The next day at school, there wasn't a single blader at school that hadn't challenged Taylia to a beybattle. There also wasn't a single blader that she didn't turn down in a way that crushed their anticipation. Saiyana thought it was pretty funny while the boys were just glad that someone else was being challenged rather than them, even though it was pissing Taylia off which usually lead to someone getting maimed. The only thing was, it wouldn't stay that way. As the group split up to go to their classes, Taylia and Tala heading off to history and Kai and Saiyana headed for drama, one particular orange-haired boy wouldn't keep his eyes off Saiyana. Kai noticed and got protective by putting his arm around Saiyana. Drama was incredibly boring much to Saiyana's surprise, she was a damn good actress and had been expecting something more interesting.

Meanwhile in history, Tala and Taylia were passing notes back and forth. Mr. Barnes was so ignorant and old it was pretty easy to get away with anything. What was funniest of all was how the class took advantage of his wearing hearing aids. The class would speak in hushed whispers. Mr. B would turn up his hearing aid to full blast so he could hear, then everyone would shout at the top of their lungs, and you can imagine how painfully loud that was for the teacher.

Remind me again why I allowed myself to be dragged here? Taylia's neat handwriting asked Tala sarcastically on paper.

HEY, IT WASN'T MY IDEA TO COME HERE. He responded defensively. Tala's handwriting was always in all capital letters, which drove teachers crazy much to his hilarity.

Ugh...

WELL, THERE'S GOOD NEWS OUT OF IT, TAI.

Do I dare ask?

WE GOT INVITED TO A BLADERS' GET TOGTHER-TYPE PARTY.

If there's booze there I suppose that means I have to beat the shit out of the drunk bastards?

YEP.

Works for me.

Tala chuckled at Tai's response. As he had called her earlier by her nickname, Tai, she knew he was going to say something to tick her off. He only called her Tai when he was playing around with her like a big brother would. The interesting thing was that she never allowed anyone besides Tala to call her Tai. Someone once called her Taia, the nickname Alex had given her, and Taylia had practically killed him.

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE CASUAL, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR A SKIRT.

Booyah! Finally!

Tala bit his lip to keep from laughing at her response. The one thing she hated more than slutty preppy bitches were skirts. Go figure.

This time, Saiyana got the ride home on Taylia's bike. Each of the Blitzkrieg Boys had their own helmet, all stashed in the car except for Taylia's which always remained with the bike. Saiyana's was a dark blue color with two bald eagles on each side, wings spread. Homework was never a problem for the team, with the exception of Saiyana, Spencer and Bryan. None of them had been experimented on, so their IQs were at a normal level while Kai, Tala, and Taylia were all in honors because of their sky-high, genetically enhanced IQ levels. Taylia was actually the smartest of all of them, which was why she was also the best strategist.

Taylia breezed through her homework in a matter of minutes and wandered outside. It was cool outside, just how she liked it.

Dralyx, you there?

When have I ever not been?

The day you slept in. Taylia replied with a smirk.

You wore me out from training! Gimme a break!

Not giving.

Taylia laughed when Dralyx started ranting about how "that phrase was annoying as hell". It was funny, driving Dralyx to a point of inane infuriation. She went back inside some time later to find the others already finished with their work.

"Get going Taylia, you have to get ready for the party!" Saiyana called down to the dragon.

Taylia dashed upstairs to her room. In a matter of minutes, she changed into a pair of black cargoes, her red-black-and-silver boots, her gray hooded sweatshirt with the red clawmark designs on the arms and chest. She pulled her hair back in a French braid and ran back downstairs, vaulting over the rail to the floor just for the helluvit.

"You're such a showoff, Tai."

Taylia looked over her shoulder to see a smirking Tala.

"Oh, and you're Mr. Humble? Huh?" She asked with a smirk of her own.

"You forgot dashing, handsome and irresistible." He replied playfully.

"Stuff it, wolf. Humble my ass." She said jokingly elbowing him in the side.

Taylia rode with Kai to the party to the BBA HQ. His helmet was all black except for several red claw marks painted on it, supposedly the kind Dranzer made. Pulling up to the building, Taylia smirked under her helmet (with the one-way lenses) when she saw Skyde outside, apparently pissed off about something. Unfortunately for Kai and Tala, their fan clubs were waiting outside.

"Shit..." She heard Kai swear through the intercom that connected all the helmets, curtsey of Taylia's technical skills.

"I guess this means me and Saiyana are putting on the girlfriend acts again."

Kai and Taylia returned to the group, apparently Tala saw his fan club out front as well.

"Damn it, I hate it when this happens..."

Taylia smirked and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm.

"Just play along."

Saiyana did the same to Kai while the team walked in. Saiyana played along as Kai's girlfriend, but Taylia was more in Bodyguard mode and was glaring just about every fangirl away from Tala that dared get close. Skyde stormed up to the two, absolutely furious looking about ready to kill Taylia. Her band of skanks was right behind her.

"How did you get in while I didn't!" Skyde demanded.

"I'm on the team, dipshit." She responded flatly.

Skyde raised a hand to slap her, but to everyone's surprise, Taylia caught her hand effortlessly.

"Now listen up, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once, and I'll be sure to use small words so you understand. If you don't leave Tala alone, I'll break your fucking arm." She growled as she tightened her death grip on her wrist.

"OW! OW, OW, OW, OW!" Skyde yelled.

"Tell me you'll leave Tala alone and you can have your fucking arm back."

"NEVER!"

Taylia's grip on Skyde's tightened drastically.

"OK, OK! UNCLE, MERCY, WHATEVER!"

"Good answer." Taylia said calmly, releasing her wrist before walking away.

"How could it hurt that much if you were using your left and you're right-handed?"

"Because she pisses me off." She responded as-a-matter-of-factly.

Tala bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

Kai and Saiyana weren't having any better luck. While Taylia was possessive and patient, Saiyana was hot-headed and willing to really pummel someone. They got inside a good 5 minutes after everyone else. Apparently, one crazed fangirl had lunged at Kai, and Saiyana had reacted by tripping her.

"Bitch." She said pouting.

Kai rolled his eyes as the others walked inside. Just as Taylia had suspected, there was alcohol. Luckily, all of the B-Boys (and girls) were non-alcoholic. There was a joke that often came up at parties saying that they were the only Russians to not have tried vodka. ("If you don't mind, I find staggering around drunkenly with no brains or coordination whatsoever very unappealing." –Taylia being cynical) Another quote from Taylia: "If you get drunk, I'll sober you up in the only way I know how." cracks knuckles That little tidbit came from one time in the Abbey. At the time, it was serious business- Boris had forced 10-year-old Tala to down a bottle of some kind of hard liquor for his own hilarity, the sick bastard. The alcohol content had been enough to kill him, and Taylia had wound up demonstrating why not to ever get drunk where she can 'sober you up'. Tala was grateful for it despite the pain- she had saved him by repeatedly punching him in the stomach until all of the liquor came up. Not a pretty experience or sight. (gag)

Back to reality, while the others either mingled with an acquaintance or stood by the wall, Taylia hung out as a wallflower on the wall opposite of the back door, arms crossed, head down, glaring away anyone who had the guts (or stupidity) to try and ask her to dance. The time passed rather slowly and boringly as the partygoers started getting drunk. It wasn't out of control or anything, but Taylia kept a wary eye out for anyone who tried to pull something she would make them regret. Though she was very asocial, Taylia knew what it felt like to be taken advantage of by a drunkard (shudder) and refused to let anyone else have to find out what it was like. Glancing at the clock, it was nearly 10 o'clock at night. Scanning over the crowd, one pair caught her eye. Some guy whose name she didn't know was flirting with a rather ticked-off looking Mathilda. Whoever the guy was, he grabbed her wrist and made his way to the back door. Looking as casual as she could Taylia crossed the room and followed the two outside.

Mathilda was slung against a wall by a drunken partygoer who grinned and advanced.

"Leave me alone!" When he didn't stop, she smacked him as hard across the face as she could.

"Feisty one, hunh?" He said leaning in.

Mathilda flattened herself to the wall and clenched her eyes shut.

"Hey buddy, she said back off." A female voice said, her tone suggesting that she was VERY pissed off.

"Whaddayou want?" He said with slurred words.

"I want you to fuck off before I hurt you in ways no human should be hurt." She growled, cracking her knuckles loudly.

The drunkard smirked.

"You can't hurt me, little girl." He remarked snidely before turning back to Mathilda.

He was suddenly grabbed from behind and slammed against the nearest wall, the girl pinning him there a few inches off the ground.

"I don't think you heard me right the first, so I'll repeat myself ONE MORE TIME. FUCK OFF YOU INCOHERENT BASTARD." She growled before flinging the guy down. She looked over her shoulder at Mathilda.

"I suggest you go inside. This could get ugly for this drunken bastard."

Mathilda did so without hesitation, but wound up running right into Miguel.

"What the hell is going on out here?" He demanded.

The mystery girl looked back, but Mathilda answered first.

"She saved me from that guy there." She stuttered, pointing to the drunkard who was trying to get up off the ground. Miguel turned to the mystery girl.

"Thank you for helping my teammate. I owe you."

"No problem." She said as she brought back a fist over her shoulder, smashing it into the drunk's face without even looking or trying for that matter.

"And your name would be?"

"Taylia." She responded bluntly.

Miguel smiled and led Mathilda back inside.

Taylia turned from the Spaniard to the drunkard behind her, and as the door slowly swung shut, one could hear the wind on a fist followed by someone heaving.

Coming back inside from sobering up the drunkard, Taylia returned to her team as the party ended.

"Where were you?" Tala asked suspiciously.

"Beating the crap out of a booze-dependent fuckbag." She replied coolly. "Does anyone else need sobering up?"

Tala pointed to a group of kids about her age. Taylia sighed.

"It's going to be a LONG night."