Il Ladro Matrice

Chapter: 10

His Arcane Heart Breaks

Disclaimer: Beyblade is sadly not owned by Shimmering Moonlight

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"My, this is amazing." Rei marveled and gazed at the room in which the ball is to be held in.

"Indeed. Now we must go," said Tala. He grabbed Rei's hand and led him towards the end of the room.

There, he saw many people that he assumed to be the most important ones. They were all clothed elegantly and had many expensive accessories on and practically shined and sparkled from the overdose of gems and jewels they wore. As true as this may be, this wasn't what made Rei realize this… completely. It was how they had that jealous gleam in their eyes when they saw anyone, the look as though they are superior to everyone; their heads were raised high, chins up and just had that little stuck-up attitude. He wasn't one to stereotype others, so let's say a majority were being like that at this ball.

Tala waved and smiled at them. Rei's keen eyes helped him portray that Tala, too, thought of the same way he did. That smile was so phony. That's good to know, though. He didn't want to associate with selfish fools.

"Ah, there he is, Rei. Kai. The loner as usually. Meaning Tyson must be eating at the buffet. Come," Tala spoke eagerly and rushed Rei onward t Kai's direction.

Rei saw the sparkle of joy in his eyes. He couldn't help but smile at how Tala was acting. He was like a love obsessed school girl. Getting excited over seeing a mere person. Heh, humans just have that emotion that made them … alter. They become delighted about seeing a single flower, or watching a baby take a step for the first time.

Maybe he wasn't as bad as Rei thought. Humans were admirable creatures; he wanted to get closer to his other half even more now.

If only Kai would stop being blinded with the façade of everyone being the same; everyone having no compassion for him; everyone being too weak to be around him. Maybe Tala could make him see that people care. Heck, finding out that Tala was his cousin may help him believe that.

"Hello, Kai!" Tala grinned truly as he seated him self in front of him.

"Um… hi…?" Rei was stumped. Now that he thought about it, he was wearing a dress! For heaven's sake, it isn't hard for anyone who's seem him before to identify him since he did not have water balloons in his shirt for implants, and so much make-up that he looked like a clown. Damn, this wasn't a good situation.

"Rei, that isn't anyway to speak to someone," Tala said as though Rei just committed a sin.

Now how the hell did Tala know his name? Psh, Kai probably blabbed it to him after he left with the Caduceus. He almost forgot about that meeting. No wonder Tala didn't question him about how he knew Kai.

Rei felt used beyond words.

Kai looked at Rei suspiciously with a raised eyebrow. Sure, he made a pretty good looking girl, but he wasn't so dumb he couldn't remember a face. Whatever Tala was planning with Rei, it wasn't going to work. Damn Tala and the thoughts running through that deformed brain of his.

"What do you two want?" asked Kai bluntly. Act cool and calm while you get to the point and you won't be suspected of anything. He aimed focused eyes in their direction and didn't dare look away.

"Nothing special. Rei knew that I knew you so he came to see you for a change. Isn't he so kind?" Tala spoke admirable about Rei. As of Rei, he stood gapping at what a great lie he told. He spoke without a hint of lies in his voice. If Kai believed he was lying, then… Rei wouldn't know what to say. Just be in amazement.

Kai just grunted and looked away from them. Rei looked sorrowfully at him; he was being pretty colder than usually. It may be because of Tala, though. That made him look more sorrowful because Kai was hating a family member he didn't even know he had.

How lucky he was. Rei would do anything to just know-- just to see a photo of who his family was.

"I need to use the restroom, I shall be back. Why don't you two just chat it up?" he winked with a slight smirk and left. Meaning, he left those two alone. Kai staring in the opposite direction, and Rei blushing from being seen in a dress.

"Um… Kai?"

"Yes?" His voice held little interest in whatever Rei was about to say, but Rei chose to not let it get to him.

"Do you think you could not tell anyone about me wearing this dress?" with that said, it was Rei's turn to look away and his face to turn a deeper shade of red.

"I don't know, it could be good blackmail…" his voice trailed off into the distances.

Rei twisted his body sharply with fury plastered on his red face to see a conspicuous smile of Kai's face. Wow. Him … smiling … it was a pretty nice smile too. It was something one could get used to seeing because they like it, but not used to it since it's coming from Kai. It's both feelings mixed together.

Rei stared disbelievingly at Kai.

"I wasn't serious," Kai said with a risen eyebrow as his mouth curled questioningly.

Rei blinked and jumped slightly. He raised both of his arms and shook them as he said many denials about not knowing it was a joke. He couldn't let Kai know he was staring at him not out of fury. Much to Rei's agony, he began to blush … again.

"You blush easily. Is what I'm saying that bad?"

With that said, his blushed got bigger. "No! No! No! Of course not! It's just really hot in here. Yep! I should go outside to cool down a bit."

Rei mentally slapped himself. It was so hot that he was turning red. How lame and cliché. It'd actually surprise him if Kai would fall for it.

"Do you want me to go outside with you?" Kai asked.

"Yes! Uh, I mean, … sure … if you wan to that is…" Damn, I answered that quickly.

Kai stood and began waling towards the balcony with Rei trailing behind him. There, they sat in utter silence until they were accompanied by Tyson who forced them to speak. As the day passed by in a flash, not once did they encounter Tala.

"Hey, now that I think about it, why is Rei here and not Max? And who invited him?" wondered Tyson. Both him and Kai turned to face Rei as they awaited the answer.

It wasn't like he could answer that. He hadn't thought about it since he didn't think he would run into these two. He needed to come up with a desperate and reasonable lie. Ugh, that would take a while since he liked thoroughly thinking out the possibility of the lie being accurate. Think, Rei. Think!

"As you may know Tala invited me," started Rei. That part was easy to answer since it was the truth, but now he would have to explain why. "He invited since we have met before like how I have met you two. He happen to be pure coincidence that you two were also aware of him." That was a lie/truth too. He was getting good at this. Wait, that's bad. Ah crap.

"What about Max? asked Tyson anxiously. That seemed like the only thing he cared about.

"He got in trouble and … isn't allowed to leave the house, and … I didn't want him to feel bad about not getting the chance to come so … I didn't tell him that I'm here… so yeah. He doesn't know I'm here, but it is for a good cause, you know," Rei voice held guilt. Not guilt about not telling Max, which was what Kai and Tyson were thinking, but having to have to lie to them and doing this behind Max and Driger's back. They trusted him and knew he wouldn't do these kind of things, but he didn't have much of a choice. It was for their safety. For the entire home of the bit beast safety.

"Aw. I really wanted him to come, not that I don't mind you, Rei, but the more the merrier, right?" Tyson said to cheer up everyone.

"You're right, Tyson. Now let's continue enjoying the night."

"Ah, so there you two are. Now, now, Kai. Rei's my guest; you can't go and steal him from me," Tala spoke cunningly.

"Tch," he gave a cold stare in response.

"Anyway, since all three of you are here, which I was hoping, let me tell you a story." Tala seated himself in one of the armchairs that faced all three of them.

Rei stared intensely at Tala. Was he going to tell Kai that they were related? If so, how? And what would Kai reaction be?

"Kai, you may know that Ureshii is my mother, but what you didn't know was that your mother and my mother are sisters, making you and I cousins. Sadly, she isn't alive. I know she told you she would be coming back, but she isn't. At least you discovered we're related," Tala grinned.

Well, that explained how him and Ureshii knew Rei. Then learned it from Mitsu. Rei frowned. Why didn't she tell Kai?

Kai stared at him in shock. All kinds of emotions and ideas were running through his heart and mind. He just couldn't believe it. After all this time of waiting, he couldn't believe she was gone. He couldn't believe he was related to Tala. He couldn't believe anything that is being told to him. After all these years of creating this uncaring mask, it couldn't vanished. It couldn't.

He couldn't believe that in his arcane heart, he knew all of this already.

"You lie!" he shouted, "You're lying! Tell me that you're lying you liar!" He ran up to Tala and grabbed his collar and shook him viciously. Tears threatening to spill out. He refused to believe he knew all of this already. Tala was just screwing with him again.

"Nope. I read it in your mother's journal before your grandfather took it, then I went to my mother to have her confirm it. Much to my satisfaction, your grandfather is in no way related to me. Oh, the horror if it were so." Tala eyes squeezed shut at the idea. "Also, I'm not sure of exactly how she was killed, but I'm positive she's dead."

Kai let him go and ran off of the balcony into the crammed ballroom. Tyson blinked as all of this was slowly consuming in his mind; Tala smirked at his accomplishment. Rei pitied Kai and hated Tala.

He just blurted out the truth. Crushing Kai's dreams of reuniting with his mother. Even though in due time they were going to be crushed, now was much too early and it wasn't the correct way to say it to a confused person like that.

If Rei were to tell Kai how Mitsu died, how would he?

Could he accept the truth?

But most importantly of all, would he hate Rei for it?

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After much running, Rei caught up with Kai to see him curled up in a ball on top of a rock in the many gardens of the household. Seeing such a strong person appearing like this was heart breaking. He could hear Tyson in the distance calling Kai's name. Luckily for Rei, he was able to sniff out him.

He kneeled down in front of Kai and handed him an handkerchief in a hidden pocket in the inside of his dress. The dress was a mess. Running in this thing and high heels was extremely hard. My-God, what possesses women to make them wear such clothes.

"I'm not crying!" roared Kai. He slapped the handkerchief out of Rei's hand quite rudely.

He simply picked it up and placed it pack in the dress.

Kai still looked down at the floor with pure agony written all over his face. He couldn't face the fact that he knew this; even the cousin part.

Rei just sat there, looking at the top of Kai's head, as Kai refused to see anyone. His body shook violent has he struggled to keep his emotions in control, and prevent any tears from shedding. He refused to look to anyone. He could handle this mess alone. He needed no one to tell him what and how to do something. After all, it's a matter of his life and his future, and that's something no one could control.

After a few minutes of silence, Kai spoke. "I knew … I knew all along this was true…" he soft was close to a mumble, but Rei was able to catch it. Still, he didn't talk to Kai and let him continue. "I'm the one who's suppose to be brutally honest, and here I am not accepting the truth. My mother's dead and Tala's my cousin. Simple as that, right? But tell me, why does it hurt? Shouldn't I be happy?"

He waited a few moments to hear if Kai was going to keep going, but he didn't so he sighed and smiled a Kai. "Kai," he said. "Yes, you are sad about hearing how your mother died, that can't be helped. You dreamed she will return, but now you know she won't. I know something like that would extremely upset anyone, but do you think your own mother would want you waiting for her the rest of your life?" He looked hard at Kai as he slowly shook his head to the side signaling that meant no.

"Then live your life to the fullest. She gave birth to you to see her son grow big and strong. All she can do is watch you from the heavens."

He smelled the tears in Kai's eyes. They were close to pouring out.

"And discovering Tala was your cousin wasn't a let down for you," Rei continued. "You were just angry about how no one told you. Angry that your own mother didn't tell you. I know it hurts … a lot … but be glad to know that you do have a family member. Don't hate Tala and his mother because families are what make you. No one can survive with a pure ego alone. You will need support, and that's exactly what family and friends are for, Kai." Rei heart broke at the thought of anyone hating their family that showed them kindness. "Besides, I'm sure your mother loved them too" Rei said with a grin and a nod.

With that said, Kai couldn't hold it any longer and broke down in tears. He wasn't loud, or sniffed a whole lot, he just had tears. When one isn't used to tears and this kind of feeling, one couldn't help but do this.

Rei handed him the handkerchief and he gladly accepted it. Mutually, they both knew by him accepting the handkerchief was Kai's way of saying 'thank you' and 'you're welcome' for Rei.

He dabbed his eyes as Rei rubbed his back for comfort. He wasn't really sure if Kai was enjoying it but it seemed like a good idea at the time. If you was or wasn't, it didn't matter, he wasn't complaining and relaxed a little from the motions.

"Kai, do you want me to tell you something about myself?" Rei asked; still rubbing his back.

"If … you want … to," Kai said slowly so he couldn't start sniffing in between his words.

"I'm a half bit beast, in case you hadn't known," Rei said as he turned to the side.

"I figured that … out a … while ago. You and Max are." Kai shrugged and was still wiping his eyes.

Rei sighed in relief. If he knew that, then it eased him to tell him about his past life. And that should be told another time, maybe when they get closer, he'll tell him about his and Max's past.

"No, I don't hate … you and Max because of it. Neither does … Tyson," Kai said with a small hint of sincerity in his voice.

"Thank you, Kai." Rei smiled broadly and would have embraced Kai, but thought otherwise.

Once again, they sat in silence interrupted by a few sniffles from Kai who was trying his best to hold them in. Rei had stopped rubbing his back and was relaxing on the grass of the garden while Kai sat on a rock above him.

They heard Tyson yelling their names in the distance -- even though they can clearly been seen in the garden from where he was standing -- so they just waited for him to take notice of them.

Twenty minutes past and Tyson still hadn't found him. Another reasons for Kai to prove what an idiot he is.

"Ah, there you two are!" shouted Tyson as he slumped exhaustedly towards them. "I was searching everywhere for you!"

"We heard," came Kai's sarcastic tone.

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All three of them stayed in that garden with idle chitchat till the time to leave came. Once again, they didn't see Tala. Either, A, Tala felt bad about what he said. Or B, Tala was celebrating; it could be C, with Tala still looking for them in the most unlikeliest places. Inside they all knew Tala was really thinking Kai would except this with ease, go to him for answers and just act as though nothing was wrong. Whatever his choice was, no one knew what Kai's was. That was what worried them the most.

Rei left just before three o'clock and snuck into his home. Fortunately for him, his friends were still in a deep sleep, giving him time to change and hide this dress far away until he had the chance to burn it later.

He lied into his bed and went into a blissful slumber. He'd make sure to take a nap in the afternoon since he had a feeling he won't be getting that much sleep. Ugh, this wouldn't be happening right now if it weren't for Tala and his stupid decisions! Rei though angrily.

It turned out Rei was right. Driger woke them the moment the crimson sun rose from beneath the folds of the forest. He growled with rage as he refused to let go of the post of his bed. He was tired! How much sleep did he have? Three hours? Whoa, that's a how bunch! Of course he couldn't tell Driger this or he'll think he had a sleeping disorder since they did go to bed early than usually. Something told him to leave sooner if he wanted to live.

Once receiving an impatient roar that made the birds violent flap their wings out of the tree from the vibration and shock, Rei thought it was a good time to get out of the bed. Oh, annoying this tiger to his limits was so fun yet scary. He could never get tired from it.

Max lazily lunged himself outside of his tree home to see Driger waiting for them -- impatiently obviously. Rei slowly followed behind and they both stared drearily at the feline. Such a cold person. Heck, such a cold morning. They were both shivering as the chilly win blew at them at full speed.

"Now that you two numbskulls finally arrived. You can accomplish the task I need done right away," Driger said.

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Moonlight: Thus ending the chapter! I know, sucky cliffhanger, but the story was getting way to long. It was about 3,200 words -- not including my babbling here -- so I thought I should just end it.

It took me a month to post. I said about two weeks after I finish my other two stories and I did what I said, for once. I'm proud of myself; just not the fact that it took so long for me to actually type them.

I hated the beginning to this chapter since it dragged and they were talking too much. I have a thing against too much talking in a story and no description or feelings the characters had. Sorry if it bored you because it surely bored me so I didn't even bother to reread it for errors xP. Sorry about that. I also hate the title. It sounds so cheesy.

Kai: You are cheesy. Just like that damned anime 'Pretty Sammy'

Moonlight: Psh, please. I remember that time when I was forced to watch 'Pretty Sammy.' The nightmares. Such a cheesy/corny show; it's the reason I hate Tenchi Muyo now.

Max: I liked that show. She was so cute and hyper and happy.

Rei and Tyson: I won't comment on that show.

Moonlight: I warn everyone in this world. That anime is worse than Pokemon's and Sailor Moon's cheesiness combined. The horror! I almost died!

Max: That anime was great! You just don't understand the power of friendship and love.

Kai: Only you would say something like that, Max. Maybe Tyson would too. But mainly you.

Max: The power of friendship!

Moonlight: Shut the hell up! Now read and review you pretty people, or I'll commit suicide by watching the entire series of 'Pretty Sammy'