HIDDEN GIFT
Chapter 1
Ray's P.O.V
-A few months after the Bladebreakers won the World Championships for the second time-
"We haven't relaxed like this for a while, right guys?" I said, gazing around at each of them. They all had developed into rather mature people, well, most had.
"Yea, we never got a large break unless we were finished with the competitions!" Tyson declared. He had grown up, his attitude had changed for the better and he had matured a fair bit.
"I agree. It is nice to have a break once in a while," Kenny said, typing away. Well, he hasn't changed much. Still attached to Dizzi.
"It isn't like you guys don't deserve it," Hilary chuckled, watching Max run around like a maniac. Hilary now knows and understands what beyblading is. She's rather cool to hang with.
"This is still heaps of fun!" Max shouted. Yep, he's defiantly found Tyson's sugar container. Max has also matured, but he is still a nutter and a sugar addict at heart.
"What about you, Kai?" I asked, turning to our leader. "Your opinion would be welcomed, you know."
There was no answer. That was expected. Kai was always stern and unforgiving. He also rarely spoke out. The two years with us has loosened him a little, but he's still a hard nut to crack.
"You don't have to be so stern, Kai," Hilary said. "You can trust us not to laugh at what you say. We're not li-"
Hilary was interrupted by a splitting scream. All of us turned to find the screamer and spotted the source, a young girl in brown, tattered, hooded clothing getting attacked by two large, dark suited guys.
Normal P.O.V
The 'Breakers and Hilary all rose to their feet and rushed to help the girl, who was curled into a ball and whimpering softly.
"You had better give in, Miss, or we may have to hurt you more," The largest said. The second, shorter guy cracked his knuckles to emphasize the point.
"Do you think that, for one minute, I'd give in to idiots like you?" the girl demanded, an strong accent full in her voice, then spat blood onto the ground near their feet.
"You shouldn't have done that," the large one said. Both took two steps back, and whipped out beyblades. They launched the blades towards the girl, who gazed in content at them. When they reached halfway towards her, the girl closed her eyes, as if accepting her fate.
"Die," the short dude snarled, then spun in shock and anger as his beyblade was knocked from its path by a white and blue blur. "Who the hell did that?"
"I did," Tyson said, launcher smoking. "You know that it isn't nice to attack a lady?"
"Stay out of this," the large guy demanded, and was about to attack the girl, who was eyeing down his blade, when that blade too, spun from its path, knocked aside by a green blur.
"Don't you understand what 'go away and leave her alone' means?" Max demanded, blue eyes full of anger. Both Dragoon and Draciel circled the two maroon blades as two more blades, the blue/red Dranzer and the grey Driger, spun in to circle as well.
"Why is it that whenever we try to do what we were sent to do, someone gets in our way?" the large guy snarled, his hand dipping into his pocket.
"Don't try anything funny, mate" Kai demanded. The lage guy didn't listen. Both guys called their beyblades back to their hands and pulled out smoke bombs. With a fierce farewell, they threw the bombs to the ground and as the thick smoke enveloped the group, they made their escape.
"What was that all about?" Tyson asked, looking around.
"I'm not sure," Max replied, grabbing his still-spinning blade. A small, pain-filled moan brought the boys back into reality. They swung around to see the girl struggling to her feet. She staggered and fell and would have hit the ground if...
"Hey, are you okay?" Kai asked, supporting her weight with an arm around her waist.
"Yea," the girl said, pulling the hood tighter around her face. "Yea, I'm okay."
Kai let go and the girl stood for a few seconds, then her legs gave out. Kai and Ray both rushed in to catch her and got there just in time. They gently lowered her to the ground.
"Lemme look at your ankle," Ray started lifting the bottom of her tattered pants leg, but the girl recoiled fast, muttering "I'm fine, my ankle's fine, we're all fine."
"Hey, what's your name, hu?" Tyson asked, kneeling on the ground.
"Yea," Hillary agreed. "We can't just go calling you 'Little Girl' or 'Jane Doe'! It'd be nice to speak to you as a person."
"Umm..." The Girl said, bowing her head.
"Please?" The Girl looked up to see Ray's cat-like eyes glowing with respect, but curiosity.
"It's, umm, Shiri," The girl mumbled.
"Was that 'Shiri'?" Kai asked, trying to see her eyes. 'Shiri' nodded.
"Are you the famous Bladebreakers, known all round the world?" Shiri asked, looking towards the ground to hide her eyes.
"Yea, we are!" Tyson proclaimed proudly.
"Why are you hiding your eyes?" Kai asked.
"Cause it'd be in your best interests not to know me too well," Shiri said, "Since those guys hurt everyone in their way between them and me." She tried to stand up, but failed, falling into Ray's lap.
"Well, 'in our best interests' or not, you need to be looked at!" Kenny spoke up.
"Gramps may let you stay with us for a while!" Tyson beamed.
"I can lend you some clothes, since I don't think brown is your colour at all!" Hilary smiled softly.
"And it seems as if you haven't had a good feed for a while! I plan to change that!" Ray said, softly grasping Shiri's hips.
"Ray's food is to die for!" Max grinned.
"And you need some rest," Kai said. "You look like you haven't had a good night's sleep in months."
"Really? You'd do that for me?" Shiri asked, looking up for the first time. "You barely even know me!"
"Well, I feel as if I've known you for a long time," Kai said, finally meeting Shiri's eyes.
Shiri coughed and looked down. "I'm almost positive I know you from somewhere," she murmured to Kai. Kai looked stunned.
"So am I."
The others exchanged curious glances. "Lets get you out of here," Max said, slowly helping Shiri to her feet, and supported her until Ray got up and lifted her onto his back.
"I'll meet you back at Tyson's house, I'm grabbing some of my stuff for Shiri!" Hilary said, running off.
Unbeknown to the Bladebreakers, someone was watching from behind the bridge pylon. He grimaces, pulls out a phone, dials a number and says, "Lone Monkey to Base. The target is gone. I repeat: the target is gone."