Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters, aside from those mentioned in chapter nineteen, belong to me.
Hey y'all! Been getting pretty horrible with the updates lately, but the good news, March Break is coming up and I should be able to wrap this fic up!
Anybody sad? (Lol)
When I first started this fic, this chapter (number 26) was the one that sparked it all. Inspired by Celine Dion's In His Touch (my absolute favorite ballad by the way, yea!), this chapter is the climax. Any and all feedback would be great guys!
Love ya all lots, and hope you enjoy.
…Um…and forgive me if you find the ending evil…! (Authoress runs)
"" For speaking
'' For thinking
Italics just for the fun of it!
She's Going Where!
Chapter 26- Don't Speak
Written by Euphrosyne
"I'm sorry Miss Charlize, and I hope neither of you ladies take this to offense, but we three make the oddest of societal groups…!"
Attempting to keep pace with the two women, Emmerich stuck his hands in his pockets, swaying back and forth on his heels as they came to a sudden halt.
Jumping to peer over the crowds of people waiting to be seated in the busy restaurant, Charlize grinned anxiously. "I see him over there in one of the private suites." Pointing towards the said direction, the girl tugged on Vivinne's arm before waving the boy over to join them. "Mr. Boris is here with company it seems. All the better to pressure him with. Remember, Tai and Riley are performing at the club tonight at nine, that gives y'all exactly three hours to get the bastard there. This competition means a lot to my gal and honestly, I do believe she would have taken the title if…" She swung a look towards the blonde. "Either way, I'm counting on you two. With the ever so persuasive Sitric president to bribe the former alumni, the Middleton cheer captain who, aside from being the cause of the whole dilemma, and me-!"
"I don't get it. With Riley out of the Arts tournaments, you win the title for vocal-"
"By default. Unlike you hun, I enjoy earning my titles. The competition's a part of the thrill." She smirked, "And you," turning her attention back on the Sitric Captain, "Put some of that deceitfully convincing babbling to use. Mr. Boris is all yours."
Emmerich scowled. He felt so used, so taken advantage of, so cheap. This girl was of a pushy breed.
To think she had a twin.
Adjusting his tie, the male swiped two martini glasses and a bottle of champagne off one of the waiters' platters.
Heh, nothing like a little sparkly Epernay or Veuve Cliquot to earn the committee's love…
"Hi, I'm an astronaut and my next mission is to explore Uranus-"
"Hey, you be my Diary Queen, I'll be your Burger King, you treat me right, and I'll do it your way…"
Tapping her fingers against the clean glass counter, the bartender acknowledged the girl's order before turning away with a sympathetic look.
Scarlett rolled her eyes, a throbbing vibe shooting through her temples.
"Apart from being sexy, what do you do for a living?"
…
"Screw me if I'm wrong, but haven't we met before-?"
"That outfit would look great in a crumpled heap on my floor…"
Clutching the glass as it slid across the surface, the girl forced an unamused smirk before sliding off the stool. Man, she needed to get away from here, these guys were just pathetic…
She shouldered one of them to make way.
The boys laughed.
"Come on baby. I'll give you a nickel if you tickle my pickle-"
"You're so beautiful, I want to be reincarnated as your child so that I can be breastfed by you until I'm 20…"
…Wh-at?
"Okay. Break it up. Why don't we just skip the pick up lines and get to the part where she slaps you."
Looking up with half dazed eyes, the Asian groaned. Oii, as if life couldn't get any worse.
Sighing, the girl leaned against her seat, eyes tearing from the hazy setting.
Given his primed looks, a lanky male, obviously the leader of the pack, stepped up towards the Scottish blader. Scanning him over, the boy snickered at the intruder's red hair before adverting his attention back on Scarlett. "This guy with you?"
"Yes."
"No."
Johnny turned with a look of surprised to feel an arm creep around him. A slender body leisurely drawing towards his own, an intoxicating aroma tickling his sense. His arch nemesis laid her weight against his, her head tilted up towards his neck, her breath sending shivers down his spine.
Scarlett smiled mischievously. "Sorry boys, but the two of us are gonna be leaving together tonight…" Johnny didn't notice their laced fingers until she brought it towards her chest for emphasis.
A pulse shot through his system. He began to blush.
Narrowing his eyes to study the so-called couple's stance, having embarrassed himself enough, the boy decidedly called back his tribe. "Baby, it's your lost. Can't guarantee there will a next time." Echoes of agreements followed the statement. The gang disappeared into the crowd.
On instant, the dark haired beauty unleashed herself from her real opponent. Repositioning herself towards the bar, Scarlett violently chugged down the remainder of her beverage before slamming the glass against the counter for another. Leaning on her elbows, the girl brought the foot of her palm against her forehead painfully shutting her eyes. The pounding music was swelling her migraine, the flaring lights made her nauseous.
Lowering her body towards the glass, arm wrapped around her head, the blader spoke in muffled terms. "What do you want? To taunt me before our battle tomorrow? I hope you aren't expecting a thank you by the way. I sacrificed enough pressing my body against an asshole like you…"
"Seems you're known for pressing your body against assholes around here…"
Lifting her head with a deadening glare, a wave of discomfort coursed through her body, and by instinct, her hand clenched her stomach, the other covering her mouth.
Grimacing at her sudden expression, and catching a glimpse of those bloodshot eyes, on reflex, Johnny took a step back.
Breaths deepening as her shoulders tensed, nonetheless, Scarlett reached for the newly filled glass.
His movements were too fast for her current state. The redhead seized the glass from between her fingers, a burning sensation lining his throat as he swallowed the viscous liquid. Whatever it was, the stuff was strong. Johnny made a face.
Mouth agape with disbelief, Scarlett brushed off the surprise. A wave was motioned towards the bartender once more. "Ugh, fine, bastard, that one's on me. Jack, fill me up with another-"
"What the hell is wrong with you? You're obviously unwell. You look like crap-"
"Shut. Up."
"My god, go take a good look of yourself in the mirror. You're sweating, you're heaving, and you're-"
"Why do you care? What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be goody-two-shoeing somewhere else right now?"
"Why the hell am I here? Why the hell are you here? I am acquainted with you well enough to know you take pride in your game. And with your current health, a night before the semis-"
"It's just a mild fever. Ain't life threatening yet-"
"Jesus Christ, Scarlett…!"
"I'm here to support Riley, alright? This singing thing means a lot to her and when she was pulled out…" Once again, the girl brought her hand towards her mouth. A breath was released before she continued. "-Performing for these people in Club-X will have to do. If she can't change the mind of the committee, she will have to settle for second place. Upsetting, but for now, it will be enough."
Johnny was silent. Robert often spoke of the hardships at Gen-X. Cohesion amongst the students was something the scholars all took pride in. "Hmph. That would explain why we're both here then."
The two locked eyes for a little too long.
"Aw jeez. After Rye's song, I'm taxi-ing you home."
"I can take care of myself-"
"Oh shut up. I just don't wanna hear any excuses when I pummel you to the floor in the arena tomorrow. Not another word."
Scarlett was getting too tired of objecting. Opening her mouth with some means of retaliation, the sudden dimming of the lights prevented her from further excursion.
Unaware of her own movements, the dark haired beauty discovered herself on her feet, arms unconsciously sliding up a toned back. Tension settled with the rhythmic beats as a slow tune calmed the teens into a swaying pair.
A deep voice continued scolding into her ear.
The atmosphere was soothing. Scarlett found herself nodding away in strong warm arms…
…Johnny smelt nice…
She looked especially beautiful tonight, the train of her long dress flowing behind her as she trotted bare feet across the metal plank. Fifteen feet above the audience, along the club's technical interior, the couples submitted to the music.
Forgive me, don't know where to start
I guess we've come to the serious part
I need to find out if there's a chance for us…
Don't give me that same old look, it won't win me over
Don't give me that same old speech; you don't have to speak at all
He was far from the stage and wanted to get closer. Slipping pass the huddling teens, Kai discovered his palms sweaty. The song, it was telling a story. The lyrics, they were speaking directly to him…
You can say you love me
That I'm your perfect crush
How it hurts to need some one that much
You can swear you mean it but that ain't good enough
Cause when a man loves a woman it's all in his touch…
Familiar faces caught his attention.
Emmerich acknowledged the boy with a soundless nod, as if he too were in a lost for words to their current relationship. Years in the making, the Sitric captain held distinctive boundaries towards the Hiwatari heir, but now with the court case and both their fathers…
Vivinne brushed up beside the blue-haired boy but quickly adverted her gaze. Clipboard in hand and his stigmatic horned-rimmed glasses in place, Mr. Boris made his way into the club, escorted by the one and only Charlize.
Several students noticed the foreign adult and quickly broke free from their less than appropriate dancing stances. The man merely added notes to his collection of scribbles.
Looking up as if registering the music for the first time, Boris's brows suddenly furrowed. "This song…"
The music changed key, signaling the climax of the piece. Rye paced herself towards side stage, her hand resting on a long angled bar rooted to the club grounds. The spotlight traced her steps.
"This song, twenty years ago…"
Rye hit the high note, several heads breaking free from the hypnotic melody. Polite applause accredited her virtuosity.
"…Her mother, Raven sung this..." All eyes were now focused on the tailored man. "-She, she chose him over me. She told the whole world…" Boris's arms dropped to his side in painful recollection.
Slowly resting a hand towards the elder's shoulder, taking a glance at Kai before speaking, Viv let out a breath. "Sometimes sir...it's, it's just not meant to be. It's as hard to admit as it is to explain, but it is time to let go…"
The man stopped, concentrating on the speaker's manner. Was the kid right? Had he held a grudge? One 'till this day?
The song came to an end, Rye sliding down the banister to join her friends on stage. Removing his guitar, Tai cupped the girl's face before bringing her into a proud hug.
The scores were tallied up. Mr. Boris indifferently made his way upstage, a path distinctively clearing for him.
Mad howling from the onlookers. Kai saw Rye's face light up with cheer as a certificate was handed to her. For a second, though brief, the blue-haired boy felt apart of her life, he was sharing her victory. In World Tournament history, for the first time, two ranking titles were given in a vocal competition: Charlize winning by default, and Riley by expectation.
The moment had arrived, he knew it. He had to settle this once and for all.
Kai took a step towards the stage…
He ran a hand up her arm, the other brushing a strand of stray hair away from her face. Turning towards him with a smile, Rye leaned against his chest with a sense of resolution. Slowly, his hand made its way to the back of her neck, himself, taking a step back to admire the woman Rye had become.
They had lived together, grown together, learned together, shared together. Being there for each other through thick and thin, Tai felt he knew her better than he knew himself. He loved how every time Chloe and Ash argued, he and Rye would on cue, interrupt the two with the exact same phrase in hopes of mediation. And when the blondes jumped down their throats for intruding, he loved how Rye would scrunch up her nose and huff, waiting for an apology, and when none arrived, would stand and leave for the piano, spelling out her anger in a neatly sequenced code of notes…
A brotherly role, one she looked up to; that's what he had always been, but once, just once, for that was all he needed, Tai wished he could be seen as something more in her eyes…
The captain kissed her on the cheek, and when she didn't protest, slowly moved his face so that they were touching nose to nose. He heard her sharp intake of breath, and just as she was about to pull away, his arm wrapped around her tiny waist, closing the space between them.
Kai froze.
It couldn't be. This was not all happening...
A voice questioned those instinctively rash decisions, suppressed his first impulse to run. He needed to moderate his behavior, patience, needed to change his projectile range, perception. This time, he would wait for Rye's reaction before making his own.
The dark-haired girl pulled away, and from where he was standing, also noticed the equally inquisitive look on Tai's face.
He would never pressure her into anything. No matter how strongly his mind believed they should be together, his heart was willing to let her go for her happiness. As Rye began stepping back, eyes unwilling to look him in the face, Tai believed she had made it apparent, to him, and to the thousands of witnesses before them, this was unrequited love.
She looked up, hand tightening around his own, her face more confused then anything he had seen before. Taking a step towards him, she uncertainly wrapped her arms around him, her best friend. Breathing in his scent, she gave a laugh and slowly smiled. "Thank you, Tai…"
The pipes ruptured, the audience squealed. The club had never been this heated before.
Like crystal, no scenario could be made clearer.
As the water trickled into his hair down the side of his face, Kai silently made his way towards the exit…
Hope everyone followed the Scarlett and Johnny scene. Hehe, the two ended up dancing…aw.
Wonder if Kai will end up following in Boris's footsteps…cough, cough…
(Don't kill me)
Please read and review!
