The first thing that was off was everyone glaring at me.

When we got back to BC Sol, all the people were whispering and giving us dirty looks. Trad and Kris were nowhere to be seen and Robin seemed to not even notice. She just kept walking normally, turning her head so she couldn't see them. Honcho did, though, and it really made me worried. What would they be mad at us for?

"Think it's lunchtime," Robin said finally. She seemed calm, but I could tell she actually had noticed. Her eyes were searching the area and her hand was twitching towards her pocket. Those instincts were going to get her in trouble sometime. Call it a premonition.

Anyways, when we got to the cafeteria, the first thing I saw was Ange crying.

"It might be a little salty," she warned as she gave us our food. It hardly even looked like food at this point, more like mushed tree bark. "I'm sad it's your last day here."

Last day here?

Valkyrie scowled. I don't know what's going on, but when I find out who started this rumor, I'm going to-

She rattled off a list of agonizing but very creative torture methods including going into said person's dreams and everyone they love dying there.

Kit solved the problem. He walked up to Honcho and straight up yelled, "Why are you leaving!"

I was so confused, like Honcho was. "I'm not leaving, why do you think I'm leaving?"

Sasha was next. She approached Robin and slapped her. Or would have. Robin caught her wrist before it could hit her face and held onto it. The blue-haired girl struggled. "What's wrong with you? Why'd you work so hard here just to leave?"

That triggered an explosion of people storming us, hurling accusations and several churros and pudding bowls.

Robin threw a water shield in the air, preventing the bowls from breaking. She looked around, probably trying to find Andi. The blonde wasn't there, though there was a very suspicious bird fluttering around the ceiling. Robin released the water shield and all but roared, "IF SOMEONE DOESN'T TELL ME WHY THEY THINK WE'RE LEAVING RIGHT NOW, I'M TYING EVERYONE BUT KIT AND HONEY TO THE ROOF."

That seemed to do the trick. Everyone stopped yelling at us

"Everyone says you're leaving to join AS Gallus." Sasha was standing her ground, despite an angry girl who was ready to kill glowering in front of the room. Honestly, that was an achievement. Robin was terrifying when she wanted to be.

Robin scowled. "Are you serious? Of course not! After all the effort we went through to get here?"

Stan glared. "It's true, I heard the offer!"
"Did you hear us accept?" Robin bared her teeth. "And I can tell if you're telling the truth."

He was silent.

"Get the point? We're not going anywhere," she growled. "We earned this spot here!"

Stan rolled his eyes, casually stepping back. Cheater. Liar. "Oh yeah? Tell Kris and Trad that. They're ready to kick you off the team!"

"SAY WHAT NOW?" All three of us yelled.

"Care to explain, you three?" Kristina pushed her phone forward. "It seems like today, you met up with AS Gallus's team members and accepted an offer." It showed a video, bad footage from behind a pillar, but it clearly heard the offer to join the team. Before the group could reply, the video cut out. "We don't tolerate backstabbers."

I was completely horrified at this point. "Are you serious! We didn't do anything! After everything we've done to get here, do you really think we'd just go to another team?"

Trad shook his head. "I wouldn't know how traitors think."

Robin growled in frustration. "If you guys clearly aren't accepting what we're saying, then you're mind's already made up!"

The two traded uneasy glances. "Mine is," Trad finally said. "If you can't change it, you all know what happens."

Robin clearly was trying to think up a way to stay here. "Too bad my phone wasn't on video today..." she mumbled to herself. "Never making that mistake again..."

Honcho flinched. "You mean you always have the video mode on?" He looked horrified. "Do you know how many laws that violates? I have my privacy!"

"There's no way to say we did, but is there any evidence we didn't?" I asked finally. "It's inconclusive, isn't it?"

They said nothing, and I turned red. "Oh god, please tell me I used inconclusive right."

An amused look came onto Kris's face. "It's fine, you did. And it's true, innocent until proven guilty. However, it goes both ways. There's still every reason to believe you accepted. As of now, we're at a standstill."

"Oh!" Robin suddenly said. "I know! I have basically everything important to me in my backpack right now. I think I would have left immediately. Besides, Valt's obnoxiously loyal. He wouldn't drop Sol for Daigo-"

"I'm not obnoxious!"

Trad winced. "Please keep your voice down. We're holding a trial here."

That sarcasm was something he usually didn't do. Interesting. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"So we haven't gotten anywhere," Honcho summed up. "And there's no way to prove we didn't."

"Personally, I assume you have ties to your boyfriend and had this planned in advance," Trad pointed out. I grinned at that, knowing she didn't think that far ahead in anything but beyblade. Besides, she seemed pretty mad when people started yelling at her.

"There's always calling Daigo," Robin pointed out before I could say it.

Kris blinked, surprised. "Oh yeah."

"About her boyfriend-" Trad started, but she glared and bared her teeth viciously.

"Then call one of the other guys," she interrupted. "Andi's going to be mad at me if I don't get back for training at three, and I really don't want to be late."

Kris called AS Gallus, and we listened in silence. The fate of our blading careers rested on this call. She put it on speaker for us and motioned for all of us to stay silent. A crackling voice issued from the phone, along with the noise of a beybattle. They were probably outside. "Hello, this is AS Gallus, how may I help you?"

"This is Kristina Kuroda speaking," she replied cheerfully. The perfect picture of enthusiastic and innocent. Valkyrie was nearly stunned into silence, finally mumbling, she's amazing... That illusion is flawless. How did she...

"May I talk to Allen, please?"

"Huh? You know Allen?" A pause. "Alright, give me a moment. ALLEN! SOMEONE WANTS YOU!"

Some yelling in the background in French.

Can it wait, I'm about to win, Valkyrie translated for me. I now understand all languages! Isn't that cool?

I had to admit that it was.

"NO IT CAN'T! IT'S IMPORTANT!"

"Okay, hi, this is Allen. Is there something you need?"

"Did a few people join your team today?"

We heard some rustling. "Oh, you're talking about Valt, Honcho, and Robin?"

Kristina nodded. "Yes, them." Her cheerfullness did

"They were really nice to us. Normally people treat us like scum, but they actually acted like we're someone. Daigo asked them to, yeah."

We held our breath.

"Too bad they didn't accept. They were great. Especially Valt."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief, even Trad. I guess he really did want us on the team, just stuck with basic facts. His face remained stoic, but the hand holding his tablet kept moving restlessly; tapping the back, knocking against each other, could he not hold still for two seconds?

"Thank you. That was extremely helpful." She hung up and turned to us with a big smile. "You're fine, all of you. I'll make the announcement in an hour!"

I cheered. We were going to be alright.

Then Robin squawked, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN ESPECIALLY VALT?"

---

Yeah, I'm late. So what? I deserve a break too!

I-it's not like I was too lazy to write last week! B-Baka!

Robin out before she embarasses herself further.

Next chapter will be out this week!