Another chapter! I'm not doing so well with the every day thing, huh? I think I might need every two days or every other day because sometimes the chapters are darn long to type!
Thanks a gazillion to my reviewers!
ariotlatio- Yeah...the updating thing...ahem. Sorry! And about Tala's personality, well, there's a bit of toughness in the next chapter.(Not this one.) Thanks for updating!
Go stick your head in a toilet- Really? Thanks! Interesting name, by the way.
Tomb Robbress- Thanks! And here you go!
Hippochick- Ah, my first reviewer! Thanks again. It wasn't really that smart, the thesaurus did my work for me!
Torri-Chiobie- I will! (I hope) Thanks!
Glimmern-glitas- You're welcome! It was fun! More luck? Wow! It's been working so far, thanks! About the Tala-Aya thing. They might get to together at the end, I'm not sure. But they'll definitely be together for a bit in the middle. Aya could get paired with that other person...
ariotlatio- You again! Wow! I feel loved!
I don't own Beyblade. Enjoy!
--------------------------------------
" Wow, Yuri!" Aya whistled as she walked into school the next morning. She raised her eyebrows.
" Kai thought if I dressed the way I used to, I would remember more." The tall boy flushed sheepishly. He was clad in tight, black leather low-rise pants and a tight, black sleeveless silk shirt. A silver collar graced his neck and a silver disc hung from his ear. Silver eye shadow completed the look.
" So, you up for that date now?" An overly blonde girl suddenly appeared and wrapped her arms around Yuri's waist.
" Uh…" Yuri took a few seconds to recognize the cheerleader. " Um…Kelly? Kelly, right. Um, I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check." Yuri remembered the girl as one of the many that had hit on him.
" Oh, come on." Kelly purred. Luckily, she was interrupted by the bell. " See you later." She winked.
" Stop looking at me like that! It's not my fault!" Yuri noticed Aya's raised eyebrows.
" Uh-huh…" Aya said sceptically. " Come on, let's get to class."
Aya and Yuri were the last two to arrive in the art room, but Aira wasn't there. They joined Kai, Mariah and Emily at a table.
" Do you know where the teacher is?" Aya asked, setting up her art supplies.
" No clue." Kai shrugged before turning to Yuri. " Bryan, Spencer, and Ian are in the nurse's office. They'll be here soon."
" Okay." Yuri said. He didn't ask why they were in the nurse's room. It wasn't in his new nature to pry. They would tell him if they thought he needed to know.
The class was just getting restless when Aira finally entered the room.
" Sorry about being late." Aira smiled apologetically. " I was clearing something up. Guys, I would like you to meet your new classmate." He moved away from the door and a young man entered. The newcomer was handsome, with spiky, longish orange hair. His eyes were extraordinarily clear, and a beautiful blue turquoise colour that was tinged with green.
" Why don't you introduce yourself?" Aira leaned back, satisfied.
" I am Brooklyn Kingston." The newcomer had a carefree air about him; a carefree-ness that bordered on laziness.
" Very good!" Aira clapped. " Brooklyn will be joining the senior class. Now, why don't you sit down at Emily's table?" Aira pointed to the table before turning to Brooklyn and telling him the assignment.
Brooklyn walked over to Aya's table and stood next to it. " Hi."
" Hey! I'm Aya Karishnikov. Sit down, sit down." Aya smiled, pulling out a chair.
" Thank you." Brooklyn smiled as well, before sitting down.
" I'm Mariah Low." The rose-haired girl winked cheerfully.
" Emily Parker." Emily shook hands with Brooklyn.
" Kai Hiwatari."
" Erm…um…" Yuri hesitated, not sure of what to say. Should he introduce himself as Yuri Ivanov, or this Tala Valkov people talked about?
" This is Yuri Ivanov." Aya quickly supplied.
" Nice to meet you." Brooklyn nodded, but one could tell he was confused.
" We're working on our art pieces from last class." Aya informed him, taking out a fresh paintbrush.
" Okay." Brooklyn copied Aya's actions, although he also took out a blank canvas. " That's really nice." He admired Aya's work. It was a half-finished painting of a sun-lit woodland clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a pool with a unicorn drinking from it.
" Thanks!" Aya said.
" I really like mythical creatures." Brooklyn admitted. " I've always had a thing for legend."
" Really? Me too! I've loved the old gods for ages!" Aya exclaimed, pleasantly surprised.
" Wow! It's a small world, isn't it?" Brooklyn laughed, now completely at ease.
Yuri watched the two chat. He liked Brooklyn well enough, he just felt weird, watching the two of them talk so animatedly. He felt…left out?
" Bryan!" Kai's voice jolted Yuri from his thoughts. " How's that arm?"
Bryan, Spencer and Ian had just entered the class at last. Bryan sported a heavily bandaged forearm.
" Not bad. I can still beat you up with it." Bryan growled, but there was a twinkle in his eye. As he and the others approached the table, Bryan cuffed Yuri across the head with his good arm. Although the blow was meant to be a light one, Bryan and the rest of the world had different definitions of gentle. Yuri developed a slightly dazed look.
" How're you doing? Remember anything?"
Yuri shook his head to clear his mind. " I won't if you keep trying to knock me unconscious." He joked.
" Just trying to help." Bryan sat down heavily.
" What happened anyway?" Aya cocked her head curiously.
" Got into a fight before school. Going pretty well until-" Here Bryan swore viciously in Russian. " They pulled out a knife."
" Oh!" Aya gasped.
Yuri's expression darkened. " Who's were they?"
" I think they belonged to Sarcellio. They were all olive-skinned with black hair." Ian said.
" The Italian Signia." Yuri nodded. " Right, well, we've had peace with them but that's going to end. Meet at the Signia's headquarters after school. Bring the customary things. They won't mess with us again."
Silence followed. Yuri looked just as shocked as the others at the table.
" I have no idea where that came from." He said, still surprised. " Who are the Signia?"
" They're the Italian gang. You must've had a memory flash. So, are we going to do what you said?" Kai asked.
" Er…do what?" Yuri asked nervously.
" Fight! Duh!" Ian rolled his eyes.
" As in actual bloodshed?" Yuri's eyes were wide.
" People may die." Ian shrugged.
Yuri gulped. " Ah…okay, then."
" We're doing it, right? Neoborg never lets an insult go unpunished." Spencer said.
" Er…yeah, sure." Yuri looked distinctly uncomfortable.
" Um…okay." Brooklyn cut in. He, along with everyone else except Neoborg, was confused.
" We're planning a gang fight." Kai said matter-of-factly.
Aya's mouth hung open before she blinked and processed everything.
--------------------------------
" Black doesn't show blood." Kai threw clothes at Yuri from inside Yuri's closet.
" Okay…" Yuri pulled on the thin black, long-sleeved shirt. He already wore black leather pants and boots with buckles.
" Your clothes should cover most of your skin to protect it. But you also have to dress to impress." Kai tossed a black mass of leather to Yuri. It turned out to be a long trench coat with a flared collar and hem. Complicated zippers and buckles decorated the coat. Kai also gave Yuri several belts of different lengths to wear, and buckles around his wrists. Kai already wore something similar, but with a shorter and less fancy jacket and a dark red shirt.
" Finishing touches." Kai snapped a silver collar with spikes around Yuri's neck and hung a disc from his ear. He snapped on several other fake earrings and handed Yuri a fistful of rings and bracelets to put on.
" Is this all really necessary?" Yuri looked unsure. Each hand had at least six rings, some with jewels and some plain.
" Image is everything." Kai brushed make-up on Yuri's face. " Come on, we're going to Bryan's for weapons."
The two drove over to Bryan's house surprisingly quickly. There Yuri was given so much hidden weaponry he was afraid he wouldn't be able to walk. Daggers went in his boots and were bound to his arms. Knives pressed against his torso and hung from his belts. Shuriken and poison darts filled the other free spaces. Yuri's nails were covered by silver sheaths that were wicked sharp.
" We rarely use guns. Takes the fun out of things." Ian told him.
Before they left, Bryan gave him some clear liquid to drink. It would help with the upcoming battle, he said. Yuri had gulped the fluid down. It burned his throat and brought tears to his eyes.
" What was it?" Yuri rasped.
" Concentrated vodka." Was the answer.
The journey to the designated spot was amazingly short. Before Yuri had had enough time to steel himself, they were there. The Signia headquarters was a gigantic metal warehouse.
" You ready?" Kai looked back from the front seat.
" As ready as I'll ever be." Yuri could feel the liquor taking effect.
" Remember, for now you're Tala." Spencer reminded him.
" Yeah." Yuri's mouth was dry.
----------------------------------
Please Review!