Okay, another chapter up! By the way, for those of you who are wondering, this is set at the end of season two and the very beginning of season three. Also, this story is not following the plot.
The last round had taught me I couldn't win by avoiding him. I urged Nyclix forward to meet Dragoon, but at the last second I swung in a tight arc to land a blow on the side. Before he could regain complete balance, I launched another attack. And another. My bey began moving in strokes of light, striking unpredictably, never standing still. CLASH! CLICK! CLANG! Nyclix's speed continued to increase. Now or never.
"ECLIPSE ATTACK!" I shouted. I cast my hand out, palm facing down, fingers extended and splayed. My beyblade sprung to life and began striking Tyson's bey in ferocious circle of attacks. Dragoon's rotation started to slow to halt. The white-and-blue beyblade swayed precariously, overcome from blows.
"Dragoon!" Tyson shouted. "GALAXY STORM!" My heart stopped briefly as I heard Tyson announce his most powerful attack. Wisps of wind spiraled around Dragoon. An image of a ferocious, blue dragon appeared in the center, glowing brightly. Scenarios flickered through my mind and dread sunk in as almost all seemed to end in my failure. There were two options: spin right, against the storm, and watch as Dragoon's tornado slowed Nyclix to a halt; or spin left, with the storm, and increase in speed until I could no longer control my bey.
The storm was rising, close to reaching its peak. It was time to make a decision. I spun left.
My beyblade spun faster and faster and for a brief second, I thought I could make out the golden tail and pelt of a mountain lion. I strained to keep my beyblade from rocketing out of the arena. I could hear wind roaring through the beystadium and my hair lashed my face. Tyson and Blader DJ clung to their hats, but neither turned away from the miniature hurricane. Sweat shone on my forehead as I leaned toward the center of the arena. I needed to hold on. Just a little bit longer…
"It looks like our 'bladers are locked in a stand still! Who will come out on top?" Blader DJ shouted over the wind. Black spots started to cloud my vision, but suddenly the wind died away. My feet almost gave out from under me. Tyson panted across from me, not unlike my own heavy breathing.
"Good job, but this fight isn't over yet!" Tyson shouted. I nodded; my face hardening. Now to use the momentum I'd gathered. Nyclix whirred as a dart of gold light and sliced toward Tyson's bey. A hard crack split the air and both beys rebounded from the hit. I followed up in a series of attacks, Tyson retaliating with ones of his own.
A sharp snap tore me out of the battle. There was an unfamiliar clicking sound among the clanks and clashes Nyclix usually made. I started another attack, but Nyclix spat in my direction. A long hiss turned into a ferocious growl. I froze, my blood chilling as the noise was followed by complete silence.
"Nyclix?" I whispered in shock. My attack landed hard and Tyson's beyblade was thrown from the arena, but I didn't have long to contemplate the victory. Metal shattered and my attack ring turned into glinting, iron missiles.
I dropped to my knees, shielding my face as the shards rained down. My hands and arms stung as metal pierced skin. As soon as the explosion stopped, however, I ripped my arms away from my face and anxiously scanned for my blade.
Nyclix lay still on the stadium floor with plastic and metal scattered around. I silently reclaimed my blade, feeling slightly numb. Murmuring congratulations to Tyson - there was no way to continue with this attack ring - I turned and walked away.
The Bladebreakers fell quiet when I returned, but quickly began asking questions. I deflected all of them and focused on the broken remains in my hand. Memory of Nyclix's angry hiss entered my brain and I exhaled softly. I had ignored her warning. I brushed my thumb over the bit beast emblem and a purr rumbled softly. After a few minutes, I heard a timid voice.
"Let me see, Sandy," Kenny asked.
"What?" I asked, whipping around and staring at him. He reached out a hand.
"Your beyblade," Kenny responded. "Can I see it?"
"Oh." Kenny took Nyclix carefully and turned it in his fingers. He shifted his glasses on his head and returned it to me.
"How old was that attack ring? Unless it was made of weak material, it shouldn't have broken apart like that," he said.
"Only a couple of months," I replied in confusion. "But I guess I've been training with it a lot."
"You can't just stop in the middle of the match. You still have one more round against Tyson."
"My attack ring's history and I don't have any replacement parts."
"We have attack rings you could borrow – " Kenny started, but I cut him off.
"No," I said. My voice came out more forcefully than I intended and I cringed. "Sorry...it's just I've always 'bladed with this bey. I don't really want to change it. It's the only thing I have left from the fire." A loud voice sounded out to my left.
"So you'd rather give up than replace an old, broken attack ring?" Tyson called out, causing my eyes to go wide. "I thought you were a better 'blader than that." He folded his arms and gave me an irritated look.
"Tyson…" I started, but he simply narrowed his eyes.
"If I remember correctly, we still have another round left," he said. "So what's it going to be, Sandy? Just give up…or get up and keep fighting?" I sighed and glanced at the pieces sitting on my palm, but then I closed my fingers over them.
"What kind of attack rings do you have, Kenny?" I asked. Kenny's expression broke into a smile and the Bladebreakers cheered. I almost thought I saw a look of approval on Kai's face – who had suddenly appeared - but it quickly disappeared into his unreadable countenance. I grinned and fixed a new attack ring onto my beyblade.