Yeah I no I'm bak. Realised how much it ment 2 othrs so I hope this is gd enuf 4 em.

Mariam this1s 4 u.

hpandbb4ever –smile- ur the klst readr ever! I'm luky 2 have u, cant believe my storys ment so much2u. Cant w8 2 c sum of ur nxt pieces n give u the same support uv given me.

ShadowYin-Yang thanx 4..well u no, putn up wif me.

-laf- oh n yeah there is Kai in this chaptr u guys, he wil b in it more l8r on. Ah n furthr if ur gona start wondrn who Kari is iv xplaind it in pm's n stuf n I cant b bothrd xplainin it again so jst accept that shes here ok?

N on more serious note slight racism in this chaptr so if ur gona freak about it don't say I didn't warn u. K?

Italics - thoughts

… … … - new scene

Egos Collide

A loud grunt resonated through the gang of Japanese youths as The White Tigers made their way past them. Mariah felt herself close over as Ray and Lee ushered her into the centre of them, Kevin and Gary as the gang began to jeer and taunt at them. Kevin clenched his fist angrily biting down on his lip as his hot headed personality began to erase the small portion of his personality that held his self control. Ray cleared his throat signaling for Kevin to calm down as they turned the corner hearing the jeers settle and eventually become engulfed by malice filled sniggers at the cheap thrill they received from belittling strangers.

"We shoulda creamed em!" Kevin muttered angrily kicking a loose bit of gravel across the street.

"If anything we should pity them. They don't have a clue."

"About what?" Gary stopped in his tracks and looked over at Ray who seemed very aware of a situation he had no clue about.

"Didn't you hear them?" Ray asked crossing his arms while Lee crinkled his forehead finding it hard to believe that Gary was dense enough to actually not pick up on what the racist idiots had been saying.

"Ah!!" Lee smiled softly as the pieces of the puzzle quickly fell into place. "He doesn't speak Japanese."

"You don't?" Ray asked surprised. "But you were learning when I-"

"He sucked at it." Kevin concluded happily giving Gary a hearty pat on the arm which was not at all appreciated. Mariah tried not to laugh as Gary turned and towered over Kevin threateningly before reciprocating the pat on the arm which made him fly across the street. Lee doubled over laughing and praised Gary.

"Good one big man!" Ray shook his head smiling as he quickly jogged to Kevin's side and helped him up.

"I'll show you a good one!!" Kevin shouted launching himself through the air and right onto Lee who tumbled backwards into a nearby wall. Lee growled knocking Kevin to the ground as Mariah stepped in between them both.

"Guys stop it!!"

"What? We're just playing!" Lee and Kevin informed her before instantly commencing round two and tumbling out of sight into a nearby side street. Mariah sighed shaking her head.

"I will never understand you men." She remarked leaning against the wall as Ray and Gary laughed at the scuffling and muffled swearing coming from the side street where Lee was evidently kicking Kevin's ass. Ray's smile waned slightly as he noticed his shadow take a stretch across the wall.

"Mariah?" He began wearily. "What time is it?"

"Ummm." Mariah pulled her wrist up and let her tiger eyes glance at her watch. "Quarter past nine. Why?"

"Oh no!!" Ray smacked his hand against his forehead. "We'll never get back in time!! This is all Takao's fault!! Him and his fifth pizza!!!"

"You know for a little dude he sure can pack it away!!" Gary thought aloud with great admiration. Ray shook his head smiling at the simplicity of his teammate's comment before making his way over to the side street's entrance.

"Yo Lee!! Kevin!! Get outta there! We gotta get better or the sensei's gonna have our heads!!"

"You mean you're head!" Mariah corrected Ray who became stuffy and sweaty beneath the collar at the thought of facing his sensei alone.

Yikes! Ray thought swooping into the alleyway to pull the two young cubs off of each other and get them home before he was really in for it. Gary rubbed his hands together as the night's chill slowly made its presence known to him.

"You cold Gar?" Mariah asked. He opened his mouth to answer before a massive snarl from the team captain grabbed both his and Mariah's attention.

"KEVIN!!!!!!"

"Ooo!" Mariah's eyes widened as the echo of Ray's anger stained itself upon the walls. Gary sighed rubbing the back of his head as he joined his three quarreling teammates. "HEY!! Wait!!" Mariah yelled running after him.

… … …

"Get ready for it." The shadow whispered to his many companions as they stalked their prey who had finally gotten some sort of order amongst themselves. "On my signal." The executioner smirked closing one of his eyes as he raised his launcher waiting for the perfect moment to go in for the kill.

"I could beat you any time anywhere!!" Lee set himself in front of Ray while making the friendly challenge as he inadvertently set himself in the line of fire. Ray laughed dismissively.

"Yeah in you're dreams maybe!" Ray ruffled up Lee's hair laughing cheerfully now that he had forgotten his anger at Kevin. Lee groaned with irritation shifting to his left.

Perfect! His attacker grinned grabbing a hold of his rip cord and unleashing a fierce and powerful launch.

"GET DOWN!!!" Ray yelled pushing Lee to the ground as his eyes caught the dark object darting towards them.

Argh!! Ray grabbed hold of his left tricep as a potent metal venom slash brought smooth blood dribbling over his skin. Lee pivoted round to catch a vicious blow to the face which was then lost as a one sided crusade broke out against The White Tigers who fell helplessly to the ground. Mariah's eyes watered in terror as a swarm of attackers descended upon her.

"RAAY!!" She fell to the ground curling up on the ground as she felt brutal blows connect with her face. "LEE!!" Tears trickled down her face as the attackers laughed and mocked her. Ray let out a growl throwing himself over Mariah whose face had slowly become swollen from the merciless kicks from the unknown attackers.

"You're ok." He comforted her quietly before gasping as he felt the back of his skull crunch as a heavy object smashed down upon him. Mariah gave a small cry gripping onto his top in a guilt ridden fear that her friend would be seriously hurt because he was defending her.

"Serves you Chinese bastards right!!!" A masculine voice called out from near Gary who had finally been knocked down to his knees after knocking five of the guys out.

Lee…Kevin. Ray's thoughts turned to his friends as he scrunched his eyes tightly shut finding no way out as the cascade of attacks continued to fall upon his back. A loud piercing whistle scratched through the harassed air making Ray's eyes snap open as he heard a stampede of feet slowly echoing out of the alley along with panic filled orders from the group leader.

Always on time! Ray's face glowed as he smirked hearing the unmistakable zing of an attack ring colliding with another and the strong steady speed of gears diving in and out of hearing range.

"Kai?" He called out as the pressure of his attackers faded away to focus their ambush on the new presence that had ruined their one sided bloodbath. Ray's amber eyes rose up as he got to his feet leaving Mariah's raw wounds to be soothed by the small breeze now that she wasn't in any immediate harm. A tall shadow at the end of the alley stood strong and lonesome with a single blade against what Ray quickly calculated to be thirteen figures each with thirteen blades. Ray strained his eyes to get a proper look at the person, it wasn't Kai. It was a girl. "KARI!!" Ray's pupils dilated as he watched the figures surround her and another brawl break out. He leaped to his feet only to be brought back to the ground with a thud and an immense pain as his knee cap snapped. "ARGH!!!" He cried ferociously getting his wounded but standing team mates attention.

"Ray!" Lee touched his team mates shoulder only to have it smacked away.

"HELP HER!!!" Ray hollered loudly over the thudding of landing blows and the screeching of the blades as their gears went into full throttle. Lee nodded and sprinted into the chaos along with Kevin and Gary who readied their blades for an intense battle. Mariah squealed as an unexpected flash forced everyone from their feet and sent them soaring back with momentary blindness. Ray's senses gathered once again as Lee grunted holding his head as he pulled himself up from the ground. An eerie silence stung the captain's amber eyes as he stared up at the slowly surfacing stars in the black ocean that hung in the sky. The silence soon dissolved into the air along with the wisps of smoke from the riddled events as Kevin, Mariah and Gary joined Lee's exhausted movements to get up and see what had happened.

"What the…?" Mariah's eyes widened. The whole side street had been ripped apart and the attackers lay strewn and unconscious on the street inches away from them.

"Are they dead???" Kevin asked horrified. Ray sat up looking around in disbelief and then smiled as the redeemer of the moment stepped towards him…

… … …

Kai studied the cuts upon his hands feeling the morning's training session lash through the tendons in his forearms before gruffly shoving his gloves on so the outside world would once again be blind to any wound inflicted upon his human flesh. The tv before him sat black and vacant after he had pulled the plug out after watching JD's interview with The White Tigers. The hype was definitely growing, but Kai could feel it growing for all the wrong reasons. He shook his head getting to his feet as he patted his pocket to ensure Dranzer was nestled neatly at his side.

"Mariam?" Kai yelled through the empty house pulling his jacket on as he waited for an answer. "Mariam?" He called again making his way out of the room and into the next where she had been staying for the past few days. The neatly made bed and fresh surroundings made Kai's brow furrow; she had definitely been here a few hours ago. He saw her with his own eyes. "Mariam???" He called again striding into the hallway and hearing the tinge of panic in his voice as he remembered how awkward Mariam's behavior had gotten after Ray's decision to blade with The White Tigers once again.

….Where is she?

… … …

Ray winced as Lee and Gary acted as his crutches holding him up as his left leg whimpered in pain. Mariah bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Ray smile at Mariam; she always did have a knack of saving him just at the moment he really needed her.

"Thanks." Ray said eventually breaking the silence. Mariam looked at him with a stern face before turning and walking down the decimated side street. Mariah clenched her fists.

"Don't you have manners???" Mariam stopped raising her eyebrow while continuing to keep her back to The White Tigers.

"Unless you want you're face swollen anymore I suggest you keep out of business that doesn't concern you." Mariam stipulated making Mariah's fiery temper get the better of her.

"Then you should have kept yours out of ours!!!" Mariam laughed at Mariah's foolish answer.

"As I said, keep your mouth shut when it comes to business between me and Ray."

"Mariam-" Ray pulled his arms away from Lee and Gary's necks and stumbled straight down to the ground. Mariah gasped as Mariam's reflexes launched into action and she caught him just before his face hit the ground. Ray laughed softly and whispered. "You have to stop saving me."

"It's not you I'm saving. It's our match." Mariam spoke harshly as Ray sat himself down on the ground. Ray stared up at The Blade Breaker who stood mercilessly against him. Mariah strode over to Mariam attempting to whip her around but failing miserably as Mariam strength exceeded hers. "You just don't know when to quit do you?" Mariam laughed.

"Yeah I do!!" Mariah whisked Galux from her pocket. "When I beat some respect into you!!"

"STOP!!" Ray shouted as Mariam grabbed Mariah by the top putting the fear of God into her with the powerful grip she possessed and the pure hatred that burned in her eyes.

"If you go looking for respect." Mariam let the trembling pink haired blader go. "Chances are you won't get it." Mariam looked down at Ray with a small sense of sadness and sighed angrily. "You don't deserve my respect!" Ray glared at Mariam tensing the muscles in his arms and jaw.

"Maybe if you'd listen you'd find the respect for my decision!!!"

"There's no respect in leaving your team for your own goals, AGAIN!!"

"WHAT????" Ray roared making Mariah step back to Lee's side for protection even though Ray couldn't actually do anything because of his wounded knee.

"You heard me." Mariam said calmly staring at Ray in defiance. Lee cleared his throat after a few hostile moments passed and indicted to Gary, Kevin and Mariah to go to the end of the street to leave the unreceptive rivals to it.

"You really want to know why I went???"

"No!! I don't want to hear anything you say anymore!!" Mariam dismissed him feeling her head ache as she reached the end of her tether and felt her stomach tie into knot after knot as the acknowledgment of needing to escape grew inside of her.

"WELL TOO BAD!!! I LEFT TO GET AWAY FROM EVERY STRENGTH I HAD!!! AND THAT INCLUDES YOU!!!" Ray narrowed his eyebrows watching Mariam walk off and desperately continued to yell after her. "I HAVE TO BEAT HIM ALONE!! I CAN'T DO IT WITH YOU'RE STRENGTH!!! OR THE TEAM'S!!" Mariam stopped about to open her mouth and answer him back but found her words lose their way into her thoughts.

…Tomorrow…we'll see if it was all worth it… She looked up at the dark sky angrily before walking out of her opponents' sight and back into the shadows she had emerged from.