Of Boys and Blades
Part Two
Chapter 29
AN: I'm still alive! Sorry for the long hiatus. I did not mean to do that. I got distracted. This chapter has been sitting on my hard drive about 90% done for the better part of a year. This is what happened with Chapter 14 and it sat for six years. So I'm just going to call it done and move on so we can get to the fun stuff. Hope it doesn't suck. There are a few funny moments I enjoy.
Thank you to everyone who reads this. And a special thank you to those of you that leave reviews. You guys are my motivation. ^_^ In a complete coincidence today is exactly one year since I last updated. I'll try to do better.
xXx
Tala
xXx
I watched the news announcement with disdain.
"Today's top story," DJ Jazzman reported. "The format for the Beyblade World Championship finals has just been announced for the three remaining teams. Superstar blader Kai and his team the Blitzkrieg Boys with four wins and one loss are guaranteed a place in the final match."
I bristled. It's my team! Not Kai's! My team!
The news continued. "The BBA Revolution and F Dynasty, who are both tied with three wins and two losses, will battle each other in an elimination match, with the winner moving on to face the Blitzkrieg Boys. You heard it here first, folks."
I turned off the television with a glare.
"Guess Kai's a superstar," Bryan taunted.
"Shut up."
"And we're all his bitches."
"Shut up, Bryan."
"Since it's his team."
"Do you want me to fucking punch you or something?"
He laughed.
It was time for the press conference. We were brought to our section of the conference table and they sat Bryan and Spencer and had me stand behind them as team leader. Once the camera's were in position and Mr. Dickenson was ready, we began.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the media," Mr. Dickenson began. "Thank you for coming today. We will now begin the press conference for the World Beyblade Championship finals. The format is set. So let's hear from the competitors, starting with the second place teams who will be fighting for a chance to face the Blitzkrieg Boys; F Dynasty and the BBA Revolution."
"Well, Daichi and I just decided," Tyson started, "if it's okay with F Dynasty, we want the match to be a tag team battle."
Was he serious? He was practically giving us the championship now! His brother sure looked pissed.
Romero, however, looked pleased as punch. "You sure?" he asked with a grin.
Raul and Julia both just looked confused. I was with them. I didn't get Tyson's logic at all. I mean, I could understand him wanting to get revenge on their prior loss, but this was the fucking world championship! Not a time to settle petty vendettas! (Even if I had my own petty vendetta... but I wasn't lowering my chances of winning with it!)
"Huh?" the twins said in unison. "You want to tag team?"
"We know you're real good at two on two," Tyson went on "You beat us once. But now we know all about your little tricks."
"Yeah," Daichi agreed. "This time we're ready for you."
With all the excitement surrounding Tyson's request, the rest of the press conference seemed to keep going back to them. I didn't even get a chance to say anything. Like his boyfriend, Tyson always seemed to find a way to upstage me. The fucking drama queens belonged together.
xXx
Kai
xXx
I'd met up with the others after the press conference to train. I hadn't watched it, but Tala filled me in on Tyson's challenge to F Dynasty. It didn't really come as a surprise. At least I knew he wasn't acting out of desperation this time. He'd told me in the elevator he had a plan. But it would definitely make the win more difficult for him.
We spent the afternoon sparring. I'd started to rebuild Dranzer, but he definitely needed some tweaking. Rei had damaged my blade beyond repair. I had to start from scratch. I had told them I'd be spending the following day working on it and after dinner we'd parted ways.
So I was more than a little surprised the following morning when I went to leave my hotel room and the three of them were there waiting for me. "What's this about? How did you find out what room I'm in?"
Bryan smirked. "We have our ways."
Tala smiled. "You're going to show us around Bay City! I want to see where you grew up."
"You know all about where I grew up."
Tala punched my arm. "You know what I mean."
"I have a blade to rebuild."
"You have three days," Spencer told us. "Just show us around. You live here. It shouldn't be hard for you."
Begrudgingly, I followed them to the elevator. "Show you what, exactly? This isn't Sydney, or Cairo. This is Bay City. The only thing interesting here is beyblading."
"I want to see where you live," Bryan said. "I want to see the great Hiwatari mansion."
"I haven't lived there in two years. Lidiya sold it."
"Show us it anyway," Tala said with a smirk. "We're not going to leave you alone, you know."
I rolled my eyes. Fine. Not like I had anything fucking important to do.
They were insanely curious about my life in Japan. They wanted to see my school, the BBA center (they wanted to know where Tyson lived but I refused to just show up at his house).
We finally made it down to the harbor. It was kind of fun showing them around, I had to admit. Their enthusiasm was sort of rubbing off on me. At the harbor I brought them to one of my favorite rooftops and pointed out the mansion in the distance. I had no plans on going anywhere near that place. They insisted on seeing my apartment.
"It's pretty boring," Bryan commented. "It looks like a hotel. You don't have anything on the walls."
"I'm not an interior decorator."
"Clearly." Tala was looking around. "Why do you have two bedrooms?"
I shrugged. "Lidiya picked it out."
"This is a nice place," Spencer gave his approval. "I like the view."
"Is this where the magic happens?" Tala had made it to my bedroom. He gave me a knowing wink. "Or, doesn't happen?"
There were many things I wanted to say, but somehow I managed to keep my mouth shut.
He wandered into my bedroom, looking around. There was a stuffy staleness to it that came from being unused.
Tala fell on the bed. "Your bed's so comfortable."
I thought back to the last time I'd slept in it. I hadn't changed the sheets before I left. I smirked at him. "You probably don't want to be laying in it."
I heard him jump up as I headed towards my dresser. Since we were here anyway, I could go through my stash of blade parts and pick out what I needed. I didn't have nearly as many clothes as the amount of my storage warranted. My dresser was where I stored my trophies and awards and all my extra parts.
"So what sorts of nasty things have you done in here, Kai?" Tala hissed with a teasing grin.
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"What's this?" Tala grabbed a box I had in the drawer. It was a camera Lidiya had given me for my last birthday that I'd completely forgotten about. A Nikon Coolpix I'd messed with only once or twice.
"Camera."
"Cool. Can I use it?"
"I don't care."
Eventually I managed to get them out of the apartment by promising them dinner. Spencer wanted to try real ramen. Afterwards Bryan dragged us into the candy store across the street where they proceeded to act like children. They really were worse than the Bladebreakers. I would've taken Tyson and Max over them any day.
xXx
Tyson
xXx
The night before the tournament I ended up staying late with the team at the BBA center where Kenny was putting the finishing touches on my new blade.
Finally done, he placed it in my hand. "It may not look all that different, Tyson, but believe me, it is," he told me excitedly. "Say hello to Dragoon Galaxy Turbo. I used Dragoon Galaxy as a base and inputed data from the league tournament. I increased the overall power. I figured you needed it after what happened in your last match. The difference with Dragoon Galaxy Turbo is the edge of the axis. It's switchable, so you can alter your play to suit any situation."
I studied the blade with a grin. "Cool. Thanks, chief. I'm sure that feature's going to come in handy."
It was time to train. Hiro versus me and Daichi. We had to get this move down. We readied our blades and launched into the dish.
Hiro used his multiblade technique to mimic F Dynasty. He was spot on. I forgot how good my brother was sometimes.
"You want to tagteam," he taunted. "Now practice for it."
"Fine!" I yelled. "We will." We evaded the attack. It was one he'd pulled on me before. "I thought you were going to teach us something new." I was so impatient for the real battle.
"What's new and challenging is often what's old and familiar boys." He continued his attack.
Daichi and I were really in sync with each other now. We could read each others moves. "Look out!" I called to him.
"Summon your non blading skills," Hiro instructed. "Use them in battle. Put a fresh spin on an old trick."
Daichi and I barely had to glance at each other. We caught one of his blades between ours. Hiro looked surprised. "I'm in the zone, Hiro. I've never felt more prepared for battle than I am right now."
"Yeah! Let's finish him off!" Daichi cried.
"Split on my mark, Daichi," I commanded, waiting for the perfect moment. "Now!"
We split and Hiro's blade went flying out of control, hitting his second one and both ended up outside the dish. That was awesome. We could do this. I just knew it.
"Good job," Hiro told us. "I'd say you may be better at tag team than they are."
I didn't know about that but I was pretty proud of what we had accomplished. I was more confident than I'd been in ages.
xXx
Daichi was exhausted by the time we got back to the house. He went straight to his room to pass out. I was too wired. I knew I needed sleep but I was too anxious about the following day. Excited but apprehensive. My heart was pounding, my nerves tingling. I couldn't wait but at the same time I wished I had longer to prepare.
I polished my blade, hoping I would get tired soon. My photos of the Bladebreakers from the 2001 and 2002 world championships sat on my bookshelf watching me. Kai was next to me in last years photo. I smiled, thinking about that night. We'd stayed in his old room, alternating between talking and kissing, almost until the sun came up.
Dragoon was now so shiny I could almost see my reflection. "Dragoon Galaxy Turbo. Quite the name. Then again, it's quite the beyblade. Question is, can it take me all the way to the top?"
xXx
Tala
xXx
The day had finally come. The finals were here. The hotel was next door to the beyblade arena so we had a short trip but it was absolutely packed with people. I'd never seen so many bodies in one place before. And there were so many people dressed up as bladers in the tournament! I'd seen this before during some of the matches but nothing like here. There were a ton of people dressed up like F Dynasty and even more BBA Revolution—especially Tyson. I guess that made sense. He was the reigning world champ. Definitely a favorite to win.
"What's with all the dress up?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah, that's a big thing here. It's called cosplay," Kai told us, looking bored.
"Is anyone dressed like us?" Bryan sounded almost excited, searching the crowd. "Oh, look, there's a Tala!"
I followed his gaze and grimaced. That kid did not do me justice. His clothes looked at least three sizes too small.
"Looks just like you," Bryan teased.
"Go fuck yourself. At least I have fans."
"I think there's a group doing all of us," Spencer pointed into the distance. "This is hilarious."
Kai smirked. "How about that one?" He pointed out to a female me that had huge boobs and little clothing.
I couldn't help but stare. "Is it weird that I find her super hot?"
Kai nodded. "Yes."
"I don't know," Bryan chimed in. "I kind of find her super hot, too."
"That's weirder," Spencer told him.
"What if I had sex with her while she's dressed like me?" I asked.
"I think that would make you a narcissist," Kai said.
"He's already a narcissist," Bryan added.
I elbowed him in the ribs on my way over to her. She squealed when she saw me, and asked for a picture and my autograph, of which I was only too happy to oblige. I had Kai take pictures with my new camera. No, I would not be giving it back. I attracted a bit of a crowd. There seemed to be a bunch of Blitzkrieg Boys fans and they were extremely excited to meet me. I smiled, enjoying my moment in the sun.