NEW LOOK, NEW LIFE
God made Adam in his image and then, He made Eve…
He made it so that man be man and woman be woman…
Of course, humanity has found ways to modify that with a simple thing known as sex change; come in as a man, come out as a woman thanks to a life altering operation…
But then, there are those who take pleasure in playing God and changing what does not want to be changed… Forbidden powers are accessed, twisted and misused, resulting in disastrous consequences.
Someone always has to pay the price for these unwanted outcomes…
-------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 1 - New Look
"Come now!" Tyson growled, "You've been bragging ever since your lot brought us in this rat hole, where did all that hot air go now?"
"Shu… shut up!" Replied weakly his opponent, a skinny boy with green hair and a strange gleam in his eyes.
"Ha! All talk and no action!"
"Tyson, finish him fast so we can finally go home…" Said Kai flatly.
He was annoyed of being the only one who hadn't fought, due to the loss of his bit beast in the last tournament, and even more so for the fact that he was left to watch his friends fight from the side lines. The rest of his old team had gone already, Tyson being the last one, and all of them beat their adversaries after a short-lived struggle from their part, destroying the strange shadow bit beasts in the process.
"Will do." Smirked the other, "Get out there Dragoon! Engage engine gear, full power!"
"No! I must prove myself!" Whimpered the green-haired boy, "Go my dark panther!"
The black, bat-winged panther belonging to the losing youth roared defiantly and launched itself at the slim blue dragon.
"Even if you have an evil bit beast, it's no match for my Dragoon!"
The two spirits collided, creating an immense shockwave. The powerful reaction from the impact sent the overwhelmed boy flying against a wall, knocking him unconscious, and destroyed the stage, raising dust, covering the outcome. Once the dust cleared, the kid's blade laid in ruins at his feet. With a victorious grin, Tyson picked up his beyblade and walked over to his friends while behind him two mechanical drones, residents of the floor, had carried off the boy.
"That was pretty pathetic, but compared to the other bladers…" Mumbled Ray, looking disappointed, "They had barely been a challenge…"
"And you fought two of them." Max added with a teasing look.
"I'm still intrigued about the origin of these vile bit beasts these guys have gotten their hands on." Commented Kenny, "It's not like they just popped out of nowhere, someone must have given them their beyblades!"
"I won, we all won, and the bit beasts have been destroyed." Shrugged Tyson, "Who cares?"
He began heading towards the exit, followed by the rest when all of a sudden, a malevolent chuckle boomed, echoing against the walls, becoming omnipresent. All of them instinctively reached for their beyblades and looked around, but were unable to detect the source.
"You may think all have been destroyed… but one still remains." Uttered the voice in a dangerous growl, "The one that will seal your wretched fate!"
A blinding flash of light burst like an explosion, obscuring the sight of the five boys, and was accompanied by an angry roar. Something big and heavy fell, shaking the ground, and began getting closer to the boys as they were slowly able to open their eyes again.
"What the?" Kai gasped, the first to fully regain his vision.
Standing before them was an enormous creature, a great bat-winged black panther, baring its long sabre-like fangs threateningly. Its tail swished around excitedly and its fur bristled, its muscles tensing up for something.
"Tyson, I thought you destroyed it!" Growled Kai angrily.
"I… I thought I did too." Stammered the other, shocked.
Kai warily glanced at the beast and suddenly realized what it was about to do.
"Everyone, get out of the way!" He shouted, urgency in his order.
The spirit yowled and leapt forward just as the group scrambled away in different directions. The panther landed heavily, creating a large hole in the ground right where Tyson and the rest had been standing; it turned around in the direction of the re-grouping boys and hissed furiously.
"Wha… What is that thing?" Asked Max, wording the question that was on all of their minds.
"I don't know, I've never heard of anything like this!" Exclaimed Kenny, "A rogue bit beast emerging free without a beyblade and acting like this on its own accord!" He glanced at the hole, "Not to mention the fact that it took such a material form… It's preposterous!"
"Crazy or not, we have to get out of here." Said Ray while keeping an eye on the threat.
"And hopefully in one piece." Added Kai, then gasped and shouted, "Run!"
The creature readied itself for another attack; it leapt again, claws and fangs at the ready. With Kai as the only warning, the five boys quickly sprang away and dashed for the exit, but the panther was fast; with another mighty pounce, it blocked the way out.
"Going somewhere?" It snarled.
Everyone split and went their separate ways again, except for Kai, who stood there facing the spirit defiantly. He felt vaguely uneasy, but he remained determined to hide that uneasiness.
"Yeah, out of here and you're certainly not going to stop me."
"Insolent brat!"
"Nuisance!"
The creature hissed heatedly in response. Kai got his blade out and readied himself; bit beast or no bit beast, he was not going to idly stand by.
"You shall suffer for your impudence, puny mortal!"
Puny mortal? He thought, faintly amused, It's got issues against humanity…
Suddenly, the black panther spread its wings and gave a hard flap, the blasts of air knocking the shocked two-tone haired boy off his feet; the creature purred in pleasure as it attacked and Kai closed his eyes, fearing the end. But its charge was cut short by a green object, flashing just inches away from its snout; Max had gone on the offensive…
"Back off freak!" He called out.
Momentarily thrown off, the older boy stared at the blonde, who shot him a confident smile over his shoulder; realizing his ungratifying state, he got to his feet and joined his friend, assuming attack position with his blade once more.
"Thanks…" He muttered.
"What are friends for?" Grinned back the other.
"How dare you defy me? The very incarnation of chaos?"
"I don't care whose incarnation you are, you are going back to wherever the hell you came from!" Snapped back Kai.
The beast gave an earth-quaking roar and stomped its foot down, shaking the building to its very foundations, bringing down pieces of the roof and tiles from the walls and making the other boys run for cover from the rubble crashing down.
"Kai!" Exclaimed Tyson, dodging the falling debris, "Stop enraging it further and just get on with it! I'd like to get out of here before the whole thing collapses!"
"Ready Max?" Smirked the two-tone haired boy.
"Anytime!" Replied the blonde.
"Wretched humans, I curse you all!" Cried out the panther, then narrowed its eyes on the two before it, "And I shall begin with you two." It then rose to its full height and continued, "You sealed your fate when you decided to defy me! Now you shall pay!"
Lightning fast, the creature dove on both the boys, sparing them no time to dodge or run, but just enough to gasp in horror. Like a black mist it enveloped and traversed them; flesh, bones and soul, it went through them all, leaving a cruel laughter ringing in their minds…
They were struck still in midair, as if time around them had slowed to a hollow beat. Their empty eyes stared vacantly at the unseen, a disbelieving breath leaving their lips as they fell through the air to finally hit the ground heavily, then, like rag dolls, lay limp and motionless.
Unable to act or speak, the rest of the boys remained gaping in utter bewilderment as the creature resumed solid form once more and its muzzle seemed to form in an accomplished grin. Suddenly, bright black flames sparked to life from out of nowhere and quickly spread, enveloping the two unmoving bodies. The fire was intense, but gave no warmth; the flames danced maliciously as they licked the flesh without burning it, devoured hair and clothes without turning them into ash…
The blazes that had abruptly engulfed both the blonde and the two-tone haired boy acted as click that brought Tyson and his friends out of the mesmerized state that had been gripping them.
"Kai! Max!" Shouted Tyson, panic swelling inside.
Throwing care in the air, he dashed towards his fallen comrades, forgetting even the presence of the panther not too far away from its victims.
"Tyson, you fool!" Exclaimed Ray, "Watch out!"
He quickly jumped and pushed the rash boy down to the ground just as a large chunk of concrete falling from the ceiling crashed down on the spot where Tyson had been only a few seconds before. Both struck with a feeling of vulnerability, they hastily looked up to where the beast stood; it was sitting in front of the two unconscious bladers, its head high and its bright golden orbs gazing emptily, as if in a trance. Its wings spread open round Kai and Max, surrounding them and hiding them from the sight of the others as if to protect them, or rather to keep the others away, and its long tail was wrapped around its self, only the tip moving as though it kept a steady rhythm…
-------------------------------------------------------------
Kai…
A distant voice was calling the two-tone haired boy, but it was faint, like a far-off echo. He tried opening his eyes, but they refused his command; his whole body felt heavy yet light at the same time, but was definitively cold. He felt as though he was afloat on icy water, but there was no water, just… emptiness around him.
Kai!
The voice was a lot closer now, more distinct and… familiar. All of a sudden, he felt warmth cursing through his body from a single point, reviving him; he opened his eyes to find a blonde boy leaning over him.
"Max?" He said softly.
The blonde boy heaved a sigh of relief.
"You scared me…" He said, "I thought you were dead. You weren't breathing…" He sighed again, then continued with a friendly smile, "But you're ok now…"
Kai sat up, helped by his friend, and held his head, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
"So… Now that you're awake…" Said Max, getting up, "Can you tell me… where we are?"
Kai looked around; purple velvet nothingness surrounded them for miles and they seemed to be the only souls in sight. There was neither an up nor a down, as though they were floating in the air, yet Max could stand and walk as on hard ground, and the vast space was devoid of any sound, save for a far-off whispering wind and their voices.
"I'd tell you if I knew…" Replied Kai, stunned, "But it seems like the middle of nowhere…"
He tried getting up, but as soon as he did, he found himself down on his hands and knees, his breath heavy and his head spinning wildly, making the dizziness come over him once more.
"Are you alright?" Exclaimed the blonde, kneeling by his side, "What's wrong?"
The other closed his eyes, attempting to concentrate and calm his breathing, but his head continued to pound; seeing this, Max passed the older boy's arm around his shoulders and pulled him up, letting him rest against his self for support. That's when a biting wind abruptly picked up, making the purple velvet all around them ripple and wave without a sound; the phenomenon was then followed by a voice.
"Alive?" Said the voice, sounding surprised, "You are still alive?"
The velvet void shivered even harder as drops of pure black liquid appearing from nothing slowly gathered together, then assembled faster to finally take the shape of a woman. The woman had ink-black hair in a decorative hairstyle, held together with two long vivid red chopsticks, while a round crimson jewel shone in the middle of her forehead with an ominous light. Her royal-looking kimono was completely black save for her sash and the juban underneath, which were both red. But most discomforting were her golden eyes as they examined the two boys before her; they were exactly like the panther's…
"You!" Exclaimed Kai, realisation followed by anger, now building inside him, "You're the creature! You're the rogue bit beast that Tyson faced!"
Max's eyes widened and turned to stare at the strange female spirit. Ignoring his accusations, the woman turned her attention to him alone and scanned him from head to toe; he growled threateningly, making her smile, showing off sharp feline fangs.
"You're not resisting as well as the other child, yet you are still able to move and talk." She said calmly.
She took a few steps forward, making the two boys flinch back one.
"Stay back!" Warned Max.
Now her attention shifted to him; she scanned him as she had with Kai, but this time she frowned.
"You have a guardian spirit protecting you." She hissed.
"Draciel." He said, suddenly recognizing its presence in his soul.
The woman turned back to Kai, who sustained her gaze with a glare; his breathing had become harsh now.
"Yet you…" Her golden orbs narrowed on him, "You do not possess a guardian…Why are you still alive child?"
"Heh…" He scoffed, "I guess Draciel is protecting us both…"
She hissed loudly and Kai grunted in pain, bringing a hand to his chest, feeling something pressure it as though a giant invisible hand was squeezing him; he closed his eyes and allowed his head to drop on Max's shoulder as he gasped with heavy pants. He felt a drop of blood escape from his nose and slowly roll on his lip.
"Kai!" Called his friend as soon as he noticed.
"I'm fine…" He muttered back, wiping the blood with the back of his hand, "Don't worry about me… Worry about yourself…"
Damn, I don't think he can last too long without a bit beast of his own… Max thought, turning back to the strange being, And Draciel can't shield us forever.
"The heroic type…" Chuckled the woman, "I admire your boldness, even in the face of death."
"Shut up!" Shouted Max, "Neither of us is going to die!"
"You are right…" She frowned, "I cannot kill you as long as that troublesome guardian spirit is attached to you and watching over the other." Her frown was replaced by a malicious smirk, "But I can always curse you! A curse that can't be stopped!"
He gasped as she began chanting quickly and forming seals with her hands.
"Kai…" He said softly, looking pale.
"Max, we have to get out of here before she ends her spell…" Replied Kai.
Just as they were about to run, a powerful black aura surrounded the woman.
"Too late!" She laughed coldly.
With a brisk wave of a red fan she had pulled out of her sleeve, she cast two purple fireballs; they shot off like cannonballs, hitting the two boys squarely in the chest, knocking out their breaths. Both fell back and drifted through the velvet nothingness as the flames engulfed them for a second time, but it was different from the first time… Blinding pain surged through their bodies as fire rushed in their veins and every muscle tensed and burned. They closed their eyes but could still see the woman and her laughter remained ringing in their heads as though it would never go away; the two screamed in agony and fear, but the sounds were lost in the nothingness. Finally the pain slowly subsided; too weak to remain awake, they let themselves be swallowed by the darkness…
"Remember me…" She said before both lost consciousness, "Remember for I am Konton…"
-------------------------------------------------------------
The three remaining boys did their best to get the panther's attention, but it seemed as though it were unconscious, or rather, its mind was not there. They had even attacked it with their bit beasts, but it didn't even flinch, let alone leave a mark; the creature had raised some sort of barrier against all their attempts to harm it, and that was not good.
"Tyson, nothing's working!" Growled Ray angrily.
"I know!" Snapped back the other, "God dammit I know!"
All of a sudden, the beast shuddered from head to tail as though something or someone had smacked it back to reality.
"Guys, I think it lost its concentration!" Exclaimed Kenny, "Attack it now!"
"Gotcha!" Replied both the boys.
Just as they were about to launch another assault, the beast raised its head and… laughed. Its voice was not the same as before, it had become more feminine, but kept its cruel touch. That's when a column of black fire erupted from between its wings, right where Kai and Max were…
"Kai! Max!" Shouted Tyson, eyes wide in shock.
"Foolish humans!" Laughed the panther, getting up and spreading its wings to either side, "Now you will remember not to oppose me!"
Its words were directed at the flaming vortex in front of its muzzle but it quickly turned towards the rest of the boys, who were staring in utter disbelief.
"As for you…" The creature hissed furiously, "You are lucky to have guardian spirits with you, but I shall be back!"
Before anyone could say anything to object, it stretched its wings to their full length and lifted off the ground, flying up to the high ceiling. There, it circled a few times before it let go of a thunderous roar and disappeared in a ball of white light, leaving behind a thin black mist. Meanwhile, the vortex trapping the panther's two victims was gradually subsiding, slowing down until it vanished away completely, leaving to behold two strange figures lying on the ground. One had long blond hair while the other, long, dark hair…
"Oh. My. God." Said Tyson, eyes wide as realization dawned on him.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Little by little, consciousness streamed back to Kai; he found himself lying on the ground, his face resting on the cold pavement. At first he couldn't remember why, but then it hit him; the panther, the woman, the curse…
All of a sudden, someone turned him over, holding him reclined, and gently brushed back his hair; those actions didn't feel right, but he found himself too weak to fight back. After what seemed an eternity, he finally opened his eyes and saw a hazy figure with long raven hair taking care of him; he recognized the figure as… Ray.
Ray noticed the girl in his arms wake, and inhaled sharply when he locked eyes with hers; they were a dim grey, but… the very same grey that belonged to Kai.
"Kai?" He said tentatively.
"Ray? What…?" Replied the girl.
"Christ!" He exclaimed, his eyes going wide, "You're Kai!"
The two-tone haired teen eyed him carefully before speaking, confused by his strange behaviour.
"Yeah… Who else would I be?"
"I… It's just… You're…" Stammered the other, unable to speak properly.
Not listening, he pushed him back and tried to sit up to his knees; everything hurt and his head felt leaden. He managed to sit straight on his knees but he quickly fell back to his hands; he lowered his head down, holding it in one hand as it throbbed painfully, making a curtain of long hair fall around him like smooth silk. He heard Ray gasp behind him but he ignored him.
"What the…?" He muttered.
He brushed back his long bangs, only to find that his hair was much too straight and lengthy to be his; it could very well reach his waist if he stood up. Confused, he looked up at Ray who was gaping at him like he had never seen a face before; he seemed just as puzzled as Kai, but also had anxiousness flickering in his wide eyes.
"Ray, wha…what's going on?"
"This is not happening…" He said softly in return, more to himself than to anyone, as he got up and took a step back.
Annoyed by the raven-haired boy's total bewilderment and lack of answers, Kai sighed exasperatedly, and suddenly realized how tight his chest felt; it was as though something was pressing it… his jacket was compacting it. He brought a hand to his chest to feel if the pain was from some wound, undoubtedly one created from the fireball…
His eyes widened at what he felt, made him gasp and sent a shiver down his back; his chest bulged under his stiff jacket like breasts would. Woman's breasts…
It took him a while to process the information flooding in his mind; he had… tits?
No! He shook his head stubbornly and immediately wished he hadn't; his head spun wildly. I just bumped my head or…perhaps that woman is hypnotizing me… I'm still in that empty place! This can't be true! I… No!
His silky hair softly whipped his face as he shook his head. At this he felt nauseous and unsteady, but he refused to accept the current events. His stomach was ready to lurch but his pride and tight throat would not allow him to puke; he was not about to give in to these mind tricks.
"Kai?" Called softly Ray, "Are you…"
"No!" Kai cut him off with a shout, "This… this is just not possible! It can't be!" He gasped, hearing his voice, and looked up at the raven-haired boy, "Ray, what is going on?"
The other merely bit his lip for silence, stricken by the look of horror and despair on his friend's face. Suddenly, another outraged exclamation stole his attention and that of Kai as well; Tyson and Kenny were kneeling by someone, a girl with long blond hair, and she was holding her head in one hand as she pulled her knees to her with the other.
"Max…" Said Ray, answering Kai's silent question.
His eyes widened in shock as he stared at the blonde girl whimpering and muttering under her breath; he was certain he heard "impossible" and "I'm a girl" though.
"But… He had Draciel… How did… She said…" He protested, but his words died off and he dropped his head, "Impossible…"
Ray knelt back down in front of him but hesitation stopped him before taking him by the shoulders; perhaps Kai would take this the wrong way…
Finally deciding himself, he rested his hands on them but Kai kept his head down, ignoring him. Kai, on his hands and knees, defeated and hopeless, was something he had never expected to witness, but seeing the circumstances, nothing that had happened today made sense. He noticed the girl's hands, clenched and white-knuckled, and decided to try and talk.
"Kai?" He called, but received no sign.
He remained still, his mind racing for something to say. He looked over his shoulder for help and met with Tyson's gaze; he was at a loss for words as badly as Ray so he had his hand on Max's shoulder for silent support. Returning to his own problems, he tried again…
"Kai, you need to stay calm…" He said softly, "Getting angry or frantic won't solve anything…"
All of a sudden, Kai's head snapped back and he slapped him away, making the surprised raven-haired boy gasp as he fell to the floor.
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" He shouted at him before a curtain of hair covered his newly lowered head.
Everyone's attention turned on them; even Max stopped whimpering to look at the two. Ray merely stared at the girl in front of him… Kai.
"How can I relax…" Continued the two-tone haired blader on an impassive tone while getting to his feet, "How can I relax when I look like this…" He opened his arms to show the rest.
At this, Ray dropped his eyes, feeling guilty for his words.
"How can I stay calm!" He shouted at him, looking straight at him.
"Kai, I…" Began the other, but stopped dead when he raised his gaze and saw Kai's face.
Tears were running down his now delicate features, turning blue as they rolled on his face marks. His eyes were filled with anger, anguish and great confusion while his lower lip quavered in frustration.
"This… this is just…" Kai went on, his tone dropping to a low mutter, "It can't be happening…" He clenched his fists at his sides, "Just can't…"
Silence enveloped the broken room, interrupted only by a sniffle from Max's part. All of them had their eyes on their old companion; he was impossible to recognize, not merely because he had now turned to a young woman, but because of his desperate words and bitter tears. None of them had ever seen their friend so shook up, so lost and distressed…
"Ray…"
The raven-haired boy immediately got up and looked at Kai, anxious at his next course of action, hoping that perhaps it won't be as rash as the previous.
"What is it? What's…" He stopped for a second, quickly changing 'what's wrong' with something else, "What do you need me to do?"
"Ray, I want you to hit me." He replied simply.
He looked at his old teammate with a serious face, making him take a step back, eyes wide, while Tyson said something on the lines of an outraged 'what!'.
"I… I can't do that!" Exclaimed Ray.
"Why?" He shouted at him, "Because I'm… I'm…"
He couldn't get around to say it, but they knew what he meant…
"Yes… I mean! No!" Stammered the raven-haired boy, "It's because… because it's… not right!" He finally blurted out, "I can't hit you because you're my friend…"
The other gave a mirthless laugh, making Ray flinch.
"Shut up." He said briskly, "Just shut up and do it."
"But…"
"I said shut up and do it dammit!"
Ray bit his tongue so not to reply; he felt Kai's glare on him, but he averted his gaze to the floor. At this, Kai growled and walked away from the group, turning his back on them and taking something out from his pocket; Ray suddenly realized what it was…
"Kai! Stop!" He exclaimed.
He jumped to Kai's side, grabbed him with one arm around his shoulders and snatched his wrist with his free hand, making something silver and black drop to the floor with a metallic sound. It was a fine penknife, blade out, that he had been holding.
"Wha?" Said two-tone haired teen, taken aback, "Ray?"
That's when he realized what had happened…
"Ray! Let go!" He shouted, grabbing the arm around his shoulders with his free hand and trying to get free, "Let… me… go!" He struggled.
The raven-haired boy remained silent as he watched his friend fighting to get him off. He was surprised that he could hold him down so easily; Kai was a great martial artist, perhaps better than him, yet he couldn't get away. He understood that he was frantic but still…
He also found himself taller…
Kai had always been taller than him, yet now he was a good couple of inches shorter…
Lost in thought, he forgot about the others, who were gaping at the two with a mix of shock and wonder; they had never seen a display such as this…
Suddenly, an elbow in the stomach brought Ray back to reality with a grunt. Instinctively, he tightened his grip around the girl, but then remembered whom he was dealing with; on second thought, the hit he had gotten did not help to lessen his hold.
"Ray…" Said Kai breathlessly "You're… You're hurting me!" He exclaimed, then gasped sharply, "Wait… you're… hurting me? What?"
Finally, Ray let go of Kai's wrist and lessened his grip, though still keeping his arm around his shoulders, as a safety measure. Kai's hands dropped limply to his sides, disbelief knotting his stomach.
Pain…
Kai's mind was ready to collapse; all this could not be real, yet, he felt pain…
He dropped his head in one hand and closed his eyes, concentrating on making it all go away, on making himself wake up from this living nightmare. Meanwhile, Ray slid his arm out and instead faced him and held him by the shoulders.
"I am having a horrible dream…" He mumbled, not even conscious of the other's presence, "No… A horrible, horrible nightmare…"
I felt pain… The thought resonated in his mind, No, I must have imagined it, after all, I'm used to it so much I have suffered it… I could have just imagined it… It's all in my mind.
But he knew it wasn't…
"Why couldn't I just have died…" He said as tears swelled in his eyes again, "I wish I had died…"
That's when all of a sudden Ray slapped him across his cheek. Kai's eyes widened in shock, then turned to stare at him, incredulous; the raven-haired boy looked impassive. Kai slowly brought a hand to his lip as he felt something pearl down his chin.
Blood… Combined with a sharp sting; pain…
"Oh God… This can't be true…" He said in a low whisper, "It can't…"
That's when something in his mind snapped; his senses grew numb and he lost consciousness…
-------------------------------------------------------------
The authoress will now make a grandiose comeback, with a celebration full of sparklers and attractions! Rejoice I tell you!
Ps: This may not be the final version for I often change my mind about things.