Chapter 14
A Forgotten Love
"Again!" I yelled.
After about three hours of launching, Johnny and I were almost exact.
"3,2,1," We were now counting down together, "Let it Rip!"
We launched our blades as a timer went off. I had set it to stop when each of our blades hit the dish and to record our spin rotation. The two blades both left our Launchers and hit the dish. I stopped and looked at the watch.
"Amazing." I said.
"What is it?" Johnny asked.
"Take a look at how our hard work has paid off." I said, reading off the timer, "Rotation per second: 5.5 exact, Rotation power: 6,500 exact, and time of hitting the dish, mine hit after 3.1 seconds--"
"And mine?" Johnny asked eagerly.
"3.1--" I started, "5"
"What?" He said.
"Just kidding Johnny," I said, "3.1, exact."
"It's about time!" He said.
"Hey Johnny, be honest." I said.
"What?" He asked.
"Did you appreciate a mere launch before we started?" I asked.
"…" He started, "no, I didn't."
"And now do you?" I asked.
"Yeah." He said.
"That's the work and dedication it takes just for a launch," I said as he sighed, "But Johnny."
"What?" He asked.
"Put your hand to your wrist." I said, "Feel your pulse."
He put his hand to his wrist.
"Now feel mine." I said as he put his hand on my wrist.
"They're exactly the same." He said.
"We have grown together as a tag team." I said, "Enrique and I grow in turns, and he's not very open about his own feelings with me because he's so worried about how I'll react. But you---you know what I'm thinking, you know how I'll react, either that or you don't care, and that's what makes you special. You're open with me, and you'll be the same way in battle. Enrique wouldn't attack like his normal self in battle, and I don't want to make him do something he doesn't want to. But you can be yourself."
"I guess you're right." He said, "but now what?"
"Now we work on battle techniques." I said.
"What?" He said, "We've worked for three hours!"
"Johnny," I said, "have you forgotten that we've only worked on launching? We have just begun. Now we must focus on the battle at hand. Just think of the situations."
"Ahhh!" Johnny yelled, "Too many!"
"Exactly." I said, "and we have to be prepared for each and every one."
"What!" He yelled.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I said.
"But I thought you said Enrique would--" He started.
"I think I've already chosen my partner." I said as Johnny smiled, "Besides, you didn't get to battle last time, and I need to make it up to you."
"Awesome!" He said. He ran to the door. He came back and gave me a small hug, "Seya tomorrow."
"Bye Johnny." I said as he ran out the door. I grabbed Orelin and sat on a nearby bench.
"I hope I'm right about this." I said to Orelin, "I don't want to make the team loose, but the Windwakers' skills as individuals are unbelievable, but together, elements will clash, and hopefully Johnny and I won't. Do you think I'm going in the right way, Orelin?"
I saw the blade glow in agreement.
"Good." I said, "After the lesson I gave Johnny, I don't want to turn around and do just the opposite."
The blade glowed again.
"Right." I said.
"Talking to your blade again?" I heard a voice say. I looked up to see Enrique.
"Yeah." I said.
"You chose Johnny didn't you?" He asked.
"I'm sorry." I said, "I just had to pick one and--"
"And I see no problem with it." He said.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Johnny deserves it." He said, "You two are so different, you'll do just fine."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah." I said, "If I don't get to battle, then so be it. I'll still cheer you on, and be there, in or out of the dish."
"Thanks." I said, hugging him, "I didn't think you'd understand."
"You think too much." He said with a laugh.
"Tell me about it." I said.
"I'm going to go train." He said with a wink as we walked out of the training room, "you should take a look around here."
"I'll look around for awhile," I said, "but a rest sounds good to me."
"I'll come get you when it's time for the firework ceremony." He said.
"Okay." I said as I walked down a nearby hallway, "Bye."
"Bye." He said as I rounded the hallway and was out of sight.
I walked aimlessly down the dim hallway, my mind wandering back to our last match and the others we had watched. My mind flashed back to Tala. That hollow look in his eyes, the darkness that Motoki had exposed. It had been hours ago, but I felt like I was there now, seeing it for the first time, every time.
"Tala." I said softly.
I flashed back to Bryan and his offer. I could almost hear our conversation after I had confronted him when our battle was over resounding in my head.
'What's up with Tala?' I asked
'What do you mean?' He asked.
'He's not himself, and you know it.' I said.
'You don't need to know.' He said.
I pushed him against the side of the wall.
'Bryan,' I said, 'Tell me, now.'
He pushed me back and started walking away.
'All I'm saying is that I wouldn't read into it if I were you.' He said, 'Tala will only stand up to you in the dish, and I was just a warm up for what Tala is now, so if you know what's good for you--'
'What?' I asked.
'You'll re-join us.' He said.
'What?' I said, 'Never!'
'Fine," He said, 'If we can't get to you by Blading, then we'll get to you by your teammates.'
My teammates; I didn't want anything happening to them. I wondered what I should do about the tournament. There were four rounds in four separate countries. I should wait until the later rounds to see what would happen to the other teams. But, if Motoki obtained their Bitbeasts, they would be lost, until Motoki was beaten. If I couldn't do it, then all of those Bitbeasts would be gone---lost---forever.
I kept walking down the hallway, my mind still trailing back, before the tournament, before I had met the Majestics, before I had even come to Paris, when I was in Moscow. That Abbey---I hated it---what it had done to me—what it had done to Tala, Kai, Bryan, Spencer, Ian, and all the other recruits. Tala and Kai were like brothers to me, but I hadn't gotten much respect from the other Demolition Boys, still I didn't want them to go through what we had. I didn't like keeping secrets from them either, Boris especially; I was worried at what would happen to Tala and me if they found out about-----us.
The hallway ended and led to a large door that went outside. I walked out to see a long tennis court with a net stretching across the middle. I walked out onto the court and stood near the center of one side. Snow covered most of it and the green color of the court was visible in spots.
I stopped in the center and searched in thought. Tala---for some reason I wanted to see him again, but why? He had already left me behind—that was obvious.
Was it his true feelings, or was it Motoki's intentions? I didn't know, but all I knew now was that in the dish—he was mine.
"Duck!" The word came crashing through my thoughts. I snapped my head in its direction to see a tennis ball zooming in my direction. My head moved to the side as it sped past. I looked up to see Johnny holding a tennis racket. He started laughing.
"You better be happy I ducked!" I yelled as I ran towards him.
"Ah!" Johnny yelped as he started to run. I stooped down and picked up some snow, melding it into a ball. I drew my arm back, and launched the snowball at Johnny. It hit the back of his head and sent him to the ground. Suddenly, I felt a hit on my back. I turned around to see Oliver tossing a snowball up and down in the air.
"Three can play at that game!" He said, throwing another snowball at me. I leaned to the side, dodging it.
"How about four?" I heard another voice. I turned to see Enrique, who had already hit Johnny again.
The tennis court soon became a flurry of snowballs. Suddenly, an angry voice rang out.
"Stop this now!" I turned to see Robert; "this is so uncouth!"
I turned to the others with a smile.
"Ready," I said, "Fire!"
We all launched a snowball at Robert, almost every one hitting him in the face. We all suddenly stopped in silence as Robert angrily wiped off his face with a snarl. We suddenly saw the angry scowl on his face turn into a smile, then he broke out into a laugh. I breathed a sigh of relief as the others laughed.
"I think I'll get some rest." I said with a laugh as I walked into the mansion.
I walked back out into the main room and into my room. I set Orelin on the nearby dresser and lied in the bed in the corner of the room. My heavy eyelids tried to fight off the symptom of sleep, but soon my world was covered in darkness.
"Let it rip!" I was suddenly firing a Beyblade in a large dish. I looked around to see a solid gray wall with numerous bolts and screws welded into it. There was a cold, dismal; hopeless feeling floating throughout the room that seemed to soak into your soul and stay with you. I had felt this feeling before---I knew where I was, I was in Balkov Abbey. I saw a Beyblade spin around in the dish with so much power that it left an uprising crack as it went along the dish. I recognized the blade immediately---Motoki. I must be caught in another memory when I had owned the blade. I felt like when I was in my memories, I had no control over them; it was only to remember what had been, just as it had been. Usually I would see the Majestics in my memories, but there was no feeling of friends here.
I heard a soft creak as the door in the corner of the large room opened. A tall figure walked in.
"Still training, huh?" It said, "You need a break."
I turned my head to see Tala! He stood leaning in the doorway with a smile on his face—something I hadn't seen in a long time.
"No thanks," I said, "I am trying to impress the team, after all."
He walked to the edge of the dish where I was.
"You don't have to impress them," He said, "they're just jealous because you can blade better, and you're a girl—which kind of makes them ashamed."
"Do you have a problem that I'm a girl?" I asked angrily.
"No." He said, "The others might."
"I don't care." I said, "I'm only impressing them to get into the World Championships so I can be top Blader."
"Well you'll have to beat me first!" He said.
"I will!" I said jokingly.
"Oh yeah?" He said, taking me under his arm and digging his fist into my hair.
"Yeah!" I said, trying to struggle free.
We both broke out into a laugh as he let me go, yet he kept my hands in his.
"Ayia." He said, his tone now serious, "What will you do if you get out of here---I mean---we're going to get out of here right?"
"I just don't know Tala," I said, "the way things have been going, and the way Boris and the team have been especially suspicious about---us."
"I don't care." He said, "let them be suspicious, let them think what they want---even if it is true."
"Tala." I said, setting one of my hands on his arm, "I want to be with you—so badly—but I'm not sure about the team—and our dreams of Beyblading."
I slightly turned away, my hand sliding a bit down his arm as his hand caught mine.
"Please Ayia," He said pleadingly, "Can't you just give us a chance?"
"Tala—I want to but--" I started, "I'm just not sure."
"Well I'm not sure where we're going, what we will do, or where we will go, but I only know one thing," He said.
"What's that?" I asked.
His arms slid in nearer and came around me as he brought me in closer. He lowered his head and put his lips to mine. My legs quivered as I fell into the kiss without even caring. My mind screamed, 'No! What are you doing?' but I just stayed in his arms with my lips to his, as if it was the only shelter I had, the only place I could go. It was as if this was all I wanted, all I needed—Tala—he was all.
We broke apart, even though I didn't want to. I still remained in his arms.
"I love you Ayia, and nothing will ever change that," He said, "not Boris, not Kai, not the team, not anyone."
"Tala." I said.
Suddenly, the door behind us opened. I jumped back from Tala, who suddenly attached Wolborg to his Launcher and had fired it into the ring, it lightly crashing against Motoki. Boris walked in, seeing us both. My eyes glared at him in hatred.
I had never hated anyone more than I hated Boris. I hated everything about him; his smug smile and short purple hair that was slicked back by a pair of goggles. His long green and white jacket was buttoned to the top and its long bottoms swayed as we walked closer to us. His dark, menacing eyes stared right into my anger. He knew there was anger there, and he enjoyed it, every once of it, just like Motoki. But I believed that even Motoki had more sanity and dignity than Boris did—that low down--good for nothing---
I didn't even want to finish. I didn't know why I wasted my insults on a piece of trash like him.
"Training her, Tala?" Boris asked.
"Y-Yes," Tala said shakily, "of course."
"Then let's see how much she's improved." He said.
"Motoki!" I yelled as the wolf arose and swiped at Tala's blade, sending it flying out of the dish. Motoki then glided over the dish and set its head on my shoulder.
"Boris, I assure you," I said, "you have nothing to worry about."
I stroked Motoki as it bared its teeth at Boris. Motoki didn't think too highly of him either. I didn't only use Motoki to win battles, but he also protected me from Boris, but it was out of selfishness. He wanted my darkness for himself, and no one else.
For some odd reason, Boris scared me more than Motoki did. I didn't show my fear, never would I show my fear to his face. But, he was also the one who made me angrier than anyone I'd ever known, not even the man who was above Boris, Voltaire, Kai's Grandfather.
"I'm not worried about Motoki," He said, "I'm worried about Matt."
"Matt." I said.
I thought about Matt's anger—how much control he had—until he lost it—I wondered if it would happen to Tala.
"He couldn't control it." I said, "that's his problem, and I will have nothing to do with it."
How I was so wrong.
"I'll leave you two to train," He said as he started to open the door. He turned on his heel back towards us; "group training is in one hour."
The door shut with a 'bang' as Motoki went back into its blade and I picked it up. I sighed.
"That was close." I said, my tone became serious, "and that was exactly what I was talking about."
"But--" He started.
"We need to focus on Blading while we're here." I said, "but we'll sort things out later."
"Promise?" He asked holding out his hand.
"Promise." I said as I took his hand.
My eyes snapped open as I sat up in bed. My mind went over my dream over and over again.
"No," I said, "this---can't be possible."
Was Tala what I needed now? No—it couldn't be. I wouldn't of---I shouldn't of---but I did---I had loved Tala----and now it was coming back to haunt me.
