Standard D/C applies.
A/N: Oh wow, this is amazing. It's been one day, and already I have six reviews. Thank you to everyone who has (and will) review, your words are greatly apprecitated.
Summary: [KaiRei, Rei-centric] Just after the world championships, the Bladebreakers are headed back to their homes when out of the blue, they're all called to China for some strange tournament. Unknowingly, the group sets themselves up to learn more about each other and their lives before the Bladebreakers.
Segreti Di Il Nostro
"Rei!" Tyson yelled ecstatically. Rei barely had time to brace himself before the boy was upon him.
"Why didn't you tell us you'd be here? We didn't think you'd come! Mr. D wants us to watch this tournament thingy. You gunna watch too?" Tyson asked, rapid-fire. Rei bristled at the onslaught of questions. Kai, Max and Kenny had caught up to the duo just as Tyson had asked that last question.
"Uh, yeah, I guess so," the neko-jin answered, glancing at his sister. Castia grinned cheekily before calling attention to herself.
"We've got to get you guys settled! Please, follow me so I can get you guys ready for the next while. Hope you guys don't mind sleeping on the floor, you're going to be there for the next little while," she rambled before stalking off to her home. The other Bladebreakers had really no choice but to follow, and as soon as they were outside of hearing range, Rei turned to Mr. Dickinson.
"What are they doing here?" he asked calmly, just a tiny hint of anger in his voice. The little old man turned to Rei in surprise.
"What do you mean? You know what they're here for, they're here to witness the Kshkin'ah. Is there a problem with that Rei?" he asked the Chinese blader. Rei's eyes narrowed to tiny slits.
"I don't want them to see what I do. I'm not myself when I'm in the ring, and I don't want to have to push them away in order to protect them," was the short answer as Rei turned on his heel and walked away. Mr. D followed the blader with his eyes before sighing softly to himself.
"You'll have to do far more then that to get them to leave you alone," he muttered softly, before turning in the other direction and walking calmly to the hotel he would be staying in.
xxxxx
The night was quiet as a cool breeze swept over mother earth's plains. The stars twinkled in mirth as they shed their gentle glow upon the ground.
Kai stared up at those twinkling pinpoints of light before exhaling slowly, focusing his thoughts on the world around him. He was always most alert late at night, and tonight was no exception.
A faint rustling noise caught the slate haired teen's attention. The sound was barely there, but if he focused just right…
"Aha, there we go," Kai thought to himself. Just over a ways to his left, the sound of feet padding silently on the ground alerted him of another's presence.
Quickly, the slate haired teen followed the footsteps. Though they were quiet, they could still be heard by the wary predator, therefore Kai could automatically rule out Rei. He knew that it was near impossible to hear his friend when he didn't want to be heard.
So Kai followed on silent feet, swiftly tracking the footfalls until he came to a clearing.
Kai Hiwatari stopped and stood in awe at what was happening before him.
xxxxx
Rei stood, the circle of flames around him heating him all over. He felt the flames and allowed them to lend him wisdom and strength as he mentally prepared himself to do what had to be done tonight.
A sudden movement in front of him grabbed his attention, as Castia gently put down the little bundle in her arms.
A little girl now stood between Castia and Rei, her big blue eyes blinking sleepily at the brother and sister.
"Unca Way?" she asked softly, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
"Just stand there, Cleo," Castia instructed. The young girl nodded and stood silently, eyes slipping shut. Looking up from the small figure Castia regarded her brother carefully.
"You ready?" she asked, love clear in her tone. Rei nodded slightly and at his acknowledgment, a clan elder stood and walked over to the duo.
"Hold out your right hand," the old neko-jin instructed. Both Kons did so and watched as the elder sliced a deep cut in their palms. Blood welled up from the wounds and Rei and Castia looked hard into the others eyes.
In a sudden blur, their two hands suddenly clapped together over Cleo's head.
"Be bound by blood, with the promise of protection for the one that stands between us. If it must be, our blood shall spill before hers. For the rest of time, this promise will stand."
A single drop of combined blood dripped onto the small neko-jin's head, closing the ritual.
xxxxx
Kai stood in confusion as he watched Rei and his sister bond themselves to each other and the little girl between them. The slate haired blader blinked as, once the ritual was over, Rei bent down and picked up the young girl. Kai felt his heart warm somewhat at the sight of his teammate with the little girl.
On silent feet, Kai slipped away and headed back to Rei's house, suddenly ready for sleep.
xxxxx
Rei smiled softly at the little bundle of energy in his arms. Cleo smiled up at him and wrapped her tiny arms around the Chinese blader's neck.
"I wuv you Unca Way," she whispered into his neck. Rei smiled softly at the young neko-jin.
"I love you too Cleo," he murmured, stepping out of the circle of flames.
"Rei, we need to get both you and Cleo to bed. You have training in the morning," Castia stated as she too walked from the circle. Rei grinned slightly before handing Cleo back to Castia.
"I'm going, I'm going," he teased, earning a chuckle from his older sister. Suddenly, Rei's golden gaze became fiercely serious as he gazed at the mother and daughter combination.
"I won't let anyone get to her Castia," Rei swore as he looked carefully at his niece. Casita smiled, and with her free hand she gently brushed at the bangs in Rei's face.
"Rei, as much as I love Cleo, I love you too. I don't want you to foolishly through your life away, just to save her," she told her little brother sweetly. Rei nodded, and a short sigh escaped his lips.
"They're going to have so many questions when they see me in the ring," Rei murmured. Castia chuckled softly and gently laid her hand on Rei's shoulder.
"Your friends only care about you. They may ask questions, but only in your best interest," she replied as the started off to home.
The trio walked in silence for a while before they came to the Kon household.
"Got o sleep. We start your training tomorrow," Casita instructed sternly. Rei simply nodded as he stepped on the threshold of his house and disappeared behind his door.
xxxxx
Kai awoke early, before everyone else in the room. Looking around, he realized that something had woken him up, for it appeared even early for him.
The young little girl he saw with Rei the day before was staring at him, playing with his bangs.
The pair stared at each other for a while before the little girl suddenly looked away and darted towards the door. Kai blinked at her enthusiasm, before sitting up to see what she did. What met his eyes took his breath away.
Rei stood, the little girl latched around his ankles, a loving smile on his face. He was dressed not in his usual Chinese garb, but loose black drawstring sweatpants and a tight crimson t-shirt. The shirt clung to the blader like a second skin and left little to the imagination. Rei's hair was out of its usual confinements, and fell about his face, giving him a very wild look.
The blunette couldn't help but feel the strong urge to follow his teammate as the teenager walked out the back door.
So the Russian followed him.
xxxxx
"You ready?" Castia asked as Rei stepped out of the house. Sighing, the raven-haired teen nodded as he handed Cleo over to her mother.
"I want you to do three laps to warm up. Then stretch, and then come to me. I'll have more for you to do," Castia instructed Rei, and as soon as he took off, Castia spoke again.
"You can come out Kai. You don't have to hide," Castia stated. Kai growled at being sought out, but stepped forwards anyway.
"You've been watching my brother recently," Castia stated. Kai said nothing but watched as Castia gently placed her daughter on the ground and whispered something in the little girl's ear. Turning back to Kai, Castia smiled.
"You know any martial arts?" she asked. Kai nodded warily and Castia grinned.
"Good. Rei need a sparring partner," she stated, just as the mentioned teen rounded the corner. Confusion leapt into the golden eyes of the neko-jin, but he continued to run.
"What are you waiting for?" Castia asked. Kai arched an eyebrow.
"You'd better catch up with him. If you're going to train, then you'd better get going," the young mother instructed. Something in her tone booked no argument, so Kai took off after Rei.
This day was proving to be interesting.
Yeeeeeeeees…… I don't really have a lot more to say. I hope you enjoyed chappie two!