Chapter 38

Shirogane Ayumi Asagi Senko: I would have to agree with you. Leaving anything to Tyson's imagination is a bad thing.

M.S.K: Poor Ty? You just see what I do to him now. :p

Tears from heaven: I can write the chapters for my next fic longer. This fic was completed before I began putting it on FF.N. I've made sure that the chapters in Ketsuron are longer though.

Kuroneko Hikage: Yeah, you do have to kinda feel sorry for Tyson, making an ass of himself. And a chapter overview? Goody goody. :D

Prozacfairy: Ray is good at keeping everyone's secrets, methinks. And yes, Tyson is indeed a klutz. And I'm older than you! Ha ha ha! (sorry, couldn't resist)

dark-anime-slave: Better not do that. Won't you need your arse to sit on? :p

Hikaru-chan-4ever: Practice makes perfect. If he practices cooking, he might get better at it. And he does deserve to clean up that mess. They're lucky the fire alarm didn't go off. Kai probably switched it off knowing Tyson. ;)

huh: Glad to have you back. How can I forget anyone with a screen name like yours? Holidays overseas? I wish I could holiday out of the state. Better yet: holiday. I think I've ever holidayed twice in my lifetime, and that was when a friend invited me away. No, wait... make that three times. I forgot about Manifest - Melbourne Anime Festival. ((sweatdrop))

babymar-mar: My bi friends a girl, only she's swinging toward lesbian at the moment. Doesn't stop her drooling over hot male actors though. :p

Nights Child: Like Kai, do you? You picked a good time to join in. This time next week and I'll be putting up the first chapter of Ketsuron. This should be good. :D

Zap Cannon: YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! ((pounces on LeeKev plushies and vanishes amongst them))

Ashla: Oh yes. Very trying. :p ;)

Kawaii Neko-jin Lover: Um... what? Is that even a word?!?

Koneko no Rei: Heh. I've still got a week til Summer School, where I'll spend two 9am-5pm weeks, then a week off, then back to uni for real. One week of bliss... filled with homework. Damn these pre-course assignments.

lilmatchgirl007: Lee kicked butt in season 1, including Tyson's butt. Admittedly he did that again this season, and Miguel did cheat, but still. Though I must admit Lee's breakdown shows how unstable he is. And Tyson is always an idiot.

GemGemJoo: Huh?

Chaco and Lily: Tala's hair on fire would be funny. In fact, anyone who seems to pay a lot of attention to their hair. To see that hair ruined... lol... :p

TNTiggris: I discovered, rewatching season one, that Kai never said capeesh. It was Enrique and Tyson, and Tyson made it sound cool. :p But it sounds a lot better coming from Kai.

Another time shift here. And some fun. Also, something Tyson referenced in Honesty II occurs here. See if you can spot it.

Ray looked up from his book and smiled as he heard the fighting. Moments later the front door of the apartment swung open, Kai and Tyson firing insults at each other as they came, dumping the groceries onto the counter as a worn out Kenny closed the apartment door. Max didn't even move from where he was playing the Playstation, used to the bickering.

It was almost three months now since they had arrived at the apartment, and already Kai and Tyson were back at each other's throats just as they had during the Championship. There was something about them that had them competing at every little thing, fighting over even the smallest of details.

Ray knew they had a deep respect for each other, and in fact thought very highly of one another, but there was just something about them that meant they could not go 10 minutes without trying to strangle the other.

Finally snapping, Tyson lunged at Kai, the elder twisting and catching the front of Tyson's shirt, Tyson letting out a yip as he flipped in midair and landing unceremoniously on his rump. Max glanced back and shot Ray an amused look, something the Chinamen was all to happy to return as Kenny groaned.

"Do you two have to insist on fighting?" he asked, shaking his head. "I swear you can't go a day without trying to kill each other."

Tyson rubbed his rear, glaring up at the Russian. "Does anything bring you down?"

Kai smirked. "Bryan and Tala can, but you're not them."

"I think I could." Ray closed his book, standing and moving toward the kitchen. "Bring Kai down, I mean."

Kenny shot him a glare. "I thought you said you wouldn't use sexual references and innuendo."

"I'm not using sexual references and innuendo, though it's also true." Ray crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the boyfriend. "I'm just saying that I could drop Kai."

"Like to see you try," Tyson pushed himself to his feet. "The guys immoveable. Nothing I try works."

"You've just got to know how."

"Oh yeah, and how's that?"

Ray smirked as he continued to move, Kai watching him curiously where he stood by the counter. Crimson eyes narrowed as Ray moved passed him toward the fridge. In a blur of movement Ray spun on his heel, catching Kai under the arm and in one precise movement he sent the team captain flying to land heavily on his back, winded.

For a long while there was silence, Max blinking. "Oookaaay. Remind me to never piss off Ray."

Kenny swallowed. "You're telling me."

Ray moved across the space, dropping to kneel beside Kai as he chuckled, helping the other sit up. "You okay?"

Kai fought to regain his breath, overcoming his shock as he looked up into Ray's eyes. "In some countries it's illegal to knock around your partner, you know."

Ray grinned, running his hands through Kai's hair to straighten it. "Guess I should have told you I'm a former junior champion of hand-to-hand combat in my village. Lee and I were forever competing for the title during the tournaments, and Kevin was just behind us."

Tyson looked up. "So you can fight?"

Ray nodded. "Just like you do Kendo."

"So who else can fight?" Tyson looked to the side. "Max?"

The blond shook his head. "I know a little self defence, but that's about it."

"Kenny?"

"I usually just run."

"Kai?"

"One of the things we got taught in the Abbey." Kai smiled faintly. "Of course, some of us were better than others. My style is very similar to Tala's, but I can still hold my own against Bryan though he is able to send Tala reeling in a blink of an eye." He chuckled. "Had plenty of opportunities to take them on."

Max looked up, interested. "So when was the last time you fought them?"

"Tala? Right before I left. We had a disagreement over who should have the remote for the tv and therefore pick what we watched."

Tyson smirked. "So who won?"

"I'm sure I would have in Bryan hadn't hoisted us up by the back of our shirts, dragged us into the bathroom, thrown us into the shower and turned on the cold water to make us cool down."

Ray snickered. "Definitely brothers."

Max, Tyson and Kenny stared at him blankly while Kai simply smiled. "Definitely."

Kenny looked around the room, frowning. "So let me get this straight, all four of you know some form of self-defence and martial arts?"

"It would appear that way," Tyson said with a smile. "Why? You feeling a tad left out? We could teach you-"

"Ah, no!" Kenny shuddered. "I don't like violence!"

Ray chuckled. "Then you picked one hell of a sport to specialise in."

"Bryan didn't mean that you know." Kai looked toward Ray, before he smirked and looked toward Tyson. "Oh yeah, and Tala was holding back."

"WHAT!?" Tyson's eyes flashed as he clenched his fists. "Why I oughta-"

They all looked up as the phone rang, Kenny stepping toward it and answering. For a long while he was silent, nodding once before turning. "It's for you, Ray. It's Gary."

Ray frowned, pushing himself to his feet and taking the phone. "Gaz?"

"Thought you oughta know," the other said. "Mariah had the baby this morning."

Ray blinked. "Already!?"

"It was premature. They say it happens when mother so young. Mariah okay though. Baby be fine too."

Ray ran a hand through his hair, aware his teammates were watching, Kai pressing himself slowly to his feet. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Every single one of his teammates swore, some more graphically than others, and with three languages represented. Ray would have smiled had the situation not been so serious.

"It's a girl. No name yet." Gary paused. "She got dark hair, yellow eyes."

Ray slumped heavily against the counter. Both he and Lee shared these two physical characteristics, meaning there was still some hope yet. "Who… does she look like?"

A long pause. "Mariah."

Ray swore. "She's gonna have to put it through the tests."

"Yeah. Your dad already told her that. She not wanting too yet."

"Trust Mariah to want to drag this out." Ray sighed, shaking his head. "Have you told Lee?"

"Yeah. He and Kev not happy. Lee upset. Kev calming him down."

"Change." Ray shook his head again, the brightness of the day suddenly diminished, leaving him feeling cold, bare and, for the most part, trapped. "Thanks for calling, Bear."

"You be careful, Tiger."

"Yeah."

So Mariah's had her baby. Fic's almost over now. Nearly up to where Honesty begins.