Chapter 7

Info Corner-

Okay, here is where I answer the questions some of you have asked and explain some of the elements I've added into the story.

Fact: In the original series there was actually a cut-out scene where it went more in-depth to the boys' training, which included dangling over pits filled with snakes and doing sit ups with spikes under their heads, which threatened to impale them if they relaxed fully back.

Things to address-

Vega will turn into dark Vega and Kaosu will be evil… actually even more evil, but you guys knew this already. Her outfit's changed though, no more trench, but it is still pretty damn kick ass. Exodia actually has a picture/poster she's making for DER with Kaosu and Vega in it (wearing her stylish new duds) maybe she'll make it available to you guys somehow.

There was a question about Cleo being able to speak Russian. She grew up in Egypt (and Athens sort of). You'll have to ask Exodia to get the full details but I'm pretty sure, no, she wouldn't speak Russian.

Side note about my original fic: I believe it was Alexis who asked most of the questions. The title isn't set yet, it'll probably end up changing in time, if it does end up getting published I will be absolutely sure to tell you guys here, and further information about it probably won't come out until I'm done with it and even then I won't be divulging much. (Keep in mind that I am in no way close to 'finishing' it and while getting published is a distinct possibility it might not happen, or it might not happen within a year or even two years.)

Kai stood out on his balcony, nervous heat biting at him, staring upwards at the heavens.

Why couldn't he have asked Charly to stay? Just a little longer? Just so he wouldn't feel so damn alone.

"But jeez, Kai, you and the D-boys are shutting the rest of us out." Her eyes had pleaded worriedly with him, begging him not to turn her away… and then he had to go and prove just how big of an ass he could be.

He was shutting them out. He knew it

He didn't want to be but he was.

Pushing them away felt like the right thing to him and the others, it put everyone else at arm's length so maybe their accursed luck wouldn't hurt them, so that maybe the girls and the other Bladebreakers were a little safer from what were their pasts… and Boris.

But none of them deserved that. Kai felt like an exceptional ass shoving Charly away when she needed him to assure her the most.

She was only trying to help.

Master? Black-Dranzer and Dranzer asked of him, their voices joining into one as they spoke in unison.

This only further served to distress Kai as he realized something…

Those dreams…

Their meanings came flooding to him a little too late. That shadow and those eyes had belonged to Boris and Vega's blank, withdrawn expression… proof that what had happened to him and the Demolition Boys would happen to her, proof that she'd once again become the shell of a human being she had three years ago.

He cursed and slammed a fist against the iron hand-rail that surrounded the balcony.

He shouldn't have ignored what Black Dranzer was trying to tell him! He shouldn't have just waved those dreams off!

Kai felt guilt consume him and he covered his face with his hands as he sat back in a patio chair. I'm sorry, Vega, he thought, shaking his head.

It wasn't Tala he should've been blaming

Brian found Kai sitting out on the balcony the next morning when he had come in to check on the man.

His brown eyes were glazed over and he looked haggard and exhausted.

"Kai?"

Kai looked up. "It's my fault Vega's gone."

"It's not," Brian simply protested, grabbing his friend by the shoulders and hauling him out of his chair, leading him into the room. "Did you sleep at all?"

"I can't sleep," Kai replied, shaking his head.

"You will, Kai, we need you sane and not exhausted," Brian said, shoving him towards the bedroom, "the tournament is in a few days, we have to be in top form. I'll have Charly come in and keep an eye on you."

Kai didn't even respond as he walked to his bed and sat down. Brian was right. He needed to rest.

"I'm started to really worry about him," Brian said as he stepped into the hall where the girl and Cleo and Spencer were waiting. "Do you think he'll be up for the tournament?"

"Of course he will," Cleo said, trying to wave it off, though worry was clear in her eyes, "this is Kai."

"I hope so," Brian answered, looking to Charly, "you should go in and keep him company. He didn't sleep at all. He said something about it being his fault that Vega's gone."

Charly frowned worriedly and disappeared into the room. Brian looked to his sister and then up to his teammate. "Why don't you two get the others around? I'm going to go down to the parking lot to make sure no one's using the dish there."

Brian found no one using the dish but a young man standing beside it with his back to Brian, as if waiting for something.

He frowned. "Waiting for someone?"

The boy turned and smirked. Brian's eyes narrowed as golden-yellow eyes, obscured by black bangs, pierced him.

"You," the boy said simply.

"Why?"

A smiled played across his lips. "My name's Misha, you'll become very familiar with it very soon."

Brian suddenly knew this boy. Tala had described him at least once or twice while they paced around the night before. "You're one of Boris' cronies."

"You're a lot smarter than I'd ever give you credit for," Misha replied with a chuckle as he folded his hands behind is back. "You're Brian and something like a legend around the camp. One of the coldest, meanest, strongest bladers to ever live; it's too bad you became weak, you might be something more than a legend if you hadn't."

"Why don't you let me show you my so-called weakness," Brian snarled, reaching for his launcher.

"Don't be so hasty to lose. I'll be glad to smack you around in the tournament. I've learned that you accepted the invitations; you must know Boris will be there. What with your dear friend missing that'd be your only reason for accepting."

The lavender-haired boy felt his heart rise into his throat. "Vega," he whispered.

"Very good," Misha mocked, grinning. "If it'll make you feel any better she's fine, doing quite well. I'm surprised she'd survived the training though… well… at least physically she has."

Brian didn't want to know what the boy meant even though he had some idea deep within his mind. "Keep talking, half-pint, you're just giving me more of a reason to kick your ass in the tournament."

The boy smirked some more. "I'd like to see that." With that he turned and began to walk away. Getting a rise out of Brian only proved to him one thing: he wasn't so impenetrable. And if Misha could get under the great, emotionless Brian's skin he could get under any of theirs.

"Brian?"

Brian was still staring in the direction that Misha had disappeared and the voice knocked him from his trance. He turned and spotted Tala standing there with the other Bladebreakers, the Amazons approaching, minus Charly, who he imagined was still taking care of Kai. "What?"

"You zoned on us," Ian said, crossing his arms. "Something up?"

Brian glanced back to where Misha had been and then away again. "No, let's train."

"You aren't supposed to be here." Misha scowled as he stumbled upon Vega and Kato waiting for him on a bench just around the corner from the hotel.

Vega sat with her head tipped back, her hair blowing wildly in the wind. She wore a black, long-sleeved shirt with series of buckles descending the right arm and net-mesh down the left, a pair of black pants, which tucked into her shin-high lace-up boots, with a buckles and straps littering each leg with a string of chain link hanging from her hip, connecting to a random strap at her knee and then dangling free down her shin. Around her waist, secured by a belt of heavy leather, hung a piece of fabric that resembled something like a skirt cut in half, which covered the better portion of her left leg and was covered from top to bottom with buckles.

"Who says?" she asked, opening her eyes, which stared, not at him, but straight upward at the sky.

"Boris did! He told you to stay back at the compound."

Vega grinned, an expression that seemed more malicious than happy. "Oops," she said insincerely, her head rolling onto her shoulder so she could stare at him through her platinum white bangs, "I suppose I forgot. Let's get back then shall we?"

"They could've seen you," Misha argued as she got up and started off down the sidewalk. He turned to Kato. "Why didn't you try to stop her?"

"I'm just her keeper, no one said anything about babysitting," the larger boy answered, standing up as well.

Seen me? Vega echoed in her mind. Would they have even known me?

"How kind of you to rejoin us," Boris said icily as the three entered the compound. "Vega, I didn't excuse you from this morning's training."

The girl chuckled, a sound that reverberated off of the chilled wall. "So?"

He frowned deeply. He liked her progress, she was becoming the same person she had been three years ago: cold, ruthless, and shrewd, but she was becoming almost too bold for his tastes. It was a matter of controlling her, he knew, because Kaosu's independence showed outwardly through his mistress. She required freedom but he had given her as much slack as he was willing to.

"If you'd followed me," Boris growled, turning on his heel and striding off down the hall.

Vega followed, hardly fazed by his dislike, and grinning mutely to herself. She could feel Kaosu waiting for her on the other side of the compound in his office.

Mistress.

Something about his presence felt different and as Vega tried to figure out what exactly she took the steps two at a time after Boris.

"Did you have fun on the outside?" he questioned.

"Let's just say the grass is really greener on the other side… or you just need a better gardener."

It was a few dark halls and windowless corridors later that she found herself stepping into his office.

"Before I reacquaint you and Kaosu I have a small something else to give you."

Vega watched him wearily, eyeing the blade on the table as it glowed brilliantly. Kaosu roared loudly within her mind and as she closed her eyes she saw his peering back at her.

Mistress, he said, his voice a reassurance she had needed for a long time.

You're alright then, she replied.

Better than I have since I've awaken, the dragon answered with a smile in his tone. Though I fear this change will only hurt you in the end.

Vega was about to ask what he meant when the feel of someone's hands securing something to her head and as she came to her senses she lifted her own fingers to examine a headband Boris had placed on her. She turned to the glass in one of the cabinets and frowned at the object, which was a simple ring of metal. Her fingers trailed to the nap of her neck and she frowned. The metal there was thicker and small bumps in it dug into her skin uncomfortably. There were small, metal attachments on either side of her head, which resembled Kaosu's scaly ears, likely Boris' attempt to make it less grotesque.

"Are you familiar with how a stun-gun works?" Boris asked as he sat down at his desk.

"Somewhat," she answered.

Boris nodded congenially as he removed a small remote from his desk drawer and leaned back. He motioned to Kaosu. "Why don't you go ahead and take him?" he offered, waving a hand.

Vega carefully did so, running a thumb over the dragon's chip, feeling relief wash over her.

"A stun gun emits an electrical charge that when touched to a human it interferes with the body's natural electrical currents. The charge flows through muscles so rapidly it makes them work very hard but not efficiently and this depletes blood sugar, which turns into lactic acid within seconds. Following?" Vega nodded and he continued. "The resulting energy loss makes it difficult to move or function properly and at the same time the neurological impulses that direct muscle movement are interrupted, this of course causes loss of balance and general confusion. There are actually a few different types of stun guns, all of which have their own duration periods and strengths but I've designed my own that makes it more a control system."

Realization dawned on Vega just as his thumb hit one of the buttons on the remote and held it down firmly. She shrieked as pain raced from her neck down her body like small electrified pins were stabbing her everywhere all at once. Her knees gave out under her and she hit the ground.

Boris got up from his chair and stepped closer to her, using his boot to turn her over onto her back so she could look up at him with half-closed eyes. "I know right now you're experiencing that disorientation I mentioned so I'll make this very simple. Disobey me again and this will happen, every time. Consider it training… but in more of the obedience sense." His eyes flickered to Kaosu's blade, which was glowing violently in response. "I also took the liberty of installing another nifty little device… Kaosu can only rise from his blade when it's set in motion. I hope I haven't damaged any trust you had placed in me."

"No," she sputtered, the confusion subsiding but the temporary paralysis lasting, "this… is… all I expected… of a snake."

Boris smirked and tucked his remote into his pocket. "I'm glad to hear it. I'd love to stand around and wait for you to gather yourself but I'm a very busy man. I'll send Kato to assist you."

Vega had coaxed her muscles into allowing her to stand-up by time Kato had gotten there but he insisted on helping her anyways, placing one of her arms around his neck and then lifted her up bridal-style.

"Did you know this was going to happen?" she asked.

"No, but if I had I wouldn't have been surprised," he answered calmly. "But if you'd listen this wouldn't be needed."

"Submitting to Boris would hurt me more than some electricity," Vega muttered as he took the steps two at a time.

"Pride's not everything."

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black."

Kato didn't respond as he shouldered open a door and carried her down the hallways.

He sat her onto her feet, holding up most of her weight with one arm around her waist, and slid his cardkey through the lock of her door. He helped her in and shut the door behind him, watching as she collapsed onto the bed, entirely zapped of her strength.

She laughed weakly. "I don't even have the strength to undo my shoes so I can sleep."

Kato 'hmmed' a little unconcernedly and turned to the door.

Vega managed to prop herself up onto her elbows. "Kato?"

He turned to face her. "What?"

She ignored how the word came out sharp. "Thank you."

His eyes widened fractionally and she couldn't help but smile at what she knew was his genuine surprise by her words.

"Whatever." Kato recovered and left quickly.

CG: Having really not a whole lot to say I'll just say this: if you have any comments you want to make, anything you want to ask about, or if you're interested in any of the number of side stories I write email me.

Oh yeah and: PLEASE REVIEW!! If you don't I won't be motivated to write and then I won't finish.