Heys! blu here! Sorry for the long updates but i've been reading my old chapters recently and again, i've changed my writing style! Honestly, i think Blue Eyes Season one has better content but I MUST STOP CHANGING MY WRITING STYLE! -tears hair out- Anyway, just to let you know, after this chapter, the story will be as juicy as Blue Eyes season one because I've finally put all my scenes in place! I have a master plot now! WAHAHAHA! So please review or i'll feel disheartened...
Chapter 54------Nippon CHECKU!
-Jingle plays which opens Nippon CHECKU!-
"Hai, minna konbanwa! Teguchi desu."
"Moriyama desu."
Teguchi (T):"Na kyo wa ne, supeshiaru gesuto wa beyblade ichiban no teamu." (Tonight's special guest is Beyblading's number one team)
Moriyama (M): "Ah, sou ka?"
-Backstage-
Mai peeked nervously at the audience, "I don't know. What if I say something wrong? I can't even speak Japanese properly! What if I mess up! ON LIVE TV!" She grabbed Max and shook him by the shoulders.
"Daijoubu. Daijoubu." Max waved a hand, dismissing her doubt. He tucked in his green shirt at the front and let the back end hang out, "It's just a TV show. It's not the end of the world."
Oh yeah, that sure made Mai's world a better place….
T: Bladebreakers wa dozo!
And the audience went wild as the group strolled onto the stage, seating themselves on the long sofa.
T: "Whoa, you guys sure know how to work the crowd!"
'Huh?'
For a second there, Mai swore she heard him speak in English but everything sounded in Japanese.
"Max, he just—!"
"Shh, not now," the boy whispered discreetly in her ear and continued smiling at the camera. Boy was Max taking this too far. Sure this was live TV but don't go overacting now…
T: "Why don't you first introduce yourselves to the ba-chans and ji-chans out there who have-absolutely-no-idea who you people are?"
"Minna konbanwa. Tyson desu." He flashed a smile which, Mai had to admit, was quite charming.
"Rei desu."
"Kai desu."
-fans scream for a full forty minutes, waving their banners, signs, phone numbers…-
"Max desu."
"Mai desu."
M: I'm wondering, why— Yes Takuya-san?
Mai: "Um, why are you," She stopped, was she hearing correctly? Everything was coming out in Japanese. "Why am I speaking in English but everything's heard in Japanese?"
M: "Ahh! That's the wonder of our show!" He leaned in closer, "But just between you and me, the mic translates everything into Japanese so the viewers can understand."
"The mic? Cool!" She gazed in amazement at the wonders of technology.
The audience laughed, they could hear everything, even the little between-you-and-me session with Mai and Moriyama-san.
T: So the burning question that everyone wants to know! Why do the Bladebreakers suddenly have a girl on their team? –makes a shocked expression-
Tyson: I guess we needed new blood. She was good! So we took her in.
'Really?' Mai felt a ball of happiness burst within her.
"And she makes good desserts," Tyson added. The rest nodded in agreement.
M: "-turns to audience- Hear that girls? They like the homemaker-type. Housewives you have a chance!"
T: "Cute and can cook. Sasuga ne, Takuya-san! You boys must be very lucky eh? –nudges Tyson playfully in the ribs-"
The boy smiled weakly, hoping that someone watching at home wouldn't get the wrong message.
-fangirls in the audience whip out knives and daggers-
"Actually, K—"But Max bit his tongue when Kai stomped on his foot. 'ITTE!'
"Sorry, it's my reflexes," Kai explained, earning a look from Max that screamed REFLEXES-MY-ASS!
T: All right, enough talk, next is our little calligraphy segment! If you would each take a pen and a piece of paper. Okay, first question, what's the worst habit you can't stand about your team mate? No need to specify who, you can leave it up to the audience to guess.
All of them paused to think, then wrote something on the paper.
T: "Okay, lift up your papers."
Tyson: Never has anything nice to say
Rei: Likes to suck his thumb
Kai: Everything
Max: Worries too much
Mai: Pretends to be mute
Moriyama burst out laughing, "'Zenbu'? (Everything) Naze 'Zenbu'?"
Kai: "There were too many. I've summarised it to fit the paper."
"C'mon buddy, that's not true, right?" Max patted him on the back, hoping to resurrect a better image for himself.
"It's true," Kai replied bluntly.
A vein twitched in the rest of his team members. 'What does he take me for?' they all thought.
T: "Rei-kun, yours is pretty interesting."
The Chinese boy chuckled, "Well, this person. Hahaha, how should I put it? He likes to suck his thumb when he's sleeping. Once we tried pulling it out, -Tyson snickers- but then…then hahahah! He put BOTH thumbs back in his mouth!"
Everyone but Kai burst out laughing. Teguchi-san wiped a tear from his eye, "You mean like this? –puts both thumbs to his mouth-"
"Sou," Rei answered.
M: "Hahaha. Okay, next question! What do you think is the cutest thing a girl does? In Mai's case, the cutest thing a boy does?"
The audience suddenly perked up.
In a polite manner, Tyson questioned, "Are you allowed to ask these kinds of questions? It's kind of personal."
The crowd laughed.
M: "Of course! We have a job to keep you know? Saa. –he motioned for them to start writing-"
'What does Hilary do?' Tyson thought. 'Ah! I know!'
Rei: Pout
Tyson: wink
Max: Tries to keep her skirt down when the wind blows
Kai: Flunks at sport
Mai: Waits for you in the rain
T: "C-Chotto, Takuya-san, we asked for cute, not sexy."
The audience chuckled.
Mai: "But I think it's cute that a guy waits for you in the rain. They look nice with their hair wet."
-Moriyama rushes backstage and comes back a while later with his hair wet- "Takuya-san, kochi yo! Do you like me now?"
The girl laughed, "Yeah, all right."
"Honki da yo? (Really)" He beamed.
"Iie, usou da. (No, I was lying)"
"Kurushii…(It hurts)" Moriyama held a hand to his chest and fiend heartbreak.
T: "Forget it, Moriyama. You're way out of her league. Anyway," he said in a sing-song voice, "since all of you are so good at beyblading and GOSH! We are running out of time! We've prepared a little game for you!"
Tyson: "Game?"
"Sou!" Teguchi winked at the camera. "You're all gonna draw using your blades!"
"EEEEEHHHHH?"
T: "If you would please look at the screen behind you."
A cartoon blu pops up, explaining the instructions of the game: This game is called "Chain Cherades!" Each person is given one minute to draw the given picture. When the time is up, the next person has to figure out what that picture is and carry on. The last person has to guess what the image is. In this game, your drawing skills are as good as your beyblading skills! Ganbatte ne!" –blu disappears and is replaced by the ongoing images of the Bladebreakers captured on camera-
M: "So who's gonna be the last person?"
Max stepped out while the other four took their positions in four cubicles separated by curtains. Mai was up first. "Okay! Starto!" Moriyama held up a picture.
'Eh?' "Ike, Levian!" Mai launched her blade which had its tip dipped in ink. The white blade began drawing, moving about as directed by Mai. Levian hopped about, drawing in the eyes and did a smooth curve for the face.
"Time's up!" The curtain which separated Mai and Rei flew open, giving Rei a minute to decipher what the image was. The boy nodded and set to work while the curtains closed once again. "Drigger! Left!" The audience waited anxiously as it moved onto to Tyson's turn.
"What the? Kore muzukashi yo! (This is so difficult)" But he launched his blade anyway. Lastly, Kai was up. He stared at Tyson's drawing with raised eyebrows then proceeded to draw. "Let's go Dranzer!" The blue blade zigzagged across the paper, adding details where necessary with its sharp turns and light spins.
"Okay, time's up! Max!"
The audience gasped as Kai's drawing was displayed. Who would have thought that Kai would be so…Max stared at the mass of squiggles, "I don't know. Cotton wool?"
"Is that your final answer?"
"Uh, can I poll the audience?"
Teguchi fainted anime-style but quickly got back on his feet. "So what is it?"
"Cotton wool?"
T: "Nope, the answer is a sheep!"
"EEEEEEHHHHHHHH?" Kai's drawing looked nothing like a sheep!
Moriyama: "Let's see what went wrong shall we?" All the drawings popped up in front of the audience. "Mai's is all right. Haha! Why do you have a rip in your drawing, Rei-kun?"
"Guess I drew too hard." The boy scratched his head.
Teguchi: "I see the problem! Tyson, that looks nothing like a sheep!"
M: "Whoa, sugoi ne! Kai's is an exact copy of Tyson's horrible drawing!
The audience "Oooo"ed and "Ahhhh"ed.
T: "Okay! This time it's Kai who's starting and Tyson who's guessing. And thank goodness for that because someone sure can't draw for nuts!"
Tyson: "Hey!"
M: "Here's the picture. Starto!"
Kai began right away. Dranzer was skidding all over the paper; you'd think he was ripping it apart. One minute was up and the curtains opened. 'Whoa!' Mai stared at the drawing, 'That's amazing!' The line work was stupendous! You could even see the hair on Santa's beard!
"Takuya-san haiyaku!" Moriyama reminded her of the little time she had left.
"Hai!" Once again, she launched Levian and began drawing as best as she could; she didn't want hers to look inferior next to Kai's. "C'mon Rei!" The boy continued the chain, drawing the hat and the sack in one swift turn. It was Max's turn, "Turn! Yeah that's it!"
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1!" The audience chanted the remaining few seconds. "0!" The buzzer went off while the curtains swung open to reveal Max's drawing.
M: "Your answer, please!"
Tyson didn't even have to think. "Santa Claus!"
M: "SEKAI!"
The audience cheered, the brainless one had did it! ( blu: okay, maybe that's a bit too harsh. Tyson is as every bit as good as the rest. We all love you, Tyson. Tyson: Really? blu: Yeah, get over it. Tyson: -.-")
Teguchi: "For guessing correctly, Tyson gets to enjoy KURIYA'S signature dessert! Tofu cheesecake!"
Everyone watched as a girl pushed a cart onto stage and set the dessert down in front of Tyson. Not only did the dish look delicious with its smooth surface topped of with blueberries, its presentation was intriguing. It was enclosed in a small bird cage with a paper crane at the side.
"Why is he the only one who gets to eat it? We drew the pictures," Mai pointed out.
"You get a treat if you answer correctly!" Moriyama replied in a perky voice.
Mai watched with envy as Tyson enjoyed every spoonful of the cheesecake; she swallowed her saliva. "Uuuummmaai!" He was rubbing it in; he knew the rest of them wanted a taste but too bad for them, they could only enjoy it visually…
'Cheh, I'll never make dessert for you again,' Mai thought as she watched her team mate indulge in the tasty treat.
"Let's introduce our next game shall we?" Teguchi directed a hand to the screen once more.
The cartoon blu appeared on screen. "This next game is a Batsu game! (blu: Batsu game means that there is a punishment for the loser and the punishments usually aren't very nice :P) Each participant will be blindfolded and made to drink a brand of apple juice. Once that's done, the blindfold comes off and the person has to guess which brand of apple juice he or she has drunk from the wide variety of brands! –camera focuses on ten different brands of apple juice arranged on the counter- A terrible punishment awaits the loser so good luck!"
"Saa, who's going first?" Moriyama waved the blindfold in the air.
Max pushed Rei, "You go first."
"Me? Why me?"
"Go, Rei!" Mai urged.
"And Rei's going first!" Teguchi announced. "The others can decide which brand you want him to drink while I spin him around."
The group huddled over the counter. "This one?" "Nah, Sunrasia." "Give him the really sour one!" "This one!" Everyone agreed on Tropicana.
"Drink up, buddy." Max tilted the cup to Rei's mouth. The neko-jin took a few sips, then a few more and finally drained the whole cup. "Ready?"
"Yeah," Rei took off his blindfold and walked to the counter, examining the row of apple juice cartons. He took a sip of every brand (blu: they've prepared cups for you to sample), trying to recall the taste of the one he had drank. He held up the Qoo bottle, "This one?"
"WRONG!"
The boy ran through the whole row again. "Okay, this one!"
"SEKAI!"
-Fast forward, Mai guessed it on her fourth try, Max on his second and Tyson on his first, no surprise there…-
Finally, it came to Kai's turn. His turn was the only one that everyone had been looking forward too, including his team mates.
"Let's give him a hard one." Max whispered. "No, let's mix it!" Mai suggested. All of them bent low, making sure that their concoction was concealed from the prying eyes of the camera. "Okay, we're done!"
Rei handed him the cup. Kai took a whiff and wrinkled his nose, it smelt of apple cider, but drank it anyway. The boy threw off his blindfold and went down the counter, sampling every brand, pausing after each taste. He held up the Fruit Tree Fresh carton.
"WRONG!"
He lifted the Marigold carton.
"WRONG!" The audience decided to play along and shout "WRONG" together with the rest of the Bladebreakers.
"This one?"
"WRONG!"
Kai clucked his tongue in irritancy as he scanned the brands again, trying to remember the taste. 'I'm sure it was that one. Unless…' He took away Qoo, Heinz and Caprico. "These?"
"WRONG!"
"Not the ones I'm holding, the ones that are on the counter," he replied coolly. He knew that if he wasn't correct this time, something was definitely wrong.
Tyson's jaw went slack. 'He guessed it? No way!'
"SEKAI!" Max patted Kai on the back.
Mai quickly did a count of the number of times Kai had got it wrong, and then it dawned on her.
"I lost?"
She had been crossing her fingers so hard yet Kai still managed to guess it. 'He's incredible. He can't do anything wrong. ARGH! WHY CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG FOR ONCE?' She glared at him but he took no notice of it.
Moriyama: "Takuya-san, are you ready for your punishment?"
She nodded, 'How bad can the punishment be?'
The answer?
VERY BAD!
At first it was okay, the wasabi sweet was still bearable, but then it started to sting and Mai felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. She clamped a hand over her nose to ease the sensation but it wasn't working! IT WASN'T BLOODY WORKING DAMMIT!
"Must be really hot," Tyson commented as he watched the girl bend over, making muffled noises as tears welled up in her eyes. She was pinching her nose, hitting her head, pinching her nose, her vain attempts at trying to get rid of the immense pain. Mai wanted it to stop! "Water, get me some water!"
Teguchi-san handed her a glass of water which she finished in two gulps. She forced herself to swallow the sweet; it was the only way to stop the awful sensation from going up her nose. She grimaced, the aftertaste sucked and her tongue was still numb from the spiciness.
"Well, that's all for tonight folks! We'll be selling the Bladebreakers' drawings on E-bay. Prices start at 15 000 yen per piece. No tax included." Moriyama grinned at the camera as the credits came on. In the background, Mai was still recovering from her taste-from-hell while the rest waved at the audience.
"Tune in next week for more Nippon CHECKU!"
-Back home-
"Ahh, tsukaretta!" Max stretched himself on the bed. He turned to look at Mai, "Drink some hot water, it'll overcome the spiciness."
"Eashee for you ku kok (Easy for you to talk)" Mai had her tongue dipped in ice cold water. She'd rather it numb then bear the spiciness. 'Stupid sweet!' However, a shadow overhead made her look up.
"Give me your hand."
"Why?" She placed them behind her, a little suspicious of Kai's intentions.
Having little patience, he grabbed her hand and dropped them into her palm. Mai looked at the two ruby-red pieces and then narrowed her eyes, "It isn't a chilli sweet, is it?"
"Just eat it. It'll help," he returned to his bed, waiting to see if she'd listen to him.
Mai peeled off the plastic and popped the candy in her mouth. "Hmm, strawberry," she gave a satisfied nod. "Thanks."
"Lights out. G'night people!"
She lay on her bed in the dark, holding up the other piece at arms length as the boys prepared to sleep. She scrutinised its crystalline surface, her tongue running over the one in her mouth; leaving a light sweetness lingering on her taste buds.
"Strawberry ka?"
As its crimson surface gazed down on her, she was unaware that someone's eyes were doing the same…
Please please review!