Huge thankyous go to:
X Shadow Wolf X2 - I didn't realise about the anonymous reviews thing but it's fixed now, and I hope you keep reading!
cookie crumbs - thanks so much for reading and adding me to your favourites list! I hope you like the rest of the story hugs

I really like this chapter, but it's quite sad. Also, I've realized I should probably have a disclaimer, so here it is:
I don't own beyblade, but I do own my OC Albina, so no stealing! Unless I give you permission- I'd be happy to let people use her in their stories

If you are reading this story, please review because reviews make me happy!

Chapter 3 - Corruption and Capture

That night had been good and bad in different ways. She'd had her first night of her life sleeping indoors- and whilst she enjoyed the thin blanket they provided, the cell was almost as cold as it was outside, yet there was something new to disturb her sleep- the awful, unfamiliar feeling of being trapped. It was only now that she realized that she liked sleeping outdoors, being able to feel the gentle wind on your forehead and to see the calm night sky. And then there were the boys she shared her cell with. To her dismay, Tala wasn't in the same one, and she felt totally isolated from the threatening group. The boys either ignored her or insulted her, and she kept quiet, her arms folded, her head down and her eyes closed- she wanted to appear like she didn't care. Rather than change in front of them, she wore her uniform to bed and slept restlessly, wondering whether company and a place to belong were really worth sacrificing her old life for.

The next day, she had to go and register her name and details in the Abbey's databank- she definitely hadn't thought this far; a boy wouldn't be called Albina, would he? But she didn't want to change her name - it was the only thing that her parents had left her, and she'd clung to it with all her heart, all her life. For this reason, she decided to just tell the truth when it came to recording her name. She tried to make her voice seem a little more boyish.
"Albina? What kind of a name is that?"
Albina stayed silent, staring defiantly into the hood. That was perhaps the worst thing about being here- all the men were completely faceless, and when you needed to glare into your torturer's eyes, there weren't any eyes to look into.

"Fine, now get out of my sight." Albina gratefully took her silent leave and started towards the first training session of the day. To her horror, it was push-ups, and she couldn't do them to save her life. Again and again the coach's whip lashed out and cracked over her white back, leaving angry red stripes down it. But she was determined not to let her pain show, and she continued to strain her muscles. However, the day dramatically improved when it came to her first beyblade match. True, she had never tried using it against someone, but now her launch was so fast and precise that she won every single battle against the other new additions to the school within the first few seconds! And then came the second shock of the day- the opponents that she beat were immediately dragged out of the training room, to where she did not know. An older boy whispered in her ear- "You know, they never come back..."

"Well I'm glad that I won then." She retorted, desperate not to sound scared. Like Tala said- you couldn't show weakness. To survive in this place, you had to be strong and uncaring, and that's exactly what she was going to be.

For months the same routine continued, her only release from the routine being when she managed to find Tala some nights when they would have long conversations; about each other, their pasts, and about the other people at the Abbey.
"You know, you remind me of someone." Tala said unexpectedly.
"Really? Who?" Albina couldn't imagine that there could be anyone like her in the world.
"A boy. He ran away from the Abbey the day that you arrived."

Realization. He was the boy she'd seen running out of the gates- her diversion! Now she could understand why he'd wanted to leave...
"Why? What was his name?"
"Kai- he's the president of Biovolt's grandson, apparently. He's so quiet when he's with a crowd, but he opens up once you're alone with him. And, you look a bit like him. He had pale skin too, though not as pale as yours, and you have the same eyes- weird." Kai- why was that name so familiar to her? Was it just because she'd heard the other boys talking about him? "Mind you, I never liked him that much. He always had to 'be the best' at everything. Especially beyblading- he beat me every time, and it was so infuriating! He's the only person in the abbey that I couldn't beat." Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to her.

"Tala, let's have a beybattle, right now!" Her eyes were glinting dangerously, and she could feel some raw emotion bubbling up inside her- though she couldn't understand what it was.
"Albina- isn't that a bit dangerous? A guard could come walking down here any moment..."
"Come on, I've been whipped so many times today that a few more times wouldn't make any difference. Don't be such a girl, it's pathetic!!" Tala shivered at that. It was just the kind of thing that Kai used to say to him. He was beginning to wonder just what kind of beast was lying underneath the young girl's innocence and cloudy past.
"You're a girl."
"Shh! Well let me prove that I'm just as good as you.." Convinced, Tala pulled out his blade and secured it to his launcher. This would be easy, right?

"Let it rip!" Albina whispered savagely, pulling the ripcord with surprising strength and launching her blade just right, so that it slammed the top of Tala's. The two blades clashed once more and Tala's began to wobble- Albina's blade was amazingly fast and precise, gnawing at Tala's blade like an animal. It was over in a matter of seconds, Tala's blade lying on the cold stone.

Tala staggered back in shock. "I... I can't believe you just did that. It's impossible."
"Hn. I told you didn't I?"
"No, this is freaky. You attack just like Kai.." Albina was beginning to tire of this. All he'd talked about for the past half hour was about this boy who she didn't even know, as if she were his twin or something.
"Grrr, will you stop going on about Kai! Was he your boyfriend or something? Can't you accept that I just beat you by being ME?"
"I already told you, I HATE Kai! And I'm not going to accept losing to a little girl!!!" They were both shouting now. "I want a rematch!" Albina bristled at Tala's childishness.

"FINE!" She screamed, launching her blade with a ferocious tug. Her blade ricocheted off the stone wall as her voice reverberated down the corridor. Suddenly there were footsteps, and then a sharp pain shot through her scalp as she felt herself lifted and held up by her hair. Immediately regretting getting so mad at her only friend, she looked over at him and saw he was being held too, and another goon was holding both their blades.

"That was some fine beyblading there, little girl." An oily voice slipped into her ear. She could feel it's unbearable hot breath on her scar. "As for your boyfriend-" He continued, tilting his hood towards his sweet, anguished face- "we're NOT impressed." Albina was so angry. So angry at getting caught and so angry with this revolting place, which somehow used this anger to turn you against your friends. She felt it bubbling inside her like a volcano- how had she let herself become this? "I think this calls for a little trip to the boss's office, yes?" Tala and Albina looked at each other, apology written all over their faces. If only they hadn't let their anger and competitiveness get the better of them- it was what the Abbey wanted!

Tala and Albina were dragged up two flights of stairs by their ears and hair until they reached a black door, which opened to reveal a tall figure, dressed in black and wearing a mask rather than a hood.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Albina...you may call me Boris."