Pairing: Tala x Mariah

Rating: PG-13

Summary: After the world championships, Mariah and Tala have an unexpected meeting...could this meeting change them both?

Disclaimer: I do not own BeyBlades

Rescue Me

By Kaz

Chapter 1

A lone girl walked through the darken streets of Moscow. Shivering at the temperature, she pulled her jacket around herself tighter as she began to quicken her pace. 'I am so stupid. I should never have taken a walk this late at night, not only is it dangerous, but its really cold as well.'

Sighing, Mariah rubbed her gloved hands together trying to create some warmth and stamped her feet. 'I can't believe it's over… Tyson won the championship; he is the world champion. Who would have thought that? And thank goodness Ray is okay.'

Thinking of the raven haired golden eyed Chinese boy made Mariah blush slightly, 'It's just too bad that he sees me nothing more than a friend… oh well, better to be a friend than have him completely out of my life.'

Passing the bio volt arena, she scowled slightly at what had happened earlier in the last two days. 'Damn that Brian, I can't believe he hurt Ray and that Tala as well using our bit beasts… damn those demolition boys.'

Shaking her head, she thought of how Voltaire, who turned out to be Kai's grandfather had been arrested. "Well, at least he can't hurt anyone anymore," she whispered.

Passing a glance around the deserted foreground of the stadium, she huffed slightly, when she saw how littered they were. Having lived in the isolated parts of the mountains, it still shocked her how some people treated the city plus not the mention the smell of stale food and soda.

Hearing a noise from inside the stadium, the pink haired girl gasped, 'What was that? I better just leave, it could be someone dangerous.'

However, as she was just about to dash off she heard sound like something scraping on metal.

"Is that a beyblade?" the cat like girl wondered, "but who would be beyblading at this time of the night?"

Standing at the entrance, she debated whether or not to investigate. 'Oh what the heck, might as well besides its really cold out here.'

With the agility of a cat, she crept into the stadium and looked around. "Hmm there's no one…oh hang on! Who's that?" She wondered as she made her way to a figure, which was stood at the foot of a dish, watching what she thought would be a beyblade.

As she got nearer, she found herself having to squint her eyes to make out the figure in the moon light-lit arena. She could just see an outline of spiked hair, however, when the moon came out from behind a cloud, Mariah could do nothing but stop and gasp as she saw who it was.

It was him…leader of the demolitions boys… Tala…

Shaking with a bit of fear, she thought, 'I should leave… just turn around Mariah and forgot about everything you saw and leave.'

Taking a step back, she tried her best to leave her eyes still focused on the oblivious boy. Shuffling back, she struggled not to make a sound, when her foot accidentally sent a bottle rolling.

With the arena so quiet, this echoed all around the stadium, causing Mariah to curse softly and the red head boy to jump in surprise.

"Who is there? Show yourself!"

Timidly, Mariah stepped forward.

"Who are you? What business do you have here?"

"I-I am Mariah… I am a beyblader too… my team is the White Tigers."

"Who? Never heard of them."

Growling slightly at the insult, she felt herself losing control.

"Never heard of us hey? Well, you certainly didn't hesitate to steal our bit beasts and now you say you never heard of us… you- you arrogant jerk."

She was so oblivious to anything but her point that she didn't seem to notice that the Russian had said nothing and had turned back to the dish, yet his expression showed that his mind was not focused on the spinning top.

Realising that the boy wasn't paying attention, she was about to let lose a string of curses telling him exactly what she thought of him, when she looked at him, really looked at him… past the cold, I am a loner exterior… and looked into his turquoise eyes. 'They show such sadness… I have never noticed that before…'

Breathing deeply to rid herself of previous thoughts, she slowly walked up to the enigmatic red head and asked meekly, "So why are you here?"

'What a stupid question to ask,' she thought, fighting the urge to slap herself.

"Wondering."

"Oh what of?"

When he didn't answer, her she began to feel herself getting angry again.

Sighing, she walked over to a bench and sat down directly behind him.

"Tala listen okay, I am not going to lie, I really don't like you at the moment, but I can't leave you like this. If it helps just talk to me."

Again, when the boy made on effort to speak, she sighed and proceeded to get up ready to leave him to his thoughts, when she heard,

"I just don't get it."

Turing her attention to the boy she saw the sullen expression on his face, causing the girl to feel sympathy for the boy.

"You don't get what?"

"… Why I lost… I had the ultimate power all the bit beasts, yet he still beat me."

With this said, Tala feel to his knees, whispering, "How could I fail?"

Sighing, she knew she how he felt … it was the same when she lost to Ray and also when she lost Galux.

"It's because intentionally you gave up hope."

Tala turned sharply to face the girl who sat on the bench; her eyes glanced upwards as if in a deep thought.

"We all did… like when I was battling Kai, in my heart I thought I wouldn't be able to win as so my hope started to stray… but Tyson, never gave up hope not matter how bad things got he kept his faith Dragoon, and so he pulled through…"

Understanding registered on the Russian face.

Sitting down next to the girl, he placed his elbows on his knees and rested his head on his hands the front of his bangs covering his eyes.

"Tala… um can I ask you… why did you do it? Why did you let Boris do all them test's on you?"

"Because I wanted ultimate power, I wanted to be the best"

"Even if it meant never knowing feeling or having friends or just well have the normal life?"

"I never had friends… never felt the need… they were just considered a pain… I don't depend on anyone but my self."

"See I am not saying that's wrong you should really only depend on yourself but sometimes its nice to know that someone's there. You know just some one who you can laugh with or just well…. just know that when things get tough, you don't have to be alone… aren't you tired of being alone?"

That question struck like a knife in Tala's heart, 'how did she know?'

Smiling, Mariah knew she had done what effectively she had been sent to do, otherwise why would they have met? Judging by the expressions showed in his eyes, she knew she had opened a door to him a new door… she had shown him what just talking to a stranger can do… hopefully, he could learn from this and build a new life.

Looking at her watch she winced, 'Man Lee's gunna be mad,' she thought. 'Oh well it was worth it.'

Getting up, she saw Tala look at her a bit startled explaining to him, "I have to go, my brothers going to kill me it's late."

Nodding, he got up as well.

"Yeah I should head back the rest of the guys are probably thinking where I am… well actually I don't know if they are… we're all pretty alike."

"Well, maybe it's up to you to show them."

Seeing at this sent him into a deep concentration she started towards the exit, when she turned and said, "Hey maybe if your not doing anything tomorrow, you would like to hang out with err, me and the rest of the guys?"

"I don't know, maybe their still mad at me."

"Well you have to start somewhere right?"

"Right."

Smiling, she turned ready to depart, when she heard her name being called,

"Hey Mariah?

"Yeah?"

"I lied; I did know who the White Tigers were."

Laughing, she waved by and shouted over her shoulder, "Bye, see you tomorrow."

Tala watched her leave and turned to leave himself, 'Maybe she was right…"

On the way home Mariah could help feel happy, yet still there was something nagging at her, 'Wow I haven't felt this happy since… I last talked to Ray… Ray?"

It was funny because usually when she thought of Ray she would go into a fit of blushing, yet this time nothing just as if he was just another friend.

Shaking it off as just a moment thing because she was so happy she helped someone, she ran to the hotel unaware at the drastic change that was about to happen in her life… it was almost as if the meeting changed them… maybe inadvertently rescuing them both.

TBC