Basic Info: This is simply a story about how the Barthez Battalion team were feeling during the third shown world will be NO couples. I'll rate it T for the beginning but I'm planning on making this story a bit darker.

Warnings: Nothing more than drama.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

oh and special thanks to MarianQ for BETA reading :-)

The story starts with Miguel's thoughts and there is no dialogue in this chapter :O

"How did we come to this? I thought that it would be simple, yet here I am, more confused than ever and my life has become so complicated."Miguel thought for the millionth time that day. "It all used to be about having fun while blading, but Barthez turned us into soldiers. He said that losing is only acceptable when it serves an option. I don't care about losing, I love blading and that's what this is all about. That's why I stay here... still." It had been four hours now and he was still awake.

The mechanical lights of New York City could be seen shining from the balcony fading in the mirror of the hotel room. Hotels always held an air of loneliness to him. Awful, big, white rooms with nothing to offer. "I wish I could calm myself down" Miguel reflected as he stared at the ceiling. Wasn't he a determined person? Wasn't his goal in life to make people happy? Why did he have to cheat in order to win? This was not fair. But he had given his word to Barthez and Miguel would keep his word. He knew what Jean- Paul Barthez was doing to him and his teammates and he knew that he was supposed to put an end to this, but how?

Why did he have to be the one to come up with a solution? He was the leader of the team, but only because there had to be leader. He never thought of himself as a person who could lead others. Maybe he could, but maybe he would fail in the process. He had to find out. He had to figure things out. Miguel let out a big sigh and tried to go back to sleep.

In the bed next to him Claude was pretending he was sleeping but in fact he was thinking. Truth is, he was not peaceful but at least he was not as worried as before. He had been hoping for quite a while now that Miguel would do something or say something...anything to Barthez so he would stop treating them like soldiers. They were just children. Miguel had to stand up to Barthez.

"I have seen that fire in his eyes" Claude thought, remembering how angry Miguel seemed. "His wrath is growing by the day. He knows what we do is wrong. I hate cheating. I hate lying! I don't care about gaining money, power or fame. I just want my life to be normal. Miguel has to win this fight against Barthez. For us. For this team".

Claude turned to the other side of the bed changing to his thoughts on what would happen tomorrow. "Just do what he wants me to do. I will listen and do as I have been told. And then I will perform. Like an actor. Because Barthez does not look at us like teenagers. Or bladers. Or people with emotions. "I don't think he knows what that means" Claude was trying to block out all of his negative thoughts but he did not truly succeed. He was lying there, thinking about what would happen tomorrow. In a few hours he would be on the beystadium under Barthez's commands, doing what he wanted him to do…and he knew that he would do everything Barthez would tell him to.

There was a third bed in the room. Aaron was the only one who was sleeping and that was because he had spent all of his day feeling anxious, full of an uncontrollable fear which he just could not put away. It was his nature to feel afraid in most situations because he lacked any self esteem. All these years he had been living quietly with his family outside Liverpool until Barthez appeared in his life. His passion and love lied in beyblade. It was the only thing he was good at. One thing he had been taught from life was to feel pride for whatever he was doing. But he was not feeling proud now.

Cheating... this is what he and his team did against the Majestics in the European championship. How could they? He refused to believe that they were merely Barthez soldiers. A dictator ordering them to obey. And he obeyed; he would always obey because he could not do otherwise. If he did not, he would not be a part of the team. A team which he loved. A team he felt blessed in. It was not like that at the beginning. A lot had changed. People had come and go. But it would always be them four. Maybe they did not blade in the same manner all other teams did but at least they were close. They shared a unique strong bond of friendship. He could depend on them to find a way.

Miguel would find a way. He was stronger than Aaron. All the team was counting up to him. And so did him. "There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. There will always be a person who will stand up and help others to escape their misery. Life is all about finding your way, isn't it?" Aaron thought and a small smile escaped his lips as he fell into a more peaceful sleep than before. He had time to feel free until the morning came.

The fourth bed was empty. Mathilda was not there, she was in the balcony gazing up the starlit sky. The only feeling in her heart was fear. She was afraid of Barthez and unsure of why she had chosen to come here. Of course, beyblading was her passion but was it worth it? She knew that Barthez Battalion was in the World Championship only because they cheated in their previous match against the Majestics and she knew that they would do it again. Barthez would make them do it.

Mathilda would not sleep. Not tonight. Lately, insomnia had become her best friend. She was afraid, worried and she knew that her life had took an awful turn. "Is it worth it?" She thought again before she turned her head back to the hotel room. Her teammates were sleeping inside and she was outside... "What am I even doing here?" she thought silently "There's nothing else I can do, I can only stand this" Mathilda took a deep breath and slowly she returned back to her bed.

Miguel heard footsteps in the room and he noticed that the bed in the other corner of the room was empty. He saw Mathilda approaching it slowly. "Why is she up so late?" he thought and he closed his eyes to make sure she would not notice him. But Mathilda was not paying any attention to him, besides she was sure they were all sleeping. She had already spent two hours in the balcony wondering what she could do by reflecting on her life. Miguel had not noticed her leaving before and he could not help but wonder what she was doing up so late and most importantly what she was feeling. Miguel opened his eyes and stared at the mirror in front of him. From the reflection he could perfectly watch Mathilda and there was no possibility she would see him watching. She sat on her bed and held her beyblade tightly within her fist. From her eyes, a small tear fell down...she quickly wiped it off and put her beyblade back in the drawer.

"I should talk to her... or not. I don't really know which is better." Miguel thought and buried his face in his sheets shutting his blue eyes. Mathilda rested her body under the cold sheets of her bed. "Can hope ever fade away?" she thought and closed her eyes, forcing her mind to clear out all of her fear and worries. This night just seemed so long. Who could sleep when they had important decisions to make? He felt hope flying away from him and at that moment he tried hard to go back to sleep. By this time tomorrow, he would have made up his mind. He would confront Barthez or he would act like a coward and do absolutely nothing about it. Of course, he thought, strong people know what to do even in the worst situations but weak people need to duck and act like a chicken. No, he was not a coward but he was not much of a revolutionist either. He had not made his mind up yet. He couldn't, he wouldn't... not tonight.

That was it...what do you think?

Should I update it?