Chapter 15

Firework Ceremony and the

Tag-Team Test

I heard the door creak open as Enrique walked in. He sat on the side of the bed next to me.

"Just wanted to tell you it's 6." He said, "The Firework ceremony starts in half an hour."

"Okay." I said. I was still fazed about my dream.

"What's wrong?" He asked, "you're still thinking about Tala, aren't you?"

"Yes…" I admitted, "I just can't get him off my mind."

"Should you see him?" Enrique asked.

"No," I said, "only in the dish."

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Because he won't listen to me otherwise." I said.

"Then you'll just have to beat him." He said.

"Yeah." I said.

"I'll save you a spot at the ceremony, okay?" He said.

"Okay." I said.

"Hey," He said, putting his hand on mine, "Promise me you'll relax a little, okay?"

"Okay." I said with a smile.

"Seya in a few minutes." He said. He leaned over and lightly kissed me.

"Bye." I said, a bit fazed as he left. I felt like I hadn't deserved that kiss from Enrique when I had just dreamed about kissing Tala. I needed to tell him—later at the ceremony, when we could be a little more by ourselves.

I got up and changed into a loose red and black tank top with baggy black jeans and black sneakers. I put black and red gloves over my hands.

I walked out into the main room to find the others waiting for me.

"Let's get going." Oliver said with a smile.

We all walked outside and into a limousine that took us back to the stadium. The sun had just set, turning the sky black with streams of orange and red lining the sky.

The limousine parked at the entrance and let us out. We walked over to where a stage was set up and sat down. Many teams were already there, so we sat near the back. Behind us was a large forest. I looked over the woods as a shiver riveted up my spine; I felt we were being watched.

I shook it off and smiled; I had promised Enrique I would relax—another promise I hadn't kept yet. Suddenly, the lights on the stage came on.

"The ceremony's about to begin." Robert said.

I saw Mr. Dickinson walk onto the stage and up to a small microphone.

"I would like to congratulate the round one winners; The Demolition Boys, The Bladebreakers, and The Majestics. As you all know, when one team suffers two losses, they will be eliminated from the tournament. The standings are as followed: Majestics, 1 win, 0 losses, and 0 ties. The White Tigers are at 0 wins, 1 loss, and 0 ties. Demolition Boys have 1 win, 0 losses, and 0 ties. The All-stars have 0 wins, 1 loss, and 0 ties. The Bladebreakers have 1 win, 0 losses, 0 ties, and the Windwakers have 0 wins, 1 loss, and 0 ties. Congratulate yourselves everyone! I can tell that you all bladed to the best of your ability, and good luck in the next round!"

We all cheered as he left the stage. I lied in the soft grass with the rest of my team and before I knew it, the sky had been lit up with blue, yellow, orange, green, white, pink, red, and purple fireworks of every size and shape.

"Wow!" I said, staring at the colorful explosions, "they're beautiful."

"Yeah." Oliver said, who was to one side of me.

"I'm bored." Johnny said.

I sat up and slapped him upside the head; "You can't be serious!"

"I've seen this a million times." He said.

"You're impossible." I said as I lied back down. I turned over to see Enrique. He had his hands behind his head and his eyes were focused on the sky.

"Enrique." I said. I needed to tell him, now or never.

"What?" He asked.

I sat up for a second, only to feel the shiver again, I knew something was going on. I didn't know what, but something was definitely happening.

I suddenly heard a buzzing sound, a Beyblade, and it was coming closer.

"Get down!" I yelled as I pushed him down. A Beyblade flew above our heads and came into a slight turn in mid-air. I saw it fly back into the hands of a hooded owner—one of the Demolition Boys. He disappeared in a black flash into the safety of the woods.

I angrily grabbed Orelin and ran after him. I saw that the team was not far behind.

"Ayia---wait---stop!" I heard their cries, but they didn't matter. I needed to know things about Tala and the others, and to get them to stop messing with my teammates. I didn't care if it was Tala or not, if they messed with the team---they were going to pay.

I angrily gripped Orelin tighter as I ran into the woods. It was an eerie dark green haze of trees with silver glistening along the tops as the moon peeked through the foggy trees. Their long branches cast a looming darkness over the ground that shrouded the forest in a veil of mystery.

I suddenly saw a shadow move—the hooded figure. I chased after it, hearing the Majestics' echoes behind me. I had now outrun them and caught up with the figure.

He ran into a clearing where silver lush grass shone in the shining moonlight. In front of me was a dish that had a silver light reflecting off it, making the dish look silver itself. I saw the cloaked figure run to the other side of it and hold up his Launcher in a stance of battle.

'What's up with all these battles?' I asked myself, 'what more could they want from me?'

"I won't battle you until you show me exactly who you are." I said.

The hood was pulled down to reveal Bryan's face.

"Bryan!" I said, "What do you want with me now?"

"What else?" He said, "A girl made a fool of me, I want another match!"

"Still as sore as always, huh?" I said as he glared at me, "Fine, but does the team know that you're doing this?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out." He said.

'What's he mean by that?' I asked myself.

"Battle me now!" He said.

"As you wish." I said, holding up Orelin and my Launcher, "but if I win, you are telling me everything, no running away, alright?"

"Fine, fine whatever." He said, "now let's go!"

"3,2,1," We counted down, "Let it rip!"

We both fired our blades into the dish. Suddenly, another blade was fired into the dish!

"What's going on here?" I asked startled, "Who fired that?"

Suddenly, I saw a figure jump out of the trees and land in front of the dish. It stepped into the light to show that it was Ian.

"Ian?" I said, "Man, you guys are lower than low, leading me out here into an unfair battle, almost hurting my teammates. You've messed with them—and now you're both mine!"

Orelin started to clash against both blades in a wide circle.

"Stop this now!" I heard as another blade was fired into the dish. I saw Johnny run up to the dish, "You cowards! You could at least play fair! Ayia doesn't even deserve to battle a bunch of cheaters like you!"

"Johnny." I said, "Wait, what are you thinking!"

"I'm thinking that we're ready." He said.

"You mean-" I started.

"Yeah." He said, "we're a tag-team."

"Yeah!" I said, "Let's hit 'em hard!"

"Alright!" Johnny said.

"Now Johnny," I said, "do whatever comes to you, I'll make it work into a good strategy."

"Okay." He said. His blade went into a weaving pattern I went alongside him and we sped towards the two blades.

"Johnny!" I said, "we need to stay close so they can't break in-between us and challenge us individually!"

"Got it!" He said as our blades moved close together.

The other two blades went to separate sides of the dish and went in towards us.

'Perfect.' I thought.

"Johnny, split!" I said as we split apart as the two other blades clashed together.

"Stay outta my way, would ya?" Bryan growled to Ian.

"Hey, I thought we'd be facing her alone!" Ian snapped back.

"But you're not!" I said, "I have a whole team behind me!"

"That's what you think!" Bryan said, "Falborg!"

Falborg was released and rammed Johnny's blade, sending it flying to the outside of the dish.

"No!" Johnny yelled.

"Orelin!" I yelled as Orelin ramped off the side of the dish. It hit Johnny's blade and knocked it back into the dish.

"Ayia--" Johnny started, "Why'd you--"

"Were a tag-team, just like you said." I said, "Now you need to focus more. One more shot like that, and we'll be out for sure."

"Got it." He said.

Our blades went back into a weaving pattern.

"Johnny," I said, "Attack Ian with me."

"Why?" He asked.

"Just do it!" I said as we both surrounded Ian and started to attack him. Ian growled as he tried to fend us off, but having no success.

"Can't you even handle yourself?" Brian asked as his blade raced towards our group of blades.

"Split!" I yelled as we split apart and Bryan clashed into Ian, sending him backwards.

"You idiot!" Bryan yelled at Ian.

"Johnny stay back for a minute and go to the edge of the dish!" I said as he positioned himself, "Orelin!"

Orelin was released from its blade as it gave a loud howl into the air.

"Orelin attack!" I yelled as it raced towards the two, "Extreme Speed, full power!"

Orelin rammed into the two blades and sent them flying into the air. Orelin then went behind Johnny's blade.

"Release Salamulyon!" I said.

"Got it!" He said, "Salamulyon!"

Salamulyon came out of its blade as Orelin started to glow.

"Orelin launch him into the air with a Glowing Blade attack!" I yelled.

"Ayia" Johnny said shakily, "What—are you doing?"

"Just attack when I give the signal!" I said as Orelin turned into a glowing outline and hit Johnny's blade, sending it into the air, "Now!"

"Salamulyon attack!" Johnny yelled as Salamulyon opened its mouth and released a wave of purple fire that hit both blades and knocked them out of the dish. The two blades lie motionless on the ground, Attack Rings melted to pieces.

"Let's get out of here!" Ian said. Bryan suddenly smacked him across the face.

"That's what you get for getting in my way!" He said as Ian held his hand to his face, "Now let's go!"

They grabbed their blades and ran off as the other Majestics ran out into the clearing.

"Guys, there you are!" I said.

"We saw the whole battle." Oliver said.

"Oh--" I said my eyes downcast.
"At first I thought you were crazy with the idea of you and Johnny being a tag-team." Robert said, "But now--"

"I know--" I said.

"I think you can beat the Windwakers as a tag-team." He said.

"I'm sorry--" I said sadly. Suddenly, I took in what he said, "Wait—really—you really think so?"

"Yeah." He said with a smile, "Now let's get back to Enrique's mansion."

"I agree," I said with a yawn, "I'm really tired."

"Me too." Enrique said.

"You'd both better get plenty of rest." Oliver said, "we leave for Egypt tomorrow."

"What!" We both said.

"Yeah." Robert said, "We definitely need some rest."

"Let's go." Oliver said as they walked out of the forest.

I grabbed Johnny's shoulder and turned him around after they were out of earshot.

"What?" He asked.

"You know Johnny," I said, "I had doubts about us being a tag-team too and didn't think that you would be ready to enter this type of game frame."

"And now what?" He asked.

I held out my hand, "Welcome to the game."

He took it and gave it a firm shake as we ran to catch up with the rest of the team.