A/N : Hey guys, remember me? It's Phyrefly! That's right, she's not dead! Feel free to celebrate looks around … all right, then. Don't celebrate. Be that way.

Anyway, I'm so sorry for the horribly long wait. I'm obviously an awful person. I will attempt to explain more in an A/N at the end, but right now I'd rather you read the story. But since it has been many months, I'll give a little summary of what's happened up til now.

BRIEF SUMMARY:

China is an AU story in which the Beyblade characters are living in a city that has lost all its power. Kai and his brother Dmitri have been living in their abandoned house (their parents died… read back for an explanation in chapter 1 I believe) but since they're running so low on supplies Dmitri took it upon himself to go get stuff with Gary and left Kai to guard the house.

Because there is no electricity, the kids in the city went psychotic and started forming gangs. These gangs rule over the streets and are exceptionally violent at night when no one can see them. Once Dmitri was gone for a long time, Kai decided to go looking for him and stumbled upon a mute and obviously disturbed Tala. He remembers Tala from the time they spent at the Abbey together (hence the flashbacks) and is trying to find out what's wrong with him as well as trying to figure out what to do now that his brother is missing.


China

The Rain Is Sharp Like Today

"I wish you'd speak to me, Tal," Kai mumbled, crouching low out of habit as he passed the threshold of the door. His eyes darted from wall to wall as he gently tugged on the redhead's hand to get him to follow. Realizing the other hadn't moved at all, Kai turned around without relinquishing his grip.

"Tal? Tala, you all right?" Kai raised an eyebrow, watching in cautious concern.

Head ducked, the redhead nodded meekly and allowed himself to be led into his seemingly abandoned house. The remnants of fire-engine red shutters clattered noisily against rotting wood making Kai wince as he sat Tala down on the edge of a slightly mouldy coach. Pushing him so he wasfully sittingon the coach, Kai walked over to the large window, with its chunks of glass sticking out haphazardly from the frame, and looked out.

As a final cloud swooped over the faintly glistening moon, Kai risked a last glance at the near-comatose Tala before the black became a suffocating blanket over all. Most candles had long since burned out, most flashlights had run out of batteries, all that was left were the few bonfires raging in run-down backyards.

Kai didn't exactly know how to light a fire without a match, however, and even if he knew how, the dropping temperature and heavy moisture made it apparent that a large rainstorm was coming.

It was perfect, really.

With a scowl, the silver-blue haired boy found a large blanket with only a few holes from a nearby bed (managing to stub his toe twice and run into three different walls) and draped it over the rail above the window.

Heaving a quiet sigh, Kai retraced his steps back to where he believed he had left Tala. A gentle hand traced down the redhead's shoulder and arm before resting atop his wrist.

With care, Kai guided Tala to lie on his back on the creaking coach he'd been sitting on. Kai then located another, smaller, blanket with less effort and draped it over the other's prone form.

"Tala, Tala, Tala," He murmured desolately, "What happened to you?"

Whistling through the broken panes behind the makeshift curtain, the wind threatened the two boys. The shelter was a measly one, but Kai figured it could hold up. His main concern was his former best friend. But since, at the moment, there was nothing he could do about Tala; Kai let his thoughts drift to his other main concern.

Dmitri.

In reality, there was only one option for him now. His hand skirted the thin blanket he'd draped over the redhead before rising to gaze out one of the few windows that actually had glass. White stained the windowpane as he breathed against the surface.

He couldn't leave his brother out there, couldn't leave him any more than he could stop himself from caring about what could be happening to him. He could stay, take care of Tala and hope the older boy snapped out of whatever he was in. But then Kai would have to live with the constant, gnawing guilt of knowing that he'd left one of the two people he truly loved alone and abandoned, just like their parents have left them, whether voluntarily or not.

With a loud bang the rain started. It came down in torrents, waves of noise against the ground, the leafy canopies of leaves, and what remained of the Tala's roof. Sharp bursts of liquid splattered against the floorboards in random patterns throughout the redhead's home, making Kai's head turned towards where Tala was, the blackness impenetrable, however, to his eyes.

Ears attuned to the noise of the storm; Kai made his way over to Tala to check on him. After being reassured that the redhead was sleeping, the silver-blue haired boy found himself back at the window staring at the thick black curtains of night illustrated only by the sound of swiftly falling raindrops.

When a flash of light lit up the sky, Kai was partly glad he could actually see and more than a little concerned that Tala may wake up. Considering the unpredictability of the boy, Kai thought it better to have him unconscious while he thought things through.

After Kai's eyes stopped seeing blotches of light in the pitch dark, and before he became accustomed to the rhythm of the falling precipitation, another bout of thunder was heard, the noise torn from the throat of some ferocious creature in the heavens. Despite himself, Kai shuddered.

It was when lightning struck the second time that Kai noticed something, and only during the third did he finally realize what it was.

Forcing his eyes to stay on the area outside the window, even though the lightning caused it to burn blindingly bright due to the reflection off the slick pavement, Kai didn't look away and was rewarded with recognition.

There, out in the storm, was a person.

And even more outrageous, said person was limping with haste towards the housethe silver-blue haired boynow occupied.

Rubbing his stinging eyes, Kai tried to remember what he had done with the knives he had taken from home. The departing of his house seemed like a lifetime away, the memories of school and friends mere dreams amongst a wet, cold reality.

It didn't matter though, whoever was out in the rain appeared to be limping and even though Kai's ego was at a definite low (he'd been beaten by Tyson? Seriously?), he was still pretty positive that some limping kid- alone, drenched, and undoubtedly frozen, wouldn't be able to take him down.

Still, the waiting was the worst part.

Like a mother protecting her cub, Kai couldn't run outof the house andafter the other boy (because, from the distance he was at now, it was obvious he was a he) but simply waiting for the other to come to him was more frightening than he could've imagined.

In his mind Kai attempted to stay calm, surveying the injured man with a calculated stare whenever the lightning would flash. His eyes burned and he winced at every strike, but his fearful and protective nature wouldn't allow him to look away.

For a while there was no lightning, and Kai began to shift nervously. What if the thunder and lightning was done? He would be unprotected and with the rain covering the other man's noises that would usually be a dead giveaway for the super sensitive silver-blue haired boy…

But then the lightning flashed once more, accompanied by a rolling bout of the deep bass-like thunder, and the sight of the boy mere metres from the doorway.

Kai gasped in surprise and recognition.

"Gary!"


I apologize for the incredible shortness of this chapter. I just wanted to test the waters and climb back into the Beyblade fandom (since I've been out of it for so damn long) instead of diving. And I wanted to see if anyone still remembers my story. I'm not abandoning it, nor will I ever, but sometimes my brain goes on vacation and my fingers follow.

As for the absence? Basically a crazy Real Life schedule and a huge ass writers block. So manymanymany apologies to all my lovely readers (I truly do love each and every one of you) and I hope you're up for some more action because I think I have some ideas running around in my head.

Or at least, I hope I do.

Thanks for sticking with me!

MF – You know I love you, and thank you for being so damn patient with me and my horrendous computer troubles! You're awesomely awesome. I hope you update soon, I e-mailed you your chapter! And you know I always want more of your pictures!

Kammyh – Well… it started during a power outage at home. And then I was thinking about plots and plot ideas, and it just sort of … formed itself, I guess! I can't blame Boris, except I can think he's a dirty old man, heh

Spyrit Phoenix – I totally understand the procrastination. I'm sorry it took this long to update! He is a bit out of it, though I can't really elaborate because … well you'll see soon enough.

Lefty – Yeah, Adv. English bites ass. Except I loved it (I've got a new and far easier semester now!) though it does sort of suck your creativity out of you. But it also is very inspiring.

shady gurl – Well it wasn't technically 'soon' but I did update! I hope you're still reading!

coda – Oh there'll be far more Tala/Kai, but you may have to wait a tiny bit for it. I plan to have some making out in the dark eventually

HimekoSukie - You'll see, my friend. Sorry, again, that it took so bloody long to update! I truly appreciate your review.

Oh, and to The Hands of Fate and Destiny, if you're reading this, thanks for the kick in the pants, hun. I'm still alive, no worries, but I do appreciate the review!

Hope you're all still reading!

Love,

Phyrefly