so. it's an odd one, I swear. but it was fun to write. I think. slept most of it. once again, I thank my hands for their efforts. oh, and as a warning, I make a lot of fun of tyson. at least I think I make fun of him. I hope I did..so, you d0n't wanna see stupid tyson, better not to read. -smirk- . I think this is shallow story, with nothing in it. but at least the name means somehting this time. read on and enjoy if you want

Petri dish

"Kai". Kai groaned and pressed his face against the pillow. "Kai". He cracked an eye open. He could see Rei standing few steps in from the door of his bedroom. He closed his eye again and sighed.

"If it's not something really urgent, go away. I wanna sleep". He didn't need to see it to know Rei was frowning.

"But it's the time you usually start the morning practice...". If he had had the energy, he would have rolled his eyes. Instead he just lay still and said

"I know. Usually I would have saw the trouble of dragging the rest of the lousy team up ages ago, but I am beat. You know, after I had given all of you private training sessions that lasted much later than I anticipated, Kenny came and wanted to show some crap about new blade designs. It was mere hours ago before I managed to get rid of him" he opened his eyes and looked at Rei straight in the amber eyes. "So I will have a day off. If I keep this up, I will end up dead. And frankly, you bunch aren't worth it". Rei smiled a little sadly, that was all he could make out in the dark room.

"Okay" Rei said quietly and turned to leave, but Tyson had appeared behind him and made Rei stop in his track.

"Did I hear right? I have a chance to get rid of you? Wow!" Tyson quaked. "Finally some good news!". Rei rebuked Tyson

"Ty, that's not nice. Kai hasn't done anything bad, he just wants to make us better" Tyson shook his head.

"I am already the best blader, I don't need to train like a horse". Kai snorted, but other than that dismissed Tyson's existence

"So" he pointed his words to Rei " you just had to leave the door open behind you. If I don't watch it, my room will turn into zoo like the rest of the house has with monkeys roaming everywhere" Kai smirked and Rei couldn't held in a little giggle. It made Tyson shut up for a moment and cross his hands. There was a moment of stillness, and then Rei saw something he didn't like in the boy's eyes. The glint spoke of troubles, and that was especially bad if it was Tyson's own idea.

"Kai" Tyson prolonged the pronouncing, making Kai's name sound odd in Rei's ears. The only sign Kai gave that he was listening was that for a brief moment the burning red eyes flashed towards the boy "I think I have forgotten some of what you thought me yesterday" Kai snorted again and hoisted himself to his elbows.

"No surprise there. I am amazed if you learned anything at all with the attention you paid" Rei frowned at Tyson. Why was the kid so foolish? Even though Kai was being a bit harsh, he was a good trainer, and he at least had learned a lot. Besides, Kai was really trying to shape them up, so why Tyson was making it even harder? He shook his head, maybe the kid would grow up soon...the hope wasn't big, because Tyson huffed and pouted like a baby.

"But I was hungry and the day had been long..." There was a short pause, and both Rei and Kai could see Tyson gather his thoughts and then smile "But after a good night's sleep, I would love" at this point Rei saw how Kai grimaced by the way Tyson emphasized the word " to learn more today. I promise I will not complain even once". Rei didn't understand why was Tyson suddenly changing his attitude, but the difference was welcome. Rei missed the look on Kai's face because he had been looking at Tyson a bit stunned, but he turned to look at Kai when the red eyed said

"Is that so..." Tyson nodded

"Yeah, I swear I'll behave. Please?" Tyson tried to sound like a cute girl, making both Rei and Kai flinch when the sound hit their ears. Sure, Tyson was always loud, but when he high pitched it was way worse than any other sound they had heard. Rei watched Kai shook his head and lift a hand to his ear

"Fine, but you better also never to make that sound again, or you'll be a dead man before the sound dies off". An offended look passed Tyson's face, but it was soon masked with a too wide and fake smile

"Sure, whatever you say coach!" with that, Tyson rushed out of the room and once out, he started calling out to Max. Rei stopped listening and looked at Kai

"Why did you agree? He could just fine train himself for a day and you could rest" Kai shrugged and stretched.

"There is little sense just lay around a whole day. Besides, not like we can afford a real day of when the progress is this slow." Rei felt his face heat up

"We are doing our best" Kai lifted and eyebrow to him. For a while, he managed to face the burning red eyes, but then he just had to avert his eyes.

"I know you try. But the pig and Blondie could put more effort to it." Kai tossed his cover away and fling his legs off of the bed. Only after Kai glanced up at him again, he realized he had just stood there transfixed. He felt his face heat up and mumbled

"Right, I better get going too, prepare for the training and all.." Kai chuckled

"You mean you came here to get me coach you, and yet you haven't even been prepared to train?" Rei knew his face was bright red by now, but to his luck the light to the dim room came from the door behind him, so Kai couldn't make out his face against the light. He assured himself that Kai couldn't see he was blushing, but something in that smirk on Kai's face made he think Kai knew it anyway.

"No, I just...I meant I should make you some breakfast so you have energy to pull through the day..." Kai nodded to him, still smirking

"Okay, thanks" he nodded back and hurried out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Then he leaned against the wooden door and sighed. If only the others could see how great Kai really was. The guy seemed cold and nonchalant, but if you just gave him a chance, he was really good company and bright fellow.

"Rei, is everything okay?" Kenny, who came from bathroom, asked. Rei blinked at the spectacled boy, and then nodded smiling.

"Yeah, everything is great. It's possible that Tyson won't piss Kai off today during training" Kenny considered it a moment.

"The chances of that sounds really slim, next to impossible. Scientifically, it should not happen..." Kenny muttered, then a yawn broke his mumbling "wish I could join you, but last night went really late, so I think I rather just sleep."

"Sleep well then" Rei said, noticing that Kenny did have dark circles below his eyes. Kenny waved at him and yawned again, heading to the bedroom he shared with Max and Tyson. Rei was once again really happy he had his own room just like Kai did, otherwise he bet even his nerves would have failed with time. He shook his head, chasing such mean thoughts away, he shouldn't go judging people like that. The others were just younger, and that's why more aloof. Then he continued his way to kitchen to make something good for Kai.

It had been two days. Tyson had kept his promise, and did not complain. And apparently even Kenny was in the plot too, because in the evenings, he would go to Kai to show different blade parts and ask how Kai thought the blades should be upgraded so they matched the progress that was probably going to happen, so Kenny could start planning in advance. Rei was getting worried. Kai didn't seem any different from normal, except the really dark circles under Kai's eyes. On the morning of the third day, soon after he had gotten up and was making breakfast, Kai tottered into kitchen and slumped to the chair. He couldn't help but look at Kai, dumbfounded. And maybe that was for the best, because with time, Kai's eyes got their fire back, and Kai shook his head and blinked. Only then did he manage to break his own spell

"Morning Kai"

"Hn" was all he received, but that was probably just because Kai was stretching his back and arms. Hearing the cracking sound, he frowned

"Maybe you should slow down a bit. That doesn't sound promising." Kai finished his stretch with a loud crack of his shoulder. Kai rolled it few times and looked him dead on amused glint in the red eyes.

"That would be plain stupid. I better take everything I can from this, not like it will last long anymore." he didn't understand what Kai was talking about, and Kai saw it in his face and grinned. "There is no way Tyson can keep quiet for long anymore. But as long as he is, it's wiser for me to make him train as much as I can, and really make him sweat." now it started to dawn on him.

"You mean...did you do this on purpose? Let Tyson hear you, and get him to promise to behave?". He knew he had nailed it, because there was real joy in the red eyes,

"Like he could resist eavesdropping, and he really sucks at sneaking. But let's just say it was my experiment. If someone manages to grow bacteria in petri dish, surely I could find a way to make Tyson grow up a bit, even for a moment." Kai stood up and walked next to Rei

"Besides, I like testing my limits every once in a while". Then Kai simply leaned in and gave him a soft and quick kiss on the lips. "it's 20 minutes before we go to morning jog, get ready" and with that, Kai walked out of the kitchen, fully awake now and smirking. Rei stood still, listening how Kai wake the others up and made them get up. A slow but wide smile spread across his lips, and he turned back to his breakfast. He should have known Kai could take care of himself. He pressed a finger against his lips and felt a warmth in his chest. He really liked Kai's way of testing limits. He saw Kai rush past kitchen door, and thought that he should try reaching his limits too. He left his food on the table, he could finish it once he comes back, but while he still had the courage, he better make a move. And so Rei walked out of the kitchen to find Kai.

congrats to those who made it all the way to the end. I hope the sleeped in story was worth reading. and that I did make tyson look stupid. and that Kai isn't ooc. and few other things. such as...I would get to sleep. taht would be nice...

review if you want. don't if you don't want to. sleep if you can. maybe this could work as a bedtime story...met, this was your bed time story. you are wellcome.