Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Running Scared ❯ World On Fire ( Chapter 1 )

Authoress' Notes: -__- I'm so masochistic. I can't take breaks from writing, it seems, so here you go! Another new Beyblade fic from yours truly, Yami FireKali (and muses!). This is what happens when one watches movies all weekend and suddenly is hit by a plot mallet (whoever calls them 'bunnies' needs to get a clue…they ain't fluffy cuteness at all >.< Well, not in my case anyway). What was it that the mallet happened to hit me with? Mission Impossible 2, that's what. *sighs* So yeah, this is the result. And, just for the record, I don't think you're going to see much similarity between this fic and the movie because I just used the idea of a spy movie like MI:2 is. ^_^;;

Warnings: Rated R for language, angst, violence, yaoi/shonen-ai and citrus flavored scenes that won't be too sour (not this ff.net friendly version, anyway *winks*), and other adult-type stuff. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!! DON'T BLAME ME IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT OR GET INTO TROUBLE!

Disclaimer: I own…nothing! Ha! I don't own Beyblade, I so don't own Mission Impossible 2, or anything to do with either one…except a couple of DVDs and a VHS copy of the movie. Other than that, nada. Oh, and I don't own the song World On Fire, either. That's Sarah McLauchlan's (excellent album, go buy it!).

Pairings: TyKa!! Or KaTy!! I haven't decided that yet…

Summary: This fic is about the life of a spy, his past, his present, and his future. What did each hold? How did he end up where he is today? And what happens when he has to confront parts of his life he thought he'd put behind him permanently? His name is Kai Hiwatari, code name Phoenix. This is his story…his Mission Impossible. (A/N: *winces* Geez…how tacky and clichéd is that summary? Oh well…just read it!)

FYI: This fic is an AU! It has very little to do with the actual state of events in the anime/manga. ^_^ Therefore, the characters may be a little OOC. Don't like it? Tough! I'm not changing it. And I did something that may or may not have been an indication of psychosis…I'm writing this in the 1st person from Kai's POV. Please be gentle!? And at to start things off, Kai and the team are around 25 years old, or so. *shrugs* It's not that important, but some people like to know these things.

RUNNING SCARED

Chapter 1: World On Fire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ow! Damn it, Rei! Watch where you put your feet! Those loose rocks can really hurt, you know." I cautiously looked upwards and gave the neko-jin clinging to the rock face of the mountain we were climbing a disgruntled glare. "If that one had been any larger, I'd have been knocked unconscious."

I had to smirk when I heard him moan, "Why'd I let you talk me into wasting my vacation on hanging off a mountain? I could have been lying on a beach in the sunshine somewhere, but no! You had to go rock climbing."

After a few more minutes of his complaining, I rolled my eyes and called up to him, "Shut the hell up, will you, and keep climbing, Tiger. I really don't want to be trying to climb this thing in the dark!"

I got a growl in response and watched him carefully climb up a bit farther before following him.

By the time we reached the top, where my SUV was parked and waiting for us to get back, my poor climbing companion was exhausted and giving me the occasional glare as we packed up our gear.

"Oh, stop. The deal was we'd go climbing first then we'd go find a beach to relax on." I admonished, sliding into the driver's seat as Rei got in next to me on the passenger side.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't see what the big deal was about climbing up that mountain, Kai."

"You wouldn't. You're too lazy a feline." I grinned when he narrowed his golden eyes at me and scowled.

"Fuck you." He grumbled. I didn't take offence. I knew perfectly well he didn't mean it. "I'm a neko-jin! A tiger, Hiwatari. I'm no puma." He sniffed indignantly and I couldn't help laughing.

If there's one thing I've learned having Rei as my closest friend for more than ten years, it's that cats are extremely snobbish - even amongst other felines. They honestly believe they're better than the rest of the planet and that includes us normal humans. Each breed of them thinks they're better than all the others, too. It's hilarious.

But since I have always believed in my own superiority (imagined or real, it doesn't matter), it gave me something in common with Rei…among other things. It's one of the reasons we get along so well, I suppose.

"Yo! Kai! Earth to Phoenix!" I blinked and glanced at him when he waved a hand in front of my face.

"What? And don't call me that when we're not working." I hated being called by my code name by a certain few who knew me well enough - especially when we weren't on a mission.

He stuck his tongue out at me in a purely childish gesture. "I knew it would get your attention. Are you going to drive, or sit there and stare into space? That hot tub back at the hotel is calling me."

"I could go for that." I agreed, putting the SUV into gear and heading back to our hotel, the Banff Springs. Driving through the Rocky Mountains is always an experience - and a whole lot of fun. It was one of my favorite places on Earth. I've been all over this planet and been to some places that I'm sure no one's ever seen or heard of before, but none has quite captured me like this young mountain range in western Canada has.

Rei, on the other hand, isn't much of a mountain person. Of course, he grew up on one so I guess the majesty of them isn't so majestic for him.

I glance over at him when I hear a faint rumbling emitting from the passenger seat. I grin a bit because he's totally relaxed over there, his lean form stretched out as much as possible, his eyes closed, and the final clue to how relaxed and comfortable he is - his tail - was unwound from his waist and flicking back and forth metrically like a pendulum on a clock.

I make myself focus on the road to keep myself from reaching out and scratching him behind the ears.

He hates it when I do that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tale screeches to a halt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoa. Okay. I suppose that before I go any farther with this, I should introduce myself.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, I don't exist. Not anymore. The official story is that I died in an explosion in Russia (which I will get to in a moment). There is no record of me anywhere - or if there is, only one or two people know where that record would be and I'm not one of them.

I was born in Japan in a small, but thriving, community called Bay City. My mother was Japanese and my father was Russian. When I was two years old they died in a car accident on the way home from Tokyo. At that point, my grandfather, Voltaire Hiwatari, became my legal guardian and took me into his house to raise.

At three years old, my childhood ended. You see, for my third birthday, I received a new "toy." Or at least, I thought that's what it was. I soon found out it most definitely was not a toy.

It was a beyblade and launcher.

With a child's innocence and naivety, I was so excited that I immediately started practicing with it. I guess I had a natural aptitude for it because without any sort of training at all I took up a launching stance as if I'd had decades of training and practice and launched my blade wit ha speed and accuracy that shocked everyone - including me.

All except my grandfather, that is. I've never figured out how, but he somehow knew I would be able to do it.

The next day, I found myself being shipped off to Russia, to a place I called Hell and everyone else called the Abbey.

In this cold, stark, emotionless pit I was put through an intensive training regime that included an attempt to brainwash me just as the other children were in that place.

An attempt, I must point out, that failed miserably, thanks to my best friend and Guardian Spirit, my bit-beast, Dranzer. I didn't know she was with me at the time, didn't know that she protected my mind until I was old enough to understand and do so myself.

So how did I meet Dranzer? I'll tell you, despite the trauma of the event on a seven year old child going on seventy for all the experience and knowledge one so young had gained in four short years.

I'd made a mistake in my training session with one of the more experienced kids at the Abbey, a boy named Tala. I remember hearing the scientists at the Abbey later deciding what happened to me was brought on by puberty - which makes sense when one thinks about it.

Anyway, I made a mistake. That's unacceptable for us trainees. As Boris, our overseer at the Abbey, and his minions came towards me to take me to the isolation room for my punishment (one of many I had undergone during my time there that I will not get into…let's just say they weren't fun and it's a wonder I stayed sane), something snapped inside me and my fear of that God-awful chamber overwhelmed me, manifesting itself in my palm as a fireball. I remember everyone around me stopping and staring at me with a nervous apprehension that made me want to laugh - if I hadn't forgotten how.

I stood there staring into that little ball of flame and playing with it. It should have burned me, should have incinerated my hand or something but it didn't. I discovered if I concentrated a bit, I could make it dance merrily in my palm like it was a puppet. The power that filled me and burned in my hand fascinated me completely.

And then I heard a warning voice in my mind cry out, {Kai! Watch out!} I looked up to see two of the Abbey's black-robed goons coming toward me and on a reflex, I tossed that fireball at them in fear and an effort to protect myself.

After that, things are a little sketchy. I was told later that there was an explosion that did some heavy damage to the Abbey and injured several people. All I remember is flame, a burning inferno all around me, people running and screaming…my world was on fire and I felt nothing.

And then a beautiful Phoenix spirit was before me, guiding me out of the burning building and away to safety.

So that's how I learned I was not only a natural blader, but a pyrokinetic as well.

When the smoke cleared (so to speak) Boris informed my grandfather of the situation and he came to Russia to take me with him back to Japan again. Now, you would think having a multi-billion dollar facility like the Abbey getting nearly burnt to a crisp would have pissed the man off. Apparently he was willing to forgive me that little…indiscretion (his word, not mine) since I just became a whole hell of a lot more useful to him.

Back in Japan, I continued my training, though now I was training with a bit-beast, which meant I needed to gain more control over the blade. Not to mention that I also had to learn to control my growing pyrokinetic abilities.

Eventually I had achieved nearly perfect control over both my blade and my abilities. Dranzer helped me a great deal, and I might never have survived everything if it hadn't been for her. She had patience that would put a saint to shame when it came to me. She taught me, protected me, comforted me, scolded me, and loved me as a mother would, giving me everything I had previously lacked in my life. And I never told anyone that she could communicate with me, for her protection and mine.

I was fifteen when my grandfather one day decided to begin his plans for world domination. He ordered me to enter the regional championships (which I was going to do anyway). So I did, at Dranzer's insistence. {Go along with what he wants for now, Kai. I sense something important may happen there.} She had said. {You're won the last few years, but this year may be different.}

I'd frowned at that. I didn't like losing and had never really considered the possibility that someone would come along someday and do just that.

Turns out Dranzer was right. But that's a whole other painful story that still burns in my chest to think about that I won't get into right now.

At that regional tournament was where I first met Rei. The kid had attitude and power and wielded both with grace and firm control that rapidly earned my respect.

It soon earned my friendship, too.

The first few years I didn't see him much. Couldn't, really, because of my grandfather. I went on to win the World Championships but after I did, Dranzer finally let go of my leash and turned me loose on the Abbey once again - a rebuilt, updated, more secure Hell than it had once been.

It was my final bid for freedom, for a life of my own. I destroyed the place and with it, Voltaire Hiwatari. When I got through there was nothing but a smoking crater in the snow. I had made sure that all the trainees and children there were released and had escaped to safety before I demonstrated the true extent of my abilities personally to Voltaire and his demonic minion, Boris.

Rei, who had also made it to the Worlds, had come running when he'd seen the news reports and found me sitting at the edge of the crater in the snow, admiring the view and getting snowed on - not that it really mattered. My body heat was slightly higher than normal because of my abilities and the snow evaporated before it even touched me. He scolded me, hugged me, fussed over me, and gave me the first demonstration of one of his abilities. It'd been grazed on the arm by a flying piece of glass or metal and it would need stitches.

The neko-jin, however, just told me to shut up and let him fix me. And he did. Without hesitation he placed his hand over the gash on my arm, heedless of the blood, and I watched a soft golden light envelope his hand and my arm. He had to hold my arm quite firmly with the other hand because whatever he does when he heals, it hurts! I yelped and tried to death glare him but he just ignored me and when he lifted his hand, my arm was healed without even a scar. Amazed, I thanked him and he just shrugged and pulled me to my feet. "Let's go home, Phoenix. This place gives me the creeps."

"You have no idea." I remember replying, obediently following him away from the area.

Then there was a period of lawyers, media, social services, etc., etc. I was, after all, only seventeen and I'd just a) destroyed a secret base and evil corporation preventing their plans for world domination, b) inherited billions of dollars from my deceased grandfather, and c) had no living relatives to take me in.

It took some convincing but I managed to prove to the "adults" that I was old enough and certainly intelligent enough to take care of myself. And that's exactly what I did. Though I traveled a great deal, I still kept up my education and my training.

Some things are ingrained into you - especially when you have a bit-beast mothering you constantly.

Although I traveled, I considered my home base to be with Rei and his people. To them I was a lost kitten and I was always welcomed at his home village. Rei, too, was an orphan and he and I became even closer friends, two lonely teens in the big, bad world with a talent for a game that few recognized as the potential weapon it could be.

I had experienced that for myself and through association with me, so had Rei.

I guess it was this that led to our recruitment. The World Beyblade Corporation was established not a month after the destruction of the Abbey, and it was with their help that I got through the lawyers and everything else, my existence being erased for public view. It was a world-wide organization that would 'police' the game of Beyblade, research blading's history, technology, and the strange phenomenon of bit-beasts.

Here's a top-secret, little known fact for you: there was also a black division of the WBC created at the same time as the WBC itself. We call it the Spirit Squad (we're being sarcastic, of course) but it does what the name implies. We seek out new bit-beasts and their chosen bladers and make a record of them, and we do everything we can in our power to protect the creatures who we now know are properly called Sacred Spirits. I guess you could say we are the top of the law's hierarchy when it comes to 'policing' the game.

And it turns out we're needed quite badly. You would not believe how many sick, psychotic, fanatical people out there abuse and misuse Sacred Spirits, the technology behind blading, all that and more. People like Boris and my grandfather.

I happened to be at Rei's on one fine morning, at the age of eighteen, when we received a mysterious invitation from someone who called himself Mr. Dickenson.

Rei's feline side got the best of him. He's too damn curious for his own good sometimes and immediately he said, "Let's go! Come on, Kai…" then started purring and looking at me with big, innocent golden eyes that made me sigh and agree to go along - only because I wanted to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble, which his curiosity tended to get him into frequently.

So we drove to the airport in Hong Kong and hopped on a chartered flight to Germany. Rei, who spoke many languages (including Mandarin, Chinese, Japanese, French, English, and Italian) pouted a lot when we got there because one language he didn't speak was German. Lucky for him, he had me. There are few languages I don't speak - one of the rare skills that were good to have that I learned at the Abbey and under my grandfather's evil, eagle-eyed tutelage.

We waited patiently at the hotel suite we'd been provided with, like our instructions had said. That same evening a man appeared on our doorstep with a great deal of data and an offer. Then he left us to think about it for a week. Now that I'm a veteran agent, I'm not really surprised that I have never seen nor heard of that man again. And I know better than to ask about him.

Rei and I spent that week going through the mountain of information we'd been given. After a lot of discussion, a few fights, and Rei's final, exasperated question of "Have you got anything better to do?!" we agreed.

We'd take the offer.

And that's how we became agents of the BBA "Spirit Squad." Oh, and I suppose I should tell you that the BBA (Beyblade Battle Association) is the name of the research division of the WBC, and the ever-so-useful front for our black division of intelligence.

One other thing I neglected to mention that probably has you wondering: Rei's bit-beast. Yes, he has one. It's a white tiger named Driger and they're quite lethal as a team. And, being demi-human, Rei's got one other unique ability. He can shape-shift, though he doesn't like to. He says it sort of hurts - a lot - which I suppose makes sense. He really is a tiger.

Hence our code names: Phoenix and Tiger.

That, then, is a small sampling of how my life has been thus far. Oh, I certainly skipped over some things. Perhaps I'll tell you about them one day - or maybe not. I can't see what the future holds - that's not my ability, after all. For now, though, at least you won't be lost as the next drama of my life plays out.

I hope.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back to the tale ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I parked the SUV in a parking spot and unbuckled my seatbelt, reaching over and shaking Rei awake.

"Wake up, lazy cat, and help me haul our gear in." I said as he yawned (showing off his sharp, pointy kitty-fangs) and stretched languorously, his tail automatically curling around his waist again before he slid out of the vehicle and moved around back to help me out.

As we walked into the brightly lit lobby, a receptionist at the desk spotted us and waved us over. I exchanged a look with Rei briefly and we went up to the desk.

"Can I help you?" I ask, my voice somewhat cold and annoyed. I don't mean to be that way, I just am.

"Don't mind him, miss." Rei turns on his charm, leaning on the desk, and I rolled my eyes. "He's just grouchy and tired after our climb. What can we do for you?"

"Oh! Yes, a package was delivered for you while you were gone, sir. It's labeled 'urgent' so I figured you'd want it immediately." The young woman (pretty, I suppose, if you like girls - and Rei does…see me roll my eyes again?) smiled at Rei, blushing slightly and handing over a small package wrapped in brown paper. I resist the urge to roll my eyes again as Rei accepted the box and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. "Thank you…" he glanced at her name tag. "Sara. I was expecting this." He lied smoothly.

I stifled a snicker when she went red and gazed at him with pure puppy-love (or should that be kitty-love?) shining in her eyes.

"Come on, lover boy. This equipment's heavy." I started walking for the elevator and he followed, waving and blowing kisses at the girl over his shoulder.

"Must you?" I asked wearily, vaguely annoyed and to my horror, a bit jealous.

"Hey, just because you've taken a vow of celibacy, Kai, doesn't mean that I have to." He replied, stiffly. I think I might have annoyed him. I glared at him, though, for that comment, a bit hurt.

"You know why…"

"Yes, I do." He sighed and nudged me with his elbow, since his hands were full, as we stepped onto the elevator. "Sorry. I should have said that."

"It's okay."

As soon as the elevator doors shut and we were alone, he instantly became serious - and annoyed as hell.

"Damn it all! We're on vacation! How much you want to bet it's another bloody mission." The tip of his tail tapped against his hip in frustration.

"I know. But hey! We signed up for it." We walked off the elevator and dropped our stuff off in our suite before going up to the roof, where we opened the box and pulled out the tech-geeks' newest way of passing notes to agents.

"Sunglasses? Good God. Those nerds have too much time on their hands." Rei muttered, slipping on his pair and pressing a tiny button on the bridge of the glasses.

"Yeah, but you have to admit it's pretty clever." I pointed out, doing the same.

For a moment there was nothing but a black screen in my vision and silence in my ear. Then the lenses flickered to life and a voice spoke up.

//Retinal scan complete. State your name.//

"Kai Hiwatari." I intoned.

"Kon, Rei." My partner mimicked as his glasses made him do the same.

//Voice recognition complete. Identity confirmed. Agent 3473, code name Phoenix. Stand by for SOP specs.//(1)

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I growled impatiently. "Hurry up, would you? It's freaking cold up here." I folded my arms over my chest to try and ward off the cool mountain breezes, despite the fact that it was the middle of August.

I heard Rei laugh and glared at him, though he couldn't see it behind my shades in the dark. "Shut up, Kon."

"Hey, if you're cold, light a fire!" He seemed to think that was hilarious. I gave him an evil smirk.

"And if you're cold you can put on that nice, warm fur coat of yours, kitty-cat."

"Ahem." Another voice interrupted our banter and I snapped to attention.

What? It's a habit!

"Sorry, Boss. What's up?" Rei cleared his throat and apologized. In my view I was suddenly presented with our contact in the Spirit Squad, the one and only Mr. Dickenson. Rei calls him 'Boss.' I just call him 'sir.' He hates that, and I know it, but being the contrary son of a bitch that I am, I don't care and continue to call him that.

"We're on vacation, sir." I state, extremely put out. I'd just come off a complicated mission. "Couldn't it wait?"

"No."

"Can't you find someone else to do it?" Okay, now I was just whiny. Damn! I've been hanging around Rei too long. I'm starting to sound like him! Dranzer giggled in my mind and I sent her a mental scowl. {Don't even or you'll be fried chicken.} I warned. She just laughed more.

"No, Phoenix. If you'd let me I'd tell you about it. I'm sorry to interrupt your fun, boys, but we've got a situation building and you're needed on this one."

Rei sighed. "So long sun, sand, and surf."

"When and where's the meet?" I ask, slipping into my 'work' mode, as Rei calls it, with such ease it makes me wonder if I'm ever really out of it. That scares me a little.

"Athens by way of London on the seventeenth at 10:00 pm. A car will be waiting for you at the airport with the location."

"Got it. We're on the next flight out." I said, since today was the fifteenth. I was reaching up to take off the glasses when Mr. Dickenson's voice stopped me.

"Phoenix…I'm going to warn you, right now, that you're not going to like this one. If I could spare you this, I would, but I'm afraid you're the only one that can do this mission and succeed." I blinked at the image of him as he spoke. His tone was setting off warning bells and alarms in my head and in my gut. "I just want to apologize ahead of time. I'm sorry, Kai." With that, he was gone.

He never uses my real name.

A feeling of unease was settling over me as the first voice spoke again. //This device will self-destruct in 10 seconds.//

I took them off and Rei and I flung them up into the air in time to watch the mini-explosion that followed as they were destroyed by the self-destruct measures that all gadgets of this kind were created with.

Rei came over to stand next to me as I stared out over the roof of the hotel at the silhouette of the mountains, the moon, and the stars overhead. "I don't like the sound of this, Kai."

"Neither do I, Rei. Neither do I."

********************************************************* **************************************

(1) Spy-speak, as I like to call it. SOP = Standard Operating Procedure. Oh, and for Kai's agent code, anyone who can tell me what the numbers stand for gets the next chapter dedicated to you! ^-^

Authoress' Notes: So that's it. The beginning of my latest brain-child. I think you'll probably recognize a few deviations from characters' personalities, maybe some facts that aren't reality, but this IS an AU fic, after all. Just thought I'd remind you of that. More coming soon! Please R/R! The more I get, the faster Dryad inspires me to post the next chapter…