Yeah. I know I update almsot all the time, I swear I hate myself for that! But I mean, I had nothing to do so I wrote. And it's Christmas now so I figured, what the hell!

There are at least five chapters left now, so hang on tight! Every question is going to be answered, Rei is going to suffer a lot, Kai is going to be an ass, Hill will be a pain and the rest will just be as cosy as always. There will be kissing and crying and yelling, as well as a little more Tala and Bryan because they're so loveable it hurts.

NOTE THIS; I'm on Winter Break now, so I'm gonna go visit some friends for the next weeks. So I won't be able to update or write for a while, so this is my compensation. Have a wonderful Christmas everybody, THANK YOU for reading and reviewing and such. Happy holidays!

Enjoy!

Something To Believe In

Ten

X

Life was swell. Really, it's never been so good. I love my life, I think I'm gonna recommend it to everyone!
Well, alright, I admit it. I'm being sarcastic. And why was I hating my life that very moment? Well, that's easy my dear friend! Except for the whole thing with the Russians and such, a few days after the Max-incident, it just so happened to be the 19th, and that was scarily close to Christmas. And what's so special about that, you may wonder? Well.

Christmas shopping. That's what's wrong with it. Christmas shopping and Hillary makes an awful mix, I tell you. Of course the mad woman wanted to take us all out to buy the last few things we hadn't bought yet. Tyson still had some gifts to buy, as well as me and Jo. So it was sort of like a girl's night out, except that Tyson wasn't a girl and I was just acting like one, and it was early in the morning. Too early to be healthy, actually. Sure, I'm a morning person, I just don't like to go shopping before the sun has risen.
That's so inhumane it should be illegal.

Daichi had some things to buy as well, but he didn't dare get closer to Jo than ten meters because Max was still kind of upset about it. They had all had a long talk and settled things during the night that we got back, but it was still a touchy subject. Jo had thought Max was very sweet, of course, and before I heard any more of their little chat I had to flee the room before I started crying. Kai stared at me the whole time.

It was all very embarrassing, really. I don't want to talk about it.

Still, I don't want to talk about Christmas Shopping either. If I ever become King of the World, I am going to ban the whole thing. It's murder! Do you know how many people actually wait until so close to Christmas to buy all their junk? I don't really know either, I lost count after a hundred.

Are people stupid, or what? I mean, you know it's going to be hectic and messy and simply a plain horrific experience to go shopping this time of the month. And still so many do it! I mean, I have a good reason, my life sucks. That's a good reason for not doing, or doing, almost anything. If someone accuses you of say, burning a house down, then 'my life sucks' is a pretty good excuse.

What were these people's excuses? Hillary was insane, that's a good excuse too. Tyson was lazy, which I guess no one can argue against, and Jo was a singer so her schedule was pretty packed. But take the woman who nearly kicked me to death just so she could get a hold of the perfume I was looking at. I mean… what the hell? Honestly, no popstar can smell so good that you're willing to spill blood for her fragrance.

And there I was. Poor little me in the middle of madness. Quite charming, actually, how I managed to survive crazy mother after crazy girlfriend until I had fought my way over to an indoors cafeteria, with two presents bought. I had gotten some big, weird book of Beyblading for Tyson and a very, very, very expensive perfume for Hillary. Now, left on my mental list were Daichi, Kenny, Max, Kai and maybe I should buy something for Jo too?

Hmm… Tyson doesn't really read books, so maybe I should give that one to Max instead. Oh, what would they do with a crappy book? It was an awful present! I suck!

Feeling completely miserable I ordered the largest espresso the place had and drank it in two large gulps. I needed a cigarette so bad.

Too bad I didn't get the whole way out to the parking lot, though. Because suddenly, when I was about to dig my lighter up from my pocket, someone knocked me off my feet, literally. I had taken a punch to the stomach and immediately I felt my ribs scream at me. I wasn't healed yet from my encounter with Big Bry, and this wasn't really helping. I felt a hand around my throat, gripping so tightly my head hurt. The person dragged me away from the crowded area and behind a sign saying something about today's meal at some restaurant, he slammed me up against a wall.

I coughed violently, my chest felt like it had closed itself and wouldn't let any air escape nor enter it. I kicked desperately, fighting to breathe. When I looked up with teary eyes I saw Tala's ice-blue stare back at me. He was looking so cold, so emotionless and so very pale. To top it all off, he looked like a raged cold blooded murderer. I had no idea why I had pissed him off so badly that he felt the urge to squeeze me into a wall. Maybe he just thought I would look pretty as a wallpaper.

''T-tala?'' I croaked and he jammed my head into the wall once more, stars were beginning to dance across my eyes.

''I will only say this once, so listen closely.'' He hissed and I could feel my insides turning to ice by the chilly tone in his voice.

It was like a cold wind blowing through the North Pole.

''You'' he hissed and tightened the grip on my throat. ''You will stay as far away from my man as you can or I will break your every bone.''

I blinked at him. Stay away from his man? Did he mean Kai? What the hell?

''I haven't touched… Kai!'' I coughed and his eyes narrowed.

''Oh, really? Then why have the two of you been spending so much time together?''

''Well, for starters we both live at Max's place, you asshat!''

I felt another jab of pain as he hit me in the stomach once more. My guts were churning and turning as if having their own little party inside of me. I was going to be pissing blood by the looks if it.

''Don't play games with me, Kon!''

''I'm not! Just let me go you big ape!''

Good job there, Rei. Just piss of the angry Russian, just go ahead, kill yourself like that! See if I care!

As I had expected, Tala was going to hit me again, but he froze suddenly.
I looked around trying to find what had stopped his outburst, and immediately I wished Tala would just kill me right on the spot. Standing under a spotlight, looking like a devil in disguise, Bryan glared fire at his friend.

''Tala, stop.'' he said with a voice so firm I could feel his words hit me from meters away.

''Make me, bird-boy!'' Tala hissed.

Oh no, Tala, you didn't. You just didn't piss off the murdering purple man! Quick, every man for himself! Hide, hide, it's the apocalypse! It's Ragnarök! It's… it's… the end of the world!

Well alright, it wasn't. But Bryan was pissed out of his mind and as he grabbed and threw Tala into the restaurant-sign, I slipped out of the little space as fast as I could. But Bryan's hand gripped me by the hair and I was amazed by how he managed to beat the crap out of Tala and restrain me by the hair at the same time. Without even popping a sweat, I might add!

...
I hate my life.

But Tala came back, and what a comeback ladies and gentlemen! He threw himself up from the floor and knocked Bryan off the ground like a missile. Once they both were on the floor he straddled the lilac man and hit him over and over again. He was like a machine, and plus, my hair was free. I backed to a safe good three meters distance, while Bryan threw Tala through a window.
This was going to be expensive.

Several security guards came running, but they didn't do anything. The Russians were mad, furious, dangerous. If it had been Kai right there I probably would have been lying in a horny heap of drool by then.

''What the hell is going on?!'' a female guard with black hair yelled at me, like I was the responsible one.

''You tell me.'' I said and shrugged her off.

''Twenty bucks on the purple dude.'' One guard said.

''I'll bet thirty on the redhead!'' another one piped up and the female, I assumed she was the one in charge, turned around to glare at them.

''Shut up all of you and do something! They're…'' she ducked when Bryan flew over her head and into another window. ''They're tearing the place down!''

The guards were all staring at her like she was mad, and then they stared at Tala and Bryan who were by then trying to smash each other's heads in against a Soda Machine. Half of the guards ran away like their life depended on it. The two remaining looked at their captain who simply jerked her head at them.

''Go.'' She snarled and they didn't dare argue.

I just sighed and lit a cigarette on the spot, figuring no one would care in all the frantic. Peachy.

Three broken soda machines, one crying child, two more broken windows and two unconscious security guards later, Bryan and Tala were both handcuffed and throwing insults at each other. They were just about to be taken away when I stopped the guard by running over to them while flapping my arms like a lunatic.

''Officer m'am, may I please have a word with these two?'' I said and tried to look as kind and confident as I didn't feel.

Truth be told, I was scared out of my pants. Well, not literally. I could feel my hands shaking and dripping with sweat. My heart beat loud in my chest and I had to, once again, struggle to breathe. Even though I'd rather just run the hell away from there, I had to get answers. What were they doing? I hadn't touched Kai! Okay, maybe a little, but not since that night we slept together. And Bryan, what was his deal? Why was he everywhere?

The guard sighed and nodded, still holding them she fixed her stare at Tala who had been giving her the most trouble.

''Kuznetsov'' I said with a harsh voice and Bryan looked up reluctantly but challengingly.

''What?!'' he snapped and I flinched in surprise.

The fear must have been evident in my eyes judging by the smirk on Bryan's face. Even though this was all getting on my nerves, I still feared him like I feared no other.

''What the hell are you two doing here?''

''Saving your ass, it seems.'' He snorted in mock hurt.

''Yeah, I can see that. But why? I thought you hated me.''

''Now why would you think that?''

The smirk didn't leave his face and his eyes looked as blood hungry as ever, so I simply pointed to my bruised face with a snarl.

''Oh.'' He said when he caught my angry eyes. ''Yeah, about that…''

''What about it? Why'd you go and beat me up?!''

He looked at me in silence for a minute before answering.

''Because you didn't kiss me back.''

Tala looked absolutely horrified. And so did I. Bryan had done that!? Good thing I didn't remember it...

''Kiss you back?! You fucking kissed him?! Bryan, what the fuck… Why didn't you tell me?!''

Bryan glared at his friend who glared back and for a moment they looked like they were having a silent battle with each other. The security guard looked at me with raised eyebrows and I could only shrug as a response.

''Yeah, so? You kissed Kai.''

''Kai isn't a fucking asshole!''

''Actually…'' I said but they just glared at me so I kept quiet.

''Look at him!'' Tala said and motioned to me with his head. He looked like an insane werewolf. ''He's scrawny and... and... pathetic!''

''Just shut the hell up, Tala!''

''No Bryan, you shut the hell up! Look at him! For fucks sake, is that what you've been doing all this time? Stalking him?!''

I blinked at them. Stalking me? So that feeling of being watched that had been lingering with me for days wasn't just my imagination? Bryan really was stalking me! I suddenly felt filthy and unclean, like someone had just dumped a boat load of bat droppings over me. All the time Tala was looking more and more like a psycopath.
This was getting creepy.

''Uh…'' Bryan said and for the first time, his emotionless face looked kind of uncomfortable.

''Well, is it?!''

''Maybe.''

''Maybe?!''

''It's none of your business!''

''The fuck it is! You… why the hell?!''

''That's what I'd like to know too.'' I said and they looked at me as if they were going to tell me to shut up. ''Why did you kiss me then beat the crap out of me just to stalk me? What's wrong with you? Isn't it enough that you almost killed me once?!''

The guard looked confused and intrigued at the same time. I don't blame her, either. This was all like a big soap opera, only much more violent. The Russians were both bleeding and sweating, the mall looked like it had been subjected to a terrorist attack. Well, they didn't use to call themselves 'Demolition Boys' for nothing, I guess.

''Because…'' Bryan stuttered.

Wait, Bryan Kuznetsov stuttered? Since when did that happen? What the man was trying to tell me had to be something really big. Something I was afraid I might not like to hear.
But I was interested, there's no denying that.

''Yes?'' Tala said with venom in his voice. ''Go on. We're all dying to know!''

''I… I…''

We stood there, staring at him, waiting. The suspense was nearly killing me. This was like a big cliffhanger, all the time I expected someone to scream 'to be continued!' and someone would roll the credits.

''I like you, okay?!'' Bryan blurted out and both me, Tala and the guard stared at him with awe.

The world seemed to come to a halt, then it started spinning violently again. His voice echoed in my head, my skin felt like it was trying to run away from me. I opened my mouth to say something, but since no words came out I closed it again. I was horrified, confused and angry all the same. It was like living in a nightmare! Finally, I got my words back.

''You… like me so you try to beat me to death?!''

This time he didn't answer so I just threw my hands up in the air with a defeated sigh.

''Bryan… what's going on?'' Tala demanded to know.

The purple eyed man looked at me with a cold stare, then just grunted as if he had nothing more to say to me. The guard took this as her cue and began pushing them towards her office. I stared at the spot which they had been occupying for I don't know how long, before I heard Hillary's and Tyson's yelling behind me.

I drew my fingers through my hair and groaned.

''I hate New York.''

X

I sat on the balcony, clutching Driger in one hand and holding a cigarette in the other. This day had been interesting. I had smoked half a packet before finally numbing myself from today's incident, after which I succeeded to buy all of my Christmas gifts. Tyson would get a DVD collection of some of the most praised comedies of all time. Max would get the Beyblading book as well as a new apron, saying ''Blade the cook''. For Hillary I had bough the perfume, for Kenny I don't know what the hell I got, the guy in the store kept talking so much computer-talk I just nodded and bought it to get out of there. Kai would get a special shrine to keep Dranzer in, which was really expensive and really pretty and very heavy. To Daichi I would give a leather jacket I found on sale and to Jo I had bought a guitar case, specially designed.

This had all cost me very much, which was another reason I didn't like Christmas shopping; it took almost all of my money. I didn't care too much about my economy; as long as I could pay the bills and buy my cigarettes I was fine with it. But still, it was annoying!

Driger glowed playfully in my hand and as I looked at him I felt surprisingly calm. There were two angry Russians out to get me, the love of my life was ignoring me, Daichi didn't dare talk to Max, Tyson wouldn't talk to Kai and neither would Hillary, Christmas was coming towards us with a raging speed and everything in my life seemed even more upside down than what it had done in the beginning of the month. It seemed as if all I had managed to do in New York was re-open old wounds.

I took a drag of the cigarette and stared out at the city in front of me. It was a beautiful afternoon, a peaceful calmness lay across the buildings even though the people were running around in stressed groups below. The snow lay like a soft blanket over the ground and trees, the air was cold and I had buried myself into a thick layer of blankets. A cup of coffee was placed in my knee and through the slightly open door I could hear the others stroll around inside the apartment. Max, Jo, Sammy, Hillary and Tyson seemed to be baking everything there was to bake while Kenny sat searching the internet for good movies to download (Oh my, Kenny downloading? Never thought I'd get to see that!). Kai had locked himself up in his room yelling to someone over the phone. He was yelling in Russian so I assumed he was arguing with his demolition-crazy friends.

So, Bryan liked me, huh? And Tala was jealous on me being with Kai? Well, well, well, this was mighty interesting. Now I would have to go get a restraining order on Bryan to get him off my back. On the other hand, would that stop him? Maybe I should just go back to Korea and forget all about this. Start over.
Oh, who am I kidding? It didn't work before and it certainly wouldn't work now.

Then what was I supposed to do? Nothing? Well that pretty much sucked.

I sighed and played with a lock of my hair. I had to get it cut; it was starting to get long. Maybe I could even have it in a small ponytail soon. On the other hand, why not save it out again?

''Hey, there dude!''

I turned around to see who had spoken to me, and saw a flour-covered Tyson looking down at me. His eyes were fixated at Driger, a small smile tugging on his lips.

''You still have him?'' he said.

''Well… yeah, why wouldn't I?''

''It's just, since you gave up BeyBlading…''

I shook my head horrified.

''No way! Even if I quit on the sport it doesn't mean I'll ever quit on my best friend. Would you ever throw Dragoon away?''

He gave me a look with equal horror and shook his head violently.

''Never! Dragoon is like a part of me man!''

''See?''

He nodded and reached out his hand to stroke Driger's smooth exterior. I smiled slightly as I touched the Blade too. This felt like when I was fifteen, young and hopeful. The world was a great adventure and I loved every moment of it. Well, almost every moment. I didn't appreciate zits that much.

I sighed heavily and looked at my long time friend with sad cat-like eyes.

''I miss it.'' I said and for a moment it didn't look like the blue haired man to my left understood me.

Then he sighed and looked away, gazing over the city and its buildings with a small pout.

''I miss it too.'' He said, and I felt that it was a moment of understanding between us.

Which was when he got his crazy old grin back again.

''Hey. Let's relive old times, whaddya' say?''

I raised my eyebrows.

''What do you have in mind?''

X

''Three, two, one, let it rip!''

Our Blades shot out of our launchers like falling stars, hitting the Beydish with sparks following their trace. Scratch marks after scratch marks, deep cut after deep cut was all that remained after they roamed the little dish. They sent sparks and pieces flying like shatter from a bomb and all that time a roaring fire was raging inside of me. I felt truly and completely alive.

Tyson's eyes shone like a thousand suns, his face invaded by his characteristic grin and as I cheered Driger on, I felt the same grin tug at my lips.

Driger fought with an energy I had never seen before. I would have thought that my skills would be old and rusty, but from all those years my Bitbeast had spent resting they only seemed to grow more powerful. It was like unleashing the power of a volcano that had been clogged for a thousand years.
Sweat ran from my face and my heart pounded like the steps of a rabbit chased by hundreds of wolves.

Dragoon kept coming at us again and again, but Driger slipped away from his attacks over and over. He was fast and he was hungry for victory, but I noticed that Dragoon's powers had increased as well. Tyson had been practicing a lot, which I guess was the only reason that my Beyblade almost fell over the edge all the time. I knew I could win this game. I felt like I could win every game in the world. I was at the top of a mountain, my spirit felt light and untroubled.

How I had missed Beyblading without even knowing it. It was in my blood, in my heart and soul. You know how they say that a smoker is always a smoker, or that they never trust a recovered alcoholic to have a drink? Well, the same goes for sports. A Blader is always a Blader.

All those years without it felt like nothing. This sport was my addiction, and this battle was my relapse. Tyson laughed with joy and cheered for his Blade to kick me out of the dish, but I would have none of that.

In a flash of the most brilliant green lightning, my white and proud tiger emerged from within its resting place. As he roared he bared his great, white fangs and the static electricity made his bright, shining fur stand up. He bared his deathly claws and I had never been so proud in my life.

''Driger…'' I whispered and the tiger gave me a look that only long lost friends who had found each other again could give.

I felt a great warmth of comfort overwhelm me like a powerful punch to the chest. As well as a vicious pang of shame and guilt. How could I have neglected my dear comrade like that? He had been with me for as long as I could remember. From the day I got him I had never felt alone. How could I just turn my back to him?

As a great flash of marine-blue submerged from Tyson's Blade and the great, majestic and awesome dragon of his Blade entered the field, Driger looked at me and I knew that he forgave me. Dragoon roared with the power of a thousand tornados and glared at us with ferocious battle lust. His brilliant claws gleamed in the sunlight. I hadn't even noticed all the people who had gathered around us until now.

The Bitbeasts locked eyes and as they leaped towards each other, a great chock-wave roamed through the park and threw me and Tyson several meters away. I landed in a lump of snow, as I looked up through my bangs of hair I saw the two mythical beasts attack each other again. It was a fierce fight and all the bystanders around us didn't seem to be able to tear their eyes away from it.

I got to my feet and with my head high in pride, I felt like I had regained an old part of me. I would owe Tyson for this for as long as I could breathe.

''Dragoon, go for it!'' I heard the Japanese roar and just like that, the Blades collided once more causing an explosion of thunder, wind and snow that knocked both me, Tyson and our audience off our feet.

When the smoke had lifted and the ashes and shatters of the broken Beydish had hit the ground, I saw Driger lying beside me. I reached out my hand and stroke the Blade, my heart beat so loud I could hear it. Driger shone for a short moment before returning to his Blade. I sat up in the snow, seeing Tyson stand before me. He reached out a soot covered hand and I saw Dragoon was tightly clutched in his other. Both of us smiling, I took his hand and he helped me too my feet.

''Looks like a tie.'' Tyson said and patted me on the back.

''Thanks Tyson. A hell of a lot.''

''Ah, don't mention it, pal! What are friends for, huh?''

I chuckled and nodded. Yeah, what were friends for? One thing was sure; Christmas looked slightly more better to my eyes than it had just half an hour ago.
We tucked our Blades and launchers into our jackets, meanwhile a small girl and what looked like her twin brother walked up to us. They looked at us with big, green eyes and shy smiles playing across their identical features.

''Uh… Mr. Kon, Mr. Granger…'' the girl said and we smiled at her. ''That was totally awesome!''

''Yeah, are you guys going to get the team together again?'' her brother said enthustiasticly.

I looked uncomfortably at Tyson. I didn't want to shatter their dreams so close to Christmas. I mean, I was nowhere near fit to Blade again. Maybe later when I had gotten my life together again, if I ever did.

Tyson seemed to understand, so he grinned anew and patted the kids on their shoulder like they were life long friends. I always admired Tyson for treating his fans as equals, other than slaves like some Bladers had the tendency to do.

''Well, I guess we could always ask Santa!''

The twins giggled at us and it was as if a light had lit in their eyes.

''Merry Christmas, Bladebreakers!'' they cheered.

Tyson and I gave them thumbs up, and as we turned to leave we gave them a cheerful;

''Merry Christmas!''

I swear to the Gods, I have never felt so corny in my entire life. But all in all, it was totally worth it.