Cool Quote:

"Boys are like parking lots…all the hott ones aren't available."

-anonymous

A/N: Why are my chapters suddenly becoming so long? I swear I'm trying not to. 16 pages! Whew! So far, this has now become one of my favorite chapters. I finished typing this the same day I updated 25. I was just giving some time for reviews. I'm working on Chapter 27 right now. I imagine it should be done by next weekend.

Italics are thoughts.

WATCH THIS!

Chapter 26: Heart to Heart

*~*~*

"Ah! Here it is!" Miriam pulled the Room Assignment sheet out of the slip-through folder out of which it was hanging on the wall, "See? Room 253-those are Frankie's team members, Room 254-Ozuma and Joseph, Room 255-Me and Frankie, Room 256-Tehran and Will, Room 257-Brittney and Renlee, Room 300-Dunga's in there with Spencer, Room 259-Brian and Ian…."

Renlee started,

"I know those names! Those are the Demolition Boys! Yuck!"

"Oh! Look! Here you are Annelise! You're in Room 258, right next to Renlee, with Tala. I've never heard of her though."

Annelise gasped,

"Tala?! I can't be with Tala!"

"I don't think you have a choice."

"But----but Tala is…"

"Miriam!"

Miriam's head jerked around. A small guy with blond hair was poking his head out of Room 254,

"What do you think you're doing with the Superiors?"

"I'm just helping them, Joseph. Give me a break. We're not in the stadium."

"Not yet, at least," Ozuma stepped out of the room, "Since when have you become miss social?"

"I---" Miriam paused and looked around at Tehran and Will, who had leaned curiously out of Room 256, "I--I haven't."

She walked very confidently over to their room, but before she entered, she turned around and pulled a face,

"Sorry. Rules are rules, you know. I can't help you anymore."

"But---" Annelise took a step forward, "But…Tala's a guy! I can't share rooms with him! Even if it's for two days!"

Miriam raised her eyebrows,

"Really? What are you so upset about then? I'd be dang happy if that were the situation."

"Miriam." Tehran tried gently to explain, "Annelise has the highest set of standard morals you will ever see in a girl. She gets upset at the sight of meat being torn apart."

"It's not that!" Annelise defended, "It's just that Tala's a…"

"Slimeball," Renlee let the anger roll off her tongue.

Miriam shrugged,

"Take it up with the BBA. They can switch your rooms…Bye!" She disappeared into the room. Ozuma frowned and shut the door behind him.

Another small petite girl with purple hair appeared in the frame of Room 255.

"Are you Frankie?" Tehran asked her through their open doorway. He was seated on a soft cushion, his head resting against the frame of the only chair in their room.

She looked a little surprised,

"Why, yes I am. And you are?"

"Tehran. I'm a member of the Superiors."

"Ah. That's right. The new team."

"We're good," Brittney stated very firmly.

"Hmm." Frankie walked off down the hallway. She bumped into two guys coming in the opposite direction, "Excuse me! Move!"

"Go stuff yourself, toots," one of the guys remarked very rudely. Brittney recognized the voice immediately. It was Ian.

"Looks like the Demolition Boys have arrived."

*~*~*

Tala ventured further down into the boat until he had reached the main floor. In the center of the cruise boat was a vast marble like structure that looked something like the inside of a mall…only, with several floors. In the center was an elevator and along the edge of the wide marble circle were several brand name stores/casinos. Several people were already trafficking in this area, as the main restaurant was only on the floor below. A beautiful spiral staircase to his left led into that area.

'Tala!"

He spun around and saw the beaming face of Mr. Dickinson as he walked jovially toward him, "What can I do for you?"

"The BBA board messed up our rooms. I demand to have another room." Tala answered coldly.

"Hmmm," Mr. Dickinson stroked his chin thoughtfully, "How could we have messed up the rooms? I'm sure there's a logical explanation."

"There better be. Not only am I with someone from another team, I'm paired up with a girl and not a boy."

Mr. Dickinson laughed.

Tala scowled.

"I apologize, Mr. Valkov. I just find it amusing that we passed you over for a girl. I'm afraid," Mr. Dickinson took on a more thoughtful look, "That we are full to the brim. I cannot move you to another location without messing up previous room assignments."

"What?!"

"I do trust that you will not overstep any moral boundaries. The cruise is only two days. And I'm sure you are near your own fellow teammates?"

"Yes…"

"Well then! No need to worry! See? Have a good afternoon!" Mr. Dickinson headed down the dinner stairs and turned to wave once he'd reached the bottom.

Tala glowered and turned back once again to go find his inevitably assigned room.

*~*~*

Trish crossed her exposed legs and leaned back in the uncomfortable airline seats. Another fifteen minutes till boarding….Thank the lord.

The Bladebreakers had seated themselves a short distance away, sprawled out over the airport floor and laughing among themselves. She pulled her buckle skirt further down her thighs and closed her eyes.

So what if Ray knew? It's not like there was anything she could do to prevent it. It was all Mobekai's fault for trying to be a suck-up. As long as he didn't know why she kept in contact with Boris and Voltaire…everything would be all right. She trembled. Voltaire would be pissed. And Tai-Ken would be pissed. Majorly…

Out of all people to figure it out first…Ray was not at the top of her list. He was extremely smart. Another dread-seizing thought struck her mind. What if Ray told Kai?

Kai could not figure it out. He mustn't hear anything. If Ray told Kai…Kai was smart. He would figure it out quickly. He would stay away from Trish or he would confront her…her whole cover would be blown.

"Damn you, Ra--"

"Excuse me?!"

Trish opened her eyes and looked up, unable to finish her previous thoughts. Hilary, the new girl that was always hanging around the Bladebreakers, was leaning over her, smiling quite obnoxiously…and very fakely,

"Hi! You remember me right?" Hilary obligingly took a seat next to her.

"Yes." Said Trish, quite annoyed that she was speaking to this girl.

"Where's your team?" Hilary asked, a little too sweetly as an adult might ask a child.

Trish raised an eyebrow and looked at her with wide eyes,

"I'm not five, you know…"

"Oh," Hilary spoke normally, "Sorry. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Why?"

"I don't know. The Bladebreakers are neat and all…but I never get to speak much to girls that like beyblading so I thought, seeing you weren't surrounded by the rest of your team, I might strike up a conversation."

Trish nodded, but didn't answer, so Hilary continued, now a little shakily,

"Well, since you're going alone, I was just wondering…do you want to sit near us?"

Trish held up her tickets,

"Seat assignment. Besides, it's only a two hour trip. Trust me, I'm a big girl," she patted Hilary's cheeks in a condescending manner, "Thanks anyway though."

Hilary could not hide her astonishment. Her mouth dropped,

"Why are you so mean?"

"Why are you so nice?" Trish shot back, "I'm just me, okay? Besides, do you really want to scary ol' me?"

"You're not that scary," Hilary folded her arms, "You're just all talk."

"C'mon. You seriously don't believe that." Trish turned in her seat so that she could face Hilary.

Hilary stared at her for a few moments and then resolutely shook her head,

"No. I mean it. If you want people to think you're scary, go ahead. You'll lose associates that genuinely want to be your friend."

"I have friends. I wouldn't be on a team if I didn't. You're just mad cause it's not you," Trish ticked.

"You sure don't act like a friend to your teammates. You act like a cold captain."

"That's what I am, isn't it?" Trish faced forward in her seat again.

"There's a difference," Hilary said quietly.

"Are you done already?" Trish asked, closing her eyes.

"No."

Trish felt the seat near her sink in and she opened her eyes in surprise. Hilary leaned back and looked up at the ceiling,

"You know what? I think I'll stay here and talk to you. It's not like I have anything else to do over there."

Trish stared at her closed eyes for a moment in astonishment and then leaned back in her own seat. So she was going to play the devils advocate, eh?

"Fine. Stay. Talk. I won't respond."

"Ah," Hilary opened her eyes and bore a triumphant smile, "….but see you just did. And I never asked you a question."

Trish again gaped. Then she smirked,

"You think you're so good, huh?"

"That's what I am," Hilary smirked back, "You watch. I can be just as stubborn as you if I want to."

*~*~*

"Next time, do you want to sit with my team? I'm just…" Mobekai looked over at Lee's glowering face, "…uncomfortable over here."

"Ummm…what if I'd rather not? It's just that having you on a team with a bunch of girls, and then me being there…" Mariah stumbled with her words.

"You're the only girl on a team full of guys. How am I also not supposed to worry?"

"One of them is my brother, you know. I doubt you're related to Colby, Danika, or Kira. Or even Trish, to say the least."

"I trust you, though."

"And I trust you."

"Then why are you concerned about sitting with them? You could even chat up and make friends--"

Mariah laughed harshly,

"Mobekai, just because I'm your girlfriend, does not mean I'm going to make friends with girls from an opposing team."

She saw Mobekai's face fall and she wrapped her arms around his neck. The plane hit some rough air and they jumped in their seats.

"Look, Mobekai. It's not that I'm not trying. It's just that…we're opposing members of competing teams trying to have a relationship. How is this going to work?"

"Well, I don't know. We try…" He kissed her, "And then see where it goes from there."

He removed a strand of hair from her face and kissed her ear. He moved down and kissed her neck next. She could feel a chill go up her spine, but pushed him away slightly,

"Not here…"

"Why not?"

"Because---we're with all our friends."

Mariah looked behind his shoulder. Mobekai turned around and saw Gary, Kevin, and Lee watching them with disgust.

Mobekai sighed and turned around,

"Look, if I'm a problem to your friends, I can always remove myself to my own team."

"No! No, I'm sorry!" She kissed him softly on the lips.

"How about we get separate seats next time?" He asked quietly in her ear, "That way, we won't have to worry about whose team we should sit with."

"That sounds like a good idea." She smiled back.

"Excuse me."

Mobekai turned around and saw Lee trying to get through. Mobekai pulled a face of surprise and Lee explained, quite calmly,

"I have to go to the bathroom."

Mobekai pulled his feet in and so did Mariah. However, Lee brushed very recklessly against Mobekai's seat. Lee turned around and eyed Mobekai warningly as he headed down the aisle. Mobekai silently scowled and released his hands from around Mariah's waist. Mariah looked at him strangely,

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Lee made his way down the steep, narrow airplane aisle. Only two people could fit very tightly in the space allotted between the two restrooms and both were in use, so Lee leaned against the corner of the wall, his back sticking into the jutting corner. He didn't have anything personal against Mobekai. He was a good person…when he wasn't fondling his sister. That made Lee mad.

The door to the bathroom opened finally and Colby happened to step out. She walked right up to him as if waiting for him to move. She veered first to the right, as to avoid him all together. However, he had moved there to get out of her way. Then she veered once more to the left, but he had moved back to his original position once he saw her intentions. So he moved back to the right, but she had decided to go that way as well. Then both of them stepped together back to the left.

"Are you going to move?" she asked finally, a little furious.

"I'm trying to," he snapped back.

He went around her on the right side and closed the door behind him. She sat down in her seat and sighed.

Behind them, Emily was flipping through the kosher magazine available in the seat pocket.

Michael started laughing under his breath next to her. Emily put down her magazine and stared at him,

"What's wrong with you?"

"Look."

"Look…at what?" Emily still didn't get it.

Michael sighed and turned her head so that she could see Mobekai and Mariah, heads locked closely together in an intimate conversation, trying to get away from the blatant stares of Kevin and Gary.

Emily's eyes widened,

"That's not funny. That's sad. I wonder if they'll ever have any privacy."

"They're the most unlikely couple I've ever seen in my life."

"Uh?" Emily turned. Michael had his mitt on and leaned back in his seat, throwing his baseball up only a few feet and expertly catching it squarely in his glove.

"Well, I always figured Mariah and Ray belonged together. I mean, Mariah and Mobekai look cute together and all. But…they're just not the same people. Mobekai-well, you know how sweet and pleasing Mobekai usually wants to be----and then there's fierce and

competitive Mariah."

"Mobekai's just like Ray, though."

"Not really…I don't know. It's just something about the chemistry. I think it's just cause Ray and Mariah have known each other for so long…they have that bond. And Mobekai---he fought so hard to get Mariah. He may love her now…but sooner or later another girl is going to come along that he's going to love even more. And she'll be the right person for Mobekai."

Emily leaned against her seat and sighed,

"I think it's nice that she has that relationship. Even if you don't think it will last for very long."

^*CrAsH!*^

Emily jerked forward and turned around. Michael had curved the ball too far. It was sitting in the seat of the man behind them. From the structure of his face, he had just been hit in the forehead…and he was not happy. Emily turned back to Michael and stared.

Michael slouched very consciously down into his seat, turning red with embarrassment.

*~*~*

"Boarding for the 9:45 plane has begun. All rows 20 and up please have your I.D's out with your tickets. Thank you." The freckled, red-haired patron began to scan electronic and manual tickets under the exit doorway.

"Your friends are heading for the gate," Trish noted as the Bladebreakers headed for the patron.

"So?" Hilary asked as Tyson and Kenny tried to wave her over. Very annoyingly, she waved a hand at them. Kenny sighed and turned around. Tyson stared and shrugged slowly, a little confused, before also turning around.

Trish laughed. She had to admit by now that she really had a fancy liking for Hilary.

"What?" Hilary asked.

"You've got spunk. All right, I'll sit with you on the plane and talk to you. You've kept my interest for this long."

Hilary's face broke into a wild smile,

"Great! That's awesome, Trish!"

"But I'm still not going to sit with the others!"

"Oh….well, I don't have enough money to change seats," Hilary began, "And I'm supposed to sit next to Tyson."

Trish rolled her eyes,

"Fine. But I'm only talking to you, got it?"

"Sure! Oh, Kenny might talk to you. But you shouldn't have to worry about him. He's just a friend. He doesn't scare anyone…well, except for Dizzi…" Hilary went on.

"You know, for someone that was content to just sit there and be a nuisance, you can't ever shut---"

"I'll stop! I'm sorry!" Hilary covered her mouth and apologized.

Trish smiled,

"Chill. I'm joking. Go ahead and babble if you want."

They walked up to the patron and handed in their tickets,

"Can I switch seats?" Trish asked tentatively.

"You'll have to ask the person in that seat once you get on the plane. It's no longer up to the airline at this point. The tickets cannot be changed," the red-haired patron scanned the ticket, broke off the end and handed the little piece to Trish.

The Bladebreakers were waiting at the end of the ramp. Trish was very nervous. She had always either been by herself or with her team. And it wasn't like she hadn't been very hostile this morning to Ray. And there was also the fact that she and Kai had a dangerous grudge against each other.

On the way in, Hilary whispered very softly, yet firmly into Tyson's ear,

"I told you. Don't say anything to provoke her."

He pulled back and looked at her face with a weird expression before relaying the information to Max, Ray, and Kai once they had taken their spots. Trish sat in the aisle next to Hilary and Tyson. Kai sat across from her, Kenny in between with Dizzi and at the very end of the middle row, Ray had seated himself. Trish was glad. Another brief confrontation with Ray would put her over the edge.

Hilary talked with Tyson for just a short time while the plane loaded. It wasn't a normal conversation like most people had. They were teasing each other about the space they were giving each other.

"Can I have your pillow?"

"Could you move your hand?"

"Why? So you can stick you fat head there?"

"No! So I can pummel it into your stomach later!"

"Well, what if I put my feet here?! There! Now you can't even move!"

"TYSON!"

"Ma'am?"

Tyson jumped and covered his face with his hands,

"I swear I didn't make her scream! Honestly! Don't put me in the cockpit!"

Trish rolled her eyes. Hilary hit him in the stomach with her elbow.

"Er---" the woman with curly black hair stopped with frowning eyes and without addressing this weird boy, turned to Trish, "Excuse me, but you seem to be sitting in my seat…Do you also have----?"

"No. I'm supposed to sit in 25C."

"Can she please stay here?" Hilary asked, "We're a group, you know, and we don't want to be separated!"

"Where are your parents?" The woman looked around.

"In Germany. That's why we have to stick together!" Tyson leaned over Hilary and grinned cheekily.

"Nice…" Hilary hissed sarcastically in his ear.

"Is that a window seat?" The woman asked interestingly.

"25C? Yes." Trish replied, "Are you interested?"

"That sounds fine by me. I'm not traveling with anyone anyway."

"Thank you." Trish nodded.

The woman disappeared.

"Hey Hilary?" Tyson asked, "When is that lady going to get up and show us where the exit signs are?"

"Tyson!" Hilary turned to him, about to explain how to read, when she noticed the big grin on his face.

She lightly smacked him in the face and grumbled, "You're a dork."

"Thanks!" Tyson laughed and pulled out the magazine provided in the seat pocket. He was still flipping through it when the plane started to move. Only during take-off did he set it down to look out the window. Hilary occasionally asked Trish a question and Trish obligingly answered throughout the remainder of the trip. However, Hilary soon began to take up her conquest again to annoy Tyson. Up high in the rays of the morning sun, Trish could feel the warm, comforting blanket wash over her and eventually fell asleep for about an hour and a half.

It was the high-pitched close sound of the seat belt sign being turned on that woke Trish up. Her eyes opened wide. The rest of her body remained quite still. She turned first to see what Hilary and Tyson were doing. Tyson was curled up against the window and snoring very loudly. Hilary was lying against her tray table, her face turned away from Trish. Trish twisted her head again and first noticed Kenny slumped against Dizzi, who was emitting strange signals, which, Trish supposed, was the computer's form of silent snores. Ray was not in his seat. Trish supposed he must've gotten up to go to the bathroom. Nearest to her, Kai was sitting against his chair, which was slightly reclined. He'd been staring forward but turned to face her when he saw her move out of the corner of his eye.

Rebelliously, Trish looked down quickly and slowly crossed her arms. Her elbows cracked as she did so and she flinched.

"Would you like a drink?" Kai asked.

"What?" Trish snapped her head back around to look at him.

"A drink?" He held up a glass of red wine, "You were asleep."

"Yes." she reached forward to grab it, but retracted her hand quickly, "Don't they cost money?"

"Sure. I don't care." Kai shrugged indifferently.

She took it from his outstretched hand uncertainly,

"You haven't poisoned it, have you?"

"If I wanted to poison you, you'd have been dead by now," he replied quietly.

He took a sip of his own drink, which was green tea.

Trish took a sip and enjoyed the feel of the liquid going through her throat,

"Thank you."

He didn't respond; just kept watching her and drinking.

"I wasn't snoring, was I?" Trish suddenly remembered, a little embarrassedly.

"If you were, I couldn't tell….what with that dolt over there waking the dead." Kai jerked his head over at Tyson. Ray took his seat at the other end of the airline, but he crossed his arms, leaned back, and pretended that Trish wasn't even there. She could, however, see the surprise in his face that she was talking very civilly with Kai.

"Why did you buy me a drink? What if I hadn't wanted it?"

"I would have saved it for Kenny or drunken it myself."

"Hmph," she said vigorously, "And you just felt like doing this for me?"

"I'm being good," he took a rather large gulp out of his drink, "You wanted that right?"

"What?!" She had temporarily forgotten her brief brush with him at Mariah's party.

"You wanted me to be good for once so that you actually looked a little more threatening. So…that's what I'm doing for today. It's my good deed to humanity," he ended a little sarcastically.

Trish did not know what expression was showing on her face. She supposed it must've mingled shock, surprise, slight interest, compassion, happiness, and guilt. She finished the rest of the red wine quickly, sipping long and hard.

Then, after blinking a couple of times to get rid of her cold head rush, she said,

"Do you hate me, Kai?"

Kai didn't answer for a few minutes. She then did something that she immediately wished she had never said. Under a normal conversation would she have, in no wise, offered an apology. Somehow, though, it was the first thing that came to her mind while she was talking him,

"I know I don't treat you nice sometimes….."

Dumb. Dumb! She scolded herself inside. How could she feel and look so weak? And Ray! Why did she suddenly feel so bad for being such a bitch to him?

"---no." Kai finished saying something she hadn't heard.

"What?" She asked.

"I said I don't hate you."

*SMaCk*

"Tyson!" Hilary screeched suddenly as Tyson's hand has come flying in his sleep and smacked her in the head. Her head pulled up suddenly and Tyson jolted. Kenny looked up groggily,

"Huh? What's going on?"

Kai broke eye-contact with Trish to look at him. Trish also turned to enjoy Tyson and Hilary harassing each other.

Remembering that she was a visitor in their company as they began the descent down into Germany, she remembered that even though she had civilly talked to Kai, she still had a very uneasy relationship with Ray now. She turned back instinctively and saw Ray watching her with slightly narrowed eyes. She turned away in shame. She was doing her job by trying to protect her secret as much as possible….but she had had no right to threaten him.

Her job and her friends had to stay as far away as possible, and if there was the chance that they might interfere…she had to choose.

*~*~*

Tala descended upon the group gathering outside Rooms 254-259. Spencer, Brian and Ian were having a nasty reunion with the Superiors, who had all gathered outside the door to support their teammates.

"--have none, if any contact with you…" Renlee was saying.

"Why would we want to have any contact with you?" Ian sneered.

"Because we have class," Will replied, quite calmly and quite crisply.

"What class?" Spencer broke off when he saw Tala approaching, "What's up?"

Tala hefted his bag off the floor and lifted an eyebrow when he noticed everyone staring at him,

"What?"

"You got the room changed? Right!?" Ian demanded.

Tala's stepped backward and without redirecting his gaze, threw his stuff into Room 258 by way of response.

"How could they not--?" Annelise stepped forward with worry.

Tala turned and stared very hard at her. She paused uncertainly, put off by his directness.

"How could they not…what?" He asked, again, trailing off.

She jerked back in surprise.

"She was just asking a simple question," Tehran spoke very quietly, "You should have no quarrel with Annelise."

"You're right," Tala stood very casually next to Ian, "I never said I did."

"You got mad at her," Will reiterated.

Tala raised an eyebrow,

"Did I now? I simply repeated what she was saying."

"But--"

"Tehran!" Annelise said quickly, "I don't care. It's all right."

Tala again turned to stare at her. She tried very hard not to look back, but it was proving very difficult.

Tehran retreated back into his room and Will followed, obligingly. He looked very annoyed about the pompous freaks that had so casually established domain. Spencer went off down the corridor to find Room 300, which was a long way off. Ian and Brian stayed behind, as well as Renlee and Brittney. For a while, they held locked in the position, eyes never flinching as if staring forever meant domination. Annelise stared at all four of them uncertainly, while Tala, without any expression at all, just walked into the room he'd just thrown his bags in.

Brittney suddenly yawned,

"All right. Well, I've had enough of looking at Brutus over here. Let's go get something to eat, Renlee."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement that spoke of demand and urgency. Renlee finally followed Brittney back down the corridor.

Ian and Brian retreated to their room. As they passed Annelise, though, they pretended she wasn't even there. She could hear them talking about scum as they unpacked in their room.

Annelise swirled on the spot and stared at the open door to Room 258. She knocked on Tehran's door. Will opened it and she invited herself in to get her stuff.

"Are you okay?" Tehran asked, "I'll go over there for you and you can stay here with Will. The BBA won't care."

"No," Annelise let out a deep sigh, "I…I'm not really that upset. Tala won't be that awful. And it's just two days. Really. You didn't need to make such a big scene of it out there."

"We just want to protect you. That's all," Tehran replied, indifferently, shrugging his shoulders, "You can come over here anytime you want."

"Except when we're sleeping," Will added seriously, "Then you go wake up Brittney and Renlee."

Annelise laughed,

"I'll see you guys soon for dinner."

She knocked first on the door to Room 258.

"It's open, you know," Tala called back, "That probably means you can come in."

Annelise walked down the short hallway and entered the main room. There were two queen beds, a desk with a lamp in the middle, a table in the farthest corner and a T.V. opposite the beds. It looked like a little hotel room. Nice.

Her chest constricted when she saw Tala laying on the bed farthest from the door. She pulled her luggage next to her bed and sat down on the bed, a little confused as to what to do next. He turned his head and frowned,

"Are you just going to sit there like that?"

"Maybe. I have nothing else to do."

Tala gave a small "Hmph" and turned back to facing the ceiling.

"What are you thinking about?" Annelise asked, a little curious.

……..

"You don't want me to talk to you, I bet," Annelise lay back on her own bed and sighed, "No problem. I'll just…do what you do."

Tala laughed gutturally and she turned surprisingly,

"You don't want to think. Go out and do whatever you like."

"But---I don't have anything else to do," she replied surprisingly, "Really. And if you don't want to talk…"

"We're talking now," his smile disappeared.

…….

Annelise got off the bed and started opening all of the chests and drawers in the room.

Tala lifted his head off the bed and watched her,

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know. Maybe there's something I can do."

"If you're that bored, turn on the T.V."

"Not interested."

"Go downstairs and play games."

"No one to play with."

"Good grief! Do you always have to have someone do something with you?" Tala sat up and leaned against the headboard.

She turned,

"It's very hard to do anything alone. You always need a companion."

"I've managed very well without." Tala raised an eyebrow.

"You have your friends."

"They're teammates. And they don't expect to depend on me either. We fend for ourselves. We just hang out when it's convenient."

"When it's convenient…" Annelise frowned, "How long have you known them?"

"Since I was ten."

"And before that?"

……..

Annelise didn't expect him to say anything. He wouldn't remember. Of course not.

She removed herself from the main room and ventured to the bathroom, where she looked at the provincials that were provided free. Tala muttered something and she poked her head out and asked,

"I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"You're scared of me, aren't you?"

She stared into his blue eyes,

"No. I'm not. Why would you think that?"

"You're nervous. I can tell."

………..

"Do you want to know what I was thinking?"

"---I don't rightly care, I suppose," Annelise said stiffly, turning off the bathroom light and sitting at the edge of her bed. She withdrew a book and began to read.

"Do you like reading?" She asked him as she found her bookmark.

"No. I hate it."

"But--you used to…"

Tala looked up with inquiring eyes.

"Nothing." Annelise said quickly, "Sorry. I---I think I'm going to go for a walk."

"You didn't even start reading," he pointed out blandly.

"I can't concentrate when you're around, Tala."

"Then I'll go," Tala jumped off the bed and sulked on his way to the door, "It's not like I'm doing anything in here either anyway."

"I didn't mean anything rude by that comment," Annelise's eyes clouded over.

"I've heard worse," he muttered gruffly, pulling his shoes on, "If you want someone to hang around with, why don't you go over and visit your little friends?"

"Because I don't want to be a nuisance."

"And yet you are to me."

"How am I a nuisance? You were the one that ran into me to begin with."

"What?!" Tala asked furiously.

"When we first met! You wouldn't apologize! You were so rude!"

"Have you not noticed that I'm like that all the time?"

"You can be good though!"

"What?! Why bother? Why bother, Lise?"

"What!?" Annelise's eyes widened, "What did you just say?"

"I asked why I should bother?!" Tala said.

"No! What did you just call me?"

"Annelise."

"No! You called me Lise!"

"I did no such thing. You're just hearing things. Why don't you go take that walk of yours? Alone." He turned back to stare at the ceiling.

"No! Don't you dare turn away like you always do?"

"Always?" Tala sat up, "My, aren't we jumping to conclusions!"

"You were just telling me you liked being rude all the time?"

"I am rude all the time! It might be that maybe I don't try to be rude! I just come off that way!"

"We're getting off topic! I asked you why you called me Lise?!"

"Why is it such a big deal?"

"Because it is! You know it is!"

"No, I don't!" Tala demanded, "Please, enlighten me!?"

"I know what I heard! You called me Lise, Tal!" She began to raise her voice in desperation, "Say it!"

Tala flinched at his very old nickname, but replied throatily,

"Lise! Okay! I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't lie!" Her voice cracked, "Where did you hear that from? Did you hear Renlee or Brittney say it? Or Tehran?"

"What?!" Tala's look turned from guilty to extremely baffled, "They've never called you Lise. No one has. Unless…"

"Exactly!" Annelise grabbed the edge of her pillow, suddenly very angry, "No one knew that nickname but you, you turd! Only you called me that Tala! Bloody---"

"Don't swear!" Tala raised his voice and warned very threateningly, "That's not like you."

"And suddenly you know me so well? I'll swear if I damn well want to! I can't believe you lied to me! Jerk!" She threw the pillow she was holding very roughly at him. He lifted his arm in self-defense, but stayed silent, "I can't believe you remembered! You had some nerve not saying anything about it either…ARGH!"

She lifted her arms. Spinning around, she paced back and forth parallel to the wall, both furious and nervously twitting. She stopped and turned to face him. He met her with unflinching eyes and she started again.

"You knew? You bloody well remember everything, don't you?!" Annelise was furious. She began to string a whole sentence of Russian together, "Yebat'-Kopat' Dolboyob! Ti Durak! Ti menia dostal Zjulik!"

"Nu ti dajosh! Ogrysat'sya!" Tala yelled back in perfect Russian.

"Zacroy rot! Mne nasrat', chto ty dumaesh' Poshlaja svenja! Ischenzni!" Annelise's face turned red. Steady tears began rolling down her cheek.

It was deathly quiet outside the room. She turned away and stealthily faced the wall, determined not to let him see her so upset.

Silence filled the room for a few minutes. Tala broke it quietly,

"Ya ne panim Ayuvas, Annelisha. Prostetye. Pa-vEr' mne."

Annelise did'nt move at all. She pulled her legs up onto the bed and rested her chin on her knees. She could feel Tala watching her and said quietly,

"I'm okay now."

"I'm not a bad person, Annelise. Vrubatsa? How was it possible for me to forget you? I'm just not the same person you remember."

"I remember an arrogant little brat that only cared for power. You accomplished what you wanted to do," Annelise spat out spitefully, "You're a world champion beyblader…"

Tala did not say anything to this. Annelise turned around to face him and continued,

"Why didn't you write? How come you didn't say anything when we first met?"

"I------If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. I wasn't allowed to."

"You didn't!" she raised her voice a little bit, "You forgot! I wasn't important! At least, not then I wasn't!"

"You were important to me!" Tala defended.

"Not as important as your blading!" Annelise shot back.

Tala didn't answer. Annelise ticked at his silence and marched angrily into the bathroom, where she locked herself inside.

"You can't keep yourself in there for two days!" Tala called.

"Just watch me!" Annelise shouted back.

*~*~*

Renlee made her way on deck just as the boat began to pull away from port. Already, there was a crowd gathering toward the aft. But it was not to say goodbye to loved ones on shore. It was a huge circle of curious spectators. The familiar hum of two small disks wasn't hard to miss. Renlee pushed her way through the crowd roughly until she could manage to see the commotion. A small boy with an angry glare and a very confident, pompous guy with purple hair and no fashion sense were involved in a beyblade battle. Renlee gasped. This guy with the purple hair was ripping apart this boy's beyblade without mercy.

"Robert, stop picking on the kid. Let's go find someone worth your effort," another kid with red hair lazily watched from a bench. He was turned sideways, with his leg up on the bench and he was resting his arm on his knee. Two other kids stood nearby with their arms crossed. One had olive green hair and the other had blond hair. Both were laughing at the kid that was trying so hard to win this battle.

"If only the Bladebreakers were here," the kid with the olive green hair commented, "Then we could take on some real competition."

Her heart pounding with blind anger, Renlee stepped forward,

"I demand that you stop this right now! It's completely unfair! For a good Beyblader to challenge someone with no skills in the area….how could you?!"

"And you have skills?" The boy with the purple hair raised an eyebrow, "Look, if we wanted to take someone on, we would have challenged the Demolition Boys….but certainly not you."

"Then why haven't you challenged the Demolition Boys?" Renlee shot back.

"Because we've already asked. And we have a mutual agreement to face each other in the finals."

"Who says you're going to the finals? And why haven't you heard of my team?" Renlee held up her blade, revealing her magnificent panda, "How about it?"

He laughed,

"Haven't you heard of us? My name is Robert. And I'm a member of the Majestics. We're the best team in Europe. The Bladebreakers are the best in Eastern Asia, the Demolition Boys control Russia, the All-Stars rule the Americas and the White Tigers rule China."

She stared at him and he continued,

"You still want to battle me?"

"My name is Renlee. I'm a member of the Superiors. And as far as I'm concerned, we rule Great Britain."

"This should be interesting then…" Robert held up his hand and his blade flew into his hand. The boy crouched on his knees and cowered at his torn beyblade.

"I win and you buy this boy a very decent beyblade," Renlee challenged.

"And if I win?" Robert asked cockily, "You buy me another decent beyblade…and you forfeit the tournament."

"Deal!"

Robert raised his beyblade,

"On the count of three then?"

Renlee raised her beyblade.

The crowd parted farther into a perfect circle.

"3…2…1….Let it Rip!" Renlee pulled her rip chord, fast, hard, and determined.

*~*~*

Final Note:

The above translations for Tala/Annelise's Russian Conversation are as follows:

"Damnit, you stupid man! You're a moron! I've had enough of you, (cheater, someone who rips someone off)!

"(exclamation of amazement at someone's courage or actions)! (rude remark)!"

"Shut-up! I don't care what you think, chauvinistic pig! Get lost!"

" I don't understand you at all, Annelise. I'm really sorry. Believe me."

Vrubatsa-Understand?

I couldn't find anything else in Russian. It's a hard language.

*~*~*

Thanks to the following reviewers:

HimitsuKokoro: Yeah, I do that too. I usually have to go back on really long fics that take forever to update. And look! I updated fast! You should've seen me typing this…I was like a speed demon. Haha. ;) Cheese!

Lisa Oceans Potter: Oh, you're so sweet. Ray/Mariah's moment is coming soon. I kind of hinted at that in this chapter. Mobekai's significant other has been in this fic for a long time already. You'll hit yourself over the head for not figuring it out when I finally reveal it to you…so you needn't worry. Mobekai'll be very happy. As for Tyson/Hilary…yeah, it's actually coming together a lot more nicely than I'd hoped. Haha-that's very funny that you thought I was busy. I am…sorta. But not busy enough. Did you get my e-mail? And hey! I just noticed-you're the same age as me! 18!

Ice Archer Girl: Really? That was the only part in the chapter that I was kind of if-fy about. I'm glad it met your expectations. I have no doubt you have the most expertise on the Majestics. And Annelise is my little cousin's name. I thought it was very pretty so I had to have it somewhere.

Hikari-Tenshi: haha. A fight to the death would be cool,…but not likely to happen. Trish is working for B. more so because she wants to. She's just getting paid to do it as well. She's got this dark/light mixture and I let each side show at times. Mobekai's got the same mixture. He's got a good heart with bad intentions. ^^ As for Ray/Mariah, well, you'll just have to wait. Sorry. There's not much going on at this moment.

Cool and Wise Libra: Thank you so much! And good luck on your one-shot! I'll be sure to leave you a review as soon as it's up. ;)