Chpater 55------The Bother

-Dream-

"The cutest thing……" I whispered as I clung onto Copellia. "I saw the cutest thing." I barely managed a smile before…

"Mai! Don't you dare! Don't you dare die on me!"

I blacked out…

"MMMAAAAAIIII!"

-End of dream-

Mai's eyes shot open and came into focus with the wall. 'What a weird dream…' But then she knitted her brows, 'No! It can't happen! My dream, it can't happen…Can it?' She was apprehensive, some of the dreams she had experienced were premonitions, very few of them were nonsensical.

Mai dug her fingers into her hair, this couldn't be ignored. Sure dreams of losing all her teeth and meeting unfamiliar people could be taken lightly and could even be considered crazy, but death? Who in the world dreams of dying?

"I'm going to die?" She questioned herself softly. She turned and scanned the sleeping bodies in the room. 'No, maybe not yet. Maybe…' Mai got out of bed, pulling the covers over her pillow before going down stairs for breakfast…

"Dear Bladebreakers, you are cordially invited to attend the Coming-of-Age ceremony of Sir Robert Jurgen on the 20th of December," Tyson read as he walked around the table. "The Jurgen family would be honoured to have you grace this wonderful occasion and look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, Fredrich Jurgen." He set the letter down on the table.

"Coming-of-Age huh? It's gonna be some party," Max commented and took a sip of his orange juice.

"Nah, knowing Robert, he'd probably throw a formal tea party." Rei chipped in.

All this time Mai stayed quiet, she didn't know who this Robert Jurgen guy was and furthermore, she had a lot of things on her mind right now. Like how to prevent the dream from coming true. She needed a form of escape; all this worrying wasn't good for her.

Mai stood up abruptly, "I'm going to the Beystadium."

"Why?"

"Don't know…I just feel like training." She headed for the door but stopped, "Oh yeah, can I borrow your bike to ride there?"

"Who's bike?" All of them asked.

"Umm, Maxie's?"

"I'll come with you." Max wiped his mouth and got up, "Help me wash this time okay, Tyson? Thanks!" He hurried after Mai.

"Hey, wait! Max!" The bluenette ran out the door and onto the road. "I'll see you guys there!" He called after them as Max pedaled down the street with Mai riding at the back, her ponytail swaying wildly in the wind.

"LATER, TYSOOOON!" She waved at him before disappearing down the slope.

He sighed at went back into the house. "Those kids left already?" Grampa G lifted his head from the newspaper.

"Yeah," He muttered and began clearing the table…

-Beystadium-

'Everything I've been through was because of you…'

Draciel tackled Levian, pushing it towards the edge.

'The first jewel, the second…'

The white blade broke free from Draciel's attack, speeding off to the other end of the dish. Draciel gave chase, attacking it once more. Levian didn't give in, but it didn't look like he was putting up much of a fight either.

'Why are you taking control of my life? Why can't I have a life of my own?'

The white beyblade drew dangerously close to the edge.

'I was born to resurrect you. Am I fated to die resurrecting you as well?'

"DRACIEL! GRAVITY CONTROL!"

The green blade executed the final blow, sending Levian hurling out of the dish and landing at Mai's feet. Max watched as Mai picked her blade up, no complaints, no demands for a rematch, it wasn't like her, she seemed a bit off today.

"You all right?"

Mai snapped out of her thoughts. "Uh, yeah! Great battle!"

"Whaddya mean "Great battle"? I hardly broke a sweat. And," He ran over to her side and tapped her lightly on the forehead, "You weren't battling at all."

"I was!" She defended.

"You were spacing out. I was battling an empty shell, no spirit, no effort. It's as good as facing your own shadow." He crossed his arms and looked at her.

Mai kept quiet.

"Is something bothering you?"

She shook her head, "Nandemo nai. (It's nothing)" She headed for the bench to retrieve her water bottle.

"Oh c'mon," Max followed her, "you can tell me."

She sat herself down and squirted a jet of water into her mouth, "It's nothing, really," she took notice of the people behind Max, "and I think some people want your autograph." She smiled at him, her eyes telling him to go entertain his fans. Max went away, leaving her to go about her own business. Mai bent low and re-tied her shoelaces but stopped mid-way, '16 years, 8 months and 12 days…I'm 16 years, 8 months and 12 days old.' She let out a small laugh, 'I hope I live past 17 at least.'

Levian: Don't dwell on it so much. Frowning makes you age faster.

'Oh yeah…Like that helps my situation, Lev…'

Levian: You're not going to die.

Mai raised a brow.

Levian: I mean you're not going to die anytime soon. A dream is just a dream. It can never come true unless you make it to be.

"Does it look like I have a say?"

"Talking to yourself again?" Rei sat down beside her.

Mai had no idea she had thought aloud. "What're you doing here?"

His mouth curved, "Same reason why you're here. So what 'say' do you not have?"

Mai felt the bench move; Kai had sat down next to Rei.

"Just thinking," she rocked back and forth, "about what'll happen to me after I've found all the jewels and resurrected Eden."

The Chinese boy leaned back, "What do you think will happen?"

'Heh, wouldn't you like to know the truth…' Mai sighed, "Probably return to China, grow old living in a cramped apartment, become the Godmother of Copellia's children and then die choking on a fish ball." She snorted with laughter.

Rei laughed, "That's the worst case scenario. Why isn't Riya in the picture?"

Mai smiled wistfully, that was the best case scenario. If she didn't die resurrecting Eden, then maybe Riya would, and where would that leave her? Living all alone in a cramped apartment in China…

"Of course he is," she faked a smile, "he's always there."

'Liar.' Kai could see right past her friendly face, right past those deep blue eyes to reveal her true emotion. He could tell that Riya wasn't going to be in the 'picture'. Her eyes were wavering, she was worried about something. 'Why won't you just tell us what's bothering you? Why do you have to be so STUBBORN?'

Mai blinked and the emotion was gone. "C'mon, let's battle!" She got up from her seat and took out her blade. "I want a challenge today; let's gate-crash Tyson's and Max's battle!" She turned and ran towards the dish, preparing her launcher. The two boys followed after her.

"Sorry guys, LET IT RIP!" Mai launched Levian into the dish; he clashed against Draciel and Dragoon and sent them spinning in opposite directions.

"Hey! What gives?" Tyson looked up.

Drigger and Dranzer had entered the dish too.

"We're spicing things up a bit," she beamed, "It's King of the Beydish!"

"You're on!" Tyson accepted the challenge. "GO DRAGOON!"

"Let's knock Kai out first."

The Russian smirked, "As if. DRANZER!"

The blue blade sped past all the others, making a sharp turn and charging straight towards Draciel but a white beyblade had intercepted his attack. Kai looked up to see Rei, his yellow eyes were daring him to attack, but Kai knew his friend too well. Dranzer sped off in the other direction.

"I knew you'd do that. GO DRIGGER! VULCAN CLAW!"

White attacked blue, sparks flying with every contact. The both of them were too preoccupied with returning each others attack that they failed to take note of their other opponents.

"DRAGOON!"

Tyson's blade raced around the beydish, gathering up speed as it did with the air. It was coming, Dragoon's most powerful attack: Evolution Storm. All four beyblades were lifted off their feet, caught up in the eye of the spiraling wind.

'There's no way I'm letting you—' "LEVIAN! ARTIC FLARE!" Mai commanded.

Blue flames burst from within the tornado, engulfing the tower of wind and diminishing it to wisps of air. The beyblades had fallen back into the dish. Amazingly, they were still spinning!

"Woo! Nice job!"

"Thanks!" She returned the smile. She was enjoying this, the adrenaline rush, the thrill of an intense battle where the winner couldn't be decided easily. It was what beyblading was all about to her: fun, friendship and challenge. It wasn't everyday that you got to battle the best and she wanted the battle to last as long as it could.

-Somewhere in the world…-

"REALLY?"

"Yup," the boy chirped.

"WHEN?"

"Next week."

Copellia's eyes were shining, 'I get to see Mai again, after so many months!' "MIT-CHAN! WE'RE GOING TO JAPAN!"

"I KNOW!" Both girls held hands, bouncing in excitement, "I can't wait to see her again!"

Riya and Drex exchanged glances and started laughing. "She's your sister."

"Don't remind me," Drex grinned but asked more quietly, "Do you miss her?"

Riya shoved his hands into his pockets and smiled to himself, "Yeah."

'Mai, wait for me. I'll return to you soon.'

-Tokyo Beystadium-

The five of them sat around the beydish, breathless and perspiring. Within the dish, five blades lay motionless at the bottom, the battle had ended.

"So –pant- who's up for another round?" Tyson lifted his head, wincing under the bright lights of the stadium.

Mai pushed back her hair, wiping her perspiration on her sleeve. "I can't believe –pant- our blades –pant- stopped spinning."

"Nah, we're all just too good for each other," Max lay flat on the ground. Everyone chuckled at this; maybe they were all too good.

Tyson got up and dusted off his jeans, "C'mon, we've got school tomorrow."

"Excuse me? THE Tyson Granger is worried about school?" Mai laughed. "Heaven help us!"

The boy gave her a stoned look.

"Okay, okay. I was just kidding." She raised her arms and Max pulled her up, "Thanks."

The group headed for the door when –"Oh crap! I left the washing machine on!"

-Granger residence-

"TTTTTYYYYSSSSOOOONNN!" Grampa G bellowed as foam gurgled out of the washing machine…

-Fast forward-

The Bladebreakers, Hilary and Kenny were gathered in Mr Dickenson's office; waiting.

"He said it was something important."

"For me?" Mai pointed at herself. "What could be so important that I have to rush down straight after school?"

Rei shrugged.

Mai looked pensive as she sat beside him. Across her, Tyson, Max, Kai, Kenny and Hilary waited patiently on the sofa, Tyson drumming his fingers on the arm rest. The classical music playing softly in the background made the wait all the more excruciating.

Just then the doors swung open, "Sorry for the delay, I had to settle some things." The plump man stood in front of them, hands rightly behind his back as if ready to make an announcement.

"So what's the big news, Mr Dickenson?"

"Well Tyson, this concerns Mai more than—"

"WHERE IS SHE? IS SHE IN THERE? MAI?" Someone was shouting on the other side of the door.

Mai stood up upon hearing her name. 'Dare?'

"Well uh—" But before Mr Dickenson could finish, the doors flew open and four figures appeared at the doorway.

Mai dropped her hand to the side. Her mind took a few seconds to register the situation before –"COPELLIA! MIT-CHAN!"

"MAI!"

The three girls ran towards each other, colliding in a big hug and squealing with elation. "What're you guys doing here?"

"To see you!" Copellia replied and pulled out of the hug, taking in the sight of her friend. Mai's hair had grown longer and her face had a healthy glow to it. "Look at you! You're attending high school!" She examined the girl's uniform: a navy blue jacket hugging a white collared shirt, a blue and red pinstriped tie, a checkered dark blue and red skirt with a pair of black shoes.

But Mai's eyes had strayed from Copellia to the person standing at the door. The two held their gaze, neither of them uttering a word, as though the bond between them was so closely knit that words weren't necessary to know what the other was thinking.

"Osashiburi," Riya was the first to speak up.

Mai's eyes softened…

Yeah! Finally something interesting is going happen! Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, the BB have new beyblading attacks! I haven't thought of Kai's yet but maybe some suggestions? Tell me how the attack goes and what Dranzer does. Haha! Let's get creative!