Disclaimer: **glares at lawyers** Really? You're still here? I told you! I have nothing! I own nothing! Shoo!
So as an apology for the lateness of the last chapter, I'm releasing this one a few days early. As also a treat to those who are finishing with exams. A special thank-you to Demons of the arch angel for beta-reading this for me!
This week in my life I got a boyfriend and now suddenly everyone and their dog wants to spend time with me...I'm actually super introverted. Spending time with people drains me like nothing else. I cancelled plans with 2 of my friends today, just to find out, 5-minutes later my mom had a massive ear infection. So I went with her to the doctor's to get her some antibiotics. Tomorrow I'm visiting another one of my friends and her twins, then I go back to work and deal with a bunch of adults who act like high-schoolers. **cries** Make it stop! I want to write!
Thank-you to Demons of the arch angel, Tyka's Flower, ffionfoxglove, CorynofHoole, TofuNinjacat and chibiduo for all your reviews and amazing support.
Enjoy episode 34!
"Welcome back Beyblade fans to Day 2 of the Beyblade World Championship! In our last round, Bryan and Eric's brutal beybattle ended in a draw and both players fell from the platform and taken to hospital. We have word that both of them are doing A-OK and will be competing in today's matches. Steven, who was also taken to hospital, has also been cleared to play today by doctors. With that out of the way, let's see today's match-ups for the first set of round 3!" DJ Jazzman pointed to the mega screen and the player's names were scrambled and everyone watched with bated breaths as the pairings were chosen. "And we have:
Claude vs Bryan
Steven vs Oliver
Tyson vs Matilda
Kane vs Kevin
Kenny vs Anthony
Kai vs Brooklyn
Robert vs Hiro
Eric vs Rick
Gary vs Carlos
Mariah vs Pam
Aaron vs Jessica
Julia vs Sam
First up in the next round! So quickly run to the washroom, because you are not going to want to miss out on the action!"
A sinking feeling formed in the pit of Ray's stomach. "Wait, wasn't Pam the blader who sent Steve to the hospital?"
"Yeah, and another kid in the first round." said Tyson solemnly.
Max's eyes went wide when he realized who Rick was up against. Both he and Ray took off running across the other end of the stadium, to where their friends were just stepping up onto the platforms to be carried up to their next battle.
"Mariah! Wait!" shouted Ray.
The pink-haired girl turned to him and stepped off the platform. "What's up Ray? Come to wish me good luck?"
"I need you to hear me out." he gently pulled her by the arm to the sidelines. "I think you should forfeit the next match."
"What?! Are you serious Ray?" she yelled.
"Dead serious." he looked into her fuchsia eyes. "Listen, Pam is bad news. She sent her last opponent to the hospital – there's no telling what level she will stoop down to."
"Look Ray, I appreciate the concern, but this girl can take care of herself!"She ripped her arm away from his and stepped on to the platform to meet her opponent.
"Be careful!" he hollered up to her, praying that she was ready for this.
Meanwhile, Max was having a similar conversation with his former teammate. "Fuck no Max! I ain't quitting!"
"He sent Bryan to the hospital! Bryan! He's one of the toughest players around! Please Rick, we both know Eric is playing dirty!"
"Look Max, I'm not backing down. If things start getting dicey, I have tons of street-fight experience to fall back on. Worry about your own battles." he stepped onto the platform.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." said Max as he watched his friend slowly ascend to what he prayed wasn't his last match.
"Kai!" Tyson clasped his hand on his rival's shoulder, making the man turn around and face him. "Just wanted to say good luck out there buddy. Brooklyn is a tough opponent, but I know you'll beat him."
"There's no way I'm letting that lazy, carrot-top or anyone stop me from out re-match Kinomiya. I trust you will do the same."
"You know it, man. It'll be me and you at the finals." Tyson gave his signature smile and a thumbs up, and Kai felt all his worries disappear. Win or lose, Tyson was always going to be there. As the one minute warning was called, the bluenette quickly scampered off to start his own battle with Matilda.
Kai stepped onto the hard, steel platform and closed his eyes as it started ascending. He could see the universe only his beloved and himself knew about. He remembered that battle, the sheer power they both had displayed. That's right...Next to Tyson, despite all his natural talent, Brooklyn was nothing.
"Hmmm, nice to see you again Kai. You might as well forfeit now, you're never going to beat me." The ginger-haired beyblader said lazily, but Kai could see the fire within those emerald eyes. A fire which had not been there the last time they had battled. He could see that, despite his trash talk, Brooklyn was just as excited for this battle as he was.
At last he had found his beyblading spirit.
At the prospect of facing a worthy opponent, his heart quickened, he could feel the adrenaline that was being pumped into his veins, he grinned wickedly. "Hn. Don't bet on it." He readied his launcher, his fingers itching to pull the ripcord.
"All bladers ready?" asked DJ Jazzman, looking over the arena of 48 bladers, each of them in a heated staring contest with their opponent, their blades ready to launch at any second. A hush fell over the crowd and he started the countdown. "3...2...1! LET IT RIIIP!"
It was chaos. The audience was on the edge of their seats as the most brutal battles in beyblading history played out. Thousands of eyes were glued to the jumbo screens in the arena and around the world, no one daring to blink as metal ground against metal.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light blinded them all. A piercing scream made their hearts stop and they all watched in horror as Mariah was the first to fall. It was like slow motion, as they watched the woman fall 50 feet, some of the more squeamish ones closed their eyes, fearing the worst.
Fortunately, Ray Kon had been cheering for his friend on the ground, and using his lightning-fast reflexes, he managed to catch the girl before she hit the concrete floor. All cameras were on him as he held the blood-soaked girl in his arms, and the audience held their breath.
"She's not breathing!" he cried in panic. "MEDIC!"
The Emergency Doctors couldn't believe their eyes at what had come through their doors. Children. Children with injuries that were just not natural, often accompanied by an entourage of people. Just what on earth was going on?
For Misa Tsubana, she had never seen anything like it. The first one was a Chinese, pink-haired girl, who was rushed in. She had 3 long gashes on her chest, cuts littered her arms and face. First responders had her incubated, which meant she wasn't breathing. She was place in Trauma Room 1 as doctors tried to resuscitate her, while what Misa assumed to be her brothers – a tiny little boy with green hair, a handsome-looking man with a long ponytail, another man wearing only a orange vest and baggy trousers and a very large man with brushy eyebrows sat in the waiting room. All four of them were crying.
Then came the second one. A large, very fit African-American came in with 3 similar gashes as the pink-haired woman, he at least was conscious but seemed to be in a considerable amount of pain. A blonde woman and a small blonde boy accompanied him. He was taken to Trauma Room 2 to get treated, while the blondes went to comfort the family of the Chinese woman.
Then a ginger-haired, very handsome male came in with what appeared to be only a couple of scrapes, but according to first responders, he had passed out from total exhaustion. They were able to find a room for him right away.
But nothing could prepare Misa for what came through those doors next...
"Kinomiya, I said that I'm fine!"
"Yeah, well you said that last time you battled him and I found you passed-out in a pool of your own blood! Sorry dude, but this time I'm making sure you get checked out!"
A blue-haired teenager was wheeling in another male on a stretcher. Her green eyes widened. This man was covered in blood! At once she was at the patient's side. "I'm Dr. Tsubana, can you tell me what happened?"
"I said I'm fine! I don't need your help!" shouted the man gruffly. Fortunately his friend came forward.
"As you can clearly see, he's not fine. His name is...um...Alexander Takahashi and he was in a beybattle that got a little out of hand. He's already passed out once, and just woke up a few minutes ago, which is how I was even able to get him here in the first place. Chances are pretty good that he will pass out again too."
"...That's a stupid name." mumbled the patient.
"If you had just answered the nice lady instead of being a jackass, you could've picked your own."
Misa raised an eyebrow. A fake name? That was interesting. "Look, I don't care what your name is, but I am going to need a blood-type."
The blood-covered man stayed silent, taking favour in glaring at her instead. The blue-haired teen sighed. "A-."
"How the fuck did you find out my blood-type?!"
"Kenny found it in your files along with your birth date." the teen answered, exasperated. "Look, promise me you will stay here, rest and get treated and I'll promise you that you won't miss your next match."
There was a moment of silence.
"Fine." The older male agreed.
Misa quickly paged a doctor and "Alexander" was taken away in the direction of Trauma Room 1. As soon as the man was out of ear-shot, the bluenette's sunny disposition changed into a serious one. "Look, I'm sorry about him, but you need to keep an eye on him. He really doesn't like hospitals."
"I'll make sure of it." She watched him glance over at the family in the waiting room and there was pain reflecting in those bright brown eyes.
"C-Can you give me an update on the pink-haired girl who was taken here not too long ago? I-If it's bad news, I want to be the one who has to break it to them...something like that, well it should come from a friend and not some stranger, right?" he gave her a watery smile and she was touched by his tenderness. She found herself unable to refuse.
"Okay." She ran over and burst into Trauma Room 1. "The patient's family wants an update!"
All was still.
No one spoke.
She feared the worst.
"It's a miracle!"
"What is?"
"Misa...this woman was dead!"
"So she's not?"
Her friend, Marlow, grabbed her by the shoulders and was visibly shaking. "We...we called time of death and we must've left the door open...there was this boy who just walked in...Oh my god Misa! He was covered in blood! He just walked up to her body, leaned over and cried... Then – then they both glowed! They freaking glowed! Suddenly she was breathing! Look Misa! Heartbeat. Blood Pressure. Heck, the lacerations on her chest are gone! It's a freaking miracle!"
Her green eyes darted around the room. "Where's the boy?"
"That's the crazy part! All he said was 'She'll be fine now.' and he left! Just like that!"
"Wait...you said a boy covered in blood?"
"Yeah...it didn't seem to affect him at all!"
Could it be? She ran out to the waiting room, if there was anyone with answers, it would be that blue-haired boy.
She found him in the same spot she left him. "Um...I don't know exactly what to tell you." She began.
"The truth would be great."
"Well according to my college, your friend was pronounced dead, but-" she looked up to see all the hope in the world in those honey-brown eyes, "-apparently a boy, sounding very familiar to your friend Alexander, just walked in, cried, there was a lot of glowing and now the woman is completely healed."
The boy's face broke out into a million-dollar smile. "That's great news! I'll tell the family!" He turned.
"Wait! You know what happened in there...don't you?"
He turned back and grinned. "Nope, not a clue mam." He rushed over to his friends.
Misa stood there shell-shocked. Just who were these people?!
Tyson was all-smiles when he approached Ray. "Just spoke to the nurse, Mariah is going to be just fine!"
Ray sighed in relief and collapsed into one of the chairs. "Thank God!"
"And Rick?" Max asked anxiously.
Rick's voice suddenly resounded throughout the waiting room. "Jeez! Watch it lady, I am not a PIN CUSHION!"
Max chuckled. "Well that answers that. How's Kai?"
Tyson sighed. "Kai is Kai. It took me promising him that I wouldn't let him miss his next match before he would co-operate. Speaking of matches, we better get you guys back to the bey stadium before the next match starts."
Ray, Lee and Kevin looked at each other with uncertainty, not wanting to leave Mariah. "Go ahead, I'll stay with her." Spoke Gary, "She wouldn't want you guys to miss a match because you were fussing over her anyways."
"Big guy does have a point." agreed Lee.
"Then that settles it." Ray flashed Gay an appreciative smile. "Thanks Gary."
"No problem."
"I'll stay here too Maxie." announced Judy, "That way you can focus on your next match."
Max smiled. "Thanks Mom."
The bladers walked back to the stadium, where they found Kenny sitting on one of benches on the sidelines of the stadium. "Hey Chief, any word on the next matches?" asked Tyson.
"Not yet, the judges are still deciding if the creeps who sent Mariah and Rick to the hospital should be penalized or disqualified. Emily is up there right now with Mr. Dickenson and the other officials going over the video footage with a fine tooth-comb."
"Still?! We've been gone for nearly an hour!" Ray exclaimed.
"Yeah, they must be having a heck of a debate."
"Yeah, but what for? Unless..." Tyson's eyes widened in realization.
"Unless what Ty?" asked Max.
"Unless they're real idiots." snickered the bluenette.
Max joined in the laughter, But Ray eyed the World Champion suspiciously, feeling that there was something that he wasn't telling them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have come to a decision." Mr. Dickenson's voice came over the loudspeaker and everyone went silent. "After careful examination and lengthy deliberation, we have concluded that no rules were actually broken, so Pam and Eric will not be penalized."
"What?!" exclaimed Max and Ray.
Tyson slammed his hand on the table. "They have to be joking!"
Mr. Dickenson continued. "That being said, we have asked both beybladers to tone down their aggressive style of play and all of their battles will be taken place on the ground instead of the platforms from now on. As for today's battles, we will start the last 12 matches of the third round and will conduct the forth round tomorrow, to give players adequate recovery time."
Upon hearing that, Tyson sighed in relief. Kai now had a full night to recover in hospital.
"Alright, you heard the man!" said DJ Jazzman into the microphone, "Let's find out what the next match-ups are for the next set." There was a long pause before he continued. "The pairing for set 2 of round 3 are as follows:
Ray vs Max
Crusher vs Ming-Ming
Miguel vs Emily
Ian vs Eddy
Micheal vs Lee
Tala vs Daichi
Spencer vs William
Mystel vs Angel
Garland vs Alceed
Johnny vs Enrique
Selima vs Gokie
Jim vs Raul
All beybladers report to their respective beydish in 5 minutes!"
Ray and Max looked at each other with determination. Now that they knew everyone was safe, they could put everything they had into the match. "Good luck Maxie." Ray said good-naturally.
"You too Ray." said Max as they shook hands.
Tyson grinned. "How about loser has to buy food for everyone at the hospital?"
Both men lit up and gave each other challenging smirks. "Text Kai that supper will be on Max tonight, because I don't intend on losing."
"Nah. Text the sourpuss and ask him what's the most expensive place in town, 'cause Ray's buying!"
"How about both of you quit thinking about food and get your asses up there!"
Everyone's hearts stopped dead as shivers ran down their spines, and they snapped their heads towards the authoritative voice they would know anywhere. Tyson was the first to recover. "Kai! What the hell are you doing here?"
The enigma was covered in blood-stained bandages, wearing nothing but a black trench coat and baggy navy-blue sweatpants. "making sure you guys don't put on a crappy performance. Now get up there!"
Ray and Max didn't need to be told twice, they hurried and jumped onto the nearest platforms and met each other at the very top.
"Are you ready?!" screamed DJ Jazzman into the mic, "3...2...1! LET IT RIP!"
Blades flew and clashed in mid-air.
"Awe, better luck next time Ray." said Max, handing his blade back to him.
The battle had been close. Ray had come at Max full-force right at the start of the match, but Max's Draciel withstood the barrage of lightning-fast attacks, and when Drigger was at its weakest, he slammed into it and knocked it out of the dish.
"Yeah, you got me fair and square Maxie. So...Chinese food good with you?"
"As long as I can put mustard on it." The friends laughed before returning back to the ground, where Kai and Tyson were waiting.
"That was an awesome match guys!" exclaimed Tyson rushing over to them. "I can't wait to face the both of you!" The three of them shared a competitive smile before looking over at their former Team Captain nervously.
"Kai, the fourth round isn't until tomorrow, we're taking you back to the hospital." declared Tyson.
"They discharged me."
"What?!" The three of them said in unison.
Tyson glared at the Russian and sent an icy blast of wind at the dual-haired man, who withstood it. "That's for paying off the doctors." growled the baseball-capped teen.
Kai chuckled. Tyson knew him too well.
"You guys head back to the hospital." said Tyson, "I'm going to take Mr. I-don't-like-hospitals home."
"Alright Ty." Max and Ray waved good-bye and left with the chief en-tow.
Tyson sighed. "Okay, I'll call us a ca- Kai! Where are you going?!"
Kai held up his keys as he walked away. "Driving us home."
"You're in no condition to drive, let alone walking for that matter!"
"And yet here I am."
The drive home was silent, but as soon as they were in the safety of their own home, Tyson finally broke the silence. "I know you wouldn't break a promise to me unless you absolutely had to, so what happened?"
A ghost of smile appeared on Kai's lips. Tyson just understood. "That same creep who cornered us in Australia was going to be my doctor. When another doctor asked him something, I made a break for it and ended up running into the nurse you were talking to earlier. I explained to her that I was wanted by a powerful criminal and she took me into an empty room and treated my injuries. I paid her off to get rid of my charts, keep her mouth shut and to keep the guy away from the other bladers."
"I see." Tyson said sighing, before sitting on the couch. He stared at the ceiling and crimson eyes looked at him in concern. "I think some the tournament officials are working for Boris. Eric and Pam only got a slap on the wrist for nearly killing Rick and Mariah."
"Yeah. I figured there was something up when the judges gave us strikes instead of declaring it a draw or ordering a re-match when you fell. Boris doesn't want us to win."
"No kidding. Makes me wonder what else he has up his sleeve." They were silent for a moment as the thought about the endless possibilities of why Boris wanted his bladers to win the tournament. "...Thanks for saving Mariah."
"Hn. Don't mention it." Kai took a shaky breath, looking uneasy for a moment. "I need a favour."
Tyson looked to his friend, confused. "Sure Kai. What do you need?"
"I need you to use Dranzer's power to heal me."
Tyson's heart pounded, he felt his cheeks heating up as he recalled the last time he had healed Kai...and the kiss. He gulped before putting on his brightest smile. "Sure bud, we can give it a try!" He got off the couch and stood before the older man. Both boys closed their eyes and connected their spirits to each other and Dranzer. Tyson felt the hot power surge through him and he thought about Kai- how he had pushed himself too hard once again against Brooklyn. How much it had torn him apart watching their fearsome beybattle, as they each laid everything on the line. The blood that poured from Kai's wounds as he braved each attack.
The tears came quickly, each one of them splashing on Kai's porcelain hand, but just like last time, the magic just wasn't there.
Tyson dried his eyes. "Sorry Buddy."
"Don't worry about it." said Kai gruffly as he walked towards the staircase. He paused. "Goodnight."
Marveling at how much the Phoenix Master had changed over the years, Tyson smiled. "Goodnight Kai."
Later that night, Tyson crept into Kai's bedroom and stood beside the sleeping figure. He connected his soul to Kai's and called upon Dranzer, as his body descended and he gently kissed Kai's soft lips. At once Kai's body started to glow and his wounds disappeared. "There you go buddy." The Dragon Master whispered as the light faded and all energy left his body. He collapsed next to the sleeping Russian.
So there we go! I hope you all enjoyed! Please leave a review so I know what you thought :)
