Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.... What a cruel fate?!
Author's Notes: Please take the time to review afterwards if you enjoy the chapter.... the story will get better ^__^, hopefully to your standards... Pairings: you'll find out as the story rolls along…. I apologize ahead of time for spelling and grammatical errors.
'.. ' thinking; "..." speaking
Chapter 1: Losing To You
The school bell of the Beyblade Battling Collegiate chimed. The Beyblade Battle Collegiate of Japan was a special high school where some of the very best bladers attend or had attended before they became known worldwide. It was just like any typical school, but with one very significant difference. The Beyblade Battling Collegiate offers an intense and very rewarding beyblade training program, in which all its students must and will take and ace. In the process, teams of elite bladers would be created.
The chiming of the BBC (Beyblade Battling Collegiate) marked the beginning of the last class. It was Family Studies (cooking class) for a special band of grade elevens. Why special? Well, Kai and Ray were in grade eleven and their next class was cooking class, one of Ray's favourite. Kai, on the contrary, has a different point of view upon this class which he considers a waste of time, simply because he never wins in the cooking and serving contests. Kai only took this class because it was compulsory. Everyone needed at least one credit for cooking before they could graduate, and one can only take it when one enters grade eleven, simply because there was only a grade eleven cooking class, and it was the best in its district.
*Family Studies Room*
"HELLO, RAY! KAI!" a happy grade eleven teenage girl rushed to the door and greeted when Ray and Kai entered the clean and tidy family studies' cooking room. It was a familiar scene for Ray and Kai, for they have had about a month of classes in there already. And every time they enter the room, they would be greeted by this cheerful, jolly teenager. She had long, wavy dark brown hair tied in a high ponytail, and rich hazelnut eyes. Dressed in a scarlet red sweater and a pair of black track pants with red stripes, she wore black running shoes.
"Hey, Irisiya [I-ris-see-ya]," Ray replied, beaming a smile at her. Kai said nothing. On his face, he had almost a smile, or perhaps a smirk.
Looking at Ray, she asked, "So, how's it going with Tyson?"
"Same as the usual. He asked me to bring some treats for him and the rest of the team."
"I see. But I don't think today's class will permit you to do so, Ray," commented Irisiya, speaking in riddles.
"Oh?" Ray commented, pondering why. Kai took his seat around the third of four tables. Each table consisted of at least six chairs. Ray glanced at the expressionless Kai, and realized, "Today's the cooking competition. It's every Friday. How could I have forgotten? Our team will surely win, as usual."
"YOU BET YA, RAY!" Irisiya agreed when the home economic teacher arrived. Looking as though she was in her mid-thirties, dressed casually, she had her blond hair braided.
"HELLO, Class. Please take a seat everyone," the teacher ordered, and everyone took their seats. "Just like last week, we've been having these cooking competitions for over a month now, and so far no other team, besides Team B has won repeatedly."
"YAY!" the second table cheered. It consisted of Ray, Irisiya, two other girls and two other boys.
"AND that's WHY I'm going to allow all the teams, except for Team B to get a head start, just to be fair since they are already so experienced in the field, and won't require as much time as the rest of our class. Won't you agree, Irisiya?"
"Ah.... Of course.... Sure," Irisiya laughed weakly, then looked at Ray and shrugged. 'Oh well.' Ray, in response, just beamed a confident smile.
"Alright then, class. Each of you put your blue apron on and get a folder by the front table. Flip to page twelve. And that is what each team will make for the competition," the teacher instructed, and everyone did what they were told. "The main dish is lamb chops with stir fried rice, and the dessert shall be a combination of a mixed fruit salad and a batch of double fudge brownies. The recipes are all there, starting from page twelve. All you have to do is follow them and do your very best to ensure that the presentation and the taste exceed those of your opponents. And, oh yes, the drinks are optional in the competition. You can get different cocktails from the fridge. But, be warned, next week's competition may be making these beverages."
About twenty minutes after all the teams began their work, the teacher allowed Team B to start catching up to the other teams. Ray and the other two boys on his team worked on the lamb chops as well as the rice while Irisiya and the other two girls from her team worked on the dessert, the mixed fruit salad and the brownies.
Another twenty minutes or so passed by, and Irisiya decided to prepare the team's table. She took enough platters, spoons, forks, napkins, knives and well as cups, and laid them carefully and neatly upon the white table cloth covering the team's table. After that, she began making her way back to the kitchen to check on the brownies.
"Alright. It won't be very long now," Irisiya muttered to herself as she stared through the window of the oven. She then, joined the rest of her team to where the lamb chops and rice were cooking.
"It'll take a little more time than the brownies," Ray mentioned to his group.
"Oh. Okay. That's alright. I've got all the time in the world," Irisiya chuckled. "And so do the rest of us."
"Let's take a seat at our table while we wait," one of the three boys in Ray's group suggested, and everyone nodded in agreement.
Some cooking minutes afterwards, Irisiya became tiresome of just sitting around, and so she got up on her feet and began to 'visit' the other teams, beginning with Kai's.
"How's it going?" Irisiya asked Kai, looking over his right shoulder as he mixed the ingredients for the brownies. "No, not like that. That'll ruin the structure and affect the taste," Irisiya commented.
From afar, Ray and the rest of Team B watched Irisiya mixing something in a bowl for Kai's team. They couldn't see exactly what it was that she was mixing, but they guessed that it related to the brownies, since they saw the rest of Kai's team surrounded the medium rare cooked lamb chops.
After a minute or so, Ray got up from his seat and approached the kitchen of the Team C—Kai's team. To Irisiya, he asked, "What are you doing?"
"Oh, Ray. Um.... Just showing Kai something," Irisiya said and stopped mixing. She turned to face Ray and Kai. "Okay. You can try it yourself now, Kai. It might bring in first place for your team."
"Ah-hem," Ray coughed.
"What? I did say might." Irisiya replied as approached Ray, and Kai returned to mixing the ingredients, this time the way Irisiya demonstrated to him.
"It's not that. You're lucky that the teacher isn't here to lecture you about advising the other team when you're in a competition," Ray informed as he scanned the room to make certain that the teacher was still out to get some papers photocopied.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't worry; my words do not count as advice. They are merely words of my opinion. And besides, I doubt that Kai's team will need my help to win," Irisiya said, trying to justify her actions. "Anyways, our brownies should be ready now," she commented and started to walk back to her team's kitchen.
*****
Some time later, after clean-up, and when the teacher was ready to announce the name of the winning team, everyone sat at their tables attentively. "And the winning team is...." she dragged on, and everyone became increasing eager with each second she delayed the announcement. "....Let me just say this first, I've very proud of all of you and very amazed by everyone's effort as well as improvement.... And now, it's a pleasure to say that the winning team this week is Team — Team C....[everyone gasped] Kai's team."
Irisiya suddenly felt her team's eyes firing glares or annoyed looks at her. "Hey," she said defensively, "I think they deserved the win."
"Shush, Irisiya. Let me finish first, so everyone can go home."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Alright then. It was a tough decision. For a moment, I had chosen Team B, the undefeated team, until now, that is. However, because Team C improved so greatly, I decided that they deserve first place. So, the rankings are: Team C-first, Team B-second, Team A and D shares third place."
One of the students from Kai's team, in curiosity, questioned the teacher, "How did we improve?"
"Well, your group improved on both the presentation as well as the meal itself. But the greatest progress was demonstrated by the brownies, a treat that everyone loves and will love even more if they taste your group's batch."
Ray and Irisiya looked straight into each other's eyes, both thinking, 'Nah. It can't be because of the brownies....'
'Um.... This is just a coincidence,' Irisiya told herself when she glanced in the direction of the winning team—Team C. She saw Kai watching her intently. 'You're welcomed,' she said weakly in her head.
"Congrads go to everyone. All of you will receive a big bonus mark. [In background, students shouted, "YAY!"] Have a great weekend," the teacher started to say when everyone began to exit. "Don't forget about your homework for the weekend."
*****
The sound of chattering kids and swinging lockers inhabited the hallways. Getting some stuff from her locker, Irisiya took out a brown paper bag containing the unknown from her locker, then turned to the figure just right of her and said, "Hey, Ray. Here's some treats for you and the rest of the Bladebreakers." She handed Ray the bag.
"Not again. You sure it doesn't trouble you at all?" Ray asked as he accepted the bag in uncertainty. He looked at her, scanning her face for the slightest bit of emotion. He watched as she packed her stuff into her school bag.
"Of course, it doesn't trouble me. I love making desserts. You should know that by now, Ray. Anyway, enjoy them," Irisiya replied as she finished packing, and wrapped around her neck a long, knitted, pink scarf.
"Alright then, thanks. Tyson will love them," Ray said, chuckling. Irisiya beamed a smile at Ray, and then waved goodbye.
Kai, who was standing on the other side of the hallway opposite to Ray's and Irisiya's lockers, overheard and overseen the situation. Shaking his head in annoyance, he thought suspiciously, 'Irisiya, the only girl who seems too nice. ARGH! What could she possibly be up to? No one is that nice. Pulled in deeper into possible danger ahead by Tyson's uncontrollable craving for food, and Ray's compassion. ERRR!'
[A/N: trust me on this, Kai, you'll never understand women. ^_^ so be very wary of this one especially when I'm the author.]
*****
That same Friday afternoon, inside Tyson's temple, around a large table, can be found a group of bladers— the Bladebreakers...
"Yum— Yum— Yum— YUMMY!" Tyson declared as he stuffed his large share of Irisiya's scrumptious homemade or perhaps school made chocolate chip cookies down his throat. Quickly, Tyson grabbed a glass of chocolate milk from the table he and his friends were seated around. As fast as he ate, he gulped down on the beverage.
"I know it's tasty but you should take it easy, Tyson," Kenny, typing something on his laptop, advised.
"Just give it up, Kenny. Let Tyson learn his lesson the hard way. I'm sure if he almost chokes himself to death, he'll learn to actually chew his food sensibly," Kai said bitterly.
"Ahhhh..." Tyson said delightfully as he rubbed his bloated tummy. "That was de-lic-ious!"
"Irisiya made them herself," Ray informed.
"As usual," Dizzi remarked. "I still can't believe how Kai's team could have won the cooking competition for this week. I was certain Ray's team was going to take the win again."
"I resent that. My team is as good as, if not better, than Ray's [team]," Kai said defensively. "Even with Irisiya on his team, trying to sabotage my brownies."
"Hey! Don't say that, Kai. Irisiya was just trying to help you and your team with the desserts," Ray tried to repress, "If it wasn't for her help, your team won't have won."
"Hmph! I think not."
"Oh, let's stop this bickering about a girl," Max suggested, chuckling uneasily.
"Yes. Let's, before it turns out ugly, like the last time," Kenny started to recall.
"That was all Kai's doing," Tyson reminded.
"Hmph."
"Oh, come on, not you too, Tyson," Kenny commented.
"Poor Kai. He's still getting blamed for ravaging Iris' blade while practicing with her," Dizzi said, recalling what Kenny had reported to her about a year or so ago.
"He over did it with the practice," Tyson reminded.
The past to when the incident occurred began to get replayed in Kai's head.
*****
To be continued.