Me: To the reviewers as always.
CS: We love you guys!
Raged: Thanks! Here's your update!
Skittles the Sugar Fairy: Evil laughter. (nods) Very cool.
SilveryKitsune: Trevor's your bro's OC. He asked for Trevor so obviously Trevor came into being.
Aine-Tate-Kon: How could I forget you? I'll try and write more mails more often.
White Dog 2: I will, but not here. At least…two chapters from now. Why so late? Read on and see. I'll google Dee later.
Ms Hobgoblin: Glad you liked it! Though I may ask, why didn't you ask for a part in this story?
nessi You'll be appearing later, much later. But you will have a scene for you and your Nikanoru. Wait and see!
Lil Tanuki: Yes, love the cliffies. They help us authors out a lot.
Hades of hades 2: Ummmm… a lot of gifts. Thanks! Just make sure Spike doesn't kill you for hitting on me. ;
Aquenze: Happy very belated birthday! And don't mutilate my plushie!
Morgana Magi Lady of Light: Ummm…like with nessi, you guys show up much later!
Alarivana Ciaernu: It is plot, but I think I've overdone the visions part…
Little Leila: Yup, Tasara is here. Joy.
Lunare Valhart: Yup, nice plot bunny! I'll send the data as soon as I can, but I have to sort it out first. The weapon question is easy. The bit beasts give us our weapons and without bit beasts, no weapons. As for the tests (smirks) I've planned a special one for you.
Angevar You know me. I probably won't update it ever. But if I get a burst of inspiration, …let's see…
Kitsuryuu Ah, I didn't realize you'd like it so much. In the beginning the response wasn't so great. Thank you!
Me: (enters room) Hmmm…where is everybody?
CS: THERE SHE IS!!!!!! (hordes of maniac reviewers appear)
Me: o0; Ummm…what's this about?
CS: You haven't updated in ages!!
Me: Oh, that. Um….I had school?
CS: (blinks) Really?
Me: (defensively) Really! I go to boarding school remember?
CS: Oh yeah…
Me: So bug off you guys! (horde disappears and Timmy blinks) That was quick.
CS: Don't worry, they'll be back.
DISCLAIMER:
Me: Who is it?
CS: Ummm….we've got Sheik.
Me: Okay.
Sheik: Timmy does not own Beyblade. She does own the plot, Tasara and herself. Respective authors own themselves and are not for sale.
Me: Since when were they for sale?
Sheik: Since….(thinks about it and blinks) I dunno…
Me & CS: (sweatdrop)
Chapter Eight
Oracle
Is it just me or everything we've been doing so far cliché?
"A pit of lava with a bridge across it," Leila said sarcastically, "Apparently, we are in one of the greatest scenarios of fandom."
"Amen," Angevar said in flair.
Well, as Leila so well phrased it, it was a pit with lava at the top of Fuji. Yes, we managed to get to the top. Sorry to disappoint you there.
Back to the story.
"So, we're gonna cross that?!" Asa-chan pointed in horror.
"Well, I don't think we can gape at it now, can we?" Trevor said mock-sweetly.
Arashi took the trouble of hitting Trevor on the head. He smirked.
"Oooohhh….like it rough, don't you?" Trevor said, rubbing his head and smirking.
I've never seen Arashi blush that bright a pink before. I should have captured the moment, really.
Trevor grinned while Spike in the distance scowled. I ignored him. In fact, that's what I've been doing for the past day or so. If he noticed (or anyone else for that matter) well, kudos to them. I'm not like that. I don't forgive and forget.
That's one thing I've always had trouble with.
(O)
"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Nanashi shrieked, turning bug-eyed at the boiling pit of doom.
We sighed.
"Nana-chan, you picked the short straw," Silver tried, "You know what that means…"
"Well, I thought it was a lucky straw," Nanashi said, sticking her tongue out.
"It was a lucky straw," Spike whispered, "Lucky for us."
"I HEARD YOU SPIKE!!!!!!!!"
"Nanashi, just cross it," Lunare said irritably as she looked at the chasm. Being ice element, fire does not go well with her.
"NO AND YOU CAN'T MAKE ME—," Just then a pillar of lava burst up and she jumped and ran to the other side.
We sweatdropped.
"Ummm….you guys can come now," She said shame-facedly as she noticed she had crossed safely.
We went together after that. I didn't want to go through Nanashi did. Angevar looked apprehensively at the pit as we crossed. Arnar shook her and she proceeded. I avoided looking down at all. I had a horrible fear of heights. Hell, Playground slides make me uneasy!
As we all know, it's always the bridge that collapses.
This time, that didn't happen.
The pit of lava began to drain. At first you wouldn't notice it, but the churning would become louder and more insistent in every minute. It was Sonbre who noticed.
"Is it just me or does that look like a bathtub?" He muttered.
Lunare turned to him, "What are you—," she cut herself short as she saw what Sonbre was talking about. Her face paled.
"MOVE!" She yelled as we jumped and increased our pace.
Just after Aquenze had crossed, the pit blew up causing drops (too small to be called drops. They were like meteors!) of lava to spill everywhere. We cowered and the liquid hot magma fell upon us. I felt something scald my arm and tried to refrain myself from crying out loud.
Goddamnit that hurt!
The shower soon stopped and we got up. I wasn't the only one hit. Angy got a nasty burn on her kneecaps and Tanuki's knuckles were red. Most of the others were unscathed though.
I sighed, "You guys ready to go?"
They looked at me and for the first time, I realized that this was taking a toll on us. I gritted my teeth. Tasara is going to get hell from me when I'm through with this.
"Let's go."
And we left.
(O)
Interlude
It is to understand that we decide
For how can we decide if we cannot understand?
And there is instinct, buried deep in the recedes of our mind
Come out, come out, wherever you are….
He blinked as he shook that disturbing thought from his mind. Maybe it was just his 'other' side thinking.
Damn his other side.
He sighed and glanced at the others. Timmy had ordered him (and put it in such a way 'don't do it, consider yourself dead') to be on guard duty because he had set them back a whole day. He thought of many ways to reply to that, but the threatening flash of her violet eyes stilled all complaints.
Timmy, or 'Alia' as they called her.
Or as he called her….
It was good that she didn't recognize him. God forbid if she did. She'll probably kill him, then resurrect him so she could repeat the process.
And that's something he did not want the pleasure to go through.
Had she forgotten me?
I thought that she'd remember me forever…
What changed?
"What changed you?" He whispered.
Then he realized that he was being melodramatic. This was partially his fault also.
"Can't sleep?"
Trevor jolted to see brown eyes glaring at him, "Oh, still pissed at me for watching your girlfriend?" He sneered.
"Shut up you git," Spike growled. Trevor felt a flash of spitefulness against his friend. He had the thing he lost a long time ago.
And that made him bitter.
It doesn't change things when he saw the glow in her eyes when he heard her talking about Spike. Or that blaze when Spike did something idiotic.
It didn't change things.
"If you don't apologize soon Spike," Trevor said grimly, "You're gonna lose her."
Spike gave him an acid glare, "It's not like she cares," He said, his voice dull, "She was thinking about someone else."
"Oh?" That sentence made him feel giddy. Was she thinking about him?
"I know when I'm not wanted," Spike said, turning his blankets over.
Trevor was silent.
Is there still a chance?
End Interlude
(O)
Okay, was there something I missed? Because Spike has been sending me these half-guilty-half-pissed looks that I'm trying to translate, but am having trouble with.
Guys…can't they come out straight instead of being cryptic? You'd think hieroglyphics were easier to read.
We've been walking in this cavern for a day now. Rumi said we should be reaching the chambers soon.
And we did. There was a light at the end of the tunnel. Without anyone realizing it, we all increased our pace.
It was a chamber all right. The entire was full of suspended glass shards. The light reflected off them, looking like a kaleidoscope. Rainbows spilled from the glass pieces and I could see them spin like globes.
Globes…….
I glanced deeper and saw—
"About time you guys got here."
We turned to see three, no four figures standing on a pavilion which I'm sure was not there before.
Three were dressed in normal everyday clothes, but one was wearing a long dress with many shades of blue. In her hand was a staff that curled at the end and she had blue out blue eyes. The hair….you couldn't say which colour it was because it kept changing. There was a most unladylike smirk on her face though, which I was desperate to wipe off.
This was Tasara.
Oracle and Protector of the Portals.
"Don't insult them Skittles," Tasara said, her voice smooth. Like a stream, "It's been long and they have come far."
"Good," Arashi drove to the point, "Now tell us exactly what is going on!"
Tasara said nothing, but seats magically appeared.
"Sit," She commanded, "And I will explain."
"Everything?" I was being sarcastic.
She glanced at me and smirked.
"Everything."
(O)
The glass shards above us seemed to chime as Tasara began.
"We know the portals have been invaded. Someone has broken through and allowing creatures mainly from the Beyblade universe to escape. You've stopped some of the Reflections but there are too many even for you'll."
"Reflections?" Arnar queried.
"Your Shadow warriors," She noticed all of us looking at each other in horror, "are known as Reflections because that's all they are. They are not, the original."
"So it wasn't Kai we killed," Leila sighed, "Thank Raiden 1. I don't think I could live with myself if it was him."
I nodded at her. It was Leila who landed the final blow on Kai's reflection.
"But," And there was a dead tone in her voice, "It won't be long 'till the originals are free as well."
We froze.
"And they will not be as easy as the Reflections," Her blue out blue eyes glinted, "The only way we can stop this, is to enter the Beyblade world itself."
I think time stopped when she said that.
"This is risky," She continued, her eyes turning skywards, "And I can only allow access if you can pass three tests."
Lovely. Everything comes with a price around here doesn't it?
"I will send five or less people into different worlds to collect specific items. Once you have brought back these items will I allow you to enter."
Okay….
"Ummm…." Silver raised her hand as if she was in a classroom, "What items?"
"That comes later," She said, a shadow of irritation crossing her face. Silver slinked in her seat.
She lifted her staff as three shards descended and grew bigger. Finally they became large mirrors.
"Who will go into the Land of Gods?" She asked. Darkness seemed to fill the space and we could hear our hearts beat against our ribcages.
"I will go!" Angevar got up.
"Me as well," Arnar got up.
"Umm….can I tag along?" Nanashi asked.
"Asa-chan and I will come," Leila said.
Tasara nodded and pointed the staff at the remaining bunch of people.
"Who will go into the Land of Vampires?"
"I'll go," I said.
"Ditto," Spike said immediately, flashing me a smile.
"Whatever," Trevor said smirking.
"Where my bro' goes, I'm coming to keep him in line!" Silver said, ignoring a glare from Spike.
"I'll go with Timmy-san," Arashi said.
Tasara nodded and turned to the others.
"Who will go into the Land of Myths?"
"The land of myths?" Lunare wrinkled her nose, "Dorky title."
"I'll go," Sonbre said.
"Also me," Tanuki said mysteriously.
"Hello, did everyone decide to leave me behind?" Rumi huffed.
Tasara nodded and waved her hands.
"Enter the mirrors."
We did. The surface of the mirror felt cool to my touch. I shuddered.
Land of the Vampires huh?
"From the Land of Gods, a leader's emblem. From the Land of Vampires, a tooth of poison. From the Land of Myths, a symbol of power."
We sweatdropped. She was taking this waaaayy too seriously.
…………………
Tasara looked at us sweatdropping and yelled, "Get going damnit!"
"Eep!" And with that we left.
All: (stare at Timmy) That's it?!
Me: Ya, I know. After all that… (mules over angrily)
CS: I thought it would at least be more exciting…
Me: (blinks) You mean, this isn't exciting?
CS: Well….
Me: You're just picky.
Me: Oh, I have some questions for you guys.
CS: Do you want yuri and if so who doesn't mind being paired up with a girl?
Me: Please drop an answer at the review box
Me: Reviewers receive—
CS: Um…what's this?
Me: Oh, that's the new guy from Gundam Destiny.
CS: What's his name?
Me: I have no clue.
CS: (sweatdrops) Okaaay….reviewers receive nameless hot guy from Gundam Seed Destiny.
Me: Review!
1 Raiden from Mortal Kombat. ; Couldn't resist.