Dryxaria's Attacks:

Aerial Fire Emission (Offense, Fire/Air)

Torrid Wildfire (Offense, Fire)

Armageddon Barrage (Heavy Offense, Fire)
(Heavy Offense: Powerful offensive attack that hurts both her opponent and herself)

Volcanic Barrier (Defense, Fire)

Eternal Phoenix Torch (Final Attack, Fire)

Kai woke up again the next morning, and the first thing he realized was that he wasn't in Balkov Abbey anymore. Turning his head to one side, he saw the girl that had rescued him sleeping on the couch. He studied her from where he was laying. She had long, dark brown hair that was slightly falling in her eyes, but most of her face was hidden by the arm she was using as a pillow. She stirred a moment, then opened her eyes. They were a brilliant icy blue color, almost as enticing as his own.

"Good morning." She muttered, still half-asleep.

Kai said nothing, making her laugh.

"You don't talk much, huh?"

"Hn."

Anya sat upright and smiled. Kai eyed her skeptically. She was about his age, 16 or 17 years. While he was looking at her, she got up and brushed her hair back. As soon as she was done, she pulled a first aid kit out of her drawer.

"I don't need help." He muttered stubbornly.

"Kai, you have some pretty nasty cuts on your back."

"They'll heal. They usually do."

Usually?

"Well, this will keep them from getting infected. Lay down."

Kai sighed in defeat and removed his shredded tank top giving Anya a glimpse of his bare upper body before lying down on the bed.

Anya sat down beside him on the bed and started to tend to his wounds again, a bit surprised to see that he didn't wince at all. For a while, it was silent, awkwardly so.

"What do they do to you down there?" She asked softly. Kai closed his eyes.

"You don't have to tell me."

"I don't want to talk about it." He muttered acrimoniously.

Anya said nothing else as she finished. Without a word, she put her medical kit away and pulled out her blade, staring at her Faerhydia. Kai got up, finding Dranzer where he left it, in his pocket. Anya slapped her forehead.

"Duh. I have to find you something decent to wear." Before Kai could object, she had already dashed off and returned a moment later with a bundle under her arm.

"I hope you don't mind that their slightly used." Kai stared at her curiously. Sure he'd saved her from a drunken Boris, but why in the world was she being so nice to him? It made no sense.

"See if these fit."

She thrust some clothing into his hands before he could protest.

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

Anya smiled the kind of smile that could light up the world.

"It's not every day that I meet a friend." With that said, she left the room to give him some privacy.

It's not every day that I meet a friend.

These words replayed in Kai's head several times before he snapped back into reality.

After a few minutes, Anya reentered the room. The clothing she had given Kai was her street clothing –a brown overshirt that had a high collar and low V neck, a white undershirt below that, and a pair of black pants almost identical to the ones he was wearing except that they were black- He still wore his long white scarf.

"Much better." Kai didn't say anything.

Anya suddenly got an idea.

"Hey, since father isn't home, how about you show me how you blade?"

Kai seemed to accept the idea and put Dranzer in his pocket.

It was pretty cold outside, but the two bladers persisted to battle in the snow anyway.

"Ready?" Kai asked as he slotted Dranzer into the launcher.

"Ready when you are."

The two got into their bladers' stances.

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIP!"

The bladers let their blades rip in almost perfect unison, Kai immediately going for the attack.

"Dranzer, attack!"

"Dryxaria, evasive maneuver!"

The blue blade streaked by Anya's silver one, but to her surprise, Kai quickly turned around and hit her from the side. He was good. Very good.

"Dryxaria, Attack!"

To Kai's amusement and astonishment, Dryxaria made a good counter move- her blade was streaking around all over the place, hitting Dranzer from every angle.

"Dranzer, Flame Saber!"

"Dryxaria, Aerial Fire Emission!"

The centers of both blades glowed red as the two phoenixes shot up out of their blades. Dranzer was the same size as Dryxaria, covered in regal red feathers with a golden crest on its forehead. A mane flowed out in the back, and its wings and ribs were outlined by golden armor. Dryxaria on the other hand was slightly more heavily armored with a crest, chest plate and leg guards. His feathers were a more radiant red and had crimson marks on them every here and there. It was then that Anya noticed that Dranzer and Kai had the exact same crimson eyes, same as her and Dryxaria with their one and the same sapphire blue eyes.

Dryxaria soared into the air as Dranzer launched the Flame Saber attack, but she was gradually losing momentum and was running out of steam. Dryxaria unleashed the aerial attack at the same time Dranzer attacked, but Kai was more experienced and won the match with a stunning fire show.

"You win."

He picked up both blades and handed hers to Anya.

"You put up a good fight though."

Anya blushed a bit.

"How did you get so good at it?"

Kai remained silent.

"It was that place, wasn't it..."

"Yeah..."

There was an awkward pause, then Anya broke the silence.

"Well, you're not there anymore, so hell with it."

Kai raised an eyebrow at her.

"What? Never heard a girl swear before?"

"No."

Anya laughed.

"Well, you can expect plenty of out of the ordinary stuff from me."

Kai gave her a weird look.

"What?"

After several rounds of battling and lots of pointers from Kai, he seemed to figure out why Anya kept running out of steam.

"Show me your bladers' stance."

Anya did so, but didn't launch. Kai studied her for a second.

"Here's the problem. You're standing too far sideways."

To Anya's surprise, he gently placed his hands on her hips and turned her just enough so that her lower body was turned slightly sideways and her upper body was facing forwards. Anya felt her cheeks go red with reticence.

"Try launching again."

Anya took a deep breath and whipped the rip cord out of her launcher, creating a perfect launch.

"Wow, thank you Kai!"

He blushed a bit when she threw her arms around him in a hug.

"Er... you're welcome..." He mumbled rather awkwardly.

Anya let go of him.

Back at the palace, Kai was introduced to Anya's best friend, the guard called Stephen.

"Nice to meet ya, Kai." The guard said tipping his hat as the two continued on their way.

"Princess!" Anya looked over her shoulder to see a maid running up to her.

"Miss Anya, your father has sent you a letter and a package!"

Anya took it and walked with Kai back to her room where she flopped back down on the bed. "Hey Kai, if you don't mind my asking, why do you wear those blue marks on your face?"

"I don't know. I've worn them for as long as I can remember."

Anya shrugged and opened the letter.

My dearest Anya,

I regret to say that I will be away on business for the next months and will not be able to attend your birthday. So I send you this, it is a family heirloom, passed down from blader to blader in the Nickolai family. Treat him well.

All my love,

Your Father.

Anya folded up the letter with a disappointed look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Kai asked.

"Father won't be able to make it home for my birthday."

"Which one?"

"I'll be 17. How old are you, anyway?"

"Just turned 17."

Anya discarded the letter and set to opening the package. Inside the box was something small wrapped in white silk. Anya unfolded it and gasped. Inside was a black, red and bronze beyblade with a black phoenix bit chip in the center. Kai's eyes widened when he saw it.

"Can it be..."

"What?" She handed the blade to Kai.

"It is... Black Dranzer..." He said this in almost a whisper.

"What's so great about Black Dranzer?"

"This is the most powerful bit beast in the known world... there isn't a blader at the Abbey who doesn't know about this bit beast... It's legendary back there..."

He handed the blade back to her.

"But what should I do about Dryxaria?"

"I don't know..."

Someone knocked on the door. Since the maids and butlers already knew about Kai, Anya let them in. It turned out to be the butler named Alfred.

"Miss, have you received the telegram concerning your birthday?"

"Yes."

The butler briefly explained that there would be dancing, and she would be expected to be wearing a ("Yech!") dress. Alfred left.

"Shit."

"Do all girls swear like you?"

"No. But that's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"Two things. One, I HATE dresses. Two, I'm too shy to dance with anyone."

"I would help but..." He trailed off.

"What?"

"Nothing."

Anya folded her arms stubbornly. Kai sighed in defeat when he realized she wouldn't give up on getting the answer.

"I can't dance." He stated flatly.

"That's all? You can't dance?"

Kai stared at the wall while Anya pondered on their situation. She snapped her fingers.

"I got an idea. You teach me how to defend myself and I'll teach you how to dance. Do we have a deal?" She put out her hand. Kai looked at it a second, then took her hand and shook. "Deal."