Chapter Four

Long Time No See!

Rei's face had gone completely red. He just stared at Kai. Kai loomed closer.

"Well, Rei? What happened to Mariah?" he asked again. Rei opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. He didn't know what to say.

"Well? I'm waiting." said Kai.

"I-I-I..." Rei stammered, trying to think of something to say. Kai continued to stare Rei in the face. He won't give up, Rei thought.

"Rei...I'm waiting..." Kai said. Rei turned, and walked out of the back yard.

"Where are you going!" Kai demanded.

"For a walk! Do you mind!" Rei yelled over his shoulder. Kai shrugged his shoulders, and went inside.

"Where's Rei going?" Max asked.

"For a walk. I think I got him pissed or something." Kai answered. Everyone looked at each other, except Kai.

-X-

Rei looked at the water of the calm flowing stream that lay beneath the bridge.

"Shit…" he sighed. Suddenly, Rei heard someone behind him. He sharply turned around, but there wasn't anyone there. He looked around, then turned back to look at the stream. Someone's here, Rei thought, I know someone is. Then, he heard another sound, and sharply turned again. Standing there, was Carmen.

He stood there, staring at her. She stood there, on the opposite side of the bridge. Her hands were tightly clamped around the railing, looking shocked. Her long black hair draped around her face, part of her bangs covered part of her face.

"You followed me here, didn't you?" Rei asked.

"No, I didn't." Carmen answered, her grip on the rail was still tight and her shoulders were tense. Rei shook his head slightly.

"You lied. Why?" Rei then asked. Carmen hesitated before answering.

"I-I-I.. Rei.." she stammered, looking like something dreadful had just happened.

"Explain." Rei demanded. Carmen stared at him coldly in the eyes. Rei waited for her to explain.

"I don't have to explain." she said after awhile.

"Yes you do!" Rei said sternly. The same girl with red hair walked up to Carmen, but stopped a few steps away.

"C'mon Carmen, we'd better go." she said. The girl had a bit of an Irish accent. Carmen looked at her.

"Right behind you, Alex." Carmen said, looked at Rei, then the two girls left.

-X-

"So close!" Rei muttered as he entered the garden, later that night.

"REI! Where were you!" Hilary exclaimed as he got inside.

"I went for a walk." Rei answered simply. Rei shot Kai an odd look. Kai shook his head slowly, like knowing what Ray's expression meant. Rei let out a sigh of relief.

-X-

The next morning, since they didn't have a match for the tournament, they decided to go to a restaurant.

"I love this place! It's got the best food!" Tyson exclaimed as they sat down.

"Tyson, you like all foods!" Max said. Everyone laughed. A girl with long black hair that was pulled back into a high pony tail and wore a blue uniform (Like the one that Ray wears in the first season, at the restaurant where he had a job at) brought the appetizers.

"So, who's going to take the first spin for our next match?" Kenny asked.

"I think we should wait until we know who we're facing, Chief." Kai said.

"Yeah. But what if we're facing The Demons?" Max asked, looking at Rei.

"Then I'll spin only when Carmen spins." Rei stated. Later, as they discussed different matters and strategies, and were just being served some tea, Kenny spoke.

"Rei, why exactly did you want to look up The Demons last night?" he asked.

"I was just curious, that's all." Rei answered.

"Be sure to tip your waitress!" a voice chimed. They all looked up at their waitress, and sure enough, it was..

"Carmen!" they all exclaimed.

"What're you doing here? I thought you were too low to fit in a place like this." Tyson snapped.

"I work here, as a matter of fact!" Carmen snapped back.

"And why should we tip you?" Tyson snapped again.

"Because I'm your waitress." Carmen snapped again, then walked away.

"Grrrr... She makes me so pissed!" Tyson muttered.

"Tyson, just relax!" Rei said.

"How can I if sh-- Oh no!" Tyson said.

"What!" everyone asked.

"If she was our waitress all along, then she must've heard our strategy and battle plan!" he exclaimed.

"So now we have to change that." Rei said.

"Yeah, and just when we had it all figured out, too!" Max complained.

-X-

Later that day, they all were by the stream.

"This has been a rather… Odd day." Rei said quietly.

"Aw, cool!" someone cried from somewhere nearby.

"Who was that?" Hilary asked, looking around.

"Don't know. It was probably just some people doing tricks or something." Kai said, closing his eyes and relaxing. The sounds of roller blades and skateboards sounded on the bridge above.

"Where'd you learn that trick, Carmen?" a boy's voice asked. Rei gave everyone the signal not to do or say anything.

"I made it myself, Maxxie boy." Carmen's familiar voice answered.

"Cool! Think you can teach it to me?" the same boy asked.

"Yeah, I suppose I could teach you Max." Carmen said.

"Teach us too!" the others piped up.

"Alright! Alright! I'll teach all of you!" Carmen said.