Celebrations music played in the background

Smiffy: this is it! The last chapter of 'Elementals'!!!

Kai: YAY!!

Tari: so how many stories have you completed now??

Smiffy: er... this will my 8th story completed

Tala: that's alot considereing how lazy you are

Smiffy: what did you say?!

Ray: he said that's alot considering how busy you are

Smiffy: yeah well, I'm a girl and we can multitask

Tyson: whatever

Max: thank you to sky d who reviewed the last chapter

Hilary: it's only been up for a few days, you updated quickly

Smiffy: I know I was going to upload the last two chapters on the same day, but I hadn't finished this one yet

Tyson: who's doing the disclamer?

Smiffy: you all are!!

Evryone: Smiffyizdabest does not own Beyblade or it's characters in any shape or form, she does however own Tari, Hiroko, Rekio, Jade, Tom and he story plot

Smiffy: enjoy!

'this is talking'

'these are thoughts'

everything else is description

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Chapter 10

Tari groaned as she tried to open her eyes. She couldn’t remember what happened at all. She finally got her eyes opened, and studied her surroundings, which she didn’t recognise at all. She tried to roll over, but she hurt all over, so she gave up on that idea and sighed in frustration. She stared up at the white ceiling and tried to figure out what happened. Then suddenly she sat up with shock as it all came flooding back. The fact that she found out that she was the missing princess, the fight with the witches, her talk with the goddess Spiked Tiger, the fact that she beat the curse. It was as if her life were flashing before her eyes.

Suddenly the door opened and Kai walked in. He didn’t notice that Tari was awake, he sat down on a chair next to her bed ‘Tari?! You’re awake?’ he said in disbelief. Tari nodded ‘where am I?’ she asked, Kai moved and sat on her bed ‘you’re in the hospital in the Fire Kingdom, we used the Babylon candle to get back here’ he said, she nodded. She gasped slightly as he hugged her ‘I was worried about you as you’ve been out for a week’ he said, she buried her head into his chest as tears poured down her cheeks ‘I thought I lost you too’ she said. Kai sat up and passed her a tissue; she wiped her eyes and sighed.

Kai stroked her cheek ‘you don’t have to worry about me Tari, I’m the older sibling, I’m suppose to be looking out for you. And now that the curse is broken I have a chance to do that’ he said as he stared into her eyes. She smiled slightly ‘so how are you feeling?’ he asked, she blinked ‘my head hurts a bit as does my whole body, then again it’s a wonder I’m not dead as I used so much of my power. I guess I’m just lucky’ she said. Kai lifted her chin with his hand ‘Tari, you beat the curse, you chose a third option that the witches weren’t aware of. The goddess Spiked Tiger felt that you’ve been through enough and decided to give you another chance’ he said.

Tari nodded, a strand of hair fell in front of her face, she moved it out of the way and brushed her ears, her eyes widened ‘I guess Jade was right, my ears weren’t part of the curse after all’ she thought. Kai noticed her change in expression ‘Tari, are you sure you’re ok?’ he asked, she nodded and smiled slightly. ‘So are you ready to meet mum and dad?’ Kai asked, Tari stayed silent as she wasn’t sure, one part of her did, but another didn’t. She nodded slightly, Kai held her hand ‘are you sure you want to do this? I understand if you don’t want to I mean after all after what you’ve just been through you’d probably just want to rest’ he said.

Tari shook her head ‘Kai, I’m sure. I mean I’ve waited 16 years’ she said and smiled, he smiled too. ‘Ok then wait here’ she gave him a look saying ‘I’ve-just-been-through-a-battle-and-you-think-I-would-get-up-in-my-condition’. Kai left the room, Tari turned her head and looked out the window, she smiled as she saw that the landscape was exactly the same as it was in the Earth Kingdom. She was brought out of her thoughts when the door opened, she turned to see Kai enter with an older male who looked exactly like Kai in every way except the fact that he had brown hair and his eyes were a darker violet similar to her own.

Kai walked over to Tari’s bedside ‘Tari, this is King Rekio, our father’ he said, Rekio looked at the young girl in the bed. He had to admit that she did look a lot like his wife, and that she did have his hair and eye colour, she even had tiger ears, but he couldn’t believe that this was his daughter. He walked over and sat on the chair next to her bed, she looked into his eyes as he looked into hers ‘so you’re Tari. I’ve heard a lot about you’ he said, she looked confused as she didn’t know what to say, Rekio had to admit that he didn’t know what to say either. She lowered her gaze, hoping that if she stayed quiet and stayed still they might go away and leave her on her own.

She gasped a little when Rekio took hold of her chin and lifted it up, he then placed a hand on both of her cheeks and examined her face ‘it is you, isn’t it? You are my daughter!’ he said. Tari nodded, she then embraced him and buried her face into his chest, Rekio rubbed her back and stroked her hair. He had tears in his eyes too ‘my little Tarinfia, I can’t believe it’ he said, she sat up a little and smiled. He kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly ‘your mother we be so happy to see you’ he said. He then released his grip and stood up, Kai also stood up ‘do you think you can stand Tari?’ he asked, Tari shrugged her shoulders. She then tried to get up, but fell back down with exhaustion, she sighed in defeat. She then gasped as two strong arms lifted her up; Rekio carried her out of the room she was in and down the hall.

He knocked on the door and then went it; he placed Tari down on a chair before saying something to the person lying on the bed. He then got up and left the room. He bumped into Kai when he came out ‘well done son, you did it’ he said as he patted Kai on the back. Kai smiled ‘I’m just glad we’re a family again’ he said, Rekio looked down at his son, who looked a bit hurt ‘Kai, do you forgive us, for not telling you the truth about your sister?’ he asked. Kai looked up ‘kind of. I mean I understand now why you didn’t tell me after being nearly killed myself. I think I just need time’ Rekio nodded.

‘Come closer’ the person in the bed said, Tari groaned as she kind of jumped from the chair to the bed. She then gasped as the woman lying in the bed looked at lot like her, except the fact that her eyes and hair were more like Kai’s. The woman smiled and placed a hand on Tari’s cheek ‘I’d recognise you anywhere. As a mother never forgets her children’ Hiroko said. Tari felt fresh tears in her eyes ‘I’m sorry mother’ she said as she wept some more, Hiroko sat up and wrapped her arms around her daughter ‘why? Sweetie, you don’t have anything to be sorry about, if anyone should be apologising, it should be me and your father’ Hiroko said as she moved a strand of hair out of Tari’s face.

…………

‘It’s gone really quiet in there dad, don’t you think we should go and see if they’re ok?’ Kai asked. He and Rekio hadn’t left the outside of the room. Rekio looked at his son ‘we’ll give them a few more minutes. Isn’t this great though Kai, we’re a family again’ Kai nodded. ‘But you know dad, you’re gonna have to put a rest to the whole Earth Kingdomers being slaves. As well you know’ Kai said, he thought about what he had seen on his travels, at first he couldn’t believe that his dad had done this, then again he didn’t think that his parents would lie to him.

‘Don’t worry Kai, it’s all been sorted, that’s why I haven’t been round much this week’ Rekio said, Kai looked a bit surprised ‘really? Well that’s ok then, I guess. But you know it’s still gonna take Tari a long time to get used to all of this, maybe even longer to forgive you’ Kai said. Rekio nodded ‘your mother and I knew that was going to happen from the moment we sent her away, but we thought we were doing the right thing’. There was silence for another few minutes.

‘Okay, let’s see how they’re doing’ Rekio said as he knocked on the door and went in with Kai following behind. They came in and found Tari and Hiroko sitting on the bed chatting like they were the best of friends. ‘Well looks like you two are getting along like a house of fire’ Rekio said. Hiroko and Tari smiled, Kai stood next to the bed and Rekio sat on the chair that he had placed Tari on before. ‘Well, we were just having a mother-daughter talk, oh it feels so good to say that’ Hiroko said.

‘Looks like you’re feeling better’ Rekio said as he kissed his wife on the lips. Tari smiled, she then felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Kai who winked at her. ‘Looks like we’re one big happy family again’ Hiroko said, she then patted Tari on the back ‘Tarinfia, I hope you can forgive your father and I, it’s just that we thought we were doing the best for you. Of course now we see that maybe it was the wrong decision’ Hiroko said, Rekio nodded. Tari shook her head ‘it’s ok, I understand why you did it, and if you hadn’t I may have not been able to defeat the witches’.

Hiroko hugged her tightly once again ‘you’ve grown up into such a charming young lady. And now when the time comes you and your brother can take over the ruling the Earth and the Fire Kingdoms’ Hiroko said. Tari and Kai both looked confused ‘er Hiroko, I think we should talk about this later, after all I expect that Tarinfia will want a bit more rest’ Rekio said. Hiroko nodded; Rekio then picked Tari up in his arms and carried her back through the door leaving Kai with Hiroko. ‘I’m glad you’re feeling better mum’ Kai said, Hiroko patted the bed and Kai sat down, she hugged him ‘thank you Kai, you’ve made me and your father very proud’ she said. Kai smiled and nodded and then left his mother to rest.

…………

Tari sat in the window seat of her new room and looked out over the landscape of the Fire Kingdom. She sighed as she looked in her hand-held mirror again. Suddenly there was a knock on the door ‘come in’ she said. The door opened and her mother came in ‘morning sweetheart’ Hiroko said, she smiled sweetly at her daughter, Tari returned the smile. Her mother’s eyes then spotted the mirror ‘Tarinfia, darling…’ Hiroko started; Tari made a face ‘sorry I mean Tari, stop putting yourself down’

Tari looked into the elder woman’s eyes ‘sorry mother, it’s just I always thought my ears were part of the curse, but they’re obviously not’ Tari said as she brushed her hair using her fingers. ‘Sweetheart, come here. Your ears are beautiful, unique, besides it’s not the end of the world; after all you did spent 16 years hiding them away. Why would it be any different now?’ Hiroko said as she rubbed her daughter’s back.

Tari sat up and had a ticked off look on her face ‘you don’t get it. I don’t want to spend my whole life hiding a part of me. The reason that I had to do it before is gone. I’m no longer under the curse, so why should I have to hide them? I mean there are people out there who look weirder or act weirder than me, so why should I be the one to suffer?!’ Tari said as she hugged her knees

There was another knock at the door ‘come in’ Hiroko said, the door opened and Rekio came in. ‘I heard the commotion and thought I’d come see what’s up’ he said as he took a seat next to Tari. ‘Its ok honey, me and Tari were just having an open discussion. I know how about I go and make us all a nice cup of hot chocolate’ Hiroko said as she got up and left the room. ‘Why don’t you come here and tell daddy all about it?’ Rekio said, Tari rested her head on her father’s chest.

‘She just doesn’t seem to understand that my ears aren’t the only part of me, and that I’m a normal person, who just wants to live a normal life. And now that the cruse is broken I finally have that chance! But according to mum that’s never gonna happen, as she’s convinced that people will treat me differently. But I won’t know until I go out there. And that’s not possible either as some Fire Kingdomers still look down on Earth Kingdomers’ Tari said, she then buried her face into his chest as tear flooded down her cheeks.

‘Tari, honey. Sit up sweetie, listen your mother is just acting like this because she feels guilty as she thinks it’s her fault. After all the curse was made before you were born and then you were born with those ears, we just figured they were part of the curse’ Tari nodded. ‘I guess I’m just not used to all this yet. After a month ago I was well a nobody, and now it’s just like this is all a dream, I have to keep pinching myself to believe it. I guess that sounds stupid’ she said as she lowered her head.

‘It’s not stupid. If anyone’s stupid it was me and your mother, as we were the ones who sent you away, and then we told Jade and Tom not to tell you the truth until they thought you were ready. I know you probably never will, but do you forgive us Tari?’ Rekio asked as he looked into his daughter’s eyes. ‘I do kind of, Tom used to say that I was the kind of person to hold a grudge, but I’m sure I’ll get over it after time. As long as mum stops fussing about my ears and stops calling me Tarinfia, I mean I know it’s my full name, but still’ Rekio laughed gently.

‘Yeah, ok you’ve got a deal there. Now why don’t you go clean your face and get changed, and I’ll meet you downstairs in a bit, we’re going down to the lake today remember?’ Tari nodded ‘alright dad. See you in a few’ she said as she placed a kiss on his cheek and then got up, allowing him to get up and leave the room. He took one last look at her before he shut the door ‘I feel so helpless, but there’s nothing I can do’ he thought as he closed the door.

Tari stared out the window for a little longer and sighed. She then walked over to her wardrobe or mini clothes shop as she called it. She looked through all the clothes, looking for the least girlish one, after all she had never looked at herself as a girly-girl, she was defiantly a tom-boy. Eventually she found a simple dark blue velvet dress with a gold trim; it had gold buttons to match. She put it on and then sat in front of her dressing table and put on her golden locket that Rekio had given her the day she woke up in the hospital. She then picked up her brush and pondered whether she should wear her bandana today.

…………

‘Tari, you have a visitor!’ a voice shouted up. Tari was now confused; she didn’t get any visitors as she’d lost contact with all her friends once she left the Earth Kingdom and came to live here with her real family. She got up and left her room and walked down the three staircases ‘mother you must be mistaken as I don’t have any…’ she stopped as soon as she saw him. ‘Hey Tari, or is it Tarinfia now?’ he said as he ran his hand through his red hair. ‘I’m still Tari, so what are you doing here?’ she asked as she sat in the window seat in the lounge, Tala moved and leant against the wall near the window.

‘Well I stopped by to get something from Kai, but while he’s looking for it I thought I’d see how you’re doing. After all it has been a month since … you know’ he said as he looked at her ‘god she looks hot’ he thought. ‘So how have you been? As this is all new to you right?’ he asked, Tari nodded ‘I’m doing ok I guess, I still find things weird as I was brought up to be independent, and now everything’s done for me. I guess I just need to get used to things. Kai’s been a big help, but I feel like I’m being a bother to everyone’ she said as she rested her head on her hands.

‘Don’t worry about Kai, he may not show it but I bet he’s glad that you do bug him, after all you’re his sister. Anyways what are you doing today?’ he asked as he glanced up at the ceiling. Tari moved her eyes to look at him ‘why do you ask?’ she knew it was obvious why he asked, but she wanted him to say it out loud. Tala looked at her and met her glance ‘I was just wondering as after I’ve picked this thing up for my father, I’m free all day, and I was just wondering if you wanted to do something as we’re friends. We are still friends right?’ he asked.

Tari smiled slightly and stood up, she walked over to him, he stared into her eyes, as she stared into his ‘of course we’re still friends Tala’ she said. Tala smiled ‘so are you busy today or not? As I could show you a really good time’ he said as he put his arms around her waist. Tari placed her arms around his neck ‘I would love to say yes Tala; it’s just that I have plans with my father, plus I don’t want people staring at us’ she said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Tala gave her a weird look ‘why would they stare?’ he asked. She sighed and straightened up ‘because of my ears, in case you haven’t noticed they’re not exactly normal’ she said, Tala detected an ounce of sadness in her voice. ‘Tari, you shouldn’t care what people think, anyway your ears don’t make you you, you do. And if the world can’t accept that then it’s their problem, but you shouldn’t make yourself depressed because of this. And besides, so what if they stare, then they can feel jealous as I’ll be the one hanging out with a really pretty girl’.

Tari felt speechless, she had never met someone as caring or open as Tala, I mean Kai was alright but he wasn’t sure what to say some of the time, not that he said much anyway. But Tala seemed different it was if he could read her mind, it was if he knew exactly the right thing to say, and said it at the right time. She felt tears in her eyes, she closed them to try to stop herself from crying, a hand brushed them away. She opened her eyes and looked up into the light violet eyes of the person who she felt really safe with. She wasn’t sure what these emotions were but they seemed to make her feel happy and sad at the same time.

‘There’s no need for tears now Tari’ Tala said in a soft tone. She nodded ‘I’m sorry, it’s just that’s the nicest thing that anyone’s ever said to me’ she said and then gave a small smile. She then noticed something different about him, sticking out of his flame red hair were a pair of white wolves’ ears, she looked confused, Tala smirked ‘I see you noticed, I thought if they stare at you, then why not make it worth their while. Besides I think they look cool’ he said, his ears twitched with excitement.

‘You really would be willing to go out into the world like that?’ Tari asked, Tala looked into her eyes again ‘I would if it would make you happy, as your happiness is my one and only concern’ he said as he leaned in closer, his head was about 3 inches away from hers. Tari was now really confused why was Tala so caring towards her? It wasn’t as if she was his sister, unless as he felt so much like a brother to Kai, he thought he should act like a brother to her as well. ‘No this isn’t how a brother would act, this is different’ she thought as she closed her eyes.

Suddenly the door leading from the ball room opened, Tari land Tala let go of each other, and Tari quickly sat on the window seat again. ‘Here you go Tala… was I interrupting something?’ Kai asked as he noticed that both his sister and his best friend looked very suspicious. ‘No Tala was just telling about where he lives and general stuff about the Ice Kingdom’ Tari said as she straightened the skirt of her dress. Kai raised an eyebrow ‘oh you were, were you’ he walked over and handed a file of paper to Tala. Tala smiled ‘yeah I was, oh well maybe I’ll tell you more next time we meet. Must dash, as my father wants this ASAP. Goodbye Kai, goodbye Tari’ Tala said as he walked out of the door.

Kai walked over and took a seat next to his sister, who seemed quite distant. ‘Are you ok Tari?’ he asked, she blinked a couple of times and then nodded ‘yeah I’m fine, just thinking about some stuff’ she said. ‘What kind of stuff?’ Kai asked, Tari looked into his eyes, she wondered how it was possible that his weren’t as easy to read as hers, then again her father’s eyes were just the same. She wondered whether she should tell him about Tala, she decided against it. ‘Just normal stuff really’ she said. Kai smirked, he could only imagine how hard all of this must be for her.

‘So are you coming with me and dad today?’ she asked bringing him out of his thoughts. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked, he usually did go with her, as he usually got talking to her and then found out all sorts of things abut her, it was a two way deal as Tari got to find out everything about him too. But now that he knew he had a sister, he was determined to make it work. ‘Just down to the lake on the other side of the grounds, apparently dad says there are some great scenes to draw’ Tari said. Kai smirked, that was one of the first things he had found out about Tari, the fact that she liked to draw, and not only that, she was pretty good at it as well. ‘Yeah of course I’ll come’ he said.

…………

2 YEARS LATER

“Knock knock” ‘Come in’ Tari said as she brushed her hair. ‘Are you ready yet Tar, Dad’s panicking saying that we’re going to be late’ Kai said as he walked into his sister’s room. He hadn’t changed much over the years except for the fact that he know wore a crown on his head and a ring on his finger. ‘Oh come on Kai, you know what Dad’s like, he was exactly the same on your wedding day’ Tari said. As she put her vial covered tiara on her head. ‘Anyway, you can relax as I’m ready’ she said as she came out of the bathroom.

‘Wow Tar, you look beautiful. Tala’s one lucky guy’ Kai said. Tari giggled, she was dressed in a sleeveless white wedding grown, she worse white gloves and shoes to match. She followed her brother as they left her room and headed down to where the wedding was taking place. ‘Are there you are! Oh you look lovely!’ Hiroko said. She then left to go and get into her seat. ‘You do look good Tar’ a voice said ‘thank you Jean’ Tari said.

‘Ready to go sweetheart?’ Kai asked Jean as he kissed her on the cheek. Kai and Jean had gotten married a year ago, just after Kai had been crowned King of the Fire Kingdom. Jean was a Fire Kingdomer as well and ever since she met Kai, they had been inseparable. Kai wasn’t the only one of the group that had married Tyson and Hilary had married, which caused minor conflict between the Darkness and Air Kingdoms, but Kenny said he’d still rule over the Darkness Kingdom. Ray had married too, to a Light Kingdomer named Mariah, they were really happy together. As were Max and his bride Mariam.

Tari was worried about her wedding, as she had been crowned Queen of the Earth Kingdom and Tala had been crowned King of the Ice Kingdom. ‘Hey you ready? What’s wrong honey?’ Rekio asked. Tari turned and looked at him ‘I was just thinking Dad, it’s all going to happen again, because of me and Tala marrying’ Tari said. Rekio hugged her ‘now now, no tears on your wedding day. Your mother’s cried enough for everybody. Tari, everybody knows what you went through, and they know they you’re not going to make the same mistake as me and your mother did so just relax and enjoy you’re special day’ Rekio said. Tari nodded.

After the ceremony everyone was dancing, Tala and Tari were the first ones to step onto the dance floor. ‘What’s wrong Tar, you should be happy?’ Tala asked. She looked up into his eyes ‘I am happy, it’s just… what if it happens again?’ she asked. Tala pulled her close to him ‘don’t worry it won’t, you and I make a great team, and we won’t make any mistakes. Now come it’s our wedding night’ he said he then placed a kiss on her lips. Tari blushed a bit ‘yeah I know you’re right’ she said.

‘Aren’t you worried Rekio? What if the Earth Kingdomers rise up again?’ Hiroko asked her husband. Rekio sighed and embraced his wife ‘look Hiroko’ he said indicating the two newlyweds ‘they love each other too much to let something like that happen. Also the Earth Kingdomers know what Tari went through, so hopefully they won’t jump to conclusions this time. Not that they would need to as Tari and Tala have no plans to join the Earth and Ice Kingdoms’ Rekio said. Hiroko nodded.

As they danced Tari looked around at the people who had come to the wedding, two people who she was very happy to see were Tom and Jade. Who said that they were very proud of her, Tari treated them like an auntie and uncle and they accepted that. Tala’s parents had also accepted her as they saw how happy she made their son.

Tari laughed to herself, her life had become a kind of fairytale. She started out as a princess, but then became a slave and now she was a Queen married to the one person who loved with all of her heart. For once in her life nothing bad had happened, she couldn’t think of a single bad thing about this day. She was brought out her thoughts when someone hugged her tightly she looked up into her husbands eye ‘I love you’ he said, Tari kissed him one the lips, then broke it off ‘I love you too’ she said and they danced the night away in each others arms.

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Smiffy: there you go

Tyson: please review this chapter

Hilary: is there any point it's the last one

Max: ssh

Tari: thank you to everyone who reviewed and read this story

Tala: yeah you made Smiffy feel great and ecouraged her to write more stories

Kai: encouraged her to do what?!

Ray: nothing Kai (laughs quitely)

Smiffy: anyway it's goodbye from me, but please check out my other stories if you liked this one!!