Author's Note: Yay! I have a three-day weekend! And that means lots of time to write! I really appreciate everyone's continued support of this story. It keeps me inspired to continue writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own beyblade or any of its characters. I'm using some direct quotes from the beyblade series, so I don't own those either.

Chapter 6: Rising Phoenix

"Black Dranzer, take them down!" Kai commanded as his black beyblade charged against four opponents at once. But these opponents were different from his previous battles. Now he was fighting his former team. And he had chosen a rather unusual location to settle his differences with the Bladebreakers. Earlier that day he had summoned his team to Lake Bical (A/N: I'm not sure if I spelled that correctly.) without a reason. Tyson had assumed that Kai wanted to apologize and rejoin the team, but he was dead wrong. Instead, he wanted to defeat them once and for all. Now Tyson, Rei, Kenny, and Michelle were determined to beat Kai and get their friend back. Max was at the airport with his mom when Kai had summoned them, so he couldn't help them now.

Kai went for the weakest link of the team first: Kenny. Without a bit beast or much blading experience, the computer expert was a sitting duck. Black Dranzer shoved past Dragoon, Driger, and Dramikun and took Kenny's beyblade out with one slam. Kenny sank to his knees and lamented, "Oh, I'm sorry I let you guys down."

"Don't worry about it, Chief," Rei reassured him. "We can take it from here." He sent Driger up against Black Dranzer next. "It's time to show Kai how to dance with the Driger!" The mighty white tiger emerged with a roar and charged against Black Dranzer.

"Well, my army of evil bit beasts and I hate to dance," Kai taunted. "We'd rather win! Black Lightning Attack!" Galeon's attack struck Driger for full damage.

"How can you use other people's bit beasts as if they were your own?" Rei asked in anger.

"Like this! Tryhorn!" Kai summoned Tryhorn's Stampede Rush, which trampled Driger and sent him careening into defeat. Rei's beyblade stopped spinning at his feet. He didn't even notice the massive crack in the ice.

"No!" Rei cried. "I'm out, guys!"

"I'll take it from here," Tyson said. "Dragoon, attack!"

"So, I guess it's you and me next," Kai said. "I could care less who fights me, since you're all going to lose!" Black Dranzer and Dragoon collided in a flash of light as the ice continued to crack from the ferocity of the battle.

But Tyson was not beaten that easily. "Dragoon, give him all you got!" His beyblade whipped up a tornado that quickly surrounded Black Dranzer.

"Oh, I'm so scared!" Kai said sarcastically. "Black Dranzer, neutralize!" And just like that, the tornado vanished. Tyson was dumbfounded. "Is that all you got, Tyson?" He used Galzzy's Bear Axe to send Dragoon reeling across the ice.

"Oh no! I'm wobbling!" Tyson exclaimed in alarm as Dragoon struggled to regain his balance and renew the attack. Kai followed up his attack with Galux's Cat Scratch.

"I've had enough! Come on, Dragoon!" Dragoon emerged from his beyblade amidst his Phantom Hurricane. Suddenly the battlefield grew dark as Black Dranzer emerged with a shriek that gripped each Bladebreaker's heart with an icy terror. He climbed into the sky and slammed Dragoon into the ice. "No! Fight it, Dragoon!" But Tyson's cries of encouragement were useless. His bit beast was completely overwhelmed, and his beyblade stopped spinning at his feet.

Kai turned cruel eyes upon Michelle. "Its looks like there's only one beyblade left. Ready to admit defeat?" he taunted as Black Dranzer hovered menacingly in the air.

Michelle clenched her fists as she felt her anger build. "I've had enough of your attitude, Kai! Now you're going down! Dramikun, Blue Blaze!" The blue phoenix emerged with a cry of defiance and attacked the dark bit beast with a tempest of blue fire mixed with lightning. She poured all of her heart into the attack, and Black Dranzer staggered slightly before neutralizing it. The two phoenixes engaged in a deadly dogfight as their beyblades were locked in a stalemate. "What caused you to change so suddenly, Kai?" Michelle asked. "Despite your cold personality, I still trusted you."

"Well, it looks like your trust was misplaced, because I never had any intention of being a team player," Kai replied coldly.

"If that's your reply, then we've lost you for good," Michelle said sadly. "Dramikun, attack!" Dramikun let out a fearsome cry and pushed back Black Dranzer.

"You're wasting your time! Black Dranzer, finish them off!" Kai ordered. Black Dranzer countered Dramikun's attack with a massive tempest of dark fire that dealt the final blow to the blue phoenix. Michelle's badly damaged beyblade struggled to keep spinning but finally gave in to defeat.

Kai started laughing maniacally. "I did it! I beat them all, one by one!"

"He…beat us so easily," Rei remarked, still in shock over what had happened.

"As long as I have Black Dranzer, I'm invincible! And I'll be even more powerful once I add your bit beasts to my collection," Kai said, holding up Black Dranzer. Tyson, Rei, and Michelle's bit chips started to glow as their bit beasts were slowly drawn out. The team was helpless to watch, and Kai nearly succeeded…until…

"BEYBLADER INCOMING!" Everyone turned their eyes skyward to see Max jump out of an airplane and start free-falling toward the battlefield. "Let it Rip!" He launched his new Draciel Fortress to stop Kai.

"It looks like you've upgraded your beyblade, Maxie," Kai remarked, "But it won't do you any good. Go, Black Dranzer!" He launched Black Dranzer as Max released his parachute and landed a few yards away from his team. "So you think you've come to save the day?"

"You'll never defeat the team spirit of the Bladebreakers," Max said resolutely. Black Dranzer charged for the attack, but Max was ready. "Draciel, defense!" His beyblade surrounded itself with a purple aura that deflected Kai's attack effortlessly.

"Oh no! What's going on?" Kai asked in horror as Black Dranzer bounced off Draciel like a trampoline. He kept attacking, but Draciel stood his ground and wouldn't give an inch. "This can't be! I know you can beat this weakling, Black Dranzer! We should have won already."

Max saw that Kai was leaving his defense wide open. "Michelle, make your move while he's distracted!"

Michelle gave him a confused look. "But…Dramikun's in no condition to fight."

"I wasn't talking about Dramikun," Max said with a wink.

"Oh! That's right!" She quickly dug Dranzer out of her pocket. "You ready, Dranzer?" The bit chip glowed red as Michelle felt Dranzer's spirit connect with her own. Now they were ready for action.

Kai was focusing so hard on his deadlocked match with Max that he gave a start when a flash of red streaked between Black Dranzer and Draciel. "That…looked familiar," he said.

"I'll bet it did." Kai turned to face Michelle. "That was your old friend Dranzer. You're probably ashamed to see her, and she can feel your shame."

"What?" Kai was speechless. But, sure enough, there was Dranzer preparing to attack again. She continued to slam Black Dranzer to try and protect Draciel while doing serious damage. "Dranzer's not that tough!" he exclaimed in shock at his old beyblade's incredible display of power.

"Maybe she is, but you've always underestimated her. Just like you've underestimated everyone on this team," Michelle said in defiance. Dranzer's bit chip glowed red. "Dranzer, attack!" The red phoenix emerged with a deafening cry and pushed back Black Dranzer.

"No…this can't be," Kai wavered. But then reality set in. "My team never lost." He remembered all the battles he and the Bladebreakers had faced over the past few months. No matter the circumstances, they had always won by sticking together as a team.

"All right, everyone! It's time!" Tyson shouted as Dragoon's bit chip glowed. Dragoon emerged as a beam of light and merged with Dranzer. Driger, Draciel, and Dramikun quickly followed, and all five bit beasts combined their powers into one final attack. Kai cried out in horror as the attack overwhelmed Black Dranzer and stopped him in at Kai's feet. The ice around Kai broke completely, leaving him standing on a small island that started floating away. He ignored his friends' cries to jump and numbly bent down and picked up Black Dranzer.

Kai snapped out of his trance when he heard Michelle call to him. "Kai! Grab my hand!" She was kneeling on the ice reaching out to him. At first he just stood there dazed as his friends continued to call out to him and the ice he was standing on continued to sink.

"You…want to save me? But I've been such a jerk…the things I've said," Kai stuttered.

"We'll talk later. Just shut up and grab!" Michelle barked.

"Guys…I'm…I'm so sorry." Fighting back tears, Kai reached out and grabbed Michelle's hand. The rest of the team pitched in to pull him out, but he didn't budge. "I think I'm frozen to the ice," Kai said. The team heaved with all their might and finally pulled Kai free. He sat there for a moment, still shaken up by what had happened. "I can't believe I came that close to…" But Kai's words were cut off as Michelle threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Don't ever do that to me again, okay?" Michelle begged as she continued to hug him.

Kai finally smiled and returned her embrace, pulling her closer. "I promise, Michelle. And thank you…for saving me from myself." Satisfied, she pulled away and helped Kai to his feet.

"So will you join us for the finals?" Tyson asked. "We could really use you."

"I gotta make things right first," Kai replied as he turned to walk to the helicopter.

"Then take this." Michelle tossed Dranzer back to Kai. "Dranzer should be back with you." He smiled back at his team before ordering the pilot to take him back to the Abbey.

Back at the Abbey…

An explosion rocked the Abbey. Eri jerked awake and threw off the covers. Pyrix, what is going on? she asked in alarm.

I sense Black Dranzer and Dranzer. Kai is using the dark beyblade to destroy Boris' control room as vengeance for using him as a puppet, Pyrix explained calmly.

Sheesh, how can you stay so calm at a time like this? Eri asked as the hallway started to fill with smoke. I think he's trying to bring down the entire Abbey!

I thought that's what you wanted. Besides, the guards are already containing the fires, Pyrix replied.

Eri opened her window to let in fresh air and then peeked out her door. Kai ran right past her door on his way out, but she didn't get a chance to get his attention. Oh well. At least he's free of Biovolt and Black Dranzer. I'm sure Michelle is happy.

Dranzer is happy too.

Eri sighed as she closed the door. She knew the guards would have the fires put out soon, but it would take a lot of work before all the systems were fully functional again. We're never gonna hear the end of this from Boris.

Outside the hotel…

Michelle paced anxiously outside the door of the hotel. She could see the column of smoke in the distance coming from the Abbey. What's taking him so long? He should have returned by now.

Kai will be fine, Dramikun reassured her. He's probably just making sure Boris feels the full extent of his anger.

I hope you're right. Michelle immediately perked up when she saw him down the road, walking back to the hotel as if nothing had happened. "Kai!" She ran down the road to meet him and hugged him. "I was worried sick! What kept you?"

Kai wrapped his arms around her for a few moments before pulling away and explaining, "I wanted to make sure Boris knew how I felt about him and his stupid Biovolt." He smirked before saying, "So I left him a little souvenir that he won't soon forget."

In Boris' control room…

Boris pounded his fists angrily on the burnt-out control panel. "Urgh…that Kai! Curse him! He will pay for betraying Biovolt!" He pulled Black Dranzer out of the controls. "At least we have Black Dranzer back, along with the seven other bit beasts that he's absorbed."

One of the guards spoke up: "Um…sir? What are your orders for this situation?"

Boris turned angrily to his subordinate. "What do you think? I want the systems back online immediately! And send for the Demolition Boys in the morning. We must go over our next plan of action. It is time we paid a little visit to the Bladebreakers."

End chapter 6

Author's Note: So how did everyone like that? I based this chapter on the episode of beyblade called "Breaking the Ice." It's one of my favorite episodes in the whole season, so I just had to put it in this story! I know Eri didn't get much action in this chapter. Gomen ne! Don't worry; she'll have plenty to do in the next chapters. I didn't mean for the fight scene to take so long, but it just kept going! Plus, I watched that episode on my DVD before writing this, so I had plenty of inspiration fresh in my head. I hope all of Kai's fans enjoyed his time in the spotlight. The next chapter will finally reveal why Boris is so interested in Pyrix. Has anyone figured it out yet? I'd love to hear your opinions before I write the next chapter.