Hello everyone,

It's been a while for this story hasn't it? -_-''

Well college work has really been hitting me hard recently. Plus I wanted to get "Friend Or Foe?" going while the ideas were still fesh in my head. But anyway, here's the LAST CHAPTER!!

BIG THANKS to FullMetalBec, Lilbee17, Tala Is Shining and especally CapatainKai01896 for reviewing the last chapter. I'm glad you all liked it especally you CaptainKai01896!! ^-^

This is just a short story as a little present to my best friend CaptainKai01896. As she has helped me loads on my stories with ideas for battles and stuff in general. Plus she has used Tari in two of her stories.

So in return this story features her Beyblade OC Marina Kingston.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own Beyblade or its characters in any shape or form, BUT I DO own my OC Tari and I own THIS story plot. And I HAVE PERMISSION to use Marina from CaptainKai01896

enjoy

Chapter 4: A New Beginning

A few days had passed since Tari’s encounter with Ember after school, and her rescue by Brooklyn. Not that anyone else knew about that. Only Tari and Brooklyn knew, and they agreed not to tell anyone else. Well Ember knew about it as well, but no one would believe him if he told them.

The day after the encounter she had had the day off school so the few injuries she had could heal a bit. But she still had a bandage on her left wrist and a few bruises on her legs.

“So, she won’t tell you what happened to her?” Bryan asked at break time on the day Tari had come to school sporting her bandaged wrist. As she wasn’t talking to any of them, the guys had decided to ask Kai since he should know being Tari’s brother. But he didn’t know either.

“No. She came home the night after last in that condition. She was lucky dad was working late that night, otherwise she would have been shouted at on the spot. I asked her what happened and she said it was none of my business” Kai said. They were all looking over at where Tari was sat.

Spencer then spoke up. “She must have told your dad what happened though, I mean it’s not like she could hide her injuries from him” he said. Some of the other guys nodded.

But Kai shook his head. “Well she said it happened when she walked home from school. So of course I had to agree with her otherwise my dad would have figured out that she had had detention and then she would be in even more trouble” he said.

The bell for the end of break rang and Tala, Marina and Ian headed off to their lessons as they were on the other side of the school building. So they wanted to get there before they got into trouble for being late.

Kai looked over at his sister and sighed. “Tari’s been acting so different recently, I’m worried about her and I want to talk to her. But all she does is ignore me and shut me out. It’s not like her at all” he said as he lowered his head slightly and looked at the floor.

He looked up when Bryan placed a hand on his shoulder. “Things will look up Kai, you’ll see” the short grey haired teen said with a small smirk.

Spencer nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Tari probably just needs some alone time. She’ll be back to making sarcastic comments and teasing Ian before you know it” he said, also trying to cheer up his friend.

“Thanks guys” Kai said and he smirked slightly, Bryan and Spencer returned his smirk with one as well. “Come on, we had better get to class before we get marked down as late” Kai continued as he started to walk across the field and towards the school building.

Bryan and Spencer followed behind him as did Brooklyn. But Brooklyn was dawdling as he was looking over at Tari. ‘I know how you feel Tari, but I hope things get sorted out soon. Your friends are starting to worry about you’ he thought as he walked quickly to catch the others up.

Lessons passed quickly and soon it was lunchtime, after they had eaten their lunch in the canteen, the guys headed out on the field and down to their usual hangout place. Brooklyn said he would see Marina at the end of school and the guys in class or if not tomorrow and then disappeared without telling anyone where he was going.

When they reached the bottom of the field Spencer and Ian began discussing what their science teacher did when the experiment they did went wrong. Bryan was chuckling at it and Kai was smirking. Tala was chuckling as well, but he stopped when he realised Marina was being really quiet.

“Are you ok Marina? You’re very quiet since Brooklyn left” Tala asked as he wrapped an arm around the Japanese girls’ waist and twirled a piece of her hair in his free hand.

Marina nodded. “I’m ok Tala. I’m just a little worried about Brookie that’s all. I mean for the past few days he’s been coming in from school late or going out in the evenings and if not that then he spends all evening in his room. It’s just not like him” she said.

“She sounds like his mum” Ian mumbled. Bryan thumped him on the back of the head and told him to button it. Luckily neither Tala nor Marina had heard what the indigo haired teen said. So Ian managed to get away and live, this time.

Kai didn’t hear what the indigo haired had said either, but he had heard what Marina had said about Brooklyn’s behaviour and it reminded him of someone. “Sounds similar to what’s happening to Tari” he mused out loud after mulling it over in his head.

Tala heard this and it made him angry, he growled lightly. “The world doesn’t revolve around you and your sister Hiwatari. There are other people in this world or are we all below you? Is that why you always look down your nose at us?” Tala stated. His statement surprised the others.

Kai frowned. “I didn’t mean it like that Tala. I was just saying…” he started, but Tala interrupted him sounding even angrier.

“Yeah well I don’t remember asking for your opinion and besides there is a difference. Brooklyn’s probably acting like this because he’s new to the area and still getting used to the change. Whilst Tari is jealous of Marina and heartbroken over me. So pathetic in other words” Tala stated, he closed his eyes as he was pleased with his statement.

“Er Tala” Ian said in a nervous voice. Tala opened his eyes to see a really ticked off Kai glaring at him. Kai was furious; he growled under his breath and made a grab for the red head. But Spencer grabbed hold of him, Bryan had to help as Spencer was struggling to keep grip of the dual bluenette.

“When I get free you are so dead Valkov!” Kai stated as he continued to growl and glare at the red head. But no matter how much he struggled he couldn’t break out of the combined grip of Spencer and Bryan. So he gave up.

Tala smirked and looked down at Marina, feeling pretty good with himself as he thought he had defended her. But Marina was frowning at him. “Tala, that wasn’t right. I mean I thought you said Tari was your friend? Well it’s not very friendly to say things like that. I think you owe Kai an apology” she said.

“But Marina…” Tala started, trying to object to what she was trying to get him to do. As apologising wasn’t something Tala was used to doing, especially to someone like Kai. But Marina glared at him. “Now” she stated. This startled Tala as he hadn’t seen this side of Marina before.

To avoid more shouting and glares Tala sighed and walked over to where Spencer and Bryan were as they were still holding Kai. Due to the fact that it was unknown for a Hiwatari to give up so easily.

As soon as Kai saw Tala approaching he began to growl again, Tala raised his hands in defence. “Kai, I just came to say I’m sorry. I took things too far and as usual I wasn’t thinking properly when I said that. It just came out. So I hope you can forgive me” he said.

The four Russian boys stared at the red head. “Wow, Marina has you wrapped around her finger. Better watch out Tala, who knows what she will make you do next” Bryan joked causing Spencer and Ian to chuckle. Marina heard this and walked over to the boys with a frown on her face.

“Sorry Marina, I didn’t mean it. But Tala did need a little tease, no one’s ever been able to make him apologise like that before” Bryan explained. Marina stopped frowning and nodded. She then looked over at the dual bluenette who was still frowning slightly. “Well Kai?” she asked.

Kai sighed. “Fine. I mean we all know what Tala’s like” he stated with a small smirk.

“Yeah we all know what I’m like… hey!” Tala stated and then frowned. The rest of the guys chuckled, even Marina, though she did give him a small peck on the cheek. “I’m just glad one thing is back to normal” Marina said.

“Maybe not, it looks like Tari’s about to get a visit from the loser wannabes” Ian stated as he pointed over to the direction of where the dual brunette was sat. There was a group of boys heading in her direction and up front was a boy with red and black hair, and he had a smirk on his face.

The other boys growled and clenched their fists, but Marina was confused. “Who are they?” she asked looking at any of the five Russians for an answer. “Ember Pyros and his gang of followers. He thinks he’s all that just because he claims to have ‘done it’ with every girl in our year and some below. Tari’s next on his list, but she showed him when he tried” Tala said.

“It looks like he’s about to try again” Bryan commented. “Hn. He won’t get that far” Kai stated as he started to walk over in the direction of where his sister was. Bryan, Spencer and Ian followed. Tala did too, but he didn’t want Marina to, but he couldn’t stop her.

Tari was just minding her own business, she was thinking about the things that had happened to her over the past few days. It seemed pretty ordinary, though one thing made her happy, even if it was a secret.

“Hey Kitten!” a voice from behind her shouted. Tari gasped and turned around; she saw Ember and his gang: Jazon, John, Rolf and Tomti. They were all glaring at her, but what made her cringe was the fact that Ember had a smirk on his face and he wasn’t looking at her face, he was looking at something else.

Tari got to her feet and stood her ground, she wouldn’t be intimidated, though she did hope that the teacher on duty would come onto the field soon. “What do you want Ember?” she stated, she tried to make her voice sound tough, but seeing that there were five of them and only one of her, she couldn’t help but be a little scared.

Ember stepped forward and grabbed hold of Tari’s hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it. “I want to finish what I started the other night. You know before we were interrupted” he said. Tari clenched the hand that he was holding into a fist and punched him in the mouth, causing him to take a few steps back.

“Why you little...” Ember started as he wiped his mouth and glared at Tari. He rolled his sleeves up and took a step forward. Tari panicked now. “I thought I told you to leave Tari alone” came a voice from the side of them. All the teens looked up to see Brooklyn standing there, and he didn’t look very happy either.

Ember chuckled. “Aw if it isn’t Tari’s little bodyguard” he said in a teasing voice. Brooklyn frowned more. “I’m just making sure scum like you don’t hurt innocent people. I mean who do you think you are going around innocent girls and having your way with them?” he stated, yet his voice seemed calm.

“I’m just having fun mate. There’s nothing wrong with that” Ember said with a smirk on his face. This just made Brooklyn angrier. “There is plenty wrong with that...” he started, but someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked down into a pair of dark violet eyes.

“It’s ok Brooklyn. I can take it from here” Tari said giving the ginger haired teen a small smirk. The smirk then vanished as she turned and faced Ember. Unknown to Tari and Brooklyn, Kai, Bryan and the others had now reached them, but stayed silent.

“You know Ember; you sicken me, and half of the girls at this school. You think you can just use us for a bit of fun as you’re stronger than us. Well I’m not going to stand for that, you can just go crawling back into your hole and never come out. And if you ever come near me again, I promise you I will kick your butt” Tari stated.

Ember was speechless, he was going to say something, but he looked up and saw the group of Russian boys. He knew they were stronger than him and he wouldn’t stand a chance, neither would his gang. So he turned around and legged it across the field. The rest of his gang blinked and then walked away quickly.

Tari smirked and turned to look at Brooklyn who smiled back at her. “Thank you, again Brooklyn…” she started, but Brooklyn put a finger to her lips and shook his head. “I didn’t do much Tar, just gave you the confidence to stand up for yourself” he said as he smiled at her more and moved his finger to her cheek and placed his hand on it.

“Aw you two look so sweet together” came a voice from behind the couple. Tari and Brooklyn looked up to see Marina, Tala, Kai, Bryan, Spencer and Ian. “Er, hi guys” Brooklyn said as a small blush crept onto his cheeks. Tari was in a similar situation, but hers was deeper as Brooklyn’s hand was still on her cheek.

At first Kai was angry, but when he saw how happy Tari was after being sad and depressed that he let them off, though he thought he would have words with Brooklyn later.

“So I take it this is why both of you have been acting secretively. You’ve been going out behind our backs” Bryan stated. Brooklyn and Tari nodded slightly.

“Well, welcome to the club buddy” Tala said as he patted Brooklyn on the back. He and the rest of the boys then began talking about random stuff. Marina walked over to Tari. “Um, Tari I was wondering, could we be friends again? I mean I know I hurt you, but I liked having you as a friend” she said.

Tari smirked. “Sure Marina. Besides us girls have to stick together and show these boys who’s boss, or they will think they can get away with anything and everything” Tari said.

“Sounds like you’re back to your self, sis” Kai said as he joined the girls’ conversation. Tari frowned slightly. “You make it sound like that’s a bad thing Kai” she said. “It is for us” Bryan and Ian said in unison causing the rest of the group to laugh.

“I’m just glad things are truly back to normal now” Marina said as Tala wrapped an arm around her waist again. Tari nodded. “I have to admit, I have missed you guys, slightly” she said with a playful smirk as Brooklyn wrapped an arm around her waist.

Tala then kissed Marina on the lips passionately whilst Brooklyn kissed Tari on the cheek. Ian made puking noises as the four boys watched both couples. He then moaned when Bryan hit him on the head. But Kai, Spencer and Bryan just chuckled at him.

It seemed like things had gone back to normal, well normal for a group of teenagers anyway….

... Well there you go, I hope you liked it!!

I want to thank FullMetalBec, Lilbee17, Taeniaea, Tala Is Shining and especally CapatainKai01896 for reading and reviewing this story.

And I hope you liked it CaptainKai01896, and I hope I didn't mess Marina up or have her completly OOC.

please R&R

thnx

SMIFFY