To my reviewers,
Well dudes thanx for the awesome reviews as usual. Adn my apologies that this took soo long for me to update and sorry if its not very well written but hey least its something.
Kyogue: thanks for the well wishes (whatever you callit when someone wishes you to get better.lol) I am feeling better and sorry i took my sweet timeupdating..guess I really did update when I felt like it.lol
storm-of-insanity: as to the bad guys figuring out about Kai and Angel...you shall see all about that in the next chapter. and as to killing mariah well...poor Ray can only handle so much lol. but hey thanx for the review!
Soullesswinds: Dude thanx for the compliments and the flattering review. Really though my fics not that great, and I'm not the best writer I admit but i do try. As to you even thinking my fic will be better than yours...dont. Your fic is just as awesome as mine if not better. But thanx for the review!
Really though I thrive on reviews...lol...okay maybe Im not that hooked on them but they seriously keep me from just keeping the story to myself. So keep them coming if you can. Well without any further ado the next chapter
Chapter 17: When Darkness Consumes Part II
Silence filled the cold and empty room, interrupted only by the steady beeping of the heart monitor and Mariah's slow yet quiet breathing. Ray sat anxiously by her side holding her hand in the nearly dark room, the only light streaming vaguely in through the small window across from him. . Silently he beat himself as he remembered the battle that had done this over and over again. How could he have let this happen? Why? How? He thought he'd always be able to protect Mariah, but when she really needed it , he couldn't. He failed, and because of his failure, Mariah was hurt by Angel. Ray couldn't help the thoughts of vengeance that filled his head at the thought of her name. Never before had he felt like this toward anyone but now, nothing could seem to calm him. The door opened behind him, the sound breaking into his thoughts as he turned to see Lee walking toward him.
"What'd the doctor say?" he questioned worriedly.
"She'll be fine. The gash on her side will heal in a few months and it doesn't look like she has a concussion, they say she just needs rest, but all the same they atleast want to keep her here over night."
Ray simply nodded sighing somewhat in relief as he turned back stare at Mariah fixatedly unable to take his eyes away from the sight that filled him with so much guilt, self loathing…and revenge.
"You okay Ray?" Lee asked warily as he noticed the look in Rays eyes.
"I'm fine." he stated no too convincingly but Lee decided that now was not the time and let it pass.
Silence followed for some time as they both stared at Mariah who had not yet woken from unconsciousness.
"Well your match is in half an hour. So you'd better go." Lee finally stated.
Ray made to protest but Lee cut him off abruptly,
"Don't worry I'll look after her. Mariah wouldn't want you to miss your match, besides we're both counting on you to win this one for us."
Ray nodded glumly before standing to his feet. Gently he let go of Mariah's hand placing it back by her side and kissing her forehead,
"I'll be back soon." he whispered in her ear before nodding to Lee and heading out of the room towards the front entrance of the hospital where Mt. Dickenson's car stood waiting .
'Angel, you are going to pay for what you've done to Mariah. If Jess and Tala don't kill you…then I will!'
Jess sat nervously on the bench in her and Tala's locker room whiel Tala sat next to her apparently deep thought. On the outside Jess looked a bit anxious but on the inside…she was terrified. Angel was her best friend how could she have done that to Mariah? The Angel she knew would never have done that nonetheless allow that to happen to anyone around her. What if she did that to her? How could she defeat Angel likes this! She couldn't willingly want to beat or destroy Angel in anger like this…she couldn't. But, this was no longer Angel…perhaps that's what scared her so. Pure, malicious evil controlled Angel now and now there was nothing to restrain Angels power. Yes Angel had some deadly mover and skills but Jess had never been afraid to battle her before because she knew Angel would never use them on her…she cared about her too much to hurt her like that,. But now, there was no care concern, or any other sense of right or wrong within this power that now controlled Angel…only the will to …destroy. To annihilate whatever stood in its path…which is exactly where she and Tala would be standing.
"You okay?" came low voice beside her.
"Yeah." Jess sighed, " I guess I'm just scared."
Without warning a protective hand wrapped itself around her own,
"don't be." Tala squeezed her hand in reassurance as he stared down at her.
Jess smiled up at him understanding what he was saying, but still she couldn't help the doubt and fear that haunted the back of hr mind, wondering if Angel would go so far as to even hurt her…and the answer she got was none too comforting.
"Welcome back Beyblade fans to this exciting and quite explosive semifinals! I'm Brad Best here with A.J. Topper bringing you live coverage of this brutal tournament."
"You got that right and with the Celtic Dragons vs. the Burning Dawn just seconds away one has to wodner who'll come out on top and who'll go to the hospital."
"This upcoming battle will probably the most dramatic of the tournament as Jess of the Burning Dawn faces off against her recent team-mate Angel who is now leader of the Celtic Dragons."
"Oh yeah, one has to wonder if there'll be some brutal rivalry between these two over that little matter."
"Most definitely; and yet I have to wonder after watchign what just happened ti the White Tigers if the Burning Dawn are worried in the least about their upcoming match against such a brutal team."
"I sure would be."
Angel and Brooklyn stood boredly in the dark corridor adjoining the arena. Their second match was just seconds away and Coach still hadn't given them their orders yet.
'Perhaps I'll be given free -rein after all' Angel thought evilly to herself
Suddenly both turned at the sound of approaching footsteps to see none other than their Coach making his way to them.
"Captain, Brooklyn." he stated stopping before them.
Both merely stared at him awaiting orders.
" Now Captain, I want your assurance that you will defeat the Burning Dawn without any…problems."
Angel nodded her head gravely an evil smirk of delight at the thought growing on her face,
"Without difficulty."
"Good." he stated approvingly., " very well. Its time."
Angel merely nodded the darkness that controlled her longing for the match, longing to be free, longing…to cause pain.
Again the intercoms announced them and Angel and Brooklyn turned to make their entrance when Coach's voice halted them a moment,
"oh and Captain, have fun with this one."
A sick grin appeared on Angels as she walked out into the arena and eagerly went straight to the dish, ready to begin, with Brooklyn at her side.
A moment later angel looked up to see Jess and Tala standing before her and couldn't help but let her sick smile broaden as the countdown began.
"3..2..1, Let it rip!"
Instantly all four blades flew into the stadium and immediately began attacking each other mercilessly. Tala was battering down on Brooklyn's blade while Jess hammered Angel's.
'I've got to get through to her despite my fears. Angel would do at least the same for me.' Jess thought as she glanced at her friend. But how?
The battle went on and on, blade clashing against blade, it seemed as if the teams were evenly matched for neither seemed to be winning or losing but rather a sort of clash of the titans, or an epic struggle between two winds of the same strength neither yielding to the other. All four bladers were starting to tire as the battles and attacks kept intensifying . Yet for all their effort, Jess and Tala sadly had no idea that Angel and Brooklyn still had one deadly trick up their sleeves… and sadly it cost them.
Jess and Tala panted heavily as they both glanced their opponents who were struggling to breather normally.
'Perhaps we can beat them. Maybe the darkness weakened Angel's skills.' Jess thought but then…it happened.
Angels eyes suddenly flashed as she signaled to Brooklyn that it was time. Together they yelled an attack that neither Jess nor Tala could understand but in a flash, Brooklyns bit beast arose from his blade and charged menacingly at Tala. Before Jess could even scream Zeus had attacked Tala directly and the strange thing was…it was as if it had been human. Tala was thrown back off the stage bleeding and bruised he hit the floor hard and slid across it, his blade following. He made a move to get up but only slumped down into unconsciousness…or perhaps more.
Jess watched as he was blown away by Zeus then looked up to see Angels blade coming for her as Ryker himself appeared.
"Angel please, no." Jess pleaded."You don't want to do this!" Jess spoke boldly as it hit her…the darkness may have control of Angel but it has not destroyed her. She may be enslaved by it but she's still there somewhere and I know our friendship runs deep inside her if only I can remind her of it, if I only I can break through to her.
She braced herself for the attack and looked for perhaps the last time into Angels eyes…still searching for any sign of her, still hoping to get through to her. But as she looked into Angels eyes a flash lighted across them, her blade stopped its attack as Angel stared dumbfounded at Jess… and as Jess gazed she saw the haunted, pained, and tortured eyes of her friend once more.
"Jess !" she mumbled frantically though still a bit confusedly.
But before Jess could smile or answer in triumph a dart zoomed through the air landing in Angels arm. Instinctively Angel looked down at it before looking back sorrowfully at Jess her body started shaking violently in pain. Jess looked fearfully at her friend as her eyes started fading before turning cold and empty, what was happening to her? And then in an almost inhuman voice Angel screamed again for the attack as Jess could only stare in despair as the great force came straight for her, and Ryker himself came. Jess felt herself flying backward then slam into the cold floor when a strange voice echoed in her mind
'Forgive her Jess, she doesn't want to do this, but the darkness is too strong, she cant fight it alone. Don't give up on her yet, she needs you.'
Jess felt herself slam into the cold floor as darkness started creeping around her vision, her last sight the incensed evil within Angel glaring triumphantly at her through Angels cold, death-filled eyes.
The Bladebreakers sat anxiously in the waiting room…all save Ray. Back and forth he paced angrily. How could Angel have done this to Jess! She was her best friend! None of this made any sense to Ray but all he knew was that he was getting angrier at Angel with each battle. Next it was his turn and this time it would be Angel sent to the hospital.
"Ray will you calm down, you're making me dizzy." came Max's voice from the long bench the rest all sat on , save Kai who was at the moment leanign against the wall.
"How can I? Tala's hurt pretty bad and we havent heard a thing about Jess and its all Angels doing! "
"Just calm down Ray. We need you to keep calm, losing it wont help anybody especially when your next battle is coming up. Spoke Kenny.
Before Ray could retaliate though a doctor stepped through the double doors and made his way over to them. Instantly everyone jumped to their feet.
"Well?" Tyson asked impatiently as the doctor stopped before them.
"The young man, was wounded pretty badly and lost quite a bit of blood, but will pull through just fine." the doctor started as everyone sighed halfway in relief.
"And Jess?" asked Max warily yet eagerly.
"Strangely she wasn't hurt as bad but she does have one bad concussion and will need to stay under close surveilance for the time being."
"Can we see them?"
"The young woman awoke a few minutes ago so yes, but i'm afraid the young man is still unconscious."
"Thank you doctor" Kenny said as the Bladebreakers all turned and started their way down the hall to find Jess' room.
For a while they walked on down the hallway looking at each name on the door trying to find her till finally they found it. TImidly they knocked on the door and waited for a reply.
"yeah?" came a voice slightly muffled from the door.
Ray opened the door and all the bladebreakers walked in to find Jess sitting propped up in her bed looking expectantly at them.
" hey." she greated.
" hey, how you feeling?" Max asked concerned as he and Ray took the two seats by the bed leaving Tyson and Kenny to stand between them. Kai merely took his stance by the door watching all take place before him. 'If Jess couldnt bring Angel back...how could he? Look what she'd done to her and they'd been best friends fro years. How could he expect to b reak through to her?'
"I'm alright. Really soar, and I've got a killer headache but other than I'm fine." she answered before growing serious, " how's Tala?"
"He's a bit beat up but the doctor said he'll be just fine." Ray answered seeing the worry in her eyes.
"Yeah they were surprised that you werent hurt worse. I mean Angel was pretty brutal to Mariah but you seemed to only get away with a concussion." Tyson stated not noticing the glare from Ray at the comment about Mariah.
"Just lucky i guess." Jess stated uneasily. She didnt want to tell them what had happened. It may have looked to them like Angel had simply toyed with her, but she knew what had happened. And right now there was only one other person who she felt needed to know about it.
An uneasy silence settled over them as none could figure out quite what to say.
"Well thanks guys for checking up on me, but really you guys should go and prepare for your match."
"Yeah i guess your right." Max agreed hesitantly.
"You gonna be okay?" Ray questioned
"I'll be fine, but you guys dont wanna be late."
"Okay, we'll be back right after its over to tell you how it went." Tyson said cheerily standing to his feet.
"Yeah!" Max agreed as He and Tyson waved good bye and headed out the door followed by Kenny and Ray.
Kai turned to follow when Jess stopped him.
"Wait, Kai." she said catchign his attention.
"Hn?"
"Theres something I need to tell you."
Kai nodded secretly interested as to what Jess would want to tell him in private.
"Its about Angel."
Instantly Kai's eyes grew intense and focused as he looked at her to continue.
" during the match, when she paused just after Tala was...hurt...she came back."
"What?" Kai asked surprised and yet a bit confused, "how?"
" I got through to her Kai, I 'm pretty sure Ryker helped, but Angel was able to come out of it, thats why she stopped her attack. She didnt want me to get hurt. "
"then why did she attack you?"
"They must have noticed because as soon as she came otu of it and stopped the attack, they hit her with some kind of dart. I cant explain what happened but it was like i saw the darkness instantly try and gain back control with twice as much force as when she'd brokin free of it. i watched her struggling with the darkness but she couldnt beat it. I watched the light fade again from her eyes and send the attack...but I heard a voice"
"What did it say?"
"It asked me to forgive Angel, that she didnt want to do this. It said she couldnt fight the darkness alone, and that she still needed me. it said not to give up on her yet."
Kai looked a bit amazed as he listened to what Jess had to say. So Jess brought Angel back, but they it her with another dosage and Angel couldnt handle it. So there was a chance he could bring her back...but that meant that there was a also a chance for her to be turned back again.
What could he do? He didnt have the connect that Jess had that was years in the making. How could he get through to her like that.
"Kai," Jess started sensing what he was thinking, " she needs you too. You can bring her back, you can save her. I know you can."
"What makes you so sure."
"Because I know you care about her, and I think that you might even love her. And that Kai, will break through to her. For nothing can stop it."
Kai didnt know what to say. Jess was right, he did love Angel, but did Angel love him back? Caring for someone is something, but to say you love someone and mean it, moreover have their love in return...that is something far beyond caring.
"Go Kai, your team will be missing you."
Kai nodded and started for the door, before stopping and turning his head to look at her over his shoulder,
"Thanks Jess, I will bring her back."
"I know you will."
With that he gave her a quick nod then headed out of the room to catch up with his team. he foudn them waiting for him by the car and though the first thing they all wanted to know was where he had been, he didnt answer. He simply stepped into the car and sat silently in thought the whole way back to the stadium. 'I will get Angel back, and I wont let anyone stop me from doing so.'
So looks like the next battle might be a bit of a problem for both teams. Ray wants to get his reveng eon Angel and Kai well...wants to save her. But what will he do if Ray gets in the way? Meanwhile Genecites discovered a problem with the drug what will they do now that they know Angel can break through it? Well I guess we'll find out who wins and goes on to face Tristan and Lance in the finals. Till then please review, and I'll do my best to update as soon as I can. Thanx for reading my fic, later and Peace out
LightInTheDarkTempest