Note: Don't own Beyblade, Don't own Beyblade, No i don't , No I don't. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 8: Another White Tigeer
"Hey, everyone!" Kenny ran through the gate of the Granger house excitedly. "I got info on the first team we're facing!""Really? Sweet!" Tyson stated.
"Who is it?" Max asked. Kenny sat down and opened his laptop. He started to press the keyboard quickly.
"Let's see here….Ah! It's the White Tigers!"
"The who?" Tysa asked.
"It's a beyblading team from China." Tyson told her. Tysa became more confused than satisfied.
"Don't mean to be rude but, why isn't Ray on that team? I mean he's from China and we—at least, for all I know—are at least part Japanese." Ray shrugged to Tysa's question.
"Wanted a change of pace," he said simply.
"So…when are they coming?" Max asked.
"Apparently, Mr. Dickinson told them about our new team member, so they're coming a week early to meet Tysa." Kenny answered.
"Cool. It'll be nice to meet new people." Tysa said.
"And I'll show Lee that I'm gonna beat him in this tournament!" Tyson started punching the air.
"Lee's the leader of the White Tigers," Max explained.
"Ah. So…who's our team leader?" Tysa asked.
"Kai," Max answered.
"So why does Tyson keep acting like he is?" Tysa asked. Hilary bit back making any negative comments, in fear of making everyone think she likes Tyson. Max shrugged.
"Who knows." Tysa looked at Kai who was staring off somewhere. He never really acted like a team leader to her. If anyone, it would be Tyson or even Hilary. Kai never said anything helpful, encouraging, or at all. Kai could qualify as one of the human wonders of the world.
"Tysa, have you ever been to China?" Hilary asked.
"Hilary, if Tyson never been to China before any of this happened, what makes you think,"
"I have."
"Huh?" Kenny seemed surprised that he was wrong.
"I've been to China before. I mean, both me and Tyson are part Chinese."
"You're part Chinese, Tyson?" Ray asked.
"Well, yeah. You just never really asked." Tyson shrugged.
"Our mother was Chinese. She died a while ago." Tysa said. "Doesn't matter much. Let's keep training."
Ray and Tysa waited at the airport a few days later. Ray had to leave right after practice, and Tysa wanted to come as well.
"Now arriving, Flight 394 from China." The airport voice announced. After a while, the expected team arrived in front of them.
"Hey you guys!" Ray called.
"Oh, it's Ray!" Lee answered.
"Is that Tyson?" Mariah looked closer, "He looks…different." The team ran up to Ray and Tysa.
"So, Ray, what's been happening? We hear you got a new team member." Kevin asked.
"Oh, right you guys," Ray turned his head to Tysa, "Everyone, meet Tysa Granger. She's Tyson's twin sister." Mariah was about to extend her hand to Tysa when her heart stopped. Ray had been looking at Tysa differently than most people.
"It's nice to meet you guys." Tysa extended her hand to the group. Mariah "hmphed" and turned her head, surprising Tysa. Lee shook her hand instead.
"It's nice to meet you too, Tysa. So, I heard that you're Chinese also, is that correct?" Lee asked.
"Yah. My mother was." Lee nodded.
"I see." He then thought for a while. "Ray, can I talk with you for a moment?"
"Sure, Lee. Be right there."
"Hey, Ray, doesn't she look familiar to you?" Lee asked when they were away from the group.
"Well, she does look like Tyson…"
"That's not what I'm talking about."
"Huh?" Ray became more confused. Lee sighed.
"Remember the original White Tiger team?"
"We learned about that didn't we? It was your mother, my father, Kevin's father, and a girl named Líng Chén. But she left the team."
"Right. I had my suspicions about Tyson, but after seeing Tysa I'm almost positive that I'm right. Remember that picture of when the original team were younger?" Lee asked. Ray nodded. It was one of the White Tigers' most treasured possession.
"Now, compare the younger Líng Chén with Tysa." Lee ordered. It look Ray awhile to stack a mental picture on Tysa.
"They look…the same." Ray discovered. He turned his head to Lee. "Are you saying that Tysa's mother could be Líng Chén?"
"Well…we won't know for sure unless we battle her. If her eyes become cat-like, then she's one of us."
"But, Tyson's eyes don't do that." Ray protested.
"Have you seen Hitoshi battle?" Lee asked. "They turn glimpses of cat-like. After all, they're not full Chinese like us. Some of them may have the gene, some of them may not." With that Lee walked back to the group and Ray followed. Ray had never really seen Tysa's eyes that clearly before. They could've become cat-like and he never noticed.
I could ask her…
What if she doesn't know herself?
Well, she could…maybe she knows about her mother.
And if she doesn't?
Ray argued mentally all the next day as well. As they were sparring, Ray kept extra care to noticed her eyes.
"Uh…we havin' a staring contest, Ray? 'Cause you're losing."
"Oh, um, no, it's just…" Ray sat down and Tysa joined him. "What was your mother's name?"
"Asa Granger," Tysa said simply.
"No, I mean, before marriage."
"Oh…well then, with her Chinese last name it'd be Asa Róng…"
"Didn't you ask me about her?"
"Well…yeah. And with her Japanese last name, it'd be Asa Sookan."
"Didn't I mention that?"
"I'm trying to think here!"
"Oh, um, sorry."
"Hmm…I don't really know her Chinese name…"
Róng and Sookan both mean glory, Ray thought, Could it be the same for Asa?
"Why did you want to know, Ray?" Tysa looked at Ray curiously.
"Well, um…" Ray stumbled for an excuse, "Just curious, that's all."
"Ok, then…" Tysa looked up. She made a habit of telling the time by the sky. "I better get home soon. It's almost dinner." Ray nodded.
"Uh…Tysa?"
"Hmm?"
"……I'll walk you home."
"What! You think she's a White Tiger!" Mariah screamed. Lee had just told the rest of the team his discovery, and Mariah wasn't taking it well. Gary was just eating peacefully.
"Well, she could be. I mean, she looks just like Líng Chén," Kevin stated.
"But even still!" Mariah turned her anger to Kevin, "People look like each other everyday! That proves nothing!"
"Calm down, Mariah!" Lee barked. "What do you have against Tysa being a White Tiger?" Mariah gulped. If she told them, it would mean stating her feelings towards Ray, and she didn't want that. She took her beyblade gear and walked towards the door.
"M-Mariah! Wh-where are you--?" Kevin stuttered. Mariah turned around.
"I'm going to prove that Tysa isn't a White Tiger. I'm going to rip her beyblade to shreds." With that, Mariah walked out the door. The rest of the team heard the door slam.
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8th chapter up and running! Keep sending reviews! They may influence what happense in the story and how fast the chapters are up (one type of review has definatly motivated me...¬¬;)
Mizuki Sakura