Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade and I do NOT make money from it
Copyright: This story and all my other stories are copyrighted as well as my characters and stories and movies (except real movies) that are mentioned in my stories, finally the names of my stories are also copyright and if I discover a name or story name and fictional movie I have created action will be taken...so there.
The Mask of Zeo
Calm Before the Storm
It is about three hours to go.
Everyone is at the Police station in the armory except for Mariah, Ray, Kai, Tyson and Hilary who were in another room of the building.
A friend of Hiro had been called in to look after the kids.
"So you're Makoto, Ling and Gou? It's great to meet you, Hiro told me loads about ya'll" she looked at the three children before her mood changed.
"I'm so sorry to hear about Hiro, I hope he's alright...please Tyson...get him to safely."
"I will...sorry...what's your name?"
"Jess...I've known Hiro for about ten years...I'm Mr. D's granddaughter."
Jess looked to be about the same age as Ray, but no one was going to ask, with dirty blonde hair tied up in pig tails falling to her just below her shoulders and soft blue eyes.
She had on a black anime T-shirt and simple blue jeans that had the bottom walked off.
"Well we have to get to the armory now...it was awesome to meet you Jess" Ray said turning his chair around.
"Bye Ling...be good."
"I will Daddy...I love you" she got out and went to her father and wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him.
Ray returned the hug.
"I love you to Ling" he put his arms around the girl hugging her before letting her go.
"Bye Mother" she kissed Mariah on her cheek and hugged her.
"Goodbye Makoto, I love you...be good."
"I love you too dad" they hugged.
"See you later, Gou...be good and remember I love you."
"I love you" he kissed his son and Gou returned with a hug.
In the Armory there was a problem.
"Bad news everyone...there isn't enough armor to go around...we're going to have to pick who gets the armor" everyone stared at the Sargent with shocked disbelief.
"What are you saying?" Kenny asked.
"Not all of you will go in with body armor so there is a chance some of you wont make it back alive" the Sargent replied with a calm look like there was nothing serious about it.
"This is not good" Ian sighed.
"Well things are not going good and its not even started yet" he sighed.
"How do we decide who gets the armor?" Tyson asked, concern was spread across his features.
"I think the ones who are in the chairs get them, Mariah, Ray, Gary, Kenny and Hilary...you can't move fast and you're all weak so you're more defenseless than us so it's obvious really" Kai said aloud.
"Kai has a point guys, Zeo wants us to go in all together...he's going to try something...in our state, I don't know about you but I can't move very fast in this chair, I'm also still tired and weak...I'm an easy shot...Zeo will easily get me" Ray explained.
"Its settled but there are some others...there's six in total."
"I'll give up mine to someone else" Tyson said.
"Tyson, you have a son."
"It's either Kai or me."
"I can't accept it."
"You're so stubborn!" Hilary yelled.
"Makoto needs his father."
"If Kai can't get one...I don't get one, I'll give it to Spencer then...besides I don't think I was a great dad."
"Are you kidding? Your an awesome dad and Makoto loves you...I love you for crying out loud."
"Okay we're going to pull a name out of a hat to see who gets the last one" Kai said loudly and thankfully stopping the arguing couple in their tracks.
They stared at Kai.
"Sounds fair" Ian agreed.
"Tyson...cap" Tyson passed the Russian his cap.
"Sargent...paper and pen?" the Sargent passed Kai a paper and a pen, then he started scribbling names on the paper, rip it off and scrunch it up and put it in the cap.
There were four names in the hat Kai, Ian, Tyson and Spencer.
He looked around the room.
"Ray, can you do it for me?" Kai's eyes locked on the bandaged Neko, they were clearly visible from below his usual attire.
Ray wheeled himself over and took the cap.
He shook it a little bit to mix it up and pulled one out before passing the cap back to Tyson.
Ray unfolded the paper, the tension in the air had grown and became uncomfortable for those involved.
Tyson did want the armor secretly, Kai was preying for it and so were Ian and Spencer too.
"Come on Ray...the suspension is killing me over here...come on spill the beans already."
"Fine...Spencer" they looked at the Russian who looked shocked and amazed.
"Me!" the Sargent passed him the armor and he slipped it over his head.
Tyson, Ian and Kai glared daggers at the rejoicing Russian.
"Things are not going well...there are three of us going in there without protection...I'm worried...I'm worried for all of us...ugh...I don't feel so good...I'm scared that were going to loose more tonight...I don't want any of the guys here to die...they're my friends, I'm also scared I'll die...how will Ling's life be without her Father or without her Mother...or maybe both of us die? GREAT... Now my stomach is in knots."
"Guys, I'm just going to the bathroom, I'll be right back...don't go or plan anything whilst I'm gone...kay?"
"Sure Ray" Ray nodded at Tyson and he wheeled himself out of the Armory room.
Ray stood over the sink staring into his eyes.
He loosened the bandages from around his burned face, he splashed some water on his face trying to calm him down, parts of burned flesh fell away and down the sink.
Skin was now beginning to grow back in patches over his face but there was a strong part of him yelling things.
"I'm a freak...a monster...no one could ever love me...I should just kill myself to save people from looking at my hideous face."
"SHUT UP...Mariah and Ling love me...the others do...they're my friends...they're my family...Mariah even said it to my face...she loves me no matter what I looklike!"
"Ray calm down."
"Oh you gotta be kidding me."
"Ray...turn around and look at me!" he felt an hand on his shoulder and he was turned around, golden eyes looked back at him.
"It...it can't be...you're dead!" he rested his arms on the sink behind him and stared at the golden eyes of his lost friend.
"Lee...you died in the hospital!"
"Maybe but in your head I'm still alive" Lee poked Ray's head.
"Hi Ray....we're all here for you tonight."
"Maxie!" Max appeared, then two other figures.
"Brian...Tala? Okay I'm loosing me head...what's going on? Are you guys ghosts or something?"
"No, we are not ghosts but think of us as the echo of the person you once knew...I'm the echo of Tala."
"Good, if your just talking from my imagination that only means I've gone crazy...if you were ghosts I would have ran out...so I can guess your here to give me a message or something?"
"The only thing we came to tell you is good luck and please watch your back and everyone else."
"Zeo will try everything to get you buried."
"Don't worry about me Brian...we'll get Tomoko and Hiro back from that Android freak."
"Ray I never got this chance to tell you before I died how much I am proud of you and it is an honor to be your friend, please tell my sister I love her too and don't forget little Ling."
"Tell Kai for me...be careful don't let Gou loose his father...he already lost his mother."
"Sure Tala and thank you for sacrificing your life to let me live."
"I did that because you have a family, you have Mariah and Ling to look after...really I did it for them and Ray...you're welcome, just enjoy the life I gave you...live it to its fullest for me."
"Of course."
"Ray...when you get the chance...tell my husband Mike I love him and I always will" Ray just nodded.
"Good luck my brother" Lee put his arm on Ray's shoulder and smiled warmly before fading.
"What happened?"
"That was just way too freaky" he splashed his face a couple of times before drying his face and putting the bandages back.
He sat back down again slowly before wheeling himself back to the armory where they were making final preparations for the assault on Zeo's home.
In the Armory the Sargent was showing them how to load the weapons they were getting.
Everyone had a main weapon a side arm and a knife.
Now everyone's true emotion was showing, fear was spreading through the group like wildfire.
The time had gone fast and it was getting ready to go time which was ten o'clock.
Kai, Ray, Mariah, Tyson and Hilary had gone to say their goodbyes to their kids and treated like it would be the last time they would ever see them alive.
Tyson looked at his friends, you could feel the tension in the air and Tyson started speaking.
"In less than an hour we will leave from here to go and join the Military and Police and you will be launching the biggest assault on a home in the history of mankind.
"Mankind eh?"
"Words that will have new meaning for all of us after today.
"We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore and we will be united in our common interest.
"Perhaps it's the faith that at the beginning of the month is the 4th of July
and once again man will be fighting for freedom.
"Not from tyranny, oppression or persecution...but from annihilation.
"We're fighting for our right to live, to exist and should we win the day the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday but as we declared in one voice we will not go quietly into the night, we will not vanish without a fight......we're going to live on...we're going to survive...tomorrow...we will be celebrating...OUR INDEPENDANCE DAY" Everyone started cheering loudly, Tyson just go their spirits up.
Author notes
Beywriter: that speech was borrowed from the Movie independence day
Tyson: So the next chapter we fight?
Ray: We go to war!
Max: Thanks to Lirin Sama and the Light Shadow for reviewing.
Tala: They reviewed please will you? Its a crime not to.
Beywriter: Jess is Lirin Sama, check out her work!
Story- Beywriter
Editor- Lirin Sama