzaku beyblade back wherever she found it. Well, she wasn't sure how to, from the little she'd translated.

They'd be upset at her for irresponsibly using this beyblade.

Maybe... she should... tell them after all...

.

Journal Entry

Should this journal fall into anyone else’s hands—consider me a dead man. Alchemy made men believe they could transmute materials to gold or find the elixir of life. You can directly "create" bit-beasts through alchemy. After all, Rasputin created Black Suzaku with his primitive understanding of alchemy and he plunged Russia into chaos. We can do the same with science and chemistry. Alchemy is, after all, the crude predecessor of modern day chemistry. In the previous place I worked was doing a project to create clones of Suzaku, because the client wanted us to create an ultimate bit-beast to capture other bit beasts, but it ultimately fell through. Client got arrested. We fled. After it, I fled—and found employment elsewhere, and I took some notes and some failed clones with me. These failed clones are created from the former Black Suzaku, after Kai Hiwatari used it and abandoned it. But he was the last person capable of handling this powerful beyblade. I’m attempting to create a new form of Suzaku using these failed clones as a base... with our understanding of science, and hopefully, this will be the bit-beast which will rival the actual Suzaku. We’ll attempt to create it from the “ashes of Black Suzaku.” This Suzaku will have the DNA of both Suzakus. Will it be stronger? The strongest? . . .

In Hiromi's dream, she takes a step forward towards the thrashing bird bit beast.

"What do you... what do you want?!" she asked, as she caught flames.

"I..." It screeched. "I just want to be whole."

She was engulfed in flames.

"I'm too weak."

And she woke up, and parts of her comforter were scorched. The beyblade glinted on her night-stand.

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

Follow up to this.

Prompt: Hope + Dawn

"I'm not your typical hero, I guess. I have too many flaws to be one. But thank you anyway for cheering me on." "What that's such a little thing—I, no... thank you for helping my teammates honestly." "I know I lost against Kai, but... there's a moment where your voice helped me more than you understand. It helped me overcome... this fear." "I... Glad I could help in my own little way. You didn't need to bother to be this ah... "hero" I guess. But if we want to save them, I don't have the strength on my own..." "Sometimes, it's the little things matter." "Mhmm..." "So... will you watch over my battles as I fight to break them out of this mind-control?" "Huh?" "I don't want to sound weak. But I could use a hand or shoulder sometimes." Hiromi tucked a lock of hair behind her ear shyly. Her eyes hurt because they were sore from crying when she looked up up at Brooklyn who was illuminated by the light of dawn. "Of course!" She cracked a watery but brave smile.

[squicky-fannish-discourse]

guys i know the fractured reflections au issa lil' bleak...

but now I have to think about the hilarity of Brooklyn, Mystel, Garland + D-Boys + Hiromi and Kyoujyu working together to save the brainwashed beybladers

Their combined personalities..... lol

[needfornostalgia]

*high pitch scream* I love this so much! 💚💚💚

Contd. to this event

MASTER POST OF THIS AU

Hiromi imagined her first beyblading match to be vastly different. Probably with some other rookie in a smaller, more manageable stadium, and under less threatening circumstances.

Not against one of the strongest bladers of their generation, and Kai may kill her. And she wants to save him.

Whatever.

If... the desire to win, or love beyblading is a source of motivation for her team... then is... wanting to save people... a source of motivation?

And then she thought of the sleepless nights lately.

She thought of Grandpa, waiting for Takao to come home.

She thought of Mao crying on the phone.

This Blake ... he has control of her team.

And the flames around her grew in response to her feeling of frustration.

"Hey!" she screamed through the flames. "KAI!"

He wasn't listening, as he was getting angrier.

"KAI!"

"These disgusting flames!" he snarled. "I will extinguish them."

"What?" she asked slowly.

She looked around herself at Blue Suzaku.

Why does... her bit-beast infuriate him?

Whatever!

"Kai, I don't know if you can hear me, but you're part of our team. Takao, Myself, Max, Rei, Daichi, Kyoujyu," she called out to him. "You fought with us for BBA, against Brooklyn, against the odds—"

"SHUT UP!"

"YOU WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR TEAM!" she yelled.

But it doesn't matter anymore who he beat... does it? This is not him... is it? What does she really know of Kai?

He roared in anger. "SHUT UP!"

Her Suzaku and Suzaku clashed at the heart of the warehouse, as they both yelled in unison, lighting up, and blowing off the rooftop as their beyblades rammed into each other. Sparks flew. The windows blew out. The night sky was lit up with sparks. Heat and wind surrounded they yelled their attacks.

"SUZAKUUUU! FIRE ARROW!"

"SUZAKUU!" she repeated. "FIRE-ARROW!"

"STOP COPYING ME!"

They both clashed and set the entire warehouse walls on fire as Hiromi felt the bit-beast surround her with blue flames to protect her from the onslaught. Her beyblade collided into his.

For a brief second, a sliver of a second, through fire, sparks and smoke, she saw his eyes clear from that cloudiness. He stared at her. Hiromi was thrown back.

"I..." she got to her feet. She may not know everything about him. But one thing's for sure. "YOU ARE NOT A PUPPET!"

For a split second, he widened his eyes at her.

And then he clutched his head.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP!" he screamed.

"NO!" she yelled back. "IF MY VOICE ANNOYS YOU! LET IT! THIS IS NOT WHO YOU ARE! YOU'RE NOT A PUPPET!"

Hiromi got to her feet, ignoring her burns.

"I SWEAR WHATEVER IT TAKES, I'LL DRAG YOU AND THE OTHERS OUT OF THIS HELL, BUT STARTING WITH YOU! WE'RE GOING BACK HOME. I'M NOT GOING TO LET HIM USE YOU!"

Then she felt it. A link. Something tethering the two of them.

This... Connection. Their flames started to connect, creating a circle around them.

The fires around Kai collapsed, as he's struggling against something, the mind-control or whatever. He trashed around, as he crashed to his knees.

She tried to cross over towards him.

Then circle of flames collapsed.

His flames barred her.

"I..." she thought. "I'm not strong enough to brave Suzaku's flames... but still... I can't do nothing. He's so close."

The flames increased in intensity.

"Kai..." she held out her hand.

He had his head in his hands.

"Kai, listen to me," she said. "You're strong enough to break free of this. You're stronger than you think. I..."

He then stood up as the flames around started to coil, and they increased in ferocious intensity forming a powerful fire vortex around him.

His eyes were red again.

Hiromi stared at him with wide eyes.

"Suzaku," he said. "Burn her."

Seriously?

Hiromi stared up at the powerful vortex.

She... she can't copy this one... This... true Suzaku is too powerful. She felt her helplessness fight against her frustration.

That's when another beyblade entered the fray. "You ain't gunna do that to her, KAI!" she heard. "YOU'LL REGRET IT!"

"Wolborg! ATTACK!"

And an ice-bridge divided them protecting her from Suzaku's onslaught.

"FALBORGGG!"

"SEABORG!!"

What?

Hiromi kept her eyes trained on Kai, who glared at them, and Suzaku shattered the ice. He was struggling.

Suzaku churned within fire, as a maniacal grin overtook Kai's face, and Hiromi's heart broke.

And with one final clash, Suzaku sent their beyblades flying. The Flames covered his departure through flames and smoke, as he looked over his shoulder at her one last time.

She thought she saw someone else through the flames.

She got to her feet.

Huh?

And then she broke into a run.

"OI!" Yuriy yelled at her.

She ran through the warehouse, past the smoke and fire, and the falling beams. And out into the cold night, where she saw nothing. HIromi spun around.

"Kai?" she called out into the night. "KAI!"

The sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline met her followed by the sound of another beam falling.

.

.

.

"I dunno what to do!" Boris said. "We looked all 'round for 'im, and can't find him."

Hiromi walked up to them, past the warehouses which were on fire.

"Drat," Yuriy said. "So he's gone or something."

"I was gunna beat 'im up before he tried to beat me up!" Boris said.

Sergei nodded solemnly, and he glanced over at Hiromi.

"What do we tell Kyoujyu? Is this the girl he was worried about?"

There was... a moment there... She sighed. She's so tired.

"Oi," Yuriy called out to her. "Are you the one who Kyoujyu was worried 'bout?"

"Oi, GIRL! YOU! GIRL!" Boris said. "If we weren't gunna save ya, you'd be roasted. Where's our thanks?" He wagged his finger at her.

She blinked as she looked up.

"Oh," she said with a smile "Thanks for that."

And they stared at her awkwardly, like they didn't expect her to thank them.

"Kyoujyu sent you?" she continued. She had been talking to him on the phone when she spotted Kai around the town.

"I didn't know Takao's teammate could beyblade," Yuriy said as he squinted at her.

"I don't."

"Huh!?" Boris said. "Then whaddya doing beyblading Kai?! Are ya crazy?"

"Haha. Well he was in town... for one reason or the other... likely to finish off Brooklyn, and I ran into him on my way back."

"Oh."

"Oh okay?!?"

"GUYS!"

She spun around to see Kyoujyu.

"You guys are safe! And Kai didn't destroy you guys."

"Whaddya mean Kai can destroy us?" Boris got all up in his face.

Yuriy stared at Kyoujyu and then he pointed at Hiromi, who rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish look.

"She was beyblading him, actually."

"Huh!?" Kyoujyu asked her. "I... I thought I told you not to do that!"

"Kyoujyu," Hiromi said with a smile.

"We don't know the capabilities of... something like that?! Incomplete Suzaku. What kind of... it's so cold and weird...?!"

"Kyoujyu."

"And beyblading Kai?! Are you serious!? Do you want to die!?"

"Kyoujyu."

"I KNOW WE'RE both frustrated! But you can at least wait for Brooklyn and me?!"

He pointed at the warehouse which was still burning.

"Kyoujyu!"

"What!?"

He was fuming. The Demolition boys stared between them.

"I think..." she said with a sooty smile. "I think I almost managed to break control off Kai."

He stared at her with wide eyes.

"Wot," Yuriy asked.