Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.
Jade: Wow! This is so cool! People are actually reviewing us, you guys! Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed!
Alexia: Yeah, we've been getting so few reviews… but that's okay—hopefully we'll get more soon, right?
Patrick: (nudging Mike) What's up with you, though, Fearless Leader? Why're you so quiet?
Mike: (shaking his head) I'm just getting a bad vibe, that's all… I don't like what the Demolition Boys are doing…
Patrick: Who does like what they're doing to begin with?
Jade: Apparently, Boris and Voltaire do—but enough chat. Here comes the next chapter.
CHAPTER NINE
The Stealing
The two of the three arenas in the area were soon filled with spectators and beybladers. In the second arena, the West Arena, more people went to this one, as this was where the battle between the Demolition Boys and their very odd opponents were.
"Come on, Kai—I want to see what's going to happen!" said Tyson.
"No," replied Kai from where they were in the East Arena. "We still have to find out which teams will go to battle first. And until we do, no one's going anywhere."
"But they've made the Demolition Boys go first and they're starting now!" said Max, hearing the tumult from the other arena.
"Guys, Kai has a point—we have to stay here or we won't know when it's going to be our turn to battle!" said Ray.
That settled the matter, and the Bladebreakers were forced to remain still. From behind them, Mike came up and said, "Maybe you should send for one of your own to go—and call him back when you know you're going to be playing."
They turned around and saw him. He was looking oddly serious. Tyson asked, "What're you doing here, Mike? Shouldn't you be with your team?"
"They're all right—but I suggest you go see what is happening to the Dark Bladers," said Mike, shifting uncomfortably.
"What's wrong?" asked Max. "You look a little distracted."
"I am," said Mike, turning to the side of the West, and said, "I just have a really bad feeling with those Russians… There is no way that the Dark Bladers will win… Not when I can sense such overwhelming energy from there…"
Kai glanced at him, and then said, "If Kenny were here, we'd send him… Ray, you go. Check it out for a few moments, then come back."
Ray nodded. "Right."
As Ray took off like a shot, Kai turned to Mike. "Why are you telling this to us?"
Mike glanced at him by the corner of his eyes and said, "We're all on the same boat here: We're going to be caged canaries in this stadium—because this is where the Demolition Boys are in full power. And unless we help those we know, none of us will make it through against that kind of power and ruthlessness."
"Good point," Tyson murmured, watching as Ray vanished up the steps and vanished into the doors.
Mike let out his breath. "Man…I really have a bad feeling about this… I know that Boris just sent his boys out there with a trump card. Just what, I have no idea."
And he walked off and headed into the mess of other bladers just as DJ took the stand and the screen flashed and began showing the order of matches between teams. As Mike walked off and this was happening, Max said, "Mike is kind of weird, but he's a nice guy."
"Yeah," said Tyson. "He might've given us good warning by having us send just one to see the match in Block B."
Kai just shrugged and looked up at the screen. "Looks like the All-Stars and the Afterburners are up first. We're tackling the Conquistadors after the Relic Bladers take on the Blade Sparkers."
"Well, looks like Ray will have time to check things out," said Max. "Unless he wants to see how the All-Stars do. I heard that a major upgrading session went on their room."
"Hopefully he'll be back soon," said Tyson. "I want to see this as much as you do, Max!"
The cheering had erupted so loudly that Ray was nearly downcast—that meant that it was almost over. But he ran as fast as he could to see what was going on.
He burst into the Block B arena's top bleacher, and, looking over the railing, he saw a shocking sight. Sanquinex was on his knees in defeat and crying out horribly. His beyblade was still within the plain arena, and Spencer was standing over it, holding his own beyblade—he'd been victorious.
Ray quickly looked up at the screen and was stunned. The match was two out of three—and the Demolition Boys had won twice already in such short period of time. Ian had defeated Lupenex, and he saw that Dark Blader on the bench, holding the flint-like remains of his own beyblade in his hands.
Whoa… he thought. This is amazing…
The was a gasp from next to him, and he looked up. Standing about ten paces from him and with one hand gripping the rail and another hand on her mouth—was Jade. She was the one that Mike sent to check things out. She was not looking at him, but was looking at the on-goings below.
Ray followed suit, and went pale. He understood the reason why Spencer was holding out his beyblade over Sanquinex's. His own beyblade was actually stealing Sanquinex's vampire bit beast. There was a blast of darkness and magenta from the demolished vampire blade, and this light streaked like a lightning bolt into Spencer's own.
Spencer raised his beyblade into the air in triumph, and the stands exploded into cheers and some gasps. Ray was appalled. "He…he stole his bit beast… How—How is that possible?!"
"Ian did the same thing…to Lupenex's relic…" he heard Jade murmur from where she was. She was talking to herself, but there was unmistakable dread in her voice.
Ray looked back at the fray, and he saw that the Demolition Boys were the unmistakable winners. The group stood over where the Dark Bladers went over Sanquinex.
Cenotaph looked extremely agitated. "You…how could you all be so cruel?!"
Tala smirked. "Because we can. We told you that we do not treat gatecrashers favorably."
"What made you think that you could stop us to begin with?" Ian laughed.
Zomb's fist clenched at this as they pulled the tormented Sanquinex to his feet. "You…mark our words—your barricade from the success of your evils plans does not fall on our defeat!"
"There will be more going against you…" Lupenex snarled.
"Let them try," Tala muttered, and they all turned and walked off.
From down below, the White Tigers were stunned. "He…I can't believe they just did that!" said Kevin, his jaw hanging. "How could anyone steal a bit beast?"
Lee was obviously agitated. He looked up at the screen. The Demolition Boys had won and advanced to the Quarter-Finals. But if the White Tigers work hard enough, they'll meet them at the Semi-Finals.
"We have to stop them!" said Kevin. "They'll just take all their opponents' bit beasts as they go along!"
"We can't let that happen!" said Lee. "We'll stop them. Right Mariah?" He stopped and turned. "Mariah?"
Kevin whirled around. "Mariah? Hey, where did she go?"
As the White Tigers were having this little predicament, the Majestics were also beside themselves with shock. Johnny, sitting on the bleachers, slammed his fist on the divider. "What a bunch of a—"
"Hold your tongue!" Olive exclaimed. "Swearing won't do any good and won't be good form for you. We're stunned too, you know!"
"The Russians are getting worse by the minute!" said Enrique. "Not only did they take the Dark Bladers' bit beats—they act as if they don't care!!"
"At least when we defeated those Dark Bladers, we didn't quite do anything like that!" said Oliver. "Well…they did end up as half-dead creatures of the underworld, but that wasn't our fault, was it? Oh Robert, this is terrible! What should we—Robert?" He looked around, and the German champion was nowhere to be found.
Johnny clucked his tongue in impatience. "Robert cleared off awhile ago. But man, I am so determined to crush these Demolition Boys!"
"No chance of that," said Enrique. "Until we beat who wins between the Snow Blazers and the White Tigers, we won't get to them. We won't even get to them unless we beat the Tribals first!"
"Quit worrying—we can do this," snapped Johnny.
From up above in the top flight of the bleachers, Ray looked over to Jade again. She was backing off from the rail in horror, like what she'd just seen was the most horrible thing in the world for her. Ray was debating whether he should go to her or not, but he stopped, as Robert materialized.
"Jade!" Robert called out.
Jade turned to look at him. She looked a good deal less stunned and she ran to him. "Robert!" she exclaimed. She hurried to him, and she held his arms. "Robert—did you—did you see that?! He…he took a relic…"
"I know, I know," said Robert, putting his arms around her, trying to console her. "Take it easy. Don't worry—we'll get them for that."
He looked up and saw Ray. He frowned as he saw Ray staring at Jade and was quite surprised at her reaction. "Ray," Robert muttered.
Jade looked up and turned, and she saw him for the first time. She was stunned and she stared at him. He stared back at her for a moment, but then Mariah materialized behind him and suddenly grabbed his shoulders. "Ray!" she exclaimed.
Ray, surprised, turned around. "Mariah?"
"I'm so glad you're here!" said Mariah. "Have you come to see our match? We're going right before the Majestics take on the Tribals."
"Uh…yeah," said Ray, smiling at her, but losing that same smile as he looked back at Jade and Robert.
Jade watched a moment, and then she said to Robert, "Robert, I have to go—I…have to go tell my team…" she purposely let her voice trail away as Robert nodded and she ran into another hall.
Ray took a few steps towards the hall but stopped as Mariah was still clinging on to him. Robert watched as she vanished, and then he turned to face Ray. Ray was a little surprised. Robert never looked so serious before. The German strode over to the two and said, "Ray, I want to speak to you for a moment."
"But I'm with him!" said Mariah.
"For just a moment, all right?!" Robert snarled at Mariah so that she let go and backed off, sticking her tongue out at him as he turned and dragged Ray with him.
"Robert, what is it?" asked Ray, confused and somewhat anxious.
He replied nothing for a moment, but he just stared at Ray. And then he said in a deep and yet nearly-threatening tone, "You leave her alone, Ray. I think you know who I'm talking about."
Ray blinked for a moment, and then his expression turned rather serious as he understood. "Why?"
"I don't want you coming near her," replied Robert in the same low, dangerous tone, pointing at him for effect. "Not the likes of you."
"I…don't know what you're talking about," said Ray, turning away.
Robert's gaze held steady. "I don't want you near her and I know you made her upset. So leave Jade alone or you're dealing with me."
Ray looked back at him with an equally serious gaze. But he was unable to say anything. Robert stolidly strode past him without another word, and Ray did not move until he'd gone. Ray clenched his fist.
So Robert had come to take matters to his own hands… he thought. Why is he so defensive over Jade? Does he care for her too? Wait a minute… What did I just say? 'Too'? Why do I even care that Robert's defensive? Oh, darn it—I can't understand…
Mariah suddenly grabbed Ray's arm and said, "Come on, Ray, our match is up!"
"Oh…all—all right, Mariah…" said Ray as the pink-haired beyblader pulled him off.
Patrick sat bolt upright on his seat. "What?! Are you serious?!"
"Yes!" Jade said. "The Demolition Boys steal their opponents' relics when they beat them!"
"Oh god, that's terrible!" Alexia muttered.
Mike clenched his fist. "This is too much of an insult! How could they do such things? That's it—we're definitely going to have to go through this entire Block to face-off with them in the Finals. We have to make them pay for this!"
"Cool it, Mike," said Zeus, looking up from where he was on his laptop. "Getting agitated is not going to help you. You'll have to focus yourself for you to get through this block first before thinking of going over to face the other block. Might I remind you that the Bladebreakers are in this block too?"
And so they were. Tyson was pacing around where they were. "Man, where's Ray?! I want to know what's happened over at the other block!"
"Yeah, Jade already returned to report," said Max. "And boy does she look upset. I wonder what happened over at the other block…"
Kai was frowning as he too noticed what Max had. Boris… he thought furiously, what are you and the Demolition Boys up to now?!
Alexia looked up and asked, "Jade…did you notice anything about Tala?"
Jade looked at her and hesitantly said, "I'm…I'm sorry, Alexia… but he seems kind of… kind of…"
"Kind of what?" asked Alexia anxiously.
"Well…let's just say that he's the captain of the Demolition Boys and he's really acting like one," replied Jade.
Alexia dropped her head into her hands. "Oh no… What have they done to him? I mean, I've seen him—he doesn't even smile anymore! Not unless he's smirking at someone…"
"It's all right, Alexia," said Patrick. "We'll put that in our to-do list. Crush the opponents in this block, beat the other block, and then get Tala back, knock sense into him, and then go home! Man, I'm really starting to get creeped out by this place…"
Kai looked away from the group and thought, I bet that whatever happened with the Demolition Boys, it's not pretty, and Alexia's being terribly bothered because of Tala. Tala. Everytime I think of that guy I have the overwhelming urge to stomp him and his team to the ground!
"Kai, geez—chill out!" said Max, staring at him. "Your face turned purple all of a sudden."
"Oh pipe down, Max—is Ray here yet?"
"Here he comes," said Tyson. "And terribly late, too. The All-Stars are just about to finish up these Afterburners!"
Ray came racing down the bleachers and hurrying to his team. The Bladebreakers all turned to him as he arrived. "Finally!" said Tyson. "What took you?"
"Sorry," replied Ray. "I waited to watch the White Tigers' match. I watched Mariah's battle and she beat one of the Icelander Snow Blazers."
"All right, fine," said Kai impatiently. "But what happened back there? Jade came pelting back here looking like a murder happened!"
Ray glanced at the Relic Bladers' group, and indeed, they all looked rather grim and serious. "Is that right?" he murmured. For a brief moment, his mind flashed back to what Robert had told him up in the bleachers. Man, Robert really looked serious. I guess he doesn't really want me coming near her…
"Hellooo…Ray, look here, please!" said Tyson, waving at him. "What happened, man?!"
Ray broke his trance and looked up. "Oh. Sorry. The Demolition Boys are up to no good. They've totally trashed the Dark Bladers—and they even stole their bit beasts!"
"All of them?!" asked Kai.
"Yes, all of them!" said Ray. "Even though Lupenex and Sanquinex were the only ones who battles, they stole all the bit beasts of the Dark Bladers using their beyblades. The White Tigers saw it all and they told me!"
"Man, that's terrible," said Tyson.
Kai muttered under his breath. "I can't believe this. They're stealing bit beasts so they can gain more power! Every team who falls prey to them loses more than a match…"
"Did you know about this, Kai?" asked Max.
"No," replied Kai. "I didn't think they'd go this far. I've only heard rumors of it when I was in BIOVOLT."
Tyson gripped his beyblade. "That's just terrible…" he looked back to the Relic Bladers. "Guys, I know this is bad, but why do they look like a tragedy's happened?"
"That's because in Arcanis, bit beats or 'relics' are revered as sacred and it's an extremely horrible even if you lose one or it gets stolen from you!"
They turned around. "Chief!"
Kenny smiled at them as he plodded down the stairs and reached them, yawning and still looking a little bedraggled. "Hello. Sorry if I slept in on you…"
"That's all right," said Max. "Don't worry about it."
"What'd I miss?" asked Kenny.
"Oh not much—the Demolition Boys beat down the Dark Bladers—stealing their bit beasts along the way—and the All-Stars are just about to beat the Afterburners," said Tyson.
"They've upgraded, I see," said Kenny. "Look at those All-Stars' beyblades go! They certainly went through a lot of trouble on it yesterday!"
They watched as Michael delivered the final blow at the Canadian Afterburners' captain, Jackie, and his beyblade clattered still to the ground.
"Game, set, and match! The All-Stars win!!" DJ crowed, and the arena burst into applause and cheers again. Michael waved graciously to everyone as he strolled back to the bench where his teammates were, while Jackie returned to his teammates, who patted him on the back and said that it was a good game.
AJ Topper, one of the commentators, said, "Man, those All-Stars are awesome! I've never seen them go like this before!"
"That's right, AJ," said Brad Best, the other commentator, "After mass practices yesterday, they've gone into a serious rebuilding!"
"I don't blame them, Brad, not after those killer displays of power given by the other teams!" said AJ.
Max turned back to Kenny and asked, "What were you saying about Arcanis, Chief?"
"Oh yeah," said Kenny. "Like I told you before, Arcanis is a land with many powerful bit beasts—or relics. They hold bit beats sacred—It's Arcan tradition. And now to have your bit beast forcefully stolen from you—right to your face, might I add—is something that for the Arcans, is just about as horrible as killing somebody!"
"So is that why they're all looking like that…" Ray said, looking to the Relic Bladers again.
"Who're battling next?" asked Tyson.
Ray looked up at the screen and said, "It's the Arcan Relic Bladers VS the Colombian Blade Sparkers." As he said this, Patrick stepped forward and took a position on one side of the unrevealed bowl. He gripped his long imposing scythe with one hand.
From across him, the Colombians took position, with their first member, Diego. Obviously, Diego was very tense upon being faced off with these warriors from the unknown land and he gripped a beyblade that, oddly enough, shimmered in green.
Kenny blinked. "Huh? What's that green shimmer?" He began typing on his laptop again, and Max said, "All right, now take it easy, Chief—you've worn yourself out already."
"Don't worry, Max," said Kenny, yawning. "I'm still…I've still got to work hard…"
DJ, who still bursts into frenzies of a Russian dance once in a while, now trumpeted, "All right! Here it is, the second match of the Block A Elimination Rounds! The Relic Bladers of Arcanis versus the Blade Sparkers of Colombia! First up, Patrick of the Relic Bladers and Diego of the Blade Sparkers!"
There was a powerful tumult that met this, and DJ waved down, and the bowl began to reveal itself. "Hey, what do we have here?" said Brad Best. "Looks like BIOVOLT's normal bowl has gotten a little abnormal itself!"
Indeed, although the bowl had no obstacles whatsoever, it was jet back in color, solid metal, and sparkling with an odd shimmer. "There it is, ladies and gents!" said AJ Topper. "The BIOVOLT new-type normal bowl—the midnight diamond bowl! It's a bowl made of completely solid metal titanium and even has diamond dust! It's the sturdiest and strongest arena in the world!"
"Looks like they've gotten wind of the power that our beyblades have," Patrick remarked. "I don't think any ordinary stone can deal with us…"
Diego wavered, but remained calm as his teammates urged him on and told him to work hard and win.
Mike smiled to himself. "Ah, I'll bet anything that they've decided to make thing sturdier because they knew how our beyblades wreck things…"
"Partially your fault, isn't it?" said Zeus, pushing up his glasses. "You do wreak havoc with your blades…and that's not by accident."
Mike said nothing but kept grinning, as the girls got sweatdrops.
"Bladers ready!!" DJ called.
Diego held out his beyblade and put it in position at the launcher, and Patrick slammed his Armada into his scythe and brought it in a swinging arc to position.
"This looks like it's gong to be a good one, Brad," said AJ as he and Brad studied each bladers' stats. "Diego of the Blade Sparkers is known to be very skilled and serious in battles, but let's see him go against this one!"
"That's right," said Brad. "Patrick of the Relic Bladers certainly have it in for his opponents, and his ruthless Armada is sure fitting for him."
The referee took to position as the bladers were ready, and everyone watched in anticipation.
"Three!! Two!! One!! Let it rip!!" DJ yelled.
"Go!!" Diego shouted, releasing his blade with a blast of greenish smoke from the launcher.
"Take him down!!" Patrick roared as he gave the scythe a powerful swung and Armada was flung right off and sped into the bowl. There was an almost deafening clanging sound as both blades hit the arena.
"Metal…hmm…" Kenny thought, studying Diego's blade. "It's greenish…and so are the rest of the Colombians'…"
Armada charged around the stadium, in hot pursuit of Diego's blade. It suddenly darted forward in a blue stream and slammed right into Diego's blade. Tiny debris of an odd greenish hue flew all around the pitch arena and Diego's blade nearly got forced into the sloping walls.
Armada pulled away, and Patrick smirked. "Oh, so is that your game…"
"What is he talking about?" asked Tyson. "Has he figured it out?"
"I know!" said Kenny. "I know what it is! Diego's blade and the rest of the Blade Sparkers have put something in the composition of their metal beyblades! They put emerald in it!"
"Emerald?!" they chorused.
Emily, sitting with the All-Stars, pushed up her glasses. "I guess that they knew that in order to stand a chance against the Relic Bladers, they're going to have to make their blades stronger. Admittedly, it's an interesting tactic to put emerald in their beyblades to strengthen them, in the same way the Russians used diamond dust to strengthen the arena!"
"Quite smart," said Steve, smiling as he watched.
Diego grinned. "That's right. Our beyblades are strong enough to take you on right now, using the emeralds taken from our native Colombia!"
Patrick watched as Diego's beyblade crashed into his and pushed Armada slightly off the chase. Then, suddenly, Patrick erupted into laughter. "Oh, is that so?! Well, then, let's turn it up a notch!"
Armada gleamed a sudden vivid flash and there was a sickening impact on Diego's beyblade. There was a powerful metal sound of impact and sudden bending. Sparks rained down from everywhere as Armada's blades slashed right through Diego's. There was a momentary pause.
The next thing they knew, everyone was on their feet, awestruck and cheering, as Diego's blade fell with a clank at the bottom of the arena, pieces of it torn out and in places on the arena, and Armada sill spinning around like a blue streak. "Ha!" Patrick roared. "Take that!"
Diego, appalled, fell to his knees. "What…happened?"
"Ha haa!" AJ Topper was howling in glee. "Look at that! That was a perfect shark attack right there!"
"Diego's blade has been ripped by Armada—like it was raw meat for a shark!" said Brad. "And that's just what it is!"
"And the winner!!" DJ yelled. "Patrick of the Relic Bladers!!"
There was another roar from the audience, and Tyson was on his feet. "Man, how did that happen? One minute Armada was just rushing, and then he next—"
"I know!" said Max. "Isn't it amazing? That blade was awesome! What do you think, Chief?"
They all looked at him when they received no reply, and Ray facefaulted when he saw Kenny bent over his closed laptop, snoring. "Chief fell asleep again…"
Kai looked out to the arena. "I think that the Relic Bladers will have this one. After this match, we're going to fight the Conquistadors."
He looked over to where the Spanish contenders were. There they were, three of them, standing at one side of the bleachers. Two boys and a girl. The tallest was the girl, and she turned around and saw him. She smirked at him and tossed her black curls as if she had something up her sleeve for them.
Kai frowned. Those Conquistadors are acting odd. They're not even concerned about anything…
Suddenly, in the dim silence, a scream was heard from the darkened hallway atop the bleachers. "No!!" came the cry of one Canadian contender from the hall beyond. "My beyblade! My bit beast!!"
For a moment, the area was stunned. Mike, who'd heard, had an expression that darkened his face, and he tore away from the bench and headed for the steps to the bleachers. "Mike!!" Patrick cried.
"Jade, take over!!" said Mike as he ran off.
Tyson, unnerved by Mike's sudden movement, instantly took off in a flurry, racing up the bleachers and heading for the hall. He was just the type to help people out, and there he went, knowing that the Demolition Boys were at it again.
"Man, and there goes Tyson!" said Max. "Nobody can keep still now, can they?"
"No!!" wailed an Afterburner girl, her voice echoing in the hall.
Mike listened to the cry and followed after it. It was only then that he realized that Tyson was on his tail. "What are you doing here?" Mike called.
"I know it's the Demolition Boys!" Tyson cried. "They're stealing the Canadians' bit beasts because they lost!"
"Oh so you all know too, huh?" Mike said. "You should be with your team—you're battle's next!"
"Your battle is now and you left!"
"Ah, you're tough to argue with," Mike snorted but still smiling anyway as he glanced back at Tyson. "And you're good. Well, come on, then—we're almost too late!"
The two of them broke into a hall, and they saw the Afterburners there. One thickly dressed blonde girl was reaching out as the blue-green image of a large reindeer bit beast vanished into a beyblade that was sucking it in.
The two beybladers stopped in their tracks, stunned. Tala of the Demolition Boys was standing there with Bryan, and their bit pieces are both glowing as they had stolen the Canadian bit beasts.
"Tala!" Mike exclaimed.
"We're too late," said Tyson.
Tala and Bryan looked up at them, and the blonde Canadian girl was crying as her friends consoled her. Tala said, "Mike. I thought your battle was right now."
"It is," retorted Mike. "But I decided to see for myself if this was true. Tala, how could you?! You know what it means to have a relic stolen!"
Tala did not reply. And then Bryan said, "Tala no longer cares for that sort of twaddle."
Tyson said, "You guys are going too far. Are you going to steal the bit beasts of every blader who loses here?!"
"What do you know, they've got smarts after all," said Tala, smirking. "We're just going to show them how much of a disgrace it is to lose."
"Grr…" Mike was valiantly trying to keep himself under control. "Tala, you're too much! You've totally changed from what you used to be! You used to care about us and the relics—you used to care for Alexia! And now look at you! I'd spit on your face if it wasn't so rude—and stooping down to how low you've gone!"
Tyson was frankly stunned. He'd never seen Mike so angry—for all he was so calm and composed most of the time. Bit beasts were really honored among them, then…but what does that have to do with Tala? It looks like he used to know Tala…just like Alexia…
Tala himself was starting to show signs of anger at Mike's tirade. "Mike, you're really pushing me! Just shut up and mind your own business!"
"I'll push you right over the edge if I have to!" Mike yelled back.
Tala was getting really angry and he was about to raise his beyblade when Bryan stopped him. "Tala! What's happening to you?"
Tala felt a flash go through him and he suddenly regained the impassive mask over his face. "Oh. I'm sorry, Bryan. I didn't know what's gotten into me."
"Our duty is over," said Bryan. "We've gotten the Afterburners' bit beasts."
The Canadian girl, Tammy, howled in despair again, and Tala glanced at the other two and said, "You are too late. If you want their relics—bit beasts back, you're going to have to beat us, now won't you?"
And he whirled around and left, Bryan following him. Bryan stared at him. "Tala, you lost it awhile ago. What is happening to you?"
"Forget it, all right?!" Tala replied shortly.
Bryan frowned. So what Ian said was true… Tala's past as an Arcan is crumbling him down…
Tyson bent down to the Afterburners. "Are you guys all right?" he asked. "They didn't hurt you or anything, did they?"
"Yeah," said one of the Afterburners, Marcus. "So they've gotten our bit beasts, eh? I guess there's nothing much we can do now…" He sighed. "Should've known this was happening."
"It was bad enough that we lost," said the other Canadian boy, Jackie. "But they didn't have to steal our bit beasts too, eh?"
Mike looked down at them and said, "Don't worry. We'll get them back."
Tyson nodded. "Yeah. Our teams won't let this go."
Jed, the captain, said, "You're Mike of the Relic Bladers, and Tyson of the Bladebreakers, eh?"
"That's right," said Mike.
"Well then—we'll be cheering you on all the way," said Jed, nodding fervently. "I'll tell you now—I know that you guys can beat them. Then all our bit beasts will be back, eh?"
Tammy stood up and said, 'We're counting on you guys."
"Don't worry about it," said Mike.
The Afterburners then left, all looking desolate and yet hopeful that they'll regain their bit beasts. Mike turned around with Tyson, and they began heading back for the arena. "I don't know about you, Mike, but I think that it's not going to be easy…keeping that promise…" said Tyson.
"I know that too," said Mike. "But they're counting on us now. The Demolition Boys have no right to steal other bladers' relics."
"Yeah…I don't want to let them down either," said Tyson. "I'd feel horrible if I lost my Dragoon…"
After a pause, Tyson said, "Do you think you could tell me what's going on? You used to know Tala, didn't you?"
"I'll tell you if you promise not to tell anyone," said Mike after a while of thinking, and then he sat down at a bench in the hall, and Tyson sat next to him. Tyson crossed his chest, "Scouts honor. Now tell me."
Mike glanced at him and sighed. "You see…Tala used to be our friend."
"Tala is Arcan?" Tyson's jaw dropped. "No way!"
"Yes way," said Mike. "Tala was my best friend. He and I used to beyblade together. A lot. We were both two of the best beybladers in the country, and everyone knew that."
"So now I see why Tala's so good—and he made it to be leader of the Demolition Boys," said Tyson.
"Yeah…that heritage of Arcanis, Tala hasn't forgotten," said Mike, smiling wryly. "Everything else, though, BIOVOLT wiped off him."
"So why is Tala in Russia? Why isn't he with you guys?"
"That's what I want to know," Mike sighed again. "You see, Arcanis was just opening up to people from other lands, then. A beyblading tournament—we hold one every year—just finished, and Tala and I were tied on being the best bladers in the country. That's how he and I met. We became good friends and good rivals. After that, I met Alexia through him, and we met Jade in another tournament held a couple of years later, and Patrick in one unscheduled match.
"Tala always wanted to be the best blader in the world. That was his dream. He wasn't content on being the best blader in Arcanis—he certainly wasn't. I had dreams like that, but I wasn't as dedicated as Tala was. But even so, Tala was a good person. He was good to me and my friends…we always were together.
"And then one day, right after one tournament, Tala just…vanished. For days, no one heard anything from him. Alexia was very distraught and we looked for him all over the place. But no one knew where he was. There was no letter, no calls, no nothing. Finally, we went to the port master in the docks. And he told us that he saw Tala going with someone into a ship. A tall man with pale complexion and purple hair. He wore a mask over his face. He took Tala away on the ship."
"A tall man with a mask?!" Tyson gasped, horrified. "That's—"
"Boris," said Mike, nodding. "In BIOVOLT's research, they knew that Arcanis bred extremely skilled beybladers. So he went there to get the best ones. It was only when the port master described him that I remember him. I saw him watching the tournament, and he'd approached me afterwards, asking me if I wanted to be the best beyblader in the world. He said he could help me, and that he'd train me to be the best blader there ever was. But it involved taking me out of Arcanis. I didn't want to leave Arcanis, and refused."
"And so since you wouldn't go, he went after Tala instead," said Tyson.
"Yeah," said Mike. "So Tala was gone…probably because of me. He was lulled by the thought of being the best and most powerful. We never saw him again. Since beyblading was so important to everyone in the country and he was champion, we were allowed to form a team, me, Jade and Alexia, and we were allowed to enter the beyblading tournament, along with Patrick, who became our new member to replace Tala's slot. We knew that if there was an International Tournament, Tala would be there. And maybe we could get him back.
"But now…we've found out about BIOVOLT…and we heard that they were breeding extremely talented beybladers. And one of them…the member of the Demolition Boys as well as their captain, was Tala. At first, we thought that we'd finally found him, until we found out how brutal and cold he'd become. He's one of the most relentless beybladers in the world, now. That's why we fully hesitated to approach him here in Russia. Alexia, however, couldn't be stopped. You saw what happened in the park. And it was only then that we knew that the only way to get Tala back was if we beat him and break him down from BIOVOLT."
Mike sighed. "So I guess…now we have a lot at stake. We want Tala back—he's our friend, and I think you understand that."
Tyson looking uncharacteristically serious at the tale, nodded. "Yeah. It must be terrible for you all to lose him and find him like this."
"You've no idea…" Mike sighed.
Tyson leapt to his feet. "Well, then! We're going to get Tala back!"
"Excuse me—'we'?" Mike stood up and raised an eyebrow. "If you've forgotten, we're still opponents in this tournament."
"Yeah…but still, this is important, now, isn't it?" said Tyson.
"Yes it is, but that doesn't change anything," said Mike. "We'll still beat you if we have to just to face off with the Demolition Boys and knock Tala back to his senses."
"Who said anything about taking it easy," Tyson grinned. "Whoever wins between us will have to be the ones to get Tala back to his senses, then."
"It'll be us," said Mike, smirking.
"Not if we can help it," Tyson replied.
"We'll just see about that, won't we?" said Mike, and Tyson gave him a high five and said, "Right. That's the way it's gonna be and I'm glad we're clear on that."
"Remember," said Mike. "Not a breath of this to anyone. You got it?"
"Right, I got it—you can trust me," said Tyson. "Don't worry about it."
Patrick: (jaw hanging) What'd you tell him for, Fearless Leader?!
Mike: (calmly) I trust him not to tell. Besides, it isn't very good secret to keep anyway…
Alexia: I thought the point was to keep everything as much under wraps as possible?!
Mike: Re-lax. Who's he going to tell?
Arcan Blades: (stares at him with raised eyebrows)
Jade: (as Mike gets a sweatflood) Okay…fine… I expected they find out eventually… (looks to the readers) Okay, everybody—you know what to do: Review and tell us what you think!!
