Chapter 21: Dum Spiro Spero

Angel sat all alone in the dark bedroom. In vain light tried to break through the closed off windows for it could not penetrate. The days and nights had started running together for Angel as she sat alone in the corner thinking, remembering. Today was the funeral for Tristan and Lance provided for by Mr. Dickenson. Angel didn't realize till now how much she missed them. There was a knock at the door and a glimpse of light as Jess stepped inside the room. For the last two days Angel had been like this, ever since she'd heard of the funeral. Jess looked at her friend sadly wishing there was some way she could ease her friend's pain. In the three days since she'd returned Angel's "symptoms" had gotten worse and more frequent. She feared that Angel's will to live was slowly fading day by day, but still the only comforting thought was that Angel was no quitter. No matter how bad thing got or felt she wouldn't give up willingly…but somehow Jess felt that time was running out. Only she and Kai had visited her for the others didn't know how to act. Her heart broke every time she gazed at her friend, helpless to do anything but watch as she suffered more each day.

"Angel," she started softly, "it's time to go."

Angel nodded and stood to her feet. In silence she walked out of the dark room and into the light of the living room. Kai stood waiting for her as the rest of the blade breakers sat on the couch in silence. She gave Kai a weak smile before leading the way out the door towards the cemetery the rest following. Crowds of fans and bladers alike stood outside the cemetery gates murmuring to themselves as the coffins stood beside the two graves waiting to be lowered into the earth. Angel caught the faint murmurings as she and the others fought through the crowd towards the gate.

"serves them right."

"Looks like justice was served if you ask me, after what they did."

"Mr. Dickenson has too big a heart, they don't deserve a funeral like this after what they've done."

Angel tried to press on as they were now mere feet from the gate but she couldn't take their comments any longer.

"Rest in peace, yeah right, after they way they bladed they don't deserve peace."

Angel turned and stared with pain-filled eyes at the speaker who looked at her curiously. Without a word Angel turned and ran away from her friends and the crowd deep into the forest that lay on the edge of the graveyard. Vaguely she heard people calling after her but she couldn't stop. Tears threatened to fall as she ran through the forest, the mutterings of the crowd echoing in her ears over and over again. Finally she sank to her knees, finding shelter in the base of as large tree. She leaned against it as memories flooded back to her, long forgotten memories of her past.

Flashback

A young girl walked unsurely through the maze of corridors of the castle following her new coach. Silently he led her through corridor after corridor before stopping finally before opening a door and leading her inside. It looked to be some sort of training room and inside she saw three boys beyblading. They all looked to be about ten or 11, the same as her. Immediately they called back their blades and looked to Coach for instructions.

"This is your new team-mate. I trust that you will explain to her the rules and schedule. Captain you have one day to get her up to speed after that we move on." Then with a quick glance at each Coach left Angel alone with them.

At first they all simply stared at her until one, a boy with ginger hair, walked up to her.

"I'm Will" he greeted with a smile offering her his hand, making some of her uneasiness subside. She took his hand and smiled in return.

"I'm Angel"

Will's smile broadened a bit before he motioned for her to follow as he led her over to the other two boys.

"Guys this is Angel, Angel this is Lance" he explained pointing to a young boy with forest green hair and dark brown eyes who smiled in return, " and this is our captain, Tristan", he said motioning to the other boy who had black hair and black eyes with a hint of green in them. He made no motion to do anything merely stared at Angel as she stared at him before his mouth broke into a small smirk at her staring.

"Well Coach told us to tell you the rules and schedule." Will said scratching the back of his head.

"The rules are simple, do as your told and you won't be hurt. You cant leave the castle without permission and you are never to question orders. We start training at 6:00 a.m. and we are dismissed at 11:00 p.m. everyday." Tristan recited his eyes never leaving hers as he spoke.

"What happens if I disobey or fail?"

"Look you don't want to know…just stay out of trouble." Will winked at her.

End Flashback

Flashback

(1 month later)

Angel cowered against the wall as Coach stood enraged before her.

"Your team lost!" he bellowed.

"We tried our best sir." she pleaded.

"Well then evidently neither you or your team are trained hard enough!" Coach pulle dhis hand back to strike her, Angel instinctively closed her eyes waiting for the blow…but none came. Cautiously she opened her eyes to see Tristan before her holding Coach's arm mere inches from her face.

"What do you think you're doing!" Coach screamed murder glaring from his eyes.

"I was Captain before she was. If we lost it is my fault not hers. The punishment should be mine and mine alone."

"As you wish." Coach snarled turning to lead Tristan to his beating.

"Tristan!" Angel gasped grasping his arm and looking up at him in horror.

"See you later, troublemaker." he smirked before following Coach out of Angel's sight.

End Flashback

Flashback

(3 years ago, first escape.)

"Angel we have to get you out of here!" screamed Will as suddenly all three boys

Dashed into her cell-room.

"What's wrong?" she questioned as all three boys stood before her looking terrified.

"They're ready to test the prototype drug and theyre going to try it out…on you" Lance replied panic clear in his shaky voice.

Angels eyes widened in horror as she saw the fear in all of their eyes.

"We have to go now!" Tristan commanded dragging Angel out of he rroom Lance and Will flanking them. They raced down the corridor distant foot steps echoing behind them. They broke into a run sensing the footsteps gaining as they flew through corridors. Suddenly the sound of tranquilizer guns going off shot through the air around them.

"Look out!" Lance cautioned as one went flying for Angel but she couldn't dodge it. Throwing himself sideways he intercepted the blow and fell to the hard floor unconscious.

"Lance!" Angel screamed in panic and fear for her friend but he didn't even flinch. Yet no matter how she tried Tristan would not let her out of his grip as he raced onwards Will right behind both of them keeping a look out behind them. They flew down another corridor when out of nowhere a guard with a tranquilizer gun shot out ahead of them taking aim and firing at Angel. Instinctively Tristan quickly pulled Angel into his chest as he turned and shielded her with his own body before turning and with his last few moments of consciousness knocked the guard unconscious.

"Tristan! No!" Angel screamed as he sank to the floor unconscious unable to move or hear any longer.

Without hesitation Will grabbed Angel's hand and raced toward the small window that would be ange;'s escape. Giving her a boost he helped her through it but she turned and waited for him. The footsteps grew louder behind them and shots suddenly were fired all around them. Suddenly Will tensed his eyes showing the thing Angel feared most, Will had been hit as well.

"Will!" Angel pleaded as he looked sadly at her.

"Go on Angel, run."

"No!" Angel pleaded as he started faltering.

"Run Angel, and dont look back." With that he fell into darkness.

With tears in her eyes Angel ran and ran, for days she pressed onward not even bothering to rest till finally, she had escaped.

End Flashback

Silent tears fell down Angel's cheeks at the memories. They had always protected her and it got them all killed. It was her fault. She left them behind in the castle, she didnt go back for them, she didnt save them from Brooklyn. they were heroes, tormented, used and sladered but heroes all the same...and no one could see it. All anyone saw were the horrors the drug did through them adn that's all they were. Angel stood to her feet and walked through the forest not realizing where she was going until she stopped before two headstones. Both were simply marked but to Angel the cold gray stones spoke more than any engraving could.

"Lance Abner Kromwell"

" Tristan Lewellyn Kail"

Gazing at the two cold slabs Angel couldnt help but let her mind wander as words slipped from her lips and mixed wth the cold air around her, the naturally frozen air of death.

"I'm sorry guys, I'm sorry." she began not even noticing the pair of crimson eyes that watched her warily. " Its my fault things turned out this way. Looking back there were so many times I could've come back for you,s o many times I could've helped you but I didn't. Instead I left you all to the mercy of Genecite, letting you sacrifice yourselves for my freedom. You all gave so much to save me, I would give anythign to change how this ended, but I cant. What's done is done. I never dreamed any of us would become what we've become. You are all made out to be villains and me, no one knows whether to make good or ill of me...neither do I. What am I to do now? How can I defeat Genecite alone." Angel suddenyl stopped and smirked to herself as some fond recollection played in her mind. "Funny how much somethings have changed isnt it. When we were kids I handled everything alone, and thought I could. Now I still handle everything on my own, I just dont think I can anymore. I'm dying. I can feel it. At night I sense death's presence it comes for me and for once I'm scared of dying. Not of death itself, but of what will happen afterwards. If I die, who will stop Genecite, who will stand in its way. I feel so utterly alone in this without you guys. and the pain lays heavily on my ehart at your loss." A sigh escaped Angel's lips as if the mere sound could express every other unexpressable feeling. "Rest in peace, my friends, we shall meet again and in a far better place than this." Gazing one last time at the graves Angel turned to go when she suddenly gasped in surprise.

"Kai!"

"Angel" he muttered softly stepping towards her.

"What are yuo doing here?"

"I was waiting for you to come back."

"How long were you standing there?"

"Long enough." he stated firmly, "Angel you need to stop blaming yourself for everything."

"Kai their deaths were my fault."

"You didnt kill them Angel, Brooklyn and Genecite did."

"But I didnt prevent it."

"Well you didnt stop the sun from setting either is that yuor fault too."

"Kai! You dont get it. I had the ability to stop them from dying, I had so many opportunities to stop what was going to happen and I didnt. I stood by and let it happen. that is my fault, my responsibility, and now I have to face the consequences of those."

Angel retorted as she turned away from him a bit angrily.

Kai softened his slowly rising tone and stood behind her putting his arms around her waist comfortingly,

"There's a difference between accepting responsibility and destroying yourself." he said gently his voice softly speaking next to her ear.

Angel let out a soft sigh, relaxing, "I know, Kai. I'm just so tired and frustrated. I dont know what to do anymore. I feel so much pain from seeing them all die in front of me, it makes me feel so helpless to watch as death mockingly comes for me and instead takes those around me. i feel so alone."

Kai tightened his grip on her comfortingly, "I'm here Angel, and we'll find the anti-dote to the poison. I'll help you take down Genecite, I swear it."

Angel turned around his arms and hugged him tightly, "Thank you Kai." she said, her voice filled with sincerity.

For awhile he just stood there, holding her when he remembered something.

"I almost forgot" he voiced letting Angel go hesitantly as he walked over and picked up a small bag from the ground where he had been standing.

Angel looked up at him curiously.

"Mr. Dickenson asked me to give you this. they were Tristan and Lance's." Kai explained gently. Angel nodded her thanks to him and gave him a weak smile.

Quietly they both walked over to a nearbye tree and sat with their backs leaning against it as Angel reached carefully into the bag. At first she pulled out a few normal items that she had expected, a watch, two necklaces (one an old celtic cross, the other an old shard from the celtic blade lewellyn had wielded in his last battle.), their launchers and ripcords, two rings, and finally to Angel's confusion a small leather journal that was the size of Kai's hand. With a curious glance at Kai who looked just as confused, Angel opened it carefully the first letters showing her that it was Tristan's handwriting.

Dear Angel,

If you've found this then I'm probably dead and things arent going so well. You probably have so many questions running through your mind and so many memories bringing back so much pain. I know you recall the first time we helped you escape and I know being you, you think of that as a debt. But please dont. Angel you are something special, something precious, and after looking back for all thats happened to us since you've left I can speak for all of us when I say you were woth it. Just please whatever happens remember that we believe in you, we know whatever befall you will always be worht the cost we've seemed to pay. But Angel you need to know what Genecites doing. After you escaped the first time they stopped all production on the drug and refused to test it until they had you. At first the prototype could only be tested, for some reason, on willing patients and so the search began. Yet when they couldnt find you within the first week, they moved on deciding to perfect the drug until they could find you. As you can probably guess we wouldnt take it. I dont wish to tell you the details for you can probably guess what I mean when I say we went through Level 5 torture. After two weeks they finally found you to our dismay and so they found their first bit of leverage as they decided they would test it on all of us. I wish I could I say that we were strong enough to refuse Angel, but it shames me to write that Lance and I failed. The Physical and Mental torture for two weeks broke us and we regretfully gave in to the dark side of ourselves which was further freed and aided by the drug. You know about Will for sadly you were there. I am so sorry angel for what you've been put through, especially with Will. But what's done is done as they say, and sadly we cant change the past no matter how badly we want to. After you escaped the second time Genecite started our training. Our bitbeasts were tainted and it breaks my heart to remember forrester as he was and compare him with what I've done to him now. For a few years they kept up our hard training only occassionally, like now, did Lance and I come out of it, and when we did it only left us in complete sorrow and despair as we couldn't escape the memories of what we'd done in training and in the past. When you were brought back again with your new team Angel, I was there. I saw them torture you. I watched from the confines of the shadows as you resisited, as did your team, even though the cost I fear, will always weigh heavily on you. But Angel, you lived and this is where our pleas come in. Angel Genecite is adapting the drug, their trying to perfect it, you are going to be their ultimate 'guinea pig' so to speak, but as I've learned, you are not the ultimate target. They are after you Angel beacuse you are a strong blader with an even stronger spirit, and supposedly head of Genecites Boss' target is the same way. They must prove that the drug works on an equally strong blader before they can sell it to him. they are using all of us to gain that man's favor. They must be stopped Angel. i overheard the head of Genecite speaking with Coach about some alliance he is hoping to join. I do not know the names of any of the others all I know is that there are four and only four and with this new drug they are planning to make an invincible team who will take over beyblade as we know it. I can tell you no more, for that is all that I know. I wish I could help you more, but I cant. I fear we shall become enemies but Angel I must take the drug. If I dont the memories become too hard to bear, please forgive me Angel, but there are so many reasons I must submit that I cant even list them. Just please forgive me, and dont blame yourself for our choices. It is all up to you now Angel, you must stop Genecite. I know it seems a dautning task, but need I remind you of who you are? Just remember who you are, remember that kid that became Captain of her team only a month into training, remember the girl who stood up to Coach on behalf of her friends, the most feared man in Genecite, and didnt even flinch. Yuo are more than you give yourself credit Angel, and I know you will not fail. I trust you Angel, and I have faith that you will pull through...for all of us. Dont lose hope, Angel, never lose hope despite how bad or dark things may become. We will meet again Angel, just dont make it too soon.

Tristan

Dum Spiro Spero

Angel stared at the last play dumbly, as Kai sat next to her watchign her expression as he had finished reading before she had.

So many questions and answers filled Angel's mind that she didnt know what to do. Suddenly eveyrthing seemed to fit. Anger coursed through her veins as she thought of all that Genecite had done and was planning on doing and just as Tristan had hoped no doubt, Angel was determined to stop them.

"Kai" she suddenly began softly yet determination was evident in her tone.

He turned and gazed at her waiting for her to continue.

"We must stop Genecite, and protect this blader their after. We cant let this happen."

"Don't worry we'll stop it together. Even the Bladebreakers will help if we ask. If we must use them." Kai added a bit disdainfully.

Angel laughed, smiling at Kai as he smirked back at her confused as to what was funny but glad she was laughing again,

"They're not that bad Kai...though they probably wouldn't've been my first choice either."

"Well we better get back, we've got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. If Tristan is correct, which I have no doubt that he is, then Genecite's probably already shown their boss the drug and now they will soon be looking for that blader."

"Your right, we're gonna need to come up with a plan."

"Yeah and I dont think you wanna discuss strategies in a cemetary when its getting close to dusk." Kai smirked.

Angel grinned at him, "what you scared of graveyards Kai?"

Kai stared down at her their gazes locking. Their heads started coming closser and closser till their lips were but an inch apart. NOt even blinking Kai leaned in a bit further , "Not in the least." he said playfully knowing full well that that hadnt been at all what Angel had thought he was doing, and leaned back.

Agnel quickly recovered and hit him playfully on the arm, "You jerk" she mumbled as Kai's smirk only grew.

"Come on lets go" Angel finally conceeded as she stood Kai following her as they both headed for the entrance side by side. Neither spoke as they walked out the front gates and down the now dark, empty streets. Neither knew what lay ahead of them, but one thing was certain, they would face it head on...and come what may, they would defeat it.

Ok any question or comments just review and/oremail (if you want a reply) and sorry for the long awaited update. Later and peace out.