Chapter 9

"A Smile is a Frown Turned Upside Down"

Happy go Lucky- Steps

"It's so good to see you again, Man!" Michael from the U.S. beyblade team wrapped an arm around Tyson's neck in a half hug.

Tyson, who had innocently been sitting at a picnic table listening to Kenny and Hilary bicker over something pointless, tried not to stiffen from the sudden contact. He had been waiting for the arrival of his visitors, and gone through a list of who might be visiting him, but he had not guessed Michael.

"Don't strangle him," a female voice that vaguely sounded like Emily advised.

The vice grip on his throat loosened. Michael laughed bashfully. "Sorry, Emily."

"Don't say sorry to me. I'm not the one you were choking."

Emily was here too? Tyson let his gaze sweep across the field. His grandfather was off to the side with the grill and cooking something that smelled delicious. To the left of his grandfather was Max and Rei, who were whispering to each other. Kai was by himself under a tree. He looked laid back, but Tyson could see the tension in his body. Kai was staring at something behind Tyson.

Following the gaze of his teammate, Tyson held back a gulp. It wasn't just Michael and Emily, but his entire team. The limo behind them appeared to be their mode of transportation, and another limo was driving up. From that limo, Tyson could see an exuberant Lee waving through the window.

He could curse. He had thought the visitors he would be receiving would be his classmates; not his competition. As much as he liked them, he could not stand to be around them in such an emotional state.

A finger poking him the cheek, alerted Tyson to Michael, who had taken up occupancy in the seat next to him. "You okay?" Michael asked, and gave Tyson's cheek another poke. "You look a little pale."

"Michael," Emily reprimanded.

"What?" He replied defensively. "He is pale!"

Tyson forced a soft laugh through his lips, but it was utterly weak compared to his normal laughter. The White Tigers were just pulling up to the picnic and already Tyson was failing to put up a good act for his friends.

He felt light headed. His vision swam in and out, but he managed to keep his body from swaying. This was too much stress too soon. If only he had someone to help him. He needed someone or something to lean on, and take some of the stress off of him.

Michael and Emily frowned at him, but did not say anything.

Could they see his weakness? He didn't want them to see it. He wanted to appear strong like he always had. He was so used to being the optimistic one, and making others feel better, it was difficult for him to play the reverse role.

"Hey, you guys didn't start the party without us, did you?" Lee cried, as he and the other White Tiger members made their way across the field. Mariah veered away from the group, and headed towards Rei.

Tyson watched in envy as he saw Mariah jump into Rei's arms and hug him, causing Max and Rei to laugh at her antics. The three of them looked so happy and carefree. He wanted to be like that again. Could his life ever return to such bliss?

A hand waved in front of Tyson's face. He blinked.

Hilary was leaning across the picnic table. She bit her bottom lip nervously, and tried to sound teasing when she spoke, but Tyson could hear the undertone of concern. "Jeez, Tyson! Lee just asked you a question, and you ignored him."

"Oh!" Tyson mumbled, and turned his head to see where Lee had taken residence.

Lee was on the other side of him. It unnerved him to have both of his sides occupied by people, but he could not let on to his discomfort. He forced another smile onto his face. "No, Lee we did not start the party without you."

"Tyson!" Hilary and Kenny scolded in unison.

"What?" Tyson asked, taken aback by the double assault. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Tyson," Kenny drawled out his name. The little brunette's voice was laced with a pity, and Tyson's stomach sunk in apprehension. "Didn't you hear Lee ask you how you are feeling?"

Tyson could hit himself over the head. No, he had not heard Lee ask him such a thing. He didn't even recall Lee sitting next to him. His thoughts were somewhere else completely.

He felt like a failure. Why couldn't he act happy? His life could be in danger, and he could put a smile on his face then and act like the most confident fool on the planet, so why not now?

His hands clenched into fists. He let his nails dig into his palms, and cursed himself in his head. He was pathetic if he couldn't put on a façade at such a simple time as this. The one time he truly needed his happy-go-lucky attitude.

"Excuse me," Kai's voice cut in through Tyson's raging haze. Tyson looked up at Kai, who stood only a few inches away from his back. He thought Kai's comment had been aimed at him, but Kai's eyes were locked onto Michael. "I was planning to sit there, so move."

Michael opened his mouth to argue, but like a demon, Kai's eyes seemed to come to life and glow with a fiery hatred that promised pain. Visibly gulping, Michael scooted away from Tyson, giving Kai his seat.

Before Kai sat down, Tyson felt his heart flutter. He was scared, but at the same time he felt safe. Kai was one of the few people that knew what really happened. Tyson didn't have to lie around Kai, and somehow that made Kai the easiest to be around. It shoved his fear to the back of his mind.

"You're so rude, Kai," Hilary chastised, and immaturely stuck out her tongue.

"Hn."

"Amazing," Kenny hummed in fascination.

"What?" Emily asked, picking up on Kenny's interest. The brunet never spoke like that unless he had discovered something, and out of competitive spirit, Emily had to know what it was.

"Nothing," Kenny blushed and flailed his arms about, having been caught in one of his musings. "It's nothing! I swear!"

No one believed him, but no one had the strength to figure out what Kenny was hiding. Though Kai and Tyson had a good idea what it was.

Every ten seconds, Kai or Tyson would catch Kenny glancing at them. They couldn't blame him though. It was odd for the two of them to get along so peacefully. By now the two of them should be bickering, but Kai being Kai didn't say a thing, and Tyson was to caught up in his thoughts to speak.

"So the final group has a arrived," Grandpa shouted over the commotion caused by the three teams.

Tyson glanced over his shoulder, and his jaw dropped. Coming out of the third, and final limo to arrive were the Demolition Boys. What the heck were they doing here? They didn't seem like the type for a picnic.

The first to step out of the limo was Tala, and Tyson could feel his muscles freeze in place at the livid expression on Tala's face. The redhead didn't look as if he wanted to be here, nor did his companions.

Next to him, Kai shifted his weight. His demeanor was cool and collected. Not one muscle gave away Kai's thoughts, but Tyson knew Kai was prepared to attack if Tala tried something.

A wave of comfort washed over Tyson, pushing his fear for Kai further down. It was only a temporary fix, but knowing that Kai was not going to let others harm him brought back some of the confidence Tyson had lost.

Tala sauntered up to the picnic table while his teammates spread out and did as they pleased. The closer he got to the table the less malicious he appeared, as if he were remembering his manners and trying to quell his anger.

Tyson mentally gave Tala points for trying to appear nice, but it was obvious to anyone who had seen his earlier expression that Tala was in a foul mood.

Lee was the first to suffer from that mood. "Get out of my seat!" Tala snapped.

Lee scowled, but obeyed. Tyson would bet money Lee only gave up his seat because he didn't want to cause a scene. How sweet, but now Tyson was stuck between two ice princes.

"So were you kidnapped, or what?" Tala demanded, glaring holes through Tyson.

"W-what?" Tyson stuttered. He felt his body begin to shake, and tried to stop it. It wasn't until a hand gently touched his arm, did his shaking cease.

The one responsible for the comforting touch had been Kai. Thanks to the angle they were in, Kai was able to place his hand on one of Tyson's arms undetected. Tyson's body was blocking the view of the touch, and in the recesses of his mind, Tyson knew if it weren't for that, Kai would not be helping him now.

Tala sighed in exasperation. "All of us," he waved his arm to indicate the four beyblade groups at the picnic, "have been searching for you. Forgive me if you find my curiosity unjust." Tala last sentence dripped with sarcasm. "So what happened?"

"I-" Tyson paused. What was he supposed to say? He couldn't tell Tala what really happened, and he couldn't give him a half lie either. He had already told family and teammates that he hadn't been kidnapped, so he couldn't use that as an excuse.

"Lay off Tala," Kai growled, giving the redhead a warning glance. "He doesn't have to tell you anything."

Tala's face scrunched up in distaste. He reminded Tyson of a feral dog he saw when he was a little kid. Tyson hoped Kai knew what he was getting into with Tala. "Why should I 'lay off' when my teammates and I had to take time out of our busy schedule to search for the doofus here?"

"You were never forced to search for him," Kai countered coolly. "Everyone who is here had offered up their help willing, so don't act like a child who was promised a cookie and didn't get it."

The Demolition Boys had offered to search for him? Tyson felt his eyes widen. It took all of his will to not drop his jaw and stare in bewilderment at Tala and his teammates.

Tala opened his mouth to reply, but was abruptly cut off by a plate of food being shoved in his face by Tyson's grandpa. "Time to eat!" the old man announced cheerfully.

Begrudingly, Tala took the plate of food, and muttered a quiet thanks before eating the meal.

Soon everyone was eating. No one noticed the slow pace Tyson eat at; too engrossed in their own meals.

Between bites of food Tyson glanced at Tala, not believing what Kai said was true.

Everyone was oblivious to the glances Tyson gave Tala, except one: Kai.