"Umm, this might be a bad time, but is it ok if I ask you some questions?" Tyson asked.
Hilary gave him a dirty look, a look that said 'I can't believe you! She just woke up for pete's sake!'
Queauri broke free of her line of thought and looked at Tyson. She wiped away her tears sat up straighter. "Tyson, right?" She said softly, "What is it that you want to know?"
"Who are you and will there be more people like you who will come after our bit-beasts, because I'm not letting Dragoon go!" Tyson walked in the room and sat down a few feet away from Queauri. The rest of the team followed.
Queauri smiled at their fearful yet curious faces. She lifted her hand and touched the red triangle on her face.
"You are afraid?" She asked, "You are afraid of these triangles? Why? Could it be that you've tasted Kai's power and now you fear the ones who have the same mark?"
"Do you think this is funny? Answer my questions!" Tyson was impatient. (No duh!)
"What Tyson meant was that," Max tried to explain, "We are not afraid, but we still wants to know if our friends, our bit-beasts are still in danger."
"You must be Max," Queauri said as she brushed away a stray lock of hair. Max replied by nodding.
"To answer Tyson's questions. I'm not sure who I am, but my name is Queauri. Your bit-beasts are not in danger, Max. Or Tysons's, or Rei's. And at this point, I don't believe Dranzer is in any danger either," Queauri said, looking at Kai.
"The abbey sent me to retrieve Dranzer. I was on this mission alone."
"That's a relief!" Rei said, leaning back now that he wasn't so tense.
"Now, if you don't mind, I would like my clothes back and I'll be on my way," said Queauri. She blushed at the realization that she was in a long white gown and her clothes were no where to be seen.
"Oh, I'm sorry, they're still drying," Hilary said. "You'll need to wait for a while."
Kai stood up, an angry air about him. "How many days did Voltaire give you to complete this mission?"
Queauri looked up at him and met his stern eyes. She looked down again, silent.
"What? You guys have time limits for these things?" Tyson asked.
Kai ignored Tyson. He knelt down beside Queauri and gently lifted her chin with his hand. Once again, their eyes met, but Queauri couldn't hold his gaze.
"I know what will happen to you if you don't have Dranzer when you go back." His voice trembled with rage and yet a certain softness was fixed into it.
Images of past beatings ran through Queauri's head.
"I had three days. Voltaire was confident that I'd get Dranzer. I've been made to study the way you fight, ever since that day when you blew up the old abbey. In a way, I traveled with you since that day, for not a moment passed without a clip of your battles before my face. Whatever you did, I did also. The way you launched, the way you fought, it's all been engraved into my mind. I watched you through your triumphs, and I watched you through your failures. I was made to see your happiness and I was forced to see your pain."
No one spoke. No one moved. Not even the wind stirred outside. Kai's breath quivered as he tried to comprehend everything that Queauri said. He felt a tear on his fingers, which still held up Queauri's face. He looked into her eyes and saw his reflection looking back at him.
"That's right," Queauri said with a slight smile, "you were my dreams and you were my nightmares."
"I'm sorry."
Kai stood up and walked out the door.
"That's...amazing," Rei finally said after a long time.
"Where is this abbey place? And you and Kai were both raised in that place?" Max asked.
"No wonder he gives everyone a cold shoulder," Tyson said.
"That's absolutely horrible! I'd like to give this Voltaire person a piece of my mind!" Hilary said, raising her fists a little.
"You said you had three days. So if the first day was when you first met Kai. The second day was the battle. Then this must be the last day! What are you going to do?" Kenny asked.
"Are you still going to go after Dranzer?" Max asked.
"Because if you are, then you'll have to go through me!" Tyson said.
"But you're not, right?" Hilary asked. She took hold of Queauri's shoulders and shook them a couple of times, "I mean, not after all that he's done for you, right? Not after he carried you back and we took care of you. You can't be that heartless, right? I mean, I know you weren't conscious, but still, that should mean something!"
"Hilary! Please!" Queauri finally said. Hilary stopped her violent shaking of Queauri's shoulders.
"Dranzer can't help me now. Please, return my clothes and I will leave all of you."
Hilary nodded and went to get Queauri's clothes. Queauri sat there in silence as everyone stared at her.
"If you don't mind me asking," Kenny began, "where did you get your beyblade?"
"You're wondering about Halcyon, aren't you?" Queauri asked.
"Well...yeah," Kenny replied, a bit embarrased that the girl saw right through his question.
Hilary came in and gave Queauri's clothes. Queauri picked up Halycon, and stood up. The white gown falling to her knees.
"Um...you can't change in the next room," Hilary said.
"Thank you," Queauri replied, and slid open the door. She turned around and looked at the Bladebreakers one more time, and said, "Halcyon found me one day when I was training."
She walked into the next room, which was the bathroom. A big mirror was in the middle. Taking off the gown, she noticed something around her neck. It was a red bird on the end of a gold chain. "Dranzer?" she whispered. Taking it off, she took a closer look at it. The beautiful ruby phoenix seemed to pulse in her hand.
She changed into her old clothes, put her hair into a high ponytail, and opened the door. Quickly, she walked toward the exit.
"What did Kai mean when he said he knew what they were going to do to you when you go back empty handed?" Tyson's voice reached her ears. She turned around, and there they were.
"None of your business, Tyson," Queauri replied.
"No, you don't understand, we want to help," Rei said.
"Please, I can't accept your help. However," she turned around and took out the ruby bird. She handed it to Rei and turned back around. "please give that to Kai. Tell him, I'm thankful to have finally met him face to face."
And with that, she walked away, leaving the Bladebreakers speechless, and staring once again at her shadow.
Wow, chapter 8 is finished. Chapter 9 will follow soon. Anyone made any predictions?