Disclaimer: I don't own beyblade. All I do own is my plot line, OC's and any of their extensions.

Summary: The threat of higher level competition in the tournaments to come makes Mr. Dickenson assign Riley Phillips to help train the G Revolutions. Tyson knows her. She was the one who taught him to really beyblade. But how much does he know about the time between back then and now? And why is she singling Kai out?

To Turn The Tides

Chapter Two: She's WHAT With WHO?

Distant Storm

xxxxxxxxxx

"Everyone calm down. Everyone can explain. Ray, you start." The chairman rubbed his throbbing forehead. These boys got louder every time he saw them.

"Alright, we were training in the park, and from out of nowhere, this red beyblade came charging at us, and knocked everyone except Kai and Tyson out in the first swipe." Dickenson's eyes widened. That was quite a feat. "Kai and Tyson were knocked out pretty quick afterwards."

"Any bit beasts involved?"

Tyson shook his head. "Nope. Hiro was there."

A spark appeared in Dickenson's eye. "Really?" This was kind of fun, he realized, to play along like he knew nothing.

"Yeah," The blunette said, still in shock from the attack. "But it wasn't him who attacked. It was some girl."

"Did you see her face?"

"No. She called us pathetic and left." The group hung their heads, while Kai looked the man in the eye.

"She caught us all off guard."

"She threw us around like newbies!" Tyson shot back. Hilary agreed, to everyone's surprise, and fighting broke out between the members of the B.B.A.'s star team.

"Quiet down!" Dickenson said, his voice booming for a moment. "I think I can explain this."

Everyone stared at him, their eyes brimming with questions. "Did you send them?" Kenny asked. Max nodded to agree with the question.

"Why would you do that?" The American asked, confusion and hurt appearing in his eyes.

Mr. Dickenson felt guilty, so he figured he'd get down to business. "I did not send them. They went to test you of their own accord."

"But you knew?" Kai's amethyst eyes flashed dangerously.

He nodded. "Yes. The level of ability of this year's beybladers is rising beyond any other level known before. We've been having trouble with the underground beybladers who have been showing up at tournaments. This level of ability isn't world class, like you are. There's a gang, Infinity. The other beybladers with this skill level had gangs of their own. The inter-gang violence has been on the rise, and things have been declining fairly since then. The gangs have a lot of power."

"Infinity?" Kenny asked, confused. "I've never heard of it."

"It comes from the root of one group of beybladers that had its starting chapter in Seattle, Washington. They called themselves Infinite. Their beybladers are known for power beyond any other in the beyblading world. The first Infinite appearance in a battle, nearly set off the entire blading complex. Of course, Hiro has experienced battle against an Infinite, an experienced one at that. They don't all have good reputations, but I'm reinstating Hiro as an assistant coach to help you prepare for the championships." Tyson nodded his head in approval, while Kai on the other hand seemed a little disturbed by this fact. Things didn't really sit well between him and the elder Granger.

"When are they?"

"June. I wanted to give you a chance to get prepared." He cleared his throat and pressed a button on the intercom. "You can come in now."

"Is he here?"

"Of course." Dickenson waited for a rap on the door. Tyson opened it, to find himself face to face with his older brother. An array of emotions passed his face, but he suddenly realized that it wasn't Jin, it was indeed his brother.

"Hiro!"

"Hey little bro," The elder Granger said, hugging his younger sibling. "Miss me?"

"Yeah! I'm glad you're on my side!"

The B.B.A. founder smiled. "Of course, there is one final thing."

"Yeah," Hilary said, looking to Hiro. "Who was that girl with you today?"

"You mean me?" Riley leaned against the doorway cooly, a tranquil look on her features.

Tyson let go of Hiro and looked over at the girl in the doorway. She had mid-length brown hair with reddish orange and blonde highlights streaked throughout it. Her eyes were a bright crimson, with light cherry eye shadow intensifying it. Something tugged at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She seemed familiar... and he didn't mean from that afternoon.

"Riley? Riley Phillips?" The rest of the group watched curiously. Who the hell was this girl? They'd never met her before. Yet apparently... Tyson had.

"The one and only!" Tyson moved from his brother to the girl, hugging her tightly, trying hard not to squeeze her guts right out of her.

"Ehh... Is anyone else confused?" Daichi asked, annoyed that things were going on, and he didn't know exactly what they were.

Tyson turned around toward his group of friends, a wide smile on his face. "This is Riley Phillips. She used to live here in Japan when we were younger. She took over teaching me how to blade when Hiro left."

"What?" Everyone looked surprised, except for Mr. Dickenson and Hiro.

"I figured you'd be excited to see your old friend... and your teacher." Dickenson smiled at her, and Kai leaned back in his chair, no longer interested.

"Yeah, she was one of the only teachers I could tolerate!"

Everyone laughed, and Kai made a sarcastic comment in Russian.

Riley looked entirely defensive. "I'm sorry you don't think I'm worth very much, but you suck at beyblading, so I must be worth more than you. And by the way, I can understand every word you said. You can't pull anything over on me."

Max and Ray looked at each other, Kai, who looked entirely pissed off and perhaps a bit... embarrassed, and then Tyson, who was excited, and laughed at their captain's expense. "Yeah, Maxy, looks like we're all set."

"How do you know Russian?" Kai asked, caught off guard.

"My father was Russian." She said darkly. Tyson smiled sympathetically at her and she shrugged.

"I'm glad someone finally told off Mr. Insensitive," Daichi said, smiling up at her. "I'm Daichi."

She shook his hand and introduced herself, before walking over to Mr. Dickenson. Hiro joined her.

"I have asked these two to help coach you for the world championships. Kapeesh?"

"She's WHAT?" Kai asked, incredulously. The group stared at him and his random display of usually hidden emotion.

"Sorry Hiwatari," She said deviously, "But it looks like I'm in charge here."

"Waaaaaaiiiit a minute," Hilary stated. "Were you the girl from before?"

"Uh huh." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the all too familiar beyblade, causing all boys between the ages of thirteen and eighteen to stare at her like she was an alien, Tyson included.

"I can't believe you!"

"First of all, we've been over this, and second of all, I can't believe you couldn't beat me." Hiro shot her a look that had some general reasons and she glared at him. "I can't believe you all together couldn't beat me." She looked at Kai and smiled sadistically. The Russian growled. What the hell was her issue? Couldn't she just drop it? "Yeah, sorry guys, but you weren't that good," she said, looking at them. Tyson seemed a little miffed, and she smiled gently. "But that's why I'm here. To improve on your skills."

xxxxxxxxxx

One week later, school was in full swing, and Hiro had been running training sessions. Everyone had gotten used to the second girl's presence in the Granger dojo, and things were running smoothly.

Hilary slid open one of the doors in the home, leading to the back yard, and typical training area.

"Metal Drigger!" The sound of colliding beyblades filled the air, followed by a thud.

Riley laughed, recalling her beyblade. "Try again?"

"I think you have school?" He asked, looking at her with an evil smile. "I'm older than you, I get to stay here."

"Then you worry about how you're going to beat me." He glared at her and she laughed again. "I'm just messing with you. I'm not asking you to be an Infinite or anything."

Hilary dangled her legs over the edge of the house, and watched the two of them argue for a moment before Riley caught sight of her. "Morning, you two," Hilary called, in a pretty good mood. Riley smiled and came over to her, taking a seat.

"What's up Hil?"

"Nothing much, I'm surprised that you actually get up early. Being a friend of Tyson's..."

"I haven't hung around Tyson in years. Actually, I think I'm taking over their training today, so I'm going to need some help from you and Kenny. Those boys are going to fear me by the time I'm done with them."

Hilary nodded, and Hiro nodded her way before disappearing into the house. "You two would make a cute couple," she whispered to the crimson eyed coach, who did a double take.

"Are you flipping kidding me?" Hilary looked surprised, as did Riley. "Hiro is a great person, and so is his brother, but neither of them are anything more than friends to me. Any man who wants to be with me needs more skills than I've seen on either of them."

"That's entirely harsh," A voice echoed from inside.

"Honesty, Kon, honesty." He grumbled and came to the window.

"I just think that you're underestimating us. You caught us off guard last time, and trust me, all of us know that when you start training us, we're going to work extra hard so we can beat you." Here was a shout of agreement in the room, which she assumed belonged to Daichi.

"Hey, Max, you around?" Hilary called.

"In the shower," Hiro said, coming up behind them.

"Figures," Hilary said, grumbling. "I wanted to ask him about his beyblade, we haven't been able to get a good look at it in a while. It might need an upgrade."

Riley nodded and stood up. "I'm going to get some coffee. You coming?" Hilary stood up and followed her into the dojo, sitting with the rest of the group at an extended dining table. Riley settled for the four person island in the kitchen, leaning against it while facing the dining room and her trainees.

"What are you going to do to us?" Tyson asked. "Hiro said you're taking over training today."

"I'm going to work your asses into the ground, Ty, that a problem?" She raised an eyebrow and he gulped.

"I didn't like that when I was younger. Now I know for sure that I don't like that look, or that tone. Hiro! Can't you train us?"

"No, I have a meeting with Mr. Dickenson. She'll help you a lot. The practice team she was given to coach improved a lot after just three training sessions." Their usual coach leaned back on his chair, proping it up on two legs. Riley took a swig of coffee. "She's lived in Seattle, she'll know what the toughest competition is like."

"Is that why you're so good?"

"Seattle is a city overcome by harsh bladers. You have to beyblade to live."

"But you don't even have a bit beast, do you?" Tyson looked at her confused.

"That's nothing you need to worry about. My skills aren't in question." She padded over to the dining room area. "Yours, however, are." Looking over to the clock on the wall, she did a double take and then looked back at the group. "We need to get going."

"Yeah, yeah, Maxy's not done getting ready."

"Then one of you go yell at him." She pointed a finger in the direction of the hallway. "Now."

"Okay, okay," Tyson said, getting up and going down the hall, stomping with each step.

Kai stood against the wall, clad in clothing that supported the fact that he went to a prep school. "Way to be bossed around by an albino chick, Tyson."

Hiro paused, and looked over toward the girl who had set her cup of coffee on the table. She was now making her way over to Kai, and she was not thrilled. "Do you feel the need to make stupid comments when you do talk?"

"I try to make a habit of it."

She nodded her head in understanding. "Well, if you enjoy sounding stupid, keep going, but just so you know, I'm not albino. And the last person who said that to me didn't like the end result."

"I'm not afraid of you," he said, smirking at her.

"You will be." With this, she picked up her backpack and walked outside. Kai, being an idiot, decided to follow her. "Why the hell are you following me?"

"I have a car, retard. I have school too, and I think I need to get the hell away from all of you."

"Okay," she said shrugging. "But you aren't getting away from me if you're following me."

"Hn."

"If that's your answer to the things that you can't explain, Hiwatari..." she trailed off, and Hiro came outside, holding the telephone.

"Dickenson wants to talk to you. Something about your mom."

"Okay."

Kai rolled his eyes, starting up the car. The school was on the opposite side of the city, and he knew that living with the team he led, he wouldn't get to school on time if he walked. Therefore, the blue Cobalt SS was used on a daily basis for school, and also when he wanted to get as far away from his team mates as possible.

That girl was annoying. Almost as annoying as Tyson. No wonder how she taught him to beyblade. They were a lot alike. Oh well, not like he cared. He put the car into drive, and sped off, pretty much as loud as humanly possible.

"Hello? Sorry, Kai has to be a moron at all hours of the day, you know?"

"Heh, I get what you mean. Can you stop by my office today after you're done training the boys?"

"Any time in particular?"

"Five, five-thirty, at the latest."

"I'll be there at quarter after. What's up, anyway?"

"We need to discuss how we're going to handle your parental situation. If my mind serves me correctly, we don't have too much time left to determine who your guardian is."

"We can't go through that entire process in a week!" She cried hopelessly.

"You just have to have a start, and they'll let you stay with Tyson until we get you a guardian. I'll explain everything later, alright?"

"Okay, thanks, Mr. D, I owe you my life."

"Don't mention it, and I won't tell the boys. Just don't kill them off, I don't think they know you're an Infinite Class beyblader."

"That's our secret." The chairman said something accordingly and she hung up the phone. "Guys! Come on! Now I know we're going to be late!"

xxxxxxxxxx

"Again."

"Dude, I miss Hiro- OUCH!"

"Again."

Ray rubbed the back of his head, which Riley had hit with a water bottle, and slid the rip cord back into place on his launcher. Just how many times was he going to have to do this today? Had it really only been a few hours? It seemed more like days. Looking around, he'd noticed that all of the guys had had quite a hard time, battling against each other. This girl's training methods were pretty out there, and now he knew why the Abbey was such a hell hole. And he wasn't even in it.

"I'm serious, how about you?"

"Is it your job to put us down?"

"No, that's a pastime Hiwatari. You think you're good?"

"Hn."

"Fine." She launched her beyblade. "Show me."

"Go Dranzer!" The captain launched his beyblade cooly, slamming into the red one that Riley had just launched. It bounced back pathetically, like it had collided with a concrete wall.

"You were saying?" She lowered her hands to her hips, and Ray couldn't help but notice that Kai was having the worst experience of all of them.

"Dude, Ray, focus, or she'll come back here!" Max said, through gritted teeth. "She's like the flipping devil!"

"Drigger!"

"Draciel!" Blurs of green and grey-white collided in a flurry of sparks and sound.

"Come on!"

Tyson turned to watch his friends. His match with Daichi was tough, he had to admit that the little guy had been training. Still, he was the champ, and this wasn't really what he thought of as the best competition.

"Alright," Riley said, withdrawing her beyblade. "Daichi, Ray, Max, I want you three to go against Tyson. And I don't want you to take it easy on him." Kai looked confused. "I have some other business to attend to." She looked directly at Kai. "Again."

"Excuse me?"

"This isn't some friendly battle, here Kai. I said again."

"I swear, that must be her favorite word..." Tyson grumbled.

"Go run some laps, Granger."

"What?"

"Now." Her voice seemed darkly distorted, and the champion jumped a bit, recalling his beyblade and taking off in a sprint. Kai launched Dranzer again only to find him blade ricocheted off of hers and sent flying. This time, it landed in a decreasing spin, but spinning none the less.

His thoughts were messed up. Why the hell was she targeting him? Everyone else just dealt with the comments. That was who he was. Really, she was lucky that he spoke to her at all. His goal was to beat anyone in his way, but this girl was something else. She didn't react to his moves, she just sat there with the same taunting smirk, prodding him to attack again. Personally he doubted that she even had a bit beast. He'd never seen it, and she didn't act like she had one.

"Blazing Gigs Tempest!" All eyes focused on the dual haired captain, whose beyblade spun with a revived fury, as flames began shooting skyward. "Go Dranzer!" The phoenix appeared with a fiery vengance. "Now you'll see just how powerful I am!"

Flames surrounded both Riley and her beyblade, concealing her from the view of everyone else. "What the hell is going on?"

"Hiro?" Everyone, except Kai, turned to stare at the elder bluenette. He didn't seem to have time for a greeting, as a vortex of flames was surrounding his opponent.

"Who the hell is he battling?"

"Riley."

"Tell him to call off his attack! It's only practice!"

With the swing of his hand, the flames ceased, and Riley was revealed, her beyblade laying on the ground next to her. A smirk was cast on her face, and she picked up her beyblade, flipped open her cell phone, shut it, and shoved the two contraptions in her pocket. Kai showed no remorse for what he had just done, and Riley seemed to not even be miffed by it.

"Perhaps there's some potential in you yet, Hiwatari." She began to walk away, but Hiro grabbed her and whispered something into her ear, an incredulous look on his face. She shook her head, and he seemed a little more relieved. Once she was out of earshot and her back was to the group, she laughed viciously. "Of course I didn't lose to him. I just let him think I did."

xxxxxxxxxx

She shut the door to Dickenson's office behind her. "Hey," she said, her face more serious than before.

"Have a seat."

She did as told, and waited for him to speak again. "I wanted to ask you about a guardian."

"Sure," she said, a bit confused. "You found one so quickly?"

"Well..." The chairman sighed, and pulled out some paperwork. "The process should take no more than a month tops, and you'll still be staying with Tyson and his family."

"Alright. Who is it?"

"Me."

xxxxxxxxxx

Author's note: Woot, cliffy-ish-thingy! I know, I know, it seems like Riley is officially a huge Mary Sue, but trust me, she has a really big part in the story, and I need her to be better than them, or else things won't work out. And trust me, Kai lovers will love the ending of the story. Absolutely lurving it!

So yeah, there's chapter two, so please review and I'll see you next time!

x3 Distant Storm