I saw the four boys standing in front of us. I noticed one who was the shortest of the group. He was wearing dark green suspenders with a purple shirt under it and black boots. He had short, spiky dark blue hair and a long nose between his purple eyes. He leaned on a large gun launcher that was twice the size of him, Ian. The one next to him was the third tallest. He had short light purple hair and was wearing a brown vest and pants with black boots and a black shirt under his vest. He had two cold, gray eyes, and was holding a gun launcher himself, Bryan. The one on the far side was the tallest. He had short blond-orange hair with a headband around it. He wore a white vest and white pants with a light blue shirt underneath it. He carried a large gun launcher that was about the size of Ian's, Spencer. The one in the center I recognized immediately, Tala. He had flaming red-orange hair that came to a point at each end. He wore a white jacket with orange stripes down the sleeves with bracers on each shoulder and white pants with an orange stripe down each side. He carried a small black gun launcher. His bright icy blue eyes looked at me with concern.

My eyes almost watered right there, "Tala." I said.

He was silent. He almost had a sorry look on his face.

"Gone missing again?" Ian said, "Well, we've found you, and there's nowhere for you to run."

"I wouldn't even take her back without Boris's orders," Bryan said, "She's useless anyway, a girl on a Blading team, don't make me laugh."

"You won't escape again." Ian said, they advanced on me.

"No," I started, I stared at Tala with pleading eyes, "Tala."

"He has no right to talk to a worthless girl like you." Bryan said, walking up to me, "This is what you get for running away from Biovolt, you science experiment!"

His hand rose up and came sweeping down, aiming for my face. This was what I was used to and was what I got. I waited for it to come. I felt his hand connect with my face, stinging my face as it snapped to one side. I still stood my ground and stared back up, but not before Enrique pulled me close.

"How dare you hit a girl!" He said, "Especially Ayia!"

He drew me close to him until I felt the warmth of his chest against my face.

"A worthless thing like her," Bryan said with a sneer, "Don't even waste your time!"

"Well if she's worthless," Enrique said, "I'd really hate to see what you are!"

I still looked up at Tala. Tala, why? Why was he still here, and still doing what we did before?

I pushed Enrique's arm away and walked up to Tala.

"Tala," I said pleadingly, "Why are you still here, Tala? I wanted to find you, but-"

I stopped in mid-sentence. Tala's eyes seemed to lighten, but suddenly, before my eyes, they turned a hollow black, and his eyes narrowed.

"I have no reason talking to you," He said, "You disgust me, you worthless piece of trash!"

His and connected with my face. In utter shock I fell to the floor. Never. Never had Tala slapped me. I felt my heart break in two. I rose my head up to reveal my bruised cheek to see Tala again.

"Let's get moving boys," Tala said as he looked down on me, "I guess I'll see you at the Finals, if you make it there!"

He turned his back on me. I felt left alone, so in the cold, and left in his shadow. Tala never left me behind, he always stood up for me, and never gave up on me. The boys started to walk towards the door. They opened it and walked out into the night as I got to my feet and ran after them.

"Tala!" I yelled as I chased after them. I ran out the doors to only see a balcony covered in snow and the night. The wind picked up a cluster of snowflakes as they swirled around me. It felt so cold, like my broken heart.

I fell to my knees as snow stained my dress, "Tala."

I felt Enrique's arms come around me as he pulled me close to him. I lowered my head.

"He's gone, Enrique." I said, "I've never felt more alone, I've got no one else now."

"Yes you do," He said, "You have me, and a whole team that cares about you, and we'll never let anything hurt you, ever again."

I leaned into him and cried. Never had I been so confused.

"Enrique," I said, "I'm just so confused, Tala, he's not like that, he never was, something has to be wrong. Never has he acted like that, I'm just so mixed up at why this is."

"Ayia--" He started, "when you told me about your past, I didn't want to believe that a girl like you had to go through that, but now, I've realized what you had to go through, and--"

"And what?" I asked.

"And I need you to stay with us." He said.

"I'm not thinking about leaving." I said.

"Not like that." He said, "I need you around, all the time, don't know why, but I do. You keep me on my feet, and you keep me together; truth is, without you here, I'd fall apart. I mean, you heard me when I spoke to you on the phone when you were staying with the Blader Breakers during that storm; even when you're not yourself, you still keep this team together. We've never been this close, ever. You have the whole team, even Robert, believing that we can win the whole Championship, you inspire us, and most of all, keep us together."

"It's the same way with me." I said, "If I wouldn't have found you guys, I would have been lost, alone again. But now I'm more hopeful, now more than ever, and, I defiantly would fall apart. When I stayed with the Blade Breakers, I didn't feel like I do here, with you guys. That night, I had a dream telling me to go where I belong, and where I belong----is right here, with you."

We sat there for a minute, thinking over what we just said.

"And when I hid my real identity, I did it because I wanted to be on the team with you, and I thought you wouldn't like me if I told you that I was basically a nobody."

"A nobody?" Enrique asked, "Ayia, you're more than a somebody, you're a blader, a teammate, and you're going to be the World Champion with us."

"Enrique?" I asked.

"What?" He replied.

"What are you going to do after the Championship?" I asked. Would he still want me around?

"I'm not sure about myself," He said, "but you're staying with us."

"Really?" I said.

"Why not?" He said.

"I don't know." I said, "I just didn't know if you'd still want me here."

"I want you here for as long as you want to stay, hopefully that's a long time, right?" He asked.

I nodded. I turned over and swiveled around to meet Enrique.

"Enrique--" I started. I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I had been in trouble, he was there, and I had been alone never, because he was there, always. He had never left me alone without talking to me or seeing if anything was wrong, and if there was, he'd fix it, right then and there, no mater what it was or how long it took. He'd never let me go; I could feel it. He'd always be there for me. I leaned into him, putting my head on his chest. I turned my head upward again to come inches away from his sapphire eyes. "You've always been there for me, and now I just realized it. I was so stupid for not seeing what I've really been feeling, I love you Enrique."

I felt a surge come through me that I couldn't ignore, couldn't control. I leaned my head upward and lightly brushed my lips against his in a moment. It felt so right, I couldn't help it. I suddenly realized what I had done and turned way with a blush on my face in embarrassment. I looked back to see his eyes widened.

"I'm sorry." I said in embarrassment, "I mean, I shouldn't of, I'm sorry, I just--"

I felt his lips connect with mine, stopping me in mid-sentence. I felt surprised, and a little confused, all at the same time. He broke the kiss and stared at me with a smile.

"I thought-" I started.

"I didn't know how you felt," He said, "So I just wanted to wait until you told me yourself, I just wasn't sure, and with your past and all; I just didn't want to hurt you with all that was going on."

He put himself before me, my own feelings, before his; I admitted it, it wasn't too bright or nice at the time, but it was now revealed that it was honorable, noble, and loving of him. I never even realized it. I had never been treated so equally or more respected.

"Thanks Enrique." I said.

"Anytime," He said, getting up, "now let's go have some fun with the others, they're probably waiting on us anyway."

"Right." I said as we got up and walked back to the center room. I looked across the room to see a large clock. Both hands were pointing upward.

"It's almost midnight." I said, "It doesn't seem like it at all."

"I know," He said, "It only feels like we've been here a few minutes."

I heard music start playing.

"Wanna dance?" He asked, " I mean, only if you want to-I mean, we could all go home-if you're up to it- I mean-"

I put my finger to his lips, "Let's just dance," I said, "It's nice of you to think of me, but I can take care of myself, I'm fine."

"Okay." He said, a bit stunned.

We walked back down the steps and out onto the dance floor. I saw Mariah being twirled around by Rei, while our other team was being introduced to a new team.

"Who's that?" Enrique asked me.

"They must be a new team from a different country here to take part in the championship." I said, "I say we go meet them real quick."

"Okay." Enrique said as we walked over. I caught a sight of all the team members. They were all girls but one. One of the girls was about as tall as I was. She had long, curly, blond hair that was tied up into two separate ponytails. She wore a blue and purple leopard-print shirt and pants with rings of fluffy blue fur around the edges. She had bright blue eyes. The next girl was about my height too. She had dark purple eyes and dark purple hair that was almost black. She was wearing a pale blue shirt with a dark blue jacket and dark blue pants. The last girl was a little shorter than I was. She had short orange hair and dark red eyes. She was wearing a jean jacket with a dark red shirt under it and blue jeans. The boy was about as tall as I was and had light blue hair and bright blue eyes and was wearing a light blue shirt with a long dark blue cape and blue jeans. He had an ivory flute around his neck.

"These are the Windwakers," Robert said, pointing from person to person, "Mimiru, Miriko, Remei, and Skylar."

"It's nice to meet new teams," I said, shaking their hands, "We're the Majestics. I'm Ayia, this is Oliver, Johnny, Robert, and Enrique. Do you guys own Bit Beasts?"

"Yup." Mimiru said, "We each have a Sacred Bit Beast that controlled nature."

"What are they?" I asked in curiosity.

"They're all foxes." Mimiru said, "Mine's Aquame, the fox of rain, Miriko's is Baltame, the fox of snow, Remei's is Inume, the fox of fire, and Skylar, our captain, has Kagome, the fox of wind."

"Wow!" I said, "It must be really strategic to have all the same species of Bit Beasts, yet different types, very interesting."
"Are you the strategist of the team," Skylar asked, "You seem smarter than the average blader."

"No, I'm not the strategist," I said, "I'm one of the team bladers."

"She's probably our best blader." Oliver said.

"You probably are the best," Skylar said as he shook my hand again. He lightly kissed my hand as I turned a little red. "do you have a Bit Beast?"

"Yes," I answered, "Orelin, the Wolf of Light."

"I think I've heard of Orelin," He said, "may I see your blade?"

I reached into my drawstring bag and pulled out Orelin. I showed him the blade.

"That's---" He said, "I know that Bit Beast, it was a pure Bit Beast said to have disappeared eons ago!"

"I see you know my Bit Beast." I said.

He regained his composure, "Yes." He said, "It's very powerful, and I'd love to have a battle."

He held out a blade. It was a pure white with a light blue fox with dark blue armor on it. Its long mane grew out, flowing around it and had two feathers coming out of its mane and the back of its legs. An ivory flute around its neck.

"Is that Kagome?" I asked.

"Yes," He said, "The ancient fox of Wind."

"Is that ivory flute-" I started.

"Kagome's?" He asked, finishing my sentence, "Yes, that's how I inherited him."

"About the battle," I said, "There isn't anywhere to battle around here."

"Well, we haven't found a place to go yet." They said, "we're from Poland."

"Well," I started. I turned to the team, "Just a minute."

I grouped with my team in a small circle.

"Why not let them stay with us?" I asked.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"Because," I said, "they're a new team, who knows how powerful they are; this way, we could find out their strategies."

"I wouldn't mind." Robert said, "It'd be good to have some competition around the base, other than Ayia."
"No!" Johnny said.

"What?" I asked, "afraid they'll beat you?"

"No!' Johnny said.

"Then let them stay!" I said, "You want a rematch, don't you?"

"Fine," He said.

I turned to Enrique, who had been silent.

"What do you think?" I asked him.

"I guess." He said a little blandly, something didn't seem right, but I didn't want to turn away a chance for a battle or learning their strategies.

I turned back to them. "You guys can stay with us, we can battle there."

"That sounds good." Remei said.

"Then just head home with us." I said, "well get you when we're ready."

"Okay," Skylar said as they went back to mingle with the other teams.

I turned to Enrique.

"Now we can continue our dance, right?" I said.

"Let's go!" He said, his face brightening again as he led me out to the floor. The music slowed down quite a bit. I put my arms around his neck as his came around my hips and me started to dance.

"Enrique," I said, "What's wrong? When I was talking to the Windwakers, you seemed to be a little, 'non-normal.'"

"It's just that Skylar." He said, "I don't want him near you."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because," He said, "I know it sounds selfish , but I want you to myself, and I think Skylar's interested in you."

"Enrique," I said, " I may be popular with the guys, but, you're the only one who ever made me feel like I do, you're special to me, and I wouldn't let you go for some new blader I don't even know."

I pressed my lips against his, "Promise."

He smiled back, knowing I meant what I said, and I did.