Chapter Text
"Go Dragoon!" Tyson shouted at the Beyblade as it cut through the yard and circled up the sides. Practicing alone, Tyson had set up cones for the metal top to dodge around, his very own obstacle course since there was no one else to practice with. Kenny was parts shopping, Max and Ray were still visiting their families, and Kai had gone back to Russia before dropping all communication, as per usual. He could have fallen off the face of the earth and no one would know for at least six months.
Diachi... One could hope he'd been picked up by the zoo. Good riddance.
"Tyson, lunch," Hilary called, walking out on to the deck.
As Dragoon returned to Tyson's hand, Hilary checked the yard. "Kenny isn't back yet?"
"Nope," Tyson said. He bounded toward the plate of sandwiches held in her hand. "And that means more for me."
Hilary held the plate away from his greedy fingers. "Not a chance, Tyson,"
"Oh, come on. Why are you such a dictator? You can always make more when he gets here."
"I swear, Tyson! You act as if you've never eaten anything before." Hilary rolled her eyes. Still, she handed the plate to her friend, watching in mild disgust as he grabbed two sandwiches, one in each hand.
"These are great, Hil," he said around a mouthful, soggy crumbs spitting out from between his lips.
Hilary sighed. At least she'd been smart enough to eat her share before bringing the plate out. With hungry boys around, she was never sure if there'd be enough leftover or if she'd lose a finger to the frenzy.
"I wonder how the boys are," she said, looking to the sky. The afternoon breeze played in the branches of the large tree, making the shadows dance over her. It was peaceful, but the silence was undeniably strange. It wasn't so long ago that the yard was a hub of activity. Someone was always coming or going, and there was plenty of people talking over each other. Practices went on forever back then, none of the boys wanting to be the first to call it a day. As long as someone was willing to shoot, they'd go long into the night.
"Kenny's probably drooling over some computer," Tyson said. He'd polished off the remaining sandwiches and was now leaning against one of the posts. He looked to be two seconds away from an afternoon nap. "And Diachi..." He trailed off.
Hilary laughed to herself. The World Champion, but who'd be able to tell just by looking at him?
"Anyway, Tyson," she said, getting up and brushing her legs off. "I've got to get going. Tell the Chief I said 'hey' when he get in."
Tyson hummed in response, but never once opened his eyes.
Really, Hilary thought as she gathered her things from inside, if practicing for two hours and then napping for three leads to a world championship, then anyone should be able to do it.
As she walked by the sleeping champ, she saw the gleam of white metal sitting next to him. It always surprised her how small Beyblades really were compared to the damage they could cause. How many arenas had she seen decimated as a result of just two of the metal tops? Sometimes she couldn't process what she'd seen and heard during battles. But then, it's wasn't the Beyblades that caused all that damage, was it?
Hilary picked up Dragoon. She knew the blade inside and out from helping Kenny build and rebuild, the only thing remaining the same was the bit at the top – the one that possessed the spirit of the beast.
Not too far away, laying in the yard was Tyson's launcher.
She'd tried blading once. The attempt on the bus was a memory she more or less tried to repress. It was later brought to her attention that maybe she should focus more on practical ways she could help the team. Like with cooking or helping Kenny. Still, ever since that first launch, Hilary had always wondered what it felt like to battle for real. To feel the power of the blade and use it. She didn't want to be on the sidelines forever.
So, her first attempt was a failure, but weren't most first attempts? She was sure with a little bit of training and hard work - real hard work, not what Tyson considered hard - she could achieve something.
Hilary wanted to Beyblade. She wanted to know how it felt. Quietly, she inched over to the launcher and loaded the blade, eyeing Tyson. Thankfully, he was snoring so loud he could shake the trees. This was her only opportunity. If she put her stuff down, there'd be no going back.
Her shoulder bag hit the ground.
Walking over to the dish, Hilary took the stance she'd watch others take, aiming the loaded top. Taking in an even breath, she put her fingers around the ripcord. Once she was sure she was ready, she let that breath out and pulled with all her strength. The cord resisted, and she could already tell she was much weaker than Tyson. The launcher was calibrated for him, and it felt like she'd rip her arm if she tried to pull any harder. Dragoon spun in the dish, wobbly and unbalanced. But it was spinning!
And then it stopped, toppling over with a clink.
Hilary was a person of logic and reasoning – for things to be right, they must make sense. Since meeting Tyson and diving headfirst into this world, things hadn't made much sense. The energy she felt running through her veins was one of those things. She felt it when she saw a bitbeast for the first time, and she felt it now. It was just a metal top, but the fire went straight to her heart.
But it was fleeting, already starting to burn off and leave a hollow feeling in its place. Picking up the blade again, she knew realistically she should put it down. It was Tyson's blade; Tyson's Dragoon. Instead, she reloaded it and set up her stance again.
The hunger demanded it.
Tyson's eyes slowly opened to the midday sun. The familiar sound of a bey spinning around a dish, metal on metal, was like a lullaby. It seemed he even dreamed of the sound now. It wasn't until he heard a light grunt that he realized it wasn't a dream. Someone was blading in his dish. Jumping up to defend his home, Tyson was surprised to see Hilary standing over the sliver vessel.
A moment later, he realized that the Beyblade she was staring at was his white Dragoon.
"Hilary!" Tyson yelled. Immediately, her concentration broke and the blade came to a stop.
Hilary held out her hands. In one was his blue launcher. Seeing it only made him madder. "I'm sorry," she said, as he came marching up to her.
He balled his fist. "What were you thinking! You should know better than to touch someone's blade without permission. You could damage it. You don't even know how to blade." Tyson grabbed the launcher and Dragoon from the dish, ignoring her apologies and stuttering explanations. "Don't think I haven't forgotten what you did last time. Isn't it obvious that a girl like you could never be a real Beyblader."
"What was that?"
Tyson didn't bother to look at her, too busy inspecting his blade for any damages. "A girl like you could never blade? What about it?" Determining that no significant damage had been done, he looked up.
Hilary's intense brown eyes dug into him. "All I'm good for is following you around, cheering for you, fixing the team lunches, and repairing your blade? Is that what you're saying. What about all the other girls that you faced? What about Mariah, Julia, Mathilda, and Emily. Are you saying I'm not as great as them? That I couldn't do what they do?"
"Hilary," Tyson stuttered, realizing this was going to be another thing. He was facing down a beast, and he was very much alone. "That's not what I meant. But, let's be real, you're not as strong as all those girls. That's not a bad thing. Someone's got to do all the stuff you do. Look at Kenny. He does a great job, but I battle so I get the glory. You don't see him complaining."
Hilary scoffed. "You are so stupid, Tyson!" Her finger itched to wrap around his throat, but that wasn't anything new. What was new was the fire inside, because it wasn't just because Tyson was being dumb. He'd shown what he really thought of her, after the whole four years she'd been with the team. After everything she'd done!
Tyson could see the anger boiling over and that usually meant she was going to explode any second. But just as he was prepared to run, she surprised him. Her face relaxed, smoothing into a serene expression.
"Thank you, Tyson," she said, grabbing her bag from the ground and leveling him with a calm stare. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the matter."
Hilary walked away, ignoring Kenny as he came back in, excitedly sharing the new parts he'd found. He trailed off as Hilary turned the corner out of the yard. He turned back to Tyson, somehow conveying exhaustion behind his glasses.
"What did you do?"
Tyson scuffed his shoe along the ground, kicked up dust. "Nothing."
Hilary knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to prove Tyson wrong; she could be just as strong as all the other girls she'd met and seen in battle. They were all different, but they were all admirable. She could be that way too if only someone would take her seriously.
Corner by corner, she marched home, contemplating the audacity of one stupid boy. Now she understood why all the boys had left once; the desire to beat Tyson was a strong one. It only made sense to go to a different team.
Hilary stopped.
The idea wasn't original, and she wasn't sure how'd she'd make it happen, but she was seriously considering it. Diverting her course to the BBA, she checked in with Mr. Dickenson's receptionist before being allowed back to his office. Being a part of the team certainly had its perks.
He welcomed her warmly, offering her a seat on the couch. "What is it I can do for you, Hilary?"
"I want to Beyblade, but Tyson doesn't think I'll ever be any good,"
"Tyson doesn't always see things from the right perspective, but he usually comes around." Mr. Dickenson agreed. "If you want to train, I don't see why his opinion should stop you. As an official team member, you're free to use the facilities."
"I was thinking something a little bit more drastic,"
"Oh," he hummed, intrigued, and a little in surprise. "What did you have in mind?"
"To be honest, if I train here, it will take years before I'm strong. I was wondering if you could arrange for me to train... in Russia. With Kai and his team."
"In Russia? With the Blitzkrieg Boys? The training that they do is for experienced Beyblader only. I would not recommend trying to work with them at your level."
"But that's the only way I'll progress quickly." Hilary knew she wanted to train with the best. And if Tyson wouldn't take her seriously, then she'd find the next best. And maybe, if she proved how strong she could be, it'll prove that they're better than Tyson. In a weird, roundabout sort of way.
"Are you sure you wouldn't want to train with the All Stars? The American program is more developed. It's better at taking a beginner and progressing them quickly."
She'd thought about it. After all, she wasn't excited about trying to get the Blitzkreig Boys to train her. She respected them, of course, after seeing what they did with BEGA, but after hearing stories from the others about what they did the first year the boys went to the championships, she preferred to keep her distance. They still looked mean.
But something inside told her going north was the right option. It was the same hunger that made her pick up Dragoon again. It wouldn't be ignored.
He sighed, his little mustache shifting as he considered her proposal. "I suppose I can set it up for you. I have a relationship with the Russian President and I know they've been interested in international students for a while."
"Really?"Hilary jumped forward, surprised he hadn't turned her down. "Thank you!" she repeated several times. "I won't let you down."
"But you'll be responsible once you get there?"
"Absolutely! Responsible is basically my middle name. Plus, Kai's already there."
Agreeing to look into it, Dickenson sent her on her way, saying he'd call once he had an answer. It wasn't a grantee. They might very well turn her away before she could even take a breath.
Stepping out of the building, Hilary knew deep inside that she made the right decision. The surity of it settled heavy in her chest, giving that hunger something to chew on. She went home that night and started making her own arrangements. She'd be in Russia soon enough.
Picking up a picture she had from the last time they'd all been together, she first noticed her happy face. It was hard to believe that had been the final battle between Kai and Tyson. It was just a normal sunny day.
Hilary looked at the group fondly, the sun bright in her eyes. She remembered thinking, 'This is it, it'll all go back to normal.' But it never did. The boys left soon after, and didn't come back. Then, only she was there to deal with Tyson's arrogance and bitterness. She never thought he'd turn it on her.
Her eyes shifted to Tyson and his wide smile.
"Let it rip."