Chapter 15: More of Rika's reletives

"GET OUT!""Oh boy, we're all gonna die..." Andi muttered, her ear pressed against the door.It was early in the morning, but everyone was already up and about. Last night Rika had finally eaten as much ice cream as she could handle, Ray and Sasha forced to drag her to her room. Kai of course, had disappeared last night and no one had seen him this morning either. At the moment, Ray and Rika were having another fight. Well...Rika was doing all the screaming."OUT OUT OUT!""But that's not it! I didn't mean it that way!""OUUUUT!"Andi blanched as Ray approached the door. Running around like a headless chicken, she finally ducked around the corner so no one caught her spying. Rika's hotel door opened and Ray stepped out, rubbing his ears."I know you're there." Ray said, staring in her direction."Busted!" she laughed, stepping back into view, "So what did you say this time?" she asked."Nothing.""Hey, I was the one spying, I know you said she ate ice cream like a pig!" Andi snickered, remembering how much screaming had gone on after he had mentioned that."I speak the truth, nothing more." Ray smirked.Andi sighed. "Figures you'd have to set her off this early. Haven't you learned not to talk to her in the morning?" she teased."Whatever, I enjoy pushing her buttons." Ray replied.Andi rolled her brown eyes. "Anyway, you can help me look for Rayne, ok?" she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him off down the hall.

"It's so early here, how's a girl supposed to catch her beauty sleep?" a soft voice yawned.Pale, slender legs crossed as the owner stretched and shifted on her seat. Another plane rumbled as it took off into the sky."I almost wish I had asked them to pick me up!" she mumbled again, twirling a strand of cornflower blonde hair around her finger.Pale green eyes darted around at all the people walking past her. Fussing over her skirt and curve-showing top, the girl rose, delicately picking up her suitcase."I guess it's about time I surprise them!" she said, strutting away in her platform shoes.

"Knock, knock!" Sasha chirped, pushing Kai's hotel door open.Kai cracked an eye open as the girl bounced inside, closing the door behind her."Hey, you don't look to good! You sick?" she asked, noticing Kai was still lying in his bed.He didn't answer, looking flushed. Sasha crept up beside him, peering down at his sweat-covered face. She touched his forehead; surprised to feel it was burning hot."You are sick!" Sasha stated."What clued you in?" Kai sneered, clothes sticking to his damp skin."Well I don't know...the fact you have a fever, you look like you're gonna hurl and how sweaty you are considering it's a pretty cool morning!" Sasha replied sarcastically, placing her hands on her hips."Don't patronize me unless you want me sick on you!" Kai barked, voice raspy."Oh yeah, I forgot to add a soar throat." Sasha grinned.Kai glared, eyes bloodshot."Jeez, you need to get some sleep!" Sasha said, leaning over and squinting at his brown eyes, "But hold on a sec, I'll get you a damp cloth for your forehead." She volunteered, disappearing into his bathroom.Kai almost wished he had asked for a pail or something as his stomach rolled and his head spun."You know, I used to get this kinda thing all the time in the summer back home. If you care, it's probably just a 24-hour thing, so you won't miss your tournament." Sasha commented from the bathroom, the sounds of running water meeting his ears."What's taking you so long?" Kai snapped as a heat wave rolled through him."Ok ok, keep your shirt on!" Sasha cried, ringing out the aqua colored washcloth.Walking back to his bedside, she brushed his bangs out of the way as she placed the ice-cold cloth on his forehead. She stepped back hurriedly; afraid he would get sick on her."Don't worry, I'd save my vomit for more important people." Kai said sarcastically.Sasha smiled. "I'll let that one slide since you're acting like you're on your deathbed but you know what I will do? I think this little pest will play nurse until you're feeling better, that way Tyson won't find and kill me for accidentally knocking his breakfast off the table this morning!" she said, clapping her hands in glee.Grabbing a chair, she plopped down backwards on it, resting her arms on the back. Still far enough away so he couldn't spew his breakfast on her."Do you not have a life? I can handle myself just fine!" Kai said, sitting up against the headboard, head starting to spin again.Turning his head, he scowled murderously."Are you sure? Your face looks all puckered up!" Sasha laughed."Go away! I don't need this, you're not helping." Kai growled."So? This is funny! The all-powerful Kai is sick and stuck in bed! This couldn't be any more hilarious!" Sasha laughed even harder, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.Kai leaned his head back on the headboard as the chills started to replace the heat waves.This was going to be a long day...

"Tyson, you're such a cheater!" Rayne cried, throwing her handful of cards down."Couldn't be! Tyson isn't smart enough to pull something like that off!" Max laughed, switching cards around in his hand."Hey! I just have talent! Which goes for everything else as well!" Tyson replied, a cocky grin spreading across his face."Really? Then what's that sticking out of your sleeve?" Dizzi asked from Kenny's lap.Tyson yelped as the hidden cards fell on to the carpet."If you're going to cheat Tyson, do it right." Kenny said, typing away at his laptop.The gang was hanging out in Tyson's room, playing card games. For early in the morning, it sure felt like one of those boring afternoons."Since no one seems to want to play nicely what else should we do?" Max asked, setting down his cards."I swear if you say 'eat' Tyson, I'm gonna strangle you." Derek said, shuffling the cards."That's right! I still have to get Sasha back for ruining my breakfast!" Tyson cried.Rayne shook her head in exasperation. "It's not like you didn't get up and get double what you had." she said."Funny you haven't died from artery failure." Rika said from the doorway, deciding to venture out of her room."WE'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU GUYS!" Andi yelled from down the hall, catching sight of Rika in the doorway."I guess not if you didn't think to come in here!" Max said.Andi skidded into the room, dragging Ray with her."I'M NOT A PIG!" Rika yelled, pulling hard on Ray's band of hair."And to think I was stupid enough to assume you were over that!" Ray replied, reaching behind him to try to dislodge her."That's why we've all learned not to assume anything with girls." Derek said matter-of-factly."Translation please?" Rayne asked."Males have a tendency to open their big mouths to females at the wrong time." Dizzi answered."No argument there!" Rika replied.Tyson raised an eyebrow, confused already."Need some help?" Andi asked, smirking."Yeah, I'd like to buy a vowel." Tyson answered.

Kai moved the cloth across his face, little red dots popping up in his field of view. Sasha was still giggling like an idiot, which wasn't helping the fact he was going upchuck his whole stomach. The insane girl beside him slowly started to calm herself, finally succeeding in stopping her laughing altogether."Are you cold or something?" she asked, finally noticing how bad he was shaking."No. I'm shaking because I'm having a seizure, what do you think?" Kai snapped, not sure of the depth of this girl's stupidity."Ok, hold on-" Sasha began, but was cut off as Kai suddenly stumbled out of his bed and staggered into the bathroom.
The door closed and she heard the toilet seat slam upwards as Kai emptied himself of his stomach contents. Sasha made a face as he continued to get sick into the toilet until she wondered what he could possibly have left in his stomach.Kai panted as another wave of vomiting hit him. Pulling back, he wiped his mouth and leaned his head on the cool porcelain, his chest rising and falling rapidly. A timid knock sounded on the door as Sasha poked her head inside.
"Are you ok?" she asked, offering him a glass of water.Kai took it and quickly gulped it down, trying to rid himself of the aftertaste and sooth his raw throat. She hesitantly reached over and rubbed his back as he continued to pant. After a while, Sasha guided him to his feet and led him back to his bed, Kai falling onto the covers like a corpse. He started to shiver again so she pulled his blanket around him, bundling him up in the covers.'Even though he's a jerk, I can't help but feel sorry for him. At least I know he won't get sick on me now.' Sasha thought, sitting on the edge of Kai's bed.Kai closed his eyes as he felt a warm hand fall on his shoulder. He was positive it wasn't humanly possible to feel much worse than this. Sasha smiled faintly as his breathing even out again as he sat curled in the blankets. She squeezed his shoulder as he shivered from his chills.Sasha bit her lip as she gazed at his face, his blue triangles standing out on his incredibly pale skin. She vaguely wondered if he had anyone to take care of him when he was sick at his home. Folding her leg under her, she continued to mull over Kai and his home.'Maybe that's why he's so lonely, no one takes care of him where he lives. That's why he's so detached.' Sasha thought to herself, making up her own little explanation.She broke out of her thoughts and tilted her head at Kai, seeing him in a whole new light. Leaning forward hesitantly, she brushed her lips against his dry ones, soothing the raging heat of his skin. Sasha pulled back just as quickly, mentally kicking herself for provoking him.

Kai snapped his eyes open as he felt the slight brush against his lips. Raising his hawk-like eyes to the source, the hand on his shoulder dropped away.
"Uh-oh, my bad Kai, I didn't-" Sasha started to babble but was cut off as lips came crashing down on hers, feverish heat spreading across her cheeks.'Kai's gone psycho!' was the only thought that popped into her head.An unsteady hand came up to cup her cheek, pressing her lips more securely against his. Kai's other hand ran up her arm, up to her other cheek, his fingers curling around the back of her neck. Sasha snickered in her head at his rough kiss, knowing he hadn't kissed many girls before. She reached up and clutched both of his shaking, clammy hands before pulling them down and slowly pulling away from him. Smiling around her furious blushing and bruised lips, she stuck her tongue out."Now you probably made me sick too." She teased, still holding his larger hands in her own.His brown eyes were inquiring her silently. "Tough luck." Was all he said.Sasha met his piercing gaze unfaltering, refusing to be intimidated by some sick, totally-out-of-it boy who calls her a pest. Smiling even wider, she pushed him back onto the covers and rose."Kai, you stay and get some sleep, alrighty?" Sasha said, starting for the door."And by the way...you definitely need more practice at that!" Sasha said, giggling before closing the door behind her.First rule of thumb, keep your calm and never act like a lovesick puppy. Better to keep control than let the guy's ego inflate.Not that it was anymore possible for Kai.Giggling insanely, she took off down the hall, almost smacking into a wall because of how dazed she was.Go figure.

Stepping out of a cab, a girl with cornflower blonde hair and pale green eyes stared at the hotel. Walking up the steps, holding her suitcase daintily, the girl pulled open the door and stepped inside."Wow, it only took me forever to find this place." She said to herself.Catching the eye of a hormone-crazed bellhop, she smiled, showing off sparkling white teeth. Almost immediately, the young man came over."Excuse me but I'm looking for some people that are staying in this hotel..." She trailed off, hoping this boy was as dense as he looked and would tell her."And who are you looking for Miss?" the bellhop asked, practically drooling on his shoes."I'm looking for my little sister, if I told you her name could you tell me what room she's in?" the girl asked."Uh...could I have your name?" the boy asked, leaning forward."It's Dawn." The girl answered, not bothering to mention her last name."Right, well let's have a look in the hotel's book then." The boy said, leading her to the front desk where he pulled open a large brown book."The person I'm looking for is Rika Tanaki, is she staying here?" Dawn asked, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger."Yeah she is, in room 116." The bellhop answered after flipping through pages."Ok, thank you!" Dawn said hurriedly, heading for the elevator at top speed.'It's the same in every country, guys always wanting my name. Ew, how very disturbing...' Dawn thought to herself.
Ray's eyebrow twitched.After seven games of various card games, Rika had managed to beat him every time. The others had long since quit and were content watching the two play. Of course it didn't help that she had a smug little smirk planted on her face."Give it up Ray-MOND, I know you suck, you know you suck and just about everyone else knows you suck." Rika said, smirking at him over her hand of cards."Oink, oink..." He retorted.Rika growled, shifting in sudden anger."Hey! Cheater!" Derek cried, pointing at cards stuck under the table on Rika's side.Ray's eyebrows shot up, lips quirking ever so slightly. "Cheating, huh? Not surprising.""What's that supposed to mean? If you weren't too busy planning your victory dance, YOU WOULD'VE NOTICED!" Rika said, placing her cards on the table."Now you're gonna get it." Ray growled playfully, lunging at the unsuspecting girl.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Dawn paused outside room 116, staring off down the hall where the scream had come from. As she continued to stare with an eyebrow raised, a door flew open and a familiar girl ran out, followed by a boy who was chasing her around."Get away from me Wonder-boy! Get. Away. From. Me!"Dawn blinked. Since when did her little sister have guys chasing after her? A miracle he was still alive.Picking up her suitcase, she walked towards them.The boy had his arms wrapped around her waist from behind and was swinging her around in circles. She was yelling at him at the top of her lungs, oblivious to Dawn's approach. But the boy caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and stopped, one arm still wrapped around her little sister's waist.Dawn stopped as well and lowered her gaze to Rika. She paused then jumped out of the boy's grasp, stepping towards her."...Don't mind that, he like to hug people." Rika said, waving an arm at the boy behind her.Dawn nodded slowly, raising her eyes back up to the boy."Pretty cute...but I thought you said you only went for city boys." Dawn said, sizing the boy up.The boy's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, crossing his arms over his chest. Rika's lips twitched and she forced a stiff smile on her face."He's not my boyfriend." She all but growled."If you say so, but I'd sink your claws into him now before some other girl does!" Dawn chided, wagging a finger.Rika scowled. "Did you come here for some reason other to advice me on my love life?" she asked."Excuse me, but who exactly are you?" the boy asked, pinning her with golden eyes."What? You mean you haven't told your boy toy about me?" Dawn asked, dropping her suitcase."Boy toy? Ugh, not in your life! And no, I haven't!" Rika answered, lavender eyes flashing brilliantly.Dawn giggled and turned to Ray. "Hiya! I'm Dawn, Rika's sister. Who're you?"Ray stared. More relatives."I'm Ray." He said.Dawn blinked and squinted at him. Looking him up and down, she finally smiled."Ray from the Bladebreakers!" Dawn cried, pointing."Yeah...that's right..." Ray said slowly, wondering how all these people knew him.Before anyone could say anything else, a loud thumping sound could be heard as someone bounded down the hall. Sasha came tearing around the corner and froze, cocking her head at Dawn.
"Dawnie!" Sasha giggled, running up to give the girl a hug."Ok people, who's talking to their imaginary friend out here?" Andi asked, poking her head out the door.Catching sight of Sasha glomping her cousin she laughed and joined in. Everyone else had heard the glomp-fest going on from inside the room, so everyone stepped into the hallway. Rayne rolled her eyes."Your family's stalking you." She said, glancing at Rika."No kidding..." Rika muttered."Hey guys, lets go and catch up somewhere! I have so much to tell you!" Dawn said."Awesome, gossip time!" Derek laughed.Rika sighed and followed her friends and family as they took off down the hall again, intent on getting a hotel room for Dawn."Ok...I'm lost." Tyson said.

Hanging out in Dawn's hotel room, they were catching up on everything that had happened. Sasha nearly going through the roof when Rayne had said that Kai hated her guts."So why are you here?" Rika asked.Dawn grinned. "Well it is my sweet sixteen tomorrow!""And you came all the way across the world to celebrate it?" Derek asked, raising an eyebrow.Dawn's grin became wider. "Not only that, I've come to train you guys for your tournament! I can teach you some new techniques; some new attacks and improve your blades. I'm your secret weapon!"Rika smirked.Dawn might not have seemed it, but she actually had her own beyblade, bit beast and an undefeated streak. If all went well, they might have an extra edge at the tournament."Wait. How are we supposed to do any preparation if we only have one day?" Rayne asked."Easy. We start your training right now!" Dawn said, snapping her fingers."Let's just go with the flow guys! It's better to take every chance we can to get stronger." Sasha said."All right then girls, lets get some major training done!" Andi cheered, pumping a fist."Uh...I'm gonna go hang with the guys if you don't mind..." Derek said, grinning."No probs. Catch ya later!" Rika called as the group headed off for who knows where.

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