DISCLAIMER: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade belongs to its manga author, Aoki Takao.

This is my very first published Beyblade fic, people. By the way, I'm not following the Nelvana dub, so to clear things up, BBA Team - Blade Breakers, PPB Team - The All Starz, Kyouju - Kenny and Boris - Bryan, Chairman Daitenji - Mr. Dickenson, you get the drill. So if you think you see a contrast in the casts' character, please reread the previous sentence.

This fic is inspired by my observation about the lack of Max fics in the Beyblade fandom. Sure, I love Kai and Rei (it just happens that I love them more than Max) but poor Max is nearly invisible as a major character, so I decided to make my first Beyblade fic mainly about him. But that doesn't mean I ignored the rest of the team. In fact, this story also concerns Kai and Takao, although their problems would serve as side stories to give some balance. And how could I forget to include Rei interaction here... I'll leave it there.

Oh yeah, the story happens a few months after the Russian Tournament, first season. It won't follow the original plot after that, and you'll understand why at the end of the fic, trust me. Anyway, on with the program! Hope you enjoy!

-x-

Ignorance, rust of corruption of the psyche and soul

Yet is most priceless when binding some harvests of reward

More poisonous than venom, deadlier than a double-edged sword

Too much of the purest gold that is knowledge

-x-

You know it best not to receive it, nor to give life to curiosity

To pursue the chance of veiled truth that can slay

So stay away from what you think should be yours

For what you don't know can't hurt you.

-x-

Or take away everything you have.

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW CAN'T HURT YOU

ChApTeR 1

smile on his face. I could not understand why but I had to know. So I called him to come over to me, and he did so still with that happy expression. After I explained my reason, he just burst into laughter before apologizing for acting rudely. But in the meantime, I was so confused. Was nothe supposed to be scared to be even at the doorstep of that mansion? His parents should be worried for his sake and his safety. He must have seen the confusion on my face because he suddenly turned serious while recounting his sad story. He no longer has his parents; they were now dead. My heart was filled with sympathy; I would not want my father or my mother to die first before I do either. Then I asked him where he lives now if that was his case. Suddenly his face became bright again as he pointed with so much enthusiasm at

And that was it.

His right hand tightened slightly its hold on the soiled piece of paper. There had to be more. He was so sure of it. This couldn't be the last of it. Not when he was so near the answer.

And somehow, he could feel it.

"And the winners are the members of the BBA Team!"

As soon as the announcement was done, the audience broke into wild shouts of joy and thunderous applause. Screams of praise kept piercing the air, while banners with messages like, "BBA Team, champions always!" were held up high by unknown arms.

Takao could hardly breathe as he enthusiastically waved his hand at the sea of happy faces surrounding him from afar. The last time he had been inside the coliseum in Las Vegas was during the finals of the American Tournament, and it had been filled back then with beyblade fans. Now it was more packed than ever; even the aisles were filled with kids and teenagers, part of the larger crowds of people who wanted to watch the exhibition match between their very own PPB Team and the most recent champions in beyblading, the BBA Team.

"That was a great match, Takao."

Takao turned to see Michael reach his spot, a friendly smile on his face.

"Congratulations for winning." The captain of the PPB Team extended his right hand to Takao. "You were even better today than during the Russian Tournament."

Takao took his hand to shake it. Who would have ever thought before that he would be shaking hands with the captain whose ego used to beat the size of a mountain? "Thanks. You weren't half bad yourself."

Weren't half bad. That was an understatement. Takao had nearly lost to Michael during the beybattle and had only won for Dragoon beat Trygle in spinning by two seconds before it completely stopped. And Takao had been so sure that he could easily beat Michael since he had seen all his techniques—that is, before Michael suddenly counterattacked with a move Takao had never seen before. In fact, if Kai hadn't given him a hint, he may never have found a way to reverse the situation.

"Takao!" several voices rang out happily.

He twisted his head and and his face lit up with a grin as his teammates ran toward him. "Hey guys, we won again!"

"You were awesome, Takao!" Max gave a thumbs-up.

Rei grinned back. "I like what you did at the last minute. That was completely unexpected."

Takao scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I couldn't have done it if Kai hadn't helped me." He turned to the teen with slate bangs. "Thanks a lot, Kai."

Kai, still arms crossed over his chest, didn't say anything but Takao could tell he was pleased, even if his expression gave away nothing. Kai never was the one who would openly say he was glad he had been of help anyway. Takao knew this but he didn't actually mind it. He had already known that deep down, his blue-haired teammate had already changed, because there was no way Kai would choose the old Dranzer over the Black one even at the expense of his own victory, resist his grandfather, become worried about Rei during his battle with Boris or help Takao train for the finals—all during the Russian Tournament—if he hadn't. For Takao, it was enough.

"Takao!"

When Takao turned around, this time the rest of the PPB Team and Judy Mizuhara were beside Michael. They were all smiling at him, so unlike the condescending attitude they bore the first time they met the BBA Team.

"Hey Max, you didn't rust after all." Eddy grinned, a basketball spinning at the tip of his index finger. "Even when you did lose."

Max laughed. "I guess I hadn't counted on your sudden maneuver back there. You guys had been training a lot after we won the world tournament, hadn't you?"

"Guilty as charged."

Emily walked a few steps toward Kai. "Next time, it will be our turn to be the winners of the Beyblade World Championship. But in the meantime, I'd like to say that one day, I'll beat you, Kai. Remember that."

Kai just smirked. "One day."

"Max, can I have a word with you for a minute?" Judy asked.

"Sure." Max let himself be ushered by his mom to a more secluded area while everyone else went in his own direction.

Takao's gaze swept across the audience until it fell on Chairman Daitenji. The strong wave of pride he felt suddenly wavered a bit when he saw no one else beside the old man.

"What's wrong?" Rei regarded at Takao with a concerned face.

"Oh, it's you, Rei. Um, nothing."

"You don't have to hide it, Takao. It's obvious that you're looking for someone."

I guess it wouldn't hurt if I tell Rei a little. "My father told me that he would come to watch me. I guess he didn't make it after all." He tried to lessen the impact of the last sentence with a casual tone. There, Rei would more or less leave the subject alone.

"I'm sure your father has a good reason. Anyway, if you have a problem or anything, you know where to find me, okay?"

"Okay."

After Rei left, Takao still stared at the audience quickly dispersing. Where was his father anyway? After the Russian Tournament, they had bonded in many activities in almost two months as father and son. Takao had learned so much about his father, things that he hadn't known before. Never had he felt so close to him, which was a new experience. Takao never minded his father's absence before, not when his grandfather was there to take care of him and with playing with beyblades preoccupying his mind all the time.

His grandfather. Even he wasn't here. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Both, I guess. He could just imagine him waving his wooden sword proudly at his grandson for his victory or perform some embarrassing kendo moves in front of many strangers. Takao could even hear him reprimand about the usual things.

"Takao, stand straight and concentrate!"

"Will you stop eating our entire food supply!"

"Pay attention to what I'm saying!"

"How can you concentrate on practicing with your sword if you keep on thinking of nothing but beyblading!"

But at least he was there during the tournaments, as much as Takao had found his grandfather sometimes annoying and quite a pain in the neck. At least he never failed to correct him and give him good advice. It was just too bad his grandfather was back in Japan to keep their school of kendo running.

Wait. That still didn't answer his real question.

His glance fell at Max, who was talking animatedly with Judy. It was kind of envious. Max still got to see his mom sometimes, and even if he didn't, he still had his dad to take care of him.

Suddenly Takao caught himself. Since when did he start having these kinds of thoughts anyway? I never did. What was I thinking? This isn't like me!

So his father didn't come. Big deal. What Rei said could be right. Besides, it was only an exhibition match. Whether or not the BBA Team won, it was still the champion team until next year's World Championship Tournament. That's right. My beyblade had always kept me company and will still continue to do so. The hurt started to fade slowly.

"Takao, let's go now!" Kyouju called out.

"We'll leave you if you keep on standing there! The beach is waiting for us!" This time Rei did the yelling.

The hurt completely vanished. And so will my friends. "I'm coming! Wait for me!"

And with that, Takao ran toward his teammates, all thoughts about his family forgotten.

"Ah! This is the life!" Max jumped from the water and served the beach ball with a spike.

"Aaah!" The beach ball hit Takao squarely on the face and he stumbled backward before falling into the water.

"Takao, you're supposed to strike the ball with your wrists or hands, not with your face!" Kyouju groaned once the knocked-down player resurfaced.

"I know that, Kyouju! You think it's easy to catch Max's spikes? We switch places and let's see what you can do!"

Rei couldn't contain himself any longer and burst into laughter while Max and Chairman Daitenji joined him. Takao never ceased to amuse him. As Rei watched the Japanese beyblader continue his argument with Kyouju over whose fault it was that they were continuing to lose to Max without even scoring a single point, he felt himself become glad. Takao had already recovered from his earlier gloomy state after the exhibition match and returned to his usual self.

"Boys, start wrapping up your game," Chairman Daitenji said a little later as Max served the beach ball again. "After fifteen minutes, we will eat lunch."

"Lunch?" Takao obviously lost concentration and looked eagerly at the head of the BBA, resulting the ball smacking right on top of his head. Losing balance, he promptly collapsed into the water once more.

"Takao, pay attention!" Max called as Takao stood up. "You'll never score with what you're doing."

"Easy for you to say," the Japanese muttered. "You're winning." Then he waved at Rei. "Hey Rei, you've been sitting at the shore too long. Why don't you come over here and have some fun? Or better yet, switch places with me."

Rei held up his hand. "Nah. I think I'll just skip the chance." He didn't feel like swimming at this hour. Besides, his black shorts and white T-shirt didn't exactly count as proper swimming apparel. So instead he just turned to Chairman Daitenji, who was sitting next to him. "Chairman, I think I'll just look for Kai right now so that we won't be wasting the fifteen minutes."

"No, I'll find Kai," Max volunteered. "If he just walked along the shore like he said, then he can't be too far. Anyway, take my place, Rei. I'll be right back."

"I said no, didn't I?"

"Come on! Please?"

"Why be insistent now? None of you protested when Kai refused."

Takao rolled his eyes. "We all know Kai would say no even before we invited him to swim. You, on the other hand, know that all work and no play makes Rei a dull boy."

"Well forget it. There's nothing you can do to change my mind."

"Is that so?" Takao looked meaningfully at Max and Kyouju.

The two boys looked puzzled for a moment before their faces brightened and they nodded in understanding.

"Okay. One last round before I find Kai," Max announced as he served the ball. This time, Takao managed to hit it back. Max struck it again, and Kyouju tossed it in the air. Takao jumped from the water to hit it back but instead of the ball landing on Max's spot, it sailed past the blond and headed toward the shore. All players emerged from the water and went to retrieve it.

"Here's the ball," Rei said as he caught it and handed it to Max.

"Thanks, Rei." Why was Max grinning strangely? The blond took hold of Rei's arms.

"Yeah." Takao had an evil smile on his face as he grasped both of Rei's legs.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Rei cried as Max and Takao lifted him up and started to run toward the water. Then he realized in horror the full meaning of what they were planning to do. "Hey, let me go!"

"Sorry, Rei. You have to get wet just like the rest of us." From Takao's gleeful tone, it was clear that he was enjoying this as they got nearer the water.

The Chinese boy tried to kick, move his arms, twist his body in every way possible, anything to get out of Max and Takao's hold but the boys' grips were like iron. Oh, great! "Put me down!"

"Squirming your way out won't help you but if you say so." Max and Takao swayed Rei in the air before releasing him while Rei flew into the water with a large splash.

When he resurfaced, he could feel his black hair sloppily sticking on his face. Large locks of long hair that used to be confined inside the white cloth at his nape were strewn all over his chest and shoulders. He brushed the hair straying on his face away from it.

Everyone else stared at him, jaws dropped at the sight. Then Takao and Max began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Rei, this is the second time I've seen your hair flat." Kyouju was apparently trying to contain himself.

"I see you guys are having fun with the way I look now," Rei muttered as Takao doubled up even more.

"I'm sorry, Rei." Max's laughter finally subsided. "Anyway, now that you're in the water already, you might as well play your role. Catch." He tossed the beach ball at him. "I'm going to find Kai now. See you guys later!" Stepping out of the water, he walked away.

"Yeah, Rei," Takao couldn't help jabbing one more time. "We'll see if you're as much of an expert in hitting beach balls as you are in beyblading."

Like I have a choice. I'm drenched already. Rei finally removed his red headband and pulled out the white cloth behind him before throwing them next to Chairman Daitenji. His long raven hair was fully exposed now. "You'll be sorry for pulling that trick, Takao. I'll deal with Max later."

"Whatever you say." Takao got himself ready. "How you wash that really long hair of yours while bathing is beyond me. What do you say if we braid it instead?"

"No." Rei picked up the ball and held it high, baring one of his fangs in mock seriousness. "Remember this, Takao. The person who messes with a member of the White Tiger tribe regrets it."

Kai couldn't have gone far. Max scanned his surroundings, strolling along the soft shore. He could feel that he was on the right track as he noticed the number of people around decrease little by little. Where there were few or no strangers at all, Kai was surely there.

Soon, there weren't much people hanging around anymore. A few kids were playing happily with their beyblades while a lady was enjoying her tan. Max looked around again. He might already have walked too far from his friends' spot for like, what, eighteen minutes? He was no longer sure. I think I should go back now.

But as he turned around, his eye caught the view of the water, marveling at the overlapping shades of blue and green as the water gleamed. I never noticed how beautiful a beach could look. I guess I had been preoccupied with other things. Like beyblading. The farther he walked, the deeper the shades grew and the longer his admiring gaze stayed.

His ears picked a loud plunk nearby and he turned to his right. A boy who seemed to be his age was standing several feet away from him, trying to make the stones he threw skip along the water. He didn't seem to notice Max.

Max turned his attention to the clear blue sky, all thoughts of finding Kai forgotten. Today was a perfect day for an outing with his friends but it would be even more perfect if his mom and her team were here to enjoy the beautiful scene. They were, after all, now friends. To Max's delight, the members of the PPB Team were actually nice beneath their supercilious exterior. Plus, his mom had been making up for the lost time with him by spending her free time with him as much as possible.

It was just too bad that today hadn't been a free time for her. After congratulating Max and his team at the end of the match, Judy had told him that she would be gone for several days—maybe even weeks or months—to start another research project. She had apologized for not being able to return with him back to Japan but Max had understood. If her research was so important that everything else had to be dropped, then it should come first in priority. Max wasn't the type of son who would hold such a thing against his own mom.

A movement caught the corner of his right eye. He twisted his head to see the boy still trying to make stones skip along the water. Unfortunately for the latter, he was failing.

"Hey," Max called to get the boy's attention. The latter stopped to look at him, and Max picked up a nearby rock. "When you throw, you do it in a more horizontal position instead of hurling it downward. Like this." Bending a little sideways, he threw the rock with his arm parallel to the sea level. The rock hopped five times before finally sinking.

The boy seemed to be smirking but nonetheless imitated his demonstration. When his stone skipped within Max's line of vision, he gathered all the stones that he could find and piled them up next to him.

He finally got it, Max thought while watching the boy practice more. The latter kept changing his angle to the left, each stone seeming to jump on the surface of the water. Max frowned. Was he imagining things or did the stones seem to come closer to him as time passed by?

Time—I can't believe it slipped my mind. I'm supposed to look for Kai! I should have found him by now. He had been so distracted that he completely forgot what he was here for. It must have been twenty minutes or so. I better look for him now.

When Max turned to the direction where he came from, he felt something smite him at the back of his head. He flinched at the pain and clutched the spot with his hand as he whirled around. But before he could move, another thing struck his bare right foot and he cried out in pain. In the process, he stumbled backward and fell on the sand before eyeing what made him lose his balance.

It was a stone. A large one. Max glanced in the direction it originated from.

And it was from the boy.

"What's your problem?" Max demanded, trying to stand up but fell backward again. His foot now a liability, he couldn't even move it without wincing. "What did I ever do to you anyway?"

The boy remained silent as he picked up two stones from the pile, one on each hand. Although he was just about six meters away from Max, the murderous glare he was giving was boring right through Max's blue eyes, sending chills down the blond's spine. In fact, if looks could kill, Max was probably dead by now.

What do I do now? Max tried not to panic as his attacker advanced toward him by one step. He decided to resort to talking things out before he might get stoned again. "Look, I don't want to quarrel with you. If you could just tell me what's wrong—"

He never finished his sentence as another stone, thankfully just a small one, struck his forehead. Eyes flashing and face contorted in anger, it was obvious that the stranger wasn't willing to listen to him. Max drew his face away from the boy's line of sight, holding up his arms before him to shield himself but a rock managed to get past his barrier to hit his temple.

"Why—why are you doing this—" Max's arms took the rest of the blows as stones continued to rain at him. The ache and the sting of his forming wounds were attacking his body at the same time, and he cried out as though to subside them. Who was this person to attack him like this? Max knew he rarely got angry but at this point he finally he lost his temper. "Why the hell are you doing this to me!"

The boy hurled one more rock, this time hitting its target: Max's left leg. Without realizing it, Max lowered his arms. But he was completely caught off guard as his attacker kicked the shore, sending a large spray of sand directly at him. The sand showered on his wounds and stung painfully in his eyes that he could not bring to open them. His anger evaporated to become fear.

"Stop it!"

But that seemed to be the last thing that will ever happen.

He couldn't get up. He couldn't even see. He felt beaten up all over.

But most of all, he was at the mercy of someone who seemed so bent at making him suffer, completely defenseless. Max didn't know if anyone could hear them.

But he knew he already dreaded what may come next.

Please review! Thanks! Show Max you care!