Battle of the Masters
Chapter Four
by Shadou-sama
Dedicated To: Paiku, I did promise you.

The cabin in question was brown with green trim. Probably made of wood. Two big glass windows had been installed on either side of the grayish white door; the left one being covered by a dark blue curtain. The paint was peeling on the green wooden porch and railings.

The trio walked up the steps onto the porch. Shadra noticed that the view was dazzling, it overlooked the bush and tree forest, the beach, and a sapphire blue lack bordered by the valley's surrounding hills. She figured at sunset it would be a masterpiece.

Inside, there were two rooms. The room they were standing in was large, with a couple metal bunk beds standing by the walls. Dark green and blue blankets and sheets covered the thin looking mattresses. Three or four plump and soft chairs were placed randomly around the room and a table was set up against the far wall. A wide bookshelf was placed beside the head of each bunk bed. Kai dumped Max's bag near the closest bunk.

The other room took a square corner away from the larger room on the left of the door. The doorway was covered by a dark blue sheet. Shadra moved it aside gently. Inside was a wooden bunk bed with a wooden ladder built into the wall, a small bookshelf sat beside the doorway.

"This is where I'm bunking!" She decided.

"You'll have to share, otherwise there won't be enough beds." Kenny told her.

"Fine, as long as it isn't Tyson."

"Maybe Ray would—" Kenny began.

Kai walked into the room with her and put his bag onto one of the shelves. Kenny shrugged and walked out to the other room. "Which bunk do you want?" Kai asked gruffly.

"Top, please." Shadra replied, a bit delighted and a bit confused. Had this particular sleeping arrangement been inspired by the fact Ray might have taken the spot? Kai shrugged and sank to the lower one, his eyes closed. Shadra dropped her bag onto her mattress and left the room. She then dumped Ray's onto the closest top bunk.

"How do you know that's where he wants to sleep?" Kenny inquired.

"Cats always like to sleep in high places."

"But how do you know he wants to sleep on that side of the room?"

"He can lie in the sun here."

Kenny smiled and tried to hold back a laugh. He sat on his own bunk, which was the one below Ray's. "Do you think they're all right? They could be lost and hurt and--"

"Geez, you are so melodramatic. If they're lost, they'll climb an ant hill and find out where they are. If they're hurt, then the coyotes won't go hungry."

"I feel so much better." Kenny said sarcastically.

"Tyson's too stubborn to get seriously hurt. And Ray's too smart."

Kenny asked, "What about Max?"

"Do we really need him?"

"Yes."

"Well, he's with Ray. He'll be fine." Shadra answered, walking back to her and Kai's room.

"I hope so."

"Don't be so pessimistic!" Shadra ordered before ducking beneath the curtain. Shadra could have sworn Kai hadn't moved a muscle since he had lied down. As she moved closer to the bunks, Kai tucked his legs so there was enough room on the mattress for her.

She sat down, relaxing with her back up against the wall. She closed her eyes, enjoying the time of peace before the loud-mouthed Tyson came back. Sometimes she did wish Tyson would get lost and seriously hurt, just so the peace would last. But later she would always regret the thought. She started drifting off to sleep.

"Didn't get much sleep last night, eh?" Kai asked softly.

Shadra shook her head slowly and mumbled something incoherently. Kai budged over towards the edge of the mattress. Shadra murmured her thanks and lied down beside him.

"Hey, Kai? Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

Kai sat quietly for a few moments. "Dances aren't really my thing…"

"Okay…" She murmured.

She slept, faintly acknowledging her head on his chest and a strong arm around her. A few times, she wandered into slivers of old nightmares played in her mind. At those times, she would stir and the slivers would fade away.

"WHERE IS SHE?" A voice exploded in her head. It took Shadra many moments to register that it wasn't in her mind but from outside her and Kai's little room. But it didn't take for Shadra to listen or even come out from her stupor. Besides, she felt warm in his arms and didn't want to face the cruel coldness of the voice's owner.

"WHERE IS THAT LITTLE VIXEN!"

"Tyson, calm down!"

"I WON'T CALM DOWN! THAT WENCH BETRAYED US!"

"Tyson, breathe! Or you'll suffocate!"

"What is he talking about?"

"I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT VIXEN! THE ONE THAT DUMPED US AND DIDN'T EVEN TELL US!"

"Tyson! If you'll just calm down, we'll be able explain this to Kenny."

"Ray, what's he talking about? Who dumped us?"

"Well, we found Tyson at the beach. There was a beybattle going on, between this kid and a girl. The girl, Holly I think she was called, from the Masters team, told us that Shadra had quit our team joined up with her."

"SHE'S BEEN PLAYING US! SHE'S BEEN LYING TO US!"

"Tyson, breathe, and calm down, you're gonna have a heart attack."

"And that's why Tyson is yelling."

Shadra was gently nudged. She grudgingly opened an eye. "What?" She murmured.

"Did you really join another team?" Kai asked softly, his voice like a purr.

"It was all a mistake…" Shadra murmured, fighting half-heartedly to stay awake. She looked up into Kai's eyes, the ones that only looked kindly at her. "Holly wanted me… wanted me to join her team… got really distracted… I'm sorry… I refused… told her I was… I liked… this team too much… and… and you…" She drifted back to sleep.


Kai had been asleep, at least until that brat had come in screaming. He sat there for a few moments, trying to decide whether to go out there and straighten everything out or to stay here with Shadra nicely tucked up beside him.

He finally got up, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl, and entered the larger room. The four boys already in there looked up at him.

"Kai! Shadra quit our team!" Tyson told him.

"Yes, I know. You woke me up with the screaming." Kai said.

"Sorry 'bout that." Tyson said, looking abashed.

Kai shrugged his shoulders. "She didn't quit our team."

"How do you know that?" Ray asked.

"She told me." Kai said. "She was asked to join another team but refused."

"But why did Holly—" Tyson began.

Kai interrupted, "She's manipulating you. She tells you Shadra's back stabbing us, we kick her off our team, Holly gets Shadra."

"I hope nothing else happens, I can't take the stress." Kenny whined.


Shadra woke up later to find herself all alone in the little room. She stretched, relieving the kinks in her back. She wondered vaguely what time it was… and where Kai was. She got up and exited the small room.

The gang was sitting around randomly around the room. All of them looked up when she entered, except for Kenny who was reading something on Dizzi's screen.

"Morning." She greeted them.

"The sleeping beauty awakes. Hurrah!" Max exclaimed.

"And its afternoon." Ray informed her.

"Hmm, well then good afternoon." She plopped down on the nearest chair.

"So you're not a traitor." Tyson said.

"Was I ever?"

"For half an hour you were. Didn't you hear the yelling?" Ray asked.

Shadra shook her head. "Well, that was Tyson." Tyson looked sheepish.

"Then Kai came and told us that you refused." Max informed her.

"I don't remember telling Kai about that." Shadra said thoughtfully.

"You were still half asleep." Kai said. A hint of sadness lined his voice; almost like he was depressed that Shadra couldn't remember what happened, what she said.

"Hmm…"