Chapter 59------Midnight Showdown
"Yuki…" Kai stared out at Tyson's backyard: the evergreen bonsai tree stood out against the blatant white as the snow fell to the ground. It didn't snow much in Tokyo like it did in Russia, it rained most of the time but occasionally the snow flakes would fall softly on peoples' heads; just like it did today. But one thing's for sure, Kai hated the snow. It brought back too many painful memories…
-Flashback-
Running; running through the snow which went up to our knees. And then you fell…
I turned around and saw you lying in the snow.
Tala!
I ran back to help you but saw them coming, shouting for us, carrying guns…They reached you first and I couldn't do a thing. I wanted to save you…but I had to save myself.
You shouted my name but I couldn't come…I couldn't come…I ran ahead, turning back to see you clawing the ground…shouting my name
Kai! KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!
-End of flashback-
"Dooshite?" A touch on the shoulder made him jerk. "You looked dazed." Kai looked up to see Mai, her black hoody wrapped snugly around her shoulders. She looked at him intently, waiting for an answer.
"Nothing…" He got up from the corridor and walked inside—"You're not going in?" Mai sat in the same spot that Kai had occupied, her back was turned and there came no reply.
"H—"
"Let me stay a little while longer," the girl mumbled.
'What? She…' Kai noticed that there was a tinge of sorrow to her voice. What was wrong? He wanted to know, but he also knew he couldn't intrude into her personal life. "You'll catch a cold," he made it seemed like he didn't care and went inside the house. Mai's lips moved, 'Kankenai yo…(I don't care)' The two-toned blue haired boy watched her from the living room, "Pfft…" He decided to let her be. She was weird after all, and he could do more productive things than this on a Saturday. Kai got off the sofa and prepared to go upstairs when— "Ah! Kai!"
The boy halted, cursing his rotten luck if he had to do another batch of laundry. "Could ya do a lil' grocery shoppin' fer me? I've asked the lil' dude to go with you."
'Tyson?' Kai's face twitched. But seeing how the old man worked so had to look after them, it was the least he could do to return the favour. He nodded once. "Na, tanomu zou! (I'll leave it up to you)" Grampa G handed him a purse and a long list of things before hurrying off to who knows where in the house. Kai glanced at the list. His pupils widened.
"Let's go, dumb-dumb. Or are you gonna stand there all morning?" Tyson appeared at the foot of the stairs wearing a dark blue pullover and faded jeans. "Shut up!" Kai snapped. He was kind enough to agree to go with Tyson, so the bluenette better not push his luck.
-Fast forward-
"Why couldn't you carry the milk?"
"Shut your trap and walk," Kai rebuked. He heard Tyson mutter to himself but kept quiet after that. The two walked the familiar path back home, the heavy bags knocking against their legs. Suddenly, something shot out of nowhere and stabbed the wall, almost missing Kai. 'What the—!' He dropped the bags and scanned his surroundings.
"KOCHI YO! (Over here)"
The voice sounded from above but where? "Kai! Soko da!" Kai's eyes followed the direction of Tyson's pointed finger. Across them, a figure stood on a branch, a grin plastered on his face. "You!"
"Yo!(Hey)" Riya's grin widened as he looked down at them. "Read the note," he cocked his head to the wall, "I'm looking forward to tonight!" He leapt off the branch and onto the nearest roof and then disappeared from sight.
"What's he trying to do? KILL US?" Kai ignored Tyson's protests as he pulled out the arrow. His fingers untied the note and opened it:
Meet us at the park tonight at
11pm. Don't bring Mai along
unless you want her to get
hurt. This is your last chance,
otherwise we're taking her away.
'Last chance?' Kai knitted his brows, what kind of crazy joke was this? Tyson peered over his shoulder to read, "Are they challenging us?" "Looks like it," the boy replied tersely and crushed the note between his fingers. "Should we tell the rest?" Kai didn't answer but picked up his bags and carried on walking. 'Like I'd let them take Mai. Hmph.'
That night…
"Oishii! Tottemo oishii!" Mai placed another chopstick full of okonomiyaki (it's a kind of omelette pancake with toppings) in her mouth, merrily chewing the squid and green peppers. "Saa, motto tabette yo. (Here, eat more)" Tyson dumped another freshly cooked okonomiyaki on her plate. Mai raised a brow at this. Tyson NEVER gave up his food. "What's going on?"
"Nothing!" Max forced a laugh, "You need to eat more." He flashed an overdone smile. Mai wasn't too convinced but oh well, good food was enough to keep her quiet for the time being. 'Phew…' Max heaved a mental sigh of relief. 'What a stupid plan!'
-Flashback-
"How about sleeping pills?"
Everyone but Rei violently shook their heads. "Haha, okay. Perhaps that's going a bit overboard," the neko-jin smiled sheepishly.
"I know! We'll cook her favourite food for dinner! That way she'll eat a lot then get sleepy!"
Max gave him a stoned look, "Sounds like something that would work on you…"
"Trust me. It'll work!" Tyson nodded determinedly.
-End of flashback-
"Whoa…it really did work." The boys gawked at Mai. She was sleeping like a baby, grasping the tip of her blanket. It felt strange to be watching a girl this close sleep. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since they had scrutinised the girl's features. Her nostrils flared slightly with every breath she exhaled and her skin had a light tan. But the most distinguishing feature was her eyes: almond-shaped with a deep mesmerising blue iris and dark pupils laden with emotion and soul. That was the first thing they noticed when they found her. She was tattered and scruffy, but her eyes shone like dew in the morning light, you couldn't help but to stop and take notice. Too bad they were closed now…
"Satteto, ikimasu ka? (Shall we go?)" Rei straightened up and cracked his neck. The rest stood up.
"Mai, bokutachi wa mo sugu kaeru ne? Yukkuri nemurinasai. (We'll be back soon okay? Sleep well.)"
"Max."
The blond hurried to join his friends at the door. What business team Freedom had with them at this hour they didn't know, but they were soon going to find out.
The Bladebreakers reached the park at a quarter to eleven. They hung around the playground, listening, waiting for their rivals to show up. The park echoed with the sounds of the night. The faint howling of the wind ran through the bare and bony branches, swiping at any leaves which still clung desperately onto the trees, cutting off their only life source. The lamps emitted a soft glow, which did nothing to warm the frosty air. Everything was empty and uneasily silent; so much for the park at night.
"Kitta ne! (You came!)" A voice rang into the night. The boys perked up and looked around, they couldn't see who it belonged to but they knew they were not alone. Shadows flitted in and out of the nearby trees, twigs snapped, and even the lamps seemed to dim a little, the atmosphere was starting to get a bit creepy. "De te koi! (Come out and show yourselves!)" Kai shouted. He was in no mood to play games. If Riya had called them out for some trick-or-treat crap, then he'd make sure this would be a night Riya would never forget.
"Mai wa sounnani taisetsu ka? (Is Mai that precious to you?)"
The Bladebreakers spun around. There, standing on top of the monkey bars, was team Freedom. The foursome leapt off the bars and landed a few feet in front of the Bladebreakers. Now they were all on level ground. "I asked you a question, is Mai that precious to you?"
'Riya…' Copellia looked at her leader and wondered if this was the right thing to do…
-Flashback-
"We WHAT?"
"It's the only way Mit-chan and Drex will accept it."
"But-But!"
"You said she couldn't come with us, you told me to stay far far away until everything was over."
"B-BUT!" Copellia tried to speak.
"Everything was your idea," Riya looked at her. The maroon-haired girl's jaw went slack, "MY IDEA?" Which dimension did that come from? "Don't try and pin the blame on me, Riya! You planned everything without telling me!"
"It was a mutual agreement," he shrugged his shoulders. 'Mutual agreement? MUTUAL AGREEMENT?' Copellia wanted to wring this guy's neck and feed it to the dogs.
"So you're just gonna leave Mai in the dark without knowing why you left? YOU'RE NOT EVEN GONNA SAY GOODBYE?"
Riya sighed, it was hard to explain everything to her, not to mention hard on himself for making such a difficult decision. "All I want is for her to be safe…and I've already made up my mind." He met her gaze, "You said you would follow me no matter what happens. Well, this is my decision."
Copellia's eyes wavered, she didn't know if she should cry, laugh or get angry. It all seemed pointless. She couldn't shake his decision either way, the boy was adamant. "Fine…I'll do what you want."
The girl lowered her voice to a sterner note, "But if you hurt Mai, I'll never forgive you."
-End of flashback-
"Mai wa bokutachi taisetsuna otomodachi. Sore wa dooshita? (Mai's our precious friend. What's wrong with that?)" Tyson answered.
Riya smiled to himself, 'I just wanted to know.' "We'll settle this in a best two out of three match! Winner gets to keep Mai!"
"Why can't you let Mai decide for herself who she wants to stick with?" Rei argued.
"Heh, you guys should be grateful! We planned on taking her away but Riya decided to give you a chance. We're being very fair." Mit-chan's eyes narrowed into a sinister glare. She loathed these people, these Humans. Why did Mai have to stick with them? They were totally different from her! Mai belonged with the elite, the four chosen tribes. Humans were just the leftovers, the scum of the Earth.
Kai returned her glare. This girl had some nerve insulting them, but he kept his cool. He'd show them what it really meant to be 'fair'.
"So what will it be? Do you accept our challenge?"
The Bladebreakers whipped out their blades, "Need we say more?"
For some reason the wind kicked up and the air around them grew chilly as both teams prepared for the battle. And where you ask was the beydish? Why, the whole park of course! Riya knew the confinements of a beystadium were not enough to contain such power. Tonight's battle was going to be extreme and the bit-beasts needed all the space they could get. Tyson was up against Mit-chan in the first round. The two bladers took their positions across each other, beyblades fitted and ready to launch.
"Are you sure about this? Mit-chan doesn't take defeat very nicely…"
"Don't worry. She won't lose so easily." Riya reassured Copellia. "Ready? THREE TWO ONE LET IT RIP!"
Both blades landed on the hard ground, immediately charging for each other. Tyson recalled what Mai had said a long time ago, that Mit-chan was more on the impulsive, quick-thinking side. A dangerous combination if she could pull it off. He watched as Dragoon swerved out of the pale-yellow blade's line of attack, shooting across the floor to a safer distance. "Nigasanai! (You're not getting away)" Mit-chan's blade chased after Dragoon, ramming against it, sending it slamming into the slide. "Dragoon!" The white blade bounced on the floor but somehow managed to stay spinning. Mit-chan clucked her tongue in dissatisfaction, the white beyblade didn't seem at all fazed by her attack. Her beyblade charged at Dragoon again, but this time Tyson's beyblade darted to the side fast enough to dodge the hit. 'It's pretty fast,' a smirk played on Mit-chan's lips, 'but not as fast as mine!' "LET'S GO MINURA!"
'!'
In a flash, the pale-yellow blade appeared next to Dragoon and tackled it. "What the—!" Tyson was flabbergasted. Minura was—then it—over there—HOW?
"It disappeared!" Max exclaimed.
"No," Rei corrected, "Minura's moving at an extremely fast speed. Probably even as fast as light!"
"Light? Then Tyson can't—!"
"That's right. Then again, Tyson might enjoy the challenge." Rei turned and smiled at Max who returned the friendly gesture.
Minura was no where in sight, reappearing only to inflict more damage on Dragoon. It was teasing Dragoon with swift and light attacks. However, Tyson knew that a little amounted to a lot in the long-run and he'd better do something quick before Dragoon became too exhausted. The boy looked out for the tiny sparks that appeared every once in a while, hoping to pinpoint Minura's next location. The yellow blade was moving so fast that the electrons in the air were rubbing off its surface, generating static.
-Zap!-
-Zrrr!-
-Zap!-
'C'mon c'mon! Where's it gonna pop up next?' His eyes frantically searched the area, if only he could slow down her blade! 'That's it! Slow down her beyblade!' "DRAGOON! GALAXY STORM ATTACK!" The blue dragoon shot into the sky and disappeared. Seconds later, the clouds above began to spiral, the wind started to race and the trees shook violently around them.
It was coming!
Loud rumbling filled their ears as the tornado grew bigger and bigger. Not one, but THREE tornadoes touched down on the ground, scarring the land as they raced towards Minura. The yellow beyblade darted ahead, trying to avoid the sucking force of the tornadoes. But the wind was too strong, Minura was losing speed! Mit-chan furrowed her brows as she watched her beyblade get sucked into the whirlwind. No, it couldn't be over, not like this! "MINURA!"
Mit-chan's blade glowed white, sending jolts of electricity in every direction. Bit by bit the tornado began to diminish while Minura seemed to get stronger. Everyone watched in confusion, Minura wasn't even fighting back so how could it—?
"LOOKS LIKE YOUR DRAGOON'S GETTING WEAKER!" Mit-chan yelled over the raging wind.
"Huh?" Tyson listened up.
"Chikara wa," Mit-chan broke into a wolfish grin, "arigatou ne! (Thanks for the re-charge!) MINURA! ETERNIIIAAAA!" A beam of golden light blasted forth from her beyblade. A howl erupted into the night as the light fanned out to reveal a cream-coloured dog. It had a long horn on its forehead and a flowing brown mane which ran down its back to the tip of its tail. Electric sparks sizzled around its horn as it looked skyward and let out a haunting howl. The sky suddenly darkened, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled like heavy chains being dragged across the floor.
'Arashi? (A storm)' Kai dropped his gaze from the sky to Mit-chan. The girl definitely had something up her sleeve.
Once again, Minura vanished but this time whenever it reappeared, a bolt of lightning would crash down to Earth, frying anything that stood in its way. It was like a quick-attack, and it was heading straight for Dragoon!
-Zrrr!-
-Zap!-
In a fraction of a second, in just a fraction of a second Minura had reached its target. The white beyblade received the full 5000 volts, but it didn't mean Tyson escaped unscathed. "ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!"
"TYSON!"
His team mates watched in horror as the boy fell to his knees. Drex was good but they never expected the younger of the Dureinne siblings to pack such a punch. Mit-chan could turn out to be an even stronger opponent than her brother!
The rain pelted down on the boy as he steadied himself. His clothes were tattered and a little smoke wafted from his body as the rain cooled off the heat. But through the worn-out appearance, Tyson still managed to put on a smile. '! He's…smiling?' Mit-chan couldn't believe it, after all that, after 5000 volts! He could still smile? WAS HE FOR REAL? She heard him chuckle, "Why are you laughing? You're supposed to hate it!"
"Haha, hate it?" Tyson lifted his face to look at her, "I love it! You're such an amazing blader! Its knowing that people like you exist in this world that makes beyblading ten times—no, a HUNDRED times more interesting! I feel that if my opponent is battling so hard then it's only fair that I give it my all as well. That's why, I'm not gonna hold back. I'm gonna give you everything I've got."
Mit-chan took a moment to analyse his words. This guy…How could this guy have so much confidence in his opponent? He trusted her despite the fact that she was the enemy… '!' Could this be the reason why Tyson was so strong? Mit-chan shook her head, 'No! This battle is for Mai, there's no way I'll let them have her!'
Riya watched his friend's hesitation, "That's why she can't win," Copellia turned to look at him, "because Tyson has the power to change his opponents. To make them realise something they never knew before." The rain trickled down his half-hearted smile, "Perhaps if I had battled him sooner, things wouldn't have turned out this way."
"Riya…"
Both bit-beasts were locked in a staring competition. Neither flinched, for their next move would mean an attack. 'I'll make you wipe that smile off your face!' "MINURA! ATAAACCCKKK!" The dog lunged at the massive reptile, locking its jaws onto Dragoon's armour. It blasted Dragoon with another 5000 volts before leaping off him. Dragoon shook off the after-effect and swiped a claw at Minura, barely grazing its fur. But what Tyson lacked in speed, he made up for in force. "DRAGOON STORM ATAAACCK!" A spiralling tower of wind shot like an arrow through the air, hitting Minura at full force. Mit-chan skidded on the now muddy ground. Again Dragoon attacked, sending shock waves rippling through the area. The girl had her arms crossed above her head, trying to minimise the blow as every wave sent her retreating further back. "Jikkushyo! Aitsu wa, naze konnani tsuyoi? (Damn it! Why is he so strong?)"
"MIT-CHAN! SHIKKARISHITE! (Hang in there)" Copellia shouted.
"Wakatta yo...!" the girl replied through gritted teeth. She pushed forward, step by step against the reverberating waves. "I'll never…LET YOU HAVE MAI!"
'!' For a second there, Kai thought he was watching himself battle. Mit-chan had so much fortitude, so much that she wanted to prove, so much that she wanted to hold on to. Her willpower was so great because she wanted to gain something, something that was precious to her. And then he realised it. Was Mai that precious to him too?
"GO DRAGOOON!"
Both blades charged straight for each other with blue and yellow lights trailing behind them. The lights collided and erupted into a spectrum of white light which spread out through the park, rendering everyone blind. Rei coughed as the dust got caught in his throat. He struggled to open his eyes against the diminishing bright light…
-Granger residence-
The soft pounding of the rain against the window made the girl stir in her bed. Mai lifted a lazy eye, "Ame…ka?" The misty glow outside the window confirmed her doubt. She sat up groggily and looked around. Where were the boys?
-Back to the park-
It pounded on her body, heavy and hard, as she stood there standing; the impact of defeat.
Tyson's shoes squelched to the rhythm of the rain as he picked up his beyblade. He turned to face Riya, "That's one win for us!" The brown-haired boy nodded in acknowledgment. No use blowing his own trumpet when he had nothing to show for it, he'd keep his comments to himself, no matter how nasty.
"Mit-chan!" Copellia ran to her friend's side. "Mit-chan." she rubbed the girl's shoulders, "Are you all right? It's oka—" But the words got caught in her mouth when she saw the expression on the girl's countenance. It was raining heavily, but not enough to conceal her tears; tears of anger and disappointment. "Jikkushyo... moshi watashi…motto ganbarimasu kara…Mai wa… (Damn it…If only I had tried harder…Mai would…Mai would…)" The look on Mit-chan's face caused Copellia's heart to ache. "Jikkushyo!"
'Te me…Riya!' If this was his plan…to hurt everyone…then she wouldn't stand for it. Copellia marched up to him and held a finger inches away from his face, "I told you, if you hurt my friends I'm not going to forgive you." She narrowed her eyes, "You better make them pay in the next round." Riya kept his composure even under threat from his own kind. Mit-chan's lost was a sacrifice that had to be made. It was all part of the plan. He stepped aside and advance towards the Bladebreakers.
"One of you will battle me in the next round…Prepare yourselves." With that, the boy walked away from the group, knowing quite well who they would send out next.
"We're going up against Riya? But that's a sure loss for us! He's got Eden!" Max argued. This battle was totally unfair!
Kai didn't seem at all surprised. He expected them to fight back. Perhaps, everything would end in their favour since they had Eden. Then what was the purpose of this battle? To show-off? They just wanted to bring them down, didn't they? To see who was more superior in one big hell-of-a defeat. The boy sneered at the thought.
-Granger residence-
"GRAMPA G! GRAMPA G!" Mai pounded on the door. Something was definitely up. The boys were missing and she had been locked in. But what on earth for? "PLEASE GRAMPA G! LET ME OUT!" Outside, the old man stood in silence as the door rattled before him. He couldn't let her out until the crack of dawn. The boys had entrusted this responsibility to him and he planned on keeping his word. Besides, everything was for a good cause: to protect her. After a while, the banging stopped and Grampa G was able to relieve a bit of his guilt, 'So she finally gave up huh?' But unknown to him, the rain was drenching the curtains…
…through the open window.
-Park-
Kai fitted his beyblade onto his launcher and stood at a ready stance. He was fully aware of what he was up against, but could he handle such power? Eden certainly wasn't going to be a walk in the park. But if there was a chance he could win, the victory would be as sweet as honey.
"You ready?"
"Yeah," Kai replied. 'Let's win this, Dranzer.'
The two boys faced-off each other. This match may not reveal who the winner was, but it was going to be the deciding factor…
…Of who got to keep Mai's heart.
Blu: Aww, ain't that sweet? But for some reason it makes me cringe haha. Oh well, I'm not gonna let Kai turn into some softy :P