Previously posted as text. Enjoy the new HTML format that I FINALLY got to post! J SQ
Thanks very much to the following reviewers:
kaz: Yes, I'll just love having Hilary and Tyson together; you know what they say: opposites attract. I would have had her and Team Psychic in earlier, but B2002/Vforce only just started airing here. That's why everyone thinks Mariah/Emily are friends, because they probably do become good friends! Last I saw though, they downright hated each other-(; I'm so glad you thought that last chapter was kawaii! I really ran into a writers block there for a while, so I'm happy it turned out pretty good. The story can't be a good romantic story without a little sap, ya know? Sorry this note is kind of long, but I really liked your review!
Galux Kitty: I don't think I would have minded if you'd stayed or went, but I'm really grateful that you'll keep reviewing until it's Ray/Mariah. And I'll give you a heads-up for when I start to do them seriously.J Have a great day!
HikArI-T3nShi: I always liked the Japanese name Takao. It's cool to say aloud! Takao, Takao, Takao, Takao, Takao, Takao (Ray: Michelle?) Yeah? WHACK! (Ray: Shut up)
Authors Note: OOPS! I'm so sorry for the delay-I've had so much stuff I've had to do this past week-I totally just built another page at xanga-the address is so I've been going there to chat with my friends. And homework's been a bugger as well. So now I finally have some free time.
ALL RIGHT! ALL RIGHT! I put the Majestics in this one-(; Well, it's really just a short thing, but I'll include more of those. Yea! This chapter was so much fun to write!
Disclaimer: Any misspellings, confused references or mixed up teammates are purely accidental and are a result of the author's new innocent fascination with the world of beyblading. Kira Ocelet, Mobekai Tart, Danika Woods, Colby Peterson and Trish ?? belong to me.
Mari (Mar-eye) sounds just like Mariah with the 'ah'. It's not pronounced Mary or Marie.
I forgot to tell you in the beginning that Mariah, Danika, and Kira are a half-year younger than everyone else-they're only fifteen still cause they have late birthdays. For clarification, the date on this story right now is October 21st. Don't ask me for the year please-I have no idea.(;
** represent italics for this chapter
WATCH THIS!
Chapter 15: Traveling Intrigues
Kai continued to have the feeling he was missing something from his belongings and searched carefully among his room and his things before packing his stuff.
"Are you guys ready or not?" Hilary stuck her head in through the door, "I'm so sick of waiting!"
"Gee, would you knock or something?" Tyson asked annoyingly, "You already have your stuff packed! Of course you're waiting for us!"
"Anyone need any help?" She walked in.
"I do," Kai turned around, still looking about curiously, "Can you go through the room and see if there's not anything lying around?"
"Sure. Are you missing something?"
"I'm not sure," He said faintly.
Max gave him a weird look from across the bed, but finished stuffing his pack.
"Oh, by the way. I met someone an hour ago at the snack machine that said she knows you guys. I think her name was Daria? Delilah? Danielle? Oh, something like that-she has red hair," Hilary came out of the bathroom.
"Danika?" Tyson asked.
"Yeah, that's her! Oh, isn't that the name of a yogurt brand too?"
"I didn't know they were in the same hotel as us," Kenny said.
"I wonder if they're on the same floor as us," said Ray.
"Oh, she's coming up soon. I told her where we were staying."
Tyson fell in despair,
"*Hilary!* You shouldn't give our room number out to just anyone."
"But I thought she was your friend?"
"She's *competition*. Yes, she is our friend, but she can come spy on us anytime she wants if she knows that kind of info."
"Whoops," she muttered quite naively and innocently, "I'm sorry."
"Hey, you don't have to apologize for anything. You just didn't know, that's all," Max sat down on the bed and picked Cheese up, "Right, I'm done."
"Same here," Ray zipped his duffel bag up and set it on the floor.
"I couldn't find anything Kai. Not even a hairpin," Hilary shrugged, turning away from the small walk-in closet.
"All right then. I guess I'm done as well."
"Wait! I have to put Dizzi's extra circuits away and then I'll be done!" Kenny rushed to his bags, eager to be done with the others.
"I only have one more thing I need to take care of," Tyson stood up and proudly introduced.
"What's that?" Hilary asked.
"Chocolate from the snack bar," Tyson held up a dollar, "Who's coming with me?"
Everyone fell down anime style as Tyson opened the door.
"Let's hurry and take a plane trip to Vienna where we can get very RICH dark chocolate," Max taunted.
"Nah, I need a snack for the plane there. I'll just get chips then," Tyson disappeared behind the door.
A loud "Oooof!" darkly issued from outside.
"I'm going to assume that was Tyson and someone else running into each other," Ray shook his head.
They ran outside and saw Tyson and Colby on the floor, rubbing their heads sorely.
"Hey, she was right! Gosh, a day and a half and we never manage to see each other-how does that work?" Danika grinned. She and the rest of the Wild Cheetahs were behind the two on the floor.
"Excuse me, excuse me!" Hilary pushed through the door and came up between Kai and Max, "Wow. Who are you?"
Trish raised an eyebrow,
"How come *we've* never met *you* before? You didn't tell us she was traveling with you."
"Hilary's a.friend from school. She just arrived." Tyson stood up.
"These are the Wild Cheetahs," Kenny introduced, "Kira, Danika, Colby, and Trish. Their other team member Mobekai is somewhere else right now."
"He's meeting us at the airport with the White Tigers." Trish explained.
"Mobekai?" Hilary looked confused, "Who's that?"
"Why is he traveling with the White Tigers?" Tyson asked.
"You really haven't heard? Mobekai's been seeing Mariah for a couple of days."
It felt oddly strange for Ray to hear these words, even though he'd suspected it for some time now. It just didn't seem.right. He still didn't like Mobekai that much. How was it possible for Mariah to open up to him so quickly? She only met him a week ago. Was he really that in love with her?
"Well, it was really nice to meet you all," Hilary stuck her hand out, ever trying to be impressible. Trish looked at her weirdly, but Kira stepped forward and took her open hand,
"And back. It'll be nice to know you better in the future, Hilary."
Hilary decided she very much liked Kira and stepped back.
"It's a gathering!" Grandpa stuck his head out from the door across the way, "Hey, little dudes, Mr. D say's it's time to go!"
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"Mari, which one do you like better?"
Mariah really liked when he called her Mari. It sounded so sophisticated and it was much better than "cookie" or "muffin dearest". How she hated pet names.
He was holding up a box of chocolates and a box of red candy canes.
"Chocolate'll make my breath stink and I can share the candy canes with you," she finally decided, "Thank you so much. This is so sweet of you."
"I'm hungry and it would be rude of me to eat in front of you."
"How can you be raised like that?"
"Like what?"
"You treat me like I'm a princess. 'Ladies first, never cuss in front of a girl, never eat in front of a girl without buying her something'. Whoever taught you those principles must have been a good person."
"It's Tradition. I grew up in Bangladesh-in the older part of town. My grandfather lived in homemade huts, made his meals, hunted. It's sort of a third world economy amidst New World advances. But you're right-the people there have great morals. Is there something wrong with the way I treat you?"
"No, it just feels a little weird. I'm really independent and confident about myself and I'm not used to being pampered by someone else. You can have your own life, Mobekai."
"This is my own life. I'm pretty determined Mari. If I wanted to stop all this, I would have. I wouldn't do it against my will."
She smiled in response.
He bought the candy canes and the soda he had wanted and headed with her to the bus stop. They had bought the treats for the plane. She noticed that he smelled really nice this evening, like honey dew or fresh grass and roses. He was holding her hand and began to do a cute little tapping motion against her palm. It was annoying after a while so she dropped his hand,
"Sorry," he apologized, "I got a little bored."
After a while, Mariah wondered aloud,
"How did you meet the rest of the Wild Cheetahs?"
"A guy named Tai-Ken approached me two years ago and wondered if I would join the team. I was hesitant at first, because I really didn't like his snide attitude, but my father had connections with him and persuaded me to join him. I've been training hard for a year straight."
"Do you think it's fair?"
"What?"
"Beyblading. The object is to knock your opponents blade out of the stadium, but it really depends a lot on the player and many times, players win just by sheer dumb luck."
"Are politics fair?" Mobekai laughed, "I'd say Beyblade is one of the most fair sports out there as far as I can see."
"That is, until you lose and then you start to hate it."
"Ah! But I haven't lost yet, you see."
"Yes, but you will. I used to have the same view until I lost in a big battle. Then I just had to find ways to improve my skills. You may have been blading before, but this is your first time in the championships and its suddenly no longer a game. Some people, like Kai, Michael, and my brother, see it more as a way of life. If they lose, it's the most tragic thing that can happen to them."
"That's sad. Trish is like that, but I know I won't become like that."
"Can I have that in writing?" Mariah laughed.
"Haha," Mobekai sarcastically grinned, "Here's the bus, Mariah."
He put one foot on the bus floor and turned, waiting for Mariah to pass.
"Eeeehhh! Kevin!" Mariah stepped back in surprise
"Well, hello to you too, Mariah." Kevin jumped down from his temporary position on the top of the bus.
"Don't do that! Gosh, you scared the crap out of me!" Mariah stepped onto the bus and Mobekai and Kevin followed.
"That's because you're letting your guard down," Kevin stared resentfully at her, "You're getting soft."
"Oh, shut-up!" She hissed, trying not to let his rude words get to her.
"Kevin. Come help Gary figure this defense strategy out." Lee got up from his seat. The tone is his voice was not only of suggestion, but the iciness was a hint of warning.
Mariah took a seat and Mobekai was about to, but Lee grabbed his arm,
"I need to talk to you for a minute back here."
"Oh, Lee! Don't bite his head off!" Mariah protested, a little worried that her brother wanted to talk to her boyfriend.
"It'll be a minute," Lee nodded and then joking, "I won't do any serious damage."
Mobekai looked a little doubtful. The White Tiger bus started moving again, and Lee pulled Mobekai into the back,
"I haven't done anything-" Mobekai protested suddenly.
Lee laughed,
"Forget it. I'm not here to reprimand you on how to treat my sister. I wanted to ask if you knew it was her birthday tomorrow. She'll be sixteen."
Mobekai stared in astonishment,
"It is?"
"Yeah. Seeing as you kind of have top priority in her life, it'd be a shame if she expected something and you showed up empty handed. Here," he handed him a necklace, "She'll like this."
"Actually-I have a gift for her already." Mobekai pushed it back into his hand, "I was saving it for a special occasion and I'm glad I did. You give that to her."
"Thanks," Lee put it away.
Mobekai thought Lee didn't seem so bad. He was a little threatening at times, but Lee was all right. At most, Mobekai respected him more,
"Thanks for telling me, Lee."
"I had to."
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"My feet hurt," Hilary complained loudly.
No one responded. They all ached just as badly.
"Guys?" Hilary asked.
"Hey, those bagels look good," Max eyed someone passing with food in tow.
Hilary rolled her eyes,
"I need to get a good girl friend."
"Like I said, you can always just turn around and go home."
"Oh, shove it, Tyson."
"There's only one plane trip tonight to Austria and the competition starts around ten in the morning, which can only mean one thing," Ray looked up, "We're flying with everyone else. Unless someone decides to take the train."
"Goodie," Tyson said sarcastically.
"Let's see: That way is to Terminal One, that way is to Terminal Five, so the one next to it must be Terminal Four. Then from there we turn left two more times before we reach our flight," Kenny lead the way through the airport, "Of course, on the way, we have to pass through the baggage claim and go through customs."
"When does our flight leave?" Max asked, as they got on the expressway.
"In an hour," Kenny replied.
"Oh, ho!" Tyson moaned, "We're going to miss it."
"Not if we hurry."
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"Don't you dare let this stuffy little nobody push you around Oliver! Get your act together!" Johnny yelled angrily.
The Majestics were in Scotland, on the high plains-Johnny's home turf. Not a person in the crowd was a fan for the opposing team of the Majestics, the Bold Boys.
"Be quiet Johnny! I'm taking my time." A wicked grin spread across Olivers face. The other opponent quivered with fear, unknowingly weakening his beyblade as well.
"Right, now Unicolyon and I will finish you off! Get him Unicolyon!"
Unicolyon let out a magnificent scream of triumphant and stampeded mercilessly upon his opponents blade, which was immediately knocked out of the stadium.
"Great!" Enrique grinned, "Another pathetic team is defeated."
"Yes," Robert looked around as the crowd cheered. Oliver jumped down from the stage and confidently took his place beside Enrique.
"I can't wait till we reach the finals though," Robert gripped Griffolyon possessively, "Then we can test our true skills against the Bladebreakers."
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"Passports?" A petite woman asked.
"Yes, here's mine." Tyson pulled his out and looked around as the others did the same. Ray pulled his out of a side pocket and Max pulled his out of his jacket. Hilary pulled hers out of the back pocket in her skirt. Kenny's was tucked away in another satchel all together. Kai rummaged through his bag once and then he did it again.
"C'mon, Kai. We're waiting." Tyson encouraged impatiently.
"I-I can't find it," he looked through his bag for the third time and then looked up, "I think I found out what I was missing."
Tyson looked up at the attendant,
"Oh, c'mon, miss. We're beybladers. It's just one of us."
"Well, I'm afraid I can't let him in until he shows me ID. The rest of you may go," she stepped aside.
"No, thank you," Ray shook his head and turned to Kai, "We'll stay behind with you until you find it."
"You shouldn't. What if I don't find it?"
"Well, then, we'll have to catch a bus," Tyson scratched his head and shrugged, smiling.
"We can look everywhere now until we can find it. I know it wasn't at the hotel." Hilary began to open her own bag.
"How could you forget your passport?" Max asked himself as he set his luggage on the ground and began to open everything. He hadn't meant for anyone else to hear it.
But Kai had heard it and began to dig furiously through his on-trip baggage, feeling extremely stupid. This wasn't supposed to happen to him.
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"Majestics?" a 13-year old boy timidly asked the group hanging outside the stadium in Scotland.
"Your attitude is what's going to make you lose this time. I'm positive I'll win," Johnny declared.
"You always talk tough, Johnny, but I doubt you have any of the guts to back it up," Robert replied huffily, "Chess is a game noble of-"
"(cough) um, excuse me? Are you the Majestics?"
Enrique turned from his conversation with a green haired girl named Alexandra,
"Yes, we are. What can we do for you?"
"My name is Cale and I have it on good word that you are very good players."
"That's right," Oliver asked, "Do you want an autograph or something?"
"No, no, that's fine. I'm actually working for someone with--very high standing. He's willing to pay you a million each to throw the tournament finals."
"A million each?" Johnny looked over at Enrique, who shrugged, "Look, kid, that's a lot of money. Who're you working for?"
"He said you would ask that and if you did, he said to say it's extremely confidential."
"Mystery, huh? I like that," Robert looked carefully at the boy, "How do you know we'll reach the finals?"
"I've got it on good word that you're the favorite to have one of those spots-it's guaranteed."
"And we're supposed to lose on purpose?"
"That's right."
"What else?" Robert asked, eyes burrowed in thought.
"What do you mean?"
"We're already millionaires, kid. What good is that going to do for us?" Oliver leaned against the wall, "Is there anything else that might change our minds?"
"I--I really don't know if I have anything else to give."
"Well, then, neither do we," Johnny turned around and moved a piece on the chess board, "Check me, mate. I win."
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"Thank heavens we found you!"
Tyson looked up surprisingly. The Wild Cheetahs had gathered behind the curious looking group, searching a nearby spot in the Milan Airport.
"Goodness! We were afraid you'd be gone by now!" Kira smiled in satisfaction.
"There's really nowhere we can go if Kai doesn't have his passport," Max shook his head as if their energy was in vain.
"No! No! You don't understand-we have it!" Danika grinned, pushing a paper into Kai's hand.
"You have-?" Kai asked suspiciously, looking at the paper and confirming that it was his passport.
"I found it down the hall," Trish finally spoke for the first time.
"Yes-it was near your room. By the time we'd come back around, you'd already gone." Colby put in.
"Thank you," Kai told Trish.
"I really didn't do much-I just saw it."
"Still."
"Great," Tyson grabbed the passport out of Kai's hands and handed it to the recipient, pushing aside a woman, "NOW can you let us through!?"
"Excuse me!" The woman cried indignantly.
"Max! Kenny!" A girl's voice suddenly spoke excitedly.
Max' face lit up,
"Hey Emily! Gosh, I never thought we'd be seeing you guys this soon!"
Tyson turned around,
"Huh?"
Hilary looked just as confused,
"You know them?"
"Oh gosh," Tyson turned red, "So sorry about that, Dr. Judy."
The woman he'd so roughly pushed aside had been Max' mother, also the sponsor of the All-Stars. Unlike Mr. Dickinson, she was usually around her team 24/7.
She smiled,
"Oh, I really don't mind. Just watch where, and who, you're bumping into next time."
"Hehe.certainly!"
"Who is she?" Emily peered curiously over Max' shoulder at Hilary.
"My name is Hilary," Hilary smiled, "Are you the White Tigers?"
Michael looked insulted,
"As if. We're the All-Stars."
"Hilary, this is my mom," Max hugged Dr. Judy.
"Your mom is the captain of an opposing team?" She asked skeptically.
"It takes too long to explain," said Ray.
"Hilary's a school friend," Tyson explained to the team, "Been a long time since we've talked like this hasn't it?"
"And it's been a long time since I got in this line, kid," a man behind them had his hands held impatiently across his chest, "Now if you don't mind."
"Geez.we're going, we're going." Tyson held his hands up and handed the rest of the passports to the woman.
The Bladebreakers waited for the All-Stars and the Wild Cheetahs to pass through the customs barrier before proceeding to their gate.
"Good luck tomorrow," Ray commented, falling in step with Danika.
"Thanks! I'm pretty positive we'll win this one."
"Are you coming to our match tomorrow, Max?" Judy asked her son.
"Where else would I be? Yeah, I'll be there."
The White Tigers, along with Mobekai, were about to pass through the barrier when the entire group arrived.
"It's a brigade," Lee stopped short handing his ticket to the attendant and turned, "Will you look at that?"
"One big happy gathering!" Tyson clapped his hands together excitedly, "How about that?"
"I think your speech is going to disgust me, that's what," Michael frowned.
"You stand out like a sore thumb," Kevin commented.
"Thanks!" Dizzi piped from Kenny's laptop.
"He was referring to-"
"I was only joking, chief. Chill," she sighed.
"Excuse me," an attendant walked up to the rather large group, "There's been a change in your seating arrangements."
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"Great.just great," Tyson stuffed his head into the feathery airplane pillow, "Just great."
"Oh, will you stop saying that!? It's the stupid computers fault-I would much rather have sat near Kenny." Hilary crossed her arms.
"So you could talk about-what-*data and analysis*'?"
"At least I would have had an intelligible conversation with him! Instead of talking about *Which pie do you like better*?"
"Pie is good and it's a good subject. At least I understand it!"
Hilary could tell that he wasn't just talking about the subject,
"You're always getting mad at me, Tyson. I wish you didn't have such a terrible attitude."
"Hmmph!" Tyson turned and stared out the window as more airplane workers loaded their luggage below.
After a few minutes of staring hard at the seat in front of her, Hilary spoke,
"I didn't mean that."
Tyson turned, a little surprised,
"You're apologizing?"
"I never said I was sorry. But I don't think you have a terrible attitude."
"Yeah, that'd be apologizing," Tyson rolled his eyes.
"Whatever."
"Well, thanks. Hey, we can talk about data and analysis if you want to. Just don't expect me to understand what I'm talking about."
"Really?"
"Uhh-yeah, I guess."
"Have you ever used a floppy disk?"
"Uhh." Tyson furrowed his eyes in thought, "What's that?"
Hilary sighed,
"What's your favorite pie flavor?"
"Chocolate mud!"
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The plane left about ten minutes later. Danika, Steve, and Mobekai were seated in the middle of the plane and behind them Max, Emily and Dr. Judy. And in front of them was Eddy, Trish and Kai. The two seat pairings on either side were, of course, Tyson and Hilary, Colby and Lee, Kevin and Michael, Kira and Kenny, Mr. Dickinson and Grandpa, and, rather coincidentally, Ray and Mariah.
Ray and Mariah were sitting behind Colby and Lee, and next to Max, Emily and Dr. Judy's row.
"Hi," Ray greeted her.
"Hi, how're you?" She smiled.
"Just fine. Have you had a good day?"
"It was nice."
He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he just watched Colby and Lee in front of them,
"I see you're not sick anymore. The rest must've helped."
"My bit-beast cured me actually."
"You have a bit-beast now?"
"Tramper-just wait. We'll beat you."
Lee laughed,
"You haven't seen Galeon."
"Oh? So now you want to have a conversation?"
"You wanted me to leave. I would have gladly stayed."
"You wouldn't have done--"
Ray tuned them out and closed his eyes to relax. Mariah had her back toward him, watching the sunset. She was afraid to say anything to him and felt extremely anxious to be away from him. Not because she hated him or wanted to be isolated from him. It was a nervous avoidance. Somehow, she still felt extremely hot and dizzy around Ray.
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Tyson turned away from the window. The same monotonous sight of orange clouds across a blood red sky as the sun set was boring. Hilary was attempting to sleep on the small pull-down desktop. He dug through his bag and got out a bag of chips, which crumbled under his fingers. Ever so slowly he opened the bag, but it still made a low crunching noise. A fistful of chips went into his mouth.
"CHOMP! CHOMP! SNAP! GULP!"
And then another fistful of chips went into his mouth. Hilary jerked forward a bit and his hand froze at his mouth, before,
"CHOMP! CHOMP! SNAP! GULP!"
CRINKLE, CRINKLE! CHOMP! SNAP! GULP! CRINKLE, CRINKLE-
Hilary's brow furrowed together angrily and though she hadn't yet opened her eyes, made it quite clear that she could hear him,
"Tyson, if you don't stop making so much noise, I'm going to dump all those chips out."
"Not if I eat them first," Tyson grinned and stuffed a whole mouthful of chips into his jaw.
Hilary's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. Her eyes opened quite wide and then they narrowed angrily at him. It was a little freaky.
"Give me the bag, Tyson."
"But I just want."
"*Now*. I'll give it to you when we land."
Tyson grabbed a mouthful and then handed her the bag. She placed it in the side pocket, then closed her eyes to get some sleep.
Tyson stuffed the rest of the chips into his mouth one by one:
CHOMP! SNAP! GULP! CHOMP! SNAP! GULP!
"TYSON!" Hilary sat up angrily and got out of her seat,
"Go somewhere else!"
"Where?" He looked around.
"I don't know! The bathroom, the cockpit, another empty seat for all I care: just stop making noise!"
"Oh yes, your majesty!" He grumbled angrily, stomping past her.
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"This aircraft will be landing in ten minutes. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened and all carry on luggage is locked safely above you. Thank you for flying and have a nice time in Vienna."
Emily woke up and found that she had fallen asleep on Max' shoulder. He was asleep as well, his head resting against her back. She blushed, but didn't want to move, or he'd fall, so she rested her head back on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, and thought a little shamefully, *He smells nice*.
The plane began it's descent rapidly, so she closed her eyes and pushed her jaw up and down furiously to keep her ears from popping.
Max suddenly woke up with all the plane's jerking and sat straight in his seat, rubbing his head sorely, so she leaned her head back against the seat.
"How long have I been like that?" he asked her.
"Not for long."
"You should've woke me up if it was uncomfortable."
"It wasn't," her cheeks tinted a light rose and turned her head so he wouldn't see.
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Final Note: Gosh, chocolate mud pie sounds so good right now. Hehe.funny chapter. Here are the seating arrangements for the plane if any of you get confused. There'll be a lot of times when they have plane situations. (What's a girl like me doing in a plane like this?) Fun to write, planes are.
W Tyson Hilary Eddy Trish Kai Kenny Kira W
W Kevin Michael Max Emily Dr. Judy Colby Lee W
W ------------ Danika Steve Mobekai Ray Mariah W
W -------------- ------------------- Mr. Dickinson Grandpa W
