UniGirl: Hi guys. I'm going to be putting everything that usually goes at the end here, since the effect of the conclusion will be much stronger. Yes. This is the last chapter of All That Matters, and I will be starting a new fic shortly. This is my first completed fic. No, dear all Beyblade fans, it won't be a Beyblade fic. Maybe if I really feel like it and have more updating time, I might write another Beyblade fic, since I've already got a good idea, but nope, I'm trying my hand at writing Inuyasha. Oh I might write one shots from time to time, and you always have EIF.
Every piece of writing starts from somewhere. This fic was inspired by one sentence in the third book of Garth Nix's the Seventh Tower
"Maybe someday you will be betrayed by one you thought a friend."
~Milla
So if you're wondering where I get these crazy ideas, they're from everywhere. Now you know how this is going to end. Now you know who's behind this. But ah whatever.
No, there will be no sequel. You might hate me after you read this, but there will be no sequel. The ending was inspired by the Animorphs series where that ending was very effective. That's all.
I'd like to thank Britt and The Tigris for your continued support. You don't know how much this means to me.
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Chapter 7: The Shock.
"Now what do you want Boris?"
"I've already got what I want." With that, he turned and left.
Ray swore loudly.
Mariah turned to look at him.
"What?"
"Oh, it's just that I've never heard you swear before." She said in a mild interested voice.
"Wow." Said Dizzi. "And we thought they knew each other well…"
"I thought Mariah liked Ray."
Mariah blushed furiously and Ray looked away.
Lee stepped up to the corridor. "Let's go."
"Okay." The rest of them followed.
The hallways were lit, unusual for people like Boris. Cameras were watching them from all angles. Ray gave a nervous shudder and Kenny had his back against the wall and his computer in his arms.
"I'm scared, guys." Stuttered Kenny
"It's okay, Chief." Said Ray.
To tell the truth, Ray was very scared himself. Driger wasn't here to watch his back now. It wasn't every day that your spirit guardian left you.
It wasn't long until they hit a fork.
"Okay. Ray and I will take left. Lee, you, Kai and Kenny should take right." Said Mariah.
"I wonder why…" commented Lee.
Mariah blushed.
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"What are you doing here Ian?"
"What do you think?"
"Let me guess," remarked Tyson, "Getting plastic surgery for that nose of yours?"
Ian glared, but other than that, he made no reply.
"Ladies first," he invited Hilary to jump as he opened the cover on the well.
"You think I'm crazy?" she asked
"Oh. You're obviously suspicious."
"We have a good reason to be."
"Fine, I'll go." He stepped into the old well.
"I guess we follow him." Said Kevin.
"Are you crazy?"
"What other choice do we have?"
"He's got a point. You do want Dragoon back, don't you?"
Tyson frowned. "Fine. Have it your way."
Kevin jumped down the well.
[A/N this reminds me of Inuyasha…]
"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Max
"I'm not going in. I just washed my clothes yesterday, and I don't want to get them dirty again." Retorted Hilary.
"Hil, let's go." Sighed Tyson
"TYSON!"
Tyson jumped into the well.
Hilary glared. "Someday I will make him pay for messing up my dress." She huffed. Then she jumped in.
Max sighed. "Teens these days." He muttered to himself.
The pathway was slimy and there were green algae all along the sides. It was filthy. Finally, Max hit the floor with an unpleasant bump.
"Took you guys long enough." Ian smirked.
"What do you want?"
He made no reply.
"Where are you taking us?"
Ian just smirked.
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Kai followed after Kenny and Lee. There was something suspicious here. He was sure of it. His feet tapped the floor rhythmically.
"I wonder why there are no guards." Asked Kenny suddenly.
"Probably there are, but they must have something planned." Answered Lee.
"They probably do, knowing Boris."
"Something dirty, no doubt."
Kai nodded.
They reached another fork. Kai and Lee looked at each other for a moment before Lee spoke up.
"I'll take right with Kenny. You can go on alone, can't you?"
Kai glared. "Yes I can."
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"Tala?"
"Yes, sir."
"Kai has reached location F. He will be in location 3 shortly."
"Yes, sir."
"You should go wait for him."
"Yes, sir."
Tala patted his blade softly. He had a long whip in his other hand. Kai, I'll be waiting. And I'll make you regret everything you've done.
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Ian reached a room and invited the gang inside.
"For the last time, what do you want?"
Ian smirked again, and signalled. The doors slammed shut.
"We're gonna watch your friends suffer. A screen turned on, and Max recognised the two people there.
"It's Ray and Mariah."
"What happened to Chief and the others?"
"They split up."
Heads turned to look at the three foot tall boy standing in the corner.
"How did you know?"
"Surveillance cameras." He smirked again.
They watched, and then, one by one, their faces turned into surprise. "How could you?" asked Max
Ian smirked yet again.
Tyson held up his blade.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You don't have bit beasts." Said a voice from behind them.
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Kai reached a room at the end of the corridor. He stopped, and, showing only a hint of hesitation, pushed open the door.
The doors slammed shut behind him.
Kai turned, but felt searing pain behind him and abruptly looked back.
"Who's there?"
"Kai, what a pleasure to meet you here." The lights turned on.
"Tala," he growled.
Tala nodded, and Wolborg flew back to his hand.
"We're going to settle our score even. Here and now."
Kai didn't bother glancing behind him. "Fine." He brought his foot up to his hand and produced a knife from his boot.
"You still have that?" Tala eyed the knife.
"I haven't abandoned self defence."
"It doesn't matter. Dranzer can't save you now, like he did last time."
*****Flashback*****
"You're dead," smirked Tala as he brought a spear down on the wounded and bloody Kai.
Kai forced himself to get up and run, but tripped over a small pebble and fell down again.
Tala aimed the spear right at Kai's head.
It stopped in mid air.
"What?"
"Kai looked at him with eyes as puzzled as Tala's."
The truth dawned on the redhead first. "Dranzer." He hissed.
Flames shot up from the barrier and demolished the flint on Tala's spear.
Kai was ready, his knife in his hand.
*****End Flashback*****
The odds were stacked for him. They were both weak. And Kai still had failed to finish Tala off. And they both knew exactly why.
"Where's your…"
"I've pronounced a change of weapon."
Kai winced as Wolborg sliced his back, sending flecks of blood flying.
"How did that happen?"
"Skill."
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Ray and Mariah were crawling along a narrow tunnel, Ray in front, and Mariah behind. It had been like this for what seemed like an hour. They were both exhausted.
"Ray?"
"Yes?"
"What if we don't get out of here alive?"
"Don't worry, we will."
Mariah was silent. Her hand touched her blade.
Up ahead, there came a tiny speck of light.
"Do you see that?" asked Ray
"Yeah,"
"Let's hurry."
Ray quickened the movement of his hands and feet, but stopped as he drew nearer.
"What's up?"
Ray gasped. Kenny was there, unconscious, tied to a pole. And behind him was…
"Surprised to see me?"
"Lee…"
"Why, after all you've done to the village? Serves you right."
"Lee…why?"
"Driger's mine. That's why. He always was."
At this point, Ray had forgotten his bit beast. He forgot everything, his friends, his village, he just couldn't get that picture, the smirking Lee, out of his head. He turned back to run.
He bumped into something.
"Let's move, Mariah."
Mariah didn't budge.
That was when it had dawned on him. The White Tigers…they had planned this out with BioVolt. He remembered Mariah automatically moving towards him. Lee had suggested how they were to split up. He had played along, not suspecting anything.
"Sorry, Ray."
There was no escape for him.
He was dead. He wasn't worthy of Driger, if he had fallen into such a simple plan.
Lee stood there, smirking triumphantly.
The tunnel sealed off, and cuffs sprang from the wall and wound themselves around Ray's wrists.
Mariah was leaning dangerously close.
"I love you, Ray, I really do." She whispered, barely audible.
Ray would have wanted to respond, tell her he felt the same way, but he never got a chance to, because, at that precise moment, her claws found his neck.