Chapter 2

Krixel: My top two fave characters are Bryan and Kevin, followed by Tala, Kai, Ray and Lee. And I glad you like Bryan's protectiveness. I was worried how it would be taken by the readers. And I think the Demolition Boys would be close considering what they've been through. I'm sick of people writing them as enemies.

Chibi Chaos Sama: Ian? Hn. I find him highly amusing. Like when he confronts the Blade Breakers and fires at them while they're fighting over if they should battle or not. I just love his line. "Too late."

Jay Kamiya: I'd say Boris would be strong. Just look at the size of him. And you've got to remember that he'd need to be able to fight the boys should they try to revolt, and the boys aren't weak as we well know...

Some character bashing in this chapter, so you are warned.

Disclaimer: See first page

Boris turned toward them, noting that Bryan had already almost recovered, Tala not far behind. Reaching out, Boris took the steel rod from the wall, eyes on Bryan. In most cases Boris would remove the weak to be left with the strong, but not here. If he attacked Tala first, it would give Bryan the time he needed to regain his strength. That was something Boris had learnt years ago, the memory of the beating Bryan had given him still lingering.

Bryan had been but a mere child then. The merciless beating the now 18-year-old could dish out would be a great deal worse.

Bryan would be first.

Using the wall as support, Bryan was almost to his feet. Pushing himself away, he raised his eyes, staring into the lenses of those goggles. Boris approached slowly, rod tight in his grip as he assessed the situation, looking for a weak point, but noting that Bryan was already on the defensive.

Boris brought the rod around, Bryan stepping aside and out of its path, Boris twisting it in his grip and changing direction, forcing Bryan to bring up an arm in order to defend his head. Bryan hissed as it connected, gliding aside as Boris made for another strike.

Bryan worked his way out of the corner, knowing that that first blow had fractured his arm. His gaze hardened, smirking just to spite his mentor. Boris growled, aiming a blow for Bryan's head but missing as Bryan ducked under it, stepping forward and snapping a punch in, catching Boris squarely on the jaw.

Boris released one of his hands grip on the rod, quickly regaining his balance and using Bryan's closeness to his advantage, bringing a backhanded punch across Bryan's face. They retreated, Boris reassessing the situation.

He had injured the boy, but it had not been his strong arm. If he were to have any chance of winning this, he first had to disable the fearless Bryan. A thought came to him, but he did not allow it to show on his face. Yes. That will work.

He advanced, rod at the ready, Bryan taking a step back and around, keeping himself to the centre of the room. Boris kept coming, stepping forward and bringing the rod around toward Bryan's mid-section. Bryan stepped back, Boris following closely, aiming another strike, feigning it, and brining it in at another angle.

Bryan blocked the blow again, Boris frustrated as he realised Bryan had brought his already injured arm around. Yes, the boy might have a quick temper, but he was far from being stupid. Boris moved forward again, Bryan circling away, bringing Boris near one of the walls.

Perfect.

Boris reached back, grabbing the weapon and throwing it. Tala called out, Bryan's eyes widening as he realised too late his mistake. He hissed at the pain, reaching down to pull the dagger free from his thigh and bringing it up, now armed.

Boris could not help but smile, noting the faint limp Bryan was fighting to conceal. The boy would be slower now, and the dagger did not have the reach that the rod did. Boris lunged forward, Bryan twisting around and slashing with the blade, tearing a hole in Boris's coat.

Boris spun on his back foot, rod gliding through the air and catching Bryan's arm, dagger flying from his grip. Bryan moved to step backward, stumbling on his injured leg, and that was all that Boris needed.

Closing the distance the rod caught Bryan across the chest, a crack filling the air as ribs snapped. Bryan moved to retreat, but Boris snapped a leg out, catching Bryan on the wound on his thigh and dropping him involuntarily to one knee. Before Bryan could react, Boris threw everything he had into the final blow, feeling the contact vibrate through the steel as Bryan slumped to the ground. The fight was over.

Boris wiped the thin trickle of blood from his lip, turning to where Tala leant back against the wall, ice blue eyes burning. Smiling, Boris moved forward, eyes set upon his next victim.

Tala was also a fighter, but he would never compare to Bryan. Tala was more cool-headed, assessing the situation and striking quickly and accurately, often wearing an opponent down. Tala was a dancer where Bryan was a brawler, and Boris could handle the dancers.

Tala stepped away from the wall, eyes flickering momentarily to where his teammate lay sprawled and unmoving. Boris took that moment to strike, Tala's eyes swinging back around as he ducked and danced away.

Oh yes, the 17-year-old still knew how to dance. Boris's memory played over all the other times he had been faced with this. On the rare occasion Tala managed to strike back, but he did not have the strength that Bryan did, so those blows had not done any real physical damage.

Tracking Tala with his eyes, Boris took a step forward, Tala moving away and around just as Bryan had. Boris had taught them to never allow themselves to be backed into a corner, and it was one lesson they had all learnt well.

Boris watched Tala as he calculated, judging what Boris would do next and thinking of all possible escape routes. Boris knew this and did what Tala wouldn't be expecting – he took a step back.

Tala's ice blue eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out what Boris had planned. Spotting the faint confusion, Boris quickly closed the distance, forcing Tala to throw up his arms as the rod came down.

Boris pursued him, lashing out again and again. The best way to deal with a dancer was to not allow them to dance at all. With the brawlers it was all about caution and distance, choosing the right moment to strike before distancing yourself again before they could strike back. The dancers thought not to strike back, but to simply keep the distance, so you must not give them that distance.

Tala did not cry out as the rod connected, feeling bones crack in his arms, the pain slowly numbing his mind. He tried to circle around and out from under the assault, but Boris had him every time, slowly backing him toward the wall.

Reaching the wall, Boris backed off, standing and watching Tala. Tala frowned, it slowly dawning on him that Boris wanted him to fight back. Well, if it's a fight he wanted, then it was a fight he was going to get.

The wall was bare of any weapons, so Tala simply lunged forward, dodging Boris's strike and swinging a fist in. His eyes widened as Boris caught his arm.

"Speed isn't everything, Tala," Boris said. "I thought I had taught you better than that."

With a twist he flipped Tala onto his back, the teen quickly rolling to his feet, not wanting to be left vulnerable. Abruptly, the world went black as Boris brought down the rod one final time.

Stepping back, Boris crossed the room and set the rod back in its place, retrieving the dagger as he went. That done, he crossed to Tala, grabbing the boy by the back of his shirt and picking him up, before moving across to do the same with Bryan. Both boys were light, so he had no trouble with them as he dragged them from the room and out into the corridor, heading for the lowest and oldest levels of the Abbey…

Ian sighed, staring down into the dish. "We have to stop him."

Spencer looked up. "What do you mean?"

"Boris. We can't just let him do that to Tala and Bryan." Ian met Spencer's eye. "Bryan has always looked out for us, Spence. And when we were hurt or sick, Tala was always the one who nursed us back to health. We have to help them."

Spencer frowned. "There ain't nothing we can do, Ian. Boris is in charge. He can do whatever he wants."

"Well he shouldn't be allowed to torture us." Ian scowled. "Just you remember that if you'd lost to Kai, you'd still be in that room as well."

Spencer remained silent for a moment, before looking away. "The BBA will look into this place and shut it down. Boris won't be able to touch us again."

"But by then it might be too late." Ian shook his head, the 12-year-old brushing his hair from his face. "Boris was pretty pissed off. He didn't want us there cause he knew we might try and stop him." He watched Spencer. "He was going to do something bad, I just know it."

"He got weapons in that room," Spencer said softly.

They sat in silence, the minutes dragging out as they awaited Boris's arrival. From time to time they would glance at the clock, Spencer finally breaking the silence.

"Bryan must be putting up a fight."

"Bryan always puts up a fight." Ian tucked his legs under him, staring once more down into the bowl. "There's a joke amongst the others that when Bryan was born, he came out fighting."

Spencer smiled faintly. "I heard that when he was little, he once kicked Boris in the nose."

"Think it's true?"

"Wouldn't surprise me." Spencer shrugged. "Heard it from a couple of the older guys. The ones that have been here since the place opened."

"Yeah, they might know." Ian looked up at him. "Can you remember what it was like? Outside of the Abbey I mean. Before you came here."

"A little." Spencer looked down into the dish. "I remember laughing a lot, playing with the other kids, running around. I remember having… fun."

"Same." Ian pulled out his beyblade, wiping a smudge off it. "Think Tala and Bryan remember?"

"Tala, Bryan, and Kai were born here." Spencer shifted in his spot. "There are rumours that they were created."

Ian looked up sharply. "I heard Kai might be, but not Tala and Bryan."

"I don't know for sure, they're just rumours." Spencer shrugged. "Just interesting that only three kids were ever born and raised here, and it was them three."

"Yeah. Interesting."

They looked up at the sound of the door opening, getting to their feet as Boris stepped inside. He paid them no mind as he crossed to the cupboard, opening it and pulling out a rag, wiping his hands. Ian and Spencer felt their breath catch in their throat as they realised that he was wiping away blood.

"Training pattern E-Delta," Boris said, moving toward them.

"Will Bryan and Tala be joining us later, sir?" Ian asked, setting his blade.

"They will not. Begin."

The two launched their blades, exchanging a knowing and concerned look before focusing everything into their training.

What had Boris done with Tala and Bryan I wonder? Any guesses?