The Other Side of the Story

Summary: After the BEGA incident, Reine finds herself unable to cope with the blind side of the world which turning away from all that's been done and will happen with the sport of beyblade. As a new BBA program was set into action, she finds herself, along with her beyblade-hating town, stuck as the proto-type. The BBA program was made to help blader-haters all over the world to cope and even get to love beyblading as a sport. Reine finds herself in the middle of things when the bladers chose her school for their first experiment? What would happen when you throw beybladers at blader-hating mobs? Nothing pretty.

Disclaimer: I don't earn Beyblade. I do own my OC's as well as the plot.

Pairings: Still uncertain but I'll work it out soon so just keep reading. ;-D

Rating: T for mild swearing

Quick AN: This story is told in multiple point-of-views so the key below should help to determine what's being said. I hope it's not too confusing.

(action)
'thoughts'
"talking"

Chapter 4 – Challenge

Reine's POV

"Are you going to willingly battle me or will I have to force you?" I heard him ask me coldly. I felt sweat trickling down my eyebrows, either from my previous workout or nervousness, I couldn't tell. I felt everyone's eyes on me. Suddenly Tamayo stepped forth.

"You can't force her to accept your challenge. Besides, she doesn't know how to blade, right Reine?"

Tamayo turned and looked at me expectantly. I felt myself freeze under her expectant gaze. I can't lie to her. I do know how to blade, but I haven't bladed openly since the incidents and they showed up, before it was considered taboo to even touch a blade. I felt everyone's gaze burning into me.

"Right? You don't know how to blade, do you?"

Her eyes implored me to deny that I have the knowledge on how to blade, but I just couldn't bring myself to answer her.

"Quit stalling, Tanaka. Are you going to accept my challenge or not?" Kai demanded, rather than asked, in a cold voice.

'Maybe its better to deny knowing how to blade well and then deliberately loose.'

I pondered this option and decided it will be the best course of action. I rose my chin defiantly and spoke in a measured voice, "I accept your challenge." I heard a gasp pass through the crowd, which was immediately followed by excited whispers. Tamayo just stared at me incredulously. I suppressed the guilty feeling in my chest as I pushed myself to finish my argument that will get the heat off of me.

"But, Hiwatari, I'm only doing this because with your strange sense of logic you believe I know how to blade, which I reassure you again that I do not. It's either I accept or you will force me, correct? Well I accept your challenge even though I don't even know the first thing about blading."

I saw Tamayo visibly relax and I sent a reassuring smile her way. Kai just grunted in response.

"Fine. Let's battle."

With that said, he whipped his blade onto his launcher expertly with practiced ease. I slowly attached my orange and white blade to my respective launcher, which was light orange color. I slowly slid my extra long ripcord into the launcher and took a step back. Kai mimicked my actions and placed his ripcord fluidly into the launcher.

'Probably because he's had more experience than me,' I thought, 'not that I care.'

Max stepped up. He looked nervously from Kai to me then back to Kai again.

"Er…Kai? I really don't think you should do this. I mean… she's probably telling the truth."

"Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and count down. I have my reasons."

Kai had a knowing glint in his eyes as he stared at me. Max shot me a look that obviously said sorry before he started to state the rules of the match.

"This is going to be a sudden death battle. First one to stop spinning is out. There are no boundaries. Oh, and no attacking the blader. Bladers ready?"

Kai shifted into his launching stance and I awkwardly mimicked his actions.

'I must blade like crap and loose immediately and that means not a full-forced launch. Man, I hate this.'

Max looked at us and sighed. With obvious reluctance, he counted down.

"3! 2! 1! Let it RIP!"

Kai yanked on his ripcord strongly while I clumsily pulled mine. His blue Dranzer landed without problems while mine wobbled as it hit the gym floor.

'Good so far.'

"Come and get me!" Kai taunted as he looked at me expectantly.

'I'll just stay in one place and hope that either my blade will stop spinning soon or that he knocks me off balance. That shouldn't be too hard for someone with his skill. Maybe I can demonstrate that I can't control my blade. That's definitely beginner like. Either way, I'm letting him decide the first move,' I strategized to myself.

I just ignored him as he constantly taunted me. He circled me menacingly. My blade just kept wobbling in the center of the circle as he moved in for the kill. I chewed my lower lip nervously.

'Come on! Knock me out already!'

"Too chicken to attack me?" Kai taunted again, his eyes studying my every move.

"Don't you think that if I know how to control my blade that I would've attack you already?" I drawled sarcastically, changing strategy. Goading him will cause him to attack in anger eventually, and from what I've seen, he isn't a very patient person. Sure enough, my strategy worked. I can see him clench his teeth painfully that I felt my jaw get sore from just watching him.

"Whatever. Dranzer! Attack!"

I watched his zoom in a zigzag pattern towards mine while my blade spun pitifully in the same spot where it landed when I launched it. It was wobbling weakly, trying to keep itself spinning.

'Soon this'll be over,' I reassured myself as I watched with a pained face as his blade closer and closer.

"Now Dranzer!" Kai screamed and gestured towards my blade, "ATTACK!"

With a blank and silent face, I watched his blue blade knock my orange blade past my shoulder as it landed with a pitiful clunk on the other side of the gym. I let out the breath that I was holding.

'Finally. It's over. I wish that he hadn't made me do that,' I thought sourly as I walked over to pick up my beaten blade. The crowd was silent as I stood up, tightly clutching my blade. Slowly, a smirk crawled onto my features.

'Seems like I won this round, Hiwatari. You forced my hand, but I ended up playing you the fool.'

Quickly hiding my emerging grin, I turned around and walked quietly back to the crowd.

"Didn't I tell you I didn't know how to blade? You shouldn't jump to conclusions just because someone is more physically fit than normal. Did it occur to you that maybe I simply like to exercise? I will repeat this once more, and only once. I do not know how to blade."

With that said, I turned sharply on my heel and sauntered over to the changing room just as the shrill whistle of the bell broke the silence indicating the end of the school day. The trance over the crowd of students broke as they headed to their respective changing rooms. I was slipping off my gym shirt as Tamayo barged in.

"Reine! How could you allow him to humiliate you like that?"

I calmly turned and faced her. With a casual shrug of my shoulders, I indicated that I really didn't care whether or not I was humiliated or not.

"Tamayo. I don't really care whether I won or not. I told him that I didn't know how to blade and he believed otherwise based on some weird logic. He forced my hand and I had no choice but to prove him to be a fool, a person who's so full of themselves that they think they know everything."

Tamayo winced at the harshness of my words. I'm surprised I can say that so calmly after my devastating loss.

"Don't worry, Tamayo. I'm sure that by the end of the semester, I would be able to control my blade, even if it's just a little bit."

She smiled weakly at my poor attempt to cheer her up.

"Now let's not talk about that any more, 'kay? Hurry up and change. We're meeting Eris outside the gym and then we can go with Toji to get some ice cream and walk around the park. Maybe we can skate, too."

She grinned happily at my suggestion and hurried to spin the combo of her locker and proceeded to change quickly. Within minutes, we were both dressed in our casual clothing. (AN: They always bring clothes with them because they don't like wearing their uniforms out of school. The skirt is just too short for their liking.) Tamayo was wearing black baggy jeans. Her navy shirt had a gray bobcat on the front. She had tied her curly red hair in a high ponytail. Her black arm warmers covered her wrists. She grinned cheekily at me.

"Ready?"

I inspected myself once more in the mirror. I was wearing a forest green pair of cargo pants. A fitting black shirt hugged my torso comfortably, not too tight or baggy. A beautifully crafted silver necklace hung around my neck. A small, delicately made charm of a sea serpent with seven heads – known as a hydra from Greek mythology – dangled from it. Most people think it's just cool jewelry, but to me, it had another meaning. It was a family heirloom passed from mother to daughter. It is the guardian spirit of our family. Once it was said to have protected our family during a pirate attack on the ship that my ancestors took to sail here from Europe. That's right, I'm part Greek, not full Japanese.

I smiled at my reflection as the charm caught the light and sparkled proudly.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

We walked calmly out of the changing room only to bump into Kai outside. He was leaning against the wall right next to the door. When he noticed us, he straightened himself and sauntered over. He had changed from the boys' P.E uniform into the regular school uniform, which consists of a white linen shirt and navy pants. A black school bag hung carelessly from his shoulders.

"What?" I asked him almost lazily.

"What was that shit you pulled back there?"

I pretended to be puzzled and asked, "What do you mean 'shit'? I didn't do anything. I have no experience or skill in the sport. Like it or not, I can't blade."

Kai shot me a glare, which I happily returned.

"If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment that I need to meet, one that's more important than talking to you." With contempt-filled look shot in his direction, I turned to walk away. Unexpectedly, Kai's hand shot out and caught my wrist. Surprised at his sudden action, I turned around and glared at him.

"Let go of me and don't touch me again," I hissed dangerously. He only looked coolly back at me.

"Not until we talk through some things," he answered in an equally dangerous tone.

"I don't have time for this! Let me go, Hiwatari!" I snapped exasperatedly at him.

"Well you should've thought about that when you lost on purpose," he replied stubbornly.

"I didn't loose on purpose! I could barely control the damn spinning top! You're just angry because when you forced my hand, you turned out to be the fool."

His expression turned murderous. It seemed like I hit a sore spot. Apparently, he wasn't used to being wrong.

'Even though he isn't wrong,' I thought to myself, 'I simply out witted him.'

"Now that we reached the understanding that you're just simply angry about the fact that I proved you wrong and hurt your inflated ego. Consequently, your pride wouldn't allow you to live it down. Now that we solved that mystery, can I go?"

He furiously threw down my wrist and sauntered away. His hand had left a bright red blemish on my skin that would probably turn into a bruise later. Sighing frustratingly, I absently rubbed my sore wrist before turning to Tamayo who just stood there the entire time.

"Ready to leave? I think I see Eris by the door."

She stared worriedly at me.

"You know, he won't stop trying to prove that you are an experienced blader."

I grimaced inwardly at that thought. Does it mean that I wouldn't be able to get him off my back?

'This is an unfortunate situation. I can't keep blading like shit and loosing. I guess I'll have to make it seem like I'm training and improving slowly, but not training hard enough to make it seem as if I really care about the sport. Well, I'm in a hard spot now. I guess I have to be extra cautious now.'

Snapping out of my thoughts, I tried to act nonchalantly about what just transpired.

"Don't be such a worry wart! If I don't how to blade, I don't, right? No one can turn expert overnight and I doubt it's legal for him to kidnap me and drag me out to the middle of nowhere and train me day and night to bring me back as an expert," I joked. Tamayo lightened up slightly.

"Now come on. Ice cream is waiting."

"Yeah, but you know, if Hiwatari does come after you, you can come to me for help. I'll show him a thing or two about picking on my friends, ne?"

I laughed at her optimistic comment about beating Hiwatari up.

"That's right. Eris' probably breathing fire now because we're so late."

Grinning from ear to ear, Tamayo dragged me with her out of the gym.

'I'll worry about it as the situation turns up. Now, I will enjoy spending time with friends and eating ice cream. Watch out Hiwatari! I'm not afraid of you.'

Normal POV

Eris was tapping her foot irritatingly against the ground as she waited impatiently for her twin and Tamayo to hurry up and get dressed before she goes inside and drag their sorry arses out here. It doesn't take that long to dress. She had changed into her knee-length pink skirt and white tank top in less than 5 minutes.

Suddenly a loud bang started her from her musings. She saw Kai Hiwatari saunter angrily out of the gym. She had heard from several gossiping students about Reine's loss against the dual-haired boy in a beyblade match and about his accusations at her for being a beyblader. She was faintly worried about how her twin reacted to the accusations. Reine is usually very patient but, when provoked, had a hot temper. She saw Kai glance at her briefly before striding away at a fast pace. Shrugging uncaringly, she glanced at her watch again.

"Argh! They are so dead! They're 15 minutes late!"

"Sorry Eris. We got held up by business. (cough) Hiwatari. (cough) We would've been here sooner. So anyway, where's Toji?" Tamayo said quickly as she dragged Reine out of the gym behind her.

Eris glanced at Reine worriedly. Reine looked her and then Tamayo before rolling her eyes. The group started out of the courtyard towards the entrance of the school.

"Don't worry. It wasn't anything too bad. He just threw a temper tantrum because I took his overly enlarged ego down a couple of notches by proving his accusations wrong. Stupid guy. Unfortunately, I'm in his group and he's my tutor. I'm in deep shit, now, for pissing him off. He'll probably double my training or something stupid like that."

Eris looked at Reine pityingly.

"Poor you. I told you that you should've joined Athletics."

Reine sighed.

"Yeah, I know. I wish I did join, now. If I do survive this semester, I will probably never want to look at a beyblade ever again."

Tamayo laughed, "Yeah. Me, too."

Reine turned slightly away from the conversation and let her eyes scan around the deserted courtyard of the school quickly before following Eris and Tamayo out of school. She saw Toji running out of the Science building towards them with a couple of books under his left arm.

"Hey! Don't leave without me!"

Eris and Tamayo paused and turned around with murderous faces.

"YOU'RE LATE!" they yelled angrily with steam coming out of their ears. Reine just shook her head.

"Come on Toji. We will leave without you if you don't hurry up."

"I'm trying!" he panted, out of breath as he reached the trio, "I had to stay behind to ask Mr. Takashi about some Physics problems."

"You're out of shape Toji-kun. You need to work out more. Why don't you go running with Reine every morning? It might you get more fit," Tamayo advised, a mischievous twinkle lighting in her eyes as she teased Toji unmercifully.

Toji replied by giving her a glare and flipping her the bird. She 'tsk'ed at his behavior.

"You will never get her to like you back if you keep acting like that," she said innocently, but the gleam in her eyes show otherwise. As soon as the sentence was out of her mouth, Toji turned as red as he did this morning.

"So that's it! Toji-kun is in love!" Eris joined in the teasing of the unfortunate boy. Reine decided to take pity on the poor boy and intervened.

"Aww guys. Leave him alone. Can't you see how embarrassed he is? He'll probably ask her as soon as he's ready."

They complied and left him alone except for a couple of times when they would turn around and snicker at him. The entire was to the ice cream shop was relatively quiet and peaceful. Each was lost in their individual musings. A loud shout brought them out of their thoughts. They shared a look before hurrying forward to see what was causing the commotion. They stumbled onto a startling sight. A couple of beyblades was attacking two defenseless little kids that were huddled together in front of an alley. They were badly cut and bleeding heavily out of various wounds.

Reine felt her temper rising at the sight before her.

Reine's POV

'No! Not them again! I thought the attacks stopped!'

Without thinking twice, I hurried forward and kicked the beyblades away from the bleeding children and stood protectively in front of them.

"You cowards! Attacking helpless children with beyblades! How can you stoop so low?"

A low, crazed voice started to chuckle darkly. Eris, Tamayo, and Toji stepped forward and joined me in shielding the two children from farther attacks. Soon, three other voices joined the first one and all four started to laugh maniacally.

"Pathetic fools. How dare you stand up to the Skullz?"

"Why don't you ask yourselves, knuckleheads? You're attacking defenseless children who have done absolutely nothing to you, and you dare ask why we protect them?" I heard myself shouting at them. My rage obstructed my vision making me see red.

'They're just stupid bullies who makes themselves feel important by hurting those smaller than them. It makes me sick!'

"Listen bitch! No one defies the Skulls! How dare you insult us? We will tear you limb from limb!"

With the impeding threat, a blood-red beyblade shot out of the shadows in alley and started to rip at my clothes. Thin cuts started to appear on my exposed skin with blood dripping out slowly. Furrowing my brows in concentration and throwing caution to the wind, I felt my hand grip the light orange launcher that I received in gym before whipping it out along with my orange and white beyblade. I swiftly attached the beyblade to the base of the launcher before stringing the long ripcord through the launcher. I heard a startled gasp escape from Tamayo's lips. I know this is different from the way I had prepared earlier. Earlier, it seemed as if I have no clue on what to do, but back then, I was just faking. Gritting my teeth to the escalating pain caused by the blood-red beyblade, I felt myself fall fluidly into launching stance. Gripping my ripcord tightly, I pulled it out hard with practiced ease.

I felt like I was watching the battle unfold from a third person's point of view instead of actually participating. I felt myself commanding my beyblade to aggressively attack the opposing beyblade and battering it into scrap metal. I faintly heard a shout of surprise from the thugs in the shadows of the alley at the way I was blading. I don't care if people find out that I can blade. All that's registering in my brain is protecting those two children. Suddenly, three other beyblades joined the fray and started to attack me simultaneously. Clenching my hands into fists in anger at the unfair odds, I faintly felt a familiar aura surround me before a cerulean beam shot out of the sky and into the bitchip of my beyblade. Breaking me free of my anger-filled battle trance, I registered the new power in my blade.

'You came back even when I locked you away,' I thought, ashamed, 'I'm so sorry Esilé.'

/It's okay, child. You were doing it to protect yourself and I don't blame you. Now, we shall protect the people of Bakuten again since the Skullz came back. Will you join me again/ (1)
I heard Esilé ask with her soft and patient tone. I felt tears of gratitude fill my eyes as I nodded.

'Yes. Yes I would like that.'

As soon as my thought ended, an aqua colored light shot out of the center of my blade.

"ESILÉ!" I heard myself call as a thick fog rolled in to cover the streets, basking the streets in an ethereal light shining from my bitchip. Water motes danced in the air surrounding my blade. I vaguely registered that some people have joined us at the opening of the alley but I pushed aside.

"SERPENT'S TWISTER!" I heard myself yell as a water twister spiraled out of my blade and hit the four offending blades. In this foggy atmosphere, I can feel the water particles just like my bitbeast, Esilé, can and I can make out the four figures of the Skullz. I felt myself get surrounded by my bitbeast's protective aura as she healed my cuts.

"Judgement of the Deep," I heard myself whisper coldly as I directed the attack at the four thugs. Finally Esilé revealed herself. Her seven magnificent heads reared out of the fog and roared. The single large fin on her back swayed to the slight breeze created by the power-charge created by the beginning of the attack. Her smooth, powerful tail anchored her to the beyblade as her great, scaled torso slithered around the pavement and wrapped itself protectively around my group of friends and me. Her middle head opened its jaws wide as a navy blue ball of particle-charged water gathered inside. Meanwhile, her six other heads surrounded the center head protectively making sure that nothing disturbed its charging. As the charge neared maximum power levels, the six other heads gathered balls of pure white balls of hydrogen molecules into their gaping mouths. Slowly, the white balls of energy formed a six-pointed star as the charge reached its maximum power. The middle head fired the charged water particles at the unfortunate thugs at the same time the six other heads let loose their hydrogen bombs. There was a huge explosion as the attack hit its mark.

I raised my arm to shield my eyes from the dust cloud that formed when the huge force hit the pavement surrounding the four thugs. As the cloud cleared, there was a four-foot crater where the thugs are standing. They were captured in a charged water-particle prison that would be set off by merely touching it. If they tried to evaporate it, the hydrogen gas inside will set alight and cause the bubble to explode. I had changed the original attack so that it wouldn't disintegrate its target like it used to. It still can if I command it, but I usually as an effective prison system that there's no way to break out of. I only use it as a last resort or when I'm especially angry.

Breathing deeply, I calmed myself and stepped forward to regard the four pitiful men inside the bubble. They had wet themselves as the attack hit them and surrounded them in a binding prison. I stared coldly at them, my cherry-red eyes glinting dangerously.

"If I catch you here again, I won't be so merciful. I will disintegrate you on the spot, understand?" I asked in a steely voice. They frantically nodded their heads. Satisfied with the results, I turned around and walked back to Esilé whose seven heads was staring intently on the thugs, making sure they don't try anything funny.

'Thank you for your help, Esilé.' I thought as I established my mind link with her. One of her seven great heads turned away from glaring at the Skullz and stared warmly at me.

/It's no trouble at all, little one. I will always be here to help you whenever you need it./ Esilé answered soothingly before riveting her back to glare at the four terrified bullies. I smiled peacefully up at her. I turned towards my friends and stared at their surprised expressions.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to get involved. If someone found out about me, then they would give you trouble as well, and I don't want that to happen. I hope you will forgive me."

I looked at the ground, which had suddenly turned very interesting. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I quickly looked up into Eris' smiling eyes.

"Well sis, I've known all along. I was just waiting for you to tell me. I believe you're doing the right thing and I will stand by your side and take every insult thrown at you with you."

She gave me a quick hug and a squeeze on the shoulder. I smiled faintly at her.

'She knew and never said anything?'

/Young one. She's always known about the guardian spirit of the family. When your parents gave me to you, she knew that you had potential to be my partner. She realized that sooner or later, you will begin beyblading because it's the current way of harnessing my power./

'You're right. It makes sense now. Thank you Esilé.'

/Anytime./

Toji slowly walked up to me and stared deeply into my eyes. He smiled sincerely and shook his head.

"You know that you can tell me things like that. Your cause was justified, unlike the Skullz's. I'm behind you 100 and I would never rat you out."

I looked at him gratefully before turning my attention to Tamayo. She's probably the one that I hurt most. I had lied to her about beyblading and probably betrayed her trust. She had put herself on the line to try to stop Hiwatari from challenging me to battle. Her hair shadowed her expression as I looked over. Slowly her head moved up. I can see tears in her eyes. Fearing the worst, I felt my chest hitch.

"I… I (sob)…I was so scared about when they started attacking you. I…I (hick)… thought you had no chance because of the way you battled Kai earlier. I thought you were going to get pummeled. Then you go all powerful on us, even with a bitbeast. I thought I lost you! You had me so worried! Never do that again!" she shouted and rushed at me to hug me tightly. I could feel her shoulders shaking with each breath and sob.

I felt my eyes soften as I patted her back reassuringly.

"I'm fine, Tama-chan. I promise I won't worry like that again. Please stop crying. It's not as if I'm dead."

She laughed weakly into my shoulder before letting go and smiled at me.

"Of course I forgive you. I know why you did what you did. I would be a horrible friend not to take your view of things. I think it's just a bit selfish that you left us out on your big secret. When I say big, I mean big."

She gestured towards the towering hydra still wrapped protectively around us.

"Sorry Tamayo. I won't tell forget to tell you the next big thing that happens to me," I laughed, relieved, "Now does anyone have a cell phone that I can use to call the cops?"

Eris started to dig through her purse and pulled out a hot pink razor. I grimaced at the bright color. She just shrugged.

"I'll put it away if you're not going to use it."

I eyed it warily and took it from her. Quickly dialing for the police, I reported the attack on the two children and told them our exact location. I quickly hanged up and handed it back to Eris. I slowly turned to the bleeding children.

"Are you two okay?" I asked as softly as possible, trying not to scare them anymore than they already are. They nodded slowly and looked up at awe at the giant water serpent above them, its seven hands weaving around each other. It's dark blue hair contrasting greatly with its cerulean scales and golden, slitted eyes. Noting their wounded state, I opened my mind link with Esilé.

'Is there anything you can do to heal their wounds?'

One of Esilé's great heads turned to face me.

/If they allow it, yes. I can heal them with my aura just like I healed yours./ Her great golden orbs staring at the awestruck children.

I turned and asked them, "Will you allow my friend to heal you? I promise that it's quick and painless." They nodded slowly.

'They're ready, Esilé.'

Esilé's pupils dilated as a light blue aura surround the two children and everyone watched on in fascination as the skin knit itself together slowly and the cuts disappeared without leaving any scars.

The younger of the children tilted her blonde head up to stare into the golden eyes of the hydra.

"Thank you," she said sweetly before a huge smile appeared on her face. Esilé nodded her head in recognition before turning back and gaze intently at the trapped men again.

I heard the police sirens coming down the street and stepped out of the great serpent's embrace. The cops stepped out of the patrol with awe-filled faces that showed a bit of fear.

"Excuse me," I called. They startled out of their reverie and turned to look at me. They took in the sight of my tattered clothes that was caused by the Skullz's beyblades.

"Um, did someone call the cops about a Skullz attack?"

I simply nodded.

"Yes I did. They are currently imprisoned in Esilé's water prison. That way, they can't escape. The cops looked skeptically at each other.

"Water prison?"

"Yes. It's a large bubble of water made of charged water particles of nuclear properties. It's strong enough to disintegrate flesh upon contact but weak enough so that no one will get a bad case of radiation. If they try to evaporate the prison, they will cause the hydrogen gas inside to light and cause the bubble to explode like a miniature bomb. They aren't too eager to try to escape from a prison like that," I replied, relishing in the looks of surprise on the cops' faces.

"They're trapped in the alley," I told them before creating a mind link with Esilé indicating to her to move her great serpent's tail so that they can retrieve the thugs from the alley. The cops hesitated before stepping inside the alley and stared at disbelief the sight before them. Who wouldn't? There were three teens along with two battered looking children being guarded by a seven-headed sea serpent. Further on there was a four-foot crater with four thugs ,with the Skullz tattoo on their biceps, trapped in a charged bubble.

"Ah, how am I suppose to arrest them without touching the bubble?" one of the cops asked.

"Just tell me when you're ready so I can indicate to my bitbeast when to release them."
The cop just nodded in understanding. They blocked both exists of the alley before signaling to Esilé and me that they are ready.

'Now,' I told Esilé via mind link, 'Be ready in case they try something.'

Esilé bobbed one of her great heads in response, keeping her fourteen sets of golden eyes on the four men. With a quiet pop, the bubble burst. The thugs were petrified to the spot, afraid that their prison was still there only invisible. The two cops moved in and handcuffed all four men.

"Thanks for your help. We need more bladers like you, but I would appreciate if you didn't damage public property next time," they told me. I grinned sheepishly.

"Hehehe… Oops?"

Shaking their heads, the cops led the four criminals to the police car and drove away with their sirens blaring. As the cops turned the corner and disappeared from sight, I turned and looked at Esilé.

'Thanks again for the help, Esilé.'

/It's my pleasure Reine. I will see you another time./

The seven simultaneous voices responded in harmony before the fog rolled in once more before being blown away by a salty breeze to show that the great beast had disappeared. With a silent command, I called my beyblade back into my hand.

"So who's up for ice cream?"

Normal POV

Max and Tyson watched two cops lead four handcuffed men into the patrol car from the alley whose entrance was currently being guarded by a giant sea serpent. Its magnificent heads were weaving among each other as its muscled, scaly torso was curled protectively around something. Suddenly a dense fog as thick as pea soup rolled in. Seconds later, it was blown away by a salty breeze. Once they can see in front of them again the great water serpent had disappeared. With its massive bulk out of the way, they saw four teens and two little kids standing in front of the once guarded alleyway. Upon further observation, they realized that one of them was Reine.

"Hey! Hey Reine!" Tyson yelled as he ran across the street towards the small group. Max followed behind him, waving frantically. As they neared the group, they heard Reine suggest ice cream.

"Oh! Oh! I want ice cream!" Tyson screamed.

Startled, Reine looked up.

"Tyson?" she asked, startled. Upon closer inspection, Max and Tyson realized that her cloths were hacked into a tangled mass, as were the clothes of the two smaller children.

"What the hell happened?" Max questioned seriously, all traces of happiness gone from his face.

The group looked nervously at each other before turning to look at them again.

"Err…care to talk it over ice cream?" Reine suggested.

"Fine as long as you tell me who or what did this to you," Tyson replied seriously. Reine nodded her consent. Tyson took off his denim jacket and handed it to Reine.

"Erm… I think it's better if you wear it," he said while he looked his feet, blushing furiously. Reine looked down at herself and saw the mangled mess that used to be one of her favorite shirts and blushed prettily. She took his jacket and wrapped it around herself.

"Thanks Tyson."

"No problem."

Remembering the children, Reine squatted down so she could look them in the eyes.

"What's your names and where do you live? I'll take you guys home," she offered. This time the older boy answered as his baby blue eyes looked up at her.

"My name is Thomas Giancarlo and this is my sister, Celia Giancarlo," he answered softly, "We're new here. We recently moved here with my brother and his friends into a big mansion on a hill."

"Whoa! Wait up! Did you say 'Giancarlo'?" Tyson asked, surprised.

The blonde boy nodded his head sagely.

"That's right, mister. I'm Thomas Giancarlo."

"Okay…so is Enrique Giancarlo your older brother?" Max asked gently. The boy's eyes went wide.

"You know my big brother?"

Max nodded vigorously.

"So can you take us home?"

"Yeah! Of course! I know the mansion you're talking about," Tyson exclaimed, excitedly. Reine looked surprisedly at Tyson.

"You know this Enrique?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah! He's the regional champion of Italy. He's one of the Majestics," Tyson answered.

"Oh," Reine said and looked thoughtful.

"Can we trust you guys?" Eris asked seriously. Startled, Reine blushed when she realized that Eris, Tamayo, and Toji was still there. She had forgotten them completely.

"Of course," Max answered seriously, his normally bright eyes darkened by his seriousness.

"I say we trust them and tell them everything," Eris said in a commanding tone, looking expectantly at Reine, "and you need to fill us in about the tiny details of your job." Reine shuffled around uncomfortably.

"I second that notion," Tamayo piped in.

"I agree with those two," Toji agreed, adding his two cents. Reine sighed in defeat.

"You guys are right. I've hidden this too long."

With that said, Reine turned to face Tyson and Max seriously.

"Once we tell you and all the other bladers, you must swear to secrecy because we cannot have this leaking out into the public. If it does, we will all be in danger. Do you agree with our terms?"

"We agree, but we can't speak for our friends. You'll have to tell them yourselves."

"Fine," Eris interjected, "Can we get going and take these kids home? It's getting late. It's," she broke off and looked at her watch, "7:30. Crap! Did that really take 2 hours 30 minutes? Damn! I wanted to go skate." Eris pouted while everyone else sweatdropped at her sudden change in attitude.

"We still have tomorrow," Toji suggested, "besides, this is serious stuff and it's business we need to get done as soon as possible."

Eris nodded in agreement.

"I'll call mom and tell her we'll be late, 'kay Reine?"

"Yeah," Reine answered absently, trying to form what she'll tell the others in her brain.

"Let Toji and me borrow your cell after your done, 'kay Eris?" Tamayo demanded, rather than asked.

"Yeah, yeah. Oh hey mom. Listen, Reine and me will be late. We have something urgent to take care of. HOW'D YOU KNOW? Yeah. Okay, I'll tell Reine. Love you, too. Bye," Eris hung up and stared at the phone in disbelief before Tamayo snatched it out of her hands and dialed her home number to inform her parents of her tardiness. As Tamayo chattered on the phone, Eris pulled Reine aside.

"You know, mom knows."

Reine looked at her with wide eyes.

"WHAT! HOW? I NEVER TOLD ANYONE!"

"Quiet down! The whole neighborhood can hear you. Anyway, I don't know but the important thing is that she knows and has known for quite some time. I think it has something to do with the family heirloom since Esilé was inside the necklace when you receive it. Mom was probably her partner before you."

Reine looked thoughtful.

"That can be a possibility. You're probably right. Remind me to interrogate mom when we get home, 'kay?"

"Fine. Now let's get back to the others," Eris said before turning around and walking back to the group, dragging Reine with her.

As the neared the group of their friends, (AN: Yes, the bladers are considered their friends since they got to know them.) they heard them introducing themselves to each other.

"Guys," Eris interrupted, "we're ready to go. Come on, we have to get these kiddos home."

"Right, now Tyson, Max, lead the way," Tamayo commanded. Reine watched on, amused, as her friends played around and teased each other. She offered a hand to each of the children as they walked down the numerous streets of the small city of Bakuten, each step bringing them a bit closer to solving the mystery surrounding this small town, friendship, and forgiveness.

(1) This is how I show a bitbeast communicating with its master via mind link. I didn't put on top because it would spoil the story line.

Author's Note:

That's a long chapter. I couldn't find a good stopping place. Hehehe….

So what do you think of the twist in plot? Did you expect it or not? Can you guess the secret they're hiding? (Hint: foreshadow)

If you like this fic, maybe you can check out my other fic, "A Fork in the Road". Its setting and style is slightly different from this story's but I think you will enjoy it if you enjoyed this one.

I would like to send special thanks out to whyamidoingthis01 for reviewing this story and giving me the inspiration to update with this extremely long chapter. I hope you enjoy this.

Please R&R!

Rand-chan