Yo! This may look a little different to old readers, but don't worry! I've only re-edited all the inconsistencies, like the names changing and a few others. There are only minor changes, as I was rather fed up when I read this and realized how horribly random I was. I'm sorry, and hopefully this new version will make things clearer.

Warning!!! I HAVE NOT CHANGED THE STORY! ALL CHANGES WERE MINOR AND HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON THE STORY THUS FAR! Thank you for your understanding.

Disclaimer: I have no monetary claims or gains on either the series, Beyblade, itself nor the production of this story. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this series are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Enjoy.

All Bets Are Off

"Don't even try it. Trust me on that one pal. It's a suicide mission."

For unexplainable reasons, this caught his interest. It was just some random conversation between two hormonally-challenged average-looking teens. In a club. While he was on his way to the bar. But it did and brought him to a stop. His friend cast him a look he ignored and scowled.

"She's already rejected practically everyone in here. And besides, did you see the guy she came with? Hiwatari's friend. I heard he's taking bets over who can or cannot get her to give 'em her number."

That did it. He brushed past the teens with curiosity. His friend growled. That's all it took. His rival's name plus the mention of a bet and his friend was stalking toward the lounge area with a well-known challenging glint in his eyes.

Miriam was the first to see him and she nudged her lilac-haired friend on the shoulder and pointed at him. The dark gray-purple eyes lit when they met the un-amused gold eyes and icy blue.

"Evening, Ivanov. Didn't know you were here." He greeted as the redhead dropped into a vacant seat without invitation.

"Kuznetsov. Sharkrash. Evening. I am to understand there's a bet being challenged to the clientèle. I want details." He was pointedly temporarily ignored.

"Good evening, Kon, enjoying yourself?" The gold-eyed friend of Tala's nodded curtly and dropped into the other chair.

"Details are you have to get her number. If you get the right one, you'll have won the bet. If she gives you the wrong one, you lose. If she talks to you at all." Miriam said her dark green eyes hardened with challenge.

"Which one is she?" He gestured to the crowd. "Or am I supposed to guess?"

"She's at the bar. Hard to miss." Bryan pointed at the bar and his face cracked into a smirk when recognition flashed across Tala's.

Rei lifted a brow at the obvious stun on his friend's face and turned to see the object of the bet. And she was a goddess.

Like darkness personified. She stood at the bar, drink balanced precariously in her hand, silver accessories glinting in the strobe lights. Her hair was black, her bangs untamed and the rest pulled into a pony-tail. It was familiar but too vague. A leather halter top was chased in silver and there was only an inch of exposed skin between it and her leather mini-skirt. Fishnet ended where thigh-high boots began and over one arm was a recently removed red leather duster.

He couldn't see her eyes or much else but her body language told her attitude. "Get-near-me-and-die" radiated from her entire being.

He looked back at Bryan. "Does she have a name?"

"Only if she gives you one."

"Boyfriend?"

Here Bryan smirked lazily. "Not quite."
And Tala narrowed his eyes. "And that means? I'm not about to exchange cash over a trivial matter like a phone number if she's got a boyfriend determined to break it before I win."

"She's unattached in that sense. And no there's no girlfriend. What I meant was simple. Hiwatari's got his eye on her. We're seeing if she likes to sleep around or would be willing to cheat on him. Which of course he's no idea about."

Tala began to grin icily as he listened. Hiwatari's love interest. How perfect. It would be a huge win for him if he stole her away. It would show that arrogant cocky asshole.

"I accept. Rei, watch my seat. This won't take long." He smirked as he left the table and made his way to the bar.

"What do you know that you aren't telling?" Rei asked after he vanished. Bryan grinned and looked over to Miriam.

"Let's just say that Kai owed us a favor. And tonight's gonna be eye-opening. For the both of them." Miriam absently stirred her drink as she replayed her day.

Rei scowled and flitted his eyes between them. "Is he here somewhere?"

"Who?" For a moment they looked confused but then understanding flashed. "Oh. Yeah, you could say that."

"Let's just watch the show."

-X-

"Evening. Like a refill?" He asked casually as he stood beside her. He knew she had given him at least a bit of attention because she turned slightly to look beside her.

"No need. I can get my own." She gestured to the barman and waited patiently as he filled her glass.

"Not many can stomach that." He commented as she drank some of the Russian vodka straight. He signaled for one of the same and leisurely sat into the barstool. She scowled and dropped her coat across the back of another one before sitting. He discreetly watched as she settled into the stool and lean her elbow on the bar.

"Not many are dumb enough to try. Are you sure you won't need me to tell your friend to call a cab? Dizzy yet, kid?"

He grinned feral but with enough humor in it to show he wasn't offended. But inside he was writhing in rage at being addressed as 'kid'.

"I'm sure I can handle it. I've a taste for this." He tipped his glass in her direction. "Do you have a name or would any insult suffice?"

She smirked at this retort. "Ice. Or if you prefer bitch. Sorry kid, but unless you want shot down brutally I suggest you up the charm."

He held up a hand in mock surrender. "Let me try again. Evening Ice Bitch. Would you like a refill?"

Her eyes were the color of moonlight. Maybe. For a moment he thought he saw another color hidden by this sheet of silver but dismissed it. She grinned. "Delighted."

-X-

I friggin hate you both. I hate you. I Hate. You. He silently willed them to burst into flames. This was the most uncomfortable and near-humiliating he could experience. Here he was cross-dressed to the gills in some trashy outfit Miriam forced him into and his rival flirting unwittingly with him. He desperately wished he could slam his head on the table. Somewhere the gods were laughing at him shamelessly.

His day had been relatively great and then he left his bathroom. If Bryan or Miriam showed any surprise that he strode into his bedroom naked and with his hair wet, they didn't show it. Instead, this is what happened.

"You owe us something, Phoenix. And we're here to collect." He grimaced and nodded. It was given that they would demand recompense. He sat on his bed and waited as they exchanged evil grins and turned them on him.

"You're going to get dressed in the outfit Shark brings later and you'll come with us to a club. There's going to be a bit of a bet involved and tonight we're going to earn some cash." Not to mention, add to your list of things-never-to-be-known-to-the-world-about-Kai- "Phoenix"- Hiwatari, they ended mentally.

"Fine." He nodded sharply. Nothing they could do could be that bad. Or so he thought. Then Miriam had shone up with fishnet and leather and he felt his stomach drop. So contacts were shoved into his eyes, hiding the crimson, and concealer was rubbed over his tattoos. And his natural silver and blue hair dyed black.

"I hate you both." He said as he closed his eyes and flinched away from the mirror.

"Aw, we love you too. Sure you're a guy under all that? You're a little feminine, Phoenix." Bryan draped an arm over his shoulder and was rewarded with a fist in the stomach.

"Now behave and play nice with the kiddies. We're going to go start making some money on your asexual ice-bitch ass." Miriam and Bryan cackled all the way to the club as he silently wished for the night to end.

-X-

"How many have you rejected so far?" He gestured to the crowd of writhing bodies at her look. She smirked evilly.

"You're going to be the next name on a very long list, kid." Her voice was husky and low and he had to strain to hear it over the music. It sent goosebumps up his arms.

"I might be. How many others out there have you accepted a drink from or know your name?" He smirked as she scowled slightly. She sat her drink down with a definite clink.

"Your charm's blowing me away. Arrogant much?" She said with enough ice and hardness in her voice to let him know she wasn't impressed or warming to him. Earlier exchanges were friendly compared to this.

"Without a doubt. Why are you at this club Ice? Surely there's another not as tacky for tastes like yours." He was being a bit daring here but she responded rather well to insults rather than flattery or free drinks.

"There is another one I frequent. I was drug here by Falcon and Shark. Nothing more to say." She signaled for a refill and a brow rose. She could hold her liquor indeed.

"Which one is it? Perhaps I've been there."

"Blitzkrieg." She glanced at him, watching his reaction. It was a well-known tough club. Owned by her…him…Owned by Kai.

"Hiwatari's place." He repressed the urge to snarl. His rival's club. He hated Hiwatari but Blitzkrieg, his favorite club to date, was a begrudgingly acknowledged haven.

"Do you not approve?" She purred with dangerous silk in her tone. He met her eyes, unable to read the moonlight. But her tone…

"I like the place. My favorite club. It's the owner I'm not fond of." He couldn't hide this to her, information that she was his love-interest be damned.

"You hate him?" She asked, intrigue and expectation in her voice. Like she already knew it…He furrowed his brow and turned icy cold blue eyes on her.

"He's an arrogant asshole. He wastes money, is a shameless gigolo and hates me with as much conviction."

"Are you so sure?" She asked in a deadpan. She glared at him in an oddly familiar way…She looked like she was clutching the drink to prevent herself from turning those hands on him.

"Of course I'm sure. He glares at me for no reason. He criticizes everything I say and flirts with whatever chick I'm even standing by." He frowned. When had this turned on him? "Why Blitzkrieg?"

She ignored his attempt to change the subject. "Does he?"

He hesitated but then nodded grudgingly. "It pisses me off."

"I couldn't tell. It's Blitzkrieg because I like the atmosphere. This place is somewhere I don't want to be."

"Want to go there?" He asked and signaled for a refill.

"Later perhaps. With you, no." She smiled and it, for a moment, appeared as though she was the dangerous cat than blended in the shadows and lights.

"You wound me." He placed a hand on his chest in mock-hurt. "My friend and I are only here because Hiwatari is not."

"Aw, kid, you're scared of him." She smiled dangerously as he growled and slammed his glass down.

"I'm not scared of anyone! I came here for a good time, good drink and good music." He glared at her, unable to stop the reaction before he remembered he was supposed to hit her up for her number.

-X-

"He's not doing so well." She smirked as she pointed to them. Bryan nodded and glared humorously at Rei.

"Well, Kitty? Do you think he'll get her number?" Bryan purred out and sipped the drink before him smugly.

Rei had doubts. He had no idea what they were saying but from all point of views, Tala was clearly forgetting that he had a bet to win. He looked moments away from arguing with her and starting a fight. He just prayed Tala kept his temper in check.

-X-

"Right. Sit down, kid, I'll get you another." He sat but ignored the drink placed at his elbow.

"It's Tala. Tala Ivanov. Not Kid." She grinned and his stomach dropped again.

"Right. Ice. Ice Daimonov. Not Bitch." She offered a hand and they shook. Her hand had calluses and it was rough but still smooth. Her fingers long and aristocratic.

"Dance with me." He said when she released his hand. She looked taken aback for a moment and then shook her head warily.

"I can't do that. Sorry." She gestured to her coat and the unseen objects hidden in the pockets that she didn't want stolen. He called a barman over and handed him a few bills. "Watch her coat, please." He forced her to hand it over to him and then took her hand.

She hesitated and had a surprisingly strong grip. And he obviously wasn't going to move her unless she said so.

"Are you scared?"

He wasn't supposed to leave the bar area so Bryan and Miriam could keep an eye on him. So they knew he hadn't run off. But his rival was pulling him into the swaying mass of bodies whether he wanted to or not.

And the question only made him take a few steps further to lead him into the dance floor. And purposefully ignore all the reasons why it was an amazingly awful idea.

She was thin. He knew that without placing hands on her. But what he couldn't see were the muscles that were hidden by clothing and beneath pale skin. He placed a hand on her waist and could feel the slimness.

She rolled her hips and his arm fell away and they began swaying in time to the beat. They were just another pair in the crowd. But they were focused on each other, not the crowd. Focused on how to get out of this and win the bet. Focused on how to get away without being discovered.

He placed hands on either side of her waist and pulled her closer. "Can you keep up?"

"Can I? Can you?" She narrowed her eyes and twisted her hips to fleetingly bring them closer and then pushed them away.

He grinned wolfishly and challenge lit behind the icy azure for the first time directed at her. She smirked and let her arms wrap around her waist as if taunting him. She wasn't like the night. She was a fire. Teasingly beautiful. Entrancing. Volcanic. But dangerous. It was obvious that he would have to work harder if he wanted to dance with her like how he'd planned.

She opened her eyes and the red strobe made them glow. For the second time he saw another color hidden behind the moonlight but it vanished as the blue strobe began. She let a grin ghost across her face as the beat changed and he barely had time to catch the new beat. She was flawless in her moves. Achingly similar moves…He knew someone else who moved with that type of grace.

Rei maybe…or Lee? No…he hid his frown and watched her sway with more intent than he had meant. The way she avoided contact with everyone but seemed frighteningly intimate. That was the style he'd seen before…But to place it…

"Distracted?" She frowned at him and took a brief moment to brush away a bang. "I must be losing my touch…" She muttered discreetly.

"Huh? Oh! No, uh, sorry, but, uh…" He mentally slapped a hand to his forehead. He was an idiot! She didn't take his stuttering too well either. Not that he was much impressed. His quick-bladed tongue was what had saved his life, figuratively, from the blood-thirsty hands of Hiwatari.

She shook her head and seemed to vanish into the writhing bodies if he hadn't caught a glimpse of silver eyes, white pale skin and black leather. She was at the bar and claiming her coat.

"Wait!" he placed a hand on the bar to steady himself. She cast him one look, shook her head and frowned. "Sorry. I just got caught up in my head. I didn't mean to give you the impression that I was mentally undressing you."

Ah, one could not say that Tala lacked tact.