The days ticked by. Hilary lay cramped in her hospital bed, tossing and turning through sleepless nights. Mariam and the boys would visit her every day, and she even got letters from the other teams telling her how much she was missed. Well, what else was she going to do, cooped up in that stuffy hospital all week? Of course, write letters. Hil had written long letters to all of her old friends after getting Mariam to sneak in to her house routinely for things she'd need. And everyone she wrote to kept replying. Hilary even included a couple pictures in each letter. Hilary smiled as she read over a particular letter that had just arrived today from Europe.

Dear Hilary,

How are you? We're fine. Better than fine. Nothing's really new, besides the fact that Oliver and I have started a contest to see who can kiss the most girls (ka-ching!), lol. I'm missing you a lot right now, especially cuz you could help me beat Oliver in this contest (hint hint!), lol. I'm in a giddy mood ,and I hope this letter makes you feel better. Is it? It damn well better be since I'm taking my time to write this instead of pissing off Johnny, who, by the way, has a crush. On your new best friend! Ha! Yeah, ol' Johnny boy likes Mariam! That picture you sent of her kissing you on the cheek really got him off! I don't blame him! The two of you are HOT HOT HOT whether you're sick from a concussion or not!

Hilary had to pause to laugh. The picture she'd included in the letter for the Majestics was a playful portrait of Mariam giving Hilary a kiss on the cheek. Of course, Hilary had to con Mariam into doing it. Ms.'I Don't Display Affection To Other Human Beings' was a little sub-conscious, but Hil did manage to get her to do it with the famous 'Would you do it for me?' line. Hilary giggled at how Mariam turned beet-red. Then, the brunette lowered her eyes to the letter to continue reading where she left off.

Lol, I wish I could be there to kiss your boo boo better. But hey, I can always come on vacay right? Sometime soon my sweet, sometime soon. But there's actually something I've been meaning to ask. Where are the BladeBreakers? We haven't heard from them in ages. Kinda sucks too, because Robert is rearin' for a rematch against the world champ! Well, if you see them, tell them to get their asses into gear and start training! The World Championships are on the horizon! Wo0t! MAJESTICS RULE BLADEBREAKERS DROOL! Ha ha!

And another thing, those pets with you and Mariam in the picture are adorable. I want the rabbit. The guinea pig isn't bad either. The cat, enh. Kinda allergic to them. Maybe a nice dog will attract the ladies? Or Oliver (wink wink, hehehe). But must go now.

Much Love,

Enrique.

(P.S: HOT HOT HOT! And feel better, hehe.)

Hilary laughed again. That was Enrique for you. The lad hadn't changed a bit. Good thing too, Hilary liked his genki personality. Suited his blonde hair. Come to think of it, were all blondes hyper and flirtily playful? There's Enrique, Max, Mystel, others too. Hilary shrugged at the thought.

Enrique had asked where the boys were. Was their disappearance that noticeable? Hopefully not, the last thing that Hilary and Mariam needed were the FBI slinking around the premises looking for 4 teens that had turned into animals because of magic potion, and the only leads they had was a hospitalized brat and a suicidal harlequin. Hilary smiled sadly.

Mariam flinched. Ozuma towered over her ,she on her knees on the ground. The two had a practice beyblade match, and Mariam's lack of training certainly showed. The battle was over in not three minutes.

"I knew you were no good. I have to say, when the SaintShields first became a team I was sure you were gonna take us places, and under my watchful eye it seemed that way. What happened to you Mariam? You were so strong..."

'You happened to me Ozuma.' Mariam looked downward and pulled herself to her feet.

"ANSWER ME!" Ozuma grasped Mariam low on her shoulders violently and pulled her to him, she leaning back nervously, eyes shut tight and teeth clenched. Ozuma growled, and released one of her arms and poised his own in a striking position.

"Ozuma calm down!" Joseph said, punching Ozuma in the shoulder. Ozuma turned to look at the boy angrily, but calmed himself when he saw the worried look in his eyes. Mariam was Joseph's sister... Maybe this should wait, until they were alone. Ozuma eased himself and let Mariam go. She fell to the ground. Ozuma briskly walked away. Joseph looked down at Mariam before gulping and trailing after his leader. Dunga shook his head as he watched the 3 from the house window.

Mariam had it coming... Or was Ozuma just being a little too controlling lately? Dunga couldn't decide. Whether the burly bushman wanted to do something or not, he couldn't. It could easily get him kicked off the team. And then where would he go? But where would Mariam go? Dunga clenched his fist. As annoying as the girl may be, she was still his friend and part of their team. And it had to be hard for Joseph to endure it all. Dunga knew Joseph cared for his sister, but he didn't show it often. Maybe Mariam felt uncared for...? Was that why she had grown so away and distant? Lost in dreams all the time? Dunga didn't know. But he wasn't going to purger his role on the team to find out.

Max watched the scenario unfold. He was so tempted to run out, and just attack Ozuma like the dog he was. But Kai had talked him out of it. Their cover would be blown, and they couldn't risk that. But the Russian rabbit had to admit, things were starting to look drear for Mariam. Dangerous too. Ozuma seemed like the type who could easily lose his temper and hurt someone he cared about. Or did he even care? Kai could never remember Ozuma showing concern for Mariam. When the female had lost in battle to Max, Ozuma had sent her a look of unimaginable hatred. That was probably how he actually felt. Mariam was nothing to him, a nodge in his bedpost. Dust on his shelf. Something to get in the way...

The BladeBreakers had been residing in their usual quarters, Mariam's bedroom with the door closed, not making any noise as not to be a bother. Though that was difficult. For Tyson. The moron had already upsat three candles (burning a large section of his fur off with the flame and ruining Mariam's carpet with the wax), stepped in nail polish and then walked around to leave black paw prints on Mariam's lyrics, and even nearly got himself sucked down the drain during their bath. He'd actually gotten stuck. Surprising, considering his size. Width-wise. He also got the late-night munchies and decided to get something to eat at half-past two in the morning. The dumbass walked on the radio button to get off the bed, blaring 'I like Big Butts and I can not lie!' through the whole house. Things were falling apart, and Mariam's sanity couldn't last much longer. Neither could Ozuma's by the looks of it.

Ray was lying on the bed on his side, having a cat-nap. Max was on Mariam's bed-side table, staring out the window with paws on the window ledge and hind feet lifting him up from the table. Outside, he could see Mariam walk over to the beyblade dish and bend over to pick up SharKrash. The blade looked like it had obtained a fair bit of damage. Probably not near as much as Mariam's heart, Max thought. But, just as in to single Mariam's depressing loss, SharKrash seemed to glow and, even though it was across town, the boys could hear the ocean crash and churn. And then rain. Max whimpered as he watched Mariam place Sharkrash into her jacket pocket, and then look up at the sky longingly. The rain didn't seem to faze her, and the crash of the ocean, she was oblivious to. But none to the less, rain or not, a tear rolled down Mariam's cheek.

Max turned away from the window and jumped off the table. This was too much. Too much for him, for her, for Hilary... Man, everything seemed to have fallen apart. Mariam was suicidal, Hilary was in the hospital with a concussion because someone beat her in the head with a beer bottle, Kai's too 'I-Don't-Give-A-Damn' to give a damn, Tyson? Well, he's just Tyson, and Ray would maybe help when he could. They needed to do something...

Hilary sighed. She'd been in the hospital all week, and tonight was her release date! She could see her friends (while not confined to a bed), Tyson, and she could go home! Home... What was home to her now? Was she really supposed to go back to him? Her abusive father who hated her because she looked like her mother? Hilary sighed again, and turned to lay on her left side, facing the window. Hilary gazed out at the pouring rain. Freedom.

Mariam walked back into the house, careful to avoid Dunga's gaze.

"I wish he saw it from your point of view Mariam. But he doesn't. So smarten up. You know this is our mission." Mariam stopped walking for a second. But her eyes didn't meet Dunga's, who was seated on the couch facing the television in the center of the living room. Then she continued walking.

'Our mission... Is that really what's supposed to happen? I'm still supposed to steal Dragoon, Dranzer, Driger, and Draciel...? But they've been so kind to me, especially Max... How can I betray them?' Mariam grumbled when she shut her bedroom door behind her. 'Simple enough. I can't.'

Mariam pulled off her sweater, shook her head to get free of the rain's grasp, and then headed straight for the bathroom. Max gasped, and ran straight for the door. The poor dog got an awful snoutful. He whimpered, and began to claw at the door the best he could. Ray looked over worriedly. Tyson began to chew his food more slowly before finally swallowing it. Kai looked at Max for one second, before turning away again. It was hard to admit, it really was, but there was nothing they could do.

Mariam emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, hair brushed, and bracelets in place. Kai looked at her with almost an angry glare. Mariam didn't even acknowledge. But he knew she saw him, with those green eyes. Emerald eyes that could only be called green because they'd lost their shine... Mariam sat on her bed gently, and turned to lie down in a slow motion. Her arms hurt, her legs hurt, her wrists hurt... Everything hurt. But most of all, her feelings hurt. Mariam turned to look at the clock. Another hour and they'd have to go and get Hilary from the hospital. She spent a miserable week in the cold facility, all alone. She deserved some freedom. And, the boys too would soon be free. Kenny would be back in two days, and everything would be right with the world. KENNY! The cats! Mariam let out a squeal and bolted off the bed and out the door. The BladeBreakers looked up startled.

Mariam pretty much ran through the house door, and out and down the stairs. Ozuma was heading up them at the same time, and he got pushed off the balcony, him falling into the bushes below. Ozuma emerged from the bushes in a rage.

"MARIAM!" The angered boy ran after her eagerly. It was time to figure out her secrets.

Mariam rushed to Kenny's, and unlocked the door, slipping inside. The house was eerily silent. Gave her the creeps. But there, on the floor, was a cat. A dead one. Mariam could of cried. It was her fault! The other two were asleep on the couch, but one of the three was there, on the marble floor, not moving at all. Mariam gulped and walked over to the poor thing. Oh yeah. Died of starvation no doubt. Mariam turned and rammed her head into the dry wall of the Tamea house angrily.

"Dammit dammit dammit dammit dammit...." But she finally gave it up when one of the remaining cats curled around her leg. Mariam smiled down at the lonely creature, and she picked it up gently, walking over to the cupboard. Mariam pulled the large bag of cat feed out and filled the dishes. Then, after putting the cat down to eat, she filled the water dishes. Now, time to tend to her dead little friend over there... Dude, what would Kenny say if he was here? Oh, he'd be so upset... Man, was he ever going to give it to Mariam for letting his cat die... Oh, she didn't want to think about it. Mariam sighed, and scooped the poor thing into her arms, carrying it outside to the Tamea's back yard, Mariam placed it on the ground behind the shed. Hey, every animal deserved a proper burial. By the time she was done, it was time to go meet Hilary.

Mariam would never forget the smile she had when she came running out through those hospital doors.