Author's Notes: Here's the next chapter. I hope it's all right. I apologise for any spelling and grammar mistakes there might be in advance.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade in anyway. Please don't sue me. ^_^;
An hour or so later they finally reached the Inn. Kai felt exhausted having carried Rei all that way on his back. The sky was still dark although it was faintly clear that morning was just a short while away. Thankfully the rain had shortly stopped after they had left to return home. Carefully Kai lay Rei on a futon in one of the empty rooms.
"A-arigatou…" muttered Rei unsure of what else to say.
The Chinese boy shivered slightly as his wet clothes clung to his freezing skin. Kai had left the room a few minutes ago and oddly Rei was anxious to whether he was coming back. Perhaps he had left him there for tonight. I mean Kai had gone to look for him in the pouring rain in the middle of the night, gave him encouragement plus carried him all the way back to the Inn on his back. He had done enough all ready. He wondered if Kai would expect him to repay him some how, then again Kai really didn't seem like the kind of guy to go around helping people then demanding money or such off them.
"It-it's so cold…"
"Well tugging at your clothes like that isn't going to help." The raven haired boy looked up startled by Kai's return.
"Here I brought you some towels, and got some clothes for you to change into." stated Kai as he handed them to him.
"Kai you didn't-"
"You better change now before you catch a cold. You'll need all your strength if you're going to attempt to get Drigger back."
He nodded. "Hai." Just as he was about to take off his clothes he suddenly remembered that Kai was standing right in front of him. Sensing that the other boy was uncomfortable Kai turned away. Not that he wanted to look in the first place of course.
Rei could feel himself go slightly pink. He cursed into himself feeling like some school girl. It wasn't like he hadn't seen the other naked before, not that he actually paid any attention. They usually all bathed together in the onsen minus Kai who not surprisingly wanted his privacy. He had done it yesterday so why in the world was he so embarrassed about it now? To prevent feeling like this any longer he dried himself with the towel at the speed of light then changed into a black t-shirt and an old pair of jeans which definitely contrasted with his usual style of clothing.
"Feeling a bit better?" asked Kai after making sure that Rei was fully changed.
"Yeah, thanks." Gently Kai placed his hand on the boy's forehead. "You still have a bit of a fever. You should lie down now and get some rest." With that the blue haired boy turned to leave.
Just as he was about to walk out the door Rei suddenly found himself calling out to him. "Ka-Kai!" He turned back around. "I-I just wanted to say thanks for-"
"Rei!" Suddenly out of nowhere Rei was attacked by two of his team-mates who he hadn't even seen enter the room."
"Rei where the heck have you been?"
"Yeah we were worried about!"
"Sorry I just needed some time to think that's all." He apologised guiltily.
"Hey Kai why didn't you tell us you had found him?!" yelled Tyson in annoyance.
"Hey come on relax, Rei's back after all. We should be happy about that." said Max trying clam his friend.
"I guess you're right."
"As always." The blond boy replied, flashing his usual happy smile.
Rei gave a small chuckle. Tyson and Max could be so alike at times that it was frightening. Max on the other hand was much better at keeping his cool. It seemed that a lot of people were alike. He had learnt this after he left his village and began travelling. But despite that, there was one person he had never found the same, Kai. Kai was the first person he had known to act this way. He was so quiet and distant that it gave him a somewhat mysterious persona. Yet after tonight he wasn't sure what to think of him. He hadn't even said a word since the other's came in.
"Where did you go?" Tyson asked curiously.
"I just walked then stopped, that's when Kai found me, and um he carried me back here on his back because I had hurt my ankle a little bit."
Both Tyson's and Max's eyes shot wide open. "Wow Kai carried you all the way back here on his back!"
Tyson sniggered. "What do you know he really can do something nice? And here was me thinking that he was the one going about pushing old ladies in front of buses and killing puppies."
Kai shot Tyson a death glare but remained silent. Rei suddenly felt guilty for mentioning that Kai had carried him back as now Tyson was teasing the boy for it. He wished he would just leave him alone. He was probably going to make Kai regret not just leaving him there.
A small head poked around the door. "Rei you're back!" cried Kenny running over to him, his laptop now secure under his arms. "Where have you been?"
"Around." he replied, really not in the mood to retell the story.
"I'm glad you're back. I really wanted to thank you for getting Dizzy back even if you…" the smaller boy begun to trail off and there was a few moments of silence.
"Kenny, Rei will be able to get his bit beat back won't he?" Max asked hopefully.
"I suppose it is possible, although I've never heard of a bit beast leaving before. When a person receives a bit beast a special bond forms between them. When a bit beast fights, it fights for you. If its master had lost the will to fight then it no longer sees a reason to stay and thus leaves, perhaps in search of a more worthy owner."
Rei sat up and clasped his beyblade in his hands. "I am no longer worthy to be Drigger's partner."
"Come on Rei it's no like that. It's that sleaze ball from the White tigers fault! The only way he could win was from trickery. That's pretty pathetic if you ask me!" said Tyson trying to encourage his friend.
He frowned. "Yeah but I suppose the person who fell for the stupid trick would seem even more pathetic."
"Rei!"
"No, a good blader should always be on his guard no matter what the circumstance. I let my feelings for an old team mate get in the way and so I deserved to be punished."
"Come on Rei, it could have happened to anyone." stated Max.
"It could have happened to anyone but it didn't. It happened to me therefore I have to take responsibility for it. It's my fault no excuses."
"Don't think like that!"
"Hey team captain, aren't you gonna share you're reassuring words?" asked Tyson mockingly.
Kai snorted. "Rei himself said he didn't want any excuses made for his actions. He let his guard down and now he has to pay the price."
"You better take that back!" the dark haired boy replied tightening his fists.
"Tyson wait!" Everyone turned to Rei who was now standing up. "It-it's okay. I agree with Kai."
"What? You can't be serious."
"I am. Like I said earlier it was my own fault that this happened and now I must do what ever it takes to fix this. I'm going to get Drigger back."
"Wow you're going to get Drigger to come back to you?" said Max in awe.
"Can a bit beast return to you after its left?" asked Tyson curiously.
Rei gazed downwards. "Well actually I don't-"
"It can be done." interrupted Kai. "And tomorrow Rei and I are going out to train."
"Will training really get Drigger back?"
"Well sitting here doing nothing sure won't. Rei you better get some rest we've got a hard day ahead of us. Since its all ready the early hours of the morning I'll give you until 10 tomorrow morning to be ready. Then we'll leave for the mountains."
"We-we're training all the way up in the mountains?" Tyson asked shocked.
"Correction, Rei and I are training up in the mountains. You and blondie can stay here."
"Blondie has a name you know." Max mumbled in annoyance.
"That's not fair we want to help Rei get Drigger back too!"
"If you want to help him then you'll stay out of his way for the next few days. He doesn't need anymore distractions."
"Hey I'm not a distraction, besides what's so special about going to train up some big hills?"
"The environment change may put Rei's mind slightly more at ease. If he's comfortable there then he'll be able to focus completely on getting Driger back."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean we can't come!"
"Forget it Tyson, you'll just get in the way."
"I agree with Kai." said Kenny who as usual was busy typing on his laptop.
"But chief!"
"With the lost of Rei's bit beast it does make sense that he would need more training. The mountains might even remind Rei of back home."
"You used to live on top of a mountain?" asked Tyson turning to Rei in surprise.
"Not on top of a mountain, but my village was surrounded by them."
"Yeah I remember you telling us that your village was situated in very remote area." added Max.
"Yep that's one reason plus he needs lot of concentration and I'm sure Kai will be able to make sure that they're not disturbed."
"Just cause he rarely speaks doesn't make him great." muttered Tyson frowning.
"Everything you and Max need to train is right here, besides I need to update and analyse my database of your latest techniques and power levels."
Tyson sighed and agreed reluctantly. "Okay."
"Well now that that's settled I'm going back to bed. I need my energy for all the data I'll be analyzing tomorrow. I suggest you do the same." said Kenny yawning.
"What do you mean you'll need energy?! You may be typing in the data but I'm the one who had to analyze it remember!" came the annoyed voice of his bit beast.
"Oh Dizzy!"
The remaining bladers said their goodbyes and headed back to bed.
"Uh Kai!"Rei cried out once again. The blue haired boy turned back around. "Um nothing, never mind." Kai walked out closing the door and switching the light off behind him.
Rei sighed as he shuffled into his futon. How in the world could he possibly sleep after all that had happened? He had bladed many years without his bit beast but now that he had experienced blading with Driger, blading without him would feel so empty. Driger was the main reason he had started his journey in the first place. Driger's presence made him feel safe almost as telling him that he was not alone. He had treasured this feeling and promised to himself that he would be the best. But again he had failed.
In a distressed rage he tossed his blade across the room where it hit against the wall. He pulled the covers over him, now furious with himself.
Kai you're an idiot for even thinking that Driger would ever return. Well prepare to be let down.
***********************************************
The sun pierced his eyes as he awoke the next day and desperately he wished he could turn back over and go to sleep again. The clock read 9:38am and Kai had told him to be ready by 10 o'clock. He sighed. He had no choice but to get up. He quickly went to get washed then changed into a spare pair of clothes that matched what he usually wore. He was surprised to discover that he was the last one up. Usually that was Tyson's job.
Suddenly he heard Tyson's voice. "I guess they must all ready be outside." He rushed our. "Hey everyone" He stopped dead. Tyson and Max were standing over the very place he had lost his bit beast. He watched in horror as Tyson's blade shoved Max's out of the ring.
"Hey great move Tyson!" Max cried enthusiastically.
"You were pretty good yourself." replied a grinning Tyson.
Rei swallowed. He could see Kevin and the rest of the White tiger's faces in his head laughing and mocking him for such a pathetic defeat. Slowly his blade slipped through his fingers.
"Hey Rei what's up?" asked Tyson finally noticing his presence.
"Uh um nothing much." he replied quickly, picking up his blade. "I'm really surprised to see you up this early Tyson."
He snorted. "Kenny forced me to. He devised a new training program for me and Max. That little baka came into our room and woke me up as early as six am!"
"Yeah but it took Kenny and I almost an hour to actually get you out of bed." added Max.
"So you guys have been practicing all this time?" Rei asked curiously.
"Yep, gotta stay in shape.
"No stupid White tiger team are gonna beat us!"
"Yeah they won't stand a chance at the finals!"
Rei frowned suddenly feeling him self fill with rage and embarrassment. Here were his team mates talking about the people that defeated him like they were a bunch of easy pushovers. Rei knew the team and they definitely weren't what you would call pushovers. They were both cunning and power. He bit his lip. As much as he wanted the Blade breakers to win against them, if they defeated the White tiger team so easily then that would make him look like a complete weakling.
"Um do you know were Kai is?"
"Nope we haven't seen him."
"It must suck for you having to climb all the way up those mountains." exclaimed Max, gazing at them from a distance.
"I'm used to it. When ever I left the village I had to climb down and then back up them."
"Guess they didn't have any bus services to carry you around."
"Nope, just had to do it the old fashioned way."
"I think I'd collapse of exhaustion."
"Poor you, you have to go through a whole day with Kai breathing down your neck." commented Tyson. "He seems really serious about this training. Glad I'm not in your shoes.
"Aw come Tyson, Kai isn't that bad." said Max.
The blue haired boy snorted. "Yeah sure."
"Max is right. Kai can be nice when he wants too be. It's too bad that we don't really know a lot about him." stated Rei in Kai's defence.
"Yeah well that's not our fault. We try to be nice to be nice to him yet all he does is slam the door in our face. You say hello, he grunts, you win a battle, he complains about your strategy. I'd hate to see what he'd do if you gave him a gift, especially if that gift involved small furry animal."
Rei sighed. "I think you're blowing this way lout of proportion."
"Yeah well I stick to what I say." Tyson said firmly, crossing his arms.
"Is that so? Well I have a few things to say you about you myself." stated Kai appearing out of no where.
"Ah Kai?!" cried Tyson falling down.
"Well Rei are you ready? We've not got much time."
"Yeah I'm ready." With that he threw his rucksack over his shoulder. "Well I guess I'll see you guys later."
"Good luck!" cheered Max.
"Just do your best beast and you'll have Driger back in no time!" cried Tyson encouragingly. Rei smiled feeling happy to have such good friends.
"Why the hell are you two just standing there?! You've got training!" shouted Kai.
"Yeah but first we're gonna go get breakfast as the BBA competitors restaurant!"
"I heard they've got an all you can eat buffet!" Tyson added with great enthusiasm.
"Idiots. We're here to blade not stuff your faces! I may be leaving to help Rei but I'm still leader of this team and I say that both of you need some serious training!"
Tyson pouted. "All right, all right, we'll starve ourselves to death and train all just to make you happy." mumbled the bluenette in a voice full of disappointment.
If it wasn't for the deadly serious look on Kai's face Rei would have laughed. He had a feeling that this trip wouldn't be a good one for he found Kai at the moment to be a little intimidating.
The pair turned and set off. It was only just then that he fully realised that he almost nothing about Kai. The others were in the same situation. In such a short time he had became good friends with Tyson, Max and Kenny whilst he knew nothing about. That settled it then. Rei may have been going up to the mountains to get his bit beast back but there was something else he now had to do and that was to find out more about the distant blue haired boy. He would get to know Kai even if it killed him.
Authors Notes: I hope that wasn't too bad. Thank you to Platinum Rei, Thorn, Angel of pure darkness, Nekowingzero, and Devilburns for reviewing! *huggles*
Any feedback or advice upon how I can improve would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading! ^_^