It's been…wow…over a month since my last update. I'm SO sorry. I've just been really busy. Yeah, I'll admit the thing I was busy with was going to amusement parks and swimming, but still…

Anyway, enough excuses. I'm on Chapter 10! Yay! Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers who have stayed with me so far and put up with my delayed updates. And thank you to treachery89 for telling me about Anonymous reviewers.

Enjoy the 10th chapter of Fire Versus Ice!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

Chapter 10

"Okay," Aeris began for about the tenth time. "We could…No, that wouldn't work…Oh! I got it! We could throw them in the incinerator!" She nodded, proud of herself. "That's the answer to anything."

Kai stared at her irritably. "I think part of your brain got tossed in the incinerator. That's the worst plan you've come up with so far!"

"Well you try to think of one," Aeris grumbled, rubbing her temples.

"I have been."

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Fine!"

"Fi-" Kai stopped himself. He took a deep breath. "We're not going to get anywhere by arguing." He sighed and absently scratched his left arm.

"I know," Aeris mumbled.

A chill wind blew in out of nowhere, rushing through the trees. Kai felt a burning sensation. He looked at his arm only to find a dark fire emanating from the scar and coalescing around it.

He looked at Aeris and saw that an icy wind cycloned (1) around her body. The eyes that met his were full of fear and confusion. She didn't know what was happening and it scared her.

The fact that Kai did know what was going on didn't so anything to dull his fear. If anything, it increased it.

Kai watched as the flame steadily engulfed his body. He didn't feel any overwhelming pain, just a dull ache. It was disconcerting, however, to see his own body being burned.

Casting away these thoughts, Kai focused his attention back to Aeris. The wind circled faster and faster. Kai almost couldn't see the girl through the wall of icy, snow-filled air.

"Aeris!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him. "Don't give in! Fight it, Aeris! Fight it!"

Nothing happened at first. Kai could barely hear anything over the howling wind. In the back of his mind, he was aware of the Spirit of Fire slowly taking control of his body. He paid it no mind.

Then, out of the white curtain came a hand, like that of a frozen traveler lost in a blizzard. The wind roared in anger, but the hand continued pushing through. Next came a flash of blue. The ocean blue-haired head pulled its way out of the storm. Violet eyes opened and looked at him first with relief, then horror.

Aeris' eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she fought to pull her body free.

"Kai!" she gasped. "You-!"

"I know," he shouted back. "Forget about me. Just focus on getting yourself free."

"It's hard!" Aeris closed her eyes.

"Yes, it is, but don't give in!"

Aeris looked at him and took a deep breath. "Alright, Kai."

She closed her eyes, pushing Ice back with the force of her will. She slipped for a moment, falling back into the maelstrom.

Then her eyes opened. She gazed at Kai with great sadness and despair.

"I'm sorry, Kai," she mumbled. "I…just can't do it."

"Aeris! Stop! Just give it a little more of your strength!"

"What strength? I'm running on empty." She looked up at him. "I'm so sorry. I just…Goodbye, Kai."

"Aeris! Aeris, wait!" But it was too late. She had faded into the storm.

"No!" Kai yelled. His anger was so great, the flames rippling across his body ebbed back a moment. They came surging back, however, full force. Aeris was right. They were strong. It took all of Kai's willpower to keep the Spirit from taking complete control. He could only watch as the dark fire enveloped his body. Slowly, slowly taking control.

This is it, Kai thought. End of the road.

He sighed and withdrew his position blocking the raging tide of Fire's will. The effect was instantaneous.

Kai felt a rushing in his head. He started to get dizzy. He was partially aware of a new voice in his head saying, "Hello."

Then everything went black.

End of Chapter 10

(1) I don't think cycloned is a real word, but it was the only one I could think of that fit. Ergo, for the sake of the story, I dub cycloned a real word.

--Now, I know that was short, but at least it's something. I've been stuck in writer's block for ages. It is simply murder. (screams) Sorry. I had a Tim Burton day today. This afternoon I watched "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (and was singing Jack's Lament all day) and tonight we watched "Corpse Bride". I love both movies to pieces! Also, I just started the 6th Harry Potter book. It is awesome! I wanted to read it already before I heard about anymore secrets. It's already bad enough that I know all the major ones, like who dies, and who does it, and…well I'm rambling, like always.

BTW, I believe that Aeris' character has taken much more shape from the beginning of my story. I think in the next few chapters she will act quite a lot like me…that sounded weird. (The thing with the incinerator…that was a real conversation between me and my friend. Well, that part, at least.)

R & R!