BEYBLADE

CHAPTER FOUR: AN UNEXPECTED BATTLE

Kai straightened and assumed his cool demeanor, seeming to disregard the fact that Murdock held Black Dranzer within the palm of his hand. So what? So this strange, painted-on-green-haired guy had the most powerful beylade in the universe, and the strongest bit-beast to boot. Big deal. The question was, could he control it?

" ... I see you've got Black Dranzer, there." Kai finally spoke.

" Yes, I do. Care to know how I aquired him?" Murdock asked.

" No thanks. I've got better things to do with my time."

" Oh come now, Kai. You know Black Dranzer is itching to be within your grasp, again. Now come, give me a beyblade battle." Murdock shook the dark blade idly from side to side.

Kai stared at it for a moment before stepping forward. " Are you sure you want to beybattle me, old man?"

Murdock nodded, grinning kindly. It wasn't one of those warm, kind type of ..kind grins. It was more like a subtly well-hidden sinister grin. " Yes, otherwise I wouldn't have asked. Black Dranzer will prove to be a formidable opponent, I assure you."

" Tch, yeah. We'll see." Kai moved forward again and brushed passed Murdock, ignoring the strange, seemingly distracted stares that his teammates were giving him.

Max leaned over toward Kenny and whispered behind the fingers of his hand. " Is it just me, or did this guy just get wierder?"

Kenny twitched and cast a glance over toward the blonde blader, a glance that a mother would give to her dissobedient son. " Max!" he whispered fiercly back. " Don't be so rude. This guy is our tour guide. And besides, I'm more worried as to how he obtained Black Dranzer."

Tyson leaned in and joined the conversation as Kai loaded Dranzer into his dark blue launcher. " Oh yeah, I almost forgot. I think it was his creepy sense of humor and... that plastic, fake-looking hair that gave off the impression of 'tour guide'...I mean, it's not like there's anything sinister or creepy about this guy, at all." He slouched, ending his sarcastic sentence right then and there.

Murdock moved over to the middle bey-dish and loaded Black Dranzer into a dark red launcher. Sliding his ripcord into the launcher, he slouched at the waist, readying himself for the go, his expression one of shaded assurance and mirth. Kai assumed the same position, or close to it, with one leg bent in front and the other leg stretched out behind him.

"Alright pops, ready when you are." He spoke.

Murdock snickered and nodded, almost too cheerfully. " I'm ready, Kai. Show me what you can do."

For some odd reason, those last spoken words hit Kai head on, like there was some hidden agenda or meaning behind them.

Okay Kai. Chill out. So what if he has Black Dranzer? You've got Dranzer Flame. You can do this. Chances are he doesn't even know how to use Black Dranzer, anyway.

Max, Rei and Tyson jumped up to the sides of the dish and leaned forward, hands in the air as they shouted in tandum: "three....two....one.. Let it rip!!"

Murdock and Kai both pulled as hard as they could on the ripcords, letting loose Dranzer and Black Dranzer into the beyblade dish below. It was obvious to the Blade-breakers that Black Dranzer had the most power, out-doing Dranzer Flame in every possible way imaginable. Kai could also see it. His mind was reeling, but he kept his cool.

" Dranzer, hold it." Dranzer kept spinning in place, a single layer of wind and hot air building up around his orbit.

Black Dranzer moved in for the kill, for lack of a better word. The velocity at which the dark blade was spinning created an even larger orbit of wind, and would have knocked Dranzer Flame from his spin base had he not moved forward and to the side.

"Hrm.. hmm. hmm..." Murdock smirked. His first beyblade battle against, basically a child, was turning out to be an amusing ball of fun.  " I'm amazed at your skill, Kai."

"What?" Kai looked up toward the lime-eyed man.

" I said, I'm amazed at your skill."

"Hn. I haven't even done anything, pops."

Max side-glanced toward Rei who returned the gaze before peering over at Tyson. There was definite tension in the room as Mr. Dickenson and Grandpa came to stand behind the boys.

Dranzer spun around and double-backed along the curve of the dish, tilting forward and contacting with the defense rings of Black Dranzer. Amazingly, and to everyone except Kai's surprise, the darker beyblade lifted into the air and spun to a stop as it hit the floor outside of the ring.

 A smug expression took hold of Kai's features and he straightened, catching Dranzer as the blade spun into his palm.

"You may have the strongest beyblade, Mr. Balvery, but you haven't got the skill to control it." Kai stepped down from the dish and walked passed his group, leaning against a nearby wall with his arms folded across his chest.

Murdock retrieved Black Dranzer and slipped the dark blade into the internal pocket of his jacket. He turned and chuckled in Kai's direction. " You are powerful, just as he said." His words were harsh and cold.

Kai didn't know why, but the man's voice sent chills down his spine. Whether it was the fact that this stranger spoke to him in such a manner, or if it was what he said that sent chills, the leader couldn't figure out. He peered at Murdock and raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Yes, yes. He's quite a charming old fellow."

Tyson stepped up and clenched a fist in front of his chest, a gesture he always makes when in defensive, and/or curious mode. " Hey, who is this he that you keep talking about?" His expression was stern.

"Yeah, and what did he say about Kai?" Max walked toward Tyson and stopped by the blader's side, soon after followed by Rei.

Kenny stood behind, typing furiously upon the keys of Dizzi as he whispered. " Dizzi, I have no idea what this guy is talking about. I thought he was supposed to be a tour guide. I didn't even know he had a beyblade, let alone Black Dranzer."

"Hey, don't ask me. I've never seen this guy before. I only analyse battle strategies and beyblades, not freakos with green painted on hair." Dizzi spat in return.

Murdock turned to the other boys and smiled down at them."Never mind that, boys. That tale is for another day. If you'll excuse me, I really must be going." He turned and made for the hallway, his eyes never leaving Kai's silent form.

Kai noticed this and turned his gaze to the side and toward the ground. "Hnf."

Rei jumped passed the others and stopped behind Murdock. " Hey, Mr. Balvery."

Murdock turned and slid his hands into the pockets of his cotton pants. " Yes, Rei?"

"Uh..." Rei had completely forgotten what he was going to say, and at that moment was racking his brain, thinking of a subject to answer the questioning Murdock. " ... Aren't you supposed to be our tour guide?"
"Yeah!" Tyson interjected. " We want our tour. I didn't miss out on lunch for nothing, y'know."

Murdock chuckled. "Boys, boys. I'm no tour guide. I'm simply a business man who posed as one so I could study the Blade-breakers. Nothing more, honestly."

"Wha?"
"Eh?"
" Huh...?"

"Yeah, right." Kai didn't believe a word of it and Murdock turned his attention, again.

"Don't believe me, Kai?"

" As a matter of fact, no. I don't."

"Neither do I." Rei interjected as he stepped toward Kai, turning to view Murdock from the front. " You're just a little too suspiscious for my tastes, Mr. Balvery."

Murdock chuckled and held out a hand, patting Rei on the shoulder. " Oh, please... call me Murdock. There's no need for informal greetings."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Tyson snorted and rubbed a finger underneath and across his nose. " So, uh... Why didn't you just come up to us like you are now, in the first place?"

"Nevermind that, Tyson. Balvery has to be going." Kai had lifted his gaze again and was peering at Murdock as the man  turned.

Nodding, Murdock waved to the other boys and passed Kai. " Yes, that's right. A good day to you, boys."

The Blade-breakers, as well as Mr. Dickenson and Grandpa stood in awe and confusion.

"Well... " Tyson began. " Who's up for some pizza?" Cheesily grinning, he scratched the back of his head and waved the other hand, idly.

(A.N= It's a relatively short chapter, simply because I couldn't think of anything else to fit into it.)