A/N: To everyone who read and/or reviewed the last chapter: thanks. Well, here's the next chapter. There may still be lots of spelling and grammatical errors; sorry about them. I edited several times already. And I doubt I got rid of all of them. Bear with me and hopefully enjoy the chapter. ^^
Chapter 4: Play Nice or Get Evicted
"It's her fault," Tyson accused, pointing his index finger at Mai, who wore a look of childish innocence across her face. 'Don't look innocent with us, Missy.'
Fuming with anger, Kai didn't care exactly whose fault it was. His prized mug had fallen victim to two annoying little rascals. In a rough, terrifying voice, he blared, glaring at two culprits, "Both of you little trouble-makers, within an hour, you will collaboratively tidy up the mess in this house! And when and only when this house is neat and tidy again, Mai, you will report to Max, and he will teach you the ground rules of this house."
Mai gulped in fear and nodded. Kai looked so blood-curdling especially from the angle she was viewing his face.
"Don't be so gloom, little girl. I'm gonna teach you all that you need to know in this sweet home of ours so you won't get into trouble like Tyson," the blond boy uttered optimistically.
'Mutiny!' Tyson thought as his eyes flared up at the sight of Mai retreating to Max's side, and the blonde was allowing her to wrap her petite hands around one of his legs.
'I'm not getting into this fight,' Mariah thought as she looked at Emily. 'You?'
'Me neither. This is strictly their business,' Emily thought as though she was able to read the pink-haired teen's mind. Emily shot back a glance towards her pink-haired friend, and Mariah intuitively heard her reply.
"As for you, Tyson, you incompetent—"
"I'm not incompetent!" Tyson moaned, putting on a sour face. He was in hot water with Kai again. It was like the third time of the week. Fortunately, tomorrow was a Sunday, the first day of a new week.
"Kenny and Ray will lecture you about the set of laws in this house again," Kai instructed authoritatively when the two rascals stuck out their tongues at each other. Kai, wanting everyone's undivided attention, snarled.
Everyone gulped at his aggression, and surrendered to his demands. "Mariah. Emily. Since both of you will be leaving this Friday, one of you take Mai and one of you take Tyson. To America or to Hong—"
"Noooo!" Mai pleaded as she clung herself to Kai's legs.
At the same time, Tyson complained, clinging himself to Kai also. "I'll be good!"
'Don't ever get kids too soon, Ray, my man,' Ray told himself.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily!"
"What do you mean?! Ray and I pay the bills!" Kai snapped.
"Me neither!" Tyson exclaimed, joining Mai.
"It's true. He and I spend a lot of cash on the house. Max and Kenny do their shares by running errands and tidying the house bi-weekly. Tyson, now, he usually cleans up the fridge hourly," Ray whispered to Mariah and Emily.
While Max, Ray, Kenny, Mariah and Emily looked bewildered, Kai looked infuriated. "No wrinkling my shirt or pants! And don't touch me either!" Kai blared crossly as he tried to shake both pesky kids off his legs. 'Darn! Their grips are firm!'
Imagining a volcanic eruption from Kai, Ray and Kenny quickly began to pull Tyson away from Kai while Mariah and Max tended to little Mai.
Once his legs were free, Kai quickly took several steps away from Mai and Tyson. "Start behaving accordingly or get shipped out this Friday," Kai threatened. His words startled his friends.
'He can't be serious, right, Mariah?' Emily asked her friend mentally in disbelief.
'We're not taking them with us, are we?' Mariah questioned in her head as she and Emily exchanged frightened glances when Kai started ambling away in the direction of his room.
Suddenly, Mai hugged herself back onto Max's leg and wailed loudly. Instantly, Max tried to comforted her. "Hush, little girl. Max won't let the big tyrant evict you from this house," Max assured softly as his right hand caressed Mai's silky hair.
'Hmph,' Kai thought as his eyes twitched at the remark Max made about him behind his back. 'Tyrant?!'
'Hey! That little rut!' Jealousy was beginning to sprout within the inner depths of Emily. Looking at Emily's face, Mariah noted that her friend was steaming with fury.
"Don't," Mariah heeded Emily before she could cause an outburst.
"How dare she steal Max from me?" Tyson suddenly blurted out angrily as he leapt up to grab Mai.
Quickly, Ray and Kenny grabbed him instead before he could lay a finger on the little girl. "Take it easy, Tyson," Ray ordered.
"Yeah. She's younger than you, Tyson. Set a better example, and stop acting as immature as her!" Kenny spoke prudently as they let go of Tyson.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just don't start lecturing about that," Tyson whined.
Mai discontinued crying. She glanced up at Max's joyful face. Her face rubbed against his chest several times before she took another look up at the golden-haired teen. "Thanks. Max. I forgot that I'm a guest here, and that I'm supposed to be all grown-up," Mai uttered sincerely as she gave her new friend a quick embrace before backing away a little.
"I'm not sure about you being all grown-up," Emily said coolly as she approached Mai and Max with her regained composure. "But, you are a guest here, squirt," Emily uttered mischievously as her hand ruffled Mai's hair.
"You may share the guest room with Mariah and Emily," Kenny deduced. "Since after their departures, you'll have the room all to yourself, Mai."
Mai glimpsed at Mariah and Emily for their approvals or disapprovals. "Sure, if there's room for one more," Mariah answered half-heartedly. 'It'll be a long time before Friday. I fear apocalypse, Emily. Say no,' Mariah said mentally to Emily.
Her scientific friend shrugged a yes, and Mariah sighed softly.
"Thanks!" Mai energetically shouted as she squeezed Mariah and Emily hugs.
"Gosh! I hope she's not as hyper as Max. One Max is enough," Ray murmured to Kenny.
"Zero Tyson is enough," Kenny murmured back to the raven-haired young man.
"Huh? What did you say, Chief?" Tyson inquired. He wasn't able to hear the mumblings between his two friends.
"We were saying that you and Mai have to clean up all this stuff," Ray fibbed hastily.
Mai and Tyson surveyed the room. It was terrible messy. If the job wasn't going to be overwhelming, it would be time-consuming and tiring. "Don't worry, we'll—"
"See ya later, guys. Mariah and I will be in our room taking afternoon naps."
"Yea. Us girls will need our energy to do some evening shopping tonight," Mariah added promptly. "Lee and the others wanted souvenirs."
'Yikes, my bank account,' Ray mulled over with a shiver.
Max nodded understandingly, and both girls dashed off.
'Hey! Why did you let those two get off so easily?!' Kenny scolded Max mentally.
"Okay, guys. Let's tidy up these quarters!" Max exclaimed with ecstasy.
"I'll supervise!" Ray, Kenny and Tyson blurted out altogether.
Max and Mai glanced at each other before rolling their eyes. "No one supervises! Everyone gets a hand in cleaning!" Mai barked. "Especially you!" Mai pointed a finger at Tyson, who glared back at her.
"C'mon, we're wasting precious time. Let's all do it," Max urged brightly as he started sweeping the broken ceramic pieces into a dustpan.
After several moans from his friends, they began to follow his example, organizing things back into their positions without more verbal complaints.
Max divided his attention to rearranging things and supervising his helpers. If only Tyson and Mai stopped shooting daggers at each other the atmosphere would be less life-threatening. Ray and Kenny should look a bit more enthusiastic about the thrill of straightening things. 'We need more smiles. Maybe I should treat them to ice-cream afterwards,' Max mused generously. 'I hope the ice-creams will be cold enough to cool their tempers down and wipe away those frowns while the ground game rules are elucidated.'
* * *
About an hour later, cleaning was done. Right after that, Tyson took a shower. Next was Ray.
Just when the bathroom was vacant again Mariah and Emily aroused to take their baths while almost all of the others were downstairs watching the news. Sharing one bathroom had always been tough with five guys living in the same house, but now, the situation with five guys and three girls made it rougher.
Almost two hours later, Mai was occupying the bathroom while Ray knocked at Kai's bedroom's door. "Kai," he repeated until his friend opened the door.
"What is it?" Kai grumpily demanded.
"The house is back to normal again."
"Yeah. With one more rodent to feed and shelter," Kai said coldly.
"Don't be too hard on the little squirt. I mean, she must be really scared being away from her family," Ray defended with sympathy.
"Where is she by the way? And did you and the others teach Tyson and Mai the rules?" Kai queried curiously.
"No, we haven't. Max plans to treat us to some ice-creams after dinner. There's a condition for Tyson and Mai though. They have to listen attentively to whatever he says before he hands them over."
"Ah. I see. He's black-mailing them," Kai uttered with a snicker. 'That blonde isn't as dense as he looks.'
"Only Tyson called it that. Mai and the rest of us called it bribing," Ray replied with a chuckle. "Anyway, she's taking a bubble bath.'
"WHAT?!" Kai shrieked. His eyes widened with shock. "I can't believe you let her to a bubble bath! After the arrest of my grandpa, I learnt that he left me with nothing but pain and bills! Fortunately, Mr. Dickenson took care of them. But, I had to get part-time jobs to cover our living! This next hydro bill will wipe out both of our bank accounts, Ray! I can't believe you!" Kai reprimanded angrily, and Ray's eardrums were suffering.
'If I don't move out soon, I'm going to grow up deaf,' Ray mused as Kai ushered him away to tell Mai not to consume too much water.
Once Ray was on his way willingly, Kai slammed his door shut, frustrated.
Ray tapped on the bathroom door thrice before bellowing, "Hey, Mai! Kai doesn't want you to waste water! So, don't use too much! Okay?"
"Yesss!" she called out.
'Good enough,' Ray thought before heading downstairs to help Max and Mariah with dinner in the neat kitchen.
When Ray joined them in the kitchen, he saw Emily watching Max as he peeled the potatoes skillfully by the counter. 'I taught him that,' Ray thought proudly with a smirk before tapping Emily shoulder.
Startled, she flinched a little. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" she barked, turning to glare at Ray.
Ray surrendered. His hands were up in the air. "Calm down. I'm here to help cook. Maybe you could go and help peel some potatoes instead of waiting around here with virtually nothing to do."
"Grrrr. Fine," Emily replied irately as she sauntered towards Max. Ray's set of brown eyes sighted his pink-haired girlfriend who was taking out some vegetables from the fridge. With a smile on his face, he joined her by the sink to wash the greens.
Meanwhile Kenny left his laptop opened on a corner of the dinner table just to assist in setting up the table for supper. Dizzi was busy also. She was calculating the cost of the damages caused and researching online on the Takarnaras. All but one person was busy. Actually, come to think of it, Tyson was busy, honestly. He was genuinely busying himself with the food program on television. Golly, the exhibition of food was intriguing to him. It made his mouth watered. 'Yummy' was all Tyson thinking as he rated the food in his head. See, he was busy.
At the same time, upstairs, in the chamber of the silent and prim young man, Kai leaned against the wall on his mattress. He was engaged in a discussion with his bit-beast, Dranzer, hidden away in the confinement of the beyblade in his right palm.
"She sounds a lot like you when you were younger," a voice coming from the blade expressed with the slightest tone of amusement.
"I don't remember being such a menace!" Kai asserted.
"You've blocked most of those childhood memories. But, trust me on this: you were a handful. I was there trying to guide you and keep you out of trouble," Dranzer replied sincerely. "Do you recall the time when you six years old? You were playing in the backyard with the garden hose. You were aiming everywhere with it when your father appeared with some suits talking about business. Excited to see your dad back from his two-week trip, you jumped up and down with the garden hose. And as a result, you lost your grip on the water hose, and it went out of control, watering more than the lawn, but also everyone in the backyard," Dranzer informed, retelling the past to Kai.
"I remember that. They were all soaked, even father. He grounded me for two days," Kai admitted with a smile. "And just one month before my seventh birthday, mother and father disappeared during their wedding anniversary vacation. Grandpa took me in." Glumness was evident in his voice. "Everything else before that I've lost."
"My everlasting friend, I've memorized every detail of every moment I've shared with you."
"Oh? Tell me about my mother. I don't remember her much. How was she like to me?"
"Every night, your mother would tuck you in with a bed-time story. While you were asleep, she gave you a goodnight kiss on your forehead and wished you pleasant dreams," Dranzer answered, fondly recalling the mother and son evening sleeping ritual.
"I don't know what to say, Dranzer. Ever since I moved in with Voltaire, he always reminded me that life for me was never better."
"He lied. He only wanted to keep you so you could carry out his bidding. The cruel discipline inflicted upon you hardened your heart, and soon you believed that the path he laid out for you was better than the path you were taking with your parents. Of course, that path of nurture came to a dead end, but there were other routes, better than the one he set out for you, my warrior."
"Why are you telling me this now, Dranzer?"
"You're the one who brought it up," Dranzer answered slyly, "Anyway; I sense that supper is ready downstairs. Maybe you should go before your friend Tyson eats your share also."
Kai sighed as he slowly removed himself from his bed with the blade in his grasp.
* * *
Dinner was served; Max and Kenny had finished their suppers early to take their showers; dishes and utensils were stuffed into the dish washer; the counter was wiped squeaky clean. 'I don't understand why Kai would make washing dishes a punishment. The convenience of a dishwasher makes the culprit Tyson's life easier,' Emily mulled over as she trailed behind Ray, Mariah, Kenny and Max.
'I told Ray not to buy that blasted machine! Disciplining Tyson will not be as effective if the consequences aren't dire enough,' Kai yelled angrily to himself when he caught a glimpse of Tyson shutting the door of the washing machine as he passed by the kitchen. "Are you ready to go, Tyson?!" Kai hollered impatiently as he dug his pocket for his vehicle key.
"Yep!" Tyson bawled as he darted towards Kai recklessly. Fortunately, Kai stepped out of the way, causing Tyson to collide with a nearby wall. Ouch!
'Serves him right for being reckless,' Kai mused, smiling deviously at a knocked-out and dizzy Tyson.
"I'm ready also!" a childish voice screamed happily as she rushed downstairs and hugged Kai.
"Who's this?" a voice unfamiliar to Mai asked as the head of a figure peered in from the entrance door.
She let go of Kai and looked at the tall figure that was new to her; it was a figure of an elderly man with glasses, a hat, and a cane. "Ditch the old hat. Wear a red fluffy pointy hat, a white beard and a red suit, and bring candy canes to be the world's jolliest and earliest Santie [A/N: she means Santa] Clause," she thought aloud imaginatively.
Playing along, the stranger laughed, "Ho-ho-ho."
Chuckling, Max introduced in-between laughs, "This is Mr. Dickenson, Mai. He's going to drive some of us there since Kai's car can't fit all of us."
"That's right. But on Christmas Day, I'll be sure to come with candy canes as Saint Nick," Mr. Dickenson said delightfully.
"Hi," she uttered meekly. Mai blushed, embarrassed. Her thoughts had run wild and rolled off of her tongue. But at least, everyone looked amused, well, all but Tyson who was drooping at the remark about sweets.
"Okay, who gets Mai, and who gets Tyson? Mr. D?" Kenny posed.
"Alright. My driver and I can take Mai and two other passengers."
"Ray and I will hitch a ride with you, Mr. Dickenson."
"Just hold it for a sec. If you get Mai, Ray and Mariah, that will leave me with a sugar-high Max, Emily, Kenny, and that poor excuse for a blader?" Kai pointed at Tyson as he gazed at Mr. Dickenson to see his response.
Tyson perceived Kai's finger as a candy cane floating in mid-air, awaiting him to take a bite. Just when Tyson was about to sink his teeth into the flesh of Kai's finger, Mai pinched his arm before stepping back. He awoke from his daydream screaming painfully as the other hand rubbed the sore arm. "Who pinched me?" Tyson stared at Mai with suspicion.
"A pesky little bug," Kai answered.
"Really?" Tyson asked densely.
"Anyway, how about I trade Tyson for Ray?"
"No, Kai! Don't! Putting those two in the same car is catastrophic!" Kenny warned.
'Not my problem if they're not in my car,' Kai thought to himself rather inconsiderately.
Emily and Mariah sighed. 'Boys; and they say that us, girls, babble on. They're worse in their bickering.'
"Gosh. It seems that neither you nor I are very favored," Mai mumbled to Tyson.
"It's not that, Mai. It's just that we don't prefer you and Tyson together if both of you trigger another brawl," Max corrected with a genuine smile when Kenny opened his laptop.
"How about a solution to the problem, Dizzi?" Kenny asked.
"Sure, drag little dependable me into the picture without a simple please," Dizzi whined.
"Please," Kenny uttered as whole-heartedly as possible at the current moment.
"Okay, Chief, in that case, I have the answer. Mai goes with Max and Emily. Don't break up Ray and Mariah or your blade will get some scrapes and scratches in the morning. Never ever place Tyson with Kai or they'll both groan. And you and I are inseparable, right, Chief?"
Kai gave out a faint roar as he eyed the laptop dangerously.
"Of course; night now, Dizzi," he answered his bit-beast before shutting the laptop. "Okay, I got it then. Kai will drive Mai, Max, Emily and I while Mr. Dickenson's take Ray and Mariah to the evening mall."
"I say we got the better end of the deal, Mariah," Ray whispered into her ears.
"Don't be so sure, Ray. Kenny forgot about Tyson," Mariah uttered.
"What about me?"
"You're coming along with me," Mr. Dickenson answered authoritatively. "Now, boy, be on your feet. March obediently into the car. No drooling."
"Dibs on the front seat!" Tyson shouted excitedly as he sprinted towards Mr. Dickenson's car.
* * *
Several minutes into his driving, Kai was about to relax his muscles over the quietness. Sitting beside him in the front row of his automobile was Kenny with his laptop closed. Directly behind Kai was Mai. Max was happily stuck in the middle, while Emily took the other seat near the door. "I'm bored!" Mai pouted.
"Let's sing a song then," Max suggested merrily.
"No! No 'Wheels on the Bus'!" Kai abruptly shouted.
"Ok. The wheels on the car go round and round…." Max's voice trailed off, substituting some words into the original lyrics of the nursery song.
'Nooo!!!!' Kenny, Emily, and Kai screamed mentally while Mai high-spiritedly joined in with Max. 'It's going to be a long way there.'
Meanwhile, snoring in the front row of the other car was the World Champ. Mr. Dickenson decided to take the back seat right behind his personal driver when Tyson refused to get off the front seat. Quietly, Ray sat in the middle while Mariah looked through the glass window by her seat. The White Tiger and Bladebreaker gazed at her distressed face. He heard a soft moan. "Don't worry, Mariah. It is better hearing him snore in his sleep than for him to be awake to cause havoc," he murmured to her.
'This is going to be a long dreadful night,' Mariah complained in her mind before sighing.
* * *
Twenty minutes passed by with a drag. Finally, they've reached their destination—the mall. "Let's us hope we don't end up bankrupt, Ray," Kai whispered to his friend while the others looked in awe at the humongous and busy interior of Japan's second largest evening shopping mall.
"Whoa. Everything here still amazes me," the Chief commented.
'What will amaze me will be silence from those three babies [A/N: Max, Mai and Tyson] for the remainder of the night as well as Ray's credit cards not going over the limit,' Kai mused as he took quick glances at his companions.
"Let's buy you some new clothes. What do you say, Mai?"
"THANKS!" Mai screamed piercingly as she hugged Max. Jovially, he and Mr. Dickenson laughed. "Um…" Mai stuttered. "Your bank account, Max, it'll be so drained if you get us ice-creams as well as if you buy me new attires," Mai groaned.
"Gee, this girl never gives up whining," Emily whispered into Mariah's ears.
"At least, she's being considerate for your boy's financial situation," her pink-haired comrade replied back in a soft voice as Max chuckled at Mai's remark.
"Don't worry, little Mai. Mr. Dickenson will cover tonight's costs," Mr. Dickenson generously offered. Everyone's eyes lit up with hope. They began to imagine their lists of things to purchase.
'That was a bad move. It's your death wish. Then again, at least it's not going into my account,' Kai commented with a smirk.
"Awesome!" Tyson shouted gleefully. "But let's get the ice-creams first. My belly will be calling out for it if you don't get me some, Max."
"Sure, as long as you and Mai listen vigilantly to the ground rules of our residential home." Max spoke in a very grown-up tone of voice.
Tyson moaned to himself before replying a loud yes to his blond friend. Mai nodded innocently. "After that, let's buy back a mug for our dearest Kai."
'Show-off,' Tyson thought as he looked at the little girl—his adversary.
Kai snarled inwardly at the mention of 'dearest' before his name. "Easy does it, Buddy," Ray uttered to Kai when he heard a soft growl from his friend. "Slowly count from one to ten."
'Training in the abbey never prepared me for this little obnoxious creature,' Kai reflected, referring to the creature as Mai. "How can Max handle her?" Kai asked no one in particular, but got an answer from his other friend who was listening in on things.
"Oh, he's hyper-active and he can relate to kids," the Chief interrupted, "and the fact that he likes kids."
"So, he treats them kindly, and they are nice to him in return," Ray added. "Maybe you should try it also, Kai."
Kai shot fiery daggers at Ray. Abruptly, Ray turned away fearfully.
"Hey! GUYS! Coming?!" Max yelled out to them. If all three young men didn't hear Max calling out to them, their eyes won't have scanned around to discover that their friends had strode away several metres from them.
"Coming!" Kenny bellowed. His friends halted for them to rejoin the group.
"Alright! We'll shop till we drop! Right?!" Mariah declared with an evil cackle, causing her friends to gulp.
"Mariah isn't like this all the time, is she?" Mai asked nervously as all of them proceeded in the direction of an icy-treats shop.
"She's as cuddling soft and gentle as a new-born kitten," Ray answered carefully. 'Just don't block her way when she's shopping,' he added quickly, but only to himself.
"I see," Mai replied. She didn't believe Ray. 'Oh well.' Mai sighed before dashing besides Kai and grabbing his wrist. At least, his hands were in his pockets.
"Hn," was all Kai wanted to manage as he tried ignoring the youngster holding onto him while they were walking.
"Aw… My sweet Kai," Mai mumbled dreamily as her body leaned towards Kai's.
"Hey, what is it that will make you stop this?" Kai asked as politely as possible.
Mai halted which in turn caused him to stop. "Give me a ride, up on your shoulders." She flashed him a sunny side-up beam and gave him the big purple puppy dog eyes.
"That works on everyone here but me," Kai informed self-satisfyingly.
"Then, I'm not letting your arm go," Mai declared as she looped her arm around Kai's, locking him tightly.
Kai tried pulling away, but only gently since he didn't want to hurt her. Even the slightest ounce of pain he might inflict on her may backfire. In other words, hurt her and she weeps louder than thunder. He contemplated on how to get rid of her, but the only thing that came to mind was Ray's comment about Max treating children nicely. Kai decided to surrender, at least for now. "Alright, you may hold my hand, as long as you don't cry or whine to me this whole night," Kai proposed as he took out one hand from his pockets. It reached out for Mai; that is if she agreed and abide by the conditions he laid out.
Instantly, her hand reached out and clutched his. "Yep," she answered afterwards. She rubbed her cheek against his hand.
Kai's face began to show the slightest tint of pink as his heart skipped a beat. 'Why did I even bother compromising? She's worse than before,' Kai thought as he stared down at his young companion. 'She does look peaceful though, which means I'll have some peace and quiet from her for the whole night. As long as no one who knows me is around to see me like this with this kid….'
* * *
A/N: Okay, that's it for the insane chapter. I hope it was entertaining. Anyway, please review next. I'm hoping for at least 3 positive reviews (not including LS's) before continuing. School's beginning, so good luck to everyone. *Cries* Bye now.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. The nursery song mentioned doesn't belong to me either. Basically, anything that sounds familiar to you, like a product or a song's lyrics, won't belong to me.