Hello! Sorry for the long delay! But I had to do my exams (A-levels) first. So, I hope you can forgive me!

Thanks to HeartlessDevil for reviewing the last chapter!

And here you go:

Kai – an endless mystery

The ride to the Granger's dojo was not really spent in silence. After Tyson had got over his lack of speaking he asked question after question. Needless to say that he received no proper answer from Kai!

Kai just sat there with his arms crossed while Dennis was driving the black van. Next to Kai on his left side was Tala and on his right side – for his sake – Tyson. The three of them were seated in the back row while Ray was seated at the front next to Dennis. The three girls were seated in the row behind the driver seat.

Dennis was humming along while he manoeuvred the van through the traffic of Tokyo. Even if it was in the middle of the night the streets were still congest. Ray turned his head towards the back. Tyson was still asking lots of question without getting answers. Kai opened his eyes and turned his head towards his younger friend. "Shut up, Tyson." He growled dangerously in a deep voice. But Tyson did not close his mouth. "Why do you have a sister popping out of nowhere? Why did you never told us? We are your friends!"

"It was none of your damn business, Granger. I have told you that." Kai's voice was emotionless like always but Ray figured that there was more behind it. There had to be a reason why Kai never spoke of her sister. He also did not speak of Rika his friend since childhood. Tyson's voice cut Ray's thoughts once again. "It was none of our business?" He asked the older boy. "So it is our business now?"

"Apparently not." Kai sighed and turned towards the window next to Tala. This answer left Tyson with a puzzled expression on his voice. The boy with the navy blue hair turned to the front and caught Ray's eyes who shrugged. "Leave it" his eyes seemed to say.

Ray turned his attention to the girls. Rika had her legs crossed and was starring out of the window to her left side. Kaiko was seated next to her. The younger girl had her head placed on Rika's shoulder and her eyes closed. Ray could tell that she was tiered. But she was not sleeping Ray recognised. Light crimson orbs opened halfway and the girl asked Rika something in Russian. The young woman turned and gave a short answer in her native language.

Kaiko nodded and closed her eyes again. A pale hand removed gently a strand of hair out off her face. After that Rika lowered her hand once again and looked over to her blonde and pretty friend. Alicia was resting her forehead against the glass of the window and was looking at the city outside. No emotion crossed Rika's face when she realised someone was starring at her and she turned her head in a fluid and quick movement only to met golden shimmering eyes.

Ray blushed when he noticed he was caught and turned his head hastily to the front once again.

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The van finally arrived at the dojo. When the occupants left the car the front door was opened and Max and Hilary walked out. Dennis and Tala grabbed the bags from the car trunk and followed the group. Tyson was leading them inside and hushed both, Max and Hilary, inside again.

The group entered the living room where Maxie, Logan, Sky, Daichi, Hiro and grandpa Granger were seated. Hiro hat returned to the dojo only one hour ago after he had worked till two o'clock in the morning at the BBA Office.

They were all very curious to see the new arrivals. Hiro rose his eyebrows surprised when he noticed that it were two girls. Alicia smiled warmly at the group. "Hi!" Dennis smirked at the effects her smile caused. The boys were starring at her. Only Hilary seemed unaffected and responded the greeting. "Hello. I'm Hilary." "Alicia." Hilary quickly introduced the rest of the group. Alicia nodded towards all of them. "Nice to meet you." And they knew that she meant it.

Kaiko had stayed in the back half hidden behind Rika. She watched the group from under her cap. She knew soon it would be her turn. And exactly in this very moment… "And who are you?" Hilary smiled at her expectantly and friendly. Kaiko let out a deep sigh and stepped forward reaching for her cap to take it off. "I'm Kaiko." And with a quick glance at Kai who nodded at her reassuringly she took off her cap so that her slate hair was falling down to her shoulders. "Kaiko Hiwatari."

The news came like a bombshell. Silence greeted her. Kai's friends were shocked. This was the very last thing ever, they would have expected. Kai and a sister? This thought had never entered their minds before. Kaiko shifted uneasy before she put on a mask like Kai with the intention not to show her emotions. Because right now she felt uncomfortable and uneasy and Kaiko was too proud to show it.

Logan broke the silence and smiled at the younger girl. "Great that you are alright, Kaiko." Gratefully Kai's sister turn towards the young man with the glasses and walked over to him to shake his hand. "Yep." A tiny smile and she turned her attention towards Maxie who was leaning against the wall supporting her back with her arms. "Maxie!" And Tala's twin found herself embraced in a quick but warm hug from the younger girl. Maxie did not returned it. Instead she smirked. "Hi, little one." Her voice was emotionless but with a teasing undertone. Kaiko looked up at her and smirked as well. She did not respond. She was used to be called "little one".

Sky had got to her feet and embraced Kaiko in a quick hug and smiled at the younger one. "Hey." Kaiko was relived to see that Kai and Rika had already so much help in their fight against BioVolt. And Kai's sister hoped that soon the whole thing would be over and that they could all return to their own more peaceful lives.

Meanwhile Kai's friends had their time to recover and a wave of "hello"s greeted Kaiko when she turned to the group once again. She smiled lightly and glanced over at her brother who smirked at her. She understood that she had made a good start with his team.

Grandpa went to the kitchen to fetch some drinks thinking that it would be a long night. And if true proof his thought right hundreds of questions were asked in the living room. Even more when Tyson told his friends that Kai had refused to tell him something on their way from the airport.

Kai sighed and exchanged a quick look with Rika. He knew that it was time to explain some things to his friends… Rika had walked over to the window and sat down on the windowsill. Kaiko soon joined her. Tala had sat down in the armchair in the farthest corner of the room and watched the scenery in front of him with expressionless ice blue eyes.

Kai took it some time to shut the group up and Ray, who was awoken from the mildly shocked state he had been in since the arrival at the airport, helped him. After five more minutes the group had finally calmed down and settled around the living room. Sky was again sitting on the floor resting her back against the wall. Dennis and Alicia were currently seated on the couch. The young man had his arm rested on the backrest behind Alicia showing that the blonde beauty next to him was already taking. Though Dennis was sure that none of Kai's friends would try to make a move at his girlfriend. But he liked it to have her close. Especially after their long separation and his fear for her safety.

Kai looked in the faces of his friends. He understood their surprise and their eagerness to get answers but it was not easy to tell them what they wanted to know. He closed his eyes for a brief moment to collect himself. When he opened them again he started to speak. "Ask." Again their voices rose bombing him with questions. "One after the other." Kai said with a strained calm voice.

His friends looked at each other before Tyson spoke first. "Why have you never told us about your sister?"

Kai looked down at the boy sitting on the floor. "It was none of your business." Before Tyson could interrupt him Kai continued. "I was never sure… if it would be safe enough… Kaiko is my sister. I wanted to protect her from BioVolt until she is strong enough to do it on her own." Kai looked at his sister who was smiling at him. He returned it warily and spoke up again. "You know when she was a child she was often ill and spent a lot of time in different hospitals…" His voice trailed off softly when he remembered those times but was brought back through Hiro's voice. "Was she at the abbey?" The young coach of the team turned his head to look at Kai's sister who returned the look and shook her head. "No. Voltaire did not take me in. Like Kai said I was often ill when I was a child. They thought I was a weakling. Not worthy…not even worthy enough to be Kai's sister…" Kaiko's voice trailer off.

She turned her eyes away from the group and met grey ones. And a smile. A sad smile that was telling at the same time that that was in the past. No longer relevant. Kaiko smiled back because she knew that Rika understood. And Kai did as well she did not need to look at him. She heard Kai growl under his breath. That was all she needed – their support.

Silence followed Kaiko's words until the girl turned her head once again to the group. "But it seems that this was my luck." She smiled. "Otherwise I would have been in the abbey as well."

Kai's eyes had never left his sister. He knew that she was strong and that she was over it what had happened. But it did still hurt.

Tyson looked at the phoenix wheeler. He only saw an emotionless mask but deep inside he knew that Kai had deep feelings for his sister. Kai had opened up to them. And right now he had admitted that he wanted his sister out of trouble, out of danger. And Tyson felt the wish growing to help his friend. Because this was Kai after all. A friend. Yeah, he had rejected the team several times but always had returned. Not always had Tyson been able to understand his captain but he trusted him. Kai was still a complete mystery and probably would it always be even when he was now starting to reveal some of his well treasured secrets.

Max could still not believe that Kai actually had a sister. Hey, we are speaking of Kai! And Kai is not a family person, or? Have I missed something? I think she looks nice. And not so anti-social like Kai…

Daichi was having similar thoughts and he still could not put everything on it's right place. But he had always been slow in thinking.

Ray watched Kai thoughtful. His face mirroring similar thoughts like Tyson's. Kaiko's appearance gave sense to Kai's strange behaviour the last day. The whole day he had seemed as if…he had lost it. And angry at the same time. Unsure of what to do. But when Ray interpreted it correctly Kai was now his usual self again. Seemingly emotionless and ice cold but confident and in his own special way caring about his team-mates he never had called his friends. But Ray hoped that they were it because apparently others were. Golden eyes glanced briefly at the Russians in the room.

Another question hit Tyson and he spoke up bluntly. "And what the hell does BioVolt want? What the use of all the fuss?" Dark brown eyes watched his captain closely. He wanted answers and he would get it from Kai. And this time this rare time Kai did not seem to mind. He looked at the younger boy. At one of the few who ever were able to beat him in beyblading. One of those few people he accepted around him.

"Simple." Kai sighed. "Revenge." But deep down he felt the fear that it was not so simple as he presented it to the outside world. Revenge was highly possible, sure. But there was the possibility that there was more…

It was eight a.m. and Stanley Dickinson was already at work. Sitting behind his desk he was reading some of the many papers that were lying in front of him. He rose his eyebrows and looked intensively on the light blue paper in his hands. With a sigh from deep within his throat he placed the paper on his desk once again and turned his eyes towards the window. The man did not see what was behind it because he was just starring off into space, thinking.

Yesterday he had received a phone call. Since then Stanley Dickinson was worried. The problem was not that a tournament had to be organised. This always meant a lot of trouble and extra work but it were more the circumstances that worried the chairman of the BBA.

An organisation had started to interfere. Not in a bad way seemingly. They were a great help, sure, but somehow Mr Dickinson was alerted. They were taking too much control over the whole thing. They had changed the rules adding some new and annulled some old. Mr Dickinson was not the only one in the council. Normally he was glad but this time he got outnumbered. He had the feeling that some of the counsellors had been paid to vote for this or that.

Mr Dickinson was not quite sure who he could still trust because another thing was bothering him. The call from yesterday. A lawyer Mr Dickinson had charged. His name was Ivan Petro and a very good friend of Mr Dickinson. He had told the chairman of the BBA that there were people active which wanted to harm the BBA. Annihilate the Association. On a legal way. Seemingly there were documents, dealing with the foundation of the BBA, in the wrong hands. These documents would allow the other association to shut the BBA down.

A sigh escaped Mr Dickinson. He knew that there would be trouble coming but he did not know who to trust. Sure there were some people he could still trust but he did not saw a way out of the situation.

The phone started to ring and interrupted his thoughts. Taking a hold of the earphone he pushed his thought into the back of his mind. "Yes, Dickinson speaking?"

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The Russians had stayed at the dojo for the rest of the night. The boys had spent it in the training room while the girls were accommodated in the meditation room. It was only seven thirty when the first awoke. Sure, it were not Tyson or Daichi.

Kai was the first quickly followed by Tala and their other Russian friends. After taking a quick shower Kai had went for the kitchen only to find Rika already there sitting at the kitchen table with her sketch book in front of herself. "Morning." He said with a small but genuine smile on his lips. "Hey." Rika smiled warmly in return. Quickly checking that no one was able to see Kai stepped up to his girlfriend leaned down and gave her a quick peek on the cheek taking in her faint scent of roses.

Rika wanted to reach for his cheek to bring his head down once again but a warning warmth from her pocket made her stop her movement. Kai noticed and stepped away with the faked intention to prepare some coffee. Just when he reached up to open the cupboard Ray entered the kitchen.

"Good morning." He said yawning closing his eyes briefly at the movement. "Morning." Kai grunted while Rika nodded towards the Chinese with a ghostlike smile. Ray walked up to Kai to help himself to some tea and rummaged through the wall-cupboard.

The next person entering was Tala who merely looked at the others and took a seat at the table across of Rika. Rika looked up at him and smirked. "Bad mood, Ivanov?" She questioned Kai's best friend. "Hn." Was the answer. Rika shrugged and returned to her sketch book and draw a line with her pencil.

She was used to this kind of answer and was good at deciphering what which "Hn" was meant to mean. This one was only a trivial one replied at the most answers. It meant nothing bad or good just that Tala – respectively Kai – was not in the mood to talk. Maybe because Ray was present. Because normally Tala Ivanov was quite open when only Rika and Kai were around.

Meanwhile Kai prepared the coffee and after he was done he placed a cup both in front of Tala and Rika. Thanking him with a faint smile Rika reached for the cup and took a sip. Tala nodded and leaned back against the back of the chair holding the cup in his one hand while the other was placed over his chest in a fending gesture.

Kai sat down next to Rika and took a quick look at the drawing on her book. He smirked when he saw what she was drawing.

Ray joined the three Russians shortly after placing a cup of tea in front of him. It was not bothering that they were silent. It was not an uncomfortable silence. It seemed nearly peaceful. A silence between friends. Ray watched the three carefully because he knew that Kai did not like it when someone was starring at him.

Tala acted his usual distant self while slowly drinking his coffee and seemingly not caring that it had to be damn hot. Kai also had leaned back in his chair with his eyes fixed on the paper in front of Rika who was drawing seemingly not paying attention to her surroundings. Ray noticed an amused smirk on Kai's lips and slightly leaned forward to catch a look at Rika's sketch.

At this moment Rika looked up directly into ray's eyes and Ray felt caught and trapped again. He gulped under her intense gaze that was reaching Kai's level with ease. But a smirk crept to her lips and she turned the sketch book over and pushed it towards the Chinese so that he could get a proper look at it.

Meanwhile the two Russian boys watched the expressions on ray's face with clear amusement. Ray failed to notice the three other shared when he looked at the drawing. Golden eyes widened surprised at what they saw.

Ray had to admit that Rika definitely had a talent for art. The sketch was showing Tyson and himself at the airport with eyes wide and mouths hanging open. Ray flushed. Shit… Did I really looked that stupid?

He hesitated before he looked up only to realise that the other three were watching him with amusement in their eyes. Even Tala!

Ray felt a little uneasy and could not quite decipher how he should react. Finally he offered a smile and returned the sketch boot to Rika. "You are good. I think you caught the moment…" "Thanks." Rika replied quietly taking back the book.

A stiffed laughter could be heard from the door. Ray turned his head and saw that Dennis Klirkow was leaning at the doorframe. "I think you passed your test, Ray." He said grinning at the other.

Ray looked confused at him but Dennis answered not instantly. He pushed himself off the doorframe glanced at Rika's sketch and smiled. "I agree with Ray. Really caught them up…like always." Turning to Ray he continued. "That's not that bad you know. Rika has done worse. She always catches people in unpleasant situations." Tala looked at him and asked teasingly. "You're speaking of yourself, Klirkow?"

Dennis flashed a grin and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. You could say that." He did not look at last offended. Turning once again to Ray he said. "Rika is very good at this." He pointed towards the drawing. "But she is not out to catch you up in horrible situations. So don't worry."

"Very reassuring, Klirkow." Kai smirked but Ray smiled. "Thanks for the all-clear." "No problem, Kon." And Ray leaned back relaxing. Now he was sure that the Russians were friends with Kai and that - in time – they would become friends with the whole team. At least they proved that deep down they had humour. And the same was also going for Kai and Tala. Shall they have their secrets and stay a mystery! Ray was able to live with it.

Soooo... how was it? Please tell me in a review!

LadyOfTheBluePhoenix