Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own. And honestly, I don't know why you would think I owned an anime/manga series. I mean, really…

…

"Scarlet?" The wolf stirred restlessly, as she had for hours, but still refused to wake. "Scarlet, wake up; you're safe now." Brooklyn sighed. He'd taken her from Falborg, but instead of returning her to the lab, he'd brought her to a small room that was practically hidden from the outside, hoping that she would wake up. She hadn't, but didn't lay still for a moment, twisting and turning as if she was trying to throw off her sleep. "Scarlet, wake up!"

Scarlet, c'mon. What happened to you? Dranzer spoke urgently, not knowing what was wrong with the girl and unable to get her to respond. Scarlet! The girl didn't even whisper a response. She was either in shock or that sleeping gas had really messed her up. Or not.

Dranzer? Oh, thank God! I'm freaking out, I can barely breathe, and I can't wake up, please help… Just as quickly as her voice had come, it faded. Dranzer searched her brain rapidly for her and found that she was in the small part of her brain that she had never been able to penetrate, and had guessed that it held Scarlet's memories of the abbey.

I'm sorry Scarlet, she thought quietly. She dove in.

…

Tala and Wolborg arrived in Asia only a few minutes after they left Scarlet in the cave. "Wow," Tala breathed, "That was fast…" he was still freezing cold, not to mention weak, and his normally spiked hair was hanging below his shoulders.

"Come master," Wolborg said, "We're not there yet." He led Tala quickly down the streets, completely ignoring the stares he received from the people on the streets, until he and Tala got to the hotel that Kai had stormed out of last night. He still hadn't returned.

Wolborg jogged up the stairs, leading Tala to the right room, and then disappeared in front of the door. Tala knocked, and the door flew open. It was a boy who Tala had never seen before, with shaggy blue hair that hung as long as his did, and no eyes. Well, he had eyes, but they had no pupils or irises. They were a straight silver-white, and seemed to be scanning him. He was dressed casually, but the sword strapped across his back said otherwise.

"Let him in," another voice called. "He should have Scar- Dranzer with him." The boy stepped aside, and Tala walked in. Tyson, Max, and Rei were sitting towards the center of the room; Rei on the floor, Tyson the couch, and Max an armchair.

"I don't," he said. Wolborg appeared next to him in his wolf form and snarled quietly, quickly bowing his head to the strange boy.

Careful, he warned. This is Dragoon. Tala blanched, but then shook his head.

Why am I not surprised…?

"Where's Scarlet?" Rei asked.

Tala bowed his head, his hair flopping over his shoulders to hide his face. "She went back to the abbey," he said. "I don't know how she is right now. Where's Kai?"

"No idea," Rei replied. "This is Dragoon, by the way."

"He ran off last night," Tyson said. "Should be back by now…" He and Max shared a troubled look, which Tala didn't miss.

"Believe me," he said, "He won't be at the abbey. If he was, I'd be there." He absentmindedly fiddled with a strand of his hair.

Master, he's nearby, Wolborg said. And getting closer. Do you think- Tala cut him off quickly.

No. I refuse to believe that Voltaire, no matter how evil he may be, would do that to his own grandson. Well, he corrected after a minute, I find it hard to believe. Just then, the lock clicked and Kai walked in. He didn't even seem surprised that Tala was there, and it almost confirmed Tala's thoughts. Almost. "Hello Kai," he said. Kai nodded.

"I sensed you," he said, "Or rather, you, Wolborg." The wolf growled and bared his teeth. Kai smiled. "Well, I thought maybe you'd see it… I was wrong, of course. It was me and Scarlet. We were the only ones who truly mattered. She isn't at all what you think she is, the actress. She isn't your sister anymore Tala. She isn't even Dranzer's host. She is almost finished… almost complete." Only Tala looked truly shocked. The others only looked confused. Only Tala knew what Kai was talking about. "Soon," Kai continued, "Soon we will both become the first humans to ever be merged with bit-beasts, and we will be undefeatable!" Madness glinted in his eyes.

"They banned it," Tala said, "At the abbey… they banned…" Kai scoffed.

"Ah, yes," he said, "After Scarlet got away. I was merged with an ancient bit-beast, the one they call Cerberus, the guardian of the Underworld. Has no one ever noticed? And Scarlet was never meant to be your bit-beast, Tala. She was supposed to become herself and Black Dranzer, but something went wrong. So I tried to take her back to the abbey, but I knew she wouldn't go back willingly. So I told her about you." Kai stopped suddenly. "I've said far too much." His crimson eyes glowed, and he walked out.

…

Dranzer was shocked by what she saw in Scarlet's mind. Sure, it was all related to the abbey, but… she was so young. So alone. She had lied to her, all that time, about being close to Kai. They had been forced together, and Tala had been her only refuge. Wolborg (then known as Fenris,) had been taken away for the experiments that would change not only him, but his name as well. And Tala had begun to change as well. When he was ten, he left. He left his nine year old sister to the horrors of the abbey. Dranzer's blood boiled. She walked along a small corridor, with memories forming the walls around her, until she came to a still. Scarlet and Tala were laughing, beyblading for the heck of it, watched over by a young woman who would later tell them about how they could see auras.

"Wow," Dranzer whispered, placing a hand up to the woman in the image, "I look so different." Yes, it had been Dranzer who had told Tala and Scarlet about their abilities to read auras.

"I should have known it was you," Scarlet whispered. Dranzer whirled around, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. "You do know why we were merged, do you not?" She stepped from nowhere, and touched Dranzer's shoulder. Instantly, the phoenix went limp. "Now, give me back my body!" Her grip on Dranzer's shoulder tightened, until she heard something crack.

"How…?" Dranzer didn't have time to say more before she passed out from the pain of her broken collarbone.

"I'm much stronger than I look," Scarlet said. "Goodbye." As the ancient bit-beast collapsed at her feet, golden tendrils shot from her body into Scarlet's outstretched hand and were absorbed into her skin. "Oh Dranzer… all of your power is being given to me now… and I shall find Kai, and then!" She laughed, tilting her head up high, and gave herself control over her body again.

…

Scarlet shot up, causing Brooklyn to leap back, startled. Her eyes were wide and panicked at first, but then glazed over. She blinked, and they turned black, then gold. She stood, light and easy. "Thank you," she said to Brooklyn. "Thank you for keeping me safe." She meant it too. She would let him live. The boy nodded. Then Scarlet left. She took on the form of a phoenix without thinking, and it no longer caused her pain.

The phoenix was black. Scarlet was no more.

…

Kai walked out of the hotel, then began running. He went to an alley; an alley deserted except for a single cat. He ignored it, allowing himself to take on Cerberus's form, minus two heads. A huge black and brown dog with slavering jaws and crimson eyes leapt out of the alley a minute later, cat blood dripping from its maw. It growled before dashing away again. He had to find Dranzer. Cerberus was the only being now. Kai was only a form. Just as Scarlet was now only a form for Black Dranzer. The two bit-beasts were the most powerful on the earth.

Now they just had to choose who they would let control them.

…

Alicia was light and beautiful and Bryan loved her. So when he saw her walking alone through the corridors of the abbey, he decided this was a perfect time to talk to her. "Hello," she said when she saw him, "Um…" she smiled helplessly. "I guess I'm lost."

"Well," Bryan said, "You seem like you're right here." She laughed.

"I mean I don't know where I'm going," she protested.

"Oh," Bryan replied, "Where would you be headed?" Alicia looked at him, defiance and courage welling in her eyes.

"I need to find Boris," she whispered. "I plan to replace Tala." Bryan almost laughed, but something stopped him.

"Why on earth would you do that?" He asked instead, "He'll be back soon, he runs away quite often." Alicia shook her head.

"He's deserted the abbey," she whispered, sincerity almost glowing from her eyes, "He's as good as dead to this team now." The sound of footsteps came from down the hall as Bryan tried to process this information. Scarlet came into view, and Bryan stared at her in shock. She looked at him, terrified, then turned into a black phoenix and, with a screech, disappeared.

"Scarlet!" Alicia called, "Wait!" Bryan grabbed her shoulder, knowing full well what that… that thing had been. He, like unlike the others, had been informed fully about the experiments. Black Dranzer was meant to be his, after all, if she would have him.

…

Scarlet –no, Black Dranzer flew down the abbey's corridors, itching to escape and find Cerberus. Then, and only then, could they find Voltaire and Boris and aid them in taking over the world.

…

AN: Yes… I did just write this. I can't believe I did it. But this story is back! Please R&R, and I'm sorry this is so short!