Disclaimer: Beyblade and all associated characters and themes belong to Aoki Takao-sensei. Any unrecognized characters belong to me. I have no idea who started this nutty idea, so I can't take ownership, but this version belongs to me.
And so it begins…
Incognito 101
1. Run-in With the Nasty
"Did you hear what this was for?"
"Nope."
Tim scowled and hefted the tray onto his shoulder for balance. He, like his partner, wore a stiff penguin suit for their temporary job as waiters at the banquet. They had been contracted to serve orange juice, of all things, to the renowned champion team, the Bladebreakers.
He had right off thought it was stupid.
However, he was paid too much money to say it aloud and not do it.
But he still thought it was stupid.
It didn't help that his partner wasn't a talker and only gave monosyllabic answers.
Ten minutes into the job, he was bored.
"What's that?" he asked when he saw his partner – he hadn't gotten his name even though he asked – stir a clear liquid into the four glasses of orange juice.
"Vitamins," was the grunted reply.
"Then why are only the Bladebreakers getting them?"
The other ignored him. He continued to stir, taking a look at his watch after thirty beats – Tim had counted – and set down the spoon. Then he placed the glasses on the tray, giving Tim a shove in the direction of the tables. "Go."
Annoyed with being treated like a child, Tim glared at him before he strode out of the kitchen.
The Bladebreakers were easy to find. Following the largest amount of commotion, Tim wove his way through the crowds of reporters and photographers to stand beside their table. The four bladers barely acknowledged him – their leader not acknowledging anyone, actually – as he set a glass in front of each of them. The one called Takao Kinomiya drank it without a thought, setting the glass down just as another reporter shouted a question. The blond beside him, Max Mizuhara, studied it, shrugged, and gulped it down. The Chinese blader didn't seem to notice it was even there and their leader ignored it altogether.
Drink… Come on! I won't get paid if you don't drink.
"Sirs, orange juice, complements of Mr Dickinson," he said loudly, indicating the remaining two glasses with his free hand.
Rei Kon blinked and stared at him for a moment before he smiled and obliged, taking a long sip.
Kai continued to ignore him.
"Mr Hiwatari?" he questioned in hopes of perhaps waking the team captain up. He appeared to be sleeping, at least.
A crimson eye opened to regard him with a look of mild annoyance before it closed again.
"Aw, come on, Captain Sourpants!" Takao teased, poking his captain with a finger. "The dude brought it over here just for you."
Tim felt slightly better when he saw that Kai was ignoring his teammate, too.
"Maybe you should just indulge him," Rei said quietly, angling his head in Tim's direction. "I don't think he can leave until you drink it."
Yes! Yes! Listen to the cat-boy!
"What are ya, afraid of orange juice?"
Both eyes snapped open to level the navy-haired teen with a glare. "Don't be stupid."
"Then why aren't you drinking it?" Takao asked innocently, waving his empty glass at the older boy. "C'mon, buddy. I'll stop calling you Captain Sourpuss for a week."
Rei bit his lip to keep from laughing upon seeing Kai's glare transform into a scowl. "Try a month and you might have a bargain, Takao."
"Fine then, a month," he conceded, tapping the bill of his baseball hat with the rim of his glass.
Kai grumbled something along the lines of "Anything to shut you up" and promptly downed the entire glass, shoving it away, arms once again crossed tightly over his chest.
Tim could have kissed him.
Gathering all of the glasses, he placed them back on the tray and ran off.
Mission accomplished.
"Done!" he exclaimed excitedly the moment he reentered the kitchen. The tray was promptly dumped into the sink as he stripped off the bowtie and jacket, tossing them into the trash. The money waited for him in a neat roll on the counter and he snatched it up, tucking it into his pocket. "I'm out of here."
His partner ignored him.
Tim shrugged, running out of the crowded kitchen and into the back alley behind it, pulling off his white button-up shirt as he went. His fingers snagged on a button and, because he wasn't paying attention, ran straight into a small body with an impact that knocked them both to the ground.
"Ow! Hey, watch it, jerk!" a girl snapped, rubbing her head even as she glared at him.
"Don't have to get all snippy," Tim sniffed, struggling out of his shirt to reveal a simple blue tank top.
"Feh, whatever man." The girl pushed herself to her feet, stomping on the end of her skateboard to send it flying right into her hand.
"Rude little snot," he grumbled as he brushed himself off. "Run along and…do whatever it is that you kids do." He sniffed again, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to appear superior and stalked off.
The girl stared after him even after he left the alley, one hand on her hip and the other still holding her board. "Weird guy… Wonder if he'll miss this?" She tossed the roll of money she had snagged from their run-in into the air, catching it absently and dropping it into her pocket with a shrug. "Oh well."
With that, she boarded off to wreak havoc somewhere else.
Tsudzuku
Wah-hey! First chapter done and I hate it. But it was necessary. If anyone can figure out who the girl is, I'll give you a cookie.
Next chapter is where the real fun begins. Updates should be quick 'cause this is just a fun and easy little thing… Shouldn't take too long to complete, either.
Wah-hey-wubbaheywoobahee-wahwah-HEY...! Until next time, review!
– MI