Beyblade Underground
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Mariah's breath was cut to ragged slivers as she sprinted down the dank, mossy halls of the labyrinthine compound she had been brought to. Her botched escape attempt had been punctuated by the tripping of a laser system, which immediately pinpointed her location to her infuriated captors. Still, she couldn't give up now. Mariah had to escape so her teammates wouldn't get caught as well.
"Get that girl! Dayo, Xavier!"
A harsh European voice shouted and Mariah glanced over her naked shoulder to see the trunk of a whip snapping into the brick partitions, shattering the stone into powder. She swore under her breath and ran even faster. An ancient wooden door lay in front of her and blocked her immediate path.
"Galux! Go!" She commanded and launched her beyblade at the obstacle.
The door was blown to aged splinters and she rushed through it. Mariah scooped downwards and picked up her stationary beyblade. Another glance over her shoulder revealed the faces of two knights in golden armor, one carrying twin long swords and the other hoisting a giant whip. She heard the war cry of the whip-carrier and ducked as his weapon lashed out above her like a snake. The thick rope whip fell to the floor with a thud and she sighed in relief as she sprinted past it. "Bad move, White Tiger..." The silver-haired whip carrier hissed contemptuously, flicking the wrist ever so slightly.
The rope encircled her ankle in a moment and yanked her to the floor. Unwanted tears streamed down her face as she struggled to escape from the approaching knights. The swordsman approached her and removed his ornate gold helm, revealing a tangle of shoulder-length russet hair. He bent down and cupped a hand under her chin.
"Relax. You'll be released shortly anyway, all right? We learned that your friends are already in the country."
"I'd rather be killed than have them be captured too!"
He smiled reassuringly and stroked her cheek in a light, comforting manner. Mariah choked back a sob and recoiled from his touch. His silver-haired companion snorted in disapproval before unwinding his whip from Mariah's ankle and then raising it up to his shoulder. "Dayo, stop being so kind to the girl. Next I know, I'll be hunting you and the White Tiger down."
"You forget who your superior is."
The brown-haired knight shot back calmly and pulled Mariah up to her feet. The pink-haired girl brushed away the boy's hand and stood defiantly before them. The whip-carrying knight grinned at her rebelliousness and raised an armored hand to strike her but Mariah's fist was faster and he ended up stumbling backwards.
"You bitch! I swear I'm going to-" He sprayed, and moved to hit her again but a threatening glare from his brown-haired cohort stopped him in his tracks. Dayo walked away with Mariah, who stuck a tongue out at the infuriated knight. She might as well take advantage of this guy's kindness for the time being.
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Kai ducked and weaved around the hoodlums who had assaulted him inside the slums the Bladebreakers and White Tigers were traversing. He had expected some hostility when they entered the Chinese slum area but had not anticipated such a fierce attack. Thankfully, he had paired up both of his physically inept teammates, Tyson and Max, with the able Kevin and Gary so they would have some protection from the local thugs.
He eased away from a straight arm punch thrown by one of his opponents and brought his knee up to the bulky man's elbow, which gave a very satisfying crack in response. The crunch of a boot behind him warned Kai to the movements of another and he spun around hard. His elbow met the bone and flesh of his would-be assailant's jaw. Kai threw his body around and flew upwards, snapping his heel into the torso of the man whose jaw he had shattered like glass. His body flew backwards and slammed into the last thug like a rocket. The two presently fell down, unconscious. The Russian walked up to the opponent with the busted elbow, who was getting up slowly. "Sweet dreams." A quick boot to the head and the punk was knocked out.
A screeching cry of hundreds of crows filled the air and Kai looked up to see a mass of black feathers soaring overhead. "It was a trap..." He shook his head and sprinted after the murder of crows.
He leaped onto a cart of fruits, knocking it over, and pushed himself up onto a ledge adjacent a dull gray building. Kai, his body pressed against the wall, scurried down the narrow ledge while he kept his eyes trained on the quickly diminishing cloud of birds. He dropped down onto less elevated rooftops, kept together by tires and metal plates, and broke into a run across the platforms. The audible crunch of metal under his feet preceded a loud, snapping crack and his fall into a pile of stored flour.
Kai groaned and involuntarily clasped the wound on his left shoulder, where most of his weight had fallen. He brought his blood-smeared hand up in front of his face and swore loudly. He lurched forward, spat blood, and fell backwards, unconscious.
Above him, the murder of crows circled hungrily.
Ray braced himself as an open-palm punch sent him skidding backwards. In front of him was a ferocious cross between a man and a golden-eyed beast. He weaved to the side as the hybrid pounced forward and landed on all fours. In an instant, the beast had catapulted itself at Ray pinning him to the ground. The Chinese Bladebreaker pulled his legs up to his chest and kicked square at the creature's torso.
"You... Good hit." The beast mumbled and Ray began to notice that he no longer looked quite so much like an animal. Instead, his features had become more defined and Ray realized he was in fact a boy of around his age. Apparently, the attacker had noticed this. "Surprised? That form is only my fighting technique, Ray..." Instantaneously, his teeth grew into fangs, his nails into claws and his eyes flash gold before appearing slit-like.
Taken aback at the sound of his name, Ray fell prey to a lightning fast slash which cut his shirt's midsection into ribbons. He stumbled backwards and clutched his stomach, lining his hand with warm blood. He ducked as his opponent sliced the wall behind him into gray powder. Thinking quickly, he slammed his leg into the beast-man's knee, sending the assailant howling backwards. Ray leapt up and pushed the injured teenager towards the grimy walls of the slums. He grabbed the man by his throat and pinned him to the dirt-caked partition.
"Where's Mariah? I really don't want to continue this but if you don't tell me..." Ray tightened his grip on the similarly black-haired boy's neck. The pinned attacker laughed hoarsely before becoming brutish once more and releasing an earsplitting howl. Ray flinched but kept his grip on the man's neck.
"Tell me! This can end now!" Ray pleaded, staring determinedly at his captive.
"It sure can."
A screech filled Ray's ears and he turned his head just as a falcon swooped down and ripped through his shoulder with razor sharp talons. He released his unwilling opponent and grabbed his bleeding shoulder, his face warped into an expression of sheer pain. Stumbling back, he dropped onto his behind and leaned against the wall.
The brown-haired falconer whistled and summoned his pet back to his gloved hand. He ran up to his gasping comrade and helped him back up to his feet, saying,
"Huo, you all right?"
"Thanks but no thanks. I'm fine. I expected my sister to be first to respond though."
"Mae is finishing off Lee." The bird tamer replied calmly and gestured towards the injured Bladebreaker at the side. "Maybe we overdid it with him. He requested for his catch in good condition."
Huo shrugged and replied, "We can have Li-Yun work on his injuries. Coincidentally, Wang, I want you to check up on his situation. I will deal with Kon here."
In an instant, the falconer was off, leaping across the rooftops with the speed and grace of the falcon he controlled so well. Huo heard a distant whistle and looked up to see a murder of crows fly after his teammate obediently. He shook his head with a satisfied smile on his face and strolled up to where Ray was writhing in pain. "Not so big now, huh, Ray?"
Ray grimaced in pain before shooting a look of pure venom up at the black-haired beast man.
"How... do you know... me?" He asked with some effort, before coughing up blood.
"I know all of you White Tigers. I know you because of the hateful blood that runs inside you." Huo replied spitefully, kicking Ray once in the stomach for emphasis. Ray groaned before glaring up at his captor.
"What are you talking about?"
"In you runs the blood of the White Tiger clan. The very same clan that drove mine so close to extinction decades ago!" He raved and grabbed Ray by the collar, his eyes flashing red hot vengeance. Huo breathed heavily before sighing and releasing his grip on the Chinese teenager. "He will explain it soon." Huo finished before backhanding Ray, knocking the Chinese boy out. He stared condescendingly at his victim's limp body before scooping him up and slinging him onto his shoulder.
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Ray woke up with a pained groan and a throbbing in his head. He blinked and rubbed his golden eyes to come face to face with a very morose-looking Kai who was sitting across him. The Russian nodded in acknowledgement and began to recline on the ancient wooden bench inside their dank, prison-like confinement.
"All right?"
"Yeah..." Ray replied, slightly embarrassed with the fact that he had lost. "How were you caught?"
"I fell from the roof and injured myself." Kai answered and Ray felt slightly better about his predicament. Kai's normally pale cheeks turned a slight pink from humiliation and he refused to share eye-contact with his fellow captive. "Anyway, we have an introduction with the master of these men-" Kai gestured towards the aged wooden door separating them from the outside. "Apparently all of us were captured." Something tweaked in Ray's head and he sat bolt upright.
"Mariah!"
Kai stared up at him with the calm, penetrating gaze he had adopted as his own.
"Don't get too worked up, Romeo. She's fine. She's sharing a cozy little cell with Lee as we speak."
Ray breathed a sighed of relief and sat tiredly on his own bench. Kai stared at his troubled teammate for a moment, before shutting his eyes and getting some rest. Just then, the door creaked open and a tall, well-muscled redheaded boy stepped inside. He kneeled down and silently removed the bandages on the Chinese boy's shoulder.
"You are fortunate he wants you in fighting condition. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for his order."
Ray raised an eyebrow and took a good look at his captor. He slowly began to remember something about this enigmatic teenager. "Wait... I know I've seen you somewhere..."
The redhead laughed and removed a vial containing a murky blue liquid from its hold on his belt. "He'll explain all of this in due time." He flicked three drops of the serum onto Ray's falcon wound and the Bladebreaker felt the pain lessen dramatically. "This is only a temporary solution. In time I will administer the complete potion." He got up, reattached the serum beaker to the long belt at his waist, and walked out the door.
"I'll see you in the arena." Ray stood up and stared at the spot where his visitor was moments ago as a cold, sadistic laugh echoed through the halls. The Chinese beyblader shook his head in surrender before slumping back down into his seat.
"Damn it."
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"Max, are you all right?" Emily asked worriedly as a silver-haired knight in golden armor tossed the blonde American beyblader into her cell. Max scratched the back of his head and snorted a response before realizing who he was talking too.
"Emily! What are you doing here? Hehehe... Got caught too, huh?" He asked energetically.
The orange-haired girl blushed hotly and turned her head away from the optimistic Bladebreaker. He smiled and patted her on the shoulder from where he sat on his bench. "Hey, we'll get out of here! You can count on the Bladebreakers on finding a way out!"
"Bladebreakers? All of you were caught too?" She asked, practically shouting at Max.
"Yeah... We sorta got sidetracked while looking for Mariah." He smiled consolingly before getting up and sitting down beside Emily. He messed up her hair in a playful manner. The All Star's face turned a deep shade of red once more and she looked straight at the ground as to avoid Max's curious stare.
"Aww, don't feel so embarrassed to have been kidnapped! We got kidnapped too, remember?"
"No! It's not that..." She blurted and looked up at the blonde's somewhat oblivious stare. "Never mind."
The door was presently forced open and an athletic teenage boy with spiky blue hair meshed under a reversed baseball cap stepped inside. "Michael!" Emily shouted but after a moment realized that this was in fact somebody else. The spike-haired boy shook his head and gestured for the two to stand up.
"Better be the first and last time you confuse me with that guy. I'd hate to be confused with a rank amateur."
He said arrogantly and began walking down the corridor for them to follow. The spiky blue-head coughed and wiped a spot under his nose with the back of his hand. He turned his head and looked at the two American prisoners disdainfully.
"Although there are two of you, don't even think of subduing me and escaping. That silver-haired sadist is on patrol duty and believe me when I say you don't want to cross him." The guide remarked in an offhand manner. He fixed his attention on the dimly lit corridor ahead of them and continued down the path.
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"Here we are! Keep your cool in front of boss-man. I'd hate to be the one to hunt you down, dude."
The red-haired punk grinned widely before waving off to Tyson with a flick of his wrist. He straightened the broomstick-like hairdo he wielded on his head and proceeded to the door with a laidback swagger that Tyson noticed right away.
"Scary." Tyson, amazed by his escort's punk-like personality, whistled before returning his attention to the silhouettes standing on an ornately carved ebony platform. He squinted in order to get a better picture of the partially hidden person and said, a bit loudly,
"Hey! What's up with kidnapping us? I don't think we're worth that much, you know."
"Financially speaking, you're correct, Tyson Kinomiya." The main figure replied in a deep, resonant voice.
"You're a guy, huh? Anyway mister, if we're not that valuable in the first place, what's with the kidnap?"
The man took a step out of his veil of darkness, revealing a tall, stately man whose hard-featured face was partly hidden by a gold mask. He laughed and stared intensely at Tyson.
"Let's wait for your teammates first, shall we?" The mysterious kidnapper asked curtly. Tyson nodded. The man smiled in response before making a sweeping gesture to the expensive seating arranged throughout the auditorium.
"Okay." Tyson answered in response to the silent offer. He walked over to one of the chintzy cushioned seats and plopped down, feeling the softness of the chair's material. "Nice stuff you have here. Way better than the cell you dumped me in." The Japanese boy commented and the masked figure smiled again.
"That was only a temporary detainment cell. I'm sure you will not object to your later residences in my expansive compound."
"Later residences? How long do you plan on keeping us here, anyway?"
Tyson stood bolt upright and glared fiercely at his captor. On cue, the two concealed figures positioned behind the masked man walked out of the darkness and stared intensely and threateningly at the beyblader in front of them. The man raised a hand to hold back his charges. "Men." The two young men took a step back, but not so far back that Tyson couldn't see their hostile expressions.
"Tyson, let's make one thing clear right now. You will be kept here for life. Eternity City is your new home."
Tyson gritted his teeth before sitting down submissively. He shook his head and looked back up at his captor, who was looking back down at him with a placating sort of smile.
"Eternity City? Never heard of that place before."
"I'll show all of it to you soon." He smiled before tapping his foot impatiently. "Now, where are your teammates? Trust those three to be late..."
"Late? I think your little Russian pet was just early." The raven-haired tiger-boy said defiantly, before shoving the Bladebreaker he had apprehended earlier inside the room. Ray shot daggers back at him before compliantly sitting down at a chair near where Tyson was sitting. The masked man pulled out a silver-plated pocket watch and checked the time, shrugging. "You are right. My apologies."
He nodded contentedly in response before settling down into a cross-legged position on the floor.
"Great! That means we're not late." The capped blue-haired athlete said happily before gesturing for Emily and Max to enter. One of the wards behind the masked man, a golden-armored teenager of well-built proportions, snorted and pointed at the orange-haired girl he had led in. "Emily was not invited to this party."
The athlete glowered at him and was about to shoot an insult in the direction of the knight when the last pair stepped into the room. The masked man rubbed his hands together and beckoned towards the seats, where Tyson and Ray where already quite comfortably seated.
"At last! Our list is complete. Now, first of all, I would like to formally welcome all of you to your new home in the underground!" He grinned widely, throwing his arms up for added effect. "All of you, including your easily captured friends in the other teams, will now fight constantly for the sole reason of entertaining my guests and I!"
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End of Chapter
I'm basically just trying to go back to the days when I really enjoyed what I wrote so don't expect too much from me, eh? I'm beginning to think my only real high point is my vocabulary and even that is diminishing... ^____^; Anyways, I'm completely open to your criticism and suggestions so bombs away, people!
Review please!!! ~pyRO
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or plot of the Beyblade Anime. I'd be bathing in cash if I did.
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Mariah's breath was cut to ragged slivers as she sprinted down the dank, mossy halls of the labyrinthine compound she had been brought to. Her botched escape attempt had been punctuated by the tripping of a laser system, which immediately pinpointed her location to her infuriated captors. Still, she couldn't give up now. Mariah had to escape so her teammates wouldn't get caught as well.
"Get that girl! Dayo, Xavier!"
A harsh European voice shouted and Mariah glanced over her naked shoulder to see the trunk of a whip snapping into the brick partitions, shattering the stone into powder. She swore under her breath and ran even faster. An ancient wooden door lay in front of her and blocked her immediate path.
"Galux! Go!" She commanded and launched her beyblade at the obstacle.
The door was blown to aged splinters and she rushed through it. Mariah scooped downwards and picked up her stationary beyblade. Another glance over her shoulder revealed the faces of two knights in golden armor, one carrying twin long swords and the other hoisting a giant whip. She heard the war cry of the whip-carrier and ducked as his weapon lashed out above her like a snake. The thick rope whip fell to the floor with a thud and she sighed in relief as she sprinted past it. "Bad move, White Tiger..." The silver-haired whip carrier hissed contemptuously, flicking the wrist ever so slightly.
The rope encircled her ankle in a moment and yanked her to the floor. Unwanted tears streamed down her face as she struggled to escape from the approaching knights. The swordsman approached her and removed his ornate gold helm, revealing a tangle of shoulder-length russet hair. He bent down and cupped a hand under her chin.
"Relax. You'll be released shortly anyway, all right? We learned that your friends are already in the country."
"I'd rather be killed than have them be captured too!"
He smiled reassuringly and stroked her cheek in a light, comforting manner. Mariah choked back a sob and recoiled from his touch. His silver-haired companion snorted in disapproval before unwinding his whip from Mariah's ankle and then raising it up to his shoulder. "Dayo, stop being so kind to the girl. Next I know, I'll be hunting you and the White Tiger down."
"You forget who your superior is."
The brown-haired knight shot back calmly and pulled Mariah up to her feet. The pink-haired girl brushed away the boy's hand and stood defiantly before them. The whip-carrying knight grinned at her rebelliousness and raised an armored hand to strike her but Mariah's fist was faster and he ended up stumbling backwards.
"You bitch! I swear I'm going to-" He sprayed, and moved to hit her again but a threatening glare from his brown-haired cohort stopped him in his tracks. Dayo walked away with Mariah, who stuck a tongue out at the infuriated knight. She might as well take advantage of this guy's kindness for the time being.
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Kai ducked and weaved around the hoodlums who had assaulted him inside the slums the Bladebreakers and White Tigers were traversing. He had expected some hostility when they entered the Chinese slum area but had not anticipated such a fierce attack. Thankfully, he had paired up both of his physically inept teammates, Tyson and Max, with the able Kevin and Gary so they would have some protection from the local thugs.
He eased away from a straight arm punch thrown by one of his opponents and brought his knee up to the bulky man's elbow, which gave a very satisfying crack in response. The crunch of a boot behind him warned Kai to the movements of another and he spun around hard. His elbow met the bone and flesh of his would-be assailant's jaw. Kai threw his body around and flew upwards, snapping his heel into the torso of the man whose jaw he had shattered like glass. His body flew backwards and slammed into the last thug like a rocket. The two presently fell down, unconscious. The Russian walked up to the opponent with the busted elbow, who was getting up slowly. "Sweet dreams." A quick boot to the head and the punk was knocked out.
A screeching cry of hundreds of crows filled the air and Kai looked up to see a mass of black feathers soaring overhead. "It was a trap..." He shook his head and sprinted after the murder of crows.
He leaped onto a cart of fruits, knocking it over, and pushed himself up onto a ledge adjacent a dull gray building. Kai, his body pressed against the wall, scurried down the narrow ledge while he kept his eyes trained on the quickly diminishing cloud of birds. He dropped down onto less elevated rooftops, kept together by tires and metal plates, and broke into a run across the platforms. The audible crunch of metal under his feet preceded a loud, snapping crack and his fall into a pile of stored flour.
Kai groaned and involuntarily clasped the wound on his left shoulder, where most of his weight had fallen. He brought his blood-smeared hand up in front of his face and swore loudly. He lurched forward, spat blood, and fell backwards, unconscious.
Above him, the murder of crows circled hungrily.
Ray braced himself as an open-palm punch sent him skidding backwards. In front of him was a ferocious cross between a man and a golden-eyed beast. He weaved to the side as the hybrid pounced forward and landed on all fours. In an instant, the beast had catapulted itself at Ray pinning him to the ground. The Chinese Bladebreaker pulled his legs up to his chest and kicked square at the creature's torso.
"You... Good hit." The beast mumbled and Ray began to notice that he no longer looked quite so much like an animal. Instead, his features had become more defined and Ray realized he was in fact a boy of around his age. Apparently, the attacker had noticed this. "Surprised? That form is only my fighting technique, Ray..." Instantaneously, his teeth grew into fangs, his nails into claws and his eyes flash gold before appearing slit-like.
Taken aback at the sound of his name, Ray fell prey to a lightning fast slash which cut his shirt's midsection into ribbons. He stumbled backwards and clutched his stomach, lining his hand with warm blood. He ducked as his opponent sliced the wall behind him into gray powder. Thinking quickly, he slammed his leg into the beast-man's knee, sending the assailant howling backwards. Ray leapt up and pushed the injured teenager towards the grimy walls of the slums. He grabbed the man by his throat and pinned him to the dirt-caked partition.
"Where's Mariah? I really don't want to continue this but if you don't tell me..." Ray tightened his grip on the similarly black-haired boy's neck. The pinned attacker laughed hoarsely before becoming brutish once more and releasing an earsplitting howl. Ray flinched but kept his grip on the man's neck.
"Tell me! This can end now!" Ray pleaded, staring determinedly at his captive.
"It sure can."
A screech filled Ray's ears and he turned his head just as a falcon swooped down and ripped through his shoulder with razor sharp talons. He released his unwilling opponent and grabbed his bleeding shoulder, his face warped into an expression of sheer pain. Stumbling back, he dropped onto his behind and leaned against the wall.
The brown-haired falconer whistled and summoned his pet back to his gloved hand. He ran up to his gasping comrade and helped him back up to his feet, saying,
"Huo, you all right?"
"Thanks but no thanks. I'm fine. I expected my sister to be first to respond though."
"Mae is finishing off Lee." The bird tamer replied calmly and gestured towards the injured Bladebreaker at the side. "Maybe we overdid it with him. He requested for his catch in good condition."
Huo shrugged and replied, "We can have Li-Yun work on his injuries. Coincidentally, Wang, I want you to check up on his situation. I will deal with Kon here."
In an instant, the falconer was off, leaping across the rooftops with the speed and grace of the falcon he controlled so well. Huo heard a distant whistle and looked up to see a murder of crows fly after his teammate obediently. He shook his head with a satisfied smile on his face and strolled up to where Ray was writhing in pain. "Not so big now, huh, Ray?"
Ray grimaced in pain before shooting a look of pure venom up at the black-haired beast man.
"How... do you know... me?" He asked with some effort, before coughing up blood.
"I know all of you White Tigers. I know you because of the hateful blood that runs inside you." Huo replied spitefully, kicking Ray once in the stomach for emphasis. Ray groaned before glaring up at his captor.
"What are you talking about?"
"In you runs the blood of the White Tiger clan. The very same clan that drove mine so close to extinction decades ago!" He raved and grabbed Ray by the collar, his eyes flashing red hot vengeance. Huo breathed heavily before sighing and releasing his grip on the Chinese teenager. "He will explain it soon." Huo finished before backhanding Ray, knocking the Chinese boy out. He stared condescendingly at his victim's limp body before scooping him up and slinging him onto his shoulder.
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Ray woke up with a pained groan and a throbbing in his head. He blinked and rubbed his golden eyes to come face to face with a very morose-looking Kai who was sitting across him. The Russian nodded in acknowledgement and began to recline on the ancient wooden bench inside their dank, prison-like confinement.
"All right?"
"Yeah..." Ray replied, slightly embarrassed with the fact that he had lost. "How were you caught?"
"I fell from the roof and injured myself." Kai answered and Ray felt slightly better about his predicament. Kai's normally pale cheeks turned a slight pink from humiliation and he refused to share eye-contact with his fellow captive. "Anyway, we have an introduction with the master of these men-" Kai gestured towards the aged wooden door separating them from the outside. "Apparently all of us were captured." Something tweaked in Ray's head and he sat bolt upright.
"Mariah!"
Kai stared up at him with the calm, penetrating gaze he had adopted as his own.
"Don't get too worked up, Romeo. She's fine. She's sharing a cozy little cell with Lee as we speak."
Ray breathed a sighed of relief and sat tiredly on his own bench. Kai stared at his troubled teammate for a moment, before shutting his eyes and getting some rest. Just then, the door creaked open and a tall, well-muscled redheaded boy stepped inside. He kneeled down and silently removed the bandages on the Chinese boy's shoulder.
"You are fortunate he wants you in fighting condition. I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for his order."
Ray raised an eyebrow and took a good look at his captor. He slowly began to remember something about this enigmatic teenager. "Wait... I know I've seen you somewhere..."
The redhead laughed and removed a vial containing a murky blue liquid from its hold on his belt. "He'll explain all of this in due time." He flicked three drops of the serum onto Ray's falcon wound and the Bladebreaker felt the pain lessen dramatically. "This is only a temporary solution. In time I will administer the complete potion." He got up, reattached the serum beaker to the long belt at his waist, and walked out the door.
"I'll see you in the arena." Ray stood up and stared at the spot where his visitor was moments ago as a cold, sadistic laugh echoed through the halls. The Chinese beyblader shook his head in surrender before slumping back down into his seat.
"Damn it."
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"Max, are you all right?" Emily asked worriedly as a silver-haired knight in golden armor tossed the blonde American beyblader into her cell. Max scratched the back of his head and snorted a response before realizing who he was talking too.
"Emily! What are you doing here? Hehehe... Got caught too, huh?" He asked energetically.
The orange-haired girl blushed hotly and turned her head away from the optimistic Bladebreaker. He smiled and patted her on the shoulder from where he sat on his bench. "Hey, we'll get out of here! You can count on the Bladebreakers on finding a way out!"
"Bladebreakers? All of you were caught too?" She asked, practically shouting at Max.
"Yeah... We sorta got sidetracked while looking for Mariah." He smiled consolingly before getting up and sitting down beside Emily. He messed up her hair in a playful manner. The All Star's face turned a deep shade of red once more and she looked straight at the ground as to avoid Max's curious stare.
"Aww, don't feel so embarrassed to have been kidnapped! We got kidnapped too, remember?"
"No! It's not that..." She blurted and looked up at the blonde's somewhat oblivious stare. "Never mind."
The door was presently forced open and an athletic teenage boy with spiky blue hair meshed under a reversed baseball cap stepped inside. "Michael!" Emily shouted but after a moment realized that this was in fact somebody else. The spike-haired boy shook his head and gestured for the two to stand up.
"Better be the first and last time you confuse me with that guy. I'd hate to be confused with a rank amateur."
He said arrogantly and began walking down the corridor for them to follow. The spiky blue-head coughed and wiped a spot under his nose with the back of his hand. He turned his head and looked at the two American prisoners disdainfully.
"Although there are two of you, don't even think of subduing me and escaping. That silver-haired sadist is on patrol duty and believe me when I say you don't want to cross him." The guide remarked in an offhand manner. He fixed his attention on the dimly lit corridor ahead of them and continued down the path.
______________________________________________________________________________________
"Here we are! Keep your cool in front of boss-man. I'd hate to be the one to hunt you down, dude."
The red-haired punk grinned widely before waving off to Tyson with a flick of his wrist. He straightened the broomstick-like hairdo he wielded on his head and proceeded to the door with a laidback swagger that Tyson noticed right away.
"Scary." Tyson, amazed by his escort's punk-like personality, whistled before returning his attention to the silhouettes standing on an ornately carved ebony platform. He squinted in order to get a better picture of the partially hidden person and said, a bit loudly,
"Hey! What's up with kidnapping us? I don't think we're worth that much, you know."
"Financially speaking, you're correct, Tyson Kinomiya." The main figure replied in a deep, resonant voice.
"You're a guy, huh? Anyway mister, if we're not that valuable in the first place, what's with the kidnap?"
The man took a step out of his veil of darkness, revealing a tall, stately man whose hard-featured face was partly hidden by a gold mask. He laughed and stared intensely at Tyson.
"Let's wait for your teammates first, shall we?" The mysterious kidnapper asked curtly. Tyson nodded. The man smiled in response before making a sweeping gesture to the expensive seating arranged throughout the auditorium.
"Okay." Tyson answered in response to the silent offer. He walked over to one of the chintzy cushioned seats and plopped down, feeling the softness of the chair's material. "Nice stuff you have here. Way better than the cell you dumped me in." The Japanese boy commented and the masked figure smiled again.
"That was only a temporary detainment cell. I'm sure you will not object to your later residences in my expansive compound."
"Later residences? How long do you plan on keeping us here, anyway?"
Tyson stood bolt upright and glared fiercely at his captor. On cue, the two concealed figures positioned behind the masked man walked out of the darkness and stared intensely and threateningly at the beyblader in front of them. The man raised a hand to hold back his charges. "Men." The two young men took a step back, but not so far back that Tyson couldn't see their hostile expressions.
"Tyson, let's make one thing clear right now. You will be kept here for life. Eternity City is your new home."
Tyson gritted his teeth before sitting down submissively. He shook his head and looked back up at his captor, who was looking back down at him with a placating sort of smile.
"Eternity City? Never heard of that place before."
"I'll show all of it to you soon." He smiled before tapping his foot impatiently. "Now, where are your teammates? Trust those three to be late..."
"Late? I think your little Russian pet was just early." The raven-haired tiger-boy said defiantly, before shoving the Bladebreaker he had apprehended earlier inside the room. Ray shot daggers back at him before compliantly sitting down at a chair near where Tyson was sitting. The masked man pulled out a silver-plated pocket watch and checked the time, shrugging. "You are right. My apologies."
He nodded contentedly in response before settling down into a cross-legged position on the floor.
"Great! That means we're not late." The capped blue-haired athlete said happily before gesturing for Emily and Max to enter. One of the wards behind the masked man, a golden-armored teenager of well-built proportions, snorted and pointed at the orange-haired girl he had led in. "Emily was not invited to this party."
The athlete glowered at him and was about to shoot an insult in the direction of the knight when the last pair stepped into the room. The masked man rubbed his hands together and beckoned towards the seats, where Tyson and Ray where already quite comfortably seated.
"At last! Our list is complete. Now, first of all, I would like to formally welcome all of you to your new home in the underground!" He grinned widely, throwing his arms up for added effect. "All of you, including your easily captured friends in the other teams, will now fight constantly for the sole reason of entertaining my guests and I!"
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End of Chapter
I'm basically just trying to go back to the days when I really enjoyed what I wrote so don't expect too much from me, eh? I'm beginning to think my only real high point is my vocabulary and even that is diminishing... ^____^; Anyways, I'm completely open to your criticism and suggestions so bombs away, people!
Review please!!! ~pyRO
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or plot of the Beyblade Anime. I'd be bathing in cash if I did.