Taiy-Chan: Okay, I'm gonna get my ass into gear and write the next chapter, starting now. Even if I only get the Author's Note done today. It's been hanging around in the back of my mind, like a little voice whispering: "You still have to write that chapter… You said you'd get it up before Valentine's Day." SO FUCK! I can't stand that little voice any longer, so here is the next and third last chapter of Beyblade F Fusion!
Disclaimer: Taiy-Chan doesn't own Beyblade and is not making any profit out of this.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed (hugs and kisses), you guys make my day!
Chapter 20
Mind Merge III
Taiy took a deep breath, controlling the raging emotions inside him and schooling his perfect features into an unreadable mask. He had a feeling that this match would be the hardest of his life.
The Bladebreakers walked through the deserted hallways, heading towards the stadium. Their footsteps echoed off the walls and not one of them spoke, relishing in the silence around them for a little longer. They pushed open the doors to the main room where all the fans were waiting and that silence was broken completely by the loud chorus of the crowd's applause.
"Hoo, man. They sure are excited."
"What did you expect? This is the final match of the tournament."
"Yeah, but it still kinda gives me a jolt, you know? All those people out there are rooting for you and putting their whole being into cheering you on, it's… Amazing."
"I get what you mean; it makes the adrenaline start pumping, eh?"
"Hell ya."
"We have to be careful. This isn't just any match. Boris is still out there."
"Yeah, and closer than we think, it seems."
Taiy looked up, his ice blue eyes focused on the opposite side of the stadium. The Demolition Boys were standing by their team's bench, listening with expressionless features as Boris talked to them. Taiy growled, ignoring the crowd's loud claps and smiles.
Boris must have felt his gaze, for he stopped his speech short to turn and lock eyes with Taiy. The mixed blader's eyes narrowed dangerously as the purple haired main simple smiled at him, a twisted, promising smile.
"He's planning something."
"Oh…. Oh Kai, look."
Taiy's mind was filled with dread as his piercing eyes left Boris' to travel over the Russian team's forms. His eyes widened and his shoulders tensed as he sucked in a sharp gasp.
"What… What happened?"
From the eyes of an innocent stranger, the Demolition Boys looked fine, nothing was out of place. But to Tala and Kai's eyes, everything was wrong.
Spencer was slouching, something that he never allowed himself to do before. His usually shining blond hair was duller and his lips were set in a firm line as Boris turned his attention back to them. Bryan's eyes were glassy, as if he had tuned out the older man and was lost in his own troubling thoughts. His hair was longer than before, something that Taiy had failed to notice in their last encounters. The lilac strands had been pulled back in a loose pony tail, but stray locks fell forward to frame his face. Bryan looked as if he was purposely distancing himself from the world, and his whole body was tense.
Taiy frowned.
Bryan was standing straight, but to anyone with sharp eyes, one could see that he was leaning slightly to the left.
"He's favouring his right leg. This is not good."
"Just what the hell did Boris do to him after our little encounter in the woods?"
"I don't know you guys, but it looks pretty bad. I'm not used to looking at things so closely and I can still pick out the small hints that the Demolition Boys aren't feeling as good as they should be."
"Shit. You guys…. Look at Ian."
Taiy's blue eyes settled on Ian's form last and his hands clenched into fists at the state of the shorter boy. Ian's short hair was more unruly than usual and it was obvious that he was in pain. He was leaning slightly on Spencer and his eyes were narrowed in concentration as he tried in vain to keep the pain from showing. Taiy could see the various cuts and bruises forming on his bare arms as the young boy held himself with them, biting his lip and fighting back the tears in his large eyes.
Rage welled through him as Taiy ripped his eyes away, not able to take it any longer. Those were his friends over there. They were hurt and he couldn't do anything about it. The worst thing though was that he might hurt them himself. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that wouldn't go away and Taiy knew what it was. It was dread. His body knew that his mind would merge again, and when that happened, no one was safe from him, not even his closest friends.
Nails dug into his palms as sheer helplessness tore through him. He could just refuse to participate in the match, but that would mean giving up the chance to claim the title of World Championships again, it would mean letting his team down after they got so far already. Taiy clenched his eyes shut in frustration. What was he supposed to do!
"Okay everyone, it looks like this match is about to start!" Jazzman announced to the crowd. "Are you guys ready for this!"
The crowd answered loudly, cheering and clapping their enthusiasm.
"Awesome!" Jazzman shouted, smiling brightly. "May I introduce to you, the finalists of this year's Beyblade World Championships?"
Tyson and Max waved wildly at the screaming fans around them, grinning and laughing as they soaked up the attention. Hilary shyly waved and Kenny just blushed. Taiy didn't move; his hands still fisted at his sides. Boris had stopped talking to his team and was now facing them, the younger Russians standing impassively behind him like a group of emotionless soldiers.
"From Japan, here are the Bladebreakers!" Jazzman shouted into the mike as the crowd applauded loudly. "And from Russia, the Demolition Boys!" The crowd cheered in answer. "Starting our final match today will be Max from the Bladebreakers and Ian from the Demolition Boys!"
Max gave his team thumbs up and a bright smile before he took his place on one side of the dish. Taiy watched as Ian slowly left Spencer's side to walk painfully to his spot facing Max. He saw the American blond frown slightly at Ian's obvious discomfort before he offered the Russian a small smile. Though Ian didn't answer it- his face as expressionless as ever- his dark eyes were sad and full of regret.
"Are the bladers ready? 3, 2, 1—"
"Wait."
The command wasn't shouted, in fact, it was just a regular spoken word that managed to cut through all the noise and bring the stadium into silence. Taiy's eyes narrowed as everyone's eyes came to rest on the smirking figure below.
Boris' eyes gleamed as he faced the audience and the opposing team.
"Why don't we do something a bit different, hm?" he said turning to face the judges. When no one answered, he went on. "Why not let all of the members from both teams fight each other at the same time? It would not only be more exciting, but it would prove just how strong their teamwork and their ability are." His smile was cold and sick as his eyes came to rest on Taiy's.
Blood was dripping down his hand as his nails dug right into his pale skin. He knew this was going to happen, he knew it.
"What the hell is he planning? Just what does he expect to gain from this?"
Tyson must have seen the mounting dread in Taiy's eyes because he turned to him, patting his shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry, man." He grinned. "Mr. Dickenson would never allow something like this." The blue haired boy said confidently.
Taiy just nodded; his face grave.
"Tyson's right, Mr. Dickenson wouldn't let Boris get his way unless he had a sufficient reason."
"Let's just hope that's what the old man will do."
All eyes watched the BBA Headman expectantly, thinking much around the same lines as the Bladebreakers. He couldn't allow such a random request, could he? Mr. Dickenson and the other judges were huddled, talking in quiet whispers, hands sometimes moving in small gestures. Finally, the stopped and parted. They saw the balding man heave a heavy sigh and reached for his mike placed in front of him.
"We've decided to agree with Boris' terms and let both teams battle one another at the same time." He said, obviously not into the idea. The other judges nodded.
The whole crowd broke out into confused mutterings that soon turned into charged words and excited cheers as the idea warmed up to them. Boris smirked.
Taiy unclenched his fists from his side, any more damage and he wouldn't be able to blade. His team had turned to one another, worried eyes seeking reassurance that none of them could give. They knew that Boris loved to cheat to get his way. Straightening his fingers and stretching them, Taiy sneered. How could they let this happen?
"We should go talk to Mr. Dickenson, he can't possibly agree with Boris."
"It doesn't matter. The other judges did, the old man is only one person, Kai."
"But he is the head of the BBA; it's his choice whether or not to go with the judges' say. They're there basically to make him see both sides of the options."
"He can't do anything, Kai. What's said is said and the match is going to start soon, there's no time to go and talk to Mr. Dickenson anymore."
"God damn it! That bastard was planning this right from the beginning."
Boris' smile widened at the permission, his eyes glinting with something that Taiy couldn't quite place. He knew something that they didn't.
Max slowly stepped down from the dish, making his way back to his team. The Bladebreakers then huddled together, there was no more smiling any more, just a calm resolve and sheer determination that left their faces blank.
"We can do this, guys. We've worked together before." Max said, trying to lighten his friends up.
Tyson nodded, offering a confident smile.
"We're just gonna whoop their asses that much harder now!" He cried, catching Max and Taiy in a quick hug.
Taiy sighed heavily, looking up to glance at his friends around him. He was getting that sinking feeling again, something bad was going to happen.
"Just remember," he said. "If anything goes wrong-"
"Oh, cut it out, Taiy." Hilary cut in, rolling her eyes. "You don't give yourself much credit. If the match goes wrong, Tyson and Max will know what to do." She smiled slightly.
Taiy let out a breath and nodded, turning back to face the dish.
"Let's go then." He said.
"Everyone! There has been a change of plans! Instead of the matches being one-on-one, they're going to be three-on-three as the two teams go head to head!" DJ Jazzman announced as the crowd cheered and shouted. "Bladers, please step up to the dish!"
The two teams faced each other, not saying anything nor bothering to participate in meaningless banter. This was it.
The dish was one of the biggest they ever saw. It had been changed after it was decided that the teams would face each other at once. Six platforms lined the perimeter of the dish, one for each member of the two teams. The dish itself took up over half of the stadium's floors and was designed after a dungeon. Dark stone tiles covered the walls of the dish and chains and weapons hung from the bowled walls.
Taiy stepped up to his platform, casting his team one last glance before readying his launcher. One either side of him stood Max and Tyson and across the dish was Bryan, standing with cold indifference between Spencer and Ian.
"Are the bladers ready? GO!" Jazzman shouted.
Muscles clenched and shoulders tensed as the six bladers launched their blades into the dish, sparks flew as the metal on their blades connected with the rock below. Then, the match started.
Tyson and Max charged at the opposing team, letting out battle cries as their blades rammed repeatedly into Spencer's and Ian's. Taiy's blade didn't move and when he looked up, lilac eyes met his.
Something jolted him and his body suddenly felt as if it was on fire. His ice blue eyes slitted and his fangs were bared as he met the other Russian's gaze head on.
Bryan was nothing but a machine, a lifeless, soulless machine. He wasn't worth anything and didn't deserve to live.
Cat-like eyes widened and Taiy gasped, startling as if he broke out of a trance.
"What… what just happened?"
"I don't know. All of a sudden I was filled with hatred."
"We almost lost control, our minds almost fused together."
"I know why Boris did this."
Bryan let out a sudden yell as his blade charged towards Taiy's, disappearing only to come back and hit Draizor from behind. Taiy growled and all of a sudden, he was changing. Not changing as in his hair grew longer and he grew shorter, no, changing as if you blinked and when your eyes fell on his again, you knew something was off.
"Boris…. He knew, he knew all along."
Taiy bared his fangs, commanding his blade silently as it hurtled Bryan's into the stone walls. Bryan fell to his knees, a deep gash appearing on his arm.
"He made us battle each other all at once…. Because he knew that we'd lose control."
Taiy seemed to be a different person, with no emotion except for hate and determination. He was going to win and nothing was going to stop him.
"He knew that our minds would merge together…"
Bryan pulled himself to his feet, pain flickering through his lilac eyes. But he knew something was wrong, he could see it when someone finally broke under the increasing pressure of those around them. He had felt it himself before. Bryan drove Falborg on, attacking with the still air around them, tearing Taiy's shirt and inflicting small cuts on the bared skin and on his pale face. Blood ran down painted cheeks and past full lips. Bryan's eyes widened as Taiy only smirked at the wounds, his pink tongue slowly licking away the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"….And become the perfect soldier he always wanted us to be."
"I don't fear death and I don't feel any pain." Taiy hissed, his voice not sounding like his own. "And I will win, even if it means destroying each and every one of you."
Bryan gasped as Draizor smashed into his blade, the force of the shock from his connection with Falborg throwing him to the ground.
"What the hell are you doing, Taiy!" Bryan jerked up into a sitting position, clutching his head at the pain the sudden movement caused. When the long haired teen looked up, he didn't know what to make of what he saw.
Taiy wasn't facing him anymore; his eyes were looking between his team mates and the other Demolition Boys. A slow smirk settled on his lips, but it was cruel and dark.
"You aren't worth my time." He said simply. "Draizor, Elemental Elimination."
Fire, ice and lightning swirled around the fused beast as it took a quick glance back at its master. What was wrong with him? But he had no choice but to obey. The attack was released with a sudden flash of light, causing Bryan to cover his eyes. When he lowered his arm, he could only stare.
Spencer and Ian had been thrown off their platforms to the ground behind them, they weren't moving and their blades lay, unmoving, beside them. But what made Bryan freeze was the fact that his blade was the only one left in the dish along with Taiy's. Tyson and Max were facedown on their platforms, Dragoon and Draciel had been thrown out of the dish.
The crowd was talking in hushed, surprised whispers as Bryan got unsteadily to his feet.
"What…" he breathed in deeply. "What the hell are you doing, Taiy?" The Russian demanded.
The dark haired boy just smiled at him, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"They were just a bunch of weaklings that would only have got in my way." He answered.
Bryan growled.
"How could you say that about your own team? You're supposed to work together to win!" he shouted.
But Taiy just shook his head, that disturbing little smile still in place.
"I don't care."
Bryan's eyes widened. Just who was this guy? He seemed almost familiar to the lilac haired Russian, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen him before.
"You have no right to call yourself a blader!" Bryan cried, urging Falborg forward to slam into Draizor, but the falcon couldn't break through the dark blade's defences and was thrown backwards.
Bryan gritted his teeth as his beast's pain shot through him, he clutched his chest as he coughed, a hand coming up to wipe the blood from his mouth.
Taiy sneered.
"You just let him control you." He said, staring down at the other with disgust evident in his eyes. "You are weak."
Bryan's eyes met Taiy's and he growled.
"You have no idea what you're talking about." He spat.
Taiy laughed coldly.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't, I don't know anything about me or of my past." The dark haired boy said. His eyes darkened and narrowed. "I don't have any memories other than fighting and that's all I know how to do."
Bryan felt sympathy flash through him before he suppressed the feeling, refusing to feel sorry for the other.
Taiy's smile disappeared.
"So that's what I'm going to do and I'm going to win. Draizor!"
The magnificent beast rose from its blade once more, letting out a piercing cry as it faced the falcon, its long fangs bared.
Bryan's eyes widened and he fought the urge to step back. Taking a shaky breath, he silently called out to his bit-beast. He knew he wasn't going to win this time.
Taiy saw the acceptance of defeat flicker through the other boy's lilac eyes and smirk.
"At least you know your place." He said. "Draizor, Death Song."
Black enveloped the mixed beast, a strange dark fire and blue lightning flashing around it. Sharp icicles hung in the air as it turned to face Falborg.
Bryan shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself as Draizor lunged at his falcon and darkness enveloped them like a thick blanket. He didn't even feel himself fall to the ground.
"…. A… And this match goes to the Bladebreakers as they claim the title of World Champions once again…" Jazzman's voice trailed off and the crowd was silent as Taiy made his way back to his team, catching his blade in his hand.
Hilary and Kenny had helped Tyson and Max back to the bench, picking up their beaten blades and handing it back to the worn out bladers. They watched tensely as Taiy walked over to him. They had won, but somehow it didn't really feel like it.
"What are you staring at?" Taiy spat, glaring at his so called team mates. "Are we going back to the hotel or what?"
The other Bladebreakers didn't say anything on the whole way back to their hotel, staying close together and watching Taiy. When was he going to change back?
When they finally go to their suite, Taiy immediately went to his own room, closing the door behind him. The dark haired blader strode to the widow, glancing down at the city below. He had won, he was a World Champion now, but why did he still feel so empty?
Leaning his forehead against the cool glass, Taiy closed his eyes. Nothing seemed right about his life. He was missing so much of himself. He didn't have any memories, no trace of his past left in his mind, He couldn't smile and could only imagine what it was like to laugh. He just couldn't do things like that.
The distressed boy let out a heavy sigh, hands reaching up to rub his temples as his head started a dull throbbing.
Every time he tried to figure out who he truly was and what his purpose was here in life his head would start hurting until he lost control….
Over what? Over himself? Or over something else that he couldn't quite place?
Taiy opened his ice blue eyes, breath frosting the glass as he leant back to look at the almost transparent reflection of himself staring back at him. He reached up a pale hand to touch the mirror image's cheek.
Why did he only really live when he was battling? Why were the only things he could remember the times he had spent in the beyblade stadiums around the world, fighting for the chance to become a World Champion? Why couldn't he remember everything that happened in between those battles? Why were there so many blanks?
Taiy's hands buried in his dark haired as he cried out in agony. His head felt as if it would explode and he fell to his knees. The voices were back, shouting. Something was pushing at the back of his mind, trying to get out but he couldn't let it. No, not this time.
Ignoring the pain, Taiy straightened and looked back at the door. He knew, suddenly, he knew who could make his life have meaning. He knew who was strong enough and worthy enough to have him work for him.
He opened his room's door and headed down the dark hallway, determined strides bringing him to the main room within seconds. Not even bothering to spare his confused team a glance, he grabbed his coat from the cupboard and headed for the door.
"Where are you going, Taiy?" Max asked hesitantly from his seat on the couch. They weren't sure if Kai, Ray and Tala were… in 'control' again yet and decided to act cautiously around the teen until he returned to normal.
Taiy paused as he reached for the doorknob, brows furrowing as he thought. Were was he going anyways? Where could he find that man?
"The Abby." He whispered.
He ignored their startled gasps andstrode through the door, not looking back.
Making his way through the dark, Russian town, Taiy let the cold wind hit his skin and didn't bother looking up, his ice blue eyes trained on the ground. It was snowing and the flakes slowly dotted his hair, standing out on the black but fading on the red. He stopped suddenly in front of tall, spiked gates and looked up. An ominous building toward over him and he shivered. This is where he would find that man, the only one in this world that could give meaning to his pointless life.
But he stopped suddenly, arm outstretched towards the gate. His eyes widened before rolling to the back of his head as he fell to the ground to lay unmoving as the snow fell around him.
"Where… Where am I?"
"It's cold…"
"I… feel like I can barely move."
Taiy slowly opened his eyes, blinking them a couple of times to rid them from the snow on his lashes. Wait a sec, snow?
Taiy sat up, wavering slightly as dizziness took him. Clutching his head, he glanced around at his surroundings, where the hell was he?
Tall gates loomed over him as a cold gust of wind whistled through the trees.
"The Abby…" he said quietly.
Sudden exhaustion hit him as he got unsteadily to his feet. Questions ran through his head as he took in the dark sky and the snow. How did he get here? What happened to the match? Did they win? Did anyone get hurt?
"We lost control… Again."
"Boris set a trap and we fell right in it. The way he created… Taiy…. He made him the perfect soldier that will do anything for power and will give anything to win."
"And Taiy will feel lost if he can't fight. It's all he knows how to do. It's like a circus animal that only knows how to perform."
"Though that was a strange, strange simile, I agree entirely."
"It's getting worse. It was harder to come back this time. We almost walked right into Boris' hands."
"What are we gonna do then?"
"Well, he's already expecting us, isn't he? I say we go back for re-enforcements and end this once and for all!"
"I just gained a new respect for you, Ray. You are my new hero."
"Thank you."
"I agree with Ray. Boris still thinks that we're… merged, so to speak. So this will be the best time to get some answers."
"And our own bodies."
"That too."
"Let's head back then, we have to act quickly. I can feel it; we're running out of time."
"Yes, the pull on our minds is stronger now than ever. Before I never knew it was there, but now it's constantly trying to completely fuse us together."
"Let's go."
Taiy looked up at the dark sky, sighing. The snow fell on his pale face, melting and sliding down his painted cheeks, almost as if he was crying. Taiy blinked up at the falling snow, searching for the stars hidden behind the clouds.
Inside, he knew this would be his last night.
Taiy-Chan: That's one fucking monster of a chapter! Holy shit! Twelve pages! I don't know if you guys have written way more than this, but this is a personal record for me!
And I finished it within two days too! Everyone cheer for me! Now I can relax for a bit before a put the final chapter up…. Well, not really final cause there's an epilogue too.
Hope you guys liked this chapter! Leave me some reviews! That way, I might even get to 400! Nah….. Maybe not, but I still love all of your reviews! They make me happy…
I was thinking of ending it when Taiy left to go to the Abby but that's just plain evil so I didn't. Got ya thinking though, didn't I? (evil grin)
Anyways, I tried to go easy on the Demolition Boys, hope you guys felt sorry for them. Also, I went more into the whole "Completely Fused Taiy" character. He's not such a maniac, really! Or maybe he is… Meh. Tell me what you think of Completely Fused Taiy, okay? I wanna know!
I hope the next chapter will be up either before, or during March break. That is my official deadline. The epilogue probably will be up near the end of March/beginning of April. Wow, this story is gonna be done soon! WA!
This Author's note is seriously really long but I'm almost done. I'm planning on ending this story for good after the epilogue, no sequel or whatever. There probably will be a couple of side-stories though, mostly for holidays and such. But if you really want a sequel, you've gotta give me ideas.
I'm officially done now. See you in March!