Like I said guys, double update today, so if you haven't read [Chapter Seven: Rematch] yet, then you should go back and read it, because it feature's Kai in all his screen time hogging glory.

We're sticking with the Bladebreakers for this chapter too, the day after they manage to rope Kai back into the team. :3
On a side note, I have been waiting to get this chapter published FOREVER, so I hope you all reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. 8DD


Chapter Eight: The Good Old Days

Tyson spared a moment to glance around him in awe, before wondering just exactly how he managed to get into this situation. Not that he was complaining – hell no.

It looked like he was in a Harem. He was lounging back on some rich purple silky sheets in the most luxuriously grand four-poster bed he had ever seen. The frame was made of rich ebony wood and gilded with antique gold, and into each post was carved intricate designs of interlocking dragons. His head was resting back on some big, firm golden pillows and there was a pleasantly cool breeze floating through the room. But that wasn't all.

Because Tyson was also surrounded by girls.

Blondes, redheads, brunettes, some with blue hair like him, some with pink or violet. They were all drop dead gorgeous and they were all looking at him with teasingly shy smiles on their faces. Two of the girls nearest him were perched daintily on the edge of his bed, one on either side, and they had in their hands huge platters of oh-so-delectable looking treats. Another two a little further off were fanning him with some large white-peacock feathered fans.

Okay, so Tyson accepted that he must be in a Harem – all these girls were dressed in red, pink, and purple skimpy little outfits, just like the ones you would see in Middle Eastern Palaces in the olden times. He resisted the urge to drool a little.

"...Tyson."

Tyson turned his head towards the end of the bed in response, and there he saw Hilary. He was about to ask her what she was doing here and tell her that it wasn't what it looked like, but the words died in his mouth when he saw her. Only Tyson had the vague feeling as he looked at her, that he had never really seen her until now.

She was standing at the end of his bed with one arm wrapped lazily around the bedpost, leaning her head against it. She was smiling at him mischievously, and her ruby eyes were twinkling. Her hair was styled differently, he noticed. Instead of flicking out messily, it was sleek and straightened up, tied back lazily with all sorts of delicate golden ornaments hanging in it. Around her neck and wrists were countless golden chains which jangled slightly. And her body. She was wearing a sleek, pale gold chiffon wrap around her chest. Her midriff was completely bare, and around her hips she was wearing similar gold coloured pants, around which was wrapped a teasingly see through light gold wrap, which only covered as far down as her mid-thigh anyway.

Before Tyson could even articulate anything, Hilary was suddenly on her hands and knees on the end of the bed, crawling slowly towards him. "Hi - Hilary, what're you do –"

She placed a finger on his lips to silence him, and smiled seductively before saying, "It's time for practice, Tyson…"

Tyson frowned slightly at the sound of her voice, it echoed around the room and sounded strangely distant. But then all thoughts were pushed out of his mind as Hilary pushed her lips on to his, forceful and eager. Tyson went rigid for a split second in shock. What was she doing?

Oh screw it, he thought.

Tyson abandoned all modesty, pulled Hilary more firmly onto his lap and kissed her right back, even more forceful and eager than she. Her lips were warm and soft, and she was trailing her hands teasingly down his chest. Tyson brushed his tongue against her lips and felt a rush of male pride when she opened her mouth to him. What was he doing? He didn't know. All he knew was that it felt good. He was a hot-blooded male after all, and who in their right mind would refuse the advances of a hot girl, anyway? And boy, was Hilary hot today.

Actually, Tyson thought as he trailed his fingers down her back, she was hot. His body was tingling with heat from where her hands were touching him all over, and his lips were burning from where they met hers.

Hell, his mouth was on fire!

Tyson opened his eyes in confusion and was horrified to see the room was up in flames around him. He could hear the crackling of the fire, and feel the embers licking at every inch of his body. To the side, he saw the other harem girls standing in the midst of the blaze. Then, in unison, they all turned their eyes to him and opened up their mouths and out of them flew tongues of flame which morphed into phoenixes. The birds of fire flew about the room in a circle and only added to the rising inferno. But that wasn't all.

When Tyson looked in front of him to see Hilary, he realised it wasn't her that he was kissing at all.

It was Kai.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" Tyson sat bolt upright in his bed, panting and darting his eyes around the room in panic. He then screamed once more, just for good measure.

It wasn't until he heard stifled laughter from the doorway that he came to his senses. Looking around, he realised that he was still in his bedroom in the dojo. He was all tangled up in his pale blue bed sheets, and his hair was a mess. Looking up, he saw Kai standing over him to the left of his bed with his arms folded and a cruel smirk on his face. To his right he saw Hilary, who was also grinning cruelly and hiding something behind her back. Behind them, standing in the doorway he saw Max and Rei, still in their pajamas. Max was covering his mouth with his hands trying to stifle his laughter, and Rei just had his arms folded and was laughing openly.

Tyson's mouth was still on fire.

Then he put two and two together. Chillies.

"Dude!" he shouted, narrowing his eyes and glaring at Kai from his bed, "What the hell, man!"

Hilary let out a tinker of a laugh. "Should I cool him down now, Kai?"

Kai raised his eyebrows and smirked a little wider in response. "Go ahead."

Tyson's eyes darted between the pair in confusion, wondering what the hell was going on. When did they become so chummy? And what did Hilary mean by cooling him down? Was she going to bring him a glass of milk? He sure hoped so, because he really didn't want to suffer third-degree burns to his mouth because of Kai's sadistic wake-up calls. Stupid Kai – he hadn't even been back for one day yet and he was already making his life hell! And the others were no better either, joining in with Kai's torture and laughing at his misery. He was beginning to reconsider letting them all stay at his dojo during the run up to the tournament.

However, all of Tyson's mental complaining was brought to a halt when Hilary revealed what she was hiding behind her back. It looked suspiciously like a bucket, and the noise it made when she brought it forward sounded suspiciously like the slopping of ice-water. Tyson was certain he didn't like the look on her face one bit.

"Hi – Hilary… what are you doing?" Tyson said weakly. Hilary didn't bother answering him though. Instead, she just smiled at him innocently and threw the bucketful of ice cold water over him with one graceful sweep of her arms.

Tyson's screams were drowned out by the sound of the ice-water splashing all over him, and Max and Rei's laughter. Even Kai let out the tiniest snicker. Tyson sat on his bed, shivering pathetically and trying warm himself up by rubbing his arms. His pajamas were soaked through and his usually wild navy hair was now plastered to his face. "Ya know, K-Kai," he said though chattering teeth, trying to glare hatefully at him, but failing miserably, "I'm be-beginning to re-reconsider my invita-tation. You can g-go back to your p-posh little school if y-you want t-to, and w-we'll find a new ca-captain." Kai raised an amused eyebrow in response, but said nothing. Then Tyson, sniffing the air, said, "Wh-what's that sm-smell?"

"Five am," Kai replied cooly. He then spun around on his heel and began to leave the room, "You better get up and get your breakfast, Tyson, because training begins in half an hour."

Tyson's expression shattered amusingly, and he whined, "B-but Kai! I've g-got school t-today!" The only reply he received was Hilary's tinkering laugh from the side of the room. He twisted around to face her, and narrowed his eyes at her venomously. "And what are y-you laughing at, you little w-witch?" His fury was marred somewhat by his pathetic shivering.

"You, obviously," she replied, rolling her eyes at him.

"Yeah? Well, th-this is the last time I let y-you sleep over here!"

"Whatever Tyson, just get dressed. I'll make you guys some toast." She said, addressing them all. And then she left the room to the sound of Tyson mumbling something about 'ungrateful' and 'devious' and 'ganging up on him like that.'

"Man, Tyson…" Max said as he eased into the room and sat on the only corner of Tyson's bed that wasn't wet. His slightly puffy eyes and tousled hair were the only indication that the blonde had only recently woken up, because he was just as cheery as ever. "You look traumatized."

"Yeah Ty, you look really out of it…" Rei smirked, leaning against the door frame, "were you having a bad dream?"

"No!" Tyson shouted defensively, "I wasn't having any dream! Who said I was dreaming?"

"Wow, you don't sound defensive at all," Rei mocked from the doorframe.

"Yeah, now I really wanna know what he was dreaming." Max chirped. What was this, the navy-headed teen thought, 'let's all bully Tyson day?'

"Arghh, get outta my room, guys!" Tyson growled in frustration and lobbed a soaking wet pillow at his blonde haired best friend. However, Max ducked the poor throw and the pillow simply landed at Rei's feet pathetically with a wet 'plop.'

The teasing duo left the room snickering, and Tyson was left alone on his wet bed sheets wondering what the hell kind of pizza he ate last night that gave him such horrible, horrible dreams.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Tyson left the school building, alone and grumbling. This was just not his day.

First off, he was tired and aching because Kai wouldn't let him leave for school until he'd completed all his launching drills, two hundred push-ups and a hundred ab-crunches. Then, because he was in such a hurry to avoid a late detention, he forgot to pick up his lunch money when he left the dojo so he didn't have anything to eat all day besides the burnt toast Hilary made him for breakfast. As if that wasn't bad enough, he was still late anyway! Then his math teacher screwed at him for not doing his homework (he meant to do it yesterday, but forgot because they all went to see Kai), so he ended up having a double detention! Plus, he had detention for the rest of the week for missing his homework, and extra homework as punishment!

"Argh, this sucks! Stupid Kai and his training regime. Gah, who needs him anyway?" Tyson muttered to himself as he made his way down the sidewalk, glaring and kicking at a stray Pepsi can that dared to cross his path. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets and wore an uncharacteristic scowl on his face.

When he eventually returned to the dojo, Tyson was surprised to find that the yard was empty. He thought he'd find Kai and Hilary putting everyone through the ringer, but they were nowhere to be seen. He kicked off his shoes in the entryway and walked in.

"Uhh...guys?" he called out, looking into the training room, the lounge and then the kitchen. But they weren't there either. "Hmm, that's weird." Even weirder was the fact that he was talking to himself. He should probably stop doing that before someone saw him and thought he was losing his marbles as well as his team.

He was making his way to his bedroom when he heard a floorboard creak suspiciously behind him. He turned around to look, thinking that it was probably Max playing a prank on him, when he suddenly saw his grandpa hurtling through the air towards him with his wooden kendo sword held above his head.

"Heads up, home-dog!"

"Ahh, gramps!" Tyson yelled, before ducking the surprise attack. "You gotta stop doin' that, man! It's not cool!"

Grandpa picked himself up off the floor before countering with just as much gusto, "Now whatch'ya trying to say there, homie? That I don't know what's down with the hip n' happenin'?"

"Ugh, please grandpa," Tyson said, visibly face palming. "Just...stop talking?"

"Hmph," Grandpa said in response, but didn't say anything more. He looked down at his grandson with concern in his eyes before continuing, "Bad day, T–dog?"

"Pfft, yeah, you can say that again!" Tyson said, throwing his arms up into the air and collapsing backwards onto his bed. Grandpa resisted the urge to say 'that again' and instead just waited for Tyson to continue. "I've had nothing to eat all day except burnt toast, and I've got detention for a week for missing my math homework – not to mention that Kai and Hilary have formed a tag-team training duo from hell!"

Grandpa's eyes sparkled with amusement. Ah yes, the woes of being a teenager. "Chin up, my man! At least you've got your team up and runnin' again for the tournament!" He then laughed as Tyson groaned and mumbled something about how more tournaments equaled more training and less sleep. "And that home-girl of yours seems to be gelling pretty nice with your home-boys, 'specially K–dog. That's gotta be a good thing."

Tyson sat up on his bed and leveled his grandpa with a serious look. "Hilary and Kai?"

"Yeah! I heard 'em talking earlier, seems they've formed a pretty hip workin' relationship. Seems Kai thinks she's done a pretty nice job of keeping you and little Maxi on your toes this past year and wants her to act as the team's coach so he can umm, what'd he say?" Grandpa cleared his voice before continuing in a deep-voiced Kai impression, "'Actually get some training in myself, instead of wasting my breath trying to get Tyson to move a muscle' or somethin' like that."

Tyson's jaw dropped as he listened to his grandpa speak. Brilliant, he thought, that was all he needed. The two biggest slave-drivers on earth joining forces only spelled misfortune and misery for this poor world champion. "Great," he spat. His life as a carefree teenager was officially over. Then he heard his stomach rumbling. "Yeah," he said mournfully, glancing down to his belly, "You better get used to that. Now that Kai and Hilary have teamed up we won't be getting much time to eat properly."

His grandpa laughed heartily before turning around and leaving the room. Calling over his shoulder he said, "By the way, I left some grub in the kitchen for you, T-dog."

Immediately Tyson's eyes lit up. He launched himself off the bed and flew right past his grandpa in the hall, jokingly calling 'thanks G-dog!' on his way past.

He was just about to tuck into some ramen and fried rice when he heard voices in the yard. Sounded like Max and the guys were back.

"Oh, there you are Tyson." Tyson groaned internally. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw Hilary standing in the doorway. She was dressed in her training outfit, which consisted of a tiny little pink tank top and some white short-shorts. She had her arms folded and was leaning against the doorframe, looking slightly breathless. There was a slight blush covering her cheeks.

"T'chh, d'you think you could put some clothes on for once, Hil?" Then he blinked at himself in shock. Were did that come from?

"What?" she yelled, blushing even more and piercing Tyson's eardrums slightly.

"Well, you heard! Prancing about the place in your little short-shorts. Don't you realise you're in a house full of guys?" Even as he said it, his eyes were roaming over her legs against his own will. She actually had a pretty nice pair of legs – he didn't know why he hadn't noticed before. Okay, and stop that thought right there. Stupid Hilary, getting into his dreams last night and making him think things he did not want to think. What was she doing, dressing like that anyway?

"Urghh, Ty-son, you're such a perv!" Hilary screeched, trying to cover her legs with her little hands. It wasn't working. Tyson rolled his eyes at her attempts before grabbing his bowl of ramen and stepping around her to leave the kitchen. "Hey, and just where do you think you're going?" she called, stomping down the hallway after him.

"Duh! Out into the yard to eat my food in peace."

"Oh no you don't." She said, speeding up to overtake him and lifting the bowl of noodles from his hands.

"Hey, give that back!"

"No –"

"Yes –"

"No!"

"Arghh, Hilary!"

By this point they had reached the yard and were bickering like a pair of toddlers. Max and Rei had stopped in their tracks to watch and Kenny just walked straight past them, already too used to their arguing to pay much attention. He simply sat down on the porch and opened up Dizzy. Kai was nowhere to be seen.

"We've just come back from a three mile run, Tyson." Hilary said, starting up again and depositing his noodles on the porch next to Kenny. Then she twisted around to look at him again with her hands on her hips. Man, Tyson thought, she looks pissed. He'd have to make a mental note not to mention her lack of clothing again.

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"Well, you missed out on it. So," she said, narrowing her eyes at him, "you're just going to have to go out now and make up for it."

His jaw dropped. "What?" He hadn't even finished his noodles yet! He tried to put on his puppy-dog face and looked at her pleadingly. "But Hil, it's not my fault I got detention!"

"Oh, no, of course. It couldn't possibly be your fault that you didn't do your math homework. Again."

"Urgh, whatever. I'm not going out for a run, Hilary."

"I'm your coach, and I say you are, Tyson."

"Oh no I'm not!"

"Oh yes you are. And if I hear one more word, I'll make you run another two miles as a penalty, you hear!"

"Pfft," Tyson said, rolling his eyes, "Who died and made you queen?"

"Tyson." He spun around in response to the threateningly low voice behind his ear. Standing right behind him, with his arms folded and a dangerous glint in his eyes, was Kai. Where the hell did he come from? His face was only a few inches away from Tyson's own – much too close. He suddenly had a sinking feeling of deja-vu.

"Arghh!" Tyson said, jumping back about three feet and hiding behind Hilary, "Dude, get out of my face!" He did not want to see Kai's face anywhere near his own, not after that nightmare he had this morning!

Kai just raised a bemused eyebrow at the navy haired japanese blader's strange behaviour before glancing at Max and Rei for an answer. They shrugged and shook their heads, just as confused. "Hn. Whatever." He then began to stalk into the dojo, but as he reached the doorway he stopped and called over his shoulder. "Oh, and Tyson. Either you're going out on that run, or you're doing one thousand squats. Your choice."

When Kai disappeared around the corner, Tyson collapsed amusingly to his knees in despair. "Aahhh! Why can't a guy just go to school without getting detention and eat some ramen and take a nap in the afternoon in peace?" he shouted, throwing his arms up to the heavens as if pleading for an answer.

Max and Rei snickered behind their hands at him, while Hilary rolled her eyes and told him to stop being such a baby.

"It's not that bad, Ty." Max came over to stand by his best friend and lay a hand on his shoulder during his hour of need. "If you think about it, this is just like the good old days!" He then laughed as he heard Tyson mumble something about the good old days not being all that good.

"You know," Hilary chirped, patting him on the head mockingly, "the quicker you start your run, the quicker it'll be over." She then took a step back and offered him a hand and a smile. "Come on, I'll come with you. But only for like, half the way."

Tyson's groans were drowned out by the laughing of his team mates. And so began the first day of the next two month's training for the tournament.

Well, it could be worse. At least it wasn't raining.


A/N: I've realised that Kenny's become sort of a walking shadow, I really need to work on writing him in a little more somehow. I'm sure he does other things besides type on Dizzi all the time. :/
Anyway, next chapter we'll be dropping on on the White Tigers as they train for the tournament too, because they haven't had any time in the spotlight yet. Greedy Tyson, hogging too many chapters.
So, that's it for the big update today, hope you've enjoyed it. Merry Christmas! :)

Next Chapter: Saturday