MIAB

4: Awake and Alive

Bey City, Japan

Hiro paused as they were about to enter the dojo, frowning as he felt a bad feeling coursing through his body. What was going on with him? Why did he feel something dark was inside the house? Daichi seemed to notice as he stopped, "Hiro? What's wrong?" This caught the attention of Grandpa, Nami and Katsu, who was holding several documents in his hands.

"I feel something coming from the dojo . . ." Hiro muttered, looking at the house with undisguised worry. Nami swayed where she stood and Daichi noticed, placing both his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Hiro held his head as it was pounding and looked at her with a worried expression, "Nami . . . Do you feel that?"

Nami nodded, staring at the dojo with tired eyes, "Yes. What a dark power. What do you think it is, Hiro-nii?"

"I don't know. I hope that the others are okay in there."

~~~MIAB~~~

"It feels like we're doing some kind of voodoo magic." Hilary whispered to Aya. She, along with Riku, Aya, Hikaru and Shun, were standing outside the closed dojo door, having been kicked out by Rin.

"I know." Aya whispered back, "Weird, huh?"

Inside the room, Rin, Kenny, Max, Ray and Kai were sitting in a circle around the old Granger sword and Black Dranzer's bit. Rin sighed, as he placed Dragoon's blade in front of him, "I haven't tried to ever do this but I remember how the ceremony goes thanks to Dark Dranzer's memory. Let's see if this works." Max, Ray and Kai nodded in agreement

Kenny fidgeted, holding his laptop tightly, "Um, Rin . . . Why am I here?" Why couldn't he have stayed with the others? This was awful.

"I think I said five bit-beasts, Saien," Rin replied with an all-knowing smirk that made Kenny shudder, "If I recall, there are five bit-beasts in this house, including your bit-beast Dizzi."

'This is just great.' Dizzi replied.

"Let's start, then." Max said and closed his eyes, Ray and Kai following suit.

Rin closed his eyes and began to speak in a language none of the ones present could understand or identify. Max didn't understand what Rin was saying but he felt relaxed as he heard him speak. It seemed as if Rin was singing a lullaby of some sorts. He could feel all of his stress leaving his body. His worries for the future disappeared and he felt himself chanting along with Rin.

Ray listened to the chant Rin was saying and he found himself understanding what was being said. He was speaking of an endless dream and the ancestral home of the holy beasts. He was speaking in a soothing voice, the way a parent would speak to their child to calm them. He wanted to see that place. He wanted to see the beauty that Rin spoke of.

Kai heard the chant and saw images of a beautiful silver tree that touched stars and planets alike. He saw the back of a girl with dark brown hair that reached up to her shoulders. He saw a dark tower in the base of the giant tree. He could see beautiful meadows and clean rivers. He heard the sound of an ocarina being played, the laughter of children. He had never felt so calm.

Kenny was the only one that could see what was going on. He saw the red aura that surrounded Rin, the raven's hair now flaming red. He could see lights coming out of the four blades and his laptop. Max was surrounded by a purple aura and his hair had turned purple, much to Kenny's surprise. Ray and Kai still looked the same and Kenny had a feeling that he did too.

The Granger sword was shaking and Kenny could see dark tendrils coming out from Black Dranzer's bit. He gulped and looked at his companions but none of them were seeing what he did. He could hear Black Dranzer whispering something but he didn't understand what.