Media: Hikaru Hasama

"And a stadium knock out gives Shaun and Tess another win!"

I turned my head to the side to grin at Shaun as my Eagle sped up and slipped out of the stadium at my feet. 

He held out his hand as his Poison Aries flew back to his hand, allowing it for fall back to his side. "This is really too easy," he remarked. "Only one bey needs to stop spinning for you to win."

I shrugged. "I'm not complaining, it's an easy way to gain points, isn't it?"

Pausing to look at me, he frowned. "Is that really all Beyblade is to you?" He ran a finger along the fusion wheel of his bey before hiding it in his pocket. 

I blinked once. Then twice before I replied. "...I do it to get away." 

Shaun sighed, pinching his nose. "Merely a tool, then. I get it."

I was about to protest, but he held up a hand. "Tess, don't protest. I can see it in your eyes- Aquila isn't a companion to you, it's a tool."

My frame taut, my fingers curled tightly around my beyblade. "It's...it's not like that!"

He said nothing in return, and I cursed at him in my head as he headed out of the 'arena' to allow the next people in.

I stared at the purple and aqua bey in my hand, squeezing my eyes tight as I trailed after him.

OoO

My back leaning against the wall, I could see feel the gaze of Shaun on me as he asked that question. "Is that really all Beyblade is to you?" 

I rubbed my thumb against the smooth metal of Eagle's fusion wheel to calm me and turned it so the green facebolt, which displayed the Aquila symbol, stared up at me. 

"Eagle...I'm sorry."

I dropped my head, resting in the crook of my arms. "I only used you for attention. I never really felt a bond with you- I saw Kyoya on TV once...there was this massive, roaring lion that emerged from Leone. And that...it shows his bond to Leone. You never came out for me, and I understand why...I'm a horrible person..." I laughed bitterly.

I'm guessing I must of imagined it, but a shudder of warmth passed through my hand, warming Eagle's frigid fusion wheel for a moment. I held it up to eye-level as the gleam passed through it, the light reflecting of the bey. 

A smile found its way on my face. "It's a new start, Thunder Eagle."

"Tess!"

I shook myself, then turned to blink at Shaun, who was hovering in the doorway. "What?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I think I found our next opponent. Come on, I want you to look at them."

OoO

"Go, Aquario!"

I watched as the blue-haired girl thrust her hand out, flicking her wrist at her opponent. Her beyblade- a purple and blue Aquario- zoomed towards their bey. 

Bzzt.

I blinked in surprise as Aquario disappeared before appearing out of nowhere to smash into the side of the beyblade. A...tip change, of some sort?

"Hikaru Hasama," Shaun mused, then ran his hand through his hair and blew a curly strand aside. "She uses Storm Aquario- I heard of her before."

I leaned forward to rest my elbows on the wall that kept me from falling. "She's pretty good," I commented. "What about her partner?"

The black-haired girl beside her seemed new to Beyblade. She called out her moves with uncertainty, shifting side to side as she did, causing her purple streaks to ruffle.

"I don't know anything about her," Shaun admitted. "She uses an Orso, from what I've seen so far."

"Orso!" the girl called, her  quiet voice quivering slightly. "Special Move, Vicious Warrior!"

A hulking bear rose from the spinning bear, the muzzle opening as it released a shrill roar. 

I felt myself frown, troubled by the fact I haven't seen Eagle's form before. 

"And Kimi calls out her Special Move!" Blader DJ hollered. "Who knew such a little girl could control a beast of that size?"

Hikaru watched, Aquario coming to a stop as she allowed her partner to attack. 

Orso came down on the beyblade with amazing speed, the claws flashing out to hit it repeatedly before rearing and bashing it with its head.

I gaped silent as the bear raked its claws on the underside of the poor animal (it was a Capicorn, I think), flinging it upwards before bringing its claws down one more time.

The beyblade was thrown to the ground, almost smashed into the ground.

"And victory goes to Hikaru and Kimi! These two girls proceed to the semifinals!"

I glanced to the side at my brother, who straightened. 

"That's our next opponent. Hikaru and Kimi."

A/N~

HAI. *waves* I'm back with the next chapter of Lion's Pride. Yes, I own Kimi. :3 Several more OCs will pop up here and there. 

I don't have much to say, besides this is a filler. 

Nomnom. Hope you enjoyed, I guess? XD

~Rio