There and Back Again

AUTHOR'S NOTES: GOMEN for taking a LOOONG time to update, our PC just crashed again...^^;; but it's not of a VERY paralyzing sort, my brother's been tinkering on it more than what was necessary, and...the PC won't start. Luckily, it didn't crash the entire hard drive. Anyway, this is it, the moment you've ALL been waiting for, the Wing Blades are back together AGAIN~~~!!! And both Lady Celes and Chairman Daitenji have a rather nasty surprise to both teams...here come the Wing Blades' -Familiars-~~~!!! ^.^ Oh, and Kai was just absolutely SHOCKED at seeing the Saint Dranzer he went off like a rocket to meet its owner in person. R/R PLEASE~~~!!!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bey Blade but I own the OC's portrayed herein. So PLEASE don't sue ME~~~!!!

"CERRIDWEN~~~!!!" Kikka yells happily as Medain came in with Cerridwen a little while later. Her eyes turned very huge and wobbly. "I thought I was going to get stuck with Selenay and Shizue for the rest of the NIGHT~~~"

"What on EARTH are you talking about, Kikka? You don't LIKE being hugged?" Selenay grabbed Kikka like a stuffed toy, and the little girl instantly became SD at once. Selenay herself turned SD too. "You're so CUUUTTTEEEE~~~!!!"

"I don't mind being hugged, but turning me into your instant stuffed toy is another thing COMING~~~!!!" SD Kikka's eyes became even wobblier. "You always hug me so tight like your moth-eaten Paddington BEAR~~~"

"He's not moth-eaten and he happens to have a NAME," Selenay replied, holding her cheek closer to SD Kikka's own (much to Kikka's chagrin). "It's Elroy Murray Theodore Benjamin the THIRD."

Medain had a huge sweatdrop on her head as she looked at Selenay with her arms crossed over her chest. "Whatever happened to the First and the Second?"

"I don't think I want to KNOW." Shizue sighed, then shook her head while Selenay still continued hugging SD Kikka, who by now had her eyes widely circular. "It's the same thing EVERY SINGLE time we ALL get together. It's Kikka's fault she's so CUTE."

"..." Cerridwen just smiled benignly, her eyes closed happily as she surveyed the scene in front of her.

"Well, that's it," Medain says, frowning as she went inside the room. "We still have a mission briefing. Selenay, un-hug that Paddington bear."

"I-AM-NOT-A-PADDINGTON-BEAR~~~!!!" SD Kikka yells, waving her arms frantically above her head.

"Whatever." Medain waved her hand dismissively. "Gather round the Round Table, children, Merlin has a lot of stories to tell."

All of them went inside the wonderfully appointed room, filled with handsome antique furniture, numerous priceless paintings, crystal vases filled with fresh-cut flowers, and crystal chandeliers, and sat at the sitting room right beside the terrace.

"Please serve us tea," Medain told the uniformed maid as they all sat down around the low coffee table, "and be quick about it. I wouldn't say no to those jam tarts and those oatmeal cookies, too. Thanks."

"Some pure virgin mountain honey would be very lovely, thank you," Selenay added. "Lumps just wouldn't do."

"Some blueberry cheesecake and warm milk for my tea," Kikka said in a muffled voice from Selenay's tightly-wound arms about her.

"A tiny squeeze of ripe lemon, just the tiniest bit would do," Shizue said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Tea and vanilla and warm fresh milk," Cerridwen added last. "I'd also love some warm fresh blueberry, strawberry, and peach Danish, it would be very lovely. Thank you very much."

"Would that be all, my Ladies?"

"Yes. Thank you very much."

The maid curtsied and quietly went out of the sitting room with the slightest flutter of her starched apron.

"So. How are the recaps?" Medain asked as soon as the maid was safely out of earshot.

"I just finished them as soon as the Concorde was flying low over London," Cerridwen said as she got her sleek custom cream-colored Apple iiMac (only specimen of its kind in the world; the infamous Double i; BTW, I am just making this up too) and set it down on the coffee table. "I had to check and double check and TRIPLE check everything for the Pre-Finals Tournament; Lady Celes wants us ALWAYS to be on top of things, you know how much she values perfection."

"TOO much," Medain said with a sigh. "I think she's just overreacting a little too much for this one."

"But we have to keep on our TOES, you know how they were like during the Qualifiers," Kikka said, her voice still muffled by Selenay's tight hug.

"Well...how were they like?" Selenay asked.

"A bunch of wimps, actually; only Yuri and some face-tattooed guy deserve to be even worthy of a sideways glance from me," Medain replied. "I still can't get it, why Yuri had to join their team. They're just that desperate to have a slot in the Zero Finals, perhaps?"

"Maybe," Shizue answered.

Cerridwen just started typing on her laptop. "I've calibrated and synchronized all your anpsychic ratio onto your Beys, with little tweaks here and there; I expect they're still in great shape?"

"I never leave home without first making sure my Bey's OK," Kikka answered almost immediately. "Or else Lady Celes would have my head."

"Ditto for me," Medain said.

"And I," Shizue added.

"And of course, me." Selenay blinked. "And you?"

"Crescendo's in top shape, mind you," Cerridwen answered, typing staccato fast on her laptop. "OK, first recap stats: Soleides. And that would be..."

"You're KIDDING," Takao said in awe.

"Definitely NOT," Professor told him. "Why would I even joke about something like this?"

"If it's something about Bey Blades, Professor wouldn't tell a lie," Max said, blinking. "Especially something as AWESOME as this."

Lei looked at Professor. "Weren't there any professional Bey Blade all-girl teams before?"

"Not that I know of," Professor answered, typing furiously at his laptop. "It's still considered to be a 'guy sport', and there are few women out there who even Bey Blade for a hobby, and even fewer women who do it professionally. There's Mao, and there's Emily, then that girl from the Brazilian team we fought during our American leg..."

"There's my friend, Michiko," Lei replied, "she's planning to hit the majors sometime after the Pre-Finals."

"Michiko...a GIRL?!" Takao turned SD. "Hey, what does Mao THINK of IT?!"

Lei turned a faint tinge of pink. "Errh...I haven't really told her about Michiko yet..."

Professor was still typing away then nodded a few seconds later. "Alright, I've got it! The official website of the St. Ingrid Abbey..."

They all crowded right behind Professor to look. Soon, they were seeing all sorts of beautiful white stone buildings, lots of girls wearing unmistakable schoolgirl uniforms (consisting of a light gray short coat with long sleeves and pleated light gray skirt, a fluffy ribbon tied up in front; it looked remarkably like a Garden girl's school uniform from Final Fantasy VIII), lots of gardens, and a shot of the Abbey standing like a fairy castle in the middle of an emerald valley.

"St. Ingrid Abbey," Professor muttered. "Founded in 1145, by one of the sisters of a Crusader. She wishes to impart the 'knowledge of proper and enlightened womanhood' to the daughters of neighboring manorial estates. Given a royal decree by Queen Elizabeth the First, the Abbey since then has become recognized as the premiere boarding school for any respectable blue-blooded young woman in modern times. It teaches all the subjects that is quite equivalent to a junior high school curriculum in Japan, except that it has a few twists. Aside from those mandatory subjects, the St. Ingrid Abbey also teaches 'fine womanly arts' expected of a properly fine-bred young noblewoman of today."

Takao stuck out his tongue, revolted at the very thought. "Please, I just ATE."

"Reading classical literature, studying a classical instrument, painting, maintaining a 'proper manorial household', equestrian lessons, sing and dance, and a little bit of proper tea drinking at the side. You'd think the Abbey's churning out more stuck-up snobs than what one country could allow," Professor continued. "But we're not talking about a nation of airheads here. Aside from the old titles and connections, you must have a really good head on your shoulders in order to pass the Abbey's very stringent requirements."

Max nodded. "OK..."

"And here's the official website of the Wing Blades." Professor moved his laptop's touch and go mouse at the base of his laptop's keyboard (OO;; you get the idea...) to the ENTER bar situated underneath the Abbey's school seal (a small gold crown with 7 stars on top and 3 intertwined lilies at the bottom).

The school seal dissolved slowly via faded checkered style, then showed another seal (purest white seraphic wings about crossed blades at the center; 5 stars encircling the crossed blades in 5 cardinal points about it). Professor let out a small whistle. "Wow, just look at this...member of the European League of Blading Nations...a consistent recipient of the Platina Blade Award for the last 15 years...a member of the Wing Three...and get a load of THIS~~~!!! Undefeated ever since the dawn of the Bey Blade age."

"Now they're pulling our LEGS," Takao said, his hands crossed over his chest. "They can't be THAT impossibly good now, RIGHT?"

"Let's see the members' roster...ah, there it is..." Professor then shook his head violently. "WHAT~~~?! They can't POSSIBLY~~~"

"What?" Max asked.

SD Professor just started touching his laptop screen lovingly as though it had suddenly become a lovable furry cat. "OOOOOooooohhhh...CERRIDWEN~~~!!! I can't believe she's a Guild MASTER~~~"

"What's a Guild Master?" Lei asked.

"Legendary Bey techs," Yuri said as he suddenly appeared at the doorway with several boxes held in his arms. "Every Bey tech would literally KILL just to be bestowed with such an honor. Only 5 are known to exist in this world at the very moment, and 2 of them happen to be England's pride. They are, of course, Cerridwen Aerin Ascot-Elridge, and Arthur Lancaster (XD XD XD!)."

"O...K..." Takao replied, blinking, not thinking much of Bey techs and Guild Masters at the moment. "Uh...hey, what on EARTH are you..."

"Oh, THIS." Yuri tossed the still wrapped-up parcels on the antique sofa. "Chairman Daitenji wants me to tell you that there would be a formal opening dinner tonight, in which Chairman Daitenji and Lady Celes would be guests of honor. That means we get to wear tuxedos."

"Tuxedos..." Takao said faintly, his face going a weird shade of blue.

"Trust me, this hurts a lot less than what you think," Yuri told him.

"Yuri? Where's Kai?" Lei asked as Max grabbed Takao and had him frog marched right into their room with Professor.

"Taking care of some 'business.'" Yuri nodded. "Don't worry, he'll turn up for the dinner."

As the Wing Blades screamed their indignation at having to survive a dinner with the BBA Team (well, Medain and Shizue ARE, anyway; while Selenay's screaming because she'll meet Yuri again; and both Kikka and Cerridwen were the only ones quiet), Kai was running down the streets in the late Athenian afternoon, never having felt so frightened and furious at the same time in his entire life.

He went to the Parthenon, his breath coming out of him in ragged gasps, searching anything that was out of the ordinary in the late afternoon sunlight. He frowned, his red brown eyes narrowed, and he stopped in front of one of the many ancient cracked pillars that stood there.

"Thought you'd never come."

Kai's eyes widen, then whipped around to face the speaker. Ana came from hiding behind one of the pillars he just passed, her red brown eyes narrowed and cold and calculating. He broke into cold sweat.

"Y...you..."

"Me." Ana had her hands behind her back, walking smartly like any cadet going through his paces would, then stopped a few feet away from him, the gentle breeze whipping her scarf behind and in front of her. She cocked her head to one side. "Aren't you glad to see me, Kai?"

"..." Kai started backing off, his eyes taking on a crazed look of somebody who was frightened out of his wits.

"..." Ana frowned. "You always were a NINNY. Listen, I hear you're part of a Bey Blade Team now, other than the Shell Killers. Isn't that right?"

"..." Kai was just silent.

"Oh DEAR. Giving me the silent treatment again? It wasn't my fault you were SO slow back then. I just knew it you didn't have it within you." Ana closed her eyes, smiling as if a pleasant memory had just popped into her mind's eye that very instant. "Cowardly, simpering, all-out PATHETIC. The Balkov Monastery was SO right in having you dragged back inside the complex~~~"

"You don't know ANYTHING about ME~~~!!!" Kai shouted. He curled his hands into tight little fists. "You have no right saying THAT~~~"

"Really? I do not KNOW you?" Ana opened her eyes, and regarded Kai with a look of utmost surprise on her face. "How could you even say THAT to your older SISTER? Mind you, it was really hard dodging all those bullets~~~"

"Stop IT~~~!!!" Kai held his hands to his head, his red brown eyes very wide.

"~~~all out noisy and barking mad, they were, I TELL you, they could really kill people with those shotguns pummeling those horrid bullets down and through the SNOW~~~"

"STOP IT~~~!!!" Kai shouted, going down to his knees. He squeezed his eyes shut, and he shook his head violently. "I don't want to hear ANY of IT~~~"

"..." Ana smiled in a rather languid way.

***Nee-chan...NEE-CHAN~~~!!!***

Little Kai was shown running down a snow-covered slope, as fast as his little legs could carry him, tears flying out of his frightened red brown eyes as he ran after the gray shape in front of him. Everything was in muted colors, as if this was some sort of strange dream. He was sobbing, and he was crying hysterically.

***NEE-CHAAAN~~~!!!***

He falls face first onto the snow. A deafening blast was heard, and tiny Kai looked to his left and saw~~~

***They can't be too far off, search for THEM~~~!!!***

Kai just shook his head violently, then stood up, running after his older sister in the wilderness. The soldier monks of the Monastery apparently didn't seem to care if they killed a wolf puppy that got in the way. His tears misted his vision, and he was very hysterical by now.

***NEE-CHHHAAAAAANNNNN~~~~!!!***

He stumbles, then falls again. He looks up, then squinted his eyes, as a blast of icy snow greeted him from the force of the furiously whirling blades of a black military helicopter.

His sister was standing right in front of it, the winds whipping her long gray coat behind her.

***Nee-chan...*** Kai stood up shakily, then went over to where his sister was. ***Nee-chan, they're here~~~***

A hand lashed out, and Kai falls back onto the snow, surprised. His sister was glaring at him, her red brown eyes taking on a black color in its corneas.

Kai was speechless. ***Nee...nee-chan...***

***There they ARE~~~!!! Don't let them ESCAPE~~~!!!***

His sister just took one look at them, then smiled in a rather frightening way. The next thing Kai knew, everything was glaring white.

***ASTARTE~~~!!! ASTRAL FLASH~~~!!!***

Kai shook his head, his tears pouring out in a spray.

***NEE-CCCHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN~~~~~~~~~!!!***

"Saint Dranzer flies again." Ana's eyes narrowed a little bit, but it was in a sort of appraising manner, as she gazed at Kai. "Won't Devil Dranzer take to stretch his wings out into infinity, then?"

Kai just looked up at her, his red brown eyes very confused (translation: very, very, very HANDSOME~~~!!! ^o^) and pained.

"It's time that Saint Dranzer should be returned to me." Ana held out her hand. "For old times' sakes, eh, little brother?"

"?" Selenay looked out the window as if something big happened, and she just missed it. Cerridwen was just watching the tiny baby cream colored Ninetails snooze on her lap, then looked up to see Selenay looking out the window, a floating silver furball right beside her.

"Selenay?"

"Did you just...feel that...?" Selenay asked.

"Yes, I did." Cerridwen's eyes became thoughtful. "I wonder what it was..."

"I just hope it's nothing awful." Selenay sighed, her eyes becoming thoughtful, as well. The silver furball emitted a crystal clear musical note pitch in the silence that followed.

"Oooohhhh, I wasn't THINKING of Yuri, Griever, I was thinking of something ELSE." Selenay sighed again. "Geez. I do hope something good would come out of this night. I don't fancy myself as a dancing queen."

"More like a robotic and a pathetic excuse for a wiggling caterpillar, if you ask me." Medain appeared in the doorway, holding up 2 Kraft paper-covered packages by means of hangers. "Hey, your dresses just came in."

"Thanks, Medain," Cerridwen said, smiling at her with her eyes closed happily.

"~~~" Selenay had a small black cloud hovering above her head. "You really just HAD to rub it IN."

Medain raised her eyebrows. "Your dancing exploits aren't exactly hidden as your fiery adoration of the Red Hot Yuri Ivanov. And hey, his hair's also on fire, to boot."

"~~~" SD Selenay just marched up to where Medain was and snatched her dress without another word. "Thanks for reminding ME, Medain. Excuse ME." With that, she marched off into the bathroom and slammed it shut behind her.

"..." Medain shrugged, sighed, and had her head down low. "French brats. I just do NOT understand them."