Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. Please don't sue me. ^_^;
Chapter 3
The journey to the mountains took a lot longer than Rei had expected, and finally he was beginning to grow tired. Not only that but his ankle was still aching which was definitely making the task more difficult. He gazed intensely at Kai who walked ahead. Slowly he became anxious to what Kai's training would be like. Without Driger would he even stand a chance of defending himself against Kai's blade? Even without Dranzer, Kai's blade was extremely powerful. What after all the training they were going to do, Driger still never returned? Suddenly Rei felt himself begin to tremble.
"All right we'll make our way up here." stated Kai stopping beside a small sign. Rei nodded and grasped on to the rocks ready to climb up. It wasn't going to be easy.
"What exactly are you doing?"
"I thought we were going to train up in the mountains?" replied Rei slightly confused.
The blue haired boy sighed irritably. "If you would pay attention to your surroundings you'd see that above the sign there's a pathway leading toward the top of the mountain. Remember we're here for beyblading not rock climbing. Besides with your ankle messed up like that it would take us until night fall to get there." He started to walk up the path. "Hurry up or it will take us until night whether we take the path or climb."
Rei gave a small sigh of relief. Despite Kai's sarcasm he was glad that he didn't have to climb all the way up. Although a part of him actually wanted to climb up. The mountains reminded him of home and with the number of times he and his friends played on those mountains they probably could have beat the top rock climbers in a race.
Suddenly he frowned as he thought of himself with Lee and the others when they were younger. They had all been so close. He thought their friendship would have lasted forever no matter what happened. He was proved wrong once again.
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Finally they reached the top of the mountain, and to say the least Rei felt exhausted. He let his body fall on a small boulder and quickly took out a bottle of refreshing water from his backpack. "Phew that was a long trip. Tyson and Max would probably be dead by now if they had tried climbing up this. Man I'd hate to see what the chief would be like."
"All right time to train." said Kai.
"Train? But-but we just got here!" cried the Chinese boy.
"Like I said before, we're here for one thing and one thing only and that is to train. Take any longer and Driger might never come back to you. Are you willing to risk the chances if getting your bit beast back just because you're tired from a little hike?"
"I definitely wouldn't call that little." He grumbled to himself. Gritting his teeth he stood up. "Fine if you want to train then lets train. I'm ready for you Kai!"
Smirking, Kai approached the small hole which he had declared their battle area. "Whatever you want little neko-jin."
Now Rei was more determined that ever to get his bit beast back. Whether Kai believed in him or not he would prove himself worthy of being Driger's partner.
"Let it rip!" he yelled quickly letting the launcher go. Seconds later Kai's blade was in the hole spinning next to his. He circled around the arena trying to get further away from Kai's blade before he attacked.
The paler boy smiled in amusement. "This is your strategy? Running away from me? You know I'll catch up sooner or later."
"I-"
"Dranzer!" A moment after the words escaped his mouth Rei's blade was tossed out the arena whilst Kai's blade flew elegantly into his palm. His landed down by his feet. "No…"
Kai grunted disappointedly. "Is this your idea of a joke? Concentrate or the White tiger's will be the ones on their way to the American tournament and you'll be the one flying back home to your little village!"
"Sorry. It's just that when I launch my blade it feels so different. It feels so empty without Driger inside."
"Think of it this way, Driger is the one you're battling for. Fail and you'll loose him forever."
"You're right Kai. I have to focus." he replied secretly trying to clam his nerves.
"All right then lets go again." The Chinese boy nodded and released his beyblade in another desperate attempt to get his bit beast to return.
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Hours pasted and all of Rei's efforts seemed to be in vain as he was getting no where. Every time he released his beyblade Kai easily defeated him faster than the time before.
"For Godsake you're not even trying! What the hell is wrong with you?!" Kai demanded angrily.
"I don't know! I don't fucking know all ready!" screamed Rei. He jumped down from the ledge and sat down on the boulder shoving his face in his hands. "Why did this have to happen?" he whimpered ready to burst into tears,
"Because life is unfair. I thought you'd have learnt that by now."
"Oh really?! That never occurred to me at all!" he snapped back.
Slowly Kai was growing concerned. This definitely wasn't the Rei he was used to seeing.
"Sitting here crying about it isn't going to get you anywhere."
"Yeah well neither is training! I can't even launch my blade right anymore! Let's face it, without Driger I'm nothing. And there's no way on earth I'm gonna get him back!"
"So that's it then? You're just going to give up?"
He didn't reply.
"God you're pathetic. The old Rei would never give up like this."
"Yeah well the old Rei is gone along with his bit beast!" he shouted in despair.
"So you're just going to sit here and watch the world go by?"
"I don't give a damn anymore."
"What about Tyson and the others?"
"I don't care and neither should they."
"So you're going to walk away from them just like you did with the White tigers?"
"I'm no use to the team anymore. What's the point of staying?"
Kai sighed growing bored with Rei's self-denial attitude. "Somehow I think they'd still care. You can't just leave the team whenever you feel like it."
"Oh that's rich coming from Mr. Anti-social! The only time you ever bother to say anything is when it has to do with beyblading, and usually it's to criticise someone!"
Kai shot him an icy glare. "I see now that I'm only wasting my time here with you. If you want to stay here and whine and feel sorry for yourself then be my guest. I have better things to do."
Slowly Rei looked up. The other boy had all ready started to walk down the pathway. "Kai…" he whispered.
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Anger swelled from inside him as he thought of the Chinese boy. Never had anyone gotten him so mad before. He still couldn't understand why the hell Rei was acting this way. Sure he had just lost his bit beast but there was still a chance he could get it back. But in the end it looked like Rei wasn't willing to accept this option.
Baka, he can do whatever the hell he wants. I don't have time for weak people like him. I'm here to win, nothing else.
As he walked further down the path he couldn't shake the feeling that was surfacing at the front of his mind. Was it guilt? Kai clinched his fists together. Over the years he had learned to rid himself of feelings such as kindness, resentment and despair. Why the hell was this happening now?! What was so special about that boy? He thought of him the same as he thought of the others. He let out a groan of frustration. Nothing made sense anymore.
He reached into his pocket and took out his blade. "Dranser what's happening to me? Why do I feel like this? I know I shouldn't but…" He stopped and sighed. "I'm so fucked up..."
Apprehensively he turned and started walk up the path again. When he reached the top he found Rei huddled together in a small ball on the ground. Kai bit his lip beginning to feel sorry for him. "Still haven't changed you mind about doing something besides sitting here and moping?" said Kai letting the neko-jin know he had returned.
"Why-why did you come back? I don't understand." the raven haired boy sobbed.
Neither do I.
"You've never acted this way before." Rei said weakly.
Kai stared in surprise just about to say the same about him. But then he remembered that Rei had a reason for the way he was acting. What was his?
"To be completely honest I don't know why I am. I guess I just don't like seeing you this way. You've changed so much since your defeat."
"I could say the same about you. Uh not that I didn't like you before or anything." He mumbled in confusion. Suddenly the Chinese boy felt his face go hot. "Kai, why did you come back? You said you didn't want to waste your time with me anymore."
The other boy shrugged. "Well I figured I had nothing better to do. I can't help prepare the two baka's back in the Inn since I'm betting that they'll be out somewhere stuffing their little faces."
"Sounds pretty accurate."
"So I have one final option and that's you. Now I'm giving you the chance, you can stay up here all by yourself and wallow in self-pity or we can go over there and train." he said pointing to the hole. If Tyson and Max can harbour the power of a bit beast then there's no way in hell that you can't either."
"Kai…" He gave a small smile. He-he never knew Kai could be so nice.
The blue haired boy started to walk away.
"Kai, where are you?"
"To train of course. Are you coming then?"
Rei bit his lip and thought for a moment. He was right. sitting here wasn't going to get him anywhere. It was pointless. Taking a deep breath he got up and started to walk to the hole.
"Kai, I-I want you to train me. I want to try again." Kai nodded and turned away hiding the smile that had somehow broken through.
As he stepped up to the ledge Rei took out his launcher and Beyblade. All right I can do this. I just have to focus. Don't think about loosing. just think about getting Driger back.
"Go!" Rei launched his blade which missed Kai's by an inch. Soon both blades were pushing up against each other trying to knock their opponent off balance.
"All right let's get this battle over with!" yelled Rei growing more determine. His blade slipped away and threw itself up into the air using the holes edges as ramp. Kai closed his eyes and his blade swirled out of harms way just as Rei's was about to drop down and hit it. "What?!" A second later Rei saw his blade being tossed out of the arena.
"I-I lost again…"
"You're not thinking about giving up again?" asked Kai.
Rei shook his head.
Strangely Kai found himself feeling relieved. "That was good but you still have to try harder. Make your actions less obvious."
The Chinese boy nodded ready to listen to all his trainers' advice.
"Are you ready?"
"Hai."
Kai could see the determination in the boy's eyes. He really wanted to win. Perhaps Rei is returning to his old self. He hoped so. I won't go as hard on him this time but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him win without a proper fight.
"Let it rip!"
"Let it rip!"
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After a couple of more hours of rigorous training Rei seemed to be returning back to his old self. He had to admit that battling without his bit beast was difficult but for the moment he was managing. He had the suspicion that Kai was holding back on him.
"Good work Rei, you're doing good."
Rei gazed at the other boy in surprise. Had Kai just complimented him? "Uh-uh thanks!"
"I think we can stop for a break now." The Chinese boy let out a sigh of relief. Quickly he scrimmaged through his backpack for his bottle of water and drank most of it in only one gulp.
"Wow you must be really thirsty."
"Yep!"
Kai winched slightly, realising how out of character he must seem to Rei.
Rei's golden eyes stared over the horizon. The sun would be setting soon. He loved sun sets. He used to watch the sun set all the time when he was younger. He his old team would climb up the top of the hills and sit and watch it. It was a beautiful sight, one he missed very much. Perhaps if they stayed long enough he would be able to see it once again. Kai had been right, the fresh mountain air was doing him good.
"Here do you want some?" interrupted Kai pulling out a neatly wrapped napkin from his bag.
"What is it?" Rei asked curiously.
"Just some sandwiches, figured we'd be tired after training so I just made them in case."
Rei nodded and gratefully took one. He was starving! The moment he took a bite out of the sandwich his face instantly lit up. "Wow these are amazing! They're even better than the one's my uncle makes and he's a great chef"
"They're just sandwiches." replied Kai unsure of how to answer.
"Yeah but still they're really great!"
"Um… thanks" he said feeling slightly embarrassed. The only thing he usually got complimented on was his beyblading skills.
Just as Rei was about to take another bite of his sandwich, his face fell.
"What's wrong?" asked Kai noticed the boy's troubled expression.
"The Blade Breakers, we-we have a match tomorrow. All through the tournament I've relieved on Driger to finish a battle for me if things get tough, but now that Driger's gone and if I mess up…"
"You'll just have to rely on and trust in your own powers." Kai said simply.
"I suppose that's all I can do. I mean I started beyblading way before I received my bit beast and almost every time I won. But I guess it's different now that I'm playing in the big league." Rei's cheeks went slightly pink. "Um Kai?"
"Hm?"
"I-I wanted to thank you. I never got the chance to say it before so I'll say it now. If you hadn't come after me that night I probably would have given up beyblading altogether. I just wish there was some way I could repay you."
Kai's heart stated to race rapidly, growing more anxious with each passing moment. What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? It's like I can't even control my emotions any more. And Rei… he's…
"I promise that I'll try as twice as hard in tomorrow's battle."
Rei…
"Sorry for being such a burden for you, and wasting your time. I know you're used to training alone."
"I… you haven't wasted my times. Besides it was either that or help Tyson and Max prepare. Ultimately I prefer training with you compared to them. In the end I uh kind of had a good time."
I had a good time?! What the hell am I saying?! It's beyblading, not a fucking date!
"Really? I had a good time too! I can still blade without Driger and I got to see another side of you."
Kai's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" he asked somewhat accusingly.
"Everyone used to see you as really cold and distant as if you cared nothing but beyblading. For awhile I thought the too but not I see that your not as cold and unkind as you might seem at first."
Kai narrowed his eyes. "I bet you're a really nice and caring person. I'm just glad I had the chance to see this side of you."
The other boy snorted. "That's not me at all. You don't even know me so don't dare think that you do."
Rei frowned. "I-I'd like to get to know you more."
The blue haired boy sighed. "Sorry but to be honest I really don't have time to be making friends or getting involved in other people's life except when it comes to blading. And since I'm captain of our team I guess I've got no choice but to train you. I'll help you improve your blading technique but that's as far down the line as I go when it comes to people."
Rei bit his lip, hurt by his words of rejection. He-he does only care about beyblading after all. When he said that he prepared to be training me rather than Max or Tyson, I thought that maybe he liked me more, that maybe he would actually open up.
Because of his sharp cat-like fangs digging into his lip, it started to bleed. He couldn't help but hate Kai at that moment despite all he had done for him.
The blue haired boy turned away unable to look at him any more. He felt a bit guilty but it had to be this way, he couldn't risk the chance of someone getting close to him. He would never let that happen. All people did was hurt each other with their snide remark and cruel gazes. He hated them. People were pathetic. Yet with Rei it seemed different. But still he couldn't allow himself to grow close to the boy. Besides Rei deserved a much better friend than him...
Tyson…Max…Kenny… They're all nicer than me. Rei has them, why in the world would he need me? It doesn't make sense…
"Well I guess that's us for today. We better head back." said Kai standing up.
Rei nodded trying his best to hide the pain. "Yeah…" He turned and stared intensely at his blade. I'm really thankful that you helped me Kai, even if it was only so the team could win... even if I'm only a team-mate to you…
"I'm ready." He announced after putting his things in his bag not looking Kai in the face.
Kai clinched his fists together feeling if he was about to explode. "Rei wait!"
"Huh, what's wrong?" the neko-jin asked quickly turning back around.
"I-I…"
Suddenly a figure leapt in front of Rei knocking him now. "What the- ?"
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the traitor Rei? I need to have a few words with you my old friend."
Rei's golden eyes widened.
Authors Notes: Hope this chapter was all right. Guess it's easy to tell what character it is. ^_^; Thank you lots to devilburns, Tidah, iceyflames, Platinum Rei, Youkai Kuronue, Riku, Blue-pig and Angel of pure darkness for reviewing last chapter! ^_^
Any feedback or advice on how I could improve would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!