Chapter 15-----Just A Scared Little Girl
'NO! It can't be!'
Mai's eyes widened with shock, fear, disappointment…
"She…she lost" Hilary said in a whisper as her fingers slipped down the wet glass panel, the action coincidently, expressed the way she was feeling.
'No! This wasn't supposed…' Mai's brain replayed the image in front of her over and over again, burning it into her memory despite her attempts to erase it into oblivion.
Her blade lay lifeless on the on the ground, strewn a few metres away from the dish like a wounded animal left to die in some desolated land… But she gave it her all! Did she do something wrong? 'Why...? Why did I lose?'
Liz's once expressionless face turned up a notch and was now set to 'slightly-pleased' mode. She picked up Macreal and watched as her opponent wallowed in a mixture of shock and disappointment.
"Pick up your blade. We're not done yet." Liz spoke. Her voice was low, more to the serious side than the intimidating one.
-Meanwhile…-
"Sir, Mai still isn't showing any signs…"
"I don't care! She'll keep battling until she does! So I don't care what you do so long as I see results, you hear me!" the man let go of the quivering lab assistant's collar, sending him falling backwards into his chair. (ooooh…harsh!)
"Philip, she's not trying hard enough, make her suffer…"
-Back to the match-
"Heh, my pleasure," he replied smugly and returned his attention to the duo in the arena.
"The last round Mai, I'll be rootin' for ya!" he mocked.
Mai's eyes narrowed into icy slits, but she had to hold back her anger and recover form her last match fast if she still wanted to save her friends, but could she do it?
'I…I don't know….'
She checked on the water level: Mr Dickinson was reasonably safe but the water in the other box had reached their chest. 'Shit!' Mai panicked.
"Diego!" Philip called out.
Liz retreated and in her place, came forth a boy with tousled brown hair. He wore a deep red jacket and underneath was a white top tastefully matched with a pair of black jeans. He pulled out his launcher, eyes fixated on Mai.
'If Liz was tough…what's more this guy?' Mai felt a heavy pang, like a stone had been dropped inside her, adding weight to her morale. She fumbled with her blade, trying to attach it to her launcher… Her fingers were shaking…But what was this? No! Could it be? Was she afraid? But afraid of what?
Mai's conscience: (wow, for once its working!) Afraid of EVERYTHING you idiot! Afraid of losing! Afraid of the guys drowning! Afraid of my grandfather! Afraid of dying! Afraid of...of…of losing hope…
What was she gonna do…
'I DON'T KNOW DAMMIT! I don't bloody know…' Mai shut her eyes to suppress the tears.
"Grr...quit being a sore loser Mai! You want us to die?" Kai couldn't take it anymore; her hesitance was irritating; she was being a baby, a weakling!
Her eyes shot open at the sound of his voice… Anger surged within her. 'He doesn't understand…'
"SHUT UP!" Mai looked hurt. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING SO JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!"
Kai glared at her, "Oh yeah? Enlighten us Mai, before we all DROWN!"
"KAI! Stop it!" Rei clamped a hand over his mouth but it got shoved away.
Mai steadied herself and held her launcher ready. "You think I want you guys to die?"
-At the lab-
"Sir, her energy levels are increasing!"
"Good, good. So anger is what makes her tick eh?" the man smirked. "This will be fun"
-Back to the match-
"You think I like gambling with your lives? You think I'm not SCARED?" Mai nodded to the man to start.
"3, 2, 1! LET IT RIIIP!"
Both blades clashed in mid-air and started racing around the dish. Mai continued with her confession… (Well its not exactly a confession…I just dun know what to call it…its like spilling her guts out, oh well…my vocabulary is only so much haha)
"WELL I'M SCARED TO BITS OK? I'm scared of losing you guys… I'm scared of losing this battle…I don't want you guys to die…I don't want anything to happen to any of you… dakara (tht's why) …dakara I'm trying my best…but it's just not enough…" Tears were forming in her eyes now. 'I'm…still weak…'
The people in the box were stunned (well, except kai). The Mai they were so familiar with was reduced to a scared little girl…
Levian tackled Diego's blade, but it wasn't much of a tackle, it looked more like a push. Mai wasn't concentrating, she didn't have the drive to win and this was affecting the way she battled.
"You're right! It ISN'T enough, so try HARDER! I may not understand what you're going through but I do know this: You're weak Mai! You're a LOSER!"
The words pierced right through her.
"You're always giving up! Just like that time when you battled Max! Haven't you learned anything? You always need people to motivate you, to tell you what you don't wish to accept! Well it's time to grow a backbone Mai! We may be here now, but we won't always be there! So depend on yourself for once, be strong on your own! Fight for the ones you want to protect! Fight for YOURSELF!" Kai pounded his fist on the glass.
Mai clenched her fists and stared at the ground, a dark shadow cast over her eyes. He was right… she needed people to tell her what to do…to make her see the light…she was like a robot…she couldn't succeed on her own…she was just a lifeless body that needed to be powered by another's words…
She rubbed her eyes to wipe away the tears and looked up, 'This time… this time will be the first and the last time…I ever hear him lecture me again'
'I'm Sorry Lev…for ever doubting you…for ever doubting myself…I—'
Levian: It's alright, everything will be ok, just promise me we'll do our best this time.
'I can't make promises that I can't keep…but I'll do my best. They say you've lost from the start if you give up without even trying…and I can't do that anymore, I can't keep running away…I have to face it eventually…'
"Hey! You finished with your soul-searching yet? Cos' I'm getting bored here…" Diego tapped his foot impatiently. "Might as well finish you off nowif you're not gonna battle properly,FEARON! SILVER WING ATTACK!"
At once, a magnificent golden falcon emerged from Diego's blade. It fluttered its wings, shaking off specks of gold dust, and had beautiful emerald green feathers lining the edge of its tail and wings.
Fearon swooped down at Levian, its wings glowing with a silvery-white colour as it flapped them, sending blades of air flying in Levian's direction.
"LEVIAN! DODGE IT! AND COUNTER WITH WATER MAGE!"
Levian avoided every attack and countered with water mage, sending Fearon hurling backwards, but only to recover quick enough to intercept another one of Levian's attacks. Both bit-beasts were head to head, giving each other blow after blow yet amazingly, they managed to recover from each attack.
-Lab-
"Increase Diego's power!"
"B-But sir! If we do that then Dieg—"
"Just do it! We must awaken Eden!"
"Y-Yes sir! Increasing Diego's power levels by 40 percent…50 percent…"
-Back to match-
"AARRGGH!" Diego clutched his head, a pained expression etched on his handsome features.
"Diego!" Liz and Parker called out, they were worried for their fellow comrade. "STOP IT! YOU'RE GONNA HURT HIM!" Liz shouted at Philip.
"I ain't doin' nothin'!" Philip snapped back. "It's the people at the lab!"
'Huh? What's goin' on? What lab?' Mai wondered.
Diego seemed to be fighting off some invisible force in his head. His eyes were cynical, as though the pain was eating him from the inside.
"Heheh…heheheh…hahaha…AHAHAHA!" Diego finally snapped. "I'll show you! I'll SHOW ALL OF YOU! AHAHAHAHA! FEARON! ATTAAAAACCCKK!"
-In the box-
"Guys help! I can't swim! And DIZZY! SAVE DIZZY!" chief cried as the water reached his neck, his hands high in the air trying to safeguard Dizzy from the water.
"Hang in there Kenny!" Max lifted Kenny up so that he was now sitting on his shoulders. (Hey, he's in water, Kenny becomes light XD!)
"Thanks."
"If Mai doesn't win quick; we'll. All. Be. Goners!" Tyson said, trying to knock a hole in the glass with his fists, beyblade, shoe, anything!
"Uhh…I think things just got worse…" Hilary commented. "Look." She pointed to the arena.
-Back to the match-
Fearon's power seemed to be increasing with every attack it made on Levian, not only that! It had grown bigger!
'What the hell's happening?' Mai panicked. All she was seeing was Levian getting hit after hit after hit from Fearon. He wasn't even given time to recover!
"Levian! Hang in there! ARTIC FLARE!"
The wolf once again gave off a pale blue aura about its body and lunged at Fearon. He sank his fangs into Fearon's right wing, ripping a few feathers out in the process. His attack continued; every one of it seemed to be burning with revenge, Mai's revenge. But she knew she was taking it out on the wrong person…
"GRANDFATHER! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME SO LISTEN UP!" Mai shouted. "HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH PEOPLES' LIVES!"
"YOU SICK FREAK! IT'S UNFORGIVABLE! I'LL NEVE—"
-Ba-dump- Mai froze and clutched her chest. 'No! This can't—' –Ba-dump-
-Lab-
"Sir! It's happening! Her energy levels are 60 percent…75 percent!"
The guy smirked. "I'll take it from here, gimme the mike"
-Back to the match-
"So I'm a freak am I? Then what are YOU, Mai? You think you're normal just like everyone else? HAHA, don't make me laugh… YOU'RE A MONSTER MAI! YOU AND THAT THING INSIDE YOU!" a booming voice echoed throughout the arena.
Mai struggled to stand up, her mind was torn three ways: the beybattle, her grandfather and the pain building up inside her.
"YOU MADE ME DO IT! YOU MADE ME ENDANGER YOUR FRIENDS BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S GOING TO ENDANGER US ALL!"
-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- Mai cringed, the pain from the match and from within her was taking a toll on her body. Her chest tightened and she found it difficult to breathe; her stamina slowly ebbing away.
"Levian! Attack!"
"Fearon! Attack!"
Once again, the two blades collided and repelled each other. However, they were persistent and resumed their volley of attacks against their foe…
"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WILL DESTROY HUMAN KIND!"
"NO! YOU'RE LYING!" Mai defended. "I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!" 'I…I can control Eden…'
As much as Mai wanted to believe her words, deep down, she knew they were just empty talk. Yeah, so maybe she could control Eden, but that was highly unlikely. She had lost herself once; she could do it again…
-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- Her heart beat was racing, as if the heart beat of two souls had been intertwined together in one body.
Eden: Let me out. You know you want to.
'No! I'll never release you!'
Eden: You cannot resist, Mai. I'm the only one who can save your friends.
'No! I won't let you control me! This body belongs to me! I can do whatever I want with it!'
-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- "Aarh— arrrggghh— AARRGGGHHH!" She fell to the floor, her hands ruffling her head, trying desperately to get rid of the pain.
-Lab-
"Sir! Her energy levels have exceeded 90 percent and are still increasing!" the amazed lab assistant exclaimed.
The man's eyes widened with glee. It was finally happening! The moment he'd been waiting for! Eden was finally appearing!
-Box-
Everyone stared wide-eyed at what was happening, their faces pressed against the glass panel in curious anticipation of what will happen next, though they knew it wasn't going to be good…
They had seen what she was capable of when she turned into that 'thing'. She had no control, she was gone; her soul locked in the deep, dark depths of her mind.
"MAI! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!" Hilary shouted, hoping that her words would reach her friend. "DON'T TURN INTO THAT 'THING'!"
-Back to the match-
Mai's eyes shot open at the sound of the word 'thing'. She hated that word. She hated being called a 'thing'! She wasn't a monster! She didn't want to be treated like one!
However, this Mai was different. Suddenly she felt stronger, like a wave of energy just hit her. She felt alive; the spirit of Eden pulsating through her veins.
Her eyes had changed too. No morea deep-mesmerizing blue, but now a faint-soulless purple. (If u guys look back at chpt 8, Mai's eyes were orangey-red, but tht only happens when she's really really really angry. Other times, its just a faint purple colour)
"LEVIAN! HOLY ORDER!" (not Mai's voice)
Suddenly! This huge surge of white energy erupted from Mai and dove into her blade. Levian's form started changing:
Wing's sprouted from his back. He went from standing on four legs to standing on two and he grew taller and more slender.
The final product was a magnificent angel with the same blue eyes that Levian possessed. He had on greyish fur clothing and his hair was long and silvery-white, with a few strands of blue ribbon strapping around locks of hair. In his hand, he wielded a staff with a blue gem attached at the very tip. (remember the blue gem on Lev's forehead? Yep, it ended up being part of the staff, ahaha, I think I twisted the fusion of Lev and Eden too much. Oh! Btw, Eden's real form is NOT an angel! NoNoNoNoNo! X3)
He raised his staff, taking aim at Fearon and shot a stream of white light at it. –BAM!- Everything went white and a huge force exploded throughout the area. It shattered the glass panels, sending the water spurting out and freeing the hostages. The roof shook and loose pieces started to crumble, hailing down on the people below. The building was collapsing!
"Quick! We gotta get outta here! The building's coming down!" Tyson yelled over the sound of crashing concrete.
Hilary and Kenny managed to find Mai through the dust and smoke and carried her to rejoin the rest of the group.
-Lab-
-KA-BOOM!- The control panel had exploded. Everyone was running helter-skelter all over the room, screaming their lungs out.
"CODE RED! CODE RED! EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY! EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!" an electronic voice sounded throughout the lab.
"Sir! We must leave now!" a frantic scientist tugged on the coat of the large man.
'So this is the power of Eden huh? Heheheh, brilliant! I WILL have it soon Mai...You will belong to me...' He took one last look at the wide screen and allowed the scientist to pull him away to safety.
-Back to arena-
"It won't open! Whadda we do?" Max cried frantically as he kicked the metal door for the umpteenth time.
Tyson jammed his hands on the red button next to the door, but the door didn't budge. "C'mon! C'mon!"
"Hey! This way!" Philip called over, his hand pointing to a small door at his side of the room.
Everyone followed and they were led down a huge maze of ups and downs, elevators and stairs, finally emerging into the open through a brown door at the side of the building.
They ran as far away from the building as possible, making sure they were at a safe distance from crashing debris before stopping. They watched as the building crumbled; smoke and ash swirling up into the air, creating a black cloud cover over the area.
All of them watched in silence as the fire engines came in, men rushing out with long hoses trailing behind their legs, ready to blast water at the raging fire.
Finally someone spoke up…
"Mai, is she alright?" Mr Dickinson asked.
"Yeah, she's out cold now but she'll come 'round later" Hilary touched her forehead to make sure there was no fever.
"Thanks. You saved our butts back there." Tyson turned to face Philip.
"Hmph! I didn't do it to save you guys, I did it to save Mai." he replied arrogantly.
"WHAT? Why you!" But Mr Dickinson placed a hand in front of him.
"Thank you for saving our lives, we are grateful for your kindness, young man." Mr Dickinson gave a polite bow to show his sincere gratitude.
"Heh, whatever." Then his eyes seemed to soften a bit. "Take good care of her. She's really precious..." And with that, they turned their backs and left.
'Yeah, we will…'
Hah! Finally! After so long! I've finally completed chpt 15! WOOOO! It's probably been a long and excruciating wait for you readers out there and I apologise for taking so long, but I hope this LONG chpt can make up for it. Hope you guys liked it. And thx for all yr support up till now. PLS REVIEW!