Chapter One: How Much!
Ming-Ming's singing was taking it's last toll on Neira's nerves. Some say you could almost literally see the steam coming off her head. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy music. But you try listening to a blue haired pixie babbling on about happiness and joy when you're just trying to tear her to shreds. It gets annoying, fast.
That was Neira's attitude anyways. The seveteen year old flipped her dark purple hair out of her face. In the lights you could see the electric blue streaks in the mass or dark purple standing out brightly in comparison. Looking down to Ming-Ming's beyblade, her dark blue and green eyes narrowed. I know the singing affects her own concentration, but really, can she not shut-up! She thought annoyedly then bit her bottom lip as she often did when thinking. Suddenly Venus rose from Ming-Ming's bit chip and Neira grinned. Apprantly the poster girl thought Neira was over with the way she smiled and brought out her bitbeast.
Maybe it was the grin Neira gave, but suddenly Ming-Ming didn't feel so sure about beating Neira after all. Had she just walked into a trap? Ming-Ming looked to Neira seeing if she would give any other clues to her next move besides that grin she had given. But nope, the teen blader was still just grinning and staring down at Venus. Neira could feel that Venus was going to go into her special attack, but before she could, Neira quickly shot out her hand toward her beyblade.
"Kruso! Holeth Attack!" A lavender and blue swirled light shone out of her bitchip, and out of the black; blue, and purple blade, Neira's bitbeast appeared.
"Folks! What we have here is something we've all been looking forward to seeing tonight! Neira's bitbeast! Kruso! This bitbeast is one of the most unusal I've seen. A horse sized jaguar, with wings! Neira so far has proven herself worth of being the newest members of TurnTrial!" The announcer practically shouted into the microphone, as he always did.
His partner in announcing then began to speak. "Now Neira is the first female member to join TurnTrial. They had a no girls policy. Saying that girls got too sentimental. But they obviously knew what they were doing when they took her onto the team. This rookie is climbing the scale of the top twenty bladers. And already she's begining to make her way past the twenty first, past the twentieth, and now into the nineteenth spot in the league! Amazing!"
Sure enough, there in the swirled light, the silver and dark blue jaguar appeared. He had feathery looking wings sprouting from his back, his large body looming in, though still smaller than Venus of course. The large cat then let out a menancing cry and pounced onto Venus. Looking down the blades, Neira smirked a bit seeing her beyblade also 'pounce' directly onto Ming-Ming's beyblade. Ming-Ming cried out a bit and for a moment Neira's gaze softened and she stated to Ming-Ming, "Venus will be fine. But I'm sorry...you've lost." And with that, Kruso pounded Venus straight into the beystadium, lauching it and sticking it right into the steel bowl
The crowd cheered -and booed-, and Neira calmly walked over to Ming-Ming. "Good game. I almost thought you had me there for a minute. Thanks for blading with me."
Ming-Ming smiled and bowed, "Oh no problem!" then Neira added,
"But the next time I battle you. If you do not cease that annoying singing during our match. I'll be forced to take away your microphone." She stared at Ming-Ming with a serious look and Ming-Ming laughed nervously before going to fetch Venus. The blade at the moment was being pried from its hole, as Kruso still shot about the arena. The bitbeast hiding back in its bit chip once more, for now.
"Kruso!" Holding out her hand again, and this time the blade swooped up into her hand. Neira then gave probably her first real smile for the night as she turned to her teammates, holding up Kruso. Then bowing her head to the crowd, Neira walked off stage and sat down. They'd just won their match against BEGA's 'star team' as they were known.
But unknown to Neira, the White Tigers X team was watching very closely. And Rei was watching her the closest. He observed her with attentive eyes. The teen wore a pair of gray baggy cargo pants with black tire marks on them, and a purple tanktop, with a purple fish net shirt over it. On her hands he also noticed she wore gray fingerless gloves. He then looked to the rankings. It was true, she was moving up fast quickly. Neira was a good blader. But more importantly, she was favored by the crowd. The younger girls all looked up to her, the other girls and boys respected her. She was perfect for his plan. Rei grinned a bit, his golden cat eyes watching her for a moment more before turning his attention to what Lee was saying.
"She is very powerful but there are a few things she could work on. Though I didn't expect her to do so well for a rookie. Either way, we'll beat her. And the rest of TurnTrial. They may be fighting their way up the ladder, but we're going to be at the top."
"Yeah we sure are." Rei then sighed and looked to Mariah, growling as he saw her hugging up to Gary's cousin. Who thanfully didn't look exactly like Gary. There were only so many Gary-look alikes allowed in this world. And they shouldn't be related. As he watched with jealous eyes, Lee pulled him back from his thoughts.
"Rei...I thought you were okay with this. I thought you were over Mariah."
"Come on Lee. You know how I felt about her. How I feel about her.." And I'm going to get her back. This plan will work.I know it.
Neira was able to rest now, as TurnTrial was done for the night. Merle, her captain, and Jackob came up to her patting her on the back and grinning.
Jackob pushed his spiky dirty blonde hair out of his face, "why is it your more popular than us?" He asked with a grin on his face, his green eyes laughing.
"Because she has boobs, Jackob, do you know nothing!" Merle retorted, then Neira and Jackob laughed. It had been about half an hour after their match now, and most of the crowd had dwindled away. The rest of the White Tigers X team had gone, but Rei stayed behind, walking up to Neira; suddenly he became nervous. She seemed so self-confident, but in a different way than Mariah and it was almost a bit intimidating.
"Hey Neira, you gotta fan." Jackob commented with a sly grin.
Neira flipped off Jackob then turned around, her eyes widening a bit. He was there, right infront of her! She admired him as a beyblader. His skill and technique were amazing to her. And he's not bad on the eyes either. Neira then quickly shook that thought from her head. Her own teammates were just as good looking at him. So she shouldn't see him any differently as the other bladers.
"Neira Kugumi?"
"Yeah? You want something?" Neira slapped her forehead mentally at her blunt ways but just continued to stare at him with her dual colored eyes.
Rei hadn't been expecting her to be so blunt, and so he looked almost taken aback. Then though he smiled gingerly, his Neko-jin like fangs protruding a bit. "I was wondering if I could have a word with you?"
Merle stepped up as if about ready to say no. He treated Neira as his little sister. And he didn't take kindly to other guys talking to her. But Neira waved him off and shrugged. "Sure.." The two began walking down an empty hall, which lead to the locker rooms. Though they wouldn't be entering them obviously.
"What is it?"
"Oh. Well...I have a deal to propose to you."
"A deal? What kind of deal?" She raised a brow.
"Mariah and I broke up..well-
"She dumped you for Gary's cousin, Tonko. Right?"
Rei looked at her quizically. "How did you know?"
Neira shrugged and gave a short laugh, "it's all over the beyblade tabeloids."
He winced a bit, and Neira felt a bit ashamed for having laughed at his misfortune.
"As I was saying..I want her back."
"And how does that involve our deal?"
Obviously she likes to get to the point. "I was wondering if I could offer you something in return, if you'd help me make Mariah jealous. Then she'd want to come back to me." He had a confidence in his eyes as he if he were so sure the plan would work. Neira gazed into that confidence, staying silent then started laughing."YOU want ME to help you get PINKIE back!"
The White Tigers X team member did not seem to approve of her nickname for Mariah but said nothing about that. "Yes."
Oh crap. He's serious! Staring at him again, this time actually pondering, Neira looked him over once. "Well what have you got to offer me? Because just money won't work."
"I figured it wouldn't, which is why I'm going to offer to help you train up better with your blade. You know you could use knowing some of my secrets. And what do you mean just money! You expect it too!"
"You're willing to give up some of your blading secrets for this girl?" Neira shook her head in almost disgust but sighed and stared at him for a good long while. "Well I'll help you out. And yes money! Not on a regular payement basis. But if you're going to have me charading around like this, I want to be compensated for the places I may have to go with you."
It was Rei's turn to stare at her and he slapped his forehead, his fist twitching a bit as he held his right fist at his side. "Fine." He grumbled. Neira grinned and took his fisted hand, uncurling it and shaking it, "There you got yourself a deal. And a girlfriend." Both were thinking at that moment though; Oh god what have I gotten myself into! A noise could be heard coming down the hall, as if someone were trying to sneak about, and quickly Rei put his arm around Neira, as if expecting it to be Mariah already. Instead however it was a tabeloid photographer. He looked quite excited, taking a picture of the two together.
"Are you two dating!" Neira looked to Rei and raised a brow, and he shrugged looking back at her then looked to the photograher. "Yup!" He smiled and suddenly he found Neira smiling and looking like she really was his girlfriend, kissing his cheek. The photographer jotted down a couple of notes, took a picture of Neira kissing his cheek then off he was in a flash. Much like his camera.
"Well mebbe she'll read the paper tomorrow." Neira shrugged. "But I'm not doin that whole kissing business of the cheeks again. That was for visual effects only."
Rei coudn't help but grin a bit at her attitude and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I got ya. Oh well, here. I forgot, tomorrow I have a dinner to go to with Tyson, Kenny, Max and Kai. We're having a reunion sort of dinner since we're all here for now. You can come with me to that. Unless you got other plans."
"Huh? Tomorrow?" What a lovely smug look he has. But then again he knows what he's doing. "Sure I'll go, but you better stop acting so full of yourself when it comes to getting what you want Rei. You don't do it in beyblading, don't do it outside the arena." Saying that, Neira shrugged once more. "Good night Rei. Pick me up at...?"
"I'll uh..pick you up at seven." He looked a bit sheepish, "I'm sorry I seem so smug. I just. I need this plan to work."
"Okay, I get it, I think. I don't know. I've never been in love. And okay seven it is. My address is 5413 Lotus lane. Don't forget.." Neira began walking away toward the exit, not even turning around as she waved good-bye to him. Rei watched her walk off, muttering her address gently on his lips. "I think I chose the exact opposite of Mariah, yet almost the same..." He shook his head of that confusing thought and went off to go find the rest of his team outside so they could all drive home.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rei or any of the original characters produced by Hasbro of the beyblade show. I own only Neira, TurnTrials, Jackob, Merle, their blades and bitbeasts.
A/N: I once had this up, but I couldn't find it and decided to rewrite it from scratch. Well here you go, the new chapter one of Petty Price!