Sorry for the long wait everyone! I don't own Beyblade, but I own Ramiro and every other OC in this fic. And, this fic doesn't criticize any religions or anything, and it doesn't talk about any religions in the first place.

Chapter 17: Seeing Within

The first thing I saw when I woke up was light; blinding light. My eyes fluttered open, and the light shone into my eyes, making me close my eyes again, shielding myself from the harmful rays. Am I dead…?

I forced myself up and slapped my face a bit, and opened my eyes. All I could see was light, not really bright, but enough to make me want to go into hiding into a dark cave. Where the heck was I?

"Hello, child." Said a male voice from within the light. I couldn't see the person, but I knew exactly who it was.

"Ramiro, what are you doing here?" I asked the supreme judge of the Land of the Beasts. My active imagination went on me again. Maybe I was dead. Maybe everyone else was dead. Maybe I was back in Japan.

"This is my castle. Where else would I be?" laughed Ramiro. I could practically see his smile, although I've never seen him before…Wait a minute! I'm in Ramiro's castle? So that light I saw when I was at his castle before…I'm in there?

I didn't say anything to his response. I mean, I hardly know Ramiro, right? Besides, what happened to me?

"Why am I here? Is Tyson here?" I asked, fearful of the answer. I still couldn't see Ramiro, his presence covered in light.

"Child, you're almost dead."

Tyson

"Hilary, wake up! Hilary, get up, c'mon Hil!" I yelled into her lifeless body. She lay here, in my arms, and from the looks of it, I didn't think she was breathing…

My eyes shot up to Ben's amused face angrily. "What did you do to her!" I questioned him furiously, even though I knew he wouldn't give me a straight answer. And I was right.

"My, my, Tyson. I thought you didn't like her." Chuckled Ben, using his condescending tone. I felt a blush come to my face, but not out of embarrassment. It was the red of anger.

"Shut up!" I snapped at him, holding Hilary closer to me. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

Ben only chuckled more to himself, which caused me to get more irritated. What is with him always laughing anyway? "I don't, do I? After all, I did see that little kiss you gave her. Although it seems she likes the ones I used to give her anyways."

What did he say…my anger rose within my chest, and I set Hilary down on the ground, before standing up defiantly. "She trusted you, and you almost killed her! Why do all this anyways?" I ask him. It's been a question that's been bugging me since the museum incident, and I was always too angry to ask him whenever he was near.

"It's my destiny to. Just like its Hilary destiny to fight me." He explained to me with slight annoyance in his voice. "But, I wish it wasn't like this. I love her, after all."

My fists clenched together, turning my knuckles almost white. How can he say that he loves her, when he was planning to kill her all along? Does Hilary love him still? The thought of her loving him made my heart feel like it was falling to my stomach.

Ben looked past me at Hilary, watching her with his twinkled, weird eyes of his. "She's dying, Tyson."

I snapped my eyes up at him and saw a slightly sad feature of his face, before it went expressionless. My voice seemed to be lost as his words went through my head. She's dying, dying, dying…

"Seems sad, doesn't it? We both loved her, and although I've basically won the war, I feel a sort of sadness…" Ben said, with a phony sadness. My eyes wandered to Hilary; her limp hair, her pale face, almost blue lips, and I completely lost it. I put her beyblade from the rocks into my pockets, shoving it in not too deep. I lifted her from her spot on the ground, and put her on my back.

Ben laughed at me, but I didn't care. She couldn't be dead. Not Hilary; the strongest person I knew, the bossiest, meanest, most helpful…"She isn't dead." I told Ben, before I ran out of the cave. I almost lost her, and I refuse to lose her again. I could deal with Ben later.

Hilary

"What do you mean I'm almost dead!" I yelled at Ramiro. Yeah, yelling at the supreme judge isn't great, but I think I could be excused just this once. I can't be dead! I still have so much to do!

"Indeed, child." Was all Ramiro said in response. I was about to ask him if he was kidding, but I decided against it. I highly doubt he isn't kidding around here.

"Well, what happened?" I asked. I am so sick of all this drama. Sure, it wasn't all that great when the others had all the action, but this is too much.

"While you were releasing the good from The Blade, Ben also let out the bad. And, you being an amateur, couldn't handle all the power." He explained to me. Me, an amateur? Well, have you ever let out good from a beyblade? Yeah, didn't think so.

I waited for Ramiro to talk some more, but he didn't say anything else. So, I asked him, "How do you get back?"

"Anytime, child. All you need is The Blade in your grasp." He told me. I smiled happily. Great! That's not so bad. I thought maybe he wanted me to fight some monster or something. Stranger things have happened, like flying fish for example.

"But," he continued, making me frown, "that boy has put it in his pocket. What are the chances of him putting in your hands randomly?"

Oh, no. My fate is in Tyson's hands! This can't get any worse! Of all the people I would have to put my faith in…

I was actually glad it was Tyson. I mean, he always wants to help me, even though Kai does get there first. But, it's the thought that counts, right?

"Can't I do anything to help myself?" I asked Ramiro. I mean, sure I trusted Tyson, but why trust someone else when you can trust yourself?

Ramiro didn't say anything more, and I took his silence as a no. Dang it, now what? Wait around while my body lies lifeless somewhere? I so don't think so. As Ramiro and I were talking, the light had disappeared, revealing a normal castle, with stairs and doors and stuff. It looked pretty old; I preferred the light, but hey, it isn't like I'll be here for long.

I walk around the first floor, my hand gliding past the walls. My fingers traced a doorknob; it felt really cold to touch. Why not I thought, opening the door, to reveal light; not as bright as Ramiro's, but still bright all the same.

As the light started to fade, what I saw was totally unbelievable. It was a spring, with a large waterfall right in the room. "Weird." I muttered, walking into the room. The grass was a healthy shade of green, the sky was perfectly blue and cloudless, the water clean and clear.

But, what drew me in was the pond. I don't know what it was; it sparkled radiantly, and I could see its purity from all the way over at the door. I walked over to it, and kneeled down, lightly brushing my fingers over the surface. I got a sincere, pure feeling whenever I touched the water. I don't know how to explain it; it just made me feel calm inside.

As I put my fingers in the water, I thought about my friends back at the village. Did the war already start? Were they hurt? I couldn't live with myself if they got hurt, especially if I wasn't there…

And suddenly, maybe magically, I saw Kai and Ray in the water, beyblading. What the heck…"Kai! Ray! Can you see me? I'm right here!" I called to them in the reflection. They continued beyblading, completely unaware that I was watching them.

I sighed, and took my hand out of the water. Right when I did that, the scene of Kai and Ray vanished instantly. So…whenever I think about something and put my hand in the water…

I closed my eyes and jammed my hand in the water, and thought of Max. What was he doing? Where is he? Is he safe? I opened my eyes and saw the blond haired blader, perfecting his bow and arrow technique with Marques. So, they left without us. Still, I'm glad they're okay.

As happy as I was looking and watching over my friends, I couldn't be here forever. I had my family, my schooling, and my friends that were all waiting for me. My life came to a stop because of Ben, and I wanted it to start again.

Instantly, I thought of Tyson. I shut my eyes again. He was the one who had my life in his hands, and I knew he would come through for me. I completely trusted him. Okay, not completely, but…

Whenever I needed him, he'd come through for me. When I wanted to talk to someone, I'd go to him first (or maybe Kai, since he never interrupted). And even though he hurt me every once in a while, I always knew somewhere deep down that he cared for me. And, after that kiss…

Well, let's just say that I'll never think that he hates me again.

I opened my eyes and saw Tyson, with a girl in his arms. He was at a waterfall, and he set the girl down. Wait a minute… I looked closer to the girl, and realized I was looking back at myself. Well, not me, but my body.

He pushed my body's hair back, and looked at my expressionless face. He looked so sad, so…worried. Like the day at the museum. I want to be near him, and tell him that I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. To tell him that he didn't have to always worry about me. That I could take care of myself; even though I know he wouldn't always buy it.

As he set me down though, my beyblade fell out of Tyson's pocket, rolling near my hands. I remembered what Ramiro said to me, "All you need is the Blade in your grasp." If what he said is true, then all Tyson needs to do is put the blade in my hands!

I watch Tyson pick up the beyblade, and instantly, I clasped my hands together and prayed. Please…whoever it may be, I need to get out of here. My life is back in Japan, and I have a battle to fight. Please, let Tyson know what to do, please…One tear fell from my eyes, ran down my chin, and landed in the water, making a ripple in the pond.

But, nothing happened.

Tears started to come from my eyes at full speed now, and I wiped each away with my hand. What was going to become of me? How will the others take it? If I can't go back, what's going to happen to my friends…?

I stood to my feet, my brown hair covering my eyes. If that's how it was going to be, then I'd have to let it be.

Suddenly, a white light emerged from the pond, and headed straight for me. I shut my eyes, and put my eyes over my face, and felt myself slide into unconsciousness once more.

Tyson

"Hilary? Come on, wake up, Hilary!" I cried out to the limp body in my arms. She wasn't moving in the least, and when I put my hand over her heart, I couldn't hear a beat.

Oh god, this can't be happening…I cupped water from the waterfall in my hands, and poured on Hilary's face. Nothing happened.

Please, this can't be happening…I pulled her body closer to mine, and felt angry tears stinging my eyes. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! Nobody was supposed to die! We were all supposed to destroy Ben, and go back to Japan and live our lives. And, I hoped my life could involve Hilary somehow…

It was Ben's fault! If he hadn't shown out of nowhere, Hilary wouldn't have dated him, we wouldn't be here, and she wouldn't be dead. I swear, if she's dead, he'll wish he hadn't met me!

Then what? I snapped at myself internally. You'd be mourning her death. You wouldn't give a crap about beyblading or food like you used to. You'd be hollow. Hollow without Hilary.

Hilary's beyblade fell out of my pocket, and I picked it up. I felt something in it, like a pulse or something. I smiled sadly and lightly, and looked at the white and gold blade in my hands. She would want to be with it, I thought solemnly, placing her blade in her hands.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Hilary's blade shown a white light, and it traveled along her hand, and down her arm, to her shoulder, and down the rest of her body. I watched as her face turned from a ghostly white to a rosy peach; her lips turned a light pink, her breathing steadying.

And, as quickly as she healed, her eyes fluttered open, and I came face to face with her brown eyes. Her brown eyes that I thought I'd never see again.

"Tyson…what-where?" she asked confusedly, wigging around in my arms. I helped her to her feet, and she dusted herself off and looked around.

"Hil…" I breathed, grabbing her into a big hug. Her breath caught in her throat, and I could feel her blush in my embrace. She let go of me, and looked around.

"I was-I thought I was…"

I nodded. "Yeah, you were going to die." I finished for her. She smiled at me lightly, before placing the blade in her pocket. "Come on, we should go."

I said right, before walking behind her, the girl I thought I lost.

Crappy chapter, I know, but I just wanted to get it over with. Now, if only you could push the purple button down there…


Kendo Baby


PS: Song of the chapter: Crash and Burn by Savage Garden! And to Silverstar335, yeah, I love that song, too!