This is the last chapter of new beginnings! I'd like to thank all my reviewers:
RoseOfSharon28
HeartlessDevil
Pheonix'sFire
animasha92
cheekydoggie
kay1fire
miafeatcandy
Crismoneyes
Tara-Chan00
LuchiaSakurai
SilverDranzer
F.I.K
Every review I've been given had always made me want to keep going with this stroy. There will be sequal with the same title as this chapter. If you want me to let you know when I'm putting it up, tell me in a review or private message or something:P
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade
Consequences
"EWWW!" Garnet cried as Kai broke apart from her.
"Okay. What just happened there?" He asked as Garnet reapplied her lipgloss in desperation.
"I don't know. It just didn't feel…right. Did you feel it too?" She asked, her brow burrowed in confusion.
"Yeah, I felt it. It was pretty damn obvious. It was like we shouldn't be doing it. It wasn't right for us, you know?" Kai contemplated what he just said. "Like as if we're closer than that."
"Huh?"
Kai frowned as he thought how to explain what he felt. "I guess I'm trying to say that we've been through a lot together, right?" Garnet nodded. "And I would say that it only brought us closer, right?" She nodded again. "So what if we got so close that we're too close."
"Okay, you've lost me."
Kai tried again. "Well currently we are boyfriend-girlfriend in terms of relationship. What if we've gotten so close that what we share is stronger than a sexual love?"
"So you're saying that we're too close to go out? Cos I have to say, I certainly feel it." She looked at her feet as she tried to think of a better way to say what she felt. "Kai, you're like my brother now."
He nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I think you're right. That's what it is. I still love you but just in a stronger way than before."
"I guess we've had a good run anyway. It's about time we called it a day. I guess we should go our separate ways then, huh? At least as relationships go, I mean. But that better be all it is. You better not leave my life anytime soon. I…don't think I'd be strong without you."
"I won't. Promise."
She could tell he meant it. Kai didn't make promises he couldn't keep. "Cool. Well I promise too." She adjusted the watch she had decided to wear and acknowledged the time. "Geez, Kai! The match is about to start!"
"Well come on!" He said as he dragged her in the direction his team had went.
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"Where were you guys?" Tyson demanded. "We're about to begin and there was no sign of you anywhere!"
"Relax." Garnet said with a wave of her hand.
"We've spilt up." Kai stated.
The boys eyes went wide with shock.
"Oh no! No. It's totally cool. It was a mutual decision." Garnet assured them. "We're so much closer than that, anyway."
"Uh, guys? Shouldn't we call our first blader up?" Kenny piped up.
Kai nodded. "Tyson. Go. It's Ian, so remember to concentrate on your defence until you get a chance to strike back. As soon as you get a clean chance, hit him with all you've got."
"Good luck, Tyson."
"Go Tyson."
"You can do it!"
"You better do it!"
The team shouted encouragingly at his back as he set up his blade to face Ian, who smiled cockily as Tyson took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He only had once chance to win this and the team needed as big a lead as they could get. He felt ready though. He'd worked harder than he thought he could and so had Dragoon. He also wouldn't let Kai down.
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"
Tyson pulled the cord as he could, hard enough to hit Ian's blade as it slammed into the dish. Tyson prepared himself for the fury of attacks Kai had told him Ian would unleash. All he needed to do was bide his time and wait. He dodged as many as he could, ignoring the purple-haired blader's taunts as he refrained from attacking. One or twice his blade his come dangerously close to the edge of the dish but he managed to hold on.
"Tyson, now!" Yelled Kenny from behind him.
"Dragoon! Lightning storm!" Tyson summoned his bit beast to help him.
Before Ian had a chance to react, Dragoon had began its attack. Ian knew it was inevitable when he felt his blade fly past him. Boris hadn't warned him Tyson would be so strong. But it didn't matter. He had been told to lose; he'd just wanted to play a little longer. 'A little crowd pleaser,' Boris had said, 'to give them hope before we take it away again.'
He scooped up his blade and nodded to Spencer. He was going to win the next match.
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"Something's wrong." Kai murmured to Kenny as Tyson returned, victorious.
"What do you mean?"
"It shouldn't have been that easy." He looked up where Boris and Voltaire had just walked into the VIP box. Boris met his glare and smirked to himself. "He was toying with us. He threw the match." He felt his stomach lurch as he realised it. Boris must be pretty confident to do something like that.
Kenny watched the replay he had recorded on his laptop. "I think you're right!"
"I know. I'm pretty damn worried now." He regained his normal volume. "Ray, you're up. Watch out for Spencer's sea based attacks. They will be pretty powerful."
"Right."
He knew his team was behind him as he faced his silver haired opponent. He took his normal stance as he waited for the match to begin. He felt ready. He could do this. He'd do this for Tala. They weren't exactly buddies but he still considered him a friend. He owed him for finally getting him and Mariah to go out.
Mariah. He needed to win for her too. He needed to return her bit beast to her. He'd win for Mariah!
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"
Ray hardly heard Jazzman as he let his blade fly into the dish and immediately take centre. As soon as he saw Spencer's blade arrive there too, he began to carry out the attacks he'd been preparing yesterday. But Spencer kept dodging them. Ray tried again but he missed.
"Come on, Ray! Don't let him toy with you!" He heard Kai shout from somewhere behind him.
"Tiger Claw Attack!" Drigger would put and end to Spencer's games.
Spencer's expression remained the same as Drigger spun in to deliver its deadly blow. A layer of dust flew up as Drigger slammed into his blade, full force, and attacked. He had felt that blow. It certainly was more powerful than he'd originally anticipated. But it wouldn't be enough.
The dust settled only to show, to the Blade Breaker's disbelief, that both blades were still spinning. Ray looked at Spencer, who now had a sadistical smile on his face.
"My turn! I'll show you how a real bit beast fights. Seaborg!" Spencer cried.
Ray watched in horror as his blade was smashed with a wall of water from the other blade. The water washed away to show that a blade has stopped spinning: his.
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"Oh no!" Garnet said through her hands.
"It's alright. We can still win." Kenny said, though not convincingly. "Kai, it's up to you now. You have to win."
Kai swallowed hard as Tala approached the dish and looked at him challengingly. "Yeah. I know."
He began to walk to the dish but felt Garnet's cool, soft hands on his arm. He turned to face her. "You don't need to say anything. I'll be careful. And I'll bring Tala back."
"I know you will. I believe in you."
He couldn't return her smile as he left his team. He didn't have time to smile. Not now.
"Well, well. If it isn't the traitor." Tala said in a sing-song voice. "Guess your team took you back after all. Do you think they'll still want you when I wipe the floor with you?"
"Let's just blade."
Tala smirked as he raised his blade to eye level. Kai did the same.
"3…2…1…Let it rip!"
Both blades flew into the dish and met each other in the middle, sending each other flying backwards. Tala began to circle Kai's blade like a wolf stalking its prey. Kai waited until Tala attacked and dodged it, though not completely. He felt the impact.
"You don't deserve to be on any blading team! You betrayed your friends and then Master Boris!"
"Tala, would you listen to yourself? About two weeks ago you hated that bastard. Now you call him master?"
Tala shrugged. "Things change. Walborg!"
"Dranzer!"
The phoenix and the wolf began to circle each other, waiting for the first movement. Walborg struck before Dranzer could defend herself. Kai felt his stomach lurch as she strayed dangerously close to the dish. He had to distract Tala long enough for Dranzer to recover.
"Hey, Tal. Do you remember that time when we were all out? Just me, you and Garnet?"
Tala rolled his eyes. "There's been many times when its just the three of us."
"Well, I mean the time when we all went over to Garnet's house. It was only a couple of weeks ago."
Tala glared at him. "What about it?"
"Do you remember that what happened?"
He rolled his eyes again. "Of course I remember what happened. Your life turned right around when you decided to meet your parents." He narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I remember. You found your family. Do know what? I can't even get near mine!"
"And I'm sure what you're doing now is helping, right?"
"Shut up!" Tala spat. "Walborg attack!"
Walborg began to hit Dranzer again but this time Kai was ready for him. Dranzer deflected every attack that was made towards her. Tala growled in frustration as the bird flew overheard, unable to be touched.
With Dranzer gaining more momentum for every second, Kai knew it would only take a few more minutes for him to completely recover. He just needed to stall a bit longer.
"That's not what I was talking about anyway. The thing I remember most was how you guys were there for me when I needed you most, just like you always have been. This tournament especially showed me just how important you are."
Tala cackled. "You've gotten soft, Kai. And that's what your friends did to you. They made you weak."
"If that's so true then how come your blade's faltering and mine isn't?"
The red head looked at his blade to find Kai was right. He was losing the spin that Kai was obtaining. For the first time in the match, he began to panic and Kai could see it.
"So now I'm guessing your questioning yourself right? What if your wrong? What if you really do need people in your life?" Tala was about to interrupt but Kai just kept going. "Well you are and you do. That's what I'm really trying to say." Kai smiled. "And I had to cross over to the dark side to find that out. But I came back into open arms and we'll do the same for you Tala. You don't have to say you were wrong. You don't even have to think you were wrong. We just want you back. Garnet, Mariah, me. We all do."
A smirk crept across Tala's face. "I never thought I'd hear that kind of speech from you, Kai."
"Me neither. But what do you think? Too emotional?"
"Maybe a little." He laughed a little. "It won't be easy, you know. Getting away from Biovault."
"We've done it once before. We can do it again."
Tala shook his head. "Well maybe you can. You've got nothing to lose. But me, I have everything." Tala balled up his fists. "I won't lose!"
Kai was taken by surprise as Walborg began to attack again but he was being too reckless. The attacks just didn't have the punch. But his would.
"Dranzer, Giga Flare!"
Tala shielded his face as the heat from the phoenix's attack blasted his blade. He knew he had lost. He sunk to his knees as he felt the wave of defeat wash over him. As the flames died down he saw his own blade lie motionless on the dish with Kai's still going strong. He felt a shadow in front of him and looked up to see Kai extend his hand to him.
"You won't lose anything else, Tal. I swear it. Biovault's been defeated now. They're powerless. You and I, we're free." He held out his hand further.
Tala grabbed his hand and let himself be pulled up by Kai. "If you say so."
"Way to go Kai!" screamed Garnet as she flung her arms round his shoulders and jumped up in excitement. "And Tala!" She gave him a big hug. "Glad you're not evil anymore."
"I was never evil to begin with." Tala protested.
"Okay. If you think so…" Garnet said, looking away from him.
Kai nodded at his team in greeting as they walked over to stand beside him for victory photographs. He grinned at Mariah as she approached them too, her newly reacquired Gallux in hand. She smiled back at him and Tala as Ray put his arm around her waist. The crowds cheered as Kai accepted the cup from Mr. Dickenson and held it up to the world. He had done it.
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Voltaire stood up in rage as he watched Kai laughing and smiling with his team. His grandson had betrayed him and now he had corrupted Tala too. Everything they had been preparing for was now for nothing. All because Tala couldn't hold his own against Kai. He couldn't shut out his friends from his life and it had cost Biovault dearly. He would pay.
"Boris!" He snarled. "I want you to see to it personally that Tala Ivanov does not make it out of Russia alive. And if Kai's brought down too, I don't particularly care!"
"But, my Lord-"
"Just do it!" He snapped as he grabbed his suit jacket and left before any media could stop him.
Boris took out his cell phone. "Kristoff. I have a job for you." He quickly gave him his orders and left to rejoin Voltaire. No one would make a mockery of Biovault and get away with it.
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"So I guess all's well that ends well, huh?" Asked Mariah as she, Tala and Kai walked along a deserted Russian street. Everyone else was at the celebration party but they had decided to take some time to just be by themselves. Alone together, so to speak.
"I guess." Tala replied. His mother, father and little sister were now under the protection of the BBA, thanks to Mr. Dickenson. Kai had been right. They were free.
"Did Kai tell you he's going to be dorming with us?" She asked.
"No?" He said and looked at Kai for an explanation.
"Well I'm going to be living with my mom and dad but I didn't want to leave you guys. So they're letting me dorm during the school term."
"Well that's great! I guess. So long as you don't share a room with me."
"Yeah I know. You do my tits in."
Mariah laughed. "You don't have tits, Kai. Well not big ones anyway."
The three walked along, laughing and joking until the reached the corner where they had told Garnet they would meet her. Now Garnet was officially single again, she had wasted no time looking for another boy toy to play with and decided mingling at the party would open up her options.
"She'll be here in about five minutes or an hour, knowing Garnet," Kai joked.
They all turned as they heard footsteps coming from the shadows.
"Wow. She's early!" Exclaimed Tala.
They watched as the approaching figure came into light under an over head street lamp. It wasn't Garnet. It wasn't Garnet at all.
"Kristoff." Kai said, his voice hiding no contempt.
Kristoff showed no emotion as he removed his gun from his holster and aimed in at their general direction. Mariah took a quick intake of breathe as she stared down the barrel.
"You've ruined everything." He said as he pointed at Tala and placed his finger on the trigger.
Tala held his hands up in defence. "Put it down Kristoff. Don't shoot!"
"You've ruined everything." He repeated as if he couldn't quite believe it himself.
"Come on. Put it down." Tala said as calmly as he could. "You don't have to do this."
"Oh but I do. It's time you were taught a lesson. Both of you." He said, switching his aim from Tala to Kai.
"Kristoff, it's not to late to stop this. You can come home still. Go home to mom and dad? You remember them, right?"
He laughed at the very thought of it. "They are no longer a part of my life. They are nothing to me anymore. Nor are you, brother!"
A single shot rang echoed through the dark and deserted streets. Mariah looked down at her stomach to see a pool of red blood begin to seep across her white top. She gasped as a sudden wave of pain and nausea hit her like a tonne of bricks. She fingered the blood gently as if she couldn't quite believe she had been shot. Then she sunk to the ground.
"Mariah!" Tala and Kai both shouted as they ran to her side.
"Guys…this really hurts!" She said.
Kai took off the jumper he was wearing and pressed it to the wound. "Whatever you do, stay awake okay? Don't go to sleep."
"I'll try."
Kristoff tutted. "See what happens when you try to get escape? People get hurt. People will always get hurt around you."
Tala stood up. "She didn't do anything wrong!" He advances towards Kristoff but before he could reach him, the older teen ran off, obviously wanting Tala to follow. "Phone for help, Kai!" He said as he ran after his brother.
Kai took out his phone and called for an ambulance and for the police. "They'll be here shortly."
"Kai…" Mariah gasped. "Go after Tala."
"But,'Riah…"
"Do it! I'll be alright. Garnet will be here soon. Tala will need your help."
Kai nodded slowly. She was right. He left her side and ran in the direction he'd seen Tala and Kristoff go. His heart was pumping as he sprinted past numerous houses and allies until he heard the caught sight of the two teens fighting. Tala had succeeded in knocking the gun from Kristoff's hand and it lay on the ground just beneath Kai's feet. He watched silently as Tala and his brother exchanged blow after blow, each as hard as the other.
Kristoff growled as Tala hit him square on the jaw. He spat out the blood that he could now taste in his mouth. It was time to end this. He removed a second gun from the holster on his other side. He aimed at Tala's forehead and five seconds later the second shot of the night rang out.
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Garnet walked slowly towards where she had agreed to meet the others. She shivered in the cold as she rounded the corner. She looked around her puzzled. There was no sign of them anywhere. She took out her mobile phone and was about to call when she heard a soft voice call her name. A tiny scream escaped from her lips as she saw Mariah lying on the ground, her snow white tip covered in blood.
"Oh my God!" Tears sprang into her eyes. "What happened?"
"Kristoff came after Tala and Kai and he shot me." She winced as she tried to sit up. "Tala and Kai have ran after him. But Kai's phoned for the police and an ambulance."
Garnet looked up as she heard sirens approach her. A team of medical staff ran up to Mariah and put her into a stretcher, all the time asking Garnet questions about what had happened. She just shook her head numbly.
"Garnet, you have to take the police to the guys, okay? They went in…that direction! Go now!" Mariah told her as the ambulance doors shut behind her.
Garnet began to run with the police following just behind her. She had never ran so fast in all her life. She stopped as she heard a struggle and then watched as the boys came in to view. Her legs froze on the spot as Kristoff raised his gun to Tala's head. She watched as Kai picked up another gun that was lying at his feet. Without a moments hesitation he aimed it at Kristoff's head and fired a single shot. It was all it took.
Kai let his arms drop to his side, the gun falling out of his hands and onto the cold ground. Kristoff's body crumpled and was still. So still. Tala looked at Kai in disbelief but all Kai could do was watch Kristoff, willing him to move again. He'd never meant to kill anyone.
The police rounded the corner in time to witness the stand off. One placed his hand on Kai's shoulder.
"Will you come with me, son?" He said in a thick Russian accent.
Kai let himself be directed into a police car, never taking his eyes off the body. The body he had made
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Garnet and Tala knocked on the Bladebreaker's hotel room door. It was after one o'clock and they had just been released from questioning. Kai had to stay had been forced to stay longer until his parents had collected him to take him home.
"There was an incident." Garnet said quietly and filled them in on everything that had happened.
"Oh God. Is Kai okay?" Tyson asked, just as quietly.
"I think so," replied Tala. "But his life is going to pretty damn messed up now."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you think his school's going to want a murdered running around the hallway?" He said, his voice bitter.
The other boys lowered their gazes as they realised Tala was right. There was no way an exclusive school like Kai's would let him return. Not with the amount of money the parent's paid in order to get their children in.
"What will he do?" Max asked Tala and Garnet, who just looked at each other.
"I don't know, Max." Garnet said. "I just don't know."
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Voltaire sat alone in his Russian mansion, relishing the fact that Kai would not be joining him again. Ever. His thoughts were interrupted as Boris finished the call that he had recived.
"Well?"
"I'm afraid Kristoff has gone. Kai shot him. Both he and Tala are still alive."
Voltaire slammed the table with his fist. "That's a disappointment. He was one of our best."
Boris felt sorrow as he felt the loss of Kristoff. He was most definitely one of the best. "Sir, what are we to do about the Kai and Tala?"
Voltaire chuckled. "They don't matter anymore. I've put my attention on another one of my grandchildren. This one, I believe will be more impressionable. Yes, I will mould him into a perfect little soldier."
"And what about Kai?"
"Kai will find that for every action there is a reaction and that reaction will not necessarily work out for the best. Let's see how he'll cope."
Boris smiled as he welcomed the thought of Kai's life getting that much harder. And indeed it would. And it was all his own doing.
Thanks again for your support throughout New Beginnings! I hope you like the sequal just as much!
Love, jellybean-kitty