Notes: This is the only story that I've actually planned from start to finish before writing. Yay, go me!

Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade. All I do own is my plot line, OC's and any of their extensions.

Summary: The threat of higher level competition in the tournaments to come makes Mr. Dickenson assign Riley Phillips to help train the G Revolutions. Tyson knows her. She was the one who taught him to really beyblade. But how much does he know about the time between back then and now? And why is she singling Kai out?

To Turn The Tides

Prologue

Distant Storm

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It had been about four months since the Justice Five tournament. All the beybladers had gone to their respective hometowns for a short break before school began at the beginning of September. Needless to say, many teams were already getting a head start on training for the next year. Others however, were more concerned with things like food and sleep, pretty much being a couch potato.

Boris Balkov and anyone else involved with BEGA had been arrested for their demonic behavior, banned from the beyblading world. It would seem that all was at peace, almost.

However, big cities began to become involved with an underground beyblading population that was beginning to take to the streets. This had started around the time Tyson had become involved with the Bladebreakers, some years before. Cities like New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami, Tokyo, Barcelona, Moscow, Rome, London and many others have been subject to beybattles by members of these underground bladers. Some organized themselves into gangs, to be with others of their "kind," so to speak. The battles between them were beyond the level of the World Championships. They were lethal.

The level of skill of these beybladers was not even considered within the range of World Class. Their level was off the charts, and was named accordingly, after the first blader demonstrated this power. They called it Infinite, after the gang Infinity, who were the trendsetters, followed by numerous others who organized themselves. They were revolutionary beybladers, with unique styles and strategies never seen before.

Certain gangs, however, began wars amongst the others with Infinite Class beybladers, leading to serious competitions that were ended typically with violence..

It was for this reason, Stanley A. Dickenson decided to make the circuit welcome to underground beybladers with these talents that were unknown to the world. Three years ago, he came across his first case. Her name was Riley Phillips, a Seattle native and a former member of Seattle's wildest gang, the one who started it all. Infinity. Dickenson's second reason was to get them into an organized system. If the infinites were with the B.B.A., or some organization like it, they weren't going to hurt people. It was like an afterschool program, designed to keep kids off the streets. But this was a way of life.

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Crimson eyes slid across the length of the room, her fingers drumming patterns on the wooden desk. The man behind it smiled at her warmly. "Jin should be here in a moment, don't worry."

"I wasn't," she responded. Gazing out the window, she thought of the dark blunette. It had been twelve years since she had first met him, when she was five years old. As compared to his brother... now that was someone she knew a little better.

When she was five, her father died, and she traveled with her mother, for her job, to Japan, where she had met Tyson and Hiro Granger, as well as their father and grandfather. They had become fast friends, bonded by the loss of his mother and her father.

A few years later, Hiro introduced Tyson to beyblading, a sport that she had been excelling in since before she came to Japan. Following that, his older brother seemed to disappear, and she had taken over his training. This only strengthened their bond, making them inseparable.

However, plans quickly changed. Her mother had been steadily increasing in rank at the company she worked in. Therefore, by the time her mother had become partial owner of the company, she was required to move back to headquarters in Seattle.

Since then, she'd lost touch with Tyson. She had been deemed the a member of Infinity from the day she had launched a beyblade in the city. A few years ago, she had been challenged by none other than Gin of the Gale, a nineteen year old boy she once knew who wished to see the power of an infinite. He had been sent by the B.B.A. to collect information about the Infinites, who were covering up their tracks. The girl, at the time, hadn't been aware of just how cruel people were being in the gang she practically considered a family.

"Man, I kicked his ass last time we fought," She commented aloud.

"Thank you for that lovely statement. It's nice to see you too."

Her eyes brightened. "Jin of the Gale... Hiro, it's so good to see you." She turned around and hugged the navy haired boy. "I've missed you a lot."

He looked down at her. "Still haven't grown any, Riley?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah." Both sat down before the chairman, who was happy to see her friend as well.

"Now, as both of you know," He began, leaning back into his chair and pressing his fingertips together, "It has been three years since the G Revolutions won the World Championships as the Bladebreakers. This year, I am announcing beforehand that the level of skill is going to excede that of previous years."

"Are many of the gangs joining?" Hiro asked, removing his mask. "What about your old-"

Riley shook her head and her crimson eyes locked onto his. "I don't know, when you found me, I left, remember?" She smiled at Dickenson, then at Hiro. "I guess you two found me just in time. Even if I did kick your butt in that battle."

"You owe me a rematch."

Dickenson cleared his throat. "Anyway, with all the talk of underground beybladers joining, we need to strengthen the returning teams. I want the two of you to go push on the G Revolutions. They've been slacking off, and I think a fresh face would do them some good."

Riley nodded, running a hand through her multi-toned hair. She'd like to go see Tyson again, and training the world champs... The thought blew her away. "It would be an honor," Riley responded, sitting up a bit straighter. "And of course, I'd be able to see how I'd fare against them."

"Then it's settled. You will take the next plane out to Japan. Hiro, will you be joining them?"

He nodded as well. "I haven't seen my little bro in a long time," He said, his eyes sparking with remorse. "But I think bringing along one of his old friends will make him a little happier to see me."

Dickenson pressed a button on his phone. "Elena, please arrange two first class tickets to Bakuten, Japan." He released the button. "Riley, you're going into your senior year, correct?"

"Yes."

He pressed the same button a moment later. "Would you do me another favor, Elena? I need you to register Miss Phillips here to start at Bakuten Central High. She'll be finishing up her school career there."

Riley's heart fluttered in anticipation. She hadn't been to Japan in years, since she left with her mother. Come to think of her mother, she should call. However, after that whole disownment issue last night, she figured the bloody bitch wouldn't care if she died. Beyblading meant more to Riley than being her mother's corporate heir. If that meant that she would have to choose, she'd choose the one that could help her help others. Even if she did lose the last member of her family she had in the process.

Hiro reached over and placed a hand over hers. "Something up, squirt?"

"Nothing," she said, faking a smile. Her mother's words still stung, but it was nothing she wasn't used to. "I'll explain later."

"Okay..." Hiro didn't seem overly convinced, but she figured it would work for now. His cell phone rang and he excused himself, leaving her with the chairman. Concern accentuated his features.

"What's going on?" Mr. Dickenson asked, shooting a smile at her that told her it was alright to say something.

"My mom," she responded automatically. She owed the only one living her life, so she figured she could tell him. "She disowned me."

"When the hell did this happen?" He asked, now angry.

"Last night," she said, her eyes glazing over. "She told me that I was going to take over her position in her business, and that I would be going to finishing school next year to make sure I was ready for the corporate world. I told her that it wasn't what I wanted."

Dickenson reached an arm over the table and grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly. "She disowned you because you wouldn't do as she asked you?"

"I won't let anyone determine how I live my life." She whispered determined. "I don't want that."

"It's understandable, Riley," he confirmed. "You know that you always have a home here with the B.B.A." She smiled appreciatively.

"Thank you," She said, smiling and laughing a little. "I can't tell you how much all you've done for me means."

"Are you staying at a hotel?"

"Actually, it's right by the airport." Both chuckled accordingly. "I got my crap and got out when she started with the names. She told me not to come back, and I was more than willing to oblige."

He nodded. "Are you okay though? I know these things hurt."

"I don't know yet about being okay, but I will be." She smiled at him sincerely. "It will do me some good to see my old friend."

Dickenson stood up and walked to her side of the desk, and she stood up as well, accepting and returning the man's embrace. "You've grown into quite the young woman, Riley. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Your character radiates through your actions. These speak louder than anything else. Your mother was a fool to not be able to see this." She squeezed him a bit tighter.

"Thanks Mr. D," she whispered, trying to keep a straight face. It was hard. "You've been working on your motivational speeches," she said, wiping a tear away from her eyes. "I'm actually tearing up."

"Well you better go find that friend of yours, I don't know when your plane leaves."

"Thanks again," she said winking at him. "I'll make sure those boys add another year under their belts."

"You already know how you're going to coach them, don't you?" He asked quizzically.

"I have an idea." He nodded.

"You'll make me proud, that I know."

She smiled. "I hope so."

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Seattle International Airport

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Hiro leaned over and picked up one of her three bags. "Haven't you heard of packing light? This is just about everything you own!"

She shrugged, a smile appearing. "It is everything I own," She confirmed. "I don't really plan on coming back here for a while, until I'm done with their training."

They continued on, getting to their gate without having to wait too long. The attendant took their tickets and escorted them onto the plane, which was pretty cold with the air conditioning. Riley pulled her red jacket tighter to her body. Hiro allowed her a choice of seats, and she took the window one, as he figured she would.

"How's beyblading been on your side of the world?" Hiro asked her seriously. "I've been over in New York City for a while, and spent a little time in the United Kingdom."

"Seattle beyblading is hardcore, I believe I taught you that..." He rolled his eyes, and she nudged him playfully. "You know I'm just messing with you. Anyway, since you led me to the B.B.A., things in the gangs has gotten crazy. They don't want to go 'mainstream,' for the sake of their image. Which really makes no sense. The gang I was in decided that they were going to go after the younger generation of beybladers, and with the skills they had, I thought it was horrible, so I went after them instead. Another gang appeared around this time to do the same thing, and since then, Dickenson and I have been working to keep the gangs in line. Not to mention to keep them from doing something stupid."

Hiro nodded. "So you don't think they'll enter the championships in June?"

"Yeah, I do think they will." His head spun around in confusion. "I know I just said that they didn't want to become mainstream, but there are other cities with gangs and the fact that some of these gang leaders have intense power and skill."

The plane began to take off, and she popped in a stick of bubble gum, offering some to the coach next to her. "Tyson will be surprised to see you," He said, in a softer tone. "So don't think this is all business. Though my brother has been slacking off a lot."

She laughed quietly, her eyes brightened by the thought of his little brother. "I thought we should challenge them. A little beybattle to affirm why we're needed before they know they've been assigned to us."

"You wouldn't om-"

"No." Her voice was firm. "That's the last thing they need to know about. I'm not even going to make them think I'm much better than they are."

"Then why challenge them?"

"I don't have to beat them by much," She responded, glancing over at him like he should've known. "Jin and a mysterious beyblader can appear, they can lose-"

"If you bring me into it, they'll think I'm going back to the dark side." He clenched his fists. "That would be a bad idea."

"Fine, I'll take them out myself. You can stand there and look pretty."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"It's not that hard." She leaned her seat back and watched the clouds out the window. They were now resting high above the pacific ocean. "All I need to do is get a bit of an edge and stop them from spinning, I mean seriously, Hiro, come on. I'm the heir of the Infinites, when you think about it."

"I know." He watched her gaze out the window. "I have a question."

"What?"

"You spend all this time training everyone else. Don't you want to compete?"

"Yeah, but Dickenson and I discussed this. There aren't enough beybladers at my level for me to compete."

Hiro's eyes widened. "He wants you to bump up the champs to your level. That's why he sent you!" He pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're meant to get them advancing so that the B.B.A. can advance too."

"Exactly. I'm glad you figured this out."

She pulled out her ipod and began looking through songs. After finding a suitable one, she turned it on low, leaving one ear bud hanging down by her side, while the other was in her ear. She pulled out her beyblade and let Hiro take a gander.

"That's one hell of an upgrade."

"I've upgraded five times since you've last seen me, so this had damn well better be an improvement." She clenched her hands around the beyblade, one built for agile movement and endurance. It red with a cyclone attack ring and a diamond chip titanium defence ring. "The beyblade is the Diamondback V3.0 Cyanide."

"Interesting. And the bit beast?"

"Taidra." She paused. "Remember? The big black and red thing that sent you packing?"

"Ha. Very funny." He ran a hand through his hair. "You want to come back here?"

"There's not much left for me in Seattle," Hiro's face changed to one of bewilderment, "So we'll see what Bakuten has to offer."

"What happened with your mom?"

Riley froze. "She disowned me, you know, standard procedure when your daughter rebels from the life of a refined corporate bitch. I can be a bitch without the suit, thanks, I think I'll beyblade."

He slung an arm around her. "I'm glad you're coming back with me," he said gratefully. "I do miss you too."

"I barely knew you when we were kids," she said, rolling her eyes. "You left remember?"

"And for the few years that I did get to know you, you were my little sister."

"Nothing changes, heh?"

"I guess not. Let's just hope Tyson feels the same way."

"Hell, I took over training him from you, I think I can do it again."

"One would hope he'd listen to the one who taught him how to blade. All I did was give him the tools. You did the coaching."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short. You work those boys good and hard, and that's what they need."

"Yeah, yeah." He leaned back in his seat. "Get some rest, I'm sure that tomorrow is going to be one hell of a day."

"Agreed. Bakuten, here I come."

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Alright, alright, I know, it's short, but it's just an introduction. Besides, Hiro doesn't get much of a part in my stories, especially ones where he's the good guy. I thought I'd include him for once.

Please Review!

x3 Distant Storm