Disclaimer: I don't own it

Chapter 2

Kai, who had only chuckled alongside his laughing friends, stood up from his stool and went to the porch door, that opened into a warm summernight. A thoughtful-brooding look was on his face and he remained standing there and looked out into the garden. He had his arms crossed over his chest and his long scarf swayed softly in the fragrant breeze.

Max yawned and stretched his arms over his head: "I'm going to bed…" his speech was already coming out blurred, "Kai sure'll call off 'morrows early training session, won't ya Kai?"

Kai gave no indication that he had even heard Max' question, which didn't disturb the cheerful blond blader the least. He was used to Kai's behaviour.

Rei's stool scraped over the floor as he also got up from the table: "I'm going too. Dizzi, thank you for helping Drigger out at the World Championship."

"It was my pleasure," the laptop answered.

Rei and Max left the room for the dormitory and Kai stepped out of the kitchen into the garden. He needed a calm nighttime stroll to rearrange his thoughts. Dizzi's talk had given him much to think of. As he passed the small pond glittering in the moonlight, he heard the dimmed voices of Kenny and Hilary in the kitchen accompanied by clappering of dishes. He took his stroll farther down the garden and then out onto the still streets of the city.

As he returned into the kitchen some indefinitable time later, Hilary had left and Kenny leaned on the table, his head resting on his forearms, snoring faintly.

The laptop was standing open. Kenny must have slept in while working, Kai thought. A screensaver showing some Beybattle was active and Kai proudly recognised his Dranzer fighting. He couldn't discern who his opponent was, because the scenery changed and revealed Draciel fighting Michel's Trygle.

Pensievely Kai stared at the laptop for some time, as suddenly a small voice piped up.

"What's up, Kai?" The screensaver vanished and revealed the moving diagram of Dizzi. Instantly he realised that it was Dizzi who had spoken. He hadn't recognised her whispering voice at first.

"Nothing," he answered coolly, disgruntled, because she had taken him by surprise.

"I see." The laptop whispered, but he knew Dizzi didn't believe his words.

Kai stared at the laptop for a few minutes, then he opened his mouth again: "I might have some question."

"Feel free to ask." Dizzi whispered, "Please take me to the other side of the table, so I don't have to whisper. And do it without waking Kenny up, he doesn't like me being touched by anyone else. He's quite possesive you know…"

Kai only nodded sharply, his eyes narrowed. Does she think I'm stupid? I also would get mad if someone tried to touch my Dranzer.

With slow, precise movements he pulled the laptop away from Kenny and sat down with it at the other side of the table.

Dizzi sighed inwardly. Kai was being difficult again. He sat there, staring at her with his arms crossed and watched the different Beybattles as the screensaver again got active after several minutes of silence.

Dizzi watched the lights of the screensaver play over the pale skin of Kai's face. She purposedly showed him mostly his own battles to see how he reacted. She thought she might have seen some sliver of of emotion in his grey eyes, when he saw his defeats, but in truth his face remained unreadable.

She grew bored, waiting for him to finally speak, so she put in videos of himself and Black Dranzer. Immediately upon seeing the pictures he flinched noticeabley. Out of sole interest she showed him the pictures again. Kai didn't flinch again, but visibly tensed. Yet his guarded expression didn't fade and his mouth remained shut.

She put in his once victory over Tyson, then again the Black Dranzer videos, seeing him scowling upon the pictures and pressing his lips together, but otherwise the slate-and black haired boy showed no reaction.

Suddenly she felt the presence of Dranzer tugging at her. She shifted her attention to her fellow bitbeast, who had made his presence known in her laptop's little 'chatroom'.

What the holy fire do you think you are doing!

I'm trying to get some reaction out of the ice captain. Dizzi answered calmly, he wanted to ask me something, but hasn't said a word..

Dranzer growled. You know that he will talk when he is ready. And just for you to know, he is not the heartless ice captain you imagine him to be! There is a very hot flame burning…

…inside him, yes I know Dranzer, Dizzi interrupted wearily, you have told me so very often already.

Seemingly not nearly often enough! Dranzer exclaimed, You have no right to torture him like that! Don't you think that these awful pictures haunt his dreams often enough? He hasn't ceased feeling guilty!

A new voice charged into the conversation, slow, but angry. Not guitly enough! I cannot see how you can forgive him so easily, Dranzer. He has betrayed you for that evil creature that claims even your name!

Shut up, Draciel! the phoenix exclaimed hotly, You don't know what you talk abou! Your boy is a little sunny nature, never had anything bad happened to him. How should you know what it feels like!

Draciel spoke far slower and calmer than Dranzer as he answered him, You seem to think that Max character is shallow just because there is not so much pain in his soul. I assure you that Max is in his depth as complex as Kai is. And, in contrary, he is at least loyal to me!

Dizzi could feel the phoenix fuming. Dranzer, please calm down, my processor is overheating.

And Kai is gripping my blade so tightly, it must be crushing soon! Stop showing him these pictures! Dranzer shouted Can't you see that my little phoenix is suffering!

Dizzi ..relented and changed the videos showing in the screensaver to some neutral ones, partly because Dranzer had asked her to, partly because she had sensed the tension in the boy increasing over the few seconds that the bitbeast's conversation had dured. Unfortunately, Kai did not relax, but the pain of seen pictures was still visible in his steelgray eyes.

A/N: More of shorter chappie this time. Did you like the bitbeasts? I think it was fun writing them talk. I imagine them somehow connecting together in Dizzi's laptop, like a little chatroom, where the bitbeasts remain in their blades and still have these little meetings...