Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters however, belong to me (aside from those mentioned in chapter nineteen)! Tashiannie's Caution was mentioned in this chapter, it doesn't belong to me either.

First of all, thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter and the chapter before that and the chapter before that… lol! Happy holidays folks, yup!

As requested, a character list has been posted on my author's page for your reference!


"" For speaking

'' For thinking

Italics just for the fun of it!


She's Going Where?!

Chapter 23- Strike Three. You're Out.

Written by Euphrosyne


"So you've got beyblading and vocal left right, Rye?" asked Scarlett as she leaned back into the armchair, sipping her Italian soda.

Rye and the other members of the Azn4 had spent the last few hours in the café studying for the upcoming exams after the tournaments. Once the room started filling up with what appeared to be the stage management crew however, the five girls took the hammering racket as a sign to take a break.

Scarlett continued, "You ready for tomorrow's opening beyblade games?" The Asian smirked.

"Obviously she is after all the stupid training Gen-X put us through!"

Maeve, unmoved by Rin's comment, calmly flipped a page of her novel, Tolstoy's War and Peace. "What have I told you about your language, Rin?"

"Sorry Maeve, it's just I'm so excited for Riley. She must be keyed up for her upcoming singing competition." The girl turned her attention to the Gen-X president, "When you win, it will mark your parent's 18th anniversary! Your mum and dad will love it!"

The red-eyed girl smirked. The Japanese girl always had a way of reading her mind.

"Attention everyone. We would like to thank you all for coming out today. The Eurasia music competition will begin in just a few minutes."

"Eurasia competition eh?" Tai, Ash, and Chloe walked over to the group, the dark-haired boy squeezing Rye's shoulder before sliding into the one seat beside her.

Acknowledging the other girls with polite nods, Tai's eyes landed on Maeve's book. "A historical novel that chronicles the tumultuous events in Russia during the Napoleonic war…?"

"-Condensed onto three thousand six hundred and sixty-six pages…" sarcastically remarked Scarlett. "Only Maeve I say, only Maeve." The girl pushed her muffin towards the blonde before realizing her comfortable position with Ash on the leather couch. "Well well, what do we have here? Did the legendary couple decide to get back together after their little break…?"

Back against Ash's chest and head tucked neatly under the boy's chin, Ash smiled at the familiar scent of the blonde's hair before speaking. "What can I say? My looks, my charms, and my personality; how can she refuse?" He affectionately wrapped his arms around the girl.

Chloe rolled her eyes before sighing. "It's takes little to confuse me and even less to amuse me." The boy kissed her on the cheek.

"Now, we know you've all been waiting, so for our first act with her live band-" There was a fake drum roll, "Please welcome the one and only Riley Lovett!"

The said girl choked on her water, Tai supporting her arm as she slowly regained posture. Placing a hand on Tai's lap in hopes of an answer, the older boy complied with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Don't worry, give me a second."

Following his example, the whole group began making their way over to the MC.

Instantly, Tai took charge of the affair, voicing his concerns on the whole ordeal. The stage manager began ruffling through the sheets of paper on his clipboard.

The audience on the other hand, not as considerate, began growing restless.

"Hey! We've been saving these seats all afternoon. We want some Riley!"

"Yeah! Sing for us Riley!"

Tai returned to his anxious friends. "The papers are legit Gen-X documents. The applications portion of the form regarding the Eurasia contest however, forgery. We have to bring this to the judging committee."

As if on cue, the café doors swung open, Vivinne dragging Kai in by the arm. Tala and Johnny followed behind, demanded an explanation for the girl's outrageous behaviour."

Before the blue-haired boy could even register the whole situation, the crowd began hollering even louder.

"We really don't care if you compete or not Rye. We just want to hear you sing!"

"We're here for a show and we won't go! We're here for a show and we won't go…!"

The pleading eyes of the stage manager was what settled the matter.

"We should do it."

Riley and Maeve locked gazes. The Azn4 captain continued. "Is there really any harm? You have the whole café here to back you up. They know there's a mishap and you heard them, all they really want is to see you perform."

Tai didn't look too convinced. Someone was obviously trying to set them up.

"I call bass!"

"I'm up for guitar."

"Keyboard!"

"That leaves you with drums, Rye. I'll sing."

Riley too, began to doubt the idea.

"Hmmm, Eurasia. Sasha and I both speak Korean so we out number you all when it comes to languages. How about we sing Tashiannie's Caution? You'll back me up right, Sash?"

The red-eyed girl took a deep breath as Rin lead her up the stage. Settling down in front of the drum set, she began tinkering with all the knobs the way Ash did at home. Tai and the others gave the girl a thumbs up before taking a seat in the audience.

She wasn't positive, but for a brief moment, she swore Kai bore a worried expression.

The Gen-X president gulped. She was never one to be impulsive, especially something as rash as this. Inhaling, the girl began muttering to calm her nerves. "Just clear my conscience and play. Just clear my conscience and-"

"No, don't do that. A clear conscious is usually a sign of bad memory. We'll be fine, we all pretty much have a photographic memory-"

"-Just some of us don't have film!"

"Hah. Ha. Funny how I don't remember being absentminded!"

"Sasha, Rin, this is not the time." Maeve appointed Rin over to the keyboard before picking up the tambourine herself.

Scarlett coolly picked up the electric guitar, examined it, then shrugged. "Neah, here goes nothing."


The man stepped into the café adjusting his thick framed glasses to see exactly what he had been informed of: Five Gen-X girls, all against tournament rules, participating in a fourth competition.

Convenient how Miss Lovett chose the one and only Arts competition he wasn't judging to compete in. Then again, the man never considered European or Asian music to be real music anyways…

Boris took Maeve's encore high note as a cue to step in and end the party.

He cleared his throat.

"It has been brought to my attention that there has been a violation against World rulebook guidelines in this particular setting." The room froze as the sickly man scanned the frighten audience members, his gaze landing on the drummer on stage.

"Forgive me for interrupting Mr. Boris, sir. But there has been some misunderstanding. Indeed Miss Lovett's registration forms have been misdirected-"

"If that is the case, does that not add to the violation's extreme?" The light haired man turned his body from the stage manager to face Riley. "Just because you've won a few competitions Miss Lovett, does not give you the power to take matters into your own hands. As much as you might like to think, not everything revolves around you, luck on the other hand-"

"Riley is no such person! Mr. Boris, who gave you power and made you God? Riley was merely-"

"Young man! Your name?"

With his friends backing him up, the boy sternly stood his ground. "Kai Hiwatari."

Boris narrowed his eyes, scanning the boy over before gathering his voice. "As the grandson of the respected Voltaire, do learn to hold your tongue in the presence of authority!" The man traced his finger down a list on his clipboard before verifying his sources. "In response to your accusation Mr. Hiwatari, I directly received a call from a Middleton student who shall remain nameless, insisting that Miss Lovett would be performing illegally in this particular-"

Before the man could even finish his speech, all eyes turned to the bottled blonde. Kai immediately ripped himself from Vivinne's grasp, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

The committee member raised a brow. "You are Miss Vivinne DeCourte from Middleton then?"

"-What were you thinking Vivinne? Better yet, were you thinking at all?!"

The blonde shook her head at the blue-haired boy's anger. This was going all wrong. She never made no call to the Arts director; she had simply handed in Riley's forms as requested. She even made an effort to stay inconspicuous! This had to be some misunderstanding! "It wasn't me who notified you, Mr. Boris. It had to be one of those Sitric students-!"

Instantly the pieces began coming together. Tai and Riley locked eyes, both drawing the same conclusion. They had been so stupid! Why hadn't they seen it earlier? That day, outside Ash's restaurant when those two Sitric students, Xan and Leianna had ran into Riley…her registration forms…Vivinne was-"

"As a former Sitric student and proud alumni, the students of the academy, past and present, are highly recognized for their skill and honour. Do form a better alibi Miss DeCourte. I would have expected better from the offspring of the three most admired families-!"

"Kai please, it wasn't me. Don't believe him-!" The girl sunk to her knees in tears as the blue-haired boy pulled away from her touch.

"Nothing ever has anything to do with you, does it Viv? Don't think I'm unaware of all the things you've done to split Riley and myself apart. You were the one who lied to me about the school funds, you were the one who used me to get Riley back for making you look like an idiot in front of the whole school when you trampled all over Alexis! I have continued our friendship because we use to be even more than that. But today, today Viv, you have gone too far and I will not tolerate it!" Kai shook his head with disappointment while glancing at Viv's helpless stance. "I don't like you Viv, I don't think I ever loved you either… I want to be with Riley and nothing you do to ruin us will change my feelings…"

No. Something didn't feel right, something was wrong. Here was Kai, the boy Riley had been stressing over for months, declaring his affection for her at the World tournaments in a dimly lit café with light music and a full audience…

Deep down, Riley believed Viv to be telling the truth. She knew the girl wasn't capable of such a stunt on her own. Kai's anger…was this not the same rash tone that had prevented him from hearing her explanation? Prevented him from seeing past his pride to realise she had been trying to help him?

Boris rolled his eyes at the childish high school melodrama. "It is now under my power to determine the outcome of this scandalous act. Either way Miss Lovett, you have proven yourself incapable of proper judgement. For that mistake I am pulling you from all competition in the Art faculty. Whether you will be disqualified from the whole tournament will be determined by the other judges and council. As for Vivinne, your reasoning-"

"It's not her fault."

More than one pair of surprised eyes landed on the Gen-X president.

"I will tell you now, Mr. Boris that I hold no charges against the girl so there is no need to get her involved."

Placing a hand on the girl's back, Tai nodded at Riley's noble decision. "Our lawyers shall be arriving shortly to sort this mess-up. As for you Mr. Boris, since I've met you, I noticed the prejudice you held against Riley, especially after you discovered her to be the daughter of Raven and James. I hope your impulsive decision on refusing Riley permission in your faculty to be completely astray from personal spite and revenge…"

Boris was speechless from shock but quickly refrained.

"Mr. Leigh, there is no need to defend your girlfriend here. You are all too young to understand the feelings of true love…"

Tai laughed dryly. "Is that what you've been telling yourself all these years ever since Raven chose James over you?"

The Gen-X captain shook his head at Boris before leaving the café, escorting Riley and the others out.

An indescribable pain stung through the older man's body, a priceless expression frozen in place.


Aren't my titles planned out well? I chose my words very carefully in the last chapter. 'A Kai and Riley encounter' LOL. Don't worry, not (too) many chapters left in this fic before it wraps up. As you can see, the most obvious pair has hooked up once again. Yea, Ash and Chloe!

…Wonder if anyone feels bad for Vivinne…

Ohyes, congrats to HimekoSukie for correctly guessing the "other man" Raven and Claire were talking about in Chapter 15. Good job!

Beyblade battles next. You'll never guess who's up against who!

Holiday cheer, please read and review, yeah!