The group of five headed out to Lee and Mariah's backyard. There, Ray lent Mariah his launcher and rip cord, and Lee set up his own.

"Do you know how, Mariah?" Ray asked, and Mariah nodded.

"Of course I do, I've been watching you two Beyblade forever!"

Ray and Lee looked at each other, and Lee spoke.

"Well, it's a lot different when you're actually doing it-"

"I can do it!"

"All right…"

Ray stood beside the earthen Beydish and raised three fingers.

"Three…" Lee and Mariah clicked their Blades onto the launchers.

"Two…" They set them over the dish.

"One…" Hands on the rip cords, they grinned.

"LET IT RIP!"

One black and one pink Beyblade flew into the dish. Mariah was actually pretty good for a beginner, as she guided her Blade around Lee, who remained in one spot.

Suddenly, Lee's Blade thrashed out at Mariah's. She gasped and tried to pull her own Blade out of the way, but Lee's hit connected, and Mariah's Blade went flying.

Miraculously, her Blade landed on the very rim of the Beydish, and she sped back into action, pulling out a strong attack on Lee.

Having thought she was going to fly out of the dish, Lee was completely unprepared. He gasped as his own Blade was hit hard, but experience allowed him to hold on so that his Blade only skidded back a bit. Now Mariah was completely within range.

Mariah seemed to realize this.

"Uh oh…" she said.

"Uh oh is right!" Lee cried as his black Beyblade collided with Mariah's pink one. This time, when her Blade went flying, it went out and over Mariah's head, landing on a soft patch of grass behind her.

"The winner is Lee!" Ray cried, and Mariah pouted.

"Hey, its okay, Mariah!" Lee said, picking up his Blade, "You put up a good fight! For a girl, that is"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mariah demanded as Lee snickered. She jumped on him, and his Blade went flying.

Lee pushed Mariah off of him and ran to grab his Beyblade. Mariah grabbed her own and grinned.

Lee stuck out his tongue at her and Mariah pouted. The other three looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

Then, they heard a low voice calling Gary's name. They gasped and all ran inside, and then to the front door, where Gary's dad was. Kevin's mother wasn't far behind.

Once they left, Ray, Lee, and Mariah looked around the house. There was leftover cake laying out, and frosting where Kevin had knocked his piece over. Plates lay on the counter unwashed, and there was wrapping paper everywhere.

Mariah grinned and said she was 'gonna go practice with her new Beyblade'. Lee put his foot down and said she had to help clean up. But Mariah only stuck out her tongue and said she was the birthday girl. She strode off to her room.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me, huh Ray?"

"Oh, I dunno Lee" Ray said, smiling, "It's awful dark, and the villagers are gonna wonder where I am. I better get going"

Ray waved goodbye, grinning broadly. He left quickly, before Lee had a chance to protest. Lee scowled and muttered something about 'hard labor'.

Author's Notes: Sorry I took so long to update, but I had tons of homework and Church Choir practice and Beyblade yesterday, so I didn't have any time to write this. But I like the ending, though. It's kind of a copy off another story of mine, There Ain't No Mountains High Enough, where they order two pizzas, one for Tyson and one for the rest of the Bladebreakers, and make Tyson pay for one whole pizza, while the rest pay for one quarter of the other one, because Tyson gets his own. Anyway, Tyson storms off to get the money, (quote) muttering something about 'unfair treatment' (unquote). So remember, please review, and yin-yang headbands to all my third-chapter reviewers!