Chapter 4
MyHeartBleeds: I usually write them as friends, yes, though I have a fic where Tala is their worst enemy. Love that fic. And I think maybe it is time to move out from under the bed. I'm planning on trying to seduce Kevin tonight, and I doubt you really want to be under there [[evil grin]]
dead yet a love sick puppy: It's a possibility. He may not even know what he misses just yet
lilmatchgirl007: I actually ripped 'Solitary Phoenix' off from the name of a web site, though I think it's called 'Solitary', but it's dedicated to Kai so you work it out. :p
dewberrygirl: Tis a long wait for Kai/Ray, but it should be worth it. Firstly, I have a twisted web to weave.
Prozacfairy: Cute couple they are indeed. Pity there isn't enough fan art of them. Wish I could draw.
babymar-mar: Ray will come in due time. Maybe Kai will learn for himself what he is missing
Ramen II: Bryan being a carver was my own creation. I just came up with it one day and it stuck. You should see what Kai and Tala can do. :p
Bluumberry: Yeah, I noticed a lot of fics have Kai pining over Ray. I dare to be different, so I went different. Glad you're like it. :D
Chaco and Lily: Kai is waaay too smart for his own good. Should come back and bite him in the arse eventually. I hope.
Shaman Wolf: I think they're painted on. He's so hot without them. I like fics where he removes them cause it means I get to drool more.
Kappy Locks: Eh, it's 'Ray' or 'Rei', never 'Rai'. You see, 'Rai' is pronounced 'Lei' and therefore is actually Lee. I'm hoping that was a typo on your part. Not trying to piss you off or anything. You'd be surprised how many people don't know there is a difference. And I had to stay in the city, as I live away from the festival. And yes, he gets with Ray. How do you know? :p
Koneko no Rei: You must be patient. Remember, patience is the key to success. Ray will come... eventually...
KuronekoHikage: Boy, I hope the move goes well. Don't lose anything. And no rush to read the fics again. My own sister gets confused, but she's read more of my stuff. She reads as I write them. She's already finished this fic and all of what I have thus far on Ketsuron. She gives me ideas. Mostly the evil ones, but ideas none the less.
Ashla: So many writers seem to forget that Kai is human. I felt I needed to make him lonely, so I did. He's getting older and is best friends/brothers have found boyfriends (namely, each other) and he's starting to feel left out. Hm. Threesome...
Tariki Rania: Yeah, Kenny's a homophob. All the way through the series. And it's hard on the others, too. And thus far Kai is straight. No problem there... yet... heh heh heh...
animeandraia: It's more ignorance then a mistake. My bad. I've learnt, and will correct it in the future. Hey, it was only a few months ago I learnt the difference between 'than' and 'then', and I'm 19! Sad really. But if you can't learn something new each day, then what's the point in living. And Bryan is a great character to write. People question my crush on him, but oh well. I like who I like, and that's that.
Mizuyah: Read on and enjoy. I write for it to be read, so read so I can continue to write! :p
To tell or not to tell, that is the question.
"Tyson!" Kenny groaned, shaking his head. "Where did you learn your manners!?"
Tyson swallowed his mouthful. "You should be used to it by now, Chief."
"Nevertheless, could you at least chew before you swallow!?"
"Save your breath, Kenny." They looked up at Kai joined them, blue triangles once more painted in place as he sat down. "He doesn't hear you."
Kenny sighed, shaking his head before groaning again as he spotted Tyson once more stuffing his face without remorse. Kai shot the bluenette a dark look, Tyson looking up as he felt it and swallowing hard, smiling sheepishly as Max joined them, the newcomer chuckling at his secret lover's gluttony.
"Too bad it's a beyblade contest and not an eating one," Max said, pouring himself some tea. "Otherwise we'd have it in the bag."
Tyson glared at him.
"He does have a point, Ty." Kenny sipped his own tea, reaching up to straighten his glasses. "You have the ability to put away a considerable amount of food without suffering from indigestion or putting on any weight. But then, your body fat content is already considerably high-"
"Are you calling me fat!?"
"Sit down, Tyson." Kai looked at him, gritting his teeth. Hell, listening to Bryan and Ian bicker was better than this. "And they are right. From now until the next tournament you're going on a tight training schedule. You're out of shape."
Tyson growled, sitting back down, Max reaching out to pat his arm.
"Think of it this way," the blond said, beaming. "At least he didn't say you had to go on a diet."
Kai smirked. "Yet."
Tyson shot him a glare that Kai was all too happy to return. For a long while they battled, Tyson finally crumpling to look away, growling in the back of his throat. Kai simply shrugged it off, returning to his breakfast as if nothing had happened.
"Well I'm going to look into some new attack styles," Kenny said as he finished up. "Dizzi and I got wind of a project that has been run in Indonesia studying the effect of different attack rings and their limitations, so we're going to study them to see if there is anything we can use."
Max looked up. "What you up to today, Kai?"
"I got some paperwork to fill out," Kai sipped his drink, scowling. "For the case against my grandfather."
"Ty?"
"I cracked Dragoon's attack ring during our last practice, so I'm going to fix it."
"Need help?"
"Sure thing, buddy. The more the merrier."
They cleaned up the table, all heading their separate ways, Kenny for the study while the other boys made their way for the bedrooms. Closing the door, Tyson stepped toward his desk, flipping open the lid of his spare parts container, Max moving to join him.
"I think Kai's hotter this morning than he was yesterday."
"Yeah." Tyson searched the compartments, finding what he was looking for before he pulled Dragoon from his pocket. "His death glare's gotten a lot stronger too."
"Admit it, Ty. You're just weak."
"Aw come on. Those red eyes are just plain unnerving." Tyson unscrewed the attack ring from his blade, removing the Dragoon bit chip as Max picked up the replacement attack ring, making a couple of small adjustments before handing it to Tyson. "So… what do you think?"
Max looked at him, reaching out to smooth Tyson's hair. "What do I think about what?"
"About what we talked about last night." Tyson looked up at him. "About telling Kai."
Max frowned. "I think we should, Ty. He's gonna work it out anyway."
"Yeah." Tyson frowned down at Dragoon before he set the blade aside, pushing himself up. "Come on then."
Max blinked as he moved toward the door. "What… now!?"
"Now's as good a time as any." Tyson looked back at him. "Coming?"
"Yeah. Sure."
[[[break]]]
Kai flicked through the pages, glaring at some of the questions. Whatever happened to the notion of invasion of privacy? Some of these things got a little too personal as far as he was concerned, but there was no way around them. Picking up his pen, the nib flew across the provided spaces, perfect clearcut lettering curving their path over the paper.
Hearing a knock on the door, he looked up. Sighing, he sat the pen down and moved toward the doorway, secretly glad for the interruption. Flicking the lock, he opened it to find himself looking down at his two teammates, Max fidgeting slightly while Tyson's face was locked in that stubborn look of determination that the media had made so famous.
"We need to talk."
Kai narrowed his eyes before he stepped back, allowing them into the room before he closed the door behind them, locking it. "Well go ahead then."
Tyson turned toward him as Kai made his way back toward the seat by the desk. "Kai… we know you're gonna work it out eventually so we decided to tell you…"
Kai raised a cultured eyebrow. "Spit it out, Granger."
Tyson hesitated. "Max and I are dating."
"Hn."
Max blinked, noting Kai's smile. "You're… not mad?"
"Why should I be?" Kai crossed his arms over his chest, gaze flicking from one to the other. "You dweebs have always been as annoying as each other. Surprised you didn't get together back during the last Championship."
Tyson frowned. "Look, just don't tell Kenny, okay?"
Max nodded. "We think he's homophobic."
"Must make it hard." Kai looked toward the door. "Especially since he's like a lost sheep that just follows the flock."
"We can't do anything!" Tyson growled, slamming a fist into the bed where he sat. "We've got to keep it all behind closed doors, and even then we can't do what we want cause if we make any noise…"
"We've been together four months," Max admitted. "Long months."
Kai nodded, frowning thoughtfully. So Max and Tyson were a couple, hm? And Kenny could be a homophobic. Interesting…
"Kai?"
He looked up.
Max frowned. "You won't tell Kenny, right?"
Kai raised an eyebrow. "You don't trust me?"
Max and Tyson exchanged a look, Tyson answering. "Well, there was the whole Black Dranzer thing…"
"What, this?" Kai reached up, fishing the pendant from around his neck, the bit chip catching in the light. "I'm a Hiwatari. We're attracted to power. Spent my whole life searching for the ultimate blade, and she was it."
Max's eyes widened. "You still have that?"
"But of course. Who else can you trust?"
Max shot a look to the side. "We can trust him, Ty."
"So I figured." Tyson continued to look at Kai weirdly, eyes flickering to the bit chip before Kai tucked in back under his shirt. "Um… can't you still sense that thing? Sense it calling you to use it?"
"I learnt to resist it." Kai smirked, closing his eyes. "We all have our weaknesses. Yours is food, Max's is sugar, Kenny's is data, Ray's is curiosity, and mine is power."
Tyson blinked. "I never really thought about it that way before."
"That's why I'm team captain." Kai's eyes opened into thin crimson slits. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be training?"
"Oh come on! You only got back yesterday. You can't expect to just start bossing us around just like that."
"Not only do I expect it, but I am doing it. Get off your arse, Granger, and get to the gym. I refuse to have an unfit blader on my team, so unless you want to sit the next Championship out, get training!"
Tyson stood, grumbling under his breath before he moved toward the doorway, Max trying to hide his smile as he stood.
"Great to have you back, Kai."
Think Max is really happy? :p