Methods of Training and card games

"I'm surprised. They took the loss better than I expected them to," Kai stated to his teammates as they made their way back to the hotel after they had dinner with the Bladebreakers.

"Well, that Tyson seems like the type who never likes to give up," Li said. "So Kira, why did you REALLY want to take Kai's place?" He got no answer. Kira hadn't been listening to her friends' conversation. "Hello? Earth to Kira?"

"Huh… What?"

"I asked you what was the real reason you took Kai's place in the match against Rei."

"What kind of question is that? You really think I'd WANT to sit on my butt the whole time watching you guys have all the fun?"

Kai smirked. "You wouldn't-"

"Have a crush on Rei?" Megumi finished for him.

"What makes you even think that!"

"Well, you have to admit, he is pretty cute." Megumi said as innocently as she could.

"And you?" She looked toward Kai, who just shrugged. "Anyway, does anyone have the time?"

"It's 10 to 8" Li confirmed, checking his watch.

"I've got to go. See you guys later." She waved a quick goodbye and made her way.

"And she doesn't bother to tell us where she's going." Li said glumly.

"Maybe she's going on a date with Rei!" Megumi said happily. Kai and Li raised their eyebrows at her. "What? I saw them talking after the match and when we were leaving the restaurant."

Raindrops started to fall on and around her. 'I wonder what Celeste is doing. When we were talking, she apparently had missed us a lot,' Kira thought as she walked toward her and Rei's arranged meeting place. They had agreed to an
outdoor training place when they were talking at the restaurant.

"Hi Kira," Rei greeted her. She hadn't realized that she had already made it.

"Hey. So are you ready to start?"

"When you are."

"Great. When we were kids, the elder at the temple, which was Megumi's grandfather, taught us martial arts. We started to beyblade around two years after we started martial arts. You might be thinking what has martial arts
got to do with becoming a better blader. Well, exercise in general increases your stamina. Martial arts boosts your hand-eye coordination, speed, and lowers your reaction time."

"You can't teach me martial arts in one night, so, what are we going to do?"

"We start by running."

"Okay. From where to where?"

"How about 20 times around the complex? That looks like enough. Then we'll do some weight training."

"Sure." They started running.

They finished around 10 minutes later and started a mix of lifting the hand weights that were scattered about, sit-ups, and pushups. After 15 minutes of that, she motioned him to stop and walked toward him. "Now for the fun part. I get to teach you the basics of martial arts."

Back at the hotel room, Li and Kai were playing another round of Gin Rummy on the bed and Megumi was watching. "Maybe Meg is right. I mean about your sis and Rei. They were talking together after the match and at the restaurant,"
Li suggested.

"Well? Come on Kai. What do you think? She is your sister," Megumi asked her friend.

"I win, again. First off, I'm not worried about her; she can take care of herself. Second, this is, for right now, her business. I'm going to ask her when she gets back. You want to deal Li?"

"Sure."

"Keep focus Rei." Kira threw a punch at his face; Rei blocked it just in time. "Looks like your getting better."

"And tired." He checked his watch. "Maybe because we've been at this for a half an hour."

"We're not done yet. We beyblade now."

"How about we rest for a few minutes first?"

"I guess we could." They sat down together in the rain.

"Guys, I'm getting worried about Kira," Megumi said to her two friends, who had gotten tired playing Gin Rummy and had switched to Speed.

"Speed. Can't you do better Li?"

"I won once!"

"Once to like forty."

"Hello! Did you here what I said? Kira isn't back yet. I'm getting worried about her."

"I thought I said you shouldn't worry because she could take care of herself. Loser deals."

"You two have obviously been to much into your games to notice, but it's been an hour since she left."

"You can sure lose a lot in just an hour Li."

"Don't you hear me? KIRA HASN"T COME BACK YET!"

"Tell you what. If she doesn't come back in twenty minutes, me and Kai will go look for her."

"Thank you."

"Now can we continue?"

"Yup."

"Aren't you cold Kira?"

"I'll be fine. I like the rain."

"Good luck tomorrow in the finals."

"Thanks. Were you guys really wanting to go to the American Tournament?"

"That would have been great, but there is always next year."

"Not always." A long silence followed that remark; a silence that was eating at both of them, more Rei than Kira though.

-flashback-

"Hey Li. You wouldn't know where Kai and Megumi were would you?" asked a 12 year-old Kira.

"They're still on the steps in front, waiting for Celeste."

"She hasn't come back yet?"

"No… is that Meg?"

"You're here Uncle. Weren't you supposed to have come back yesterday?" Li and Kira made their way outside to the steps.

"Uncle Hoshino," Kai asked, "where's Celeste?"

-end flashback-

Kira jerked back into reality to find Rei shaking her. "Are you okay? You completely zoned out," Rei looked at her with worry etched all over his face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"You sure?" He looked into her eyes looking for reassurance, finding nothing but the pain that she couldn't hide.

"Yeah… I was just thinking... We should see how our workout has affected your blading, shouldn't we?"

"Just what I was thinking."

"Speed. This is getting boring. Where's K when you need her." Kai said winning yet another round of speed against Li.

"Not here, that's where"

"Get of it Meg. It hasn't been 20 minutes yet, has it? Why don't you deal this time Kai."

The two of them made their way to the dish and got their blades out. "You ready?" Kira nodded in reply. "3… 2… 1… Let it Rip!" Their blades hit the dish, both emitting sparks. "Drigger!"

"Suicune!" On command, the two bit beasts emerged from their blades. The green tiger and blue cat bashed into each again and again. "Suicune, scratch attack!"

"Drigger, evade it!" Right on cue, Drigger moved to the side before Suicune could make contact. "Drigger, Tiger Claw!"

Kira smirked, "Hey! Looks like the training has paid off. Not many people can evade my attacks. Suicune!" Kira's blue and white blade disappeared, but only long enough for Drigger's attack to miss, and for Suicune to sneak up behind him. "Why don't we call it a night?"

"Okay," Both bit beasts returned to their blades and returned to their owners.

"I finally won!"

"Yay, let's all have a party for Li's second win out of sixty games of Gin Rummy and Speed." Kai said sarcastically.

"You deal."

"Look, Meg fell asleep."

"I'm not asleep. I'm waiting for Kira." Megumi said, rolling over on her back. "If she's not back in 5 minutes"

"Yeah I know, we go out and look for her."

"We should probably be heading back now." Rei told Kira, who nodded, and they started their way back to the hotel."

They had walked, in the rain, for a few minutes in a silence, which Rei broke. "What were you thinking about?"

She didn't say anything for a while and Rei assumed that whatever it was Kira didn't want to talk about.

"I was thinking about when we found out that Celeste was missing." Rei listened intently as she continued. "Celeste was Kai's girlfriend, Meg's sister, and our best friend." The silence came back again.

They made it back to the hotel and went toward Kira's room first.

"It's been 20 minutes guys. Go and find her now, you promised."

"Sure. I was getting sick of losing anyway." Megumi glared at him and he quickly added, "And I was worried about K. It's past nine."

"Just let us get our jackets, it's raining."

"Well here you are." They were standing outside the door of Kira's room. "Thanks for the help Kira."

"No problem."

Rei closed his eyes and placed his lips over Kira's. Though surprised at this, she closed her eyes and deepened the kiss.

"We'll be back with Kira. Don't fret." Li assured her as he and Kai made their way to the door.

Li opened the door and he and Kai stared wide-eyed at what they were seeing. A soaked Kira and a soaked Rei standing in front of them kissing.

Megumi got up from the bed and went to see why Li and Kai hadn't left yet. Then she saw what they were looking at and smiled. 'Guess I was right after all.'

Rei and Kira broke apart then realized that Li, Kai, and Megumi were all staring at them. "See you later Rei."

"Goodnight."

Kira waved and closed the door behind her. Rei made his way to his room.

in another hotel room, in another part of the hotel

"Thanks a lot sir," Celeste said to a tall man with green eyes and the same style hair as Kai's.

"Believe me, it was nothing," a woman standing behind Celeste said. She was pretty tall for a woman. She had light brown wavy hair and reddish brown colored eyes. "We're just glad you're okay. Are you planning to make an appearance tomorrow?"

"Yes ma'am. That's what I was thinking of doing in the first place."

"Well why don't you make it with us?"

"I'd love to. Thank you."

"So I was right," Megumi stated happily.

"Right about what?" Kira asked.

"You and Rei going out on a date," Li told her.

"DATE? IT WAS NOT! I said I could help him blade, so that's what I did."

"So now training sessions include kissing." Kai said, grinning.