Heart of Fire

The Phoenix Monologues: Book One

By Jaici and CCPhoenix

Auhtors Notes:

Joint note: This fic takes place after the V Force Episode The Enemy Within. It doesn't follow the rest of the season and will develop into a multi-part. There will be Shounen-ai in this fic, but it wont appear until later. There will be hints before but that's about it. Enjoy.

Jaici Phoenix: Our first joint fic. A long time in coming but hopefully it'll be good. The idea of the first chapter belongs solely to CC, but I did help with some of it.

CCPhoenix: As you ill continue to help me I have no doubt. Without her I would have no inspiration, and my muse currently resides in the Mental Institution for Rabid and Disorderly muses. Enjoy

Warning: As mentioned above, Shounen-ai in later chapters. Angst. Love. Romance. Lime. Swearing. All that stuff. And some minor gore in later chapters.

Disclaimer: We do not own Beyblade. Never have. Never will. We write these fics purely for our enjoyment and the enjoyment of others.

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He was sick of it. Sick of watching his friends fall. Sick of being betrayed. Sick of being ignored, of being alone. That's what it came down to all the time. That he was alone.

His eyes followed the path of his Beyblade as it sped towards the sea, kicking up grains of sand as it flew. His eyes narrowed as thoughts raced though his mind.

When you step out into that stadium, nobody can help you. Not the audience, not your friends. You're all alone. You might as well just hand me Dragoon now.

He clenched his teeth as his Beyblade executed a sharp right turn, veering away from the water and towards the wall. His hands clenched into fists and the wind around him seemed to pick up, sending his Beyblade off course.

Zeo. He had helped that kid. Trained him. Supported him. And what did he get in return? A betrayal. One that hurt. A lot. A snarl escaped his lips and the blade span back on course. Its spin rotation increased, and sand flew in all directions. Slamming against the wall, it ricocheted and hit the sand with a force that sent it spiralling up and into the wind.

"You've got to be calm! You can't win on anger alone!"

"He's right!"

The blade slowed to a stationary spin as the fists unclenched. Maybe they were right. Maybe he should try and win some other way. After all, hadn't he won all those other matches by staying with his team? Through it all…

Alone…alone…alone…nobody can help you in the ring…

Eyes clenched tight shut as Zeo's voice rang through his mind. How did he make up his mind? Why couldn't he figure this out? The blade shot from its position and back against the wall. As it bounced off and flew back to the ground, it veered to the right and up on the railing. Blue eyes regarded the blade as it flew across the railing like lightning. His eyes trained on the blade, but his mind elsewhere.

Do you really expect to win tomorrow, feeling like that?

Kai. Now there was something he didn't want to go into right now. He'd never be able to figure him out. One minute he was giving you the cold shoulder, the next he was acting like the friend he was, and helping out. But…there was something more there. At least, he wished there was.

Biting his tongue, he watched his blade spin back towards him. As he knelt on the sand and reached out his hand, the blade span right into it. He put the blade in his jacket pocket, and shoved the launcher in its usual resting-place. as he climbed the hill, hands shoved in his pockets, he watched the sun setting in the distance.

He'd fought so many people before, but only few really stuck out, made a real impression. Robert. The first time someone had made him stop, and really think about more than the spirit of Beyblading. Tala. The boy who showed him how to overcome raw power by acting with your Bitbeast instead of for it. Ozuma, who had strengthened his bond with his Bitbeast. King, the blader who taught him to rely on his friends. And then there was Kai. The only blader who still affected the way he played. How he always came through, right when you needed him. Who gave you only what you needed to know, and let you do the rest. Who stole your heart and doesn't know it.

Ultimately, it all came back down to Kai. Sighing, he turned to the entrance to his home. There was so much more he needed to think about, but he couldn't put it off anymore. The match was tomorrow, and yet he wasn't afraid. He was doing this for Dranzer.

By the time he pushed open the door, and prepared to meet his friends, he'd made his decisions. He was going to fight Zeo and win. He was going to fight for his friends and win. He was going to get back Dranzer for Kai and nothing was going to stop him.

Nobody could say that Tyson Kinomiya was a coward. Noone. And after tomorrow, none would doubt it.


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The dust cleared and Tyson clenched his fists. He was not going to lose Not now. He shivered as he stared at Zeo's Bitbeast, looming over him. Bitbeasts he could handle. He'd faced hundreds. But the raw power that that …thing commanded…Dragoon didn't stand a chance.

"Come on Tyson! You can do it!"

Tyson shut out the cries of his friends. They couldn't help him now. Nobody could. He was domed to fail. Doomed to lose his Bitbeast…just like Kai. Cerberus dove for his blade but Dragoon sped out of the way. Tyson hadn't even managed to go on the attack yet. Cerberus was just too strong.

"Tyson! Don't let him win! Remember your promise to me!"

Tyson's eyes shot open as he heard Kai's words. It was always Kai. But then…he had promised….

Do you hate me?

Hate you? Why?!

Because I've never lost my Bitbeast. You. Max and Rei. You all have. Do you hate me?

I don't hate you. Part of me resents the fact that you kept your Bitbeast. But that part of me also knows its because you're stringer than us. You always have been Tyson. Its something I've come to accept. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. Promise something.

Anything

Win. Win back Dranzer for me. Please,

I promise.

Anger flooded his body as the way Dranzer was taken filled his mind. Anger at Kai for letting him go. anger at himself foe not being able do to anything. It was partly his fault after all. If he hadn't yelled at Kai…

You promised me we were going to meet in the final…

He gritted his teeth. No. Not his fault. All Zeo's. and that professor…Zaggart. Zeo's father. All because Zeo wasn't human.

He didn't have a problem with that. he had a problem with the way Zeo chose to deal with it.

"You once told me you were so proud to be on our team, and this is how you repay us? By taking our Bitbeasts?"

His words were spat across the dish and Zeo looked up, his mind away from the battle for the moment.

"I don't care what you are Zeo! I never would! Its what you do that makes a difference! And I don't now how you can stand there and want to take my Bitbeast! Have you ever felt what it's like to lose one? I haven't either! But I've seen what it does to my friends and I won't let you do it to me! I'm getting Dranzer back for Kai! And you're not stopping me!"

Sparks flew from his blade and it span around the dish, its speed accelerating with each pass.

"Dragoon!"

The blade glowed with a blue hue as it sped round once more. Rising from the blade, Dragoon shot from the bitchip, facing off against Cerberus. The two Bitbeasts growled and lashed out at each other. Tyson's eyes glowed as he stared at Zeo.

"I don't care if you were once my friend. You threatened my team, and because of that you'll pay. Dragoon! Victory Tornado attack!"

Dragoon shot forward, and created his legendary tornado. Cerberus was no match for the ferocious winds, but Zeo had far from given up. Tyson watched as the boy did everything to stop Dragoon from ruing his chances. But Tyson wasn't about to give up either. He was far from caring about the other boys Bitbeast. Cerberus could bun in hell for al he cared. He wanted the other Bitbeast trapped within Zeo's blade.

Dranzer.

Tyson grunted as Cerberus lined up for one last attack. The two Bitbeast aimed for one another. Dragon versus three-headed dog. Good versus Evil. Selfishness versus selflessness. Everything ran through Tyson's mind as he waited for the final clash. He no longer cared about being world Champion. That was the last thing on his mind. He wouldn't have cared if he lost his title. All he wanted was Dranzer back with Kai. And for people to leave him alone.

He just wanted to keep Dragoon. And not have to fight for him.

That was fuel enough for three battles.

As the two blades clashed, dust kicked up of the dish. Tyson buried his face in his arm, and the audience waited with baited breath who would win? Tyson or Zeo?

Four boys and a girl in the stands didn't care. To them, the only winner was the boy standing on their side of the dish, trying to get a Bitbeast back for a friend, and the fact that he had tried made all the difference.

But for that boy, trying was not enough. He had to get back that Bitbeast. Losing was not an option.

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