Hey there, everyone :)
Once again, thank you very much for your reviews, I'm trying to update as quickly as possible so you don't have to wait too long. I'm so happy you like the story, TaKa is my favourite paaring as well, I just love them both x)
Unfortunately, I still don't own them *sighs* Well, here's chapter two then. Enjoy!
Chapter 2
"Lose Control"
You don't remember my name.
I don't really care.
Can we play the game your way?
Can I really lose control?
Just once in my life,
I think it'd be nice,
Just to lose control, just once,
With all the pretty flowers in the dust.
Mary had a lamb.
His eyes black as coals.
If we play very quiet, my lamb,
Mary never has to know.
Just once in my life,
I think it'd be nice,
Just to lose control, just once.
If I cut you down to a thing I can use,
I fear there will be nothing good left of you.
"For God's sake, haven't we won the championship? Why do we have to train?" Tyson complained quietly to Max. He didn't want for Kai to hear him – the young Russian hated it if someone complained about the training and it had cost Tyson a lot of extra laps around the training fields before he finally understood that.
"Well, you know how he is. We're never good enough, at least not until one of us beats him." Max whispered back as their team walked along the promenade to the bey arenas.
Since the last time he'd defeated him, the taciturn Russian appeared to have become so much stronger. The owner of Dragoon couldn't beat Kai in any single match anymore although he surely tried it numerous times per training session. It seemed the team captain was unreachable in his strength and superiority, which confused and enraged the blue-haired blader. He had defeated him before, several times even. But now... had he really missed so much in Kai's development? How did that happen? Would he ever be able to defeat the Phoenix again?
Thinking like that got Tyson's determination and bellicosity flaring again. The spirit and will to try it one more time; he surely wasn't someone who gave up that easily. Thus, he was really looking forward to the training now. He had defeated Tala and he knew it had been a very narrow victory. The red-haired Russian almost had him when Wolborg had put out that final attack, and it was solely thanks to the evade technique Kai had taught them that he'd been able to dodge the fatal blow.
Kai felt an intense gaze on his back as he walked in lead of the others, wondering who might be staring at him. Not that he cared, his thoughts were focused on Tala. Those blue eyes had haunted his dreams last night. They had been expressionless, cold and unpredictable. Typical for Tala when he was enraged. He always hid his anger skilfully, but Kai knew that the expression of indifference was just a front to mask Tala's true emotions, which Kai on his part was usually able to unmask rather well. Why shouldn't he, really, where he himself acted not that much different.
They had a lot in common, Tala and he. But in the same breath, they were as dissimilar as every single human being was from another. Kai knew well that controlling his temper was hard for Tala, as hard as it was easy for Kai to ignore everything and everyone no matter how much he cared. Kai could keep his emotions, his negative emotions, under control a lot better than the redhead could. He guessed he had to thank his grandfather for that. I hate him. It rushed immediately through his head. He despised his grandfather, the man had been the very reason Kai had decided to stay with the Bladebreakers even despite being perfectly aware of what it would do to his best friend. Tala...
"Ah!"
His thoughts were interrupted by a startled scream coming from Max who was now sitting on the ground, staring perplexedly at the snow-white Beyblade which spun on the ground mere inches away from him.
Kai would recognize that Blade anywhere. As he would its owner. Barely after having thought that, his eyes crossed two ice-blue crystals which stared at him piercingly. A blizzard was raging inside those eyes, one that sent a shiver even down Kai's back. Something was terribly wrong with Tala. Kai had rarely ever seen him like this – only when the other was close to losing control. Something must have happened and Kai realized he was worried. He still cared about the older teen, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. He wanted to know what had upset Tala quite this much.
Mentioned person caught his Blade, never taking his eyes off Kai. He had seen it, the small sparkle of worry but his infuriated, hurt soul didn't take any notice of it. He wanted revenge. Voltaire's words still cut into his mind like razorblades and reminded him of how badly he had failed. The only thing he had left, the only thing that was still completely his and that he valued most, was about to be taken from him. He owned nothing in this world besides his pride and his dignity. He had never allowed himself to lose either of it, perfectly aware that without them he would be nothing but a pitiful shadow of his self.
Kai's gaze wavered, briefly showing insecurity as he recognized the pain in Tala's eyes, that small flicker of despair that was instantly smothered down by a cold blizzard. He understood that deep down inside Tala was offended but he couldn't grasp the reason for it. He would very much like to know what was going on in the Wolf's head right now, but unfortunately, he did not posses the skill of mind reading. No matter how good he knew his old team mate, he couldn't read him. Tala had never been an open book, not even for him. He was a mystery with lots of nicks and edges, same nicks and edges Kai valued and respected him for.
"Hey, are you crazy? What the hell was that about?" Tyson spoke up instantly and Tala's cold stare drilled into the person who made him feel like the most pathetic loser on earth. Damn it, he knew it, deep down inside he knew he was better than most Bladers would ever be and that many of them feared and admired him. But he had never learned to accept defeats. It was always either win or die in shame, to lose and continue on was not an option for him. Not anymore.
Tyson had to steady himself to not back away. Normally he wouldn't let anyone or anything intimidate him, but Tala's gaze held something to it that had a frosty chill rolling down his spine. Involuntary his hand clutched the blade in the pocket of his jeans, making the pointy edges stab into the skin.
"I want a revenge match, Tyson." The redhead declared quietly, but clearly and decisively. His voice had something dark and menacing to it, something indefinable that Tyson did not know to designate.
In a smooth motion, Tala connected his blade and starter, feeling expert, attentive eyes on him. He knew without turning around who the gaze belonged to. Kai... Watch me, Kai. I will defeat him and prove to you and to Voltaire that I'm worthy of you. Watch closely...
"Fine. If you really want it!" The young Dragon performed the same action with his own blade, as confident as ever.
"Tyson, you sure you want to do this?" Ray's amber eyes watched the whole thing rather anxiously. Tala looked more set than ever, as well as much more threatening than at the tournament.
"I'm no coward, Ray. He can have his revenge match, if he really is that keen on losing yet again." That said Tyson launched his blade concurrently with Tala. The Blades circled on the ground some distance away from each other, as though wanting to introduce themselves to one another first.
"I didn't think you'd be so much of a sore loser, Tala. Go, Dragoon, show'im his place!" Tyson shouted and Dragoon charged onward.
Kai's eyes blazed up in sync with Tala's. Don't get too cocky, Tyson. He thought worriedly and furiously alike. Tala might have lost that one battle but it still didn't give the idiot the right to mouth off like that, or to get too careless. Simultaneously, he felt his protective instinct rise. Tala was still his friend, he was not really tolerating somebody offending him, and he could tell that Tala was well beyond offended by now. Concern settled on his features as he looked over to the older Russian, seeing what he'd feared he'd see. With his pride assaulted like that, Tala was about to go all out, death-or-glory, in this.
"Wolborg, rend him apart." Tala gritted through clenched teeth. This was it. Now there was no turning back anymore, there was only one sole option – to win. No matter at what cost. All emotions got pushed into the background of his mind, he felt his control slipping away. He would not stop. Not anymore, not now. Tyson's words had hurt, but he refused to admit it. He hid the pain deep inside his soul, like always, and replaced it with rage and doggedness. He wouldn't allow such things being said about him.
The two Blades collided, sending sparkles flying in every direction. The huge amount of power released provided small thunderbolts which shot around the Beyblades, small pieces of plastic crumbling and melting instantly as the frictional electricity rose higher.
"Dragoon!" Tyson called forth his Bitbeast and the mighty dragon appeared above the Blade. The golden eyes of the Beast lightened up with the pugnacity of his master and it let out a roar.
"Wolborg!" Tala's order followed forthwith, the snow-wolf arising in biting white light, letting out a rumbling growl. It's normally dark-golden eyes re-coloured into blood-red as it absorbed its master's fury that flowed into it, almost welling over.
Tala's hands clutched into fists abruptly, fingernails digging into the skin and cutting it. His consciousness now existed only in mere pieces which no longer made a whole. The jabbing of his affronted dignity and his hurt pride grew into dimensions he'd never experienced before, even he himself got scared of it. However, it was too late to stop - he couldn't and he didn't want to. He wouldn't let himself be humiliated again; he wouldn't disgrace himself in front of everyone, in front of Kai, another time. What maybe seemed a simple revenge match to Tyson was a life and death fight for Tala. Losing it would mean the end for him, he hadn't been taught otherwise. Something else stood out of question, was not a choice, not a possibility.
Kai winced inwardly, taking a sharp breath as he watched his friend. That body was taut like a bowstring and under the curled up fingers blood was seeping out, droplets of scarlet hitting the ground. Baring his fangs, Tala resembled his Bitbeast more than ever. A shuddering, blistering feeling crept up to Kai's heart which shrunk painfully as the undisclosed emotion reached and squashed it. Tala... What are you doing? Stop... It cost him hell not to rush over to his friend's side and shake him awake from that dangerous trance he seemed to have fallen into.
The snow-white Blade started spinning madly, excavating the ground underneath it, rotating forward and hitting Dragoon with devastating power sending splinters of plastic flying about. A piece swished past Tyson, scratching his cheek. What is he doing? Has he gone completely nuts now?, the blue-haired teen thought with a hint of panic as the snow-wolf rammed Dragoon head on, causing cracks to run down the plating of the Bitbeast. The dragon squalled, thrown back by the incredible power of his wolfish adversary.
"I'm going to beat you! Dragoon, come on!" Tyson yelled out and his blade dashed forward, rebounding from Tala's like water from a mighty rock. Dragoon's claw struck with great strength at Wolborg's muzzle, yet the wolf only shook its head, not the slightest disturbed in its stance. The energy and power of its master were giving it unbelievable strength, and Dragoon's blows felt like mere slaps.
What was of a great advantage for his Bitbeast, was not less of an immense danger for Tala. He perceived how his muscles contracted painfully and how his heart doubled its beating rhythm. Blood was rushing in his ears and his vision was getting more and more blurry. He felt the energy being sucked from him and passed over to his Bitbeast, giving Wolborg the incredible boost to its power. He was far beyond the point of caring about the fact that, if he continued like this, it would eventually cost him his life. It simply didn't matter anymore; the rational site of his consciousness had already departed from him. Now there were only the rage and the pride holding possession of him, mixed up with despair of being trapped between a rock and a hard place. Win or die, he simply did not have another way out. Somewhere, subliminally, he wished there would be another possibility, but none existed. It had never existed. Not for him.
"Tala..." ...don't... Kai started to tremble slightly from the tension conquering him, watching the pupils of those iceblue orbs become smaller, disappearing almost completely. He's losing control... A frantic notion shooting through his head, but his body didn't support him in his intention to try and stop Tala somehow. He stood there as though rooted to the spot, eyes widely open, and watched. His heart froze with the realization of how this match could end – bad. Really bad.
"Dragoon! Give it everything you've got!" Tyson seemed oblivious to all of that, the mettle to win burning inside him with a powerful flame. If he defeated Tala, now where the other was this strong, there was a real chance that he could beat Kai, too. He would prove to his team captain that he could do it, that he was strong enough and a worthy challenger.
Dragoon felt the surge of energy from the fervour of its master; with a roar it slashed its tail at Wolborg and this time the wolf lost balance and tumbled. Tala's Blade started to topple, its edge cutting into the ground and whirling up the dust. No! I cannot lose! Abruptly then, it began spinning even faster, the muscles of the snow-wolf bulging and growing, making it look twice its original size. Simultaneously to the howl of his Bitbeast, Tala let out an enraged as well as pain-filled scream, his last reminding energy reserves transferring to Wolborg. He fell to his knees, his eyes a stark ice blue, body tensed so much it seemed almost petrified. Blood didn't drop anymore, it trickled in tiny rivulets through his fingers which still dug deeper and deeper into his palms.
"Quit it, the two of you! Tyson! Stop!" But Ray's words of beseech went unheard.
Benumbed with fear Tyson stared up at the huge monster in front of him while it bared its razor-sharp fangs and launched at Dragoon, mercilessly throwing the serpentine creature to the ground, paws stemmed into the chest of the dragon and jaws locked dead around its throat. The snow-white Blade rammed Tyson's own with so much force that it shattered like a glass sphere, leaving the Bitchip sailing to the ground surrounded by a cloud of tiny splinters. Dragoon disappeared and a short amount of time later Wolborg did as well. Tala's Blade rotated in its axis one more time, and tipped to the side.
Kai watched the whole scene like a dream, what was happening right there seemed so surreal. He heard the quiet chink as Tala's Blade hit the ground and jerked his head up to face his friend.
I made it... That thought running through his head, he didn't feel any emotion stem from it. No joy, no happiness, no contentment. He had fulfilled a duty; he had won. He associated nothing with it, it didn't mean anything to him. He had proven to himself and to others that he could do it. But... why didn't it mean anything to him? Nothing at all. God... damn... it... His eyes fell shut slowly as the ground appeared to be slipping away from underneath him. Every muscle, every sinew, every nerve in his body ached horribly, even thinking seemed to hurt. Tired... he was so damn tired... His body swayed dangerously and he started falling over.
"Tala!" He heard someone's swift footsteps and soon that someone was by his side, catching him, keeping him from hitting the ground face first. The fragrance of fire, and flames... Kai.
"Kai..." he whispered barely audibly.
"You're such a damn idiot, Tala..." The kneeling Phoenix whispered back, supporting the debilitated body of his friend, an arm across the front of his chest so the redhead wouldn't topple over, keeping the other slung around his shoulders, pressing Tala closer to the own body. It was really hard for him not to start yelling at the older teen, or read him the riot act for this careless action, just to vent off all the fear that rippled in agitating waves all throughout him. But he gritted his teeth together and shook his head slightly to push down the fume and the dread blended in with relief about the hazardous battle having found its end.
Tala managed a faint smile before a coughing fit wrecked his body, forcing him to bend over, spitting out blood. Fuck, that hurt...
"Shit!" Kai cussed quietly, finding himself momentarily helpless although always being the one who knew a way out of every situation. The fear that surged up, began turning into panic as he thought that Tala could die, right now and right here, in his very arms. No! No, dammit! I won't allow that! The treacherous, long-forgotten stinging in his eyes, the despair, made him realize something very clearly. It made him realize how much Tala still meant to him. Pretty damn much...
"Прости меня..." (Forgive me.) Tala uttered with the last remaining bit of strength before the exhaustion and the pain took over and everything around him elapsed into the black oblivion of unconsciousness.
I hope none of you dislikes Tyson too much... because he's going to play a part in the story =3 And yeah, I know - cliffhanger. But no worries, next chapter's already in work.
A big thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter, it really means a lot to me. Looks like I actually am a bit of a decent writer XD But I hope this arsehole who's spamming at ffnet right now stops with the shit... It really is annoying.
Hm, translating:
"Прости меня..." –spoken- "Prost'i men'ja" –translated- "Forgive me."
And I hope I didn't screw up too bad with the beybattle. Not really good at such kind of things... hehe...
Well then, unti the next chapter then!
Kate
