Shadows of the Past, Memories for the Future

by ThunderStar SolarEclipse

Push back shadows of your past, for they become naught but memories, when you choose to move on, let go, and most importantly, accept . . . Mild yaoi.

21. A Conspiracy Unmasked

Title: Shadows of the Past, Memories for the Future

Authoresses: foxfire flamequeen and phoenixfire thundertiger

Rating: T/pg13

Categories: Fantasy/Drama/Romance/Action/Adventure/Angst

Summary: See first chapter

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Warning: Spoilers and mild yaoi. Scant medical knowledge.

Hey, we're not doctors. This might have some sort of a medical base, though. Maybe.

Chapter 20: A Conspiracy Unmasked

We are terribly, terribly sorry for the delay! But it's a huge chapter, so hope it makes up for the one day we missed.

Prepare yourselves, for the longest chapter in existence.

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Review replies:

jensha: Well, I hope you're not sad anymore. Thank you for reviewing, but thanks so much more for your support.

Nooser: You know, for a while there, we really did think you were dead. But we're pretty sure your three reviews in a row made up for it. We mean, you're still reading after all this time! Hope you like how the story's been going.

aquaanime: Okay, we couldn't really see Kai Hiwatari throwing a huge show over a friend dying; we just thought he'd go into this weird sort of freeze mode or something similar. So that's how we tried to bring it about. Thanks for the review.

darksaphire: You're right. We've noticed that too, and we're trying, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait out the next two chapters for us to start tying the loose ends together. Since we've started this episode, it's necessary we finish it first. It's late, we know, but just bear with us, please. This is our first story, and we started way too big. It's becoming hard to handle, but we will finish this, and hopefully in a satisfactory manner. At least we know someone has tried to point it out to us. Thanks.

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The whisper of wind hardly needed to compete to overthrow the heavy silence as it rolled inside through a window.

Tyson shivered as the cold caressed his arms before dissipating, dotting the tanned flesh and forcing the boy to curl in on himself. Kenny seemed to glance at him once, but no one else stirred. There was no one else to stir. He and Kenny were the only ones inside Guo's hut, the remainder of the 'Breakers were who knows where; they separated long ago.

A silent sob quivered his body; he was dry of tears now. Everyone was. The funeral service had to wait until the village was cleared up enough, and it didn't make things any better knowing.

"Hey Tyson," a girl called. Mariah. She seemed to have finally relented, her eyes red-rimmed and weary. "Come on outside. There's no point sitting there by yourself."

There really wasn't. Tyson didn't even know why he was there, when no one else was. Kenny was busy doing something, the small boy hadn't lifted his nose from the village plans all day. Well, at least he had something to keep him busy. Tyson rose to heel Mariah.

The darkening sky forced long dark shadows to be cast across the compound as the sun prepared to dip down into the horizon again.

To his surprise, he found both his teammates and Tala just within his line of sight. He wasn't quite used to the fact he had only two other teammates left yet. The 'Breakers needed a fourth player, who wasn't going to be there. Tyson would not have Ray replaced if he had to quit for it!

Something just didn't feel right anymore, and after one entire day Tyson had discovered that that something would never feel right again.

Max seemed to be attempting to speak with Tala, and not succeeding; from what Tyson could make out, the redhead was paying only half a mind to the blond. Max finally gave up and turned to Tyson. The wolf gazed unblinkingly out at the clearing between trees and houses, where a hill, the village cemetery, Tyson had learned, rose above the rest of the compound. Kai, though, lounged on a huge boulder, lying back on it so he could stare in the same unblinking manner at the sky. Tyson suspected the two were standing within a mile of one another only because of Max.

"Mystel, hi," Mariah's words brought him to face the cerulean-eyed teen who'd come up to them. He swept a concerned look across the two of them. "Thought I'd bring Tyson out for a bit, he's been cooped up in the hut long enough.

Mystel nodded, and directed his question to Mariah, "How're you doing?"

Tyson looked across the compound as Mariah assured the other that she was better and thanked him quietly. Each destroyed hut was already started on, marked out if nothing else. The remaining already had the foundations up, and those which suffered relatively minor damage, such as a collapsed roof or burned walls, had already been taken care of and put out of mind. It was amazing, the speed at which the villagers worked. The work was done for the day, most people were inside, those out still just walking around or sitting idle.

Making his way across to his teammates, Tyson found himself the victim of two icy glares even as he opened his mouth – how Kai and Tala knew he'd opened his mouth without even looking, he did not want to know – as though he'd interrupted something very important, when all they were doing was looking at nothing. He changed what he'd been about to say into something indignant, but his stomach voiced itself first.

Max laughed suddenly, and everyone stared at him. Tyson knew he was gaping, and he thought Mystel and Mariah stopped talking to stare too. Max giggled through fingers pressed to his mouth, "At least your stomach's still functioning. I told you he'd be fine." He addressed Tala. Tyson blinked. Had Tala been worried? That would be a first for anyone except Ray. Tala always used to worry about Ray.

Used to.

Tala's eyes, though, made for very good imitations of an electric fire. Well, that's how they always looked, if a trifle less cold. "He hasn't eaten all day. If his stomach doesn't protest now, whose will?"

"Hey, I tried to eat," Tyson protested. He didn't add he'd thrown up right after. He glanced sideways at his captain. Having avoided looking at him directly all day. Kai did not look okay with being approached. Not yet.

"It's good, though, that your appetite's back," Max mused aloud. "I wonder if this is how it's going to be from here on."

Tyson didn't try to tell him. He didn't know himself. Instead, he voiced a question he probably shouldn't have. "When are we leaving?"

For a second Tala was certain he saw fury flash in Max's amiable aqua orbs, but then they were as unreadable as Kai's. It was the phoenix who answered, though, a surprising answer, tossed in unfeelingly. "We're not leaving before the village is sufficiently rebuilt."

Until the funeral, he meant. Tala agreed, however distastefully. Kai not leaving would certainly hold back his team. He wondered briefly how Kai would cope with his remaining teammates now. It was Ray who mostly took care of communication between him and the other three, acting as a sort of messenger.

Suddenly crimson orbs were boring a hole through him. It took Tala a full moment to realize they were actually glaring past him.

His mind seemed to have slowed down since last night.

Tala turned to face a galloping horse, a warrior on its back, heading straight for the elders' huts. Few horses had survived the disaster. The rider reared her mount to a halt, and she had leaped down and was inside before Tala could blink. A single minute, and elders were spilling out of the hut. The warrior herself almost flew to the center of the village and blew on something in her hand. A deep bellow, something akin to a trumpet's call, spread through the air.

Kai straightened from his position as within moments villagers began pouring out of the huts. No armor this time, they ran out awkwardly patting spears and knives down into belts at the waist of everyday clothing. There obviously was no time for armor.

An elder glided to them, skirts swishing as she walked. Tala had seen her in the semicircle when Jidong was brought in, second from Guo's right. She questioned them in a stern, drawling sort of voice which they remembered from their previous encounter with the elders' circle. "Will you be able to aid us with your Guardians?"

"Why do you want us to use our Bitbeasts?" Max frowned. Tala was well aware he couldn't glare her to dust, but it did no harm to try. He was done with things being hidden from them.

"The scout reports having seen a giant tiger coming toward our village," she replied a bit too patiently, and nodded at the reaction. "It will be here soon. It is not running." She glided away as though she'd said nothing at all out of the ordinary.

"The Tiger," Tyson breathed. "They said it was gone."

Exchanging a dark look with Max, Tala prepared to call forth his own snow wolf. If Ray had died for no reason…

They would see the end of this Tiger.

Dranzer flapped up into the sky with a screech and was soaring before Dragoon or Draciel even emerged, and Wolborg crouched low beside Tala, tip of white tail between its legs and so stiff it quivered. When the dragon did come out, it reared its head and took to the sky after Dranzer. Tala preferred Wolborg on the ground, it looked quite ridiculous floating with its legs dangling in the air, plus it was stronger on ground. The second reason was certainly more important.

Mariah stalked up to them, Mystel right behind her. Kevin appeared from one of the huts, and Lee, along with Gary. Even Kenny scampered out to take a stand to a side, his precious laptop clutched to his chest, though he hadn't used it since arriving there. A mystical light took over as the White Tigers simultaneously released their beasts.

A green glint was their only warning.

Fearful gasps were heard all around, instinctively the spectators drew up their weapons.

The Bitbeasts, the dragon, turtle, wolf and phoenix, on the other hand, did not attempt to take an attacking stance. Instead Dranzer, landing next to Kai, was the first to spread its beautiful wings and lower itself. Wolborg drew up its right forepaw and bent down, Dragoon craned its long neck from the sky, talons at its sides, while Draciel swished its spiked tail, inclining its head, their postures describable only as bows. They were bowing to the approaching beast.

The White Tigers' beasts were more hesitant. Galux and Galeon pawed the ground and finally crouched low, and Galzzy and Galman threw themselves onto the ground. Poseidon shifted, unsure, uneasy, and finally with a cry that echoed, it craned its neck as Dragoon did.

As it swaggered through the half-destroyed gate, the villagers dropped their weapons. The bladers stared, unable to move.

The beast was truly a tiger. Gold armor gleamed, green stripes standing out amid dazzling white fur, all of it on fire under the glow of the setting sun.

The White Tiger was back.

It was not swaggering. In fact, it moved with such utmost caution the only explanation that could be given was that it was injured somehow. Lowering itself to the ground carefully, Driger, now no larger than Wolborg rearing, much smaller than the Tiger, leaned to the side to let something, so small in comparison, slip from its back. Tala, closest to the Bitbeast, stood silently for a moment, as though unable to decide whether or not to move forward. A familiar green-gold light engulfed everything around them, forcing them to shield their eyes.

When the light cleared Driger was gone, but in its place Tala sat on the ground, both arms cradling a limp body.

The next thing Tyson knew he was dropping down beside Tala, alongside Max. Kenny stood stock-still a few feet away, wiping the terrified tears streaming from his eyes. Kai was already on his knees, one hand holding a wrist, checking for a pulse. The usual white band was gone, allowing the midnight hair to lie free, and raven bangs fell over the pale face, closed lids keeping twin suns locked away.

Even as Tala began lifting him gently, gold pools flickered open. Ray blinked, trying to clear his vision, and weakly turned his head to take in his surroundings. His eyes, bright and inquisitive in his ashen face, came to rest on Tyson. "Is everyone alright?" They shifted to Max. "Are you all okay?"

Max nodded mutely, but Tyson reached out as though to touch the teen lying in Tala's arms, just to make sure he was really there. Yet he paused halfway and snatched his hand back. Instead, he whispered hoarsely, "Everything's fine, Ray" – he seemed to take great joy in saying the name – "We're all fine."

Ray tried to rise but, unable to, sagged back. Gold met scarlet. "Driger."

Kai picked something up from the ground where Driger had faded and held it out, unspeaking. Between two gloveless fingers was a fine Bitchip, no longer empty, a glittering white tiger resided in its center. Ray's eyes lit up further and he smiled the warm smile his friends had thought they'd lost with the night.

"I did it, then." His voice rang clear, and he closed his eyes, leaning his head against Tala's chest.

The remaining Bitbeasts looked at the unmoving battered body in Tala's arms as the redhead rose, and in a flash of light even more blinding they were gone, never even waiting for an order.

The White Tigers stood to the side, watching as the 'Breakers took the tiger to the hut they currently stayed in without even a glance at them. Even Kenny ran at Tala's side, now and then glancing up and wiping his eyes. Kai wasn't with them, he only watched quietly with folded arms from a distance, yet his eyes didn't even flicker to the Tigers. Not a single White Tiger stirred. Suddenly, they felt like they were invading. A ridiculous thought, since it was their village, but the feeling… it was so strong.

When Tyson disappeared as the last 'Breaker past the tent flap, Mariah leaned against Mystel, knees too weak to support her. Lee dropped to the ground, still breathing heavily, and Kevin hung at Gary's shoulder, yellow orbs dazed. Gary lifted a hand, dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief.

"He's alive," Mystel voiced wonderingly, failing to even notice Mariah. Mariah nodded against him.

"Ray's alive," she repeated, the tears falling unheeded. "Ray's alive." she whispered again, now laughing through her tears. "He's alive." Her words trailed off to joyous laughter.

"I knew he couldn't be dead." Everyone jerked at Gary's words. But the large neko-jin only stood with a goofy grin on his face, and they believed.

"I can't believe I thought he was," Lee muttered, using his hands to cover his face as his shoulders shook. "He's not. Ray couldn't be."

"Well!" Mariah straightened, giving herself a shake. "What are we doing allowing those Bladebreakers to – oh." Kenny was running towards them as fast as his small legs would carry him.

"Mariah, I need someone to come quick," he pleaded. "Ray may be alive now, but he's still slipping away, and fast."

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Max tried to shove aside the door flap, but with both hands full, that was somewhat of a trial. Muttering a curse he'd heard from Lee, he turned and walked backward through the thing, and even then it managed to almost sweep a bowl from the tray he carried.

"Here," he placed it next to Tala, who hadn't even put Ray down on the mattress, preferring sit with the tiger still in his arms. Max understood, he wouldn't have wanted to let go either. Tala's eyes looked as cold as before, but now a smile danced on the pale lips, as though the wolf was unaware of it. He probably was.

"Hey, Tala?" Max's words were quiet, a silent fear lacing them. Kai'd sent each of them on a different task, and he was glad to be the first one back, so he could ask the redhead the question plaguing his mind without the others hearing.

"Hmm?"

"How is he?"

Tala looked up at Max and sighed. "He's not dead yet, but not far from it either. He'll live."

"Oh," Max considered the question. "Are you sure?"

Azure orbs drifted down to Ray's peaceful face, the face that made Max flinch each time he looked at it. The usually glowing tanned skin was pale to almost white, and blood and dirt stained most of the exposed skin. The blood came from various cuts and scratches Max supposed he'd suffered on the shrine collapsing, but there was also a deep slash at his wrist, a bloodied crack in the tiger's skin caked by more blood, which would certainly leave a scar. Max shuddered. He didn't want to look at that scar in future and remember. He never wanted to remember that there had been a time he'd thought Ray was gone. But even more so, he didn't want Ray to remember. And that mark would forever be a reminder to him.

The wound had bled way more than it should have, leaving the boy extra weak from loss of more blood.

"No, Max." Said turtle jumped. Tala had been quiet for too long. "I am not sure."

Max brushed aside a lock of disheveled raven from his friend's face. Ray's dark waterfall of unbound hair was tangled and matted with dust and dirt, but it still managed to feel soft, if not look it. I won't let you go again, he promised. Not again.

"Max." Max looked up at Tala. The wolf's brows were raised high. "If you plan on sitting there all day, go fetch someone who'll work."

Max stuck his tongue out at him, "Why don't you try working too?" Even so, he wetted a length of cloth in the large basin and started to wipe at Ray's face. "Hey, he's got a fever."

"Of course," Tala said briskly. Like he knew. "It's expected after such physical stress. Fevers often spring from just that." Or maybe he did know.

"Put him down, Tala, it'll be easier that way."

"I know."

"So put him down."

Tala shook his head.

"Why?"

"Don't feel like it."

"You just won't 'cause I told you to."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Tala!"

"Yes?"

"I give up."

"Thought you never would – hey! Watch that thing! It could seriously hurt a person."

"…I never knew."

"…………………………Happy?"

"Thank you." Max beamed at Tala as the wolf grudgingly lay Ray's thin frame on the mat next to him and began to carefully clean the wounds. Max touched Ray's forehead and grinned. "He's cooling down."

Tala placed his palm on the forehead too, then frowned and placed the back of his hand on the same spot. "Ray's colder than he should be, and he's not sweating, so the fever couldn't have gone down." His hand dropped to Ray's neck. "His pulse is weaker than before. Where is Kenny? He's getting someone, a doctor or whatever this village has, right?"

"That's what Kai told him to do," Max said. "I'll go see?" Not waiting for Tala's impatient nod, he stood and practically ran out.

"Don't worry too much." Tala's head whipped up at the faint words. Ray looked back at him, smiling amusedly. "I'll be fine."

"You're cold," Tala told him briskly. "You won't be fine if we don't do something."

"I just need rest," Ray tried to shrug, and winced. Tala quirked an eyebrow at him, but the grin didn't fade. "Seriously, Tala. Some rest and, at the risk of sounding like Tyson, some food. I'll be up and about in a couple of days. And hey, I didn't die, right?"

"No, Kitten," Tala allowed, smiling back. "You didn't die. Who's the doctor in this village?"

Ray made a face, "Weihua was Healer when I left. She could be dead by now." He sounded playfully hopeful. Tala tried not to let his brows furrow. He'd had enough of death for one day. For a lifetime. "She likes to give herbs that taste horrible."

"Don't they work?" Tala wanted to know.

"She wouldn't be Healer if they didn't. The elders would have kicked her off the job just for the taste of the things she told people to swallow."

"Should you be talking this much?"

"You tell me. I feel like talking." Suddenly the gold depths grew serious. Ray was very good at catching people off-guard. It gave him answers, and answers which were true. "Eli?"

"I haven't seen him since… dawn. And before you can ask, XuiJei took him and Lin both."

"So they're safe," Ray breathed a sigh of relief and took a deep breath. And then another. And two more. His eyes started to close. Talking had exhausted him, whether he admitted it or not. "Tala, can you take me to my hut? I don't think I can walk on my own."

Tala brushed at a long ebony lock. He'd missed Ray so much. "Stay here now. I'll take you there after this Healer's done with you." The tiger was breathing deeply and evenly before he was even finished.

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"Eli?"

The voice halted Kai with his hand raised to the flap. He let it drop. The voice that was thought to be lost forever.

"I haven't seen him since… dawn. And before you can ask, XuiJei took him and Lin both."

Tala's answer brought a frown to his face. Kai was positive the twins were being kept away from them by the elders. But why?

"So they're safe," Ray sighed. Kai heard a deep breath. And then another. And two more. Ray really was exhausted. The phoenix silently listened, not even having to strain for the sounds. His enhanced hearing did it for him. "Tala, can you take me to my hut? I don't think I can walk on my own."

There was no way he could be moved now. It had been dangerously foolish to move him in the first place. If Tala let him think…

"Stay here now. I'll take you there after this Healer's done with you."

So the redhead wasn't as stupid as he appeared to be. His tone had changed. Tala was falling into the role of protective older brother again. Quite amusing, Kai was willing to admit, the way his character changed almost constantly. Rather disturbing, too.

Kai waited a second more to be sure of the two pairs of breathing, one of a person awake, and the other of one asleep, before entering.

He arched a slate brow at Ivanov, who glared right back.

"Well?" Kai questioned icily.

Tala opened his mouth to retort, yet surprisingly, broke the glare and sighed, changing what he'd been about to say. "He seems to be alright, but he's still slipping. His pulse is slowing, and for some reason, his body's not maintaining constant temperature."

Kai turned his eyes to the sleeping figure on the mat. He hadn't missed Ray. He knew the others, even Tala, had. For him, Ray's apparent death had only been a jolt to reality, and realization. Ray had gotten too close to him. A death shouldn't have hurt the way this had.

Death had never pained him before.

But he didn't know what pain was, so how would he know what it felt like? All he knew was that he felt… empty… somehow. Like something was missing. For the first time his thoughts hadn't listened to attempted control. For the first time he'd failed to control his thoughts from straying to what he didn't want to think of. Despite trying so hard almost to the point of desperation not to think of the tiger, Ray was to whom his mind had wandered every second they'd had a chance to.

Not again. He would not let Ray slip away again. More for the tiger's own sake.

Or so he told himself.

With an actual jerk of his head, Kai almost physically shook off the words.

An example of when he'd wanted to think of something entirely different.

Tala was taking care of him now, anyway. And Kai didn't want to stand and look at Ray anymore. Something… stirred… in him… seeing that pale face.

He just didn't like to stand and do nothing.

Kai turned and walked out into the darkening paleness. He wasn't sure which way it was, but it couldn't take long to find it.

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"They are asleep," XuiJei stood with hands on hips, lips compressed into a thin line as Kai met her eyes with ones hard and unforgiving.

Kai didn't bother saying a second time that they were indeed awake. XuiJei could hear as easily as he the bits and pieces of children's voices emerging from the depths of the large hut. A neko-jin's hearing was better than even his enhanced one. Instead he chose a more useful way, "Let me in. if they're sleeping, I won't wake them." He was certain they hadn't been told of their brother's return.

XuiJei hesitated, but her eyes didn't change. "There is a reason –"

"– Whatever you might think," Kai cut in harshly. "No reason is excuse enough. I hear them crying, XuiJei."

Kai could have kicked himself. That wasn't meant to come out. He was well and truly done with friendship. It made one do stupid things.

XuiJei blinked, and blinked again. Kai was no longer in front of her. Behind her, the door-flap swayed viciously from a wind which wasn't there.

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Walking straight through two rooms without pause, the phoenix located the one where the twins were. They barely glanced up at his entrance. They were no longer crying, yet their faces were tearstained, and they didn't seem to have any intention of wiping the salty streaks.

They didn't even seem to notice him, but when Lin spoke, it was him she addressed. "XuiJei let you come?"

"Not quite," he told the child, watching with impassive eyes as Lin, sitting on the floor, chirped to her twin quickly in Chinese. Kai suspected she was translating as much as she could. She looked back at him, eyes imploring.

"We been here all day. Take us outside? Please?"

Kai kept silent. Lin waited patiently for an answer, but Eli talked to her, and she had to translate, adding to it her own anxiousness.

"Did you find our big brother? Was he – is he really gone now? Where our papa and mama are?"

Kai's eyes didn't blink as he answered this one, speaking slowly for her. "No. Ray is alive. That's what I came to tell you two."

Lin's face took on an incomprehensive look, "Alive?"

"Ray's back at Guo's hut," Kai knew what his eyes had become. Lin looked into them and averted her pale golden orbs, but Eli stared levelly. "If you want, I can take you there."

"XuiJei don't want us to go out. Why?" Kai decided he didn't like kids. He just didn't have the patience for them.

"I don't know," he also wished he knew why he was bothering to reply to such pointless questions. He finally settled on relief having loosened his tongue. Suddenly he had the feeling again, no, the knowledge, that he was lying to himself. "They didn't tell you Ray was alive." It was a statement of fact. "I don't care why." He didn't. "But I just did, and if you don't want to come, I'm leaving." He shouldn't have come in the first place.

Eli spouted words when Lin told him – however much she could – of what was being said. The voice was clear, ringing, and even the tone was guarded. Ray's voice, only younger. Lin listened with a puzzled expression and turned back to Kai. "Why are you here? Eli say you no want to be here."

Kai's eyes narrowed, finding in himself a form of respect developing for the boy, his gaze sharpening as the crimson orbs fell onto Eli's calm deep golden ones. They could have been Ray's eyes for all he knew, only the color was deepened to almost amber instead of pure gold.

Maybe Eli was as similar to Ray as he looked.

"Do you want to go or not?" he meant to sound cold, and he did. But he'd also wanted to sound uncaring. Here, as he glared into the almost-amber orbs of the boy in front of him, he failed.

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"You only need rest," the Healer was an elder. The same one who talked in that drawling way and had asked – told – them to help with the Bitbeasts. One used to people hopping when she said toad, she said toad and expected people to hop. And the Bladebreakers were no exception. Tyson and Max had already made eight trips to and fro from Guo's hut to the elders' huts and to the hut where they'd previously stayed. Kenny had made five, while Tala had sat right next to Ray and watched the entire while, stubbornly refusing to do as told, which only provided amusement for Weihua, whose yellow eyes remained sternly on Ray's face.

The almost-motherly-looking woman's waist-length honey-colored hair, grey at the temples, swiveled to reveal pointed ears shorter than an average neko-jin's as she shook her head when Ray didn't answer. The tiger was slipping in and out of consciousness, despite the foul-tasting – guessed so from the look on his face as he instantly swallowed them – leafy things Weihua had firmly told him to 'chew'. The Healer had not been happy. Though once he had stayed awake for around half an hour, while he'd washed and changed from the ragged white clothes.

"You said they would keep him conscious," Tala snapped at the regal lady as she checked the tiger's pulse.

"They were supposed to," Weihua said without even looking at him. Tala didn't like the way she looked at him, like a wolf wondering whether or not to eat a particularly meaty sheep. In such a case, the wolf usually would decide to eat. "This is not anything I have encountered before." Her mouth tightened at the idea of not knowing. "Ray, can you hear me?" Said teen's eyelids quivered, on the verge of opening, but fell limp again. "The fatigue is holding him down."

"Duh. I could've told you that," Tala said sarcastically. Yawning ostentatiously, he leaned back into the mud wall of the hut. He'd been a bit – or perhaps very – rude to everyone who'd talked to him for a good while. Which had been Tyson, Max, Kenny, Mariah, Kevin and Weihua and Kai. Speaking of which, where was Hiwatari? He hadn't been seen since the first time he came to enquire Ray's condition. According to Tyson, Max, Kenny, Mariah, Kevin and Weihua, that was. Tala himself hadn't been outside since he brought Ray in.

Mariah and Tyson came back, both staggering under the weight of the largest bucket Tala had ever seen. No, now that he thought of it, the largest bucket had been the one from which they served the trainees mush for lunch and dinner in the abbey. He was lucky to be one of the top, he'd gotten actual food. So this would be the second largest.

It contained water. What was Weihua planning to do with so much water?

The first thing she did was scoop a bit out with a wooden bowl, hold Ray's head up and force it through his lips. Two seconds, and the tiger's eyes shot open as he almost jerked upright, spluttering. He scowled indignantly at Weihua. "What was that for?"

"When was the last time you had a decent drink?" Ray eased onto the huge fluffy pillow-type things (Tala was positive they weren't pillows) Weihua arranged for him and thought back. "Exactly," Weihua gave him no chance to remember. She held the bowl again as he drank, quite thirstily, if unwillingly. Something about Weihua got most people to leap, while that same something got others to disagree with her wherever disagreement was possible. Tala wondered what happened when she stuck to a point when other elders disagreed.

"I think I'll be up a good while this time," Ray said. He raked fingers through his hair, now even wetter, but clean. The wet raven mane had soaked dark patches through his blue shirt. "I feel better."

Tala exchanged looks with Weihua. This was one point where he did agree with her. The better Ray felt, the worse he was getting. The Healer confirmed this with a slight nod as she felt his forehead again. They hadn't told the others, or Ray, about it.

"That's great!" Tyson gushed, a huge grin splitting his face. Mariah nodded with a similar smile.

"What is taking Max so long?" Weihua snapped, making both jump four feet into the air. "Mariah, go see. And Tyson, fetch Lee. He can come now if he promises not to disturb." It was weird how she could make drawled words sound brisk. "Well? Go!" The pair gave Ray rueful looks and scurried off. Weihua had said toad, after all.

Ray sighed, lying down on his back, staring at the thatched ceiling wistfully, "They wanted to stay, Weihua. I don't mind. In fact, I'd like them here."

"I know," Weihua's eyes remained as stern as ever, but she smoothed back his ebony hair gently. "But you are tired, Ray, and you need rest."

"Yeah," Tala added for good measure. "I'm not having you die on me."

Ray's eyes flickered to him, on the verge of retort, but didn't say it, instead closing his eyes. Tala thought he was asleep when the gold orbs reappeared. "The elders will summon me soon, to hear what happened."

"They won't be doing any summoning with you until you can move around on your own again," Weihua sniffed sharply. "I shall see to that." And she'd given Tala his answer. It wasn't only others who hopped; the other elders also heard her say toad. Ray smiled at her, closing his eyes again as her hand kept stroking his hair.

XuiJei might have taken care of him, but whatever anyone else thought, he liked Weihua more. Even if he would claim water was dry if she said it was wet.

Lee stumbled into the hut with Tyson at his heels. The lion stiffened when he saw Weihua, and averted his eyes.

"Hey Lee," Ray didn't even open his eyes. "What's up?"

"Everything's up," Lee groaned. "The elders want to see you."

In a single fluid motion, Weihua was on her feet before Ray could open his mouth. Fists planted on hips, she looked the picture of female displeasure. Which was bad.

"You listen to me, young man," her voice was firm enough to match her eyes, as it so often was. The Chinese words drawled out of her mouth despite Ray having asked – told – her not to speak it when any of the 'Breakers or Tala were present. "You will go straight back and tell the other elders that I have said that if they want to see Ray, they will not summon him, they will come to him. He is in no condition to meet their summons." If not for the emphasized 'other', who would've thought she was an elder herself, and not the sole ruler of the village?

"I don't know what she said," Tala broke in right on top of her. "But whatever it was, for once I will agree. Ray's not going anywhere."

Ray sat up and grinned at Lee's gaping face, "Does it matter what I want to do?"

"They won't like that," Lee muttered. "They won't like that one bit. But you're right, and I'm taking Tyson with me." He grabbed said dragon and hauled him off, face set as though stomping off to face his death. Tyson looked half scared and half confused.

"Tala, go see where Max and Mariah went to," Weihua's tone held exasperation, but amid the sternness, her eyes were almost smug. Tala tried to huff, but sighed and rose. She was watching Ray, and she would know better than him if anything went wrong. Ray, on the other hand, to Tala's distress, instantly took his place leaning against the wall, legs drawn up and looking better than ever. For some reason he couldn't fathom, the raven-haired teen was getting even worse.

As he pushed aside the jute flap, something solid crashed into his knees. He staggered back, surprised they weren't broken, and even more so when another thing followed the first. Even with that, he grabbed one of the something's and held it up by the scruff of its neck – the fabric of its clothes at the neck – before it could move anywhere.

First of all, he'd moved faster than a neko-jin. Second, the 'something' was a small girl, giggling at him for all she was worth. And third, it was Lin. Looking around for the other something he'd missed – he shouldn't have missed, but this one was faster than other neko-jins, apparently – which he was certain was Eli, he found the boy standing a few feet from Ray, looking utterly confused.

The moment his hand released Lin on the ground, the child threw herself on her brother. Ray hugged her back, albeit weakly.

"Oh, alright, stay, Tala." Weihua looked very satisfied to see the children, and the yellow orbs again almost looked smug.

"You kept your promise," Lin giggled, latching onto the raven-haired teen's chest as Tala sat down next to the siblings, watching.

"Always do," Ray answered promptly, pulling her onto his lap. "So, Eli, what do you think of our little sister?"

"Is she my little sister too?" Eli asked dubiously. "I thought we were twins."

"You are," Ray tried to pull himself free of Lin's embrace, but the child buried her face deeper into his chest. He gave up and began stroking the auburn hair. "You're a couple minutes older than her, though."

"Really?" Eli thought it over. "I see. So I'm her big brother too?"

"No you're not," Lin said, her voice muffled by Ray's shirt. "Three minutes don't count."

"It's two minutes, Lin," Weihua corrected with a smile. Lin stiffened. Ray doubted she'd noticed Weihua. She was not very fond of the stern woman. Very few people were. Very, very few.

"That counts even less."

"Two minutes count plenty, I think," Ray mused.

"I missed you," Lin sounded on the verge of tears, and Ray quickly shifted his attention.

"No crying. I'm back now, aren't I? Come here, Eli." As Eli complied, Ray pulled him down to sit between him and Tala. "How are you?"

"Okay," Eli replied shortly. Ray let it go. Eli was still getting used to the idea of having a family. In a way, he reminded Ray of Kai.

"Where's Kai?" Ray looked up at Eli's question, an exact reflection of his own thought.

"He was right behind us," Lin frowned. "He brought us here."

"XuiJei let you go?" Ray's eyes narrowed at Weihua's tone.

"No, Kai told her it was her fault she didn't see him go in, and to give him a good reason for not letting us come to you, and while she was thinking, he walked off. So here we are."

Tala shifted to a better position, catching Ray's eyes with his. "I don't want to know what you all were chattering about Hiwatari, but I know something's up with the elders. I don't like it, whatever 'it' is. I don't think XuiJei let them go on her own."

Ray nodded absently. For some reason, the elders had wanted to keep his siblings away from him. And not wanted anyone to know of it, either.

Decisions the elders made were taken by a majority vote between the ten elders. More often than not, the villagers weren't allowed to learn of them until action was taken, for fear they might face opposition. As long as it was logical, it would be done, no matter whether or not it was right. Weihua was one of the few elders who disagreed if it wasn't, and if needed, she used reasoning, manipulation and often force to change enough of the others' minds so the vote turned in her favor most of the time. That was one of the reasons he liked Weihua, his onetime teacher, even more than his surrogate mother, XuiJei. The basics of dealing (or messing) with people's minds he had learned from her, until he'd surpassed even his teacher.

In this case, Weihua had opposed the decision, obviously, but hadn't managed to turn the situation.

Why, though? Why keep Lin and Eli from him?

"Hullo," Mystel sang as he sailed in with Max, Mariah and Kenny. "Wow, you look much better than you're supposed to."

"Yeah," Ray didn't have to fake any smiles, they just kept coming. "I don't feel at all like an entire building collapsed on me." For some reason, Weihua gave Tala a knowing look.

"I don't get it," Kevin declared as he entered, having heard a bit of the conversation from outside. "You know, you should be way worse, and even more so, you should be dead. OW!" He clutched his head where Mariah had hit him. She handed Weihua a bag of herbs, which Ray eyed warily.

"He's still very pale," Mariah observed. Max handed her one of the lanterns he was holding, and she tinkered around until it was lit. Ray hadn't noticed it getting darker, but it was.

The flap rustled again, and Kai stepped inside, eyes sweeping over the suddenly-silent occupants, before coming to rest on Ray. Kai didn't speak immediately, but Ray was sure he saw something flicker for a second in those crimson depths. Yet he almost shivered, too. Kai's eyes were not as he remembered. They were even frostier than before, even more emotionless, unforgiving.

"Feeling better," Kai cocked an eyebrow, and Ray allowed himself a small smile to answer the unasked question. Maybe not that bad after all. The slate brows drew down right after, though. "XuiJei was practically guarding the hut where they were. She hadn't even told them you were here."

"I thought it would be something like that."

Kai didn't look surprised. He had expected as much. "Something's up, and I don't like it."

"Me neither," Ray agreed, and, to his surprise, Tala glared at the floor for full fifteen seconds before nodding sourly. Weihua smiled, surprise shining through firmness.

"You have skilled friends, Ray. They are good." She compressed her lips, visibly struggling with herself before adding reluctantly. "The others might not understand this" – Max and Kenny certainly didn't, they looked confused – "yet they, too, are a stunning find. You chose your friends well. They might even be as formidable as you." Weihua was not fond of passing compliments, even less so than Kai. Ray barely caught the last, meant more for himself than the others.

The White Tigers watched them warily. They knew when Weihua was preparing for battle, and this time, she seemed to have allies. Three of them. One they knew to be dangerous, Ray was the most dangerous opponent at a game like this; one they were very wary of, who knew what Tala could do; and one they were downright terrified of, Kai was capable of anything, it seemed.

Two pairs of feet slammed outside as Lee and Tyson ran in. "They're on their way. Only five of them," Tyson panted. Thankfully the double-storey hut was one of the largest in the village. There would be enough room for everyone.

Weihua stood and used both hands to smooth down her long white skirt, gliding to the doorway. "Lin, Eli, I want you two to go back to wherever XuiJei kept you. And Ray, we might have one of them on our side already."

Ray winced as Lin scrambled from his lap to grab Eli's hand and dash off. The flap shifted behind them to admit a darkness that might be both good and bad. The elders were coming. And Weihua didn't want the siblings to be there. Something no one had told him could work to a great disadvantage. Knowledge was the key, he had learned from Weihua herself.

And this time, as yellow orbs rested on gold pools for a brief second, he realized he would need every bit of what he'd learned, not just from the elder in front of him, but from all his travels, for him and Weihua, and possibly Tala and Kai as well, together to turn the elders' decision a full 180 degrees, for that was what needed to be.

A dangerous game to play.

…For dangerous people.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Everyone heard the voices the elders were trying to keep low, if not all could understand what was being said. A woman hissed a whisper, probably Cuon, and Tao answered quietly.

"Not even the birds know when the sky will fall." Well. One might be on their side already.

"Tao, I wish now and then you would make some sense," XuiJei whispered fiercely. "Birds have nothing to do with this. We are doing this now because now is when we will catch them at their weakest."

"You refer to 'them'," Guo's weathered growl was very much audible, whatever he thought. "There is no one on her side. No one but the elders know." Tao muttered something about caterpillars knowing how to fly even as they morphed. "But you are right about one thing. Strike the enemy when at their weakest."

"Stabbing from the back is one thing I do not approve of," Tao chuckled. Maybe the one was already known. "It might yet be unnecessary."

"It is not, and you know it, Tao," the first woman growled. "Zhi, do you think so too?"

"No." Said elder's voice was calm and cool, not afraid to answer for himself. Ray could almost see Cuon nodding.

He had to admit, he didn't seem to be as good as he felt. Without Tala's hand on his arm where the wolf sat right next to him, he might not have been able to sit upright. Weihua sat patiently at the corner to his right. The remaining, the 'Breakers and White Tigers, huddled together beside the window at his left side, keeping to Weihua's order of silence at any cost.

Kai, on the other hand, stood leaning against the wall opposite, eyes closed and arms folded in the usual stance – Ray was surprised to discover he'd missed that, too. His imprisonment seemed to have brought him a new appreciation of his friends – which stated quite openly: Kai didn't give a damn about anything in the world, but he would certainly do what he wanted. It was the position in which Kai noticed most and was noticed least. Recalling past experiences, Ray wasn't sure the phoenix couldn't see through those closed lids. Weihua had given him a surprised look when he chose that position, and taken to nodding speculatively. For once, Ray didn't wonder what she thought. He had other things to worry about. However much he disliked it, he had to agree with the elder this time.

The rustle of the entrance flap informed them of the elders' arrival to the first room in the hut, empty save for a single lantern to light the room slightly. The second announced their entry to the second room, empty again save for the cushions scattered over the place, and another lamp. It was the living room. The third rustle invited in a warrior, who held the flap back to let the five elders enter in a single file, Guo first, supported by Zhi. They stood in front of the long table as the warrior left, staring critically down at Weihua.

The White Tigers scrambled up to bow quickly, and scrambled back down instantly. Weihua lifted herself on the balls of her feet for a second before smoothly sitting back down. Ray inclined his head briefly. Tala didn't stir. The silence stretched.

Finally Cuon, the woman with a form of suddenness in her movements and a rigidity in her stillness that spoke of lesser years, motioned impatiently. "Go," she said curtly, directing the word to Tala as well. "We wish to speak to Ray and Weihua." The White Tigers tensed, on the verge of obeying, but Kenny placed each hand on Max and Tyson's shoulders and looked to Weihua. Ray almost grinned at the young genius. He would put up with Chief's scientific babbles all his life.

Weihua looked at the teens in the corner and opened her mouth. "I believe it is better if you leave –"

"– They can stay," Ray broke in, looking up at Guo respectfully. "It will mean speaking in English, but they can hear whatever you want to say to me. They're my friends, after all." Ray almost heard the wheels spin into overdrive in Cuon's head. For all her warrior temper, she had a good brain, and in time she would be as good as Weihua. What was more, she was one of those who stood up for what she wanted, often allying herself with Weihua and Tao. So Ray was in disagreement with Weihua. Well, she'd never finished her sentence.

"I believe it is better if you leave them alone, Cuon,"was what Weihua had actually meant to say.

"Alright, Ray," Cuon smiled at him warmly, her shining green hair bouncing as she nodded. "I think it is alright, do you not, Guo?" After a moment, said elder nodded. Everyone knew Ray wasn't fond of Weihua, and now he was on direct disagreement with her. Perhaps it would be better to let his friends remain, if he didn't know of Weihua's scheme. A little moral support for the boy, make him feel comfortable, and hopefully they could tip the scales in their favor.

It would mean more people knowing, but the White Tigers followed the elders, and the Bladebreakers would be leaving soon. Ray wanted to snort, only that would ruin everything.

Guo seated himself at the center of the table opposite Ray and Weihua, and Cuon and Tao sat behind him alongside each other. XuiJei and Zhi, though, moved away to sit next to the group of bladers. They were excluded from whatever happened now, without any say, unable to affect anything that passed from here on. Two less elders to worry about. Ray felt Tala shift next to him. Few people knew of Tala's ability to sense somewhat others' basic emotions by means of his bond with Wolborg.

"Uneasy, afraid," the wolf muttered, barely parting his lips. Ray could understand that. No whispering among themselves, either, for his friends. Complete silence could be unnerving.

"So Weihua, it comes to this," Guo said wearily. "You oppose us openly."

"Not as openly as you believe," Weihua replied. Though her words were cool, under the table, her hands gripped her skirts.

"Ray, I will be honest," Guo's mouth tightened at her answer. "We would not have come to you."

"We believe, though, that you have a right to know," Tao wheezed through a yawn. He never did like sitting in one place for too long.

"Know what?" Ray asked, playing along. Actually, come to think of it, he really didn't know.

"We sent out scouts right after the White Tiger came back," Cuon said. "They returned with a prisoner."

Ray fought to keep the confusion in his eyes, if not his face. Play it, he repeated to himself what Weihua had told him long ago, just as sternly. But don't overdo it. So he didn't bother when the pupils of his gold orbs slitted automatically. It had to be Jidong.

"Jidong," Guo confirmed. Ray's eyes narrowed. For this man his home had almost been destroyed, for him he had believed his little brother to be dead for years.

"He's a traitor," the teen spat. The White Tigers shifted in their corner, not yet used to the idea of a neko-jin, much less an elder, betraying them to the ablets.

"Why do you bring him to Ray?" Weihua added. "It is elders' business, our business, for a betrayer among us."

"Why did he do it, though?" Ray mused aloud; apparently he heard, but didn't quite register, Weihua's words.

"He must be met with proper judgment," Weihua said firmly, right on top of him.

"Of course," Ray nodded. "That is what you elders do."

The three elders' heads in front of them swiveled from Ray to Weihua to Ray to Weihua and back again. When they stopped talking, Cuon looked ready to explode, and Tao grinned, while Guo looked astonished.

For the first time they realized the reason for the odd seating arrangement of Weihua herself and Ray, on either corners of the low table, right opposite the elders, so the people in front of the two had to look to whoever was speaking at the moment, leaving the other free to observe and prepare, unguarded. There was a single lamp in the middle of the table, thus making everyone on one side, the side opposite to Weihua and Ray, feel like they were being interrogated, especially since it left Ray and Weihua's faces in shadows. XuiJei and Zhi were watching both, true, but they had taken to the sidelines. Of course, the elders believed it was Weihua's idea of sitting so, all the better for Ray. Tala they didn't care about, he was no one at the moment.

Tao was the first to recover himself. He nodded his approval, then laughed. "We brought the traitor to meet you."

Ray stiffened; he had no intention of seeing Jidong.

But he wanted to be sure, had to be sure.

Why? Betraying his family, friends, everyone, for what?

Two warriors dragged in a neko-jin. One he recognized, a Beyblader, and a skilled one at that. She almost beat him once right after he received Driger. He couldn't stand her high-pitched voice, though. The other was a skilled swordswoman; she had taught him much of the art. Both females, between them Jidong looked like a cowering chicken caught between two foxes.

The elders all turned to look at the captive, and Ray grabbed Tala's fingers over his arm. "You recognize them?" he whispered, fighting to keep rage from his voice. Jidong had sparked lightning inside the tiger's heart.

"They brought Jidong to the elders the first time." Tala was being uncharacteristically compliant. His grip on Ray's arm tightened. "You will be careful, Kitten." It wasn't a question, and the affectionate nickname at the end only made it sound more of an order. Compliant. Riiiiight.

Ray wanted to reassure his best friend he would, but his eyes caught Jidong's then, and he froze. He shrugged Tala's hand off almost roughly, unconsciously shifting his weight to sit straighter. Dimly he was aware of the risk of seeming stronger than he was supposed to appear, yet right then his mind registered only fury.

I won't let him see me weak! The thought was as fierce as the emotions accompanying it.

Jidong's yellow eyes changed from fearful to contemplative as they fell on him. No doubt he had thought Ray dead, too.

Ray felt Driger's roar echo through his mind, an enraged howl that drowned his thoughts. Suddenly he realized Guo was talking.

"– have not yet heard his explanation, we thought you had the right to know it, too. He is ready to talk now," Guo finished, looking at the man.

Ray didn't want to know how they'd made him ready to do that.

Kai watched from his position behind the elders, twin rubies fixed on the labeled traitor. The elders were utterly unaware of his presence, fixated as they were on Ray and Weihua. That would serve as a great advantage later. But right now, as the crimson steel slid to Ray, he saw the greatest struggle in the gold pools. Ray was desperately fighting to control himself. If he failed, whatever it was they were here for, was lost.

He's afraid.

Ray was afraid, Kai realized. Among the rage was a fear. Slight though it was, Kai hoped he never had to discover why the tiger was afraid of this Jidong. The former elder just might not survive his knowing.

"Jidong?" Weihua had just said toad, and old habits die hard.

Jidong's head whipped up. He glanced at her, and turned back to Ray. Kai saw the madman. Ray did, too. He had to. There was no reason to be afraid.

"Your mother." Ray's eyes widened at the mention. Ray had self-control. Just not the will to exercise it right then. He didn't seem to care what he did. Tala was giving him a concerned look that voiced what Kai's eyes didn't. Jidong continued slowly, "Your mother betrayed me."

Ray blinked, and suddenly was utterly composed again, quietly confused, a bit angry. It was Weihua who actually snorted.

"Really, Jidong?" Cuon asked, sounding frighteningly similar to Weihua, minus the drawl. "That is all? You betray all you know for that? You forsake your soul for it?"

"The White Tiger," Jidong breathed instead of answering, looking at Ray.

For Ray's eyes had brightened, brightened to the unearthly glow that had leapt from him as he sprinted to the shrine, with the Tiger steady on his heels. Raven hair, still unbound, the way it had been when the teen had reappeared from his disappearance, swirled around him, the bangs flapping just from his face. Ray was not wearing his headband. Kai had not noticed before.

Only a second, though to the others it seemed to occur in slow-motion. The White Tiger emerged from within Ray, light seeping from his body until the glow took a shape and curled next to the raven-haired teen, a much smaller version of Driger, a bow, drawn and ready to shoot. Immediately it was gone, and Ray looked silently back at Jidong as though nothing had happened.

Jidong's eyes glittered at the sight, terror, and greed. For what Tala could only guess, but a form of hunger that made him growl. Yet suddenly, he broke into speech.

"Ashiya Xiao." Icy orbs narrowed. He remembered the first name from when it fell from Lin's lips, her mother's name. It could be safely assumed Xiao was her maiden name. Ray showed no reaction. "She was an outlander; she was a great Beyblader, and beautiful. I watched her, and I waited, until she was accepted into out own kind."

"You were obsessed with her," Weihua said coolly, statement of a knowledge known before.

"You know I was," Jidong bared her teeth at her in what he probably thought was a smile. "I loved her." Two very different things. "But then his father" – he jerked his head at Ray – "came along. Ashiya fell for him, and soon they were married. My waiting came to nothing." A smirk crooked his chapped lips. "I was a Beyblader, back then. The best. I was better than Shaun Kon," he spat out the name of Ray's father like it was vile poison. "She did not care. I was willing to let go. I truly was.

"I had waited all my life for the sacred Bitbeast that was sure to come to me for safekeeping. Not a year since she arrived, rumors spread about her being the one who would receive the White Tiger." He laughed bitterly. Tala could sense the emotions in him shift faster than ever. "I didn't believe it, until the elders announced it." Jidong glared at Guo. "Until you announced it."

Lee shifted. Kai knew he'd thought the White Tiger would remain in his family all the while. His father was never supposed to receive it. Sometime sooner than he'd known, the control had passed to Ray.

"You were one of the best, Jidong," Guo conceded. "Marrying into our White Tiger clan made her one of us, and she was better than you."

Right across from Ray, scarlet depths watched the teen take a deep breath. He was keeping quiet, probably believing he could maintain calm as long as he didn't have to speak. If that was true, Kai could order him right then not to utter a word.

"She was an outlander!" Jidong screeched.

An outlander…

All of a sudden, Kai understood. The physical difference, between Ray and the rest of the villagers. The added height. He was millimeters shorter than Kai himself, and Kai knew he himself was tall for his age. Ray was much taller than the tallest neko-jin he'd seen (Gary was an exception). The color of his eyes. Twin suns flaring in the midday sky, balls of gold which now appeared liquid, now solid, now so brilliant it almost hurt to look at them, when the remaining neko-jins' eyes were yellow. Bright yellow, but simple yellow nonetheless. Even the hair, a darker ebony than any other neko-jin's, at least in this village, and his features, sharper again than any other face he had spotted here. If he took after his mother, which Kai was now certain that he did, it would explain all of it. Even Eli's appearance, and Lin's, could partially be explained through that.

"She was a neko-jin still," Tao shrugged, looking quite surprised. It was Guo who looked contemplative now. "Butterflies come in all shapes, sizes and colors." The small old man seemed to have a thing for caterpillars and butterflies. "They are all butterflies. Except those which are moths. Well, they are all born caterpillars. So she was a moth."

"Yeah," Tala locked Jidong with a freezing glare. The iced orbs shouldn't have been so, but with the glare, they seemed luminous, sapphires staring out of a shadow. "'Sides, you yourself fell in love with an outlander."

"I decided to steal the White Tiger bit," Jidong grinned even as he glared back at Tala. Ray's eyes flashed, the only reaction he'd shown since calming down. "And I took it. The guards of course let past an elder."

"But it was never missing!" Cuon burst. "I used to go to check on the Bitchips at least once a day, and it was never missing!" The elders, including Weihua, Zhi and XuiJei gave her surprised looks, and she blushed. "I just… it makes me feel better," she mumbled. Zhi was not the youngest among the elders, Cuon was. She was also the smartest, possibly next to Tao, beneath the deceiving façade of eccentric behavior, almost as much as Weihua, who had no problem with letting the world know her. If it weren't for that temper.

"No, it was not," Jidong sang gleefully. "Because I put it back. Because I had an idea!" He giggled. The man was mad, and how he had managed to hide it for this long Kai did not know. "As soon as I held the White Tiger bit, it came to me. Why not kill her?" he whispered the last line.

Kai's eyes flashed to Ray even as Jidong spoke, yet the gold orbs were as expressionless as… his own.

It looked… disturbing… somehow. How the usually glittering orbs didn't even blink at the mention of a man having decided to kill his mother. They made Ray appear… distant. Unreachable was not a word Kai liked to associate with Ray. He needed to be able to reach Ray.

Kai blinked even as he adjusted his thoughts. He didn't need anything.

"So you arranged for the ablets to raid the village," Weihua's tone was flat, but her eyes also stirred, as though on the verge of turning towards the tiger. But she couldn't, with the man glaring at her. XuiJei, Kai couldn't help noticing, hadn't glanced at Ray once since he'd stopped talking.

Why not kill her himself?

Jidong gave her a leering glare, "That's right."

"How did you manage to make them believe you?" Everyone, including Tala, jumped. Kai's eyes narrowed before he could stop himself.

Ray's voice was silk sliding over steel.

The phoenix had never heard such a tone from the tiger before. Only once had it come even slightly close, as Ray pressed a knife to the throat of a man in a search for information which had brought them nothing but friendship.

From Ray, Tala sensed… nothing. As he spoke the words, clear voice ringing over the steely chime, the tiger sensed of nothing. Even from Kai, the wolf still sensed death – though less than before, but the only other person he'd ever sensed that same nothingness from was…

Pale orbs gleamed in his memory.

Tala started. Jidong's smugness turned to terror as he looked at the speaker, while Tala tightened his hold on his thoughts. He wanted to grab hold of Ray, too. If he could hide from the others, he couldn't hide from him, and he knew Ray might end up collapsing the second Jidong's back turned when he left. And he might not wake again.

Yet there was nothing he could do now.

"Answer him," Weihua ordered, the drawl of her own accent making the two words seem all the more dangerous.

Jidong swallowed, "Luck was on my side. I told them I would give them the White Tiger, but I would not have had I received it. It took me years, after all, to convince them. The raid killed her and Kon both. Or rather." He leered again. "They sacrificed themselves for you. And then I knew I would have the White Tiger. It would be mine."

Jidong paused, glaring at Ray, who sat up even straighter, as though knowing what was coming. Tala thought he did, too. The hatred in Jidong was so stark, so primal, now. And it remained so.

"Ashiya and Shaun Kon had three children by then. The eldest was ten years old. Ray Kon, a Beyblader who surpassed me, surpassed Guo when he had possessed the White Tiger; who even surpassed his mother, whom Guo had declared the greatest Beyblader he had ever seen. At the age of eight Ray Kon was famous, and by ten a legend among bladers in villages. He surpassed three generations. It was decided, that he would be given the Great Guardian, despite him being so young." Jidong grimaced. "I failed to keep my promise to the ablets, so I devised another plan."

"A highly elaborate one, too," Ray tilted his head to the side, watching with gold eyes of a hawk. "A second raid, when the ablets would take me."

"But they failed. I gave them your description, yet forgot to mention your age. They took your brother."

"Eli," Cuon breathed.

"Everyone thought him dead, and then Qing decided on –"

"Who?" Tao interrupted.

"The ablets' leader," Ray didn't move his intent orbs from Jidong.

"Qing decided on bringing out the Tiger. And I aided, or he would have killed me."

Here Jidong fell silent, and no amount of prodding would get a squeak more out of him. The warriors dragged him away.

The elders looked ready to sag. Ray didn't, though. He was lost in thought, a dangerous thing to be doing at such a time. Now the game would begin.

Jidong was trying to say he had not done most of it intentionally, and, much as Ray wanted not to believe, he knew it to be true.

"He attempted to steal the White Tiger," Cuon sighed, more shaken than she appeared.

"Yes," Guo said shortly. "He did. Ray, as the bearer of the Guardian, what do you suggest as to how this might have affected Jidong?"

Ray hesitated, frowning as he spoke quietly and formally, admitting what he didn't want to, "His admittance to attempting at wielding the White Tiger through treachery and thievery tells us he had little to do with the events that followed. Until then, he is to be blamed for his actions, and in a way, I suppose, the actions of later as well. He said 'he put it back'. That implies he took it in the first place. And that, in turn, means that at that time, even if for a moment, he came into contact with the Black Tiger."

Cuon looked to Guo first, waiting for affirmation from the previous master of the White Tiger. At that, she ventured the next step. "The first touch of the White Tiger must never be with ill intention, or the Blackness seeps through. It was the Black Tiger's decision to include the ablets in this, I presume?"

"Right," Ray barely glanced at her, gold orbs glassed over in thought. "Since he put the Bitchip back, the darkness could only but touch him, so it consumed him very slowly. Most of his decisions were made by this blackness inside him, much as I'd like to pretend otherwise," he admitted sourly at the end. "The decisions were made to create chaos, as the Black Tiger is solely for."

Tao leaned forward, "Jidong is only mortal. He could not bear the weight of such darkness. It has consumed him now, now that his usefulness is drawing to an end. He has turned insane, yes?"

"Yes," Guo confirmed before Ray could.

The silence that stretched was long and contemplative, nervous and shaken.

"So." Ray tried to make his tone conversational. "What do you want to do with him?"

"Our decision stands," Cuon said firmly. Weihua's eyes glared.

"It does," Guo agreed without hesitation. Tao, though, didn't say a word.

Ray paused, wondering whether or not they would tell them their decision. But if they weren't going to, they wouldn't have tried to make the teens, still silently stunned in the corner, leave.

"Jidong must meet with an accident," Cuon voiced in the tone that carried a statement of finalized judgment, only this was not judgment.

An even longer silence ensued.

"Tell me, Guo," Weihua said quietly. "How will our people react to this? You will hide Jidong's tale from them, and while I agree parts of it must be kept hidden, what do you mean to tell them of what happened last night? Will you refuse them knowledge?"

In the second quiet, looking at Guo's face as the yellow orbs flickered towards him just for a moment, Ray's blood ran cold. No, it dawned on him suddenly. They won't refuse the villagers knowledge. They're going to tell them a story.

He knew why Lin and Eli were not supposed to know he was back.

Weihua didn't know either.

His breath hitched. They couldn't!

But they would.

He realized Tala's hand was gripping his arm again, and relaxed. He didn't even try to reassure the wolf.

"Weihua, you know as well as we the reaction a traitorous elder would bring," Guo said quietly, still trying to hide it for as long as he could, not knowing the tiger's mind was already reeling. "We need our people to trust us."

"You will kill Jidong in secret, never letting our people learn of the betrayer! Why should they trust us, when we hide things as great as this from them?" Weihua snapped. "We have no right! They must be wary of the elders, too, for we are but mortal beings, we are prone to corruption and drawn to the prospect of power as any other. Guo, if what we hide is found out, we will be pulled down from our positions, and possibly no elder will be chosen again. If we reveal it ourselves, they will know us to be but mortals too. They would know even we make mistakes in choosing those to be among us. They will know we did not hide from them. And that is truth."

A sudden stillness among the 'Breakers and White Tigers alerted Ray to the exact moment when realization clicked among them. For the first time people other than elders themselves were witnessing a confrontation between elders. The Tigers were villagers as well, and whatever the elders had thought of them obeying without question, they bristled like angry cats at the idea that the elders were willing to lie to them.

Ray swallowed thickly, managing to question in a voice so steady it surprised him, "How many people saw Jidong?"

"Among the villagers, counting the White Tigers, eleven," Cuon replied, casting a glance over her shoulder at him. "He was kept in secret, his head always covered outside." Pity flickered in those yellow eyes, pity for the tiger. Ray's terror was consumed then, in a burst of anger.

Not the anger that flared within him at the sight of Jidong. That was nothing compared to this. When he was but a child he had deemed Jidong as one who hated him, and he'd hated the elder back. What these elders were going to do to him, people he'd known his entire life… they were people he'd trusted…

"How many saw my return?" he questioned again, forcing himself to remember to breathe. His vision swirled as he fought sudden nausea.

The look Tao, his onetime coach gave him was guarded. Tao, for one, was as aware as Weihua of his ability at perception. "The villagers saw the White Tiger return. None saw you, though. None except the White Tigers, and Lin and Eli."

Realization dawned on Weihua, now, having been excluded from this decision after refusing to accept the first. Ray knew the Healer wanted to reach out to him, but she didn't, and he was grateful. He wasn't sure he would be able to control himself if she did.

The elders now watched him, wondering if he knew, wondering how to tell him. Ray felt Tala's eyes on him, worry masked completely in front of the elders, Tala would not reveal him to be weak, even if the wolf did feel the tensed biceps under his grip. He felt twin rubies settle on him from opposite, the first time Kai was directly looking at him since the elders' entrance. Kai was very close to clicking in what was happening. Ray wished he could provide some solid clues to speed it up.

"Think about what you intend to do," Weihua's eyes gleamed, luminous in the light of the lamp, even if her face was in shadows. She was angry – Weihua was seldom angry, now she was enraged. Even Guo appeared unsettled. "Think about the consequences. You may be the eldest among us, Guo, age does define our rank, after all, but that might have to change, do you not agree?"

"Would you reveal us yourself?" Guo asked in turn.

"Never," came Weihua's steady answer. "And neither will anyone in this room. But the warriors who brought Jidong in… whom you will use to – dispose – of him…"

"They are all loyal," Tao interrupted.

"You thought Jidong would be loyal," Ray found himself retorting. His anger was cold, cold as Tala's eyes, and it consumed everything else, resent, hurt, spite, all of it, until he was prepared to move with the game, playing as a master, dancing as no one would expect.

The elders paused. Clearly they had forgotten that fundamental point.

Each knew Ray to be mild-mannered, quiet, conservative, and dangerous in the battlefield. They had seen him fight, with a sword as surely as with knives, with bow and arrow as with spears, seen him move faster than any of them could imagine, listen and see farther than any other, reach top level in training earliest among all, proving himself an elite – theelite warrior. Ray had fought ablets, yet never killed. They had seen him fight in the Beydish, make calculating moves which left his opponent's head spinning, that ensured him victory. They had also seen him spare an opponent's Beyblade, never destroying the blade no matter what.

"That has gotten you somewhere," Ray continued swiftly. "Jidong has betrayed intentionally. They might too, if they believe it wrong. They even might unintentionally. 'A secret known to more than one is a secret never kept,'" he quoted. "And you have, what, six villagers, not counting the White Tigers, with the knowledge. Forget one."

None but Weihua, not even Tao, had ever thought him dangerous outside those fields, never imagined he could ever deliver killing blows, ones which destroyed people without literally killing.

"A celebration with a few mugs of ale with friends always loosens tongues," Weihua's mouth was twisted with bitter determination. It was wrong, wrong beyond any decision they had ever made before. "You are lucky Jidong has no family, unlike Cuon and Zhi and Genmin, and you, Guo. You cannot dispose of the warriors too, they have families, and six families losing warriors to nothing, all at once, the same ones who were sent scouting for the elders?"

Reasoning. She must have tried before with manipulation on the other point. It had not worked. Now she used reasoning. She was quite desperate to have resorted to that over force.

"We will not kill anyone," Guo said.

Ray knew he would not be able to hold himself up for long if Tala let go, yet he carefully pried the redhead's fingers from his upper arm and, giving them a gentle squeeze, set them down.

All too suddenly the aura of superior arrogance was surrounding the raven-haired teen, as he relaxed, the way a tiger slackened its muscles right before springing onto its prey. The wall behind him was used to lean on, one leg stretched out in front under the table with the other drawn up, fingers casually drumming the wood in the same chilling boredom that half lidded identical citrine gems.

"Well," he drawled, voice once again the purest muslin draped and sliding over the smoothest steel, head tilting to the side, watching the elders in the eerie fashion he had of letting the one he was observing know of the study. It never failed to unnerve. "Seems to me you will be doing some killing. Jidong, for one. Ordering to kill is the same as killing yourself. What was it; the elders are never to take life or something like that, even the warriors?"

Weihua stared at him, and the White Tigers were doing the same, only open-mouthed. Tao's eyes widened impossibly, and Cuon jerked back as though slapped. Even Guo stared. No one had ever spoken to the elders like that, ever. Not in that tone, not in that sort of position.

His fingers drummed a steady beat into the silence, where few even breathed. "Ah, but you do order execution, don't you?" Ray smirked, a single fang glinting beneath his upper lip. "There was also something else, wasn't there? Never lying, I believe."

He waited for Weihua to work her words into that, but she was still in shock. Cuon, Tao and Guo's mouths worked soundlessly. This needed to be done while the elders were still weakened, but Weihua herself was an elder. It was all too easy to forget that.

"And yet you'd lie to save your own asses," he didn't blink, just stared. Somehow that scared people. "But then, why walk the plank yourself when someone else can do it for you?" He waited, and there was nothing. Nothing but Cuon's breaths falling short, and Guo's eyes threatening to burst from their sockets.

Shit.

He sensed rather than heard Kai shifting his balance, and breathed an inward sigh of relief. It was the phoenix's turn to deal what would destroy the elders utterly.

…Some secrets need to be kept

Some stories should never be told –

Some reasons shouldn't be understood

They just might turn your blood cold……

"You plan on killing off Jidong without anyone knowing, and then laying the blame of the Tiger emerging on Kon's lack of control."

The new voice, scornful and mocking, dangerous and daring, coming from right behind them, made small Tao leap to his feet, staff in hands, and Cuon to whirl on her knees so hard her green hair whipped her face. Guo pulled himself up on his knees as well, no matter age having slowed him, and Weihua sucked in a silent gasp. Mariah actually squealed, while Kenny practically shrieked. The others weren't much better off. It was only Tala who relaxed next to Ray, giving him his characteristic smirk before turning back to Kai.

They were looking at the epitome of death. Intense orbs bathed in fresh blood watched impassively from where Kai stood against the wall, arms crossed, twin ends of flowing white scarf hanging down on either side enhancing the appearance. His entire presence radiated command, only in a different way than Ray's. If death were a person, it would be Kai. The sight itself was so intimidating that for a full minute the actual meaning of Kai's words didn't register.

"You were going to WHAT??!!" Kevin leaped to his feet, no taller than Tao, who still stood shakily. Zhi jumped into the air next to the boy in pure surprise, while XuiJei licked her lips nervously, having yet to tear her eyes from the phoenix.

"Are you insane?" Mariah's loud whisper, bearing the force of a scream, shifted the elders' attention to them. "And what did you plan on doing to Ray when the village learned that?"

"We… we…" Guo never stuttered. He never lost composure. Yet now he stuttered, and his face was terrified. Rapid hit after hit until the opponent was down, much more effective than using every bit of force to drive a single strike which just might be recovered from. That was Ray's opinion of winning out a battle. Tyson might say different, that it was better to end it all at once, that it was ruthless, but Ray was almost scared at how willing he was to be ruthless enough to these people. They were worse betrayers than Jidong.

"We were going to exile him," Cuon muttered, and looked even more stunned at what she had revealed. Surprise did a lot of work on its own. Ray had expected it, but he forgot to breathe as the words tumbled out of the youngest elder's mouth.

"EXILE!" Lee's roar echoed. The lion, forever respectful of tradition and never deigning to disagree with, disrespect or disobey an elder, leaped to his feet and shouted at his great-grandfather. "RAY RISKED HIS LIFE TO SAVE US, AND YOU WERE GOING TO REWARD HIM WITH EXILE FROM HIS HOME?!"

"He nearly died out there!" Kenny burst, and for once it wasn't a scream, it was a full-fledged bellow. At the same time Max yelled, "You'll turn his friends and family against him for your own reasons, which are nothing but selfish!"

"You people disgust me," Tyson's astonishingly quiet, articulate opinion sounded the loudest among the protests.

"You will not do anything of that sort," Tala's equally quiet sneer sounded equally loud.

Gary had taken a little while to digest everything, and now he rumbled, "No one will exile Ray."

"That's right," Mystel's uncharacteristically hard tone was worse. "We will not allow it."

Cuon's breath hitched, she looked on the verge of tears. The quiet that fell made Kai's words very audible indeed.

"You will give proper judgment to Jidong in front of the entire village." Kai was one Ray had long ago identified as one of the fabled natural leaders. Supremacy was one thing; radiating command alongside it was entirely another. "And give Kon the credit he deserves."

"Ignore the last statement," Ray near well jumped at his own commanding tone – he needed to redefine a leader – as well as at the look in Kai's eyes, trying to decide whether the tiger was ordering him or the elders. Ray decided to clear the confusion, for the sake of his own life. "But you sure as hell won't be exiling me." He was surprised at how absolutely no heat entered his voice, none of the icy rage that he felt.

"Retake your vote," Weihua managed to recover enough to allow her lips to twitch to near laughter before sternly speaking to the elders. "Do you want to do this? I vote no."

"No," Tao said promptly. The old man was done recuperating, tiny pupils eyeing both Ray and Kai with a new respect.

"No," Cuon whispered. Ray regretted having to break her. She should recover quickly enough; she was a warrior, after all, and a strong woman.

"No," XuiJei added quickly yet quietly, for the first time turning almost fearful orbs to Ray. The day he forgave her would be the day he died, which was hopefully still a long way off.

Come to think of it, with the stuff he went around doing, saving the world from rampaging monster Bitbeasts, aggravating Kai… it might not be that long after all.

"No," Zhi actually managed to grin, the expression looking out of place on his face.

"No," Guo added in the end, refusing to meet Ray's eyes, for all the better, for Ray himself didn't know what he might find there. This was the man who had arranged for him and his siblings to be taken care of when his parents were killed. And he knew, this was the man who had suggested it all. "We will do as told." He sounded amazed at the words that left his lips, and the others were, too.

"Good," Tala drew the ending line. "You may leave now." His icy orbs took in every last elder in the room except Weihua, though he seemed ready to include her at first.

When the five elders stumbled out of the room, Ray waited until he could hear them well outside before slumping heavily against Tala and stretching.

"You three just ordered around elders," Kevin sounded awed, and Ray couldn't help the silent laugh that drove from him. It seemed ages since he'd laughed.

"We just yelled at elders," Lee sounded just as awed, and shaken, too.

"Yeah, well," Mariah's sullen glower dared them to say different. "They deserved it. The nerve."

"Is anyone getting ideas?" Even Kai stiffened at Weihua's casually stern tone. A chorus of 'no's broke out, and she nodded her approval before genuinely smiling at Ray. "Well done," she said almost proudly. "It was brilliant."

"It would have all drowned in the Dead Sea if Kai hadn't picked it up where he did," Ray shrugged, hoping no one but Tala knew how much the wolf was having to support him.

"If you weren't providing the hints so desperately I wouldn't have managed it." Trust Kai to turn a compliment into a taunting criticism. Ray resisted the urge to glare at the person who'd saved the entire affair. Kai raised a slate brow. Okay, so maybe he wasn't resisting so hard.

"Yes, I really… 'messed up', did I not?" Weihua said speculatively. "But you two managed to save it anyway. Only one question, Ray, are you positive you had planned all of it?"

"Actually I expected Tao to resist, if he wasn't on our side already. His feigned reactions helped." Ray couldn't help sounding just a bit over-modest.

"They were feigned?" Tyson asked.

"Some of them, anyway," Weihua dismissed quickly, her tone turning almost happy. "Tala, you ordered Guo to leave his own hut."

"And he left," Tala said smugly.

"That he did," Weihua's nod was disturbingly satisfied. "You have truly learned a lot on your journey, Ray; I would wager anything you learned this sitting arrangement in a storybook."

"You'd win that one," Ray smiled at her, sitting straight. "After this I'm not having you guys stay in Guo's hut. I want you all over at my place."

Mariah nodded, "That's best, I think. I've cleaned it up since you got back. You 'Breakers can move out now. We'll help you with your stuff."

"Help me up," Ray muttered only for Tala's ears, and the wolf glanced at him before pulling him to his feet.

"Ray's coming with me up front," he said. "Max and Tyson, get our bags." And he practically dragged Ray – grateful to him for not revealing his weakness, but having second thoughts – along.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

"You are so not okay," Tala clarified as he helped Ray stumble up the hill where the large hut was. When he didn't get a reply, he added, "I presume you're confused?"

Ray positively clung to him as he reached for the door – an actual door, not a flap – and tried to glare at him, only he was out of his sight range, so he chose to throw open the door so hard it shot off the wall with a huge bang.

"Of course I am," he managed to snort, though without much actual heat in his voice. Tala helped him into the next room. "I'm feeling better! And I have less energy than before. And you're telling me the better I feel, the worse I'm actually getting! Confused much?"

"Not really, Kitten, not really."

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Ray grinned at him, contradicting himself as he released the wolf and leaned against the wall, luminous eyes flashing around the room to take in everything there, which had assumed a faint unearthly appearance as they were bathed in the moon's warm glow. "Wow, I don't think they moved anything since I left."

"Okay." Tala hadn't been here before, and he paused to pick up a painting of a full moon. "You paint?"

"Used to," Ray replied absent-mindedly, making his way to the bookshelf. Amazingly, standing straight without so much as swaying, his hands left the wall he was using to support himself to take out two large books at once for him to stare at wonderingly. He peered at the rows of books, and lowered himself on one knee to gaze at the columns of language books there, too. "Everything. Everything's the way I left them." Standing with some difficulty, he steadied himself with both hands on the shelf, and reached for the wall to help him step into the next room. By the time Tala had entered the room flames were already licking their way up in the small fireplace in the corner.

Ray dropped wearily beside the fire, an orange hue combined with the moonshine coating his frame.

"Screw the elders," he said suddenly.

Tala half-turned to him, "What?"

"Screw the elders," Ray repeated. "Quit worrying about them. They'll be fine. Talk about something else."

Tala wondered why he was never surprised when Ray seemed able to read his mind. "What about when they return to their senses?"

"They'll remember the White Tigers, and us, too," Ray shrugged. "They won't ever believe we'll hold our tongues if they go back on their word. No, seriously, Tal, talk something else. How about, what do you think of this place?"

"This and that," the wolf smirked at the village that could be seen through the window, darkness almost crippling. "To be honest, though, when I thought of secluded village, I thought of much simpler people."

"Ugh!" Ray groaned. "You just want to talk about what I don't, huh? Well, fine. Yes, that's always the impression one gets from hearing the term 'secluded' in reference to a settlement. But that does explain the lack of electricity."

"But it's cool," Tala observed. "It's still tolerably cool inside all the time, even if the temperature drops and falls out there."

"It's the mud," Ray explained. "Most of our houses are made of mud. It keeps the cool when it's hot, and holds in the warmth when it's cold, so…"

"Would they really have done it?" The question was sprung so suddenly Ray took a full ten seconds to comprehend.

"Yeah," he breathed, using a stick to poke at the fire. "They'd have exiled me alright, and made me leave without so much as a goodbye to Lin or Eli."

"They should be with you now," Tala said, not looking at the neko-jin.

"They're not, are they?" Ray couldn't suppress the sigh. "Doesn't matter. Maybe I should stay put till I'm better. But I am definitely leaving as soon as I can."

"Will they try to meet you with an accident?" Tala's tone could almost be called anxious – if this wasn't Tala.

Ray smiled at the thought, "No, they wouldn't dare after you all knowing."

"One last question, and we're leaving this topic," Tala assured Ray as he pulled himself up. "Did you really have it all planned?"

Ray stared at him silently for a long while before muttering, "I am not answering that." He turned and walked into the room, at the back, a long stretch of empty space, a part near the window carpeted by a wide and long mattress. Three big pallets stood scattered over the room. "The sleeping quarters," he named grandly. "Gets rather cold in here, without a fireplace. Shit, I forgot to tell them. They need to bring a couple more pallets or mattresses or something, here to sleep on."

"Will you be alright on your own?" Tala questioned, and didn't seem convinced when Ray nodded. But the door creaking open admitted another person, and Tala grimaced.

"I'll leave Kai to look after you for a while, then." Ray drew himself up, very much willing to tell the wolf that he was his friend, not his mother, when Kai walked in, and Ray discovered he really wasn't as great as he'd thought.

"Hey, Tala?" he said, drawing both bladers' attentions from glaring at each other. "I think I'll lie down for a bit, 'kay?"

Worry flashed in both azure and crimson orbs, and a silent exchange passed between the redhead and bluenette which Ray understood too well, but he was in no mood for argument. Using the wall again, he pushed himself to the pallet near the window, and promptly lay down, curled on his side and pulling the hand-woven blanket over himself. Vaguely he heard Tala whisper fiercely for Kai to take care of him, and he didn't even try to lift his head to protest.

Kai watched the wolf leave quietly, then shifted his attention to the neko-jin. Keeping his footsteps quiet, he leaned against the wall next to the tiger. Ray's gold orbs, looking almost white in the moonlight, blinked at him slightly dazedly. Suddenly Kai found himself sitting down next to the neko-jin and placing a hand on his forehead. He drew back quickly, though.

"Ray, you have a fever," he told said teen, who actually attempted to smile. "A bad one."

"I… thought as much…" Ray trailed off, swallowing. "Don't feel too good. Tala'd have a fit if he saw me now. I think I might go delusional on you."

Kai lifted an eyebrow, shaking his head. "Ray –" A muffled groan cut him off.

Wide, luminous orbs stared up at the ceiling, stared up at nothing, as Ray pressed both hands against his mouth to stifle the whimper that escaped next. His breaths fell in sudden, short gasps; his eyes were full of pure pain.

"Ray!" Kai's hand shot out before he could stop himself, pulling the tiger's hands away. The hand Kai held grabbed his own, fingers curling tightly around the digits previously holding them, as Ray clenched his eyes and jaw shut. Kai figured the elders' decision had been the final touch, and the pain, amplifying itself all this while, had broken through. Ray would probably chew through his tongue if his jaws slackened.

The lean body convulsed and shivered, and an odd sound of completely stifled gasps of hurt emerged from the tiger's throat, but that was relatively little reaction if the pain was as great as Kai believed. Concern shot up his mind like a searing thorn. And he didn't care. Ray's hand in his was tightening to the point of becoming painful, but Kai didn't allow himself to feel the already-numbing nerves.

He needed to get Weihua.

But to do that, he needed to leave Ray alone.

Not a good idea.

A sudden sob shook him from his thoughts, as the dry sound choked past the fevered teen's lips. Ray's chest heaved, attempting to oxygenate his lungs, without much success. Just as suddenly as the pain had come, it was gone, leaving the tiger weaker yet better. Right then, Ray half-opened his eyes, looking up at Kai for a brief glance.

Kai suddenly realized he was seeing Ray – actually seeing him, to something other than the fact that he was right before his eyes. Lying on his side, long ebony locks fanned behind him over the length of the pallet, facing the window which admitted enough of the silvery glow to lighten the entire room, looking paler than ever in the silvery light, jaws set for more pain if there would be any, Ray suddenly looked very… different.

Kai discovered his hand holding Ray's as tightly as the tiger held his, and for the first time, the phoenix didn't pull away, further tightening his fingers.

Despite knowing getting Weihua right now was the best move to make, Kai stayed. He remained as the bouts of pain carried on, coming and going, over and over, until only the fever was left. The way it continued to rise, Kai doubted that was as good a thing as it seemed.

"There used to be a second storey." The phoenix almost started at the words. They had both been silent for so long. Luminous gold looked up at him, pain lacing the words, though not enough to add a groan to them. "You know," Ray continued, eyes distant, as though unaware that he was speaking at all. "It was broken down after the first raid…"

If Kai remembered correctly, that was when Ray's parents had been killed. But he couldn't figure out whether Ray was using words as a distraction from the fever, or if he was truly delusional.

The scarlet orbs were drawn to the thick tear in the tiger's wrist, his free hand reaching as though to touch it, but Kai pulled away just before it could. Ray's eyes followed his.

"They needed my blood." Kai wasn't surprised to hear him explain what he hadn't in front of the others. Ray often said things to a single person that he wouldn't to a whole group.

"What for?"

"They brought in a mage, a descendant of a sorcerer, I think." Ray touched the gash in his wrist himself. "He prepared a potion which would release the Tiger, and he needed my blood for it. It didn't work at first, but then they brought in Eli, and I just… lost control." He allowed a short pause before blinking up at the phoenix. "So it was my fault too."

Kai could have told him it was because he let emotions guide him, and prove once and for all that such things were nothing but hindrance, and he opened his mouth to do so. The words that came out were very different.

"You had no way of knowing."

"Maybe you're right," Ray said, closing his eyes. "Do you know how I survived last night?"

Kai stiffened, he didn't want to remember. He didn't want to remember as the shrine collapsed and Dranzer screeched before him, as the Tiger's roar faded and the clouds opened in the sky.

But he wanted to know. He wanted to know what Ray was telling him on his own, something he hadn't told anyone else yet.

"It was Driger," Ray breathed fondly. Gold orbs reappeared, lost in remembrance. "Driger shielded me from the debris, and somehow – I don't know, I fell unconscious – it got me out without anyone seeing. I woke up in the shrine where the ablets had kept me. The shrine of the Tiger. A few of the ablets were there, and believe it or not, Qing" – Kai recalled the name of the ablets' leader – "was very willing to help me. But Driger took over as soon as they made sure I was still alive, and brought me here."

It was a very simple matter, nothing very big had happened, but it was enough to throw everyone's world into turmoil. Kai could remember every breath falling as the cracks appeared at the walls, and as those cracks gave way.

And why on earth was the ablet leader willing to help their former prisoner? What happened to the hatred between ablets and neko-jins?

"Kai?"

"Yeah?" Kai asked quietly, not very willing to disturb the peaceful silence. Yet Ray's eyes didn't look peaceful, they looked disturbed.

"You know, for a minute there, just before I passed out, I wanted…" Ray's courage seemed to fail him for the first time, and he hesitated. But swallowing sharply, he continued, avoiding the crimson depths. "I wanted to go. I… actually wanted… to die."

Kai's breath caught at the last few words, breathed out one by one. But a simple action made up for the words he couldn't find. Without thinking, he lifted a hand to touch the scabbing wound for a nanosecond before loosening his hold on Ray's hand. Ray looked up at him, eyes unreadable, but a smirk quirked his lips, and Kai found himself returning the gesture.

Though the thought tore at him, that Ray had actually wanted to die, for that moment, everything was alright.

Everything had turned out fine.

The silence that descended was one both had missed. One which was perfectly comfortable, and understanding.

So much for his being done with friendship.

"Driger's worried," Ray said suddenly. "So are you." The simple knowing statement made Kai pause, wondering for the first time why Ray had told him all that, but the tiger continued. "I know I shouldn't be glad that you are, but hey, this is the first I've see any emotion on your face." Ray's shoulders shook as the smile gave way to a quiet laugh. Kai remembered the first time he'd heard that laugh.

So he was delusional, at least to the point of not realizing he was speaking, if not to the point of insensibility. Kai tried to make his face as expressionless as possible. At any other time Ray would never have said that, silently savored it without letting Kai know, but he looked as though he were talking to himself. Chances were he was speaking his thoughts. Kai said no more, and neither did Ray. The tiger had already talked much more than he usually did.

Minutes passed in silence, when Ray closed his eyes and stopped moving. Only the steady rise and fall of his chest told Kai he was alive at all. It surprised him how relieving that was.

Just when he was sure of Ray being asleep, Kai began to rise. He was going to get Weihua. But Ray's hand tightened on his, and he opened his eyes just enough for a slight sheen of gold to shine through long, dark lashes.

"Don't go," Ray's tone could almost be called conversational, yet it was so soft Kai had to lean forward to hear. "Please."

"I'm just going to get Weihua," Kai told him just as softly, but Ray's fingers didn't slacken. "The Healer can do more than I can."

A slight shake of the head was all he received. "Stay with me." The last sentence was so soft Kai wondered whether he'd imagined incomprehensive words to replace those he'd actually heard. "Wo ne ai, Kai."

Kai would have gone. He should have gone. Especially when Ray fell truly asleep. Yet all he did was ease his hand out of Ray's and move away, leaning against a wall in a corner from where he could see the silver ball in the sky.

I'll stay, he silently promised. Through the window, the darkness of the night was illuminated by the radiance of that one source.

He found himself unable to refuse the final words.

He stood there, questioning his own sanity and pondering the meaning of that last sentence until Tala arrived with the others, and Weihua, in a tow, and even as Weihua checked the sleeping teen and pronounced him on the road to recovery.

The emptiness within he felt then, an emptiness that made him feel so hollow, so… alone. And he felt it filling up, though tantalizing was the slowness, and he could not bring himself to regret.

With recollection of the final incomprehensible words, it was done.

No lost words, whisper slowly, to me

Still can't find what keeps me here

And all this time I've been so hollow, inside,

I know you're still there . . . . . . . . . . . .

The phoenix rises from the ashes.

TBC…

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Ah, the last scene was something of a treat. We thought we – and you – deserved a bit of interaction after this HUGE chapter. We really did try our best, hope it wasn't too boring. The content's interesting enough, we'd say. Getting Ray exiled and Jidong killed was the most preposterous thing that came to mind, so obviously it was used.

We can explain if there's anything you didn't understand, 'cause this is the most confusing chapter we ever wrote. But you deserve a long stretch and no more A/Ns if you've read through the whole thing.

Please, especially for this chapter, please leave a good number of reviews. We worked ourselves into overdrive for this one, and are very anxious to know what you thought of it.

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