BEYBLADE

CHAPTER THREE:  OLD AQUAINTANCES

The BBA bus ride was taking longer than expected, and it was already ten minutes passed the hour. Kenny was virtually pulling his hair out, which forced Rei and Tyson to lurch forward and grab hold of his arms.

" Wow chief, would you settle down? You're giving me a headache from just watching you." Tyson sat back and rubbed his head mockingly.

" Tyson, this is all your stomach's fault. If you weren't such a food lover we'd be there half an hour ago!" Kenny whined.

" Oh Chief, it really isn't that big a deal." Dizzi spoke. " I mean, We can't always be on time for everything."

" That's the point, Dizzi. We're never on time.. for anything!"

"Hey, lil' dude. Don't sweat the small stuff, you catch my drift? A good, well-trained warrior who knows of his plight, doesn't let it get the better of him, and always remains focused. He always looks for a way to win, doesn't get bogged down by the way he could lose. You catch me, peeps?"

Tyson slouched again, talking through the side of his mouth. "Yeah, whatever grandpa..."

" I speak the truth, lil' dude."

" He's right you know." Rei added. " You can't let the fact that we're late for a tour get the better of you, Kenny."

Kenny nodded and turned his head down to view Dizzi's screen. He drifted into thought, considering the words of his team with the slightest edge of sadness and desperation. His thoughts were disturbed by Tyson and Max as they both jumped toward the windows, yelling: "There it is!"

The Koltsovo Dome finally came into view as it towered above the other buildings of the city. Rei and Kenny both leaned toward the windows and looked up in awe as they drove closer, excitement building within the pits of their stomachs. Max bounced on his chair and Tyson gave off an almost evil smirk as they drew nearer to the dome.

"All riiight. This is gonna be awesome." He shouted.

"Yeah, you said it. " Max chuckled.

" I can't believe it. It's much larger than what I imagined it to be." Kenny gasped.

" Yeah, chief. I'll bet it is." Dizzi interjeceted. " Don't worry about me. I'm fine down here. I mean, it's not like I had some crazy idea, or wanted to see the dome too, y'know."

Rei and Max chuckled as Kenny lifted Dizzi toward the window. She took a few snapshots and sighed. " Ah. I can still make the biggest cafeteria."

Tyson suddenly yelled and sunk into his chair. Rei, Max and Kenny turned towards their teammate, as well as Mr. Dickenson and Grandpa who were watching from behind, with great amusement.

"Tyson, what is it?" Rei asked.

"Yeah, are you alright?" Max questioned.

"Why'd you yell like that?" Kenny complained.

Tyson leaned forward and pointed. " ..No, I'm not alright, Max.. There's a traffic jam ahead of us."

The boys' eyes widened and they looked ahead.

" Aww man.." Max whined.

Rei rested back in his seat. " Oh well, I guess we'll have to wait."

Kenny made anxious annoyed noises and Dizzi tried to comfort him.

" No way am I staying here." Tyson stood and ran down the aisle toward the bus' front. " Come on, guys. It's not that far. We can walk."

*****

Kai was surrounded by his former teammates. He didn't like this at all, but there was nothing he could do. If he ran, he'd be considered a coward... And he'd hate that more than anything. What would happen if he stayed? Would the Demolition Boys, including Tala and Ian who had just slipped out from the shadows, lure him into a beyblade match and try to take Dranzer? He gripped his dark blue blade in the palm of his right hand and gazed straight ahead at Tala. He wouldn't allow that to happen.

An assortment of voices filled the boys' minds. They all turned toward the entrance hallway and noticed that a group of people were walking down, talking to each other, being led by one dressed in a creamy-blue, BBA uniform. He was more than likely leading the people behind him on a tour of the new stadium.

Tala turned his metallic gaze toward Bryan, then Ian and finally, Spencer. It was as if he was communicating with the three boys without speaking, because as soon as he dropped his gaze to Kai's face, they ran off into the shadows.

"You got lucky, Kai. That Dranzer will be ours next time we meet."

Those words sent chills of anger along Kai's spinal column, but all he could do was watch as Tala ran off after his former team.

"Aww, jeez." Tyson whined from the back of the line. " First it was a traffic jam of cars and buses, now it's a traffic jam of people!"

Rei looked around the large tour group and noticed slate-blue, spikey hair. " Hey, you guys. I think that's Kai over there." He pointed, quickly catching the attention of his teammates.

"Huh, Kai, really?" Max questioned as he stood on his toes, trying to peer over the many heads in front.

"Yeah, right down there." Rei darted forward and, with the grace of a cat, weaved in and out of the gathered people until his was free of their cluttered messiness.

Of course, the man who was leading them yelled out after Rei, soon after followed by a yell toward Max and Tyson as they ran passed.

Rei's eyes widened questioningly as he caught the last glimpse of Tala, curiosity racing through his mind. He ran free of the long, blue hallway and stopped in front of Kai, his gaze following Tala to the shadows. Tyson panted as he stopped beside the former white-tiger, bending over and placing his hands upon his knees as he worked to catch his breath. Max came bounding happily after, chuckling at the reunion with Kai as if nothing had happened.

Rei knew otherwise. The expression on Kai's face, no matter how dead or unreadable, told Rei everything. He opened his mouth to speak, tilting his head upward and causing his obsidian-blue tresses to fall across his golden eyes. " Kai, was that Tala I just saw?"

Kai turned toward Rei and blinked mildly as if snapping himself free of some sort of daze. "It doesn't matter who you saw, Rei. We've got a tournament to prepare for." Kai replied, coldly as he brushed passed the raven-haired Blade-breaker.

Rei turned and watched as Kai passed Tyson and Max, soon after passing Kenny and leaning against a wall as the computer wiz came out through the group of tourists.

"Hey, what's up Kai?" Tyson questioned, turning to gaze at the leader.

Kai ignored the question and dipped his head slightly, his eyes slipping slowly closed as he drifted into concentrated thought. Tyson turned back to Rei who just shrugged unknowingly. " I think it might have something to do with Tala."

Max and Tyson jerked their heads upward, their faces holding expressions of shock and surprise. "Wh- wha?" Tyson stuttered.

Max followed suit. "T- Tala? Is Tala here, is he?" He looked around frantically.

" I don't know. I think I might have seen him walking away from Kai, but I really can't tell."

Tyson rubbed his chin, thoughtfully. " Hrm. Well, I've got an idea guys. What say we discuss this over a nice, big lunch?"

Max pulled a face, soon adding: " Tyson, didn't you just eat?"

"Well, no not really. thirty minutes ago isn't exactly just, is it?" He grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

" I say we stick around and tour the place, like we're supposed to." Rei added, matter-of-factly.

" But our tour guide isn't even here, yet." Max commented.

Kenny walked forward, followed by Mr. Dickenson, Tyson's Grandpa and an unfamiliar, tall man dressed in a dark blue suit. His hair was a dark green color and had so much gel to hold it in place, that it gave off the impression of having been painted onto the man's scalp. "Greetings, boys." He gestured a wave with his left hand, while the other lay hidden behind his back.

He dragged his words annoyingly, so his greeting probably sounded more like: ("Greeetingsss, boooysss.")

Rei 's upper lip curled slightly as he heard the stranger's voice, disgust mixed with curiosity and caution lingering in his emotions.

"My name is Murdock Balvery." He spoke. God, he spoke again.

Tyson sheepishly chuckled beneath his breath and held out a gloved hand to the stranger. " Uhm, Hi. My name's Tyson. Beyblading extroardinare. This here is Max," He grabbed Max in a tight shoulder hug and ruffled the boy's blonde bangs. "Over there is Kenny, who I'm sure you've already met by now, buuuut we all just call him Chief. And behind me here, is Rei."

Kenny waved cheesily and Rei nodded... plain and simple. Murdock turned back toward the hallway that he emerged from and let his lime-green eyes fall upon Kai's silent form. " And who over there, is that?"

Rei stepped forward and peered at Kai before looking back up at Murdock. His face was plastered with an expression of protective determination. " That's Kai."

Murdock turned to view Rei, his lime eyes searching the much smaller boy's face. "Ah, Kai. Hiwatari is his last name, no?"

Rei's voice interupted Murdock's sentence before the man could finish. "Yeah, that's right."

Rei was becoming unusually agitated and the lime-eyed man could see it clearly. Rei tried to hide it, however. He really couldn't help it, either. This guy was so strange and so suspiscious, not to mention the way he gazed at the Blade-breakers when his eyes floated over their forms.

"Well," He began. " Which one of you talented boys is supposed to treat me to a beyblade match?"

The boys' jaws dropped, almost literally as the words that came from Murdock shocked their ears. Max smiled cheesily and waved a hand " I will. I mean, I need the practice, right guys?" He turned and cast a questioning glance from Rei, to Kenny, then Tyson and back again.

Tyson shrugged and held up Dragoon. " No way, Max. I'm gonna fight this chum."

"As usual, he opens his big mouth and butts into everything." Kenny murmured toward Rei.

" I heard that!" Tyson hissed between his teeth.

" Well, actually..." Murdock turned to gaze at Kai, who, feeling eyes upon him, lifted his head to return the stare. " I'd like to battle Kai."

Tyson slouched. " Whaa!? Why? He's just a grouch. He never battles. Why not battle me? I offered, didn't I? And besides, I'm the best blader there is. I'll give you the best match around here." He gave a determined grin.

Murdock smiled down at Tyson before turning back to Kai. " Well, Kai? What do you say?"

Kai remained silent and motionless for a moment as if contemplating the man's words. He stood away from the wall and walked toward the hallway, stopping by the corner and folding his arms across his chest. "Sorry, pops. I wouldn't want you to break your back launching your blade."Kai's words were harsh and to the point, although this didn't phase Murdock in any way, nor did it wipe the smile from his face like the Blade-breakers leader had intended.

" I'm sorry you feel that way, Kai. Perhaps you would change your mind if you saw my beyblade?"

Kai turned and gazed idly at the the strange man. " Sure, whatever."

Murdock dug a hand into the internal pocket of his jacket and pulled out a dark colored beyblade.

A wave of shock hit Kai's senses like an unstopable tidal wave. He tried to keep his composure cool, and his expression blank, but couldn't help the fact that his eyes were widening very slightly. Murdock grinned, almost maliciously as he noticed the change in Kai's demeanor. "Well? What do you say kiddo?"