mmn... my mommy just gave me a strawberry shake... aren't you glad you know that?

Trial By Old Flames

Chapter Nine: Newbies

Distant Storm

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Dickenson popped his head into the room. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah, let's go."

The group exited the room, suddenly concentrated. Tyson's attitude became much more cocky, and Carrie seemed to withdraw just a little. "You okay?" The chairman asked her.

"She's worried about Kai. As we all are," Ray said. Carrie smiled, a silent thank you passing from her lips. They went in the opposite direction, toward the stadium's main room, where thousands of people were waiting for the entire tournament to begin.

Tyson walked out first, in almost a strut. At the end, was Carrie and Hilary. The rest of the room was curious about the arrival of the new girl, who looked about as tough as a kitten. Tyson walked up to Jazzman, taking the microphone from his hands.

"Welcome!" He yelled into the mic. The entire place seemed to shake with applause. "I say we get this on and let it rip!" Once the applause faded again, he handed back the mic to Jazzman, who took it, excitement rattling his entire body.

"Alright! Since there are only two returning vetran teams here in Moscow, of the thirty here, we're going to do a four on four battle royale. Tomarrow, the B.B.A. World tour kicks off with the tournament which will last three days. Then there's a three day at another location. Each team gets a week break in between their first few locations."

Cool, Ray thought. There'd be plenty of time to practice, rest, and maybe even re-recruit Kai.

"What team are we facing?" Max asked Jazzman.

"Funny you should say that," A feminine voice resonated from behind. "We were planning on showing you guys up once and for all."

"Meriam?"

"Good boy." The group turned around to find themselves face to face with Ozuma, Meriam, Joseph and Genki. "Ready to be trashed?"

"You wish."

Joseph stepped up to Carrie. "And who are you?"

"Obviously a newbie," Ozuma clarified. "Where's Kai?"

"Obviously not here," Carrie retorted hotly. She turned to Ray and whispered, "I don't like his attitude."

"You'll get used to it." Ray took a step foreward. "Come on you guys, let's get it on!"

All eight beybladers approached the beyond industrial sized dish. It was huge, and completely standard. Nothing but open space.

"Bladers ready?" Jazzman called.

"Let's go." They all said, viciously.

"Three, two, one..."

"Let it rip!" Eight beyblades went spinning into the dish. Tyson and Ray went for a head on assault, while Carrie and Max held back. Ray was the first knocked out, first hitting Ozuma, who bounced Drigger back into Carrie's beyblade, knocking it off balance.

"So, where'd you find her?" Joseph asked. Genki charged at Tyson head on, only to be slammed back out of the dish.

"Damn it!"

"Spare the small talk Joseph. Who cares. She's just a newbie."

"Shut it," Max said. He charged at Joseph, knocking his beyblade back into Meriam's. She seemed shocked, but went around her brother and attacked Max head on. Carrie surged at her beyblade, pinning the blue blade between her black one and Max's green beyblade.

"Where'd you get that beyblade, girl?" Meriam taunted.

Carrie looked at her, not a bit phased. Her face twisted into a smirk. Part of who she was and who she is now was the Abbey. Her overall attitude changed, but no one ever said she wasn't still part badass beyblader.

"Carrie, you okay?" Ray asked from behind.

"Just fine, a little annoyed maybe. Just because I get mad doesn't mean we're looking at a relapse."

"A relapse?" Ozuma looked at her. "What are you? A mental patient?"

"Nope, someone with a history." She and Max released Meriam's beyblade, only to see Tyson charge at her, knocking her beyblade sky high. Suddenly, Joseph had Max's beyblade out of the dish.

"Dang it, Maxy," Tyson said, slightly annoyed. Now, it was Ozuma and Joseph versus him and Carrie. "Car, let's go."

"You got it," she called.

"No newbie will ever beat us, not even when they're on the same side as you, Tyson," Joseph said.

"Just because I'm new to a tournament doesn't mean I'm new to beyblading. I've learned things that could have you feeling like you've never battled in your life."

"Oh, so now you're going to talk tough?" Ozuma laughed, mocking her. She clenched a fist.

"You should shut up," Tyson said. "When people like us get mad..."

"Well, you, you get careless," Ozuma challenged.

"That's it, Dragoon, Galaxy Storm!"

"Let's go." Carrie watched Tyson create a vortex. Ozuma didn't get sucked in, but Joseph had.Ozuma's beyblade came spinning towards her, launching both beyblades up into the air. "Don't let up!" She yelled to Tyson. Before Ozuma sent her out of the dish, she changed the direction of her spin from clockwise to counterclockwise, propelling them in different directions. In this case, her beyblade came back to her hand, meaning it was Tyson and Ozuma who would finish it up.

"Way to lose," Ozuma said.

"I think it was more of a sacrifice. There's only one beyblade spinning, and it isn't yours." She quirked an eyebrow. "Ah well, maybe I'll have the privledge of taking you out later." The boy's eyes widened.

"I can't believe it," He complained.

"Nice work," Tyson said, knocking blades with her. "I'd have to say that was a brilliant idea, even if it wasn't mine."

"Thanks," she said gratefully. Her eyes were then trained upon her opponents, who glared at her.

"No newbie will beat us one on one. You double teamed us!" Carrie was getting annoyed.

"Would you just quit it? I get it, I'm a newbie. But they aren't and I think we're all tired of it." She turned around and walked to where Ray and Max stood, her cape bouncing behind her in a majestic way.

"She's definitely the new Kai of the group."

"Except she's got a cape and is a lot worse at beyblading," Joseph whispered.

"I can hear you." She said, arms crossed.

The looked at her. She looked calm, but anyone who knew how to read body language knew she was about to bring on the storm.

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"Kane! Who adopted Kane?" Voltaire's voice enchoed darkly throughout the room. Boris walked in.

"The Omara family. Why?" Boris Balkov entered the room and stared at the television. "Oh God."

"This girl, she looks kind of like Carrie Kane."

"Carrie did have blonde hair like that when she was younger. Then she started dying it."

"Well then, I guess Carrie Ann found herself a team." Voltaire spat. "The Bladebreakers."

"Sir, this will have no effect on our plan. Tala saw her with them before, and he wasn't on the syrum. He hated her just as much as always. I'm sure Kai will feel the same way."

"Bring him in here."

"Yes sir." Balkov returned a few moments later, Kai trailing behind him.

"Yes, Grandfather?" He asked, obediently.

"You see this girl?" Voltaire held down a button, and the frame on the television paused, revealing a close up of a shining pair of blue eyes, curly blonde hair and a glittering smile of victory. "She is the one person you have to be worried about. When we face her, which I can assure you we will, I want you to tear her apart. She nearly killed you once. She is the reason you were sent home from the Abbey."

Kai's fists closed tightly. "She will be reduced to ashes. I assure you."

"Good boy. Go back and train. We start competing in a few days."

"Yes sir." Boris led Kai back to his initial location.

"See what happens when you obey me boy? You get all the power you could ever desire!"

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