Mr. Dickinson sat at his desk in his office, his eyes peering through his spectacles at the papers in front of him. Many of the papers were from different corporate sponsors that were hosting the tournaments.
Despite of all the paperwork that still needed to be done, Mr. D was in a rather good mood. BBA's ratings were steadily growing in spite of the loss of the reigning World Champion. Even though Tyson and Max had lost, they were still assured a spot on the World Championship bracket.
He leaned back in his chair, sighing in slight contentment, that is, until an insistent banging sounded at his door along the shouts of "Mr. D!" or "Mr. Dickinson!"
Tyson, Max, Hillary, and Kenny all fell into the room in a rather comically effect, Rei and Kai stood opposite each other in the doorway.
"What's going on?" Mr. Dickinson asked.
"Mr. D! BioVolt and Voltaire and Boris are back! Damian has Black Dranzer! The Wingz Corp faction is now pulled into this as well! And there was this strange chrome blade that attack Amara and Damian while they were battling and something weird happened! And-"
"Tyson!" Mr. Dickinson cut the boy off. "Are you sure that it is BioVolt?"
"Of cour-" Tyson stopped and thought. We don't know for sure… the only thing we have to go on is Amara, Michelle and the others' word. "No, not really… But there's no doubt in my mind that it is!"
"Mr. Dickinson, Dizzi checked into the files at the prison and it seems the two happened to get out on a bail." Kenny explained.
"Kai?" Mr. Dickinson looked over at the captain expectantly.
Kai shrugged his shoulders. "From what I've seen, I have reason to believe that my grand- Voltaire is back. Black Dranzer is back so there's no doubt that Boris and Voltaire would be as well."
Mr. Dickinson sighed. "You know there is nothing we can do, they haven't done anything wrong yet."
Rei was silent, deep in his own thoughts. So I guess the only reason that Damian was with Wingz Corp was to learn the Unity ability in order to gain more strength. Still, it seemed that Amara was still able to hold her own against Damian even when he was in Unity with Black Dranzer. Just how powerful is this Perfect Unity? And can bit beasts without wings also achieve this? This is just too much right now. And what about Michelle? Rei shook his head as he felt heat rising in he's cheeks. He was thankful that no one had noticed.
"Can you tell me exactly what happened?" Mr. Dickinson asked. "Rei?"
Rei gazed up at the Head Chairmen of BBA and nodded. He began to explain all that had happened. Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Hillary put in a few comments when Rei was at a loss for words, but Kai remained quiet. "We don't know how it happened but after Damian fled and the chrome blade disappeared, Amara collapsed and…" Rei didn't know what to say.
"She died." Kai stated. "Somehow I was able to use their own ability of Unity and bring her back."
Mr. Dickinson was quiet for a moment. "The power of a phoenix to raise from its own ashes…" He said softly. Rei finished after he explained what occurred at Wingz Corp headquarters and Mr. Dickinson inclined his head in thought. "There isn't anything we can do if it is indeed BioVolt. I will have to tell the officials that Damian and Haru are to be disqualified. The day when they would have battled next would've been the second to last day of this tournament so that day will just be a day of rest before the finals."
"Hey! Since Haru and Damian are disqualified won't me and Max advance?" Tyson asked.
Mr. Dickinson shook his head in apology. "Sorry, Tyson but the positions will stand as they are."
"It's not that bad, Tyson." Max assured. "Besides I think it would be a interesting change of things to watch Kai and Rei duke it out against Michelle and Amara."
Tyson slumped with a sigh. "Oh well…"
"Kai?" Hillary spoke up. "What did happen between you and Amara?" The rest of the team looked up at Kai when Hillary asked this, curious as well.
"Hn, nothing happened." He answered passively.
"Aw, c'mon Kai, tell us!" Tyson whined.
"I have better things to do." Kai stated when he turned on his heel and left the room, leaving the others behind.
"You all should head back home now." Mr. Dickinson said. "Tomorrow is sure to be another grueling day." He was met with a chorus of farewells as the rest of the BladeBreaker team left his office.
He glanced at the clock that was mounted on the wall and sighed. It was six thirty exactly and it gave him more than enough time to fill out the statement of disqualification of Team 2 of Wingz Corp.
Yes, indeed, tomorrow will be another grueling day.
Michelle quietly shut the door and sighed. Amara was distressed, no scratch that, she was practically broken, she won't respond to anything. Her tears were at least proof she still had some emotions left, but now she just seems like an empty shell, void of anything. Michelle had left her sitting on her bed staring at nothing.
"Is there anything that we can do?" Ari asked.
"I don't know, Ari." Michelle replied.
"Does this mean Tiamat is truly gone or just lost, like a wandering spirit?" Reno inquired.
"I don't know!" Michelle shouted. "I just don't know…"
"Because Amara has been in a form of Unity for so long, she's probably use to feeling the presence of Tiamat. Michelle, you too are also in a form of Unity, you have a better communication with Bahamut then we do with our bit beasts, because the two of you have used this ability longer." Haru reasoned. "At first Amara probably didn't know if Tiamat was truly gone or just a breaking of Unity, but I guess it became clearer. However, whether Tiamat is gone, we can't say."
"I feel so helpless." Ari sighed, her shoulders sagging. "I wish that there was something- anything that I could do. Sometimes having power just sucks. I can heal almost any physical wound but when it comes to the soul… I'm helpless."
Reno wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "This is something that Amara has to overcome herself."
"Haru, you're probably the most introspective out of all of us when it comes to bit beasts. Do you think, that they can somehow be reborn as well?" Michelle questioned.
Haru crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes in thought. "There's a chance that they might. Maybe when Amara died, Tiamat also might have died, and since Kai was able to use the Phoenix's power to bring her to life, maybe Tiamat is back as well."
"But where?" Reno asked.
Amara sat on her bed, staring blankly at the floor; her eyes were dead and vacant. "Tiamat…" She whispered as her eyes closed and she fell back on her bed. Falling into a restless sleep, she dreamt.
Endless void of gray, surrounding, engulfing. Complete loneliness. Pain, a forgotten deal, left broken. A familiar mocking laugh. The one who had agreed to cooperate with the other. Fight for supremacy, fight for the right to live. A battle lost. Pain. Helplessness. Fear… That mocking laughter that held no face but her own. Anger. Confusion. Why had the deal been broken? Laughter. A chuckle.
"Tiamat deserved better than you, he deserved me."
Separation. Control taken away. Nothing left. Only able to watch what transpires. Fear for the safety of the others. Total emptiness. Totally powerless. Total void.
The march to the finals was drawing closer to an end. It was Day 5 of the seven-day tournament and since Haru and Damian were disqualified Day 6 would be uneventful before the championship battle.
Rei let out a quiet sigh as he prepared in the locker rooms before his and Kai's battle against the Slashers. He had no doubt in his mind that they would win, but he was nevertheless ready to accept the unpredictable. After we defeat Troy and Paul of the Slashers we will have to face Amara and Michelle in the finals. Will they be ready? He thought to himself, quietly musing over the different scenarios that could take place in the finals.
"Rei." Kai's voice brought him back to reality.
Rei inclined his head and stood up to follow Kai out of the lockers to the stadium. Even on the short trek to the arena, his mind wandered.
"Welcome! Welcome! Here we are at Day 5!" Brad commented. "And what a day it shall be!"
"You can count on it!" A.J. readily agreed. "But first off, there has been a disqualification. Team 2 of Wingz Corp, Haru Sohma and Damian Darcyn will no longer be competing. So, tomorrow BBA will be taking the day to create a awesome dish for Team 1 of Wingz Corp and the winner of this match."
"But now, let's see what this tournament has in store to us."
"Couldn't have said it better myself, Brad."
"Rei, I'll take the first match," Kai said as he stepped forward to the dish. Rei nodded in agreement and hung back.
"Looks like Kai will be our first competitor and looks like he'll be up against Troy of the Slashers!" A.J. said.
Troy was rather tall and lanky he had bleach blond hair and green eyes. He regarded Kai before closing his eyes and inclining his head. "I must say it's an honor to be able to face you, Kai Hiwatari. I remember you two years ago when you were the leader of that gang, The Street Sharks." He opened his eyes again. "I know I probably won't be able to stand a chance against you, but humor me at least." With a small shrug he smirked and brought up his blade.
Kai's only reply was the readying of his own blade as he waited for the countdown to launch.
"Our competitors are ready!" The referee announced. "3! 2! 1! Let it rip!"
The two released at the same time, Kai's Dranzer immediately taking the offensive, driving Troy's orange blade back.
"Yeah! Way to go Kai!" Tyson cheered from his seat. Max was next to him, encouraging Kai right along with him.
"It's nice to you again." A soft voice said behind the BladeBreakers. They all turned around to see Ari, Reno, Haru, and Michelle taking their seats behind them.
"Where's Amara?" Kenny asked, turning around in his seat to face them while keeping a tight hold on Dizzi so she could continue to record Kai's match.
"She isn't feeling well." Ari answered. "She wanted to be here though." Hillary gave her an incredulous look but didn't make any remark.
"What's wrong with her?" Max asked.
Ari didn't answer and Reno effectively returned their attention back to the match by saying, "Looks like Kai is going to finish this match." They all turned their attention back, and sure enough Kai dealt the finishing blow knocking Troy's blade out of the dish.
"Kai is the winner!" The ref announced.
Hillary continued to glance at the Wingz Corp group from out of the corner of her eye. They're hiding something, I know it. And I definitely intend to find out what.
"Up next we have Rei versus Paul!" The match started as soon the ref shouted, "Let it rip!" Rei and Paul snapped back their arms launching their blades into action.
Michelle noticed that Hillary was watching them out of the corner of her eye. She managed to keep herself from smirking. She had to commend Hillary of her suspicions, however misguided. Returning her attention to the battle at hand, she studied Rei and Drigger's technique. Speed… Michelle thought, I would have to watch out for that. Bahamut is fast, but not fast enough to match Drigger's speed. Paul isn't that bad either, but without the help of a bit beast he's going to lose.
Drigger and Rei will be a tough opponent, Bahamut commented.
Michelle was somewhat startled to hear Bahamut's voice. He went quiet after he could no longer sense Tiamat. No doubt about it… Michelle replied.
I am sorry if I worried you. I just needed some time to think-
Bahamut, it's all right, I understand. Michelle reasoned. I didn't try to communicate with you either. I guess we both needed time to take everything in. Amara without Tiamat is like… like… Michelle couldn't find a good analogy.
Like a day without night? Bahamut supplied.
Michelle snickered mentally. Maybe that's a little too deep but I guess it could work. She let escape a small chuckle.
Haru cast Michelle a small glance, hearing her quiet chuckle. She felt his gaze and looked at him and shrugged lightly as her only response. They both focused their gaze back on the battle just to see Rei send Paul's blade out of the dish and be announced the winner.
"You've seen it here folks." A.J. said. "We now have our two finalists who will be fighting it out on Friday!"
"No doubt that it will be a great battle," Brad responded. "And who knows what the BBA has in store for them with this new dish. Who will win? Teammates of the reigning World Champ or the rising newcomers?"
"You all best be prepared for Friday, which will more than likely be one of those battles of the decades!"
"You said it, A.J."
"We'll see you all again on Friday where-
-the real fun begins."
A shadow stood above the arena, watching the emptying stadium from the mezzanine. Her cloak was wrapped around her tightly and the cowl pulled low over her face. She turned from the railing and started to make her way back. Her breathing was labored and shallow. Stumbling, she caught herself, using the wall as a support.
"If I want to battle, I have to find some way to fight," Her voice cracked, "to fight without Tiamat." Amara leaned up against the wall; her once vibrant eyes were now distant and empty. She straightened but kept her hand on the wall to steady her and continued again.
A sudden pain shot through her chest and her breath hitched. The pain faded as quickly as it came. However, it left an ominous feeling as a chill crawled down her spine.
Fate was dealing the cards and there was no doubt that it had stacked the deck in its favor. From that point on, life was going to be hell.
"Come and meet your fate. I am your other half that you only met once before. You are still horrified of the things that I have done through you, aren't you? You've kept me at bay by your precious little Unity trick with Tiamat's help. But Tiamat is gone and I am now here. The cage that holds me is weakening, along with your strength. Soon I will be in control and there's nothing you can do to stop me. How long before I finally gain control again? How long before I taste the blood of those you care for? The answer is soon, my other half. So answer me this last question, one that you cannot hear, but yet you still know it in deepest part of your soul-
How long, dear Amara, before I break you? Before I break you body, mind, and soul?"
A/N: "Well, this one is a little short compared to some of my other chapters and I'm quite surprised that I was able to get another update up sooner then I expected. I hope you're all enjoying this and I would really love some opinions on this." wink wink, nudge nudge "Heh, anyway, I really don't have much more to say, except that the next chapter is falling into place along with the one after that. So, have patience with me! And once again forgive any spelling mistakes and whatnot."
Strata-Assassin: looks increduously at her long sword "You realize that if you kill me, you won't get to know the ending and what happens to Michelle!" laughs maniacally. "What have you done for me anyway? Wait don't answer that." holds out hands in a placating gesture "I'm just joking around... heh" scratches back of head
Storms-winter: "You really think that this is awesome! Yay!" coughs and composes self "I kinda wanted to give Kai and Amara more of a twisted relation, both are in denial..." sighs "Glad you find this interesting. I've been thinking about doing a side story on how the other Wingz Corp members joined up, but" shrugs "we'll just have to wait and see if I get around to it.And you already got my answer for your question but I'll just give the okay again lol. Have fun in the Real World!