A.C.: A chapter in which our favorite anti-hero returns to save the day...
"Takao..." whispered Hiromi worriedly as the Dragoon blader launched his top yet again at the rising dust. The silver blade spun gracelessly across the dust, tearing up blades of grass as it wound to a stop. Takao quickly retrieved it to see that there were no permanent damages.
"You'll end up doing more harm than good if you keep this up Takao." Said Kyoujyu, trying to get his best friend to rest. They had been out here all day and now the sun was sinking behind the buildings beyond the river, soon it would be night out and Kyoujyu's mother would be less than pleased with him for being late.
Ray shook his head, the Chinese blader didn't have the heart to stop Takao from practicing, and the last two battles were tomorrow and if they lost one more battle...
"Hiya!" with a yell mixed with pain and frustration, Takao launched his top yet again, only this time, towards the scarlet sky. Propelled into the air, Dragoon flew for a short while before,
'Crash'
Sound of gears grinding against each other and Dragoon fell back towards earth no longer air bound. They all looked up to see a miracle born from there dreams.
"Wha...?" in the bloody sunset where the sun bled crimson was the dark outline of Kai Hiwatari adeptly capturing Dranzer in his hands, he looked weary. He walked closer, a limp evident in his limbs as the torn clothing flapped around him. The first true grin for that day blossomed upon the navy haired blader's face. "What took you so long?"
-
The deafening cheer of the crowd and the blinding flash from cameras was what greeted BEGA as they lazily strolled in to the stadium. Same with the G-Revolutions as they walked down the same path, though the cheers were definitely less enthusiastic, only this time they had a secret weapon.
"And yes, there is no more time for the G-Revolutions now! They must announce their fourth and fifth blader or forfeit! Will Takao take both matches as presumed? Or is there another mysterious blader we haven't seen yet?" Sure enough Takao, leading the G-Revolutions, stood smugly in the arena. "Well have you chosen your fourth blader? Or will you do it yourself?" flashing the announcer a grin Takao declared proudly, "We have chosen our fourth blader and he is...!" someone walked out of the shadows surprising the audience and most of all in team BEGA.
Kai Hiwatari had entered the stadium.
Kai looked thinner than he had been in his last match with Brooklyn; he had changed into new clothing. Though they seemed, at best, to hang on him loosely. Here and there hastily tied bandaging showed through restricting the phoenix's movement as he walked out into the spotlight.
"Kai!" the Russian strolled proudly into the stadium glaring at Hitoshi, and in turn Brooklyn. Abruptly the cheers were cut off as the spectators began to boo shouting out things like,
"TRAITOR!"
"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" but Kai paid them no heed as Garland stood up for the match. Glaring defiantly he pointed at the napping red head
"I want to fight him." Kai barked as the cyan haired blader looked at him in confusion.
"Brooklyn, you're up." Said Hitoshi calmly,
Brooklyn opened one eye to look at the one who dared to challenge him, when he saw that it was Kai he decided to go napping.
"You go battle him Garland, I'm going to take a nap..." yawned Brooklyn as he stretched out on the bench.
"He won't stop unless you battle him Brooklyn, get up." Slightly annoyed but wearing a cocky grin Brooklyn got up.
"If you insist... it's not like it matters much..." he shook off imaginary dust as he changed places with the Griffin wielder.
"Whatever happens in this match..." Kai turned slowly towards the G-Revolutions, "I'll remain true to myself." Max gulped but nodded as Kai's foot touched the final step and walked towards his fate.
Within the top box Balcov chuckled
"Sending out a loser like that... I believe they trust the heavy metal system a little too much. No matter, Brooklyn will win." He sipped a glass of one ridiculously expensive champagne; "show us your power Brooklyn, and humiliate the little brat... oh yes..."Out on the arena Brooklyn was forever yawning as they prepared for launch,
"Takao," said Kai sharply slowly walking up the stairs.
"Yeah Kai?" still staring forward where Brooklyn stood ready to launch his top and finish him within a second.
"Get prepared for the next match." A brief moment of chill passed through the Dragoon bearer's body, though he was the captain of the G-Revolutions Kai's orders were not to be denied.
"Kai..." Takao tried to say something but was interrupted,
"And I will win"
Jazzman looked back and forth between the two combatants, one tenser than wound coil and the other one the complete opposite.
"I can see the future Kai... and I know I will win." Said Brooklyn airily.
"I know..." Kai replied monotonously holding up his launcher at Brooklyn. "And that's why... I have to fight." Brooklyn held his arm out smiling cockily at Kai,
"If you say so"
"3!
2!
1!
GO SHOOT!"
With a huge roar of approval from the crowd the tops were launched, crashing in midair and spinning in the arena almost too fast for the naked eye.
At first it looked like Dranzer was gaining the upper hand, but it became all too evident that Zeus was just playing around.
-
"Looks like Kai's improved... this won't be as easy as Brooklyn thinks, perhaps I should have gone out." Said Garland as he watched Dranzer parry and miss, the phoenix flew up high riddling through the custom dish like hot knife through butter as Zeus gave a chase.
"If Brooklyn can't face off against Kai, what makes you think you can?" Said Jin to the cyan haired blader, his eyes completely invisible to the outside world. Surprisingly Garland gave out a short laugh,
"Ahh touché..."
-
Kai let out a grunt as Zeus began to attack moving into an offensive stance doing all but launching the blue top out of the dish there and then. Brooklyn was smiling lazily, uninterested in the match as Zeus continued harassing the blue blade.
Blackened blue aura formed around the phoenix blader though it was a sudden burst and unnoticeable.
"A little more... just a little more..." his pleas didn't go unheard as Dranzer's paced picked up, just enough to avoid a potentially fatal attack by the dark blade.
"How is it that you are stubborn enough to continue?" Asked Brooklyn curiously and the dark flames rose up, the emerald eyes widened a fraction. "Yes... that is a bit more interesting..."
"A little more..." Kai stretched out his hand to a non-existing presence, Brooklyn seemed highly amused. This Kai was like a small nestling trying to fly for the first time and had fallen, it could fly away, but then it was equally likely to be eaten by a hungry predator at the first second... Brooklyn shook his head.
"But it doesn't change anything." Strands of shadows pulled at them both drawing them closer to the mighty black blade, the whirlpool of gray swallowed them before everyone's eyes.
'KAI!'
-
"I have a weird feeling guys..." Dachi shivered putting an arm around himself. The second Dragoon bearer backed away uneasily seemingly unable to keep his eyes on the match. Takao on the other hand, stood forward to see for himself what was about to become of the black blade.
"But that's...!" Takao's eyes widened in horror as the black bladed reformed itself into a black hole. It immediately began to suck up the atmosphere, tugging at them all to join it in its darkness.
"That is!" Confirmed Kyoujyu, reading all the data outputted by his laptop.
"What! He's trying to absorb all of Kai's power?" Max couldn't believe his eyes; he had pinched himself quite a few times to prove that this was not another nightmare.
"Kai seems to be different!" Kyoujyu whimpered as the black aura grew bigger eroding the stone gargoyles within the arena. The black hole grew larger, but nothing was actually going in it for the darkness Kai was emitting was substituting all material needs.
"Dammit..." Takao whispered as Max watched on worriedly. Several miniature buildings melted onto the ground.
"But that means! That's his power!" Ray recoiled in horror as chill went up his spine.
'Kai... I hope you know what you're doing.'
-
"That Kai..." muttered Romero crossing his arms, "doesn't look like he listened to me." His two disciples looked at him in wonder.
"Coach?"
-
Back at the abbey... we were the best friends... weren't we? Boris was like an over protective brother to me as Sergei was to you... and Ivan was like the little brother none of us ever had...
That day back at the hospital... I don't know what happened but I was there and you kissed me to show how much you were relieved... didn't you?
You told me that you would stay with me... you said you didn't care that I had lost... all the difficult times in the abbey... the mission on the brink of failure... didn't you?
DAMMIT GET OUT OF MY HEAD!
-
"Release my anger..." The shadows shifted as the light rose against it for within the darkness Brooklyn stood out, a beacon of light beside the strengthening darkness. The darkness cradled them, almost tenderly as they fed them energy, but absorbing an element opposite of his own was taking a toll on the flame bearer.
"A little more, just a little more!" as he was flung into the arena he dug his hands and feet into the concrete trying to hold on while Dranzer tried to dissipate the growing strength of Zeus.
"Till now Garland was the only one who was able to match up to me..." Brooklyn's voice seemed so far away... how strange...
An icy presence glided up to him whispering words that only it could understand...
"Release my anger..." his vision began to fade as heat rose up to his chest making it harder for him to breathe. Shards of concrete buried themselves into his pale flesh neatly pinning his clothes to his skin. He tried to rise but fell and from his position he screamed. "ATTACK!"
The dark aura surrounding him and Dranzer was replaced by fire, fire that only phoenixes cast, to live and die in... the fury that Kai fed her, the same master she would eagerly serve forever.
Dranzer slammed into the center of the black hole and the black clouds were gone. The focus of a chaotic nebula destroyed and order reigned once more.
"You've gotten better Kai, but it's not enough to change the future." Said Brooklyn sounding impressed,
"I know..." whispered Kai. "I know..." Kai stood on his feet shakily wiping away the blood from his face. "You're one of those who like to watch mortals from the higher places" his aura flared matching Brooklyn's "I'll be the one to bring you down Brooklyn, I swear it on my life." He panted gazing lazily at him with one eye... and they began anew calling upon more reserves of energy.
A redhead with marble like skin and crystal blue eyes... the same redhead who said he loved him but rejected him, tossed him away in the end. The same who broke his heart and gave it back... the same red head he wanted to prove to... he wasn't weak 'Do you see me now? Can you call me weak?' Wandering hands never did wonders for a match.
-
It didn't show to the inexperienced eye but Garland saw it clear as day, coach was worried.
"Looks like you haven't had enough to taste Brooklyn's skills coach, if you think that is the full extent of Brooklyn's powers you are sadly mistaken"
-Before the match...-
"Yuriy says he's sorry." Boris, his soul brother... "he doesn't care if you lose, he was just angry." Boris put a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulders. "Kai, you don't have to battle Brooklyn."
Kai shrugged him off,
"Since when did his opinions matter to me?" He gazed at the lavender teen with dull eyes. "I don't care, and I will fight Brooklyn." Maroon orbs flashed, end of conversation.
-
"I'll show it to you, my battle lust" he murmured unconsciously fingering the torn material of his vest.
Warmth covered his hands and he felt renewed,
'Again'
"Your true power? Intriguing"
'Brooklyn, I'll take you down, even if it takes my life'
His voice echoed all around him... His voice... white was all around him, white that seemed to reach out in four corners infinitely. He turned to a sound of winding gear and was not disappointed to see Dranzer was well, flaring in her magnificent red plumage as she silently locked gazes with her master.
And beyond her were the two other spectrum of colors and shades in this world of nothingness.
'Suzaku... I'm sorry... you deserve better... so much more...'
But he wasn't the one to break promises and he wasn't about to start now. He shook slightly, wondering if it was worth it to sacrifice the only solace he had known all these years.
'I won't be sacrificing her... just myself..'
"Burn... burn away the darkness," he whispered and Dranzer obeyed. With a shriek she darted around the centaur beast knocking it a few feet away before flaring up to make herself look larger, more powerful. Brooklyn looked pleased,
"That attack right before... it was very useful... but at least it should be like this..."
His words didn't make sense... and why not?
"A little more... a bit farther Dranzer... just a bit more" Dranzer stretched out her wings sending a spray of ember everywhere, the battle resumed.
-
"Brooklyn... is scary." Mingming whimpered,
"Yeah," agreed the Egyptian blond. "He's different... from when he started, it's almost like..."
"That's to be expected isn't it?" The duo glanced up at their taller member. "Brooklyn, he's a genius, he can see through everything. That's why he's so hungry... in away, he is a black hole."
-
On kyoujyu's computer, the sections of Dranzer bleeped a terminal red, Hiromi and Daichi immediately went to see what was wrong.
"Ahhh! This can't go on! Dranzer's so damaged it wouldn't be surprising if she fell apart right now!" but the data didn't go away, if anything, the frantic beeping became louder. Kyoujyu shut the laptop looking away.
"Kyoujyu!" Gasped Hiromi in shock.
Behind them, Max and Ray nodded to each other, both making up their minds. They began to make their way toward the stage where the leader that had led on them to so many victories lay on his knees, head thrown back to embrace whatever Brooklyn threw at him.
"Ray!"
"Max!"
"I'm sorry guys, but I can't stand to watch!"
"Yeah, we can't just stand by watching Kai die!"
Takao held his arms apart. Blocking his teammates from going further. Ray's eyes darkened,
"Don't do this Kai,"
"Kai's already done."
"Doesn't this matter to you at all!"
"Say something Takao!"
Sniffling. Ray faltered slightly,
"Takao are you...?"
The Dragoon blader's shoulder's shook,
"Of course it matters, how can you ask? But... he promised us, he promised me. Please guys help me keep his promise, I'll never be able to look at him again if I stop this match, please Ray! Max!"
"You're right..." Ray's fist clenched, eyes spitting gold and saffron at the thought of watching the bloodbath ensue. "We've forgotten... the one who's suffered the most out of us is Kai... as always..."
"We have to believe in Kai." said Max reassuringly, putting a hand on Ray's shoulders. "If we don't believe in him then who?"
"But now there's nothing left for us to do but watch him," Ray hissed bitterly. "godspeed Kai."
-
"I have to acknowledge your skills... but if only you could fight like me... it'd be more enjoyable no?" The words from the redhead confused him. Why were they fighting? "I guess it has to end now... it was very good, it's the first time I've felt this good... though I've seen it already." He was dazed; one part recognizing what was happening while the other read it another way.
Darkness...
Light...
Black...
White...
Gray?
Why bother with these silly things? No one would make it out alive so why bother?
Hazy clouds formed fuzzy pictures; pictures became detailed filled with kaleidoscope of colors that blinded him briefly. Whatever that had been contained in the space expanded, contorted into millions of visionary images, nothing and everything. A perfect world of what it could have been flowing past him like a fast forwarded movie leaving him with dread and regret.
The colors became intricate designs; red, orange, blue and green were common, while purple and navy was in the back. White contracted away, distanced from the others as black spangled horizon loomed over them all like an ominous banner foretelling the Armageddon.
Kai shuddered, and woke up.
Kai felt drained; feverish... he knew he couldn't give Dranzer the power she needed to defeat Brooklyn and Zeus.
"Just a little more Dranzer, until my last breath fades away..." Dranzer broke free from darkness still spinning fast as ever, Kai screamed as he felt the binds let go and his energy sucked dry.
He got up again, his clothing in tatters.
Ghost like kisses pressed up against his spine, his back prickling with goose bumps, and his hair in limp disarray in contrast to the usual spiked style. His whole posture lowered though eyes still bright and defiant to his soon clear fate.
"What are you doing? You could kill yourself if you continue!"
Suddenly everything cleared; crisped into fresh images painted in acrylic. He had forgotten this was just another game, a game in which his life was bet on yet again but still a game. Just another place holder for a step, another knight, queen, rook, castle, pawn, bishop forfeited to checkmate the king. He looked up, Brooklyn actually had some motion other than boredom on his face.
Fear? Something akin to caring for something other than himself, last act of kindness brought on by the barest hint of concern towards humanity left within the cavity of his corrupt mind.
Kai laughed more alive than he had been at the beginning of this battle. He was not afraid, no never. Not with the incidents like Black Dranzer lurking at the corner of his mind, not with the kill score he had so morbidly scratched onto his bedpost.
Blood dripped from the side of his mouth onto his dirtied white scarf. He cocked his head from side to side glaring at him, the bloody red color restored to his eyes.
"I don't care."
'Because Yuriy doesn't, and you're not him you bastard'
Edit: I changed a few things, except I'm not sure just what I changed right now. Bah... episode 48's so awsome ;.; you can just watch it over and over again. Makes you wonder though, what happened to Kai after he collapsed in the halls? Is he dead or what? Why doesn't anyone tell me these things!