(A/N: I wasn't gonna re-post this cuz this plot device has ended and all, but what the hell. *shrugs*
Here's my view on the whole "Black Dranzer" fiasco. No spoilers. THank you to the ppl who displayed interest in my opinion of it. A couple of warnings: violence, swearing, shonen-ai and character death. No nasty reviews about any of those things. And now, on with the fic!)

Disclaimer: Dun own 'em.

Darkness Falls

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

The snow flew thickly on the wind as Rei stood outside the abbey. He knew why he was here. He knew what had to be done. Bowing his head against the driving wind, Rei made his way slowly towards the abbey. The guard stopped him, demanding he turn back. Rei turned his head to the side, whispering softly, "I can't. I can't ever turn back."

The guard paused to contemplate this and that was when Rei struck out, using all his force to knock the gurad aside and into the wall. The man's head made solid contact with the wall and he slumped onto the ground. Rei dashed inside, intent on finding Kai and sorting out this mess.

He closed his eyes as he ran through the twisting halls of the abbey, letting a map form in his mind. And in the center, a little red dot. Black Dranzer. The bitbeast was guiding him to it. He had know idea why, but he knew he had to go there, to stop this insanity somehow.

~*~*~*~*~*

Kai turned as he heard footfalls echoing in the hall. Whoever dared interrupt his training was going to get it. When Rei appeared in the doorway, he sneered turning away from the black-haired boy. "What do you want?"

"Kai, I want to talk to you-"

/Talking will do no good, boy! He's MINE!/

Rei fell to his knees, hands clasped over his ears at the harsh screeching asound that echoed in his mind. Kai looked at him funny. Rei looked up at Kai, slowly taking his hands off his ears. "Didn't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

Rei shook his head and started to rise. "Never min-"

/GO AWAY, YOU STUPID CREATURE!/

He recognized the pitch of the screech this time and he realized that it was Black Dranzer screaming at him. Kai simply shook his head and went back to his training. "If you have nothing to say Rei, leave."

"Kai, I-"

It was at that precise second that Black Dranzer left his Beyblade uncommanded, diving at Rei, screeching angrily. Rei screamed but the bird paid him no heed, shaking him as it held him in its beak, throwing him against a wall, attacking him again with angry pecks and scratches.

Kai was completely horrified. What was Black Dranzer doing?! "Black Dranzer, stop this immediately!"

The bird paid him no attention. "Black Dranzer!"

He lunged for the bird, only to be knocked back by it's wing. "STAY OUT OF THIS!" it screeched, flaring it's wings defiantly. "It's for your own good!"

It turned it's attention back to Rei, pecking and scratching with more precise movements, almost as if it was preforming an operation. Kai watched, terrified from his position on the floor as Rei wentlimp, blood pooling all around him. Black Dranzer reared back, lifting something up in its beak- a tanslucent version of Rei. His soul. Black Dranzer tossed the soul high into the air, then caught it and swallowed as it plummeted back to earth. It smiled at him. "Now, there will be no more distractions. You will be perfect."

Kai couldn't move, frozen in his fear that Black Dranzer- his bitbeast- had just swallowed Rei's soul. Kai growled, clenching his fists, starting to pull himself up on his elbows. "You...you sadistic bastard!"

The bird cackled. "You're the one who wanted to be perfect. I'm simply here to make sure that happens. I'll take out all unessescary obstacles."

"OBSTACLE?! That was my friend, you ass!"

The bitbeast circled higher in the air. "Do you think I did that purely of my own will? That was your wish too- to be rid of all distractions."

Kai turned away from the bird's mocking gaze. "LIAR!"

"Don't delude yourself. I KNOW what goes on in your mind- you heart. You wanted him gone."

Kai slammed his fists into the floor. "That's not true- you lie- it's not true." His voice was choked with tears.

"I can tell you it's not true, if that's what you want. But the fact remains."

"I wouldn't ever wish Rei wasn't here!"

The bird cocked an eyebrow, grinning at him deviously. "Oh? And why's that?"

Kai murmured a reply and Black Dranzer swooped lower. "What was that?"

"I LOVE HIM!" Kai shouted, staring back up at the black bird angrily.

The phoenix laughed. "You? Kai- the perfect being? Love someone?"

"SHUT UP!" Kai screamed, slamming his fist nito the ground again. "IT'S NOT FUNNY! SHUT UP!"

"You're right- it's hilarious! Imagine that- it's peposterous! You can't love anybody!"

Kai growled, but remained still. He knew it was true- he could never be open with his emotions. He would never be able to express himself. He'd forever be cold, ruthless Kai. The realization that he'd be alone dawned on him and he wanted to die.

The dark phoenix placed a wing around him. "Oh, you'll never be alone. You'll have me. And only me."

"NO!" Kai shouted, batting the wing away.

That was all it took. Dranzer, still tucked away in Rei's pocket, was able to somehow channel Kai's anger for Black Dranzer and use it to relaese himself from his prison. The red phoenix flared up, unfolding himself as he rose. Black Dranzer laughed at him. "You think you can help him, you pathetic thing?"

Dranzer screeched, flaring his wings angrily. Kai glanced from bitbeats to bitbeast,then shouted to Dranzer," Don't pay attention to him! He's just trying to get you mad-"

He was silenced by Black Dranzer's wing as it was flung down hard against his mouth. "Shut up."

Kai skidded across the floor from the force, landing near the wall, nearly unconcious. With the last of his strength, Kai hauled himself up over the edge of the beystadium. Grabbing Black Dranzer's byeblade, he threw it to the floor. It flew apart, shattering into a hundred millon pieces. Black Dranzer whirled around, shrieking angrily. "YOU INSOLENT BRAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

Kai simply stood there, smirking almost insanely as the dark phoenix lunged at him, only to be knocked to the ground by Dranzer. The phoenix skidded across the floor, to land inches from Kai. Dranzer launched himself into the air, then came hurtling down, driving his talons and beak into Black Dranzer. The black phoenix screeched in agony, then dissloved into a million black particles. Dranzer crowed victoriously, but Kai stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Rei's soul was no where to be found. He turned his head to the side and tried to hold back tears. Dranzer made a soft noise, perching beside Kai, then, timidly, putting his wing to Kai's shoulder. "I...I could have...."

Kai sank to his knees, sobbing. "I couldn't protect him...."

~OWARII~

(A/N: If you haven't figured it out, I think Black Dranzer is EVIL! And I wanted to slap some sense into Kai for being such a moron. I totally hated that plot device. X3 I wanted to kill TV Tokyo for it...)