Fire Fox- *pulls Ravin by the ear with a sulking Shadow trailing behind him*

Raven- Let go of me NOW!

Fire Fox- You were going after Kai and after I told you to wait till AFTER I finished my story! What were you going to do with him?

Raven- Like you can't guess stupid girl. *aside to Shadow* See if all those fan-girls think he is so cute after we fire a charged particle gun at him^.^ I love destruction.

Fire Fox- And what about his Dranzer? Umm..how were you going to handle it?

Shadow- Rfffgggg (I was going to bite its head off. Yum…fried chicken, I mean phenix.)

Fire Fox- *calmly* I am so glad you were prepared. It all makes so much sense now. AND HOW WAS I SUPPOSE TO FILL HIS SLOT ON THE BLADE-BREAKERS IF YOU HAD SUCCEEDED IN OFFING HIM!!!!!

Raven- Errrr…

Fire Fox- 'R. I am a peeved pirate Fire Fox. You will be punished.

Disclaimer: When you put 'THE' and 'IRS' together, it forms 'THEIRS'. Coincidence? I think not?

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NOW

THE FIRE FOX SWASHBUCKLING-LY PRESENTS:

The Other Side of the Mirror

Chapter Three: Reflections of You& Me

Mariah stared at the stars from her seat on the roof of the hotel. From her seat, Mariah could see both the constellations of people and groups of stars.

She looked down at the people running in and out of the hotel's lobby. Couples were going on a moonlight stroll, young girls going to the bar, and young guys going to test out the night's luck with their pick-up lines. The un-successful would probably come back around eleven, while there is no telling when the successful will be back.

They at least have to return before ten in the morning, smiled Mariah bitterly to herself, or they will have to pay for another day.

Mariah continued to look at the people below her, unbeknownst to them. She laughed as a group of teenagers stormed out of the hotel. Apparently the hotel had given away their room, because they had not arrived on time. Oh well, that's what happens.

Mariah and the rest of the Sirens had just barely made it to the hotel at the appointed time. They had all under-estimated Brittney's love of shopping and Allenbe's love of all things male. They had made great time sticking to the back-roads, but once they entered the city Brittney's nose of sales and Allenbe's wandering eyes had kept Mariah and Antigonê on their toes.

The group of teenagers shouted something about being beybladers and other things indicating their self-importance. The other people outside just rolled their eyes and continued with their lives. During the Southern Belle Tournament, cities were always over saturated with beybladers.

Looking down at the commotion, Mariah sighed. Her stomach had been tied in knots just thinking about beyblading again. She didn't want to let her new team down, but she just wasn't sure. What if she was pitted against her old team, the White Tigers? How could she face Lee? What would Lee think of her? What if she had to face HIM again? She didn't think she could handle even being that close to him again, not after…. All her resolve might crumble away.

Her own mind was as scattered with questions and doubts as the celestial body above was filled with stars. She couldn't help but sigh again as thoughts of beyblading lead to thoughts of the White Tigers, which lead to another person: the author of the letter, which she held in her hand.

The letter had obviously been read a lot of times. Creases, smudges, small rips, and water stains danced across the pages. Mariah's heart tightened as she re-read the letter for a countless time. She really didn't need the letter anymore, for she had memorized it by heart. Yet, to her, it represented the need to move on and that things are not always what they appear. She had thought that they were happy, but Mariah had been grievously wrong. She had also thought he was a gentlemen, but he didn't have the nerve to say anything to her face. He had pretended to be happy, and then wrote her this letter. He didn't even have the decency to give it to her personally.

Anger welled up in Mariah: anger at him, anger at herself for believing, anger at everything. She felt like screaming or jumping but only looked to the sky for her comfort. It was useless to place her happiness in the trust of others.

Mariah jumped as she heard familiar footsteps storm up the stairs and the same voices she had heard for the last months follow.

"I just don't understand WHY you refuse to battle! You are un-deniably the best of us!" screamed a voice that Mariah identified as Allenbe.

"I'm just not," calmly replied Antigonê. "So leave it alone."

"Is this about Bethany? God, how many times must we tell you that it was an accident?! It has n…." apparently something had cut off Allenbe in mid-sentence. Which Mariah thought was amazing since the only thing Allenbe loved more than boys was to hear her own voice.

Mariah could barely hear Antigonê's reply it was so low, dangerously low.

"It has nothing to do with that," Antigonê hissed, "I asked you to drop it, but you insisted. I have my own reasons for not wanting to battle again. So why don't you crawl over to the nearest bar, get drunk, and find your sluttish way into the nearest horny man's bed and have at it. Then call the room like you do every time and wait for someone to come and get you."

Mariah heard a set of footsteps leave; by the sound of the stride it was an un-dignified Allenbe leaving. Antigonê remained behind and headed over to where Mariah was sitting. Mariah tensed up; she didn't want Antigonê thinking that she had purposely spied on her.

If Antigonê thought that, she didn't show it. If she even noticed Mariah was there, she concealed the knowledge very well as she walked over the edge of the roof and leaned against it. She placed her head in her hands.

After minutes of silence, Mariah not being able to contain her anxiety any longer, blurted out, "I wasn't spying on you, honestly! I was here when you and Allenbe came up, and I couldn't help but hear your conversation."

"Ummm," Antigonê raised her head and looked around, "I didn't think for a moment that you were."

Another lapse of silence passed between the girls, however, it was Antigonê who broke the silence.

"I guess I was a bit hard on Allenbe, huh?" Antigonê continued without expecting an answer. "I will have to apologize in the morning or afternoon. It seems the routine, now, before competitions. I understand that she just wants what is best for me, but she doesn't understand."

"It's a nice night, tonight," Antigonê finished emptily.

"I love the stars. They are so absolute, constant in the night sky. They are so beautiful. I am sure that in the heavens they know everything," Mariah told Antigonê.

"I never liked the stars that much. They always seemed so cold and distant to me."

"Well, it's my philosophy," Mariah said prickling up with pride.

"Oh, but there is so much more in this world and universe than our philosophies can ever dream about dreaming," smiled Antigonê, "But perhaps you are right. Perhaps the heavens know everything and are looking down at us and laughing. Laughing at our attempts to swim upstream the metaphorical river of life."

Mariah looked down at the letter again. Suddenly tried of being alone, she asked, "Do you think I will do okay at the tournament? If I do bad, you won't think me a waste of time?"

Antigonê walked over to where Mariah was sitting and stretched out on the cold metal. Antigonê could feel the muscles in her back start to relax. She rolled over on her side and looked at Mariah, "Who gave you the idea that you, Mariah, could possibly be a 'waste'? You don't have to prove anything to anyone at this tournament. You are a part of the Sirens, now and forever. No matter if you decide to quit and leave, you WILL always be a part of us."

"I now, it's just that…well, you know. Every time I think I have found something special, timeless, it just ends. You and the girls are so special to me. I have enjoyed the last few months together with you, and I don't want it to end," Mariah looked down at the letter in her hands, "Every thing else ended. It's like the poem says, 'Nothing gold ever stays'."

Antigonê took the letter from Mariah and looked at it. New water stains sprinkled across the top page. Antigonê carefully dried the paper. She flipped through the letter without reading it, only looking at the condition of the letter. Antigonê smiled to herself, it all seemed so familiar.

"By that logic, nothing bad ever stays either. Mariah look at the trees," commanded Antigonê, "What do you see?"

"Green leaves."

"Yes. You see the gold always returns. All you have to do is wait for it."

Suddenly Mariah was tried of being alone, stars filled her eyes as she turned to Antigonê. Tears and troubles spilled out with Antigonê in a compassionate silence.

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"You have waited for me for more than a year to return. The both of you," Antigonê said looking down at the object, "You both have waited in the shadow hoping for my leaves to turn gold, but not all trees sprout new leaves. Chance plays a part in nature, so will it play a part in my future."

Antigonê pulled a launcher shaped like a spade with the letter 'A' inscribed on it. She attached the object to the launcher. She walked to the edge of the roof and leaned over the railing to look straight down. It was a good twenty stories down. If anything dropped off the roof, it would be destroyed.

Antigonê pulled the ripcord and watched as the object began to spin rapidly on the railing. She watched the object spin delicately round and round. She watched as the object began to burn a golden red, a dark golden red. She watched the object to see which way it fell. She watched to see which way her destiny fell. She watched it as another pair of eyes in the shadows watched the object from the ground.

The entity began to dance across the railing, a dangerous ballet of gambling. It swerved closer to the edge. Suddenly it had dared to close to the edge and fell. A tear escaped from Antigonê as she watched it fall. She couldn't believe it. She had gambled her future and lost.

She bent down to pick up the beyblade that had fell to her feet. A sigh of acceptance escaped her.

"Very well you all have not waited in vain," Antigonê looked at the crest in the middle of the beyblade.

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Rei sat alone at a table in front of a hotel. He couldn't stand being around Tyson right now. Tyson is just too confident. I just need to get some air before tomorrow. His mind came up with millions of reasons why he had to leave, why he had snapped at Tyson. He refused to admit it had anything to do with seeing her again. He refused to admit that he was jealous of Tyson's happiness. Rei looked up at the hotel roof; he could have sworn he had felt a bit beast, but that was crazy.

Rei returned to his thoughts.

Another pair of eyes stared up at the roof. A smile crossed his lips; she had always loved to gamble.

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Kenny watched Rei from a distance. It was strange for him, of all people, to be here. Kenny, who was only concerned with statistics and information, was the only Blade Breaker to figure it out.

Rei had been in an okay mood that morning. He had even laughed at some of Tyson's antics and Max's jokes. In fact, Rei was acting more like himself than he had in years. Kenny was glad to see the change in Rei, because having him acting more like Kai wasn't any fun. Living with two Kai's wasn't the ideal setting.

They had just been walking to their hotel and Tyson was complaining about how hungry he was, and suddenly Rei jumped all over Tyson and stormed off leaving the rest of the team in a confused cloud.

It was then Kenny noticed a flash of pink

Kenny was contemplating the best way of approaching Rei when a dark strange seat down at the table with Rei.

"Go away," said Rei without leaving his train of thoughts.

"It's a big city. You won't be able to avoid her."

"Who the hell are you and what the crap are you talking about, freak?" snapped Rei.

"Unless you are as stupid as you look, you know full well what, or more correctly who, I am talking about," the stranger smirked.

"You want to make something of it?" yelled Rei, getting more irritated by the moment.

"No, no, Tiger," said the stranger holding his hands up, "I wouldn't dream of having the notorious Rei by the tale."

Rei just grew angrier by the stranger's mocking facade. "You have no idea what you are talking about, AND you have no idea!"

"Hummmm, perhaps not. But mark my words, you can't escape your past," with his final statement the stranger walked away pleased with himself. Nothing like stirring up trouble among star-crossed lovers, but than again, that story hit close to home.

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"It seems, Rei, that your friend is also a beyblader," said Kenny, after doing some research with Dizzy, "It says he is from the Ethereal team."

"Really?" asked Rei, glad that Kenny had caught up with him after all. "What's it say about him?"

"It says that he is the team captain. They won the world championship two years before us. Their awards are really quite impressive. They have been featured in many nationally recognized magazines, like Times, and so on. Not much beyond that. I have the team synopsis. Wanta see?"

"Sure."

"What do you think about that guy, Raven, Chief?"

"I think he is somehow connected to Kai and that Antigonê Sophcles. Why else would Kai be interested in Raven or Antigonê. I also think that Raven know a lot more about the Sirens than we do," Kenny said looking at Raven's extensive biography.

"You don't think she is in any trouble, do you?"

"I doubt it. Any connection to that Raven is obviously a good one," replied the Chief, letting Rei look at Raven's biography. "I mean, he has various accomplishments," he ended with a smile.

"Your ability of understating things never ceases to amaze me."

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Fire Fox- I promise, my valued reviewer, that the next chapter will be better. Mariah and Rei will meet, you will find out some about the Sirens and Ethereal Teams. I hope.

'R, now on to some things that I need to clear up.

One, the lines about Dizzy saying Kai was cut close up, was a joke! So don't think otherwise. I am not sure how a bit beast trapped in a computer would go out with a boy. That's beyond me.

Two, I know that Rei was out of character in these last chapters, but that is because he is all dark and troubled with love and what-not. Don't worry, he won't stay that way.^.^

Well, thanks for all the reviews! I am so sorry that I don't update more regularly, but school takes up time. Sorry!

I hope the next chapter is better. I think this chapter was slow, but don't give up hope on me yet!