Silvan Arrow: Hey! Guess what? I'm not dead!
Temporal Knights: Awww…
Silvan Arrow: -glares- What was that?
Temporal Knights: Uh…I mean… YAY!!!!!!!!!!
Silvan Arrow: That's what I thought.
Nakia: But you will be dead in a few minutes if you don't hurry up and start the chapter. The readers look a little ill-tempered from all the delays.
Silvan Arrow: Hey, I just finished an internship, so cut me a little slack!
Nakia: You always have some excuse…
Silvan Arrow: Well, since you seem to be in a hurry, you can do the disclaimer.
Nakia: Grr…fine… Silvan Arrow does not own Beyblade or any of its characters. She just owns her OCs.
Silvan Arrow: Thank you! While I try to come up with more excuses over why I've been taking so freakin' long to update, here's chapter 17. I'm so sorry it took so long! Please enjoy!
Chapter 17: Desert of Despair
'Curse Xhaiden to the lowest pits of hell.'
Raina lay on her back on her hotel bed, motionless, trying to mitigate the dull, constant throbbing coursing through her body. She experimentally tried moving her arm and sucked in her breath sharply through her teeth as a brutal jolt of pain lanced up the limb, which also aggravated the numerous bruises and welts covering her back. Even the slightest movement caused the fresh scabs to crack and bleed, and for a moment Raina dryly wondered how she would explain her blood-soaked, tattered shirt and crimson-stained sheets to the hotel housekeepers.
A light beating, Xhaiden had called it. Enough to get across that they were being punished for their carelessness in being followed yesterday, but not so much to render them useless for tomorrow's beybattles. Raina had battled with injuries worse than these during her years of training, but she would sooner bare her throat to Dregore's maw than risk showing any weakness in front of her opponents, especially considering whom she would be facing tomorrow.
The hotel room was eerily silent, save for the occasional pained moan coming from Ramona, who was stretched out on the other bed much like Raina. Alannah, on the other hand, was sitting in her usual chair in the corner, a slightly crazed smirk on her face. It rather disturbed Raina how masochistically that girl accepted pain, no doubt in part due to Nithhogr's influence. After marching back to the hotel last night, bruised and bleeding, Alannah had been the first and only one to get up during the night despite the numerous whiplashes on her arms and back that had not yet fully clotted.
Another moan from Ramona brought Raina back to reality. "Shut your voice box or I'll have Dregore shut it for you," Raina hissed. The liger wielder instantly fell silent. However, she almost regretted speaking aloud as her wounds throbbed painfully in protest. 'Time to lose Xhaiden's tokens of appreciation,' she thought grimly. Dregore, a little help here, she ordered.
In Raina's mind, Dregore growled with his teeth bared, and red-hot power flared to life around him. Raina let down the barriers that contained him just barely, and almost instantly her body felt like it was on fire as his energy poured into her. She downed a groan at the scent of burning flesh as he cauterized her wounds. She gritted her teeth against the searing pain and fed that pain back into herself as energy.
'Now the big question is…how to explain the burned sheets…'
"You did WHAT?!"
Tala took a deep breath and steeled himself for having to justify his actions to his purple-haired teammate. "Ian, the reason we did this…"
"No, I mean, you and Kai staked out Omega Platoon and didn't invite me?!" Ian asked incredulously. Tala, Bryan, Spencer, and Kai all sweat-dropped in unison. Ian started to go off on another rant, but Spencer clapped a hand on his mouth to keep him quiet.
While Ian's muffled complaints were the only sound in the room, Bryan took the opportunity to ask something that had been on his mind since his teammates had made their announcement. "So tell me, Tala, if you and Kai were planning on tailing Omega Platoon, why didn't you bring us for backup? If they had found you, they would have had the advantage in terms of sheer number."
"The thought did cross my mind, but I was afraid having five bit beasts along would draw too much attention to ourselves," Tala replied logically. "Even if we did everything possible to mask their presence, we can't underestimate the abilities of their bit beasts."
Bryan nodded in acknowledgement. "Fair enough."
Ian finally managed to pry Spencer's hand off his mouth and took several deep breaths. "Geez, I thought I was gonna die!" He turned an accusing eye to his teammates. "Is it just me, or are you guys getting just a little bit obsessive over the Temporal Knights?" He gave them each pointed looks, and his eyes widened at the slight flags of color covering each of their cheeks. "What? No way… It can't be…" He gazed disbelievingly at each of them in turn. "All of you?" One by one, they nodded.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! MY TEAM MATES ARE ALL SOFTIES!!!!!!!"
'So this is it. Everything comes down to one final battle,' Eri mused as she crossed her arms and gazed up at the stars, lost in her own little world. Sonja and Nakia had long since gone to bed, but sleep eluded Eri. She had finally given up after lying in bed wide-awake for an hour and had come outside to the pool area for some fresh air. For once, Pyrix had no words of wisdom to offer.
Eri didn't even bother turning around as Tala walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She leaned comfortably into his well-toned chest and sighed contentedly, enjoying his closeness for a few moments in silence. Tala rested his chin on her shoulder and nuzzled her neck affectionately. "Can't sleep, huh?" he whispered into her ear.
Eri shook her head in reply and uncrossed her arms. "I've just got a lot on my mind, what with the semi-finals tomorrow and all."
"You won't be in any condition to battle tomorrow if you're exhausted," Tala pointed out.
"Eh, I've dealt with worse," Eri replied with a careless shrug. However, her effort at appearing at ease didn't fool Tala. He knew her mannerisms too well.
" I know you're worried about tomorrow." When Eri didn't respond, Tala gently turned her around so she was facing him. He tenderly cupped her cheek with one hand and gazed into the jade green eyes he adored so much. "You'll be fine." And then, because he couldn't bear not to, he kissed her.
Tala started off slow, taking his time and moving his lips sensually against hers. Eri's eyelids drifted shut from pleasure as Tala allowed her to glimpse his gentler side, one that was normally sealed away. But when he felt Eri kiss him back, tenderness quickly escalated to passion and need as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her hard against him.
Eri moaned softly as Tala kissed her more fervently and flicked his tongue across her closed lips, desperately seeking entrance. Having no prior experience with this sort of thing, she timidly complied with his request and opened her mouth to him. Tala quickly set to work memorizing every inch of this new territory, claiming it as his own.
Eri shuddered as she felt Tala's tongue gently massage every inch of her mouth. She idly wondered where he had learned to kiss like that. Starting to get bolder, Eri pressed her hips against his and deepened the kiss, and soon the two were locked in a heated battle for dominance, one that Eri quickly lost. Just as her lungs were starting to burn from lack of oxygen, Tala pulled away, leaving them both breathing heavily yet unable to break eye contact. It was as if they were lost in their own little world, one that contained only the two of them.
Eri's eyelids drifted halfway shut as Tala reached up with one hand to caress her cheek and then leaned in and kissed her again. This time, she didn't waste any time allowing him access to her mouth. Her previous timidity was gone thanks to her raging hormones that had waited until now to awaken. His tongue left no area unexplored, drawing a heated moan from the back of her throat. She didn't try to fight him this time but instead surrendered control and allowed herself to be swept away into mind-melting bliss. Sensing Eri's boldness, Tala let one hand travel slowly down her side to her hip bone, grabbing it possessively, while his other hand splayed across the small of her back, keeping her as close to his body as possible.
Eri couldn't help but be amazed at how Tala had brought out a side of her she didn't even know she possessed. Normally she was so headstrong, only looking out for herself and her teammates while shutting out nearly everyone else. Tala had somehow managed to break through her barriers without even trying. He was all lean, hard muscle, which Eri was all the more aware of being pressed against his chest, and his arms promised unyielding strength and protection. Eri didn't know how, but he had managed to make her feel secure enough to finally let down her walls and actually be…vulnerable.
Without breaking the kiss, Tala managed to coax Eri down onto one of the lounge chairs set up by the pool. Leaning over her, he pulled away and nibbled her ear lobe, and then tracked burning kisses down her jaw line and neck. Eri shuddered and moaned breathlessly, pressing herself closer to his body and turning her head so he had easier access to the sensitive skin on her neck. Tala worked his way down and pressed a feather-light kiss where her neck met her shoulder, near her collarbone, sending a delicious shiver down her spine. "Tala…" Eri groaned, causing the redhead to smirk against her skin. He made a mental note that she was especially sensitive there and filed that information away for future use.
Tala finally pulled away, leaving Eri breathless and blushing, and shifted positions to lie on his back on the lounge chair. He gently pulled Eri into his arms so that her head rested on his chest. "The stars really are bright tonight," he said, more to himself than anyone. After a few seconds of silence, he glanced down fondly at the young woman beside him. "Eri?" But she was already asleep. 'Heh…looks like I'm sleeping here tonight,' he thought with a smirk. But that smirk quickly morphed to a tender smile as Eri shifted closer to him and sighed contentedly. Her arm draped across his middle, subconsciously seeking his warmth and protection. Even in sleep she trusted him, and that simple thought made Tala's eyes glow with pride and satisfaction. In his mind, Wolborg growled softly as he lay beside Pyrix and curled around her smaller, leaner frame in a display of male dominance and reassurance.
At that moment, there was no place Tala would rather be than by Eri's side, shielding her from all the cares of the world, even if it were just for one night. 'Get some rest while you can, because tomorrow will be a day of reckoning.'
"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen! At long last, we're ready to hold the first battle of the semi-finals of the Beyblade World Championship! After today, one lucky team will claim the first of two slots in the finals! Will it be the always-impressive Temporal Knights? Or will it be the unpredictable Omega Platoon? Whatever you do, keep your eyes on the dish!"
The applause in response to DJ Jazzman's speech was deafening, but the spectators' excited mood did nothing to quell the butterflies in Eri's stomach as she, Sonja, and Nakia walked out into the stadium beneath the bright spotlights to stand across from Raina, Alannah, and Ramona. Each blader bore a grim, determined expression, knowing full well the stakes of this battle, which went far beyond just a place in the finals. The outcome of today's battle would mean the difference between life and death for each team. Eri and Raina locked eyes, and the wordless clash of wills between them was enough to put their teammates even more on edge.
"What's this? It seems each team is down by one! Where are Hina and Vala?" DJ Jazzman asked.
"Does it matter?" Raina deadpanned, still keeping her eyes locked with her rival. "We each have the minimum number of bladers for a best of three match."
"W-well yes, but…"
"But nothing. I suggest you start the match…NOW," Raina warned. In her mind, Dregore paced restlessly within his cage, flames spewing from his mouth as he growled impatiently, eyes locked on the fire wolf standing across from him. Pyrix stood in a defensive crouch, snarling at the manticore with her hackles raised. Her body trembled from the restraint she was using to keep from pouncing on Dregore right then and there.
Meanwhile, up in the stands, the Blitzkrieg Boys were seated in the front row directly behind the Temporal Knights' bench. If Xhaiden decided to force his hand at any point during the battles, they would be ready. Bryan leaned over to Tala and asked in a hushed tone, "Where is Vala anyway?"
"Safe," Tala replied curtly. "Mr. Dickenson has her in the BBA headquarters under armed guard."
Ian suddenly burst out, "Hey, Spencer disappeared! Anyone see where he went?"
Kai smirked knowingly. "I wouldn't worry about him. I think I know where he is."
"Spencer, hurry! It's about to start!"
The blonde-headed Russian all but ran into the hospital room, holding a milkshake in each hand. "Sorry, the line at the cafeteria was ridiculous."
Hina shook her head in apparent dismay, but she was laughing on the inside. "Honestly, I can't believe you're thinking about milkshakes at a time like this."
Spencer chuckled as he sat down in the chair next to her bed and handed her a chocolate milkshake. "You'll thank me for this later. I thought you were sick of hospital food anyway."
"I can't even think of food without feeling sick right now, not when my teammates are about to fight Omega Platoon and I can't even do anything to help."
Spencer leaned over and kissed her cheek, then took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together, and squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry, they'll be fine. Tala and the others won't let anything happen to them."
Hina met Spencer's gaze and squeezed his hand back. "Thanks…" Her eyes went back to the television screen, but she didn't let go of Spencer's hand, which was enough to make him smile in satisfaction.
"Now let's get this battle underway! Teams, choose your bladers for the first round!"
Ramona wordlessly stepped forward for her team. Eri nodded to Nakia. "Don't think about the stakes. Just do your best," she said.
"I won't let you guys down. I swear it," Nakia replied. Her normally bubbly, cheerful demeanor was replaced by grim determination. She stepped up to the dish and attached her beyblade to her launcher. "This ends today, Ramona."
"Heh, we'll see about that," Ramona replied coolly as she assumed her launch stance.
"Get ready!" DJ Jazzman shouted, unaware that he was calling for the beginning of a battle that would forever alter the destinies of the teams involved. "3…2…1…"
"LET IT RIP!" Nakia and Ramona shouted as they yanked the ripcords, sending their beyblades flying into the dish at an incredible velocity. However, both bladers' next actions seemed to undermine the intensity of the launch. Their beyblades each took up positions at the edge of the dish and circled slowly, like two great cats stalking their prey.
"What's this? It's almost as if Nakia and Ramona are afraid to attack!" DJ Jazzman exclaimed.
'Afraid? Don't make me laugh,' Ramona thought.
'She uses a battle strategy that's a lot like mine. This won't be easy,' Nakia mused.
"Gygax, attack!"
"Uskadu, attack!"
At the same time, both beyblades roared to life and put on a burst of speed that led them to clash in the center of the dish in a series of fast, brutal slams. Then, just as quickly, they retreated to opposite edges of the dish and resumed stalking each other.
After several minutes of repeating this attack pattern, Ramona was fed up with waiting. "Gygax, time to hunt your prey!" A yellow beam of light erupted from her marigold beyblade and reformed into a liger bit beast. Gygax had the body of a lioness with tawny yellow fur, but she had tiger stripes on all four legs. Jet-black armor protected her chest and shoulders. She roared menacingly at Nakia and charged directly for her, fully intent on attacking the beyblader directly.
"Uskadu, now!" Nakia called desperately. The black panther leapt from his beyblade and threw himself headlong into Gygax, sending both great cats sprawling to the ground and away from his mistress in a tangle of fur, claws, and teeth.
Uskadu and Gygax got to their feet and stood in front of their mistresses, snarling with their hackles raised and teeth bared. For several long moments, they circled each other warily while their beyblades moved slowly around the edge of the dish.
"Uskadu!"
"Gygax!"
Both bit beasts sprang simultaneously with feral growls, tearing into each other with tooth and claw. At the same time, their beyblades traded vicious blows that sent sparks flying.
"Gygax, you can do better than that! Now get serious!" Ramona ordered. Gygax broke away just long enough to spring back again and lock her jaws around Uskadu's throat.
"Hrk!" Nakia's eyes widened and her hand flew to her throat as she gasped for breath. She could almost feel Gygax's teeth boring into her neck thanks to her bond with Uskadu. Taking advantage of the situation, Ramona's beyblade dealt a brutal slam to Nakia's, driving whatever wind she had left out of her lungs.
Up in the stands, Bryan growled deep in his throat and gripped the armrests of his chair until his knuckles turned white. Sensing his master's distress, Falborg gave an enraged shriek and beat his wings restlessly, itching for the chance to unleash his wrath on whatever crossed his path. True, Bryan had been experiencing some new emotions lately, but the one he had never hoped to feel was complete, utter helplessness, and he was certainly feeling that now watching Nakia.
Mistress, my strength is fading… Uskadu said. His efforts to pry Gygax off his throat were quickly becoming weaker.
'Hang on!' Nakia urged, even as her vision blurred and she felt her own strength slipping away due to lack of oxygen. She closed her eyes and concentrated, sending all her remaining strength into her beyblade. A black aura surged to life around Uskadu, and he forced Gygax off in a powerful burst of energy. Ramona grunted as she felt the force of the blow as well.
"Not bad, Ghali, but let's see how you fare against this," Ramona taunted as Gygax steadied herself. "Electro Strike!" Gygax's fur stood up on end like a hundred lightning rods, and electricity surged from her body and crackled around her. Nakia shuddered as she felt static electricity run down her arms and give her goose bumps. Gygax gave a defying roar and charged for the attack.
"Desert Fang!" Nakia countered. Sand swirled around Uskadu as both a shield and a weapon, and the panther gave a vicious roar as he charged to meet Gygax's lightning. The two bit beasts clashed in a fierce explosion that kicked up a massive cloud of dust interlaced with sparks. When it cleared, the two cats were still standing, though severely weakened, but Uskadu's attack seemed to have done more damage. Ramona's beyblade was starting to wobble, and Gygax's armor was cracked.
"Heh, I get it," Eri remarked with a smirk, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
"Okay…you mind explaining what exactly you get?" Sonja asked.
"Think about it. Gygax is a lightning-element bit beast while Uskadu's element is earth. Uskadu did more damage just now because his earth-based attack grounded Gygax's lightning."
"Ah, so Nakia has a good chance of pulling off a win."
"That's the idea."
'Not good…this girl is better than I thought,' Ramona thought as she took deep breaths to draw much-needed air into her lungs and gripped her side painfully. She glanced behind her, where Xhaiden was giving her a look that promised a most unpleasant future. 'However, losing is not an option.' She turned her gaze forward to her opponent. "I must commend you for surviving this long, but it's time to put an end to these meaningless games." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and lightning surged from her fists and arced around her body in a fierce aura as Gygax's power flowed through her, electrifying every last one of her cells.
"I agree, and I've got just the thing to finish this battle," Nakia replied with just as much determination. Uskadu's black aura spread to cover his mistress, and her eyes narrowed to catlike slits as her beyblade spun with incredible velocity. "Uskadu! Terra Quake!" Uskadu gave a thundering roar and called up numerous rock spires that pierced upward through the dish and the surrounding area, aiming for Gygax and Ramona's beyblade.
"Gamma Electrocution!" Ramona countered, calling upon her final attack. She sent the electricity gathered around her body to Gygax and her beyblade, which burst forth in dozens of lightning bolts. To Nakia's horror, the lightning struck Uskadu's rock spires and actually destroyed them.
"Gygax!"
"Uskadu!"
They called at the same time, "ATTACK!!!!" The two bit beasts clashed headlong in a blinding explosion that shook the entire stadium. Their mistresses cried out and brought up their arms to shield their heads. When they could finally see again, they found the dish completely destroyed with remnants of Uskadu's rock spires lying haphazardly around the stadium area. Both bit beasts were gone, having spent their power and retreated. The sound of coughing drew Nakia and Ramona's attention, and they looked to the side to see DJ Jazzman staggering back to what was left of the dish.
"W-what happened?" Ramona asked in a daze.
"Who won the battle?" Nakia wondered aloud. Then she gasped at the sight before her. Her beyblade was lying motionless in the middle of the wreckage, its attack ring in tatters. Ramona's beyblade was still wobbling, only to collapse mere seconds later.
"And there you have it! Ramona has just barely defeated Nakia in a heart-stopping battle!" DJ Jazzman announced, garnering a round of applause. "We will now take a one-hour break to repair the dish and clean up before the next round."
The sound of applause barely met Nakia's ears as she sank to her knees and stared numbly at her beyblade. "But…how? It's impossible…" she muttered to the air.
"Heh, why are you so shocked?" Ramona teased. "If you can't even beat me, then there's no way your pathetic teammates will win against Alannah or Raina. The Temporal Knights are finished." She picked up her beyblade and carefully blanked her face before returning to her team's bench.
Sonja turned to her captain bewildered. "What happened? I was sure Uskadu's Terra Quake would ground Gygax's attack!"
Eri looked just as shocked. "I'm not sure. I guess Ramona's attack was just too powerful." She looked up as Nakia limped back to the bench, her head bowed so that her bangs were shadowing her eyes. "Nakia…"
"Save the lectures for later, Eri. I don't want to hear it," Nakia snapped. Eri and Sonja looked in shocked silence as their younger teammate walked past them and left the stadium through the door behind the bench.
"So what do we do now?" Sonja asked.
Eri stood up and looked down at her friend, arms crossed, before replying resolutely, "We prepare for the next match."
"Oh Nakia…"
Spencer's heart nearly broke seeing the hurt on Hina's face and the stray tears that worked their way loose down her cheeks. He could only imagine the pain she was feeling, having seen her best friend suffer such a heart-wrenching loss.
Before he could stop himself, Spencer reached over and gently brushed away her tears with his thumb, which caused her to look at him in confusion. "I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better," he admitted, helplessness written all over his face.
Hina leaned her face into the hand that still cupped her cheek and closed her eyes briefly. "It's alright… You don't have to say anything." For her, his presence alone was enough.
SMACK!
Ramona visibly flinched, and her hand automatically reached up to her left cheek, where a red handprint was quickly forming. Beside her, Raina and Alannah stood motionless in the dark hallway, their eyes trained emotionlessly on their coach.
"That was pathetic! You should have won in less than half that time!" Xhaiden raged. "Look at this!!" He held out her beyblade so she could see the claw mark that stretched from the attack ring down to the base. "This is how you repay me for all the years I've invested in your training? You insolent wretch!" With more strength than his injured body seemed to possess, he threw her beyblade down to the ground. Ramona flinched visibly as it shattered into a million pieces, leaving only the bit chip intact.
His wrath satisfied for now, he turned his back to the three girls. "I'll spare your life this time because you somehow managed to win, but don't think this trespass will go unpunished." Then he stalked off, his form fading into the shadows like a specter. Raina and Alannah followed wordlessly, though Raina paused just long enough to send Ramona a withering death glare.
'Things will only get worse for the Temporal Knights. I'll make sure of that,' Raina thought bitterly. Dregore growled his assent.
"DARN IT!!!"
Nakia slammed her first into the wall yet again, paying no heed to the pain that shot up her arm or the blood that trickled down her knuckles. She punched the wall again and leaned her forehead against the cold, forbidding stone, her eyes scrunched shut to stave off the impending flood of tears. "I should have won that battle! I had her on the ropes! What went wrong?! WHAT?"
Mistress…
'LEAVE ME ALONE!!!' she shrieked mentally before throwing up a barrier to block Uskadu from her mind.
Nakia drew her fist back for another assault, but a calloused hand gripped her wrist in a firm yet gentle hold. She whirled around enraged, but she froze abruptly, eyes widening, upon seeing Bryan staring back at her impassively. "Bryan, what…"
"If you're trying to break down that wall, it's not working," he cut her off. Still holding her wrist, he turned her hand over to take note of the split, bleeding skin around her knuckles, and his expression softened. "What are you trying to accomplish by punishing yourself like this?"
"How could you possibly understand?" Nakia demanded, her voice cracking from trying to hold back a sob. "I should have won! I let me teammates down! I…"
Her protests were abruptly cut off as Bryan suddenly pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her slender, shaking form. "Shh…none of that matters right now," he soothed. He pressed his lips against her forehead in a rare display of tenderness. "I'm just…so glad you're safe…"
Unable to hold them back any longer, tears spilled over Nakia's closed eyelids as her hand gripped the front of Bryan's shirt. He held her tighter, trying to reassure her with his presence. 'You don't understand… None of us are truly safe…not when he's still out there,' Nakia thought privately. 'But…maybe I can let myself feel safe while Bryan is here… Just for a little while…'
End chapter 17
Author's Note: First, let me just say again that I'm terribly sorry it took so long for me to update. My heart just hasn't been in it lately because of my internship, but now that it's done, I'm finally getting back into the writing mood again. I hope this chapter at least partly makes up for my lack of updates! I thought about trying to squeeze in Sonja's battle as well, but then it would make the chapter ridiculously long. So fear not, KaixSonja fans! They will get plenty of action next chapter!
Now then, I know it's been a while, but I have a two-part poll for all you awesome readers and reviewers!
Question 1. Should I write a sequel?
Ha! I finally sprung the magic word! I have been thinking about writing a sequel and have been tossing around some ideas in my head. I've even written a couple of short scenes. The sequel I have in mind would focus less on beybattles and more on the Temporal Knights' private lives and, of course, their relationships with the Blitzkrieg Boys. So…when you review, please let me know what you would think about a sequel.
Question 2. Should I include one or more pairings featuring Omega Platoon? If so, what pairings would you like to see?
Yes, I know Raina and the others are supposed to be the bad guys…er…girls, but hey, even they could probably use some love too, right? Would you like to see any of them paired up with a Beyblade guy in a future fic? If so, let me know in your reviews or in a PM which guys you would like to see paired with them. The only ones that are off-limits are Rei and Tyson because of Mariah and Hilary, respectively. Anyone else is fair game!
Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and about my poll! Take care, everyone!