Emptiness
By: Black Dranzer
".." speaking and thinking
//..// Russian or other language translations (not jap tho)
++..++ speaking and thinking of non-human beings
~*~*~*~ Scene Change ~*~*~*~
~~flashback sequences~~
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. I only own any of the characters that you haven't seen in the original Beyblade series.
In the last chapter of Emptiness:
((++Time to awake,++ the red light seemed to say.
The girl's wide, brown eyes started to dim as they turned rusty silver, "Time to awaken," she repeated.
The glowing orb expanded its size, flooding the entire area, Kazuki included.))
((++This is trouble, it seems she's forgotten the more than I bargained for,++ the voice growled, ++I better go consult Boris about this,++
"Boku-"Kazuki started, but she froze as a paralysis seized her. Golden pupils merged with her brown ones, as a thin smile appeared on her face.
++The transfer was perfect,++ Black Dranzer said as she admired her physical body. Nothing much had changed from Kazuki's appearance but her hair and eyes. The black strands of sharp hair flowed down her shoulders, drastically contrasting to the spheres of gold that looked down at her hands.))
((++Where is Boris?++ Black Dranzer asked, sensing that the three weren't going to speak first.
"He's in his office," Bryan replied casually. He was about to walk off when Black Dranzer stopped him with her arm.
++Show me where that is,++ she demanded.
Bryan folded his arms and glared at her, "Have you lost your memory or something?" he sneered, "You don't even know where your father's office is?"
A second later, he regretted having said that and backed of just in time before a hand shot towards his throat, narrowly missing its mark. Looking up, he realized that the wall had a crater embedded into it.
++Don't test my patience,++ Black Dranzer hissed as she retrieved her hand and stared Bryan down with her golden orbs.))
((Walking in front of Max, Kai clenched his fists as a blazing sensation filled his chest, like his insides were on fire.
++Can you hold on Master?++ Dranzer asked, pausing to look behind, ++We can rest if you'd like,++
"Keep going," Kai thought to Dranzer quietly, to keep Max unaware of their conversation, "The quicker we get out of this, the better chance we have of actually being alive enough to rest,"))
(("They're coming," Max said as he sat down beside Kai.
Kai nodded and made a move to stand up, but fell down again to lie on the ground with Max shooting up to stand beside him.
"Kai! Are you alright?!" he heard him cry, "Kai!"
Max's frantic screams slowly died as the pain in his chest and the tiredness in his eyes swallowed up Kai's mind. Slowly, everything was silent, save for the last few sounds of footsteps that rang in his head in echo.))
Chapter Thirty-Six: Gain and Lose
A knock on the door alerted Boris' deep thoughts.
"Come in," he growled as he quickly stuffed the papers he was leaning over into a drawer.
Annoyance crept through his veins as he watched the door slowly open and a figure walked in. But the instant the figure's eyes met Boris', his features turned to surprise. The girl standing in front of him looked drastically different than he had first imagined.
"Black Dranzer," he said hesitantly, as though not sure if he was calling the correct name. His gaze was held tight by the girl's golden orbs, so tight that he sat frozen on the spot. But the tension lessened as the girl bowed to him, breaking eye contact.
++Master Boris,++ she said in a voice the man had never heard before. Its tone was soothing, smooth, and dangerous. Still marveling at the beauty of the voice, Boris was snapped back to reality as the girl looked up again. This time, he was sure to not look into the girl's eyes. The captivating gaze was disturbing.
"I see your transfer worked well enough," he said as he bent down to put on his red lenses. It was best to take precaution.
++Yes,++ Black Dranzer replied as she crossed her arms, ++but there's a problem,++
"I don't see why there would be a problem," Boris said as he looked at the girl through his lenses, "There seems to be nothing wrong with your physical form,"
++The problem is not with me,++ Black Dranzer said, ++It's with the girl,++
Boris raised an eyebrow and stood up, "What is wrong with her?"
Black Dranzer folded her arms casually and replied, ++There seems to be something wrong with her memory, her mind waves are very tangled up,++
"That is to be expected with such a large transfer of data as this," Boris replied thoughtfully. He then opened the door and walked out, signaling Black Dranzer to follow.
++Where are we going master?++ Black Dranzer asked.
"To her room," Boris replied shortly, "I suspect beyblading to speed up the untangling process,"
++It would be no problem mastering beyblading again, with her talent,++ Black Dranzer said as they walked.
Boris nodded and replied, "We will need to make sure that your 'spiritual force' still remains intact,"
Black Dranzer smiled at that, ++I have the same intentions,++ She licked her lips with a smirk.
When they reached Kazuki's room, Boris stopped her and said, "Switch places,"
Black Dranzer reluctantly let go of the control over Kazuki's body and shrank back to the mainframe of her mind.
Kazuki looked around her in a daze until she saw Boris looking at her silently.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the opening of the door next to Kazuki's room.
Bryan looked up in surprise at Boris and Kazuki before stopping and giving a short bow.
Boris gave him half a nod before returning his attention back to Kazuki, but the girl was staring at something beyond Bryan.
As her eyes settled on Tala sitting at the back of the room on his bed, Kazuki's memory came back in harsh flashes. The day she met the boy, the connection she found with their minds, but worst of all, the sight of the knife stuck in his stomach. She fell to the ground, clutching her head, much to the surprise of Boris and Bryan, whom stared at her shaking form. Then, with as much suddenness as it had come, the flashes had disappeared, leaving Kazuki with a jumble of fizzled memories. The only ones that remained clear were those of the red haired boy and another..
"Mother," Kazuki suddenly whispered quietly to herself, "Are you there?"
++Kazuki?++ Black Dranzer inquired from deep within her mind.
"Yes, it's me mother," Kazuki's small voice replied, completely ignoring the other two in the hallway with her, "But where are you?"
++I am within you,++ Black Dranzer replied. Kazuki felt once again the artificial warmth given off by Black Dranzer's soothing voice.
Kazuki nodded to the voice and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to see Boris patiently waiting for her to get up.
With a start, she noticed Bryan as well, but couldn't grasp the memory that would unlock his name.
"I'm sorry father," she said as she stood from her spot, "I-I just.."
"It is nothing to worry about," the man replied, and then thoughtfully looked over at Tala through the still-open doorway.
Tala had been looking at the three ever since Bryan had opened the door, but he immediately lowered his gaze the second Boris looked over. His insides squirmed as he heard Boris' boots hit the floor towards him.
"Boy," the man growled, "get up and come with me,"
Tala looked up slowly and replied quietly, "I can't, the chains don't allow much movement,"
Boris heard the sarcastic tone in the boy's voice, but decided to let it go. He then walked over to the doorway and said into the intercom placed beside it, "Bring me the keys to Tala's chains, now!"
A few moments later, an abbey staff appeared with a ring of keys and unlocked the shackles around Tala's wrists and ankles. He stood up and gave Boris a wary look before bowing formally.
"What would your orders be sir?" he asked.
Boris frowned at the casualness of the boy's tone, but led him to the doorway and said, "Stay here while I get Kazuki's gear,"
Tala gave an unconcerned look to Kazuki before leaning against the doorway and turning to Bryan.
"Are you going to stand here all day?" he asked mockingly, "Or will you move on to your own business?"
Bryan retorted with a grunt and walking down the dark hallway in a stalk.
Kazuki gave Tala a questionable look, but was repaid with nothing more than a glare of ice before his eyelids shadowed the boy's blue pupils.
Boris returned then, holding Kazuki's bow shooter and beyblade, which he handed to the girl.
"Follow me," he said as he continued down the hall, "We will need to make sure your still in top form before participating in the Scottish Battle Bash,"
"Battle Bash?" Kazuki asked, she had completely missed the meeting Boris had had with the Demolition Boys while she was unconscious in her room.
"Explain Tala," Boris said shortly.
The boy replied monotonously, "The tournament held in Scotland, where the Bladebreakers are currently located. We are to go and win the tournament, as well as bring back their bit beasts as the prize. And of course, you get your revenge on Kai,"
Kazuki didn't mind the cold shoulder from Tala this time, as she felt Black Dranzer's anger boil inside her as well.
++We will get him for it,++ she heard her say.
"I won't let you down mother," Kazuki replied out loud.
Boris looked at Kazuki questionably as they stopped outside the training facility and opened the doors.
"You two will battle here," he said, leading the two inside, "I expect top performance or you will be here for the rest of the day."
"Yes sir," both replied as the two took their places on opposite ends of the room.
"Good," Boris replied and ascended to the observation platform where he sat down to watch.
Kazuki raised her launcher and directed it at Tala, almost reluctantly, but her arms became rigid the second Tala raised his own gun launcher with relentlessness in his eyes.
"Let it rip!" both shouted, sending their beyblades to the center of the room.
Kazuki noticed with the data screen that appeared that Wolborg's power almost matched her own.
"Attack Wolborg!" Tala shouted as he commenced the battle.
His bit beast tore out of its bit and roared in Kazuki's face, sending her flying back a few paces before she regained her footing.
Up in the platform, Boris secretly smiled, "This is what your programming holds Tala, use it wisely like you never did before,"
Kazuki gritted her teeth and forced her way through the mighty snowstorm that Wolborg had created. "Zenborg!" she shouted, "Arise!"
The white swan appeared immediately after it was called and created a shield of light that fought off the worst of the storm.
"Wolborg! Keep pressing the attack!" Tala shouted as he forced all of his rage into the wolf.
Wolborg roared its approval and charged towards the swan, almost tearing its wing off as it tackled it to the ground.
Kazuki was startled by the bit beast's raw power and looked over at Tala. To her amazement, she saw almost pure hatred in his eyes, and all of it was directed at her. That moment caused her to loose momentum and Zenborg's energy drained away. In a matter of seconds, Wolborg stood victorious over Zenborg's unspinning beyblade.
Tala gave a satisfactory smirk as Wolborg returned to his hands and looked up at Boris, awaiting orders.
"Well done Tala," Boris commented, "For that victory, your punishment is over,"
"Thank you sir," Tala replied and was about to leave when the man stopped him.
"Wait," he said, "I want you two to have a rematch, but this time, Kazuki," Boris turned his attention to the girl.
"Yes sir?" Kazuki asked.
"Switch," the word was simple, and both Tala and Kazuki knew what it meant.
"Yes sir," Kazuki replied and closed her eyes.
Inside her shared mind, she searched for Black Dranzer's presence.
++I am here, Kazuki++ Black Dranzer said, ++Is it time to switch?++
"Yes, mother," Kazuki replied as she retreated to the depths of her mind.
Black Dranzer immediately flew out of her resting place and opened her golden eyes to look at Boris.
++I am out master,++ she said with a deep bow and turned to Tala, ++Let's begin.++
Tala nodded and aimed his gun shooter while Black Dranzer readied her own bow shooter.
"Let it rip!" they both shouted and once again, the Tala forced his attack.
"Wolborg! Crush her again!"
++Not this time, boy,++ Black Dranzer hissed, ++I am a different opponent,++
At that, Black Dranzer focused her energy into Zenborg's beyblade.
++Attack Zenborg!++ she called, savoring the sound of commanding another bit beast.
The white swan appeared before her, wings glistening with a bright glow, about to charge Wolborg.
++Your power's increased,++ Black Dranzer commented to the white swan mentally.
Zenborg's Hikari looked back at Black Dranzer, sensing its dark power and it stopped on its attack.
Black Dranzer looked at the swan with a frown, ++What are you doing? Attack him!++ But the white swan continued to stare at Black Dranzer, until a glint of recognition filled its eyes and it cried out in fury before bashing Tala's beyblade aside. But it didn't stop at that, Black Dranzer looked upon the white swan in shock as it headed towards her at full speed, eyes full of anger.
++Stop!++ Black Dranzer shouted. But the white swan never ceased to slow down, alerting Boris up in the balcony.
"What's happening?" he asked.
++Zenborg's lost control,++ Black Dranzer replied back as she dodged out of the way from Zenborg's assault.
Tala gave a surprised look and jumped away just in time before Zenborg tore though the ground he was standing on a few moments ago.
Boris frowned darkly, "It must have remembered. But how? I thought for sure that its Yami could control it,"
Black Dranzer thought fast as Zenborg cornered her and closed her eyes.
"What happened to Zenborg?" Kazuki asked.
++Kazuki,++ she said quickly with a shake of her head, ++I need you to take over,++
Kazuki nodded, sensing the urgency and felt her conscience being pulled out of the inside of her mind. She opened her eyes just in time to see Zenborg's furious form.
"Stop Zenborg!" she shouted.
Zenborg seemed to snap out of its rage just in time to stop at Kazuki's feet. Dust flew everywhere from the destruction Zenborg had caused on its rampage.
"What's wrong Zenborg?" Kazuki commanded.
Her bit beast looked down at the girl with sympathy and moved its wing towards her face. The feather tip was just about to touch Kazuki when what seemed to be a black streak of light emitted out of the beyblade and wrapped itself around Zenborg, almost strangling it as it pulled the white swan back into the beyblade.
Kazuki stared with shock at her beyblade as it jumped back into her hand.
"What just?" she started to ask before Boris's footsteps met her ears. She looked up at her father, but immediately afterwards lowered her eyes in a bow.
"What is going on here?" Boris asked, unaware that Kazuki had switched back, "Black Dranzer, what just happened?"
"I'm sorry, father," Kazuki replied, "Zenborg seemed to have been angered by something, I only just stopped it,"
An awkward silence followed that sentence as Boris turned to face Tala.
"You," he commanded, "go back to your room and stay there until further notice,"
Tala bowed and exited without protest.
"Would you like to speak with mother then?" Kazuki asked.
"Mother?" Boris asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Kazuki replied, "she was here a moment ago,"
"Of course," Boris replied, realizing what Kazuki meant, "Call her out then,"
Kazuki nodded mutely and closed her eyes. A second later, Black Dranzer stood before Boris.
++That Zenborg,++ she said with a growl, ++she still remembers?++
"I suppose," Boris replied, "This will cause a major setback."
++Don't worry master,++ Black Dranzer replied, ++I suppose I will have no problems using the Yami, it is, after all, an empty spirit,++
"What about the Hikari then?" Boris asked, "It is by default that it appears first every time it is summoned. Even my computers can't change that,"
++We will have Kazuki call it out first,++ Black Dranzer replied after a while of thinking, ++She can command the Hikari while I take over for the Yami,++
"I suppose," Boris said, "But where will you get enough spiritual energy to switch over and over?"
Black Dranzer didn't reply as the door to the room suddenly banged open.
Both occupants looked up to see a panting abbey worker standing in the doorway.
"What is it?" Boris asked menacingly as he turned to look at the man.
"M-master Boris," the man said, managing a short bow, "The spy has returned, and.." the man didn't continue as he stuttered.
"What?" Boris asked, "tell me now!"
The man looked at the floor timidly and replied slowly, "It seemed he's met the boys. But he said he was forced to take action and.."
Angered by the man's hesitance, Boris walked over to the man, slamming him against the wall.
"Tell me exactly what happened, and now!" he growled, he didn't like where this was going.
"He set up a bomb and-and he said the boys couldn't have escaped!" the man finally finished, shaking from Boris' grip.
Boris glared at the man, as if he thought that he was lying, but seeing the truthful fear in his eyes, Boris dropped the man to the ground.
"I'll get back to you later," Boris said shortly to Black Dranzer as he stormed out of his office, "In the meantime, get used to the abbey's layout."
++Yes, sir,++ Black Dranzer replied with a bow and left the training facility. As she walked down the halls, she thought to herself, ++If they really died, then my revenge can't be carried out,++ but she smirked to herself secretly, ++But I can still feel Dranzer's beating heart, so he must be alive,++ A red glow surrounded the girl for a moment, like a fire emitted from her very being and she laughed before the fire died down and the hallway was thrown into darkness.
~*~*~*~
A hurling sea of thoughts rose and fell inside of Kai's unconscious mind. "Have they escaped?" rose above all others as the question drove itself like a tidal wave at Kai's brain.
++They are safe,++ a deep voice assured him from a source that sounded far away.
"Dranzer?" Kai asked as he reached a hand out. Something soft met his touch as his hand lifted itself up.
Feeling the soft thing move, Kai's eyes snapped open, just to shut again at the blinding light of the sun.
"Wha-?" he started, but was stopped as something hurled itself towards him, almost suffocating him in the process.
"You're okay! You're okay!" a voice filled with relief and joy shouted in his ear, deafening him for a moment.
His eyes, finally getting used to the light, looked about and spotted a tuft of red hair residing beside his face. He then realized that it was in fact Jackie who had thrown herself on him and is now hugging him tightly around the neck. He was sitting in his bed at the McGregor Mansion in the bedroom he shared with the rest of his team. Where were they? He suddenly thought fearfully, fearing that the others hadn't escaped. But a second later, a voice reassured him that they were just fine.
"Hey!" the voice shouted and Kai looked up just in time to see Tyson leaping over to the bed, "He's awake guys! Come in!"
"Kai's awake?" Max's voice flooded the room as he too came bouncing over to the bed. Ray followed behind with just a calm smile and Kenny trailing behind him with his laptop.
"Yo buddy! How're ya feeling today? Warm and fuzzy?" Tyson asked as he nudged Kai in the shoulder with a sly grin.
Kai glared at him and gently pushed Jackie away as he heard Ray and Max snicker.
The girl, noticing what she had just done, blushed and smiled apologetically at him before running out the door.
"Guys!" he heard her shout down the hall, "Kai's awake!"
Moments later, everyone in the mansion was by Kai's bedside. Robert, Enrique and Oliver had trailed in after Jackie and were congratulating Kai on his recovery. Kai sat silently as Jackie and the others celebrated, patting him on the shoulder once in a while.
"It was so amazing! Dranzer's like eating up all of the fire!" Max recited excitedly to the intently listening company, "You guys should have seen it!"
"That's right," Kai remembered, "Dranzer.." he looked around for his blue beyblade and was relieved to see it sitting on the bedside table. Holding the blade, Kai gripped it and thought, "Thank you,"
++You're welcome Kai,++ Dranzer's voice replied inside of his head as the bit emitted a warm glow.
"..yea! The fire was huge! Draciel couldn't even stand up to the heat!" Max's voice broke over Kai's thoughts.
"I wonder if Salamulyon could've stood up the those flames," Tyson quipped, "But Dranzer beat him so.." his voice trailed off as a dreadful silence filled the room.
"Johnny," Jackie whispered as tears came to her eyes. Robert walked over automatically to comfort her as everyone glared at Tyson for bringing up the topic.
"It's my fault," Kai suddenly said, "All my fault."
Everyone's attention wavered from Tyson to Kai.
"It's not your fault," Ray said softly, "You didn't kidnap him,"
"But if Johnny hadn't stayed behind to help me escape, he would still be here," Kai said under his breath, curling his hands into tight fists, "I am the one responsible for his abduction, and Kyle's too,"
Jackie suddenly stepped towards Kai, her features unreadable. Taking one step after another, she walked towards his bed. Kai watched as the girl silently advanced towards him.
"Your fault?" she said quietly, though her voice rang through the silent room, "Yes, it is your fault,"
Kai looked away from her, gritting his teeth. He hadn't expected Jackie to say that. But she was right. It is his fault.
"But," she continued, now standing over Kai's bent head, "do you think you can change that?"
Kai looked up at Jackie's still features. What does she mean?
"If you admit it's your fault, then you should stand up and fix it!" she shouted, "Just sitting here regretting won't help!"
"Then I'll go train," Kai countered, gripping Dranzer in his hands as he started to get out of bed, but a sudden pain shot through his chest. Panting, his hand reached over to the ache.
"You can't," Kenny dared to say, "You're condition is bad, you have to stay in bed for at least two weeks,"
Kai ignored the younger teen and struggled out of bed, just to be blocked by Jackie.
"Don't you want me to fix it?" Kai questioned with a bitter smirk, "Then let me pass and I'll train to get your brother back. I'll need all the time I can get to become strong enough to defeat the Demolition Boys."
Jackie suddenly grabbed Kai's shirt and pushed him back into the bed. Kai, surprised at the girl's strength, sat down and was rewarded with another stab of pain.
"Don't you understand?" Jackie shouted at him, and Kai felt droplets of tears fall onto his face, "Johnny helped you so that you could be safe! Not so that you could go and kill yourself! If you train in the condition you're in now, it'll most likely lead to fatal injuries that can't be fixed!" At that, the girl fell crying into his arms, "I don't want you to disappear as well!"
Looking down at Jackie's shuddering form, Kai's expression softened. He could understand the girl's feelings of not wanting to loose another close person.
"But the beyblade Battle Bash will be in less than a week," Kai said with the softest voice he could mutter at the moment, "We won't have enough time,"
There was not reply to this as the others quietly waited for Jackie's response.
"I don't know what to do anymore," Jackie cried as she continued to lie in Kai's arms, "I can't choose between you and Johnny, I want you both to return safely,"
"Don't worry Jackie," Tyson said suddenly in a mature voice hardly ever heard from him, "We'll take down those Demolition Boys for you, even if I have to battle them two on one, I'll make sure we win!"
"Yeah!" Max added with determination, "We'll defeat them again, just like last time!"
"And we'll help them," Robert said comfortingly.
"Leave it to us," Oliver smiled, "we won't give up hope, and we'll keep rooting for Kai to get better,"
"In fact," Enrique said, "We'll go train right now, eh guys?" Kai caught the blond boy winking at his teammates, but didn't object as the other boys left, leaving him and Jackie alone.
The two were silent as Jackie sat awkwardly on the bed, leaning on Kai's shoulder.
"What happened to Changer?" the boy suddenly asked, making Jackie look up at him in surprise.
She bit her lower lip and carefully took off the top jacket that covered her whole arm. Kai watched as she revealed bandages on her arm over the shot she had received last night. "Robert helped me while the others were in here," she said, "But he promised to keep it a secret."
Kai nodded stiffly as he watched the girl pull on her jacket again, "And the others didn't question?"
"No," Jackie replied, smiling weakly, "I guess they were too worried about you,"
"Worried about me," Kai mused cynically, "That's never happened before,"
Jackie looked up with a surprised look, but Kai interrupted her before she could pose a question, "Why all the secrets? Why can't you battle as Jackie McGregor instead of Changer?" He was surprised at himself for being curious of another person's ways, but it should suffice for his diversion from a topic he didn't want to discuss.
"Salamulyon is our family's representative bit beast,"
Kai raised an eyebrow at this, but waited for her to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Jackie took out her beyblade from a concealed pocket in her clothes. Admiring the polished metal of her attack ring, she fingered the figure of Spectrya on the bit. "It was four years ago, on my tenth birthday,"
~~FLASHBACK~~
"Mom! Dad! Look!" a small Jackie cried happily as she ran towards them with a beyblade in her hands, "Johnny gave me a beyblade for my birthday!"
"That's great!" Mr. McGregor smiled as the girl happily fitted the blade onto a launcher and prepared to launch it. But Mrs. McGregor watched on with a worried frown. Jackie, who was still new to the concept of beyblades, suddenly stumbled as she tried to launch and fell to the ground. The worried mother ran up to her daughter and comforted her, picking up the beyblade and launcher.
"Johnny!" she called as she hushed Jackie, "Come here!"
"What?" Johnny asked as he ran over to his parents. Then, seeing Jackie crying in their mother's arms, he snickered, "Fell down did you?"
"Johnny!" Mrs. McGregor said angrily, "What were you thinking giving a thing like this to your sister? She could've done worse than fall down!"
"But she wanted a beyblade, so I bought her one," Johnny retorted with a frown, "And it's not like I knew she sucked at beyblading,"
"Hey!" Jackie shouted as she stopped crying, "I don't suck!"
"Oh, but of course not," Johnny begun his sarcastic taunt, "Falling down is routine to your every launch,"
Jackie frowned and grabbed the beyblade from her mother, "I'll show you I don't suck!" she shouted all the while fitting the beyblade onto the launcher.
Johnny raised an eyebrow, "See mom? It's not my fault she wants to play so badly," But he was silenced from a death glare from his father.
Jackie gripped the launcher tightly and prepared to launch, but she hesitated.
What if she doesn't do it right? What if she fell down again? Johnny will just laugh more.
Those thoughts deprived her of her confidence and she started to lower the beyblade, but a sudden voice called out to her.
++Don't give up Jackie, I'll help you,++
"Huh?" Jackie asked, looking around, "Did you say something Johnny?"
Her older brother looked at her in surprise, "No, are you hearing things again? Or are you just too scared to launch?"
Jackie shrugged off the sensation of being watched and prepared to launch again.
"If you can hear me voice," she thought, "then please help me,"
++Of course,++ she heard the voice say as she confidently launched the beyblade with a graceful rip.
Johnny stared at his sister in surprise as the red beyblade spun perfectly on the ground in front of them. A sudden wind picked up as a flashing purple light shot from the skies.
"What the-?" Mr. McGregor said as he felt the wind pick up.
Jackie looked around in wonder as the purple light wove around her and finally towards the rapidly spinning beyblade on the ground. It gathered itself into a large concentration and embedded itself into the center, giving one last shine before the beyblade jumped up at Jackie. The surprised girl caught the beyblade with her hand and looked at it with awe.
Mrs. McGregor on the other hand, was worried, "What is that Jackie? What was the light?"
"Spectrya," Jackie whispered as she looked at the engraving that now appeared in her beyblade's bit, "My bit beast,"
"Bit beast?" Mrs. McGregor asked as she looked over at her shocked husband.
"You can't have a bit beast," Mr. McGregor said, "our family's bit beast is Salamulyon, I have never heard of a 'Spectrya' before,"
"But he's mine," Jackie said as she hugged the beyblade, "He said so,"
"You can TALK to your bit beast?" Johnny asked wide-eyed.
"Yes I can!" Jackie replied, sticking out her tongue, "Why? You can't?"
Johnny didn't reply as he took out his own red beyblade and stared at Salamulyon, "He's never talked before,"
Mrs. McGregor suddenly stood up and took the beyblade from Jackie's hands, "Don't play around with this Jacqueline, it might be dangerous,"
"No! Spectrya's mine! Don't take him away!" Jackie cried as she chased after her mother, "He's not dangerous!"
"Now Jacqueline! Listen to your mother," Mr. McGregor said as he pulled Jackie back, "Besides, it is the tradition for each family to worship one bit beast, and one only. Spectrya, or so you call it, is a rogue bit beast, and is not of royal inheritance, therefore, it is a bad omen to keep it,"
"But father!" Jackie started to protest, but was cut short by Johnny.
"Let me take it," her older brother said, to the surprise of his parents, "I'll get rid of it for you, we'll throw it into the river,"
Mr and Mrs. McGregor looked at Johnny for a second before handing over the beyblade. Johnny took the small toy and walked to the back of their summer cottage, where a small river flowed.
"Johnny," Jackie cried as she pulled on her big brother's shirt.
"Shush Jackie," Johnny whispered, "Trust me,"
Jackie didn't understand, but she nodded and watched her brother lift up his hand and thrust the beyblade into the river.
She turned and cried in her mother's arms, as Mrs. McGregor comforted her, "Come now Jackie, you have many other presents waiting inside from your aunts and uncles,"
Jackie reluctantly nodded and hurried into the house along with her parents.
That night, while their parents were preoccupied, Johnny pulled Jackie aside.
"Here," he said, and held out his clenched fist.
"What is it?" Jackie asked as she put her hands close to her brother's hands and watched him open his hands.
Her eyes widened in surprise and joy as Spectrya's bit lay glinting in the light.
"Oh thank you Johnny!" she cried as she hugged her brother tightly and jumped with joy.
"Whatever," Johnny said as he gently pulled his sister off of him, "But I'm not buying you birthday presents for five years!"
Jackie laughed and stuck out her tongue, "Fine!"
Johnny ruffled his sister's hair and said, "I'm going downstairs, my math tutor's going to kill me if he finds out I'm not at the washroom like I said," he winked at her before walking out of the room.
Jackie smiled at her bit beast and held it to her chest.
"I'm so glad you're not in the water," she whispered.
++Me as well,++ Spectrya's soothing voice replied.
"But how am I going to convince my parents to let me keep you?" Jackie suddenly said sadly.
++I can fix that,++ Spectrya answered.
"How?" Jackie asked.
++I have the power of illusion,++ Spectrya replied, ++I can change your appearance so that your parents won't recognize you when you beybattle,++
At that, a warm feeling washed over the girl as she felt something like a mask cover her whole body.
++Look at yourself in the mirror,++ her bit beast urged.
Jackie nodded and walked up to her bedroom mirror. She was shocked and excited to see a completely different girl look back at her with blue hair and green eyes.
"You did this?" she asked her bit beast in wonderment.
++Do you not like it?++ Spectrya asked.
"I love it! Now I can beyblade without having a big fuss made of it," Jackie said excitedly.
++What do you say then,++ Spectrya stated, ++Don't you think it is for time 'Changer' to make her first beybattle appearance?++
"Changer," Jackie whispered, "I like it,"
~~END FLASHBACK~~
"So that's how I became Changer," Jackie concluded as the memory came back to her and she looked over at Kai.
Her first impression was that he had closed his eyes to rest, but the second she heard his soft breathing, she knew he was sound asleep.
Her eyebrows knit together in rage, how dare he fall asleep while she told him that memory?
"Stupid Kai," she said and stormed out of the room, but was sure to close the door lightly.
The room was silent for a while, but a pair of mahogany eyes opened a crack as he slowly sat up.
"Did you feel that?" he suddenly asked Dranzer, by his bedside.
++Yes, I did,++ came his bit beast's quiet reply, ++That feeling of pure rage and hatred,++
~~FINI~~
Long time no new chapter, but this one is extra long so don't complain ^.^ hope my reviewers are still out there somewhere and haven't abandoned this story :(
By: Black Dranzer
".." speaking and thinking
//..// Russian or other language translations (not jap tho)
++..++ speaking and thinking of non-human beings
~*~*~*~ Scene Change ~*~*~*~
~~flashback sequences~~
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. I only own any of the characters that you haven't seen in the original Beyblade series.
In the last chapter of Emptiness:
((++Time to awake,++ the red light seemed to say.
The girl's wide, brown eyes started to dim as they turned rusty silver, "Time to awaken," she repeated.
The glowing orb expanded its size, flooding the entire area, Kazuki included.))
((++This is trouble, it seems she's forgotten the more than I bargained for,++ the voice growled, ++I better go consult Boris about this,++
"Boku-"Kazuki started, but she froze as a paralysis seized her. Golden pupils merged with her brown ones, as a thin smile appeared on her face.
++The transfer was perfect,++ Black Dranzer said as she admired her physical body. Nothing much had changed from Kazuki's appearance but her hair and eyes. The black strands of sharp hair flowed down her shoulders, drastically contrasting to the spheres of gold that looked down at her hands.))
((++Where is Boris?++ Black Dranzer asked, sensing that the three weren't going to speak first.
"He's in his office," Bryan replied casually. He was about to walk off when Black Dranzer stopped him with her arm.
++Show me where that is,++ she demanded.
Bryan folded his arms and glared at her, "Have you lost your memory or something?" he sneered, "You don't even know where your father's office is?"
A second later, he regretted having said that and backed of just in time before a hand shot towards his throat, narrowly missing its mark. Looking up, he realized that the wall had a crater embedded into it.
++Don't test my patience,++ Black Dranzer hissed as she retrieved her hand and stared Bryan down with her golden orbs.))
((Walking in front of Max, Kai clenched his fists as a blazing sensation filled his chest, like his insides were on fire.
++Can you hold on Master?++ Dranzer asked, pausing to look behind, ++We can rest if you'd like,++
"Keep going," Kai thought to Dranzer quietly, to keep Max unaware of their conversation, "The quicker we get out of this, the better chance we have of actually being alive enough to rest,"))
(("They're coming," Max said as he sat down beside Kai.
Kai nodded and made a move to stand up, but fell down again to lie on the ground with Max shooting up to stand beside him.
"Kai! Are you alright?!" he heard him cry, "Kai!"
Max's frantic screams slowly died as the pain in his chest and the tiredness in his eyes swallowed up Kai's mind. Slowly, everything was silent, save for the last few sounds of footsteps that rang in his head in echo.))
Chapter Thirty-Six: Gain and Lose
A knock on the door alerted Boris' deep thoughts.
"Come in," he growled as he quickly stuffed the papers he was leaning over into a drawer.
Annoyance crept through his veins as he watched the door slowly open and a figure walked in. But the instant the figure's eyes met Boris', his features turned to surprise. The girl standing in front of him looked drastically different than he had first imagined.
"Black Dranzer," he said hesitantly, as though not sure if he was calling the correct name. His gaze was held tight by the girl's golden orbs, so tight that he sat frozen on the spot. But the tension lessened as the girl bowed to him, breaking eye contact.
++Master Boris,++ she said in a voice the man had never heard before. Its tone was soothing, smooth, and dangerous. Still marveling at the beauty of the voice, Boris was snapped back to reality as the girl looked up again. This time, he was sure to not look into the girl's eyes. The captivating gaze was disturbing.
"I see your transfer worked well enough," he said as he bent down to put on his red lenses. It was best to take precaution.
++Yes,++ Black Dranzer replied as she crossed her arms, ++but there's a problem,++
"I don't see why there would be a problem," Boris said as he looked at the girl through his lenses, "There seems to be nothing wrong with your physical form,"
++The problem is not with me,++ Black Dranzer said, ++It's with the girl,++
Boris raised an eyebrow and stood up, "What is wrong with her?"
Black Dranzer folded her arms casually and replied, ++There seems to be something wrong with her memory, her mind waves are very tangled up,++
"That is to be expected with such a large transfer of data as this," Boris replied thoughtfully. He then opened the door and walked out, signaling Black Dranzer to follow.
++Where are we going master?++ Black Dranzer asked.
"To her room," Boris replied shortly, "I suspect beyblading to speed up the untangling process,"
++It would be no problem mastering beyblading again, with her talent,++ Black Dranzer said as they walked.
Boris nodded and replied, "We will need to make sure that your 'spiritual force' still remains intact,"
Black Dranzer smiled at that, ++I have the same intentions,++ She licked her lips with a smirk.
When they reached Kazuki's room, Boris stopped her and said, "Switch places,"
Black Dranzer reluctantly let go of the control over Kazuki's body and shrank back to the mainframe of her mind.
Kazuki looked around her in a daze until she saw Boris looking at her silently.
She opened her mouth to speak, but the opening of the door next to Kazuki's room.
Bryan looked up in surprise at Boris and Kazuki before stopping and giving a short bow.
Boris gave him half a nod before returning his attention back to Kazuki, but the girl was staring at something beyond Bryan.
As her eyes settled on Tala sitting at the back of the room on his bed, Kazuki's memory came back in harsh flashes. The day she met the boy, the connection she found with their minds, but worst of all, the sight of the knife stuck in his stomach. She fell to the ground, clutching her head, much to the surprise of Boris and Bryan, whom stared at her shaking form. Then, with as much suddenness as it had come, the flashes had disappeared, leaving Kazuki with a jumble of fizzled memories. The only ones that remained clear were those of the red haired boy and another..
"Mother," Kazuki suddenly whispered quietly to herself, "Are you there?"
++Kazuki?++ Black Dranzer inquired from deep within her mind.
"Yes, it's me mother," Kazuki's small voice replied, completely ignoring the other two in the hallway with her, "But where are you?"
++I am within you,++ Black Dranzer replied. Kazuki felt once again the artificial warmth given off by Black Dranzer's soothing voice.
Kazuki nodded to the voice and slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to see Boris patiently waiting for her to get up.
With a start, she noticed Bryan as well, but couldn't grasp the memory that would unlock his name.
"I'm sorry father," she said as she stood from her spot, "I-I just.."
"It is nothing to worry about," the man replied, and then thoughtfully looked over at Tala through the still-open doorway.
Tala had been looking at the three ever since Bryan had opened the door, but he immediately lowered his gaze the second Boris looked over. His insides squirmed as he heard Boris' boots hit the floor towards him.
"Boy," the man growled, "get up and come with me,"
Tala looked up slowly and replied quietly, "I can't, the chains don't allow much movement,"
Boris heard the sarcastic tone in the boy's voice, but decided to let it go. He then walked over to the doorway and said into the intercom placed beside it, "Bring me the keys to Tala's chains, now!"
A few moments later, an abbey staff appeared with a ring of keys and unlocked the shackles around Tala's wrists and ankles. He stood up and gave Boris a wary look before bowing formally.
"What would your orders be sir?" he asked.
Boris frowned at the casualness of the boy's tone, but led him to the doorway and said, "Stay here while I get Kazuki's gear,"
Tala gave an unconcerned look to Kazuki before leaning against the doorway and turning to Bryan.
"Are you going to stand here all day?" he asked mockingly, "Or will you move on to your own business?"
Bryan retorted with a grunt and walking down the dark hallway in a stalk.
Kazuki gave Tala a questionable look, but was repaid with nothing more than a glare of ice before his eyelids shadowed the boy's blue pupils.
Boris returned then, holding Kazuki's bow shooter and beyblade, which he handed to the girl.
"Follow me," he said as he continued down the hall, "We will need to make sure your still in top form before participating in the Scottish Battle Bash,"
"Battle Bash?" Kazuki asked, she had completely missed the meeting Boris had had with the Demolition Boys while she was unconscious in her room.
"Explain Tala," Boris said shortly.
The boy replied monotonously, "The tournament held in Scotland, where the Bladebreakers are currently located. We are to go and win the tournament, as well as bring back their bit beasts as the prize. And of course, you get your revenge on Kai,"
Kazuki didn't mind the cold shoulder from Tala this time, as she felt Black Dranzer's anger boil inside her as well.
++We will get him for it,++ she heard her say.
"I won't let you down mother," Kazuki replied out loud.
Boris looked at Kazuki questionably as they stopped outside the training facility and opened the doors.
"You two will battle here," he said, leading the two inside, "I expect top performance or you will be here for the rest of the day."
"Yes sir," both replied as the two took their places on opposite ends of the room.
"Good," Boris replied and ascended to the observation platform where he sat down to watch.
Kazuki raised her launcher and directed it at Tala, almost reluctantly, but her arms became rigid the second Tala raised his own gun launcher with relentlessness in his eyes.
"Let it rip!" both shouted, sending their beyblades to the center of the room.
Kazuki noticed with the data screen that appeared that Wolborg's power almost matched her own.
"Attack Wolborg!" Tala shouted as he commenced the battle.
His bit beast tore out of its bit and roared in Kazuki's face, sending her flying back a few paces before she regained her footing.
Up in the platform, Boris secretly smiled, "This is what your programming holds Tala, use it wisely like you never did before,"
Kazuki gritted her teeth and forced her way through the mighty snowstorm that Wolborg had created. "Zenborg!" she shouted, "Arise!"
The white swan appeared immediately after it was called and created a shield of light that fought off the worst of the storm.
"Wolborg! Keep pressing the attack!" Tala shouted as he forced all of his rage into the wolf.
Wolborg roared its approval and charged towards the swan, almost tearing its wing off as it tackled it to the ground.
Kazuki was startled by the bit beast's raw power and looked over at Tala. To her amazement, she saw almost pure hatred in his eyes, and all of it was directed at her. That moment caused her to loose momentum and Zenborg's energy drained away. In a matter of seconds, Wolborg stood victorious over Zenborg's unspinning beyblade.
Tala gave a satisfactory smirk as Wolborg returned to his hands and looked up at Boris, awaiting orders.
"Well done Tala," Boris commented, "For that victory, your punishment is over,"
"Thank you sir," Tala replied and was about to leave when the man stopped him.
"Wait," he said, "I want you two to have a rematch, but this time, Kazuki," Boris turned his attention to the girl.
"Yes sir?" Kazuki asked.
"Switch," the word was simple, and both Tala and Kazuki knew what it meant.
"Yes sir," Kazuki replied and closed her eyes.
Inside her shared mind, she searched for Black Dranzer's presence.
++I am here, Kazuki++ Black Dranzer said, ++Is it time to switch?++
"Yes, mother," Kazuki replied as she retreated to the depths of her mind.
Black Dranzer immediately flew out of her resting place and opened her golden eyes to look at Boris.
++I am out master,++ she said with a deep bow and turned to Tala, ++Let's begin.++
Tala nodded and aimed his gun shooter while Black Dranzer readied her own bow shooter.
"Let it rip!" they both shouted and once again, the Tala forced his attack.
"Wolborg! Crush her again!"
++Not this time, boy,++ Black Dranzer hissed, ++I am a different opponent,++
At that, Black Dranzer focused her energy into Zenborg's beyblade.
++Attack Zenborg!++ she called, savoring the sound of commanding another bit beast.
The white swan appeared before her, wings glistening with a bright glow, about to charge Wolborg.
++Your power's increased,++ Black Dranzer commented to the white swan mentally.
Zenborg's Hikari looked back at Black Dranzer, sensing its dark power and it stopped on its attack.
Black Dranzer looked at the swan with a frown, ++What are you doing? Attack him!++ But the white swan continued to stare at Black Dranzer, until a glint of recognition filled its eyes and it cried out in fury before bashing Tala's beyblade aside. But it didn't stop at that, Black Dranzer looked upon the white swan in shock as it headed towards her at full speed, eyes full of anger.
++Stop!++ Black Dranzer shouted. But the white swan never ceased to slow down, alerting Boris up in the balcony.
"What's happening?" he asked.
++Zenborg's lost control,++ Black Dranzer replied back as she dodged out of the way from Zenborg's assault.
Tala gave a surprised look and jumped away just in time before Zenborg tore though the ground he was standing on a few moments ago.
Boris frowned darkly, "It must have remembered. But how? I thought for sure that its Yami could control it,"
Black Dranzer thought fast as Zenborg cornered her and closed her eyes.
"What happened to Zenborg?" Kazuki asked.
++Kazuki,++ she said quickly with a shake of her head, ++I need you to take over,++
Kazuki nodded, sensing the urgency and felt her conscience being pulled out of the inside of her mind. She opened her eyes just in time to see Zenborg's furious form.
"Stop Zenborg!" she shouted.
Zenborg seemed to snap out of its rage just in time to stop at Kazuki's feet. Dust flew everywhere from the destruction Zenborg had caused on its rampage.
"What's wrong Zenborg?" Kazuki commanded.
Her bit beast looked down at the girl with sympathy and moved its wing towards her face. The feather tip was just about to touch Kazuki when what seemed to be a black streak of light emitted out of the beyblade and wrapped itself around Zenborg, almost strangling it as it pulled the white swan back into the beyblade.
Kazuki stared with shock at her beyblade as it jumped back into her hand.
"What just?" she started to ask before Boris's footsteps met her ears. She looked up at her father, but immediately afterwards lowered her eyes in a bow.
"What is going on here?" Boris asked, unaware that Kazuki had switched back, "Black Dranzer, what just happened?"
"I'm sorry, father," Kazuki replied, "Zenborg seemed to have been angered by something, I only just stopped it,"
An awkward silence followed that sentence as Boris turned to face Tala.
"You," he commanded, "go back to your room and stay there until further notice,"
Tala bowed and exited without protest.
"Would you like to speak with mother then?" Kazuki asked.
"Mother?" Boris asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes," Kazuki replied, "she was here a moment ago,"
"Of course," Boris replied, realizing what Kazuki meant, "Call her out then,"
Kazuki nodded mutely and closed her eyes. A second later, Black Dranzer stood before Boris.
++That Zenborg,++ she said with a growl, ++she still remembers?++
"I suppose," Boris replied, "This will cause a major setback."
++Don't worry master,++ Black Dranzer replied, ++I suppose I will have no problems using the Yami, it is, after all, an empty spirit,++
"What about the Hikari then?" Boris asked, "It is by default that it appears first every time it is summoned. Even my computers can't change that,"
++We will have Kazuki call it out first,++ Black Dranzer replied after a while of thinking, ++She can command the Hikari while I take over for the Yami,++
"I suppose," Boris said, "But where will you get enough spiritual energy to switch over and over?"
Black Dranzer didn't reply as the door to the room suddenly banged open.
Both occupants looked up to see a panting abbey worker standing in the doorway.
"What is it?" Boris asked menacingly as he turned to look at the man.
"M-master Boris," the man said, managing a short bow, "The spy has returned, and.." the man didn't continue as he stuttered.
"What?" Boris asked, "tell me now!"
The man looked at the floor timidly and replied slowly, "It seemed he's met the boys. But he said he was forced to take action and.."
Angered by the man's hesitance, Boris walked over to the man, slamming him against the wall.
"Tell me exactly what happened, and now!" he growled, he didn't like where this was going.
"He set up a bomb and-and he said the boys couldn't have escaped!" the man finally finished, shaking from Boris' grip.
Boris glared at the man, as if he thought that he was lying, but seeing the truthful fear in his eyes, Boris dropped the man to the ground.
"I'll get back to you later," Boris said shortly to Black Dranzer as he stormed out of his office, "In the meantime, get used to the abbey's layout."
++Yes, sir,++ Black Dranzer replied with a bow and left the training facility. As she walked down the halls, she thought to herself, ++If they really died, then my revenge can't be carried out,++ but she smirked to herself secretly, ++But I can still feel Dranzer's beating heart, so he must be alive,++ A red glow surrounded the girl for a moment, like a fire emitted from her very being and she laughed before the fire died down and the hallway was thrown into darkness.
~*~*~*~
A hurling sea of thoughts rose and fell inside of Kai's unconscious mind. "Have they escaped?" rose above all others as the question drove itself like a tidal wave at Kai's brain.
++They are safe,++ a deep voice assured him from a source that sounded far away.
"Dranzer?" Kai asked as he reached a hand out. Something soft met his touch as his hand lifted itself up.
Feeling the soft thing move, Kai's eyes snapped open, just to shut again at the blinding light of the sun.
"Wha-?" he started, but was stopped as something hurled itself towards him, almost suffocating him in the process.
"You're okay! You're okay!" a voice filled with relief and joy shouted in his ear, deafening him for a moment.
His eyes, finally getting used to the light, looked about and spotted a tuft of red hair residing beside his face. He then realized that it was in fact Jackie who had thrown herself on him and is now hugging him tightly around the neck. He was sitting in his bed at the McGregor Mansion in the bedroom he shared with the rest of his team. Where were they? He suddenly thought fearfully, fearing that the others hadn't escaped. But a second later, a voice reassured him that they were just fine.
"Hey!" the voice shouted and Kai looked up just in time to see Tyson leaping over to the bed, "He's awake guys! Come in!"
"Kai's awake?" Max's voice flooded the room as he too came bouncing over to the bed. Ray followed behind with just a calm smile and Kenny trailing behind him with his laptop.
"Yo buddy! How're ya feeling today? Warm and fuzzy?" Tyson asked as he nudged Kai in the shoulder with a sly grin.
Kai glared at him and gently pushed Jackie away as he heard Ray and Max snicker.
The girl, noticing what she had just done, blushed and smiled apologetically at him before running out the door.
"Guys!" he heard her shout down the hall, "Kai's awake!"
Moments later, everyone in the mansion was by Kai's bedside. Robert, Enrique and Oliver had trailed in after Jackie and were congratulating Kai on his recovery. Kai sat silently as Jackie and the others celebrated, patting him on the shoulder once in a while.
"It was so amazing! Dranzer's like eating up all of the fire!" Max recited excitedly to the intently listening company, "You guys should have seen it!"
"That's right," Kai remembered, "Dranzer.." he looked around for his blue beyblade and was relieved to see it sitting on the bedside table. Holding the blade, Kai gripped it and thought, "Thank you,"
++You're welcome Kai,++ Dranzer's voice replied inside of his head as the bit emitted a warm glow.
"..yea! The fire was huge! Draciel couldn't even stand up to the heat!" Max's voice broke over Kai's thoughts.
"I wonder if Salamulyon could've stood up the those flames," Tyson quipped, "But Dranzer beat him so.." his voice trailed off as a dreadful silence filled the room.
"Johnny," Jackie whispered as tears came to her eyes. Robert walked over automatically to comfort her as everyone glared at Tyson for bringing up the topic.
"It's my fault," Kai suddenly said, "All my fault."
Everyone's attention wavered from Tyson to Kai.
"It's not your fault," Ray said softly, "You didn't kidnap him,"
"But if Johnny hadn't stayed behind to help me escape, he would still be here," Kai said under his breath, curling his hands into tight fists, "I am the one responsible for his abduction, and Kyle's too,"
Jackie suddenly stepped towards Kai, her features unreadable. Taking one step after another, she walked towards his bed. Kai watched as the girl silently advanced towards him.
"Your fault?" she said quietly, though her voice rang through the silent room, "Yes, it is your fault,"
Kai looked away from her, gritting his teeth. He hadn't expected Jackie to say that. But she was right. It is his fault.
"But," she continued, now standing over Kai's bent head, "do you think you can change that?"
Kai looked up at Jackie's still features. What does she mean?
"If you admit it's your fault, then you should stand up and fix it!" she shouted, "Just sitting here regretting won't help!"
"Then I'll go train," Kai countered, gripping Dranzer in his hands as he started to get out of bed, but a sudden pain shot through his chest. Panting, his hand reached over to the ache.
"You can't," Kenny dared to say, "You're condition is bad, you have to stay in bed for at least two weeks,"
Kai ignored the younger teen and struggled out of bed, just to be blocked by Jackie.
"Don't you want me to fix it?" Kai questioned with a bitter smirk, "Then let me pass and I'll train to get your brother back. I'll need all the time I can get to become strong enough to defeat the Demolition Boys."
Jackie suddenly grabbed Kai's shirt and pushed him back into the bed. Kai, surprised at the girl's strength, sat down and was rewarded with another stab of pain.
"Don't you understand?" Jackie shouted at him, and Kai felt droplets of tears fall onto his face, "Johnny helped you so that you could be safe! Not so that you could go and kill yourself! If you train in the condition you're in now, it'll most likely lead to fatal injuries that can't be fixed!" At that, the girl fell crying into his arms, "I don't want you to disappear as well!"
Looking down at Jackie's shuddering form, Kai's expression softened. He could understand the girl's feelings of not wanting to loose another close person.
"But the beyblade Battle Bash will be in less than a week," Kai said with the softest voice he could mutter at the moment, "We won't have enough time,"
There was not reply to this as the others quietly waited for Jackie's response.
"I don't know what to do anymore," Jackie cried as she continued to lie in Kai's arms, "I can't choose between you and Johnny, I want you both to return safely,"
"Don't worry Jackie," Tyson said suddenly in a mature voice hardly ever heard from him, "We'll take down those Demolition Boys for you, even if I have to battle them two on one, I'll make sure we win!"
"Yeah!" Max added with determination, "We'll defeat them again, just like last time!"
"And we'll help them," Robert said comfortingly.
"Leave it to us," Oliver smiled, "we won't give up hope, and we'll keep rooting for Kai to get better,"
"In fact," Enrique said, "We'll go train right now, eh guys?" Kai caught the blond boy winking at his teammates, but didn't object as the other boys left, leaving him and Jackie alone.
The two were silent as Jackie sat awkwardly on the bed, leaning on Kai's shoulder.
"What happened to Changer?" the boy suddenly asked, making Jackie look up at him in surprise.
She bit her lower lip and carefully took off the top jacket that covered her whole arm. Kai watched as she revealed bandages on her arm over the shot she had received last night. "Robert helped me while the others were in here," she said, "But he promised to keep it a secret."
Kai nodded stiffly as he watched the girl pull on her jacket again, "And the others didn't question?"
"No," Jackie replied, smiling weakly, "I guess they were too worried about you,"
"Worried about me," Kai mused cynically, "That's never happened before,"
Jackie looked up with a surprised look, but Kai interrupted her before she could pose a question, "Why all the secrets? Why can't you battle as Jackie McGregor instead of Changer?" He was surprised at himself for being curious of another person's ways, but it should suffice for his diversion from a topic he didn't want to discuss.
"Salamulyon is our family's representative bit beast,"
Kai raised an eyebrow at this, but waited for her to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Jackie took out her beyblade from a concealed pocket in her clothes. Admiring the polished metal of her attack ring, she fingered the figure of Spectrya on the bit. "It was four years ago, on my tenth birthday,"
~~FLASHBACK~~
"Mom! Dad! Look!" a small Jackie cried happily as she ran towards them with a beyblade in her hands, "Johnny gave me a beyblade for my birthday!"
"That's great!" Mr. McGregor smiled as the girl happily fitted the blade onto a launcher and prepared to launch it. But Mrs. McGregor watched on with a worried frown. Jackie, who was still new to the concept of beyblades, suddenly stumbled as she tried to launch and fell to the ground. The worried mother ran up to her daughter and comforted her, picking up the beyblade and launcher.
"Johnny!" she called as she hushed Jackie, "Come here!"
"What?" Johnny asked as he ran over to his parents. Then, seeing Jackie crying in their mother's arms, he snickered, "Fell down did you?"
"Johnny!" Mrs. McGregor said angrily, "What were you thinking giving a thing like this to your sister? She could've done worse than fall down!"
"But she wanted a beyblade, so I bought her one," Johnny retorted with a frown, "And it's not like I knew she sucked at beyblading,"
"Hey!" Jackie shouted as she stopped crying, "I don't suck!"
"Oh, but of course not," Johnny begun his sarcastic taunt, "Falling down is routine to your every launch,"
Jackie frowned and grabbed the beyblade from her mother, "I'll show you I don't suck!" she shouted all the while fitting the beyblade onto the launcher.
Johnny raised an eyebrow, "See mom? It's not my fault she wants to play so badly," But he was silenced from a death glare from his father.
Jackie gripped the launcher tightly and prepared to launch, but she hesitated.
What if she doesn't do it right? What if she fell down again? Johnny will just laugh more.
Those thoughts deprived her of her confidence and she started to lower the beyblade, but a sudden voice called out to her.
++Don't give up Jackie, I'll help you,++
"Huh?" Jackie asked, looking around, "Did you say something Johnny?"
Her older brother looked at her in surprise, "No, are you hearing things again? Or are you just too scared to launch?"
Jackie shrugged off the sensation of being watched and prepared to launch again.
"If you can hear me voice," she thought, "then please help me,"
++Of course,++ she heard the voice say as she confidently launched the beyblade with a graceful rip.
Johnny stared at his sister in surprise as the red beyblade spun perfectly on the ground in front of them. A sudden wind picked up as a flashing purple light shot from the skies.
"What the-?" Mr. McGregor said as he felt the wind pick up.
Jackie looked around in wonder as the purple light wove around her and finally towards the rapidly spinning beyblade on the ground. It gathered itself into a large concentration and embedded itself into the center, giving one last shine before the beyblade jumped up at Jackie. The surprised girl caught the beyblade with her hand and looked at it with awe.
Mrs. McGregor on the other hand, was worried, "What is that Jackie? What was the light?"
"Spectrya," Jackie whispered as she looked at the engraving that now appeared in her beyblade's bit, "My bit beast,"
"Bit beast?" Mrs. McGregor asked as she looked over at her shocked husband.
"You can't have a bit beast," Mr. McGregor said, "our family's bit beast is Salamulyon, I have never heard of a 'Spectrya' before,"
"But he's mine," Jackie said as she hugged the beyblade, "He said so,"
"You can TALK to your bit beast?" Johnny asked wide-eyed.
"Yes I can!" Jackie replied, sticking out her tongue, "Why? You can't?"
Johnny didn't reply as he took out his own red beyblade and stared at Salamulyon, "He's never talked before,"
Mrs. McGregor suddenly stood up and took the beyblade from Jackie's hands, "Don't play around with this Jacqueline, it might be dangerous,"
"No! Spectrya's mine! Don't take him away!" Jackie cried as she chased after her mother, "He's not dangerous!"
"Now Jacqueline! Listen to your mother," Mr. McGregor said as he pulled Jackie back, "Besides, it is the tradition for each family to worship one bit beast, and one only. Spectrya, or so you call it, is a rogue bit beast, and is not of royal inheritance, therefore, it is a bad omen to keep it,"
"But father!" Jackie started to protest, but was cut short by Johnny.
"Let me take it," her older brother said, to the surprise of his parents, "I'll get rid of it for you, we'll throw it into the river,"
Mr and Mrs. McGregor looked at Johnny for a second before handing over the beyblade. Johnny took the small toy and walked to the back of their summer cottage, where a small river flowed.
"Johnny," Jackie cried as she pulled on her big brother's shirt.
"Shush Jackie," Johnny whispered, "Trust me,"
Jackie didn't understand, but she nodded and watched her brother lift up his hand and thrust the beyblade into the river.
She turned and cried in her mother's arms, as Mrs. McGregor comforted her, "Come now Jackie, you have many other presents waiting inside from your aunts and uncles,"
Jackie reluctantly nodded and hurried into the house along with her parents.
That night, while their parents were preoccupied, Johnny pulled Jackie aside.
"Here," he said, and held out his clenched fist.
"What is it?" Jackie asked as she put her hands close to her brother's hands and watched him open his hands.
Her eyes widened in surprise and joy as Spectrya's bit lay glinting in the light.
"Oh thank you Johnny!" she cried as she hugged her brother tightly and jumped with joy.
"Whatever," Johnny said as he gently pulled his sister off of him, "But I'm not buying you birthday presents for five years!"
Jackie laughed and stuck out her tongue, "Fine!"
Johnny ruffled his sister's hair and said, "I'm going downstairs, my math tutor's going to kill me if he finds out I'm not at the washroom like I said," he winked at her before walking out of the room.
Jackie smiled at her bit beast and held it to her chest.
"I'm so glad you're not in the water," she whispered.
++Me as well,++ Spectrya's soothing voice replied.
"But how am I going to convince my parents to let me keep you?" Jackie suddenly said sadly.
++I can fix that,++ Spectrya answered.
"How?" Jackie asked.
++I have the power of illusion,++ Spectrya replied, ++I can change your appearance so that your parents won't recognize you when you beybattle,++
At that, a warm feeling washed over the girl as she felt something like a mask cover her whole body.
++Look at yourself in the mirror,++ her bit beast urged.
Jackie nodded and walked up to her bedroom mirror. She was shocked and excited to see a completely different girl look back at her with blue hair and green eyes.
"You did this?" she asked her bit beast in wonderment.
++Do you not like it?++ Spectrya asked.
"I love it! Now I can beyblade without having a big fuss made of it," Jackie said excitedly.
++What do you say then,++ Spectrya stated, ++Don't you think it is for time 'Changer' to make her first beybattle appearance?++
"Changer," Jackie whispered, "I like it,"
~~END FLASHBACK~~
"So that's how I became Changer," Jackie concluded as the memory came back to her and she looked over at Kai.
Her first impression was that he had closed his eyes to rest, but the second she heard his soft breathing, she knew he was sound asleep.
Her eyebrows knit together in rage, how dare he fall asleep while she told him that memory?
"Stupid Kai," she said and stormed out of the room, but was sure to close the door lightly.
The room was silent for a while, but a pair of mahogany eyes opened a crack as he slowly sat up.
"Did you feel that?" he suddenly asked Dranzer, by his bedside.
++Yes, I did,++ came his bit beast's quiet reply, ++That feeling of pure rage and hatred,++
~~FINI~~
Long time no new chapter, but this one is extra long so don't complain ^.^ hope my reviewers are still out there somewhere and haven't abandoned this story :(