Media: Tobio Oike

"Go, Battle Bladers! Blader DJ here with another tournament for 5,000 points that places you closer to earning a spot in Battle Bladers!" Blader DJ hollered from his spot in his box-thing (I really need to look up what that was).

I shoved my hands into the pockets of my leopard vest, peering at the rows of crowds as they cheered. All the competitors sat (or stood, in my case) at the foot of the area, all gathered in one spot to go out in battle when called.

"We will have three matches going on at once-"

I decided to tune out the loud announcer, cocking my head to the side at the sight of the three Beyblade stadiums in the clearing.

"-first match-ups are..."

My attention snapped up and I stared at the screen that portrayed six slots, three on top, three one bottom. Awaiting, my eyes never left the screen.

The first two slots were sent spinning, and I caught a glimpse of a certain green-haired Leone blader. Huh, so he did arrive. Awesome.

At that thought, I could feel a pair of eyes burning into my back and I tilted my head slightly to the side, only to see nothing.

Slowing done, the slot slowly ticked to an unrecognizable face, and I frowned. "Is that a guy or a girl?" I wondered out loud, trying my best to keep a chuckle at bay.

The said face had loose, wavy hair that fell down to his shoulders and covered one of his eyes. From the looks of he, he was pretty rich too- a baby blue ribbon covered the collar of his white shirt.

"Teru Saotome against Tetsuya Watarigani!"

"Snap snap, crabby!"

He's creepy.

The thought rang out in my head as 'Tetsuya' walked past (more like scuttled, since he was walking sideways), bringing his index and middle finger together like crab pinchers as he did so.

"Second match-up!" Blader DJ bellowed, the next pair of slots where sent spinning.

Tick, tock.

Huh. Strange. Did slots make those sounds?

As it came to a stop, the arrow hovered over a guy with an afro.

A bright yellow afro.

Very interesting hairdo.

"Tobio Oike against Tess Rixen!"

"It seems I'm up," I drawled to no one in particular (I'm not insane, I swear), rolling my eyes as my fingers barely brushed Eagle's fusion wheel.

I had to admit- I felt a sense of...I don't know, understanding between us two? Call me crazy (no, not Call Me Maybe), but I thought the small talk before our battle between Hikaru and Kimi strengthened our spirit.

As I strode almost excitedly to the stadium, thrilled to be able to spill the first blood- I mean, defeat the first person, my opponent was no where to be seen.

"Tobioooooo?" I called, but I was answered by the wind rustling my hair, making it flap noisily around my face.

"Where is Tobio?" The announcer called. Murmurs of confusion rippling through the crowd, my eyes wandered around the area.

"Hey, be patient!"

Well, that voice is really high-pitched, I thought.

At that, a black-and-yellow blur jumped from...the top of the screen...to the ground, across from me.

"You're Tobio."

The words were more of a statement then a question. He certainly didn't look at much- short, with a white stick poking out of his mouth and a wrapper clutched in his gloves that suggested he was eating a lollipop.

"Indeed I am," the afro-dude grinned, his smile extending to his cheeks. Damn, that's a big smile.

More murmurs from others- I overheard some of them.

"That's...!"

"Wasn't he the guy who Kyoya Tategami defeated?"

"Storm Capricorn, I heard!"

At the last one, Tobio lifted a hand, openly displaying the red and purple bey in it with a goat stamped (is that how they get insignias on Beyblade face bolts?) on the face bolt.

I chewed my lip in return, the name seeming familiar. "Storm Capricorn..." I murmured. It was in my mind- get dancing out of my reach of the ten percent of brain I use everyday.

Too much information? Yes? Okay.

"Three!" the crowd roared. Guess that was the cue for me to steady my launcher.

Tobio mirrored my action, fitting his Capricorn into his launcher.

"Two- what the hell?"

I almost lowered my launcher in confusion, eyeing Tobio in the really weird position he was in.

Tobio lay almost flat on the ground, his launcher tilted so it was vertical. "Get on with it! One!"

Disgruntled in the least, I fired, Eagle shooting out and landing steadily in the stadium.

"Go, Capricorn!" he shouted gleefully, spittle flying from his mouth.

What is with this position...?

Oh.

Yeah, I learned what was 'with it' straight afterwards, the second the thought was conjured up in my mind.

In a blur of red, Capricorn bounced side to side from each curve of the stadium.

"Im-Impossible!" I stammered, taking a startled step back. Below, Eagle still spun unharmed, but I knew that was going to change.

Man, I could see the future.

Capricorn bounced off once more before colliding with Eagle, but the attack didn't affect its movement. It went off with jumping across the stadium.

"I can't hit it like this...!" I growled as his beyblade once against hit mine.

"And Tobio goes along with the same technique he had done in the tournament with Kyoya! Captain Capri once again shows his sharp-shooter skills!"

It clicked. Captain Capri.

"Oh," I said. "You're the guy who Kyoya defeated, isn't that right? You got cocky and thought you won, then Kyoya crushed you with his special move."

I remembered the battle clearly. It was in the first week Shaun and I arrived here, and I had taken a break from moving boxes to turn on the TV. I had watched as Tobio- or, better known as Captain Capri- perform his special move. I had watched as Kyoya finished him off with his own special move.

The Capricorn user gritted his teeth, clearly pained at the memory of being so throughly defeated.

"How pathetic," I taunted, trying my best to get a rise out of the guy.

"Shut up!" Tobio said, pulling himself upright. I heard a crack as the lollipop he sucked on gave away to the pressure he was putting on it with his teeth.

"I'll show you- Capricorn! Spin Screwdriver!"

A/N~

I'm sorry if Tess' voice sounds a bit too mature or intelligent. She's supposed to be the person who has the teasing type of voice when she tells a story.

Feedback? The key to a writer's heart is comments. :3

~Rio