Author's Note: Hopefully I didn't miss out anyone when I was replying to reviews... Thanks to everyone who has taken such an interest in this fiction!
Chapter Two
"What happened to you?" Ah, Joseph, he seemed to have went into major-protective mode quicker than she had expected. She was just in the door – attempting to mask her limp but no doubt her brother had to announce to the entire group that there was something wrong. The silly midget...
"Bryan." Mariam sat on the arm on the couch wondering why Ozuma looked so irritated when she had said the name. Then again he'd been moping around all day – oddly enough. Usually he'd be the one to come up with a plan to beyblade some powerful team.
"I told you not to beyblade him." Ozuma hissed as he came from the kitchen, the place was tiny: and mainly because Dunga lived in the kitchen there was barely any room for anyone else to walk in there. Mariam scoffed to herself, what was up with the male population today?
She was trying to say something that would maybe make Ozuma less angry and therefore less, well less bitchy, at her. She didn't need any kind of mental angst – if she did he'd have to answer to Joseph. A scary thought indeed. "I was just testing--" Dunga came out of the kitchen, along with a rather large looking sandwich.
Ozuma cut her off, "I don't care. Don't even speak to him again." Dunga and Joseph gave a quick glance to one another and then to Ozuma. Mariam just glared, she knew exactly why Ozuma was being so pissy now. The captain disappeared and the female blader stood up and aimlessly walked into the kitchen.
"Why is everyone moaning at me today?" Mariam sighed to herself, she couldn't believe that nothing interesting had happened since she had gotten here. She rummaged around for some food and spun on her heel to leave. She frowned as she bumped into something, "Dunga!" The taller blader smirked at the others surprise, "I didn't see you there, which is surprising since you're massive."
Mariam smiled when she noticed that Dunga was trying to keep his cool. Those anger management courses must have been going well. Sadly it wasn't anger management classes he needed he just need to go to actual class then he might then not be so thick.
"That aint nice, Mariam." He said threw clenched teeth. Mariam sighed and wondered why everyone seemed to be in such a foul mood today.
"Why's Ozuma being so grumpy?" She hadn't been moaned at in a while – not from Ozuma anyway, it was obvious why she was on his good side. Them being an item for a while, or rather to be truthful: the two agreed to have some fun until they found someone they were actually wanting. Joseph didn't know: thank heavens, if he did well Ozuma would be getting the 'don't hurt her or else' speech.
"He was challenged to a beyblattle and lost. Really badly." Dunga snorted to himself and wandered into the kitchen. If he had been beyblading, he wouldn't have accepted a challenge not off someone who mysteriously appeared and wanted a battle. No, Dunga would never do something like that: he wasn't that brave.
"Who was it?" Mariam jutted a hip out and shifted her weight to one leg: Bryan was going to pay for doing this to her. She smirked when she remembered how surprised he'd been after he realised he'd been hurt. Hurt wouldn't really be the word for it – more like graze, still he'd seemed most upset to even be touched by Sharkrash.
"Don't know: just appeared out of nowhere and demanded a battle." Mariam rolled her eyes and decided that she may as well fix herself, she did have places to go and people to trick. Well not people just Rei Kon.
"Why'd everyone have to be so mysterious nowadays...it's so annoying." Really it were as if they were being taught by that Kai Hiwatari into how to disappear at a seconds notice. The whole ability to disappear quicker than her, pissed Mariam off. No one should be able to sneak around better than her and her brother.
Why did Rei have to pick a place like this? Mariam was thinking of some big romantic expensive place, but no, he'd chosen some soggy park bench. She had no idea what Mariah saw in this boy. "Mariam?" Rei seemed to have been in thought when Mariam approached. The idiot. Mariam glared for a brief moment before she sat next to Rei on the bench.
"I said I'd come, right?" Mariam shrugged her shoulders and looked around, it wasn't that late but damn it was cold. She so should have worn a jacket – then again Dunga did suggest that and there would be no way Dunga would be right about anything. Apparently he wasn't as dumb as she thought he was.
"Good to hear, how was your trip?" Rei asked politely and watched Mariam carefully, he wasn't really sure what the sudden interest Mariam had in him but he wasn't exactly going to say no to it. She was hot after all.
"Dull." Mariam hated this part, not the lying or the over-exaggeration. Nope, that was all fine and easy in her book, it was small-talk. The mind-numbingly boring chitchat which would occur between them: Rei may have been attractive but he certainly was no master conversationalist.
Taking a deep breath, Mariam started off her lies. "I'm kind of worried," No she wasn't, "about you're team." The only person on the BladeBreakers team that Mariam had ever really cared about was Max. Sad that she had to admit that to herself just when he'd accepted that they'd only be friends. How Mariam wanted to punch him for being such a considerate boy.
"It's not really my team." Rei answered back, he was unsure why Mariam would be worried about anyone. She wasn't exactly the Queen of Empathy perhaps Sneakiness but that would be it at best. Mariam shifted on her seat: she hated park benches – they were always so darn cold!
"Look. I think Ozuma's going to try to seal your bitbeasts away again." Now this got Rei's attention. He frowned at first as if trying to analyse the information which Mariam had said. However Mariam didn't care and continued her lies.
"I don't exactly have much time to stay here: so just tell me this, Rei." Mariam stood up, this could go very badly if Rei didn't tell her anything. Ozuma would be mad if she'd spent so many weeks luring him in to have him be useless.
"Have you anything new this year or are you still, all, the same? Beyblade wise I mean?" Rei's frowned deepened. Only a few years ago were they trying to steal their bitbeasts and not exactly taking any prisoners either. Why should he tell her anything?
"Look, Ozuma's stronger – I just wanna know if you'll beat him or not." Mariam was a little annoyed that she had to elaborate on such a thing. She was acting kind for crying out loud – that didn't happen very often. Well, not the acting part.
"Well Tyson has apparently made up a new move but he's not shown us it yet... everyone else is mostly the same though." Rei watched how Mariam reacted to the answer. He just hoped that he wasn't going to regret it. She seemed to be all in this for good intentions, she wasn't just...using him surely?
"That's good to hear." Mariam didn't need to force a smile, she was happy that she'd managed to get something out of Rei. At least all this time of being friends hadn't been wasted. The poor boy really did have too nice a nature. "I'd better get back – Ozuma's in a really foul mood." Mariam sighed, although he was in a foul mood he'd certainly be cheered up by this.
"Yeah, I should make sure that Kai and Tyson aren't at one anothers' throats." Rei nodded and stood up, wiping off imaginary dirt and glancing at Mariam again. She however had already set off back home. Sighing to himself Rei wandered back to the dojo in which he was staying.
A yawn, "Poor, gullible Rei." Bryan hadn't meant to eavesdrop but he couldn't help it when he had heard Mariam ask about beyblading. Really was
He kicked a stone which fell into the river, Bryan watched the ripples until they disappeared and sighed out. "What a boring campus," he rolled his eyes, he thought that being here would cause some drama to happen. Something, anything. Really – he was beginning to regret not bringing Ian or Hiwatari. At least he could have annoyed the hell out of them. "Is everything here all rainbows and daisies?"
He hissed and looked around, his face went completely blank of emotion when he noticed that there actually was a rainbow. "Oh for the love of--! I need some excitement." Why wasn't there any bank robbers, or murders around here? Damn, he was so bored he would gladly walk around in the darkest alley with a sign 'Mug me, I'm rich', just for something to do. Just for something to happen.
Alleyways were always good for something, he'd go investigate and hoped that there would be no one begging for money. Where were the good old beggars that took to crime? The ones Bryan actually enjoyed hurting...
"Oh, please I wouldn't go near you even if I was paid to." He stopped and tilted his head that came from below him – which was down in the ditches. On occasion the river would flood, and so large drenches were made as to compensate. Interesting? Not fucking likely.
"Women should be in the kitchen-" he narrowed his eyes as he heard another voice, it seemed as if people were arguing, he'd have to watch. It'd waste a few moments of boredom, "-not trying to beyblade." Oh, a sexist moron, lovely.
Bryan looked down and tried to pin-point where the people actually where, so he could at least see what was happening. From what it looked like the girl, who Bryan recognised after a few minutes, and some punk blader. "So you say this is a man's sport?" Bryan blinked, it seemed as if the girl was hurt she wasn't standing, but kneeling down and holding her leg. The guy on the other hand looked smug. "Then why are you playing?" Mariam spat back and the once smug face disappeared.
So the battle wasn't that interesting but Bryan did have to comment on some of the witty insults thrown between both of the bladers. This was the best part of beyblading, well the best part out of watching other people beyblading.
It wasn't that hard to know that the girl would win. The inexperienced blader had called out his bitbeast far too late and he wasn't exactly the fastest or strongest blader Bryan had seen.
"Wimp." Mariam stood up, though opted to place most if not all of her weight on her opposite leg. The other wasn't doing so good. The guy had come out of no where and pushed her in, demanding her beyblade. Yeah, because she really was going to handle it over like every other self-respecting beyblader would.
"You – you must have cheated!" Bryan rolled his eyes, well all manliness of this guy was certainly going – fast. Bryan tilted his head when the blue-haired girl limped away, "Just accept your loss." It wasn't as if Bryan cared why she was limping or if she was hurt. He was wondering how she planned to defend herself from that guy.
"Ah!" A hand on her shoulder made Mariam tense and before she knew it she had been spun round, "You creep." Then again the punk didn't think the hot-heated Mariam would think of a plan quickly however he was provided, painfully wrong as Mariam kneed him where it hurt.
The punk balder grimaced and ended up on the floor, "Owch." A voice from up-above made Mariam jump slightly until she realised who it was. It was her turn to rub her head. What had she done to deserve so many annoying men to... well annoy her today?
"What do you want?" She called back wondering how long Bryan had been there for. Maybe he was just watching in case she needed help. Hmm, there really must have been something in the water. Bryan didn't help people...
"Pity, I didn't have some refreshments for that little scene." He had to say it had kept him occupied for a good few minutes, now for something else to do. He rolled his shoulder and heard a few clicks as the bone popped back into place.
"I think you should get back to your adoring fan." Mariam shot back and slowly started making her way up the opposite side. She wanted to be as far away from that guy and Bryan as possible.
The guy that had managed to be beaten by the girl ended up groaning and seemed to be planning some form of revenge, no doubt non-beyblade related revenge. Bryan watched as Mariam's back was turned and the moron stood up and glared in her direction. "And if I don't?" Bryan replied slowly, but he didn't want to deal with cowards at the minute and launched Falborg promptly.
He grabbed his beyblade back as quickly as he had launched her, "You'll end up like him." Mariam turned around and pointed to the guy who was still on the ground. She frowned, the guy seemed to have moved...
"I'm terrified." Bryan smirked as he heard the lame comeback that this girl had used, he couldn't remember her name. He was sure it was Maria...or something.
"Oh, go to Hell." Mariam shouted back, she kneeled down to look at the cut on her leg – so long as it wasn't infected she'd be fine. It occurred to her that by using the same phrase at Bryan he'd get bored of saying the same thing too and maybe say something she could then reply back with something a little more witty.
"Been there done that." The reply made Mariam wonder what Bryan meant by that but she shook her head not really wanting to know, who really did want to know what went on in Bryan's head? However what Bryan yelled after it was something even more jaw-droopingly curious, in reality it was a bitch-slapping offence.
"Are you a whore?" Mariam blinked and glared at Bryan – suddenly folding her arms over her chest and her entire body tensing. Bryan was an ass, who knows why he had so many fans that loved him. "I saw you with Kon." Bryan added, he didn't really care why but he was something of a nosy-parker.
"I didn't think you'd be able to understand relationships..." She forced a smile at Bryan, "I was right," with that she turned and walked away, however all Bryan did was jump over the narrow-ended ditch and start to follow the blue-haired woman.
"I'm not gullible," Bryan sighed, his hands in his pockets again. He watched as Mariam turned around on her heel. He blinked – she looked pretty pissed – he smirked, today had been pretty amusing.
"Then don't upset Kon's little fantasy world." Bryan lifted an eyebrow but decided to let Mariam go off in whatever direction she was going in. He had training to go to and he was not going to be late. Being late would no doubt, ultimately, mean he'd have to do something embarrassing or mind-numbingly boring... or both.
Again this place was so nice and calm that it was just pain old boring. Really, did everyone and everything exciting or remotely fun decide to move away for the weekend? Or was it a special event just because he was here?
"Huh?" Bryan frowned and turned around, he'd been wandering in the park but every now and again he'd heard footsteps – turn around and no one would in sight. There was someone following him, no doubt that damn fan or even that girl from a few days ago. That girl he'd asked Tala about once, though with the odd look from his team he had to shut up. He didn't want them getting any weird ideas, and knowing them they probably already had some twisted thoughts on the subject.
He turned back around and shook his head, life was dull-- "Ah!" A sudden pain came across the back of his shoulder, Bryan ended up his knees. This was sore, whatever it was. "Damn it..." Bryan twisted his head awkwardly to see what had happened to cause such pain.
Someone had shot something into him. A dart. Someone had shot a dart. What the hell? Was he living near some ancient ground? Were the natives upset or something? "Ah..." He grabbed it and yanked it from his shoulder, he hissed when he stood back up.
Well, that had been interesting.
However, over the past few weeks his shoulder turned from it's normal pale white to a ghastly purple and yellow. He'd been yelled at constantly by Tala to do more training as he was slacking off...still if he told them what was wrong they'd make him go to hospital. No matter what he would not go there.
"You look like shit, man." Tala commented as Bryan walked passed him. He looked ill but Bryan being Bryan, he wouldn't tell until he was throwing up his very insides. Bryan mumbled a 'thanks'. Man...Tala really could install a whole load of self-confidence in people.
Going outside was when it happened and so Bryan was hoping that maybe it would miraculously heal after a while. Though now he was beginning to feel very bad – so bad in fact his eyesight was failing him. Lights became blurry and his legs had turned into a form of jelly.
"What's wrong with you?" He sighed to himself, the gods weren't tormenting him enough? Bryan harshly yelled at the voice not wanting to really socialise with anyone, then again when did he ever actually socialise?
"Get lost." Before another insult or warning to get away Bryan was violently sick. At first Mariam thought maybe Bryan was drunk and had a little too much. Still, Mariam was probably just going to ask then leave him alone – her conscience would no doubt irritated her if she hadn't. Yet there was something about Bryan being 'unable to handle his drink' that didn't seem right...
He looked terrible, even by Mariams' standards – he had dark circles under his eyes, he looked even paler than normal and of course now he had the familiar stench of vomit coming off him. "There's an old house near here – come on." Mariam sighed, she really didn't want to help someone who had implied she slept around – for money – but maybe she could get the Demolition Boy to owe her one. If it was possible it would allow her ego to grow a bit more. If that were possible.
He hated the fact that he was ill – actually who enjoys being ill, not sick like you usually can wing a few days of work in order to stay away from that really annoying colleague... No, but ill, where you just pray that you'll get better so you can stop feeling so damn miserable. Still he was actually accepting someone's help. Darn that was minus a few pride points.
The journey seemed to go on forever, but as soon as Bryan noticed that Mariam stopped helping him walk and wander over to a house door, inside he celebrated. No doubt he'd probably have to sit on some horrible dirty floor and-- "There we go..." Mariam stopped helping Bryan as he half-collapsed onto the couch.
Apparently it wasn't as old as Mariam had said, in fact it was pretty modern. "This doesn't look that old." Bryan coughed and grabbed his shoulder, whoever had done this to him would pay severely. So severely that even Tala would give them sympathy. Pray, they didn't meet.
Mariam wandered away and came back with a small greenish box, however Bryan seemed to understand what that meant and the last of his pride made him refuse the aid. "Just leave me, I'll be fine in a minute."
However, having to put up with a very proud brother among other things had made Mariam a little more aware of this 'pride' subject. "What are you doing?" Bryan glared at her when she started unpacking the small box and placing it on a small table.
"It's your shoulder, right?" Mariam sighed and wondered what would cause someone who usually was as, dare say, as fit as a fiddle be so horribly unwell. "So – how'd this happen?" A few moments of glaring and staring ensued, Bryan decided that he may as well give up some pride in order to actually feel a bit better. He was feeling that bad.
"Someone shot me with a dart." He wasn't surprised when Mariam looked at him in disbelief, it's not everyday you hear someone got shot with a dart. It would be like hearing about a drive-by shooting but with good old bows and arrows, a fantastic from the fantasy world gone a-wall and thinking he was the next Robin Hood.
"A dart?" Mariam sighed, well it wasn't too unbelievable seeing as people from a few tribes , including her own did still use darts. But even there it was a rarity. "Well, let's see--" Bryan didn't feel too comfortable in removing his top or jacket, and so merely lifted it up until the injured shoulder was revealed.
Mariam blinked, it looked revolting. She was surprised she didn't throw up there and then, then again that in itself was a sickening thought. Mariam sighed and went off and quickly washed her hands, Bryan kept an eye on what she was doing but when she came back and placed her hands on his shoulder he couldn't help but ask.
"What the hell are you doing?" His eyes were narrowed, but not because he was glaring, he just couldn't see that well at the minute. Mariam sighed again, and decided that she'd need to explain what she was doing or else Bryan would probably kill her.
"There's pus. I'm going to try and get some out, it'll make you feel better." The reasoning behind it didn't seem flawed and so Bryan went back to staring blankly ahead, until Mariam squeezed the infected area.
"Ah! Woman!" Bryan jumped off the seat in which he had been placed on, that was damn well painful. This was karma proving its point again, he should be nice – or else people will come and dart him to death. Fabulous.
"I believe it's poisoning the surrounding area, if we don't get it out you'll die from blood poisoning." Mariam spoke as quickly as she could seeing as Bryan didn't appear at all happy at how sore it had been. Then again maybe she should have told him to brace himself?
"Do whatever." Bryan sighed it was either this, doing it himself or going to hospital. The two of the latter options just could not be done – so he'd have to let this Mariam help him. How Bryan was really regretting the mocking of boring days. He wanted excitement and he got shot. Fantastic. All he needed was to wish for a few million and he'd be given a check that would no doubt bounce.
"It'll be sore." Mariam warned, Bryan rolled his eyes , he could tell it was going to be due to what happened say, no more than a few moments ago. Still Mariam didn't really want to hurt him again, not as if he didn't deserve the pain. In Mariam's opinion he deserved a lot more than a poisoned shoulder. However, a pained Bryan meant an angry Bryan and an angry Bryan was not good especially if she was here herself.
"If you know how to - just do it." Bryan snapped as he sat back down, although he appeared to have changed positions, and leant slightly forward, away from Mariam. He held his head in his hands, his elbows leaned on the top of his knees. His leg was twitching nervously. She nodded and got some sterile wipes from the small box.
She braced herself for some noise of anguish. She once again pressed the infected skin as pus leaked out she'd wipe it away with the small cloth. "Ah!" Of course Mariam would stop in order for Bryan to at least stop yelling, to compose himself a little before continuing. "Fucking hell!" The entire thing took a few hours as Mariam couldn't help but stop when Bryan would sub-consciously lean further away from her.
"I can't get anymore out..." She said and looked down at the wipes which had been used, several of them had large amount of pus on them. She sighed and cleared everything up, before asking. "How's your shoulder feeling?" Mariam asked politely not in the mood for any sort of insulting contest.
"I'll ask it when it stops hurting." Bryan was still leaning over slightly, he'd spoke his words through clenched teeth and Mariam couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. No one really deserved that kind of poison. Okay, so maybe Bryan did.
Mariam started puling out other things from the box, one in particular caught Bryan's interest though not for the best of reasons. Mariam watched as Bryan eyed the packaged needle with much disgust. Mariam tilted her head and smiled, now this was interesting. "I didn't think you'd be scared of jags, Bryan."
No more than a few seconds at staring at the needle Bryan's attention turned towards Mariam. "Don't judge me unless you know me." Mariam sighed, she didn't really get Bryan. He liked seeing other's squirm, he liked making fun of others yet when it happened to him: it was different.
"Up for another round then?" Mariam chirped, she was trying to entice Bryan into saving some pride by challenging him, though all he did was look back at her with a somewhat saddened gaze. Hmm, not what she had been expecting. On the other hand she didn't think in a million years she'd be helping someone other than Joseph or herself, willingly.
"Give me a minute..." Bryan stared down at the floor again still holding onto his shoulder as if it would fall off at any given moment. It must have been hurting a lot to have a Demolition Boy not take up on a challenge. Mariam glanced at his back for a moment: there were scars, and lots of them.
"Okay." Mariam nodded and would every now and again try to look at the raised flesh on Bryan's back. They must have hurt, whatever had caused them had broke the skin in such an odd way. Still the Demolition Boy seemed to be oblivious with what Mariam was looking at and merely asked a question which jerked the female blader out of her thoughts.
"You know what you're doing, right?" Bryan didn't want to accept help and have it worse than what it would have been if he had merely left it alone. If Mariam said that she had no idea how to curse, or rather make his shoulder even slightly better then he was standing up and leaving. Before the woman ended up going mad scientist on him – and deciding to help him even if he didn't want it.
Mariam sighed, "I won't lie..." She frowned when she spoke, as if it were a foreign phrase or idea. "We use this type of poison in our village." Bryan shifted his injured arm away from her hoping that the sudden suspicion that came over him to be false. It was not the greatest feeling knowing that the person next to him could be responsible for his injury. It was possible that it had been her, he did beat her – no doubt this was revenge! The cow...
"So you could have done this?" Bryan snapped and glared at her, on the other hand Mariam shook her head and stood up not wishing to listen to Bryan accusing her even though she was helping him. The bastard...
"Unfortunately no. Only men are taught how to do poison and fighting...and beyblading..." Mariam owed Ozuma and her brother so much, no doubt if they hadn't stood up for her – and her interest in beyblading then she wouldn't have been allowed to leave the village.
"Sound patriarchal." Bryan mumbled though his doubt wasn't lifted: Mariam said only males learned beyblading, she obviously could beyblade – no matter how terrible – so it could be possible that she still could be the culprit who had decided to poison him with a dart.
Silence followed for another few minutes as Mariam's attention went back to Bryan's arm. "It is...which is why it annoys me when women – here – who have so much going for them just want to be a doormat to dim-witted men." Bryan wasn't too interested in the whole idea of knowing what was going inside her head, after all then she might believe that she owes him information. "No offence." Mariam muttered again.
Bryan stayed silent for the most part only giving a nod or grunt in reply to what Mariam was saying. Mariam believed he wasn't really listening to him, as if he was in some dreamland which made him stay still. Only expression wise, he was still pulling away whenever Mariam went near his shoulder like a child with a splinter. "Even though it's really red now...It looks better."
"What are you doing now?" Bryan frowned when he saw Mariam enter the kitchen with a white cloth and then shove the material under the cold tap. Bryan frowned when the girl came back, apparently trying to place the damp cloth on his shoulder as if he was going to just sit there and let something unbearably cold be added to his shoulder.
"Putting a dressing on it?" Mariam rolled her eyes when Bryan stood up, obviously not enjoying the fact that he needed a bandage. Why was he having a problem with place a tiny bandage and a plaster to hold the material in place?
"Why does an old house have a first aid kit?" Bryan frowned when his head continued to become lighter, he'd stood up way too fast – and with the mild poison running through his system it wasn't the greatest combination.
"I lodge in this place – I know the owner." Mariam hoped that he wouldn't ask anymore questions about this place. It wasn't hers and the only reason why she had managed to lodge here, was by telling a sob-story which was an utter lie. Not like the owner knew that.
"Can I continue to help you now?" Bryan scoffed and sat back down, he was too tired now, all he wanted was this task to be over so he could disappear and never see this girl again. There was no point in hanging around, Tala would probably be on the hunt for him because of his odd reactions today.
Bryan believed he was now able to escape this house and go back to the apartment. However that's when he decided something was very odd. Mariam said she lived here while a friend was away, so why was her team still living downstairs?
Author's Note: Well that's the second chapter up, hopefully it's alright - it's a few hundred words longer. Anyway thanks for reading and I hope you submit a little review, if not - later!