Disclaimer: Ok, I do not own Beyblade. Chi belongs to Beyblader-grl Miaka belongs to Bloody Mary and Korigan belongs to The-Black-Tiger.

Town Gangs And High School Jerks

Chapter Eight

"Miaka!" Chi shouted happily. "What are you doing here?!"

"Just hanging. I was actually supposed to infiltrate Eri's place and find out some info but y'know, Kei caught me so I sorta had to leave." Miaka bubbled. Miaka was a short 16-year-old girl that had long black hair tied back in a large bun. Her eyes were big and black rimmed with round wire-framed glasses. Today, she wore a bright blue t-shirt with light green Capri's. Her shoes looked dainty and were tainted purple. She cheerfully hopped down from the wall and stood in front of Chi making herself look even shorter than she already was.

"Infiltrate Eri's place?! Are you insane? That girl would kill you!" Chi exclaimed while waving her arms for exaggeration.

"Nah, Eri's an old friend from Fe." Miaka informed nodding.

"Then why'd you say infiltrate?" Kai asked suddenly.

Miaka face-faulted. "Ehehehe.... Hey! You've got a bruise. And if my eyes don't deceive me, that's Eri's trademark meaning she's bringing you down. Heh, good luck Kai. Anyway, I better get going." She added as her eyes landed on Tala. She quickly looked away and began turning around. "I'll see you 'round Chi!" She shouted out as she ran away down the street.

"Way to go Tala!" Chi shouted angrily and walked away.

"What?! How's it my fault that the crazy little girl ran away?! I don't even know her!" Tala shouted angrily.

"Oh shit." Rei muttered as he pulled Chi away. "Don't start here Chi! Miaka would kill you!" Rei growled in Chi's ear ferociously.

"I hate you Tala Valkov!" Chi shouted before storming off followed by a sighing Korigan.

"Oh boy." Rei sighed and began walking his own way.

"Hey Kon wait up!" Tala said catching up to him and pulling on his shoulder. "What's going on? Everyone seems to know something I don't." Tala said with a bit of worry in his eyes.

"Sorry Tala, everyone promised never to talk about it again. So, I can't break that promise. I'm a man of my word." Rei said brushing off Tala's hand and continuing to walk with his hands in his pockets.

'Why do I seem to be the weakest link here?' Tala asked himself as he strolled down the street. Unbeknownst to himself he was heading for Ollie's. 'Life is like a puzzle, and right now, I'm the only one without all the pieces.' He continued angrily. 'I know it has something to do with that Miaka girl. I know I've seen her somewhere. Ugh! The information is just so close, yet so far away.' Tala sighed once again as he walked casually into Ollie's with a frustrated look on his face.

"Hey Tala, what's hanging? You look confused." Said a familiar voice behind him.

Tala turned slowly to see one of his many friends, Kane. Kane was always the nice guy, never going out for no reason, never beating up on kids, never having enemies, always being there if a friend was in need, that sort of thing. He was just, always around when one of the groups needed to talk to someone.

"How do you always appear at the right moment?" Tala asked as he shook his head with wonderment.

"It's part of my Psykick magic." Kane smirked and patted the seat next to him. "Care to join me?" he asked with a friendly smile.

Tala nodded and sat down next to his happy friend.

"So, what's with the long face?" he asked as his order came and Tala made his.

"Someone I met today. Do you remember a girl named Miaka?" Tala asked calmly.

Kane nearly choked on what he was drinking. After all, Kane didn't believe in enemies, so he hung out with everybody whenever, wherever. "Ya. Why do you ask?" Kane asked after he had re-composed himself.

"Well, she showed up today, and after she saw me, she ran away. And then that Oasana girl blew up at me. And Rei wouldn't tell me what was going on. Do you know anything I don't? Because I feel like this is just one big puzzle and I don't have all the pieces." Tala said repeating what he had thought of earlier.

"I can imagine Chi would be angry. Don't you remember Tala? Miaka was the quiet girl that had a major crush on you, and you treated her like shit. In year 7 at Bakuten Elementary, she left right in the middle of the year. No one knew why, but we all remembered that it was in the middle of the year that you started going out with every girl you saw, every girl but Miaka." Kane took this time to pause and eat a French fry and gave Tala a look to make sure he was listening. "When Miaka left, Chi totally blamed everything on you. And so did a majority of the others. That's when everyone split off into groups. The other kids, that weren't involved in our little feud called us Fire and Ice. Fire for Chi's group who was always loud and outgoing and Ice for your group because most of you guys were cold and mean. Don't you remember?" Kane asked once again.

"I, I don't remember anything. I don't remember this Miaka kid and I don't remember treating her like shit." Tala said shaking his head and drinking his milkshake.

"Of course you wouldn't. You didn't even know you were ignoring her every word. Even during that ski trip we took to wherever it was and Miaka warned you not to try going off that cliff on your board and you didn't listen. You went off, went into a coma and Miaka dragged you back up to mountain until she could find help." Kane said matter-of-factly.

"I thought Spencer saved me?" Tala asked looking slightly worried.

"He was the one Miaka got for help. Everyone told you "You should be thanking Miaka" but she'd say "No, no, it's all right." And you'd never say anything to her unless you had to." Kane said while gulping down a bite of his burger.

"I...everyone always said I was an ass. I guess I really am." Tala said with a weak smile.

"Nah, don't blame it so much on yourself. Chi's just overreacting about you and Miaka. Though I do think you could have been nicer to her." Kane mumbled the last sentence.

Tala felt like shit he couldn't even remember this girl and he was such a jerk. Maybe he should go find her and apologize? But where would he look? Tala sighed and settled for dinner with Kane. He'd find the girl later.

1

She sat in her large room silently staring out the window. She had been training for the past couple of hours and was exhausted. She sat on the large platform that most people would call a windowsill. She sighed and watched a figure leap over the fence. It was Miaka, a girl from her old school and town. She was the back up on her old beyblading team as well. She was probably sent to ask why Eri left. She didn't really know herself, she just had the sudden urge to leave, and no one could stop her. Not even her father.

The door creaked open to reveal the tall figure of her brother. "You know that Miaka was here?" He asked softly.

"So you finally got off that blonde huh? Ya I saw her. You scared her away didn't you?" she retorted while glaring at him playfully.

"Ya, ya get mad all you want it's not going to help. So, made any friends? Like, what were you doing after school?" He asked with a smirk.

"Training." She whispered.

"You're not going to enter that Tournament, Eri." Kei said with force.

"I'll do whatever I want got that?! You're just like dad, trying to control me. I'm older now, I can make my own decisions!" She shouted at him.

"Ya?! Just like the great decision you made with Tego? Oh, ya you're just great at making decisions!" He shouted back.

"I told you!" She shouted back. "I'm older now! So get off my case! I can handle myself!" She screamed now. Her body began to rack with sobs and she couldn't find the energy to even sit up. She slumped against the window and cried.

"Eri? Eri, I'm sorry. I don't want to be like him. I'm so sorry." Kei whispered as he walked over to her and hugged her smaller body to his own large one.

"I want everything to be normal Kei, I want Mom and Alsi to be here. I just want everything to be normal. Not the way it is. No more abuse, no more big fights, no more anything. Just normal..." Eri sniffled and leant on Kei. "Don't ever leave me Kei. Please? Don't leave me, don't hurt me." She whispered.

"I won't, I promise." Kei said with determination set in his eyes. "I'd kill myself before I'd even think about hurting you." He replied to back up his statement.

"Thank you, Kei. Thank you...." She trailed off and fell asleep in her older brother's arms.

"Good night, Eri-chan." Kei whispered as he set her down onto her bed. He then left without a sound as he closed and locked her door. He didn't want his dad coming home and attacking Eri at night.

2

Kai entered his large estate and pulled out his blade. How long had it been since he had actually gotten a good battle? Years, he had mastered defeating Tyson last year and no one else could even bring him a partial challenge now. But here came a girl who smashed his blade on launch. It was sad, for him and for Dranzer.

'Dranzer?' He called to his powerful bitbeast. The phoenix didn't respond.

'Dranzer?!' Kai was beginning to sound worried. His bitbeast wasn't responding. He looked at his blade. His bitbeast wasn't there.

'No! No! No! Where could he have gone? Dranzer wouldn't just up and leave would he? Maybe it's because I didn't train enough? Ahhh!!! Where's my Dranzer?!' Kai's mind ran amok with chaos. He couldn't believe this. His bitbeast was gone! Missing! Vanished into thin air! Kaput! What was going on?!

'I bet it has something to do with that Eri chick. But for now, I'll train.' He said to himself. 'Maybe Dranzer will come back.'

Kai trained all night, but to no avail. After that, he was sure Eri had done something to his blade. He was positive she had stolen Dranzer from him, after all, many people before had tried and some had succeeded. Could she be out for their bitbeasts as well? Would it be like that all over again? Long days of teaming up and defeating the bad guys and making new friends along the way? Would it be another longwinded adventure for the Bladebreakers? Would there be one last fantasy ride before they entered adulthood? Would they once again spend so many nights staying up late and training to beat others? Would it?

3

Sunday is a nice day, it's the day before school, but it's still the weekend. It was a nice day and the kids in Bakuten intended on enjoying it. Some were having last minute water fights, some were enjoying life on the beach and some, were at home preparing to welcome their angry fathers.

"Eri, we can't go out today and you're not allowed to train today." Kei said firmly.

"Why not? Do you want me to die on Friday?" The defiant girl asked angrily.

"No, of course not. It's just...father's coming home and if he comes back to find you missing there'll be trouble in the Zelian household." Kei said after watching one of the servants go.

"Ya well, he won't be home until later tonight. I can go out if I want until then. Not that I'd have anywhere to go. It's you that should be worrying. You'll go out and flirt your ass off and dad will get back, ask me where you are and then beat me when I tell him I don't know." Eri glared at her older brother. "If I don't train I'll wind up with another guy like Tego. You know it." She hissed.

"It wasn't that you didn't train enough. What happened with Tego had nothing to do with training. You were in an insecure emotional state. I mean you just watched Dero get killed. And Dero was one of your best friends next to Darth, Kyoji and Bri. You just ran to someone without thinking." Kei said assuringly.

"So you're saying I was stupid." Eri pointed out bluntly while walking back up the stairs to her room.

"No." Kei followed his annoyed little sister up the marble staircase. "You weren't stupid. You were naïve." He said simply.

"Same thing." Eri muttered.

"Actually it isn't really Ri. But maybe that experience was good for you." Kei added supportively.

"Oh yeah, why don't I go do that one again. Put me through it anytime. I'll just get to kill another jackass so everything's fine with me." Eri's sarcastic lilt was so obvious it made Kei wince.

"I didn't mean it that way." He said as he sat on her large windowsill.

"Ya whatever." She had grabbed some clothes and hopped into the washroom to change.

"Why are you changing anyways?" Kei asked while looking out the window.

"Because I'm going out. I only wear nice clothes inside the house. Outside is for the rats. If I'm going to be outside and mingling with the rats I must look like one." She came out of the large washroom dressed in cargo capris and a ¾ sleeved shirt with a low collar. Her cargos were beige and her shirt was light blue.

"That doesn't look much different from what you were wearing earlier." Kei said smoothly.

"The other outfit was a skort and tank. I wouldn't wear that outside." She said while braiding her hair.

"And why not? It's so hot out." Kei said exaggeratively.

"Because there are certain guys that would love to get in my pants and it's not as easy to kick someone while wearing a half-skirt." Eri said in a very matter-of-factly tone.

"Oh, in that case be my guest. Wear that if it's more comfortable for fighting in." Kei said with a wicked smirk.

"Ok, Dad won't be home until 4, though we should probably be back here by 3:30. Ok?" she asked her older brother with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure whatever." The older boy hopped off the windowsill and strolled out of his little sisters' room.

Meanwhile, Eri had had strapped her gun blade launcher onto her back and shoved her blade into one of her baggy pockets. She then proceeded to moodily stalk out the room. She would walk down to Ollie's for a quick morning bite and chat, and then she would train. Or look around. She hadn't done much of that, yet.

Eri strolled down the large hill that her fathers' mansion stood upon and glided softly over the grass as she cut a few corners to get to her destination quicker. She noticed a few people along the way and ignored them as she passed them. She felt a few people follow her or yell at her but she didn't really care. She wanted to get somewhere and she would get there before anything else.

When she walked casually into Ollie's the older boy waved to her with a happy French grin.

"Sorry about what happened last time I was here Ollie." Eri said in a slightly deadpanned voice.

"No problem." Oliver had figured out that that was how she worked and not to take her tone to offence. "I understood completely. I would have asked them to leave earlier had I known that was going to happen. It's a bit late, would you like some brunch?" The kind French boy asked politely.

"Uh...sure. Just a large Belgium waffle with fruit and whipped cream, and maybe some tea." She said after putting down the menu.

Oliver came back a few minutes later with two dishes of Eri's order. "I hope you don't mind if I join you."

"Not at all." Came Eri's non-existent reply as she intently watched her food. "This stuff is really good when you go to Belgium you know. The waffles are really good there." She said almost as if she was uninterested.

"Cool." The two ate their brunch in silence. They finished in about half an hour and soon decided that it would be time for some kind of dessert.

"I'll be back." Oliver said cheerfully as he went off to talk to his mother.

As Eri was looking out the window boredly, she saw someone she really didn't feel like seeing. In fact, she saw ­two people she really didn't want to see.

#$##$##$#

Ok, so ya, I update, like, how long ago? I know i know it was almost 2-4 months or something like that. Trust me, it's not something I wanted to keep track of. So I was in Japan for a couple weeks there, but now I'm back. NEwayz, I've been playing a game with Beyblader-grl through e-mails, and I posted my results of our little game on my new little thing called "Town Gangs and Highschool Jerks: Side Stories" I hope most of you go and check those out. So, I am slightly disappointed for this chapter, it was more like a touch up thing than an actual chapter, meaning nothing but Miaka showing up happened. And then Tala has a bit of a melt-down and Kane fills in the blanks. So, review and tell me what your favourite parts were!now,

Reivews!!!!:

The-Black-Tiger: Sorry about the earrings and collar. I guess I just forgot them...Oh well, I'll add them in the next chapter.

The-Red-Phoenix: Don't you love it when I make you wonder?! Haha, well, thanks for reviewing, read on!

Bloody Mary: Glad you liked the mentioning. I just wasn't sure where to put her in, because, after all, she's from Fe instead of Bakuten. She probably won't show up until later, when the Street Tournament starts up. BTW, what do you think of my new summary?

Yin: Well, someone sent me an e-mail telling me how the gun-blade is simply impossible for the use of a launcher. I say just go with the flow and be creative. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for the compliment about Eri. I hate writing up bios but hers I indeed, have typed and written. What a hassle that was. Hmmm... Tala and Miaka indeed.

And everyone else is telling me to update. Oh yeah, if you want to play the game, just send me an e-mail and I'll send you a challenge and you can send me your own fanfic on TGaHJ!!! Fun!!!

Keep the reviews coming my friends!!!

Koyo