Disclaimer: none of us owns Beyblade or most of the OC in this story. Still, I own Stella, Corinna, Jane, Kyo and the plot, Candy owns Nastya and our best friend, Wiz, owns Madge.
"I hate ties," declared Nastya in the end of the match.
"And why is that so?" asked Kyo.
"Because I just love to see both the faces of the winner and loser," she answered.
"Then I think you'll be happy with the next match," said Stella. And she got up.
"Jesus! I almost forgot! We've gotta be there for our match," said Nastya getting up too.
"Yeah, lets go," said Kyo and he went running with Nastya. On the other hand Stella was just walking.
"Stella, you're like the first one! You should be running, not me. Hurry up, now will you! I don't want us to lose the match without even entering it," said Nastya.
"Neither do I," said Stella, always walking.
Finally they got to the corridor that led to the beystadium. There Corinna, Jane and Madge were waiting.
"No need to run," said Corinna when she saw Nastya and Kyo. "The organization is late."
"Why?" asked Nastya.
"Some Americans had just been battling here and not happy with the final result decided to destroy some chairs," explained Madge.
"Savages!" commented Jane. "And they say British are hooligans!"
"And now it seems we can finally begin our match!" yelled DJ from the interior of the dome.
"What's this guy doin here? He was commenting the BladeBreakers match!" wondered Kyo.
"We got here on time, didn't we? So why wouldn't him? After all he goes by some more direct passages," replied Nastya.
"And so let us welcome our teams!" continued DJ. "The champions in title, the world famous: X Bladers Squad!"
The team entered. The crowd hissed, saluted and waved them. Here they were, the champions. Some of the girls and Kyo waved back to the crowd. Although he wasn't a blader everybody loved Kyo, for he was really nice, funny and, depending on the tastes but, generally good looking. His hair and eyes were dark brown and his skin pale. He was tall and well built.
"And now the first blader for the X Bladers Squad: STELLA!" yelled DJ. Stella stepped forward.
"Stella was the last member to join the X Bladers Squad but she sure brought a good amount of victories to the team," said AJ Topper.
"You bet! This girl is fire, and I mean it. Her Tidrix is in better shape than ever and he's not gonna spare Kane's Metal Dragoon," agreed Brad Best.
"Yeah, but is better she be careful with Kane, he's an experienced player and has proved himself already!" ended AJ Topper.
"That the best blader wins!" yelled DJ.
Kane had stepped onto the beystadium too and he was now face to face with Stella. He looked back to his team that was cheering him.
'How pathetic,' Stella thought. 'Needs to know that there are people in the back, backing him up. Well I don't. I don't need anybody. I'm fine alone, just by myself, as always.' And she smiled sadly.
"At one: three, two, one: LET IT RIP!" continued yelling DJ.
"Let it rip!" yelled Kane.
"Let it rip!" said Stella launching her Tidrix.
Immediately Tidrix hit Kane's Metal Dragoon. Sparks spread all over the bowl. Stella smiled, Kane didn't. This was one of the rare occasions in which she actually smiled.
"You're not gonna get away with it," said Kane.
"That's what we'll see," said Stella. "You're a good player but you're nothing compared to me. I'm sorry. Tidrix: Tears of the Sun!"
Suddenly it began to rain fire. But it wasn't regular fire, it seemed like small pieces of starts falling from the eyes of Stella's mighty fire dragon, Tidrix. The fire drops fell right over Kane's Metal Dragoon. He tried to shake it off but it was worthless, Dragoon burned out.
"And looks like a victory for the X Bladers Squad!" yelled DJ to the crowd.
The crowd hissed, yelled and waved. The X Bladers Squad was currently everybody's favorite team. The time of the BladeBreakers, The White Tigers, The Majestics, The All Starz and even of The Psykicks had ended.
"Way the go Stella!" said Madge when she passed the team's seat.
Stella nodded. Jane got up and stepped forward to the beystadium.
"And now Jane McGregor will fight Salima!" informed DJ.
This was the last thing Stella heard, she went away by the same corridor as she came. Nastya followed her.
"Where are you goin?" she asked. "Aren't you going to stay not even to support your team mates? Better, your friends?"
"They don't need my support," Stella answered. "I'm going to watch a way more important game that has already started. I'm more useful there."
"I don't think so. But still we could use all info you can get together about the Psykicks. And besides you've already watched a good game today, good games are always the same."
"You're wrong. Bad teams are all the same, good teams are all different. That's what makes them be bad or good, the capacity of improving and innovating."
"I give up, do it as you like it," said Nastya returning to the team's bench.
"Guess who didn't wait to see," said Nastya to Corinna while watching Jane playing.
"Leave Stella alone, Nastya. We already know how things work out with her. It's not the first time she does this to us and we have survived," answered Corinna.
"But I just can't stand it! It's so unfair! We do everything for her and this is how she pays us!"
"Now you're not being fair," said Madge taking part in the conversation. "She won lots of difficult matches for us and never complained."
"Yes, and she always helps us when it gets hard. We owe her many of our personal victories," added Corinna.
"I suppose so, but still it…" Nastya never finished her sentence. Kyo that was sitting right next to her got up and went away. "And there follows her personal slave," ended Nastya. Madge and Corinna shook their heads.
Kyo went again through the hallway looking for Stella. After a while he found her at the door of the B beystadium.
"D'you know who was watching our game?" began Stella. "The BladeBreakers. They too are tryin to get some info. They heard a lot of things but they don't know the new teams. They have been away for too long."
"It's a wise thing to do."
"I suppose…" she sighed. "D'you never get tired of looking for me?" she asked.
"You know I don't," he answered sitting next to her.
"I. Know… That's probably the only question I keep asking already knowing the answer. Maybe I hope it changes every time I ask." Kyo smiled.
"I wish things would be different…"
"So do I…"
"I'm sorry, Kyo."
"Well, I'm not." Her eyebrows raised. "Still you make me very happy, regardless of what you may do or feel," he explained. Stella smiled sadly.
"Or don't feel…" she sighed again. "I was never a very lucky girl but when I think I had the chance to meet you… it makes me think maybe God is looking for me after all. You are absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me." Kyo smiled.
"Thank you," he said.
"No, I must thank. If I hadn't met you that day in Kyoto I don't know what would have been of me."
"And not just you. I was not very fine then too." Stella smiled.
"How old was I then?" she asked.
"Thirteen going on fourteen."
"So long ago…"
"Not really, it has only passed four years."
"Four years are a long a time when you can't sleep properly."
"Still can't sleep, huh?" Stella nodded. "You haven't told me anything," he said.
"I know. I didn't want to upset you."
"But you know I like to know so that I can help you."
"No one can help me, no one. This is my own fight."
"I know…"
"May I ask you somethin?"
"Of course, shoot."
"When did it begin?"
"You mean what I…"
"Yes," interrupted Stella.
"I guess that it was almost immediately but I only realized it when you smiled for me for the first time. The first time you actually smiled because you felt like, not just to please somebody."
"I'm so sorry Kyo…"
"Don't be." Stella smiled and got up.
"D'you know, sometimes I miss home," she said.
"Do you?"
"Yes. Sometimes I miss the time we lived right here in Tokyo. The last two years I passed them mainly in hotels, traveling with the team. I know they give us a month between every two rounds but we always spent it traveling, getting to know a new country, visiting somebody's relative…"
"Yes, I know what you mean."
Stella looked up.
"D'you know something? It's quite stupid we're being here in Tokyo living in a hotel instead of being home," said Kyo.
"Maybe. But this way I don't bother your mother," answered Stella.
"You know you don't bother her at all. She never does anything, she always sends the servants do it for her, for me and for you, if it is the case." Stella smiled.
"But what d'you say, huh?" insisted Kyo. "Shall I call my mother saying to re-open my house here in Tokyo?"
"I dunno, to ask your parents in Kyoto to re-open your house here… Really, I've caused already too much trouble to your parents. Two long years of trouble."
"And if I ask you to say 'yes'?"
"Still…"
"You would be doing it for me…"
"Okay then…" Kyo smiled.
"You know what? Lets go back to the hotel, pack things and call my parents. I bet the house will be ready by dinner time," said Kyo. Stella just nodded.
Inside beystadium A the X Bladers Squad were coming out of an easy victory.
"Last attack was perfect, Madge," complemented Jane. "Congratulations."
"Congratulations? Like if it was something that merely happens once in a while," replied Madge.
"Geez, you're never happy!" complained Jane.
"D'you think Stella already knows we won?" asked Madge to Corinna.
"Yeah, I think so. She never misses a thing," answered Corinna.
"Cool," said Madge.
The girls returned to their room in the hotel. Over Corinna's bed there was a notice:
We've returned home. I hope you'll join us soon.
Kyo
Corinna smiled.
"Girls!" she called. "Girls!"
"What?" asked Nastya as soon as she, Madge and Jane reached Corinna's room.
"Pack your stuff, we're movin to Kyo's," informed Corinna.
"What? But we only got here like, yesterday?" said Nastya.
"Still it will be cool," said Madge enthusiastically. "We've heard a lot about Kyo's house here in Tokyo but we've never actually been there."
"I agree. It will be cool. Can you believe that we've been here in Tokyo thousands of times and I've never been to an authentic Japanese house. I'm looking forward to move to Kyo's," said Jane.
"Then lets pack," said Corinna. "The sooner we pack things the sooner we move."
"D'you know where is that house, anyway?" asked Nastya.
"Yeah. Kyo gave me the address once. To know where to look for Stella in case she disappeared," answered Corinna.
"Okay, lets pack then," said Nastya, and Jane, Madge and she returned each to their own room to pack.
The girls got everything together and went down to do the check-out. But there they found the BladeBreakers.
"Hello again," saluted Rei.
"Hello," saluted Corinna, dragging her suitcase behind.
"Leaving?" asked Max.
"No, arriving," answered Nastya with some of her sarcasm.
Max smirked. "Always very nice, Miss Fedorov," he answered.
"We do what we can," ended Nastya.
"But why are you leaving, anyway?" insisted Tyson.
"Kyo has a house right here in Tokyo and he invited us to stay there instead of here in the hotel," informed Corinna.
"But why come here in first place?" asked Kai.
"He speaks!" cried Madge.
"Indeed, but I think I can assure you he won't anymore," said Kenny. "You see, amazingly he doesn't expect an answer, in fact by answering to him you'll be discouraging him," explained Kenny.
Madge shook her head.
"Now speaking of more interesting matters," began Jane, "today it was quite a day for Beyblade."
"What d'you mean?" asked Rei.
Tyson that new perfectly what she meant immediately flared up. "If you're talking about our match I can assure you that our tie is due only to our long absence and that it won't happen again," replied Tyson.
"You really misunderstood me," said Jane. "I meant our match. Don't you think I ignore the fact that you were there watching our battle."
"We've never pretended we haven't been there," defended himself Rei.
"Nor I said you have," said Jane.
"That's all very charming but we must go," said Nastya at once. "Good-bye BladeBreakers." And she left followed by the rest of the team.
"Good-bye, Nastya Fedorov," whispered Max.
The girls caught a cab and he drove them right to the door of Kyo's house. The house stood in the outskirts and had a beautiful view to the city. It was a traditional house and it was quite fine for a young man such as Kyo.
They paid for the taxi and it drove off. At the gate of the small garden stood Kyo, and Stella leaned against the stone wall, with her hands in her pockets.
"Welcome home," he said.
"Welcome," Stella whispered.
A/N: So here I am again asking for you to review, so do it. Still on the same subject, it came to our attention that some of the readers prefer to review in another language that not the English. It's fine by us but if you read the story here, in English, please review it on this story and not on the Portuguese translation, Um vencedor apenas. See ya on the next chapter. Suggestions are welcome, especially for the battles.
Maybe you'll also like to take a look at our other Beyblade fic, The clock started to ring at six, it's getting some nice reviews. And if you're a Dragon Ball Z, Digimon or Burst Angel fan check or other stories, My super saiyan dad, The Portrait of a Lady and Underground angels respectively.
Thanks for your attention,
Mia and Candy
