It's Just For Fun, Right?
by Shadou-sama
Chapter 20 - It's Just For Fun, Right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade.

Waiting so long, simply for you

The two launched their beyblades. This time Dragoon nearly hit the spinning hand, but fell mere centimeters behind it. Tyson commanded an abrupt change turn, sending the white beyblade across the diameter of the beydish, right in Black Dranzer's path. The dark phoenix took the opportunity to attack.

"This is not good," Kenny moaned.

"It's never good," Max commented.

"But this is even worse!"

"What's wrong?" Emily asked. Her boyfriend was having a serious hyperventilation problem.

"I've just pulled the latest stats," Kenny said, calming down a bit. "According to this, right now Black Dranzer is stronger than Dragoon usually is. And Shadra hasn't even called it out!"

"This is not good," Max said, repeating Kenny's statement.

I've paid my dues
Earned my wings

The hand was now spinning so fast that it was nearly impossible to keep in front of it. Both Dragoon and Black Dranzer had both taken non-fatal hits to their attack rings. Small jagged bits of strengthened plastic littered the bowl. And after every rotation (which kept finishing sooner), it would speed up even more.

"Salamulyon!" Shadra called out. In a flash, the molten colored salamander appeared. Flames licked around it then were thrown against the hand. Tyson, wide-eyed, desperately tried to move his Dragoon out of the line of fire.

I'm taking the singe
'Spite the shining on him!

It took a few seconds to see what had happened after the salamander bit-beast disappeared. Tyson was relieved to see his beyblade unsinged.

"Ha! You missed!" Tyson gloated.

Shadra paid no attention, but sent her Black Dranzer blader directly at the white beyblade. Then the audience (and Tyson) noticed the vanishing of the hand. Only the rod in the center still stood. She hadn't missed, just taken out an obstacle.

I'm gonna steal your thunder (Gonna steal your thunder)
Coming up from under (coming up from under)

"That was a close one," Kenny sighed.

"I hope she doesn't have to pay for damages," Mariah said. "Oh wait, I do!"

Kai balled his fists. The attendants lied in various positions nearby. He knew what she was going to do next, and it wasn't going to be pretty. Okay, so maybe it might be, but not for Tyson.

"Attack back!" Hilary screamed, jumpimg up and down. Rei and Max gave her odd looks. "Don't just defend!"

"It's kind of hard when she doesn't even give me one chance!" Tyson shot back, before turning to the match. "THEN MAKE ONE!" Shadra shot a glare at the girl. Tyson suddenly brightened. Maybe Hilary might be right about something...

I've got your number
I'm the underdog (I'm the underdog)

"Dragoon!" Tyson summoned. "Evolution Hurricane Attack!"

The winds picked up, and drove at the black beyblade. But the dark phoenix wasn't going to give in so easily.

"Metal Ball Defense!"

The white beyblade and all its winds bounced off Draciel's wall of shimmering blue energy. The winds died down, and only the mighty dragon remained.

"Tiger Claw!"

The white tiger leaped from the black beyblade and clawed at Dragoon. The dragon barely had time to dodge.

"Driger," Rei moaned from the dugout. "Don't do it!"

But whether Rei's call might've worked wouldn't be revealed that moment, since Shadra immediately called out her next bit-beast. "Dranzer! Fire Arrow!"

"No!" Kai exclaimed, bolting upright so quickly that he could feel his wounds protest through the drugs.

The arrows of fire flew at Dragoon, taking a direct hit. The blue dragon fell back.

Tyson looked grim. "You stole my friends' bit-beasts. You stole my teammates' bit-beasts. Now you use them to defeat me." He smirked. "But if you need their bit-beasts to beat me, then you're obviously not as good as you think you are."

Shadra stepped back. "Fine," she snapped. "Black Dranzer!"

"This might not have been the wisest thing he's done," Rei commented.

I've paid my dues
Earned my wings

The black phoenix in all its glory appeared. The two, phoenix and the now-standing dragon circled each other. Evil and good, yin and yang, foe versus friend.

"Death Pyre!" she ordered. The flames swept out but Tyson was ready.

"Evolution Hurricane Attack!"

I'm taking the singe
'Spite the shining on him!

The winds swept the flames away from Dragoon. Shadra's attack was useless. Pain struck through her head, so bad that she fell to her knees. She was losing, so she was being punished... Shadra thought through the mind-numbing pain.

"Dragoon! Final Attack!"

I'm gonna steal your ground (I'm gonna steal your ground)
Turn your head around (Turn your head around)

The attack hit center. Black Dranzer tried to defend, but with its beyblader's failing strength, it didn't have the power. Both beyblade and girl flew back.

I'm the underdog (I'm the underdog)


Shadra floated through her unconscious state. She had lost, and this was her punishment. To be lost forever in the darkness.

But where had she gone wrong? She had an army of bit-beasts, powerful bit-beasts, yet one measly dragon had beaten her so badly. But didn't that dragon always win? Okay, not always. She remembered beybattles were it was a near lost. Some where he was defeated. But he always bounced back. Why?

Shadra trained more than he did. She took it more seriously than he did. Why was he victorious?

Because he doesn't get punished. If he doesn't win, it's okay. He just tries to improve and beat that opponent next time. Why couldn't she do that?

Because her teammates didn't think it was okay. Boris didn't think it was okay. Tyson's teammates thought it was okay. They thought that as long as he tried hard, it was a good battle. That's how he came to be the best. His friends helped him when he was down, they helped him improve, they supported him no matter what.

Like they would've done for her if she hadn't hurt them so badly. She betrayed their trust, their friendship and stole their bit-beasts. Maybe that's why Tyson won, to help his friends just like they helped him.

Her mother used to support her. Even when Shadra was so horrible. But now she was gone, and there was no way to bring her back. Shadra hadn't even cared.

What was it that her mother said once? Shadra had been only six, before she moved to Hieville. Her mother was single; she hadn't even met Dick. They had lived in Capital City and Shadra had enrolled in one of the beyblade camps. But she couldn't beat anyone, not even the dunce of the group. She was the dunce.

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't win. She cried, thinking it was hopeless. Why not just quit and save herself the humiliation? But her mother, in her infinite wisdom, told her something that she would never forget. At least until she got so involved in the Demolition Boys.

"It's just for fun," her mother had said, and it felt to her as if she was saying it again. "It doesn't matter if you win all the time, or even lose all the time. As long as you enjoy yourself, that's all that matters."


Shadra's eyes flew open. She wasn't in the darkness, just lying on the floor in the stadium. Tyson stood over her, looking worried. So did her ex-friends. Her teammates stood above her head. They didn't look worried, but how could they with all the training that Boris had put them through?

Tyson stretched a hand out to her; not looking so worried now that he had noticed she was awake. She didn't take it. She had to know something first.

"Beyblade," she said her voice shaky. "It's just for fun, right?"

Tyson smiled. "Yep. Just for fun."

Shadra took his hand, and he helped her up.

To be continued...