Russle – I am always glad to get you reviews because you always say soooooo much .' Yes maybe I am a sly old dog, but then again you have read my other fic... The lost world will most likely be coming up in this chapter, but definitely more will be coming later. Just so you know you are suppose to dislike Rage. Hehehe foreshadowing
FORFIRITH-on-a-sugar-high - I'll see what I can do NOTE: I do have more coming, a rather large amount of it
Cold-Heritage – Thanks for your feedback, I will update as often as possible...
Now on to the story...------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 4 Kaie woke up early the next morning, as Max was awake. Kaie was grateful for the three-hour sleep that she had got and Kaie got dressed into her uniform. As the All-Starz were a team they all had to wear the same training shirt and they had to wear it at all times. Kaie had got Judy to compromise into giving her a tank top as her training shirt so that she could wear other clothing over top of it. Kaie pulled on her tank top and then over top of that she pulled on her sleeveless blue shirt. The shirt was royal blue and had a small picture of light blue waves across the top. The shirt alone was 'indecent' according to Judy as it only went to mid stomach and so with the orange and red tank top underneath it passed the 'test'.Kaie then pulled on her black baggy pants with flames along the side of them. Her favourite part of the pants though had to be the pockets that were on the side of her leg, below her knees.
Kaie could easily carry around anything valuable there and not have to worry about pickpockets. Honestly, how many would be able to reach there with out her noticing, plus it was easier to kick them. Kaie did up her pants and then put on her belt. After pulling on her necklace and placing her blade and launcher in her pocket she grabbed her gloves off the table.
Her gloves were the same colour blue as her shirt and had red flames that wrapped around her arm. Her pants had the same red colour of flames and when her arms were at her side, her arms looked like part of her pants, making for a really cool effect.
Kaie pulled on her coat and then laced up her black sneakers then went over to Max's room. Kaie knocked on the door, and was met by an unusually quiet, "Come in."
She entered slowly and saw that Max was standing at his window, overlooking the busy road. His blond hair looked messier than usual, and there was a definite drop to his body.
Kaie placed her gloved hand on his shoulder, and was surprised to find that his shoulder was the same temperature as her hand, as Max was normally very warm, much warmer than her hand. Kaie knew that it would be stupid to ask if he was OK because he obviously wasn't, but she wasn't sure how to go about it.
"Max... What is your tournament strategy?" Kaie asked in a calm voice.
Max paused before answering in a wavering voice, "I don't know... I think I might just... I don't know...."
Kaie looked him in the eye. "Max, you are blading today. What are you planning to do? You can't just stand there and hope to win."
Max sighed. "I know, but what can I do. I don't even know what I can do."
Kaie stepped between him and the window. "Look at me." Max's sad blue eyes, met the silent green ones.
"Max I know you can do it. I don't know what you have heard, but I believe in you. Tyson believes in you, Kai believes in you, Rei believes in you, your mom believes in you, and all the All-Starz believe in you."
Max's blue eyes clouded over. "Kenny. You missed Kenny. I am...going to end up like him. I'm not going to make it. You know that as well as I do."
Kaie's eyes filled with disbelief. "I can't believe that you would believe that. Who told you that? I want to know. Now."
Max said nothing, and continued his gaze out the window.
"Max, listen. You and I have worked hard. You have improved so much. You can't let that go to waste. We trained so hard for this. Please Max. You have to believe in yourself, or else you have lost before you have even started."
Max looked Kaie in the eye and saw that she spoke honestly. Max paused then said, "You really think that I can beat him?"
Kaie nodded, thankful that she was at last getting through to him. "You are better than Todd. You were a world champ Max."
Max nodded. "I guess so..."
Kaie continued, "You have beaten much harder opponents. I'm going to be honest. The stakes here are much higher than ever before, but you can do it. What do you think Kai would say if he saw you like this?"
Max smiled. "He would tell me to get off my butt, and to start training. Then he would ask me why I was feeling sorry for myself, then he would tell me one of his Abby stories."
Kaie felt a cold surge of recognition surge through her, but she said nothing.
Max continued, on a roll. "He would tell me" he said lowering his voice to imitate Kai's, "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. 40 laps until you stop wallowing in self-pity." Max laughed, the sparkle back in his eye.
"You're right. I can beat this guy! Let's go have breakfast. I'm hungry, and I can't kick Todd's butt on an empty stomach."
Kaie smiled. Max was back in action
"From the All-Starz is Max Tate. From the Jail Breaker's is Todd Gordon. Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome them." A loud round of applause greeted them, some rooting for Max, others for Todd.
"Bladers are you ready? O.K. then. 3—2—1—Let it Rip!" Max and Todd let their blades fly into the dish. Todd started attacking almost immediately, attempting to win the round quickly.
Max was no fool though. "Draciel hold your ground. Steady..."
Kaie knew what Max was doing, they had worked on this only two days before. You hold your ground then move and the other blade goes flying out of the dish. Pretty basic, but it usually worked. If it didn't then it weakened the opponent greatly.
Max looked over at Kaie and could tell that she knew what he was doing. He returned his attention to the battle at hand. "Draciel you know what to do." Draciel suddenly moved out of the way causing the blade to go flying out of the dish. It wasn't over however.
The blade slammed into the wall, sending concrete flying, then ricocheted back into the dish. Max was shocked. It took a lot of power to do that. Todd smirked. "Thought you could bet me that easily, guess again. Tredo emerge! Power up."
A huge crocodile emerged from his blade, glowing a lime green. "Jaws attack!" he yelled and the crocodile flew at Max's blade. Max barely had enough time to say, "Defense" before the huge reptile was upon his blade.
Max was barely able to hold his own in the battle, and everyone could tell. Max braced against the onslaught trying to see a way out. There was no way he could win. He might as well give up. Then a thought came to him, but it was the kind of thought he preferred to ignore.
It told him how to beat him, however it was a style that usually only the Blood Knights used. He was trapped. He wouldn't he just wouldn't. he couldn't do that to a bit beast.
It's the only way
The voice that spoke was Draciel's, Max had heard it once before.
Max, if you don't take this move you will lose and join the others in the Other World. You must, even though it goes against who you are. This is battle is much more than a game. You know that.
"It shouldn't be." Max yelled "When did this stop being fun?"
You know what you must do Max.
Kaie's words came back to him and he could almost hear Emily and Chief telling him to take the move. There was no other way. Max closed his eyes and made the move.
"Draciel emerge!" Max yelled and his large purple bit beast emerged from his chip, only to be pummeled. "Draciel go for the eyes and noes."
Max looked away.
With one claw Draciel held off Tredo, and with the other he assaulted the crocodile. After ten blows it was already obvious that Tredo was weakening.
It was only then that Todd realized what kind of shape his beloved bit beast was in. "Back out now Tredo." He yelled, but try as he might the bitbeast couldn't free himself.
Blow after blow rained down, until the creature fell and the blade stopped and with it, Todd's heart. He slumped to the ground and fell into a coma like those before him.
Max felt sick. He needed to get away. He waited only till they declared him the victor then he ran. He just ran. He had no idea where he was going or when he would stop he just had to get away.
Kaie tried to go after Max, but Michael held her back. "Let him go. He needs to think."
Kaie agreed and sat down. Max was crushed because to defeat Todd he had to resort to physical brute strength, and Max hated that. It would be better to let someone like Tyson clean up this mess. Kaie looked up in the stands and could see an empty seat next to Hilary.
That night Kaie took out her notebook and recorded the day's outcomes.
First of all Todd had lost to Max. She wrote the names and then drew a strike through Tood's name.
Zeo had lost to Cortez, after a rogue lightening blot from the battle struck him, causing his to malfunction. Ian had lost to Rage in a close battle, Gillean had lost to Lee, and Bermon had lost to George.
Kaie drew the last strike through Bermon's name when she felt Max enter the building. She knew that she had to leave him though. He would need some time to see that this tournament was different and you were fighting for your life. Max would have to see that before he could compete and win.
She knew that Draciel and Tyson had talked with him and probably Kai too. Max was beginning to understand that in this tournament a win was not a win, but a chance for life and that in the next battle you would honor who you lost to and simply do your best.
Time alone would tell if Max understood.
Blue Dranzer appeared in front of her. Kaie slid the book under her covers and looked at him. "Max understands." He said simply. "Draciel has had a talk with him and he knows just what is at stake. He accepts it, but he hates it. He knows that he is fight for more than just himself. Everyone in this tournament knows that now."
Kaie nodded. "It is such a waste." She said.
Dranzer looked at her. "That's not all..." he said.
Kaie looked at him. "What else?"
Dranzer sighted then said, "Across the world other bladers' are suffering the same thing that you are. All who loose are sent to the Other World."
"What!?!" she yelled. "They can't do that! They don't deserve that. What have the kids done to disserve that? They can't do that!"
Dranzer shook his huge head. "They already have Kaie. Everything is in the hands of the outcome of this tournament." Dranzer paused then he said, "I have to go..." and he was gone.
This was too much. It was one thing to do this to those who had signed up in the first place, but quite another to banish someone who had nothing to do with it. This was definitely too much.
As Kaie lay down her eyes filled with a fire and determination that could not be compared. She could not, would not loose.
All those in the Other World hoped that someone could save them, otherwise they would be there forever, in a shadowy word where only dark thoughts dwell and hatred feeds them.
And this chapter is all wrapped up, Now time for the Questions!!! Ahem
Does this make sense, or have I lost you part way through?
What anime show have I stolen the Other World from? (hint: read the last paragraph)
Anything you want me to add...or subtract...
Oh ya...how is the Kaie and Max stuff?
Just a note, I appreciate constructive criticism, but not flames.
And the sooner I get three reviews, the sooner the next chapter comes out as I have already finished the next one and I have started the chapter after that
Please R&R with answers
Smoke Angel