Hello everyone! I must tell you this in one of my most angsty things yet! The first few chapters are EXTREAMLY angsty, but the story gradually turns into an adventure! So anyway, please enjoy and review at the end!

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::Grief, anger, guilt, loneliness. Experiencing so many emotions at one can really destroy a person spirit. But the Blade Breakers were always known for being strong. Every situation that had been thrown at them, good or bad, they met head on. But suddenly, and totally unexpected, they were forced to square off against there biggest challenge yet.::

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' This is too hard.' Tyson thought miserably to himself. Scratching out the answer he had just written down, he tossed his pencil back into his bag. Shuffling through the mass pile of algebra laid before him his pulled out a plain white and very thick envelope. The piece of mail that he had gotten just a few hours prior had been all he could think about while he was attempting to complete his high school math homework. Sitting down gingerly on his bed, Tyson slid five pages of folder paper out of the envelope. Upon the pages was a letter, written to him by one of his friends, Max Tate. He sorted through the pages, glancing briefly at the words written on them.

Max had written to his friends to let him know how he was doing. Max had been going through counseling for the past few weeks and he was feeling much better. But even this good news mad Tyson cry. It was the reason that Max had gone into counseling that upset him.

Sliding the letter back into the envelope, Tyson lifted his legs up onto the bed and laid his body down. Closing his eyes he thought back to a month ago when everything had been perfect.

……..

"Come on guys! It's starting to rain! Move it!" Rei yelled agitatedly from the door to the B.B.A. bus. Looking up he saw dark gray clouds moving in quickly, bringing roaring thunder and torrential rain with them. He blinked his warm gold/brown eyes as a big drop of water landed on his nose. Shaking his head in frustration he climbed up the steps, only to meet Kai who was sitting in the front seat with his feet up on the railing in front of him.

"Are they coming?" he asked, not even opening his eyes to look at Rei. Rei rolled his eyes and leaned over once more to take a glimpse of Tyson's dojo. He smiled a bit as Kenny ran out the front door, towards the bus, his laptop held over his head like an umbrella. Stepping to the side to let Kenny through Rei smiled at his tiny friend.

"Are they coming yet?" Rei asked anxiously, taking a seat in the row opposite Kai.

"I think I saw Hillary looking for her jacket and Tyson's just grabbing his bag." Kenny reported, taking his seat a few rows behind Rei.

"All right! Rain!" They all cringed as they herd Tyson loud voice call out from the dojo.

Tyson, clad in his usual attire, plus one blue jacket and minus one shoe, jumped from the porch to the bus, careful to jump in every puddle along the way. Climbing up the steps of the bus he smiled widely at everyone present.

"Have I ever mentioned I love rain?" he asked innocently, shaking his head wildly back and forth. Beads of water sprayed from his hair, completely soaking Kai and getting Rei a little wet. Looking down at Kais furious face, Tyson quickly decided that it'd be best to go get a seat.

-inside-

"Oh no…" Hillary moaned, slamming the door to the closet shut. Placing a hand on her forehead she glanced out the window. It had just begun to really pour, and lightning lit up the dark sky.

"What's all the 'oh no'-ing about?" Max asked as he entered the room, startling Hillary. She turned on her heel and watched as Max reached into the closet to retrieve his coat.

"Nothing, I just forgot my coat at my place." Hillary said, pointing over her shoulder at the thunderstorm that could be seen through the window. Max pulled out his coat and glanced out the window and then looked at the outfit Hillary was wearing.

"Hmm…you better take this." He held his jacket out to Hillary who eyed it cautiously.

"Are you sure? I mean wont you get cold?" She asked, rubbing her arm subconsciously. Max could see that Hillary was beginning to feel cold so he held the jacket out further.

"Its not a problem, really. I never get cold." He shrugged simply, as Hillary took the jacket from him. Sliding it on, she smiled gratefully at Max.

"Thanks a bunch, to tell you the truth, I'm freezing." She bowed her head in thanks. Both teens cringed as they herd Kais angry calls from the bus. "Come on, we better go, we don't want to get on sourpusses bad side." Hillary joked, pulling up the collar of the jacket higher. Both smiled and made 'Kai jokes' as they made their way outside and boarded the bus.

…..half and hour later…..

Hillary snatched a hold of the armrest and held onto it for dear life. Opening one clenched eye she dared to take a peak out the window. Much to her dismay she saw that they had once again swerved off the road. Shutting both her eyes again she started to panic slightly.

"Should we really be driving in this kind of weather?" She asked nervously as the bus pulled itself back onto the road.

The pouring rain was making the unpaved roads slippery and very dangerous to drive on. But for some reason the driver kept saying nothing was wrong, despite the fact that he had swerved off the road twice now, almost hitting a tree once.

Max placed a hand on her arm for reassurance.

"Its going to be ok, we're going to get there safe and sound." He answered calmly, trying his best to relax his terrified friend. Hillary nodded meekly, opening both her eyes this time. Max smiled at her and she tried to smile back.

'Geez, she's cute even when she's flipping out…' Max thought to himself as Hillary rubbed her hand across the window to remove the build up of condensation.

"So what is the matter exactly, do you not like the rain?" Max asked quietly when Hillary grimaced at the sound of the thunder rolling overhead. She shook her head and leaned closer to Max so no one else would hear.

"I don't like driving in the rain." She admitted, a small blush creeping up her cheeks. "It totally freaks me out. It just doesn't feel safe."

Max smiled sadly at her, rubbing her shoulder gently. "It's going to be alright, nothing going to happen to you." He reassured her, making her smiled a little.

"Thanks Maxie." She whispered, wrapping her arms around herself for warmth.

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But not everything went all right. And they didn't get there safe and sound.

The bus that the Blade Breakers had been traveling on was hit minutes later by a transport truck. The vehicle had rammed right into the left side of the bus, right where Hillary and Max were sitting. Hillary's body had taken the brunt of the impact, truly saving Max's life. They both had been thrown through the opposite side of the bus, landing in the field they were driving by. The bus had then proceeded to roll seven times and come to a stop a little less than 100 feet away.

When ambulances had arrived on the scene almost 15 minutes later, they found Tyson and Rei escaping from the crushed bus, with only a couple broken arms and some scratches. Tearing open the bus they had discovered Kenny laying in the back seats of the vehicle, hair matted with blood. Kai lay right beside an unconscious bus driver, leg broken and a deep gash placed along his cheek.

After a little bit of searching they had found Max, arm fractured and ribs cracked, kneeling in the field where he had been thrown. Beside him, not breathing, with no heartbeat, and still clutching onto the jacket Max had lent her, was Hillary's dead body.

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