Aries1391: Who knows? I may be mean and make them, or I may feel even meaner and leave them together… I'm still deciding… Oh well…We'll all know soon! Thank you for the reveiw...

Disclaimer: Read the Prologue…

Chapter 13

He was nervous, pacing up and down the room. Bryan was watching him from a seat to the left side of the room, bent forward in an attempt to avoid the freezing wall. He was fidgeting, in the same condition as Spencer.

Tala and Ian were checking their beyblades for the third time that morning, just as nervous as their teammates. They jumped horribly when the door opened to reveal a tired looking Jamie.

He'd looked far more worn since the day he talked to Spencer, and Spencer himself was looking less than healthy, almost as if he were sick on his worry. But they needed to perform well today, to win and be the top bladders in the Abbey. They were going to be Russia's representative Beyblade team for the World Championships. And they were going to win that too.

Spencer eventually sat down next to Bryan, his head jerking up as Jamie began to lecture them.

"Now, you four are going to have to be patient, I don't know the weaknesses of many of the other teams. Boris wanted you all to be able to think during unexpected situations as well as provide counter attacks using information given to you before the match." Spencer nodded, his eyes moving to Tala's. The poor teen seemed worn out, though he hardly looked it. Spencer figured it was the extra training sessions Boris was working them over with.

"You will be fighting against team number 20 at ten o'clock. They're students older than you and they're expected to win." He smiled, "I have a wager going with most of the guards that you will win. I expect them to be pounded into the dirt!"

They smirked, Ian's childish snickering making them turn into smiles, more so than their usual looks of smugness.

Spencer could feel it. They were going to win. Their bit beasts were going to help them do just that. He fingered Seaborg, letting the beyblade rest in his hand lazily. He sighed. They'd be battling in an hour.

o0o0o

The abbey students sat around the room. They were silent, too jittery with nerves and fright to do anything but stare at the dish in the middle of the room. Boris stood next to the dish, ready to referee, his smirk forever present on his face.

Jamie ignored it for the most part, as he strode up to Boris. The guards snickered and chuckled when they saw the doctor walk in.

"They're ready sir."

Boris nodded and both sets of doors were opened, with a bang. The students of The Abbey held their breaths watching as the teams entered the room.

o0o0o

Ian had taken to pacing a few minutes before they were to go on. But as the doors opened, they stood straight and tall.

They were emotionless after all.

They were strong.

They were going to win.

Spencer's eyes remained ahead of him as they marched out to the middle of the room, stopping next to a bench. They shared a glance, and Spencer lead Bryan and Tala to sit down as Ian moved to the dish.

Boris was standing with his arms behind his back. He smirked and motioned for the other team's first member to come forward. Spencer frowned when he recognized the teen as the one that had shown him around The Abbey when he first arrived.

"This is a best out of five battle." Boris said clearly, "All the members on a team will compete. Now please, will the first challengers please step forward."

Spencer watched silently as Ian pulled out his deep purple launcher, noticing how Ian's hands shook minutely. He kept his face stony, resisting the urge to smile at his little friend's nervousness.

"Ready!" Both bladers got into position, "3, 2, 1…"

Wyborg whirled away from Ian, settling itself on the dish with barely a wobble. Ian's eyes narrowed, as he sized up his opponent, his beyblade spinning around the sides of the large metal dish.

"What's that supposed to do?" The bigger and older boy sneered, "You can't win if you just circle the dish like that!"

Ian kept silent for a moment, before his face broke into a smirk, "So? I bet you're thankful I haven't attacked yet."

"What?"

"Yeah, that's right… You're too weak to attack me and win so you're hoping I'll attack first and maybe you'd get a lucky spin." Ian snickered, "It's not going to happen, so you might as well forfeit."

The older boy's troubled face broke into a grin, "What? Forfeit to you? A little kid?"

Spencer couldn't help the smirk on his face, as he turned to his teammate's who had the same expression. No one got away with calling Ian 'little'.

They watched with amusement as Ian tensed up, the grin disappeared and he twitched uncontrollably.

The other boy noticed, "What? Did I strike a nerve? Is the poor, little kid going to run away?"

And that was it. Ian yelled out an attack, his beyblade whizzing dangerously into action, hitting his opponent's head on, and propelling it from the dish. The boy could only stare in surprise and horror as this took place, his mouth falling open into a gawk as his beyblade fell apart as his feet.

Boris was the only one who clapped as Ian stepped down; moving himself to the bench his team was on.

"That's 1 to nil, well done Ian. Next."

o0o0o

Jamie watched with interest, taking notes in a large red book.

Ian had done little wrong. He'd been slightly aloof, in the beginning, and could have finished off the battle a lot sooner. He frowned slightly, scribbling messily, he'd have to talk to Ian about making fun of the enemy.

But other than that, just for his own amusement, Jamie jotted down a not to remember to not make any sort of reference to Ian's height, that boy really was one for surprises. He smiled slightly from his seat in the front row, hiding it behind his book. Bryan was next, and he was bound to make a name for himself.

Jamie pulled a stray lock of red hair behind his ear, writing hurriedly. Why didn't Boris make this easy on him and let him get a laptop?

He sighed, hurriedly turning his eyes towards the match. They'd just launched their beyblades.

Bryan's beyblade moved as though it were gliding over the bowl instead of spinning, its movements were jerky, as if it were bumping into a solid object every time it turned.

Jamie watched with confusion for a few moments longer, before they moved to Bryan. The boy was standing like he usually would, there was no problem there. He seemed to be concentrating, if his furrowed brows were to be something to go by. The doctor's eyes rand down to Bryan's hands. He was clutching his launcher as if it were a lifeline.

Jamie shook his head trying to keep a smile off his face; Bryan was jittery.

Once Jamie had sobered up, he frowned deeply; he'd been worried about this. Bryan just wasn't one for performing in front of huge crowds, no wonder why his beyblade was acting that way!

Oh… Jamie could see a long cuddle session with Spencer in the future for the poor boy. He quickly wrote another note, carefully praying that Bryan would win this, and that he wouldn't go to Spencer later that night.

o0o0o

Spencer could feel his feet go numb as Tala moved to sit back down. He'd just won his match, having Bryan tie before him. Spencer could see the disappointment on his young friend's face as he'd shuffled back over to them.

Now it was his turn. Now he had to win.

The teenager he was facing looked to be a few years older than him, maybe one or two. He was tall and seemed too thin for his build.

"Are you ready?"

Spencer nodded, as Boris sent a knowing stare at him, turning to the other boy the next moment. He took a deep breath holding up his launcher expectantly. To Spencer's surprise the boy sent him a nod that he returned. It was nice to know that sportsmanship hadn't been completely forgotten.

"3, 2, 1! Go!"

Just like with Ian, Spencer's blade hardly wobbled as it hit the dish and spun to the very centre of the dish. He nodded to himself, that was it, bide his time, he had enough endurance and defense to take down this guy slowly.

But the other teen wasn't attacking. He was just spinning around the dish. Spencer could feel himself begin to sweat uncomfortably. Boris would have both their heads if one of them didn't attack soon.

He raised his eyes to glance at the other boy, and found him gazing worriedly at the dish too.

Spencer growled abandoning his original idea as Seaborg whirled at the other blader's blade. He dodged, rounding on Seaborg to attack the other. But Spencer saw it coming and his defense was up, forcing the other blade to bounce back.

Again he nodded to himself. It was all right. All he had to do was prod and defend. It was all right. He aimed to attack, again missing and being counter attacked. He smirked for no apparent reason. Spencer guessed it was a habit he'd picked up from Tala, it made his opponent growl and sneer, urging his smirk to widen.

The battle didn't last much longer; Spencer turned out victorious. The boy and himself shared another nod before they wandered back to their benches.

He nodded to Tala, who moved to stand, all four of his teammates sending him a congratulating smirk.

"There is no need to continue." He heard Boris say, and everyone's attention was on the aging man fast. "Team 13 have won all their battles, they will proceed onto the next round of the tournament."

Spencer felt the room turn cold, the dread welling in him directed towards the team they'd just beaten. He squashed any thoughts that ran into his mind about saving the other team somehow; that wasn't the way the Abbey worked. You won and survive or lost and were trod on.

Every boy for them self was the rule.

No… Every team for themselves, he corrected himself.

o0o0o

Again they strolled down the corridor, hands clasped between them. Neither had said a word since they'd left the battle room half an hour ago. Boris had given them that afternoon off, a… Prize so to speak for winning.

Spencer's gut felt as though it was being clenched, his chest feeling just as tight. He was supposed to quit this with Bryan. Boris was using this… What ever it was between them. It was just a strong friendship, he was sure of that.

"What do you think they're going to do to that other team?"

Bryan's voice cut through his thoughts, and Spencer blinked several times before answering, "He's probably going to punish them. The usual, you know?"

He saw Bryan nod, before he swung their hands slightly, obviously thinking of something he'd found amusing.

"I was nervous when I went up there." He flushed lightly, "I swear I heard the launcher crack."

Spencer smirked, "You looked it. But with the way you were attacking that guy… Someone would have thought you had a grudge against him." He chuckled at Bryan's put off glare, his eyebrows furrowed in a vain attempt to look angry. It only made Spencer's amused smirk widen.

A silence soon settled over them again, and soon after that they were in front of Bryan's door, with Bryan leaning up to peck Spencer's cheek.

"Come in and we can talk." Bryan invited.

Spencer nodded, yes… Talk.

o0o0o

"Sir, the four of them are ready."

"Good. Start one of them on another enhancer and another on the strengthener."

"Right sir."

Boris smirked at the blank monitor, his eyes widening maniacally. He'd get his money, he'd get his success. All he needed was new… Specimens.

Fire: I'm sorry! School's is going to and has me tied up, I have many, many assignments already…And before that I was (and am) going through a Harry Potter - Snupin phase... I'm just letting you know that I am still continuing my stories… There'll just be long breaks in between chapters… Sorry again…

But review please, I'd like to know what you think…

Thank you for reading!