NOTE: I have decided, as of recently, that since I absolutely do not have the time nor the mental capacity to add illustrations to this story, I shall add them in at a later date when I finally decide to finish every chapter.
Also: I know that the Beyblade Burst fandom is pretty dead, but honestly, I don't care. I've been here five years, I'm not backing out now. Please enjoy, even if you have no idea what's happening.

ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʕ•̫͡•ʔ•̫͡•ʔ

The door flew open violently, swinging easily on the steel hinges.

Ed stomped the dust off his boots and wiped his rather dirty supervillain costume, taking off the villain mask and inhaling deeply. The basement smelled like cleaning fluid, just as always. He wondered why he couldn't just work an office job here instead of having to go out and pose for field missions.

Of course, though, he'd broken more than fifteen beakers just trying to write a report, so maybe it was better getting his hands dirty.

He looked around warily, taking note of the familiar shiny walls and pristine floor, lit by the faint glow of the blue lights suspended from the steel beams on the ceiling. It seemed almost quieter than usual.

"Well, bonjour, Eddie dearie, looks like you made it back in one piece after all," said a lilting voice from the rafters.

Ed jumped and growled under his breath. "Give the operatics a break," he called back. Even Erinys was startled, and hissed angrily.

The figure slithered out of the shadows and landed on the ceiling walkway, expression partly hidden on an intricately patterned face full of makeup. He smiled a little. "Please, your acting was fantastique today, my friend," he said with an obnoxiously wide simper on his face. "I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful riot in my life, and Zac the Sunshine's concerts are already riotous enough, oui?"

The figure then delicately set his hands onto the guardrail as the aura of his own Bey's spirit hovered above. "Or perhaps you could make it even worse," he said with airy disdain. "I'm very sure our boss would appreciate the distraction, Havoc Tempo."

Ed's eyes flared open in disdain. "You really don't have to pretend to know French, Mirage Blight," he said with matching haughtiness. As he spoke, his villain-costume boots went click-clack against the shining floor, heading toward the tall, arching doorway.

The so-called Mirage Blight simply chuckled. Softly, he leapt from the walkway and landed on the ground next to Ed, matching the taller man's pace. "The old monsieur has been absolutely anxious to discuss today's events with you, cheri," he remarked as they traveled up the stairs.

"Has he now?" Ed said in deadpan. He resisted the urge to deck Mirage in the face and knock all those teeth out of that smiling mouth.

"Oh, do stop speaking like that, you make yourself sound like an idiote," Mirage said. He stopped short in the middle of the corridor and put a finger on his chin. An uncanny glint flashed in his eye. "But about the boss now—he wants you to explain your failure today."

Ed stared silently for a moment, then nodded. "I see," he said, eyes narrowed.

"It's not like you're going to get any harsher a punishment than, well, a demotion, since you and I are basically his right hand men now, mon ami," Mirage continued. "But tell me, how could you have let it go so wrong? I thought you were Havoc Tempo, not—say, Wimpy Offbeat."

"It's not up to me to decide who interferes with my plans," Ed said, turning on his heel and continuing the march down the hall.

"So you disregard the way that a simple cop lady somehow had a Battle Blade and overturned half the city to stop you?" Mirage asked.

"She's not as simple as you think," Ed said in a low voice. "I've seen her kind before. You always expect them until you don't."

Mirage nodded slowly. A leery smile spread across his painted face. "Of course, of course. Oui. But it is still your negligence which allowed this to happen. And the doctor is quite... displeased."

"Shut the hell up," Ed said.

By this time, they had reached the intersection, where the hallway connected to an extended room on each side. Down one corridor was a desk and a chair; the chair was faced away from them and instead looking out toward the window.

Ed and Mirage bowed. "Good afternoon, Doctor," Ed said. In the back of his mind, Erinys hummed dangerously.

The hat from behind the chair moved imperceptibly. "Hm, so you've finally come back," a rather tired voice said. Gloved fingers pressed together. "I hope you enjoyed being humiliated today, Ed."

Ed bowed his head. "I take it not as humiliation, Doctor, but as a lesson," he said tersely. "I underestimated my opponents today and allowed myself to be caught off-guard. Forgive me."

Mirage looked off to the distance and let an elegant smirk cover his painted face. "Well, aren't you always so humble," he whispered under his breath.

"Yes, Ed. It certainly was a lesson." The man in the chair swiveled around to face Ed and Mirage. His gloved hands picked up a paperweight and set it back down. "Perhaps I should have boosted Erinys a little bit more, instead of letting her out unfinished as a test. Perhaps. But I didn't, so we can't do anything about that, and she did exceptionally well for what she could."

There was a tiny sigh. "I don't really feel like punishing you today, Ed. But if you let this blunder happen again, in any situation, I will do more than simply remove you from my ranks. You know the standards of perfection around here."

Ed bowed his head. "Of course, sir," he said.

"However," the figure continued, "I didn't expect that the lovely little Network somehow managed to snag your trail."

He pulled his glasses off.

"...But we can easily use it to our advantage."

Ed bowed again. "Of course, sir."

"And may I ask how, monsieur?" Mirage interrupted, daintily putting a finger on his chin. "I'm not... I'm not quite sure I see the good in this, Doctor Glass."

The old doctor stood from his chair, picked up a cane resting beside his desk, and slowly sauntered over to the steel door in the wall. Teal eyes, sharp and clear in contrast to the wrinkled face, leered at the two figures behind. "You'll see, Julian," Theodore said, delicately grasping the door handle. "I've had a long history with them. I know their ways."

He opened the door, and the blue glow of fluid-filled containment capsules illuminated the hallway. In the distance a banshee screech echoed around the walls. "Come along, Ed. Julian. She's waiting."

Ed and Mirage—or, Julian—looked at each other, then back at the glowing corridor.

Lab assistants stood along the walkway, staring at blue tanks with fearsome creatures contained inside. Some of the creatures had tubes connected to them; some were immobilized; some thrashed about within the glass and roared muffledly. Ed could identify a glittering white serpent in the first one. A wyvern in the next, with its wings folded around its shining blue scales. A large sword, with the transparent figure of an armored man next to it. A fiery oni, its chest straining and powerful with taut muscles under scaly skin. A silky white wolf, with its eyes closed as it lay suspended in the tank fluid, its long tail billowing out around its legs.

Right above it all was a large painted symbol hanging from the ceiling—a circle of black scales, like a snake eating its tail, and two sets of fangs enclosed around a red circle.

There was a commotion over the intercom, and a muddle of voices was joined by a loud, piercing cry. On the big screen, a massive yellow blur was thrown into the room, tangled up in mangled red-hot chains which had been extended from a second beast. The golden dragon helplessly writhed against its bonds. The winner of the battle was all too clear.

Julian chuckled, and the black kabuki paint around his mouth spread in a sinister leer. "Isn't it so fortunate that our own Beys aren't locked up like this, Monsieur Eddie?"

Ed nodded once. "I'm inclined to agree," he muttered. Because yes, these were all Bit-Beasts, the forms of Beys fully exposed, the metal tops transformed into flesh right before their eyes. It was nothing like the normal tournament Bey. Those only produced images of a wispy spirit, and if the blader was lucky or strong enough, he could privately command the full form of the Beast. No, these were live, full flesh, out in the open for all to see.

Soon, Erinys would become one of them. 

Theodore stopped before the wide control panel at the end of the corridor, its screen connected to a smaller tank and showing vital data scans of the subject. "The Beasts have been restless," he was saying. "They've started to awaken from their dormancy, and now they seek escape. A good sign for this procedure, because it means their power increases every day. The only trouble is increasing security."

As if on cue, the wyvern nearby flared its wings, shrieking viciously as a lab assistant played with the mechanics of the control box behind the tank. Julian wrinkled his painted face and turned away from the unsightly view.

"They are Battle-Blades, sir," Ed pointed out, watching as lab assistants rushed over to subdue the Beast. "You were playing with fate when you obtained these."

Theodore chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I'll admit to that," he said. "But as you know, Ed, they can't do anything against it. And we need this if we want the WBBA under our control. I believe you know our three goals very well, hm?"

Ed's pale eyes flickered.

"Rise," Theodore said, walking over to the tiny capsule.

"Restore." He pressed a series of numbers. "And finally..."

The small tank began to hum, the liquid swirling into a froth of bubbles. Ed and Julian both stepped back as a long strand of electric light zapped into the larger tanks behind them, sending a series of muffled shrieks and roars into the air. The lab assistants in the back seemed rather unperturbed and continued working, muttering amongst each other.

Theodore's gloved hand set his glasses back on his face. "Resurrect," he whispered ominously.

And then the liquid in the tank started settling down again, the bubbles disappearing. Soon, Ed could make out the vague shape of a capsule hidden inside the thick, translucent fluid.

"She's going to be magnificent once I'm done," Theodore muttered. Ed didn't miss the strain in his voice. Neither did Ed miss how the doctor's hands tightened around the cane and his expression morphed into something more sinister. "My greatest treasure. And as soon as I have Jinnius, it'll all be complete...."

Suddenly Theodore cleared his throat and his face took on a calm expression. "With that in mind, Ed, Julian, I still must discuss my disappointment." He whirled around and marched away. Click-clack, click-clack, went the steel-tipped soles. "This has gotten wildly dangerous. Seems that old fool still has his eyes on us after all. And now my negligence has led to us losing my coveted Jinnius, after that nuisance Jones decided to show up. And we even forgot that they still have the original Battle Blade prototypes...."

The sliding doors opened up with a mechanical fwshhhh. "How truly foolish," Theodore muttered.

He paused and turned back. "Once I finish the modifications on your Beys, both of you shall complete the mission together. You must get him to me. Jinnius is the most essential part of this entire operation, never forget that."

A bit of dread grew in Ed's stomach at the prospect of working with Julian. Images of glittery swirls and circus dances clouded his vision. "Of course, sir," he said, squashing the feeling.

Julian, ever the elegantly doubtful, nodded slowly. "Of course, monsieur, Doctor. But what if... we don't succeed, after all? What if he gets away again?"

Theodore chuckled and rolled his eyes. "You ask too many questions, Julian," he said. "It is, however, a good concern. If we should not capture Jinnius right away, then I have a few other ways we can force Joshua Burns to give him up."

A pair of gloved hands picked up a red marker and drew a thick circle around a name written on the wall.

Theodore readjusted his eyeglasses and smiled. "After all, the serpent has already poisoned its prey."

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Hope you enjoyed my fruitless attempt at trying to write a tacky villain conspiracy scene. I already mildly regret this, but really, it's hard to flesh out a new villain when Theodore Glass already conveniently exists as an entire plot hole in himself.