Sorry that this took so long. I was on a three or so week vacation type thing and never got around to writing. I never really had the inspiration and/or motivation either. Shrugs Well, here it is.
When they reappeared they were back in the US and at Max's mom's training facility, they were in a janitor's closet as not to make a scene. "It should be around morning here. Just make sure when you leave that no one's around. You don't want to get caught 'cause we won't forgive you if you tell about everything that you saw." Michelle's tone and threatening expression was all they needed to know that she wasn't kidding.
"Where are you two off to?" Kenny asked.
"We have other matters to attend to. We'll see you at the tournament, don't worry." After Amara spoke they bowed low and disappeared in the same black flame.
"Who was worrying?" Tyson asked with a snort.
"Oh, I forgot to ask them about the voices." Kenny sighed then shrugged. "Oh well."
"C'mon. Let's get out of here," Kai suggested and everyone agreed.
§§
The girls appeared in the shady part of a nearby park. They fell to their knees instantly, gasping for breath. "Remind me- never to- take so many- people at once."
Michelle forced out a laugh. "I- don't think- I'd have to- remind you."
Once they took a break and all was well again they got to their feet and walked around. "I was thinking."
"Uh-oh. You didn't hurt yourself did you?" Michelle teased and Amara punched her on her shoulder.
"Seriously now. I was thinking that we should split up. It would make things easier to get our mission done and harder for the other Dragon lords to find us."
"Yeah, I agree. Does that mean you'll go after the Ice Wolf and I-"
"The Lightning Ruler, yes." Amara finished for her. "We will meet up back here when we're done."
"I take it Mannix knows about the plan then?" Michelle asked. "Everyone knew but me?"
"You were recovering and I didn't want to put you under any more stress." Amara sighed when she saw Michelle's reaction. "We don't have time for this now. Do you know where to find your target?"
"Yeah. His plane's stopping in Europe before it comes here. I'll get him there. And the Ice Wolf's still here I take it?"
Amara nodded. "Good luck."
"Same to you." With that said they departed.
§§
"Where have you been?" The BladeBreakers looked up to see Hilary charging at them.
"Uh-oh," Max voiced.
"I've been looking for you forever! Where did you go?" Hilary stopped when she reached them and gasped for breath.
"Well we've been-" Tyson was cut off when Rei elbowed him in the side.
"You were where?" Hilary asked. She luckily didn't hear what Tyson was beginning to say.
"We were here the whole time. Where have you been?" Kai spoke up.
"Yeah, we've been in the training room all night," Max yawned. "Kenny wanted to try out something."
"But I looked there. I looked everywhere!" Hilary said loudly.
"Then I guess you didn't look hard enough," Rei responded, continuing the ruse.
"Just forget it Hilary." Kenny yawned. "We're going to get some sleep." Everyone walked past the confused Hilary and out the door.
"I don't think it's a good idea to tell Hilary what happened," Rei warned and everyone nodded.
"H-hey! W-wait for me!" Hilary chased after them, still unsure of what had just taken place.
§§
"I knew I'd find you here. Hello, Ice Wolf."
Tala bolted around and looked behind him, but no one was there. He went to the edge of the cliff and leaned over the sightseeing-rail to see if anyone was down there, but no one was. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him and turned around. "Wolborg," he breathed, seeing someone pick up his blade. "Hey, you. What are you doing with my blade?"
"You should learn to take better care of your things, Ice Wolf, even if you are training." The figure looked up and matched Tala's stare with on of its own.
"Who are you?"
The figure merely laughed and flipped Wolborg around in its hand. "My name is Ryo, if you must know."
"Alright, Ryo. Hand over my blade or you'll be terribly sorry." Tala threatened.
"Will I?" Ryo laughed again. "What can a weakling such as yourself do to me?" He took a step towards Tala, but Tala didn't move. "Bravery? I didn't think you had such a thing. Although it could be just stubbornness or fear too."
"You never answered. What are you going to do with my blade?"
"Oh, this?" Ryo tossed it idly to the ground. "I have no need for it. I only came for him." He held up the chip that held Wolborg.
"Give that back, you worthless piece a-"
"Ah, ah, ah. That's no way to talk. I'm just going to borrow it for a while."
"I know you'll never return it by me asking so I'll get it by force," Tala threatened but didn't lunge for him.
There was a short silence that passed between them until Ryo broke it. "I knew you wouldn't." He smirked evilly before turning and walking away.
As soon as Ryo left it was as if Tala broke out of stone. He gasped for breath and clenched his throat and chest. "What- was- that?" He breathed. "It was as if- he froze me. I- couldn't move!" He got to his feet, although he was still weak and almost fell down again. He caught himself by quickly grabbing onto the wooden railing behind him. "Wolborg… Wolborg!"
Amara quietly slipped back behind the tree. She caught her breath. "The fire Dragon! What's he doing here!" She thought with a scowl. She looked back round at Tala. "And apparently all of his powers are working too. He can still stun his opponents," she thought again, but this time with a sigh. "He has Wolborg, for now," she whispered and darted off.
§§
"Lee! Lee, wait up!" Kevin, one of the White Tigers and Lee's teammate, shouted after their captain. Him and Gary caught up soon after and looked back at the approaching Mariah. Mariah was the only female member of the White Tigers. She wore a pink Japanese shit with matching pink pants. Her hair, thrown up in a ponytail and bow, matched her outfit but her eyes were a yellowish color. Her other teammate, Kevin, wore a blue shirt and kaki trousers. His hair was green and thrown back into a ponytail while his eyes had a purple hue to them.
"You guys are just too slow." Lee was the captain of the team. He wore a yellow shirt that hung open with blue pants. His hair was dark brown and had bronze-colored eyes. He had tape wrapped around both of his hands as well as his lower calves.
"No, you're just too fast," Gary complained. He was the tallest and wore green overalls with one of the straps hanging down. He had black hair and purple eyes.
Michelle watched them calmly from her vantage point up in a nearby tree. Her eyes were squarely on her target, Lee. She had to admit that she was disappointed when the other members of his team caught up, but then again she anticipated that to happen.
"We have to catch our flight. It's going to be leaving soon," Lee argued and started off again.
"No it's not," Mariah confirmed, rather harshly. "It doesn't leave for another hour."
"Hour? Perfect," Michelle thought with a smirk.
"I agree with Lee though," Kevin spoke up. "We're not exactly sure where we are."
Mariah sighed out of frustration. "And who's fault is that?" Everyone pointed to someone different and Mariah shook her head.
Michelle found her opportunity and took it. "You need directions to the airport?"
The White Tigers turned around and saw Michelle. Since no one knew who she was, Michelle wore her hood down. "Do you know where it is?" Mariah asked.
"Would I be asking if I didn't?" Michelle asked mockingly in return. Mariah silenced. "C'mon. It's this way."
"Why should we trust you?" Lee asked suspiciously. "I'm sorry, but you seem untrustworthy."
"I thank you for the compliment, but I am merely giving you an option. You don't have to follow me if you don't want." Michelle shrugged.
Lee looked at his teammates and they shrugged as well. "It seems to be okay," Kevin was the first to voice.
"I agree with Kevin," Gary confirmed.
"I don't care for her, but if she can get us to where we need to be…" Mariah nodded.
"Okay, we'll follow you then."
Michelle nodded and led them off in the direction they were heading. She personally had no idea where she was going, as long as she could get the bitbeast and leave as soon as possible.
§§
"First the Light Dragon and now the Fire Dragon? For goodness sakes! Are all the Dragon Lords here!" Amara thought. She walked along the corridors of the arena in search of the Fire Dragon, but so far she had no luck. She didn't plan on fighting him now, because most likely he had some others with him, but she did want to see if she could gather any information on why he took Wolborg. She had her suspicions, but she wanted to make sure. "With my luck I'll end up facing him even if I don't want to," she thought with a sigh.
The corridor turned to the right and Amara followed it. This was the way to the locker rooms and she could only hope that Ryo would be in one of them. If not, she had no where else to look.
"It's about time you came back, Ryo."
Amara didn't recognize the voice, but she knew that she was close. She smirked and headed towards the sound.
§§
"What are you doing!" Lee shouted. He winced as Michelle knocked his blade back violently. He tried to catch himself before he fell to the ground, but to no avail. He fell hard and the wind was knocked out of him for a moment or two. Once he regained his bearings Michelle was different. She was no longer in her normal everyday clothes, but she was now in her armor. Her brow was covered in a small layer of sweat and her breathing became shallow. Lee thought on this for a little while, not knowing why she was so tired when just a second ago she was fine.
"This wasn't a good idea. You know we're not suppose to combine. We still have-"
"I know I know." Michelle thought back to Bahamut forcefully. "Let's just make this quick so we can go back to normal and maybe the energy will settle down."
"It's not going to be that easy, Michelle. You know that just as well as I do." Michelle didn't reply. Lee had gotten back to his feet and his blade was coming in fast at hers. She threw up her arms and blocked it cleanly. "Bahamut!" She shouted. The black and silver dragon descended at Lee's lion bitbeast. "Lightning Flare!" Michelle's blade was immediately surrounded in chain lightning and moving so quick that it was impossible to see where her blade was, only Michelle had any idea where it was.
Lee's breath came heavily and his blade's movements began to slow as well. They were fighting for some time now and Michelle was amazed that he had even survived even that long. She never planned on combing with Bahamut at all, but she was running out of time. "Bahamut make this quick. We don't have time to waste. Amara most likely already has Wolborg and the tourney is about to start too."
"Of course, M'lady." Bahamut reappeared in front of Galleon. He flapped his wings and the chain lightning encircled Galleon, making him stop in place and howl in pain. "No, this can't be!" Lee shouted, but Michelle never heard his plea.
"Bahamut, finish it!" Bahamut complied with the nod of his head. He roared loudly. A red and gold energy ball formed in his mouth, which he shot down at the stunned Galleon. Bahamut shot two more times before the lightning tightened around Galleon. His cries of pain were sickening to hear and Lee collapsed in the agony of it all. He knew he lost, and the worst part of it was, he knew he had lost his Galleon.
"Galleon!" He shouted, but just as the words left his mouth Galleon disappeared in a bright flash. "No! Galleon!" Lee ran over to his blade once it stopped spinning. He tried to pick it up, but it just disintegrated in his hand. He looked all over for the chip that held his bitbeast, but he didn't find it anywhere.
Michelle collapsed to her knees and gasped for breath. The unity of Bahamut and her disappeared as soon as the battle was won. She looked up into the sky then over at Lee. "If it gives to any comfort… Galleon is not gone." She took a deep breath and rose gingerly to her feet. "He is merely waiting to be obtained again."
"I bet you mean obtained by you right? I heard about what happened to Zeo and Robert. You were the one who took their bitbeasts weren't you?" Lee too rose to his feet. His teammates, having been quiet the entire battle, walked up to his side and stood firm next to him. "You have no right to do such a thing to others."
"No right?" Michelle mocked and laughed. "No right? You think I do this because I want to?" The White Tigers had no idea what she was talking about and before they could ask Michelle was gone.
"Why that little-" Lee then collapsed to the ground as well.
§§
Michelle returned to the park like they agreed, but Amara wasn't there. She collapsed to her knees, holding her injured side and gasping for breath. "Bahamut… Please… Go find Amara…"
"But Michelle. I can't leave you alone out here!" Bahamut argued, but when Michelle fell to the ground unconscious he knew he didn't have much time. "Hold on, M'lady." Bahamut left his blade and flew off. "She must be at the stadium." He took a look back at the area where Michelle lay helpless. "She better be. If she's not Michelle's a goner and frankly, so am I."
§§
"Ryo, what's this?" The voice was a female's. It was sharp and cold, like it was rimmed in ice.
"Wolborg," came the reply. Amara figured it was Ryo.
"Well, obviously." This voice was a male's. It held the same tone as Ryo's but dipped in more malice. "But why is it here?"
"Well, to lure-"
"M'lady!" Tiamat yelled.
"Damn it Tiamat! You made me miss the most important part."
"No doubt you already knew what he was going to say, but there's more important matters to attend to. Bahamut's nearby and in terrible condition. He's barely audible."
"W-what?" Amara ran away from the locker room and down the hall. "Where is he?"
"Outside, behind the stadium."
Amara followed Tiamat's directions to a small area behind the arena. There she saw Bahamut. He was barely visible and obviously seriously injured. His wings were torn and he was forced to stand upon the ground. His scales were dull and some were even missing. His eyes lost most of their potency and seemed to stare off into nothing. "Bahamut?"
"M'lady, Michelle is at the park like you two agreed."
"Is she alright?" The words sounded so foolish even from to herself. Of course she wasn't okay. Bahamut wouldn't be like this if she was.
"She's unconscious, but in one piece. Don't delay, Amara." With that Bahamut faded away.
"What's going on?" Amara darted around to see the BladeBreakers right behind her. "We saw you running back here and followed."
"How ironic…" Amara thought with a smirk. "I don't have any time."
She ran past them, but Rei caught her arm. "It's Michelle isn't it?" The look in his eyes even broke Amara's heart.
"In the park. Follow me." Amara ran off as soon as Rei let her go.
§§
"Michelle wake up. You've been through worse than this. Damn you, Michelle! Wake up!"
Michelle felt the hard sting of a punch on her cheek.
"Amara ! Are you trying to make things worse!" Michelle recognized the voice immediately, Tyson.
"Works every time…" Michelle murmured with a groan. She opened her eye and, to her surprise, saw everyone there.
"Give her some air for goodness sake," Kai ordered and everyone but Amara obliged.
"You fool," Amara said coldly. "You're lucky Mannix anticipated your actions."
Michelle forced herself to sit up, but was nearly knocked over again when Amara threw a small container at her. "I did my job didn't I?"
"Yeah and almost got yourself killed in the process," Amara scoffed.
"Not anything you haven't done before," Michelle countered. "You'll most likely be doing it again soon anyway."
"Then we can only hope that 'O resourceful Mannix' has everything we need." Amara paused for a second and snorted. "This is stupid. Honestly, Michelle, why are we even doing this?"
"He'll probably kill us later anyway," Michelle agreed.
"Uh, sorry to interrupt but…" The duo then remembered that the BladeBreakers were standing right there.
"Why did you have to bring them here?" Michelle muttered quietly to Amara while she helped her up.
"I didn't have a choice. They just popped out of nowhere, like they usually do, and followed me."
"Well, isn't that just peachy."
Amara glanced at Michelle funny after she said that. "Please don't say that again. It's kinda scary…"