So almost everyone is trying out for a sports team at school (so I can develop their characters some more).  I want some reviews before I put up the next chappie…^_^

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 2: Showing Off Skills

 "Try kicking the ball Tyson," Kai said sarcastically, "Unless you're trying to round up a dust ball, you're pathetic."

Tyson glared at Kai and then fell when he ran for the ball.  Kai rolled his eyes and slammed the soccer ball straight into the net. 

Cassandra hurried over to help Tyson up, "Just try again Tyson.  It's okay."

Max wasn't doing much better, sure he could at least kick the ball, but his passing was way off.  Kai sighed, at this rate he wasn't going to get much practice.

"Hi there Kai," Tala called.

"Oh hey," Kai said grumpily, "These losers are driving me nuts.  I can't practice!"

Tala glanced at Tyson, who fell in a heap, and Max, who had given up and was glancing around the field, and laughed.  "I'll run a few drills with you." Tala offered, "I thought Johnny and Ray would be here."

"Johnny was going to come," Kai said, "But he decided at the last minute to tryout for tennis instead.  And Ray chose basketball over soccer.  I'm not straining myself here, I'm saving that for the fencing tryouts, I heard it'll be quite tough to get in."

"WHAT?" Tala groaned, "YOU're trying out for fencing too?  Oh man, I am NEVER going to get in now.  You, Johnny, Enrique, Robert, Ray, they're all trying out!  I better focus on making this team."

"You never know," Kai said, dribbling the ball and kicking it in the net, "You forgot Carly's trying out too."

"But she's girl," Tala said, "Why is she trying out?"

"You've only known her for a week since you just transferred here, but you don't wanna mess with that girl," Kai warned, "She and Johnny are going to be the ones to beat if you wanna make the team.  Good luck."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile…at the tennis court…

            SMASH!!!  "And that's game point!" Holly said triumphantly, "Your loss."

Emily clutched her racket angrily, "It was only one game, I'll beat you next time."

"Oh, I'm sure you will," Holly said mockingly, "I'll be waiting, anytime."  Emily stomped away; Holly made a face after her.

"Wow, nice work there!" Willow giggled, "That got her steam running.  Hi Kailee, how are you doing?"

"Okay," Kailee said nervously, "I lost a few matches."

"That's okay," Willow said kindly, "Everyone loses some, I lost a couple.  Holly's the real champion tennis player here, she even beat Carly."

"Betcha can't beat Johnny," Carly put in, wiping sweat from her forehead, "I can't, but then again, if I could I would've beaten you, but I didn't so…anyways I wanna save myself for fencing, it's gonna be wicked!  Anyone of you trying out?"

"For fencing?" Holly wrinkled her nose, "Not really, I'm already on Student Council, I'm pretty sure I'll make the tennis team, and then I play volleyball as well…beside sword play doesn't really appeal to me."

"Fighting IS fun," Carly insisted, "Oh, wait, here comes the coach, she's gonna announce who made the tennis team."

"You girls were all great, it was definitely a hard choice," the coach said, "I could only pick five.  So, team captain will be Holly-"

"See?  You're the champ girl!" Willow said, high-fiving Holly, "Captain of the team!"

Emily's mouth dropped opened, "HER???  That's SO unfair!!!!!"

The coach then picked Carly, Willow, Emily, and another girl.

Kailee looked disappointed, "I didn't make it…I tried really hard…"

Willow put a comforting arm around her shoulder, "It's okay, there's always next year."
Carly looked at the horizon, "Well…I am going to be kinda busy with fencing and student council…"  The other girls looked at her.  "You could play instead of me."

"REALLY???" Kailee exclaimed, "REALLY???  You'd do that?"

Carly looked a bit irritated, "I don't mind, I mean, I was gonna try out for soccer anyways, I just thought I'd practice a bit of tennis so Johnny wouldn't burn out the ball every time we play.  Besides, hitting a ball in a short skirt isn't exactly my dream uniform.  I'll tell the coach.  You're just as good as any of us Kailee, you just need to practice more.  Get Holly to run you though some drills, it'll do you good.  I wanna focus on fencing anyways, I'll push through in soccer."

"Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!" Kailee squealed, "This is so great!"

"Let's go check out the basketball team," Willow said, "Ray's trying out there."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "How did it go Ray?" Willow called.

Ray wiped his forehead with his towel, "Great, I'm team captain, you made the tennis team I bet."

"Yeah…" Willow said, blushing a bit, "Holly made team captain."

"Awesome," Ray said, "Hey, I'll catch up with you in a bit, okay?  I'm gonna change and make a run for the fencing team.  You wanna meet me there?"

"Sure," Willow said sweetly, "I'd love to."

"How cute," Carly laughed.

Willow looked confused, "What's cute?"

"You two!" Holly giggled, "Isn't it, like, soooo obvious?"

"????????????????????????????????????" Willow's attention turned elsewhere and her smile turned into a frown.

"Something up?" Kailee asked.

"It's Mariah, again," Willow muttered, "Why can't she leave Ray alone for one second?"  They watched as Mariah hurried after Ray and started talking to him like they were the only people on this planet.

"Mariah's nice," Carly said, "You're just capital J."

"Capital J?" Willow asked, looking annoyed, "J?"

"J as in jealous," Carly replied.

"Me?  Jealous?  Get real!" Willow tossed her hair, "I'm just annoyed at her that's all!  Why would I be jealous?"

"Reasons beyond my understanding," Carly said, "Can we PLEASE go????!!!!  I'm gonna miss fencing!"

"Let's go, let's go," Holly urged.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 "You are, like, a total loser you know!" Carly snapped, "Why don't you just turn around and crawl back into the hole you came out of?"

"Excuse me?  I will not be insulted by you.  You are talking to a noble knight," Robert said haughtily, "I would advise you to show some respect for your superiors."

"SUPERIOR????  YOU???? RESPECT?????" Carly yelled, cracking her knuckles, "Oh yeah?  I'll teach you some respect…"  She threw her arm back for a punch and –  "Hey!  Let me go!"

Johnny relaxed his hold on her wrist, "Easy there Carly, you don't need another suspension form."

Carly shook away and crossed her arms, "It's not my fault he's such a JERK!  Johnny, why-"  Carly brightened, "Oh hi Johnny!  Did you make the tennis team?"

Johnny looked at her quizzically, "What do you think?"

"You burned a few balls?" Carly guessed, smiling sweetly.

"Don't be cute," Johnny snickered, "Of course I made the team, captain too."

Carly pushed Holly forward, "Well, say hello to the girls' tennis team captain."

Johnny nodded, grinning, "I thought so.  Great going Holly."

"Thanks, you too," Holly said, "I'm just happy I beat Emily to it."

"Maybe you can burn a few balls with Holly so I won't have to get killed all the time," Carly suggested ironically.

"That's great Holly, "Kai said, coming up with Tala, Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Ray, "I knew you would.  Tala and I made the soccer team, but I'd rather not comment Tyson and Max's performance."

Carly looked around, "Gee, is the whole school here?  I never thought this would be such a hit."

"Hey guys!" Enrique called, "I don't think you've met my girlfriend yet.  This is Aquana."

"How can we meet your girlfriend?" Carly demanded, "Or should I say girlfriends??  You have a different one each day!"

"Hi Aquana," Willow greeted, "Nice to meet you."

"Hi," Aquana said shyly, "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, me too," Carly added, "Hopefully he'll settle down with this girl."

"Put a lid on it Carly," Johnny said, "I had it up to here with your sarcasm today.  It's too much already."

"Well, who's the King of Sarcasm?" Carly snapped back, "As I recall…"

"Yeah, excuse me while I bow to you," Johnny growled.

"Stop it," Holly said, stepping between them, "You two are impossible, in fact you're so alike, you clash, just leave it for now, okay?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "We'll start," the coach said, "Carly, since you were the one who proposed this whole thing, you're up first, against Robert."

"ROBERT????"  Carly gasped, looking shocked.  When she saw Robert all dressed and ready, she burst out into laughter, "He's trying out?????  This is so ridiculous!"  Carly cleared her throat and put on a fake smile, "Sorry."  She took a fencing sword and stood in position.

Holly, Willow, Kailee, Cassandra, Aquana, Emily, and Mariah were all watching the fencing tryouts.  Holly winced when Carly quickly disarmed Robert and sent his sword flying in midair, "How does she do that?"

"This is uncouth!" Robert exclaimed, "I demand a rematch."

"Sure," Carly said, sneering, "Bring it on tough guy."

"Sorry Robert, we don't have time," the coach said, "Kai, you're against Enrique."

"What???" Carly stared at Enrique, "You're trying out too?????  I'm totally expecting the sky to cave in any moment now…"

"Very funny, "Enrique said dryly, "This is the hottest sport yet, girls will totally dig me if I'm on it."

"Geez!  Settle down with Aquana already, except I'm not sure you deserve a nice girl like her," Carly sat back on the sidelines while Robert disappeared in rage.

"Go Kai!" Holly and Kailee cheered.

"This is sooooooooo exciting," Kenny said, "It's going to be an excellent article for the school newspaper!"

So, one by one, people were eliminated from the tryouts and few talented students remain.  No doubt, Carly and Johnny were the best at it and they dueled in the end.  Johnny won, no surprise there.  When the coach announced the fencing team, it was Johnny, Carly, Kai, Tala, and another guy.

"Chill out Carly," Johnny coaxed, "Come on girl, don't be mad."

"Hmph!" Carly tossed her stuff in her backpack.

"Nice show Johnny," Holly said, "Don't be so mad Carly, you made the team too."

"HMPH!"

Kai and Holly sweatdropped.

"Maybe we should let her calm down for a while," Enrique suggested, "We all know that Carly hates being beaten in front of everyone."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Anyhow, the whole group of friends (meaning Kai, Ray, Tala, Enrique, Max, Johnny, Carly, Holly, Willow, and Kailee). met outside the school to go their separate ways home.

"I am so glad Robert didn't make the fencing team," Carly said, rolling her eyes, "What's his problem?"

"You're his problem," Johnny teased.

Carly tossed her hair flippantly, "I'm not talking to you."

"Uh-oh, what did I do now?" Johnny said.

Carly pulled faces at Johnny, her green eyes sparked anger.  Johnny sighed and backed off.

"Great, you two fighting is like the worst storm in the world," Kai said, "It's enough to create ten natural disasters!"

"Kai," Carly said impatiently.

"What?" Kai asked, grinning.

"You're not funny," Carly said icily.

"I was being sarcastic," Kai corrected.

"You're still not funny."  Carly said, throwing him a dirty look.

"What is that Willow?" Holly asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Oh, it's a list of supplies we need to get for the dance that's coming up," Willow said, giggling, "It's going to be so much fun!"

"A dance?" Carly demanded, "We're having a dance?  For what?  Why?"

Holly sighed, "Carly, haven't you ever heard of Valentine's Day?"

"I suppose that's another sarcasm fired my way," Carly muttered.

"Actually I was being sincere, you were the one that was sarcastic," Holly said, "It's the annual Valentine's dance, we have one every year.  The student council holds it, you're on the council with us, you should know about it."

"Yeah, I was explaining at our meeting yesterday," Willow reminded Carly patiently, "Remember?"

Carly thought back, "Hmmm…ohhhhhh…sorry, I wasn't really listening, I was talking to Mariah."

Everyone sighed.

"So we're really having a dance?" Carly asked, wrinkling her nose, "Didn't we have one, like, a month ago or something."

"That was the winter ball," Ray replied, "Don't you remember?"

"Remember?" Carly pouted, "I can't even remember what happened this morning.  All I know it that Johnny beat me in front of everyone!"  She glared at Johnny angrily, who held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm thinking of doing something special," Willow said, "You know, to make it more memorable.  I'll have to get these decorations first though."

Ray reached over and looked at the list, "I can get'em for you, I have to go get my photos developed today anyways.  I'll pick these things up for you along the way, if that's okay with you."

"Oh, that would be great!" Willow said, "Thank so much Ray!"

"I love dancing," Kailee said happily, "Don't you Kai?'

Kai made a face, "DANCE?"

Carly still looked grumpy, but she smiled at Kai's expression.

"I think dancing's fun," Holly said.

"Think of all those pretty girls there," Enrique said dreamily.

"You guys are all screwed up," Carly muttered, "I guess as a member of the student council I have to take part somehow.  I'll design computer graphical posters for the event and hang them around the school, okay Willow?  Holly? When is Valentine's Day anyways?"

Johnny couldn't help a snicker.  Carly looked furious at him, like she was about to kill him.  "Hey, chill out," Johnny said, laughing, "Don't take it so seriously."

Kai decided to jump in, "Okay, quit it Johnny, she's blow a casket if you say one more word."

"That would be great Carly, "Willow said hurriedly.

"Yeah, your designs are always wicked," Holly said quickly before Johnny could say anything else.

Suddenly a car pulled up and a girl stepped out with a bag in her hand, sighing.

"Hru?  Is that you?" Kai called, "Hey!  Hru, over here!"

The girl brightened, "Kai!  Hey, wow, never thought I'd be seeing you here.  Awesome, this'll really make my day.  Holly!  Hi!  You're here too?  Oh hi Kailee, it's been a while."

"Hru!" Kailee squealed in excitement, "It's soooooooo nice to see you again."

"What are you doing here?" Holly asked, looking puzzled.

"Oh, we just moved in the neighborhood," Hru explained, "I'm registering for your school.  Oh my gosh, is that Carly?"

"Hi Hru," Carly said grumpily, "It's been a while."

"Just what is happening here?" Ray asked.

"Oh guys, this is Hru," Holly said, "She's an old friend of Kai and mine, we grew up together, but then we each went our separate ways.  It's awesome to see you again!  How she knows Carly, I have no clue."

"We met at the Championship Beyblader's ceremony," Hru explained, "We've been keeping in touch for a while."

"Hru, this is Ray, Willow, Max, Johnny, Enrique and Tala – wait, where's Tala?" Kai shrugged, "Guess he left without saying anything, you'll meet him tomorrow.  And keep your distance from Enrique."

"Oh, I know Enrique and Johnny," Hru said, "I met them at the ceremony as well, Oliver and UGLY Robert too."

"That's what we both agree on," Carly added, "U-G-L-Y!"

"I've gotta get home now," Ray said, "I've got things to do…bye guys!"

"I'll go register, see you later!" Hru said.

"We should go too Kai," Kailee said, "Bye bye Max.  Come on Carly."

Carly started walking without a word to Johnny, but she did say goodbye to the others.

"Fine, don't say bye to me," Johnny said, making a face, "See ya guys!"

"Bye," Holly said, half watching as Willow and Ray said goodbye to each other.  The group dispersed.

A voice in the wind whispered, "You have a hard life to lead…may destiny guide you though your hardships…your adventure starts soon…and the fate of the world depends on your survival…"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That's it!  Please review, I want REVIEWS *yells loud enough for half of the world to hear*, I mean, what's the point of me writing if no one comments?  It's about to get interesting…just you wait and see.

PS: If you like Beyblade, check out my site @ www.geocities.com/ice_archergirl/.  Thanx!