Hello all! So this chapter is going to be…interesting shall we say with the departure of…5 characters, including three of our favourites. :'''''(
This is going to be a looooooooooong chapter I know even before beginning it.
Reviewers:
Forfirith: The dark angel
Thank you as always for your review! The scorpions are real twerps, no surprise. More Max/Kaie in this chapter! Enjoy!
Princess Fey
Glad you were happy about my update. I guess I misunderstood you… Sorry Anyway thank you for reading this as always. Regardless, I have been thinking about the sequel(I know I should just hurry my butt up and finish this first) and am contemplating… I have written a
story that takes place after both this fic and the sequel, but I don't know if I post it if it will confuse everyone too much…What do you think?
P.S. I loved you Inuyasha fic about the biology exam! I can totally imagine that happen. Are you going to write any more? If you are then let me know!
LunaRavenCroft – I am honoured that you like the story so much. Kaie and Max do make a good pair . sniffle… just wait
Rebecca – Hope my e-amil makes sense to you and clears everything up! Let me know how you like this.
Kaie stood in the hall way as usual, ready to launch her blade. Max stood next to her, waiting for her launch. Both were jittery about the upcoming battle, and both, upon seeing the other, had immediately had flashes of the occurrences of the day before.
Kaie took a breath and ready her blade for the final launch that would taker to Fainter's land. Kaie launched and fell into a kneeling position.
'Funny' thought Max. 'Kaie stays standing if it is the future, kneels if it is the present and falls if it is the past. I wonder what she is seeing.'
Kaie was falling, as usual into Fainters land and saw Andromeah. The bit beast glowed and Kaie braced herself for what ever was coming. However, what came was not at all what she expected. There were no images this time, like there was before, just feelings.
Kaie felt happiness, joy, freedom,
then worn-out, bored, tired,
then useless, inadequate, hopeless
then sorrow, grief, loss
Kaie felt like she was spiraling into the depths of despair. She felt these emotions so real, inside her. Kaie tried to hold on to the first feelings, of happiness, joy, freedom. Kaie felt them slipping away when she fell…
Into her own body.
Kaie kept her eyes closed, unaware of her quivering body, trying to regain control of her emotions. The emotions she just felt, she knew, were emotions that she had suppresses instead of expressing, and the spell had forced her, for the first time, to feel them in full.
Max held the shaking girl; his heart feeling like it was being pulled out of his body. He had no idea what she was feeling, and he wanted to be able to help her, but he was unable to, just useless.
Kaie, her eyes still closed, all of a sudden felt warmth fill her and saw, for the last time, Andromeah.
'Kaie' the bit beast said, the first time it had ever spoken. 'You now have a full soul, as does Dranzer, so you can perform your link attack if you wish.'
Then the image faded, but not without the final words of Andromeah was heard. 'Kaie, I am not your bit beast but I know that someone in your world has protected you time and time again and will continue to, and I know that you will do the same. Follow your heart.'
The warmth filled Kaie and she felt whole, unlike she had for a long time. Kaie then felt Max's arms around her and opened her eyes, to view the world.
The world that she thought was a dream land. Kaie shook the thought out of her head. Real or not, this was where she was now, and she had to help.
Kaie got up, and then helped Max to his feet, which was difficult as his legs had fallen asleep while Kaie had been on them. After much stamping of feet to get rid of the pins and needles the two of them were down for breakfast.
Neither ate much, there was too much apprehension of the upcoming battle.
Both of them were blading in the afternoon, but they were going to watch the morning battles which included
Devin, captain of the Jail Breakers vs Ben, Captain of the Smoke Screens,
followed by
Rei, second of the White Tigers vs Rage, Captain of the Smoke Screens,
Followed by
Tala, Captain of the Demolition Boys vs Tyson Captain of the Raiders
Kaie's black book sat under her bed waiting for the results of these battles.
She and Max took their seats and waited for Devin and Ben to appear. As Kaie studied them she noticed that the only teams which had two members left were the All-Starz and the Blood Knights.
The match soon began and the Captains began their attacks viciously, both fighting for their teams, both not willing to die.
In the end it came down to endurance, in which Ben won. Devin fainted and was the fist victim of the day.
Then Rei and Rage appeared and Kaie could feel the tension here. Rage was the one to beat in this tournament. Everyone was fairly sure that he would make it to the last round, but it was obvious that Rei was the crowds' favourite.
Both looked very strong and ready to go, both determined.
3-2-1- LET IT RIP
Both launched with much power, and began a game of cat and mouse, in which who was who was constantly changing.
The Rage began to overpower Rei, pushing him closer and closer to the edge. Rei was breathing hard trying to push his blade back. "Driger" he yelled and his bit-beast emerged, pushing Rage's blade into the center of the dish.
Rei waved to the benched, breathing hard. "See my team bench. There is no one there. And you are the reason. My entire team is in the hospital wing."
Tears began to form in the human-cat's eyes. "My best friends. Lee, Gary, Kevin…and Mariah." He said her name in a whisper full of venom. "Your tournament has taken them from me and for that I will defeat you!" Rei yelled.
His beyblade flew towards Rage who merely muttered, "I don't care. I have someone on my bench."
The blades collided, and all Rei say was his own blade fly out of the dish, and his headband fell off into his hand, the ying-yang cut in half. Rei then fell to the ground, the pieces of the headband in separate hands.
"They were weak. So are you." Was all Rage said, and he crushed Rei's damaged blade under his foot and walked off. Max stood and then jumped over the railing, and picked up the pieces of his blade and deposited them in Rei's inside pocket, eyes shadowed.
"No matter what anyone says Rei, you are strong." Max said, then the paramedics placed Rei on the stretcher and wheeled him off. Max sighed and walked off into Tyson's wing where he was preparing for his match against Tala.
Kaie sighed. Max must have broken so many regulations now by jumping over the banister it was amazing that he hadn't got in trouble.
Max reappeared a few moments later looking very upset. Kaie looked at him with questioning eyes.
"Tyson versus Tala, rematch of the century and all Tyson can think about is Hilary. I had no idea they were so close, but he can't even count to ten without thinking about her. Tala is in tip top shape, ready to go any minute. Kaie, I'm afraid this isn't going to be much of a rematch."
Max looked at the ground. Kaie had never realized how hard this really must be for him, seeing his friends picked off one by one. Kaie reached out a hand to Max's shoulder, and pulled it back second guessing herself. Then Andromeah's words came to her, and she placed her hand on his shoulder.
Max looked at Kaie, into her unreadable eyes.
"Max," Kaie said, "I am sure that Tyson will snap out of it. After all maybe that is his way of coping, constantly thinking about her."
Max nodded, not quite believing her.
AJ Topper appeared in a fog and whipped out his microphone and began the commentary. "And here comes Tyson, Captain of the Raiders and World Champion verses Tala, Captain of the Demolition Boys. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is going to be one wicked battle, as this is the rematch of the tournament with Tyson facing off against Tala once again. And here is Tala!"
The crowd cheered the entrance of both of them, neither clearly a favourite.
"Bladers take you positions and 3-2-1-LET IT RIP!"
Both launched, although Kaie knew straight away that Tyson was going to loose. It was not only the look in his eyes, which matched one of a zombie, but also simply the way he was standing. He looked as though he couldn't care less.
Tala noticed too. "Tyson, what are you trying to pull? You are hardly blading at all. Do you want me to win?"
Tyson said nothing, and his blade remained stationary.
Tala attacked and hit Tyson's blade, which hit the edge of the stadium and then fell back in.
Tala was very confused by this. "Tyson, isn't this suppose to be a re-match? You are letting me win"
Again Tyson said nothing, and so again Tala attacked, but with more power this time. Tyson's blade nearly left the stadium and would have if his blade hadn't hit a cement pillar.
Already Tyson's blade was heavily damaged. Max looked away from the dish, as it was painful to watch.
Kaie watched the battle and for the first time she saw the big picture. Tyson was the hero. No matter what people would always think of him as the hero, as someone who was always strong, but now Tyson had given up and with him so had most of the audience.
Kaie had no idea what to do, but Max did. "Tyson!" he yelled. Most of the eyes in the stadium turned to him.
"Tyson, who are you fighting for? Who are you representing in the match?" Max looked Tyson in the eye, as he was now looking.
"Think Tyson. What would everyone say if they saw you battling like this? What would Kai say?"
A small smile formed on Tyson's face. "He say, "pick up your sorry behind and blade'"
Max nodded, and Tyson's eyes cleared and he nodded back, then turned to face Tala.
"Where was I?" Tyson said, "Oh yes…now I remember." And with all the strength he could muster he threw his blade at Tala, who merely smiled and moved.
The match dragged on, neither blader giving an inch, and neither ready to give up their last energy for a final attack yet.
They stood, breathing hard. Tala mentally calculated his chances of winning. He had done his best to hide the fact that his blade was slowing rapidly, and he knew if he didn't get one final attack in now, it would never happen.
"Wolberg" Tala yelled "Attack low"
Tyson did his best to move, but the blow caught the edge of the blade, and since he was linked with his blade, it hit his ankle, and caused him to trip.
Tyson's knee hit the ground, and as it did an alarm went off. AJ looked around, as did everyone. A voice came over the PA system loudly. "Tyson, of the Raiders' knee touched the ground, thus he is disqualified. The match is awarded to Tala, of the Demolition Boys."
Tyson's body went limp and his blade stopped shortly after, and two seconds later so did Tala's, although his due to sheer loss of momentum.
As the paramedics arrived the stadium was silent. No one said anything.
Their hero had died.
As soon as the match finished Kaie and Max walked down to the pre-game room. The general public was currently having lunch before Kaie and Max's battles'; however neither of them were able to eat. Both were way too nervous.
Kaie launched her blade into the dish, unintentionally bracing herself for what usually came. She sighed and let the tension go. "All I can say it I hope it is a fair match, and I don't have to blade someone like Tyson was. That would be too hard."
Max said nothing. Today alone Kai had uncovered more about him then she ever had before. Kaie put out her hand and her blade flew into it.
Kaie sat next to him on the bench, unsure of what to say, so the two of them just sat there in silent company.
Judy came in, and so Kaie leapt up and pretended that she had been practicing. Judy nodded, and left, and Kaie continued practicing. All too soon, she was called to the dish to face Crèa.
As soon as she walked out she knew that Crèa was the favourite, and Kaie knew that bringing down a crowd favourite was going to be hard.
Crèa on the other hand thought that battling Kaie was going to be a breaze because she was the fourth on the team, and if she was anything like their forth, then she was going to plummet down.
Both bladers took their positions, and looked each other in the eye. Kaie studied Crèa's hand movement and her heart fell.
Someone had taught Crèa how to hold his blade so that it was impossible for someone like her to predict the launch.
Kaie decided to play it safe and launched into the dish, left of the center.
They battled hard, neither giving an inch. After about one minute Crèa knew that this was no ordinary forth, but on who had been positioned in a position that they did not deserve.
Seven minutes in, both began to tire. Kaie was able to keep her fatigue hidden, but Crèa was showing it.
The crowd was quiet now, all of them on the edge of their seats.
Kaie noticed this and so she yelled, in Russian, "Blue embrace"
The attack hit Crèa hard and sent his blade flying out of the dish. Kaie looked away as soon as the attack occurred. She couldn't bear seeing the look on Crèa's face.
Like all bladers, she took Crèa's blade and placed it back in his pouch. "прощание" Kaie whispered to him, without looking at him. Farewell.
She came back to the bench where Max was sitting white faced, knuckles clenched, ready to face Might.
The final match of the day began, Max versus Might.
Draciel landed in the dish, and Max wasted no time in attacking, which threw Might slightly, but he responded with a well placed attack.
Max moved into a defensive position and then attacked again, which Might countered. That was what happened for the entire match. Nearing the end both were fatigued, as they had never battle so long before, however both did their best to hide it.
Might drew himself up to his full height and attacked Max, who was so tired he was practically unable to move. Max moved too late and his blade smashed hard into the edge of the stadium.
Max had to work hard to stay on his feet and Kaie knew that visions of Tyson's battle were flying around Max's head. Might, seeing Max down, attacked again and again and again, each time with a red fury of power that left Max in great pain. Might stopped to see if any of the attacks were being effective, and circled around Max's wobbling blade.
Max closed his eyes, making a hard decision, and when they opened again they were full of tears.
"Might" he said, "You and your team have done nothing but terrorize everyone, you signed people up for this tournament and then expelled them from this world. I can not permit you to continue to do this. I can not permit you to continue in the tournament." And then Draciel emerged and stood in front of Max.
Max took a deep breath, and then yelled, "S-attack!"
Kaie leapt up, and yelled, "No! Max don't!"
"What is it?" Judy asked.
Kaie couldn't look at Max's mom. "He is doing the suicide attack, the s-attack. You use it only when you are desperate as it takes down the other blade, as well as yours, but it works every time. It takes down both, and ends the match in a draw."
Judy stood and watched unable to speak.
For Kaie everything went as if it was in slow motion. With fear in his eyes Max attacked Might, and the tsunami that he created pulled both their blades in.
When the water disappeared neither blade was left spinning.
AJ looked in the dish and said, "There you have it Ladies and Gentlemen. This match ends in a draw."
Both bladers' slumped to the ground, their senses with them for only a short while.
Kaie ran up to Max and knelt next to him. Judy stood frozen in pace, still starring at the dish, as if there was still a battle occurring.
"Kaie" Max said quietly.
"Will you do something for me?"
Kaie nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Listen" Max said "I need you to tell my parents that I love them and that I will come back to them. Make sure they know how much I love them." Max took in a hoarse breath.
"Tell my parents to be strong. Kaie, please make sure they are okay. Tell them I am so sorry, but that it was the only way to defeat Might. If he and Rage we still there then we would have a huge problem. Make sure you get your box from my mom." Max took another deep breath
" Kaie…if... I don't come back…then remember me. Promise"
Kaie nodded, still unable to speak
"Kaie, there is something that I forgot to put in the box" Then Max's face contorted in pain.
"Max what is it?" Kaie said for the first time, her voice cracking. Kaie leaned over him, her long hair falling over her shoulders.
"What did you forget?"
Max leaned up and gently put his lips to hers in a gentle kiss
"You see… I didn't forget." he said quietly "It didn't fit."
Kaie froze and Max looks away
Kaie came to her senses, and took a deep breath and said, "I promise I will look after your parents and I will bring you back." Max looked at her, and Kaie leaned down and kissed him
Max smiled, closed his eyes, then went limp, and Kaie knew he was gone.
Kaie walked over to the dish and picked up his blade, and deposited it in his pocket, then he was wheeled off to the hospital wing. Kaie slid into the dish and picked up Might's blade and put in his pocket saying,
"This is more than you deserve, but I know that Max would want me to do this."
Might was wheeled off as well. Kaie returned to the bench, where Judy was being helped off by a number of officials.
Kaie remembered her promise, and she too helped Judy off.
Kaie could still hear Max's words ringing in her ears. Kaie closed her eyes and prayed that where ever he was he was safe. After all he was now with all the Blade Breakers.
Kaie never felt so alone in her life.
Done!
Questions
Should I put the reviews at the bottom of the fic, or keep them at the top?
Do you want to see Max's point of view now, or later?
Anyway let me know what you think, even if it is one word. Please press the little blue button!
Smoke Angel