Chapter 8

The next day was the deciding match between the Bladebreakers and a newly-formed team known as the Cheerleaders. The winning team will advance into the finals against the Psychics for the title of Block A Champions.

"This is it, guys." Kenny said and after a cough from Jade, he added. "And girl. We have to win this. The White Tigers are depending on us."

"Hey, don't sweat it, Chief." Max said patting him on the back as they entered the arena and was greeted by waves of applauses of the audience.

"Oh, wow!" a blonde girl in a red and gold cheerleading outfit cried out. "Check it out! It's the Bladebreakers!"

"Hey, cool. There are even cheerleaders to cheer us on!" Tyson exclaimed excitedly.

Jade tapped his shoulder. "Um...Tyson? They so happen to be our opponents for today, if you haven't noticed?" she told him sweetly.

Tyson blinked. "What? No way."

"Yes way." Ray said. "Don't let those classy outfits fool ya, man. They must be quite good to get this far."

"Which by the way you'll be battling first." Kenny informed Tyson.

Tyson grinned. "Sweet. Leave it to me to get the ball rolling."

Across them, four other girls' cladded in the same outfit as the first girl started jumping around.

"Hey, Team Bladebreakers! Guess who's gonna win?" a girl shouted, waving her pom-poms.

"Team Cheerleaders! That's us!" her team cheered.

"Roll-call!" the same girl called out in her sing -along voice. "My name is Cindy!"

"Call me April!" a shorter brown-haired girl cut in.

"Mine's Jessica!"

"I'm Janice!"

Their voices became one. "And our number one leader's....Valerie!"

They burst into cheers as their captain, a pretty blondie stepped forward.

"Go, Valerie, go!"

The whole stadium had gone silent with surprise. Even Jazzman looked lost at words.

"Okay...." Tyson, Max, Kenny and Ray sweatdropped.

Jade rolled her eyes. "People like them give cheerleaders a bad name."

"How would you know?" Ray asked.

"Let's just say 'been there, done that'." she shrugged. "No biggie."

Max stared at her. "You were a cheerleader?"

"Was." she reminded him. "Past tense. I really didn't have a choice then. The teacher insisted."

"Hey, Kai, can we do a cheer for you too?" Tyson asked mischievously.

Kai glared at him. "Don't even think about it."

"Too late. Thinking now." Tyson said pleasantly. His smile faded when he noticed Kai's murderous glare. If looks could kill, he'll be dead now.

"Alright, folks! You heard them! Now you get to see them blade!" Jazzman shouted. "That's right, people! On my right we have the Cheerleaders! And on my left, the Bladebreakers!"

The crowd roared, drowning out the Cheerleaders's excited cheers.

"You know your bladers, folks so let's get down to business." Jazzman waved his hands. "From the Bladebreakers, we have Tyson versus April!"

"Oh, yeah!" Tyson stepped into the spotlight, enjoining the attention. He waved at his fans. Then he turned to regard his opponent.

The girl was short, cute in a little-girl way with her pig-tails. Her voice was high-pitched when she spoke. "Hey, Tyson. Ready to loose?"

Dragoon's master chuckled. "Not before you."

"Beybladers, ready?" Jazzman hollered.

Tyson readied his launcher and blade. Alright, Dragoon, our first match. Let's make it a match no one will forget.

April held out hers. Like her outfit, her blade was gold and red.

"And 3, 2, 1!" Jazzman dropped his raised hand. "Let it rip!"

"Go, Dragoon!" Tyson shouted as he launched his blade.

April launched her Beyblade into the stadium.

But to everyone's surprise, the blade hit the edge of the Beystadium and rolled out. Everybody stared.

"Oops." April giggled. "I missed."

Moaning, Tyson collapsed. "I didn't even get to battle...."

"Okay...." Jazzman scratched his head in confusion. "The Bladebreakers have taken the first point."

"I certainly didn't expect that." Dizzi said.

"Yeah. That match was over before it even started." Max agreed just as stunned.

"Nobody will be forgetting that match so soon." Tyson murmured. Not exactly the impression he wanted to make.

Max hopped from his seat. "Alright. I'm next. Wish me luck."

From the other team, a tall girl with straight brown hair came forward twirling a metal stick between her slender fingers. She kept doing so even after Max fixed his Beyblade in to his launcher. He looked at her in confusion.

"Hey, where's your launcher?"

She merely smiled and caught the stick neatly in her hand. "You're looking at it."

Looking closely now, Max could see the jagged teeth of the rip-coil along the body of the stick. The blade she fixed in the launcher was just like her teammate's except its attack ring was fixed with red balls on four sides.

"Next up we have Max versus Janice of the Cheerleaders!" Jazzman hollered. "Beybladers, ready!"

Max held up his launcher. "I hope your aiming is better than your friend's."

Janice smiled, mirroring his move. "Don't worry. Mine is much better."

"Ready!" Jazzman yelled. "And 3, 2, 1! Let it rip!"

Max released his blade into the dish. "Come on, Draciel!"

"Let's go!" Janice shouted.

Both blades met in the middle of the stadium with Janice's blade's blade on the offense and Max on his usual defense tactics. Her blade circled his without breaking away then to his surprise, Draciel started to wobble.

"No way!" Max exclaimed unable to mask the surprise in his voice.

"How is this possible?" Kenny asked Dizzi.

"Here's hint." Dizzi said. "Ever hear of twirling batons?"

"What?" Tyson asked.

"Check out her attack ring." Dizzi explained patiently. "See the balls on it? It acts like a fist. Each time it hits Max's blade, it's like a punch. And judging by its speed and the four 'fists' it has, I would say Draciel doesn't stand a chance."

"What?" Kenny gasped. "But there must be some way."

"It's too late." Kai said without taking his eyes off the battle. "Max's blade has taking too many hits now."

As if to prove his point, Draciel in the dish stopped spinning while his opponent's blade was still pivoting.

"Aren't you a deliverer of bad news." Jade said rising an eyebrow in Kai's direction

"He tries." Dizzi agreed.

Max returned to his team after retrieving his blade with his head hung. "Sorry, guys."

"Max, what happened, man?" Tyson asked. "You got beaten by a cheerleader."

"You don't have to rub it in." Ray told him. He patted Max's shoulder. "Hey, you did your best. They caught us off guard too."

Kai sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. It's up to you now, Ray."

Ray grinned at his crimson-eyed captain. "Leave it to me."

Kai turned to Jade, pausing when he noticed her staring at him. Her green eyes quickly averted to the floor. He frowned momentarily taken by familiarity of those forest green eyes but he forced himself not to think about it. Not now. "And Jade, I'm leaving it to you to end the match."

She looked at him and flipped him a rebellious salute. "No problem, captain."

Kai stared at her, their eyes meeting. Neither one glanced away until Jazzman declared the start of the next match between Ray and Jessica. Without a word they turned their attention back to the battle going on.

Why can't I seem to remember those eyes? Kai thought with growing frustration.

Jade mentally scolded herself. What's wrong with you? Taking risks like that? Stupid.

Ray made quick work of his opponent, calling out his Driger Bitbeast almost immediately after he launched his blade into the dish. "Driger, Tiger Claw!"

Heeding its master's command, Driger leapt at Jessica's blade with its razor sharp claws flashing. Within seconds, Jessica's blade laid outside the stadium in various places.

"Winner...Ray! The Bladebreakers have once again taken the lead!" Jazzman announced.

"Alright, Ray!" Tyson cheered, rushing out to congratulate his friend.

"Don't tell me you're gonna start cheering like them." Ray asked cautiously.

Across them the other team has broken into another cheer. "Hey, that's alright! That's okay! We're still the best team anyway!"

"Alright, Jade. Prove them wrong. Go for it." Max said as she stood up.

Jade strolled forward with casualness that was clear in her movements. The captain of the Cheerleaders, Valerie was heading forward too, apparently having no choice but to try saving her team from elimination.

"Well," she said as they faced each other. "I was hoping I'll be battling your captain but you'll have to do."

Jade gave her a sarcastic smile. "Happy to disappoint you."

"Ladies, ready!" Jazzman called out. "And 3, 2, 1! Let it rip!"

Both girls launched their blades into the Beystadium.

"Go!" Valerie shouted. "Baton Twirl!"

Her blade lunged at Jade's Beyblade, spinning fast.

But not fast enough.

"Draizer!" Jade called. "Let's finish this! Flamethrower!"

In a flash, the wolf appeared and attacked Valerie's advancing blade with a blast of blue fire from it jaws. The flames surrounded the blade and threw it out of the dish.

"Oh no!" Valerie wailed.

"Jade's the winner! The Bladebreakers take this round!" Jazzman shouted.

"And with that the Bladebreakers advance into the next round against the Psychics!" A.J shouted to the whole world watching.

"What an unusual match!" Brad declared. "The Cheerleaders tried their best but it just isn't enough to beat Bladebreakers. Good show, girls!"

As the other team gathered around to congratulate them, Kai's attention was drawn to the leaving audience, catching a glimpse of a familiar face. He stared at the Psychics's leader, Sabrina as she left.

So they came to check us out....

A small smile appeared on his lips as he thought to himself. The next match should be....interesting....