blackamber- I was really pumped writing this…
Windy- It's true… I was there…
Bryan- Why… what happened? (look of horror) You didn't have another Beyblade marathon did you? It's really scary when you do.
blackamber- Nope, not this time! I was listening to the Buffy musical episode… or rather just the songs… and the opening to the show… it gets you really pumped for writing action and… and fighting… and suspense!
Windy- And then listening to the songs "Standing", "Wish I Could Stay", and "Under Your Spell" make you want all nice and sweet moments.
blackamber- (nods in agreement) Anywho, props out to my Hurricane Twin once again for coming to my rescue with a name for Cole's new blade and attacks for it.
Windy- (teary eyed) (sniff) More love (sniff)
Amy- (rolls eyes) Is she going to do that every time you give her "props" as you put it?
blackamber- (thinks about it for a second) Probably… she usually does…
Melissa- Usual disclaimer
Kaylie paced around the table on the fourth morning of training. The combinations were going fine, just in need of some tweaking here and there, but that wasn't what she was concerned about. "Are you sure it's okay for us to let them sleep in?" she asked her brother and Hilary.
The rest of the bladers were either with them in the kitchen, or relaxing in the 'family' room.
"Don't worry about it Kaylie," Kenny said.
"Yeah, Amy and Tala deserve some rest, I can't imagine how this is affecting them come nightfall, so it might be nice to just let them sleep," Hilary smiled.
"Fine… but if Amy explodes I blame you guys," muttered Kaylie, finally taking a seat.
"Why would she explode?" asked Lee.
"You don't know her… she's very… particular about what time she wakes up at…" Brook explained.
"Or, at least she was, you never know now," shrugged Courtney, "having kids may have changed that in her."
"This is true," considered Brook.
Cool air blew in through unknown cracks in the old window, 'causing a certain woman to snuggle closer to her red-haired husband for warmth. She wasn't really asleep still, merely awake with her eyes closed. Which meant, she heard the soft, tenor chuckle of said husband from her action.
"I thought you had someone fix that," she grumbled.
"Now why would I do that? It's not like it really bothers us." She knew he was grinning at her.
"Today… we finish this," she growled, referring to all training they had done.
Tala wrapped his arm around her, nodding his head, "Yeah."
Kaylie tapped a pen against a clipboard she had, "We need a battle strategy."
"Shouldn't we wait for Amy and Tala before we start planning ?" Melissa asked.
"We'll inform them of the plan when they come down and they can alter is as they see fit. Rick, Courtney, Melissa and Daichi will be our demolition squad," stated Kaylie, pointing to each person.
"Demolition squad?" Daich echoed questioningly.
"Yup, that means any sort of barrier that we may face, we'll trust you guys to take down with your Drop Torrent and Spark Cutter. It should be no problem for you guys."
"What classifies a 'barrier'?" asked Melissa.
Courtney rolled her eyes, "Gates, walls- any inanimate object that may block our path."
"Gotcha."
"Obviously, Amy and Tala are going to head the rescue squad, which means we need volunteers for the attack squad. I think Max and Tyson are going to have to be on that team- we didn't waste three days of them learning that attack just so that they could infiltrate the place without a fight." Kaylie flipped through her notes, trying to think of up a decent strategy.
"Maybe, we should take those who are the best at the combinations and place them in the attack squad, everyone else can help out with rescuing. Aside from Amy and Tala I mean," suggested Hilary.
"Alright… that puts Ian, Spencer, Bryan, Kai, Brook, Lee, Ray Mariah, Kevin and Eddie on the attack squad with Tyson and Max. Leaving the rescue squad to Michael, Gary, Sadie, and Emily with Amy and Tala," said Kaylie.
"Put Bryan and I on the rescue squad," ordered Kai.
"Why?"
"'Cause it's more likely that they are going to run into Boris, Cole and that head of that fort back in Canada," said Kai.
"Not too mention, that it also evens up the teams a bit more," Kenny added.
"Put Rick and Courtney with the rescue squad as well, so that they can knock down any shields Boris puts up, and Mel and Daichi will remain with the attack squad," Amy's voice drifted into the kitchen as she walked in, Tala behind her.
Kaylie nodded, adding each name to the lists.
"Tell me, around what time today can we attack Bolkov Abbey?" Tala asked, his tone dark.
"As soon as the chief and Kayle finish up with tweaking the blades and Michael and Gary have a smoother combination," Lissa responded.
Tala and Amy glanced at each other with a smirk, "We'll make sure they do."
Thea's legs felt like jelly as she was forced to stand for a second day in a row. Her wrists were swollen from the taut ropes that bound them above her head. At times, when her legs would give out, she would swear her shoulders were going to dislocate. She shivered with cold as the bitter wind hit her chilled body.
From a glass window, above the arena, her brother looked down at her with worry.
"All you have to do, Dimitri, is agree to blade for me. Become my student and your sister will go free," Boris promised.
"You'll stop hurting Thea?" he asked with wide eyes.
"I swear it."
Dimitri considered his options. If they continued to wait for their parents, Thea would just get worse and worse treatment… if he agreed to blade for Boris, he'd never see them or –possibly- Thea again. Plus, there was no guarantee that Boris would hold up his end.
"How do I know I can twust you?"
Boris smirked, those words were golden- it meant that if he played his cards right, he'd have the boy brainwashed by nightfall.
"I always keep my word."
There was something about this man that Dimitri knew he couldn't trust. Not just the fact that he authorized the kidnapping and 'breaking' of his sister and he, but something more.
"Take your time in deciding… just remember, ever minute you take is an extra minute of torture for Thea," threatened Boris.
He gnawed his bottom lip in an indecisive matter. His sister's life depended on his decision.
"I…"
"Come on, you have to do better than that!" Amy complained, rubbing her temples.
"We've been at this non-stop for an hour now!" argued Michael.
"Yeah, and we haven't even had breakfast yet!" whined Gary.
"You can have breakfast once you do this right," promised Tala, his arms crossed firmly across his chest.
Michael sighed, "Come on Gary, let's show 'em."
"Right," nodded the large man, "go, Galzzy!"
"Trygle!" Both men launched their beyblades.
"Now! Super Bear Stomp Cannon!" they yelled in unison.
"You know… the combination might go a bit smoother with a shorter name," Amy muttered, not understanding the reason behind the four lettered name.
Tala sighed and shrugged, "If it works…"
"It doesn't though," she grumbled.
"It might."
"If it doesn't work this time, I'm petitioning for a new name."
As though something were taunting her even further, the move did work- and Gary got to have his breakfast.
Amy looked down at her Hein blade, Nicol panting at her side. "This is it… don't let me down."
"When have I ever let you down?" Hein asked, clearly amused.
"I wasn't just talking to you," she responded, stroking Nicol's head. "We'll show them that this old dog still has some bite, right Nic?"
Said dog wagged his tail, letting out an intimidating bark.
"That's wight," she grinned, ruffling the dog's ears. Her smile faded a bit as she clued in on the fact that she had just sounded like Thea. Don't worry baby, we're coming.
"You ready?" Brook asked, standing beside her. A spire from the roof of Bolkov Abbey was in view.
"I've ready for this since the start of this week," she responded, clutching Hein tightly. Nicol growled at her side, rising to four paws and raising his hackles.
Kaylie walked to the front, "Alright, demolition team- start the attack!"
"Good luck guys!" cheered Lissa.
"Be careful!" called Hilary.
"Attack team follows demolition squad," instructed Kenny, "don't do anything to completely destroy your blades."
"Jeez, thanks chief," Tyson rolled his eyes, "ready Maxy?"
"You bet Tyson," Max nodded, locking Draciel into his launcher.
"Alright Court! Let's bust some gates!" Rick bellowed, "Go Rock Bison!!"
"Let's go Sohi!" Courtney pumped her arm in the air.
"Drop Torrent!"
With a loud crash, what once were iron barred gates turned to twisted pieces of metal scattered across the frozen courtyard of the old abbey.
"You two, go check what that noise was!" Gil ordered, pointing at two men close to the entrance of the arena. "The rest of you, get back to work on the brat, I want her brother to hear her screaming from his cell!"
"Gil!" barked Boris, "your tactics are taking too long; I want that boy working for me!"
"And he will sir," Gil bowed, pasting a fake look of loyalty on his face, "by nightfall, I promise he will be begging you to take him as a shooter for the sake of his 'dear sister'."
"He'd better, or it's your head," snarled Boris, stalking out of the room.
"Oh no sir," growled Gil darkly, "it'll be yours." He spun on his heels to address the men surrounding Thea, "Get to work you scum!"
"Sir! We're under attack!" the voices of one of the guards sounded from his walki-talki.
"We're what!?"
"Gravity Twister!" Max and Tyson bellowed, the giant typhoon racing towards the lines of guards that had lined up to prevent their invasion.
"Terrestrial Lightning!" ordered Lee and Brook as the ground shook and began reshaping itself- lightning shooting up from between rock faces.
"What the hell!?" demanded one guard in the midst of confusion.
Amy watched the proceeding attack with a smile on her face, waiting patiently for the signal to move forward. Courtney and Rick had rejoined them after making short work of the gate and now stood beside Michael and Gary. Sadie and Emily were on the other side of them with Kai and Bryan far to the left.
Tala stood beside Amy, unsmiling. He wore a hard expression on his face, Wolborg firmly set in his hand. He cast a quick look to Amy, bent down beside Nicol- waiting patiently.
"Sand Stamolyu!" they heard the final two members of the Blitzkrieg Boys yell and that caused a grin to etch itself onto Tala's face. That was the signal.
"Alright Nic, go find Thea and Dimitri," she whispered to the husky, releasing him from his leash and quickly following in pursuit as he bolted towards the abbey. The rescue squad slipped into the building unnoticed- the guards too busy with the attacking bit-beasts to even notice the nine young adults, one teenager and one dog.
Nicol's nose was glued to the cobblestone floor as he raced through the abbey- he had caught one of the twin's scents and had decided one was better than none.
"Intruders!" two guards who were not fighting outside (obviously) bellowed, pulling their revolvers from their holsters. Emily and Sadie, however, were too quick for them.
"You guys keep moving, we'll hold them here," Sadie encouraged, nodding to Emily as they launched their blades.
Amy nodded to them, swiftly dodging the guards- Tala doing likewise only making sure his fist connected with the stomach of one of the guards. Kai and Bryan swiftly followed- with Courtney, Rick, Michael and Gary close behind.
"Guardian Bite!"
The echoing clang that was unmistakably the after effects of the attack rang clean through the abbey. Nicely done, kid, Amy couldn't help think to her former apprentice, you've learned well.
There were more obstacles waiting along the path as they followed the old husky through the abbey's labyrinth, more guards that separated Gary and Michael from the rest of the rescue team. But like Emily and Sadie, they told the others to keep moving. Another obstacle was a solid steel wall that Nicol was determined to get past. Barking and scratching at it signaling the possibility that one of the twins was right behind it.
"Leave this to the demolition team," Rick said a little too exuberantly to be taken seriously.
"Go Sohi!"
"Alright Rock Bison! Knock it down!!"
The bit-beasts readily performed the Drop Torrent technique, quickly rendering the metal wall in pieces. Nicol raced past the debris, his bark echoing through the murky halls.
Two guards standing outside of a steel door looked at each other in confusion as they heard loud barking slowly getting closer to their position. Why was there a dog in the abbey? They got their answer when a loud growl caused them to turn their heads in the direction that barking had come from.
Their eyes met with the ice blue ones of a very angry husky and then to the two- equally angry- young adults standing right behind him.
"Shit!" one of the guards cursed, reaching for his revolver.
"Novae Inferno!" yelled Tala and Amy before the man could even cock his gun. The result was probably a lot more gruesome than they had thought it would be, for- just a hint as to what happened to the two guards- what happens to flesh when it is engulfed in flames? It burns.
And when the flames are as hot as hell's fire, it incinerates. And by incinerates, I mean everything. All that was left of the two were melted revolvers and metal keys -which almost made Amy pity them… keyword: almost. They did after all kidnap her children and did God-knows-what to them.
"Any doors need to be busted?" Rick asked excitedly, while glancing at the steel door.
Taking off her jacket, she wrapped it around the smoking ring of keys. "That won't be necessary," she said, maneuvering it so that she had a firm hold –through the cloth of her jacket- on a brass key that matched the lock on the door. With a simple twist and click, the door was pulled open.
Dimitri flinched as the steel door creaked open and slowly, he slunk further back into the cell- trying to block Thea's cries from his ears as well as trying not to think about what they were going to do to them now. He opened one sapphire eyes, making out the outline of six people. There were never that many guards; it must be something really bad.
He squeezed his eyes shut and then felt… a warm wet tongue lick his face? He reopened them to be met with the familiar blue eyes of a certain old dog. "Nic?" he whispered questioningly before throwing his arms around the husky's neck. If Nicol was here, that must mean…
"Oh Dimka," he heard his mother sob before pulling him into her safe –and very warm- embrace. He felt the gentle press of her lips against his hair as she wrapped her jacket –now metal key free- around him.
She could feel him shivering against her, or was he shaking from fear- or, perhaps, it was both. His skin was like ice and it shook her to the bone when his usual bright, and vibrant tone cracked out the single word. "Momma?"
"I'm here sweetheart," Amy breathed into his hair, "I'm here." She slowly lifted him off the ground, cradling him as close to her as she could. Nicol paced around her, sniffing the ground, hunting for the other twin. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to meet the caring, sapphire eyes of her husband.
"Dad?" Dimitri looked up at him with an almost pained expression.
"Hey there cowboy." He gently ruffled his son's hair.
"I'm sowwy," cried Dimitri.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Tala asked, cupping his son's face soothingly.
"I couldn't pwotect her… she's getting huwt because of me," his son sobbed. Neither parent had to ask who he meant, the emptiness of the room was answer enough.
"Dimka, do you know where your sister is?" Amy asked, carefully, having noticed that Nicol was just circling with no luck on the matter.
Dimitri nodded slowly. "I-It's a giant cicoowar woom wif piwwars and stuff," he tried to describe.
"Bet it's the old arena," growled Kai from the entrance to the cell.
"Uncle Kai's here?" the young boy asked his parents.
"That's right, and your Uncles Spencer, Bryan, and Ian as well," Tala smirked, "they all came to rescue you and your sister."
"Hey, what about us!?" complained Courtney, crossing her arms across her chest stubbornly.
Amy chuckled despite her fear for her daughter. "And your Aunties Courtney, Melissa, Kaylie, Brook, Sadie and Lissa. They also brought reinforcements with them."
"That's right, kiddo! We brought our brother's and their teams all for you," Courtney winked at the little boy as Amy, Tala, Nicol and he exited the room.
"You know how to get to the arena from here?" Tala asked Kai, "I've never been in this area before."
"That's because you were his prized pupils," growled Amy, her son still sitting protectively in her arms, "I know the way from here. I was dragged there from this corridor many times."
"Hey, Amy," it was Rick who spoke up, "you want us to take your kid out of here?" It was a strange act of kindness from the man and earned a confused look from everyone but his partner, who just smiled brightly.
"Yeah, we'll bring him to Kaylie, Kenny, Hilary and Lissa. That way he'll be safe and out of harm's way," stated Courtney.
Amy looked down at her son, having just got him back and not really thrilled about the idea of him going somewhere where she would not be able to see him. On the plus side, however, he would be with their friends and she at least knew what he would be doing.
Tala nodded to them, "It'll be easier to take Boris down without him there."
"C'mon, tiger," Courtney grinned as Amy offered him to her, "we're gonna go wait for your momma and daddy outside."
Dimitri, however, had other plans. And those other plans included clinging to his mother like his life depended on it.
Amy gave a half-hearted shrug before returning her attention to her son. "It's okay, sweetheart, your auntie Courtney is going to take care of you. Your dad and I will be right out as soon as we get Thea, okay?"
Dimitri shook his head, "I don't wanna go. I wanna hewlp get Thea back too. Momma, don't make me go…"
Tala made an offer to take him from her instead and it seemed that Dimitri had no problems transferring from one parent to the other. "Listen now shorty, your mom and I need to focus solely on what's ahead and getting your sister back, we can't do that if we're worrying about your safety as well. Go with your aunt and let your mom and I have one less thing to worry about, alright?" His tone was deathly serious, and for a brief moment Amy thought it would be too much for the little boy -after everything that had happened to him- and he might start crying. But, just as she was about to tell him off, Dimitri nodded holding his arms out to Courtney so that she could take him.
"We won't be long," Amy promised before she and Tala took off down the long corridor, with Kai, Bryan, and Nicol right behind.
It may have been almost twenty years since she had been this deep into the abbey's labyrinth, but when one had lived such horrors as she had in this place one does not easily forget. She led the way through the twisting halls as though she had a map right in front of her. Neither parent could really think straight, for they were all but blinded by rage at the echoing cries of pain from someone they held dear.
Nicol seemed to have picked up on Thea's scent for now he bolted ahead, growling savagely as his paws clinked against the cobblestone. But there was another reason for his growls. He had caught the recent scent of one most hated man in the same direction as one most loved little girl.
Cole smirked as he saw the dog's approach and swiftly avoided his attack. About time, he thought to himself as the four other adults came into view.
Nicol, snarling bitterly, retreated back by Amy's side, warning Cole that if he tried anything, he would lunge again.
"Well, well, the Calvary arrives," sneered Cole, pacing in front of them, his hand reaching for his blade.
"Get out of the way, Cole," growled Tala, not even bothering to reach for his Wolborg. He could have the boy cowering without the use of his beyblade, that was proven when he first tried to infiltrate the place.
"Now, why would I do that?" asked Cole, mockingly.
"Because you don't have any of your father's lapdogs to protect you this time," snarled Bryan, cracking his knuckles.
To their surprise, Cole let out a loud laugh. "They are not my father's men anymore, they're Boris'. My father's dead. But, Boris gave me a new toy to play with and I'm dying to test it out." Cole pulled out his new Ginryu Chaos G blade and attached it to a launcher. "So… who wants to dance?"
Amy was about to reach for her Hein Firestorm X when Kai moved forward, his Dranzer Metal Spiral already ready for attack. Bryan was at his side in an instant, also ready to fight.
"Go get your kid back," Kai ordered, his hand firmly set on the rip-cord.
Amy smiled warmly at her brother, "Thanks Kai." With a nod from Tala, the two pressed forward.
Cole was about to stop them when Bryan stepped in his way, "I thought you wanted to test that new toy of yours, and frankly we want to test our new moves too."
"You'll regret those words," threatened Cole, launching his blade at them. "Ginryu! Wings of Darkness!"
Both Kai and Bryan launched their blades in retaliation, ordering, "Blazing Stroblitz!"
Amy and Tala crept into the old arena and very nearly exploded with rage. Surrounding their daughter was three men, all carrying brutish whips and revolvers. Tala clenched his fist tightly as Amy reached for her Hein, ready to incinerate them if necessary.
To her surprise, Tala stepped forward, signaling out the men. "Hey! Get away from my girl!" he barked, not reaching for his blade as though he thought he could take them all on without it.
The men stopped to turn at him, a dark smirk on their faces. They remembered him from his first attempt at rescuing his children. They stepped away from the battered girl –who looked quite hopeful at the sight of her two parents- and move towards Tala and Amy, grinning viciously and cracking their knuckles –for they also remembered the little brat who once gave them a hell of a lot of trouble.
At that point, Tala did reach for his Wolborg, much to Amy's relief, launching it along side Amy's Hein.
"Hein-
"Wolborg-
"NOVAE INFERNO!"
"Be careful about Thea," Amy thought to Hein.
"Neither Wolborg nor I would ever dream of hurting her," the flaming wolf promised.
Amy relaxed a little as the flames engulfed the men -making them scream in agony until they fell silent. Stepping around the smoldering mess as the flames died down, Amy pulled a knife concealed away inside her pant pocket, cutting the rope that held her daughter captive.
Tala readily caught her as her legs gave out, hoisting her up into his arms. "I got you, Princess, you're safe now."
"Oh really?" an annoyingly familiar voice asked.
Both Tala and Amy spun around to face the old abbey master. Nicol raised his hackles and bared his fangs, sensing his mistress's unease at the arrival of this strange man.
At Boris' side was none other than Erik's once most trusted man, the one who had ended his life with a single bullet not but a few days prior. Gil. He had a revolver already set in his hand, pointed at the two.
"Well, well, Ms. Hiwatari, we finally meet again," grinned Boris, "or should I be calling you, Mrs. Volkov now?"
Amy could understand why the old man didn't know of her relationship with Tala, after all she had not been present when he had confronted Boris before the BEGA tournament and wound up hospitalized.
"And it seems you two have gotten much stronger since we last met."
"It's Duo beyblading sir, it allows the shooter to strengthen their attack power by combining the bit beasts attack," Gil explained, his gun still lock, loaded, and pointed at them.
"Hmm… tell me Tala… how would one without emotions feel if they lost the one they cared about?" asked Boris, nodding to Gil.
Tala couldn't move, he watched the gun change from being locked on him, to Amy. NO…
BANG!
"NO!"
blackamber- Oh, me and my cliffie's...
Kai/Tala- I. am. going. to. Kill. you...
blacakmber- WAHHHH!!! WINDY SAVE ME!!
Windy- I'LL SAVE YOU HURRICANE TWIN!!!
Sadie- So weird...
blackamber- Oh, that reminds me, I just discovered that Thea is an ACTUAL name... I thought I made it up... anyways it means Gift of God.
Windy- So pretty...
Bryan- R&R