Since the Academy building was round, the stairs looked a little different. Well, in the actual skyscraper, anyway. Everywhere else, the stairs looked pretty much like any other old staircase. But, in the skyscraper, rectangular pieces of floor were connected by stairways that curved along the contour of the building. The result was a relatively spacious area that reduced the claustrophobic effect, although it was mostly wasted since many people used the elevators for everything.

It sounded like someone else was also taking advantage of the lack of traffic on the stairs, since when he was about halfway down a door slammed some floors below and one of the entering party was not a willing participant.

"You should know better than to pull a stunt like that." Damian didn't even hear the rest of it. Carlson's voice was all he needed to recognize and he quickened his pace.

Sound carried well in the stairway, so they were farther down than Damian initially thought. Finally, he found him and stopped halfway down the stairs. Carlson had O'Connor and Briggs with him and they were both good goons, mostly because they both looked like small mountains. If it wasn't for the different last names, Damian would think they were related. The only real differences he could pick out between the two of them were that O'Connor was a little taller and his hair was a slightly lighter shade of green. Carlson, on the other hand, was tall, lean, and fast, with orange hair that he spiked up around his head and was very proud of, despite the fact that it made him look like he'd been electrocuted in a kid's cartoon.

At the moment, Jack was pinned between Briggs and O'Connor while Carlson had him by the throat. Although Carlson didn't seem to have had his grip tight enough to completely block Jack's air supply, he didn't look like he was in any condition to be helpful, either. The fight would be three to one, then. Damian weighed his options, knowing they hadn't noticed him yet. He knew his limits. A brawl against all three of them would be a bad idea, and a bey battle would cause a lot of damage in a staircase- which he would have to answer to Ziggurat for. He would have to destroy Carlson later. Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't humiliate him now. It was unlikely that Carlson would throw the first punch just yet; enough time hadn't gone by for Damian's grip to loosen enough for Carlson to seize control without a metaphorical blood bath.

Damian smirked to himself. It wouldn't be as satisfying as beating Carlson into the dirt, but he rarely declined the opportunity to damage Carlson's pride. "Let him go, Carlson."

Four pairs of eyes snapped towards him, but Carlson didn't do what he said. "How long have you been there?" He demanded.

"Long enough to see that he's had enough." Damian began to descend the stairs again at a lazy pace.

Briggs and O'Connor kept their hold on Jack. Carlson looked Damian in the eyes and tightened his grip. Jack's eyes widened with a small, strangled noise as his oxygen supply was restricted even more than it already was. "What makes you think you can tell me what to do with my own things?"

"He's not yours." Damian kept his voice even, careful not betray the rage building up inside him. "You still have Meier to deal with."

"Meier?" Carlson laughed. It sounded like a wounded hyena. "Don't be stupid. Meier is a moron who doesn't know his place."

"I could say the same thing about someone else." Damian's voice dropped as he crossed to stand in front of Carlson, although not too close. Carlson was well over a head taller than him, and if he stood too close he'd need to crane his neck just to see Carlson's face, which would ruin the effect he wanted. "You would be smart to remember what happened to Kreul."

Was that last statement ridiculously cliché? Yes. But, for some bizarre reason, Damian had a soft spot for cliché one-liners. He was at the top of the food chain, who was going to call him out for it?

Fred Kreul had been the last person to cross him. Damian had put him in the hospital. It was before Carlson's time at the Academy, but he'd doubtlessly still heard about it. Briggs and O'Connor, however, had been there. Carlson hesitated before dropping his hold on Jack. His goons followed suit immediately after, leaving Jack to collapse into a gasping, coughing mess.

"Was that really so hard?" Damian asked. "Now, get out of here."

Briggs and O'Connor were out in a heartbeat. Carlson went more slowly, and halted in the doorway to give Damian an angry glare before slamming the door.

Damian smirked. He'd ticked Carlson off, at least, and it always gave him a good feeling to know that he was capable of intimidating two goons that were probably both over twice as big as he was. Who said size had to be everything?

He turned towards the wheezing heap that they had left behind, who had managed to rise to his hands and knees. Damian put his foot on Jack's side and pushed him over, forcing him onto his back. Jack tried to fight his way up again, but Damian planted his foot on his chest.

"No, get off." Jack tried to yell, but it forced him into a coughing fit. He was fighting harder than Damian had expected him to, considering the oxygen-deprived state he had just gotten out of and the sheer amount of black and blue skin he could see. Apparently, things had heated up in the claim race during those few days he had shut himself in his room.

"Then stay down." Damian told him.

"What, you expect me to lie here and just let you do who-knows-what? I don't think so."

Damian raised an eyebrow. Had Jack not just been nearly strangled, that would have probably been a sharp retort that would have gotten him taught a lesson. However, it came out more as a wheeze. "I'm not claiming you, if that's what you're worried about."

Jack stilled enough to glare at him before trying to squirm his way out from under Damian's foot again. "What are you going to do, then? Just beat the crap out of me for the heck of it?"

"No, but you're making it very tempting!" He snapped and slammed more weight onto Jack's chest, making him yelp. Damian had to hand it to him, Jack had fight. He wasn't sure if it impressed or annoyed him. "And by the way, it's going to be easier to breathe on your back than how you were before. You're welcome."

Jack froze and Damian backed off a ways. When Jack stayed still, he went and leaned against the far wall. He knew he should have left, but he'd read that it was still possible to suffocate after surviving an attempted strangulation if too much swelling in the throat caused airways to be blocked. He wasn't sure he believed it, though, and Jack seemed to be breathing fine, excluding the fact that he coughed a lot.

Eventually, Jack caught his breath, gingerly got to his feet, sent him a cautious glance, and left. Damian went back up the stairs. He'd passed the snack bar's floor.

.

A/N: I am about to reveal an amazing piece of information…

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

This knowledge will change your life!

…I don't own MFB.

Okay, sorry- I should know better than to write my author's notes when I'm hyper. But seriously, I don't own Beyblade. Reviews and constructive criticisms are more than welcome; I love to know what you guys think. Thank you and have a nice day.