Chapter 8

It was a short trip to Yumbo hospital, its building standing imposing right in the middle of the city. The streets were clear and the two could make it inside without wasting much more time than necessary – to Seita, every second lost was crucial.

"Hello," Kenny was the one to take the lead as the secretary behind the front reception desk typed one last word on her computer before looking at him over her glasses. The young boy thought she was giving them an arrogant look, however the bags under her eyes made him realize she was most likely as tired as could be. "Is Sakura around by any chance?"

"Sakura?"

The name came out of her mouth like a simple question, and Kenny sighed in response. "The BABA president, yes." At the mention of the position, the woman's eyes widened; Kenny put a hand on his pocket and brought out his silver watch, adding with satisfaction as he checked the time, "She should be here right now."

"Oh, of course, miss Dickenson – she is on the fifth floor, seeing a patient," she confirmed after nervously checking the information on her files. "May I have your names please?"

"I'm Kenny, I have an appointment with her," he answered as he passed the woman his ID card after bringing it from his back wallet; Seita watched carefully and Kenny extended his hand to him, silently asking for his own as well. "This is Seita Tachibana. We're here to see that patient too." Her gaze went from the two small cards back to the screen as she typed their names into the system, and after a nod the two were finally able to make their way to the nearby elevators.

Unable to control the growing anxiety inside his mind, Seita continued to run his palm along his short pants, straightening and wrinkling the fabric at the same time. From beside and unbeknownst to him, Kenny looked at him from the corner of his eye, trying to understand how someone as young as Seita had been able to get himself into such a mess.

A few seconds later, they heard a ding that indicated they were already on the correct floor; stepping out, the hallway in front of them seemed massive, with windows on one side and various doors on the other; there was some chattering coming from some of them, open enough to let the voices through but not to disclose who were the people behind them. They walked almost in unison, and Seita couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sensation on his shoulders – there's nothing to fear, he tried convincing himself, you're stronger than this.

But was he really?

The end of the hallway would've looked the same than the rest had it not been for the heavy security surrounding the door there, a single figure wearing a wine-colored dress standing out among the swarm of suits and black sunglasses. "Oh, Sakura!" Kenny exclaimed and the woman then turned around, offering both a gentle smile that did not reach her eyes.

"You made it," she replied, going up to the pair and shaking their hands. "Do you think we could speak privately for a moment?" Her gaze fell on Seita for just a second and the boy suddenly felt like a third wheel of some kind.

"Can I go inside then?" he asked, surprising both adults though he was mostly talking to Kenny. "I just want to see that she's there myself. I won't take long, I promise." Both Sakura and Kenny looked at him perplexed before they shared a knowing gaze – nodding quickly, she raised her hand and called one of the bodyguards that guarded the door, bringing her other to Seita's shoulder and gently nudging him forward. The young boy gulped before walking the steps that separated him from her, and once he was finally through the door he scanned the room in which she lay.

He was alone and he felt alone, despite the unconscious body that rested comfortably on the bed. Trying to make as little noise as possible, he approached her and took a moment to take in as much as he could – however, his eyes wouldn't leave the mark on the girl's face, wondering how long it would take him to find out its true meaning.

He sat down on a small chair near the bed and, right before he could turn around to check the clock on the opposite wall, she opened one eye slowly. Seemingly not noticing his presence, she breathed in slowly and reached for the grapes left on the tray over her bed and slowly brought one into her mouth. His mouth agape as he witnessed the actions, he jumped up from his seat, startling her.

"She woke up!" He hurried and went out, catching everyone's attention; he could've looked like he was crazy for all he cared, but at that moment he just wanted the same as everyone else – answers. Along with a few other bodyguards, Sakura entered the room and, much to their surprise, the girl was back to usual, her eyes tightly shut and her expression peaceful.

Appearing behind him, Kenny put a hand on Seita's shoulder, prompting him to turn around. All the attention was now on the young one, the gazes too heavy in his mind. "Why would you say that?" he chastised the boy, his voice stern. "We can't afford any sort of distractions right now; please, no more of your games."

"She was awake, I wouldn't lie about it," the boy defended himself, shaking the man's hand off him. He added, his brow furrowed, "She came to and even ate a grape; she didn't even see me there."

After the short-lived ruckus, everyone cleared the room again but Seita decided to stay behind again as his mind came up with a new idea. Quietly, he tiptoed until he was next to the bed again and just waited – surely enough, as silence took over the room, the girl moved a bit before reaching out for the plate yet Seita was faster. With both hands, he took the fruit just in time, and she opened her eyes in shock.

"Looking for these?" he teased with a half-smile, grabbing one little grape from the bunch and sending it into his mouth, chewing and basking on the look she was giving him. "Just stop faking it already," he added and watched as one of her eyebrows twitched. It didn't matter to him if she didn't remember who he was at the moment, he was going to enjoy it anyways.

After a moment, she leaned up with a groan, bringing one hand to her waist before she swiftly dove off the bed, taking off for the only window in the room. Seita made absolutely no move to stop her as she reached it and opened it, looking down to see what he was already aware of – the room was stories high with chances of her surviving the fall being next to none, and a chuckle escaped from his lips as she turned around and rested her back against the glass, defeated.

"Good, you're awake now."

The female voice surprised both kids and they turned to the door as Sakura, Kenny and her team entered the room, some still staying outside in case anything happened. "Miss?" Seita spoke timidly as the two approached him.

"They heard you talking from outside," the woman said as she pointed to the other men, who all seemed ready to jump into action if required. "Sorry for doubting you before, Seita. Now, you," she continued, this time looking directly into the girl's eyes; Seita thought she looked like a deer in front of a car's headlights, almost ready for the worst. "I have a proposition for you, I'll even let you keep the two blades you took if everything goes well. Tell me something: you weren't the one in control during your little… adventures, were you?"

There was no reply for a second but then a frail voice came from the girl, almost too quiet to be heard by anyone who wasn't close enough. "Who are you two?" she asked, and though she had seemed ready to jump out a fifth floor window merely five minutes ago, she was now locked in place.

"Hello Mari," the president spoke with confidence. "I'm Sakura Dickenson and this here is my team. Those two are Kenny and Seita. You were brought here after you passed out last night due to the exhaustion caused by fighting. Though you aren't in the Virgin Islands, you're all the way in Japan."

Mari. That was the name Seita could finally attach to her after being in the dark for the past couple of days.

"How long has it been?" if he had not known about her, he would've thought the organization was targeting the wrong person – as she scanned the room, it was as if she looked for someone specifically, the disappointed expression never leaving her face. "Tizara, father…" her bit-beast's name came out of her lips as just a whisper, but the mention of the man made Sakura clench her fists.

Taking in a big breath, the woman started, "Your father is… well, we'd like to know his current whereabouts as well." Those words made the girl's eyes widen even more as realization set in, and Seita gulped. "If you're willing to help us, there will be absolutely no charges against you. You'll be able to walk away stainless, but you have to tell us what you remember."

A mix of fear and understanding painted Mari's face and she looked down at her feet while frowning, and after a moment of thinking she gazed back up at Sakura. "I don't recall much," she started, going back to the bed to sit on it, "but I think Tizara was taken by a corrupt bit-beast. The whole point of this was to get something but I can't remember clearly."

"The other two beyblades," Seita interceded, making all the eyes fall on him for a second which made his cheeks turn slightly pink.

"Y-yes, it must be that."

"If it's that," Sakura added with a hand on her chin in a pensive gesture, "then they still have one more to go after. It's likely they target Seita too." No one said a word and Kenny looked at the boy, though his expression was neutral. "For now, you could stay at the Tachibana residence for the next few weeks until the AR Tournament preliminaries; after I get everything sorted out, you'll be able to join under the protection of the BABA." Though not said out loud, she had a plan, but there was only one worry in Seita's mind at the moment.

He raised his hand as if asking for permission to talk, to which Sakura gave him an affirming smile. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea," he started. "I want my sisters to stay out of this. It's not their fight, and I don't want to risk their safety as well."

He waited patiently for a laugh or a rejection but was surprised when the woman only nodded in response. "Fair enough," she replied. "Then she'll stay here for the night and we'll see what's in store for tomorrow. Would you like to stay with her in the meantime?" Seita nodded as well and before he could add anything the woman checked her wristwatch and clicked her tongue. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to attend a meeting on the top floor. Gentlemen, thank you very much for all the help and please let me know should anything happen," she said, shaking Kenny's and Seita's hand firmly before making her way out of the room, the swarm of bodyguards following her closely.

Having only observed the conversation quietly, Mari had laid back down on the bed facing the roof and both hands crossed above her stomach. Seita was about to sit on the chair again but something stopped him – a shiver ran down his spine and he turned to the window, feeling a gaze upon him, yet nothing was there. Dismissing the situation as just his mind playing tricks on him, he took a seat as Kenny announced he'd be out of the room for a moment.

He ignored the shadow observing the scene carefully from across the street, safely hidden behind some buildings' walls. Already aware of everything that had happened, the figure's lips curved up in a sly smile. "She's weak now," a distorted voice spoke loud and clear, though the stranger was sure only they could hear the corrupted bit-beast speak. "She's a liability that needs to be sorted out, and then we can retrieve the key-blade." The last piece of intel they had was that the artifact had landed on a rooftop in the city, though for now they hadn't been able to find out more.

"There's another," the figure said, its gaze glued to the boy that now picked at the bunch of grapes in front of him. "It's with him."

Gleefully unaware of the situation, Seita tried his best to strike at least a little conversation with Mari, who seemed like she was giving it her all despite everything she had gone through. There was no smile on her face yet her eyes looked lively, and he tried his best to keep her mind out of the bad situation. After a few moments though he felt something poking at his waist through the fabric of his shorts' pocket. Squishy had come out of its beyblade without him noticing, squirming around and trying to get its owner's attention through any means necessary. "What's your problem now?" the boy asked exasperated, though something in the bit-beast's demeanor set off an alert in his mind.

"We're not alone, partner" it said urgently with scared eyes, "there's unwelcomed guests coming."

And before he could reply, the room's window broke in a thousand shards as an energy wave burst right through it followed by a single beyblade; in an attempt to protect Mari from it, he jumped on the bed and kept her shielded with his body. "Don't move," he muttered as he loaded his own artifact and let it rip as quickly as he could.

The two weapons clashed against each other as they went across the room, and soon enough the two beasts made their appearance: the enemy had spider legs wrapped around its body as its arms remained folded and a black scarf which concealed its pale face. Purple eyes stared at Seita as it moved in and tried to strike him, but he dove off the bed with Mari just in time to avoid the attack. Squishy then took the chance to jump onto the spider's face, causing it to struggle to fight properly.

"Boost!" Seita's shout was heard clearly and Squishy glowed a bright red, exploding and causing the rest of the spider bit-beast to disappear. As it fell back and the beyblade disappeared into thin air, a voice resonated in the room, and Seita could feel Mari grabbing his arm.

"W-Where have I heard this?!" She thought aloud.

"Is that all you've got?" it taunted, "This will be easier than we thought then."

There was nothing in Seita's mind but anger and fear, though the latter was stronger at that moment despite what he wanted to show. He received no reply as some officers of the BABA arrived to see the mess that reigned the room. Soon after them, Kenny came into view, his shirt now sporting a big brown stain. "What the heck happened to you?" the boy questioned.

"Turns out that coffee and chairs aren't a good pair when you're running back to check the kids under your care haven't been kidnapped," he answered, frustration and even anger welling up in his voice. The guards only paid attention to Mari, something that Seita was truly thankful for. "Care to tell me what happened here?"

It took him less than two minutes to give Kenny the full version but even after having been an active part of it, it still felt like a weird dream to him. He was starting to feel the weight of the events on both his mind and shoulders, and he felt himself go tense with every little unrecognized noise that reached him. "Is there a reason for all of this?" he asked, unwilling to feel defeated.

Though unsure if he had just hit a nerve inside the man's mind, Seita watched as he took off his glasses and gave him an understanding gaze from below his fringe. "I'm sure you've heard all about Tyson thanks to Hilary," he started. "He was prodigy like no other – when we were only ten, he was already regarded as the best of our generation. He won fights and championships as if they were child's play, and by the time we were 14 he had been crowned as champion four consecutive times. He quit after that, though."

"Hey, wait a second," Seita said, "I'm almost 13 and haven't won anything yet."

Letting out a soft chuckle, Kenny put a hand on top of the boy's head and gave it a little pat. "Different generations, buddy," he replied. "There were only two champions after him – Ray and Kai, in that order. Kai was the last declared champion before the BBA cancelled any further tournaments due to the rising problems two years after Brooklyn lost." He wiped his glasses with the hem of his shirt and put them on as he continued. "That is, until recently; you didn't hear this from me, but we suspect the new ARG tournament is being used to lure the corrupt bit-beasts controlling the corrupt bit-masters to come out. Sakura wanted to devise a plan before it could start but I guess things will change a bit since you keep getting attacked."

Perplexed and sending a side glance to Mari and the bodyguards, who were finally getting off her back as she went back to bed, Seita only whispered, "There'll be a lot of people entering and participating though – how will you know?"

"Oh, we'll know," Kenny said with a sigh. "Everyone wants a piece of this. There'll be old and new teams there, but we'll have the info by then. The last step of the ladder will be the team Kai assembled as reigning champion; the team that gets to them and wins, will get to fight the corrupt ones… if they manage to survive the whole tournament."

"Can't Kai do it himself since he's so powerful?"

Kenny fell silent for a second and seemed to be gathering his thoughts before replying, "Much like Tyson, Kai's been missing too. Ray's out there looking for him in hope to bring this whole thing down faster, though we're not sure where to go to next." Turning to the bodyguards, he gave them a quick nod which they returned almost instantly. "Come on, they'll do a better job at keeping an eye on Mari than we could. I'll take you back to my place so we can wait for Hilary there. We still have a lot to talk about."

As they walked out of the room side by side, Seita's curiosity peaked as he replayed everything the man had told him. "What truly happened to Tyson?"

"It was one hell of a Christmas season, that's for sure" Kenny answered with a knowing smile. "But we'll talk more when we get home. Even the walls have ears in this place."

"Should we leave her alone like this?" the boy added, but the man's side glance was more enough of a reply. "It just doesn't seem like a good idea, that's all."

Shrugging, Kenny cleared his throat before saying, "If you'd like to talk about things with more details, we should definitely go home. You're more than welcome to stay if you want though, but I suggest you get more background on the whole situation in case something happens… again. They'll take good care of her, you shouldn't worry."

With a look that said no more questions would be answered, Seita walked wordlessly beside him, his gaze fixed on the floor. The hospital suddenly seemed bigger and more threatening, though he wouldn't allow himself to show any sign of being scared. He wanted more than just some pieces of the puzzle, looking forward to completing the whole story before the tournaments could begin. Getting to fight the corrupted masters sounded like a challenge altogether, and he was more than up for it.

As they walked out of the building, his mind went back to the former champion, Tyson and how no one knew what had happened to him. He felt there was something sinister behind the motives that led to his disappearance but he couldn't be sure if it was only a hunch or an actual hint, and thought it would be better to refrain from making any more assumptions until Kenny told him the rest of the facts.

Clenching his fists, he looked up at the sky, a wave of courage washing through his body.