Chapter 11

The quarter final of the Beyblade World Championship tournament was underway two days later. The stadium was jam-packed with people eager to see which team will be competing in the semi-finals against the Block B winners. Every seat was filled. Up in the VIP seating, the White Tigers sat anxiously waiting for the match to start.

"Man, what's taking Jazzman so long?" Kevin complained fidgeting in his seat. "I can't stand it already. When are they gonna start?"

"Will you just keep still for one minute?!" Mariah snapped. "I'm sure they'll start soon."

Gary tilted his bucket of popcorn to her. "Popcorn?"

She shook her head, too worried to eat. "No thanks, Gary." she glanced at Lee seated next to her. "Lee, what do you think? Do you think the Bladebreakers have a chance of winning?"

Lee shrugged. "I honestly don't know, Mariah."

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" Jazzman shouted stepping onto his platform. "Welcome to the quarter-finals of the Beyblade World Championship tournament! Are you ready for an exciting battle?"

A roar of approval from the crowd answered him.

"All right!" Jazzman swept his hand across the stadium. "Let's meet our teams for today! On my right, the rising new stars, the Psychics! And on my left the Bladebreakers!"

Mariah leapt from the seat. "Go, Ray! Take them down!"

Tyson stared at the audience and the other team before turning back to his team. Max patted him on the back. "Ready, Tyson?"

Tyson looked at Jade as if for assurance. "Yeah, I guess... I hope your plan works, Jade."

She deadpanned. "It'll work."

"Come on, Tyson." Ray urged. "Go for it!"

Gathering his spirit, Tyson nodded and ran forward to be greeted by the cheer of the crowd. From the other team, Anna trotted forward, launcher and Beyblade in hand.

"For this battle, we have a special surprise lined up for you!" Jazzman announced. On cue, the floor plates parted and the Beystadium emerged. "All battles will be taken place in the spinner dish. The surface of the dish has been polished to its smoothest point, giving maximum control to the Beyblader. However there's a catch. The dish, ladies and gentlemen will be rotating at top speed, making it hard for the Beybladers to control their blades."

Tyson gasped in awe as the dish started turning, slow at first then faster as it picked up speed. "That's one twisted dish."

Across him, Anna giggled. "This is going to be easy."

"Anna!" Sabrina snapped. "Make it fast!"

"Beybladers, take your positions!" Jazzman shouted.

"Tyson!"

"Huh?" Tyson glanced over his shoulder as Jade walked up to him. "Yeah?"

She tossed him something. He caught it and to his surprise, it was a Discman. He looked at her in puzzlement.

"Have fun." she said as she headed back to the benches.

Tyson grinned getting what she meant and placed the headphones over his ears. He held up his launcher as Jazzman started the countdown.

"Ready? 3, 2, 1! Let it rip!"

Both Beybladers launched their Beyblades into the stadium. Sparks flew as the blades hit the moving surface.

"Alright. Let's see what Tyson is up to." Anna muttered focusing her power on her opponent.

To her surprise, a song played in his mind. She glanced across to see Tyson not paying attention to the battle but listening to a Discman with his eyes closed.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Diana called. "You heard Sabrina. Finish him off!"

In a panic, Anna called back. "I can't. His mind isn't on the battle!"

A small appeared across Jade's face as she watched the battle. Gotcha.

"It's working!" Kenny exclaimed in shock.

Max was grinning from ear to ear. "Was there ever a doubt?"

Sabrina watched the battle with a frown. Her eyes darkened. Could they have found a way to block our powers?

"Just attack him." Diana called out to Anna. "His mind isn't in the battle so he's vulnerable!"

Nodding, Anna turned back to her blade. "Attack him now!"

Tyson opened his eyes a peek and grinned. Sweet! She fell for it!

Sabrina caught Tyson's thoughts and her eyes widened the same moment she realized it was a trap. She leapt to her feet. "Anna, it's a trap!"

But it was too late to abort the order. That moment Anna's blade collided to Dragoon and almost immediately the Bit in the center of Tyson's blade lit up. Without warning a tornado built up around Tyson's blade. The strong wind caught Anna's blade in its currents. With a roar, Dragoon attacked the weakening blade.

"Oh no!" Anna gasped as her blade left the dish.

"And the winner of that intense match is Tyson!" Jazzman declared.

Instant uproar from the audience. Then came Kevin's voice overpowering the audience's cheers. "In your face, Anna Banana!"

Mariah yanked him back. "Sit down, Kevin!"

Tyson pumped his fist holding Dragoon in the air. "All right! I won! Sweet!" he ran back to his team. "Your plan worked, Jade!"

Max and Ray gave him a thump on each shoulder.

"You sure showed them, Tyson!" Max said.

"Great." Jade drawled not sharing their happiness. "I guess I'm up next."

"Yup!" Kenny said. "You'll be battling Diana."

"She's the one who beat Mariah." Ray said quietly.

Jade nodded and started walking towards the stadium when Kai's voice stopped her. "Be careful. They're not going to be that easy to ignore now."

She looked back at the blue haired boy as their eyes met, lingering on each other. Something flicked in her eyes before she nodded and continued forward.

It's that girl, Sabrina thought watching Jade. She figured how to block our powers...Damn her...

Next to her Diana started to rise for her match but Sabrina beat her to it.

"Diana, down." she ordered standing up. "I'm taking this match."

Diana stared at her leader. "But-."

"That girl is mine." Sabrina said coldly in a voice that was not to be argued with.

Shrugging, Diana nodded and sat back down. Her teammates exchanged uneasy looks among themselves.

"Round two coming up! Get ready! We have Jade of the Bladebreakers versus Di-!" Jazzman paused listening to his headphone. After a while he cleared his throat. "There has been an official change for the Psychics. Sabrina will be battling in this round!"

"What?" the Bladebreakers gasped.

Desperate moments calls for desperate measures and the Psychics are desperate now, Kai thought as he watched with distinct interest. This match should be interesting....

Jade watched as the Psychics's team leader came forward with an eerie aura of confidence that would have made other people think twice about facing Sabrina. But Jade just tilted her head in mild curiosity. Calling in the big guns, huh?

Sabrina lifted her chin, catching her thoughts. For a girl who thinks she's so smart, she's easy to read. "That's right. I'm the 'big guns'. I don't know how you figured out our powers but you don't stand a chance against me. My powers are far more advanced than my teammates."

Her opponent merely smiled. "So bring it on."

Sabrina blinked in surprise. Why...isn't she afraid?

"Beybladers, ready!" Jazzman hollered. "3, 2, 1! Let it rip!"

Sabrina and Jade launched their blades into the rotating dish. Both blades centered themselves in the center of the dish, struggling against the momentum.

"All right, Jade." Sabrina muttered to herself. "Let's see what you are up to." Her intuition powers stretched forward and slammed into a mental wall. In shock, she stepped back, unable to keep herself from gasping aloud. "What the-? I-I can't read her mind!" This can't be. Only moments ago... I penetrated her thoughts! Why can't I do so now?

Jade smiled at her surprise, savoring the look on Sabrina's usually unreadable face when she realized she couldn't read Jade's mind. "What's the matter, Sabrina?" she mocked. "Can't read my mind?"

Sabrina looked at her in shock, realizing only now that Jade had tricked her, challenging her to read her mind.

She has strong mind shields, she found herself thinking. It was rare for somebody to actually have the ability to block mind-reading. One must undergo years of training alone and plenty of discipline. She has...a wall...built up in so many years...She has been through enough...pain.. and suffering to built that wall. God, her past must have been hard...with so many secrets...That's why I can't read her mind...

She can't read my mind unless I want her to. I've been through more than enough to teach my mind to block off anything..., dark thoughts ran through Jade's mind unwillingly as she clutched her hands to the memories. Been through enough aloneness...sorrow...pain...

"Draizer, finish it!" she shouted.

On its master's command the blue blade speeded around the dish, taking full advantage of the dish's speed. Soon it became a blur to the naked eye. It closed in on Sabrina's blade helplessly trapped in the center of the stadium. Draizer struck fast and swift. Sabrina's blade started to shake, bits of it chipping under Draizer's vicious attacks.

Tyson winced as if he felt the pain of the victim. "Yikes." he muttered.

"Man, she's hash." Dizzi observed.

"That's incredible!" Kenny gasped. "How does she do it?"

"Do what, Chief?" Max asked.

"Her attacks!" Kenny said in a stunned voice. "How can she attack without Sabrina reading her?"

Ray frowned thoughtfully. "Hm...it must be one of those other ways she mention."

"Which is...?" Dizzi questioned.

The tiger shrugged. "Don't have a clue. But whatever she's doing, it's working. Sabrina's blade is weakening."

"Yeah. But when this is over I wanna know how she does it. Whatever it means." Tyson said.

Max nodded. "You and me both."

Kai frowned. Back at the abbey, Boris used to train us both physically and mentally...I wonder...

In his mind he could hear the consistent irritating voice of Boris shouting at them. "Your mind is your most powerful weapon apart from your Beyblades! Concentration is vital!"

Kai smirked under his breath. You are so wrong, Boris.

Time to stop playing and end this. Now. Jade threw her hand forward. "Draizer, Fire Spin!"

Blue flames surrounded the blade as its Bitbeast emerged from the Bit. Draizer lunged at the purple blade from above as the blade slammed down on Sabrina's blade in a ball of fire.

"And Jade moves in for the finishing touch!" A.J declared.

"You mean the finishing blow!" Brad corrected.

Sabrina could only watch, stunned as her blade flew past her eyes. With a click followed by a low hiss of steam, it landed behind her.

"And the winner is Jade of the Bladebreakers! And they take the lead by two!" Jazzman shouted. "Amazing!"

"Amazing is right." A.J agreed with the announcer. "Just like that the Bladebreakers have taken the lead against the Psychics!"

"Spectacular!" Brad said. "Don't go away, folks because round three is coming up. You wouldn't want to miss this one."

"I believe someone owns us an explanation." Tyson informed Jade when she returned to the benches.

Jade gave him a stare. "I don't own you anything."

"Says you." Tyson retorted.

"Jade, that was some awesome display of mind blocking." Ray cut in. "How did you do it?"

Her mind raced to think up an excuse. "Ever hear of mental meditation?" God that is so lame. But seeing their confused faces she continued with sarcasm "Try it. It really helps."

They groaned. "Jade..."

"So who's up next?" she asked changing the subject.

"That would be Kai." Kenny replied. He turned to look at their captain. "Ready, Kai?"

Wordlessly he stood and headed forward, his mind puzzled by Jade's display of skill in battle earlier. How did she do it? What does she have to hide...?

Jazzman's voice drew him from his thoughts. Forcing himself to focus on beating his opponent, Kai fixed Dranzer into his launcher. Let's make this fast, Dranzer.

A warm feeling tingled from the blade to his fingers.

"Now we have Kai battling Diana for the winning title! If Kai wins, the Bladebreakers take the Block A Champion title and moves into the semi-finals against the Block B Champs! If Diana somehow pulls off a win, her team has only two chances to save themselves!" Jazzman explained.

"Ready to loose, Kai?" Diana sneered holding up her launcher.

"Are you?" Kai gave her a bored stare. Even without powers although she looked calm and cocky, he could read her like a book. She was nervous and clearly afraid of him.

"Remember, Kai!" Tyson yelled from the benches. "Distract your mind!"

Kai smirked. "I don't have to." Jade isn't the only one who can block her mind.

"Fighters, ready!" Jazzman yelled. "3, 2, 1! Let it rip!"

"Come on, Dranzer!" Kai shouted releasing his blade.

Screeching, the phoenix burst from its blade, wings spread out and its head held high. Its flames danced around it gracefully as Dranzer reared back.

Jade watched, mesmerized. Despite herself, she was amazed by the beauty and power of Kai's Bitbeast. He must have grown stronger to be able to control a Bitbeast as powerful as Dranzer...

In her hand, her Beyblade glowed. Surprised, she glanced at it. "Draizer?"

"Dranzer! Finish it!" Kai called out to his Bitbeast.

Dranzer slidded down the slope of the dish, unaffected by the moving Beystadium and slammed into Diana's blade. To her horror, her blade fell apart and was knocked from the dish.

"No." Diana gasped.

"Whoa, talk about fast." A.J said in awe.

"Did anybody get that?" Brad asked.

"And the winner for round three is Kai and the Bladebreakers wins this match by a score of three to zero!" Jazzman declared as the crowd erupted into cheers and applauds. "The Bladebreakers are the Block A Champions!"

The noises grew louder. The White Tigers rushed down to congratulate them.

"You guys did it!" Mariah said happily giving Ray a hug.

"Man, Tyson. You had me worried there for a moment." Kevin told Dragoon's keeper.

Tyson laughed dismissing his worry as nothing. "All part of the plan Jade cooked up for us."

"Speaking of Jade, where is she?" Lee asked.

"Why would you care?" Kai retorted on impulse.

"I just wanna congratulate her for beating Sabrina. She was amazing. I would like to battle her some time." Lee said.

And undoubtedly ask her out, Kai thought ignoring the prodding feeling in his chest. Snorting softly, he turned to glance at the hallway where Jade had disappeared into.


He has improved a lot...His techniques are...almost flawless...powerful...

She smiled at the thought as she walked down the empty hallways with the intention of avoiding the media. She took a few more steps before she stopped abruptly.

A moment later, a voice spoke up. "Jade, can we talk?"

She turned facing the Psychics's leader and waited.

"That was some cool battle." Sabrina said. "You must have been through a lot to make those walls around you."

Jade hated the sympathetic tone in the other girl's voice but she said nothing.

"But..." Sabrina went on nervously. "I think you should tell your friends about you before you...you loose your self." she looked at Jade and caught a glimpse in her dark emerald eyes. She still couldn't read her mind but she could tell from her eyes, Jade was taking her words seriously. "Anyway, congratulations." she finished.

Jade tilted her head and said hesitatingly. "Thanks, I guess." she turned and walked off leaving Sabrina staring after her.


That night after a victory dinner with the White Tigers, the Bladebreakers returned to their villa and Jade headed to the hot springs in hopes of getting some peace. Usually it was her favorite place to relax and clear her mind but not today.

"We're champions, say we're champions!" Tyson's voice could be heard over the high fences that separated the guys and the girls.

"Oh, yeah!" Max joined in. "We're the best team in the world!"

She sighed to herself. Why did they have to come with her to the hot springs?

Because you're a team now and they are your teammates, a voice in her mind said.

Teammates...friends....

What Sabrina said earlier...about telling them about me...who I am...before I loose my self...what did she mean? Loose my self to who?

She shivered slightly as an instant answer came to mind. One she didn't like. She quickly shoved it from thought. Underwater her hands became fists as she whispered. "No..."

"Hey, Jade!"

She tensed up upon hearing Tyson's loud voice from the other side.

"Why so quiet?" he called. "We won! Thanks to you!"

"Whatever." she muttered.

"Come on." Max said. "Have some fun. You're part of the team ya know."

"Yeah. Don't be like Mr. Sourpuss over there!" Tyson yelled.

Then came Kai's cold warning. "I heard that, Tyson!"

Shaking her head, she smiled sadly.

In a week we'll be flying to Europe for the semi-finals. Then after we win, we'll advance into the finals...Win or lose, I'll eventually have to leave the team. Wasn't that the idea in the first place? After I help them win the World Championships, I'm gone...

So why do I feel like this?

A tear slidded down the smooth soft surface of her cheek and fell into the water, causing a ripple.

What's wrong with me?