Violence and a gun up ahead. You have been warned. :)
Auguste's POV, Present
I have to steal Zeutron...?! I have to tell them that this is a mistake! Zac's my bro--
Wait... They don't know my true identity, and it's in our code of law to keep our daylight names a secret. We do it for safety reasons. But... I guess fibbing wasn't in our code. Well, time to lie...
"W-What do you mean Zeutron's been neglected? Zac the Sunrise happens to be in the Superior Four!"
"Used to be in the Superior Four, Moony," Cygnus corrects sweetly. "All of them but Zac went out into the world to improve, and lately, Zac's been focusing on his silly jigs and carols."
I try not to glower at her. "Even if he isn't focusing on his Blading, obtaining an outdated Bey isn't as rewarding now, is it?" I splutter.
"Do you not like your surprise?" Cancer mocked being insulted.
"I-It's not that!!" Argh, what can I say to them?!
"You're not one to be reluctant about a heist, Count Nightfell." Albus is studying me carefully. "Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong..."
"Are you a fan of Zac?" Cancer asks me with a smirk.
"W-What?!"
"Just shush, boys. Moony, I don't know what's up, and you don't have to tell us. I know you're reluctant to take Zeutron, for whatever reason. But taking it from him may be the best for both Zac and the Bey. The star will be able to focus more on his singing career, and Zeutron will fall into more worthy hands." Cygnus put a hand on my cloaked shoulder.
I look at her. Through that mask, I can see her beautiful, genuine eyes. I can't help but feel a little bit better.
"I guess you're right..." Don't worry, Zaccy. It'll only be for a little while. I'll return it, I promise.
We all prowl toward the window. I can barely see three figures in the dark bedroom sitting at their beds with mugs of warm drinks. Looks like they were ready for us. Head Dusk gives the signal to Albus, who takes out a tiny object that looks a little like a perfume bottle.
"This perfume doesn't even need the memory wipe solution," Albus whispers to me, somewhat pridefully. He artfully opens the window ever so slightly. Unfortunately, the three don't notice. If only Orochi's headphones weren't at full blast!
Now that the window's open a crack, I can see Zac and his two friends, Akira and Orochi. Albus places the perfume bottle on the windowsill and sinks away from it, closing the window briskly but quietly. Right after he closes it, a strange smoke emits from the bottle. Come on, Zac, cover your mouth!
In a muffled voice, I hear Orochi suspiciously ask, "Did someone just put on cologne? Also, did the forecast say it'd be this foggy...?"
"No... Hey, I think I'll nap a bit," Akira murmurs as he puts his cup down tenderly and lays his head down on his pillow.
"Me too... nighty night..." Zac just let himself flop into bed.
Everyone's fast asleep now. I was hoping this wouldn't happen...
Dusk gives me a nod. I guess I have to do this...
I slip into the all-too-familiar room, being careful not to step on Orochi or Akira's sleeping bags. I walk over to Zac's bed. He's sleeping like a baby. In his open hand was Zeutron, which shimmered in the moonlight.
I hesitantly take Zeutron from Zac's nonresistant palm. Then I gingerly tuck my brother in. Wait, what am I doing? I turn to see if the phantom thieves were watching. I don't think they saw me.
Dusk takes out a tiny card and softly blows it into the room. It glides and lands at the bedside. He gives me a thumbs-up. I tiptoe back to the window and step out into the cool night.
I look back at Zac sleeping peacefully. The break-in was way too easy. He's so unaware and vulnerable. I'm sorry, Zachary...
"Lemme see!" Cancer hisses at me.
We're all on our way back to the cafe to hangout for the last few hours of darkness.
"No, I'll hang on to it," I insist grumpily.
"I thought I could hold our stolen stuff!" Cancer whined.
"Just let him this one time, apprentice. This was a treat for Nightfell, after all," Albus implores for me.
"Merci," I respond glumly. I really don't feel like Count Nightfell. But who can blame me? I stole from my closest friend, my own brother! This night can't get any worse.
I spoke too soon.
"Hey! Is that our Zeutron you're takin'?!" a husky voice called out from down the street.
All of us look ahead to see some silhouettes, and these silhouettes don't look friendly. The one in the center is large and buff. Must be the leader of the group.
"Who ever said it was yours?" Cancer snaps, then freezes. Why is he suddenly so tense...?
"Whaddaya know, it's the little guy. Hey, buddy! Have you been drinking your miiilk???" one of the men chirped. The others joined him in mocking the apprentice.
"S-Stop! I'm no buddy of yours!" Cancer fumed. I could see a gleaming dot of perspiration on his head.
"Aww, the baby's having a tantrum!~" another dude snickered.
"I'm a stinkin' apprentice, you gangsters!"
"You know these people, Cancer?" Dusk questioned quietly.
"They're a bunch of nobodies. Let's take them on," Cancer growled under his breath, getting into a battle stance.
"Wait, remember our code! We shall not get into physical violence," Albus reminded urgently.
"You wanna go, little guy? We'll beat you up along with your top-hat cronies!" The big guy takes out a club; the rest of the gangsters do the same.
"We're phantom thieves!" Seriously, how many times do I have to say it?!
"We can make a run for it," Albus suggests to Dusk.
"You can turn tail, but I'm not backing down from a fight!" Cancer grunts.
"We can't leave our apprentice behind," Dusk mutters. "So it is. We'll stay and dodge this one out. It'll wear them off, and we can leave peacefully."
"I can't believe this," I groan. Not in the mood, okay?
"Neither can I. All men really are the same..." Cygnus rants, then adds quietly, "... except you, Moony." At least she's with me.
The leader gangster roars as he charges at Cancer, who follows suit. They collide into a clash between bat and staff, and Cancer's doing surprisingly well. I just hope he's doing that solely for defense.
"Get the one with the Bey!" the leader demands as he holds off Cancer. The other thugs (four of them) run towards me with their clubs. I can't see our leader. Where did he go?
Albus catches one of the gangsters by the face and makes lavender steam come from his hands, causing the gangster to fall asleep. Two other criminals were tripped by Cygnus's skillful maneuvers. The last one dashes towards me with furious, glaring eyes, but is suddenly distracted by a familiar voice calling out not far away from him.
"Looking for this, monsieur?" Wait, is that my voice? Me and the thug turn to see another Count Nightfell nearby, tauntingly holding up a glistening Bey in the moonlight.
"Wait, which one's the real one then?!" the gangster growls. I see... Good thinking Head Dusk! "Well then, guess I'll beat up the both of you!" The gangster raises his club with both hands and runs at my doppelganger (no pun intended).
Head Dusk (still disguised as me) jumps over the criminal and lands behind him, holding the club back. Together, me and my twin knock him to the ground, and I keep the criminal from getting up--of course, without trying to hurt him.
"Evade!" Head Dusk suddenly tells me, leaping away. Evade from what--?
I feel someone bat me square on the back. The force knocked me to the ground, making me loosen my grip on my cane. "Dropped your walking stick, top-hat?" a gangster taunts--ow, as he kicks my side. Apparently I underestimated their numbers...
I try to teleport away, but as I try grabbing my cape, one of the gangsters steps on my wrist. Now I'm taking blows from every side of me... No fair...! I'm being ganged up on (no pun intended, again).
I feel a change in the wind... As if someone's warping around. Am I concussed, or is Dusk coming to save me?
The latter was true! I feel gloved hands grab me, then the familiar dizzy feeling of teleporting. My twin places me down, and I'm trying to endure through the pain of my throbbing bruises. Oh no... I hear Dusk cry out as he's somehow thrown away by one of the gangsters.
"We have your Bey now!" I hear one of the criminals laugh. I think they are searching Head Dusk...
Then the criminal stops. "What?! It's just another old Kerbeus Knuckle Unite! You're the fake one!"
I think the attention is on me now. The leader's voice spoke, "So you have our targeted Bey, hm?"
They can be on to me any moment...! Must get up...!
Wait, no... I can't move just yet...
The leader's standing close to me, and he has his hand on a gun in his pocket...
៳
Zac's POV, Present
I just had the best, most peaceful sleep ever. I stretch and yawn contently. "Rise and shine-"
Then I remember what happened right before I slept.
I was hugging my Zeutron for its own dear life, then smelled cologne, then saw a strange fog in my room... Oh my stars! Where's my Zeutron?!
Maybe it fell underneath my bed? I get up and check, but instead of finding Zeutron, I find... a card? I can barely make out the writing in the darkness: "Thank you for submissively allowing us to pick up your Beyblade. It will be in good hands."
I frantically turn to Orochi and Akira's sleeping bags. They're both sound asleep. I scramble over to them and try to shake them awake. "Wake up! My Zeutron has been stolen!"
Orochi is still peacefully dozing, and Akira's swinging his finger around mumbling inaudible lyrics. They must be in a deep sleep.
I can't waste time! I go into the bathroom, change out of my PJs, get into my onstage clothes, and shoot straight out the door. How long was I asleep? They could be long gone by now!!
I run out into the cold outdoors only to hear a distant commotion. I cup my ears to locate the source of the sound, then let my gut lead me. It guides me to what seems like a street brawl between two gangs, which is several yards away. No one has seen me yet.
Clubs are being swung. I hate violence. What can I say? Plenty of youngsters look up to me.
So what did I do? Step in to mediate, of course! A dazzling light should snap them out of it!
"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!!" I called, bounding over to them.
Just as I thought, they froze in their tracks and stared at me. They all seemed dazzled (and one a little bit guilty) by my appearance, but then again, who can blame them?
One of the men has a familiar badge on his stylish costume... Wait a second... That symbol's on my calling card!
"Are you all the Phantom Thieves of Beys?!" I gasp.
"Uh, ever heard of our gang?" one of the men groans. He doesn't look like a phantom thief one bit.
"So phantom thieves and some other gang are fighting each other? Over what? My Beyblade?" I may have wanted to let off a little bit of steam on that last part.
"Exactly. Now back off if you know what's good for you," one gang member growls at me. Of course, I don't back off. Now, I will only panic if one of them grabs me and carries me away.
"Have you ever heard the phrase, 'Your actions have consequences?' Well, your action: going out to steal my Bey. Your consequence: getting beaten up while fighting over it. The only way of avoiding your consequence: giving it back!"
"Hah! Like we'll ever do that! This is none of your business, popstar!" one gang member cries.
"Please, Mr. Sunrise. Zeutron belongs to the Phantom Thieves of Beys now. Now it's time for you to get on with your life," the phantom thief with the badge pleads. I would thank him for his respect, but since he stole my Bey, I won't.
"I won't get on with my life until Zeutron's back with me and you all stop fighting and stealing! Isn't it the job of a star to guide people to the right direction?"
A member of the gang pulls out--sorry kids--a gun. He points it to the temple of the guilty-faced phantom thief, who happens to be down on one knee, helpless and beaten.
"Another move and Count Nightfell will be seeing stars the rest of his life!"
That leaves me speechless and hesitant. I look at the rest. Most of them are still, fortunately. But one of the phantom thieves (and a feisty youngster he is!) lets his rage get the best of him and tries to ram into the gunman.
Then, as they usually do, my legs danced on their own. I can barely hear someone (who sounded a little like my brother) cry out my name as I dash in front of Count Nightfell.
Am I deaf? Or did the gun not fire?
I open my eyes. The spotlight's on me, apparently.
I look around. Nobody's falling over. I turn behind me. Nightfell was looking up at me in terror. Had he been shot? Wait, no...
My leg is numb.
"Oh my stars..."