Hey all readers. I think it's obvious that the names of the Bladebreakers in this story are not mine. However, Sam Coredori and her bitbeast Drazema. Along with the team the Carnivora Catz and their bitbeasts are all mine so please don't take them without my position. Thanks bb4564
Chapter 24 – A New Trick!
The next three weeks were spent practicing battling as a team. Although this may have sounded simple, Sam soon found out it was anything but. Trying to get the blades to stop attacking each other turned out to be a very difficult and exhausting task. According to Dizzi, it had something to do with the bitbeast's nature, being so used to attacking one another in battle. But knowing that other bladers had done it meant that while it was difficult it was not impossible and so they spent every minute in practise.
To Sam's great relief, at the end of the fourth week, they were making progress and Sam was able to blade safely beside Max, Ray and Tyson. She seemed to be having a lot of difficult with Kai though. Probably because she always got ticked off at him and her blade would respond to her anger by attacking his blade. She soon managed to get her anger under control and she was able to blade along side Kai soon enough.
Still these practice sessions left her exhausted and completely drained of energy. With only a little over three weeks left until the championships, Sam knew she had to strengthen up or she would be in no shape to compete. Sam decided she needed to start toughening up and so would continue practicing well into the night and go for a run with Max in the mornings.
Although he didn't say anything, Kai was starting to worry that she was making herself worse. He saw her growing increasingly lethargic, and this only made him anxious. However, it wasn't until that morning that he realised there was actually something wrong. It was now exactly three weeks until the championships. Kai was satisfied he and his team were ready for anything, mostly thanks to Sam's help with the training.
It was only five o'clock in the morning but Kai couldn't sleep. He had awoken ten minutes ago and was now lying in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking. So many thoughts ran through his head but they always returned to the one person. Sam. She wasn't like any girl he had ever known. She was a lot stronger then any girl he had ever met too. Kai rubbed his hand across his jaw subconsciously, remembering how Sam had hit him that day. He was still thinking about that when he heard someone moving around.
Narrowing his eyes in curiosity, he slowly got to his feet and walked over to his door. Opening it just a crack he saw that a light had been turned on in the bathroom but the door was ajar. Glancing across he saw that Sam's door was open. Kai suddenly became aware of a sound coming from the bathroom. The sound of someone throwing up. A second later the sound stopped. The toilet was flushed and Sam came out a moment later wiping her mouth. She didn't even look his way as she switched off the light and went back to her room.
Kai closed the door and stood there for moment thinking. Sam was definitely sick but she seemed determined to continue training. Realising there was nothing he could do, Kai went back to his bed and sat there, until the clock read five forty eight. He then quickly got dressed and headed into the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. Sam joined him a moment later. Acting as thought everything was normal. Kai didn't ask any questions. He just hoped this sickness wouldn't last long. The last thing he needed was to have to bench Sam for the championships.
Kai mentally decided to keep a close eye on her, to make sure she got over this flu before the championships. If that was what it was.
Sam leant back against the wall and took a deep breath. She couldn't believe how tired she felt and hungry. Her exhaustion wasn't as bad as it had been, but she still felt tired. As for the hunger? Her appetite seemed to be growing and at the moment she felt like she hadn't eaten in days, instead of hours. Reaching for her backpack, she pulled out an apple and took a bite, placing her hand on her stomach as she ate, her eyes focused on the battle at hand.
Kai and Ray were taking on Max and Tyson. As Sam watched Kai and Ray went to knock Tyson out, but hadn't watched Max, who now ran into Ray, sending him into Kai, knocking him off balance. Then Tyson went for Kai and Max for Ray. Draciel managed to knock Driger out of the dish by Dranzer held firm against Dragoon. However, with Driger out of the way, Draciel and Dragoon teamed up and Dranzer was thrown from the dish. Sam shook her head and took another bite of her apple. Kai looked up in time to see her disapproval and narrowed his eyes. "Think you can do better?" he demanded.
Sam nodded, a smug smile on her mouth. "Much." Kai indicated to the dish in a 'take-your-best-shot' gesture and Sam shrugged. Finishing off her apple she took Ray's spot and launched her blade along side Kai's. Dranzer went straight for Dragoon, Sam a few seconds behind, but she kept her eyes on Draciel. As Kai was about to attack Dragoon she saw Draciel swing around to take on Kai, but she decided she'd step in.
As Dranzer headed for Dragoon, Drazema swung back, slamming into Draciel, knocking it away from Dranzer, before rebounding and ramming into Dragoon with Dranzer. Dragoon, not expecting the assault of two blades, was thrown from the dish followed soon by Draciel after a powerful blow from Dranzer. Sam recalled her blade and smiled. "That's how it's done!" Tyson stared at his blade in shock; unable to believe how quickly Sam's blade had manoeuvred itself to take out both his blade and Max's.
Max picked up his blade and smiled at Sam. "That was so cool!" he exclaimed, "But how did you know to get Draciel?" Sam looked down at her blade. "I didn't. But Drazema did." She put her blade back into her pocket and smiled at Max, who was looking at her a little confused. Sam laughed at his expression. "Let's just say she has a sixth sense for when to make her move…besides," she turned serious, "you all seem to think that team battle means mimicking every move your partner makes, but it doesn't." She looked around her team. "It means complementing your partner, helping them in any way to stay in the match. Let me show you something else. Max? Ray? Launch your blades into the dish." Sam launched her blade and waited for the boys to comply.
The two boys did as they were told and Sam did the same. (Before anyone comments, this is actually a move Ray does in the episodes but it's so cool, I have to use it!) "Now Ray, attack Draciel full force." Both boys looked at her in surprise. "But that'll knock Draciel out?" Sam nodded.
"Exactly, just trust me." Ray shrugged and did as he was told.
There was a crash as Draciel and Driger collided then Draciel flew up the side, out of the dish and into the air. Before anyone could blink, Drazema was up the side of the dish and heading straight at Draciel, hitting him in mid air and sending both their blades back into the dish, still spinning. Ray and Max looked at their blades in shock as Sam recalled hers. "That's a move you can all learn and use in the championships if your partner's blade gets knocked out of the dish unexpectedly." Max and Ray nodded as Tyson stepped up to the dish. "Give us ago!"
All three boys launched their blades again but as Dragoon went to knock Draciel back into the dish he missed and they both fell out of the dish. Sam chuckled. "It takes practice and timing," Sam explained as the boys tried it again. This time Tyson only nicked Max's blade, sending Max's back into the dish but his out. "Just don't give up," Sam reassured them before going back to the wall. Reaching into her bag she pulled out another apple and chewed it thoughtfully. She was suddenly feeling slightly dizzy.
Looking at her watch she saw it was six thirty at night, meaning they had a few more hours of training to go. Sam noticed Kai over by the cones and went to join him when she was over come by a wave of dizziness. Placing a hand to her head, she leant back against the wall. Max looked up from the battle and noticed Sam was looking a little pale. "You ok Sam?" he asked, his eyes focused on her. Sam shook her head, feeling a sudden headache growing. "I can't breathe," she whispered. The rest of her team were looking at her now. "What's wrong Sam?" Ray asked.
"I can't breathe," Sam said louder.
Just then a ding sounded behind her and the doors to the elevator slid open. Without thinking Sam ran to the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. She needed air and she needed it now! The minute she reached the lobby Sam ran out to the main streets and took a deep breath. She noticed it was growing dim as the sun set and walked along the street, enjoying the breeze and letting her thoughts flow.
'I hope I'm not getting sick,' she thought, 'that's the last thing I need with the championships so close.' Sam thought about the championships for a while. She knew they were growing closer and that there would be a lot of tough bladers there. She only hoped she'd be strong enough to face them, especially her old team. Sam thought about this for a while as she continued walking, unaware of where she was going.
It wasn't until she couldn't see her feet in front of her that she realised she had been walking for nearly an hour. Quickly turning around, she headed back towards the hotel and a brisk walk. The last thing she wanted was to be out on the streets alone. The wind had picked up and the temperature had dropped. Sam cursed herself for not bringing a jumper. Wrapping her arms about her and felt a wet drop on her arm. Looking down she noticed the foot walk turning darker as drops of water splashed against it and realised it was beginning to rain.
Sam broke into a jog as the rain started to fall faster and harder, hitting her bare flesh like sharp, cold pin pricks. She was listening to the sound of the rain and suddenly became aware of something falling much heavier behind her. Something that sounded a lot like footsteps! Sam quickened her pace and heard the pace behind her pick up too. Glancing over her should she saw someone behind her running towards her. After a moment Sam noticed another person joining the first and as they passed under a street light Sam recognised them. They were two boys she would…could never forget. They were two of the boys who had made her life at Bivolt a living hell! And now they were after her.
Turning back around, Sam broke into a run and headed for the hotel, praying they wouldn't reach her!
Kai glanced at his watch and back outside. It was now dark and the rain was falling heavier. They had finished blading twenty minutes ago and Kai had expected Sam back ages ago. He knew she was ill and being out in the cold was the last thing she needed. Kai paced the floor as he waited for his dinner to arrive. He had ordered two pizzas from room service for him and Sam ten minutes ago and they still hadn't arrived.
Just as he was about to ring up and demand they hurry up a knock sounded at the door. Kai walked over to the door and saw a girl standing there, two cardboard boxes in her hand. Kai took them off her, thanking her gruffly as he gave her a tip. Shutting the door, he felt himself feeling disappointed that it hadn't been Sam.
Shaking his head, he looked at the pizzas and realised they both had onions on them. Remembering Sam's dislike for onions, Kai rang up room service again and ordered another pizza, this time without onions. Finished with that, he placed the pizzas in the oven to keep them warm until Sam arrived before heading for the shower. He knew it would do him no good to pace the room all night. As he shut the door to the shower, he only hoped Sam would be back before he got out.
Five minutes later he heard a bang on the door. Turning off the shower, he quickly dried, and was getting dressed when the person banged on the door again, more insistent this time. Fed up with this room service, Kai didn't bother putting on his shirt, but stormed to the door, where the person was insistently banging, ready to give that person a piece of his mind.
Swinging open the door angrily, Kai was about to yell at them, when they ducked inside and slammed the door shut. Kai took a step back in surprise and noticed a very wet looking girl leaning against the door. "Sam? What the hell?"