RTC: Hi everyone! This is a bit of a short chapter and it goes between various POVs without warning, so you'll have to read carefully. However, it is all in chronological order, so that is a plus. (Sorry about the style, but I've read some good novels written this way and lately I've been trying it out too.) Since I'm feeling quiet today, we'll skip straight to the disclaimer.

Kai: Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade, but she has plans to take over the world and get a new season-good luck with that!

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Fallen

Beep... Beep... Beep... It was to this sound that Ray had listened for many days. The time was nearing on them and no one was ready to face it. 'There's no use denying it,' Ray thought, 'She fell into a coma three days ago. And she'll never wake up. This is the end. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

We're all so screwed up now. A year ago, everyone was reasonably happy, we were the World Champs, and we could take whatever life threw at us together. Just look now; Tyson's more of a hothead and once he gets started, there is no stopping him, Max is living in his cocoon of fear, Kenny doesn't really interact with anyone anymore, Daichi's distanced himself, Kari won't even go anywhere Kai has been, Tala... Actually I don't know his situation... He doesn't talk to anyone...'

"Kai, come on, we have to keep going!" a furious Tala shouted to his buddy lying on the ground. "If you don't pick up the pace, Boris or Voltaire will come in here!" But still Kai just lay there. "What the hell is wrong with you?! Why won't you get up?!"

"He won't wake because he's dead," Boris said with a very satisfied smirk. "And it was your fault. But you already know that, don't you, Tala? You were supposed to be there to help him and you failed. He. Is. Dead. Because. Of. You!"

Tala sat up in bed, shaking and shivering. "Not that dream again," he said out loud. This particular dream was a blend of some memories and an overactive imagination. Tala had already figured out that the situation was one from the abbey, when they were children. Mind you, there was one key difference; Kai had merely been unconscious from a very severe training regime that he had been put through. Even then, Tala felt the urge to help Kai whenever he could, but that was one time he had failed to keep Kai out of trouble. 'Kai, it looks like I failed again, didn't I? And this time it cost you your life.'

"Ray, get Lynn out of the room!" Diana ordered. Ray obligingly picked his littlest-no wait, his only-sister up and took her out to the hallway, noticing, out of a corner of his eye, that his mom was in tears. Lizzie had died only a few minutes ago, but it might as well have been an eternity for her family. Lynn was sobbing loudly into Ray's shoulder and was looking for some comfort, but Ray found himself unable to give any. 'She's gone.' Ray could not bring himself to think of the d-word. 'This is so stupid! Why couldn't she just not have rejected the transplant?! 'But it's your fault,' another voice in his head told him, 'It was your marrow, and she died because of it!'

"Ray, I want Lizzie to come back," Lynn's little voice said, interrupting his thoughts. 'Now what the hell do I tell her?!'

"Lizzie isn't going to come back, remember? She told you herself a few days ago," Ray said and watched as the child's face crumpled. 'Damn! Guess I should have thought it out better! Now what?'

'Hmm, maybe I just need a quick drink to feel better,' Tala thought and slowly climbed out of bed and entered the kitchen. He opened a cupboard and found waht he was looking for; a bottle of beer. Now, it's true that Tala was a few years too young to be drinking, but that sure wasn't going to stop him! All he needed was a fake ID and presto, achol! Taking a rather large gulp form the bottle, Tala sat down and began pondering a few things. And while he pondered, he drank another few bottles and before long, he was out cold at the table.

"Well, this is it," Ray's dad said, looking at the gravesite. "Those damned doctors couldn't save her! And look where she ended up!" Ray could feel his head starting to pound. Between keeping his dad calm, his mom from crying and Lynn out of trouble, Ray felt like he might just go crazy. 'Why can't they just move on already? And someone needs to take care of Lynn and I can't do that all the time!' Just when he was about to scream, Ray felt a comforting arm on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, Ray. I know that this must be really hard for you, but you're only going to stress yourself out more if you keep going the way you are," Mariah said.

"We aren't going to think any less of you if you show emotion," Lee added.

"Thank you guys, but I'll be okay," Ray told them. 'The truth is, I can't cry! I just can't! I don't feel anything! What's wrong with me?!'

To: draggon-rox-my-sox, blondes-have-more-fun, monkeyboy, shopaholics-anonymous, howl-to-the-moon, the-icy-one

From: crouchingtiger

Subject: Funeral

Message:

Well, everyone, we had the funeral today. I don't really have much else to say about the topic right now, so I'd appreciate it if no one mentions this for a bit. I think I still need to get my head around it all. Good-bye.

'That's an odd message,' Max thought, 'It seems like Ray is an emotional mess, which isn't like him. Hmm, in fact, I don't think I saw him let out any emotions at all in a while. He wasn't even upset when Kai passed on.'

"What am I doing on the kitchen table?" Tala wondered the next morning. "And why does my head feel like it might explode?" He looked around and finally his glance landed upon the beer bottles form the night before.

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RTC: So, that's it from me for today. I know it was a bit shorter than anyone would have liked, but I think the next chapter will be longer. Well, I hope so because I've pretty much been planning this next chapter out since before I posted this fic! See you all soon!