Prepare for karaoke! ('cuz that's actually this chapter! XD)

"Talking"
'Thinking'
-x-x-x-x- beginning/end border
0x0x0x0 change of scene

This chapter:

Brooklyn/Julia

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Brooklyn gulped mentally as Garland, Daichi, Kai and Tala all approached where he was seated. "Yes?"

"Your turn." All stated flatly.

Another mental gulp ensued but he nodded and stood; to their surpised, he headed for the porch.

"Uhm, Mei?" He questioned.

"Hm? Oh, right!" The girl hopped off the railing and darted inside; he followed at a more sedate pace before heading towards the mock-stage that had been erected.

Hilary and MingMing both gave him thumbs up, though MingMing also gave him a wink. Mei grinned encouragingly as she half-led, half-dragged the female member of F Sangre (1) into the room.

"What're we doing?" Julia hissed in the younger girl's ear as she was directed to a seat beside Hilary. Both her and said pop star had headed in once they found out that Brooklyn's confession was next.

"I'm not too sure..." Mei replied, feigning ignorance. She hadn't found out what the "resolutions" were until Tala told her; she had been asked before hand by Brooklyn to bring Julia to the room where the karaoke was when he asked, though. There was nothing sinister or suspicious about the request, so she had agreed. At the moment, though, she felt bad for Julia. 'Well, if she didn't like being put on the spot, would she be a beyblader?'

"HEY!" Tyson yelled, catching everyone's attention. "Brooklyn's gonna sing!" That, sure enough, attracted the attention of EVERYONE in the dojo; even the Russians in the far corner were now watching.

"Tysonnnn." Hilary groaned; MingMing palmed her forehead. A small sigh escaped Mei as the visibly tense Brooklyn walked up on stage.

"Think he'll manage it?" MingMing chewed on her lower lip nervously; she had no problem singing in front of crowds, but Brooklyn was notoriously shy when it came to singing in public.

"Couldn't say." Garland, who had taken a seat behind her, flashed her a quick grin. That re-ignited the fight with Daichi; the two were bickering quietly.

A gulp audible only to Hilary, MingMing and Mei came from the stage as the redhead turned to pick up the microphone. He then turned back around so he faced the audience but he appeared to have frozen.

"Poor guy." Hilary mumbled sympathetically.

"You can do it, NY." Mei and MingMing whispered in unison; that was a nickname that he had acquired the time the beybladers had been let loose in New York City.

That seemed to jolt him out of it; he flipped the switch to turn the machine on and picked out his song. The background music to "Crush" by David Archeluta began to play. The blader took a deep breath, opened his mouth and began to sing. (2)

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At the song's end, he extended a hand off stage to Julia; in it was a pristine red rose. She flushed slightly but accepted it and tucked it behind her ear after she had ascertained that it had no thorns.

"D'you...d'you want to go out with me?" Brooklyn questioned, his flush pronounced even after he had slipped offstage and out of the spotlight.

Julia blushed a bit more. "Yes."

Both had shy grins adorning their faces but their moment was ruined by MingMing, Hilary and Mei grabbing onto Julia while they jumped up and down, "squee"-ing. Julia's face was now bright red but she joined the jumping as well.

"That was soooo cute!" MingMing cried.

"Romantic!" Mei agreed, bouncing along with the other two.

"To the Nth degree!" Hilary added with a giggle.

That earned Brooklyn dagger-like stares from the other males who had already confessed.

Raul, who had been kept busy in the other room by Kenny, Zeo and Dizzi, entered to the girls' jumping squee-fest. When he put together what had happened in his absence, his eyes narrowed and he joined the other four giving him death glares.

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(1) - Iunno if any of you take Spanish, but "sangre", in Spanish, means blood. Freaky, ne?

(2) - I was pondering what song to use for this for FOREVER...but then it occurred to me that the song I had been listening to for the past ten minutes would do xD

Yep, really short. However...I may be making this more of a story-story, as I just came up with an idea to do so...either way, I make no promises.

Catcha next chappie!
Emma