Angel quickly entered the locker-room of the Celtic dragons and immediately saw her target. A sealed portfolio lay on the bench against the far wall, waiting for them. Confidently, Angel strode over and picked it up, broke the wax crested seal and pulled out the folder containing their instructions. Just like old times she thought to herself as she glanced at the information given her.

Teams:

Tristan and Lance Angel and Brooklyn

Oppostion:

White Tiger X team BWhite Tiger X team A

Team Psychic Burning Dawn

Bladebreakers team BBladebreakers team A

Instructions:

Destroy all opponents blades, leave none for a rematch. Failure will not be accepted. The drug is to be administered to Tristan and Lance by exactly 11:30 a.m.

As angel studied the instructions she saw that the coach had scribbled a note at the bottom to her as well.

Remember Captain, you are to say and do only as told.

You are not to jeopordize the secrecy of Genecite or of

Its projects at any cost. We're watching and listening

Captain. Don't fail us, again.

Angel crumpled the paper in her hands and threw it into the trashcan on the other side of the room before reaching into the portfolio again and pulling out two small injections. She turned to Lance and Tristan and was saddened to see how their eyes lit up in anticipation and longing at the sight of them. She tossed them to them and turned away as another wave of weakness washed over her unexpectedly. She found herself leaning a hand against one of the lockers for support until the wave of weakness had washed over her. What was happening? How long did these side-effects last? It was getting harder and harder to hide her pain and exhaustion. It felt like she had just been injected instead of getting over one.

Angel waited for the inhuman screams but strangely they didn't come. She turned to look as Tristan and Lance but saw only the dark evil and empty glint in their eyes. Of course, the drug would have been modified to keep them from causing a scene.

"Lance you're with Tristan. Your first match is in ten minutes against the White Tiger X's second team."

They both nodded their heads in understanding as she continued.

"You are to destroy your opponents blades. Do not even make a rematch possible. Understand."

Again they nodded.

"Give me your blade Lance."

Lance obediently gave it to her militarily. Angel went over it, noting its customizations, the weight, size, and build.

"Your blades slightly off balance for its build. Use this weight disc instead."

Angel handed him a new weight disc slightly heavier than the one he was using and watched as Lance quickly took apart his blade, switched the weight discs then put it back together at lightning speed and practiced precision. Angel simply nodded to him before stepping in front of Tristan who simply continued to look ahead coolly. After an expectant glance he simply whipped out his beyblade and handed it to Angel unceremoniously. Angel looked it over. As usual, he had a good blade build, perfectly balanced and precisely sized. She could almost feel the power in it though the feeling of the evil within it, tainting that power sent shivers up her spine. She would've been impressed by his seemingly perfect blade had this not been usual for Tristan. Nodding in approval Angel gave it back to him before walking past them and leading them out of the locker room toward the arena where everyone was about to see how good they really were.

"Ray!" a voice screamed suddenly behind Ray as he along with the other Bladebreakers were eating in the foodcourt. He quickly turned to see a familiar pink figure followed by a few others making their way towards him through the crowd. Quickly the figure ran towards him as he embraced her in a tight hug.

"Mariah!" Ray exclaimed joyfully.

He put her down after a moment as he looked at her. She hadn't changed a bit.

"What're you doing here? Where'd the others get to?"

"They're coming and didn't you know we were competing?"

"NO, I mean I didn't hear you guys were even here. How's Lee?"

"Lee's doing just fine." Came a sarcastic voice behind the duo.

"Lee, Kevin, Gary! Hey guys!"

"How's it goin Ray?" Lee questioned as the White Tigers pulled up chairs and sat down at the table with the Bladebreakers.

"Uhhh. Okay I guess. When's your next battle?"

"Actually its in about twenty minutes so we cant stay long."

"Who you up against?"

"Some team called the Celtic Dragons or whatever."

"Sound like a bunch of pushovers to me." Kevin added.

"We'll b eat em easy." Lee continued.

"I wouldn't be so overconfident." Cautioned Kai.

"Why not." Mariah asked curiously.

"Yeah Kai, why?" Ray added just as curious.

"Because that's the team Angel joined."

Rays eyes went wide in realization. "You serious!"

Kai didn't need to reply as he simply stared back at Ray in finality before closing his eyes again.

"Whose Angel?" Mariah asked feeling like she must've missed something.

"My best friend." Came a voice behind them. Everyone quickly turned to see Jess and Tala walking up behind them.

" So are you one the same team as her?"

"No." Jess replied.

"Hold on a second. No offense or anything but who are you?" Lee asked.

"My names Jess."

"Ok second question. What team do you blade for and why are you with Tala?"

"The Burning Dawn and Tala's teaming up with me to finish this tournament since my other team mate had to leave."

"Back to this Angel character. How good is she really?" Kevin asked.

"On a scale of one to ten…thirty." Jess replied seriously.

"Is that true Ray?" Lee asked a bit wonderingly.

Ray pensively nodded his head. Angel may not have been a complete natural then again he wasn't so sure she wasn't, but her skills and pure determination gave her a major edge. Not to mention her bitbeast,

"Which of you is blading against them?"

"Kevin and Gary." Lee motioned to the two other members next to him.

"Good luck to you two then." Jess said turning to walk away, " you'll need it."

"Hey wait a sec if she's your best friend why aren't you two in this tournament together?" Mariah questioned.

"We were." Jess stated as a pained expression crossed her features. Then turned, and very Angel-like, left with Tala to go to their match before having to explain the whole story to the White Tigers.

"Ray what happened between Jess and Angel?" Mariah asked watching the two retreating figures.

"Honestly I don't even know all of the details but I'll tell you what I do know." Thus Ray went on to explain the apparent deep friendship between Angel and Jess, the way they seemed to blade as one and then her strange disappearance after meeting that strange man only to reappear and then leave to join the Celtic Dragons. Kai listened intently adding the pieces only he knew of to the story in his mind as he tried to figure out what exactly made Angel betray Jess.

"So Angel betrayed Jess, yet Jess doesn't hate her?"

Ray nodded at Mariah slowly.

"Sort of like when you left us." Lee added.

"Perhaps but I don't think Angel left Jess for the same reason. I think there's something else going on that we don't know about."

"She's still a traitor. You left us to excel in blading what could she possibly have gained in her betrayal?"

"You've got a point Mariah, but I don't know."

"Well its time for us to head down to the arena. You guys going to come and watch?" Lee asked standing to his feet.

"You bet!" Tyson exclaimed as the Bladebreakers followed the White Tigers down the hallways to the stadium.

As Tyson and Max excitedly led the way they were stopped quite accidentally by three cold figures who stared annoyedly back at them. The two just eyed them, as they stood transfixed in their way.

"Angel" Tyson stuttered seeing the tall muscular and quite intimidating figures behind her with eyes black as the deepest shadows of Hell. His voice ceased to work all together when he saw how intimidating and unapproachable Angel looked in front of them.

Angel didn't even speak as she simply glared at the White Tigers, sizing them up for the upcoming battle.

"So you're Angel." Stated Mariah next to Ray.

Angel glared at her but remained coldly silent noting how much her silence unnerved most of them.

"And you must be the White Tigers." She finally stated with a challenging tone. " Be warned, we play rough and hard. Don't expect mercy or pity from us."

"Don't worry we wouldn't need it if you had it, but don't expect it from us either." Lee muttered dangerously and just as threateningly.

"Don't be delusional. We don't need either." Angel said her voice deadly serious as she led Tristan and Lance away from the Bladebreakers and White Tigers and into the arena.

"You better beat them guys." Mariah stated glaring at the now disappearing Celtic Dragons.

Gary and Kevin nodded before going over to the team bench to wait for their match while Mariah and Lee sat in the crowd with the Bladebreakers.

"Tristan, Lance remember take them out of this tournament …but I do now want permanent damage done. Let them rather be tortured with the sight of their mostly intact yet useless blades."

Tristan and Lance nodded coldly and obediently before walking to stand in front of their side of the beystadium.

Angel sat on the bench ready to watch the match. 'Well guys this is the best I can help you. Sorry about your blades but atleast now they'll be fixable.' She thought as she eyed Kevin and Gary. Instantly her mind instinctively wanted to think that they'd go down easily but Angel had learned that there is so much more to people than meets the eye. Better to be cautious than careless.

"3…2…1 Let it Rip!" yelled Jazzman as instantly all four blades were launched and the battle began.

"I can't believe that is Jess best friend!" Mariah started still glaring at Angel.

"She's changed. The Angel we knew may have been a bit distant and cold but she wasn't like this. Not form what I saw atleast." Max stated staring at Angel as well.

"Oh man Gary and Kevin are taking a beating!" Tyson exclaimed watching the match.

"What!" Mariah exclaimed turning her focus back to the battle," they aren't blading to win, they're trying to completely destroy Gary and Kevin's blades!"

"I think you might be right, look at that! Too much more of this kind of beating and their blades could be completely annihilated!" Ray voiced watching the two struggling blades while Lee and Mariah shouted encouragement to their two teammates.

'Angel what are you doing?' wondered Kai as he stared at the ever watching Angel merely eyeing her team emotionlessly. ' why isn't she stopping them? What is Genecite trying to make her do?' Kai was snapped from his thoughts at the sound of the victors being announced.

The Celtic Dragons had viscously beaten, nearly annihilated, Gary and Kevin. Kai could see the damage from here and knew they wouldn't be able to battle again for some time.

Mariah and Lee jumped the handrailing and ran to their team-,mates who knelt frozen next to the dish holding their blades.

"Kevin!" Mariah exclaimed kneeling next to him. "Are you alright?"

"Their eyes! They were so empty and cold. They're pure evil! And my blade!" Kevin whimpered holding his blade in his open palms.

Mariah looked at the blade in his hands and gasped. What was holding it together not even Mariah could see. Dropping it might shatter it into a million pieces and launching was beyond hope in the near future. Angrily she looked up to see Angel leading her team down a darkened hallway and angrily ran after her. She was not going to get away with this!

"Hey Angel!" came an angry voice behind Angel as she and her team walked along in the silent shadowed hallway. She stopped and turned to see a pink figure standing before her. Great, wasn't enough that she had to be here annoying her but she also had to be wearing the one color Angel despised…pink.

"How could you allow your team to blade like that!"

"Easily. Considering I ordered them to." Angel said the iciness of her tone somehow overcoming the guilt in her voice.

"How could you! Its not how Beyblading was meant to be!"

"Is your little lesson here finished yet?"

"Fine you're nothing but a traitor anyways!"

Angel's eyes started growing darker as she tensed at the name her sadness and guilt quickly turning to anger as Mariah kept pushing her closer and closer to the edge of her patience and control.

"You could have really meant something but no you turned your back on the one person who cared about you. You don't even deserve a beyblade anymore. You'll probably betray your bitbeast too if you're offered what you wanted!"

Angel couldn't take it anymore and found herself lunging at Mariah and slamming her against the wall though strangely keeping enough control of herself so as not to hurt her.

"You speak of what you do not know. I suggest you keep your mouth shut unless you know everything."

"I know enough to say you are a traitor."

Angel narrowed her eyes as she caught the sound of Rays approaching footsteps.

"You don't know the half of it!" with that she released her.

"Mariah! Are you alright!" Ray ran to her side as Mariah sat on the ground looking up at Angel who now turned to leave.

"Have you lost it Angel!" Ray yelled angrily at her.

"Take your girlfriend and get out of here " Angel muttered her back still turned to him.

"No! Not until I get some answers. Why Angel? Why? Why did you betray Jess, yourself. Why are you with them?"

"Get out of here Ray, don't make me get physical. Again."

"You should listen to her Ray." A voice said emerging from the shadows behind Ray and Mariah.

"Kai!" Mariah stated, surprised.

"No. You will answer for your actions!"

"Tristan, Lance." Angel started as the two figure stepped forward blocking her from everyone's view, save Kai's and staring menacingly at them.

Kai's gaze locked with Angels for a moment and he saw what he'd needed to. Guilt, Regret, Fear, Anger, Self-loathing, Pain, Hurt, and even strangely longing. This didn't seem to be at all what she wanted.

"Ray we're going." Kai stated as he turned leading the way opposite the Celtic Dragons.

Ray nodded being persuaded by the much stronger team of Tristan and Lance. Taking Mariah by the arm he led her out only daring to glance back once at Angel disapprovingly before walking out into the light. Kai had disappeared but that was no surprise. One thing was for sure, Angel would be beaten. She would not be allowed to win this tournament, to that, he would swear.

After watching Ray and Mariah disappear into the crowd Kai followed Angel deeper into the shadowed hallway. As soon as he, Ray and Mariah had disappeared form sight a figure emerged from the darkness. Silently Kai watched wondering what might be revealed if he just waited.

"Tristan, Lance go to the locker-room." Barked the figure.

Silently Tristan and Lance did as they were ordered leaving Angel to face him alone.

"You almost let something slip Captain, I think you might need a little reminder to keep your mouth shut!"

"Don't even think about hurting any of them!" Angel snarled.

"Oh don't worry about them Captain, you shall bear the reminder…personally."

Kai watched in shock and anger as the figure beat Angel. No scars or bruises were made where they would be clearly visible but he could tell that Angel was in a lot of pain. She looked strangely weak and tired to begin with and now she was being drained and hurt… what had they been putting her through?

Finally the figure stopped and released his firm hold on Angel allowing her to slump to the floor with her back against the wall.

"Next time Captain, do not disappoint us."

With that the figure stalked off leaving Angel alone. Kai looked at her and felt anger instantly coarse through his veins. How could she take this? Why was she taking this? Cautiously he decided to approach her. He had to get he rout of their clutches. Noiselessly he walked toward her, her eyes were closed and her head hung down towards the floor. She had certainly taken a beating. He knelt down in front of her and her eyes opened as she looked up into crimson eyes.

"Kai" she spoke weakly in surprise and…relief?

Gently he tucked the hair in front of her eyes behind her ear. "Why Angel, why?"

"I have to."

"Why do you have to? Whatever the reason it cant be enough to put yourself through this."

"It is Kai."

"What reason could possibly be worth all of this? Tell me Angel, what?"

For a moment Angel was silent before looking up into his eyes weakly and tiredly. She then stood clumsily to her feet never breaking eye contact with Kai as he stood as well. She started to turn when Kai's voice stopped her.

"Answer me Angel, please. What's worth all of this?" he pleaded.

Angel turned away form him and started off painfully before saying one word that fixed Kai to the spot in shock.

"You" she whispered so only he could hear her and then disappeared into the dark shadows out of Kai's sight her voice still echoing in his shocked mind long after she had gone.