Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.
Title: Waiting in the Wings
Chapter Title: Waiting for Recognition
Rating: T
Categories: Romance/Drama
Summary: Dedicated to GothicSabrina. Mariam and Kai both want to be independent, not relying on someone else. Not relying on 'love'. When they meet, their opinions only grow stronger. But could there be love waiting in the fiery wings of Dranzer?
Feedback: Reviews! YUM! Flames? Why would you bother?
Status: Chapters. But only if you review!
Notes: Second chapter… yay…

I apologise to those that read my other stories, my laptop that had the files is… dead. I have to write the chapters all over again and now I do not have a permanent computer. I am kind of… 'Hopping', if you will.

Reviewer Responses
GothicSabrina: You DID hassle me so do not deny it! I will not threaten you with another clown, but Pennywise IS behind you. We've discussed this… NO ONE IS GOING TO DIE! Unless it is a plot twist… Tyson IS gay… (shudders) but not in my story. No yaoi in my story. Nope.
Bluestray: Yay, I updated.
CuteBeyblader: I'm glad you liked it.
Brown Eyed Bakas / SilverWolf-Ryuki: Joy to the world… lalalala… I like that song. Catchy. Don't die! I can't stand another murder on my hands. Uh… did I just say 'another'? Oops… Yep, blame GothicSabrina's hassling and nagging.

WAITING IN THE WINGS

Kai/Mariam
Mariam and Kai both want to be independent, not relying on someone else. Not relying on 'love'. When they meet, their opinions only grown stronger. But could there be love waiting in the fiery wrings of Dranzer?

Flowerperson
© 2005

Part II
Waiting for Recognition

Mariam was about to say a colourful range of curses when the gun was suddenly knocked out of his hand by something small and blue. The man cursed and looked around. The others looked confused at they stared at the rotating, small object.

"What the…" the leader said, "What is that? A spinning top?"

"No," Mariam said, recognising the object even after seven years. Who would have guessed, eh? It seemed pretty improbable and cliché but hey, she could go along with it. "It's a beyblade. It's…"

A voice interrupted her. "Dranzer."

Mariam turned abruptly and saw a male shrouded in the shadows of the buildings around them. It didn't help that it was pitch black at night but even though his face, most of his body and therefore his identity was hidden, she knew who this man was. The way he stood – his arms folded and his legs slightly apart – was still reminiscent of the fourteen-year old boy she had met last time she visited Japan by order of their village elders.

The men looked confused, staring at the anonymous beyblader then looking back to the spinning Dranzer. Some watched in confusion, while others gazed at it in fear. The leader took a step towards it and suddenly the beyblade leapt up and slashed across his left leg, causing blood to ooze through the gash and stain his grey trousers.

He swore in pain as he fell to the floor. The others stepped back cautiously, only gazing at 'Dranzer' in pure fear. It leapt up again and slashed at another's arm. Now the gang were truly petrified and decided this would be a pretty good time to retreat. What if it jumped in more 'private' areas?

They backed away, leaving their leader whimpering on the floor as his warm blood began to puddle around his leg, tainting the road. He closed his eyes and began muttering to himself hysterically. He moved slightly then grit his teeth in pain as the pain continued to assault him. How dare they, he thought to himself, how dare his gang – his back-up and his closest friends – just leave him here at the mercy of some guy with a sharp, dangerous object? If he died, they were going to be haunted.

She didn't notice the owner of Dranzer was near her until he spoke. It made her jump and look to him with wide green eyes.

"Get up," he ordered. Short and sharp, just like his teenage years, Mariam thought with a small smirk. He really hadn't changed. Then again, had she? Had Joseph? Had Ozuma? Even Dunga was the short-tempered ape he was back then.

The man clenched his fists as he pushed himself up, his face contorted in pain. "I… can't…"

"Hn," he grunted and walked over to the man hurting and pulled him up roughly by the collar of his black jacket, yanking him to his feet. The slate-haired man glared at the shivering, injured male and Mariam wondered if he was going to do something drastic – something dangerous, at least for the man. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

He threw him to the side dismissingly then crossed his arms again. "Pathetic," he remarked. The man – summing up his remaining strength – stumbled away into the darkness, leaving a red trail behind him. Mariam turned to her rescuer and raised an eyebrow. He didn't even glance at her, just continued staring at the man retreating, as if making sure that he was indeed 'retreating' and would not return anytime soon.

Mariam knew that face he had made. He would think twice before confronting a lady at night.

She frowned, "Kai," she spat with a surprising amount of venom. She didn't mean it to sound like that. However, it seemed to others that everything she said was an insult or a sarcastic comment. Oh well…

Kai looked to her in confusion then sighed in exasperation as he ran a hand through his slate-coloured hair, "A fan?" he asked in exhaustion like he had just pushed his way through a whole crowd of squealing fan-girls (coughGothicSabrinacough).

The jade-eyed woman glared at him with an intense heat as she clenched her fists in fury. How dare he associate me with those… those… light-headed, lust-driven BIMBOS! I am not some obsessive fan-girl! The nerve of that… BOY! ARGH!

In a moment of fury, Mariam pulled out her beyblade, launcher and ripcord. She prepared Sharkrash and launched it at Dranzer, battling it with sparks flying off the both of them.

Kai's eyes widened as he recognised the small object. How could it be possible? Some adult woman possessing a beyblade? Only those that competed in the World Championships bothered to keep theirs as a souvenir – something to remember the good times of when they could just have fun. They didn't have to worry about the troubles of adulthood such as tax, jobs and a home. Not that Kai needed to worry about these things. He had inherited enough money to go without a job for the rest of his life without any problems.

He staggered back as her beyblade knocked his roughly, forcing them back.

"What's wrong, Kai? Afraid of a little competition?" she taunted, her bright green eyes challenging him openly. There was a sense of familiarity around the girl, but he couldn't place his finger on it. Before he could ponder on this further, his beyblade was hit with another threatening attack. Clenching his fists, Kai replied with a tackle.

The girl smirked and their beyblades continued to clash. Her beyblade was dark blue and silver with some yellow parts and it looked like she had a bit-beast but he couldn't see what it was. He had seen this beyblade before, he was sure…

"SHARKRASH! ATTACK!" the woman ordered and her beyblade began to glow as it spun faster and faster. Kai – perceiving that this would be a very powerful and dangerous attack – commanded his beyblade to do one of its first moves that he had not used in a long time.

"SPIRAL SURVIVOR!" (1) He shouted and Dranzer began to also revolve faster, darting around so it would be difficult to attack the evasive beyblade. The woman with dark blue hair grinned devilishly. She swept a bang out of her face then concentrated more of her power into her beyblade 'Sharkrash'. She seemed confident, and Kai would be happy to rid her of that.

Honestly, he saved her life and she just suddenly challenged him for a beybattle. By all means, he was up for it; it had been so long since he had faced someone. This looked like she would be a decent opponent. But not worthy, no one was worthy to face him.

No one.

Not even Tyson Granger; even though he kept his title as Junior Beyblade Champion for three consecutive years, Kai was still the better beyblader. Tyson was still an amateur. Always will be.

Does that mean you were beaten by an amateur, oh Professional One?

Kai ignored the little voice. Who cared what it thought? He certainly didn't and he had to focus on this match. Speaking of which, shouldn't he pay attention to what was going on?

He looked to her beyblade ('Sharkrash', was it? Yet another thing that he recognised from somewhere way back, in his past) and saw a bright light emerge abruptly from it, making a pillar of a blinding, white beam. The glow began to grow stronger, and Kai got the sudden feeling that maybe a basic move such as Spiral Survivor would not be able to stop a bit-beast attack, especially from one that was as charged as this.

The Russian pulled up his white scarf so it covered his mouth and nose then allowed the ends to billow behind him in the nightly breeze. "The game is on, girl."

She scowled, "Don't call me girl, boy."

A light suddenly shot at Dranzer, but no creature leapt forward. Dranzer was knocked back and forth violently as the radiance continued to assault it. Kai frowned, what was going on? The bit-beast… it was… invisible?

Invisible bit-beasts! The Saint-shields! Their ancient bit-beasts!

Looking to the blue-haired, green-eyed woman, Kai suddenly remember who this was, and dear readers, it shocked him so much that when another beam hit it, Dranzer ceased to spin.

"Mariam?" he asked in pure astonishment. What was she doing here, in Japan? Visiting Max? But why would she be out past midnight? Why was she wearing a suit? These questions made Kai's head hurt, and he suddenly wanted a coffee. An Espresso seemed pretty damn good. He definitely needed a jolt of caffeine.

She gave him a bored look then Sharkrash jumped back into her hand. She put the beyblade, launcher and ripcord back in her handbag and sniffed indignantly as she flung it over her shoulder.

Beginning to walk away, Kai crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "That's it? No 'hello'? No 'thanks'? No 'how are you'?" He hadn't seen her in seven years and yet she was walking away like he was her worst enemy. He didn't know her that much, always classing her as 'Max's opponent' or the girl that seemed to boast a lot (but not as much as Hilary…).

The Saintshield probably was the best female beyblader he had seen. Mariah was a team player and was far too gentle, Emily was more into numbers than the actual game, Salima's beyblade was a cheap copy of Ray's, Julia was best with her brother Raul, Ming-Ming was some pop-star beyblade wannabe and hadn't Mariam been besting Queen before King jumped in?

Mariam turned to face him, "I wouldn't think you were the one for idle chit-chat, Kai." Her knowing grin did not affect Kai. He shrugged his shoulders and smirked playfully.

"Hey, you won the match, didn't you? The least I could do is buy you coffee." He picked up Dranzer and put it in his back pocket, "Besides, it's not everyday that I happen to stumble across a past opponent, or even a decent challenge." He was actually a bit annoyed that she won; he really must be slacking in his training. He wanted to make sure it was just a fluke.

"I have to get home. My brother is probably worried." Before Kai could say anything, Mariam began to depart, deciding that she would phone for a taxi. "Don't worry," she called, "I won't tell anyone how I managed to beat The Almighty Kai."

Hn, Kai thought then left for home so he could have a strong espresso. That was just a fluke.

There would definitely be more beyblade training in the morning.

Authoress' Notes

(1) – Whilst reading a profile on Kai at AbsoluteAnimeDOTcom (again), it mentioned the defensive move 'Spiral Survivor' which made it difficult for another beyblade to attack Dranzer. If the description is wrong, I apologise! I have to say that I fail to remember this move.

Review please!

Flowerperson (R a v e n o f D e s p a i r 1 3 AT a o l . c o m)