Emptiness
By: Black Dranzer
".." speaking and thinking
//..// Russian or other language translations (not jap tho)
~*~*~*~ Scene Change
*** flashback sequences
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. I only own any of the characters that you haven't seen in the original Beyblade series.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Contract
Jackie sat sobbing lightly on Robert's shoulder as her mother did the same leaning on her father. Kai had revealed everything when he and the three Majestics had returned with small bruises and cuts. Enrique and Oliver sat opposite them with somber faces that mimicked the Bladebreakers'. Max's usual happy cheer was gone as he stared at his fingers with a frown. Ray had his hand on his chin, as if thinking of a way to solve their problems. Tyson sat gulping down a large sandwich, but slowed down and eventually stopped as he too fell under the silent spell of sadness.
The only person not showing sadness was Kai, who was sitting in his own corner of the living room. But this was only because his usual indifferent mask was back on his face, hiding his feelings. Inside, he was really self- criticizing for getting Johnny involved with the ambush. Opening his eyes suddenly, Kai stood up and looked at Jackie, and then reached inside his pockets, pulling out the object Johnny had trust at him. It was a golden necklace with a blue stone hanging from it. He quietly walked over to Jackie and put it in her hands.
Jackie looked up in surprise.
"Johnny told me to hold onto it," Kai explained it in a voice softer than he had liked, "he said it was your birthday present,"
The girl looked down at the necklace and fresh tears welled up inside her eyes. "Johnny," she whispered and put the necklace up to her heart.
Kai, not wanting to stand there looking at Jackie cry, turned away and walked up the stairs.
In his room, Kai stared at his hands.
With a grunt, he punched the wall beside him.
"It was my fault," he thought, "Johnny should've never been involved." Before more thoughts could fill his mind, a whizzing sound alerted Kai and he felt something brush by his cheek. It took a few seconds for the shock to leave him and he looked beside him to see what happened. Embedded in the wall was the sharp blade of a dagger. The dagger was stuck through a piece of paper with writing on it.
"What is with all these whizzing daggers?" he thought angrily. Picking the weapon off of the wall, Kai unfolded the letter and his eyes hardened. A drop of red landed on a word written in Russian on the piece of paper. Kai felt his cheek and saw that the knife had left a scar as it flew past him. But his attention was on the letter.
"BIOVOLT," he whispered as he stared at the Russian words.
The letter (translated into English) read:
Bladebreakers,
Regarding the events of last night, we are going to propose a contract with you. If you accept a beyblade battle against us in the upcoming Scottish Beyblade Battle Bash, we will release our guests. But that is only if you defeat us, if we are victorious on the other hand, a high price will be paid. If you decline, we do not guarantee the safety of our guests. There are instructions below regarding how we will receive your response.
-Demolition Boys
Kai snarled at this and looked at the words written below:
In order for us to receive your response, write your reply on a piece of paper and attach it to this dagger and put them into a box. Then, before midnight tonight, go to the Swan Lake Hotel and hand the box to the clerk and say it is a package for Room 205. DO NOT go up to the room yourself or suffer consequences. If we do not receive the box after midnight, we will take that as a declination from you and take the necessary steps to fulfill our threat.
Kai pursed his lips as he finished reading and folded the letter up. He put the dagger in his pocket and walked downstairs to tell the others.
After hearing the translated Russian letter from Kai, Tyson immediately jumped up and cried, "I say we go straight to the room and thrust the dagger in their faces!"
"Tyson!" Ray warned, "Didn't you listen to Kai? It said 'DO NOT go up to the room yourself or suffer consequences.' Do you want Johnny and Kyle to get hurt?"
"No, I guess not," Tyson, said as he sat down again.
"We would have to accept the challenge if we want to save them then," Max said seriously.
"In other words, they're not giving you a choice," Enrique said.
"In that case," Oliver agreed, "you guys should train for the next few days, and the Battle Bash is in just one week,"
"Yes, I and I think that the Demolition Boys will be harder to defeat this time," Robert said.
"We will have to include the Demolition Boys as a qualifying team then," Jackie added.
"Are you sure you can get Johnny back safely?" Mrs. McGregor asked.
"We don't want you kids to get hurt trying though, we should be contacting the police," Mr. McGregor added.
"I'm going no matter what," Kai spoke up, "It was my fault he was involved so it is my responsibility to get him back,"
"Don't be silly," Mr. McGregor said, "it wasn't all your fault, don't trouble yourself that much,"
"Plus," Oliver added, "We'll train with you guys,"
Kai didn't reply but took out the dagger from his pocket and placed it on the table, "I plan to take them all on if I have to, and I plan to train alone," Before anyone could say another word, the boy was out of the house and down the path towards the crowds of Edinburgh.
"Well," Robert said, "That can't be helped, but we will be honored to help you reach your highest potential."
"Thank you," Ray said, "I'll come,"
"Me too," Max said.
"You can count me in!" Tyson said excitedly and took out his Dragoon blade.
"I'm going to help too," Jackie said.
Robert looked at her in surprise, "I never knew that you beybladed Jackie,"
Jackie opened her mouth to counter, but she looked at her parents who had weird glances on their faces.
"N-no," she replied, "forget it then,"
"Jacqueline, dear," Mrs. McGregor said as she sat up, "You don't beyblade anymore do you?" It sounded more like an accusation than a question.
Jackie bit her lip, "No mother,"
Mrs. McGregor seem to relax at this and said softer, "That's good,"
The boys looked at Jackie questioningly, but she snapped at them, "Go train then! Hurry up! Every second counts!"
Nodding, the boys turned and followed Robert, who had been to Johnny's private training stadium before, down some stairs.
Looking at them go, Jackie longed to join them. Then, a thought came to mind.
"Mother," she said, turning to Mrs. McGregor, "May I go out to shop? I want to get my mind off of this,"
Her mother looked sympathetically at her and nodded, "Go ahead dear,"
"Thank you mother," Jackie replied and hurriedly ran up the stairs.
In her room, Jackie locked her door and went over to her desk.
Opening a drawer, she took out a small box with jewels embedded in it.
"Kai's birthday present," she thought as she stroked the jewels.
Taking a small key from her pocket, she unlocked the little box and took out her beyblade from inside.
Then, taking the necklace from her brother, she put it around her neck.
"I'm going to help you Johnny," she whispered, "And to do that, I have to train as hard as I can. That's where my rival comes in,"
With a slight smile, she went out of her room and down the stairs, avoiding the living room where her parents were and hurried out the door.
As soon as the doors closed, she changed from the red-haired Jackie McGregor to the blue-haired Changer.
Then, she ran quietly like a cat off into the crowds of Edinburgh following the footsteps of her rival.
~*~*~*~
Silence rang in the room of the Demolition Boys as autumn leaves fell from their branches outside. A single yellowed leaf drifted through black, iron barred windows and past a worn curtain. Its final destination was a pale hand shackled by black chains. The pale hand moved as it felt the leaf land and the owner looked down at it with icy eyes. Tala lifted his hand past his bloody shirt, up to his face and a clattering sound met his ears as he saw the chains around his wrists. But they did not bother him. He turned back to the leaf and stared at it for a few moments.
Then, without warning, he crushed it in his palm and let the wind blow its leftovers away. Around the room, Bryan, Ian and Spencer looked up. Spencer and Ian looked worried while Bryan just looked on with disconcert. Tala noticed the other three boys' stares and glared up at them. Ian and Spencer looked away immediately, and Bryan looked down at his beyblade.
It was just a few hours ago that Tala had come back from the room next door.
***Flashback***
Bryan, Spencer and Ian were sitting on their beds in their room; they had just finished their workout for the day and were resting. Suddenly, the wooden door banged open and in walked Tala. The three boys' eyes grew big as they saw him enter. His white jumpsuit was covered in blood that was dripping from a stomach wound.
Ian instantly got up and walked over to Tala as he saw the older boy stumble a bit. But Tala put up a finger to his mouth and silently pointed behind him. Ian stopped and looked over at the doorway.
At first, he could see nothing, but after a moment's concentration, he spotted two abbey workers in the shadows. He looked back at Tala and slightly nodded to let him know that he had seen the two men and walked back to his bed.
Tala acknowledged this and walked over to his own bed, but paused once in a while to wipe some trickles of blood from his mouth. When he finally arrived at his bedside, he sat down heavily and leaned back on the bedposts.
The two abbey workers, seeing that Tala wasn't about to make any more movement, entered the doorway. The three other boys watched as the two men walked over to Tala's bed and took out shackles and chains.
"What did he do this time?" Bryan asked out loud.
One of the abbey workers stopped and turned over to him.
"We're not sure either, Boris wanted to keep it a secret," he answered dully, "But I'd say that he'll be in these shackles for a pretty long time," At this, he turned back to Tala and fastened the iron chains on his wrists and ankles.
After they were done, the two abbey workers left and Spencer closed the door behind them.
As soon as the door closed and Ian made sure no one was in the halls, the three boys gathered around Tala's bed.
They dropped their masks of disconcert and looked down at the bloodied boy.
"What happened?" Ian asked quietly.
Tala opened his eyes and grimaced a bit from his stomach wound.
"I don't think you should know," he replied, not at all surprised in the other boys' sudden change of emotions.
The Demolition Boys had been trained to be unconcerned about everyone else except themselves, but they have become almost friends in secret and only showed it when they were alone. Ian stared to ask again, but Spencer put a hand on his shoulder.
"He doesn't want to tell us," he said firmly, "It is best to leave him be for now,"
Tala closed his eyes again, signaling the end of the conversation.
***End Flashback***
In all of the time that they had known Tala, the other Demolition Boys had only ever saw him in this state once before. And that had been six years ago.
~~FINI~~
By: Black Dranzer
".." speaking and thinking
//..// Russian or other language translations (not jap tho)
~*~*~*~ Scene Change
*** flashback sequences
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. I only own any of the characters that you haven't seen in the original Beyblade series.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Contract
Jackie sat sobbing lightly on Robert's shoulder as her mother did the same leaning on her father. Kai had revealed everything when he and the three Majestics had returned with small bruises and cuts. Enrique and Oliver sat opposite them with somber faces that mimicked the Bladebreakers'. Max's usual happy cheer was gone as he stared at his fingers with a frown. Ray had his hand on his chin, as if thinking of a way to solve their problems. Tyson sat gulping down a large sandwich, but slowed down and eventually stopped as he too fell under the silent spell of sadness.
The only person not showing sadness was Kai, who was sitting in his own corner of the living room. But this was only because his usual indifferent mask was back on his face, hiding his feelings. Inside, he was really self- criticizing for getting Johnny involved with the ambush. Opening his eyes suddenly, Kai stood up and looked at Jackie, and then reached inside his pockets, pulling out the object Johnny had trust at him. It was a golden necklace with a blue stone hanging from it. He quietly walked over to Jackie and put it in her hands.
Jackie looked up in surprise.
"Johnny told me to hold onto it," Kai explained it in a voice softer than he had liked, "he said it was your birthday present,"
The girl looked down at the necklace and fresh tears welled up inside her eyes. "Johnny," she whispered and put the necklace up to her heart.
Kai, not wanting to stand there looking at Jackie cry, turned away and walked up the stairs.
In his room, Kai stared at his hands.
With a grunt, he punched the wall beside him.
"It was my fault," he thought, "Johnny should've never been involved." Before more thoughts could fill his mind, a whizzing sound alerted Kai and he felt something brush by his cheek. It took a few seconds for the shock to leave him and he looked beside him to see what happened. Embedded in the wall was the sharp blade of a dagger. The dagger was stuck through a piece of paper with writing on it.
"What is with all these whizzing daggers?" he thought angrily. Picking the weapon off of the wall, Kai unfolded the letter and his eyes hardened. A drop of red landed on a word written in Russian on the piece of paper. Kai felt his cheek and saw that the knife had left a scar as it flew past him. But his attention was on the letter.
"BIOVOLT," he whispered as he stared at the Russian words.
The letter (translated into English) read:
Bladebreakers,
Regarding the events of last night, we are going to propose a contract with you. If you accept a beyblade battle against us in the upcoming Scottish Beyblade Battle Bash, we will release our guests. But that is only if you defeat us, if we are victorious on the other hand, a high price will be paid. If you decline, we do not guarantee the safety of our guests. There are instructions below regarding how we will receive your response.
-Demolition Boys
Kai snarled at this and looked at the words written below:
In order for us to receive your response, write your reply on a piece of paper and attach it to this dagger and put them into a box. Then, before midnight tonight, go to the Swan Lake Hotel and hand the box to the clerk and say it is a package for Room 205. DO NOT go up to the room yourself or suffer consequences. If we do not receive the box after midnight, we will take that as a declination from you and take the necessary steps to fulfill our threat.
Kai pursed his lips as he finished reading and folded the letter up. He put the dagger in his pocket and walked downstairs to tell the others.
After hearing the translated Russian letter from Kai, Tyson immediately jumped up and cried, "I say we go straight to the room and thrust the dagger in their faces!"
"Tyson!" Ray warned, "Didn't you listen to Kai? It said 'DO NOT go up to the room yourself or suffer consequences.' Do you want Johnny and Kyle to get hurt?"
"No, I guess not," Tyson, said as he sat down again.
"We would have to accept the challenge if we want to save them then," Max said seriously.
"In other words, they're not giving you a choice," Enrique said.
"In that case," Oliver agreed, "you guys should train for the next few days, and the Battle Bash is in just one week,"
"Yes, I and I think that the Demolition Boys will be harder to defeat this time," Robert said.
"We will have to include the Demolition Boys as a qualifying team then," Jackie added.
"Are you sure you can get Johnny back safely?" Mrs. McGregor asked.
"We don't want you kids to get hurt trying though, we should be contacting the police," Mr. McGregor added.
"I'm going no matter what," Kai spoke up, "It was my fault he was involved so it is my responsibility to get him back,"
"Don't be silly," Mr. McGregor said, "it wasn't all your fault, don't trouble yourself that much,"
"Plus," Oliver added, "We'll train with you guys,"
Kai didn't reply but took out the dagger from his pocket and placed it on the table, "I plan to take them all on if I have to, and I plan to train alone," Before anyone could say another word, the boy was out of the house and down the path towards the crowds of Edinburgh.
"Well," Robert said, "That can't be helped, but we will be honored to help you reach your highest potential."
"Thank you," Ray said, "I'll come,"
"Me too," Max said.
"You can count me in!" Tyson said excitedly and took out his Dragoon blade.
"I'm going to help too," Jackie said.
Robert looked at her in surprise, "I never knew that you beybladed Jackie,"
Jackie opened her mouth to counter, but she looked at her parents who had weird glances on their faces.
"N-no," she replied, "forget it then,"
"Jacqueline, dear," Mrs. McGregor said as she sat up, "You don't beyblade anymore do you?" It sounded more like an accusation than a question.
Jackie bit her lip, "No mother,"
Mrs. McGregor seem to relax at this and said softer, "That's good,"
The boys looked at Jackie questioningly, but she snapped at them, "Go train then! Hurry up! Every second counts!"
Nodding, the boys turned and followed Robert, who had been to Johnny's private training stadium before, down some stairs.
Looking at them go, Jackie longed to join them. Then, a thought came to mind.
"Mother," she said, turning to Mrs. McGregor, "May I go out to shop? I want to get my mind off of this,"
Her mother looked sympathetically at her and nodded, "Go ahead dear,"
"Thank you mother," Jackie replied and hurriedly ran up the stairs.
In her room, Jackie locked her door and went over to her desk.
Opening a drawer, she took out a small box with jewels embedded in it.
"Kai's birthday present," she thought as she stroked the jewels.
Taking a small key from her pocket, she unlocked the little box and took out her beyblade from inside.
Then, taking the necklace from her brother, she put it around her neck.
"I'm going to help you Johnny," she whispered, "And to do that, I have to train as hard as I can. That's where my rival comes in,"
With a slight smile, she went out of her room and down the stairs, avoiding the living room where her parents were and hurried out the door.
As soon as the doors closed, she changed from the red-haired Jackie McGregor to the blue-haired Changer.
Then, she ran quietly like a cat off into the crowds of Edinburgh following the footsteps of her rival.
~*~*~*~
Silence rang in the room of the Demolition Boys as autumn leaves fell from their branches outside. A single yellowed leaf drifted through black, iron barred windows and past a worn curtain. Its final destination was a pale hand shackled by black chains. The pale hand moved as it felt the leaf land and the owner looked down at it with icy eyes. Tala lifted his hand past his bloody shirt, up to his face and a clattering sound met his ears as he saw the chains around his wrists. But they did not bother him. He turned back to the leaf and stared at it for a few moments.
Then, without warning, he crushed it in his palm and let the wind blow its leftovers away. Around the room, Bryan, Ian and Spencer looked up. Spencer and Ian looked worried while Bryan just looked on with disconcert. Tala noticed the other three boys' stares and glared up at them. Ian and Spencer looked away immediately, and Bryan looked down at his beyblade.
It was just a few hours ago that Tala had come back from the room next door.
***Flashback***
Bryan, Spencer and Ian were sitting on their beds in their room; they had just finished their workout for the day and were resting. Suddenly, the wooden door banged open and in walked Tala. The three boys' eyes grew big as they saw him enter. His white jumpsuit was covered in blood that was dripping from a stomach wound.
Ian instantly got up and walked over to Tala as he saw the older boy stumble a bit. But Tala put up a finger to his mouth and silently pointed behind him. Ian stopped and looked over at the doorway.
At first, he could see nothing, but after a moment's concentration, he spotted two abbey workers in the shadows. He looked back at Tala and slightly nodded to let him know that he had seen the two men and walked back to his bed.
Tala acknowledged this and walked over to his own bed, but paused once in a while to wipe some trickles of blood from his mouth. When he finally arrived at his bedside, he sat down heavily and leaned back on the bedposts.
The two abbey workers, seeing that Tala wasn't about to make any more movement, entered the doorway. The three other boys watched as the two men walked over to Tala's bed and took out shackles and chains.
"What did he do this time?" Bryan asked out loud.
One of the abbey workers stopped and turned over to him.
"We're not sure either, Boris wanted to keep it a secret," he answered dully, "But I'd say that he'll be in these shackles for a pretty long time," At this, he turned back to Tala and fastened the iron chains on his wrists and ankles.
After they were done, the two abbey workers left and Spencer closed the door behind them.
As soon as the door closed and Ian made sure no one was in the halls, the three boys gathered around Tala's bed.
They dropped their masks of disconcert and looked down at the bloodied boy.
"What happened?" Ian asked quietly.
Tala opened his eyes and grimaced a bit from his stomach wound.
"I don't think you should know," he replied, not at all surprised in the other boys' sudden change of emotions.
The Demolition Boys had been trained to be unconcerned about everyone else except themselves, but they have become almost friends in secret and only showed it when they were alone. Ian stared to ask again, but Spencer put a hand on his shoulder.
"He doesn't want to tell us," he said firmly, "It is best to leave him be for now,"
Tala closed his eyes again, signaling the end of the conversation.
***End Flashback***
In all of the time that they had known Tala, the other Demolition Boys had only ever saw him in this state once before. And that had been six years ago.
~~FINI~~