A/N: a big thanks to everyone who reviewed your support is appreciated! Well not much to say really save I don't own Beyblade, I only own Raisa, Derrick, Victor, Natalya and Alina. Now on with the chapter.
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Raisa groaned, as the knocking on her door wouldn't cease, she hardly had any energy to get out of bed let alone answer the door-this day wasn't going to be one of her best. She grumbled again and pulled the covers over her head preparing to go back to sleep, god only knew she needed some. She didn't sleep very well last night with being in a strange and new place it felt uncomfortable.
She smiled sleepily as the insistent banging on the door stopped, curling into a ball she snuggled into the warm covers and closed her eyes. After a couple of minutes the covers were pulled off the sleeping girl-she shivered and blindly made and move the grab them back. Causing a small chuckle to sound from beside her bed.
She shot up into a sitting position and glared at the figure of Ian standing beside her bed holding up her purple duvet smirking at her.
" IAN! Get out. Get out! NOW!" she shrieked throwing her pillow at him.
Ian dodged the thrown pillow easily and snickered at the irate Russian girl. " Nice try, but you missed me!" he teased wiggling his finger at her.
The Russian girl huffed and stood up a grumpy look upon her face. " What do you want?" she asked racking a brush through her tangled hair.
" Boris left for a few days and left your dad in charge! You've been ordered to train with us today," the short boy said watching Raisa play with her hair.
Raisa stopped mid brush and frowned throwing the short boy a blank look. " Training?" she queried flicking a strand of hair back.
" Yeah, why?"
" Nothing! I'll go talk with him later, could you pass me that sweater?" she asked pointing to the purple and black sleeved top hanging on the chair.
He shrugged throwing it to her. " So I'll meet you in the training room, we're partners! It was either me or Derrick," the boy muttered leaving the room.
Raisa watched Ian leave and sighed slouching her shoulders, what was her father up to? And who does he think he is, ordering her around liked he'd been the greatest father, yeah right she'd only known him two years in total and he wasn't that great.
For one she wasn't going to idolise a man who was sent to prison and spent six year of her life there.
" God, I wish I was allowed to visit you three." she said quietly, holding a framed picture in her hand-a picture of herself, her best friends Natalya and Alina and her aunt Gwen. All were smiling and waving at the camera when the picture had been taken. She remembered it well it was there last day on holiday in Italy. She placed the picture down gently and proceeded to get dressed for the day ahead.
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" Ah, Raisa glad you could make it!" the poor girl jumped as her fathers voice rang out in the training room. She looked to the camera and nodded stiffly not trusting herself to give him a nice vocal greeting.
She walked over to Ian who waved her over; she pulled out her black, purple and silver blade, a determined look entering her green eyes.
" Okay Raisa show me what you can do!" Igor's voice boomed overhead. " Three…. Two…. One Let it rip!" he commanded.
Both teens pulled their ripcords simultaneously and watched their blades land gracefully in the round dish. Both blades circled each other waiting for the right chance to strike.
Okay Raisa get a grip; the Russian girl scolded herself mentally, narrowing her eyes.
She wasn't ready for this, she hadn't battled in a few good months and thus her training was a bit lacking. She new there was a fat chance she'd loose this match-she had witnessed Ian skill the previous day and he was good, even better than her.
"Wyborg Attack now!" Ian commanded all his focus centred the battle at hand.
Ian's blade shot towards Raisa's was such speed the girl barley saw it, " Durack evade now! Don't let him scare you!" she said and smiled happily as her blade swerved away from Ian's giving a light glow in response.
" Wyborg attack her now! Take her down!" Ian's blade knocked into Raisa's before the girl could react, her blade was knocked out of the dish landing at her feet.
Raisa smiled sweetly at the camera " can I go now?" she asked at the now zooming in camera.
" No! You cannot, Ian stand down and good job." Igor congratulated, the camera spun around to the group of boy sitting at the bench. " Bryan you take over, and do your very best!"
Raisa's eye widened in shock, oh, yes she'd heard about Bryan's bladeing style and didn't want to be on the receiving end. She gulped nervously and fearfully at the burly boys stare.
Oh, this is bad. Really, really, really Bad! He's going to obliterate my blade and me. The girl thought in her panic. She was trying to think of a good excuse that would get out of this-but none came she knew her father wouldn't fall for it.
" Raisa you aren't thinking of backing out are you?" Igor sneered.
Raisa sent a sharp glare at the camera " no! Of course not father" she shot back with a sneer of her own, something that didn't suit the girls personality.
" Good, good my child. Now fight you're best-call out your bit beast if you have to!" he said and Raisa could hear the smirk in his voice.
Call out my bit beast? She thought frowning. Why would he say that? She shrugged it off for the moment and readied her blade and launcher. She saw Bryan was already set up for the battle, and gulping one last time both she and Bryan let their blade loose into the dish.
" Durack don't let him hit you! Use you're defence and evade" Raisa commanded.
" Falborg crush her now!" Bryan ordered Sending Raisa a smirk, as his bit beast rose from his bit-chip giving a war cry and heading straight for Raisa's blade.
"Oh no!" Raisa panicked trying to think of a way out of this mess. Only one thought came to her, one she hadn't wanted to use in this battle-but it seemed she was going to have to call out her bit beast.
" Okay Father it seems you'll get just the show you want," she whispered closing her eyes.
Her eyes snapped back open and the once brilliantly light green was darker and more aggressive. " Durack! It's time." she yelled, a blinding flash of light admitted from her blade-followed by a bird like war cry.
Raisa smiled looking up at her bit beast, a large prehistoric type bird hovered in the air-it's ruby eyes seeming to glow, his body was covered in silver feathers and at the tip of his wings a there were a few black feathers standing out against the silvery feathers, a large feather covered horn ran from the back of his head to his shoulders.
" So you think that pretty bird of yours is enough to beat my Falborg?" Bryan sneered sharply eyeing the Russian girl. " I don't think so- Falborg take that bird down now!"
" Dark hurricane attack!" Raisa yelled.
At the same time Bryan also yelled " Stroblitz attack!"
Simultaneously both bit beast complied and two fierce whirlwinds formed, with so much power the other teens watching the match had to protect their faces, with their arms, as the blasts were enough to cut the skin. Even Raisa and Bryan had to shield their faces from the force. Both blades clashed together, both wind attacks merging into one strong force; both bit beasts circled each other before going for the plunge and attacking viciously.
More power was thrown into their attacks and in doing so the whirlwind completely covered the dish, slowly growing bigger, faster and more vicious with each second. Within minutes both blades crashed together causing a final finishing blow. The whirlwind collided as both blades connected with each, in the force of their attack both blades were throw back, out of the dish-the whirlwind blew apart throwing both Raisa and Bryan to the floor. The tremendous and vicious battle was over and with no winner, as both blades' stopped spinning at the exact same time.
Raisa simply stared at her still blade, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Having no idea what had just happened! Durack had never had that much power or at least not that Raisa new, it was like her bit beast was so angry that emotion had taken over him. But why would he be angry? Did something happen that they didn't or couldn't see?
She reached her shaky arm over to her blade and picked it, she sat there for a good few minutes staring at Durack's bit chip.
" What happened?" she wondered quietly, the bit chip giving a warm glow as if to reassure her, everything was fine and she needn't worry.
" Raisa, c'mon we need to get that scratch tended to." Spencer said gently kneeling down beside her.
" Huh? What?" she said in a daze reaching her hand to her check. A small dribble of blood stained her fingers. " Oh! I see" Spencer threw Ian a look, which clearly showed his worry for the dazed girl.
" C'mon let's get you up," the tall blond said, gently guiding her up from the stone floor.
Raisa shook her head coming out of her daze and smiled softly at Spencer. " No! Its fine-I'm fine, I need to go see my dad," she said looking towards the camera with narrowed eyes.
All eyes watched the quiet girl leave the room; even Bryan's eyes were trained on her intently. He couldn't understand it, he was more powerful than her yet they drew-a draw it wasn't often Bryan drew with his opponent. No! He always won his battles well nearly always- save for the time her lost to that Bladebreaker Rei! He growled just thinking about it.
" Did you see that? It was fantastic-but I can't believe they drew." Derrick said looking awed at the memory.
" It was a wicked battle, but one thing bothers me; why did Raisa seem so freaked?" Ian pondered thoughtfully.
" Her reaction was strange, yes-but I don't think she expected her bit beast had that kind of power. There was also something else I noticed." Tala commented, the small group turned to him curious looks on their faces.
" And what's that?" Derrick asked raising an eyebrow at the red head.
Tala tapped his chin thoughtfully for a moment. " Her bit beast was in pain, I think that's why he freaked out and unlocked more power. I don't know why- but I think we should keep our eyes open." confused looks were upon the groups faces, but they nodded slowly each vowing to find out what was going on.
" And I don't think Durack was the only one in pain, I noticed something odd about Falborg's performance too, we'll look into this later. There is defiantly something strange going on around here. Boris must never know we're suspicious. " Tala concluded turning around he pulled out his blade and prepared to train.
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" What's going on? Tell me!" Raisa demanded slamming the door to her father's office shut. Her eyes were blazing with white-hot fury and confusion.
Igor regarded his daughter calmly, the papers on his desk forgotten. " Specify what you mean dear." The angry Russian girl took a deep breath to calm herself.
" Why did you bring me hear? You know aunt Gwen would let me stay with her." she sat down in one of the comfy chairs and watched her father's thoughtful face.
" I need you Raisa, you are my daughter and I've lived most of you're life away from you- two years I've known you properly! All I want is to spend time with you knowing your safe, here with me. Loosing your mother was unbearable and loosing you too ripped me into!" he sighed rubbing his forehead tiredly.
" Tell me dad! If you couldn't bear to loose me, like you did mother, then why did you attack that man? He was being sent to prison for his crime anyway. But no, that wasn't enough for you was it! And besides that it was an accident- something that happens all the time." Raisa shot back a little rudely.
Igor slammed his fists down on the table, causing Raisa to jump back in fright- his brown eyes were blazing with a slightly insane look.
" How dare you speak to me in that tone! And as of now you will train with the boys and bide by the rules-, which means you can only see you friends on the weekends you have outside the abbey! Do you understand?" he snarled glaring at her.
Frantically Raisa nodded her head, fear rushing through her body at the older mans look. She had never seen him like this nor had he ever yelled at her. She wanted nothing more than to run as far away from him as possible! Obviously Igor saw the fear admitting from the girl because his eyes soften and he smiled reassuringly.
" I'm sorry Raisa, I-I don't know what came over me. Forgive me child," he said walked around his desk to embrace the girl.
Raisa not daring to argue with the man simply nodded her head and stiffly embraced his back, she was way too scared to cross him again, so much that she d wouldn't take any chances and break the rules. No not this time, no pranks or going out after curfew. She would rather stick to the rules than see her father like that again.
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" Why does Gwen want to see us?" Alina asked her bight Sapphire eyes narrowing at her friend, her long sapphire and royal blue streaked hair held high in a pony tail. She was wearing a thick cream coloured jacket, which fell down to her ankle, around the hood and sleeves there was white and grey fur and she wore similar coloured thick boots.
" She didn't say, though she sounded a little upset." Natalya said pushing back her strawberry blond hair aside; her brown eyes scanned the street. She too-like Alina was wearing a thick coat only black-with white fur around her hood and sleeves.
" Oh! I miss Raya!" Alina whined sounding strangely like a little child, she hugged herself her eyes becoming teary.
Rolling her eyes Natalya strolling over to the teary eyed girl. " Oh, honestly! Sometimes you're such a baby. And I amazed that you don't even realise that Raisa is staying just five blocks away from us-north." she pointed her finger north.
Alina bit her bottom lip thoughtfully, her eyes then lit up and Natalya groaned. " Ooh, Ooh I've got an idea!" she beamed happily.
" Let me guess! Oh, wait there's no need to. You wanna go see Raya-right?" Natalya exclaimed smacking her forehead.
Alina growled loosing her temper with the strawberry blond haired girl. " Yes I want to go see Raisa! And I'll go alone If I have to." she glared harshly at the floor in her temper tantrum; not caring about the strange looks people walking by gave the pair.
" Okay, okay I give in, but first let's go see Gwen"
Alina smiled nodding. " Sound like a plan" she winked hooking her arm with Natalya's.
" You really need to sort out your mood swings Alina, anyone would think you nuts"
Alina chuckled softly " good then they'd leave me alone, wouldn't they?" she teased wiggling her fingers.
Natalya groaned hooking her arm with the sapphire haired girls, " your unbelievable, really you are you know." Alina winked laughing softly.
"Oh, I know Talya, I know"
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Spencer frowned walking the snow-covered yard surrounding the abbey, he thought back to the match earlier that day, he didn't understand it-both Boris and Igor had been acting strange since before Raisa came here. Now Boris had left the abbey for a short time. What was really going on? He sighed softly, maybe he really didn't want to know what they were planning. It was still hard for him to believe that Bryan actually drew in the match, he knew the burly boy was going to be a very hard person to live with for the next few days, and Raisa; he wondered why the girl seemed so freaked-something was definitely going on here. And he intended to find out whatever it was.
Heavy footsteps caught the boys attention, he looked ahead of him and saw Bryan stood under neath a snow covered tree-his arms crossed and eyes closed, though however calm he appeared Spencer could see the small twitch of his closed eyes.
Deciding it was best to leave the burly boy alone, Spencer turned and went another way-he didn't need Bryan snapping at him.
Strangely Spencer found himself approaching the abbey gate, where as he neared closer soft female voices could be heard. An eyebrow rose in curiosity and he moved closer, and upon seeing the two girls he chuckled as they continued to argue, he knew ease dropping was rude but he couldn't help himself.
" Grr, you can't do that Alina. Your ganna get us in trouble!" snapped the strawberry haired girl glaring at her friend.
Alina raised an eyebrow " oh, who's ganna report us-Igor? Yeah right I'll just tell my father…no on can touch me!" Alina said pulling out her computer.
" It's not Igor I'm worried about catching us, don't you remember who runs this place?"
" No! Should I?"
The irate girl grumbled smacking her forehead. " Yes! You should-the man who runs this place is called Boris Balkov, may father told me to stay away from him when we moved from St Petersburg!"
Alina blinked " your dad knows him?"
She nodded causing her hair to fall around her shoulders. " Yes, my father went to school with Boris and Igor- says there're both bad news…now let's go!"
" But Natalya, what about Raisa-we can't leave her here alone!" Alina snapped narrowing her eyes. " I don't care who runs this place, be it Satan himself."
Alina opened her laptop and connected a grey lead to her computer and to the gate's security panel. " Okay, time to override" she said smirking; she began to type in some codes.
As Alina was doing her thing, Natalya began pacing nervously her eyes darting in every direction; she had the strangest feeling they were being watched causing her nervousness to mount.
Spencer watched and finally decided it was time for him to stop the stupid girl before she tripped the alarm system. He sighed stepping out from behind the bush he was standing behind. The strawberry haired girl spotted him right away and jumped back, grabbing a hold of her friends arm.
" I really think you shouldn't do that! Unless you want to trip the alarm system that is," he said crossing his arms.
Alina eyed him for a short time before smiling brightly. " Hey! Your Spencer from the Demolition boys, wow…you were great in the worlds two years back! I'm Alina by the way," she giggled.
Raising an eyebrow Spencer had to hide the slight blush creeping upon his face. " Well-um, thanks…but I have to ask what are you doing here?"
" Oh, y'know visiting a friend--she came to stay here the other day…you can't miss her; her names Raisa she very cheerful, you seen here?" Spencer was very glad the sky was darkening because the blush on his face deepened as the sapphire haired girl moved closer towards him, though the gate was still separating them.
" Uh, Raisa yeah-she's here! Lives in my sector actually" Alina jumped up and down in her excitement and if she could, she would have hugged Spencer- thankfully for the poor embarrassed Russian boy, the gate was locked and she couldn't get through.
" Oooh! I love you so much. Go get her for me! Please." her eyes gleamed brightly and she seemed so happy that; both Spencer and Natlaya thought she would burst any moment.
" I'm sorry, we keep telling her she needs to…uh, you know what-never mind she's just a little funny upstairs." Natalya said tapping the side of her head and shooting a glance at her friend.
Spencer chuckled softly titling his head to the side, he could hear footsteps from behind him, and turning he caught sight of Bryan-though the burly boy looked at if he was in another world, and took no notice of Spencer or the two girls.
" Well-go get her!" Alina smiled sweetly; well a little too sweetly for Spencer's liking. It was the kind of sweet smile girls gave when they were beginning to loose their temper, he cringed slightly-he didn't want to be on the receiving end of this girls temper.
He pulled out the small phone from his pocket and pressed three numbers.
" Uh…hello?" Raisa's nervous sounding voice said.
" Hi, listen could you come down to the front gate? Two of your friends are here" Raisa's eyes widened at Spencer's words.
"Yeah, sure I'll be right down." she said quickly putting the phone down.
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" Oh, guys I've missed you so much." Raisa grinned standing next to Spencer.
Her two friends waved " hi there! Enjoying it here?" Natalya asked winking.
Raisa nodded slowly " it's uh, not too bad…gets a little boring though, guess that's cause of the lack of female company." Natalya nodded sympathetically and patted Raisa on the shoulder through the small bars. Alina didn't seem to be listening most likely because she was staring at Spencer with misty eyes.
Spencer coughed nervously shooting Raisa a look, the Russian girl giggled but called off her best friend. Alina gave the demolition boy a wink and a smile before going off to chat with Raisa and Natalya.
" This sucks, talking to you through this stupid gate." Alina pouted kicking the metal structure, she yelled loudly in pain and began hopping comically causing the other teens to laugh at her antics.
" Hey! Stop laughing--Oh, Ouch." the sapphire haired girl whined continuing to hop on one leg around the same spot continuously.
Natalya sniggered behind her hand, " I think we should get going now, when are you allowed out of the abbey?" she asked turning to Raisa.
" Weekends! That's the only time we're allowed out,"
" Sweet! I guess we'll meet you at the cyber café around say 10:30. That okay with you?" Natalya asked eyeing her friend.
Raisa nodded eagerly " that'd be great, I'll see there!" she grinned giving her two friends a hug through the bars.
" We'd better go Raisa, before one of the guards catch us." Spencer said keeping his eyes peeled. The Russian girl nodded giving a wave to her friends before setting off beck towards the abbey with Spencer.
Alina watched the two Russians go with a distant looks in her eyes. While Natalya watched the sapphire haired girl worriedly,
" What's up?" she asked tenderly placing a hand on the girls shoulder.
Misty eyes turned to Natalya " I don't wanna leave them here, any of them-this place gives me the creeps--c-can we just go now?" she asked shuddering.
" Sure thing, let's go then, we'll see Raya again this weekend…she'll be fine" the strawberry blond reassured guiding the shorter teen with her hand, though in her mind she whispered softly 'I hope Raya will be fine' as she too had a strange feeling about the abbey.