The Opening Ball came sooner than expected.

And it started the afternoon before the main event itself, the day before the Ball.

Max was grinning happily as he went out of Tsukiyo's room a little while later, with a very harrassed Tsukiyo in tow. Takao blinked.

"What on EARTH did you do to her?"

"Just a little fitting. Hey, we ought to get our tuxedos too!" Max said, his eyes suddenly widening in enlightenment.

"Uh…tuxedos…" SD Takao asked, blinking.

"I completely forgot all about US! Darn, Chairman Daitenji said he'd be taking care of all our wardrobe needs since we're the Japanese team, aka, the BBA-Blade Breakers Team. He said he has a couple of snazzy tuxedos for all of us. Eh, what do you think?"

"I DEFINITELY won't be wearing ONE!" SD Takao turned all out panicky. "I DON'T WANT TO!"

"Tuxedos…?" Lei asked, his eyes blinking.

"Yeah man, TUXEDOS." Max gave another evil grin. "Takao, I think I saw a style that's REALLY perfect for YOU."

"D-don't give me that evil GRIN!"

"What's this ruckus all about?" Kai asked suddenly as he walked into the hotel room, holding a couple of plastic bags that didn't hold any chocolates. What it held instead were a couple of hardbound books and some rolled up parchment.

"Kai, we have our tuxedos for the Opening Ball tomorrow night," Profesor said, as he watched SD Max chase SD Takao all around the room. "Of course, you'll be coming with us?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the WORLD." Kai blinked as everyone stared at him. "What, did I say something WRONG?!"

"Uh, Kai…are you sure you're really…Kai…?" SD chibi-neko Lei asked him.

"Of COURSE I AM!" SD Kai had a huge battle aura emanating from him. "What, you've got a problem with my JOINING the BALL?!"

"N-no. It's just that…well…we're mystified. You DON'T go to events that do not involve Bey Blading of the physical sort," SD Takao told him.

"…" SD Kai became an angry looking inflated Jigglypuff then walked off with his parcels in tow. The whole SD lot of them were MYSTIFIED.

"Pass the piña colada please, I think I'm in HEAVEN," SD Max said in an awestruck voice.

They passed it to him without another word.

"Is everything in place?"

"Yes, sir, everything in order."

"Good, good, we shall be having a good time tomorrow night. I trust they will be gladdened by it."

"Most definitely, sir."

"Alright, thank you very much for your trouble."

The uniformed butler bowed respectfully then left the old man puffing at his pipe. He then looks over at the young man standing still in the shadows beside him.

"Excited?"

"Very." The young man's amber yellow eyes looked over at the gardens spread before them. "I trust they would be VERY shocked to see me there."

"Of course. It's been 10 years, right?"

"Yes, Grandfather. 10 long years." He sweatdrops. "Wait a minute, we have had this conversation for like WEEKS already."

"Well, I can't help it. To think something of that sort to happen to the village! If it weren't for the fact that we were exiled, I could've done something about it! Bah, those elders were held like young, helpless little chicks to a hungry bird of prey. Just because I didn't agree to their total seclusion principles, they all voted for me to be thrown out!" The old man puffed at his pipe again. "I will see to it that all will be changed for the better by this tournament. Or my name isn't 'The PUNISHER'~~~!!!"

"…" The young man fell over his head, his legs twitching.

***It was for that reason why we were thrown out in the FIRST place. Oh BROTHER...***