A/N: Okay, I changed the title of the story so I won't have to do a lot of math…. You won't blame me, right?? Anyway, thanks to all those who read and reviewed both chapters. Hope everyone is enjoying summer… it's slipping by too quickly! Oliver spoke some French in the show… Too bad, I'm not only horrible at math, but also horrible at French. So, bear with me as I make him speak mostly English. Okay, on with the pointless chapter. No comment on the title; I ran out of good ideas.
Chapter 3: Reactions
*Enrique's POV*
Sprawled out on my bed, I laid there fatigued from the afternoon I spent with my green-haired friend and my unconventional tutor. My mind was stuffed with all this useless information! I mean, why do I have to do trigonometry when the trigonometry portion of the math curriculum has been covered at school already? Parents can be so weird sometimes. And that Saikara! Ha! Tomorrow, the fun begins, he says. Yeah right; fun for him. He's going to enjoy tormenting me with more math papers. Sighing at the distasteful thought, I rose up from my bed. Slowly I made my way down the spiral staircase as I overheard approaching footsteps getting louder. "Oliver?!" I exclaimed bewilderedly as I stopped frozen, halfway down the stairs.
"Well, bonjour, Enrique. It's good to see you again," Oliver greeted warmly with a smile as I shook myself out of shock to realize that one of the new butlers was carrying two suit cases in his hands.
"Master Oliver was invited to stay as a guest in this mansion," the butler informed. "May I take these to the guest room?"
I nodded half-heartedly, but it was enough to permit the young butler to carry on. "Why didn't you tell me you were staying here?"
"You didn't ask," the green-haired teen replied, and I sighed. "My parents didn't want me to stay in a hotel by myself. And our parents talked, and settled on letting me stay in Rome as long as I'm under this roof."
"At least that's one good thing he approved of," I remarked, recalling quickly about Saikara. "So, will you be joining me tomorrow for a math lesson?"
Unfazed by the words 'math lesson,' young Oliver snickered, shrugging amusingly. "I'm still here, aren't I?"
"Hm."
"C'mon, let's head down for a quick stroll around the neighbourhood. Maybe you'll crash into the Crimson Challenger you've been telling me about."
"No thanks. I already suffered enough humiliation and torment for the past two days. Let's watch some TV before dinner starts," I insisted instead. He nodded approvingly, and both of us ambled into the exquisite living room.
Once comfortably seated, I powered on the television on with the remote control. "Thanks for joining us this evening on my exclusive two part series on 'The Quest for the Best Competition.'"
I gasped. News certainly travels fast. "So, Oliver, I think you've been duped. I'm betting that they'll reveal the previous champion of the competition on the air."
"Hmph," an annoyed Oliver replied, folding his arms, as both of us kept our eyes glued to the television. I laughed inwardly. Poor Oliver.
"I will be showing you a short clip about the conversation I had with the prestigious creator of this competition, Mr. Ambiguity. He is one of the many dedicated staffs at the Beyblading Battle Association, or a.k.a. the BBA," the news reporter announced before the scene changed. Now showing was the news reporter her interviewee at a research facility. Both were seated around a table.
Even his name was a misfortunate for the poor souls of us young teens. Mr. Ambiguity. Ha! That's math-related.
"Last year's Quest for the Best Competition was a success. I would like to thank all the participants. This year, there will be some changes to the rules. These changes are all written in the rules and regulations of the competition handbook which will be mailed to every house in Rome. And if you live outside of Rome, log onto the official BBA website, and click on the link that says 'The Annual Quest for the Best Competition'. From there on, you can find the rules and regulations of the game, as well as other interesting facts. One thing for sure, is to read the fine prints. Be prepared to fulfill certain qualification terms if you wish to compete. Otherwise, this year will be even better than last year," Mr. Ambiguity explained briefly before the reported came back on live, broadcasting from the news station.
"And there you have it from Mr. Ambiguity. For the full length of the conversation, tune in on Friday. Next, we have a photograph of last year champion of The Annual Quest for the Best Competition. Her first name is Amitrius [A-mit-ree-us] Saikara."
"SAIKARA?!" Oliver and I shouted in unison, staring at each other for a moment.
"I thought you said it was a guy who won?!"
"Oops, I got misinformed." I narrowed my eyes. "So, she's related to your tutor. It's a small world out there. Maybe we should ask Saikara about her?" Oliver posed.
I shook my head disapprovingly as I growled quietly under my breath. "I'm convinced that they're both related since they both exceeds in the math department. They're probably siblings."
Our eyes trailed back towards the television, gazing upon the picture. A teenage girl with shoulder-length golden hair and reddish-brown eyes reflected in both boys' eyes.
"There is word that she will be participating in this year's competition again, along with her team members of the Millennium Magic: Alexander, Fiona, Matthews and Gregory. Little is known about her and her team members. Her bit-beast, she calls Mage, is one that only a privileged few witnessed. But, even without summoning her bit-beast, she toasted last year's competition. Look out boys and girls. She's one blader not to be toyed with. One of our sources reported that she has arrived in Rome, and will be attending school while she is here for the competition. We were asked not to reveal the name of high school. And that concludes part one of our special. After the break, we will show clips about the public's reactions to this contest."
"Hopefully, we'll bump into her at school," Oliver blurted out.
"Don't jinx—" I scolded when I realized what Oliver muttered. "School? You're coming to school with me?" I asked in disbelief, and he nodded, smiling mischievously. Why would he even want school in the first place? It's a torture centre, not counting the pretty girls there of course.
"Don't worry, Enrique, Buddy. I'm not going to take the girls away from you," he stated teasingly.
"I'm the most gorgeous looking boy in all of my classes. I've dated practically any girl I set my eyes on," I boasted narcissistically.
"Then, may I blindfold you next time so you won't set your eyes on any girl?" he asked playfully.
"No, you may not. My ladies need to see my beautiful blue eyes—" He laughed, amused. "Hey! That's not an Oliver-like thing to do."
"It's just hilarious to listen to you when you're just full of yourself, Enrique, that's all. If there is retribution for you dumping all those girls you've dated, a day will arrive when you set your eyes on a young lady who finds you despicably narcissistic—"
"Don't jinx me, Oliver. I'm already having troubles in math. I don't need trouble in the game of love."
"Oh, alright, Buddy. Anyway, the news is back," Oliver answered sincerely.
"So, what is your opinion on the Annual Quest for the Best Competition?" asked the same reporter. The television showed her in the streets of Rome. With her were a bunch of kids and adults.
One of the adults answered cheerfully, "Well, I believe it's wonderful to see that the BBA cares about educating the young generations more than just Beyblade. They're trying to get the kids more well-rounded, and I admire them for that. To qualify, the participants must be knowledgeable of mathematics…."
"Amitrius from the Millennium Magic team will be tough to beat, but I've been practicing since last year. This year, I'll defeat her," one young boy answered.
"I'm been brushing up on my academic skills ever since I heard about the competition last year. All of my grades are up by at least ten percent. My teachers and my family are very proud," one of the girls stated happily.
"My students are taking math more seriously. They're making a much better effort in school."
"At many tutoring centres, parents are registering their children for math classes. Already, the classes are full. Now, only public educational institutions have room for new students."
"I can't wait for the Crimson Challenger to take part in the competition also. I want to beyblade him and Amitrius," another boy added.
"Hey! That's the same boy who was at my match with that Crimson yesterday afternoon," I exclaimed.
"The Crimson Challenger? Who's that?" the female reporter inquired.
"He's one blader who challenges another blader to a blade battle during sunset. He uses a technique called the Trig. Trick, which is short for Trigonometry Trick, to distract his opponent," the boy answered with a smirk.
"I guess he wanted pay-back on Crimson when he declined his challenge," I uttered to Oliver.
"Oh. And do you know where I may find this Crimson Challenger?"
The kids shook their heads. "He finds you, if he wants," the same boy replied.
"Well, there you have it," the reporter concluded. "This has been your two part short and sweet special on the Annual Quest for the Best Competition. Tune in later as we probe the streets of Rome in search of the mysterious Crimson Challenger. This is Laura Maclan signing off for Quick News 4 You. Good luck and good night, everyone."
I turned the television off. "Well, that was interesting," I said sarcastically.
"Hopefully, she'll unveil the Crimson Challenger so we can get you a rematch."
"Hahaha. Very funny, Oliver," I remarked sarcastically, as the dinner bell rang. "Supper's ready. Let's head down to the dining room instead of staying here, chattering away about my misfortunes."
* * *
*General POV*
"Mmmm… That was delicious. One thing though—" Oliver began to comment when the young blonde interrupted.
"Don't criticize, Oliver. Our chefs threaten to leave if they hear even one more negative comment about their food or cooking," Enrique heeded.
"Oh. Okay," Oliver replied as several servants cleared the dining table.
The lighthearted Enrique stood up from his chair. "Let's head to the games room. You and I have some beyblading to do."
"That same video game? Didn't Johnny and you fry the system last time?"
"Yup! However, Father got it fixed. Let's test it out," Enrique replied enthusiastically, not listening to Oliver's exact words until he agreed with the green-haired teen on who's to blame. "Hey! That wasn't my fault! Neither one of us lost to the other."
"That game lasted for over four whole hours before there was a system overload. And it was a good thing too. Watching you and him go at it is good entertainment, but not for that long! Robert and I were completely bored and irritated!" Oliver complained.
"Good. You'll love it even more now," Enrique replied with a chuckled before he tried to drag Oliver out of his chair.
"I can walk, Enrique! You don't have to pull my clothes," Oliver uttered irately as he got up from his chair and started to walk away. Enrique laughed inwardly at his triumph before catching up with the green-haired boy.
* * *
[A/N: let's see what's up with the Bladebreakers at the same time…]
Meanwhile in Japan, the Chief and Tyson were talking on the telephone. "Okay, Chief. Beside the math exam, what else am I suppose to do to get qualified?!" Tyson said loudly into the receiver.
"Besides that, if you're twelve years or older, you have to have fifty hours of community service done before you take the math exam."
"Community service? What's that?"
"It's volunteer. You work for others for free."
"For free?! You're kidding right?!"
"What do you expect, Tyson? They're giving away a lifetime supply of meals at the sponsoring restaurants."
"Oh yeah! That should make up for it when I win!" Tyson exclaimed, rejoicing happily in a little dance while the Chief repeated his name on the other line.
"TYSON!" the Chief shouted at the top of his lungs, deafening Tyson. At least, Tyson stopped dancing around.
"Yes?"
"I'll explain to you the rest of the qualifications after your Kendo practice tomorrow. In case you don't recall, your grandpa will pounce on you anytime. And, I don't want to be held responsible for your tardiness again…." The Chief babbled on while Tyson tuned out, falling asleep. Gosh, he can sleep even when he was standing. "Hello? Hello? Hello—" the young strategist recited until he heard Tyson's snoring from the other line. He sweatdropped. Hanging up the phone, Kenny sighed. 'Why do I even bother?!'
[A/N: Hong Kong is the next destination if my source is correct about Ray's little village…]
Elsewhere, sitting on the hard floor, the raven-haired Ray was conversing with his White Tiger friends: Lee, Mariah, Gary and Kevin. "Free food? Gary wants to go. Gary's starting to get hungry," the holder of the grizzly bear bit-beast spoke as a third person.
Ray laughed inwardly. 'I bet Tyson is also,' Ray mused, and Tyson, being in Japan, sneezed himself awake.
"Huh?" Tyson asked himself before hanging up his phone. 'I guess Kenny forgot I was still on the line. Oh well. Bed-time for me.'
[Back to the White Tigers, including Ray]
"So, can we go, Lee?" the pink-haired Mariah asked pleadingly.
"The elders don't object to it. But you have to be good in math."
"Math?!" Kevin screamed in terror before almost fainting.
"No fair! Gary's not good in math."
"Don't worry. We'll all have time to brush up on that. Anyway, if anyone of us wins, he or she should treat the rest of us. Deal?"
"You betcha, Ray!"
"Just one problem. We're all over twelve years old, so we need to finish off fifty-hours of volunteer or unpaid work around the community before we take the math exam."
"WHAT?! They want us to work for free?!" Kevin shouted in hysteria. "That's so underhanded!"
[A/N: In America at the same time…]
"Even if you've got the fifty hours done and pass on the math examination, there is still one more thing before you get accepted into the main competition," Professor Judy stated as she sat down by her son on a bench inside her main office.
"Oh? What's that, Mom? I'm sure I'll be able to do that also," the hyper, golden-haired Max questioned.
"On the first day of the one-week competition, eligible participants will attain a piece of paper from a hat and answer the question written on it on stage."
"Oh. That's easy! I don't have stage fright, Mom. Don't worry," Max stated, smiling merrily. "I just can't wait!"
[A/N: Somewhere out there…]
Inside a large building, leaning back against a tall column, the team captain of the Bladebreakers, crossed his hands and shut his eyes in deep thoughts. "Why should I compete in such a demanding contest? Volunteer? Math? Public-speaking? The BBA agents went off to the deep end this time. Fame, fortune, and food: don't I have all three of those plus much more with me. Why did I even consider?" Kai thought aloud.
"Because that will separate inferiority from the best," a young man with purple hair behind Kai answered.
"Or is the perfect Kai Hiwatari scared of not being able to qualify?" another voice questioned mockingly. A smirk formed across the red-head.
"Robert. Johnny. I bet that you two have come to Rome to compete also." Kai muttered coolly. He recognized their voices. There was no reason to look back to see who the two strangers were.
"We won't miss it this time for the world," Robert asserted.
'Especially when I watch Enrique in action,' Johnny thought, simpering. 'Ami [Am-me].'
* * *
Sunday arrived, and so did the unbearable Saikara. At least, that was the first thing on Enrique's mind when he aroused from his bed. Yawning and grousing, he made his way to the bathroom with a notion. 'Gosh, next time, I'll ask Father to hire someone who isn't a morning person.'
Over an hour later, the young blond adolescent joined Saikara and Oliver at the breakfast table. 'GRR!!' he barked mentally as he took a seat opposite to Saikara. Next to blonde was Oliver. Expressions of vexation were featured on his face. Saikara looked up from his breakfast only to greet his student with a welcoming smile.
"Morning, Enrique."
Amphilyon's holder let out a heavy sigh. "Look, Saikara. I'm bushed with homework not concerning math today and tomorrow's Monday, so if you don't mind, you may take a break from teaching me math today."
"Would you like to learn about vector diagrams then? It's physics."
"More triangles?! Please, no more of them today. We did a lot yesterday already; give me a little break," Enrique burst out begging.
"Okay, fine. Have it your way this time," Saikara replied positively. "Need any assistance?"
"No thanks. I'll manage without you lecturing me today," Enrique replied bitterly. "You may come along. You still have to meet with my father at noon, correct?" Enrique queried and his tutor nodded.
* * *
After breakfast, the three of them headed into the study room. Within it were shelves of books and some sets of tables and chairs. There were two computers, a microwave, and a fridge. It was almost like a mini-sized library. "Wow, very impressive," Saikara complimented in awe as he scanned the shelves while Oliver and Enrique sat around a table.
The young blonde got out his workbooks, notebooks, folders and writing utensils from his knapsack. Hastily, he opened his French workbook. 'Huh?'
"Need help?" Oliver asked rhetorically but Enrique smiled approvingly.
After French, came: accounting, math, physics, English, chemistry, home economics, and finally but not least, another of Oliver's specialties—art. "Phew!"
"That's your best time yet, Enrique. Three hours straight on all of your subjects."
"Yeah! I know! I usually spend like two hours pondering math problems."
"I guess Saikara's lessons are really sinking in."
"He made me bake a pizza and divide it into slices of thirty degrees when we came back here. I had to actually measure the degrees with a large protractor and carve the pieces out. After that, I was to convert it into radians—"
Laughter burst out from the green-haired teen. It echoed throughout the room, intriguing the other person with them. "Done, I suppose?" Saikara asked as he peered out from one of the shelves. He was holding an opened book in his hands.
Oliver discontinued his outburst from pure amusement as Enrique snorted a yes. 'Book worm,' Enrique said in his head when one of the butlers entered the room with a message.
"The Master may see you in his room now, Saikara," the servant spoke monotonously as he held the door open for Saikara to walk out.
* * *
"So, how is math with my son?" a voice coming from behind an executive chair of a dimly-lit office room spoke.
"He is progressing, Sir," Saikara confidently claimed.
"Good, Saikara. I trust your words. Johnny's recommendation is remarkable reliable."
"Thanks."
"I want you to keep an eye out on Enrique. He's too much of a player. He gets easily distracted from his work by girls."
"Don't worry. Johnny informed me about him. Rest assure, though, I already have a lesson plan for that scenario when it comes into play," Saikara answered assertively.
"Excellent. You may go now."
"Okay, Sir," Saikara responded before exiting his room.
* * *
To be continued.
To chapter 2 reviewers:
Anime Fan7: Please update FS 2, I'm like stuck at home, bored to death since my parents and sister are working, and I'm left to baby-sit my younger brother who pries on my typing. I told him I'm doing PG-13 stories… lol… Sometimes, I'm not even sure exactly what to rate these stories I write… Anyway, I know what your greatest strength is, besides writing, hypothesizing… Hehehe, poor Enrique, his fate is really twisted. Don't worry about the sponsors. The potential bladers got a few little surprises ('bumps') on their way to getting qualified for the competition…*laughs deviously*
Maria Christina: I'm glad to hear that you think this story is good. Yes, it's a romance… I'm horrible at doing romance… I'm better at doing action/adventure, in my POV. Anyhow, the pairings? You'll see…. One of the characters from the show will end up with an OC that will be introduced in the next chapter…There's going to be a few twists to it though… Lastly, sorry for keeping you and the others in the dark…
BianHu: Sad, isn't it? Math is always hard for me.
Lady Sapphire: Darn. I should have been able to stop you from reviewing… Anyways, thanks. So, I used the word 'transaction'. NC. Hehehe, I'm minimized math stuff in the story, so I won't have to look through my math notes when I'm doing the story… Anyhow, this will mostly be about school… the prison that you have to go to even when you didn't commit a crime… Lol... (I was being sarcastic, you know, right?) You already know his real identity… so don't give it away…. Anyway, that's it for this reply; I'll bug you on msn… don't forget about UR and GW…
Leina: It's your lucky day… I'm trying very hard in avoiding any more math problems in the story… I'm going to focus more on the school troubles that Enrique have and will have… The teacher and Crimson, well that relationship is very close, that's all I'm going to say on that. If you need more details, etc, drop me an e-mail… Anyway, I hope that 'Everywhere' will wake up from its slumber. Hopefully, it's not in an eternal slumber… No pressure though.
A/N: Again, thank you everyone for the nice reviews… Sorry about taking so long to update… I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter (it was too much talking in my POV; not to mention almost pointless)…. Well, don't forget to review. I would like to know everyone's personal opinion on the chapter or on the story itself…
P.S. Anyone got info on all the bit-beasts of the Dark Bladers? I need to know their names, attacks/defenses for 'Allies and Enemies' fic. If you do, send me the info at von_rainori@hotmail.com or leave it in a review. Thanks. Bye now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, but may I have it for my birthday or Christmas?