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The Bladebreakers entered the arena to the cheers and jeers of the crowd. Kai took up position in the sidelines along with Ray, Kenny and Tyson.

"THE MATCH IS ABOUT TO BEGIN WITH MAX FROM THE VISITOR TEAM BLADEBREAKERS GOING UP AGAINST DAN, ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN TOWN! JUST LISTEN TO THE CROWD!" the commentator's voice boomed over the microphone.

The crowd roared in agreement. "GO DAN!" and "YOU CAN TAKE HIM, BLADEBREAKERS!"

"This is gonna be tough," Kenny shouted over the noise. "Just look at the determination on that guy's face. He's not going to lose to some visitor!"

"Unfortunately for him we're not just some visitor," Ray shouted back. "We're the Bladebreakers!"

"Go get 'em Max!" Tyson yelled.

Max turned and gave them a thumbs-up.

"THREE! TWO! ONE! YEAH! LET IT RIIIP!"

Both players launched their Beyblades. But neither hit each other, instead, they started getting ready for the opponent's move.

"MAX'S BEYBLADE, DRACIEL, IS PUTTING UP A DEFENSIVE POSTURE WHILE DAN'S IS GETTING READY TO ATTACK. OH NO! THE BLADES ARE GONNA GET WRECKED IF THIS GOES ON! BOTH BLADES ARE PUSHING AGAINST EACH OTHER! NOW MAX IS TAKING ON THE OFFENSIVE! NOT WITH MUCH LUCK, THOUGH!"

"Keep hitting!" Max yelled to Draciel.

"Max! Bring on the Bitbeast!" Tyson yelled.

"No! Keep pushing, Max!" Kenny shouted. "Dan's blade should be losing hit points too!"

Max told his blade to keep pushing as hard as it could.

"MAX IS REFUSING TO GIVE UP! DAN'S LONGSTONE IS SUPPOSED TO BE STRONG. LET'S SEE HOW MUCH LONGER IT CAN TAKE THIS!"

"Longstone! Attack with everything you've got! Push that blade out of the arena!" Dan yelled.

"He's making a big mistake," Ray smirked.

"Now! Take it down!" Max cried.

Draciel hit hard against Longstone and it flew in the air.

"No! Longstone!" Dan yelled.

While in the air the blade broke into pieces, allowing light to shine through the different bits. Everyone quietened down as it crashed down, and everyone knew it was beyond repair.

"AND LONGSTONE IS DOWN! MAX IS THE WINNER!" the commentator boomed.

The crowd burst into cheers. Max ran over and gave Tyson a high five, his Beyblade clutched tightly in his hand. Poor Dan was almost crying over his Beyblade. The Bladebreakers were also cheering for Max. Max turned to Kenny and said gratefully, "Thanks, Chief. I was about to switch back to defence. If it weren't for you I'd probably have lost."

Kenny blushed, pleased, "I was just doing what I was supposed to do."

"Who's up next?" Ray asked.

"Cree's up with this girl called Mariah. Both are individuals," Kenny answered.

"Who? Mariah?" Ray asked rather hysterically.

"A different Mariah, Ray."

"Oh."

"Speaking of Mariah, where is she?" Tyson asked.

"She's taking a tournament back at the village. She's gonna kill me when I get home. She'll find out the Beybladers had gone to America and I hadn't told her."

"Why didn't you tell her?" Max asked slyly.

"She'd have wanted to come with us with the rest of the team. Excuse me. She would have come with us, and I didn't want to have to battle them all over again."

"Or maybe you didn't like the thought of facing your little girlfriend."

Ray turned red.

"Very funny," he said turning around to hide his blush.

"Cree's coming up, guys," Max told them.

Kai's POV

"NOW CREE IS UP WITH MARIAH! BOTH THE GIRLS ARE COMING UP TO THE ARENA."

I looked across the arena to her. Cree. She was very good. I noticed she'd changed her outfit for the championship. She looked so much prettier in this outfit. Her hair lay fluffed up on her shoulders, and her eyes were sparkling. She flashed a smile. Directed at me.

"THREE, TWO AND ONE! GOGOGO! THE GIRLS HAVE RELEASED THEIR BEYBLADES. CREE SEEMS TO BE FOCUSING ON MAKING HER BEYBLADE BALANCE PROPERLY FIRST!"

Balance? That's the same strategy I use.

"UH OH! LOOKS LIKE CREE'S IN TROUBLE! MARIAH'S HITTING HER WITH EVERYTHNG SHE'S GOT!"

Mariah was directing her Beyblade to move at a constant rate around Cree's blade. The speed was so great that it was forming an unbroken circle. The circle closed in for attack and as soon as it hit it backed off into a larger one. Sphonx was trapped. It couldn't get out in any way. Cree also seemed at a loss at what to do.

No. There was a way.

"Cree! Up! Get Phoenix to jump up! It's the only way!" I was shouting to her before I knew it. I could feel the others' surprised gazes on me.

Cree gave me a sharp nod and told her Beyblade to do as I directed.

"Um… man, you do know that if Cree wins one of us might have to face her?" Ray asked hesitatingly.

"All of you beat her at least once, didn't you?" I asked.

The commentator was yelling in the background, "NOW THIS IS A SURPRISE! THE BLADEBREAKERS' CAPTAIN JUST GAVE CREE AN INSTRUCTION THAT JUST MIGHT LEAD TO HER VICTORY."

Cree's gonna win!

She hit Mariah's Beyblade from the bottom and shot her down. This championship only allowed one round. Victory was hers.

Then I noticed Ray was talking. I paid attention to him, "Yeah, but those were just lucky wins. You saw how I got stumped by her in the last session. You're the only one who can take her on."

"Then I will take her on," I snapped, annoyed.

"But isn't she your –"

Next minute Kai had Ray in a solid head lock.

"Say uncle."

"UNCLE UNCLE UNCLE."

"SHE WON! SHE WON!" the commentator, Tyson, Max and Kenny cried at the same time.

My head snapped in the direction of the match. Who won? Cree! She won! Wait, what was she doing?

She raced towards me and threw her arms around me in a quick hug. I stared at her, dumbfounded.

"Thanks, Kai! I'd have been a goner if it weren't for you!"

The team had gone off into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. I winked at Cree and said in a very gruff and snappy tone, "Don't expect it all the time. We're gonna stomp you."

"Really?" Ray managed to ask while choking up with laughter. The others were howling while rolling on the floor.

I saw Cree staring at the floor, blushing, embarrassed. I decided to try a death glare. I coughed. They looked up at me. The glare was ready. Gee, it worked! Everyone immediately stopped laughing and stood at attention, Tyson, Max and Kenny scrambling up from the floor.

"Good match, Max," Cree told him. "I was watching."

"Thanks."

"See you later," she jogged away, waving. I shook my head after her.

"Maybe you don't like her, but she sure seems to like you!" Max whispered to me.

I clenched my fist and held it in his face. He grinned sheepishly.

As the match continued, I thought about what he'd said. Does she like me? She seems to. But will she like me in the way I like her? I hope so.

I do?

Yes, you do.

Okay, okay, I do.

Hah!

End of Kai's POV

Tyson took the next round, almost got beaten by an individual, but thanks to some quick thinking by his team-mates, managed to pull off a very close win. The Spindles, meanwhile, were busy beating another team while Cree beat two other individuals, and the eight competitors for the quarter finals were quickly chosen.

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Well the end of this chappie folks. Remember every 5 reviews. Thanks.