Disclaimer- I don't own Beyblade or any of the beyblade characters. However all OCs are owned by me and are not to be stolen (though I know nobody has that intention)


February

One surprisingly warm afternoon in February they were interrupted at lunch by a phone call. Had the three teenagers been living in their half of the mansion as they should be, the butler would have emerged with the phone balancing on a silver tray. Alas, this was not the case, and Kai got up from his seat and made his way over to the telephone.

'Yes?' he grunted his usual greeting. There was a pause as Raisa and Tala listened to see who was calling, though they suspected it would be a business associate of Kai's.

A moment later, Kai strolled in and handed the hand-set to Raisa. 'It's for you.'

'Oh, thankyou.' She said politely, taking it and rising from the table. 'Hello?...Oh, mom! How are you?'

Tala sneered slightly at the sudden change in the girl's behaviour. Yet at the same time, both boys felt a very small tinge of sadness, having nobody to speak to in such a way like Raisa did. Neither of them had relatives whom they loved, and who clearly loved them back. But there was Raisa, pacing the room indelicately, having an animated conversation with a mother that clearly cared for her daughter's well-being. Clearly she didn't have a family intent on taking over the world and using their girl as merely a tool, Kai thought with faint resentment.

Her mother must have said something amusing, for Raisa suddenly broke out into giggles, before controlling herself. 'Now, come on mother, what was the reason you called? Are you home now?'

The questions went on like that for a while. 'Can't you tell me where you've been?', 'Why not?', 'Why wouldn't you tell me of all people? I have no reason to tell anybody.', 'What have you been doing?' and so fourth. But she received no answer to any of them by the looks of it, and gave up with a sigh after a few tiring minutes of curious questioning.

Realising this conversation was going next to nowhere, Kai and Tala resumed eating their lunch in silence. Raisa continued to get more and more fed up as the conversation on the phone went on.

'But why is it so important?...What do I care if he's there? And more importantly, what do you care?' Suddenly all patience and grace left her and she seemed to forget the two boys sitting at the table behind her and cried out with exasperation 'Mother! That's enough! I will not hear any more of this!'

Suddenly Kai and Tala's curiosity drew them back into her conversation again, but they remained eating in silence, now listening quite intently. 'But, but I'm fine! What's made you suddenly change your mind? It was yours and dad's doing in the first place!'

She took in breath and shook her head to herself as she heard the almost desperate arguments on the other end of the receiver. Finally, with a stiff tone, she ended the conversation abruptly. 'Alright mother, I will be there. When I arrive we shall have a talk about all of this…Very well, I'll speak with you soon.' And with that final note, she hung up, turning back to the boys at the table as though they had simply imagined her losing her temper in front of them. With the phone next to her, she returned to her seat and resumed eating. After a few moments of silence, she turned to address Kai, a look on her face that showed she had been trying to think of how to word what she was about to say for the past five minutes. Kai didn't look up at her as she began to speak.

'Kai,' she said, in a far softer tone than the one she had just been using on the phone. 'tonight there is a party that I have no choice but to attend-'

'How many times do I have to tell you that it's none of my concern when you go to parties and you don't need to ask my permission for it?' Kai interjected, with an icy edge to his voice.

This tone only made Raisa even more uneasy. She shifted slightly in her seat and continued, clearing her throat to regain self control 'Yes, you've told me many times. But Kai no, this time there's something else I want to ask you.' She lightly scratched her neck with hesitation and both boys waited patiently to see what this question or perhaps, request, would be. 'This time, I was wondering if I could ask you to accompany me.'

She ended her sentence rapidly, and Tala's eyebrows raised with amusement as he looked over at Kai. This request hadn't shocked Kai enough to look in Raisa's direction, but he opened his eyes and sat in silence for a moment, as if daring the girl to provide him with a logical reason as to why he should do something he didn't want to do.

'I promise you it won't be too unbearable. We won't even stay long, two hours at most.' She looked at him again. 'I wouldn't ask you any other time.'

Kai sighed, loudly, to show his defeat which even he thought came a little too easily. 'Fine.'

Raisa smiled with relief, before remembering somebody else. 'Oh, Tala, you're welcome to come along aswell.'

Tala smiled out one side of his mouth 'Thanks for the offer. I'll think on it. But why is it so important for Kai to attend this one?'

'Well,' she said, with reluctance, before finally deciding to just spit out whatever it was she didn't want to say. 'My parents will be there, along with many family friends and important people.' More strength was coming into her voice now. 'I want them to see that they didn't make a mistake by sending me here.'

Kai did look at her this time. In a subtle way, Raisa had just told him that her parents didn't approve of this arrangement. She had also told him, more importantly, that she did.

Finding himself without an answer to give, which happened all too often in Raisa's presence, a usual 'hmm' seemed to suffice as a response. She sought the opportunity to look him properly in the face and say 'Thankyou.', something that Raisa said often, which never had so much meaning behind it.

She stood up and spoke awkwardly, as though she felt it very unnatural for her to be giving instructions in a house that (despite Kai's constant remarks) wasn't hers. 'We shall leave at seven.' Before hastily adding, 'Is that alright?'

Kai nodded, then gave her a firm reminder 'No more than two hours.'

She smiled and, taking her plate with her, made to leave the dining room.

'Hey, Raisa?' Tala called after her.

She turned 'Yes, Tala?'

'What were you laughing about earlier?'

As she remembered, she almost broke out into laughter again, but checked herself in time. 'Oh,' she answered, with a gleeful smile, 'My mother, she said that Kai sounded handsome on the phone.'

Tala shared her laughter as she departed. Kai did absolutely nothing; he was not about to encourage their stupid games.

'So, the family don't approve.' The red-head said to nobody in particular, an air of delight still in his voice. 'Looks like you're going to have some competition here tonight, Kai. Then again, I guess you'd be lucky if her family backed out of this.' He laughed again. 'Be sure to be yourself at that party, I'll kick myself to know I missed the one occasion where Kai Hiwatari was the social butterfly.'

Kai wasn't at all amused by Tala's taunting 'You're going too.' he said flatly.

'Oh no you don't.' Tala's smile had faded ever so slightly. 'I don't have to go, I'll feel like the third wheel the whole night. Besides, I have absolutely nothing to wear.' The smile had crept back on to his face gradually with every word he spoke.

Kai scoffed, 'Nothing to wear? Tala, please.' Then he turned serious again, 'You're going. You'll borrow something of mine to wear, but you're still going.'

'I really think it would be better if-'

'I'm not letting you stay here on your own.'

With the sheer determination, and hint of concern, in his voice, Tala knew that he wouldn't be convincing Kai otherwise. He sighed in defeat, as Kai had only minutes before. He didn't say anything; he didn't have to. Kai had spoken, and that was that. For a few more seconds, they spoke quickly to one another, as though it were a battle of wits, though they both knew the battle had been won.

'Parties aren't my scene.'

'Do you think they're mine?'

'I'm only thinking of your safety.'

'And I'm being the sensible one and thinking of yours.'

There was another defeated sigh and Kai got up to leave, wallowing in satisfaction. Tala watched him go, with knowledge and defeat, muttering something that Kai had no chance of hearing.

'Your funeral.'

'We'll take my car,' Kai said, as though it were a statement rather than an offer. They were making their way through the oversized garage, towards Kai's gorgeous black jaguar.

'Oh,' Raisa hesitated. 'Well, I was going to suggest taking my car. That way I can drive us back if you…' She trailed off, realising what she was about to say was ludicrous. Tala roared with laughter, but Kai continued to walk and the two of them followed in silence.

Tala stopped at one vehicle on the way and let out a low whistle. The car was cream coloured and quite old, though it had obviously been cared for very well. It looked as though it came straight out of the fifties. 'Nice one. Kai, is this one of yours? I had no idea you would want something like this, what with your jaguar and all.'

Raisa stepped up behind him, a smug expression on her face 'That one's mine.'

Tala made an interested 'mmm' noise, and they continued to follow Kai past the many vehicles owned by the Hiwatari's. 'I agree with Kai, we can't take that. It'll get stolen easily.'

Raisa objected. 'Oh, but Kai's car is far more likely to strike an interest. Mine's lovely and old, but the jaguar is modern and exciting. I know which one I would steal if I could.'

The conversation went on much like that as they made their way through the garage, walking a lot slower than Kai. When they reached the car, Raisa opened the back door for herself. But before she could get in, Tala swooped down into the back seat. 'Why thankyou, my lady.' he said in jest, and shut the door behind him, leaving Raisa to climb into the passenger seat. She shrugged and chuckled to herself. It hadn't been very long, but despite the first impressions, she had grown to like Tala. She thought he had a witty sense of humour, and anybody who could get along well with Kai deserved her respect.

'What family's party is this anyway?' Tala asked, closely examining the many complex window and seat controls on the side of his door.

Her answer made Kai turn to look at her, but he found her expression hadn't changed, and she didn't look back. 'The Prestifilippo's.'

After Kai pulled up his car on the lawn, among many others, the three of them stepped inside the front door, trying not to draw too much attention to themselves. Despite their efforts, whispers were following them; many already knew of Kai and a surprising amount of people recognised Tala. Raisa too was known, but it wasn't unusual for her to be showing up at parties like this, so nobody commented on her arrival.

'Can I get any of you a drink?' They were asked at the door by one of the many servants.

'Champaigne, please.' Raisa said gracefully, handing her coat over to another servant and stepping further inside.

Kai shook his head and made to follow. Tala, much to Kai's hidden amusement, kindly asked the man for a peach margarita. Kai rolled his eyes as he heard this, and mumbled something that sounded like 'stupid gay.'

For the next hour or so, the three of them tried to stick together, but kept getting separated by eager people who wanted a word with them individually. Kai was good at ignoring people, but when it started to prove ineffective, Raisa had to step in several times to rescue him. While Tala was busy engaging in reluctant conversation with an eccentric old man, Raisa took the material of Kai's jacket sleeve in between her fingers and spoke quietly to him. 'Follow me, my parents are over there. As soon as this is done I'll leave you alone.'

Sauntering her way over, with kai hesitantly following, they entered a different room where Raisa's parents were seated. Upon seeing their daughter, both rose to their feet to greet her. Kai half expected Raisa to jump into her mother's arms, but this was not the case. The two smiled, somewhat warmly, and kissed eachother on the cheek. She then graced her father with the same strong handshake Kai still remembered from the day they had first met. Kai stood stiffly beside her, lacking any confidence with the knowledge that these people wanted this marriage to happen perhaps less than he did.

'This is Kai. I don't believe you've met before.'

As Kai shook their hands, both of them seemed nice enough. Raisa's mother even looked quite impressed. Her father seemed to take a polite interest, and began to do the one thing Kai was dreading most of all, ask questions. 'Kai Hiwatari, it is a privilege to finally meet you. You work for your grandfather's company, do you not?'

'Yes sir, that's correct.'

'Interesting,' he said thoughtfully. 'Tell me Kai, how-?'

'Listen dad, we can't hang around.' Raisa interrupted, coming to Kai's rescue for the fifth time that night. 'We won't be staying long, and there's many more people to see.'

'Oh, of course.' Her father stepped down, bowing his head to Kai slightly as the two of them turned to walk away.

'Alright,' she said, as soon as they were out of sight. 'You can do what you wish now, I'll catch up with you later. If my dad comes back to pester you, don't worry, there's nothing you need to lie about.'

Kai was suspicious, but nodded without question, and Raisa left him standing alone in a large room full of elaborate and interesting people he didn't know. His first instinct was to find Tala, but as he began to make his way back to the room they had been in before, he was called over by yet another successful businessman, willing to talk strategies. He sighed, this would be a long two hours.

Raisa found her way back to her mother, relieved her father had disappeared momentarily. The warm smiles had disappeared now that it was just the two of them. 'Do you still think this was a mistake?'

Her mother was torn, and it showed in her face. 'He's something, he really is.' she said in an unconvincing voice.

'He's more than he appears aswell.' Raisa strongly defended Kai's case. 'He's not the most social of people, but he's strong and has a devoted mind.'

Without looking at her daughter, a sudden change was made in the subject after a long silence. 'Have you seen Marcus yet?'

Raisa's expression hardened. 'No, and I don't plan to.'

'Shame on you, Raisa. He's a charming young man and you know he's always had our approval.'

'And you know there's nothing wrong with Kai.' She continued to glare at the woman who wouldn't look back at her. 'Yet, you're still determined to back out on your own decision.'

There was another long and painful silence, which Raisa abruptly brought an end to, along with the conversation, before stepping out of the now empty room. 'I don't understand why you have suddenly changed your mind. But I guess I just don't understand a lot of things. But your decisions don't come into it anymore, because this marriage will happen, and soon. Voltaire is intent on it.'

She couldn't see the pain in her mother's eyes, when she had made her daughter so frustrated, unable to explain her reasons. She had to let her walk away, knowing that she really did have no control any longer.


(A/N) Tala is not gay, sorry to those who are disappointed. But the comment Kai made shows how he feels about homosexuality, so it's there for a reason.