cackles happily Look, it's an update! A miraculous update! Let's all dance! dances
Yay! I'm one happy camper! The story actually reached its desired review-count (10) and went over!
Now I know I have to make this chappie much longer, as you guys were so nice and gave me all the inspiration and confidence I needed to keep this puppy going!
Thanks so much!

DumDumDum!
Credits!

Iluvbeyblade – Yippee! You reviewed again! hands you cheesecake
I'm extremely sorry it took me so long to update the story, but if I wasn't busy with one thing, I was busy with the other; not to mention I've been starting new stories like crazy! Infact, I have a BeyBlade/Final Fantasy IX cross-over story in the works, heh!
Boy, if you were thinking, "Poor Ozuma" before, then prepare yourself for major, heavy Ozuma-angst in this installment! And, yeah, even though I hadn't intended it to be that way, Mist sure turned out to be a complete creepazoid, huh? evil laughter

kailover2006 – You really think so? blushes Yay! Then here's the update you asked for!

Mizuki hikari – Okee dokee then, I'm continuing! grins

I love Queen – I'm glad you liked the story, I hope you enjoy this chapter then! glomps you

Yodai Hiro – Sammy-chan! You're the greatest, simply the greatest, man! Your reviews and encouraging words mean A LOT to me, so thanks a bunches! You're a true friend! missing you like crazy
I wanted to dedicate that chappie especially to you, but now, I've decided to dedicate the whole thing to you, cuz you were my inspiration to never give up my writing no matter what! I'm really thankful for that! glomps you ultra-mega-tightly

Sam – It's definitely a romantic pairing, and nearly all I ever write about, so hopefully one day, there'll be a whole ton of Kai/Ozuma stories, as I'm always thinking of new ones and stuff…

james – I can't say this enough but, I'M SORRY! bows It's simply a bad fact that I'm insanely slow at updating, but worry not, eventually this story WILL be finished, for sure! I'm never gonna quit on it!

Chariot-of-Fire – Thankies! That made me feel all warm and squishy inside!

DumDumDum!
End Credits!

Title: My Friend, My Enemy
Pairings: OMC/Ozuma (unrequited), Kai/Ozuma, Max/Mariam, implications of Takao/Hiromi and mentions of Rei/Mao
Warnings: Tons of Sap, heavy dose of Angst (mostly on Ozuma) and obviously Shounen-ai (boy-love)

Brief Summary of Chapter:
Ozuma finally awakens, how is he going to act now that his best friend's betrayed him and he no longer has Flash Leopard? Not to mention, how is he going to react to Kai's helping him? (his enemy, people!) Let's find out!

Disclaimer!
I don't and never will I own BeyBlade and its characters, although I do wish that I did! Wow, if it were mine, I'd make sure that pretty much all the screen time would focus on Ozuma along with some others! grins
Quezacotl and Final Fantasy VIII also don't belong to me! (hey, do I sound like a multimillionaire who owns one of the biggest game companies in the world? I didn't think so!)
So don't sue! You'll get nothing of value! guards her mountain of plushies

Chapter 3 Begin!

Chapter 3
Of Emeralds and Garnets

He had absolutely no idea where he was going.
He had no idea what in the world he was doing, either.
What was he thinking, helping his enemy?
This was the same person who'd been trying for months on end to take away his precious Dranzer, along with the other three, to seal them away forever, so why was he, Kai, helping the currently unconscious boy in his arms?

Kai looked down at Ozuma, studying him carefully.
His eyes were closed tightly, his lashes brushing his slightly puffy cheeks; he noticed that while one of the smaller boy's arms hung down limply, swaying very gently as Kai walked, the other rested on his stomach, still clutching his BeyBlade desperately in his hand, which had turned paper-white.
He was thankful to note that the pitiful whimpering had ceased the moment that Kai had picked him up in his arms.
Without even realizing it, a tiny, barely visible smile graced his lips.

However…

Dream Sequence

Where am I?
Joseph?
Mariam?
Dunga?
M… Mist?
Is anyone there?!

Ozuma began to run blindly, everywhere he looked, it was pitch-black. He couldn't see a thing; he was scared.
It felt like he'd been running for hours, his lungs were burning for breath, his heart was thundering painfully against his chest.
Finally, the boy lost his footing, coming to rest on his knees, his head buried between them.

He gulped in much-needed air, bringing a small hand to his temple.
He brought the other to his face and was shocked to discover that tears had started leaking fast from his eyes.
Ozuma wanted to get out of this frightening darkness, he wanted it desperately.

Someone… anyone…

Suddenly, without warning, the darkness completely vanished.
Ozuma opened his eyes, never really realizing he'd closed them in the first place, and let out a gasp of relief when he realized he was in the abandoned warehouse he shared with his friends.

He got to his feet, and began searching for them.
The search didn't take as long as he feared.
He found them grouped together in the small bedroom they all had to share.
The boy approached them gladly but, he didn't know why, hesitantly.

"I… I have terrible news," Ozuma began, bringing his blade from out of his pocket, too ashamed to face any one of them.
Instead, he looked down at his BeyBlade, his eyes shimmering at the fact that Flash Leopard was truly gone.

He didn't realize it until it actually happened.
Dunga was no longer standing alongside Mariam and Joseph, but had moved to stand mere inches from the younger boy.
Ozuma looked up, somewhat startled.
Before he could ask, a large fist smashed hard into his stomach.

A loud gasp escaped his mouth, his eyes widening three times their size; he fell to his knees, clutching his stomach that now felt like it was on fire.
That punch hurt so much, but it couldn't even begin to compare to the emotional pain he was feeling, the feeling of being betrayed by someone else he trusted completely.
First Mist, then Dunga?
What was going on here?!

Ozuma looked up at the blonde, his body trembling slightly.
"Why?" was all he managed to whisper, finding it hard to breathe after having received that painful blow.
Dunga said nothing, but moved aside, allowing Joseph to now stand where'd he been mere seconds ago.
Joseph, Joseph would never betray him, surely not!

The green-headed boy looked down at him, smirking almost cruelly, in a way that was extremely unlike the short boy.
Ozuma didn't know how he couldn't see it, but before he could stop it, Joseph's knee had connected painfully against the side of his head.
He screamed out in pain, falling weakly to his side.

He could hear them now, he could hear them laughing at him!
Ozuma pressed his hands to his ears, trying to drown out their laughter, but it was useless, it was as if the sound had etched itself to his brain, no release…
Suddenly, he felt two soft hands grasp his own, pulling them away from his face.
He looked up, meeting Mariam's gaze.

Would she hit him too?
He didn't want to find out and tried to release himself from the girl's hold, but failed.
Mariam's grip was inhumanly tight around his wrists; was this really Mariam? Since when was the bluenette so strong?

Before he had a chance to order her to release him, she spat out, "You're a cheap, sorry excuse for a leader! I'm ashamed of you!"
Ozuma couldn't move, couldn't say anything, couldn't even breathe.
That hurt so much more than the blows Dunga and Joseph had given him.
It couldn't be true, what she said, he must've imagined it all!

"I can't believe I ever looked up to you!"
This one came from Joseph.
"I…" He didn't know what to do; Mariam was still holding him almost savagely against her body…
It just didn't make sense.
These were his friends!
He'd been so glad, so incredibly relieved to find them after what had happened with Mist, but this? What had he done to earn their sudden hatred?

"You're a worthless weakling!"
Dunga this time.
Ozuma bent his head, shaking it sadly.

Stop
"I'm ashamed of you!"
Please, stop
"I can't believe I ever looked up to you!"
I said stop…
"Worthless weakling!"
STOP!

End Dream Sequence

Ozuma's eyes snapped open.
He blinked rapidly, somehow managing to keep his breathing at a calm, steady pace.
He nearly screamed out loud when he realized he was being carried, carried by Kai! His enemy!

Suddenly, he realized that Kai hadn't noticed that he'd woken up.
He really had no idea what was going on.
One moment he was being betrayed by his best friend, the next he was getting a helping hand from one of his worst enemies.
However, right then, he didn't care that it was Kai that was helping him; he screwed his eyes shut again, trying to appear to still being unconscious.

Images began to swim before his closed eyes.
Mist holding him against that tree, threatening him, destroying their friendship in a matter of minutes after having been reunited…
His friends hitting him, throwing insults at him…
Even though the latter was only a nightmare, it still hurt unbearably, and he couldn't help but be scared that it really might happen.

Without realizing it, Ozuma moved his head slightly and pressed his face against Kai's chest, his bangs falling into his eyes.
Kai looked down at the younger boy, not expecting that sudden movement.
Ozuma still appeared to be passed out.

He continued to walk on, somehow ignoring the fact that his heart was pounding so hard and fast against his ribcage, it felt like it was going to burst right out of his chest.

-----

The wind that had died down earlier was picking up again now.
It was really cold, and little drops of rain began to fall from the skies once more.

Kai swore under his breath.
He wrapped his arms tighter around Ozuma's body, trying his best to protect him from the rain.
As he walked, he saw a pretty large, dark cave.
Sighing in relief, he picked up his pace and ran to where the cave was.

It was extremely dark inside, and he could barely see a thing.
He let out a string of curses when he stubbed his toe painfully against a rock, missing Ozuma's slight wince.
Ignoring his discomfort, Kai gently and carefully placed the smaller boy down in a sitting position then ran back out, knowing that a fire was definitely needed.

Within half an hour, he returned, sopping wet from head to toe.
He dropped the wood he managed to collect on the ground; sitting cross-legged, he got out a couple of flints he always kept in his pocket, and began rubbing them vigorously against each other, near the wood.
It was kind of hard, his body was shaking uncontrollably from the cold, and his hands kept slipping, but eventually, he managed to start a nice fire.

Putting the flints back, he drew his body as safely close as it was possible to the fire, his body warming up almost instantly.
Looking up, he saw that Ozuma's eyes were still closed tightly, but now that he could see him properly, he knew that the other boy wasn't really unconscious.

He was definitely passed out when Kai found him, but why was he feigning it now?
He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.

Kai walked over to Ozuma's side, noticing that said boy's breathing had quickened just a tiny bit.
Kneeling down next to him, the tall boy cupped the other's chin with two fingers, lifting the beautiful face level with his own.
"I know you're awake," Kai murmured softly.
Ozuma hid a gasp at being discovered, keeping his body stock-still, pretending he hadn't heard…
"If you think you're fooling me, you really have another thing coming to you, kid."

That did it.
That last word was all it took.
His eyes snapped wide open and he yelled out, "don't call me that!"
Ozuma paled to three different shades of white when he saw how close his and Kai's faces were.
He quickly pulled his face out of the taller boy's hold, moving as far away from Kai as he could get.

Said boy was lost in thought, his gaze never leaving Ozuma though.
Why did he seem so angry when he called him 'kid'?
It couldn't have just been pride; not even pride, no matter how strong, could make someone react like that at such a simple term, Kai was very sure about that.
Also, he was certain he had seen a flicker of pain shine across those emerald gems the moment they opened.
This whole thing wasn't making any sense to Kai.

Ozuma was sitting by the fire now, trying to pull himself together.
He looked up sharply when he felt a strong hand land on his shoulder.
Turning his head, he locked eyes with Kai's fiery orbs…

"What happened to you back there? Care to explain how I found you unconscious in the middle of nowhere?"
"You're feeling talkative today," said Ozuma, trying to keep his voice cold and uncaring.
"Answer the damned question!" snapped Kai.
"What if I don't?" the younger boy said with a slight sneer to his voice.
The BladeBreaker glared down at him; what was his problem? Here he was, going out of his way to help him, when he could be warm and comfortable in his bed right now, and this was the thanks he was getting?!
"You're a stupid, uncaring jerk, completely undeserving of anyone's help and sympathy!" he got out through gritted teeth.
Ozuma looked up at him, the words hitting him hard, like a pair of invisible, iron hands that clutched at his heart, squeezing it harshly.

Raising one of his gloved hands to his chest, he squeezed his eyes shut again, forcing those hateful tears back down.
He couldn't say he didn't deserve those words though.
Kai had done so much to help him, considering the fact that they were on opposite sides, and he repaid him by being such a creep.

"I apologize," he whispered, pressing the palm of his hand tighter against his throbbing chest.
"What?"
"I said I'm sorry!" he said it louder this time, keeping his eyes closed, his head bent down.

Kai stared at the Saint Shield for a moment.
The boy had now raised his knees to his chest, one arm wrapped around them whilst the other was clutching the black blade as tightly as ever.
He kept his face buried between his knees, his small body shivering slightly, but it didn't seem like it was from the cold, especially considering that he was just inches away from the fire.

Suddenly, he realized that this was his chance.
If Ozuma didn't want to tell him, all he had to do was…
Nodding to himself, he lunged at the boy and grabbing his wrist with one hand, he snatched Ozuma's blade with the other.

The younger captain let out a scream of utter fury.
"NO! GIVE IT BACK! GIVE IT BACK NOW!"
With that, he tugged his wrist free from Kai's hold and punched him square in the face.
The surprising force of the blow sent Kai tumbling on his stomach, and Ozuma lost no time in pinning him down from the back and ripping his BeyBlade furiously out of Kai's hand.

"Get off me, you ignorant fool!" the older boy growled just as furiously.
Ozuma did as he was told, however his face was still scrunched in anger at what Kai had tried to do.
He held his blade protectively with both hands, pressing it against his chest.
"What the hell is your problem?" Kai demanded, rubbing his sore jaw angrily.
"You had no right, no right at all…"
"So you freak out and deck me?!"

Kai couldn't believe what a hypocrite Ozuma was being.
He had no problem coming into his life, along with his friends, and trying time and again into taking away their Bit-Beasts, so why did he react in that way when he took the blade out of Ozuma's hand?
Now, he started to feel every drop of respect he felt for the younger boy melt away.

"I guess I was completely wrong about you," he said in a very stiff voice.
Ozuma looked up, startled.
"W… what?"
"I thought you were an incredible blader, someone I admired, even respected, but now… now I see you're nothing to be respected at all. You're weak, ignorant, ungrateful and a damned hypocrite! That's all you are!"
He said all this without pausing for air; when he finished, he chanced a look at the other boy, and began to regret what he said.

Ozuma was facing the ground now, his hands at his sides, his head bowed down as hot, fat tears streamed down his cheeks.
Those words wouldn't stop buzzing in his ears.
Weak…
Ignorant…
Ungrateful…
Hypocrite…

He just couldn't cope anymore.
Mist's betrayal, losing Flash Leopard, that frightening dream regarding his team-mates and now losing the respect of someone he admired so much, maybe even…
With that, his legs gave out on him and he'd have fallen face-first if Kai hadn't reacted quickly and caught him firmly in his arms.

Ozuma didn't register what had happened.
He shut his eyes tight and sobbed brokenly against Kai's chest, his pride long forgotten.
Not realizing what he'd done, he let his blade fall to the ground and wrapped his arms around the older boy's waist, crying harder.

Kai was shocked to the core.
What had he done?
This couldn't be happening!

Hearing Ozuma's blade fall a few inches by his feet, he placed one hand to rest at the small of the boy's back, while he used the other to gently stroke Ozuma's silken locks of hair.
"Shh, it's okay, it's okay," he kept saying gently.

However, when he took a quick look at Ozuma's fallen blade, he realized things weren't okay.
He was stunned beyond words when he saw that Flash Leopard was missing from the bit chip where he ought to have been…

No…

-----

Hi there, what's your name?
Um, I'm Ozuma.
The name's Mist.
…
How old are you?
6.
Cool, I'm 8.
I should go. It's late.
Wait, what month were you born in?
… January.
Wow, me too!
(Ozuma smiles)
I have a feeling we're going to be really good friends, Ozuma.

-----

Wee, what'd I tell ya guys? I promised you all a longer chapter so here it is!
I know, I do torture Ozuma too much, don't I? glomps him
I couldn't resist adding that Kai/Ozuma moment at the end, although I made it angstier than I originally planned! WAH!

Well, I hope this was to your liking everyone!
Please, review and make my day! puppy eyes of evil and chaos

P.S. As I said before, this story is now dedicated to my 2nd closest friend in the entire world, Sammy-chan! You're truly a light of hope and inspiration and SO much more! hugs you super-tight