Disclaimer: The Arcan Blades don't own Beyblade.
Jade: Aaaaaaaahhhh!! Gomen, gomen, gomen, gomen! You guys, I'm really, really really really really really—
Mike: Uh, Jade…I think they get the picture?
Jade: Oh. Well still, I'm really really sorry about the wait. See, my laptop crashed and we just barely managed to salvage this fic from it, But now we've gotten it fixed—YAY!—and so we can go on with the show!! To make up for the long wait, here's an especially lengthy chapter… It should be too, since it's a special one.
Mike: Yep. The battle with the Bladebreakers.
Patrick: Things are really going to be heating up.
Alexia: Let's see if we eat each other alive in this one…
Jade: Won't keep you any longer—here we go! Read and Review!!
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Bladebreakers VS Relic Bladers
Kai blinked and opened his eyes. A blast of blinding sunlight met him and he shielded his eyes from it as he got up. From another bed, Max also got up, yawning.
"Man, it feels good after a good night's sleep!" he exclaimed.
"Boy, I'll say," said Tyson, also getting up with a yawn.
Ray, seeing that they were all already awake, got up as well, and Kenny, from the other bed, slowly pulled himself up, scratching his head. "Whew. Man, today's the day—the Semi-Finals."
Max just answered with another yawn as he looked out the window, and Kenny reached out to open up his laptop—he could hear Dizzi yelling something muffled from inside it. Max blinked and said, "Hey you guys? I just noticed something. Is it always so bright in Russia in the morning?"
Before realization can sink to their newly-awakened senses, Kenny opened his laptop and Dizzi began shrieking, "Well finally!! You guys, you've overslept!! It's already ten forty-five in the morning—the Semi-Finals had already begun in BIOVOLT stadium!!"
"WHAT?!" came the chorus of the Bladebreakers, and they all tore out of their beds in their haste—Ray ripped his bedsheet in the process—and began zipping around all over the room to get ready.
"Oh, man, oh man," said Tyson as he hopped up and down on one foot while trying to pull a sock on the other. "I can't believe this!"
"How could we have possibly overslept?" Ray gasped, tying on his belt while his toothbrush was still in his mouth.
"We were so tired yesterday I guess," said Max, clipping on his suspender while tying his shoes and then he fell over on tripping over his laces.
"Argh, this is your fault, Kai!" said Tyson as he flopped down to tie on his own shoes. "I told you we should've stopped already!"
"Shut up!" Kai exclaimed, although knowing perfectly well that Tyson had a point. He finished up stuffing his feet into his shoes and said, "Just hurry up, and come on!!"
The group, after haphazardly getting fully dressed, then blazed like crazy out of their room in a series of rapid blurs. The door slammed shut and everything was silent in the empty Bladebreaker room. In the silence, four newly-upgraded beyblades gleamed quietly in the sunlight on the center table amidst the sofas as the Bladebreakers just emerged out of the hotel doors down below.
There was a moment of silence, and then there was the sound of pounding feet in the hall and the room door crashed open and the boys all tore back in with panic.
"Our beyblades!!" they chorused as they ran for the table.
Emily was pacing around in the stands to distract herself from looking at the match which could only be described as sheer murder for the Majestics.
"You guys…where could the Bladebreakers be?!" she asked. "The match between the Demolition Boys and the Majestics is about to be over!"
"Well it will be if Enrique loses to Ian," said Michael, unlike Emily, unable to tear his eyes away from the match.
"Like that?" Steve asked. "He will."
From the place where the White Tigers sat, Mariah was looking around to keep herself from looking at the way Amphilyon was crashing into the arena wall. "Where could those Bladebreakers be? They're so late!"
"You think they overslept or something?" asked Kevin.
"Or they might've been detained or something," said Mariah.
"No," said Lee. "Kai must've trained the life out of them all and now they've overslept and got late. They better get here soon…things don't look good for the Majestics."
And from where the Relic Bladers stood quietly in one hall entrance to the arena area, Mike murmured, "They'll be here. It's impossible that they won't."
"Why are we awake, anyway?" asked Patrick, stifling his yawn. "We got kept up half the night."
"Well I don't know," shrugged Jade. "But those Bladebreakers better be here soon. If they don't make it to our match, they'll forfeit. And that's not the way I want to win over them."
"It won't be," said Alexia. "They'll make it."
There was a roar from the serpent bit beast and everyone winced. Enrique knew that he was about to get slashed down but refused to give in. "Come on, Amphilyon, I know that you can still do it!"
"Give it up!" Ian smirked.
Ian's Wyborg crashed into Amphilyon again, and Jade could look no longer. "This is too painful to see."
"They've obviously cheating," said Patrick. "I mean, you saw Zeus' analysis—they're using unorthodox methods to create beyblades! And what they do to train their beybladers! This is ridiculous—I can't believe that this is still going on without the International Beyblading Association putting a stop to it."
"With Voltaire and Boris?" Mike snorted. "I think it's not so unbelievable."
There was a cry from Enrique, and his beyblade crashed down to a stop in front of him. The Russian audience all cheered for the victory of their hometown heroes—two straight wins and landing them a slot in the finals. Ian strode over to Enrique with a smirk, and held out his beyblade.
"No!" Enrique cried. "Amphilyon!!"
The bit beast was practically vacuumed out of his beyblade, and the Majestics leapt to their feet in horror as their own bit beasts began to get dragged out and got sucked into the other Demolition Boys' beyblades. They were thunderstruck, but there was nothing that could be done about it any longer.
DJ cried, "It's all over!! The Demolition Boys enter the finals!!" The screen displayed it proudly, and DJ said, "And now, for the second match-up of the Semi-Final Round!!"
There was another uproar, and the Relic Bladers all looked up from the entrance hall. Mike looked at them and asked, "Are you all ready?"
"As we'll ever be," Alexia sighed.
The Relic Bladers emerged out of the entrance hall, and the stands burst into cheer for the group of talented beybladers. But everyone knew, of course, that the Bladebreakers were still nowhere to be found as of the time. The Majestics, still looking rather disappointed, looked up in realization. There was an almost anxious wait.
The All-Stars, nearest to the ground entrance into the arena, kept a watch for when the Bladebreakers should arrive, and sure enough, after a few moments…
Five blurs tore through the hall and came into a skidding, crashing stop—meaning that upon stopping, they all flew into each other and collapsed into a yelling heap. The entire stadium burst into laughter and applause at their entrance.
DJ dramatically held out his hands and said, "Ladies and gentlemen—the Bladebreakers are in the building!"
There was an even louder cheer now and applause, and, red-faced, the Bladebreakers got to their feet. They saw that from across them, the Relic Bladers were also applauding with smirks on their faces, but their eyes were still glowing bright—meaning that whatever happened in the blast of light last night had lasting or permanent effect.
Oliver, who'd been mourning for the loss of his Unicolyon just a moment ago, was now laughing. "Well, they made it. Fine way to make us all laugh to keep us from getting down because of what happened awhile ago."
"Painful as it was to lose our bit beasts…I still feel that there is hope yet," said Robert. "And that's among them." He motioned to the two beyblading groups.
The Bladebreakers stood across the arena from the Relic Bladers, and both groups now stared at each other. Patrick smirked. "You're late."
"But we're here," Tyson smirked back. "And we're ready for you."
"As we are for you," replied Mike.
"We'll see," said Kai, frowning slightly.
"We sure will," said Mike. He turned to his group and they all began talking, and then Tyson looked at his own friends and said, "I guess they're discussing the lineup. What about for us?"
Both groups discussed the lineup, and the Majestics, All-Stars and White Tigers all sat near each other, anxiously.
"This looks like a really tough fight," said Michael.
"Yeah, we don't have a clue on who could possibly win between the two of them," said Lee.
Robert said thoughtfully, "The Bladebreakers are the types who don't seem to be much, but they always make it through in a surprise move and they have an almost unbelievable stroke of luck going for them. But the Relic Bladers…they're something else."
"Did you see the light outside last night?" Mariah whispered.
"How could we not?" Enrique asked. "It was blazing there like a bonfire for all of Russia to see."
"What do you think it did to them?" asked Emily. "I sensed massive energy coming from it and it hit them all."
"It's a major power-up," said Robert, and they all looked at him. He glanced at them and said, "I've…never entirely heard of it. I heard bstories from my uncle who married Jade's Arcan mother. He said that because Arcanis is called 'land of relics', sometimes they can call out and harness pure power of bit beasts. Those who're able to get that power will be practically unbeatable—if in full force. Except that no one knows how to do it."
"Then how come they can do it?" said Emily.
"I don't know, don't ask me!" said Robert. "All I know is if that is what they've done—the Bladebreakers still have a shot to win."
"What?!" said Johnny. "But you just said that they're powered up by bit beasts!"
"But it didn't make them dumb," replied Robert. "They probably can't and won't use full power. Not with the Demolition Boys here. That's one of the Arcans' greatest abilities—to keep their opponents always in the dark about them."
"So…that's to the Bladebreakers' great advantage—they can full power the Arcans, and the Arcans can't full-power them," said Johnny rubbing his chin with a grin. "Oh, that's a wicked deal."
"Yeah…" said Robert. "And if we know the Bladebreakers—they'll take it and bring it all the way home."
When it was all decided, DJ motioned to the large screen and said, "And here is the lineup for the Semi-Final match for the Bladebreakers and the Relic Bladers!!"
The screen shimmered and six player pictures appeared. There was murmuring from the audience and both groups stared at the pairs. For the first match, Max was going against Alexia, the second, Ray against Jade, and finally, Tyson against Patrick.
Both teams then turned to each other, and a practically tangible aura was sparking across from them. The stands waited in breathless anxiety, and even the Demolition Boys from above watched to see who their opponents were to be.
As Alexia walked forward to the expected Midnight Diamond arena, she looked up across her and saw the Demolition Boys in a lofty perch in the bleachers. She stifled her breath as she saw Tala standing in front of them, staring at her as she walked. His face was incredibly impassive, and she knew that he was gone and beyond reach now—unless they beat him and crack down.
Well…I'm not going to let anyone stand in the way of getting Tala back, Alexia thought fervently. Even if they're the Bladebreakers. She looked at Max with blazing scarlet eyes, and Max gasped and took half a step back. "Whoa…"
Tyson backed slightly. "Man, what happened?! She looks scary!"
"She looks angry," Ray corrected.
Kai looked up to the loft where the Demolition Boys were and saw Tala there, watching the battle with the other Demolition boys. Kai frowned as he saw him, and he turned back to Alexia. And he said to his compatriots, "And I think I know why." He called out to Max, "Don't take any chances, Max! She's not going to go easy on you."
"Don't you think I've noticed?" Max said, lifting his shooter.
Alexia raised an eyebrow at him, and then took out her beyblade, and held it out before her. She looked at her friends for a moment, who nodded. Alexia turned back to Max and muttered, "Let's do this, Aldebaran."
She held up something glittering with her other hand into the light. "What's that?" Max breathed.
"It's a bit piece," said Emily, standing halfway out of her seat to get a better look.
Alexia opened her brilliantly red eyes and suddenly snapped the bit piece into place. "Look out!" Ray cried and everyone ducked as a blast of red shockwave reverberated around the arena and then vanished.
"Whoa!!" Tyson gasped. "How did you know, Ray?"
"Intuition," replied Ray dryly as he got up. "I've have a feeling about that after seeing the spectacle last night…"
"That was cool!" Gary exclaimed and Lee shushed him.
From above, Tala's eyes widened only so slightly, but his face remained impassive as he stared at the red beyblade and its beyblader.
The red beyblade completed, Alexia slapped it into her shooter and aimed to launch without even blinking from what had happened. "Come on, let's do this."
DJ, though noticeably frazzled, then trumpeted, "Bladers!! On with the match! At the count! Three—two—one—let it riiiiiiippp!!!"
"Draciel—go!!" Max yelled, launching with all his might.
Alexia did not give a yell, but her eyes blazed a stunning scarlet as she shot the beyblade with a loud bang and her silver trenchcoat flew back in a billow.
Draciel impacted on the arena, and Aldebaran crashed in after, and the red beyblade immediately went in hot pursuit of Draciel. Max, alarmed, cried, "Fortress Defense, Draciel!!"
The beyblade glowed in purple, strengthening in defense, but Alexia cried, "That's not good enough!!" And she whipped out her hand and commanded, "Take him out of here, Aldebaran!!"
The red beyblade sped after Draciel like a comet and had instant repeated impact all around Draciel, and shockwave upon shockwave of impact in the bowl followed. Sparks flew all around the bowl, and Max clenched his fists. "Hang in there, Draciel!!"
The green beyblade pulled away and crashed at Aldebaran, but the red beyblade was barely even moved. "What?!" Max gasped.
"She's too angry, Max, circle around!!" Tyson yelled.
Max swallowed and nodded, making Draciel go circling around. He didn't expect Alexia to be this vicious today. He had an idea. If my Draciel's strong enough, and can catapult, I can have him circle around and slam right into Aldebaran!
"Draciel!! Catapult maneuver!" Max instructed.
Draciel sped up the pace, moving around like a green comet around the arena as what Max had practiced on before. It circled around Aldebaran, and then with a mighty crack it suddenly slammed into Aldebaran, knocking the red beyblade hard into the wall at Alexia's side.
Aldebaran slammed into the wall, and sparks flew up in a shower, and Alexia cried out at some hit her. She raised her arms in protection against the sparks.
"Alexia!" the Relic Bladers exclaimed in alarm, and Kai took a step forward. Max gasped.
"I'm fine!" Alexia called back, flicking the flecks of soot off her arms with watery eyes and concentrated once more on her beyblade battle.
"I—I didn't mean to—I'm sorry!" Max cried.
"Don't be, Max," Alexia muttered. She looked at Aldebaran and cried, "Aldebaran—Pegasus Wings!!"
A powerful red light exploded from her beyblade and shot to the sky. The sound of hoofbeats reverberated ominously in the air, and a huge winged thoroughbred horse came thundering down and with huge wings beating. The sound caused the arena to tremble, and Max gasped at the sight of it.
Turning to his own beyblade, he cried, "Fortress Defense!!"
The massive Draciel bit beast came out of the beyblade and began to rise up and go against the Aldebaran bit beast. The horse, wings flapping, reared back on Draciel who kept up his defense.
Down below, Aldebaran had a massive impact on Draciel and was now straining against the green beyblade with sparks and bolts of energy.
"Come on, Aldebaran!!" Alexia cried as debris began to fly, and the arena was shaking violently.
"Keep going Draciel—you can take her!!" Max cried.
Draciel indeed held out to Aldebaran's attack, and managed to keep the rearing winged horse at bay. The people at the stands were cheering.
"Go on, Max—you can do it!!" Tyson cheered. "Keep going!"
"Yeah!" said Ray. "Keep going!!"
Alexia clenched her fists and looked back up at where Tala was. He simply stared back at her with a cold indifferent look. Ian, who saw this, raised an eyebrow. It's her again. Doesn't she know that she'll never get Tala back?
Alexia looked down at her hands, and a teardrop fell onto her fist. Max, who saw it, blinked and stared at her. "A-Alexia?" he asked. He glanced up and saw Tala, and then looked back at Alexia, realizing why she was so angry. It's him! Tala! Oh man, then that means I'm in real trouble!
And then, without warning, Alexia gave a scream, "Finish him off!!"
The stallion reared back with a loud neigh and brought his huge hooves crashing down into Draciel's chest. The red beyblade gave a powerful slam at the green one, splitting the attack ring and sending the green blade flying off the arena for Max to catch. Max, appalled, stared at his beyblade, and saw that it was badly gouged and battered.
The light died away, and Alexia, breathing hard, summoned it back. It zipped back to her and she caught it, was forced to step back a few paces before falling in a sitting position on he ground. She looked at her beyblade and gave a small smile. "Thank you, Aldebaran."
The bit piece gleamed, and she looked up at where Tala was. He merely frowned. Alexia thought, I'll see you in the finals. And she got up.
"The winner!!" DJ exclaimed at the crowd's tumult, "is Alexia of the Relic Bladers!"
"That was amazing!" said Emily. "And Max held out so well!"
"Yeah—looks like Kai's training worked on them—even if they did end up getting late," said Lee.
Max slowly turned around and walked to his friends. "I'm sorry, you guys…" he murmured. "I lost."
Tyson smiled and patted him on the back. "Don't worry about it, Max—you did a spectacular job out there! Really! I didn't think anybody could stand up against something like that."
"Thanks," said Max with a faint smile. "I guess I should've known. I know how it feels to be fighting so hard to prove something to someone important to you. I won with that inspiration for my mom in America, and she has the same one today because of Tala."
"Yeah," said Kenny. "She sure was determined. But still, you did impressively well. Come on, Max—I'll get to repairing your blade."
Kai said nothing. He looked at the screen for a moment, and then looked at his compatriots. "Ray, you're next. We need to win to keep us in the match."
"I understand," nodded Ray.
"No you don't," said Kai. "You know who your opponent is, don't you?"
Ray said nothing, but his sight crossed over to where the Arcans were, and Jade slowly stepped away from them, her bow and quiver full of arrows on her back. The bright green eyes were still serious, just as they'd been last night.
Ray looked back at him and said, "Yes. I understand. Don't worry."
From the Relic Blader side, Mike looked at Jade, who had her back to him, and asked, "Are you all right with this?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Jade asked without turning to him, and Mike just shrugged and said, "Just asking. If we win this one, we're going straight to the finals."
"I know," replied Jade, taking out her Auran beyblade. "Don't worry. I'll go and bring him down."
And she walked away to the beystadium. As she did, though, Patrick raised his eyebrow and said, "You know, I highly doubt that. I know that she's good, but she has the tendency to be emotional. That's Ray she's against there."
"She knows that," replied Mike, who was watching as Zeus treated Alexia's burns from the sparks in her match. "But, as you say she has the tendency to be emotional, that also means that she can snap. And when she does, that's pretty bad."
"Oh, referring to our last tournament in Arcanis, don't you?" Alexia said, smirking.
"Let's just say that I wouldn't want to cross her when she's like this," replied Mike, smiling.
From the bleachers, Robert was gripping the railing so hard that they were threatening to break. Johnny stared at him. "Jeez, Robert, get a grip. What's wrong with you?"
"Come on, it's obvious," said Enrique. "It's a match against Jade and Ray. Of course he'd be uptight."
"Would you all just shush?!" Robert hissed. "I'm trying to watch."
"All right! Sheesh…"
Jade and Ray stepped up to the Midnight Diamond bowl, and DJ said, "Here we go!! The second match is about to commence! It's Ray of the Bladebreakers versus Jade of the Relic Bladers!"
There was a cheer from the audience. Ray stared at Jade and saw how somber she looked. Her green eyes were still very bright—he could clearly see it from where he was standing. I've no choice…I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to beat you.
Jade stared at him a moment, and then took out her green beyblade. Then, holding it out at arm's length, she took out her bit piece with her other hand. She raised it up, and snapped it into place.
Ray gasped and ducked with everyone else as a green shockwave penetrated the arena again and then vanished. Jade then drew out an arrow, positioned her bow and slammed her beyblade into the shooter. "All right, Auran—let's go."
"I'm counting on you, Driger," Ray murmured as he placed his own beyblade into his shooter and prepared to launch.
The stands were all silent, waiting, save for Emily, who was muttering how "those shockwaves coming from their blades are short-circuiting my computer again".
DJ, glad that he was on his perch there, then said, "All right!! The second match begins!! Three—two—one—let it riiiipp!!"
"Driger!!" Ray cried, firing his beyblade, and Jade aimed and shot her arrow with perfect accuracy, but, as Alexia, did not call out to her bit beast.
Both beyblades crashed into the arena. Ray decided to make the first move now before Jade could do anything that could frankly jeopardize his game. "Driger—attack!!"
The beyblade shone and sped after Auran and there was a brilliant crash. Everyone stared as Driger strained against Auran's force of spin. Ray looked up at Jade, but her face was impassive, and she merely watched as Driger continued to strain against her beyblade.
What is she doing? he wondered. He looked down at his beyblade and realized that fact—Auran didn't seem to be getting scratched.
"Well then, Tiger Claw!!!" Ray yelled.
The roaring sound of a tiger filled the arena and Lee puffed up with pride from the bleachers, sure that Ray was going to win. Driger sped after Auran, and then just as he was about to reach the green beyblade, it suddenly shot out of the way like a green streak of light.
"Auran, go around!" Jade commanded. The green beyblade made a turn around the arena, and was soon going right at Driger. Ray gasped and had Driger evade as Auran barely missed by inches.
Jade kept down her impatience that she missed. "Auran, keep pursuing him!!"
It was a game for the two, with each beyblade going at each other, tearing at each other every chance they got. Driger crashed into Auran, sending the other beyblade down the arena a moment, and Auran countered with a hit that was much stronger because of the weight. Driger flew to the edge of the arena and nearly dropped out, but it slipped back in.
Ray let his breath out in relief. The two were speed demons, running across the arena and striking with maddening force each time. Everyone watched in shock as the two impacted, went about, and impacted again. They were able to go against each other with such intense speed that it was taking their concentration just to see what was happening.
The two beyblades were two streaks of color in the arena, bouncing and crashing in a multitude of beams. Jade was chasing after Ray and was having a hard time, and Ray himself could barely get a good hit on Auran now.
"They're both so fast!" Mariah gasped. "I didn't think anybody could be just as fast as Ray…"
"The Relic Bladers sure prove that wrong the whole way," muttered Steve.
Max was biting his nails. "Come on, Ray…come on…"
"Boy, it's a good thing there's no time limit," muttered Kenny. "Otherwise this would just go on and on in a draw! Look at them! They can barely land a hit on each other!"
"Jade, come on!" Patrick howled. "Take him!"
"He's fast," Jade answered. "Very fast."
"So are you," Ray remarked. "I can't even see you properly now."
Then the two of them both looked up, determined looks on their face, and instantly, there was a blast of energy, and both beyblades impacted to each other in full force. There was a blinding light, and both beyblades rebounded off each other and flew to either side of the arena in crashes.
Both beyblades were still going. Soon, the speed chase was on again, and Auran landed a hit on Driger that knocked it into the wall, and then slammed back onto Auran like a slingshot. Auran crashed back and flung itself back to Driger.
"It's like watching a pair of hunting animals crash at each other," said Emily.
"I can't give up now…" muttered Jade. Hey eyes began to glow again. Ray, seeing it, went to drastic measures. "Driger, do it now!! Tiger Claw!!"
And just as he did, Jade yelled, "Auran!! Green Comet!!"
Auran exploded into green light, and the brilliant bit beast materialized. It was a huge beautiful fox with seven flowing tails, and with a snarl it leapt from above. Driger burst out of Ray's beyblade and met the fox with all the force of a white tiger.
There was a powerful impact to each other, and both beyblades had a sickening crash into each other. Ray stared at Jade, who was breathing hard, concentrating on her beyblade and her bit beast. Feeling his gaze, she looked up at him and she saw a determination that matched hers.
The two bit beasts snarled, clawed and scratched from above them as both beyblades kept carving at one each other with sparks flying and almost spilling over the arena.
I have to win, Jade thought, I have to win so we can get to the finals!
I have to win, thought Ray, My friends are counting on me to keep them in the game!
Both beyblades pulled back and were circling around, and then suddenly they came to a powerful smash at each other. The force of impact blew both beyblades out of the beystadium in a bang of energy.
Ray grabbed his beyblade as it flew back to him in rapid force of probably mach 4, but Jade wasn't able to catch Auran and it hit her right at the chest. She cried out and hit the ground.
"Jade!!" came the chorus of the Relic Bladers.
Robert, who'd already been on his feet, leaning as far out as he could over the railing during the match, now gasped in horror and fell off the bleachers, but he picked himself up and tore across the arena.
"One in one hundred," Patrick snarled. "One in one hundred catches, we miss and this happens."
"Occupational hazard," Mike muttered. "Jade, come on, say something!"
Ray was so shocked that he dropped Driger and ran across the arena. Robert was there for ages, and he looked up at Ray with only a sideward glance as he opened Jade's jacket. "She's not hurt or anything," said Robert.
Jade coughed and suddenly opened her eyes, and she shook her head at them. "You guys, I'm fine—I'm okay."
Ray let out his breath. He smiled at her and said, "Well done. You were great."
Jade laughed hoarsely and he held the hand she held out. She said, "You too. Good going, Ray. Looks like the Bladebreakers are staying for another match."
DJ, seeing that Jade was up, said, "She's okay! And the second match is a tie!!"
There was a tumultuous din from all directions. "This is turning out to be a really awesome Semi-Final match up!" DJ crowed. "And now here come our next bout!! It's Tyson of the Bladebreakers, versus Patrick of the Relic Bladers!!"
Tyson looked up and locked eyes with Patrick, who smirked at him. Steam came out of Tyson's ears as he leapt up. "I swear, that guy's really trying me!!"
"Whoa, easy, Tyson," said Max. "Simmer down and concentrate. You know what happened last time!"
"Yeah!" said Tyson, stomping to the arena just as Ray returned and Max handed him his dropped beyblade. Tyson roared across the beystadium, "Hey Patrick!! It's time for our rematch!!"
With a snort, Patrick rose, his scythe swinging in his hands. "Exactly what I was waiting for. Have you improved now, Tyron?"
"How many times do I have to tell you—it's Tyson!" his opponent yelled. "And after I beat you, make sure you remember it!"
Ray sighed. "Tyson can be such a hot-head. He's got to learn not to get his emotions get the better of him."
"Like you when you took on Jade?" asked Max, grinning and elbowing Ray in the ribs.
"Hey, that's different," said Ray, coloring to his scalp. "We were both serious on the match then and had nothing to do with anything you're implying. Besides, she and I are on good terms now."
"And the definition of good terms is…?" Kai asked.
"Not you too, Kai, please…" Ray groaned.
As Patrick walked up to the arena and Tyson, still fuming, was standing across him. Patrick smirked at him as he held out his beyblade. "Watch out."
He snapped in his own bit piece into place, and crashing blue shockwave burst from the beyblade. And as everyone ducked to avoid it before it vanished, Tyson popped back up and said, "That's it—I'm taking you down!"
"Try me!" Patrick snarled, slamming his beyblade into his shooter and preparing to launch.
Tyson aimed his own launcher, a very determined look in his eyes. I've dealt with you once before. And I'm going to beat you this time…
"Bladers, are you ready?" DJ called and then saw them ready to launch. "Okay, then! Three—two—one—let it riiiiippp!!"
"Go Dragoon!!" Tyson yelled, launching so hard that his shooter emitted smoke.
Patrick swung his scythe over his head and brought it in a swinging arc, sending the beyblade flying into the ring after Dragoon.
The two beyblades circled the ring like a pair of duelers. Patrick smirked as Tyson rounded the arena a second time. "Not in the mood to attack today?"
"I'm not going to fall for that trick again," Tyson replied.
"Really…what trick?" Patrick asked.
"The trick of making me attack and then you'd overpower me."
Patrick laughed derisively at this. "It's not a trick—I can overpower you. Let me show you! Go, Armada!!"
Armada suddenly leapt forward at Dragoon and before Tyson could realize what was happening, Armada had slammed hard into Dragoon and sent it crashing into the wall.
"Thrash him!!" Patrick said imperiously, and Armada proceeded to do so most obligingly, like it was the type of beyblade that really needed to be let out to go wreck things. Armada repeatedly crashed and bashed at Dragoon with relentless force of a starving shark moving in for the kill.
"It's going to rip Dragoon apart!" Emily gasped from the stands.
"Patrick sure lives up to his reputation as being very vicious…" murmured Enrique.
From the Relic Blader side, Mike remarked, "It's seeing him go like this that makes me rather relieved that he wasn't the one taken in by BIOVOLT."
"Hey, Patrick's wild, but he's not stupid," said Jade. "He knows how stupid it is to go to somewhere like BIOVOLT."
"Ah, and thank goodness he does," said Zeus.
The relentless bashing continued, and Armada was once again threatening to split apart Dragoon. However, Tyson was not going to take it sitting down. "Come on, Dragoon! You can do it!"
Dragoon suddenly gleaming in blue light and knocked Patrick away for a brief moment. As Armada was reeled back for a moment, Dragoon shot off, did a U-turn and crashed Armada from behind and forced the other beyblade to the wall. Then Dragoon bolted off again, amidst the cheering.
Patrick nodded and said, "Nice shot. Won't happen again, though."
Armada zoomed back to chase Dragoon, and repeatedly slammed the beyblade and did not cease. Again and again, it crashed and Dragoon bounced off, nearly falling off the arena, but it slid back in and rounded the dish again.
Kai was watching the match intently. There had to be some way that Tyson can win against this ruthless beyblade.
Considering all the other matches that the Relic Bladers had, he'd been starting to notice something. Their beyblades seem to move by themselves and it takes their intense concentration to control. Their speed practically can't be stopped because each time they return to the owner, the owner nearly gets flung back by the blade. And the owners themselves can sometimes get hurt by the effects of their own blade. And now there was the fact that they'd performed that odd ritual, and they didn't seem to be using full advantage of it.
And that can only mean one thing… Kai thought. The one thing that nobody's noticed yet.
He leapt to his feet and yelled, "Tyson, just keep going and don't stop! The Relic Bladers can't control their beyblades properly!"
"What?!" came the united chorus of everyone that heard.
Mike stood and Kai glared at him. "I've figured it out. The way you get flung back by your own blades, the way you can't stop them, and the way it always takes a great effort for each and every one of you to control them in the arena and sometimes you don't manage to. You can't control your blades."
"Yes we can," said Mike. "Otherwise how could we have done so well?"
"You never use full power," replied Kai. "Your beyblades are too powerful for you, aren't they? That's why you can't take out your full force and risk losing control of the blade completely!"
There was a moment of silence. Mike was not reacting, merely having his eyes closed. All of a sudden, he looked up with blazing bright eyes. "Patrick."
"I gotcha, Fearless Leader," Patrick replied, his gray eyes glowing. "Thrash!!"
Armada suddenly burst into light and collided again and again on Dragoon. A piece of attack ring flew off again. Sparks flew everywhere in a relentless force. Dragoon was very near the verge of destruction and Tyson knew that he had only one shot—one risk that he could take and win.
And Patrick was still in command of the Armada. "Bring him down, Armada!! Great White Wave!!"
Armada pulled away and then a massive figure of a blue shark exploded from the bit piece. Armada began to multiply and they knew that he was going to use the same attack that he'd done to the All-Stars before.
But Tyson was finally ready to use his trump card. "Wait for it…" he muttered.
The wave of white sparks came rushing at Dragoon and Armada came to close in for the kill. And then, when it was close enough, Tyson yelled, "Now, Dragoon!! Phantom Hurricane!!"
A blazing blue dragon came roaring out of the beyblade and created what was probably the most powerful Phantom Hurricane that Tyson had created to date. The wind all over the arena went nuts and caught up in the storm. Patrick raised his arms for protection and he gasped as he saw his Armada shake, and then get lifted from the ground.
"No!" Patrick gasped. "How did he—"
"I noticed, Patrick—and I'm a beyblader too so I know," said Tyson. "Your beyblade has to move so fast to be everywhere at the same time—and because of that it gets lighter because the center of gravity isn't pulling on it so much. It's moving so much!" He rubbed his nose and snorted. "All I had to do was wait for you to do your move. I thought it all out!"
He looked up Dragoon and cried, "Take him down, Dragoon!!"
With a roar, the dragon caught the great shark and brought him crashing down into the arena in a blast of bit beast energy. There was a moment, and Armada crashed with a clank at Patrick's feet and a few hairline cracks appeared. Patrick, thanking the cosmos for sparing his toes, looked up at Tyson, who smirked and said, "I told you I'd bring you down."
There was an instant roar of applause and cheering from the stands at the spectacular display of technique that only Tyson can seem to show at such desperate moments. Everyone was on their feet, cheering.
"Well done, Tyson!" Max yelled, leaping on him with Kenny. "You did it!! You won!"
"Yeah, good job, Tyson!" laughed Ray, coming over and Kai nodded, a slight smile on his face.
DJ was ecstatic. "Oh, can everyone believe this?! Such a spectacular and unexpected win from the Bladebreakers! Ladies and gentlemen, this must've been the first time that a Relic Blader has lost a match! But the Bladebreakers had pulled it off! The winner for this round is Tyson of the Bladebreakers—and we are going to a sudden-death match!!"
Patrick walked back to the Relic Bladers, hanging his head. Mike was standing there in front of him, and Patrick fell to his knees. "I'm ashamed of myself. I lost."
"You're acting stupid—get up," said Mike, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I can't," said Patrick. "I can't bear the shame of even looking at you guys right now."
"Look, we're not going to kill you just because you lost a match, Pat," said Jade. "Now get up, and Zeus will rebalance your blade. We haven't lost anything great yet. There's still the sudden-death match to go. It's Fearless Leader's turn to play."
This seemed to give Patrick new heart as he looked up to Mike a lot and respected him greatly as their leader. He leapt to his feet. "That's right! There's still our captain. There's no way he'll let us down."
"You guys give me more credit than I'm entitled to," Mike remarked.
"Oh and now you choose to act humble," snorted Alexia. "He who'd been so indifferent all the way here."
Mike said nothing and instead walked off and headed for the arena, his sword in one hand and his shooter in the other. He stood there silently, and Kai broke off from the ranks of his friends and stepped up to position from across him. He smirked and said, "Are you annoyed that I guessed your secret?"
"Actually…I'm impressed," said Mike with a shrug. "I must say that you're pretty observant. However…there is one little flaw in that deduction of yours…"
"Oh yeah? And what's that?"
"Did it ever occur to you that maybe we can eventually learn how to control them?" said Mike with a grin. "They are our beyblades after all… And I'd like to thank you Bladebreakers—because now, after fighting you all—now we do." He tore the rip-sword into the shooter. "Prepare yourself, Kai. It's déjà vu for you."
Kai snarled and got his own shooter ready. "I've been waiting for this rematch."
DJ then said, "And for the sudden-death round—both captains have come to center!! It's Kai of the Bladebreakers and Mike of the Relic Bladers!"
"Well, here's another interesting match-up," said Brad Best. "Kai is one fiery beyblader, and his bit beast Dranzer can scorch you out of existence!"
"But Mike here isn't one you talk to on being scorched," said AJ Topper, "because he'll do the lightning-scorch on you. His bit beast Archonwolf is as great as they come with the Relic Blades too…"
Mike held out his beyblade, and slipped the bit piece out from under his cap. He lifted it up and said, "Here's to the battle, then—let's see if your theory's right."
He snapped the bit piece into place, and by now everyone knew what was coming and all ducked as a powerful silver surge of a shockwave blew out all around Mike, who instantly slammed his beyblade into his shooter and aimed. Kai blinked a moment, but frowned and matched his gaze.
DJ said, "And now—we'll see who lives and goes on, and who gets sent home! The final match—Three—two—one—let it riiippp!!"
Both rips of the beybladers were drowned out by the roars of the crowd and both shooters smoked and sparked at release. Dranzer struck the arena and sped off as Archonwolf hit another side and also went around. Both of them didn't wait for anything, they immediately rammed at each other.
Dranzer, being lighter than Archonwolf, flew off and hit the wall, but bounded back and crashed into Archonwolf. The silver beyblade spiraled off for a moment before rocketing back against Dranzer. There was a sickening crash, and Dranzer flew into the air.
Kai took his chance. "Now, Dranzer—Flame Saber!!"
The powerful sound of Dranzer's screech sounded in the arena, and the beyblade burst into flame, rocketing down at Mike, who just smirked as the beyblade descended. There was crash and for a moment, everything was covered in smoke.
The smoke cleared, and Dranzer was spinning at one side, while a sparking barrier covered Archonwolf, unscathed. Mike tsked. "You're too impatient…you forgot I had that, didn't you?" His eyes blazed. "Take this!! Voltage Fang!!"
Kai cried out as a powerful crack of lightning impacted Dranzer and sent his beyblade flying. It nearly flew out of the bowl, but fortunately crashed into one of the barriers and rebounded back. Kai gritted his teeth as Dranzer rounded the bowl. I can't take risks with him… He's too good…
"Go, Archonwolf!!" Mike yelled. "Batter him down!"
Archonwolf charged like a silvery rocket and crashed into Dranzer, tearing right at the beyblade, but Dranzer held on, refusing to give in. Both beyblades strained against each other, and a pair of bit beasts exploded out of both beyblades. Dranzer flew out in flaming splendor, and Archonwolf snapped at him, nearly blinding in silver light.
"Neither of them is giving," said Ray. "Look at them!"
"They're not going to give," said Jade. "Both of them are as determined to win this as the other…"
Kai then yelled, "Flame Saber!!" as Dranzer broke off and took to the air with a powerful screech, wings beating the air and sending a powerful heat wave around.
Mike whipped about his arm and yelled, "Voltage Fang!!"
Both attacks and bit beasts met as one descended and the other rose up, and there was a deafening crash as Dranzer collided with Archonwolf, and a blast was emitted that nearly blinded everyone. But they all saw enough to see two beyblades go flying out of the arena in the force of the explosion, and both of them clanked at their respective bladers' feet.
A stunned hush fell. Both bladers bent down to pick up their beyblades, and their teammates leapt their feet, appalled.
"No way…" Tyson muttered.
"Is this for real?" Alexia murmured.
Jade instantly looked up at DJ, who as stock still on top of the catwalk. "Hey! Ref! Verdict any century now, please!!" she yelled up at him impatiently.
"All right!" said DJ, staring at her. "Take it easy, miss, I'm stunned too. It's a tie! But…we've never had a tie for the sudden death match before…"
"DO OVER!!" both bladers at either side of the beystadium yelled.
"Do…do over?!" DJ's jaw dropped.
"You heard them!" Patrick snapped. "Do over!"
"All…all right then," said DJ, completely befuddled but knowing that there was no choice. "Do over! Three—two—one—let it riiippp!!"
Kai roared as he fired his blade, "I'm not going to hold back this time!!"
"You're kidding yourself if you think you can win!!" Mike cried as he shot his blade into the arena. And the do over match commenced in absolute uproar.
"This is sickening…" Ian remarked as he watched the two bladers go at it, keeping on going at each other relentlessly. "Do over?"
"There's no choice," replied Spencer.
"They're not doing too badly," Bryan then responded.
The Demolition Boys all calmly turned away as there was another blinding flash and beyblades clanked out of the stadium again. And it was followed by another rapid demand of a do over from the ones below.
"Not again…" groaned Ian. "This is getting redundant."
A few moments later, another flash, beyblades dropped, and even angrier this time, they demanded for a do over again. It was obvious that Kai and Mike were getting increasingly irritated by these turn of events—neither of them can one-up each other because, as captains, both of them were determined to push their team to the finals.
Stalemate.
"I can't stand another one of this…" Ian rolled his eyes. "Why don't we just eliminate them both and get it over with?! We'll get their bit beasts anyway…"
And then, Tala suddenly stood up and he walked to the railing. And he looked to DJ, who was looking incredibly frazzled now by all the happenings in this extremely unusual match for the Semi-Finals. And he spoke. "Referee—enough."
Absolute and instant silence fell. All eyes turned to the Demolition Boys' captain from the lofty bleacher, and even the Demolition Boys stared at him, wondering on whether he really would take a page out of Ian's book and eliminate both teams—if it can be done.
"It's all right," Tala remarked coolly. "If they can't be eliminated, keep them. We can handle both teams at the Finals."
There was instantaneous uproar and murmuring. Emily stared at the others and said, "Can he do that?"
"I don't know, but it sure is weird," said Johnny.
"I don't think he can," said Lee.
"Not without Boris, anyway," remarked Michael.
And sure enough, Boris rose from his seat at the special box, staring agape at Tala's open audacity. But before he could say anything, Tala said, "I'm sure that the Demolition Boys are skilled enough to take a two to one match. Everyone here believes that—and I'm sure our leader does too."
And here he looked at Boris. Boris was caught in a trap. He couldn't possibly refuse now or BIOVOLT and the Demolition Boys will lose face. Boris swallowed and said, "Of course. It seems like a good idea."
But truthfully, Boris was thinking, What are you up to, Tala?
DJ, who was rather flabbergasted, then stammered, "W-Well! If they do allow…then that's the verdict!"
He turned to the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever—we have both teams of the Semi-Final match to enter the Finals! They are…the Bladebreakers…" The big screen revealed the Bladebreakers standing together, stunned, "…and the Relic Bladers!!" and the screen panned to the Relic Bladers, who were just as appalled.
The arena was murmuring a moment, like a great jumbo jet revving up, and then suddenly it got louder and louder until everyone was cheering like crazy. Everyone was once again on their feet, cheering.
The Relic Bladers looked at the Bladebreakers as the latter team did the same, and they all grinned and ran to each other as the other teams stood from the bleachers, cheering and catcalling.
"You guys made it!" Alexia exclaimed with a laugh.
"So did you!" said Max, chortling. "This unbelievable!"
"Not only do we get to take on the Demolition Boys tomorrow, but no one's bit beast gets stolen!" said Tyson. "This is so unbelievably cool!"
"You said it," said Jade.
The entire group looked up at the Demolition Boys. Tala looked down at them with a grave face. Mike grinned, and the Relic Bladers all raised up their hands at him like guns and made a motion as if to shoot him.
"Bang," said Patrick, smirking. "You guys are next."
Mike blew on his 'gun' and said, "See you then."
Tala frowned slightly, and turned his eyes on the Bladebreakers, who all smirked at him. "We'll get you," said Tyson. "Just you and your comrades wait."
Tala merely turned around and walked away, forcing all the other Demolition Boys to follow him. The two groups below laughed.
"Come on," said Jade, motioning to them. "Let's go make all the other teams treat us to celebrate."
Arcan Bladers: (leaping around) Yeah!! We did it!! We won, we won, we won!!
Patrick: This is awesome! We're going to the Finals!!
Alexia: And better yet, we have the Bladebreakers with us!!
Jade: Yeah! Now we'll get Tala back for sure! Isn't this just great?
Mike: You guys—COOL IT!!
Everyone else: (shuts up)
Mike: Hello. Earth to Arcan Bladers—these are the Demolition Boys we're talking about. We can't take it easy!
Jade: Come on, Fearless Leader—live a little, will you? Let us have some fun! (turns to the readers) So, what'd you guys think? Review and tell us!
