Zoltar: Hey! Guess what!

Darren: (glares) what.

Zoltar: I'ma kill you! (chases)

Darren: (runs) why does the world hate me so? Zoltar doesn't own Beyblade.

Maybe...

Chapter 12

"So after all you've explained to me, the conclusion is that Marisa is a German royal who grew up in a broken home?" Bryan asked a rather annoyed and tired looking Michelle.

"Yes..." she yawned. "Any other questions?"

"Just one," he said. "What the hell is that?" he pointed to the score boards.

'Shit!' Michelle thought. "Uh, that... th-that's just a game me and Tala made, yea..." 'Dumbass! Why didn't I put that away?' she mentally slapped herself. She felt so stupid.

"A game..." Bryan said. "Right..." he walked out of the room. 'She's definitely up to something.'

&&&&&&&&&&

-!- 3 Days Later -!-

Liz walked down the cold Moscow streets. "Damn, why do they have to live so far from the airport?" she asked herself. She had her keyboard in it's case and slung around her shoulder to where it was positioned on her back. Her other two bags were just a nusance seeing as she was walking and it was snowing.

"Where do they live again? Oh yeah. 149 Stromu Circle. That's the rich neighborhood if I'm not mistaken." She rounded one last corner and sort of let out a sigh.

"Away from Johnny.... this will work." She walked over to the door and slammed her fist on it. Rather hard fo 4:30 in the morning.

"Somebody answer the fucking door!" a voice from inside called.

"Fine! Geez, you don't have to steal Christmas Bryan!" came another voice. The door opened to reveal a slightly clad, rather annoyed and sleepy looking Marisa. "It's four thirty in the fucking Ra-forsaken morning. Why do you want to die mortal?"

Liz sighed and put on her best 'I'm sad' face. "I don't have any friends!" she said. "Everybody hates me!"

You could vaguely hear Marisa mumbling something akin to "Thay have reason to." when Michelle came down the stairs shouting at Marisa. "Stop verbally harrasing people!" she stopped when she saw Liz.

"Lizzy-san?" she asked, eyes wide. "What are you doing here?"

"You tell me," Liz said. She stood in the doorway, waiting to be let in, when Marisa flicked her off and walked away. She walked in and shut the door. Marisa mumbled something about needing a pick-me-up.

"Where should I put my stuff?" Liz asked

Michelle pointed up the stairs to a spare room. "In there."

"So, how has life foresaken you lately?" Liz asked after she had put her stuff away and they were alone in the spare room.

Michelle sighed. "I think they're up to something."

Liz's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Oh, do you?"

&&&&&&&&&

Bryan sat alone in the kitchen. Just him, and a mug of hot cocoa. It was snowing outside, so Tala was most likely going to cancel practice. Tala had figured that they shouldn't push themselves if there wasn't a guy with a whip looming over them smirking evilly, so he sometimes cancelled practice fo miniscule reasons.

A noise from the other side of the kitchen made him look up from the facinating figures his marshmallows were making. It was Marisa. She got out a mug and made herself a glass of cocoa. She sat next to him and there, they sat in silence.

"It was Liz." Marisa said suddenly.

"hm." he said. "Can she play?"

"Yeah, the best there is. When it comes to keyboards and synths." she replied.

They sipped from their mugs in an akward silence before Marisa stood up. "I'm gonna go change." she said.

It was true. She needed to change. All she was wearing was a black tank top, that would suit better as a sports bra than a tank top but still, and a pair of black sleep pants with smiley faces on them. The smileys were wearing bandannas. Bryan couldn't help but think of what the view would be like from upside down.

"You shouldn't think like that." she said glaring at him.

"Can you read minds too?" he asked sarcastically.

"No, but eyes are pretty simple tools. Yours," she waved her hand in front of his face. "are filled with longing, lust, and a few X rated thoughts I'd rather not talk about." she shuddered. "It's really disturbing."

"Well maybe you should stick to your own eyes and leave mine out of this!" He said. In his mind that sounded cool and witty. Out loud it sounded pathetic. 'Danm girrl, she's making me angry.'

"Maybe if you wouldn't look at me like that!" Marisa said.

"Like what? You don't like it when guys stare at you because of your beauty? Are you self consious Marisa? Do you not like it when guys think you're hot princess?" he practically shouted.

"Not guys I like..." she whispered.

"What was that? Trying to hide something from me?" he moved towards her. "You really are beautiful though. It wouldn't surprise me if there were guys out there who go to bed thinking about you or your friends..." he whispered in her ear.

Marisa couldn't remember what happened next, but something came over her that she couldn't control. She opened her eyes to see Bryan clutching his cheek and her hand in the follow through for a slap. It wasn't hard for her to figure out what had happened.

"Bryan," she said. Moving a bit closer towards him. "I'm so-" he cut her off.

"It's ok." he said. "I was ot of line. I should have known that you would never think about me like..." he stopped and took his eyes off the ground to glare at her. "You hate me." he stated as if it were well known.

"I do?" Marisa asked.

"It's impossible for anyone to like me, so out of all reasoning, you hate me." he stated again.

"Bryan I don't hate you." Marisa said angrily.

"Yes you do!" He said. 'But just wait. I'll change that. I'll make you fall for me Marisa. I will.' he thought. He looked her in the eyes this time. He could see the remnants of her fury by seeing the spark of red in the normally grey orbs. "You should go change."

She tried to move, but couldn't. Her eyes were locked in a stare with his beautiful lilac gaze. "What do I see in you?" she muttered as she exited.

"I don't know." 'What do you?'

Zoltar: this took me forever to type! As I post this, I've already got 22 of 25 chapters done. But not typed. Yes there will be only 25 chapters. Aw! You all have to cry now!

Readers: (cry tears of joy) MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!

Darren: yay!

Zoltar: (glares)

All: (back away slowly...)