TT: *Crawls to the computer, lies her head on her keyboard and begins to fall asleep*
Kai: -_-'' Well, She's only been back 25 and a half hours, and she's already spent one and a half on a new chapter, so I hope you people are happy!
Ray: Where was she the rest of the time?
Kai: Well, why _you_ were having that catnap, she spent 5 hours soaking in a spa, 1 at a reasurant, half an hour convincing her parents to take her to the resuarant, and the rest of the time sleeping.
TT: *apprutly wakes up* Well, you spend ten days getting to bed at midnight, sleeping on rock-covered grounf with only a plastic sheet between you and the rain, then waking up just before dawn every morning!
Kai: Aren't you exaggerating a little bit?
TT: Okay, so it didn't rain while I was out there... But there _was_ dew!
Ray: And then you hiked, how far, in ten days?
TT: 50 km... uphil... T_T I HATE CAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *blinks* Ray! You're back!
Ray: I escaped when Ice-Queen fell asleep... It wasn't very nice, leaving me there with her, you know.
TT: *ignoring Ray, and reading all the fanfics she's missed out on while she's been gone...* OMG!!! Jedi Princess Clarrisani FINISHED ECLIPSE!!! ^_^
Kai: She needs a life.
TT: FANFICTION IS MY LIFE!!!
Kai: Which is why she'll never own beyblade, because if she did she would have given it fanfiction.net in exchange for the right to have a fanfiction.net convention in Australia...
TT: *blinks* Hey! Thats a good idea!
Ray: Now you've done it!
***
The operation began at 10:30 the next morning. It was supposed to start at 10, but it took them half an hour to convince Kai that, no, there was nothing but sleeping gas in the gas cylinder and, yes, they were sure about that. Evidently the prospect of getting rid of the chip hadn't made Kai any less paranoid.
The BladeBreakers were currently outside the operating theatre as 'project anti-chip', as Tyson was so eager to dub it, began. Kenny was typing on Dizzi, Max was waiting somewhat impatiently- jumping to his feet whenever a nurse walked by, Ray was reading a magazine, trying to keep himself calm, and Tyson was having his hundred-and-tenth trip to the snack machine down the hall.
Nurses wandered in and out of the theatre every so often, making them all look up with anticipation. Though they all, or mostly all, seemed to have cool exteriors, they were all tightly coiled springs, waiting with impatience.
Max sighed, his hands fidgeting in his lap as he glanced up at the clock again for the hundredth or so time in five minutes.
"Calm down, Max, it's only been an hour." The Chief looked up from the laptop for a moment as he spoke.
"But Chief..." Max whined.
"Kenny's right." Ray interrupted, "There's nothing we can do except wait, anyway."
"Yeah, I suppose..." Max sighed, looking at the ground.
"I wish I knew how it was going in there, though."
"We all do, Tyson, we all do."
***
The doctor furrowed his brow as he carefully began to trace the line he would cut. Cut too far deep and he'd hit the brainstem, not cut far enough and he'd knock the chip into a worse position than before...
It was a relief that the first half of the operation was finished. Whether or not it was a success, however, was impossible to tell without opening up the neck to check.
Swallowing hard, the doctor cut a 60-degree corner, pushing the scalpel carefully into the soft flesh that had previously been protected by a scarf.
Still poking out of the skin, the chip was gently removed from where it was now sitting on top of the brainstem, as the skin was peeled back. The doctor couldn't hold in a sigh of relief, so far, so good.
Using a pair of tweezers, the chip was ever-so slowly pulled from the sensitive flesh, blood quickly mopped up before it hit the brainstem. The doctor examined the part of the brain carefully. There was a slight hole where the chip had been, but there was no way of telling how serious it was.
Taking a needle and thread from one of the nurses, he began to carefully sew up the cut.
***
Kai was currently, once again, trapped in memories. Seeming to be aged about 5; he was sitting in a dark, dank cell, chained to the ground. The smell of blood was overpowered only by the smell of the stale dankness he was forever surrounded by.
Dark crimson eyes strained through the darkness, trying vainly to see something, _anything_ other than the continuous darkness that bound him tighter than any chain.
The young Kai was curled up in a ball, arms around his legs and chip resting on his knees in exhaustion, blood loss did do that to people.
The punishment had been for not paying attention during training, but he honestly hadn't been able to help himself. He hadn't been able to focus, no matter how hard he tried.
His thoughts had just shifted back to Black Dranzer, to the way it had seemed to cry out to him from the moment it was first launched. It was as if it had honed in on him.
Even now, he could feel it reaching for him, calling for him. It invaded his thoughts, ever trying to lure him closer to it.
And Kai found himself unable to resist the dark phoenix's call. It had bound him, continuously pulling at him as it screamed for freedom. To set its power free.
And its offer in return, an offer of unspoken power, was simply too much for the youngster to resist.
From in between two blood-coated stones in the wall, Kai pulled out a lock pick, and set to work...
***
"Well, how is he?" The doctor looked at the four boys standing in front of him, desperation on all their features.
"The operation was a success, but we won't know if there was any mental damage until he wakes up... If he wakes up." The last bit was a mumble to himself, but the teens heard it.
"Hey! What do you mean, if?!" The boy wearing a baseball cap demanded.
Not sure what else to do, the doctor began to explain, "The procedure was very difficult, because of where the chip was located. The hole created by the chip, now that it is no longer being filled, could either heal over or send him into a coma, there's no way of telling."
There was silence as this information was processed, and horror began to pass over their faces.
"Why didn't you mention any of this _before_ he chose to have to operation?!"
"We weren't aware of how deeply the chip had been imbedded into the brainstem, it wasn't a calculated factor."
The BladeBreakers stared at the doctor in disbelief, finally, Ray spoke, "When will he wake up?"
"If he does at all? Probably in the next few weeks."
"Can we see him?"
The doctor nodded, and gave them directions for a room. He had barely finished speaking before they dashed off, sprinting to find their friend.
***
The black beyblade was practically vibrating with pure, dark power as it was placed in the launcher. The young Kai felt only exhilaration, anticipation, longing for it.
The older Kai felt dread, pure and horrified dread. He was screaming at his younger counterpart, to stop while he still could. He was screaming at himself to stop, to wake up, so that he wouldn't have to watch this again.
But, at the same time, he didn't want to wake up. Because, if he woke up, he'd have to face reality again, and have to go back to remembering things he wished had never happened.
Oh sure, he had to remember them here, too. But here, no one else could see his weakness, no one else could touch him, hurt him.
If he went back, he'd have to go back to wearing the masks, to being strong, emotionless, of hiding.
And he was so sick of hiding.
So long as he remained in the darkness, no one could hurt him but himself.
The ripcord was pulled, the dark beyblade was unleashed. Kai screamed in anguish, trying to will the images in front of him away.
But had to same time he was fighting to stop the memories, he was fighting himself not to wake up.
Black Dranzer tore away from any control Kai might have had over it, using him instead. The abbey, once again, began to fall around him.
And Kai embraced the tainted darkness that claimed him.
Kai: -_-'' Well, She's only been back 25 and a half hours, and she's already spent one and a half on a new chapter, so I hope you people are happy!
Ray: Where was she the rest of the time?
Kai: Well, why _you_ were having that catnap, she spent 5 hours soaking in a spa, 1 at a reasurant, half an hour convincing her parents to take her to the resuarant, and the rest of the time sleeping.
TT: *apprutly wakes up* Well, you spend ten days getting to bed at midnight, sleeping on rock-covered grounf with only a plastic sheet between you and the rain, then waking up just before dawn every morning!
Kai: Aren't you exaggerating a little bit?
TT: Okay, so it didn't rain while I was out there... But there _was_ dew!
Ray: And then you hiked, how far, in ten days?
TT: 50 km... uphil... T_T I HATE CAMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *blinks* Ray! You're back!
Ray: I escaped when Ice-Queen fell asleep... It wasn't very nice, leaving me there with her, you know.
TT: *ignoring Ray, and reading all the fanfics she's missed out on while she's been gone...* OMG!!! Jedi Princess Clarrisani FINISHED ECLIPSE!!! ^_^
Kai: She needs a life.
TT: FANFICTION IS MY LIFE!!!
Kai: Which is why she'll never own beyblade, because if she did she would have given it fanfiction.net in exchange for the right to have a fanfiction.net convention in Australia...
TT: *blinks* Hey! Thats a good idea!
Ray: Now you've done it!
***
The operation began at 10:30 the next morning. It was supposed to start at 10, but it took them half an hour to convince Kai that, no, there was nothing but sleeping gas in the gas cylinder and, yes, they were sure about that. Evidently the prospect of getting rid of the chip hadn't made Kai any less paranoid.
The BladeBreakers were currently outside the operating theatre as 'project anti-chip', as Tyson was so eager to dub it, began. Kenny was typing on Dizzi, Max was waiting somewhat impatiently- jumping to his feet whenever a nurse walked by, Ray was reading a magazine, trying to keep himself calm, and Tyson was having his hundred-and-tenth trip to the snack machine down the hall.
Nurses wandered in and out of the theatre every so often, making them all look up with anticipation. Though they all, or mostly all, seemed to have cool exteriors, they were all tightly coiled springs, waiting with impatience.
Max sighed, his hands fidgeting in his lap as he glanced up at the clock again for the hundredth or so time in five minutes.
"Calm down, Max, it's only been an hour." The Chief looked up from the laptop for a moment as he spoke.
"But Chief..." Max whined.
"Kenny's right." Ray interrupted, "There's nothing we can do except wait, anyway."
"Yeah, I suppose..." Max sighed, looking at the ground.
"I wish I knew how it was going in there, though."
"We all do, Tyson, we all do."
***
The doctor furrowed his brow as he carefully began to trace the line he would cut. Cut too far deep and he'd hit the brainstem, not cut far enough and he'd knock the chip into a worse position than before...
It was a relief that the first half of the operation was finished. Whether or not it was a success, however, was impossible to tell without opening up the neck to check.
Swallowing hard, the doctor cut a 60-degree corner, pushing the scalpel carefully into the soft flesh that had previously been protected by a scarf.
Still poking out of the skin, the chip was gently removed from where it was now sitting on top of the brainstem, as the skin was peeled back. The doctor couldn't hold in a sigh of relief, so far, so good.
Using a pair of tweezers, the chip was ever-so slowly pulled from the sensitive flesh, blood quickly mopped up before it hit the brainstem. The doctor examined the part of the brain carefully. There was a slight hole where the chip had been, but there was no way of telling how serious it was.
Taking a needle and thread from one of the nurses, he began to carefully sew up the cut.
***
Kai was currently, once again, trapped in memories. Seeming to be aged about 5; he was sitting in a dark, dank cell, chained to the ground. The smell of blood was overpowered only by the smell of the stale dankness he was forever surrounded by.
Dark crimson eyes strained through the darkness, trying vainly to see something, _anything_ other than the continuous darkness that bound him tighter than any chain.
The young Kai was curled up in a ball, arms around his legs and chip resting on his knees in exhaustion, blood loss did do that to people.
The punishment had been for not paying attention during training, but he honestly hadn't been able to help himself. He hadn't been able to focus, no matter how hard he tried.
His thoughts had just shifted back to Black Dranzer, to the way it had seemed to cry out to him from the moment it was first launched. It was as if it had honed in on him.
Even now, he could feel it reaching for him, calling for him. It invaded his thoughts, ever trying to lure him closer to it.
And Kai found himself unable to resist the dark phoenix's call. It had bound him, continuously pulling at him as it screamed for freedom. To set its power free.
And its offer in return, an offer of unspoken power, was simply too much for the youngster to resist.
From in between two blood-coated stones in the wall, Kai pulled out a lock pick, and set to work...
***
"Well, how is he?" The doctor looked at the four boys standing in front of him, desperation on all their features.
"The operation was a success, but we won't know if there was any mental damage until he wakes up... If he wakes up." The last bit was a mumble to himself, but the teens heard it.
"Hey! What do you mean, if?!" The boy wearing a baseball cap demanded.
Not sure what else to do, the doctor began to explain, "The procedure was very difficult, because of where the chip was located. The hole created by the chip, now that it is no longer being filled, could either heal over or send him into a coma, there's no way of telling."
There was silence as this information was processed, and horror began to pass over their faces.
"Why didn't you mention any of this _before_ he chose to have to operation?!"
"We weren't aware of how deeply the chip had been imbedded into the brainstem, it wasn't a calculated factor."
The BladeBreakers stared at the doctor in disbelief, finally, Ray spoke, "When will he wake up?"
"If he does at all? Probably in the next few weeks."
"Can we see him?"
The doctor nodded, and gave them directions for a room. He had barely finished speaking before they dashed off, sprinting to find their friend.
***
The black beyblade was practically vibrating with pure, dark power as it was placed in the launcher. The young Kai felt only exhilaration, anticipation, longing for it.
The older Kai felt dread, pure and horrified dread. He was screaming at his younger counterpart, to stop while he still could. He was screaming at himself to stop, to wake up, so that he wouldn't have to watch this again.
But, at the same time, he didn't want to wake up. Because, if he woke up, he'd have to face reality again, and have to go back to remembering things he wished had never happened.
Oh sure, he had to remember them here, too. But here, no one else could see his weakness, no one else could touch him, hurt him.
If he went back, he'd have to go back to wearing the masks, to being strong, emotionless, of hiding.
And he was so sick of hiding.
So long as he remained in the darkness, no one could hurt him but himself.
The ripcord was pulled, the dark beyblade was unleashed. Kai screamed in anguish, trying to will the images in front of him away.
But had to same time he was fighting to stop the memories, he was fighting himself not to wake up.
Black Dranzer tore away from any control Kai might have had over it, using him instead. The abbey, once again, began to fall around him.
And Kai embraced the tainted darkness that claimed him.