Chapter One

Fire Vs Ice

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"Kai, you will listen to me!" Voltaire's eyes were a hard, glittering yellow as he backhanded Kai across the face. The young man stumbled back, holding his arm protectively in front of his face, glaring at his Grandfather. There was a livid red mark splashed across his pale cheek.

"Grandfather..."

"Silence! You will give up this simpleton's dream of a Beyblade team! Your Beyblading career exists to further my ends, and-"

"No, Grandfather. I'm... I like Beyblade, I'm really good at it, and I've worked so hard! You don't have the right-"

"The right, Kai? I have every right. I'm your legal guardian. You'd be surprised what legal guardianship gives you the right to do." Voltaire's eyes glimmered as if in fond memory. Kai felt almost sick. "Now, get out."

"But, Grandfather-"

"Get out!" Kai backed up slowly, his arms still held protectively in front of his face, his eyes fastened on Voltaire. He didn't let his eyes leave his Grandfather's until he reached the open doorway and bolted through it, followed for long, excruciating moments by Voltaire's cruel laughter.

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:Hey, Ice.:

Sakura's full lips quirked into a smile when she heard her brother's voice in her head.

:How's it going?:

She murmured softly, :Fine. I'm worried about this guy here... pretty good Beyblader, but he's kinda arrogant. Scary looking, too.:

:Kai Hiwatari?:

:You know him?:

:I know of him. Not the same thing. I picked the image out of your mind.: His voice became grave, and in her mind, she saw his cobalt blue eyes go dim. :Watch yourself around him, Sakura. I've heard he's good.:

:As good as us?:

:Ian fought against him a few years ago, said it was almost like he was Abbey trained. And Ian said he kinda looked familiar. I gotta admit, he wasn't too far off the mark. He does look familiar. He might be the Kai that Dad's always talking about.: Sakura bit her lip, and she felt Tala wince when he felt her pain. :Boshemoi! Doesn't that hurt?:

:Don't be such a wimp, love. And anyway, if he was an Abbey boy, I'd recognize him, and I don't. Proof is in the pudding.:

:Sakura, um...:

:What?:

:I saw... oh shit! Father's coming! I love you, gotta go!:

:Love you, Tala.:

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"Tala?" The other boy's voice was tight with fear.

"I know, I know, he's coming!"

"Tala-"

"Bryan, shut up! I know!" Sapphire eyes went icy pale.

"Tala! Boris... he found Sakura." Silence, then, "What?"

"He found her. She's living in the same place as the Baron! He talked to Boris, and they know where she is, and-"

"Shut up, Bryan! Where's Spencer and Ian?"

"They're coming."

"Then-" Bryan cut him off as his lilac eyes went glassy, murmuring, "Boris is coming down the hallway." Tala's blue eyes went wide with absolute terror.

"Shit! Okay, scram. I'll see what I can do to stay out of trouble."

"Stay alive, Tala."

"I'll try."

"Remember your sister."

"I'll always remember my sister," Tala whispered, watching Bryan slip through the secret door. "Always."

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'This guy is obviously highly skilled,' the girl thought to herself. Maybe this boy would make a worthy opponent, or at least be someone she wouldn't beat in five minutes. Almost everyone, it seemed, fit into the latter of those two categories these days.

She sighed, blew a lock of white-blue hair from out of her glittering, keen eyes. She watched eagerly as the boy's royal blue Beyblade slammed into huge cinder blocks, rendering them to nothing but fine, gray powder like ashes. He had immense strength, this boy with the blue shark fin tattoos on his pale, handsome face.

'He has grace,' she acknowledged thoughtfully, watching as what was once a ruthless, crude machine of destruction turned itself into a refined dancer, elegantly running back and forth along the thin edges of bricks. The blade spun on its course, gently tapping empty soda cans that did not wobble but merely fell with a small tink.

'This boy,' the girl thought, 'is very interesting.' He reminded her of her twin brother. Her twin was also a skilled Beyblader.

However, this boy was far more attractive than her twin. Kai was tall, just the way she liked them, with piercing amber eyes. He had muscle, another thing she liked. She could almost imagine herself cuddled in those strong, loving arms... whoa, whoa! She was getting a little bit too involved in that little fantasy, yes she was, she was going to leave that alone for now.

She turned her attention back to how skilled Kai was. Perhaps, if she wasn't underestimating him, this Kai Kaido Hiwatari, then a match with him might prove interesting.

'Indeed,' she thought, 'indeed, most interesting.' She walked away with a delighted smile on her beautiful face.

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-Are you alright, Little Master?-

Kai ignored Draanzer as he struggled to leash his anger. His body was trembling with outrage, and his heart felt like someone was crushing it in their fist. He didn't need Draanzer's pity making it worse.

-That's enough of that, Kai Kaido Hiwatari!-

"Draanzer-"

-Remain silent, Little Master. Do not let your Grandfather's abuse cause your anger to control you.-

"Draanzer."

-Little Master... dearest, darling Kai, be not troubled. One day you will be free of Voltaire's cruelty.-

"When, Draanzer?"

-Soon, I think, my darling.-

"You sound like... like my mother..." His voice began to slur as his eyelids began to droop. Just as crying often exhausted you, so too did the incredible struggle to hold back over a decade and a half of tears when depression threatened to get you in a choke hold and strangle you until you suffocated on the sadness.

Suddenly, the phone rang shrilly, but Kai stared at the ceiling with sleepy eyes and simply ignored it. He was in his room, lying on the comfortable black satin sheets of his bed, while one of his phones continued ringing.

-Maybe you should answer it, Master Kai,- Kai's other Bit Beast, and Draanzer's mate, Phoenix told him, his voice warm.

"No, Phoenix, I really don't want to." Kai yawned widely and rubbed his face, a sleepy, little kid gesture he'd gotten into the habit of and never lost.

-Little Master, it might spark your interest to answer, his favorite Bit Beast,- Draanzer, murmured softly in his mind. Her voice touched him the way a warm summer breeze touched him. He smiled when Draanzer's voice sounded.

He loved his Bit Beast's voice. It always made him think of Bianca Voltaire, his mother. That was the only time he thought of his mother, was when Draanzer was talking. It always made him feel so much better after the Baron Voltaire's cruel words and stinging blows.

Draanzer... I love you, Draanzer.

He blushed almost immediately as he 'pathed these words to the Phoenix Lady Bit Beast, just like he always did. He felt Draanzer's warm, blanket soft wings cover him for a second in a peculiar embrace, and he felt her glow with pleasure at his words.

-Little Master, the phone?-

The telephone was still ringing, so Kai finally picked it up and put the receiver to his ear, affecting his cold, bored voice, the voice he used with the Blade Sharks.

"What." The grunt-statement-question, the one that always made Carlos sweat when he used it, seemed to not affect the caller.

"Kai Hiwatari." It was not a question. The voice was deep and menacing, insidious like poison. It was an adult's voice. Somehow, Kai was certain that he'd heard it before. But, where?

"Yes," Kai said.

"There's a Beyblader you might want to pay some attention to."

"Why?" His voice was snappish.

"Someone from your past."

"My past? So what?"

"Someone who did not lose to you."

"You mean Tyson?"

"He's not exactly from your past, Hiwatari. And you defeated him once."

"Look, who the hell are you?"

"Kai Hiwatari, this particular Beyblader will intrigue you. She can defeat everyone in your little street gang, but whether she can defeat you remains to be seen."

"She? It's a girl?"

"Remember what I said, Hiwatari."

"But ... hey!" All he heard was a dial tone. "Dammit!" Immediately, he felt Draanzer's warm, motherly wings fold around him, soothing his fraying temper. "Thanks."

-Be calm, Little Master.-

Yes, Draanzer. I'm alright now.

-What was wrong?-

I just hate people being cryptic. So, Draanzer, did you hear all that? He felt her nod. What should I do, do you think?

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"So, you're Gabriel VonShreider. I've heard of you."

"And I've heard of you, Lady Daratrazanoff. I look forvard to Beybattling against a voman so skilled as you are vispered to be." The young man, his hair a shining crown of golden curls and his sky blue eyes set in a pale face, smiled at her. His voice was thick with his German accent.

"So, care to Beyblade, O Angel of Light?"

"But of course." Sakura stared at Gabriel, trying to figure out what had her back up. Was he secretly a child rapist or something? She usually had a sense for those kinds of people. It helped her avoid them.

-I sense something strange in him as well, Mistress.-

Don't do anything rash, Hounborg.

-I follow your commands, Mistress.-

Are you ready for this, do you think? You and Polly?

-Of course, Mistress.-

Don't call me Mistress, you guys.

-Yes, Mistress.-

"Three..." Gabriel murmured warmly, his voice sliding over her like the gentle touch of a dove's wings.

"Two," Sakura murmured, setting herself in a battling stance. Gabriel readied his launcher as he murmured, "One."

"Let it rip!" A pure white Beyblade and an ice blue Beyblade soared into the dish in the courtyard of St. Martin's Abbey. Both Bit pieces glowed with white light, and as they slammed and crashed against each other, shooting off sparks, the glow turned into a shining silver brilliance.

"Let's do it, then, you two!" Sakura's hair was blown out of her face by the whirlwind vortex created by the Bey energies, and Gabriel saw her brilliant blue eyes shining bright with excitement and the thrill of the match. Her Bit piece began to glow in a mix of black and white, and Gabriel tried not to shut his eyes against the luminescence of her power.

"Vonderful, Lady Daratrazanoff! Simply vonderful!"

"Fight me, don't babble at me!"

"And so I shall, Lady! Liangelicon, Hand of Fate!" And out of Gabriel's Bit piece rose a beautiful creature, one of the rare, Humanoid Bit Beasts, a tall, white goddess of a creature with a huge set of silver wings. This was an angelic Bit Beast, something so rare that it almost took Sakura's breath away.

-Mistress, do you need us?-

I'm fine, Hounborg. In a state unrevealed, but still at least twice as strong, you two can beat this boy and his Bit Beast.

Sakura closed her eyes, concentrating on her Beyblade and her beloved Bit Beasts.

Do this, now. Defeat him.

Two beams of light, one white and one black, shot up into the sky from the Bit piece as her Beyblade slammed hard into Gabriel's, sending it flying from the dish and crashing hard with bone crunching force into a wall of St. Martin's Abbey.

"Game over, Gabriel," Sakura murmured. She smiled and tucked her white blue hair behind her ears, revealing her shining eyes. Her face was flushed a soft, rosy pink from exertion and happiness.

"Game over, Lady. Did you enjoy the match?"

"Indeed I did, Mr. VonShreider. Well done."

"And you, Lady Daratrazanoff."

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"Hey, Chief, did you see her?" Tyson stared at the retreating figure of the blue eyed Beyblader whose pale blue hair wafted on the wind, and that still glowed faintly with the power of her Bit Beasts. Her knee-length, shimmering white skirt swirled around her legs and her loose, midnight blue tunic rippled in the wind. Tyson could still hear the click of the heels on her blue, knee high boots. He had never seen anyone so beautiful, or anyone so calm and strong in the face of a Beyblade match.

"I saw her alright, Tyson. Only the Blade Sharks have ever defeated Gabriel VonShreider. He's one of the best BeyBladers in the city, and he started teaching himself at the age of four how to Beyblade. He's been doing it longer than either of us."

"And she beat him. She beat him, Chief." Tyson's dark, steel blue eyes were star bright with admiration. "How did she do it, Chief?"

"I don't know, Tyson. I just don't know." Right at that moment, Max Tate ran up to Tyson and Kenny, his sky blue eyes lit up from within.

"Tyson! Kenny! Did you just see her? She was utterly brilliant! She was absolutely ,totally spectacular!" Max was jumping up and down, his blond bangs falling into his eyes.

"Calm down, Maxxie! Yeah, we saw her! Do you know who she is?"

"Haven't a clue, Tyson, but she beat Gabriel VonShreider! In less than ten minutes! And it took you forever to just gain enough... enough whatever to beat him! Dang! She's... she's... I want her autograph. Think she'd give me one?"

"No," Kenny said, typing away furiously at his computer. "She's probably famous."

"So?"

"Don't get your hopes up, Max."

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"Well, Rei, what did you think of her? That was quite a Beybattle, you know. She's a formidable young lady, isn't she?" Mr. Dickinson glanced sideways at the quiet young man, whose golden eyes were trained on the girl walking away from St. Martin's Abbey. He took in everything he observed about her and told Mr. Dickinson nothing about what he inferred.

"Well?"

"She's in trouble." Mr. Dickinson started in surprise and stared at the boy, murmuring, "What exactly do you mean, Rei?"

"I can't explain it," he said, his voice slightly uneasy, "but she's in some kind of trouble. She walks around as if she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and her eyes looked hurt, for all she was so excited. She's in pain. It... it makes me hurt just looking at her." Mr. Dickinson stared at the younger man, his expression thoughtful. Rei's face was tight with anxiety. Was he really so worried about that girl? What was it that made him so suspicious?

When he looked back at the retreating girl, he couldn't help but imagine he saw some shadow that threatened, looming just out of sight.

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-Well, you've seen her, Little Master. Seen her in action. How does she compare to what you imagined from that stranger's warning?-

I thought she'd be older. She can't be more than fourteen.

-She's sixteen.-

How the hell do you know that?

-Her Bit Beast has the accumulation of sixteen years worth of power. Bit Beasts sense their partners at the time of the partner's birth, and begin to gain power as their partner matures.-

Oh. Huh. She's pretty good. It took me nine minutes to beat Gabriel.

-Do you think she's worthy of you, Little Master?-

Kai smirked as he slipped back into his room, locked the door, and flopped down onto his waiting bed. Oh, it was so soft, and he was so tired... As his body relaxed, his mind kicked into accelerated mode, thinking about the girl's battle, rerunning everything so he could examine every little detail

She's definitely worthy of me. Not that he would tell the girl that to her face... he couldn't do... that... he was so sleepy...

-I can sense something in her, something that resonates with something deep within you, my own little child. She will be very important to you, that she will.-

Kai didn't hear the Bit Beast. He'd already fallen asleep, curled up beneath the thick blanket, his Beyblade clutched like a teddy bear or security blanker in his fist.

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"Hey, Kai, um... could I... have a word?" The leader of the Blade Sharks turned to one of his teammates, Carlos, who looked worried. His anxiety increased when Kai turned his cold, amber stare upon the younger boy. Carlos knew his leader didn't like being disturbed unless it was extremely important.

"What." It wasn't really a question when Kai asked it. It was more of a statement, barely more than a grunt that told you he knew you existed, and that you were annoying him. "What, Carlos." Another statement-question.

Carlos felt his heart start tripping.

"I've been hearing rumors..." Carlos trailed off when Kai gave him an I-don't-really-care-why-the-fuck-are-you-bothering-me look. He slipped off his red bandana and began massaging the back of his neck, his dark brown eyes cast to the floor. How was he going to say this? He could sense Kai's growing impatience, something only a fool would knowingly provoke, so the boy rushed to continue.

"There's some Beyblader, new here I guess, and he seems to be really good, because he beat Seth and Gabriel, those kids from the Church Orphanage, and it appears they've been saying..." He struggled to make it sound inviting without overdoing it.

"What?" This time, it was obviously a question, and an annoyed one. "What has this guy been saying, Carlos?"

"Basically, Boss, that he could kick your sorry ass anytime, anywhere, with both hands tied behind his back, using his pinkie toe. Exact words, Kai. This guy thinks you're small fish, I guess."

Kai looked totally taken aback, but only for such a brief instant that Carlos assumed that he'd just imagined it. When he actually took a good look at the leader of his team, Kai's slender, handsome face was cold and emotionless, like sculpted marble. Then he smiled. The smile was icy, without humor, and it made Carlos shiver.

"Both hands behind his back, huh? I guess we'll just have to see about that, then. Won't we, Carlos? Guess what? I've got an interesting plan. See, you and a few of the others are going to fight this Beyblader, Carlos. If that arrogant son of a bitch manages to beat any of you, or, even more unlikely, all of you, then I shall Beybattle against him. That's the plan, Carlos. Or does this plan not meet with your approval?" Kai's voice was cold and detached, his expression black. His eyes were half lidded and he looked a little sleepy. That was a danger sign.

"No," Carlos said hurried, "it's a good plan, I like it. See ya later, Kai!" Kai merely grunted and turned away. He didn't think this new Beyblader was anything special, honestly.

'A total waste of time, but it'll make those wimps feel better about still being top dogs on the streets, I suppose.'

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"Carlos, we're losing, for crying out loud!" Chris moaned as his blade flew into the air and neatly disassembled before falling to the ground at his feet. "No, my Beyblade! Look what you did to it, you stupid cow!"

"It's not like you can't put it back to-fracking-gether, you whining little Mama's boy!" Their opponent snapped, glaring with obvious disdain. 'They aren't even trying to beat me,' she thought to herself, 'how dare they... oh, this is such a waste of time!'

"I know we're losing, Chris, jeez! Just shut the hell up and start winning!"

"But my Beyblade-"

"Shut up, Chris! You're pathetic!"

"Easy for you to say, Carlos!"

"She's a push over, just start blading like you mean it! Holy crap!"

"Carlos, ya gotta admit that this chick is pretty outrageous, man! Total Alpha!"

"Auro, Chris, Jasper, I don't give a rat's ass, she's not that great, now the three of you, shut the hell up and start Beyblading!"

"Will all of you fracking morons shut the hell up and start trying to beat me? We've only been blading for four minutes, come on! It's four of you against one of me! Why am I kicking your butts, huh?"

"Because we're not bothering to try!" As Carlos said this, Jasper's transparent crimson Beyblade and Auro's black blade flew into the air and fell apart, landing at their feet.

"Fan-fucking-tabulous, Carlos!" The girl snarled. "One thing I really don't like, are people so fracking lazy and arrogant that even when they're losing against a girl they refuse to at least try a teensy bit harder! You're just so fan-fucking-tastic! I wonder what Kai would say to that! You lot are such fracking bums!"

"Watch your mouth, you stuck up bitch!"

"Bite me, Carlos!"

God, this infuriated her. Not only did they underestimate her because she was a girl, but because of pride, they wouldn't even try any harder, even though they were losing. This wasn't a true Beybattle. This was a slaughter, and a pointless one. It was damn fracking annoying! Gosh, what an idiot!

"I'm taking you down!" Carlos yelled.

"Fat chance, Carlos! Let's do it!"

Her icy blue Beyblade glowed a brilliant black as it slammed hard into Carlos' Beyblade and knocked it out of the ring. Her own blade flew into her hand, and she slid it into the pocket of her skirt. She turned to walk away from the Dish.

"Hold it, you obnoxious, snotty cow!" Sakura stopped dead and whirled around to face Carlos, who glared at her, his lips curled into a hateful sneer. "I'm not finished with you yet, bitch."

"Call me that again and you'll figure out how vicious I can be, Carlos. Tread carefully. Very carefully." Her voice was like ice, and it turned his blood to winter spring water. Ice water? No, never ice water, nothing so clunky and graceless, but smooth, sweetly flowing spring water in the bleakest, coldest winter, somehow still unfrozen but bitterly cold and bone chilling.

"Listen up, girlie. You're going to face me now."

"No, I'm not."

"You will, dammit!"

"No. Carlos." He looked at her coldly. She saw that the other boys were listening also. "Never underestimate an opponent, no matter what the reason. And always try your best. You may not get a second chance." With that, she turned and walked away, not looking back. The boys stared after her, that beautiful Beyblading champion with the long, ice blue hair and the deep blue eyes. They weren't soon to forget her.

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"So? What happened, Carlos?" Kai's cold, malevolent voice made the other boy shiver with something akin to fear. Would Kai hurt him for what he was about to say?

"She... well, you see, the Beyblader turned out to be..."

"A girl?" Kai whispered menacingly. "I know she's a girl. I didn't tell you to report things I already knew. I want you to tell me things I don't know. You lost to her, didn't you?"

"Y-yes, we... we tried, Kai, we did-"

"Liar! Liar, Carlos, you're a liar!"

All of a sudden, Carlos' legs turned to the weakest jelly, and he sank to the ground, trembling violently and whimpering in distress. He prayed Kai wouldn't give him over to Jynxi, she'd rip him apart, oh God...

"You lost! You said sending you to fight her was a good idea, and you lost! How dare you! You're a liar, Carlos!"

-Kai Hiwatari! Leash your temper!- Draanzer's reprimand was like a brutal slap across his face, or a sucker punch to the stomach, and it left him almost breathless. -Rein it in, Kai.- Her voice made him realize how close he was to snapping.

Kai clenched his fists, struggling to keep his anger down where he could control it. He was starting to sound like his Grandfather, and that was always a bad sign. He bit the inside of his cheek till it bled, and he slowly calmed down. He had to make Carlos understand this was unacceptable, but he didn't want to traumatize him.

"Kai, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please!"

"Shut up, Carlos," Kai said wearily. "Just... get out. Now, go, get out."

"Oh, Kai, I'm sorry, really-"

"Get out of here!" Carlos scrambled to his feet and bolted from the room as if Kai were after him with a bloody machete. As soon as the sound of his footsteps faded, Kai collapses onto a sturdy wooden box, the box he used for his "throne," and sighed, trembling with frustration.

"Are you okay, Boss?"

"Yes, Jynxi, thank you."

"Is there anything I can do for you, Kai?"

"I need you to deliver a message to someone for me." The lithe, raven haired Gypsy girl gave him a sensual pout as she muttered, "It's a girl, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's a girl. A potential rival, actually. Now, come on, will you do it?"

"Sure. What's the message?"

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Sakura spun three times in the air and landed gracefully, spinning on the tip of her skate blade upon the ice, her royal blue skirt flying out around her with the force of the rushing air. Gliding in a circle around the edge of the ice rink, she did a few laps around before swinging a figure eight and leaping across the ice in a beautiful pirouette.

Clapping stopped her almost in mid step, and she turned to see a girl with long, curling black hair and dark brown eyes, in a peasant top and a long, crimson skirt. In her ears were large hoop earrings and around her wrists and ankles were golden bangles. She stood gazing at Sakura with admiration and some amusement, clapping her hands almost sarcastically.

"Nice. Very nice. Perfect ten."

"Who the hell are you, Gypsy?"

The girl tried to mask her surprise at being recognized for a real Romanian and not some wannabe. This skater girl was obviously very observant.

"My name is Jynxie, and I have a proposition for you."

"Uh-huh. Not interested." Sakura turned to resume her skating practice. Jynxie smirked and murmured ever so sweetly, "Oh. Pity. Kai was so certain you would be." Sakura froze. "You do know Kai, don't you, Sakura?"

'How does she know my name?'

"Kai Hiwatari?" Sakura asked, just to be sure.

"Kai Voltaire Hiwatari."

Sakura shuddered and almost bit her tongue. She knew that name, Voltaire, and hated that name. Could this boy, this Hiwatari boy, really be related to someone as evil and sadistic as the Baron Voltaire? Sakura almost wanted to be sick. She had to fight a hideous wave of nausea as bile rose in her throat.

"What does Kai have to say to me, Gypsy girl?"

"That he offers you a challenge, Russian bitch."

"He called me a Russian bitch? Those were his words?"

Jynxie sneered, turning her face into a twisted parody of her normal beauty.

"No, I'm calling you a Russian bitch, bitch. Although what a fine, strapping Japanese-German lad like Kai would see in a Russian slut-"

"Oh, get bent. Tell him I accept, now go away."

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:So, you're gonna fight him.: Tala's voice was tight and controlled. Sakura knew he was trying to keep from snarling at her. Why was he suddenly so upset with her?

:Naturally: she murmured casually, wondering what was up. :Why, what's wrong?:

:Huh.: Tala sounded... almost angry. Now what was his problem? Sakura bit her lip, her constant nervous habit. :Stop biting your lip, it hurts!:

:Get out of my head, then. You sound... unhappy about me fighting against Kai.:

:I am unhappy about this. I know I've seen this guy before, but I can't think of where. And I'm picking up some hostility about him from you. It's got Wolborg and Kodiborg's hackles up. What about Kai Hiwatari has you so defensive? Rage and fear is rolling off of you in waves.:

:His name is Kai Voltaire Hiwatari.: Tala swore violently, so obscenely his sister blushed. He asked quietly, almost a whisper, :Is it... him? The Baron?: Tala's voice was suddenly brittle, as if it was about to crack. Sakura didn't answer for a moment, then murmured in a frightened voice, :I don't know. I'm scared, Tala. What if-:

:Sakura, Father's coming again. I think he's found a way to monitor our 'pathing! Listen, Dad and the Baron know where you are. Be careful. Especially of this... this Kai Hiwatari. Bye!:

:Tala!:

Silence.

:Tala...:

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Kai tied his ivory scarf carefully around his neck, and smoothed back his gray and blue hair. Slipping Draanzer and Phoenix's Beyblade into the pocket of his blue jeans, he grinned at his reflection in the mirror.

He was ready for her, this Sakura.

If that was even her real name. A lot of girls changed their names from things like Jane and Suzie to something sharp and cool sounding, like Raziel or Valentine. Or Sakura. Hmmm... interesting thing to find out.

Well, he was ready to fight her.

Let's do it, you two.

-We will defeat this girl, Master.-

Duh, Phoenix. Well, Draanzer?

-We will fight as if this battle was our last, and thus, we shall win.-

You're the greatest, Draanzer.

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-Are you ready, Mistress?-

No.

-But?-

I'm going to do it anyway. You know that, Hounborg.

-Oh, we know it, don't we, Polly?-

-Of course, Hounborg. We know you perfectly, Mistress.-

I know, Hounborg, Polaborg. It irks me. Oh, I need Tala. I've never fought someone so... so strong without him. I need Tala with me.

-Wolborg says Tala might be here.-

When, Hounborg?

-When he can, Mistress, if he can. Come, it's time. Are you ready?-

No. Let's go, then.

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So, that newbie had somehow managed to defeat Carlos and the other boys. Well, well. From what Carlos told him, his team of minions had underestimated this girl, and had let pride cloud their judgement.

'I hate when they do that,' he thought mildly to himself. 'Just because someone's deliciously pretty doesn't mean they can't Beyblade. In fact, it's usually the beautiful ones that are the most dangerous. Carlos should know that, just look at his sister. Ah, but this girl...'

He marveled at the prowess of this mysterious, new girl. Well, girls did tend to be a little better at Beyblading than males on their same skill level, after all. He grinned. It didn't matter, since he was probably way beyond her level. He would leave this blue-haired, blue-eyed beauty crying and choking on his dust.

He felt a pang of regret. He suddenly didn't want to make this girl cry. He stared at her, at her slender legs, her hourglass figure, didn't hesitate to regard her full, round breasts with discreet masculine interest. She had a swan's neck, and the face of an angel. Her lips were full and inviting, and he wondered absently how it would be to kiss those lips. She had the most brilliant, expressive blue eyes he'd ever seen in his life. But she was still his enemy, and he would defeat her, for all she was so beautiful.

"Ha, you think you can beat me, little girl?" He asked, looking this new girl over. At least she was pretty. Something nice to look at while winning, he supposed.

"I can at least try, can't I? Or are you scared of me, O Master of the Blade Sharks?" She grinned, defiance shining clearly in her cobalt eyes.

"Heh, heh. That's a good point. All righty, then. Let's see what you've got, little girl." The boy began to turn away to walk towards the dish, but the girl cried out suddenly, "Wait a sec!" The older boy turned to look over his shoulder, smirked, asking sarcastically, "Not having second thoughts, I hope, are you, little girl?"

"Oh, no. No, not at all, little boy. It's just that, you see, I always place a wager on my Beyblade matches. So if you win, then I shall hand my Beyblade over to you. However, if I win, if I beat you, then you have to hand your beautiful Beyblade over to me. Understand, little boy? And of course, if neither one of us wins, and it's a draw, though I don't see how it could be… then you get to take me out to dinner. Feel honored, Kai, trust me."

"Why in the name of Hell would I ever want do that?" The girl shrugged her thin, narrow shoulders, replying ever so casually, "Oh, golly gee willickers, I really honestly don't know, ya know, but I'm thinkin' as revenge, maybe."

"Revenge?" He asked skeptically. "Am I really that ugly? Seriously, why dinner?"

"Because, you would have the opportunity to make me suffer by forcing me into a disgusting, girly looking dress, making me look like a fluffy pink cupcake with Barbie legs, wearing hot pink high heeled shoes…" She shuddered at the thought. "God, it's disgusting, the endless possibilities. Yech!"

"Alright," he said, chuckling inwardly, "I'll take you to dinner if it's a tie. Which it won't be."

'Besides,' he added silently, 'you're rather interesting, for an amateur.'

"Ready, little girl?" He asked her, smirking. She grinned back at him. Her teeth were perfect, pearly white and straight.

"Uh-huh. How about you, little boy?"

"You know it."

"All righty then."

"Wanna start the count, little girl?"

"You first."

"Ah-ah-ah, ladies first."

"I insist, Kai."

"Alright, fine."

"Fine.

"Three…" His chocolate brown eyes shifted to a feral amber as they narrowed, and anticipation coursed through his veins. The girl tossed her long, white-blue hair out of her elfin face, murmuring, "Two…" His lips curved into a vicious smirk and he said, "One."

"Let it rip!" Kai's dark blue Beyblade flew into the Beydish, and was followed into the dish by an icy blue blade with a mother of pearl finish. The first blade slammed down hard on the girl's, but the light blue top didn't slow down.

"Beginning evasive maneuvers," the girl murmured quietly to herself. The lighter Beyblade began to wobble, and her opponent's blade fell off, but landed right and continued to spin. The blades clashed, sending bright blue sparks in all directions. The girl's blade was slammed back, almost out of the dish, but the final push missed as the light blue blade veered off to the left and back into the dish. They circled each other, clashed against one another again and again, showering the bowl with sparks.

"Defense and evasion," she whispered softly, "begin tactics." She dodged her opponent's assault, her mind rushing through error free calculations as she employed her well-rehearsed defenses. She could have done this in her sleep, she thought, then immediately chastised herself for being an arrogant cow brat.

'That kind of thinking gets you into trouble, makes you lose... now pay attention the fight!'

The darker blue Beyblade was slammed back, but dodged the girl's attack and pushed her up and out of the dish. The Beyblade soared into the air, and the boy laughed. "I think I'll have your pretty, precious Beyblade soon enough. Looks like I'm about to defeat you, little girl."

"Wait and see, little boy! Wait and see!" She cried, then murmured, "Compensating. Compensating! I'm not finished with you yet, Kai." She landed her blade gracefully back inside the dish, the ice blue top spinning furiously. "Not by a fracking long shot."

She loved that word, fracking. It was so satisfying to say, somehow.

"Now, Hounborg, attack him!" A huge dog the size of a wolf, its fur shining black though it glowed with a silver light, leapt forward from the bit piece of her blade, and made to bat the other Beyblader out of the dish.

'Whoa! The little girl's got a Bit Beast? Well, you know what, so do I. Come on then, little miss upstart.'

"Draanzer, come on!" The crimson beast leapt from Kai's blade, and flew to meet the huge black hound. "Attack!" Nothing could defeat his Draanzer.

"Get him, Hounborg! Polaborg, come on, you too!" Another Bit Beast came forward, a giant silver-furred polar bear that glowed with a strange black light.

'Well, well, so she's actually got two Bit Beasts. Not that it will help her because, yet again, so do I,' Kai thought.

"Phoenix, attack them! Help Draanzer!" Another bird, this one a deep burgundy, shot forward, and all four beasts met in a flash of blinding light. Both bladers shielded their eyes, forced to look away. When they could see again, both Beyblades were lying outside the dish on the concrete floor on their sides, utterly motionless.

"We… we tied. Holy fracking monkeys, I... I tied with you." She murmured breathlessly. "I've never tied with anyone, except my brother!"

"I've only tied with one person before. Normally I just… win." Kai said. He sounded dazed, and indeed, he was positively stunned. It was true that ever since he could remember, he'd only been beaten by one other person ever in his life, and that had only been one time, not a regular thing, and the win that the other boy, Tyson, achieved had been fought for. This was new.

When he realized he was reminiscing, he started in surprise. Shaking himself out of his reverie, he picked up his still smoking blade and pocketed it. He resisted the urge to put his fingers in his mouth to cool the burning of Draanzer and Phoenix's flames. "Is seven alright?"

"Huh?" She blinked her big blue eyes at him.

"For dinner. We tied, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I zoned out for a minute." She didn't want Kai to know she was staring at his chest, which was very well muscled. She thought about running her hands up and down the hot, hard flesh of his bare chest, pressing her blissfully nude body against his, feeling his hard, throbbing, aching...

'Whoa! Slow down, kid! Slow way the fuck down, holy crap! You are not a slut, stop looking at him like he's ice cream in July on Venus!'

"Seven's fine. Just, don't wear that. Wear something normal." She didn't tell him that his outfit was actually very sexy. No, she'd keep that to herself for now, thank you very much.

"Normal, huh? Jeans and a T-shirt?"

"Sure."

"Okay, fine. Whatever."

'After all, it's hard to look really sexy in just plain old jeans and a T-shirt.' The girl turned on her spiky stiletto heel to walk out of the warehouse, but Kai called after her. "Hmmm? What? What, I didn't do it, what?" He stared at her for about a full minute before she demanded, "What?!"

"What's your name?"

"Sakura," she replied, winking. Turning, she flipped her shimmering blue hair over her shoulder and strode away, the epitome of Beyblading champions.