Tsuki: Wee! * bounces * Guess who's back?
Kurai: * waves little flag * Go you.
Tsuki: * pokes him * Kurai-chan, yamero.
Kurai: * sticks out his tongue * Iie.
Tsuki: * growls * Hai.
Kurai: Iie.
Tsuki: Yamero, onegai? * does the puppy-dog eyes *
Kurai: * sighs * Fine.
Tsuki: Yay! Thank you to all my reviewers, but I need your opinions! I learned from GC that she thinks that Chaz's 'boyfriend' should be Tala, but I can't decide. Who do you think it should be? Anyways, on with the story!
~
Chapter 13: Don't Quit
Tala's P.O.V.
~
[2 days after the incident with Boris * (Tala hit his head pretty hard. ^^)]
(A/N: the Tournament was postponed until after Tala and Chaz got better, k?)
I stirred, opening my eyes to look around. My turquoise pair were met with a pair of amethyst, which I quickly identified as Johnny's. I turned my head slowly to look around, sending a searing pain through it. I guess I hit my head harder than I thought. Rah'aru was there, his calm, pale blue eyes watching me levelly. I took a deep breath, before speaking. "Where am I? How long have I been here?" Those were the first two questions that popped into my head, and Rah'aru answered in his usual, composed tone. "In the hospital. You've been unconscious for about two days now." There was something different about his voice, but I couldn't place it. Something was nagging me in the back of my mind. I sat up, swaying a little as a jolt of pain coursed through my head, and looked around. There was Johnny, standing beside me in the outfit that Chaz had made him wear for the tournament. She had changed my clothes too. Johnny was wearing a black vest, in the same style as his old one with a green t-shirt and black shorts. His shirt had the black dragon symbol on it, which consisted of a dragon winding itself around a curved sword. Johnny's red-ish hair was pulled back as it usually was, but this time with a black bandana. (A/N: I don't know what to call the thing he wears in his hair, so we'll call it a bandana.) I don't know what Chaz had done that convinced me to wear black leather, but she had. I was wearing all black, the suit similar to the one I had worn back in Russia, with the team symbol in green instead of black. Rah'aru only had the symbol woven onto his robes, as Chaz couldn't convince him to change what he was wearing. Rah'aru was standing on my right, and I had to turn my head to see him. There was something missing. Wait a second...I knew there was someone missing! Chaz wasn't here, but if she wasn't here, then where was she? I felt a gnawing sense of anxiety in the pit of my stomach as the events that had happened only an hour and a half ago fell into place. Boris, the dark Wolborg, and.I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I hadn't got hit by Dark Wolborg's attack because someone had pushed me out of the way. That someone was Chaz. I glanced at Johnny, and then back to Rah'aru, before gathering my courage to speak. "Where's Chaz?" I winced at the question, not really want to know that answer. Rah'aru met my eyes with his own, as if he was pondering an answer to my question. I stared back, fidgeting slightly. "Well, you know that Boris's attack was meant for you right?" Rah'aru said finally, breaking the tense silence. I nodded, the sick feeling in my stomach increasing. "Um, she uh...she..." Rah'aru looked like he was struggling with what he was going to say, and that only made me feel horribly worse. "S-s-she what?" I stammered, the feeling of anxiety in my stomach starting to be replaced by intense fear. I really wished I hadn't asked that question. Rah'aru closed his eyes, finally giving me the dreaded answer. "She pushed you out of the way." Rah'aru's voice broke near the end, and he dropped his gaze down to the ground. I froze, at Rah'aru's words. "S-s-she did w-what?" I stuttered, making sure I had heard Rah'aru right. The Egyptian boy just looked at me, and slowly nodded. I really didn't know what to do, so I just sat there with a very stunned look on my face. It took me a while to collect myself, before I asked, "S-s-she's not, y-y-you know, um..." I made a gesture across my throat, and Rah'aru shook his head. "Then where is she? Can't we go see her?" I asked, shuffling to the edge of my hospital bed. Rah'aru looked at the floor again, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Well, um..." "I'm okay." I said firmly, as I stood up. Bad idea. A very sharp pain went shooting across my head, and I felt like it was going to split in two. I clutched my head for a moment, moaning softly, as I swayed on my feet. I felt someone's hands holding me up, and then Johnny's voice saying, "I don't think you should go see her. You can barely stand you know." I began to fall back against Johnny's hands, the pain making me feel dizzy and unstable. "No, no I'm fine." I mumbled, determined to go see Chaz. I leaned against the bed for a few more minutes, letting the pain in my pounding head subside, before I began to walk slowly towards the door. "Are you guys coming?" I asked, watching as Johnny and Rah'aru exchanged a glance. Johnny shrugged, before walking towards me, and Rah'aru followed suit.
~
Five minutes later in Chaz's room
Johnny's P.O.V.
~
I have to admit that Tala was one hell of a stubborn guy. He nearly fell over when he got up! Yeesh, I really don't believe him. I guess Rah'aru didn't want Tala to see Chaz for some reason, and it might have been because of Tala's condition. I kept unusually close to Tala, incase he decided to collapse or something like that. His face had gone a nasty shade of white-ish green by the time we got to Chaz's hospital room. It was rather sickening to look at. It took us awhile to get to Chaz's hospital room, as Tala had to make frequent stops to lean against the wall and stop his head from exploding. When we finally got there, Rah'aru opened the door wide, staring at the room. The bed was empty and the window open, the curtains blowing the wind. "What?" I asked, moving from behind Tala to beside my Egyptian teammate. "What is it?" Tala repeated my question, as he took a couple of cautious steps forward, leaning on the doorframe for balance. "She's gone." Rah'aru whispered softly, his voice was level, but it had a hint of what sounded like a little bit of sadness. "Where?" I asked almost immediately, feeling the shock starting to wear off, only to be replaced by a feeling that was so hard to describe. It was kind of like a mixture of loneliness and pain, mixed with a few other feelings that I couldn't describe. My thoughts were broken by Tala. "Why did she leave?" Tala's voice broke in several places, and I looked up at him. A severe look of dejection filled his eyes, and I immediately felt sorry for him. He took this a lot harder then Rah'aru or I, and I pitied him. Tala didn't have any family, and the only friends he had were his teammates, and by far Chaz was his closest friend. She had saved his life, and she invited him onto the team even after he was part of the Demolition Boys. She might have not trusted him, but she did. I gazed around the room, noticing something lying on the bed. It was a note. "Hey guys." I said softly, and Rah'aru and Tala came up beside me. The note was written in Chaz's infamous messy handwriting that was barely legible. The note read:
"When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I can here your name
And in dreams
We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I here a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again."
I read it out loud to my two teammates, and I could feel the tears sting my eyes, but I let them fall. I could cry now. I heard the sound of someone crying behind me, and I turned around very slightly. It was Tala. His turquoise eyes had a heart-wrenching look in them, as he just stared at the note. Tears ran down his face, and he didn't even bother to brush them away. "Tala..." I started, and he looked up at me. "It'll be all right. You know she'll come back." Tala nodded sadly, as more tears ran down his face. Rah'aru looked at his watch before saying very quietly, "The tournament starts in about seven minutes. You know Chaz wouldn't want us to miss it." I nodded, brushing the remaining tears from my face, and taking a deep breath. She'd come back. I knew she would.
~
Back at the Stadium
Rah'aru's P.O.V.
~
I sat on our team bench, sending a glance to my other two teammates. Johnny was staring at the ground, absentmindedly twiddling his fingers. I sighed, before turning my gaze to Tala. I felt extreme pity for my red-haired friend when I saw him. He had his arms wrapped around his knees, which were against his chest, and his turquoise eyes were staring listlessly at his feet while he rocked back and forth. Poor Tala. He took Chaz's disappearance very hard, and I didn't know if there was anything I could do that would help him. Suddenly I remembered something. When I had gone over to read the note the Johnny had found, I discovered a second note addressed to Tala. I had put it in my pocket because Tala didn't seem like he wanted to read anything at all. I reached into my pocket, and drawing out the letter, handed it to Tala. He looked up at me, before taking the note from me. Just then, the Jazzman announced that the next team to face us would be the White Tigers. First up for them was Gary. "I'll go." Rah'aru said softly, getting up from the bench and walking over to the dish. He held his launcher ready, and so did Gary. In a few moments, the battle was over and Rah'aru had won. Even with what had happened to Chaz, he was still a good blader. Next came Mariah, and Johnny volunteered. "You can go last, 'kay Tala?" Tala responded with a slow nod, still staring at the paper in his hands. 'Should I open it?' he wondered, turning the crumpled paper over in his hands. 'Maybe I shouldn't...' His train of thoughts was broken by the sound of the Jazzman bellowing the usual 'let it rip' phrase.
~Tala's P.O.V.~
I decided that I was going to open the note, seeing as I didn't have anything better to do. I was actually quite curious to find out what Chaz had written. Then again, I wasn't sure I wanted to. I opened the note gingerly, and read it in my head.
"Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubt and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try."
I smiled slightly to myself, the tears brimming in my eyes. I missed her a lot, her playful antics, and her easy-going outlook on life, not to mention her stubborn attitude. A cheer from the crown broke my thoughts as Johnny came back to the bench. It had been a tie. I had to go now. I swallowed as a gazed at Rah'aru who gave me a nod of encouragement. I got up, placing the folded note into my pocket and walking up to the dish. I held my launcher ready, as my opponent stepped up to the dish. It was Lee. When we were told to 'let it rip', I launched my blade into the dish. I was still feeling rather downhearted, and I guess that feeling went into my blade. Winning didn't really seem important now. And to think, Chaz had disappeared because of Dark Wolborg, the dark version of my very own bit beast! The Beybattle wasn't going very well for me, as Galleon was beating the crap out of Wolborg. "Tala!" I heard a voice and I looked behind me, meeting a pair of mauve eyes. What did Johnny want? "Tala you can't give up! Chaz wouldn't want you to give up! She never gave up on you, and she never gave up on any of us! She saved your life for a reason Tala, because she cared about you like she cared about her team!" I could see the tears welling up in Johnny's pale purple eyes, and I winced inwardly. He felt just as bad as I had about Chaz's departure. "But it's my fault." I said, feeling tears in my own eyes, "If I hadn't been there then Boris wouldn't have attacked me and Chaz wouldn't be gone." Johnny and I locked our eyes for a moment, before he said slowly "Don't quit, for you're not a failure until you fail to try." I gasped. How did he know what it had said on the note? But he was right. I couldn't give up now. "Chaz will come back, Tala." Rah'aru said softly, and I looked at him. I then turned back to the dish, and yelled to my wobbling blade. "Wolborg, attack!" My blade went charging into Lee's, sending a brilliant flash of black light out of the dish that nearly blinded me. It was over. I had won. I picked up my spinning blade and walked back to the bench. Yes, Chaz would come back. I knew it. "Don't quit, for you're not a failure until you fail to try." I repeated these words softly to myself as I sat down.
~
Tsuki: * sniffles * Aw, I had to punish Tala some more. Gomen nasai. * hugs him *
Tala: Ano... * grins *
Tsuki: Only two more chapters and then the whole fic is done! Ah, I can't believe that!
Kurai: o.0 Only two more chapters? Tsuki: Yes. Anyway, then I can ask people if they want me to write the sequel. ^^
Kurai: Oh joy.
Tsuki: R/R, okay? And remember to tell me who you think Chaz's boyfriend should be! TTFN!
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblades, Lord of the Rings or the poem "Don't quit."
Kurai: * waves little flag * Go you.
Tsuki: * pokes him * Kurai-chan, yamero.
Kurai: * sticks out his tongue * Iie.
Tsuki: * growls * Hai.
Kurai: Iie.
Tsuki: Yamero, onegai? * does the puppy-dog eyes *
Kurai: * sighs * Fine.
Tsuki: Yay! Thank you to all my reviewers, but I need your opinions! I learned from GC that she thinks that Chaz's 'boyfriend' should be Tala, but I can't decide. Who do you think it should be? Anyways, on with the story!
~
Chapter 13: Don't Quit
Tala's P.O.V.
~
[2 days after the incident with Boris * (Tala hit his head pretty hard. ^^)]
(A/N: the Tournament was postponed until after Tala and Chaz got better, k?)
I stirred, opening my eyes to look around. My turquoise pair were met with a pair of amethyst, which I quickly identified as Johnny's. I turned my head slowly to look around, sending a searing pain through it. I guess I hit my head harder than I thought. Rah'aru was there, his calm, pale blue eyes watching me levelly. I took a deep breath, before speaking. "Where am I? How long have I been here?" Those were the first two questions that popped into my head, and Rah'aru answered in his usual, composed tone. "In the hospital. You've been unconscious for about two days now." There was something different about his voice, but I couldn't place it. Something was nagging me in the back of my mind. I sat up, swaying a little as a jolt of pain coursed through my head, and looked around. There was Johnny, standing beside me in the outfit that Chaz had made him wear for the tournament. She had changed my clothes too. Johnny was wearing a black vest, in the same style as his old one with a green t-shirt and black shorts. His shirt had the black dragon symbol on it, which consisted of a dragon winding itself around a curved sword. Johnny's red-ish hair was pulled back as it usually was, but this time with a black bandana. (A/N: I don't know what to call the thing he wears in his hair, so we'll call it a bandana.) I don't know what Chaz had done that convinced me to wear black leather, but she had. I was wearing all black, the suit similar to the one I had worn back in Russia, with the team symbol in green instead of black. Rah'aru only had the symbol woven onto his robes, as Chaz couldn't convince him to change what he was wearing. Rah'aru was standing on my right, and I had to turn my head to see him. There was something missing. Wait a second...I knew there was someone missing! Chaz wasn't here, but if she wasn't here, then where was she? I felt a gnawing sense of anxiety in the pit of my stomach as the events that had happened only an hour and a half ago fell into place. Boris, the dark Wolborg, and.I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I hadn't got hit by Dark Wolborg's attack because someone had pushed me out of the way. That someone was Chaz. I glanced at Johnny, and then back to Rah'aru, before gathering my courage to speak. "Where's Chaz?" I winced at the question, not really want to know that answer. Rah'aru met my eyes with his own, as if he was pondering an answer to my question. I stared back, fidgeting slightly. "Well, you know that Boris's attack was meant for you right?" Rah'aru said finally, breaking the tense silence. I nodded, the sick feeling in my stomach increasing. "Um, she uh...she..." Rah'aru looked like he was struggling with what he was going to say, and that only made me feel horribly worse. "S-s-she what?" I stammered, the feeling of anxiety in my stomach starting to be replaced by intense fear. I really wished I hadn't asked that question. Rah'aru closed his eyes, finally giving me the dreaded answer. "She pushed you out of the way." Rah'aru's voice broke near the end, and he dropped his gaze down to the ground. I froze, at Rah'aru's words. "S-s-she did w-what?" I stuttered, making sure I had heard Rah'aru right. The Egyptian boy just looked at me, and slowly nodded. I really didn't know what to do, so I just sat there with a very stunned look on my face. It took me a while to collect myself, before I asked, "S-s-she's not, y-y-you know, um..." I made a gesture across my throat, and Rah'aru shook his head. "Then where is she? Can't we go see her?" I asked, shuffling to the edge of my hospital bed. Rah'aru looked at the floor again, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Well, um..." "I'm okay." I said firmly, as I stood up. Bad idea. A very sharp pain went shooting across my head, and I felt like it was going to split in two. I clutched my head for a moment, moaning softly, as I swayed on my feet. I felt someone's hands holding me up, and then Johnny's voice saying, "I don't think you should go see her. You can barely stand you know." I began to fall back against Johnny's hands, the pain making me feel dizzy and unstable. "No, no I'm fine." I mumbled, determined to go see Chaz. I leaned against the bed for a few more minutes, letting the pain in my pounding head subside, before I began to walk slowly towards the door. "Are you guys coming?" I asked, watching as Johnny and Rah'aru exchanged a glance. Johnny shrugged, before walking towards me, and Rah'aru followed suit.
~
Five minutes later in Chaz's room
Johnny's P.O.V.
~
I have to admit that Tala was one hell of a stubborn guy. He nearly fell over when he got up! Yeesh, I really don't believe him. I guess Rah'aru didn't want Tala to see Chaz for some reason, and it might have been because of Tala's condition. I kept unusually close to Tala, incase he decided to collapse or something like that. His face had gone a nasty shade of white-ish green by the time we got to Chaz's hospital room. It was rather sickening to look at. It took us awhile to get to Chaz's hospital room, as Tala had to make frequent stops to lean against the wall and stop his head from exploding. When we finally got there, Rah'aru opened the door wide, staring at the room. The bed was empty and the window open, the curtains blowing the wind. "What?" I asked, moving from behind Tala to beside my Egyptian teammate. "What is it?" Tala repeated my question, as he took a couple of cautious steps forward, leaning on the doorframe for balance. "She's gone." Rah'aru whispered softly, his voice was level, but it had a hint of what sounded like a little bit of sadness. "Where?" I asked almost immediately, feeling the shock starting to wear off, only to be replaced by a feeling that was so hard to describe. It was kind of like a mixture of loneliness and pain, mixed with a few other feelings that I couldn't describe. My thoughts were broken by Tala. "Why did she leave?" Tala's voice broke in several places, and I looked up at him. A severe look of dejection filled his eyes, and I immediately felt sorry for him. He took this a lot harder then Rah'aru or I, and I pitied him. Tala didn't have any family, and the only friends he had were his teammates, and by far Chaz was his closest friend. She had saved his life, and she invited him onto the team even after he was part of the Demolition Boys. She might have not trusted him, but she did. I gazed around the room, noticing something lying on the bed. It was a note. "Hey guys." I said softly, and Rah'aru and Tala came up beside me. The note was written in Chaz's infamous messy handwriting that was barely legible. The note read:
"When the cold of winter comes
Starless night will cover day
In the veiling of the sun
We will walk in bitter rain
But in dreams
I can here your name
And in dreams
We will meet again
When the seas and mountains fall
And we come to end of days
In the dark I here a call
Calling me there
I will go there
And back again."
I read it out loud to my two teammates, and I could feel the tears sting my eyes, but I let them fall. I could cry now. I heard the sound of someone crying behind me, and I turned around very slightly. It was Tala. His turquoise eyes had a heart-wrenching look in them, as he just stared at the note. Tears ran down his face, and he didn't even bother to brush them away. "Tala..." I started, and he looked up at me. "It'll be all right. You know she'll come back." Tala nodded sadly, as more tears ran down his face. Rah'aru looked at his watch before saying very quietly, "The tournament starts in about seven minutes. You know Chaz wouldn't want us to miss it." I nodded, brushing the remaining tears from my face, and taking a deep breath. She'd come back. I knew she would.
~
Back at the Stadium
Rah'aru's P.O.V.
~
I sat on our team bench, sending a glance to my other two teammates. Johnny was staring at the ground, absentmindedly twiddling his fingers. I sighed, before turning my gaze to Tala. I felt extreme pity for my red-haired friend when I saw him. He had his arms wrapped around his knees, which were against his chest, and his turquoise eyes were staring listlessly at his feet while he rocked back and forth. Poor Tala. He took Chaz's disappearance very hard, and I didn't know if there was anything I could do that would help him. Suddenly I remembered something. When I had gone over to read the note the Johnny had found, I discovered a second note addressed to Tala. I had put it in my pocket because Tala didn't seem like he wanted to read anything at all. I reached into my pocket, and drawing out the letter, handed it to Tala. He looked up at me, before taking the note from me. Just then, the Jazzman announced that the next team to face us would be the White Tigers. First up for them was Gary. "I'll go." Rah'aru said softly, getting up from the bench and walking over to the dish. He held his launcher ready, and so did Gary. In a few moments, the battle was over and Rah'aru had won. Even with what had happened to Chaz, he was still a good blader. Next came Mariah, and Johnny volunteered. "You can go last, 'kay Tala?" Tala responded with a slow nod, still staring at the paper in his hands. 'Should I open it?' he wondered, turning the crumpled paper over in his hands. 'Maybe I shouldn't...' His train of thoughts was broken by the sound of the Jazzman bellowing the usual 'let it rip' phrase.
~Tala's P.O.V.~
I decided that I was going to open the note, seeing as I didn't have anything better to do. I was actually quite curious to find out what Chaz had written. Then again, I wasn't sure I wanted to. I opened the note gingerly, and read it in my head.
"Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubt and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try."
I smiled slightly to myself, the tears brimming in my eyes. I missed her a lot, her playful antics, and her easy-going outlook on life, not to mention her stubborn attitude. A cheer from the crown broke my thoughts as Johnny came back to the bench. It had been a tie. I had to go now. I swallowed as a gazed at Rah'aru who gave me a nod of encouragement. I got up, placing the folded note into my pocket and walking up to the dish. I held my launcher ready, as my opponent stepped up to the dish. It was Lee. When we were told to 'let it rip', I launched my blade into the dish. I was still feeling rather downhearted, and I guess that feeling went into my blade. Winning didn't really seem important now. And to think, Chaz had disappeared because of Dark Wolborg, the dark version of my very own bit beast! The Beybattle wasn't going very well for me, as Galleon was beating the crap out of Wolborg. "Tala!" I heard a voice and I looked behind me, meeting a pair of mauve eyes. What did Johnny want? "Tala you can't give up! Chaz wouldn't want you to give up! She never gave up on you, and she never gave up on any of us! She saved your life for a reason Tala, because she cared about you like she cared about her team!" I could see the tears welling up in Johnny's pale purple eyes, and I winced inwardly. He felt just as bad as I had about Chaz's departure. "But it's my fault." I said, feeling tears in my own eyes, "If I hadn't been there then Boris wouldn't have attacked me and Chaz wouldn't be gone." Johnny and I locked our eyes for a moment, before he said slowly "Don't quit, for you're not a failure until you fail to try." I gasped. How did he know what it had said on the note? But he was right. I couldn't give up now. "Chaz will come back, Tala." Rah'aru said softly, and I looked at him. I then turned back to the dish, and yelled to my wobbling blade. "Wolborg, attack!" My blade went charging into Lee's, sending a brilliant flash of black light out of the dish that nearly blinded me. It was over. I had won. I picked up my spinning blade and walked back to the bench. Yes, Chaz would come back. I knew it. "Don't quit, for you're not a failure until you fail to try." I repeated these words softly to myself as I sat down.
~
Tsuki: * sniffles * Aw, I had to punish Tala some more. Gomen nasai. * hugs him *
Tala: Ano... * grins *
Tsuki: Only two more chapters and then the whole fic is done! Ah, I can't believe that!
Kurai: o.0 Only two more chapters? Tsuki: Yes. Anyway, then I can ask people if they want me to write the sequel. ^^
Kurai: Oh joy.
Tsuki: R/R, okay? And remember to tell me who you think Chaz's boyfriend should be! TTFN!
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblades, Lord of the Rings or the poem "Don't quit."