I'm late, I'm Late I'M LATE! This was not supposed to take weeks!
It's my own fault I suppose, choosing to turn that last TysonxRay one-shot into a series of them.
Massive thanks to Julia Fernandez Hiwatari for her help on this one. It wouldn't have happened if not for her support.
Luxahart, don't worry. The April fool's one will still happen. I just need to start writing it in advance. Why I didn't do that with this one I'll never know.
Anywho, on with the show!
March 5th - Pancake Day
It felt like only yesterday that Tyson had pranked his team on Valentine's Day. So far the rest of the team hadn't found out about his and Ray's relationship and the newly blossomed couple planned to keep it that way for now. While Max would likely be accepting of his two best buds being gay, the others might not feel the same. If their reaction to Tyson's prank was anything to go by, Kai and Hiro were not going to be very understanding. Kenny and Hilary could go either way.
But there they were barely a month down the line and Tyson had yet another bright idea. For all the beyblading teams he knew to come and participate in a pancake making contest for Pancake Day. Mr. Dickenson had sent out the invites and arranged a venue large enough to house all the teams. Sadly the Blitzkrieg Boys declined the invitation, meaning Kai would be their representative for the competition. Suffice to say he was not impressed with the decision.
All the other teams had agreed to take part and were on their way to Japan. It had been decided that with their unfair advantage of being very experienced cooks, Ray and Oliver were assigned positions as judges. Tyson was denied to be the third on the grounds that he'd likely devour everything on sight.
With Ray out of the running for the BBA Revolution team, Max cheerfully stepped forward. Oliver's removal meant one his teammates would need to step up. Enriqué had no interest in anything except girls and Robert couldn't find a plate in his kitchen never mind the oven which left Johnny to take the torch in Oliver's stead.
Everyone expected it to rain on the day but instead the sun shone brightly. Waiting for the other teams to arrive was quickly becoming unbearable with Tyson bounding around like an idiot. Anyone who saw him wouldn't think the world champ was turning 18 in a couple of months. Max wondered which of their three annoyed teammates would snap first and he didn't have to wait long to find out.
Hilary practically flew out of her seat and clobbered Tyson over the head so hard he face planted into the floor. And right as she did so, one of the competing teams arrived.
"Keep hitting Tyson like that Hilary and we won't have a champion left."
Everyone spun around to see the White Tigers with bags hung over their shoulders. Ray stood tall and proud at the head of the team, a small smile upon his face. He'd returned home briefly for Gary's birthday. Just like Tyson had, Ray ended up on the floor but with Hilary hugging the life out of him.
"Ok Hils." Ray chuckled, noticing the glare in Mariah's eyes. "I was only gone a couple of days. You're overreacting a little."
"Ray, you've been away for two weeks! That's more than a few days!"
A few other teams arrived, cutting the conversation short. In the doorway to the large hall stood F Dynasty, Barthez Battalion and the Majestics. Soon as he saw Johnny McGregor, Kai vanished into thin air without a word to anybody but Ray had seen him stride out of the room with clear haste.
Tyson recovered from Hilary's clobbering to help Ray off the floor so they could greet everyone properly. Oliver had the cheek to whisk Ray off somewhere, probably to discuss their roles as judges. Hilary, Mariah, Julia and Mathilda all moved off into a quiet corner to catch up, leaving the boys in something of an awkward silence.
Slowly over the next few hours all the other competing teams arrived. Once Mr. Dickenson was sure everybody had arrived, he had each team wait in separate rooms. Seeing as Kai was the only Blitzkrieg Boy taking part, he had to wait behind a curtain in the contest hall blindfolded. Just one more of Tyson's bright ideas. The representatives for the teams weren't allowed to see their competitors until the fry-off began.
Those who wouldn't be cooking were seated at a table for their team behind the three judges; Ray, Oliver and Judy. With so many bladers present it was difficult to see who was missing from each team. Looking behind him, Ray felt his head swim upon seeing just how many people were there. It had been a long time since he'd seen such a large crowd. To make matters slightly worse, the event was being aired live on world-wide television!
Glancing up at the large wall mounted clock, Mr. Dickenson saw it was time to begin. Everything said today would be improvised. Clearing his throat to get everyone's attention, Mr.D took a deep breath under dozens of intent eyes.
"Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the BBA's first official Pancake Day competition. Today, one member from your favourite teams will compete in a pancake making contest. Before we meet our contestants, let's get a good look at the judges!"
Ray involuntarily went pale as every live camera zoomed in on the judges panel. Oliver blew kisses at the cameras while Judy merely scratched the back of her head. After a few nerve wracking minutes all attention drew back to the stage where the large curtains slid open.
Scanning his gold eyes over the row of old rivals Ray saw Kai furthest on the left and Johnny at the far right. Mr. Dickenson was clearly taking no chances of the two hotheads clashing in more than just a friendly cooking competition. Between them from left to right was Max, Raul, Aaron, Salima, Michael, Queen, Mariah, Ozuma and Crusher.
Before the contest could truly begin, Oliver demonstrated how to make two types of pancake; a crepe style and an American one. Ray knew by the glint in Max's eyes that the bubbly blonde knew full well what he was doing. Out of all the contestants, Mariah was definitely the one to watch. As for the others, it was unknown if they'd even been near an oven before.
With Oliver's demo over it was time for the trial to start. As expected, Max and Mariah hit the ground running but so did Raul, Salima and Aaron. While all the ingredients had been measured out it was up to each contestant to mix them together. On a separate table were various toppings.
It hadn't been two minutes since the timer started and Ray could already see Kai struggling, Michael faring no better. They both turned their first pancakes into a pile of ash. Johnny's attempt at an American pancake came out quite burned. Queen looked to be holding up okay while Ozuma appeared to be taking the friendly contest a little too seriously.
As the seconds ticked by those not used to cooking started to get the hang of their station…but not before Kai's went up in flames. With no mixture left he ended up disqualified. Rather than join the BBA Revolution's table Kai left the building and probably wasn't going to come back.
Things only went downhill from there and Ray thanked his lucky stars that Mr. Dickenson handy gone out of his way to get Gordon Ramsey to fly out and judge the event. There would've been F bombs for days if he had. Yet Ray couldn't stop himself from imagining the world famous chef having shouting fights with at least three people he knew, silently snickering behind his hand.
"Time's up! Put your pans and utensils down!"
First up to the chopping block was Max. He'd made three of each pancake type and just looking at them got the judge's mouths watering. The crepe style pancakes were filled with forest fruits and had a light drizzling of syrup over the top, a single scoop of vanilla ice cream off to the side of the plate. His American pancakes formed a small tower and rather than the traditional butter and syrup they supported some fresh blueberries while a scoop of strawberry ice cream nearby had a triangular wafer sticking out of it. Both dishes looked stunning, but did they taste just as good? There was only one way to find out. The room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop from miles away.
Max released the breath he'd been holding when his pancakes got full marks, moving off to one side. It was Raul's turn next. The shy Spaniard got full marks for his flavourful strawberry and blueberry filled crepes. With his dish judged positively, Raul joined Max in the blue corner.
Any fool could see Aaron was nervous when he stepped up to the chopping block. Presentation wise his dish looked stunning but the flavour was a bit lacking. After some deliberation, it was decided Aaron would go to the blue corner. His entry wasn't entirely bad.
Salima stepped forward with confidence, her focus on Ray more than anyone else. He noticed this and so paid little attention to her. Playing favourites would do nobody any favours. Salima had gone for simple crepes drizzled with fruit sauce and Honey and a faint dusting of icing sugar. Sadly her dish came across too sweet. Although it pained him to do so, Ray had to make the final call in sending Salima to the red corner.
Judy dreaded the next plate that arrived considering who stood behind it. Michael oozed confidence as he stood before the judges with his tower of American pancakes garnished with the typical syrup and butter. Sadly the taste did not live up to the perfect presentation and Michael joined Salima in the red corner. Putting the baseball Star in the losing area would surely give Judy a headache later.
Queen was practically unreadable as she set her entry down. It was nothing too fancy. Just some rolled crepes with fruit and chocolate shavings on the side. If anything, it looked like the former beyblade thief had no desire to even be competing. And that sadly came through in the food quality too.
The red corner was now tying with the blue corner at three contestants each. And there were only four left with a certain captain getting booted out. If there was a tie at the end, someone from the audience would have to be picked to even the score.
Ray internally groaned as Mariah came forward. For some reason she'd gone for savoury pancakes rather than sweet, probably hoping the uniqueness might score extra points. Unfortunately for her, the spring vegetables paired with the crepes did not make for a pleasant combination on the taste buds, even for Ray who'd grown up with similar foods. The score was now red-4 blue-3.
Out of all the contenders, Ozuma was probably the biggest worry due to where he came from but his dish blew the judges away. He'd made an omelette out of an American style pancake, filling it with a variety of fruits that complemented each other very well and the white chocolate sauce drizzled over the top balanced everything out. Ozuma joined the blue corner, levelling the score at 4 each.
Only two contestants remained. Other than Michael, Johnny was the other contender who aroused nervousness in the judges. They were spared one final time by Crusher coming forward. Ray had spent some time with the giant teen after BEGA went down so that he'd have the basic skills required to help look after his little sister. And it looked like all the cooking lessons had paid off.
Everything about Crusher's entry was perfect, earning him a spot in the blue corner. Last but certainly not least, Johnny strode over from his station. An immediate waft of whiskey hit Ray's nose making him gag. Judy had a similar reaction but unlike Ray, could not hide it as well. The smell alone sent Max's mother off to the bathroom, leaving Oliver and Ray to make a decision on their own.
Up until now both experienced chefs had tackled bad tasting food with poise and didn't need to sip any water afterward but Johnny's whisky infused American pancakes had them chugging glass after glass. All they could taste was alcohol. The wealthy Scotsman didn't seem to care that he was being sent to the losing corner, hands behind his head.
Judy returned to find there was a tie with both corners housing five people. Ray and Oliver gave her a partial glare for leaving them to face the last monstrosity alone. The trio had been so busy judging that they hadn't noticed two people missing from the room, Mr. Dickenson being one. Had the old man anticipated a draw and chosen the person to be the tie breaker?
The BBA chairman returned and took center stage to make his announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it appears we have a tie on our hands. As such, one person from the audience has been selected to even the score. However there is a catch. The judges won't know who that is until they've tasted the presented dish. Like the previous contenders, they will only have 5 minutes to cook and plate up their dish. Begin!"
Nothing got Ray's pulse racing faster than an unknown challenger, forcing himself not to look back over the sea of bladers behind him. Glancing at his fellow judges, it pleased Ray to see Oliver slightly bouncing in his seat while Judy appeared to be nursing an upset stomach courtesy of Johnny.
Five minutes were soon gone and a well dressed plate was set before the judges. Ray knew full well Hilary couldn't cook to save her life, unless she'd purposefully made bad food to avoid the predicament he ended up in. Kenny definitely had no idea how to even turn an oven on never mind follow a cooking recipe. Tyson didn't strike Ray as the culinary type either. Just who had prepared this delightful looking plate?
Looks could be deceiving and with that thought in mind, the judges tentatively took a bite, delighted to find that the wool had certainly not been pulled over their eyes. While everyone else had gone for red and forest fruits, excluding Mariah, the mystery chef had instead selected mango, pineapple and coconut to go with their crepes.
The flambéed mangoes simply melted in the mouth and the pineapple wasn't too gooey or dry. Desiccated coconut added the right amount of crunch and didn't overpower the other flavours. If an assistant hadn't taken the plate away, Oliver might well have eaten the lot!
Mr.D could see the tie breaker dish had wowed the panel, smiling brightly as he approached the table.
"So then judges, what's the verdict?"
Ray, Oliver and Judy were given a minute to deliberate amongst each other before they came to a decision.
As luck would have it, Judy's phone went off, pulling her away from the scene and Oliver looked ready to go on a five hour rant, meaning Ray had to deliver their conclusion.
"We've decided that the mystery contestant will join the blue corner. This dish met all the criteria for what it takes to make the perfect crepe. The flavours all blended harmoniously, not too sweet or sharp. Presentation was spot on and the flambéed mangoes were pure perfection. 10/10 from all of us."
When she returned, Judy apologised for the interruption and confirmed that she agreed with Ray and Oliver's decision. Now the moment they'd all been waiting for, finding out who the mystery cook was. Shrieks and surprised gasps echoed all around as the lights suddenly turned off, cloaking the room in darkness.
It was bright enough that the stage could still be seen but beyond it would be impossible even for somebody with brilliant night sight. The curtains drew apart with painful slowness, almost teasing everybody watching. A bright light shone down on the middle of the stage to reveal the blue team's champion and jaws hit the floor in sheer shock. There in the spotlight stood Tyson smiling that cheesy grin of his.
"TYSON?!"
"Hey guys! Bet ya didn't see that one coming huh?"
Ray wanted to hit Tyson so bad but retained his cool composure. Yet at the same time he felt proud of the reigning champion for accomplishing something outside of the beydish. But it begged the question, where had Tyson learned to cook and when? For now, Ray put those nagging questions to one side and joined the blue team for their victory celebration.
Mr. Dickenson had apparently arranged for a party to be held after the contest for everyone to relax and have fun out in the sun. Tyson of course just had to rope some people into a battle. He owed Kane a fair match, after all. Everybody else was content to just banter and drink the afternoon away.
After a few more hours of fun, everyone either went home or back to their hotel for the night. It had been particularly difficult for Ray to get rid of Mariah but with Lee's help he was spared a fierce mauling. Tyson and co returned to the dojo finding no sign of Kai anywhere. Just where had he gone off to? The idea of him having a lover in secret toyed with Ray's mind but he shrugged it to one side. That wasn't possible. It just wasn't.
To give his raven haired lover a break, Tyson cooked supper and for once, the others weren't fearing for their stomachs. Even Grandpa Granger was impressed, giving his youngest grandson a proud slap on the back. Little that Tyson knew, Ray had a surprise planned for him.
Just like the night they confessed to each other, Ray and Tyson met up at the park. Although the sky was dark it wasn't that late out, about 9pm. Rather than go somewhere private straight away the young lovebirds took a stroll under the glowing moon.
"So Tyson." Ray started as he looked around to take in their surroundings. "Where did you learn to cook without us knowing?"
Tyson had that cheeky grin on his face again and it caused Ray's heart to melt instantly.
"I learned from you, Ray. There were times I really wanted to ask you to teach me but my pride got in the way. So instead I studied you in the kitchen all these years and if there was ever time at the end of a long day I read all sorts of cook books. Watched some shows on TV too."
Just hearing that Tyson, a person well known for his dodging of education had actually sat down and read numerous books to teach himself one of life's most vital skills made Ray bubble with pride. The world champ wasn't done if the look on his face was anything to go by.
"When you guys weren't around I'd practise but nothing ever went right. So there was really only one thing for it. I grew a pair and located a cooking course. There wasn't anyone else there strangely. Just me and a tutor. After two years of working my butt off I finally felt confident enough to cook something for someone other than myself. So I asked Mr.D if I could be the tiebreaker. I'm glad to see it all paid off."
Their walk temporarily came to an end by the bridge, the nearby water glistening with starlight as it flowed silently to wherever it was the river ended. Arms snaking around his waist drew Ray from getting lost in his thoughts, leaning deeper into the embrace. Only now did he realise just how cold it was, shivering to the warmth radiating from Tyson.
A dark figure blotted stars from view briefly, telling that an owl was on the hunt for its next meal. Hours seemed to pass by effortlessly as the young couple made their way along the riverside, only diverting away when a path back into town came by. Rather than the motel Tyson found himself inside a cosy little apartment. Was this where Ray came if he needed some space? It sure looked like it judging by the oriental-style décor.
Tyson wasn't sure he liked the glint in Ray's eyes as the door closed, sealing them both inside the quiet little apartment. Unbeknownst to the duo, a pair of gleaming eyes watched from afar.
And that's a wrap folks. Originally I had planned to use Gordo but since I don't really know anything about him (he's such a blank slate of a character) I felt it best to cut him out. Tyson being able to cook was a last minute decision.
Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of humour this time but at the same time I didn't want it to drag on forever. April fool's will hopefully make up for the dry comedy spell I'm going through currently.
I'll try to have the next one uploaded on the day but no promises.
Until next time folks, take care.