Disclaimer: This will be the ONLY disclaimer for this story, so… I do NOT own anything related to Beyblade.

IMPORTANT: This is my first Beyblade fanfic; so if you think that I need improving on something, please let me know.

" But, Mommy! I don't want to go!" Small hands struggled to get out of the clutches of Judy Tate. " I hate the dentist!"

" Max, I already made the appointment… Tell you what, I'll buy you some ice-cream on the way home." Judy said as she rushed her son through New York City.

" Really?! Do you promise?"

" I promise."

" Pinky promise me," Max said as he showed his mom his free hand.

Judy sighed before stopping in front of a large building. Kneeling down to her son's eye level, she stuck her pinky out in front of her son. Smiling brightly, Max linked his pinky with his mom's and made sure to seal the promise by touching her thumb with his thumb. Satisfied with the freshly made promise, the small blonde gurgled cheerfully before hugging his mom.

Judy smiled and held her son for a while; it was hard to come by these 'special moments' with her son these days as she recently started working again in the BBA. After a minute or so, Judy stood up and straightened her skirt out. Taking hold of Max's hand once more, she led her son into the building.

" So! That wasn't so bad, was it?" Dr. Mirshiren said as she helped Max gurgle. Handing a cotton ball to Max, she told Max to keep it in his mouth until the bleeding stopped.

" Thur shoo," Max managed to mumble through cotton balls and blood. Dr. Mirshiren smiled back at Max's attempted thank you and helped him off the large dentist chair. Guiding him through the dentist building back to the lobby where Judy was waiting, Dr. Mirshiren explained to Max on how he can take care of his teeth more effectively. Max nodded every now and then to acknowledge that he was listening, but once he saw his mom, he broke into a run.

" MOMMY!!!!"

Judy looked up from her newspaper to be horrified with the sight of Max with a wide, bloody smile.

" Mommy, look! I have and empty space in between my teeth now!" Max showed his mom by opening his mouth even wider. Judy, who was never excited by the sight of blood, winced before giving Max a feeble smile.

" That's… very nice, Max."

" Hee," Max grinned as he leaned on his mom's arm. Judy didn't notice anything other than the blood mixed with saliva starting to drool out of his mouth and drip onto her white blouse.

Dr. Mirshiren noticing Judy's discomfort, quickly led Max back into a separate room where she gave him another cup of water and a few more cotton balls. Max gave her his thanks again before running back to his mom.

Judy had finished paying for Max's dentist bill and now extended her hand towards Max. Max took it eagerly and grinned wildly at his mom.

" Ice-cream!" He reminded his mom as they walked out of the building. Laughing, Judy kissed her son on his forehead.

" How could I ever forget?" Dr. Mirshiren heard Judy say as the large glass doors swung shut.

" Did you have to do that?" A nurse asked Dr. Mirshiren as she handed a clipboard to her.

The doctor smiled sadly before answering, " I had to do it… A patient had cursed me with this death mark… It's only right that I give a patient the same curse… It's only a matter of months or even years before they realize what's happening… Soon, it won't be ice-cream he's asking for, it'll be something more…"

…10 years later…

" LET IT RIP!"

Sounds of metal clashing against metal were heard throughout Tyson's dojo. The Bladebreakers had been training nearly the whole day and the sky was quickly becoming dark. A single blade hit the ground dully as it was thrown from the dish. A blond figure bent over to pick the blade up.

" That's enough for today," Hiro said to the others as he walked into the building.

" That was a good battle, Max," Tyson said as he punched Max in the shoulder. Max smiled before doing the same. Tyson grinned wildly back at Max before running in after Daichi into the dojo.

Once everyone had gone inside, Max's smile fell from his face as he sighed and sat down. When his alarm on his watch went off, Max automatically reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tube of pills. Popping one into his mouth, he forced it down his throat with a sip from a water bottle.

" When are you going to tell everyone else?" A voice behind him suddenly said.

Max didn't look up but slid the tube of pills back into his pocket. " Kai…You didn't tell anyone, did you?"

Kai walked out from the shadows of the building and stood slightly away from Max. " No… But if the others are going to get hurt, I'll be forced to tell."

Max nodded before standing up and stretching his limbs. Looking over to where Kai was standing, Max wasn't surprised to see that Kai wasn't there anymore. Max sighed and walked into the building.

" Max. Max! MAX!"

" Huh?!" Max sat up, shivering in cold sweat. Looking to the side of him, he noticed Rei with a cold towel sitting beside him.

" Are you okay? I woke up to see you shivering and sweating like you weren't feeling too good," Rei's golden eyes seem to glow even more in the dimly moon-lit room.

" I'm okay… Just a nightmare…" Max wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. Rei handed Max the towel and Max accepted gratefully.

" Well… Tell me if you need anything," Rei muttered drowsily as he crawled back under his sheets.

" Yeah…"

Max sat there for a while, looking at the damp sheets and towel surrounding him. A wistful smile spread slowly across his face. For a moment, Max stared at his hands under the beam of the moonlight coming in from the windows before laying back down. Max sighed, his chest rising ever so slightly. Shivering in his still slightly-damp clothes, he rolled over onto his side and thought back to when it all started…

" I'm sorry, Max. Your blood tests prove that you are- "

Max squeezed his eyes shut, telling himself to forget that day. To forget the doctor ever told him he was diagnosed with- no. He won't say it. He won't say the word. Saying it would be like admitting to him that he was a patient diagnosed with – there it goes again. It was controlling him, his life. Everything he did, everything he thought, and it was involved. He couldn't do anything now without…

Max opened his eyes. He felt hatred rising in his body as he thought of all those other people who were allowed to go along with their normal lives. It wasn't fair. I t wasn't fair that he had – had to be like this. It wasn't fair that he had to die while everyone else continued on living. It just wasn't fair.

Max sat up suddenly as he realized something. He doesn't have to die alone. If he wanted, he wouldn't be the only one doomed with death. If he wanted, Rei and Kai and Tyson and Kenny and Hiro… They could all die with him.

A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him just then and he shuddered as he fell back down. He lay there, shivering as he thought over his most recent feelings. No, he shook his head. That couldn't have been him. He would never think such horrid stuff towards his friends. He was Max, wasn't he? Optimistic, hyper, happy-go-lucky member of the Bladebreakers…

Max sighed and another wave of exhaustion washed him over as he reached over and pulled his now dry sheets over himself.

Well… There's the first chapter… If you detect any mistakes or if you feel that my writing is missing something somewhere, I would appreciate it very much if you would tell me.