The plane motors rumbled, as the great craft slowly rolled down the runway, picking up speed every second.
Max's teeth chattered with the movement. Why had Tyson sent him tickets for a seat right above the motor? Probably because he had to pay for it, Max reasoned.
He peered out the window, watching America fall away. It had taken some fast convincing to get his mother to allow him to go to Japan.
Finally, she had consented and Max had been sent aloft in a plane, headed for Japan.
He slipped on a pair of headphones and pulled out his latest Beyblading magazine.
In bold letters on the cover was written, World Tournament Hopefuls. Four unfamiliar bladers were pictured underneath the text. Curious, Max flipped to the center of the magazine, where the article was featured. He quickly skimmed over the pages, until finally a piece of the article caught his eye.
A new Beyblading team, called the Desecraters, have seemingly emerged out of nowhere and are now aiming to win the trophy at the upcoming world tournament. Its four members have banned together from all different corners of Europe, yet they come representing Ethiopia, since that is where their sponsors live. Their captain, Taber, is quoted as saying: "We are second to none, and we fear none. The Bladebreakers will soon lose their world champion title, and surrender to our wrath."
Max shivered, as he re-read the section. The Desecraters. That was some fierce name. Now he knew why Tyson had insisted that the Bladebreakers regrouped. The competition was red hot, and they couldn't lose their title. Not to a fast-talking weight-throwing team that emerged out of nowhere.
"Max!" Kenny exclaimed happily, as Max stepped into the terminal.
"Hey!" Max smiled in return. "Where's Tyson?"
"He's at the cafeteria eating," Kenny replied. "I'll show you." Max followed Kenny to the airport cafeteria, where Max was stuffing his face with rice balls.
"Hi, Tyson," Max grinned as he sat down opposite of his old teammate.
Tyson looked up, his cheeks bulging with food. He held up two of his fingers in a peace sign. "Mmmnnpphfff," he replied in greeting.
Kenny sat down, and flipped Dizzy's lid up. With a look of pure concentration, he began typing.
"I read the weirdest thing in my magazine during the flight," Max began. Tyson put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. "Like what?" "Well –" "Hey, gang!" The three turned to see who had joined them. A tall boy was standing over them. He had long black hair that was pulled back, and a headband featuring the intertwining yin and yang. "Ray!" Tyson exclaimed, raising his hand. "Hi, Ray," Max smiled. Kenny was musing over Dizzy.
"Hey Chief! Aren't you going to say hi to Ray?" Tyson asked dryly, eyeing Kenny.
"Mmmm," mumbled Kenny. "Hi." Suddenly his head snapped up. "Ray! It's good to see you!"
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Now we're just waiting for Mr. Congenial," Tyson said, glancing across the terminal. "When's Kai supposed to get here, anyways? We have some practicing to get to."
"Should be here soon," Kenny murmured.
"Where's Hilary?" Ray inquired.
"She had to stay home to study for some tests," Tyson said with a snicker.
"Hey look!" Max exclaimed, standing up and pointing out the terminal window. They Ray, Max, and Kenny ran to the glass for a closer look.
"Hey!" Tyson protested, glancing at his unfinished meal. "Wait up!"
Out on the unused runway, Kai was standing poised, ready to launch is Beyblade. On the opposite side of the dish stood a older teenager wearing sunglasses. His ripped, black, sleeveless shirt showed off obvious muscle. His green-and-purple streaked hair was slicked back and fell to his shoulders.
"Kai!" Tyson shouted through the glass.
"You don't really expect him to notice you, do you Tyson?" Ray asked, his eyes on Kai.
"Where have I seen him before?" Max wondered aloud.
Tyson stopped and faced Max. "You recognize that punk?"
Max closed his eyes. "I know I've seen him before somewhere..." Suddenly, he looked up and snapped his fingers. "Now I know! He was on the front cover of my Beyblading magazine."
Ray glanced out at the runway, just as Kai and the strange boy pulled their rip cords.
Max's voice grew more urgent. "His name is Taber, and he's the captain of Ethiopia's Beyblade team called the Desecraters! Their team plans to stomp us at the tournament!"
"Or stop us from getting to the tournament at all," Tyson exclaimed. He remembered the fake Max from the chat room. "We have to get to Kai!"
"How?" Ray asked, checking out the terminal for any means of escape.
"Over there!" Tyson exclaimed, pointing eagerly.
The Bladebreakers glanced at each other's faces, and nodded with a slight smile. A plan had been formed.
Max's teeth chattered with the movement. Why had Tyson sent him tickets for a seat right above the motor? Probably because he had to pay for it, Max reasoned.
He peered out the window, watching America fall away. It had taken some fast convincing to get his mother to allow him to go to Japan.
Finally, she had consented and Max had been sent aloft in a plane, headed for Japan.
He slipped on a pair of headphones and pulled out his latest Beyblading magazine.
In bold letters on the cover was written, World Tournament Hopefuls. Four unfamiliar bladers were pictured underneath the text. Curious, Max flipped to the center of the magazine, where the article was featured. He quickly skimmed over the pages, until finally a piece of the article caught his eye.
A new Beyblading team, called the Desecraters, have seemingly emerged out of nowhere and are now aiming to win the trophy at the upcoming world tournament. Its four members have banned together from all different corners of Europe, yet they come representing Ethiopia, since that is where their sponsors live. Their captain, Taber, is quoted as saying: "We are second to none, and we fear none. The Bladebreakers will soon lose their world champion title, and surrender to our wrath."
Max shivered, as he re-read the section. The Desecraters. That was some fierce name. Now he knew why Tyson had insisted that the Bladebreakers regrouped. The competition was red hot, and they couldn't lose their title. Not to a fast-talking weight-throwing team that emerged out of nowhere.
"Max!" Kenny exclaimed happily, as Max stepped into the terminal.
"Hey!" Max smiled in return. "Where's Tyson?"
"He's at the cafeteria eating," Kenny replied. "I'll show you." Max followed Kenny to the airport cafeteria, where Max was stuffing his face with rice balls.
"Hi, Tyson," Max grinned as he sat down opposite of his old teammate.
Tyson looked up, his cheeks bulging with food. He held up two of his fingers in a peace sign. "Mmmnnpphfff," he replied in greeting.
Kenny sat down, and flipped Dizzy's lid up. With a look of pure concentration, he began typing.
"I read the weirdest thing in my magazine during the flight," Max began. Tyson put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. "Like what?" "Well –" "Hey, gang!" The three turned to see who had joined them. A tall boy was standing over them. He had long black hair that was pulled back, and a headband featuring the intertwining yin and yang. "Ray!" Tyson exclaimed, raising his hand. "Hi, Ray," Max smiled. Kenny was musing over Dizzy.
"Hey Chief! Aren't you going to say hi to Ray?" Tyson asked dryly, eyeing Kenny.
"Mmmm," mumbled Kenny. "Hi." Suddenly his head snapped up. "Ray! It's good to see you!"
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Now we're just waiting for Mr. Congenial," Tyson said, glancing across the terminal. "When's Kai supposed to get here, anyways? We have some practicing to get to."
"Should be here soon," Kenny murmured.
"Where's Hilary?" Ray inquired.
"She had to stay home to study for some tests," Tyson said with a snicker.
"Hey look!" Max exclaimed, standing up and pointing out the terminal window. They Ray, Max, and Kenny ran to the glass for a closer look.
"Hey!" Tyson protested, glancing at his unfinished meal. "Wait up!"
Out on the unused runway, Kai was standing poised, ready to launch is Beyblade. On the opposite side of the dish stood a older teenager wearing sunglasses. His ripped, black, sleeveless shirt showed off obvious muscle. His green-and-purple streaked hair was slicked back and fell to his shoulders.
"Kai!" Tyson shouted through the glass.
"You don't really expect him to notice you, do you Tyson?" Ray asked, his eyes on Kai.
"Where have I seen him before?" Max wondered aloud.
Tyson stopped and faced Max. "You recognize that punk?"
Max closed his eyes. "I know I've seen him before somewhere..." Suddenly, he looked up and snapped his fingers. "Now I know! He was on the front cover of my Beyblading magazine."
Ray glanced out at the runway, just as Kai and the strange boy pulled their rip cords.
Max's voice grew more urgent. "His name is Taber, and he's the captain of Ethiopia's Beyblade team called the Desecraters! Their team plans to stomp us at the tournament!"
"Or stop us from getting to the tournament at all," Tyson exclaimed. He remembered the fake Max from the chat room. "We have to get to Kai!"
"How?" Ray asked, checking out the terminal for any means of escape.
"Over there!" Tyson exclaimed, pointing eagerly.
The Bladebreakers glanced at each other's faces, and nodded with a slight smile. A plan had been formed.