Title: Untold Truths
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: PG-13
Summary: see chapter one
Warnings: see chapter one
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.

"Everything is healing nicely. Your arm is still a little sore, but the bone has mended. With the exceptions of a few aches here and there I'd say that you are in good condition," the doctor, a man in his early thirties with blond hair, concluded, gently prodding the teen's bandaged arm for any signs of uncommon pain or swelling.

"Yeah, they told me that at the hospital before they released me. I still get a little nauseous sometimes though and any sudden movements bring on a pretty mean headache."

"The banes of recovery. Nothing to get too concern about. Just continue taking your tablets and you'll be better in no time. But if something does happen, don't hesitate to call me. Mr. Hiwatari has my number so you need only to ask him."

"Ray is going to be better?" Saskia asked from where she sat on a chair nearby, legs folded beneath her as she watched the exchange with interested eyes.

The doctor smiled and nodded. "He's going to be just fine, young Saskia. He's tough, just like you."

Beaming, she slid out of her big chair and came to stand next to Ray, looking him over as if to confirm the doctor's words. Once assured, she leaned against the armrest, resting her head on his arm.

"I do have something that would help the headaches if you want, Mr. Kon. I know what a burden it can bee to get such headaches. Would you like to have it?"

"Sure. Anything that helps a bit is really appreciated."

"Wait here. I have it in storage down the hall. I'll be right back." Standing, he straightened his white coat and walked out the door, closing it softly behind him.

"That went fast. Now we can go see this garden you like so much."

"Yay!" Saskia cheered, throwing her hands in the air. The action jostled her clothes and a small silver necklace slipped out of her blouse. Something, a pendant of some sort, hung on it and for a moment Ray felt a shiver run down his back.

'Must be the temperature.' It was kinda cold in the doctor's office.

Seeing him staring at the pendant, Saskia quickly tucked it back in, keeping her eyes averted as she ensured that the blouse once more covered it. Quickly recovering from the silence, she went on.

"And there are birds there! Lots of birds! And a waterfall too. And you can meet Dolsea. And..."

Ray listened with a smile as she listed all the fascinating things that awaited them in the garden. The mysterious pendant was soon forgotten and the room felt a bit warmer.

/I can be there in two days./

Kai thought it over as he walked down the sidewalk, easily passing through the throng of people even though his mind was really on that task.

"I'll come to you first. I have some business in St. Petersburg that needs to be sorted out."

/That, and because you don't want me to travel alone/ Ata sounded amused as well as annoyed.

"No...Alright, yes. But not because I don't think you can take care of yourself. We both know how tricky they can get and you would be easily outnumbered."

/Fine, I'll accept that...for now/ Ata chuckled on the other end. /I'm still in the airport. The others have just left. At least they will be safe./

Climbing the steps that led to the law firm, Kai nodded to the doorman who opened the glass door for him, nodding back to the teen they knew well for he had been coming here for years.

"That is good news. Okay, I'll arrive there by train. Meet me at the City Hall at sixteen hundred hours."

/Got it. Good luck until then./

Closing the cell and dropping it into his pocket, Kai once more focused on his actions. In his subconscious mind he knew this building by heart and found himself already standing in the bright hall that branched off into several smaller offices. The onyx tiles echoed his soft footsteps loudly as he made his way towards the office at the head of the long hall.

"No open!" Saskia giggled as she led him down the hall.

Ray smiled and peeked an eye open just to tease her.

"Uh uh!" she giggled again and stopped her walking, crossing her arms. "No look or no garden."

Ray had taken over carrying her large sketchpad under his arm but she insisted on being able to handle herself so she kept a hold on the small pouch. Stubborn, another trait he had seen in Kai. Maybe the two weren't so different.

After the doctor's office, they had spent the day exploring the hotel. Saskia pointed out every restaurant, shop, sauna, pool area and game room there was. The people, especially those who worked there but also a decent number of guests too, knew her very well and greeted her kindly. Her bright pink eyes and even brighter smile worked their way into even the coldest businessman's heart.

The hotel was even larger and grander than he could have ever imagined. Saskia had handed him a hotel guide they had gotten from the nice lady behind the check-in counter. Other hotels had a small folder to point out the hotel's attractions. The Harma Plaza had, seriously, a little book with a leather cover and about a hundred pages with detailed maps and countless photos of each floors places of interest. This wasn't a hotel; it was an entire city under one roof!

"Close your eyes," Saskia giggled.

Raising his hands in defeat, he closed his eyes and waited to feel her small fingers wrap around his uninjured hand. When they did he allowed her to continue tugging him along. During their journey to the mysterious garden they had made so many twists and turns that he was reminded of the New Jersey Turnpike dish he had battled in during the American Tournament.

He squeezed her delicate hand ever so slightly to get her attention.

"Are we there yet?" he asked, making sure she could understand him.

"Um..." She fell silent, judging their distance, "One more hall pass the pool." He pretended to faint at the length left and she laughed at his antics. "Lazy."

"Hey! I can beat you in a race," he challenged knowing that she was still watching him.

"Uh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"With eyes closed?"

"No, I'm gonna...open my eyes!" With that he spun and ran down the final hall, not at his real speed but enough to give her the impression that he was getting away.

"Cheater!" she laughed and hurried after him. Laughing they ran down the hall and upon turning the corner almost collided with someone.

"Good heavens!" cried an aristocratic female voice.

A blonde who looked like she had one plastic surgery too many stood there in the hall in a bathing suit and wrap. A large sunhat was on her head and she wore shades. Her body was tall and lanky and her face thin and pinched. Her long fingers, with brightly painted red nails, gripped the cell phone she had been using tightly.

"Well, I've never! Watch were you are going!" she snapped at Ray, eyeing him in an irritating way, which reminded him of someone...

"S-sorry, Mrs. McSnobbe," Saskia said in a timid voice, partially hiding behind Ray and gripping the material of his pants with trembling fingers.

'McSnobbe?' Ray recognized that name at once and sighed to himself. 'Well, that explains everything.'

"Oh. It's you, Hiwatari," Mrs. McSnobbe said in a voice of disgust. She knew that the little girl couldn't hear her so she made sure that her face reflected her tone. "Shouldn't you be off somewhere, reading those bumpy books and catching your drool in a bucket?"

Saskia looked even smaller, if that was possible, and Ray felt a stab of anger run through him. Who the hell did this woman think she was? What did Saskia ever do to her?

"Those 'bumpy books' are for blind people, ma'am. Perhaps they will be of more use to you than her since you can't see the difference," Ray informed, not hiding his annoyance and sarcasm. He was walking unknown territory but he would be damned if he would just stand there and watch a full-grown woman pick on a small child.

"Who are you? Her hearing dog?"

Hearing--! Man, this woman was really starting to tick him off!

"Whatever. I am on the phone with an important client and I do not need an audience. Now run along and do whatever retarded children do." She waved them off like they were mere pests and turning her back to them she continued her call.

Ray was tempted, really tempted, to retort but a small sniffle next to him got his full attention off the blond bully and onto the blue haired girl who looked like a beaten puppy.

Saskia's face was crestfallen and she made small gasping noises as she tried bravely to hold back her tears. The pouch fell from her hands and landed with a small click on the floor.

"There, there now. Don't cry, Saskia." He knelt down and lifted her trembling chin. Her pink eyes shimmered brightly and he could see her fighting the inevitable.

"I...I'm s-s-sorry tha-that I stu-stupid," she whimpered around her gasps. "I-I-I do-don't mean...mean i-i-it."

"No, you are not. You are a very nice, talented and pretty girl."

A snort came from behind him and he turned to see Mrs. McSnobbe watching them.

"Don't you worry what that old witch has to say. She is just jealous that everyone likes you. She has no real friends herself." Ray made sure he spoke clearly to make sure that both Saskia and Mrs. McBitch would hear every word.

"How dare you speak of me so? I will--"

"Will what? Contact the manager? What will you tell him? That you were insulted just because you, an adult of forty, picked on a little girl who is deaf and cannot defend herself? I'm sure that Kai would find this very interesting. He still has some saying when it comes to the hotel and would have you evicted and banned on a second's notice."

His pupils narrowed with each words and like her bratty daughter, Mrs. McSnobbe wisely backed off.

"Just watch where you are going next time. Some people here have a class."

Shooting them both a dirty look she stuck her nose in the air and disappeared through the doors into the pool area.

"Like mother, like daughter."

Putting the happenings behind him, he picked up Saskia who was still sniffling and pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay Saskia. That lady is just a big bully who thinks she is better because she is older and has a company."

"She hates me." The long pastel blue tresses tickled his neck as she laid her head on his shoulder. "She always mean to me. I try be nice with her but she always say that I am stupid."

"She is just a mean person. No one thinks that. Kai certainly thinks that you are smart and funny...and ticklish!" He started to tickle her tummy and she erupted in a fit of squeals and giggles, tears forgotten as she returned the favor.

They tickled each other for several minutes until they called it a draw. Exhausted from laughing, Ray slid to the floor, gasping for air. Saskia sat on his lap facing him, her hair in disarray and her face flushed. When she caught her breath she jumped to her feet and took his hand.

"Come, garden this way."

They ran the rest of the way and after a few more turns they found themselves in an empty hall that led to a mechanical door. As they neared it Saskia rummaged through her pouch and produced a small silver card. Reaching up on her tiptoes, she swiped it and the red light on the computerized lock beeped and turned green. Taking his hand she stepped back as a faint whirling sound sounded and the doors slid open.

A gush of warm air swept over them and Ray had to blink a few times to adjust to the new light. Saskia looked up at him and smiled.

"Come!" She released his hand and ran across the green grass growing from real earth.

It was like stepping right out of the city and into a tropical jungle. They walked along a well-maintained path that wound around tall trees whose canopies shielded them from the lights and heating system installed to keep the plants in good condition.

Bushes and plants with colorful blooming flowers and several small and large rock formations gave it a certain touch and when they crossed a small footbridge over a bubbling stream that was fed by a twenty-foot high waterfall Ray was reminded of the mountains back in China.

Flapping wings drew his eyes upwards as a flock of tropical parrots flew overhead before settling happily in the branches of the trees. Since his gaze was on the trees he also saw several red squirrels hopping along the slender limbs. The garden was filled with the musical whistling of birds that remained hidden and the trickling falls.

"Here."

Saskia took the gaping blader to a spot beneath a large weeping willow tree whose hanging vines dipped into a pretty big and deep lake at the foot of the falls. She sat down and patted the ground beside her. Laying her sketchpad and pouch down beside her, she waited for Ray to come out of his stunned stupor.

"Whoa," Ray finally breathed.

Not exactly well articulated but it was all he could say.

"You like?"

"Very much. Do you come here often?"

"Yes. Everyday. Kai likes it here too. It peaceful."

"I have never seen anything like it. Are there more of these in the hotel?"

"No. This one mommy made by herself," Saskia stated proudly. "She bring me here when I was born. Mommy liked this place also. Here she gave me this when I was three."

Looking through her pouch she withdrew something. A beyblade!

"This is Dolsea."

The blade was of a light blue color with a violet attack ring. In the center was a bit-beast; a dolphin with four fins and two small horns growing from above its brows.

"Can you beyblade?" Ray asked as he turned the blade over, inspecting it. It was in very good condition. Saskia really took good care of it.

When she didn't answer he looked up to see her sketching a bird that sat in a branch above them. Her focus was intent and she quickly sketched a rough preliminary picture and started on the details. Ray leaned over and touched her shoulder to redirect her attention.

"Do you beyblade?"

"Not fight," she said while playing with one of her side-curls.

"What do you do then?" Ray asked puzzled. What else could you do with a beyblade?

"Talk and play."

Okay, talk he still understood. Sometimes he would have conversation with Drigger when he was worried about something and needed a confidant. But how could you play with a beyblade without battling with it?

Seeing his confusion, she smiled and put down her pad. Standing, she took her blade from him and attached it to her violet launcher. Moving to the edge of the lake, she motioned him over. When he stood beside her she aimed her blade high and launched it.

"Go Dolsea!"

The blade went high and in a brilliant flash of blue the majestic creature appeared. With a loud chatter she dove gracefully into the water and disappeared without a faint ripple. After a few moments she broke the surface closer to them.

Saskia knelt down and stroked the slippery head of her bit beast and made a soft clicking sound with her tongue. Answering with some clicks of her own Dolsea started swimming around the pond, jumping and flipping, glad to be free from its confined blade.

"How do you do that?" As far as he knew bit beast only left their blades during battles or to defend their bladers when they were in danger. He never heard of a bit-beast simply leaving its blade for fun.

"Drigger would like to be out too," Saskia said as she looked at him take out his beyblade.

"I don't know how." Ray turned his yellow eyes as Dolsea made a marvelous double flip in the middle of the pond.

"Just spin it and think really hard about Drigger," Saskia explained.

He looked at her doubtfully. He had done that several times when training and nothing ever happened out of the ordinary. Then again, he had never really concentrated on calling Drigger out of his blade.

"Well, here goes." He loaded and aimed the blade upwards. What did he have to lose?

"Go Drigger!" he shouted and focusing all his thoughts on his bit beast free and running around the lush gardens he pulled the ripcord. The blade shot out like a small projectile and almost reached the ceiling. As it came speeding back down to earth it started to glow and a large flash followed by an explosion later, Drigger stood looking around its new surroundings.

"Cool," Ray grinned and petted the tiger's large head.

Purring like a kitten Drigger rubbed up against its blader, almost knocking the boy over. Sniffing the air, the tiger detected the new scent of the little girl and with curious eyes, he lowered his head to sniff her face and clothes, making her giggle. Finding the little human non-threatening to his master, he gave Ray's face a lick and started to explore this alien world. Turning to Ray, he growled and sprinted off into the trees.

"Hey, wait-" Ray started to follow but Saskia stopped him.

"It's okay. He won't break anything."

"If you say so. I--Hey!" Ray stepped back when a spray of water caught him in his back. Turning, he growled at Dolsea who chattered gleefully at the edge of the pool.

"Stop that you---Ahhh!" This time he was almost bowled over by a wave that the dolphin conjured up with a flick of her large tail. Laugher next to him as Saskia rolled on the floor holding her tummy. His hair was soaked as was most of his clothes.

"She wants you to play with her," Saskia explained as she got up.

"It wouldn't be a very fair battle," Ray said while wringing out his hair.

"No silly! She wants you to swim."

"Oh no! I am not getting into the water with her."

"Dolsea won't hurt you. She is very nice. Please, Ray." She clasped her hands together and looked hopefully up at him. "I swim too."

The puppy dog eyes have worked on him ever since Mariah pulled that stunt when she first asked him to teach her how to beybattle.

"I have no proper swim clothes on." He tugged at his Chinese shirt in a final attempt.

"No trouble. We swim in our clothes." She started to tug off her white boots. Standing she padded to the edge and with a playful wink she jumped in. She resurfaced, her long bangs falling before her eyes. Laughing she pushed them away.

'I wonder if Kai ever does this,' Ray asked himself as he pulled off his shoes. Wading into the water till he was waist deep, trying to stay as dry as possible, he looked around but there was no sign of girl or dolphin.

"Saskia?" he called but remembered that she couldn't hear him. Wading in deeper he began to worry. Surely she couldn't stay beneath water that long.

Something suddenly bumped him from beneath the surface and with a yelp he fell back into the water. He came up sputtering, his own hair plastered on his face. He could hear a familiar laugher. Pushing away the soggy strands he spotted Saskia sitting innocently on a boulder nearby. If she was there...then...who...was...?

"Aaahhh!"

A tidal wave of water hit him again as Dolsea jumped and landed near him with a huge splash. When the water settled he was left looking like a drowned cat. Saskia was laughing so hard that she almost fell off her perch.

Dolsea swam around him in circles. Occasionally she would swim in close enough to nudge Ray playfully or to nip at the tiger's soaked hair. She seemed content that the boy was wet enough and was now trying to make amends.

Despite himself Ray couldn't stay angry at the happy-go-lucky creature and stretched out his hand. Happy to get a petting, the dolphin swam nearer, allowing the boy to rub her rubbery skin. When Ray was done she gave him a final playful nudge however she unintentionally hit a healing bruise and being a bit beast the contact was pretty strong.

Ray couldn't help crying out in pain.

A soft splash and Saskia was by his side, a worried look marring her pretty face.

"Dolsea hurt you? I'm sorry."

"I'm fine." He spoke through clenched teeth so his lips movements weren't very understandable. Saskia, not knowing what was wrong, began to panic. Her friend was in pain and it looked very bad.

"Ray? Ray, what wrong!"

'Pull yourself together! You're scaring her!' his mind shouted and he struggled to even his breathing. Saskia saw him struggling to breathe and tears started to form.

"Ray! Don't die! Please! Not you too!"

'Come on! Bite it!'

Finally, his mind won over his body and he could feel the stinging subside.

Turning to the little body floating beside him he was angered with himself when he saw the tear-stained, distressed face. The wind had still been knocked out of him but he mouthed 'I am okay' to calm her. She nodded and wiped her face but taking his uninjured arm she led him out of the water. Dolsea clicked sadly, ashamed of having caused so much trouble.

A low growl came from before them as Drigger emerged from the trees, having heard its blader's cry within the contained forest. The large tiger followed the two humans back to the willow where Ray gingerly sat down. Leaning his head against the smooth bark behind him he closed his eyes.

A pull on his shirt opened them again and he looked down to see Saskia trying to locate his source of pain. He caught her small hand and she raised her eyes uncertainly as if afraid that he would blame her. Drigger moved to lie around them, shielding them from any draft that could bring on a cold.

Ray looked at the equally wet girl beside him. Her words ringing through his head having just registered: 'Don't die! Not you too!' What did she mean? Who else was there? Had she been referring to her parents?

"I am okay. It isn't that bad."

"Dolsea never hurt anyone. I don't know why she did that." More tears started to form but he wiped them away.

"It is not Dolsea's fault. I already had this before." He lifted his shirt to reveal his bandaged chest and Saskia's eyes widened in shock at the fully wrapped torso. She had known that his arm was injured and everyone gets hurt sometimes. This, however, was more serious.

"How?" she asked while gently touching the wet bandages.

"Beybattle against the Demolition Boys in the World Tournament."

"Someone beat you?"

"Kinda. Let's just say that Bryan is a very rotten cheater when he fights." The pale violet eyes of the Russian blader flashed in his mind and he repressed a shudder. How long had it been since the world championship? A couple of months?

"Bryan didn't mean it," Saskia's innocent voice piped up before him.

"Excuse me?" he blinked.

"Bad men made Bryan do that."

If she knew Bryan enough to know what made him the emotionless fighting machine that he had faced at the championship then she must know the Abbey. She must have been there also. Kai had been very touchy about the subject. He had spoken about the Abbey to the team once they had found out about it so why had he warned Ray not to mention it this morning at breakfast. Was it because of Saskia?

"Do you know Bryan?"

A hesitant nod.

"Do you know the Demolition Boys?"

Another nod.

"How?"

Saskia lowered his eyes and started to fiddle with her wet hair. Biting her lower lip she refused to meet his eyes as a small shiver ran through her small frame. The topic obviously upset her so he decided to drop it.

A soft clicking from the waterside distracted hi enough to notice that Dolsea was still blaming herself.

Giving Drigger a reassuring pat, Ray stood and walked over. Crouching down he held out his hand and clicked softly at the moping dolphin that swam over and nuzzled it, trying to rub away the pain it presumably caused.

"It's okay, Dolsea. I'm not mad at you," Ray said and the dolphin gave a grateful chirp.

Standing, he smiled at Saskia who had watched the whole exchange and though she hadn't heard what he had said she knew what had just happened and smiled thankfully at him. Her smile became a large grin when Dolsea dealt him a 'friendly' thank-you splash that soaked him all over again.

Sighing, he walked back to where Saskia was trying to muffle her giggles. Ray rolled his eyes.

"I wonder what time it is."

Picking up his watch, which he had left near the tree, he was surprised to see that it was already almost dinnertime. Waving his hand before her he garnered her attention.

"We have to be getting back. Kai must be wondering where we are right now. And I could sure do with some of Natasia's cooking."

They had eaten something around midday at one of the snack shops in the hotel but now his stomach was demanding more.

Yep, way to much time around Tyson.

"Okay. Dolsea, return."

She held out her blade and with a final chatter the large beast vanished back into the blue and purple blade. Saskia put it away safely in her pouch and watched Ray expectantly.

"Well, let's see." He looked at his green glowing tiger and held out his blade, "Drigger, return." The feline roared and re-entered its battle device.

'The guys are gonna love hearing this!'

"What do you think Natasia is making?" he asked her as he picked up her sketchpad, being extra careful not to get it wet.

"Lasagna."

He made a funny face and she giggled softly.

"Lasagna? That's not Russian."

"I like it."

"It's Italian," he argued jokingly.

"It's yummy!" She jumped up and down to prove her point, the Abbey pushed back into the darkest corner of her otherwise bright little mind.

"You should eat Russian food. What do Russians eat?" He held his chin in a pensive manner. "Fish eyes?"

"Nooo..." Saskia played along.

"Pig tails?"

"Uh-uh." She took his offered hand and started to lead him back, her eyes trained on him as he continued to name every gross thing he could think of.

"Chewed gum?"

"Eeeww!" She scrunched up her little button nose at that one.

The door closed behind them with a metallic click as they left the gardens.

Tbc…

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