My second Beyblade fic! Yay for me! I hope you like!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own beyblade. But you guys already know that

Victorious

RAY POV

It all happened so fast...

I knew Lee was wasting his energy, I knew he was going to end up exhausted and defenseless against the power that was Tala.

Tala had the upper hand from the minute they launched their blades, Lee was in such a hurry to finish of the match he didn't realize that was exactly what Tala wanted him to do, he was falling and fast.

I wanted to say something, anything to aid my fatigued teammate, but my words would be unheard, Lee wouldn't listen, he was too caught up in his battle with Tala. But my mind was also elsewhere...my thoughts were entirely focused on my ex-team member...Kai.

Would I be able to put the past of Kai being a former teammate behind me and fight him like any of my other opponents? No, truth is I won't be able too. I'll need to be faster, stronger and far more concentrated on my battle than ever before. Kai is an amazing beyblader, I have my speed and he has his strength.

I felt as if I had to prove myself to him, to show him I'm worth his time, to show him how strong I really am...the last thing I wanted was for Kai to think I was weak

I snapped out of my little daydream as Lee came staggering towards me, swaying dangerously. I grabbed onto his shoulders just before he hit the ground...Tala had come out victorious.

That's all I ever seemed to be doing, catching Lee as he falls, it was getting rather irritating, but Lee is my friend, I'm supposed to catch him when he falls, pick him up when he hits the ground. That's what friends are for. A loud ripping sound reached my ears and I turned around.

Mariah was tearing a piece of her shirt. She walked up to me and wrapped it on my right arm, "Now a piece of me will be with you when you battle Kai."

Gary, Kevin and Lee started ripping long strips of their shirts also, fastening them onto my arm. I looked down on the colorful array of cloth which decorated my arm, we were a true team, I could get by anything with them by my side.

Walking up to the dish I prepared my blade for battle.

KAI POV

after the match

I walked away from the dish and bowed my head in shame; I couldn't believe what I had just done. I couldn't bear to look at Ray, no I wouldn't look at Ray...I attacked him, bought back memories of the first world championships, when Bryan attacked Ray...

"Kai!"

Ray? Could my ears be deceiving me, how could he even want to look at me after what I've done, I know one think for sure, his team hates me. They don't matter though, I couldn't care less of what they think of me, the only one that matters is...Ray.

"Kai wait!"

There's that voice again, the voice of whom I hold most dear to me, of course he doesn't know that...what would he think of me then?

I sighed, It was time I stopped asking myself unanswerable questions, it would only depress me further. I turned my head slightly to the side and stopped walking, "Yeah Ray?" I asked, hoping my voice didn't sound weak and distant.

"I-I just wanted to wish you good luck in the finals."

I turned my head to face the front again, my escape route. Instead of walking away like I normally would have done, I stuck my hand up in the air and closed my fingers to form a fist, "Thanks Ray."

For once in my life I actually meant it, that's all I wanted to hear...that's all that will get me through this whole thing...Ray.

I walked past the guys I now call team without casting a single glance towards them, I knew only to well what they were thinking, especially Tala, they couldn't believe I'd pulled it of so easily.

Once out of eye shot I collapsed onto the cold blue walls surrounding the hallway and shivered as a cool wind blew by...oh yeah my scarf, I'll get it later. Right now I had more important things on my mind, like how I barely pulled of the victory.

Ray was a tough opponent, that's for sure, he doesn't give up, and that's what I admire most about him, his strength of character. I think now, I'm finally ready to face Tyson, and I've never been more eager to taste victory...to wipe that smile of his face.

RAY'S POV

I had asked to be left alone for a while, I needed time to think. Lee didn't want to leave me alone, and I wouldn't want to either I was in his shoes. I was badly wounded and I could barely balance on my own two feet.

Mariah wasn't any better, she was bawling her eyes out clinging to my arm like there was no tomorrow, Gary had to pry her off, telling her she's not helping my injuries.

I peeled of my shirt, wincing in pain as it stuck to my broken skin. I'd better take it out now than wait till later when the blood dries and my shirt gets caught onto my skin for good. I managed to get my shirt over my head and threw it onto one of the change rooms many hooks sighing at my once flawless skin.

I held my head in thought remembering what my doctor had said two years ago at the first world championships: "Ray, the bad news is that your body has taken quite some damage to it, but the good news is, young people heel very fast."

That bought a kernel of hope to me, I had a chance to recover fully...why was I suddenly obsessed with the way I look, it felt as if I had to look good for something, or rather someone. An image of Kai popped in my clouded head but I shook it of smiling dumbly to myself.

There was no way I thought of Kai in that way, was there? No, even if I did, Kai would never feel the same way, my feelings would be unreturned...it would only break my heart further.

Now back to my wounds, I scanned the fairly large room, looking for the object of my desire. There, the first aid kit, hanging on the left wall.

I moved to go grab it but my legs wouldn't budge, them to, I guessed, were pretty wounded also. I pulled of pants and bit my lip so I wouldn't be heard screaming...my legs were almost as bad as my arms.

I had to get them treated; I was too stubborn to go to hospital so I needed to do this myself. Bracing myself for the pain that would soon course through my body I placed my arms on either side of wooden bench and boosted myself up, using the wall as my support as I limped towards the first aid kit.

Grabbing it with my least injured hand I plopped down on the nearest source of comfort and began to open it. Perfect; sterile dressing pads and gauze for the bigger wounds, bandaids of all sizes for the smaller ones, polysproin to speed up the recovery and minimize the effect of scars and hospital tape, as I like to call it.

Applying the cooling cream to my open wounds did wonders to my aching body, although it didn't prevent the pain from rising completely, it soothed it so it was bearable. I grabbed some of the non-sticky sterile pads and placed them over the larger wounds, careful not to injure myself further. After the pads and bandaids were done I moved onto the gauze, it posed a slight problem...but nothing I couldn't handle.

I sighted in exhaustion, who know dressing wounds could be so tiring? I now know how the doctors feel...speaking of doctors, I'd have to get myself checked out incase of infection, but not today.

I walked of the dark change room and into the darker corridor my feline like eyes adjusting in an instant.

Now I could think properly, why did Kai hurt me, I know he's wants to battle Tyson in the finals but did he have to resort to such extreme measures? I don't think so, but with Kai, you can never tell what he's thinking.

And about thinking...I was so involved with my thoughts I didn't notice I had left the change room with only boxers on. I snapped my head in every possible direction checking for people, but none were there.

Taking a few slow steps backwards I sprinted back into the deserted room.

Good, no one there...I rushed over to my duffle bag and fished through it looking for the right outfit.

I picked a white cotton sweater and baggy black pants, something long to cover up my pathetic attempt at bandaging. I noticed my blood stained clothes in the corner and walked over to them picking them of the hooks.

I inspected them closely and decided they needed to go, I would never be able to get the blood out, it was hopeless...another good outfit ruined.

Now I only needed my hair wrap. Rummaging through my duffle bag again I found what I was looking for and expertly fastened it onto my lengthy ebony hair.

I could now leave the change room without looking like something found in dumpster.

I was walking around blindly and only stopped when I almost bumped into a wall. Taking a step back I shook my head violently trying to shake the sleep that was slowly approaching my body away.

I was about to walk away when I realized that the wall I almost crashed into housed a cozy little café.

I smiled to myself, coffee would defiantly wake me up.

Taking my seat somewhere towards the far end I ordered a vanilla flavored coffee and sipped at it slowly, not noticing when someone pulled up infront of me taking a seat at my table.

I was too tired to tell them to get lost so I continued to keep my head down and avoid their eyes. But it was harder said than done, whoever it was their eyes were boring into my skull making it hard to concentrate on the highly interesting table.

I was getting pretty annoyed now, I looked up and was about yell something rude but my voice caught in my throat causing me to sound like a kitten being strangled.

His powerful crimson pools locked onto my own and a slightly saddened look crossed his perfectly sculpted face...this man was none other than...Kai.

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