Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.
Watching Him In His Field Of Memories
4
Dranzer nuzzles me some more.
It feels comforting.
I'm still very cold, but at least the blood on my face has dried.
I can't help but think about Tala.
His image rolls through my mind, constantly.
I try to forget about him, but I am intrigued by his connection to me in my past.
Still, I push the thoughts of him to the side, and focus on these consoling feelings of being in this peaceful place with Dranzer.
Light begins to shine across the horizon, making the deep blue of the sky swell into purple.
Gradually, a burning red sun rises into the sky, dazzling colors spiraling and twisting everywhere.
Orange and yellow surround the sun, and the purple of the rest of the sky transforms into light blue.
Finally, the entirety of the sky is bright blue, and the stars and moon have faded into nothingness.
It's magical and breathtaking to view that, and for a long while, I forget about all other emotions and thoughts.
Once the sun is blazing intensely in the blue depths of the sky, the snow starts to melt.
A sudden fear that it will change into water and consume me like the darkness runs through my veins.
With luck, the snow just melts into the ground beneath me, leaving smashed green grass blades cobwebbed with water.
I feel warmer now, with the aid of the sun and Dranzer's silky feathers.
I suppose I was wrong about not enjoying the luxury of somewhere calm for a while, since this place seems to be a tranquil, happy reverie, a contrast to what I had been feeling and experiencing earlier.
I sit down, water dampening my already wet pants.
Dranzer bellows, and flaps its wings toward the sky.
I watch it with admiration.
Another one of those dreaded feathers flutters down to the earth, and I swear I can see the name 'Tala' embroidered across it in gold for a split second.
The feather drops lightly to the ground.
I make no move to lift it and release the memory trapped inside.
Dranzer purrs, and nips at my scarf.
"Why must you give me these memories inside your feathers?" I ask of the phoenix.
It stares at me intently.
I move my gaze to the feather, contemplating whether or not to pick it up.
"Why do you keep showing me Tala?" I interrogate further.
Dranzer makes a rumbling noise in its throat, and nudges the feather toward me with its beak.
Reluctantly, I lift the feather.
FLASH
Tala and I look as if we are only six.
The two of us stood at opposite sides of a beydish, dull light and stone walls surrounding us.
Two beyblades were spinning in the middle of the 'dish, and one was wobbling fiercely.
Finally, it fell over, and Tala looked upset.
"Ivanov…that's your third consecutive loss," an all-too-familiar voice said from the shadows.
Boris stepped out, towering over us with an unhappy look plastered on his ugly face.
"There are severe consequences for that, boy," he continued.
Boris balled his hand into a tight fist, and his joints crackled menacingly.
Tala's eyes widened, but he said nothing.
"No, Boris, don't hit Tala, it's my fault he lost, not his!" the little form of me cried out.
Boris turned to glare at me harshly.
"There are no punishments for victory, young Kai. But you have done two things to deserve my anger and some smacks. You have not shown me due respect, for one. To you, I am 'sir', understand, boy? And defiance is not tolerated."
Boris reached his hand forward and grabbed Tala's firey red hair...
I drop the feather, staring wide-eyed at the air in front of me.
He hit us?
Dranzer purrs again, and picks at my hair with its beak.
With a heavy sigh, I stand, causing the mighty phoenix to move its head aside.
I amble off through the field, thinking aboutall this 'Tala' and I must have gone through together as children.
The sound of rushing water resounds in my ears, and I note a stream ahead.
I step up to it, and I stare down at my reflection.
Blue face paint is smeared carelessly across my cheeks.
Dried blood is settled on one side of my face.
I kneel next to the stream, and dip my hands into it.
I lift water to my face with my cupped hands, and splash the cool liquid across my features, scrubbing the paint and blood away.
When I look at my reflection again, water droplets are dribbling from my now clean face, disturbing the image.
Satisfied, I stand again.
But…fuck.
That 'Tala' enters my mind again.
I can't help but picturing that little boy; with his prominent red hair, long red bangs, crystal-like blue eyes with hints of emotion, pale skin…
It's haunting…
He's haunting…
I glare at my reflection, sick of seeing images of this boy.
I turn, and stalk back to where Dranzer is placidly waiting for my return.
A garnet feather juts from its beak.
"No," I refuse.
Dranzer stares at me with a pleading look in its deep, black eyes.
With scorn of these memories, I rip the feather from its beak.
The precious feather tears apart, with half remaining clutched in Dranzer's beak, and the rest held in my hand.
Blood begins dripping from the feather slowly.
I glare at the liquid with contempt as I throw down the part of the feather I hold.
It flutters aimlessly, droplets of blood spiraling out of it randomly.
When it lands, I stomp on it and grind it into the ground.
Dranzer releases the other part of its feather, and emits a growl.
"Sorry, Dranzer," I mutter heatedly, scowling at the remnants of the feather.
It flicks another feather at me with its wing.
I divert its touch by moving my shoulder an inch.
Dranzer growls again, and gawks at me with a look saying it would glare if it could.
Reluctantly, I lift the feather from the ground.
Instantaneously, a memory washes into my mind.
FLASH
Tala stood before a beydish in a stadium full of blazing lights and screaming people.
He wasn't a little boy anymore; he was a teenager.
Apathy radiated from him as he prepared his beyblade for a launch.
Another boy…one I recall from another memory…stepped up to the opposite side of the dish.
His dark blue hair hung messily down his neck, partially covered with a cap, and his eyes are deep blue and full of life.
Some energetic emcee yelled the signal for them to launch, and the two boys complied.
I watch them beyblade each other, and speak to each other, but I'm more focused on Tala, interested in knowing who he is.
Eventually, the other boy won.
Tala smirked, and said that he 'chose to lose'.
The other boy seemed infuriated, but the memory disappears before I can see more…
With a glare, I toss the feather away.
"Why can't you show me something that will tell me who he is?" I grumble to the mighty phoenix.
Dranzer just gazes at me and purrs.
"Fine," I give in, "but I better find out who he is soon."
Dranzer turns its back to me and crouches down, producing a commanding growl.
It spreads its wings and glances at me.
I close the gap between us, and I hop up onto Dranzer's back.
With a bellow of delight, Dranzer lifts itself up into the air, and we fly through the sky, sun beaming down on us.
This feeling of flying is exhilarating.
The wind rushes past us as I grasp Dranzer's feathers.
I forget about Tala for a while, and just relax up here in the sky, suppressing the dread of what horrors lie ahead in this odd dimension.
Ignoring my surroundings,I just feel, just live, right here, in this moment, riding on the back of my only friend, this mystical phoenix.
--
Hihihi again! 19! 19! Yay! I got 19 reviews! happy dance
StarlightPhoenix: Meepit, rocket launchers… cries in corner Anywho, glad you enjoyed. Hope you like this chappie! And, to answer your question from your "I'm Walking Down The Boulevard" review, uh, I think I got that e-mail. shrugs I'm pretty sure. Have you e-mailed me recently? I think my e-mail account might be screwed up. sweatdrop Also, you recommended me to someone? I'm flattered! Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Reka: Are there lots of stories about Kai being mental? ponders Whatever, I'm happy you think so highly of mine! Hope you liked this chapter! Cool name, BTW. And thank you for reviewing!
Blood of the Wolf: Of course I understand the importance of chocolate, who doesn't? And, wow, that whole 'fruit' thing was poetic. But I guess you are a poet, so yeah. I'm glad you're so dedicated to reading my fics! Thanks for reviewing!
ed: Thank you for the compliments. Here is more! So glad you like! Thank you for reviewing!
Hazel-Beka: Maybe he'll get better soon…maybe he won't! Mwahaha! cough Sorry. I'm so glad you think I'm good at writing. Thanks for reviewing!
DM666: Happy Land! My favorite place! does happy dance But don't make fun of Kai just 'cause he's crazy! Contemplating simply rots your mind, so yeah. Thanks for reviewing!
DM666: Hey, you reviewed twice! I don't mind. But this time…you parodied a song! NO! THE INHUMANITY! cough Anyway, thanks for reviewing again.
waterlily: Don't worry about not reviewing, it's cool. Yeah, I think he's recovering, maybe? I don't even know. sweatdrop And I have no clue how insane people's minds work (aside from myself…but I'm not stuck in my mind like Kai is…) so I just made up all that. Thank you for reviewing!
Please and thank you R&R!
have a nice day
CyborgRockStar
