-Why?-
11 – You're Gone
By Euphrosyne
He accepted the hand and shook it with grace. He had lost, he had made his decision. There was only one person he wanted to celebrate this choice with.
"Mr. Tala! Mr. Tala of the Demolition Boys! How does it feel to be so close to the title then losing it in the last minute? What's your advice for all those inspiring bladers around the world?"
The redhead smiled at the question as a pair of mahogany eyes flashed across his mind. "I've always been told…" he took a breath, "that the enemy of excellence is mediocrity. How does one become mediocre? By compromising, by making concessions, today in this matter, tomorrow in another; according to the dictates of the world, by never contradicting the world and always following public opinion…" The boy stood looking past the press into the audience.
"Spread the wisdom, share the wealth…" The voice flowed through his head.
"Plunge into creative experience, indulge in the excellence of others. Make a moral difference, make knowledge."
It was silent at first, all the highly profiled figures trapped for tongue by a mere teen. Ever so slowly, the members of the crowd rose to their feet at the captain's words. A thread of applause sounded through the stadium. Rhetoric, the languages of the elites. The opposing team joined the claps.
Minutes ago, he had walked into the stadium as a slave. Now he stood before these people, before the world, as a survivor.
"It has just been brought in. In spite of this joyous occasion, Moscow's very own Biovolt has been brought down by a series of fires…"
The stadium's jumbo-tron flashed to the worldwide broadcast.
"The world's prestigious training centre for beybladers is in ashes. Medical assistances have raced to the scene, aiding all escapists of this horrid event. The cause of these flames are still unknown."
Kai and Tala locked eyes. They tore through the people like barbarians. Both teams screamed after their captain's blind rush.
The bars were warm. Tala walked past the officers.
"I'm sorry, sir, but this area is prohibited. It is much to dangerous-"
"My friend is still in there-!"
"My sister. She's only seven. She's helpless, she can't speak! You'll never be able to find her-!"
"I'm sorry, sir, but the building is too unstable-"
"Sasha!" Kai ran over to the stretcher, clasping the girl's small hands into his own. He kissed the girl's dirt covered forehead. The blue-haired child's lashes wavered up and down, slowly reaching for the redhead's face. She opened her mouth but drifted out of consciousness. The oxygen mask fogged from her raspy breathes.
She knew. Rye's identity. Their relationship. Rye had saved her.
"This little one was lucky. We found her twenty yards from the explosion. Her clothes are stained with blood, we'll check for injuries."
Tala fell to his knees. Uncontrollably, tears steamed down his face.
Kai embraced his brother.
"She's gone. She's-"
"No. There's still hope. Nothing ever dies."
"The enemy of excellence is mediocrity-" Van Gogh.
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