NOTE: This is more of a set up chappy for the next one, so it's kinda crap, but the next will have more in it I promise!
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.
"This is talking"
'These are thoughts'
"Kai! Snap out of it!" Max yelled, pulling hard on the chained his team captain was holding with surprising ease. The shackles around his wrists were digging into his hands painfully, creating yet another cut on his already destroyed skin. Kai merely pulled the chains sharply, tugging the blond forward with a yelp of pain. "Kai, I'm your friend! Voltaire's the enemy don't you-"
His words were halted as Kai spun around, jerking the chains directly above him and pull Max forward so they were face to face. He black, heartless eyes bore straight into Max's icy blue ones, narrowed in anger but the rest of his posture remained strong yet relaxed. "Hold your tongue or I'll be forced to tear it from your throat."
Max didn't know whether it was the confidence or the venom in Kai's voice, but he believed the threat presented to him and fell silent, tears brimming in his eyes. Kai had changed so much; his attitude when they met had been cold, cocky and, during his ownership of Black Dranzer, he had even been labelled a little insane, but he had never looked on any of his team-mates with such a murderous gaze. His eye always held at least a spark of compassion, of caring, for the Bladebreakers. That's why he had always shown up to help them when they needed him most. He had even saved them on more then one occasion.
But now his eyes showed little or no emotion, his voice angry and hate filled. The CyberBlader froze in his tracks and looked back at his prisoner, tears streaming down the face of the younger teen as he struggled in vain to suppress he sobs. Annoyed, Kai turned to face him once again. "Shut up, you look pathetic."
Max looked up at Kai with teary eyes, narrowing them sadly. "Kai they're controlling you..." Max's voice was hoarse, a cough quickly following his statement.
"Be quiet-"
"Don't you remember?" Max blurted out, his voice louder then first intended. "The Bladebreakers? The World Championships? Kai we're a team! You can't let Voltaire tear us apart!"
"Silence!" Kai yelled, swinging his arm and back-handing the boy across the face. He narrowed his eyes as the boy pushed himself to a sitting position and placed his hand over the already reddening mark on his face, fresh tears escaping him.
"We're a family Kai..." Max whispered, afraid to move from his place on the floor. "You, me," Kai grabbed the chains connect to Max's shackles and began pulling Max back to his feet. When Max continued his voice was louder and faster. "Tyson and Ray; Dranzer, Draciel, Driger and Dragoon, all of us! Don't let Voltaire ruin that!"
"You are not my family!" Kai yelled angrily back at Max, causing the teen to take a step back in surprise. "You are the enemy! Don't think I'm stupid enough to be convinced otherwise!"
"But-"
Kai grabbed the front of Max's torn shirt and pulled himself forward, gripping his free hand around the blonds neck tightly. He remained silent for while, grip tight and shaking in anger. "One more word out of you and I'll drop you here and now, do you understand?" Kai yelled the last part angrily, throwing the gasping boy to the floor. He watched as Max tried to recuperate, breathing in heavily and breathing out just as hard. "Do you understand?!" Kai yelled, getting frustrated.
"Y-yes..." Max choked out, hand placed over his throat as he rubbed it slightly, trying to ease the pain. His hands were jerked out in front of him, though, when Kai began to walk down the corridor, dragging Max with him. Stumbling to his feet, Max lowered his head and followed silently.
He knew they were going to pester him a little longer to join them, there wasn't a doubt in his mind of that. And his answer would always stay the same. No. No to the power, no to the murders, no to Kai, no to salvation. He was doomed and he knew it.
A dead man walking.
"What?" Voltaire turned away from the Demolition Boys and to the computer next to him and typed on it, opening up a screen that showed the courtyard in the centre of the abbey.
It was quiet, nothing disturbed, until a large explosion erupted in the centre, concrete from the snow-buried path soaring into the air along-side the blue dragon that emerged from it. In it's claws Voltaire could see a terror-struck Tyson clinging to the giant claws he was seated in. Ray was next to him, one arm over the blind teen as extra support so he didn't fall off.
Growling angrily, Voltaire looked back thoughtfully as Tala questioned for orders on whether to capture Tyson and Ray or not. "No, let them go." Voltaire finally decided, waving his hand dismissively. "We have what we want, and an extra boy for target practise if he doesn't submit. Besides, we can capture them once Kai and Dranzer are reacquainted." He grinned sinisterly and turned towards them again. "Once Dranzer is finish his upgrade, bring him to Kai immediately. We have a dragon to catch."
"Yes sir."
Ray noticed this also, and he was getting worried. "Tyson...?" Taking in a shaky breath, Tyson paused, as if readying himself. "We abandoned them..."
"Tyson, we couldn't have stayed," Ray began, "We need medical help before we go any further, we can't fight Voltaire in our weakened states-"
"And how do you think Max and Kai are doing?" Tyson yelled, shutting his eyes tight and leaning into Dragoon. The dragon nuzzled against his 'blader's form, trying to offer what comfort he could. "Kai's much worse off then I am... he's going to die because of me, this is all because of me..."
"Tyson..." Ray placed a hand on the other boys shoulder. "It's not your fault-"
"It is!" Tyson yelled, pounding his fist against Dragoon's scales. The dragon didn't feel anything. "If I had just been able to take care of myself for once, I could have avoided this whole mess! He's my brother! My own flesh and blood! We're supposed to look out for each other and I haven't been able to do that for him, not once!"
"That's not true-"
"Yes it is..." Tyson slouched against Dragoon's head burring his face in his crossed arms. Ray shook his head, knowing Tyson wasn't going to listen to what he had to say; not now anyway. Dragoon looked at Ray and he nodded, leaping up into the dragon's clawed hands. Dragon raised himself up, lifting Tyson to sit beside Ray. Tyson bit his lip and placed one hand over his eyes, tears streaming down his face. Ray pulled him into a hug and shushed him, rubbing circling on his back to calm him down whilst Dragoon watched helplessly.
"Dragoon, head for the hospital..."
When the doctor was done and finished treating other minor injuries, he was left alone. A soft humming sound alerted him that Dragoon had left his beyblade, invisible to most other humans save for those holding Bitbeasts. The dragon leaned it's head against his master's side, a low growl emitting from deep in his throat. Not angrily, more worriedly.
Sighing, Tyson pet Dragoon's muzzle lightly. "What are we going to do?" Silence from the Bitbeast. "We have to save them... they'd do the same for us..." Dragoon nodded, raising his head slightly at the sound of footsteps in the corridor. It was Ray, Dragoon could sense it, and because both dragon and 'blader were connected, Tyson knew he was there too. "Ray?"
Ray froze as Tyson's voice spoke up, looking in the door and frowning. "Yeah?"
"Where are you going...?"
Ray remained silent, twirling a loose end of the sash around his waist. "I-"
"You're going back to the abbey, aren't you?" Tyson asked, eyes downcast to his feet. "And you don't want me to come..."
"Tyson... I'm sorry, but in your condition it would do more harm then good for you to come. You... you'd just get in the way." It was harsh, but truth be told Ray was right. If he was to save Kai and Max, he couldn't be looking over his shoulder ever five minutes to check on Tyson. He sighed when Tyson leaned back against the pillow's on his bed, eye cast to the side. "Look Tyson, I'm sorry... I know you want to help but try to see this from my-"
"See?" Tyson spat angrily, narrowing his eyes and glaring at nothing in general.
Ray felt like slapping himself for that comment. "Please, try to understand Tyson. You can't come with me, your safer here anyway." Glancing over his shoulder as if resisting the urge to run away, he focussed on Tyson, his tone low but firm. "I have to go now Tyson... Stay. Here."
Tyson grabbed one of the pillows behind him as Ray's footsteps echoed away, hugging it tightly to his chest. Breathing in shakily, he buried his face in the pillow as tears brimmed in his eyes once again. Dragoon looked at his 'blader sadly. He wanted to help, but he knew Tyson needed to be alone. With a soft glow, he disappeared back into his Beyblade.
Feeling the presence of Dragoon gone, Tyson neglected to hold back any tears. "Kai..." Memories flooded back to him of the last time he'd seen Kai; it had been a long time, actually. He hadn't seen Kai in person for months, now that he thought of it. Kai had been travelling around for a few months before Tyson had been brought to the abbey, but he had always stayed in contact. A few weeks ago he had stopped contacting them, the last message being an e-mail. He had said it was because of training, but Tyson knew now it was because his grandfather had been released.
"I can't believe it..." Tyson thought. "Aside from pictures I haven' seen Kai for over three months... And now... I'll never see him again..." He burried his face deeper in the pillow, shutting his eyes tight. He felt so helpless. He couldn't see, he was confined to hospital and, worst of all, he couldn't help save his friends when it was his fault they were there in the first place. He just couldn't help wonder if he would forget what the world looked like, what his friends looked like. After a few mintues he managed to calm himself slightly. Swallowing hard, he sighed shakily, mumbling to himself. Whenever his felt alone, whenever he felt helpless, one thing gave him strength;
"When destiny calls you, you must be strong,
I may not be with you
But you've got to hold on,
They'll see in time, I know.
We'll show them together..."
"Kai..."
"Tyson?" Dragoon's voice echoed in his master's mind, the soft hum of the dragon exiting the beyblade sounding at the same time. Sighing the dragon spoke up. "There's something I think I could do to help your situation."
"Huh?" Tyson looked in the direction of the Bitbeasts voice, confused. "Help me? How? Could I help the others?"
"Yes..." Dragoon said with a nod, though he knew Tyson could not see.
"Really? How?"
"Alright, this is how it works."
"Are you ready to join us Max?"
Looking up Max narrowed his eye's at Voltaire, who stood, rather confidently, on a higher platform overlooking the situation. Taking a deep breath he sighed, then spoke quietly, his voice a hiss-whisper but confidant. "Never."
Voltaire chuckled, shaking his head with an evil smile on his face. "Poor young boy, I didn't think you would be so foolish. But now you leave me no choice. You're of no use to me anymore, therefore you as expendable." He turned his back and began to walk away. With a wave of his hand over his shoulder, he smirked back at Max, "Destroy him."
"Like I didn't see that coming..." Max thought, biting his lip as the Beyblader's began their countdown, Kai standing at the sidelines and watching with a blank expression, arms crossed and leaning against the wall. "I can't let them beat me... I've got to find a way to help Kai. But how can I do that? I'm stuck in this room and I doubt he's going to listen... Still, I have to try and last as long as I can." Dropping down to one knee he cross his arms in front of his chest in an 'X' shape. Body tense and head lowered, he braced himself for his assault.
"Kai, report to my office now."
"Yes sir." Kai nodded, pressing the same button to hang up. Turning away from the once again blood-covered blond he walked out the door and made his way to Voltaire's office. It only took a minute or two before he was knocking on the door. A voice from inside ordered him to come in and he obliged. He remained silent when he entered, awaiting Voltaire's orders.
Voltaire looked up from his desk and smirked at the teen in front of him. He had to hand it to those scientists of his, they had outdone themselves this time. Kai's mind was completely reprogrammed, unable to access past memories, events, emotions or feelings, unable to take orders from anyone but Voltaire. The only downside to the project was if he somehow found a way to tap into his memories, it was possible for them to lose control. No matter, Kai didn't remember even having a past, which gave him no reason to search his memories.
"Kai, there is another enemy heading towards the abbey, dispose of him when he gets here." Voltaire stated simply with a glance at the computer, showing Ray heading in the direction of the abbey. He picked up a blue Beyblade with a blood red attack ring. Perched in the centre was Kai's ever-loyal phoenix Bitbeast, Dranzer, glowing a bright amber/red mixture. "Train for now, but don't let me down. I want him dead." Voltaire ordered, tossing the Beyblade to it's owner.
Kai snatched the Beyblade effortlessly and, without even a simple glance at his Bitbeast, he bowed to Voltaire. "Yes sir, I won't disappoint you." He would have normally been disgusted at his new respect for the elder man, but at this moment he knew no other way to act. He had lost his entire personality. He turned and left quietly, making his way to the training room.
"Because I though it unnecessary and a foolish choice." Dragoon answered firmly, tilting his head up slightly so he was looking at the ceiling. "I have already explained to you the dangers of this choice, are you sure you wish to go through with this? I don't want to risk your life, but it is your choice."
"I couldn't live with myself if I didn't help them, Dragoon."
"Very well..." Dragoon frowned, shaking his head. This was a reckless decision, which is why he knew Tyson would go through with it. Standing up the large dragon lay on all fours and curved his long body along the floor to fit in the room. Shutting his eyes, he concentrated hard, a soft glow emitting from his after a few minutes. The walls were lined with a translucent blue wall; soundproof. Opening his now glowing eyes he asked, "Are you ready?"
Though Tyson could not see Dragoon, the emotions and energies wafting through the air was enough to edge his nerves. What worried him the most was, why did they need a soundproof area for this? Swallowing hard, he nodded. "Yeah."
Growling slightly as he crouched back, Dragoon leapt forward at the teen, instantly becoming a blue beam of energy, and striking his 'blader hard in the chest. Tyson gasped, as a burning sensation exploded in his chest, before crying out in pain.
To Be Continued
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Ok, dat's all! I know, tis crap, but like I noted -points to the top of the chappy- this chappy is a set up chappy. Yup, this stories coming to an end soon, only a few chappys to go. I'm gonna miss it...
Welp, please review uys, it would really be appreciated! Slán slán for now!
Bay Bay!
Bayleef
