What You Mean To Me
"Tyson! Daichi!" Hilary's heated, stressed yell echoed through Bay City. "Come back here this instant!"
The brown-haired fifteen-year-old girl streaked after the dynamic duo, snow spraying up behind her. Her saturated clothes clung to her body from the snow Tyson and Daichi had covered her in. Oh…when I get my hands on them, I'll…I'll -
Something hard and cold struck her on the back of the head. Hilary fell face-first into the deep snow.
Wincing as ice slid coldly down her neck she pushed herself upright, glaring from team-mate to team-mate. "Alright, who did that?"
Hilary glowered suspiciously at Tyson, who was whistling innocently and looking elsewhere. She placed her hands on her hips. "Tyson…"
"Yes, Hilary?" the navy-haired boy answered sweetly, his dark-brown eyes wide with feigned innocence as he gave her his best puppy dog expression. "What is it?"
"Tyson, you know downright well what I mean - so spill it!" she huffed.
"Spill what?"
"Ah, you little - " Hilary gritted her teeth. "Quit the dumb act and apologise! You're the one who threw the snowball."
"I didn't do it, Hilary, honest - it was Daichi's fault!"
"What?" the redhead spluttered.
"Tyson Granger, you are impossible!" Hilary shouted in exasperation as the fifteen-year-old boy took off without a second glance, making for the snow-covered dojo. She shot after him. "You're gonna regret it!"
Ray, Max and Daichi suppressed whoops of mirth with difficulty as they watched her race after Tyson around the veranda that circled the Grangers' house. Kai, leaning against a pillar on the veranda, placed a hand to his forehead. There they go again, he thought dully.
"Guys!" Kenny complained frantically as he clutched his laptop against his chest in panic. "I'm trying to - ahhhh!"
He shrieked when a large clump of snow - more like a mini avalanche - detached itself from the dojo roof and landed right on top of him.
"Ha! Gotcha now!" Hilary finally caught Tyson. Now she had him in her grasp, she could give him what he deserved. She held him firmly by the arm.
The girl smirked wickedly. She knew exactly how to get Tyson back for what he had done. "Ray, Daichi, Max - could you help me a sec?"
Tyson gulped as the three boys came over and Hilary smirked even more. This'll teach you.
"Wait! No, Hilary - you can't do this - come back!" Tyson shouted. He tried desperately to wriggle free of the snow, but it was no use. He had been buried up to his neck.
Three of Tyson's team-mates were laughing out loud, while Kai just smirked with amusement. Hilary looked over her shoulder at Tyson as they walked into the dojo and flashed him her sweetest smile.
"See you later, Tyson!" she called brightly, before sliding the wooden door shut behind her.
"Well that's him out of the way for a while!" Hilary chuckled once they were inside. "Let's get decorating, guys."
Tyson's grandpa brought in the large boxes of Christmas decorations. They dug in and got to work. Ray and Kai put up garlands whilst Max and Daichi made paper chains and unravelled streamers. Hilary and Kenny decorated the fireplace with tinsel and holly. It was only the first day of the Christmas holidays, but the Granger family liked to have their decorations up early. Hilary could not wait to see the look on Mister Granger's face when he found out Tyson hadn't been helping!
They were on the last box of decorations when Tyson entered the room, looking soaking wet, bedraggled and quite sorry for himself. Hilary hid a triumphant smile. It looked like his grandpa had given him a real talking to. Too bad he wasn't out there until we'd finished decorating, she thought, giggling. That would have been even better. Revenge is so sweet when you get your own back on a loud-mouthed person like Tyson!
Her smugness dissolved as a huge grin spread across Tyson's face. "Mmm…I smell eggnog and cookies!" the boy laughed gleefully.
Hilary let out a sigh of frustration. Typical. Her friend could never stay miserable for long if there was food around. Tyson grabbed Max and Ray by the arm and dragged them into the kitchen, Daichi hot on his heels. "C'mon, let's eat!"
Kai and Hilary rolled their eyes skyward. Same old greedy Tyson. Would that guy ever learn to control his appetite?
Hilary grinned as she remembered something Tyson had said about a year ago. That he would go on a diet the day Old Sourpuss - alias Kai - turned soft and fell in love.
The girl stole a glance at the silver-haired sixteen-year-old leaning against the wall opposite her, eyes closed and arms crossed. Him - turn soft? Give me a break, she scoffed. This is Kai Hiwatari we're talking about here. There's no way that he'd fall for anyone. Then she shook her head furiously. Why am I even thinking about him anyway? For the way he's treated me this year, he doesn't deserve to be spared a thought! Jeez…what's wrong with me? Stupid emotions. Stupid Kai.
It had hurt Hilary profoundly when Ray and Max had decided to leave the Bladebreakers. Both were a valuable part of the team and she was close to them. Max was her optimistic playmate and Ray the true friend she could confide in and rely on. The team were the only friends she had and it was like a family to her, for her parents were always working and she had no other siblings. That was why the G-revolutions team and its members meant so much to her.
Then Kai had left. For some inexplicable reason, his absence from the team had hurt her far more than Max's and Ray's. But unlike him, Max and Ray had returned after the World Championships, apologising to her and Kenny for leaving so abruptly. Some of the pain Hilary had felt had been taken away when this happened and she forgave them.
It had not been until the BBA - the Beyblade Battle Association - had been overthrown and replaced by BEGA, the Beyblade Entertainment Global Association, that she had heard or seen anything about Kai. Even though the international tournament was over, he had still not returned. Instead, when the Justice Five tournament preliminaries began for Beybladers to join the new association, he had chosen to battle for a place on BEGA's team. Hilary had not been able to believe what he had done. Beyblade itself had been on the line - and all he could think about was having another shot at defeating Tyson! He chosen that over Beyblading's future. Had Kai been out of his mind?
Even so, Hilary had secretly supported him through the trials and tribulations of the World Championships and had cheered him on silently as he battled to go on the BEGA team. She had been sad when he had been down or lost a match, she had felt for him when he was in pain; she had been happy when he had won. What had he given her in return? Nothing. Nothing but silence. Not even a glance or a spoken word. He still treated her this way now.
Yes, the Russian had finally returned for the fourth battle against BEGA in the Justice Five tournament to beat the association's top Beyblader and had battled Tyson again after the tournament, but he had not done anything to stop her pain. Because she was not a Blader, a simple battle would not make her forgive him. To her an apology was a comforting note on paper, sympathetic but consoling words, the word sorry said face to face. Yet he had done nothing of the sort. Even three months after BEGA's defeat and the BBA's return to business, she had had nothing from him.
I wish this year had never happened, Hilary reflected miserably. Nothing's the same anymore and the team still feels incomplete. Last year was so much better. It seems like a dream compared to now…everyone got on, there were no grudges, our friendship was as strong as ever…and Kai didn't treat me so coldly…
Things had been the total opposite the year before now. Hilary and Tyson had had arguments, but that had been occasional. Kai, although he had been cold and silent toward her at first, slowly softened and accepted her as part of the team. The first evidence of that had been when she had created a training schedule for the gang and had been very stung by Tyson's nasty words…
"Hilary, you shouldn't even be here," Tyson snapped, clenching his torn half the training schedule in his left gloved hand. "You can't spin a Beyblade and you don't know anything about the sport, so you've got no right to order us around. You're not one of us and you never will be!"
Kai, standing silently beside Ray and Max and watching the argument, sighed deeply, placing a purple-covered palm to his forehead. His violet eyes were irritated beneath his silver fringe. Tyson was such an idiot. "There they go again…"
But he and his friends looked up at Hilary in surprise upon hearing the pain in her voice and how it was nearly a sob when she answered Tyson.
"I only wanted to help, Tyson," she told him, her voice about to crack. "I…I thought…Forget it. I've had it with you all!"
With that, Hilary turned on her heel and ran, her chocolate-brown fringe shadowing her tear-filled ruby eyes. The other half of the schedule she had been grasping drifted to the ground in her wake.
Ray remarked, "That was a little harsh, dude."
"Yeah, Ty, she sounded like she was really hurt!" Max agreed.
"She'll get over it. She was messing things up anyway," Tyson growled.
Kai stared wordlessly at the piece of paper Hilary had thrown down. The girl might have had something, but thanks to Tyson's big mouth there was no going back. Or was there?
That evening, Kai stepped outside for some air, fed up of listening to Tyson venting his frustration about the difficult magnetic spin gear - the MG core - in their Beyblades. He inhaled the cool night air deeply to clear his mind. The teenager's violet eyes narrowed in thought. We need a new plan… A flash of white distracted him. His eyes widened slightly as the realisation struck. That's it! Shining luminously in the moonlight on the ground a short distance away, was Hilary's half of the training schedule.
"LET IT RIP!" Kai's shout woke his friends at the crack of dawn the next morning.
Mumbling and grumbling darkly, they trudged out on to the veranda. Their eyes widened at the dark blue Beyblade weaving magical moves over rough terrain of Tyson's garden. Every move, every turn was precise and flawless. Kai had mastered the MG core perfectly. Dranzer veered into its owner's open purple-covered palm.
"K-Kai…how, how did you - " Tyson stuttered, but was abruptly broken off by the team captain.
Kai held up Hilary's torn half of the training routine, smirking. "I went back to basics."
When everyone put me down, Kai was the only one who believed in me and proved Tyson wrong by using my training routine and showing his friends it could work, Hilary remembered. It certainly surprised me when Kenny told me about it after Tyson had apologised! I guess in a way, Kai stopped me from giving up on myself by demonstrating my ideas were good despite what everyone said…it's because of him that I remain a part of the team today.
"Hilary?" a voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
The girl looked up to gaze into Ray's golden, cat-like eyes.
"You okay, Hil? You were miles away."
Hilary nodded slowly. "Just spacing out, I guess."
Ray gently took her hand. "Come on, let's get you some eggnog and cookies before they all disappear You Know Where!"
Hilary giggled slightly. "Yeah," she smiled. "Let's go."
As the raven-haired Chinese teen led her into the kitchen, she told herself firmly to stop thinking about Kai and enjoy the festivities. Christmas was her favourite time of year. A time to forget your troubles, to be happy, to forgive… She shook the Russian's image out of her mind. She was going to have the best Christmas ever, and no hurt feelings were going to get in the way. But was avoiding them the right thing to do?
It snowed heavily for a week after that, covering everything in a white blanket. One day, Hilary, Tyson, Ray, Max and Daichi were gathered around Kenny and Dizzi. Kai had gone off somewhere to train alone as usual. The gang huddled closer together as a stiff, chill breeze buffeted them.
"This sure is miserable weather eh, Dizzi?" Kenny sighed.
"You said it, Chief," the Bit Beast in his laptop replied. "I…I…c-can almost…f-feel my circuits s-starting to f-freeze over…"
"Dizzi's right…m-maybe we should g-get inside," Tyson shivered through chattering teeth.
Hilary hugged herself in an attempt to keep warm. It was certainly getting colder out there. Even though they were out on the veranda, the wind still chilled them. "This wind'll stop soon, you'll see," she told the shivering friends positively. She was trying to convince herself as much as them the weather would not get any worse.
The sky was ominous, darkening with deep iron-grey clouds. She bit her lip worriedly. Things were not looking like they would brighten anytime soon. Maybe Tyson was right. Perhaps it would better to be inside.
Another breeze gusted through the Granger's front courtyard. This time it was much stronger, almost chilling them to the bone. Hilary sprang to her feet like her friends. Her brown fringe fell stingingly across her face as the wind whipped her hair about. She shivered greatly. Yes - it was definitely time to head for cover.
The wind had worsened to a howling gale that lashed snow in their faces as they made for the dojo's entrance, Hilary trailing along behind. Almost of all them but her and Tyson had fled into the warmth of the house when she paused in mid-step. The girl looked back frantically at the empty garden through the curtain of snow while the wind hurled and whirled it around. There was someone missing…and they were out in that terrible weather…
She jerked out of her panicked thoughts when a hand grasped her wrist tightly.
"Let's go, Hil - we gotta get inside!" Tyson exclaimed urgently.
"What about Kai? He's still - "
"Don't worry about him. He'll look after himself."
"But we can't just leave him out there! We've got to find him!" Hilary objected.
"Don't be so stupid!"
"But - "
"Come on, Hilary!" Tyson yanked at her arm and dragged her inside.
Hilary exhaled long and heavily. What had she been thinking? She was crazy to even consider the idea of searching for Kai in the middle of a raging snowstorm. It would not stop her worrying about him though. Despite the fact she worried about every team-mate whenever they battled or went missing, the solitary Russian teenager was the one she seemed to worry over more often than the others. It was most likely because of the way he always slipped off alone and pushed himself hard when he trained, unlike the others who stayed together and practiced within reasonable limits and did not risk injury or exhaustion to themselves.
One of these days I swear he'll put himself in danger, Hilary reflected. It makes me wonder why he walks alone…and why he's treating me so coldly. Okay, maybe I was wrong about Kai not deserving a thought but he does need to apologise to me for leaving the team without saying goodbye.
Hilary stepped outside into the cold some time later, once the blizzard had died down. Kai had still not returned to Tyson's house. No one except her seemed to care about his absence. No one except her wanted to look for him. She had put a coat on over her short-sleeved orange jacket and black t-shirt, which she zipped up against the frigid wind. The brown-haired teen stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans, making her way determinedly out of the dojo's courtyard.
Nobody noticed nor stopped her. They were too busy having Beybattles in Tyson's back garden; she could hear the ring of metal striking metal on the breeze. She smiled. Perfect. It would be quite a while before they realised she had gone. That meant she would have all the time she needed to search for Kai. The girl would just have to hope he would be alright when she found him.
Hilary walked automatically to Bay City's central park, not really registering the surroundings. She was going to look there first because it was the main place for the team to train and Kai to lie down amongst the foliage with a blade of grass in his mouth to watch the world pass by. The girl thought about each of her friends in turn as she strolled down the pavement; how Tyson was like the infuriating but caring brother she had never had, Ray having the understanding, kind nature that her own parents lacked due to being so career driven; the always cheerful Max who was the best friend she would never have had if she had not met him and his team; Daichi the immature but funny younger sibling she had missing from her family and Kenny the intellectual and helpful classmate she would never have known if she hadn't become interested in Beyblading.
Kai… Now that she considered it, she did not know what to think of him as. How she felt about him was unclear. Sure, he was a friend like the others were, but there was a respect between them that went much deeper than what they both felt for the rest of the team. They could always rely on one another for help if trouble arose. In that case, Kai would be regarded as a close friend. But there was also the fact that even unintentionally they were near each other - sitting, standing - wherever they were and when she had initiated physical contact with him he had never seemed to mind, though he hated it if his other team-mates even touched him.
Was it because he merely tolerated her physical contact? Or the respect they had for each other that caused him to let her hold on to him? Hilary was not sure anymore about what was between them. Respect was just a guess. All she knew was the bond they shared was special, even if she could not put a name to it.
The park was desolate, deserted. Everything was quiet and still except for a swing that swayed back and forth with the wind. Without its usual noisy kids, the place looked somewhat neglected. Hilary slowly seated herself on a nearby bench. She remembered sitting on that same bench with Kenny earlier in the year watching Tyson teach - or rather defeat - young rookie Beybladers. Ray and the Chief had tucked into octopus dumplings while Kai had dozed, lying in the grass behind her and Kenny. That had been the last day the Bladebreakers had truly been together. The moment Max had showed up on his bicycle with news of the World Championships, her life with the team had turned upside down.
A melancholy smile touched Hilary's lips. Since that day, nothing had been the same. Despite the fact the team had reunited, it still felt like there was something missing. Only Hilary seemed to know this - the others were oblivious. She wondered vaguely whether Kai felt the same, if it was the reason he was so cold toward her and he was more alone than usual. For all she knew it might have been due to something entirely different.
Hilary searched the beach and the harbour for Kai, but there was no sign of him. She also checked alleyways and still could not find the boy. She exhaled deeply as she headed for the last place she thought he might be, reflecting on the previous year and the times when he had surprised her with actions seemingly out of his nature. The time she and the team had been trapped on a remote island was one such memory that was still fresh in her mind as if it had happened only yesterday…
Hilary and Kenny made small talk as they walked down the cliff path ahead of Kai, partly to ease their nerves about how high up they were and to get their racing minds to think rationally. The lighthouse to which they were headed would hopefully have a radio that would allow them to send out a signal for help. It was the only way they could escape from the island.
Everything was quiet and still except for the distant roar of the ever restless sea. There was no wind to gust away the clouds gradually but steadily forming in the clear summer sky, slowly hiding the sun to make a chill creep into the air. Hilary and Kenny shivered slightly. Kai hardly seemed to notice the cold.
"Guys!"
Hilary whirled around to stare at Kai, who looked frantic.
"Look out!" he gasped. For some brief moments, the emotionless team captain actually had fear in his eyes.
A sound like rolling thunder made her gaze snap upward. Giant boulders were tumbling down the cliff face straight for her and Kenny. She and the Chief screamed in terror, shock rooting them to the spot. The rocks closed in on them. Hilary threw up her arms to protect herself in desperation, bracing herself for the impact…
A strong thrust pushed her into the cliff wall. The ground shook violently beneath her as the rocks rolled over the place where she was. She coughed heavily as dust flew up, keeping her eyes shut tightly. Her body was kept pressed flat against the cliff face by whatever or whoever it was.
"Is it over?" Hilary asked quietly, opening one eye. She saw Kai also just opening his eyes.
He was standing over her, protecting her. He had taken any hit that would have come her way from the falling rocks. All was silent again, and the Russian seemed unharmed.
Hilary stared up at him in disbelief. "K-Kai?"
Kai gazed down at her, his expression not cold and hard, but soft and worried. "You okay?"
"Yeah…" Hilary nodded slowly. She glanced over at Kenny, who was clutching his laptop shakily; he was unhurt too because a protruding ledge had prevented any boulders from injuring him when Kai had pushed them both into the cliff wall.
He had saved them. But he had shielded Hilary - not Kenny - from harm. He had protected her.
"Oh no!" Hilary groaned, noticing that a massive rock mound now blocked their way.
Kai looked up at the cliff face. "That was close…" he muttered to himelf.
"We're trapped!" Kenny shrieked.
"There's nowhere to run now - turn back while you still can or you'll be stuck here forever!" cackled a voice over an intercom. It was Doctor B, the mad scientist keeping them on the island.
Kai glared around angrily, before starting to climb the rocks separating them from the rest of the path. He did not care about Doctor B's threats.
Hilary's eyes lit up. "That's it! So are we still going this way?"
Kai just glanced over his shoulder and gave her a soft smile.
Hilary squealed in delight, hugging Kenny temporarily. "Let's go," she laughed. They scaled the rock mound.
Kai continued to help Hilary, holding her hand as they climbed in case she slipped. He never let go, not for a second. It was as if the narrow escape with the rockslide had got him worried about losing her.
It had been because of moments like these that they had come to respect and trust each other, Hilary remembered. Which in turn had led to a special bond - whatever it was, friendship or otherwise - to form between them. The question was, did that bond sill exist? Had it been severed when the team split up?
She reached the bridge that overlooked the city's river and caught sight of Kai's lone figure leaning on the railings and gazing down at the water. The teen ran toward him, relieved that she had finally found him. She slipped on a hidden patch of ice in her haste and found herself sliding down the grassy slope at an alarming speed. She screamed. The icy dark water rushed up to meet her -
"Gotcha!" a gloved hand caught hers.
Recognising the black fingerless glove, Hilary looked up to see Kai pulling with all his might, grunting with the effort. She exhaled deeply. He had saved her - again.
Slowly, Hilary was pulled back on to the path. She leaned against Kai, her panting from shock and him from hauling her to safety. They stood still for a moment to catch their breath.
When coherent thought returned to her, Hilary realised that she was clinging to the sleeves of his black jacket; the way she had held on to him last year when she had been frightened or wanted to talk to him. Her cheeks tinged pink. It was the first time she had initiated physical contact with him this year.
Kai had noticed this too. His calm violet eyes flickered from her grasp on his attire to her ruby-red eyes. He showed no trace of surprise. Just the usual serious face he always had. "You okay?" he asked, his expression becoming anxious.
Hilary nodded wordlessly, restraining a gasp at the sudden change from calmness to concern in his face. She had expected him to be snappish and icy toward her. His voice had been soft, like when they had been trapped on the island, not cold and commanding. She felt a ray of hope. It seemed the bond between them remained strong.
"Thank you for saving me," the brown-haired girl told Kai gratefully.
"Don't mention it."
Now that she knew their bond still existed, Hilary needed to get to the bottom of why he had not apologised to her for quitting the team and her feelings toward him. She did not know what he meant to her anymore.
Red streaked the sky and the clouds. The winter sun, low on the horizon, cast an orange glow over the city. It was now early evening as Hilary and Kai stood gazing at each other. Light snow fell from the sky, covering them with pure white flakes.
"Kai," Hilary began. "Why didn't you apologise to me for leaving the team? You didn't even say goodbye." Her ruby eyes were questioning but anguished and her grasp on his jacket had tightened.
Kai was inwardly taken aback by how hurt she looked. His absence must have caused her a lot more pain than he had realised. For some reason, it tugged at his heart.
He sighed. "I thought coming back would be enough…I was wrong. I'm sorry, Hilary."
The sorrow in her eyes softened slightly. Hilary felt the pain in her heart ease. Kai had finally apologised. However, there were a few more things she had to know before they returned to the dojo. She slowly let go of his black jacket, gazing into his face all the while.
"Why were you so cold to me this year? Was it something I did?" Hilary whispered timidly.
Kai shook his head. "No. I'd never be like that to you unless something's really bugging me," he replied quietly. "It was Tyson at the time of the World Championships and BEGA afterward. Now it's the team. But you never annoy me, Hil. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
I thought coming back would be enough; I'm sorry. You never annoy me…I didn't mean to hurt your feelings… Kai's words echoed in Hilary's mind. From what he had said, it looked like he really did feel for her more deeply than his team-mates. It also sounded as if he felt the same way about how incomplete the team still seemed.
"The team doesn't feel like a team anymore," Hilary concurred. "There's no feeling of friendship between any of us except maybe you and me. Perhaps I can do something on Christmas day that will remind everyone…"
"Good idea, Hil. You've always been the heart and soul of this team." Kai seemed to be genuinely pleased with her.
Hilary's cheeks coloured a faint red at the unexpected praise. "Uh, thanks!"
Kai turned to leave, but she gently grasped his muscular arm. There was one last thing she needed to ask.
"Kai, this bond we have…what is it? I don't know what to think of you anymore because you're better than a friend to me, with all that's happened since we first met," Hilary explained shyly. "What do I mean to you?"
The Russian turned and gazed at her. Now that he thought about it, he too had no idea what was between them. Hilary was the only girl he had ever come to know personally and who had earned his respect. She was different from other girls, being open and honest. Having a childhood at Balkov abbey had deprived him of any social skills and so he had thought girls to be nuisances…until he had met her. Hilary probably did not know it, but she had changed him considerably during the years they had known each other. He had gone from a reserved, insular person who never revealed his feelings to anyone to someone who cared about his friends and was more open with his emotions.
Kai held her gaze. She was beautiful. He surprised himself at this revelation as he had always known she was pretty, but looking at her now so at peace with the surroundings, Hilary was amazing. This realisation was followed by a sudden surge of emotions that he had never experienced and he was consumed with confusion at them.
Hilary too was thinking about how far they had come. She had changed from a bossy girl that thought Beyblading was rubbish and Kai an evil jerk to someone who was very interested in the game and shared a connection with him. She now knew why she worried about him more than the others, why his coldness and absence had hurt her more than Ray's and Max's actions. It was not because she just cared about Kai…it was because she loved him. Her feelings for him were clear at last.
The swelling melange of strange feelings Kai had pushed away for so long had surfaced. No matter how hard he tried, he could not find the words to express them. He exhaled deeply. He would just have to hope he could get the message across through actions instead. The boy felt Hilary grasp his jacket sleeves again.
"Kai?"
"Yeah?" He looked down at her calmly.
"I've been thinking about that bond we share and I know how I feel about you now. Kai, this is what you mean to - " she broke off as Kai hugged her.
The unexpected display of affection from him rendered her speechless with astonishment.
This is what you mean to me, Hilary, Kai said silently. I've always wondered what the connection between us was…I only knew it was deeper than what I felt for anyone else. But now, standing here with you and thinking back to all the times we helped one another, it's all clear to me.
Hilary smiled, her shock dissolving. She knew Kai felt the same way she did about their bond. All she needed to do was tell him how she felt. Her arms crept up from his jacket to snake around his neck as she whispered, "This is what you mean to me too."
Kai let slip the tiniest smile as he held her tighter and more protectively, resting his head lightly on top of hers. He loved her. Hilary loved him. That was all that mattered - because they knew what they meant to each other.
After they had all opened their presents on Christmas day, Hilary took out something from her drawstring bag and laid it on the smooth wooden floor of the dojo as they sat in a circle talking about their gifts.
"What's that, Hilary?" Daichi peered at the object questioningly.
"Just a picture," the brown-haired girl replied casually.
It was not just any old picture, anyone could see that. A framed photo of the team (minus Daichi) when they had won the Beyblade World Championships last year lay before Hilary's friends.
Max was right up close in the photograph, winking playfully at the camera and doing the peace sign with one gloved hand, with Tyson behind him clutching the trophy and whooping at the top of his lungs whilst waving Kenny's glasses about; the Chief was ducking from his friend's flailing arms and Ray peered over Tyson's shoulder, cheering. Then there was Hilary herself, laughing out loud and her face glowing with excitement as she winked at the camera like Max. Her right arm was wrapped around Kai's muscular one, her encouraging him to join in the celebration as he stood in top left corner of the picture calm as ever, but with a more relaxed atmosphere about him.
"Remember this?" Hilary asked quietly.
"Of course we do!" Tyson exclaimed.
"How could we ever forget that day?" Kenny smiled.
It had been an unforgettable event for all of them. For the team, it had been a year of self-discovery and success. For Hilary, it had marked the end of a year's journey full of trials and revelations and she had felt that she had truly become not only a member of the Bladebreakers, but part of a special family.
Tears sprang to Hilary's ruby eyes as she thought about how different everything had been on that very same day this year. The inseparable family she had felt part of had become divided and the winning team she remembered had been no more. Even now, it still felt that way, despite the fact her friends had reunited.
"Hilary?" everyone was looking at her worriedly as the tears began to flow silently down her face.
"It's just that…I…I…" the girl choked on a sob, trying in vain to blink back her tears.
"What's wrong, Hil?" Ray asked gently, placing a gloved hand on her shoulder.
Hilary silently picked the photo up from the floor. She gazed at it, her tear-filled ruby-red eyes distant.
"That day…I felt like I had really become a Bladebreaker," she whispered almost inaudibly. "Part of a team that knew the real meaning of teamwork, but it meant more than that to me…the Bladebreakers team were true friends to each other and I had never felt so happy in my life because I shared in that unconditional friendship. I thought we'd carry on going from strength to strength. I was wrong and now that team's gone forever."
Max smiled at her comfortingly. "But we've reunited and we beat BEGA together, didn't we?"
"Yeah, we may have done it together but we didn't accomplish it working together!" Hilary cried, her voice cracking. Tears sprinkled the surface of the framed photo in her hand. "Don't you see? We're not a team anymore, guys…we might be together and spend time together but it still doesn't make us the team we were before this year's World Championships!" Sobs overwhelmed her and her body trembled violently. Her anguished cries filled the air, quiet but heartbroken. Her friends could only watch her cry in depressed and aimless silence.
Hilary cried into Kai's shoulder, helpless to stop the tears. The boy embraced her with one arm consolingly. Consumed with guilt, the others did not notice this unusual act of kindness from him.
"Hilary's right, guys," Kai told his team-mates seriously. "We don't have the team spirit that we had before we split up and BEGA took over the BBA. What I'm saying is, we'll never be the way we once were unless we do something…and fast."
"You can't be serious!" Tyson and Daichi gasped in disbelief.
"It's no wonder she's so upset," Ray sighed, glancing at Hilary. "Hil was always the one who gave us confidence when we were down. Now, I guess it's time to return the favour."
"Yeah!" Max enthused.
"So Hilary…" Kenny addressed the tearful girl softly. "What do you want us to do to thank you for everything you've done for us?"
Hilary quietly raised a tear-streaked face to gaze at them all. "Could you…become that family again? That special team I was part of a year ago…and never ever separate?"
Her friends looked at each other in silence for a moment. The revolution against BEGA was over and the BBA was back - there was no need for them to be G-revolutions anymore. Perhaps doing what Hilary wanted was a good idea…but could the team return to what it had been from the start?
Tyson, Ray, Max, Kenny and Daichi were still looking at one another uncertainly when Kai held out a gloved hand to the centre of their circle. His friends stared at him in surprise. They could not believe their cold and stern team-mate was actually going along with Hilary's request. Then as the shock faded, five other hands were placed on top of Kai's.
Hilary glanced around at their smiling faces. The boys were going to do what she wanted. Slowly, she put her own hand on top of her team-mates'. She smiled a watery smile.
"Thank you for doing this," the girl whispered. "It means so much to me…"
"The team's now the Bladebreakers again!" Tyson declared. "Kai'll be the captain like he used to be and you'll be our coach, Hilary."
"Thanks, Ty!" Hilary laughed.
Ray beamed. "I'm glad the team's back to normal again!"
Max winked at Hilary. "Hey, we love you Hil."
He and his friends shared a group hug with her.
Hilary embraced each and every team-mate. It had really been the best Christmas ever. She and Kai loved each other, the team's comradeship had been restored…and now the Bladebreakers were back. This time it would be forever.