Author's Notes: 4th installment. Enjoy!

Old Enemies, New Friends

A blonde boy with clear blue eyes and an absorbed expression was gazing out into the world… 'half-past sixteen' and feeling life was letting him down in one too many ways. He could forgive his friends for all the bitterness that seemed to have seeped into them somehow…but he could not forgive himself or God or fate or whoever was to be blamed for making him feel he's lost and all lone….

Max Tate felt that he and his friends were slowly falling apart, but he couldn't think of anything that would make it alright again. His sweet friendship with Hilary had grown strained and he and Tyson no longer saw eye to eye…Not that they did previously. But Tyson had always had a swollen head…but, Max reflected pensively, nothing in this world could be held on to long enough.

It was a wonder why Maxi: kind-hearted, good-natured, people-loving Maxi had to face such problems on a brilliant day in April. He was by the river. The place he'd first met Tyson and Kenny. They had thought him weird then, but later came to understand one another. Max was wondering yet again whether he made a mistake refusing to be in PPB All Stars…

All at once he rebuked himself for thinking such silly things. His loyalty lay with the Bladebreakers. He would even be a part of G-Revolutions if he had to! He'd fight God damn BEGA again and win! He'd –

Max's violent thoughts were interrupted by a rather obnoxious beyblade which dared to graze right past his ears! He looked around, frowning. But his frown disappeared who'd hit him from behind. A girl was standing there…a girl with blue hair and green eyes stood there laughing at him. She was dressed in what looked to Max like an orange dress, known to those people who have strong connections with their past, a rich heritance. Realization spread through him rapidly, and though he was a trifle shocked, he jumped up and ran to her exclaiming:

"Oh, Mariam! I'm so glad to see you!"

Mariam of the Saint Shields only smiled in reply and held out her hand to him. She liked the Blade breakers but she liked Max best of them all. She never troubled herself to hide that fact. Max, having had his prayer of 'someone to come along' answered had hugged her. Now that the initial flush of meeting her was over, he looked rather ashamed of his impulsive greeting. But Mariam didn't mind it in the least…in fact she was rather pleased by this.

"So, you must be rather happy to see me" she simply laughed.

"Oh, I am" said Max, honestly "You can't believe how lonesome it has been for so many weeks now"

"Why?" asked Mariam, curiously.

"Because-," said Max and hesitated to go on. He did like Mariam but it would be betraying his blade breaker friends if he told anyone how much strained their relation had grown….but Mariam was a different…she would give him her and never tell "Well, promise me you'll never speak of it to anyone save me?"

"I promise you, Max" said Mariam, in a voice most unlike hers. It was filled with tender music.

"Alright, then!"

In half an hour's time Mariam was full of sympathy for 'poor Maxi' and told him he was welcome to call on her whenever he felt so down. The Saint Shields would be in town for some time now and that Max was never to let himself be down in the doldrums! She made him promise that he would come straight to her if ever such a situation occurred. And not sit alone and brood over it.

They parted on fairly good terms that day.

"I know Ozuma will look for me even though I told him I was going out" said Mariam, sighing heavily "I wish they'd understand I can take care of myself."

"Well, they do have a right to be worried about you" said Max, sagely "After all, they're your friends. Where have you guys put up?"

"Same place as last time" replied Mariam, with a half-smile.

"Come on, I'll walk you home…"

Had this been Ozuma, Mariam would have probably refused. But it was Max and she liked his company. She did not object.

"Where were you, Max?" Tyson rebuked him as soon as he walked into his dojo. Every one of the Blade breakers were seated their, with Kenny in the middle working away furiously at his laptop.

"I just met Mariam" Max told them "The Saint Shields have come to town…"

"She delayed your coming here?" Tyson said "Max how could you let a girl -" he fell silent after a warning glance from Ray. Ray jerked his head at Hilary and shook his head. Tyson still couldn't get used to the fact that he was Hilary's boyfriend and he should mind that well! But it didn't seem as if Hilary was paying him the slightest attention just then.

"What on Earth were you talking about that you got so late?" asked Kenny, unable to conceal his disappointment.

Max couldn't help blushing but stammered out what came first to his mind, "Oh just stuff….there so much to say when you meet an old friend…I can barely recall what we were talking about now!"

"Old enemies, don't you mean?" asked Ray, darkly.

Dunga of the Saint Shields had once defeated Ray and confesticated his bit-beat, Drigger. Ray had got it back but still, never got over the indignity that blader had done him that day. But Max didn't say anything. He rather missed Mariam now that he was amongst his new friends.

She didn't question him like them. She was a sympathetic little listener…and listener was what each of the team needed right then. Max found his friends suffocating…

"Aren't we going to practice today?" Max asked, trying to change the subject.

"In a bit" was the vague reply from Kenny.

"Where's Coach?" he continued.

"Hiro went out a bit" said Tyson with a sudden grin "Says he need some time out… fresh air will do him good. Well, I think he went bride-hunting!"

"WHAT?" screamed his startled friends.

Mariam didn't like returning to the besmirched old place Ozuma had chosen from them. Her brother Joseph and Dunga were already were there.

"Where were you, sis?" asked Joseph.

"I went to see a friend of mine."

"What friend?"

It was Ozuma who spoke this time. He gazed at Mariam.

"I hope it wasn't that reckless American boy who helped you bond with Sharkrash!"

"It was him, and he's not reckless. He's helped me more than you know!" she shot back.

"Yea…," said Ozuma "Right…I just hope you don't fall in love with him!"

"Huh?"

Mariam was rather taken aback. She looked at Ozuma in amazement: what the hell was he on about?

"Don't be ridiculous" was all she managed to say.

The thought was alien to her mind, to her secret heart and eyes it wasn't. Her eyes lit up and shone as if it desired nothing better but sit rapturously at Max's feet and go on watch him, talking, thinking, smiling at her…her…Mariam…

Ozuma saw the fire in her eyes and knew at once she would try to win Max over. He thought he needed to nip this passion right in the bud before it got out of hand.

"Mariam, be friends with Max by all means" he said "But don't fall for him"

"Why?" came the startled question.

"Because we're Saint Shields" came the prompt answer "And because you'll be betraying your past heritage if you ever get together with him"

"What utter nonsense!" shrieked Mariam, and rushed away….

Away from the Saint Shields, she walked to the river and gazed at it. She had been here with Max before and something about this place soothed her. She tried to think straight. But her thoughts were vague and linkless…

"Oh, Max" she sighed "Life is so complicated for us."

No romantic notion had crossed Max's mind about Mariam yet. He regarded her as a really good friend and a patient listener to his troubles. He liked her immensely. However the thought of being in love with anyone let alone her was foreign to Max. to Max nothing was more special than friendship. Since Mariam hadn't exerted herself to show Max she cared about him more than as a friend, he never came to know till long afterward.

This writer doesn't know with whom most of the blame lay, for both was yet to understand the desires of their hearts and minds. Both regarded the other as a highly special friend and nothing more yet…

"Max," called Kenny "C'mon, we're going to practice for a bit now…."

"Yeah Max," said Tyson "Stop day dreaming…Hilary's jolly good at it as it is!"

Hilary gave no sign of having heard Tyson's jibe. Max abandoned his day-dreams about that precious half-hour in the morning…when he was so happy…when he was with Mariam….

Author's Notes: Hey...this is a short chapter I know…but I really wanted you guys to read what happens next! And anyway, "Better something than nothing!" Cheers, until next time…Misty Elizabeth!