Title: In the arms of spring

Author: Lady Snowblossom

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Kai + Rei, Max +Tyson (eventually)

Disclaimer: There isn't a prayer of my ever owning this bunch of boys. I don't own anything, not even a Beyblade, so don't sue me.

Note: Lady AA-Chan has entrusted me with writing the sequel to her lovely fic - 'Signs'. Let's just hope I don't let her down. I highly recommend you read that one, before reading this one. It can be found here on ffnet, but the only way seems to be to go by title; because for some reason it won't bring up her name if you search by that. Well, let's get started. (Crosses fingers)

Additional note: There are some original characters at the end of this chapter.

~ Prologue ~

Unfortunate sat on his favorite mountaintop, flipping rocks down at some hapless climbers, and laughing as they scrambled to get out of the way. He stiffened as a shadow fell over him, without turning around he snarled, "What . . .do . . .you . . .want, Fate."

"Want? Now, what makes you think I want something?" Fate asked with amusement, as she floated around to face her victim. She had spent some time hunting the surly spirit, and she wasn't about to let his attitude run her off before she had a chance to tease him a little.

"Because I know you, brat! There is no way you'd come looking for me, unless there was something in it for you." Unfortunate glared up at the floating spirit, whose long blonde hair floated on the breeze. His look darkened, when she just laughed. "Well, whatever your little game is, I'm not playing!" His red hair seemed to crackle as he snapped at the laughing spirit.

Under his withering glare, Fate finally managed to control her laughter, turning her last few giggles into coughs. Casually, she ran a hand through her tresses, and asked absently, "Do you happen to remember Rei and Kai of the Bladebreakers?"

Did he remember them! Of course, he remembered! He had everything all nicely lined up to prevent those two from getting together, when she and Chance just had to interfere! A low snarl left his lips, as he remembered how he'd taken over that Scottish twit-Johnny and flirted with Rei. Kai had gotten jealous, but instead of challenging for the Chinese, he'd just gone upstairs to sulk. If only Fate hadn't nudged Rei into following him. Then those two wouldn't be together, and he'd have won that round of their eternal game. "Yeah, I remember." He spat, "What of them?"

Slowly, Fate settled down on the mountaintop and buffed the nails of one hand on the bodice of her dress. "Oh, not much - really." she said, indifferently, holding her hand out to admire the shine of her polish. "I just thought you might like to know that its' been four months and they are really happy together."

"Well, goody for them." He sneered, bending his head to look down at the climbers, he'd been harassing. He had an idea about what he wanted to do next to them, but couldn't with Fate around. He had to get rid of her! Turning back to his tormentor, Unfortunate growled, "Is there a point to this useless conversation?"

Fate smirked and dangled her bait. "Oh, not really . . . I just thought you might like to know about Tyson."

'Come on, little fishy-bite.'

"Not interested."

'Oh, yes, you are and we both know it." Her smirk widened, as she idly twirled a blonde strand around her finger, waiting for him to give in.

The redheaded spirit glared at the sky before snapping, "All right, what about that silly human? I'm not asking because I'm interested, but asking seems to be the only way I can get rid of you!"

"Gotcha!" She grinned; delighted that she had gotten a rise out of him. "Tyson is now asking for the same kind of help that Rei did. He wants to find his soul mate, as humans would say. And guess, who that might be."

Unfortunate crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at her, quite a feat actually since they were practically eyeball to eyeball. "I am NOT playing twenty questions with you. Either tell me or get off my mountain!"

Feeling magnanimous since she had won a tiny victory, she chuckled, "Well, if we had been paying less attention to Kai and Rei, and more to their teammates, we could have fixed up both couples and been done with them. Little Max is in love with Tyson, and Tyson is too dense to see it."

"So? What does this have to do with me?" Unfortunate asked; intrigued in spite of himself.

"Well, didn't you say that you would mess up my plans for the Bladebreakers the next time, I got involved with them?"

Unfortunate thought about it for a moment, then scowled as the memories came back to him. Rei had followed Kai upstairs and he had managed to get Rei to pause, and the little tiger - under his influence had almost turned back, when Destiny just had to interfere and gave the boy all the reason he needed to go to the sulking Russian. And, he distinctly recalled what he had told the smirking spirit at his side.

"I remember and I meant it, Fate. I will stop you, this time."

Fate threw her head back and laughed. "You can try, brother." She challenged - the gleam of battle in her eye.

Unfortunate bared his teeth at her. "Your challenge is accepted." He growled, mind already busy with plans.

Pleased with herself; Fate laughed again, and leaned back, watching the clouds as they floated past. She so seldom had the time to relax and just sit and watch the world go by, that she didn't want to pass up the opportunity while she had it.

Silence descended on the two, as the climbers got near to their goal and Unfortunate felt like pulling his hair out, because his companion showed no sign of moving from where she sat admiring the view. Scowling, he flicked a tendril of power at a boulder over the heads of the climbers. The ground shuddered under the touch of energy, before cracking and beginning to slide.

Fate looked down and flicked her hand, a streak of silver shoved against the rockslide guiding it toward a fissure in the mountain. The wails of the frightened climbers could be heard over the cracking, sliding, crashes of the falling rocks. She turned her head, eyes flashing fire. "That . . .was . . .not . . .suppose . . .to . . .happen. Those men aren't supposed to die today." She growled, rising to her feet, the urge to do something violent to the other immortal surging in her.

"It's why I'm called Unfortunate, my dear sister. If you hadn't been here, they would have had an unfortunate accident." the unrepentant spirit purred, as he stood up and slowly faded away. "And I will win, when we meet again." And then he was gone, leaving only mocking laughter behind.

"Fate?" A musical voice broke the immortal out of her enraged state, and she turned to face the silver - haired woman, who hovered in the air, just off the lip of the peak. "What is going on?

Fate smiled nastily, "Our dear brother has taken up the challenge. Chance, you and I and Destiny need to have a little talk. I'm going to set that wretch down, like he's never been set down before." Sparing the now safe climbers a look, they seemed all right to her, well other than being scared out of their wits. She stepped off into the air, and linked arms with her sister.

"Let's go. We've a little lesson to plan." Fate said. Chance smiled, nodding her head.

The two female immortals winked out.

~**~

"I'm telling you, Steve! I saw a silver - haired woman, or something shove those rocks out of the way!" a panting brunette said, as he flopped over onto his back.

"Yeah, yeah, Mitch, your guardian angel must have been on the job today." Steve said, as sweat dripped off his face and splashed on the rocks, as he stood on all fours, shivering with reaction to his fright.

"I don't know about you two, but I'm not climbing down. Let's radio for a helicopter." A raspy voice said.

"I'm with Paul." the fourth member of the group said, as he sat, head between his knees. "This is the last time, I let you death wishers talk me into anything."

Paul looked over at the brunette and croaked, "That's what you said the last time, Aaron."

The three men would have laughed at the rude gesture their friend had made, if they had had the energy to waste on such a gesture. After a few minutes rest, Steve pulled out his radio and called for pickup.

The four thrill seekers never went mountain climbing again.

Yeah, yeah I know I haven't finished "When two hearts are ready, they will speak." The next chapter will probably be done sometime after the first of December, but I'm not promising anything. And I don't know when I'll be updating this. BUT, I promised AA-Chan, I'd have the first chapter done within a couple of weeks, when I first put up 'Two hearts", and I missed that deadline.

So, do you forgive me?