Chapter 4- Testing

It was cold. That was the first she felt when she awoke from what felt like an endless dream. She couldn't remember much, just little pieces of memories all of them jumbled together.

So jumbled that none of them made sense, all she knew was that she was cold.

'That's odd….isn't it the middle of summer…'she thought opening her eyes. Everything was dark, it wasn't normal darkness though. It was like the darkness had substance, like if she reached out she could grasp it with her hands.

Suddenly another feeling shoved its way to the front of her mind. Pain. It was like little needles were coursing through veins, making little nicks as they worked their way through her blood.

She tried to feel around to find the cause, but noticed her hands were bound. When she attempted to move around instead, a white hot pain shot through her body.

It felt like her whole body was on fire, she tasted blood as she attempted to scream, all she wanted now was to curl up in a corner and make the pain go away.

Soft murmuring could be heard from all around her, even some slight chuckling. Finally the pain became too much and she was once again swallowed by the darkness.

A black haired man in a white lab coat stood emotionlessly in front of the tank that held his specimen. He watched as she flailed around and attempted to, what he could only guess was to scream. Only thing that came out was more blood.

Truly he was impressed, she had survived the primary testing without even waking up. "How is it going?" asked a stern voice from behind him.

He smiled, "excellent, she truly is the one, guess we have those brats the Bladebreakers to thank for making her this way." He took more noted then continued.

"The enzymes you had made will give her the energy required to carry it without her body failing….like the others." He finished as she again slipped into unconsciousness.

"Good, good. Everything is going as planned." Said the other man smiling. "I trust that you will not have a change of heart along the way, correct?" the man asked

The scientist just continued the notes he was taking. "Of course not, I have worked too hard to see my dream fall through the cracks because of some silly emotion." He replied grounding his teeth.

"Even if it is your own daughter?" he asked curiously. "My work is more important than some piece of trash that happens to carry my genes. This is what she was born for, nothing more, nothing less." He replied sternly.

The men smiled, "good, now start the synthesis process. I want my dear nephew to see what I have created out of this nothing he calls a friend." He laughed evilly as he walked away.

"Maria…"

She was in the dark again, she was numb. Not even the cold from before could be felt, "Maria….open your eyes…" there was a voice, calling to her.

Slowly she opened her eyes, and there standing before her was something she had only heard about from the guys. There before her with wings spread wide was the dark bitbeast.

Black Dranzer.

She tried to back away, but found she couldn't move. "be at peace child. I mean no harm to my new host." He said softly.

"W…what do you mean, host?" she asked timidly. "You will find out soon, but I must warn you of my great power." He replied inching his head closer to her face.

"I've heard stories of your power, that's why my friends locked you away." She said her voice shaking. "You are a very evil bitbeast. And I want nothing to do with you."

He laughed, at her or what she said Maria couldn't tell.

"Is that what they told you? How mistaken they are. You see dear Maria, they attacked me first. I was simply protecting myself. Then they locked me away in this horrid place. Now is that fair, for them to lock away something that was simply trying to protect itself?" he asked wrapping his wings around her.

Maria thought about it, she wasn't there so she couldn't say that what he said wasn't the truth. For all she knew it was. 'Then that would mean…..'

"Besides, you're so called 'friends' don't care about you. In fact they are glad that you are gone." He said so close to her she could feel his breath on her skin, her eyes widened.' what…'

"Don't believe me? Then I will show you…" the scene suddenly changed and she was standing in Tyson's dojo. And sitting there on the steps was her friends. "Hey guys. I'm bac…"

Her sentence cut short as they started laughing, "Did you see the look on her face? It was classic!" said Tyson imitating a horrified face. "Yeah, it's about time someone took that whinny little brat out. 'Oh I'm Maria, my parents died so I get to be depressed all the time. Oh pity me please! 'Said Max laughing.

Maria could feel her heart breaking in two. "Hey kai, did you get that thing back from her?" asked Ray, kai nodded, "it was a mistake giving it to her, and she deserved what she got. Artemis was even glad when he was released from her."

Maria felt around her neck and noticed the necklace he held wasn't around her neck. Her breath hitched in her throat. Tears made their way down her face; she gripped her chest it hurt so bad she thought her heart would stop.

The scene changed and she was back with Black Dranzer, his wings now completely surrounding her as if to embrace her.

"Do you want it to stop? I can do it if you wish, make you feel nothing rather then the pain you feel now." He asked.

"M...Make it stop….I-I-I don't think I can take it. Please make it go away!!!" she screamed as more tears fell.

"As you wish…." He replied touching his beak to her chest. She felt her self being lifted up energy swirling around her. Black feathered wings grew from her back and suddenly she was back where she once stood.

Only this time it wasn't Maria who looked on in darkness, they were one. Body and soul. Maria's body and Black Dranzer's soul. Together as one.

A smile formed on her lips.

Monitors were going off everywhere, readings from different places all saying the exact same thing. He would finally get to see the results of all his hard work come to life before his eyes.

The tank before him began to crack, the power inside growing too powerful to contain.

Computer screens began to explode around him, and people started running out. But still he didn't move.

He began to laugh, almost an insane kind of laugh. As the tank finally reaching critical mass burst. The water inside flowing out soaking his shoes, but he didn't care.

There standing before him, was the birth of a new kind of beybladder. Of combination of human and beast. The ultimate bladder.

He smiled. "Come! Stretch your new wings! Together we will show the world your power then it will belong to the Biovolt Company."

In the shadows a boy with red hair looked on in shock. He knew what one of these things ment, but with two.

'This is not good. I have to tell the bladebreakers before it's too late.' He turned and quietly slipped out the way he came.

Dread filled his heart at the thought of telling them, that their best friend was now their most powerful enemy.

After meeting up with Brian and Spencer, he relayed his orders to continue watching them and to tell him immediately if anything changed, he went to his room and quickly dialed the number to Tyson's.

Hilary picked up on the second ring. "Hello?", "its Tala put me on speaker."

He heard a click, "Tala what is it?" asked ray from the other end. "It's Biovolt. They've made their move." He said simply.

"explain." Said kai in what seemed to be an angry tone. In the end Tala lost his nerve and decided it would be better to break the news in person.

"I can't say over the phone. I'm flying over tonight." He stated.

He heard them release a deep tired sigh, "Tala, before you hang up, we have some news you should also know." Said Hilary

"What is it?" he asked curiously. "Maria is dead." Replied a very tired sounding Rena. Tala clutched the phone, "We'll talk more when I get there." He stated before hanging up.

He ran out the door straight towards the air port. 'Something's not right. What is he planning?' he thought grimly.