UniGirl: Hi…My computer seems to always break down. It's about ten years old, it's still the first computer my family ever had, so yeah, it does break down a lot. Recently, the internet stopped working, well, actually, my computer stopped receiving internet signals…[I have wireless] and so yeah…but another confession, I could have had this done a long time ago, but I've been spending too much time on Ty Kamara
[ http:www.ty-kamara.net.tc ][this is the shortcut URL] …look for me there if you want to know if I'm still alive…I'll be happy to talk to any of you. It's a great place, really. Yes, I'm known as UniGirl…And yes, you really do want to start reading the chapter.
dedications
This Chapter is dedicated to Nessi and…Forgive me, I was sure there was someone else who figured this out, if you are that someone, please tell me. I'll put your name here.
One more thing: Feya, I know you're here. Please send me my fic, thank you very much. If you've already sent it to me, I didn't get it, try UniGirl.
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Aqua held her blade up. "Ready?" she taunted.
Ian smirked.
"LET IT RIP!"
The blades flew into the stadium. Ian pounded rapidly on Aqua's blade, but it held strong.
The tables then turned as Aqua pushed the opponent into the side of the dish, sending sparks into the air.
Ian smirked. "WYBORG ATTACK"
Aqua stepped back as the huge cobra bit beast lunged at her blade, looking as if it were to tear her blade into shreds.
She had only one choice left. If Kai could do it, why can't I?
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Back in the stands, Ozuma watched the battles intensely. It was almost time. Anytime now, the Guardians would be back. He knew it.
Suddenly, beside him, Mariam stood up.
"What?"
She didn't reply as she walked down the steps and into the stadium.
Aqua shot a quick glance behind her. Good, she was coming.
As she reached the bottom, Mariam broke into a run just as Aqua was saying, "ESBYIAR ATTACK"
With a heavy pull, Mariam launched her blade into the dish.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
Never to Meet Again
Smoke engulfed the stadium just as Jazzman was about to announce a disqualification.
The audience had no choice but wonder what was going on, and wait for the smoke to clear.
Mariam. Why? Joseph asked silently. What's happening? Ozuma told us these Celestials were going to destroy the world. Is my own sister a part of this?
He would just have to wait to see.
But as the smoke parted, both Aqua and Mariam were gone, as was Sharkrash.
Aqua's blade still spun, fuelled by something stronger, but in the girls' place was yet another girl. She had stunning green eyes and blue hair, held in a ponytail. Her cheekbones were very well pronounced, and she looked as if she didn't have a lot to eat. Her nose and lips were small, and she had an earring dangling from one ear. There was a thread at her neck, blue, about two centimetres wide, tied in a shoelace boy, with the ends hanging on either side of her shoulders. She was quite tall, which, in Ian's standards, wasn't much.
Ian gasped. Not her.
::::::::::Flashback:::::::::::::::
Ian looked out the window at the raging snows outside, and then back at the dull colours of the abbey. It was almost the end of breakfast time, and the beginning of a long day of training.
Incidentally, he glanced over at a table near the middle of the room. His training partners and himself referred to them as the "Pampered" group since there sat the four people who, it was known, were favoured by Boris and Voltaire. Some of then weren't even as old as he was, but they had already been battling at junior Russian tournaments under the name "Crimson Sabres."
Suddenly a girl stood up and tucked her hair behind her ears. Then she walked to the back of the room towards the sink.
Boris passed her and she glared.
He stopped. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Her answer was not as someone would expect. "I will look at you in whatever way I want to."
Boris held her in his gaze for a few seconds and walked off.
The eyes of everyone in the room followed her until she walked out of the dining hall.
And from that day, Ian had always had a secret crush on this girl, who was known as "Ice."
::::::::::::::End Flashback::::::::::::
::::::::::::::Flashback::::::::::::::::
"Hey Ian."
"What now?"
"I was spying."
"That's not new."
"You know that girl from the Pampered that you have a crush on?"
Ian turned red and faced Spencer. "Ice? I don't have a crush on her."
"Whatever. I found out her real name."
He turned redder. "Yeah?"
"Marina."
:::::::::::::::End Flashback:::::::::::::::::::
Even though he knew exactly who that girl was, he asked, "Who are you?"
She smirked.
"Esbyiar, show the midget where to put his oversized nose." She said.
Her bit beast's form was hard to tell, but it was definitely an ocean dwelling creature.
"WYBORG!" The snake bit beast lunged. Ian smirked. He was glad Boris had then study every single bit of the Crimson Sabres' technique. At least he knew what she would do.
The lunge caught Marina by surprise, and her blade tumbled out of the dish. She cursed silently and walked out the door.
Wing didn't follow her.
Flame did.
"Who are you?"
"Kai…" Her eyes softened, but the weakness left as quickly as it came. "This doesn't change anything."
"Marina…I thought you died."
She shot him a glare.
"Talk to me."
"It was your fault. You let me die."
"You're…dead?"
She couldn't stand it. She slapped him on the face. "No, you moron. But it doesn't cancel the fact that you almost killed me. I trusted you."
"Marina…you have no idea what happened after you died…left. Tala abandoned me. He still hasn't forgiven me…"
"So that's what I'm for," she snapped. "For making sure that you and Tala got along."
Flame breathed. "I won't argue."
"Good, because I really don't want to."
A good, refreshing drink, that's what she needed. But she didn't get there before yet another person bothered him.
"Who are you?" asked Joseph.
"You want the long answer or the short one?"
"Short"
"Not your sister."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that out."
"Someone who doesn't have the time for you."
"Mariam always had time for me."
"I am not your sister."
"But you're Mariam, aren't you?"
The girl paused. "…Yes…I am."
……………………………………………………………………………………………...
"Sir, Marina's alive and perfectly well."
"Hm…then there is the chance that we will get the Crimson Sabres back…Esbyiar, where is he?"
"Ian took him after his match with Marina."
"Good."
"What should I do?"
"Make sure Esbyiar does not escape, at all costs. He will be the lure. Marina is bound to come back for him."
"And what of Aquilla?"
"Aquilla escaped a long time ago. I don't care, ever since the witch Carolyn messed with her, she's been wrecking havoc all over the abbey."
:::::::::::::Flashback:::::::::::
"Don't worry, I'll beat you just the same."
"Beat me? All you've got is Aquilla, we created her, and she belongs to us. She won't turn against us."
"Loyalty is a great thing, and to break the loyalty of a human is hard. To break that of a bit beast is harder still. Do you think that, with Aquilla as my only ally for all these years, I have convinced her to join me? If you choose to believe that Aquilla is still loyal to you, that is your choice, and your mistake."
:::::::::::::End Flashback::::::::::::
He had believed Aquilla was still loyal to them. But she wasn't. Still, that did not compare to the most loyal bit beast he had ever seen. He was never able to hold her, not even for a single week. Silently, he cursed that bit beast, that Dranzer.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Joseph stepped back. Even though he had been dreading the answer, he never expected the girl to use these blunt words.
Marina just noticed they had been walking. They were outside now, beside the water fountain. She sat down, and he followed suit.
"Mariam's my sister. How can you not be my sister, yet be Mariam?"
"I have said too much."
"But…"
"No buts. Go."
"I'm not going until I get some answers."
"Go."
"Make me."
"Okay, gladly."
It was pretty safe to say that, from that day on, Joseph would take care when he was around water fountains.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Marina reluctantly walked back to the stadium, shooting icy glares at misfortunate who happened to be passing by.
Again, she passed Wing, and again, she didn't say anything. Something was suspicious. She had expected Wing to fly into a rage or something similar. She hadn't expected her to stay quiet like this.
Storm walked up to the bowl, facing the Demolition Boys' (A/N Apparently I've heard in Grev they're called the BlitzKrieg Boys or something like that…to quote Rubellite, I miss Neo-Borg. :Shakes fist at Nelvana: I HATE YOU! Crusher, Hiro and Miguel for crying out loud! I really wouldn't care less about the first, but Hiro…IS NOT A NAME! I LIKE HIM VERY MUCH! What ever happened to good, respectable names like Hitoshi!? First "Jin of the Gale," and now "Hiro??" Sorry, that was random. I'll explain later.) team leader Bryan. (A/N maybe that Author's note wasn't put in the right place...)
He held out his launcher and brown blade. Bryan just smirked.
They launched.
Seconds into the match, they were already grinding at each other, gnawing as if there was no tomorrow.
"FALBORG STROLLBLITZ!" Bryan screamed, seeing they were equally matched.
Storm looked at the falcon bit beast. If he had never seen it before, he would be scared. But he had. He peered down at his blade. It was his choice to give up his old life, a life in which, however hard, he was accepted. He looked back at Marina. How could things have gone so wrong? If she was alive, then he wouldn't be able to forgive himself, and if she was an impostor…then he wouldn't be able to forgive himself either.
He wouldn't give up. He couldn't, for both Esbyiar's sake and in Marina's memory.
She must have caught onto his thoughts. Why had Wing not known? She was good at doing that, not Aqua…
Focus on the match, worry about me later. I've changed, changed for the better.
The boy couldn't resist replying. I like the old Marina better.
I like it this wa. The old Marina is no more.
You knew about me all along?
No, only after I revealed myself. You seemed very uncomfortable. Trust me, I've changed, and I've done it for the best, and for you.
I fell in love with the old Marina.
There was silence. No. You didn't.
I did.
You can't have. You can't. Kai always told me you had a crush on me…but I never expected this, and I'm never going to accept it.
You've changed. I don't love you any more
That's all for the best. Now, you notice you're being pounded.
Storm cut the conversation off and looked back at the stadium. He had finally confessed his true feelings to her.
Which meant…
"You, kid, need to pay more attention when fighting battles. FALBORG FINISH HIM OFF!"
And the bit beast did.
Storm bent down and picked up his blade. He'd know next time not to get engaged in a mental conversation during a beybattle.
Again, Wing didn't follow him.
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"What's happening?" asked Kenny
"Chief, you're the one who's the brain."
"Wow, you finally noticed, Tyson."
"Lin…"
"Lin, be quiet."
"Ray… C'mon, thinking again?"
"Yeah. You know what I said to you…earlier?"
"Yeah?"
Ray looked around to see that he had peaked the interest of the whole team
"Ray?"
"Yes, Lin?"
"I think now's not the best time to talk about it."
Tyson put on a pout. "Do you know something we don't?"
"Yeah," said Lin
Ray shot her a glare.
"The fact that these four Celestials are plotting to take over the world."
"Really?" asked Hilary
"I was being sarcastic."
"Oh." The glimmer went out of Tyson's eyes.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Storm sat down by the gardens outside, holding his blade in his right hand. A bit beast was a fascinating creature, and equally as mysterious.
His thoughts turned back to Bryan, and then to the bit beast.
Slowly, a small smirk appeared on his face.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Storm knew Bryan well enough. If he had ever the chance to beat him, he would have to get in action early in the game, before he had time to react.
Slowly, he calculated his chances.
The blades sent sparks into the stadium, and he looked at Bryan across from him. He looked down at both blades, waited until the right moment, then…
"DRACO!" (A/N All credits go to Nessi – thanks )
Bryan looked up at the great dragon, it was pure brown in colour, and maybe fifteen, no twenty feet long. Blood red eyes glared at him maliciously.
"FALBORG!" Next to this dragon, his bit beast looked small. But Bryan didn't care, it was going to win nevertheless.
"ATTACK!" screamed Storm, his bit beast running in for the kill.
"FALBORG COUNTER!"
"DODGE IT!"
And so it went like this for a while, one attacking, the other defending, attacking, and dodging. They were so evenly matched that the best bet was to wish the opponent would run out of steam.
That was until Bryan noticed something.
He was sure he had seen these attacks before, this pattern, this manoeuvre.
More importantly, he was sure he had seen this strategy before.
He looked into the mirrored lenses of the brown haired teen, not knowing what to think.
Then he had a plan.
"FALBORG!" the wind kicked up. "ATTACK…NOW!"
It took a while to realize that it wasn't aiming at the blade, but at him. Storm raised one arm to block the blow, but it was too late. The wind came flying at him. He closed his eyes, dreading the worst.
He opened them again. The first thing he noticed was that he was still standing, and that his blade was still spinning.
And then he noticed his shades, lying shattered, beside his feet.
Wing was standing up behind him. Noticing he was all right, she sat down again.
Storm closed his eyes, and then brought his head up to face his opponent.
Bryan looked at him, waiting for him to open them again. The blades were battling as if they had a mind of their own. Slowly, the teen opened his eyes, and gave him the iciest glare he could muster.
If Bryan hadn't seen it before, he would have frozen solid.
But he had. He knew he had received that very same glare, from that very same pair of icy blue eyes. He knew that deathly white face, that posture, and that style. He knew that tallness and calmness. He knew that shield, he knew that battle stance.
"You…traitor…" he whispered.
"Wasn't it obvious?" asked the boy, loud enough so that only Bryan could hear.
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CLIFFIE !!
Am I not so nice? Just so you'll forgive me, I wrote some of the next chapter when my internet wasn't working, so here goes:
:::Warning:::
This is a spoiler for the next chapter. Proceed at your own peril.
The Crimson Sabres
"Tala, cheer up. You and Kai are good again, I'm alive and well, why don't you just leave the things of the past behind you?"
"Marina, it's not that simple."
"Why?"
"After you left, we took a vow. We vowed the Crimson Sabres would never fight again - as a team."
"And now that vow is broken."
"Yes."
"Why is that such a great deal?"
"We're in trouble now, greater trouble than before."
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So yeah, you will be getting some answers from most of the characters. No, it's not as over as you might think, but it's getting pretty close. Trust me, the sequel won't have as many mysteries, more action. There won't be as much betrayal stuff.
Just trust me on one thing: It'll be much more angsty, as will the last chapters of this fic.
:::MAJOR SPOILER WARNING:::
Read at your own peril:
Someone dies.
:::END MAJOR SPOILER:::
Won't tell you who, but if you read the fic really carefully, you should figure it out. Let's just say I worded special parts very carefully.
Now, done with the spoilers, won't get any for the next little while.
Feel free to email me, or contact me at Ty Kamara…hehe, I'll be there.
Also, about Wing's identity, the chapter preview made it very, very obvious, so, if you figure it out and tell me, sorry, too late. If you still don't know, then maybe you should try figuring out if Hermione likes Harry or Ron. (apparently Rowling said that she was surprised the whole world didn't know.) (You guys do know Harry Potter.) ( If you don't get a copy…it's the best book on earth…and watch the news more… seriously … maybe you've been on the moon or something for the past few years.)
Okay, about the Nelvana thing in which I so rudely interrupted my chapter, I found out what the Grev dub names were. Again, the next part contains small to big Grev spoilers. Anyway, the part I got most mad about was Hiro. I like Hitoshi very much. Tyson and Hiro. How does that fit? And they tell me they're brothers… I mean aren't siblings supposed to have similar names?
Mihaeru is now Miguel. cough Not like I have anything against the name Miguel, but seriously, Miguel isn't a name for someone with Mihaeru's personality.
And Moses is now Crusher. Well, Crusher's not a name. Not like I liked Moses a lot, but still…
I'm glad they kept Brooklyn, though. I like him, even though he did kill Kai.
Now I dread the VA's.
I hope they don't screw up the Tyson/Kai scene. I'm not a yaoi fan, but it'll be even worse if they sappified the scene, seriously… I can just hear it…
And I really hope they'd keep the swearing in, some of the curses Kai says to Brooklyn really adds to the plot.
Chibified Garland is so cute!
I think you're all tired of my ranting by now. Just please read and review, make me happy. The next chapter's already halfway done, I'll try to get it up, that is if my internet returns.
THANKIES ALL REVIEWERS!
Note: Just in case you're wondering, I don't do the reviews in order of favourites, etc. I do them in the order they're sent to me.
Vampyre Neko: I seem to be doing cliffhangers lots. I don't know if this is called "soon" I really don't think it is.
Nessi: No, they don't. Okay, at the beginning, they did, but I changed it to make it more interesting.
SilverWingPhoenix: O.o sorry. It wasn't supposed to…these chapters are supposed to clear things up…
Spyrit Phoenyx: Did I spell your name right? Anyway, it takes me so long to update, I don't know why. Yeah, well, there are much more than in the beginning. I hope it comes together at the end. It does for me, but… Wow, long review. I like long reviews, they're fun to read. I hate my computer, it's a cranky old machine. I've started writing longer chapters, because I hate reading short chapters, it kind of fluctuates the flow of the story…
Dranzen: :ducks: Sorry… :pouts: but I've grown into writing cliffies. I mean, once you have MAP, you can't help but abuse it… Mariam has more to do with this story than I cared to reveal… hehe. I hate Tyson, but he's fun to write. If I made him the bad guy, then he wouldn't have any smart alec jokes…
Phoenix the 1st: You aren't? She's the coolest girl in the whole entire show! Wow, your network's mighty wise, isn't it? I'm joking. I'll try to update sooner, I think.
Britt: There'll be more fluff in the sequel, and more of you. Sorry, I just like to think of the character as a character, and not a person. Good, I don't like picky people.