A/N: I am SO SORRY this took so long!! If it makes you guys feel any better, I've got this story all mapped out so far and I plan on getting it finished before I start/post anything new. :) (Except maybe for a few oneshots :P). Anywho, this chapter is a little.... well, void of action, for lack of a better phrase lol. but I promise the next one will be better. I just wanted to get the whole tournament start thing out of the way. So! Without further adieu, on with the story! :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of the totally awesome, characters.
"No, no, no!! The other pot!!"
My hand froze in place, ready to drop a funny looking herb into a boiling pot. Turning to Ray, I gave him a sheepish grin and dropped it into the one beside it instead.
"Heh. Sorry Ray. I've never heard of any of this stuff before."
Ray laughed and turned back to the frying pan he was using.
"It's ok. Guess I've gotta watch you more carefully!"
I laughed and turned back to what I was doing as well.
From behind us, I could hear the occupants of both Ray and Kai's apartment, and Max and Tyson's, all chatting and laughing amongst themselves as they waited for breakfast.
"I hope you don't expect me to go easy on you just cause you're a girl, Mariah! I am still world champion ya know!"
Ray and I looked out the corner of our eyes at each other before snorting in amusement and turning back to our dishes. In the reflection of the glass cupboard over my head I could see Mariah give the blunette a toothy grin.
"Don't worry Tyson; the only one who'll need to worry about going easy is me going easy on you!"
Everyone, including Ray and I, all laughed as they continued this playful and teasing banter with each other.
"So Max, I read that article about you in the paper. Pretty harsh stuff."
Suddenly the room was dead silent and both Ray and I turned away from what we were doing to look at a particular redhead.
Judy looked from Tala to Max then around at everyone else (who were all pointedly avoiding her gaze) before finally looking back to her son again.
"What article Maxie? I didn't know you were in the paper."
I frowned and gave Tala a serious glare.
"It's nothing Judy." I said, making sure to give Tala a good glare before looking at the blonde woman. "Just some stupid rumour the press got stirred up."
The woman looked around at everyone again before finally turning to Tala once more, seeing as he seemed to be the only one willing to elaborate.
"What did the paper say Tala?"
Tala took the time to take a forkful of the scrambled eggs on his plate, chew and swallow, take a sip of his coffee and neatly place his cup back on the table just so before finally answering the blonde.
"Something about him being the weakest link or whatever." Tala replied boredly. "I think they might have said something about him not being able to battle without a team too."
Judy looked from Tala to Max, whom was playing with his food and avoiding all other eye contact, and finally back to Tala again. After starring at the redhead for some time, she threw her head back and laughed heartedly. Once this little display was over, the blonde opened her eyes, ignoring the many people blinking at her and casually picked up her fork.
"You don't honestly believe that do you?" She stated more then asked, finally taking a forkful of her food now.
Everyone looked around at each other before turning to the redhead and blinking at him. Said redhead's eyes were closed and his arms were crossed. The silence and tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Tala spoke.
"Of course not." The redhead stated simply. "Last I heard Max Tate was once one of the world's top bladers."
And with that said, Tala opened his eyes and continued with his breakfast as if they had merely been discussing the weather.
I blinked at Tala, stunned, before turning to look at Max, who was also looking at the Russian redhead with quite the same expression. Once again I turned to Ray and his expression too matched mine as well as most of the other people's sat around the table. Finally the Chinese blader and I both smiled and turned back to the stove.
Looks like there really was more to these bladers then met the eye. And I was slowly learning more about all of them then then the series I'd originally seen them in had ever shown.
"Hello and welcome to the greatest reunion the world's ever seen!!"
I smiled brightly as I took my seat beside Hillary in the stands. Unlike lately, the brunette looked much more excited about the sport just then and I could feel her anxiety just as thickly as the people's around me. With a smile I turned forward and focused my attention on the people down in the stadium below us.
"Aaaaaalright! First off, let me introduce you to our new competitors!!"
"This is so exciting!!" Hillary exclaimed as the one and only DJ Jazzman (yea, he was still in this thing -- though admittedly quite a bit older then the last time I saw him) announced the names of the new and amateur bladers.
I grinned at the brunette.
"What? Not bored with it anymore Hil?"
Hillary grinned wide.
"Are you kidding?? This is great! I haven't seen these guys all together in years! I can't wait!!"
I laughed to myself and turned forward again as Jazzman began to introduce all our old favourites. I smiled as the spotlight fell on old teams such as; The Battalion (Formerly known as Barthez Battalion), The Magestics (at which point I nearly bolted from my chair and down into the stadium), The White Tigers, All Starz, The Blitzkrieg Boys, F-Dynasty, and surprisingly, The Psychics and Saint Shields. And of course, then there was Tyson, whom was by himself now that both his former teams had disbanded.
"Now that we've intro and re-introduced everyone, let's get this party started!!"
Hillary and I both cheered loudly as Jazzman began to announce which bladers would be matched together. I was pumped that most of my new friends would be matched together because I knew it was going to make things interesting. However, I frowned when I saw the guy Max was supposed to be matched with.
"Is this some kind of joke?" I said aloud.
Beside me, Hillary frowned.
"I don't know. But I kinda get the feeling they're trying to make a fool of Max..."
I frowned too.
"Yea. I'm getting the same vibe." I replied distastefully.
Max and his opponent were in the first block and the guy standing across from the blonde must have stood at a hulking six foot nine for sure. He was also built like an ox and had many multiple scars all over his face and arms to match.
Still, it wasn't the fact the guy was huge that bothered both myself and obviously Hillary too. It was the fact that the guy was a total amateur. The rest of the top ranking bladers had all been matched with each other or at least a well-known blader -- someone everyone knew would be a challenge for them. Max however was matched with this guy, this complete unknown. It was totally bogus.
But then, I knew why they were doing it. It was because if Max had trouble with this guy, they would be able to fuel the fire the media had started. If Max wanted to get back on top, to spit-shine his tarnished name, he had to beat this brute without a hitch.
"Bladers take your positions!"
I could hear people all around me muttering and speaking aloud, many of them teasing Max and betting on how quickly he'd be taken out. I knew they were only saying it because of the things the newspaper had said, but it didn't better my mood at all. In fact, I wanted to turn around and make them all choke on their own words....
"This is so unfair." I said moodily, watching the blonde below me with a frown.
"I know." Hillary said, watching Max's face on the big screen. "But there's nothing we can do about it..."
I looked up at the big screen before me and frowned at all the emotions I could see swirling on Max's face every time the camera panned over him.
"We'll see about that!" I growled to myself.
Standing up, I cupped my hands over my mouth and yelled as loud as my lungs would physically allow.
"This is a joke Max!! You're a world-class blader! Don't let them insult you!!"
I was a little surprised, but I smiled at Max when he actually looked over his shoulder and blinked up at me.
Was I really that loud over all those people?
Apparently.
The blonde starred at me for a long time until finally he grinned and flashed me a thumbs up before looking back at his opponent again.
Satisfied, I grinned to myself and sat back down again. Only seconds later however I felt eyes on me and looked around. Blinking at me in shock were what had to be dozens of stunned people. Where normally I would have been embarrassed, this time I gave them all an irritated look.
"What? You all don't seriously believe that lame newspaper do you?"
"But what it said was true!" Some snotty kid said.
OK, so it was one thing to mutter and whisper behind my back. But to openly mock my friends to my face, to virtually tell me they sucked and expect me to be OK with it? Well, that was another thing entirely.
Without hesitation, I got to my feet and turned on the little brat with a firey glare.
"Yea? What part of it? That he's the weakest link? That he can't fight on his own? Have you all forgotten what a team is? It's the individual wins and losses of each team member. And in case you forgot; Max was not only a world champion for how many years running? He's also America's top blader. And how many top bladers has he beaten -- on his own -- over the years? Or have you all forgotten that?"
The people around me were silent for a moment until another guy spoke up, one looking to be about my age.
"Yea, but the paper also said that we haven't seen him blade on his own in a while. If he loses this time, he doesn't have a team to back him up."
I could feel my expression darkening and I opened my mouth to retort again but a voice beside me spoke up instead.
"Yea, all this coming from the same newspaper who said they'd finally captured The Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, and said the world was going to end the last time we had a blackout!"
I turned to my left and saw Hillary on her feet now too, facing the boys behind us with clenched fists an angry expression.
"Now are you telling me you're dumb enough to believe crap like that from a dumb newspaper like that when you've seen Max beybattle over the years, knowing he's one of the best and knowing he's always come out on top? Well are ya?!"
The people all around us all shrunk back into their seats and looked away from the brunette as she glared them all down fiercely. By now I could hear some of the younger boys and girls, obviously life-time fans of Max's, all muttering amongst themselves about Hillary being right.
Finally, when it seemed no one wanted to challenge the brunette, the teen snorted triumphantly and turned back around to plop back down into her seat.
My wide grin split my face from ear to ear as I too turned back around and sat back down into my seat.
"Way to stick it Hil." I said approvingly. She looked at me out the corner of her eye and a small smirk crept up the side of her face.
"Heh. I always knew I was given a big mouth for a reason."
My grin widened as I raised my hand to her for a high-five.
"You go girl!
The brunette giggled and clapped her hand against mine before both of us finally turned back to the happenings below us.
"So, now that the rules and such are all taken care of and everything's all A-OK; let's get the show on the road!!"
Hillary and I cheered deafeningly for all our friends, and this time the people around us joined us. I grinned wide as I heard Max's name among the loud chants now.
"Alright! Bladers on your mark! Three! Two! One!"
"Let it rip!"
The infamous phrase echoed throughout the entire stadium as dozens and dozens of bladers all yelled the words enthusiastically.
Well, to say it all happened in the blink of an eye would be an understatement. While dozens of other bladers began to blade furiously, Max's opponent was starring at his motionless blade with a thoroughly stunned expression.
After a long time, when what had happened had finally sunk in, Jazzman grabbed Max's hand and raised it high in the air.
"Whoa! In what must have been the quickest take-down in the history of beyblade --while other matches are just beginning -- Max Tate has advanced to the next round! Give it up folks!"
I blinked in astonishment while the people around me went wild. Finally, when I'd finally realized what had happened, another grin split my face and I jumped up from my seat to hoot and cheer wildly, only belatedly realizing that beside me Hillary was already doing so.
"WOOOOOO!!!! Way to go Maxie!!!"
Max turned around again and the grin on his face was so wide it threatened to crack his cheeks. I smiled happily as he waved and grinned at the crowd around him before his eyes finally fell on Hillary and me. At that point I swear his grin could have lit the whole stadium.
I'm sure there were plenty of girls who went home and told their best friends that it was for them, but when Max blew that kiss, I knew exactly who it had been meant for.
"OH YEA! Way to go Maxie!!"
Everyone laughed at Tyson's antics as we all piled through the apartment door. Max's ever-present grin was wider than ever as he high-fived the enthusiastic blunette.
"Thanks, Ty! You were awesome too."
"As always!" The former world champ agreed teasingly.
I smiled at them both.
"Well, I think this calls for some celebration!" Ray said with a smile.
"I'd like to see the looks on those people's faces now!" Judy said proudly. And no one had to ask what 'people' she was referring to.
"Three cheers for Maxie!" Hillary exclaimed suddenly.
"Hip, hip! Hooray! Hip, hip! Hooray! Hip, hip! Hooray!"
"Awe guys..." Max said, a small blush creeping up his cheeks as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "It's not that big a deal. Really. I mean, I only did what I always do, and the guy was only an amateur."
Tyson slung an arm around the blonde's shoulders then and grinned wide.
"Dude! You rocked today and totally showed up those loser paper people. Everyone thinks you're a star again... Milk it for all it's worth buddy!!"
I snorted at this and shook my head before finally walking past the group.
"Where ya goin Mandy?"
I smiled as I heard the nick I'd been doubed and looked over my shoulder at the blonde.
"Not too far, Maxie. Don't worry."
The blonde tilted his head adorably to one side but said nothing else as I walked away.
Once I'd reached my destination, I pulled open the fridge door, grabbed something from inside, grinned down at the item in my hands and finally turned around to head back to the others.
"So! How's it feel to be able to say 'In your face losers!'?"
No one got to hear Max's response to Tyson's playful comment because they were all looking around trying to figure out why it was suddenly raining inside.
I laughed heartedly at all their faces and grinned wide when they finally turned to look at me.
"I know this is supposed to be done with champagne or something, but considering this was all was in the fridge..."
Mariah laughed and covered her head as the last of the shaken pop bottle finally emptied itself over them all.
"Hey, whatever works!" She said. I grinned wider, noting how she'd picked up on one of my favorite phrases.
"Aren't you so clever." Kai said tonelessly as he casually wiped some pop from his arm.
"Well, I thought it was." I replied without missing a beat.
"So did I." Max added with a grin. "I mean, what's a real celebration without being soaked by some foaming, sticky liquid?"
This got snorts of laughter all around as everyone began to wipe their arms and faces.
"Well, now that we've all celebrated and been covered in said 'sticky, foamy liquid', I think it's time we all get cleaned up before we totally destroy the apartment."
Everyone laughed and grinned at this but we all knew Ray was right. So, giving Max a final hug, congrats and/or pat on the back, they all went their separate ways for the time being to do as the Chinese-bred blader said. I, however stayed behind.
"That really was some display today Maxie." I told the blonde with a huge grin. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear it was all planned."
Max grinned wide too as he reached up to rub his sleeve over his face.
"Yea, it totally was." He said with a laugh. "You know me; all tricks and cheating."
I smiled and shook my head at him before tilting my head slightly to one side.
"You know that stupid paper never really did hold a candle over you right? I mean, anyone who was ever a real fan would never believe such crap. But even if they did, it wouldn't matter. Not really. I mean, you'd still have us and.. well, we're all that really matters!"
Wow. How corny was I?
Max starred at me for a few moments until finally a small smile crept up his cheeks, slowly growing in size until it was a full-out grin again and then a laugh.
"You dork!" He said playfully before pulling me into a tight hug.
I laughed and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
"Yea, yea. I know. Gimme a break will ya, it was the first thing that came to my mind!"
Max laughed again and pulled away, one of his arms slipping around my shoulder instead.
"Still though, I thought it was cute. And it did make me feel better. As always! ..... Thanks Mandy."
I smiled and leaned into him as my arm slipped around his waist.
"Sure, Maxie. Anything for you."
Max grinned again and looked up at the people crowded around the bathrooms.
"Well, since we're obviously not getting near the bathroom anytime soon, how about we polish off that chocolate chunk ice cream before Tyson does!"
This made me laugh a whole lot.
"Only if we can use the strawberry sauce too!"
Max seemed to think about this for a moment.
"Mmm.. OK, deal!"
So, with matching grins, we both snuck off to the kitchen unnoticed and indeed demolished the last of said ice cream and topping without being bothered once.
Too bad Tyson. Should have hidden it away better.