Chapter 8

"YOU SON OF A-!!" Max screamed in rage. Fury built up in him. Gary and Eddie had to hold him back.

"Calm down. You'll get you chance!" Eddie hissed.

"Right." Gary said nodded, Max scowled, then jerked out of their hold and took a deep breath.

"You're going down Tala." He snapped.

"Why wait? Let's settle this here and now." Tala taunted.

"Max no! I know you're upset, but you'll be playing right into his hands!" Kenny tried. Max didn't reply, blood pounded in his ears, and he was ready to kill, whipping out his blade he set it to the launcher and stood ready.

"Bring it on!" He growled.

"Consider it brought." Tala smirked and set his own blade up for launch.

"Three." Maria stood on the edge of the stadium. Max's fury built even more. "Two." She whispered, weakly. "One." The blades launched and both sides felt time stop for a brief moment, this is what decided it all. Then it resumed in a loud clash and both blades flew at each other.

"WOLBORG!!" Tala cried, summoning his beast.

"Draciel!!" Max retaliated. Both blades crashed, but to the shock of all, Tala's blade flew back. Max's was surrounded by a blue shield, that refused to budge.

"DRACIEL! TAKE HIM OUT!" Max screamed, Draciel launched forwards, leaving fire in it's streak as it blasted forwards, so hard, the blade was sent careening past Tala's head and crashed into the wall behind him, burying itself deep. Max smirked.

"Take that Tala!"

"I feel so sorry for you." Tala said smirking, hand on one hip he was smiling with his eyes closed.

"What?" Max demanded from shock.

"You're so pathetic, you think you won that match? You think you beat my full power? You haven't seen ANYTHING!" Tala said and set himself to launch, Max's reflexes obeyed and he flew to set himself for launch.

"Three, two. . ." Maria began. Max spared her a glance.

'I will win, I WILL set you free!'

"ONE!" She cried. Both bladers let it rip.

"ATTACK!" Tala ordered.

"Draciel! Defensive-!"

"Too slow." Tala said immediately. "Combine forces!" He ordered. And suddenly, all blades, not just the one's on Tala's side lit up, the bit beasts flew from their bits.

"What?!" Enrique demanded.

"What's going on?!" Emily demanded.

"We've studied all your bitbeasts wave length frequencies." A voice said calmly. "That's how we were able to control them." Max paled.

"Mom . . . ." Judy stepped out from the shadows, wearing a blue suit and a white lab coat, she too bore the eagle pin over her chest.

"And so by studying them, we are able to control them just as easily you are, without having to send them into battle of course." She said with a smug grin. Tala smirked.

"Your mom's been a great help to this organization Max. Just thought you'd like to know." He smirked at Max whose rage built even further.

"TALA YOU BASTARD!!" He screamed. Tala laughed cruelly.

"How does it feel Max? To know that I'm turning your mother against you? That you're own teammates and your own FAMILY is helping me to crush you!"

"I WON'T LISTEN TO YOU!!" He shrieked. "Draciel! Get him-!"

"You're blinded by rage! You're power is a shadow compared to mine, you're defenseless!" Tala taunted, and suddenly, all the bitbeasts gathered, centered into Tala's own blade. Including Draciel. Max paled,

"No. . ." A blinding light flashed as Tala's blade collided with Max's.

"MAX!" Kenny cried in terror.

"Max no!" Emily shrieked. Max cried out with pain as the searing light flashed.

How could this happen? Why did it happen? We were just a bunch of kids, playing on the streets, then growing up, playing in stadiums, before we knew it, we were in tournaments. Those were such great times! When me and Tyson battled in my basement, and I won, I had so much fun that day! Even when I lost against Kai, it wasn't so bad, I mean, I got Draciel didn't I? Going places, seeing my mom at work, beating Michael in the American Tournament, those were all memories I wouldn't switch for anything! Not even when I lost Draciel to those Biovolt freaks! I got it back, and it taught me just how important Draciel is to me! No one should be able to take those things away! This was my life, these guys were my family! How could I LET Tala take that all AWAY?

*He can't.*

What? Paladin? How-?!

*No matter how hard Tala tries, he cannot take what you love away.*

But-!

*Trust in me. And soon, all will be revealed to you.*

Max tumbled back onto the floor, his blade clattered to a stop beside him. Tala smirked.

"Let's take a break shall we?" He asked with a sneer and stepped down. Had he been looking more carefully, he would have seen that Max was not frowning, nor was he shivering or quivering with fear. He was smiling.

"No." Tala stopped.

"What?"

"No. Keep going, or are you too afraid of me?" Max asked with a smirk, standing up, he wiped some blood that had dribbled down his chin off with the back of his hand.

"You. Me. That's all that matters. That and this beyblade match." Tala glared at him for a moment. Then growled.

"Fine." He snapped and the two took their positions again.

"Remember Max! He's using your anger against you! Remember your strategy! You can take him! Don't let him get to you! You're not like Tyson!" Max smirked.

"Thank god for that or there wouldn't be any food left in the world!" Max said easily. Tala raised his eyebrow. Max was joking? What was going on?!

'It's all so clear. Thanks mom. You helped me a lot. Okay, she said that from every bit beast they've seen, but I doubt they've ever seen Paladin, so I can use him! It's my edge! But it's risky. I've never used Paladin before, so I'm not used to his moves.' Max thought softly.

*You will be fine.*

Max winced.

'You could warn me when you're going to do that.' He thought dully.

*Keeps you on your toes.*

'Ha ha, funny. Now, what moves do you have?'

*You've seen Dragoon battle. You've seen yourself and millions other battle. Do what you do every single time you beyblade. Follow your instincts.* Max sighed.

'Okay then.'

"Three." Maria began, this time it didn't bother Max. He was in control now. "Two." Tala scowled. Max was going to pay. "ONE!"

"LET IT RIP!" Max cried out as he launched Draciel.

"ULTIMATE ATTACK!!" Tala shrieked again, this time Max was ready. And as Draciel's spirit left the blade, it suddenly switched to a metallic blue, the color of Paladin.

"NOW! DESTORY HIM!" Tala yelled and just as before, in a haze of black, Tala's blade slammed forward.

"PALADIN!" Max screamed.

"WHAT?" And Paladin rose in all his glory. The entire room was flooded with blue light. Max smirked. Paladin was right. He DID know what to do.

"Paladin, dodge and strike!" He cried, Tala's blade closed in, and just in time, Max's blade veered to the right, then as quick as a flash, a funnel of wind spun from nowhere.

"Paladin! Wind strike!" Max cried.

"Combined forces!" Tala screamed in retaliation, and in a split second, both blades collided, and all of a sudden . . . there was a flash of light, and both blades clicked out. A silence followed.

"It's . . . . . it's a tie. . . ." Emily whispered. Even the rest of the Demolition boys were shocked.

"Unbelievable." Bryan whispered.

"HAH!" Max cried in victory, he glanced around the room, and stared at his mom for a second, for a moment, he could've sworn he saw pride in her hollow eyes, before they turned blank again.

"Way to go Maxie! This match decides it all!" Emily said happily jumping up and down. Kenny was frowning and typing away madly.

"Can't celebrate yet. There's still a LONG way to go." He said anxiously as he typed away. Emily nodded.

"Don't bother. I know how to win this." Max said determined. Believe. That's all he needed, his own self courage and the support of his friends. He could almost see it now, all of them, supporting him, standing there, being there for him. And he wasn't about to let them down. Kenny nodded, turned his camera towards the stadium and nodded. Pressing one button there was a sudden whir of sound.

"Hey Kenny, what did you do?" Emily asked looking over his shoulder.

"Simply, Max is going to win. So I'm recording it, and not only that, I located a satellite, this is going global." He said calmly.

"So everyone in the world-?" Oliver began

"I watching this?" Johnny demanded from his resting spot against Kevin's shoulder who supported him.

"Yep." Kenny looked at Max.

'C'mon Max. I KNOW you can win.' He thought silently.

"Three! Two! One!"

"GAME ON!"

"BRING IT!"

Both players launched their blades, the two of them clashed in mid air before landing to the sides and spinning on the sidelines. Tala smirked. The combined attack wouldn't work, it seemed that Max had a new bitbeast, one he planned to snatch for himself.

"ATTACK! ULTIMATE STRIKE!"

"Draciel!" Max cried instantly. "Armor force!" The two clashed head on, neither one losing ground. Tala started laughing.

"This is almost exactly like when I fought Tyson. And guess what. It IS going to be exactly like then." The doors suddenly slammed shut, all of them, and a resounding click told all, that they were locked. Max paled.

"What-?!"

"NOW!" Tala screamed, and his blade flared red. Lines shot from it, just like that day . . . . .

~ Flashback ~

Red lights flashed.

"Mom! C'mon!" Judy took a deep breath and looked at him with sad eyes.

"No Maxie. I have to stay here and stop him from coming after you."

"But-!"

"No buts Max. Judy's right. And I have to protect you guys as well."

"You can't! He'll crush you!" Tyson protested.

"It's all right. You'll just have to come and save us. Besides. Me and him, we have a score to settle." Michael said darkly.

"But Judy-! Michael!" Emily cried.

"Listen Maxie, remember, never give up. That's the only way you lose, when you give up hope." Judy said softly to her son, hugging him one last time she whispered into his ear;

"I'm proud of you." Then the outer door began to crack. "Go! Now!" She snapped. Without anymore delay, she pushed them all into the secret passageway and locked the door.

"MOM!" Max cried out as the steel door slammed shut. Judy turned, that done, she took the key, and tossed it into a fire, watching the metal melt, she turned to Michael.

"Are you ready?"

"More then I've ever been in my life."

". . . . . Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"It was . . . . . fun."

". . . . . Yeah. It was."

~ End ~

Max growled.

"You took EVERYTHING away from me! I WON'T let you do that EVER again to ANYONE else!" He screamed defiantly.

"You're finished!" Tala shot back and his blade surged forward, tearing up cement and it slammed into Max's blade.

"My bitbeast is absorbing yours, and in a matter of moments, Draciel will be mine." Max scowled.

*I am here! Summon me!*

Max suddenly froze, then nodded and glared.

"Hey Tala."

"What."

"You were right."

"What?"

"This is going to be exactly like when you fought Tyson, only with one key difference."

"What."

"You're not fighting Tyson, and you're not fighting me." He said with a smirk.

"What?!"

"You're fighting ALL OF US!" Max said defiantly. "PALADIN!!" He cried out, and in that moment, Paladin emerged from his blade in all his glory. That's when, the unexpected happened, as Draciel was already out, add to that Paladin, and the two . . . . started to merge. The end result, a silvery white dragon with a short tail, and webbing along it's tail and back that stretched into translucent wings. Max smiled.

"Thanks a lot. Genbu." He whispered. "NOW! It's time to END THIS! FISSURE STRIKE!" Max screamed.

"This- it can't be happening!" Tala screamed in shock.

"It is. Now take it as it comes, and give us back our friends." Emily snapped.

"This isn't your world ANYMORE." Kenny proclaimed.

"It's all for one and one for all!" And that's when Max's blade struck.

~~~

"Hey Tala?"

"Hm?"

"Remember 3 years ago, when that crazy incident took place?"

"*groan* Don't remind me please."

"Well it wasn't your fault, who knew that the bitbeast Boris gave you had a mind of it's own?"

"I prefer not to remember the fact that I was a puppet on a string for a bitbeast."

"*chuckle* Whatever."

"HEY MAX!!" Maria cried running up and waving. Ray by her side and laughing. "How's it going?" Shed asked patting him on the back. Max grinned at her from his sitting spot on the bench, next to him relaxed Tala who nodded and waved at the two new comers.

"Hey Tala." She said easily with a friendly smile.

"Hey guys!" A voice suddenly cried, Maria looked up and grinned.

"Hey baby!"

"Cut the nicknames okay." Tyson grumbled. Ray shook his head laughing.

"I will never get used to that nickname." He said dully.

"Yo! Little man!"

"Never get used to that one either." Ray added looking at Enrique.

"Reunion time eh? Oh this oughta be good."

"AH! IT'S THE BIG GUY'S CRONIES!!"

"Elves Ian, they're called, ELVES."

"Damn Christmas traditions . . ." The little guy grumbled as Bryan and Spencer walked up. Bryan, hands in pocket shot a friendly smile before turning to look off to the side. Spencer nodded, Ian grumbled.

"So where's the rest of the group?"

"GANG WAY!!" Someone screamed. The group stepped aside as Enrique ran past, Johnny chasing him.

"YOU AND YOU'RE STUPID BETS!"

"HEY JOHNNY! C'MON MAN! YOU LOOK GOOD IN A SKIRT!"

"F*CK YOU!"

"Oh boy. . . ." Kai muttered, his hand unconsciously rubbed a fading scar on his arm.

"Hey, wait up!" Lee called trotting over. Gary and Kevin behind.

"Yo, Max. What's up?" Michael asked twirling a baseball as usual.

"Wanna toss some hoops?" Eddie asked with a grin.

"Er, I'll pass." Max said dully.

"Hey I'm up!" Tyson declared with a laugh.

"I'm up to taking on Mister Grouch over there." Michael said grinning at Kai who smirked.

"You're on."

"Bring out the bey-dish!" Max laughed. Then looked at the sky.

'It's funny, turns out Tala never really was the one in control, who would've figured that a bitbeast could have a mind of it's own? An EVIL mind.' He thought as a breeze wafted through his hair. 'Mom's working with dad on restoring the world to the way it was, the guys all are in college or getting jobs on their own, but still act like kids. I suppose it's how we make up for our lost childhood. Well, things have gotten better. A LOT better.'

"Wouldn't you say Zeo?" Max asked turning to the aqua hair colored youth.

"What would I know? I'm just a dragon." Max smirked.

"No you're not. You're a lot more. I mean, I've never met a bitbeast that's also a human at the same time. Right?" Zeo shrugged.

"Whatever." Max chuckled.

"You always were the funny one, Paladin."

Disclaimer: Not mine, I own the plot, Paladin and that's it! Don't you think the ending was cool? I think it was. ^_^