Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.

Watching Him In His Field Of Memories

6

The farther from that field we fly, the colder it gets.

I grit my teeth against the harsh winds and bitter temperatures.

Eventually, the clouds dull to a shade of gray, and before I know it, large, white snowflakes begin zigzagging through the air.

Dranzer bellows a mighty cry, and I clutch tighter to the phoenix.

Looking back, I can see nothing but the gray clouds and white snow; there's no sign of the peaceful little field I took refuge in.

I look downward only to find the entirety of the ground coated by a thick drape of snow.

I grunt, wondering about all the drastic weather changes here.

Ahead, I can see a building.

Its stone walls and arched structure look formidable, but they also seem…scary.

The building reminds me of a cat: they appear harmless and gentle, with an exterior fit to admire, but they can attack viciously with those claws and teeth if you're not careful….

But this place looks familiar; I believe I have seen it before.

What is this place?

Dranzer alights gracefully in the front of the iron gates surrounding this building, making it seem even more intimidating.

I slide off its back, and note the wistfulness that lingers in its eyes.

Intensely, I stare at the building before me, trying to place it.

Tala flashes through my mind at that point, and I can't help the glare that narrows my eyes contemptuously.

Suddenly, as if I was smacked with a wooden plank, I recognize this building.

'Balkov Abbey'…

The words flicker through my mind, striking up some fear in my soul.

I shove it away as Dranzer nudges me toward the building.

I oblige, and meander toward it.

To my shock, there are two people dressed in odd black attire, resembling that of some cult, standing in front of the huge metal doors that I did not notice before.

Stopping before I walk up the steps, I stare at them, trying to study their features.

But their faces are overshadowed by their hoods.

A tingle runs down my spine at the familiarity of these type of people, but I ignore it and proceed forward.

Neither moves as I pull open the heavy doors.

I glance back at Dranzer.

It's no longer there.

The doors slam closed behind me as I step inside, the sound echoing ominously.

I cast my gaze around before starting forward into this place.

The feeling that I've been here before is unshakable.

As I am about to wander into a hallway, a voice calls out from behind me.

"Hello, Kai."

And it's damn familiar, too.

I turn, interested, only to come face-to-face with a redheaded teenage boy.

A gasp nearly slips out of my lips, but I stifle it, and mutter, "Tala?"

"No, the Queen of England."

I glare at hearing this overly-used joke.

A smirk that I find scarily familiar lands on his lips.

"What are you doing here, Kai?"

"Where exactly is 'here'?"

"Balkov Abbey, Moscow, Russia. I thought you'd remember the place you grew up at."

This time, I can't suppress the gasp.

"What?" my question comes, incredulous.

"Then again," Tala continues, discounting my inquiry, "you didn't remember last time around."

Some confusion settles on the other boy's features.

He asks, "Don't you remember, Kai? The World Championships?"

I gawk at him blankly, my jaw slightly open, as memories of those boys rush into my mind.

Those four boys I first saw…

But who are they?

Tala must notice my perplexed expression, because he produces a black object from a pocket and questions, "Surely you remember Black Dranzer?"

Another memory flashes through my brain.

FLASH

I stood before a cheering crowd again, in front of a beydish.

Five other adolescents were on the other side.

All of us launched simultaneously.

After mere seconds, I had them all defeated.

The black beyblade I had been using, that seems so familiar, flew back into my hand.

As I recited some speech about 'cowards not deserving to possess bitbeasts', a glow from my own beyblade sucked in glows from the others' beyblades…

I'm completely befuddled, now.

That black beyblade…Boris offered it to me before.

Just recently.

In that field…

"Come now, Kai, don't you recall the most powerful of evils? The one you possessed? That you sought after and even abandoned your friends for?"

Shoving all recollection of anything to the back of my brain, I snarl, "What is it that you want, Tala?"

"Want? What do I want? …How about a beybattle?"

He tosses the black beyblade to me.

I study it meticulously in my pale hand, examining its gleaming, perfect body…with Dranzer's counterpart pictured in the center of its top.

Unlike my faithful phoenix, this one's eyes are cold…and lustful.

Lust…that's what's rising to my chest right now…

An overwhelming lust for power…and victory…and perfection…that can only be achieved with this….

Tala produces a gray beyblade from nowhere and attaches it to a gun-like device.

I find a similar contraption to be in my own palm, and I mimic his movement.

In a split-second whirlwind of color, the scene of the foyer of Balkov Abbey changes…and becomes a stadium like the many I've seen in my forgotten memories.

People cheering, the two of us step up to the dish, and take stance.

And simultaneously, without consulting, we launch our beyblades.

I don't know what I'm doing—I can't remember it—but somehow, I seem to be doing all the right things.

Our beyblades are evenly matched, swirls of black and gray, colliding and spinning endlessly.

But no…this isn't good enough.

No….

I must do better.

And before I know it, I'm screaming out a command of an attack I've never heard of.

WHAM!

My oppenent's 'blade goes flying…though he catches it.

"Expected," he says, closing his eyes and smirking.

I glower.

"What do you mean, 'expected'?"

"I knew that you would come through."

"'Come through'?"

He opens his eyes, and those impossibly blue depths seem to be searching my soul.

"Come through with a win, of course, Kai. You're utilizing the weapon you were created for."

"'Created for'?"

"Jeez…you're slow."

He rolls his eyes, pocketing beyblade and launcher.

Both objects in my hands transform to nothing more but sparkling, golden bubbles, and float away in random directions.

"You're grandfather had you created to serve his purposes," explains Tala. "You never had parents who loved you or even wanted you…because they were just pawns in Voltaire's master plan. Just like you…and me…."

Leaving me with confusion and one final smirk, he spun around on his heel.

And in that moment of his fluid movement, the scenery morphed back into that peaceful little field…and he was gone.

--

This is being updated WAY sooner than I expected…. See, I actually managed to update all three of my other fics today, so I decided I would finish writing this chapter and post it! And in the duration of writing this, a new idea struck me for a twist in this fic, heehee. :)

ghostymangarocker: …Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? o.O I've seen the preview-y commercials for that…not the movie…and I don't want to see it. Though I find it highly amusing you compare Max's role in my fic to an oompa-loompa's! Yes, Bryan does have a good excuse, poor Bryan, sorta…. Long and pointless is just fine with me. :) Thank you for reviewing, loyal reader!

Blood of the Wolf: I gather you missed Kai? Hey, no worries, I missed him too, LOL. You can't kill Bryan, he's vital to the fic! Oh wait…no he's not. Go ahead…slay him! Gyachackhack! (Yes, that's my evil laugh, gyachack!) Erm…anyhow…thank you for reviewing, faithful reader!

Arieru: Yeah, lots of people ignore Kenny…but that's 'cause people seem to hate him, I notice, LOL. I don't hate him, though…but I doubt you're going to be reading a lot more about him here. Yayfulness, I'm so happy you like my story so much:) And the longer the review, the better, ne? Thank you for reviewing!

Darksouled Saiyanphoenix: Yes…I like cookies too. :) Anywhozlls…thanks for the review!

Kitsune: LOL, that does sound evil, but it's so true! Thanks for the review!

blackheartedchaos09: LOL, it is fun to torture Kai, dunno why…(hey, that rhymed! XP) Thank you for reviewing!

RavenToriBlack: blushes Jeez…you really think it's that good:) Sweet…. Hm, I bite at guessing the ending of things, LOL…and you couldn't predict the twists in my fic? Really? Yay! I didn't even realize I was creating something "unpredictable", LOL. And goody-ness…I'm much looking forward to your update. Though, by the time this chapter gets posted, I'm sure you will have already updated, meh…. Thanks for the review!

carzla: I think I have not such a good grasp on all the D Boys…sweatdrop. Hey, I try…. And about Tyson, yeah…it does make a lot of sense that he and Kai would be the closest…. Ty will come in soon, with an important role…(if I can pull it off….). And I'm all for Tala and Kai friendship too! Thanks for reviewing!

DM666: Spencer and Ian care so much 'cause they were Kai's friends at one point…then they started hating him…but they still care. Or something…. You asked too hard of a question. XD And Kenny isn't that stupid…he was just dumb in those episodes with the Dark Bladers…and a few others…yeah…. Thanks for reviewing!

waterlily: Yep, real soon...somehow, I pulled that off, LOL. Thank you for reviewing, faithful reviewer!

falls of her chair Yeeshes, so many reviews! It's…brilliant! wipes away a tear of joy

cough

Really, reviews are much appreciated, and I'm stunned at how many I'm getting.Please, drop me one!

Thanks for reading!

have a nice day

CyborgRockStar