The World Championships
Chapter 17 Risk Factor Are Found Out
It was nine o clock in the morning, and the twelve competing teams were breakfasted and waiting in the taxi park. Tala and Luna were not with their respective teams, but they were standing together with their arms wrapped round each other's waists.
"You feeling ok for today, Luna?"
"Definitely, I feel more used to it now, what about you, Tala?"
"It'll be fun to compete again, this time we're against the PPB All Starz but I don't know if I'll blade this time"
"Luna, don't feel nervous about it, you're an amazing beyblader and I'm sure you'll do well"
"Thanks, Tala, you're an amazing beyblader too"
Luna nuzzled her head into the crook between Tala's neck and shoulder, and for a while they stood holding each other lovingly.
"Tala, we need to go"
"I'm just coming"
"Hurry up"
"Luna, I have to go now but I'll see you there"
"Same for you, Tala"
Luna wrapped her arms round Tala's neck, while Tala wrapped his arms round her waist and the two kissed before parting company.
Tala entered the taxi with the Blitzkrieg Boyz, and Bryan grilled him, he was determined to find out about Luna.
"Seriously, Tala, what's going on between you and that girl?"
"Leave it, Bryan, what's the problem?"
"Your romance is going to kill our chances at winning"
"Why are you so concerned about winning?"
"We came second last year, and I want to improve that"
"Stop living in the past, Bryan"
"I'm not living in the past, I just think we should win"
"I get that, but Luna isn't a problem, she's only a girl"
"Yes, but you're not only a guy, Tala, you're our team captain"
"Ever think I could have a love life as well as be your captain?"
"No"
The drive to Al Dhafra Stadium was a long one, and it was ten o clock in the morning when everybody arrived.
"Good morning, Beyblade fanatics and welcome to the Round two of the beyblading World Championships, we're in beautiful Dubai and today's competitors will be Le Croix against the ever-risky Risk Factor"
A loud cheer rang through the stadium, as the excited crowd screamed and yelled.
"First to represent Le Croix, is their leader Miguel"
"Miguel is one tough blader, with his boy band good looks and serious blading style he could leave Risk Factor in the cold"
Miguel walked confidently to the stadium, he was perfectly composed and certain that Risk Factor would be easy to beat.
"His opponent is Risk Factor's own Giang Nyugen"
"Giang is one tough customer with his Grassland Collaris bit beast's Poison Belch attack"
A sixteen-year-old boy with brown hair and green eyes stepped up, defiantly staring Miguel down. His attire consisted of a grey Russell Athletic hoody over a belt, black jeans and Reebok classics. This was Giang Nyugen.
The ground split in half to unveil a stadium resembling the Dubai fountains, complete with a large lake with several fountains, with a circular path that had several shops going around the edge.
"3,2,1, Let It Rip"
Miguel swiftly launched Dark Gargoyle onto the path, Giang swiftly followed suit with Grassland Collaris.
"Dark Gargoyle, attack!"
"Go, Grassland Collaris!"
Dark Gargoyle and Grassland Collaris slammed each other hard, sparks flew as they connected.
"Stay on him!"
Dark Gargoyle viciously attacked Grassland Collaris, slamming it ferociously like a tennis ball.
"Giang will have to do some fancy footwork if he's going to stay alive in this one"
"Fire Execution!"
Two devil wings momentarily sprouted from Miguel's back for a short time. Then fire wrapped around Dark Gargoyle, forming a beautiful fiery tornado. The fire roared and swallowed Grassland Collaris, sending it flying from the stadium and to the floor beside Giang's feet.
"Winner Miguel"
Dark Gargoyle returned to Miguel's hand and he walked back to Le Croix's bench.
"Stepping up to represent Risk Factor is none other than Daryl Murphy"
"Billu, do you have Daryl's blade?"
"Yes, Mr. Coupe"
"Here you go, Daryl, now go and bring it home"
"Thank you, Mr. Coupe"
Daryl walked up to the stadium in Giang's place, he was calm, composed and focused.
Swiftly, Mathilda arrived to replace Miguel, she was determined to win and secure Le Croix's place.
"Next up for Le Croix is Mathilda"
"Beybladers, start your engines"
Mathilda and Daryl readied their blades and poised themselves to launch.
"3,2,1, Let It Rip"
"Pierce Hedgehog, chase him down"
Pierce Hedgehog heeded Mathilda's command and began pursuing Swampland Siamensis.
"Now attack, and stay on him"
Mathilda's yellow beyblade viciously attacked Swampland Siamensis, without giving any room whatsoever.
"Keep it up"
Pierce Hedgehog continued its relentless attack, refusing to even give an inch to Swampland Siamensis, sending on the run.
"Mathilda is taking the battle to Daryl, she's all over him"
"Why's Daryl's blade constantly on the run, it's like Risk Factor wants to lose"
"Ok, Daryl, I might as well just finish this off, Pierce Hedgehog, Poison Needle"
Mathilda sprouted fairy wings from her back, and she was surrounded by cotton plants. A hedgehog appeared and it projected poisonous needles from its back.
"Daryl, initiate Operation Corkscrew on my mark"
"Yes, Mr. Coupe"
Suddenly, two corkscrews shot out of Daryl's weight disk, they began to spin like drills and Swampland Siamensis sped up and zoomed towards Pierce Hedgehog. At the same time, a video camera was filming from the audience and locked onto Daryl's blade.
"Finish her off, Swampland Siamensis"
Swampland Siamensis got dangerously close to Mathilda's blade, the corkscrews began to drill it hard. The shrapnel of Pierce Hedgehog's blade base began to fall apart. Unbeknown to Daryl, the video camera was still filming, gaining evidence of Risk Factor's illegality.
"Oh no"
"Well done, Daryl"
"Pull back and slam, Swampland Siamensis"
Momentarily, Swampland Siamensis moved back before using its corkscrew weight disk to slam a damaged Pierce Hedgehog out of the dish. Seconds later, the video camera was gone, and a small flash caught a picture of Swampland Siamensis. Daryl's blade soon returned to his open hand, but not before, the video camera had filmed it.
"Who are you, and why were you filming the battle?"
A tall man with green eyes, flowing neck length black hair and a short beard, was sitting in the audience. He was wearing a pale green sweater with a granddad collar and cream trousers with a belt round them. A pair of aviator sunglasses rested on his forehead and a pair of Wrangler trainers were on his feet. Also, sitting on his right-hand side, was a large black and tan Bloodhound, who was wearing a black collar with an identification tag, with the word Sherlock written on it and a black harness with the words, Detective dog DO NOT PET on it.
"You don't need to know why"
The man then produced an identification card with a mug shot on one side, it read Detective Steve Daniels, BBA Detective. Afterwards, Mr. Daniels put his ID card away and wrote his findings in his notebook.
"Uh oh"
Daryl stayed where he was, uncertain of whether he should inform Mr. Coupe, that there was a detective after them.
It wasn't long before Miguel led the sobbing Mathilda back to Le Croix, before stepping up to face Daryl, who had received his new blade for the match.
Rage burned in Miguel's eyes as he faced Daryl, while his knuckles were shaking with fury.
"You damaged my partner's blade, and for that you will pay dearly"
"We'll see about that"
It wasn't long before the new stadium arose, it resembled a circus that was complete with tightropes going around the edges.
"It looks like Le Croix are sending their best blader, Miguel, who won round one, while Daryl is staying where he is"
"Three, Two, One, Let It Rip"
Daryl and Miguel quickly launched their blades onto the tightropes, Miguel's was in hot pursuit of Daryl's.
"All right, Dark Gargoyle, attack and don't let up on him"
Dark Gargoyle shot after Swampland Siamensis, starting a ferocious attack, it slammed into it like a hammer on nails.
"That's the way, keep it up"
Heeding Miguel's command, Dark Gargoyle shot down from the tightropes and repeatedly slammed Swampland Siamensis.
"Miguel is definitely taking advantage of those tightropes"
"Stay on him"
Now Dark Gargoyle had Swampland Siamensis on the run, it hunted it like a bear stealing sammon.
"Now, Daryl, initiate Operation Switchblade"
"Yes, sir"
Swampland Siamensis glowed purple, and leaned forwards and the blades on its weight disk sliced the tightrope but made it seem like it was intact. At the same time, Mr. Daniels filmed the occurrence with his video camera and took a picture on his photo camera before writing it down in his notebook.
Swampland Siamensis then smartly continued over the tightrope. However, when Dark Gargoyle tried to move, the rope snapped and Miguel's blade flipped and fell into the stadium. Mr. Daniels quickly filmed all of this happening and noted it down.
"That almost knocked Miguel out, and his blade is starting to wobble"
"No way,"
"Go, Swampland Siamensis, finish him off"
"Come on, Dark Gargoyle, snap out of it"
Dark Gargoyle managed to regain a little spinning power, luckily evading Swampland Siamensis.
"I dodged that, but I have to regroup"
No sooner had Miguel said that, a wave of purple energy shot out of the corkscrews on Swampland Siamensis's weight disk. It slammed Dark Gargoyle, smashing its blade base and sending it flying through the air. Fortunately, Mr. Daniels had got every second of the attack and had written it down.
Everyone was gobsmacked at Daryl's win, even Luna gritted her teeth and growled to herself as she witnessed the unfairness of Risk Factor's victory.
"I'll teach those sleezeballs a lesson if it means the death of me," Luna vowed
"Let's hear it for Daryl, and Risk Factor take it all"
Mr. Coupe and his team were ecstatic, he punched the air in defiance while the others cheered and clasped arms in victory. However, before long Daryl returned, torn about whether or not he should inform Mr. Coupe about Mr. Daniels.
"Well, as a result of Daryl's win, I feel that it's only right that I take you all to Massimo's Italian restaurant for our evening meal"
"Yes, I'd love that"
"Count me in"
"Sounds good"
"I agree"
"Well that's it for today's match, we will look forward to seeing you tomorrow to witness the Blitzkrieg Boyz battle Ocean Shine"