"We'll see!" Tala glared at the captain of Blade-breakers, "See you in the stadium in a week." Kai said and walked out of the room.

A few days before, Kai and Tala had decided to play a game of rock, paper and scissors. The deal was that who ever wins would confront the other to any of the winner's favorite game and Tala had won. He had challenged Kai at the game of football, in Japan's most popular stadium with a team of eleven players. They had decided that both the men will meet in the stadium in two weeks, in which they will gather their team players.

AFTER A WEEK

Kai walked into the team's waiting room and found that all the eleven bey-blade players he had requested had come to play the match.

Hearing the door open, all the members of Kai's team looked up to welcome their leader. Kai gave a small nod to them all before sitting on a bench, alone. Tyson walked up to him and sat down beside him. After a few minutes in which Kai just sat still and Tyson played with his hands, Tyson cleared his throat and said, "Why did you invited The Majestics? And worse, the white tigers?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kai sighed, "to play."

"But why them?" Tyson argued.

"Its not like they are evil or something."

"But they were against us weren't they? And look how uncomfortable Ray is feeling with the white tigers around." Tyson pointed at Driger's master who had his face buried in his hands while Lee was shouting insults at him. Kai knew that Lee and Ray were rivals but he also knew that Ray had spent his childhood with Lee and that they both knew each other better than anyone else knew them. Their mind spans also matched and that was the only thing his team needed to win the match.

"I know what I am doing, now shut up." Kai said angrily. After a few moments they heard the announcer call their opponent team's name and cheers were heard. Kai stood up and clapped his hands to gain their attention, "Listen, today we are all going to forget what happened in our past and play this game as a team, together. Also, winning is not everything so don't get too tense out there just enjoy." After Kai sat back again everybody started clapping as if encouraging one another. Kai smiled and looked at Tyson in a 'I told you' kind of way. Just as the clapping died down the door of the room opened again reviling a man with blond hair. He looked down at the paper in his hand then said, "Your team name is 'the ocelots'?"

"Yeah." Kai said before anyone else could say anything. The blonde adjusted his gaze at the captain.

"Then you may line up at the front of the entrance of the stadium and enter it according to the announcement of your names. 'The snakes' are already out there." The man said. He looked at everybody for a brief second, they all seemed in high spirits, "good luck." He walked out of the room, giving Kai one last look.

After the door closed Tyson took Kai's hand in his and lifted it up in the air, "Let's go and thrash those guys out there." Everybody in the room cheered. Kai jerked his hand away from Tyson's and gave him an annoyed look. He walked towards the door and opened it.

"Let's go." Kai said before walking out. Everybody followed him to the entrance of the big ground. They stood there for a few seconds then the speakers burst to life.

"Let's welcome our next team…" cheers, "'the ocelots.' please come according to the names." More cheers.

"Lee." Some where from the back, the leader of the white tiger walked in the ground, "Followed by the rest of the white tigers." The two others followed their captain.

"Next comes, Johnny followed by Robert, Enrique and Oliver, please step outside." The Majestics walked into the ground just as the three white tigers had done leaving the blade breakers.

"Tyson and Max." Both of the boys walked outside giving the other two a small enthusiastic smile.

"Ray kon…" Ray took a deep breath and said to Kai, "Uh… I've never played it before."

Kai patted his back, "Its going to be alright, You know the rules?" Ray gave a small nod, "ok, then go." Ray also walked out as more cheers were heard.

"And lastly, the captain, please step outside Mr. Hiwatari." Kai started walking towards the ground, making the crowd go wild.

When both the teams were in the ground the announcer said, "Now, I hope all of you know the rules, let's start the match."

Kai's team was on the left side of the ground while Tala's on the right side. Before standing in the middle, Kai signaled Gary to be the goal keeper, he did as told.

Kai walked in the center where Tala, Bryan and lee were standing, with referee watching them from a few steps away, he signaled Tala to make the first move. Tala nodded to the referee and looked in those crimson eyes, "good luck." He extended his hand for Kai to shake. Kai looked at it confusedly before clearing his throat and shaking it. After they were done shaking, the referee told them to get ready and after a second he blew the whistle. Tala took the ball and passed it to Bryan. He made an attempt to pass it to Tala again but Lee tackled him and the ball was with him. He started running at the opponent's goal. Ray was running a few paces away from him. He passed the ball to him when the other team's player tried to take it from him. Ray moved in the direction of the ball and successfully took it in his feet and started dragging it to the goal, he didn't see Tala coming and a second later Tala was running in the opposite direction with the ball, Kai running behind him. He was victorious at dodging Kai's team players and was now in the Penalty area. His pace slowed down as he prepared to kick. Kai took it to his advantage and tackled the ball away from him.

The crowd was shouting even more then it did in the bey-stadium, Kai noticed. He let his mind wander someplace away from the game and he didn't knew when Tala took the ball from him and made a perfect shot in the net making the onlookers go wild.

Kai looked at the board and saw that Tala had goaled; cursing himself he walked towards Gary and patted his back to show that there were no worries. This time he told Johnny to start the game. The whistle was heard and the game started again.

Kai ran towards the ball and tackled it away from the opponent player. He made his way towards the goal, evading the other players. He was a few meters away from the penalty area but took his chance and kicked the ball as hard as he could. It went pass Spencer, Tala's team goal keeper, and into the net. The crowed stood up and started shouting their team's name. Kai fell to his knees as his team surrounded him, hugging him. He just sat there, not pushing them away. After a few more minutes, the referee blew his whistle showing that the first half had ended.

Kai walked towards the end of the ground where the water cooler was, his team following him. They were talking enthusiastically with one another, even Ray and Lee were talking with each other. After drinking, Kai sat on the bench, in the last half they had only goaled once while Tala's team were roaring in happiness on three goals, Its not about winning, Kai repeated in his head. He rubbed his hand over his sore knee, it was wet. He looked at it and saw that there was a small damage to his skin which was bleeding. He ignored it and signaled his team to come near him, "You were all so tensed; it's not about winning the game," he looked at the blade-breakers, "nice job." He gulped down another glass full of water. Some of his team members sat down on the bench beside him while the other sat on the ground.

"Nice job boys." Kai heard a familiar voice. He turned around and saw Mr. Dickenson making his way towards them, "You were great out there." He patted Kai's back much like the way Kai had patted Gary's back, to give him confidence, "You can all win." They nodded. He pointed his stick at Tyson, "and don't just run around like a buffoon." Tyson made a face but nodded nonetheless. The whistle was heard again. They all stood up, Tyson gave Mr. Dickenson a thumbs up, "Go kick some ass then."

Before they knew it, Kai goaled again and his team crushed him again into a group hug. Kai's eyes met Tala who gave him smirked upon seeing in the middle. Kai, however, gave him a small smile.

After forty five minutes:

"You were so cool, now all we have to do is pass the extra time without any goals." Ray said, he was still holding Kai's arm. Both the teams had the same score so they were given extra time. After the brake in which Mr. Dickenson pointed out their mistakes, they were standing in the ground again.

Kai's team was victorious in stopping all the goals. They also made a few attempts to score but 'the snakes' were also keen to win so the extra time went by without any goals, dragging them to penalties.

Gary was their goal keeper, Kai told Lee to go first then Ray, Johnny, and Robert and at last himself.

Tala had also assigned four of his players and himself for the penalties with Spencer as their goal keeper.

The Whistle told them that they should start. Tala's team was first to go.

Kai walked towards the penalty area and adjusted the ball in the middle. So long Tala's team had not missed a single goal; same was the case with Kai's team. Kai took a few steps away from the ball, took deep breath. Looked in Spencer's eyes and gave him a small smile then kicked the ball. Kai watched the ball fly towards the goal keeper, exactly in the middle of the net. He saw Spencer dive towards it and catch it. All seemed to happen in slow motion. He dropped on the floor as loud cheers of the opponent team reached his ears. He felt his body become numb, they were so close to winning the game, so close, Kai maintained his position even after his team congratulated him. He was so sure that they will win but…

The cheers died down as Tala made his way towards the other team's captain, sitting on the ground with his head bowed. Stopping in front of him, he cleared his throat. Kai looked up in blue eyes. Tala held out his hand, Kai looked at it much like he had looked at it at the starting of the match. After a brief second he took it and Tala forced him into a standing position. Kai tried to pull his hand away but Tala didn't let go and wrapped him in an embrace, "Party at my place?"

"Party at your place." Kai repeated in reassurance and they walked together to collect their medals, "Nice game by the way."

"What do I get now?" Tala stopped in the middle of the ground. Every eye in that stadium was on the two.

"Anything you want, my treat." Kai guaranteed.

"Anything?" Tala asked.

"Anything."

"Cool!" Tala shirked happily and grabbed Kai's shoulders tightly so that Kai won't be able to break free, "How about a…" Tala broke off as he started nearing Kai, who closed his eyes knowing that his team was watching them.