Silvan Arrow: Well, it's finally time for the last chapter!

Tyson: Ooh! Ooh! I wanna do the disclaimer!

Max: No, I wanna do it!

Rei: No, me!

Michelle: What about me? I wanna do it!

Kai and Tala: We'll do it!

Silvan Arrow: O.O Wow…never thought I'd see this happen. Okay, idea! What if you all do it at the same time?

Tyson: Okay!

Everyone: Silvan Arrow does not own beyblade or any of its characters!

Silvan Arrow: Thanks, everyone! Uh…while I go make sure these guys are still in their right minds, I present to you the final chapter! WOOT!

Chapter 14: A New Beginning

After three long days of heavy traveling, the Bladebreakers and Demolition Boys finally arrived in Japan. Tyson let everyone stay at his house, and they turned in early for a well-deserved rest. The next morning, both teams and Mr. Dickinson sat around the breakfast table to catch up on events since the World Championships.

Michelle began, "So, Eri, did you and the Demolition Boys return to the Abbey after the World Championships?"

Eri nodded from her spot next to Tala. "Yeah, we had nowhere else to go. And besides, we couldn't try to escape with Tala in his current state of mind."

"That reminds me: Dizzi and I picked up some strange brain waves from Tala," Kenny remarked. "Did Boris do that to you?"

Tala nodded grimly. "Yeah, he tried to genetically alter my brain and erase my memories so I would just be a mindless fighting machine. If it weren't for Eri, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

"Why did you guys wait so long to bust into the Abbey?" Bryan asked, changing the subject. "If you ask me, you all sure took your sweet time."

"I am terribly sorry, but it took longer than expected to secure an arrest warrant for Boris," Mr. Dickinson replied. "After Tyson defeated Tala and won the World Championships, I immediately brought all the evidence against Boris and Voltaire before the Russian government and the BBA. But those two had friends in high places. It was very difficult to convince some of the officials to approve the arrest warrant and our expedition to the Abbey to rescue the five of you."

"But what about the other kids in the Abbey?" Spencer asked. "Surely you don't mean to just leave them to their fate."

"Absolutely not!" Mr. Dickinson exclaimed. "In fact, I arranged for the BBA to come and take them out of the Abbey soon after we rescued your team. We'll do our best to find their families and provide for those who are homeless."

"And what's the word on Boris and Voltaire?" Ian asked.

"Boris is in jail where he belongs," Kai stated. "But my grandfather has disappeared without a trace."

"So what are you guys gonna do now?" Michelle asked the Demolition Boys.

Tala locked eyes with each of his teammates, and they all nodded in wordless consent. Tala answered, "We're going to travel and see more of the world while competing in tournaments. We have nowhere else to go, so we'll stick together as a team."

"What about your team, Michelle?" Eri asked.

"Kai and I will be staying here for awhile, but I'm not sure about afterwards," Michelle replied, glancing at her boyfriend. Kai spared a small smile.

"I was thinking of returning to my hometown," Rei said. "I want to teach the other kids in my village the skills I've learned in my travels, and I kinda miss my buddies from the White Tigers. It'll be good to see them again."

"I'm going to visit my mom in the United States," Max said happily. "I can't wait to see her again!"

"And the Chief and I will be right here!" Tyson exclaimed. Kenny nodded.

"Well, good luck to all of you," Eri said. "And I'm sure we'll meet again."

"You can count on it!" Michelle exclaimed.

One month later…

Eri, your match begins soon. Are you ready? Pyrix asked.

Yeah, I can't wait, Eri replied. She sat in a locker room in a stadium in Norway, mentally preparing for her team's next battle in the tournament. We've sure come a long way, haven't we? From an orphan to a trainee in the Abbey to a member of the Demolition Boys. I hope my parents are proud.

I have no doubt that they are very proud of you, Eri, Pyrix replied reassuring. I could not ask for a better master.

And I couldn't ask for a better friend, Eri replied with a smile.

Thank you…my friend, Pyrix said. She was silent for a moment and then added Tala is coming.

Eri snapped herself back to reality and stood up as Tala entered the room, closing the door behind him. "You're up first, Eri. Are you ready?"

"Yep. Ready whenever you are, captain," Eri replied, adding a teasing note to the last word.

"Just remember: when we're out in public competing, I am your captain only," Tala reminded her. "I'm…just not comfortable with the whole world knowing we're together."

"I know. It would cause unnecessary problems," Eri replied. She chuckled. "I never imagined you would be so shy about it." She stepped closer and placed a hand on his cheek. "But what about in between tournaments?"

Tala smiled and took her into his arms. "Then it's okay," he whispered into her hair. They shared a soft kiss before pulling away. "Come on. It's time for the match."

Eri nodded and followed Tala to where their teammates were waiting. They entered the stadium amidst the cheers of the crowd. Eri stepped up to the dish and stood across from her opponent. DJ Jazzman was there, as always. "Are the bladers ready?" he asked. Both competitors assumed their launch positions. "Then let's get this show on the road! 3…2…1…LET IT RIP!"

Both bladers launched their beyblades at once and went for the attack. Eri lost track of everything except the battle. Pyrix emerged as her strength melded with her master's. For once, they could beyblade for enjoyment. As this thought crossed Eri's mind, she could only think of one thing to say: "Let's win this, Pyrix!" Pyrix howled in agreement as she clashed with her opponent. After everything they had gone through, they could finally rest easy with the knowledge that their troubles were finally over…

Or were they?

The End

Author's Note: YAY! I'M DONE! Wow, I can't believe I've finally finished! Sorry if this chapter was short, but I couldn't think of how to make it longer. Of course, I couldn't have come this far without the support of all my wonderful reviewers! You guys rock! As you can see, I've left this open for the possibility of a sequel. The only problem: I have absolutely no ideas for a sequel. So…that's where you come in! If you have any ideas for OCs, plot lines, villains, or anything at all, I would love to hear them! I promise to give credit where credit is due, of course. So feel free to tell me any ideas in your reviews, or just send me a private message through my profile. And the invitation is still open for joining my C2. Writing this story has been a very rewarding experience, and I think I've managed to improve my writing style in the process. Well, that's enough chitchat outta me. Please review! See ya later!