Kai watched tentatively as the thirteen-year-old girl deftly slipped her orange rip cord through her launcher. He could see the fiery determination in her eyes.
Around her stood a ring of kids, staring breathlessly at the girl. Their hero. Her opponent was older, about fifteen years old. He had fiery red hair that fell into his eyes, blocking the fear that was evidently there.
"Let it rip!" The two shouted, yanking on their rip cords. With a whir, the two Beyblades were released.
Immedietly the spectators burst into a chorus, chanting the girl's name. "An-ja! An-ja! An-ja!"
Anja, oblivious to the cheering, stared at her black and yellow blade, pouring all of her energy into it.
A trace of a smile crossed Kai's lips, as he nodded slightly. This girl was going to be successful. She was going to the top. And Kai had raised her to this state.
When Anja had first joined the Roulettes, Russia's junior Beyblading team, she had been an unfocused and immature blader. Now she was champion material.
"Go, Medëza!" Anja exclaimed. "Strike him with a lightening bolt." The blade began spinning faster, causing the sparks caused by friction on the gravel to form thin, yet deadly, lightening bolts that shot at the opponent's blade.
The boy was caught off guard, and the electricity threw his blade off of its rhythm. He clenched his fist, and looked up. "Vezini, attack it now!"
The opponent's blade began spinning quicker, and shot at Medëza, who dodged it with ease. A whoop emerged from the crowd.
Kai crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. He watched Medëza's movements carefully. Something didn't seem right. He frowned. It looked as if it wasn't quite in sync with Anja.
Anja seemed to notice, as well. Her fist was clenched tighter than usual, and she grit her teeth. "Medëza, attack!"
Suddenly, a burst of blinding yellow light shot out of Medëza, and a form emerged. Kai took half a step back, and raised his eyebrows.
Anja fell onto her knees in surprise and shock. "Medëza!" she exclaimed, with awe-filled eyes. The light grew steadily clearer, until she could make out the form of a great bird, blocking the light from the sun. The bird seemed to be completely made of thunder, and electrical currents sizzled from one end of the figure to another. Smoothly, it swooped down and easily knocked her opponent's blade out of the ring, before recoiling back into her blade.
Kai approached Anja, and helped her up. "You have a bit beast. Congratulations." He put his hand on her shoulder slightly, nodded, and turned around. Without looking back, he said, "My work with you is done, Anja. You will be great one day."
Anja stooped over and picked up her blade. She smiled, her green eyes twinkling. "Thank you, Kai." She bowed slightly, before walking back to her home.
Kai smiled slightly. He closed his eyes and nodded, happy for Anja. He turned slightly, and called after the disappearing figure. "You still have practice with the rest of the Roulettes tomorrow!"
Anja raised her hand in acknowledgement without turning around. Kai knew that she wouldn't let the rest of the team down.
Kai's footsteps were the only sound for miles, echoing in the empty streets. It was past midnight...no one else was up but him. Nobody figured out why Kai always wandered the streets at the dead of night, and nobody dared to ask him.
"Kai! Kai!"
Kai turned around slightly. She saw the form of a girl jogging towards him. She had shoulder-length brown hair that was slightly aloft in the evening breeze.
"Anja," Kai said, not smiling.
Anja stopped in front of Kai and bowed slightly. "Kai," she repeated breathlessly. "Kai, you need to teach me how to Beyblade like you do." Her eyes searched his face. "I want to go to the top. I want to be a world champion...like you." In her fist, Kai could see Medëza.
Kai looked at the moon, which was full that night. "You should go home," he said finally.
Anja looked taken aback, and she closed her fist around her blade. "What?"
Kai glanced at her. "It's time you learned the truth, Anja. You can't be great in one night." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "It takes practice...lots of practice. Then you have to slowly make your way up the ladder. It starts on the bottom rung." Kai almost seemed to drift away, as he turned his face to the moon. "Anja, there is one thing you need to know."
Anja looked at him expectantly.
"The higher up you go, the farther you have to fall." There was a trace of sadness in his voice. With that, he nodded slightly at Anja, and turning, he walked away.
Kai merely stepped up to the counter.
The postmaster cheerfully handed him a thick stack of mail, which Kai accepted. "Thanks," he said shortly, before leaving the post office.
One letter in particular caught his attention. The return address signified that it was from Tyson.
With a hint of curiosity, Kai slit open the envelope with a pocket knife and let it fall to the ground. Slowly, he unfolded the letter.
Dear Kai,
We need you back, Kai. Remember the World Tournament coming up? Well, someone is afraid that we're going to join up again and whip them at the tournament! It's a long story. I thought I was talking to Max in a chat room, but then Kenny told me that he doesn't have an Internet connection. "Max" said that he was going to gather the Bladebreakers and bring them to Japan next week. Even if they aren't the Bladebreakers, I think they intend to join us. Get over here as soon as possible! We (Kenny, Hilary, and me) have enclosed flight tickets. It really hurt our allowance, so you'd better come soon! We'll see you here in a few days. -Tyson
After reading the letter, Kai knew what he had to do. Slipping his hand inside his pocket, he pulled out his notebook that he jotted down observations in while coaching the Roulettes. He tore of a page and wrote: I'll be there.
He went back inside the post office, and mailed it to Japan.