Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zilch, Nada, Niente! Got it?
A/N: There's a huge anime xover going on here, but you'll only ever be reading about characters from Beyblade and Naruto most of the time. I just needed to fill the class to at least 12 students (and just to make it known, every last one of them is 15-16 years old in this). Her students get bumped to 13 when Tala transfers.
Miss Mimi's Students And Where They Came From: Itachi and Deidara (Naruto), Brooklyn and Garland (Beyblade G-Revolution), Yusuke, Kazuma, Shuichi (Yu Yu Hakusho), Gohan (Dragon Ball Z/Dragon Ball GT), Kazuki, Rin, Yuna, Kuriko (Maburaho), Tala (Beyblade/Beyblade G-Revolution)
Chapter 1:
"Itachi?" The teacher of the number one class in all of Perfection Academy, started calling names for attendance.
"Here." Itachi replied copying some notes from the board.
"Deidara?" The teacher continued.
"I'm right in front of you Miss Mimi." Deidara said wondering why she always had to call his name, when his assigned desk was, right in front of her.
"That'll be one point off your next test." She informed.
"...Whatever." He muttered.
"I heard that." That made two points. It was always like this between them. It was a wonder to her, that Deidara, was still passing her class.
"Brooklyn?" She continued.
"Behind Deidara as usual ma'am." He replied politely.
"Suck up." Deidara said too low for their teacher to hear. Brooklyn chose not to say anything about it.
"Garland?" Miss Mimi went on.
"Present." Garland said from behind Brooklyn.
"Yusuke?" She wasn't expecting him to be present, but she called his name anyway.
"I'm here." He said.
"Good." She smiled.
"Kazuma?" He was almost always present.
"Here." The guy who would rather be called Kuwabara replied.
"Shuichi?" She felt pity for him from his name sometimes, but he and Itachi were the best students in the entire school.
"Good morning ma'am." If only she knew how sick he got hearing that name every morning, but his story was in their history books, and it would just be weird if he asked to be called Kurama.
"Gohan?" Smiling Miss Mimi called out the name of her second best student. He always came in just under Shuichi and Itachi in grades.
"Here." He replied.
"Kazuki?" She called.
"G'morning." He replied.
"Rin?" She called.
"Present." The purple haired girl replied.
"Yuna?" She was almost finished now.
"Right here." The pink haired girl answered.
"Last but not least Kuriko?" She looked around when there was no reply, but there was definitely no Kuriko in sight.
"I'm here. Sorry I'm late, I had to see the principal about something. Here's a note." The blond girl came into the classroom after slamming the door open, and Miss Mimi could swear there was an earthquake going on from the girl's speed.
"It's alright, you made it just time. I'm glad there's a full class for once. At least one of you is always disappearing on me everyday." The teacher said sounding happy.
Half way through the first period of the day, someone came knocking on the classroom door. Miss Mimi hated interruptions after attendance was taken. It always threw off her lectures when they happened. Opening the door, she let the person in. He handed her a note, and after reading it, she decided to give him a break. He was new, he probably didn't know where to go.
"I'll forgive you for being late today, but don't make it a habit. You either come on time, or not at all, got that?" She waited for his nod of understanding. "Good. Now go on, and introduce yourself to everyone." She said.
"Good morning. My name's Tala Ivanov, and I just transferred here from across town due to my father's foolishness. I don't plan on being at this school long, but I hope I can at least tolerate you all while I'm here, because, there will be problems, if you piss me off." The red haired, ice blue eyed teen said that and then looked at her expectantly.
"There are three extra desks in the classroom, take your pick." She said after rubbing her temples. He was going to be trouble, of that she was very certain.
"Still full of yourself, eh Tala?" It was that voice that made Tala, take notice of Brooklyn and Garland, for the first time, since he'd arrived.
"You know each other?" Miss Mimi asked.
"Their beyblading team likes to believe, that they can beat mine, though anyone who knows anything about beyblade, knows that's impossible." Tala replied. "Please, carry on with your lecture. This is a less than necessary waste of time." He added.
"You just wait Ivanov, come the next tournament, you're mine." Garland said, but Tala just laughed, muttering something like 'keep dreaming' and gave their teacher a glare as she had still not gone back to doing her job.
"Brooklyn, Garland," Itachi started.
"Whatever you have to say to Tala, save it for lunch hour from now on. Am I clear?" Itachi was the class monitor, and there was a system he had put into place, all the way back when he was just 13, that he expected every class he was in to follow, as he always held the position of class monitor, for some reason or another.
"Yeah yeah Mr. Perfect, I just hope he brought his gear." Garland hated Tala with a passion, and it wasn't like Tala much cared for him either.
"You can work on that attitude of yours during your lunch detention later today." Itachi said unwilling to take it. At his desk Gohan was praying that Garland wouldn''t push Itachi's buttons. There was just something scary about that guy.
"What are you going to do, if I don't listen to you?" He was forced to sigh out the breath he'd been holding, when Garland asked that.
"How about I make you clean this classroom with your tongue instead?" Itachi countered with a smirk.
"How about I rip you a new ass-hole?" That got everyone's attention.
Deidara looked over at Itachi with concern. They were best friends, and if anyone tried to hurt him, Deidara would jump right in to help. Gohan covered his ears. Yusuke and Kazuma were watching intently, while Shuichi commented about both Itachi and Garland behaving like children. Kazuki just looked out the window, and tried to ignore the situation. The only girls in their class, were in fan-girl mode watching Itachi and Garland with hearts in their eyes.
"You never cease to amaze me Garland. Is making a fool of yourself, the only thing you can do?" Tala cut in as Itachi and Garland threw insults at each other.
"Stay out of this!" Garland bit back.
"Yes, please do. I'd have to punish you too if you chose to continue, and I rather dislike giving anyone punishments on their first day." Itachi wasn't even a little shaken from the verbal battle. Tala found that quite impressive.
"In my defense, you two are the ones acting like children, and I was the one, who told Miss Mimi, to continue teaching." Tala was curious about this guy now, and he was being pulled in, as though he were a magnet, and Itachi a refrigerator, by the second.
"Well, that is not completely true. It may appear childish, but I have yet to say one childish word, in this battle. I am the class monitor, and Garland is one in particular, that is always giving me a headache because he doesn't know when to give up." Itachi said glaring at the silver-haired teen.
"Looks just like Kai doesn't he?" Brooklyn asked Tala. Garland and Tala may have hated each other's guts, and Brooklyn was on Garland's team, but Tala and Brooklyn themselves, were pretty neutral. At the least they were comfortable being labeled acquaintances.
"He does. Too bad he's missing the 'I'm dangerous' vibe." Tala answered before hitting Garland on the head. "You'll take any punishment you get without question from now on, or Boris will hear about this." That said he took his seat, and waited for what would happen next.
"I swear Ivanov, I'm gonna get you!" Garland growled at him as he rubbed his head.
"I'd like the phone number of this Boris, for any necessary use in the future." Itachi said to Tala. From the way Garland had picked up his pen, and began to tap it irritably on his notebook, he figured the teen wouldn't be messing with his authority anymore today.
"Catch." Tala said tossing his cellphone over. "Just copy the numbers under the contact titled father."
"You realize you're giving me a means to get you in trouble in the future by doing this don't you?" Itachi supplied as he tossed it back.
"Like that'll do you any good, Boris may be the closest thing Tala has to a father, but their relationship, is a constant tug of war. Tala's used to Boris punishing him, and Boris is likewise used to Tala needing punishments." Garland lamented bitterly.
"Hn. When you've got to pay for the mistakes of people like Ian, Bryan, and Spencer, you've got to learn to stand your ground, even if it hurts." Tala said mouthing at Itachi that he was cool with giving him the phone numbers.
"I'll try not to use this against you." Itachi said looking at Garland. "Anything more you'd like to say? It'll be lunch detention all week if you say something wrong once Miss Mimi has started teaching again." He was warning the other teen not to be stupid.
"Yeah actually, Fuck you!" Garland bit back.
"You're volunteering to help with the car wash the cheer-leading squad is having this weekend, to raise money for their graduation trip. If you refuse, I'll call Boris AND your parents." Itachi said calmly. A voice so calm should never sound that threatening.
"Miss Mimi please continue the lecture." He said after bowing in apology for the huge interruption to said teacher.
After first, second, third, and fourth hour, lunch hour finally came. As Itachi had condemned, Garland was forced to stay in the classroom after he'd eaten. When Tala finally made it to the front of the lunch line, the lunch lady couldn't find his name in her database for free lunch. Tala tried to explain to her, that he was new, and the computer was probably not updated to include him yet, but she apologized, saying that if she made an exception for him, she'd have to make one for everyone.
Sighing Tala got off the line, and went to leave the cafeteria. He didn't get very far at all because the first table he passed by on the way to the exit, was inhabited by Itachi and Deidara, along with some people Tala didn't know, who the two were having a friendly chat with. Itachi must've seen him, because he called out to him, causing Tala to stop in his tracks and look over.
"Everything alright?" Itachi asked. Lunch had only started ten minutes ago. Tala either ate very fast and didn't like the cafeteria, or had been rejected by the lunch lady. It happened to a lot of new students, and Itachi was always there to help them when it did.
"I don't have any money on me at the moment, and the lunch lady won't give me free lunch because my name isn't in the computer yet. Staying here would just be an unnecessary torture to myself." Tala explained and Itachi got up.
"I can help with that. I've heard this story many times. Come on, I'll buy you anything you want." He said walking towards the front of the line.
"Why in the world, would you do something like that?" Tala asked catching up to him. He hadn't planned on following him thinking Itachi was just joking, but when the raven haired guy was half way there he knew the guy was quite serious.
"Why shouldn't I? I like to help." Itachi replied seriously.
"Besides, haven't you ever heard of the Uchiha family? We're pretty well known for being rich, successful, and noble people." It might've been that the redhead didn't know his last name yet, but just in case Itachi told his story.
"You're an Uchiha?" Tala asked sounding a little surprised.
"Yes. I'm the oldest son and first child of the vice president, of all companies owned by the Uchiha family, Fugaku Uchiha, and the super idol, Mikoto Uchiha." Itachi replied off-handedly before putting an arm out between the person who was currently getting lunch, and the rest of the line.
"I knew you'd be coming sooner or later Itachi." The lunch lady said smiling.
"Koharu, I'm starting to feel like I should put up a sign or something. Honestly, just call my name from now on." He said crossing his arms over his chest.
"Sorry, I'm getting too old for that sort of thing." She said turning her attention to Tala. "So what will it be?" She asked.
"It doesn't matter. Food is food, that's how I was raised." He replied.
"You're serving your special today right?" Itachi asked.
"Yep. You know that stuff ain't cheap right?" She always had to remind him.
"You know those warnings are wasted on me. Give him a nice big helping of that." Itachi said and looked at Tala.
"Anything in particular you'd like to drink?" He asked.
"Water will be fine." The redhead replied simply.
"Koharu you know the drill." Itachi said handing her $50.
"Yes I do, and once again you give me way too much money." She said.
"And you know not to give me any change, because I'll just keep arguing with you, until you take it." He said.
"Unfortunately, you're as stubborn as a mule. I'll be back in a minute." She said taking a tray.
Sure enough she returned in exactly 60 seconds. The tray came back looking much like a box lunch, and Tala was hesitant to take it. Itachi took it instead and Tala took the iced coffee Koharu held out to him and followed. "You really didn't have to do that you know." He said. Itachi just kept walking to the table he'd left his friends at, and told Deidara to scoot over.
One rule Itachi had for their table, was that there always be room for one more, so every time the need arose, they got a bigger table put in the cafeteria, by order of the Uchiha. Itachi's family was one of a kind. Just about everything you could employ yourself as was taken up by someone in his family, and one of his family members was the school principal.
"Done with your good deed of the day Itachi? Who's this?" Itachi told Tala to sit down after setting his tray down before he finally answered the question Hidan had asked.
"Guys this is Tala Ivanov. He's new here, and we have the same teacher. Tala these are some friends of mine. This is Hidan, Kisame, and Sasori. You already know Deidara." Itachi introduced them.
"A pleasure I'm sure." Tala said deciding to eat, as it would be rude not to after Itachi had gone to the trouble. The food turned out to be really good. After eating some, he finally decided to say something. Itachi and Deidara had carried on their conversation with their friends, but the talk was now about what had happened in class earlier. There had been something he'd wanted to ask since he'd seen the guy, but he couldn't figure out a polite way to say it, so he just said it. "Kisame, is that your natural skin color?"
"All natural, and it's a chick magnet." Kisame replied with a grin.
"Shame," Tala said looking at Deidara. "He's more beautiful than 78% of the chicks in the world. Trust me I know."
"I told you so." Sasori pipped in.
"Well, considering you even managed to put a percentage on it, I'm not sure I should be so passive about this anymore." Deidara said sighing. His face was kind of flushed from the comment.
"Unless you're straight, which I highly doubt, you should be just fine." Tala said as his cellphone went off.
"That ring-tone, are you a fan of my mother?" Itachi asked.
"Yeah a little." Tala replied staring at his phone.
"Uh Tala, aren't you gonna answer it?" Hidan asked.
"I should, but I'm having fun, and I can always call back later." The redhead replied as the ring-tone ended.
"So tell me, what is there to do in this town that's fun?" He asked.
"You could always join a club here at the academy. They've got some good stuff. And there's plenty of clubs and arcades around. The amusement park opens next week. We're planning on going, would you like to join us?" Deidara was the one who answered him. Itachi gave Deidara a curious look. His friend was up to something, of that he was sure.
"Would that be okay with you all?" Tala asked.
"The more the merrier." Kisame replied with a thumbs up.
"Fine by me." Sasori offered with a peace sign.
"I don't mind. You're pretty cool from what I can tell." Hidan said.
"Why would I ask if I wasn't trying to invite you?" Deidara asked.
"Itachi?" Tala looked at him questioningly.
"I'm out-voted, but my answer is yes anyway." Itachi replied with a small smile ghosting its way onto his face.
"I'll run it by my father tonight, and give you guys a yes or no tomorrow." Tala said as his phone went off again.
"That's the same contact as before. That Hiro guy must have something important to tell you." Itachi said having noted the earlier caller. He liked to know everything about those he was more than just acquaintances with.
"I'm going to go call him back in the garden. I'll see you in class Itachi, Deidara." Tala took off after waving at the group.
"You like him." Deidara, Hidan, Kisame, and Sasori chorused as soon as the guy had left the cafeteria.
"Am I that obvious?" Itachi asked, then a sigh, that sounded like what could only be called longing, escaped him.
"It was obvious to me back in the classroom. Him having lunch with us just confirmed what I already knew." Deidara replied.
"This is the first time I've ever been able to say it and mean it, but good taste my friend good taste." Hidan said sounding proud.
"He looks like a decent guy." Kisame added.
"I approve." Sasori supplied as Itachi sighed again.
"What's wrong?" Deidara asked.
"Nothing. I'm just curious about that Hiro guy." Itachi replied and Sasori pat him on the head.
"Try to bring him up in a casual conversation or something, and try getting his full name, I'll do some research on him for you." Hidan said knowing that Itachi wanted to pursue a relationship with Tala, but that he wouldn't if he knew he stood no chance.
"Kinomiya. His name is Hitoshi Kinomiya. Tala has that name in parenthesis on the contact." Itachi had planned on doing that himself, but Hidan was much better at that kind of thing than him.
"I'll call you tonight with the information." Hidan said as the bell rang.
"Thanks man." Itachi said as they exited the cafeteria.
"No problem, that's what friends are for." Hidan retorted with a smile.
"See you at Art Club later Deidara." Sasori said as he, Kisame and Hidan, went off in the opposite direction that Itachi and Deidara were headed. They were juniors, while Itachi and Deidara were sophomores. Their class was up one floor, and on the opposite side of the school.
"Earth to Devil Prince, can you stop yelling at me?" Tala asked sounding like he was crying.
Itachi hadn't meant to spy on him or anything, it just turned out that their classroom, was at the end of the hall where the doors to the garden were, and that Tala was speaking loud enough, for him to catch those words, when he walked down the hall. Sending Deidara ahead, he took the elevator to the next floor, and found the balcony that overlooked the garden. The conversation was still going on when he got there, and he listened from the doors which he had pushed open just enough to hear.
"No, I don't want that. Hiro, do you even understand the seriousness, of what you did to me last weekend?" Tala sounded out of breath.
"This isn't something you can just apologize for Hiro! You could have killed me, killed me!" Now Itachi was truly curious.
"Yes, I know you don't drink often, and yes I know it was your first time drinking since rehab, but that's why I asked you to promise me that you'd never drink again. I know the monster you are Hiro, and that one...that just wasn't you. I'd never been afraid of you, in my life! You tried to suffocate me...for real. It wasn't like those games we'd play during sex...it was so much more. If Kai hadn't come over unannounced, you would have killed me. I can't give you another chance Hiro, I just can't." Itachi could swear he heard something collide with the ground after that.
"Of course I love you. Don't ever doubt that I do. I just...I'm scared Hiro, I'm so scared." There was a punch to the ground of that Itachi was certain, and he could hear whimpering...a lot of it.
"It might be a good thing that I moved. I hate to say it, but I have to...I'm putting our relationship on hiatus. I have to go now, goodbye and please, forgive me." It was over.
Itachi waited until he heard moving and doors slamming. That was the sign that Tala was going to class, and he had to make it there first or he'd look suspicious. Itachi didn't get very far. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he found Tala with his knees hugged to his chest, and his face teary. Tapping him on the shoulder, he caused the redhead to look at him. His eyes, the ones that Itachi remembered to be so beautiful, were everything but, and if Itachi described the look on his face in one word, he'd only be able to describe it as broken.
"What happened?" Asking if he was okay would just be cruel.
"I'm not sure, but I think I just broke up with my boyfriend." Tala wanted to vomit at that thought.
"Why don't you tell me about it?" Itachi suggested as he picked the redhead up bridal style, and started heading towards the exit.
"That might just help." He said.
"I've been with him since I was 12 years old. He was my first in every sense of the word. We exchanged promise rings on my 16th birthday not long ago. My God...I don't understand how it went so wrong. I think I can finally relate to those cases of abusive relationships now...I know it's dangerous, but I don't want to leave him. The distance doesn't matter, never has mattered, ever, but this...he could have suffocated me to death, I can't stay with him. He would never forgive himself if he killed me, I don't want that on his conscience, and I don't want to pretend he can get cured. For two years he was in rehab. For two years I stuck with him through it, and we were happy. He didn't hurt me...until he drank again." Tala ranted thinking about all that he'd been through with Hiro.
"The first time he drank, he beat me. I forgave him. He promised me he'd go to rehab and he did, two years later he drank again, and he nearly suffocated me to death. He won't give it up though...I asked him to never drink again, but he just can't go without it. He's only had two drinks in his life. I'm starting to wonder if it would have been better for him, to never know that taste. For Christ's sake, what the hell did I do to deserve this?" Tala just cried brokenly after that.
"Call him Tala, and tell him it's over. For your own safety, you have to make that clear. I'll take you to the police station to file a restraining order after." Itachi said as he nuzzled the redhead's hand.
"Where are we?" Tala asked pulling his hand from Itachi's hold and sitting up.
"We're at the Uchiha Manor, my home. You're in my room." Itachi replied getting off the bed.
As Tala grabbed his cellphone from the nightstand, and flipped it open, beginning to search through his contacts, Itachi got him some napkins and water from his bathroom, and the water fountain installed in his room. Tala called the one person he knew he could count on, in every situation, his best friend, Kai Hiwatari. It took five rings, but Kai answered, and Tala said nothing. Kai knew it was him from his breathing though. If there was anyone who Kai and Tala truly knew, it was each other. One could easily say they had been conjoined at some point, from how well they knew each other.
"Yuri what is it?" On his end, Kai retreated to his room. Nobody needed to know what this call would entail. This was between him, and Tala, no-one else.
"Are you alone?" Tala asked. Kai was using his middle name. On some days, that alone, would be enough to make him feel better, but not today.
"Of course I am, now what is it?" Kai's concern was getting him there though. He at least managed to crack a smile.
"I need...your advice." Tala sounded so small then, that Kai could feel his heart break a little.
"About him?" He asked.
"Yeah...I love him Alexander, but I don't want to die." Now Kai knew it was bad. Tala never called Kai by his middle name. It was too long for the redhead's taste.
"Do you want, to break it off?" He asked.
"...I told him I was putting our relationship on hiatus, but he's never going to be cured from what alcohol makes him do. I can't risk my life. I don't want to be another one of those abusive relationship cases Kai. I wanted to tell Tyson to tell him, but Tyson would probably think I'm joking after five years with his brother. I looked through my contacts...you're the only one I could ever ask this of, because of who we are." Tala replied and drank the water that Itachi had offered him.
"I'll use your exact words Yuri, so tell me what I should say." Kai wouldn't tell Tala to stay with Hiro. He would never let his friend become one of those abusive relationship cases, and he sure as hell, would go and make it clear to Hiro, that if he went near his friend ever again he would pay.
"Tell him I love him, but it's over." Tala spoke again sooner than Kai expected, but that was Tala alright. Short, but to the point.
"I'll tell him. You'd better get your ass up and go file a restraining order though, I don't want that guy anywhere near you." Tala meant too much to Kai for him to lose him, that was the second most scariest thought in the world to Kai. His scariest was losing Tyson his boyfriend, and rival.
"Tell Ty I'm sorry, but this isn't a joke. It's life, or love, and I choose life." Tala said in that small voice again.
"I will. Take care. I'll send Dranzer out to you tonight. You need her more than I do right now." Kai said before ending the call.
"Who did you call?" Itachi asked.
"Kai. He's going to tell Hiro that it's over for me." Tala replied finally composed.
"The guy you and Brooklyn compared me to in class?" Itachi asked.
"The same." Tala said nodding.
"Is that wise? Will Hiro leave you alone if you don't break up with him yourself?" Itachi didn't want Tala hurt. He wondered briefly, if he was being obvious about his feelings or not, but he honestly didn't care enough to dwell on it.
"I'd like to see a man, who can take on Kai Hiwatari, and get away with it." Tala said laughing a little.
"Voltaire Hiwatari's grandson?" Itachi was surprised.
"That's correct. Kai and I have spent most of our lives together. He's like a fraternal twin to me. We're the same, yet we're different. I trust him more than anyone. He did say that I should go file a restraining order though, so if you don't mind taking me, I can do that." Tala spoke while tidying Itachi's bed.
"Come along then. I'll drop you off at your house after too." Itachi said already half way out the door.
In the limousine on the way to the police station, Tala's cellphone went off again. It was Kai. Tala answered it with a smile on his face.
"What's up phoenix?" He asked.
"I just wanted to ask what you're doing this weekend wolf." Kai asked.
"Nothing that I'm aware of, Why?" He asked.
"You left the kids with me, and you have to ask why?" Kai countered in a laughing voice.
"Point taken, but can you not do this to me right now?" He wasn't ready for the three terrors he just wasn't.
"Tell that to Ian. He already called Boris and asked for a shotgun." Kai retorted.
"They were listening in again weren't they?" Tala asked knowingly.
"On Hiro and me when I gave him your message? Yeah." Kai replied.
"Tell them mom orders them to chill, and put Ian on, cause I know he isn't going to listen." Tala rubbed his temples. Already he was getting a headache, and he hadn't even started to deal with Ian yet.
"Hey! Are you okay?" Ian's voice was loud enough to startle Itachi, who gave Tala a 'what the fuck?' look.
"I'm fine kiddo. Now promise mommy you'll calm down. I don't have the energy to deal with you right now, you little terror." Tala answered the youngest of his teammates smiling all the while. Ian was annoying, but endearing all at once.
"I promise, but file that restraining order, and please please please!, let us visit this weekend." Itachi winced yet again, but Tala showed no signs of being bothered by that voice at all, and sighed suddenly in defeat.
"Oh fine, just make sure it's just you guys. I don't want any of those annoying blade-breakers around...and Kai you do NOT count!" Tala was the one that made Itachi wince now, but Itachi had to hide a smile. Clearly Tala was feeling much better.
"Hey wolf. We'll see you this weekend. Saturday morning, abbey hours. See ya, and call me when Dranzer gets there." Kai said before hanging up.
"Who's Dranzer, and what are abbey hours?" Itachi had a lot of questions, but those were the latest ones.
"Dranzer is Kai's bit-beast, a phoenix. He's going to release her from her beyblade, and she's going to come looking for me, and burn me alive." Tala replied sounding happy.
"Why would you be joyous about being burned alive?" Itachi asked.
"She's not really going to burn me alive silly. It's more of a spiritual thing. The arctic wolf and ice goddess in my beyblade are spirits too. They can be seen in a physical form because one believes they exist, and or because one has a strong sixth sense, or has bonded with one. It's a little different for Kai, myself, and our team. Our bit-beasts, the spirits in our beyblades, their DNA was extracted and placed inside of us unlike most beybladers." Tala explained as best he could, but Itachi was still completely lost.
"I don't get it, at all." The Uchiha said dumbfounded.
"I'll show you this weekend if you come over. Kai asked for abbey hours, which means I have to be up around 3:30am, but you can come over any time." Tala said getting out of the limousine as they'd finally reached their destination.
"I'll come. It sounds rather interesting." Itachi said smiling.
"Bring your friends if they're interested." The redhead said smiling back.
"Alright." Itachi said as they went inside.
"Where exactly am I dropping you off?" Itachi asked as they got back in the vehicle an hour later.
"Mulberian Hills East. House 7." Tala replied.
"You live that far from school?" Itachi was shocked.
"Weekends I get to do what I want. Weekdays...dad works me till I drop." Tala replied in a laughing tone that Itachi couldn't believe. Even his own father, whom Itachi thought was too strict, was not this bad, and Boris wasn't even Tala's real dad.
"I don't see the humor in that." The Uchiha really couldn't.
"It's my life. Work, work, work. My teen years have honestly been my childhood." The redhead said not sounding too resentful.
"Do you like that?" Itachi grimaced at the idea of such a life.
"It's hard, I won't say it isn't, but that makes the rewards all the sweeter." Tala answered simply.
"Okay...Getting back to that phone call, what was with the mom thing?" Itachi asked.
"Would you believe me if I said I had children?" Tala supplied in place of an answer.
"I'd call you insane, but seriously what gives?" Itachi wanted to know everything he could about Tala. He definitely planned on pursuing a relationship with the redhead, especially with Hiro out of the picture, but he knew he had to take it slow.
"The mom thing, the dad thing, the kid thing, it all pertains to one thing, my team. Ian had this strange view of Kai and I as his parents ever since he was with us. My guess is it came around because Ian's a midget, and Kai and I are the oldest on the team. Bryan and Spencer eventually grew into the habit, and Kai and I eventually grew into the habit of calling them our children. Ian is very protective of me, and he asked Boris for a shotgun to keep Hiro away from me. It sounds childish, and then some, but with Ian one can never be too sure if he's serious. He knows how to use them, and if it were for me, I have little doubt in my mind, that he would sully his hands. I usually go with the mom thing in order to calm him down." Tala spoke fondly of this habit he and his friends had developed, and Itachi wondered what they were like exactly.
"What are blade-breakers?" Itachi asked.
"A rival team similar to Brooklyn and Garland's own team. You'd think after getting their asses handed to them they'd quit, but they keep coming back. The Bladebreakers are another story completely though, ever since the first tournament we had both entered, we've been tied for the World Champion Beyblading Team title, and Tyson from their team and I, we've been tied for the World Champion Beyblader title many times. Kai's also tied with Tyson, but Kai is an interesting guy, he's been on my team, Tyson's team, and Brooklyn and Garland's team. You can never tell who he'll side with when that time comes. He tends to decide from the preliminaries who to team up with, and goes with the flow from there." Tala explained.
"When's the next tournament?" Itachi wanted to see for himself.
"It's not going to be any interesting if you witness the World Championships without being able to see bit-beasts, let's see if you can do that first, then we'll talk about that." Tala replied.
"Alright, but you're going to be gone during that time either way right?" The Uchiha was inwardly sulking.
"Well yes, I have a team to lead, and fans to please." Tala answered simply.
"Any way I could come along?" Itachi asked.
"That can be arranged." Tala replied.
"That's good. I'll run it by my parents once I know the details, and whether or not I can see bit-beasts." Itachi said before getting out of the car.
"Thanks for the ride. I'll see you tomorrow, and thank you for not leaving me there on the stairs Itachi. That's one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me." Tala smiled all the while.
"It was no problem, and yes I'll see you tomorrow. You're very welcome about it, but if I'd left you on the stairs I'd not only be cruel, but inhuman. We all need someone to help pick us up when we're down Tala, I'm just glad I could help." Itachi said before giving a final wave and getting back in the car.
A/N: New story, new ideas, new new new! I have completely lost my energies. They have gone astray. Round and round my thoughts go, where they'll end up nobody knows. Please enjoy this new story. This is a pretty long first chapter, but hey I had a lot to write. I think it's safe to say I'll be updating this since I can never let go of the beyblade fandom and writing Itachi/Tala will be a fun thing to do. I hope you all enjoy and remember that reviews are love. Tell me what you think!