Blue: Here's the next chapter of Rei, I hope you enjoy it! And I'd like to make a shout-out to one of my best buddies, rivals, and is a really great author, Lunar Heart! Take a bow Lunar! Warning: this chapter is action packed and it will make you sit on the edge of your seat so...I hope you have a long chair. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of the large spider's inner parts echoed through the tall, circular room as it paced back and fourth in front of Rei. Her golden eyes watched it, not moving at all from their positioned target.

~~~Control Room, somewhere in mansion~~~

Voltaire and Boris' evil faces are lit up by the many screens on the wall in front of them, as the room is dark and nothing can be seen. A door opens behind them in the shadowy blackness and Blake walks through, making his way quickly to their side and watching the screens as well.

The screens showed many empty corridors at different angels, but the ones in the middle were the different angels of the cameras watching Lindsay's every move.

"Well, Blake, this is where we make history...should this girl make it to the end, we will stop her" Boris explained, malevolently. Blake just stared at the screens.

"Sorry.." he whispered to himself

~~~Back to Rei~~~

The spider moved amazingly quick for a machine as large as it was. It had begun to circle Rei, but the girl just stood her ground, her eyes closed now. Waiting, meditating.

'I will get out of here...I will do it for Driger,' she told herself, placing her grip the correct way in the launcher, 'for Kai, David....my parents. I'll do it for them, and I will return to them'

Her eyes snap open just as the mechanical monster made it's move, all eight of it's legs moving in a blur, attacking full on. The sharp blade-like pincers open and ready to cut Rei in half. Just as fast, Rei turns and faces the beast. It's a well known fact that the weakest point of all machines is the underbelly, but because this one hasn't been used that often.

"The throat" Rei says, launching her blade quickly. It moves like a flash just as the pincers begin to close around Rei's neck.

The machine shudders mere inches from her neck as she holds out her hand, her blade returning to it. With a thump, the two halves that the blade cut it into fell away from each other. All the noise in the room stopped as the machine completely died, a pin could've dropped and anyone could have heard it.

Rei looked at her work with a grin and easily walked through the path of parts. Loud clicks encircled her, showing that the doors had indeed unlocked except for the one that she had come in through. There was no turning back.

The sounds of Rei placing her blade in the launcher and preparing it greeted the silence of the room as she thought through which way to go next.

'Well,' she tells herself, 'Tyson always says "When in doubt, go to the right..." I guess I'm going left' with that she went to the door the farthest on the left. Opening it, she was greeted by a dark, stone corridor, only lit up by a few candles spaced widely apart.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored the remarks about the dungeon-like appearance from her bit-beast and began jogging down the corridor, her blade and launcher at her side in one hand, ready for action, and the other arm swinging, keeping her pace up.

~~~~~

Boris glares at the camera as the room replayed what had just happen in an instant in the spider-room.

"Well, it seems we underestimated little miss perfect" he says, sarcastically, as he pushed a button and the replay stopped, replaced with the images of Rei jogging carefully down the dungeon-like hallway. "Time to go to the next level...release the hounds!" he orders.

One of his men nod and run over to a control panel, pushing a few buttons that beep and make a couple really cool noises.

Boris chuckles. "I've always wanted to say that"

In the background noise of the screen, they heard the howl of dogs.

~~~~~~

Shivers ran up Rei's spine at the howl and she turned around. Bad idea. Hearing the clicking of many feet, or paws, on the ground, and seeing three pairs or red eyes shining through the blackness Rei did the best thing somebody in her position could do...run.

Eyes wide as saucers and face paling by the second, Rei dashed off down the hallway as fast as her legs could carry her. There seemed to be no end to it, nor another doorway she could take to get out of there.

Heart beating fast, she could hear whatever the creatures were gaining. No matter how fast she ran, they would catch her eventually.

'Spiders and evil hounds...I think I just figured out why nobody ever got out of here!' she kicked herself for ever getting close to Blake or saving him. If she hadn't, she wouldn't be in this mess.

"I am way too nice for my own good!" she exclaims, hearing another growl, she jumps ahead, trying to at least outrun the dogs until... her golden eyes spot something at the end of the hall. A small filter of red light shines from the bottom of the corridor and at the end.

Turning back to look once, her eyes went even wider with horror at the sight of the beasts in the brief light from a torch; they were wolves all right. Mechanical wolves, with glowing red eyes, long four inch sword-like claws on every paw and a spear on the ends of their long, whipping tails.

~~~~~Rei's POV~~~~~

'No...way...' I thought, my breathing heavy and legs becoming lead. I was already exhausted from the days' journey and this was not helping!

{RUN REI!!!} I heard Driger shout though my mind and I mentally glared at him. {Run to the light!}

'Oh yeah, that's a great line to use in this situation, cat! And red light isn't the most inviting thing in the world you know!'

The click of the many paws on the hard ground suddenly got closer, but the light seemed just as far away as it was a few seconds ago. Even though I know I'm running at all I can, I can feel my body beginning to show exhaustion. There was no way I was going to make it to the end.

It was impossible.

{Nothing's impossible if you set your mind to it...gah, I don't have time to recite one of Dranzer's way too wise speeches, think about Kai!!! What do you think he'll do once he finds out your dead?}

Something snapped in the back of my mind. Kai..I had to do this for Kai. I was so caught up in going I forgot what I was fighting for....narrowing my eyes I feel my body gain the little bit of strength I need to put on the last burst of speed to get me to the door.

Practically falling through it, I stumble through the door and into a large library with two levels and a balcony. Spinning around, I slam the wooden door right in the face of one of the mechanical wolves horrible face.

Backing away from the door where they were scraping and clawing, trying to get back through, I get the unnerving feeling that I'm being watched. Turning slowly, all I can say is

"No. Way"

Shivers run up my spine as I stare right into the eyes of the evilest, and most magnificent creature ever created in the history of the universe. It, in turn, stares back at me with the upmost of hatred, almost as if it knew I was one of the four reasons it had been forgotten for a year, and tried to have been forgotten by my friends and I.

"Black...Dranzer" I stutter, my voice echoing through the room.

Black Dranzer flaps it's gigantic wings, continuing to glare at me as it circles above at the roof. It's black feathers ruffle a little as it shakes it's head, almost like it was saying I had no chance.

Growls and a howl catch my attention, along with a large crack. Spinning back to face the door, I realize with horror that the wolves were breaking through. I could hear their barks and howls much easier now and could see their gleaming, metal parts shining through the hole they had just made.

"Ah," a noise floats through the room. "I am surprised to see you have made it this far, Little Mouse"

"Voltaire" I glare at the ceiling, knowing it was an intercom as I backed up bumping into a bookshelf; my breaths coming out ragged and my chest heaving.

"Interesting enough," Voltaire continues as Black Dranzer caws quietly and the wolves bark "the room you are standing in has never been opened again since we put the released Black Dranzer into it, until today that is." he chuckles. I wince at the sound of splintering wood.

'This does not look good...'

"Oh, and one more thing...should you make it through this room without getting yourself knocked out or, even better, killed" I continue to glare as I watch a red eye glow as it stared at me through the nearly broken door. "The door with the cross emblem on it is the one you should take to get out."

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. 'Why would he tell me.."

{He doesn't think you'll make it though} Driger says bluntly. I can feel him tense, his powerful tiger muscles ready to take on some action. {But he doesn't know who he's dealing with here. It's you and me girl, all the way!}

I have to smile even as one of the wolves nearly forces his way in, making the wood splinter and door groan from the force being put on it. Black Dranzer seemed to be amused watching me try to scurry to safety.

{Evil, egocentric phoenix's. They think they know everything!}

I smirk, shoving my blade and launcher in my pocket then reaching above my head and feeling for the nearest in-my-arms-range shelf. Finding one, I grip it backwards with the best of my ability.

'And here I thought you were starting to like phoenix's. Spending so much time with dear old Dranzer an all.'

{Trust me...I would rather have not had anything to do with the bird!!}

'Cute bird though...'

I wince as a wolf howl triumphantly and begins shoving it's slim animal body through the splintering hole in the middle of the door.

{Hey! I thought you loved Kai.}

'Love?'

{...oops. He he he...}

'I..don't...know...'

{PAY ATTENTION!!}

By now, two wolves were through the door and watching me as their companion was able to slip through much easier than the other two and stand beside them. We stared for a bit before the one in the middle howls and they attack with so much speed, it nearly caught me off guard.

I smirk. I love that word...nearly.

As they came in inches of me, I grabbed the shelf with both my hands and kicked out, connecting with the face of a different wolf from before and using that as a force pushed off and flipped onto the top of the book case.

Slightly dazed, one of the machines runs headlong into the shelf, making it shake so violently that I had to get on my knees and cling to it so's not to fall into the waiting jaws of the beasts below me.

{Meep!} I have to smile, even in my predicament, as Driger falls over in his chip because of the sudden jolt.

'And I always thought tigers were graceful..' I told him as the bookcase shook again, but this time because a wolf had sunk it's claws in the wood and different books and began to climb. 'Guess you proved that theory wrong'

Looking around frantically, I tried to stand up but hit my head hard on the balcony which hung just over the bookshelves. A little dizzy, I shook my head.

"Ow...hey!" Without a second though, I grabbed onto the edge of the balcony and began to pull myself up.

Using most of the strength in my arms, I was able to keep up enough that when the wolf made it to the top and took a swipe at me, I raised my legs and put my feet on the balcony. Standing up on the outer edge of the railing, I easily swing over the top of it.

Standing safely on the stone floor, I sigh in relief. Walking to the edge, I look down and stick my tongue out at the wolves pacing the floor and staring up at me.

Turning, I screamed as I came face to face with Black Dranzer swooping down towards me. Bracing myself for impact I waited for the blow to come...but it never did. Was the bird toying with me? I had to know...

Opening my eyes I look to see where Black Dranzer was...he was gone. Confused, I heard the large bit beast shriek and then a roar...DRIGER!

Spinning back around I looked up to the roof and saw, with horror, that Driger was battling the evil bit beast.

He looked so ferocious...it couldn't be him. But deep down, I know it is. Driger was battling the most powerful bit beast on the planet, add to that the one being that scared him the most. After all, Black Dranzer had the power to steal him away from me and lock him up, using Driger's power for his own purposes. But my tiger would never let that happen...he's too brave, and I am going to be just like him!

I look back over the side of the balcony and gulp at the sight of the wolves trying to climb the stone wall.

'Good luck Drig...keep the mental connection up, ok?'

{No..time...to...talk...Hate...Phoenix's....}

With a deep breath, I watch the wolves move for a few seconds before swinging over the side of the balcony and fell.

~~~~~Normal POV~~~~~

Hearing a noise, the wolf right under the balcony looked up, it's glowing red eyes suddenly widened. With a thud, Rei landed on the back of the mechanical wolf, making it shudder slightly and growl.

Bearing it's teeth, the wolf turned as Rei grabbed a good hold onto a hinge in it's neck. It spun, but Rei stayed on, her hair whipping behind her, like she was riding a bull. Her body was flung this way and that as the mechanical beast tried to throw her off. Finally, one of the other wolves sensors picked up Rei's energy on top of it's comrade and immediately attacked.

Rei smirks at this and, as soon as one wolf hit the other she jumped off as both wolves destroyed each other. On the cold floor, panting, she looks up and grins. Pushing herself up she gasps at the pain coming from high on her right thigh and looking down, shivers slightly.

As the other wolf had attacked, it seemed that one of their flailing spear tails had hit her, injuring her leg with a short cut. But no matter how small it was, it stung like hell.

A growling a little ways away from her makes her golden eyes dart to it. Apparently the last remaining wolf that had gotten his snout in the door didn't like Rei one bit...wonder why. Rei grinned.

"Aww, does puppy wanna play?" she taunted, pulling herself to her feet and standing her ground. The wolf itself was pacing back and fourth, waiting for it's inner sensors to give it the signal for the right time to attack.

For a moment, Rei's eyes glazed over as she talked with her bit beast. Driger and Black Dranzer were dead even and it was all about endurance. The first bit to get the tiny bit tired was doomed, because in a matter of seconds the other would attack and finish it off.

A small smile played on her lips as she stared at the wolf in front of her, confirming Driger's plan.

One of the not-so-hidden cameras' lenses twisted and focussed more on Rei as she smiled, making everyone in the control room quite confused. It wasn't just that she was smiling into the face of doom, but the fact was she had beaten the toughest challenge yet that nobody else had! It was physically impossible...

They hadn't seen Driger.

"NOW!" Rei shouted, getting every body's attention and ran all out at the wolf. Almost, with a steely grin, the wolf itself trotted forwards and jumped in the air, ready to pounce. Rei stood her ground, staring defiantly up at the falling killing machine with a grin.

Inches away from Rei, the wolf was knocked away by a dark body. A small flash of dark light appeared as Black Dranzer shrieked in pain from the wolfs deadly body, but it was too late.

Before her very eyes, Rei saw the machine wolf shudder and it's bright red eyes flicker before growing dim from the force Black Dranzer forced on it. At another shriek, she watched as well as Black Dranzer disintegrated into nothingness, never to be seen or heard from again except for his final, defeated caw, almost as if he had accepted his fate.

With a deep, ragged breaths Rei fell to her knees in exhaustion in the centre of the destroyed library, a smile forming across her face. As her body showed pain and exhaustion, her eyes told a different truth: hope. She had defeated two impossible obstacles. Well, more like five.

After a huge mechanical spider, three killing mechanical wolves, and back and eviler than ever Black Dranzer, she asked herself with a tired grin.

"What else could there possibly be?"

~~~~~~~Rei's POV~~~~~~

{Don't know kid} Driger told me, he too sounded quite tired. As I knelt there, catching my breath, I couldn't help but be proud of myself and Driger. Soon, my exhaustion would pay off and I could go home!

{If you didn't know..Black Dranzer thanked you just now}

'Did he?'

{Yes, he did. He never wanted to become so evil. All he had ever wanted was a caring master who was decent at beyblading. Bit beasts aren't evil, Rei, it's humans who make them that way. But the one quality Black Dranzer had was that he could absorb. That was his specialty.}

'I know that. After all he almost took you away, but he did take Dranzer and Dracile...'

{That's not what I meant. I mean he could absorbe anything, weather it be bit beasts to the human quality of evil. You see, when Kai had him in his possession for that short period of time, it was enough that Black Dranzer could absorb the cruel, evil side to Kai. Now, I'm not saying it's all gone, after all he's still a loner, and it's only because of the short amount of time he had him. Do you see what I'm getting at Rei?}

I nod. 'Yeah, Drig, I do. Black Dranzer was never evil...he should be thanking you. You were the one who technically freed him.'

{Nope, only a pure human soul could ever do such a thing to a bit beast. Now, I think we should concentrate on hauling our butts out of here and home. I can't wait to see the guys again!}

I snickered. 'And Galux'

{...Ack! You know me too well, kid!}

'I know...and I don't mind.'

With that, I ripped part of the bottom of my shirt and all the way around. Wrapping my cut with the cloth, I stood up, tested my weight on that leg, and was off through the door Voltaire had told me to go through.

~~~~~~~Normal POV~~~~~~~~

Running through the door, Rei was greeted with a long blue hallway with no lights turned on at all, but they weren't needed. Along the Rei's left hand side were really big windows letting moonlight brighten up the corridor. It was much more inviting that the dungeon, that's for sure. On the other wall were a couple paintings and a few small tables with flowers or vases on them and cloth tabletops.

Rei grinned at how easy this hallway should be, after all, Voltaire probably doesn't want the priceless vases getting destroyed. She pulled out her beyblade and prepared it just in case before jogging down the hallway, her paced footsteps bouncing off the walls. . The moonlight reflected on her features making her look almost angelic as she ran, her shadow running at the same pace beside her.

Suddenly, something happened that Rei did not expect. Something whizzed through the air and hit her right in her stomach, making her stumble and bend over. She had no time to wonder what it was as another one hit her from behind, making her sprawl painfully forwards.

Footsteps echoed through corridor which were met by the sounds of...laughing?

Rei's shoulders shook as she laughed and rolled onto her side, still laughing.

The figures coming down the hallway looked at each other with confused eyes as they watched their target get up, still laughing.

Taking a deep breath, Rei giggled once more. "I need a vacation" she said, exasperated, as the four figures surrounded her, one of them retrieving his beyblade that spun swiftly beside him. She pushed herself off the ground, her eyes drooping tiredly, but she smirked at the first figure she saw who, in turn, pointed it's beyblade at her.

"Tala, how nice to see you again." she taunted, pulling out her own beyblade. His icy blue eyes looked at her warily.

"How do you know me? I've never seen you before in my life?" he asked, looking at the rest of his team, making sure they were ready as she set up her launcher and blade with a click.

Realizing her mistake made from exhaustion Rei had to make up an excuse on the spot, but her smirk remained. "You were only the runner up in the World Beyblade Championships, everybody knows who you are." she shrugged, turning around and unpleasantly seeing that the other three Demo Boys were there and accounted for.

"I see," Tala cut into her thoughts, his beyblade raised and aimed at her throat "Well, take a good look, girl, because our orders are to finish you off here and now."

Ian snickered, his un-naturally large gun going along just fine with his un-naturally nose. "Yeah, your too much of a threat for Voltaire to even let you live as one of our lab mice, Little Mouse." he smirked, calling her by her new pet-name.

"Now," Bryan's icy and heavily-accented voice cut through the dark and silent hallway conversation. "Put the launcher and rip-cord away and we'll make this quick and easy."

Rei weighed her options and realized that she didn't stand a chance. She barely beat Bryan last year, and that's when she was at full strength. Now, she had to beat all four of them when she's completely tired and ready to sleep.

Hanging her head, she unclipped her beyblade from the launcher and tossed it at Tala's feet where it clattered loudly. She glared at him. "Happy?"

Bryan snickered. "Very, now you are completely defenceless, Little Mouse...obviously you are quite tired, I guess destroying almost all of Master Boris' security systems really takes a lot out of a girl, doesn't it?" he said.

Suddenly, and almost on cue all four boys launched their beyblades, which danced around Rei's body in an intricate circle. She, however, didn't do anything at all but stand there, her face in the darkness and her expression unreadable.

In one movement so swift, though, she brought her beyblade up above her head. "DRIGER!" she shouted, and her bit beast rushed out of the blade, standing above their heads defensivly.

She looked at them, her face lit up and showing happiness and exhaustion. While the other Demo Boys watched in shock and horror as they knew what was to come next, Tala just smiled almost as if he had anticipated these events.

A bright green flash ignited from Driger's body with a force coming from him that it threw all of the boys to the floor. In it's continuous wake, it shattered all of the glass vases in the hallway and the large, highly expensive glass wall to pieces.

Rei stood in the middle of the wreckage, her breath coming out in short gasps as she brought her hand down. Unable to look at the destruction she had caused, she looked at her beyblade instead as she began walking briskly down the hallway to a door. Freedom.

With a large sigh of relief, she jogged to the door and pulled it open with a grunt, as it was a large, wooden, and quite heavy door. Stepping into the obviously real moonlit entranceway to the entire mansion, as it had a coat rack beside another door in front of her and two stair cases leading off to her left and right upstairs, she smiled widely.

So close...

Breaking into a run to the front door, she didn't hear the sound of something powering up and was only ten paces away from the door when a large laser-like machine dropped from the doorway and aimed at her. Her eyes went wide but there was nothing she could do. She hadn't seen this coming at all and now it was too late.

The machine fired, but not a laser, it fired a large and heavy rope net with weights, making her fly backwards and hit the floor hard, pinning her. She struggled against the rope, trying to get up but she was exhausted.

~~Rei's POV~~~

'NO! NO!!!!!!!' I struggled against the bonds even though my body protested greatly, there was nothing I could do. I was caught...they had this planned. 'I should have known they wouldn't let me escape'

I heard many pairs of footsteps coming my way and echoing throughout the large mansion and I layed back. There was nothing I could do...

{Rei. I have to go} I heard Driger say, defeatedly and my heart sank lower than it already was.

'No! No, please Driger, don't leave me again' I let a few tears fall down my face without my knowledge.

{I have to Rei. If they find me, who knows what will happen. I can't get caught...I'm sorry.} I heard his voice crack and mentally I reached out to hug him, but he was already pulling away. I looked down as best I could to my hand...his bit piece was glowing.

'Driger, please...don't leave me. I can't do it again, I can't do it. I've already lost my family, my friends and Kai. Don't let me lose you too! PLEASE!!!'

But the piece glowed brighter and to my horror, Driger shot out of it with one last message:

{I love you, Rei. Goodbye...we will meet again someday, but not today}

I clenched my hand around my beyblade and as I heard the guards and probably a few newly awoken Demolition Boys, my body couldn't take anymore. I feinted right there, completely oblivious to anything and everything that happened around me.

'Mom...dad...Kai...and now Driger again...it's too hard.'

Another tear slid down her face as she thought to herself 'It's just too...hard' and fell into a long, exhausted sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kai opened the door to his lonely room then closed it behind him before stepping across the landing tiredly. It had been a long day but he knew he wouldn't sleep that night. He hadn't slept very well any night since Rei had gone missing and now he's being told that she's probably a prisoner of war. It was all too much.

He walked over to the small clock/radio on the night stand beside the bed and turned on the radio. With a sigh he sat on the bed, barely hearing the music or the DJ, and looked around the room. He had never really taken a good, long, and hard look at it and decided now was the best time.

"Normal room" he mused to himself as he looked but something caught his eye. One of Rei's dresser drawers was open slightly and a white piece of paper was sticking out.

Curiosity got the best of him so he got off the bed and made his way to the drawer. Pulling it out, he was greeted by the piece of paper being a loose sketch of Mariah and Lee.

Even more curious now but proud that Rei had continued her drawing, he looked into the drawer deeper. It wasn't that full, but had two paintings and about three sketchbooks. Reaching in, he pulled out one of the paintings. It was with Driger and herself, but they weren't touching at all. Driger was painted on one side, and Rei was on the other. Both were reaching out for one another but never actually touching. Probably painted a short time after she got home.

He smiled. It was really good. He set it down gently and picked up one of the sketchbooks that had been placed under it. Flipping it open, he realized it was empty. Shrugging it off, he moved to the next painting. This one was only half finished, but it was obviously Rei's view on her cliff at sunrise. The golden sea valley was beautifully done, but the sky still needed work.

Putting that gently aside he pulled out the next sketchbook...empty. He was starting to get a little worried now...he had made Rei promise that she would keep up with the drawing and now there was a half finished painting and two empty sketchbooks. Finally he looked in and saw something familiar.

The sketchbook that Rei had with her while she was part of the Bladebreakers. Pulling this one out, he knew there was bound to be something in there to remind him of Rei. Gently setting the other canvases and sketchbooks back into the drawer, he shut it and made his way to the bed.

Opening the book he smiled as he looked through it. A few he had seen before, a couple he hadn't. One thing was obvious, though, he sure was Rei's favourite subject to draw.

The final drawing was the one that hit him hard. It was dated about a month after he had kicked her off the team and showed himself and her back to back. He had his arms crossed and was looking ahead and she had her hands folded in front of her, head hanging with a few tears falling from her beautiful eyes.

He shook his head and flipped back to the drawing of Rei leaning against Driger like a pillow and stared at it fondly. Only then did his mind register the song playing on the radio.

Dream about us together again
What I want us together again baby
I know we'll be together again cuz
Everywhere I go
Every smile I see
I know you are there
Smilin back at me
Dancin in moonlight
I know you are free
Cuz I can see your star
Shinin down on me
Kai smirked. (Together again, Janet Jackson...ok, those DJ's sometimes have perfect timing...) He looked out of the window and walked over to it. "We'll be together again, Rei, I'll do anything in my power to make sure of that." he vowed to the moon and blew a kiss to the night. "I love you, Rei."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blue: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Rain, my best friend and favourite Beta (editor)

Rain: I'm your only Beta

Blue: which makes you all the more special!

Kai: special Ed!

Blue: *bonks Kai on the head* shut up! Reason: She helped me out majorly with the action scenes in this chappie, without her, Rei would be dead

Rei: Aw man! Not again!

Rain: it's my Catman!! *glomps Rei, who somehow gets a cape*

Rei: *grins* where's my sidekick, Triangle Boy!

Kai: *comes out in tights and a itty bitty cape* Call me a sidekick one more time and I'll hurt you!

Rain: hurry you two! Max and Tyson are on a sugar high!

Blue: you have to go save the world from them again!

Rei: up, up and away! *bounds away*

Kai: -_-U why me.. *saunters after him*

Blue: ^__^ while their doing that...RnR please!

Rain: and read my story if you really like Rei! It's called: The Hurt You Make Me Feel by Silver RainDrop. Look it up, it's a good read!

RnR