Title: Innocence

Author: PandaPjays

Chapter Title: Rude Awakenings

Rating: T

Warnings: See Chapter One

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Author Note: And back again for another chapter! Sorry for the delay. I've had assignments and work experience and other nasty things piled on top of me and to top it all off exam week is next week. Needless to say there may be a tad of a delay before the next chapter. But still happy thoughts.

Happy thought No. 1. Thank you to my friend Jacinta for watching Bold and the Beautiful and being able to come up with a suitable outfit for Tahlia. And she gave up valuable math class time to do it/wipes tears from eyes/ She's an inspiration to us all!

I sighed as I stepped into the limousine behind Tahlia. I can't believe that the tournament is starting tomorrow. I also can't believe that we have to go to this stupid opening dinner.

I sighed and crossed my arms. I never really thought that this day would come, really. I mean, I knew that it had to. I just didn't realise it would be this soon.

What will happen when my former team-mates see me? I'm pretty sure that there won't be any fanfares, champagne or cards saying 'congratulations'. That would be weird.

But what about this situation isn't weird? I'm in a limousine with the sister of the guy that made me come here in the first place…

Well… he didn't make me exactly. More started the events that led me here. Like dominos. Except less small, and dotty. And harder to clean up.

Why the hell did I get myself into this mess anyway? I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be working for Biovolt for one thing. I also never thought I'd be comfortable with that thought.

I'm working for Biovolt. I'm working for Biovolt… Nope, no chills up the spine or ominous flashes of thunder. Does that mean that it's ok?

Is it ok? Am I a monster for being comfortable working with Boris? Well more working for than working with. It hasn't been that bad, really. Sure, no sleep and the occasional being beaten to a pulp by Midget but that all was for a purpose wasn't it?

I mean, I'm stronger than ever before, both in mind and body. I don't think I would have become like this without Biovolt. Even when he was at his meanest with training Kai…

Kai.

I've missed him. I hope we see him tonight. But then again I hope we don't see him. How will he react? I have a hunch it won't be favourably.

Still, I can hope can't I? Hope that he won't be angry or disappointed. I know I could deal with it if everyone else hated me but not if Kai hated me. Never that.

I still haven't figured out how I could have forgotten about my old life. Some of the details are still fuzzy but I can remember the people. How could I have forgotten them? How could I have forgotten Tyson? Or Max? Or Kenny? How could I have forgotten Kai?

I know there has to be some explanation. I also know that the explanation has to be feasible. I just don't know it.

"Rei? What's wrong?" Tahlia's voice broke into my thoughts.

I started and slumped against my seat. "Nothing's wrong… Just thinking."

"Just thinking my arse. There was no 'just' anything about that. You looked really upset."

Stupid Tahlia and her stupid reading emotions from someone's face. "Oh. Ah… Nothing. Don't worry about it."

She frowned and looked out the window, blinking in the glare from the streetlights. "Are you sure you want to do this? We can always not go and just turn up for the tournament. This dinner isn't a required thing."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know. But I can't let my first appearance to everyone be just before I thrash someone who is… was? My friend."

Tahlia snorted. "They'd be stupid to give up on being your friend. You're one of the nicest people I know… Granted my experience with people hasn't been all that good. I mean, you have my brother who most people want to hit more than have a deep and meaningful with. Then, of course, you have Boris and do we even want to go there?"

I shook my head. Trying to list all Boris's vices would take more time than we had. And we had- I checked out the window and read a sign the flashed past the window telling us how far to go- about half an hour before we had to face them.

I held up my hand to my eye and watched as it shook. It was weird. I felt calm but still my hand shook. It only ever does that when I'm frightened. Normally I have really steady hands. I need to stop them from shaking. But how? It's not like I can stop feeling scared. I don't feel scared. Maybe I'm so far beyond scared that I can't feel it anymore.

"Hey, calm down." Tahlia told me, noticing my hand. "Worst case scenario? A blimp crashes into the building and explodes and we all die horrible, fiery deaths."

I grinned despite myself. "No, worst case scenario is that a tribe of cannibals are hired as entertainment."

"Oo. Nice. How about- Worst case scenario a platoon of evil zombie chickens overrun the place and we have to answer to their leader, The Fried Chook."

"And KFC is changed into KFH, Kentucky Fried Human"

"And we're the first people to be in the experimental recipes."

I winced. "That's a gross mental picture, Tahlia."

Tahlia reached over to me and picked up my hand, holding it at eye level. It was steady.

"Gross, but effective." She told me.

I stared at my hand. Wow. I wish I could do something like that. "Where's Boris, anyway?" I asked her. I had decided, in my infinite wisdom, to space out when Boris was explaining what was happening tonight. Thankfully, he didn't catch me this time.

Tahlia rolled her eyes. "Weren't you listening?"

I shook my head. She sighed. "You're hopeless, did you know that? Boris is in the car behind us. He has a thing for dramatic entrances. I'm guessing that he doesn't want you to steal his thunder."

I snorted. "Egotist."

She laughed. "You're one to speak."

"HEY!"

Tahlia scoffed at my indignation. "Don't tell me you haven't been playing and replaying in your head exactly how everyone's going to react to your… team choice."

I blushed. And looked down at my hands, which were resting on my knees. Tahlia cackled. "You're really easy to read."

I scowled at her. Stupid Tahlia and her stupid reading emotions from someone's face.

(-)

The limo pulled up outside the building. I took a deep breath before reaching over to the door handle.

The handle felt strange and I realised that my hands had stopped being hands and had turned into sweat mittens.

I opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief when I realised that the driver had driven to the back of the building. Thank God for car parks around the back. Whoever decided that a car park ruined the face of a building was not only an artiste but a genius.

I stepped out of the bus and waited for Tahlia to join me. "We're late aren't we?" I asked her, noticing that the car park around us was deserted.

"Fashionably late, yes." She replied pulling the straps of her light grey halter neck up. "God, I feel naked in this thing."

"We do come from Biovolt, right? The place that has been known to flay people for being late."

Tahlia rolled her eyes. "They haven't flayed anyone yet. I would have heard about it."

"The fact that your leaving that option open scares me."

"Rei, I always scare you. It's just that you're so freaked out at the moment that it's affecting you. Calm down."

I bit back a retort and straightened my shoulders. I could do this. I just didn't want to. I really didn't want to.

"Come on." She told me, grabbing my elbow and pulling me forward. "The sooner you get this over with the sooner you'll stop panicking."

I stepped forward without giving her any resistance. She didn't look too happy about this whole dinner deal. I guess that it's because she had to get dressed up… well dressed up for her anyway. She was wearing a grey halter neck that was belted at the waist by a tie that was the same colour as her eyes. The halter neck continued after the belt and was cut diagonally, resting over her black pants. Compared to her normal sweater and slacks it was dressy.

Why am I looking at her clothes anyway? I really should be more worried about what happens… as soon as we reach the end of this hallway. How'd we wind up here?

While I had spaced out Tahlia had obviously managed to drag me inside the building. I let myself be dragged and tried to concentrate on the here and now. Whenever I became really stressed I always seemed to concentrate on the strangest things. Tahlia's clothing, for example.

"Ok, ready?" She asked me when we stopped outside the doors. I could hear voices on the other side of the door. The dinner and all the people associated with it had to be on that side of the door. An icy chill ran up my spine. I couldn't do this! I can't! I can't face them all. They'll hate me for just leaving and I'll have to see Tala and Kai again. I can't bear that thought. I can't do it.

Tahlia placed a hand on my shoulder, calling my attention from my inner banter to her. "Remember, it's only for a few hours and we have our own table. You don't have to speak to any of your old team-mates if you don't want to."

I nodded, my mouth dry. I could do this. I'm sure I've done scarier things before. Can't think of them at the moment, terror doesn't help with recall, but I have to have done something scarier.

"What are you waiting for? Go in." The cold voice of Boris came from behind us. Aha! Any time with Boris is a bad and scary time. Anything I do is completely non-scary compared to being anywhere near him.

But then again, he's right behind me and I have to face everyone at the same time! Ok, looking for scarier situations really isn't helping. Without sounding too cliché happy thoughts would be really helpful right about now.

Tahlia tugged on my arm, without letting Boris see what she was doing, and shot me a glare telling me to pull myself together or else. I gave her a stiff half-nod a half-smile. I know it didn't look very convincing but she seemed to accept it as me being ready as I'd ever be.

Tahlia reached forward and grasped the door handle, pushing it open and admitting us. I glanced backwards, wondering why Boris hadn't followed us until I remembered Tahlia's 'grand entrance' theory.

I was shocked by the sheer normality of the scene before us. No one seemed to have noticed us, thankfully. The table closest to us was the White Tiger's. Mariah was trying to stop Gary from eating all of the complementary sugar packets on the table. As usual, she was failing miserably. Kevin and Lee looked just as I remembered them. Ok, maybe not exactly as I remembered them. For one this Kevin wasn't being an insane little monkey and was sitting at the table actually looking well behaved. Lee's glare at the green-haired boy told me why.

Mariah looked up and saw me. Her eyes narrowed. Oops. I forgot about that small issue of me refusing to marry her. I don't think she took it too well. No, according to that look of barely restrained rage, she definitely didn't take it well.

Lee looked over at his sister and looked at me, trying to see what had provoked such a reaction. He stared at me in shock. "Rei?" He asked softly.

It's amazing the effect that one word can have on people. Especially when that one word happens to be your name and you've been missing for… how long have I been gone? A long time, let's just say that.

Anyway, if you weren't actually me or in the room, what happened was kind of funny. Definitely not if you were me, though. First the White Tiger's table went quiet then the table closest to them, the All Starz, stopped speaking to see why they'd gone silent, then the next one and so on. It was kind of like when you stack up dominos and knock them down. Except that instead of having the satisfying feeling of watching them falling I wanted to melt into the floor.

Tahlia placed her hand on the small of my back and firmly pushed me forward. "We're the table at the back." She hissed at me. "Start walking."

I obeyed without thinking and began to walk forward, scanning for the empty table that was supposedly at the back. I spotted it and my heart sank. It was right next to the Bladebreakers' table.

All of them were doing rather impressive impersonations of fish, Kai included. All, except for Tala who I think was the only in the person in the room not staring at me. He was busy glaring at Tahlia who was giving as good as she got. Sibling rivalry, I guess. It makes sense, Tahlia and Tala are about as different as you can get, though, that may be the fact that I actually like Tahlia and wish Tala would die a horrible death.

It was Max who made the first move. "REI!" He yelled, before jumping up and trying to run to me, getting his legs tangled in the legs of his chair and falling over. I made a move to go help him but was stopped by a hand on the back of my sash and a small head shake from Tahlia. I frowned in confusion, but didn't question her further.

Max pushed himself off the floor and ran at me, an enormous grin on his face. "REI! We'vebeensoworriedaboutyouandhavebeenlookingeverywhereforyouwhere'veyoubeenwe'vemissedyousomuch!" He flung himself at me and hugged me tightly.

I stood stock-still, unsure what to do. I knew that Boris was about to come through the doors and showing any sign of affection for anyone in front of him was not a good idea. But then again, as soon as Boris came through that door Max wouldn't want to touch me ever again. The dilemmas of life.

The sound of the doors swinging open again stopped my indecision instantly. The silence in the room continued as Boris stalked through the to our little gathering. He had a look of displeasure on his face at the fact that we hadn't taken our seats.

I looked down at Max who was still hugging me loosely but looking around me to Boris in confusion. Boris reached us and glared at Max. His blue eye's widened and he dropped his arms hastily.

"Table, now." Boris told us in a menacing tone.

Knowing better than to argue, both Tahlia and I responded with a quiet, "Yes, Sir", and walked to the table to sit down. Boris followed us, a cruel glint in his eyes. I would put money on it that he enjoyed that, is still enjoying it in fact, and relishing Max's reaction.

Max stood next to his table looking lost and confused like a puppy. "Rei?" He asked quietly.

In that one word my heart broke for him. Max had always been the baby of the group. Whether it was his appearance or just his innocence I don't know. But seeing him just standing there. I didn't know what to do. I just want to stop him from doing that.

Tyson stood up, "Rei! Why the hell are you sitting with that bastard! We've been worried about you! And you walk past us like we're garbage and sit with him? What? Are we yesterday's news? Good to see how loyal you are."

I stared at him with my mouth hanging open, hurt. Can't he see how hard this was for me? Can't he see that what I want to do the most is go over there and be with them? But I can't. I can't because, for one thing, Boris would probably have me be the test case for flaying. And I can't because it doesn't look like anything has changed between Kai and Tala.

Kai's just sitting there like he always does. I can't see any sort of emotion on his face at all. He's just staring at me like he's trying to work me out like a puzzle. And Tala's next to him, still glaring at Tahlia. I guess they couldn't wait for me to leave to add Tala to their team. Kai must be so happy that his boyfriend's on the team now that I'm gone.

"I'm not even good enough to speak to anymore?" Tyson asked disdainfully. "Whatever. You just stay over there with your new team. The least you could have done is tell us, Rei. Instead you just took off and left us to search for you. Bet you felt real important. I can't believe I wasted all that effort on you."

"That's enough, Tyson" Kai told him, levelly. "Rei's made his choice and I'm making your choice for you. Sit down."

Tyson turned his glare to Kai. "I can't believe you're defending him."

"I'm not defending him or his actions, I just want you to stop making a spectacle of yourself."

Tyson shot one last poisonous look at me before stepping around his seat to get to Max who was still standing beside their table.

He took the blonde's hand and waited until Max lifted his eyes to meet his. "Hey, Maxie." He said gently, in a complete reversal from the tone he had been using toward me. "Come on. Rei's decided that he doesn't want to be with us anymore. That's his loss not ours, ok?"

Max sniffed and nodded, allowing himself to be led back to the table and to be seated. I noticed with interest how, even when he sat down, Tyson's hand still rested on Max's stroking it reassuringly.

Tahlia tore her gaze away from Tala and turned to me before whispering. "That wasn't so bad was it?"

I glared at her. "Speak for yourself." That experience definitely goes on the 'Never want to do ever again if I lived to be one thousand two hundred and forty-two' list.

The room was still in complete silence. I swear, if someone felt the inexplicable need to drop a pin it would have sounded like a bomb was going off. Slightly less catastrophic and explodey, though.

Though, then again, I could always explode to make up for all that. I feel like I'm going explode under all the glares and looks that I'm getting from everyone. I wish that they could just concentrate on their food. I can feel them looking at me. God I hate that feeling.

I watched as Tala and Kai whispered furiously to one another. It seems like nothing has changed since I left. Makes me wonder if me leaving affected him at all, really.

Tala said something to Kai that made him frown and shake his head, angrily before replying. Tala shrugged and stood up, ignoring Kai's hand on his arm trying to pull him down.

"What the hell is this about, Tahlia? Couldn't make it on your own so you had to recruit Rei? That's just sad. You lose the Demolition Boys and you have to recruit from outside? Talent pool diluted?"

Tahlia growled and stood up, glaring at her brother. "You're one to speak. The going gets tough and the tough get going? Is that your motto? At least I've always been loyal to Biovolt."

Tala sneered. "At what cost? You've always been Boris's buttmonkey."

Tahlia smirked. "I believe that was your job, Tala-dear."

What? What was that about? It obviously has some significance to Tala because he's gone dead white. And… yes he's shaking slightly. I doubt it's in fear- Tala doesn't shake in fear. He'd be one of those crazy people who charge at their fear head on to prove that they weren't afraid. Is it rage then? I've never seen anyone shake in rage. I guess there's a first time for everything.

"Shut UP!" Tala shouted.

"Oo. Struck a nerve? I never thought that I could make the great Tala lose his temper."

Tala stepped away from his table and advanced toward Tahlia. Boris stood up smoothly and stood between them. "Now, I think that's quite enough. We can't have you hurting each other the day before the tournament can we?"

Tala froze under Boris's gaze before taking a deep breath and glaring at him. "Why her?" He asked. "Why not someone else in the abbey? There are plenty of people in there. Why Tahlia?"

"Talent must run in your family."

Tala snorted. "Yeah, right. Are you forgetting that while I was at the abbey you never paid her any attention at all? God, you gave her a Beyblade and told her to go practice. For ten years. I leave and she becomes the favourite. If I believed in coincidences that would be one."

What? Ten years of practicing? No wonder when I beat her it was her first loss. I was probably one of the first people she faced. I guess all that practice also accounted for her good technique.

"My ignorance of her talent was one great mistake that I made. If I had paid more attention to her than to you we might have won the Worlds! She's much better than you ever were, Tala."

"And she believes every word you say, right? Probably worships the ground that you walk on. God, at least I had morals and a brain."

I just remembered why I don't like Tala. Apart from the obvious he's with Kai and I'm not. He's such a pompous prick! I surged to my feet. "Why the hell are you saying that about Tahlia? She's got enough guts to accept any punishment that comes her way. You, on the other hand, ran away like a coward."

Boris smirked. "Well said, my boy." He yawned theatrically. "I'm getting tired of hearing him speak. Rei? Could you possibly do something about him?"

I nodded and waited until Boris and Tahlia had sat down. I glanced around the room, checking to make sure that everyone was too shocked to interfere. Satisfied, I smirked at Tala. "Want to run away now?"

Tala shook his head at me sadly. "God, Rei. What happened?"

"You." I replied simply before launching myself at him. I knocked him over in a flying tackle. Why hadn't he dodged or blocked me? Tahlia had updated me on his cyborg status. I would have thought that he'd be fast enough to be a challenge.

Tala grunted and pushed me off him before rolling over to stand up himself. I sprung to my feet before he could and kicked him in the stomach while he was on his hands and knees.

"Ooph!" Tala rolled over on to his back, winded. He lay there for about half a second before seeming to make a quick decision and hitting the ground with his arms, giving himself enough momentum to raise himself into a crouch. He shot out a leg and hooked it behind one of mine, pulling me to the ground. This is more like it. This is what I expected.

I rolled into my fall and stood straight back up, panting slightly. "Is that the best that you have?" I asked him.

Tala didn't reply before launching himself at me, using my shoulders as a springboard and doing a flip to land behind me. Before I could react he had kicked me in the back to send me sprawling on to the Majestic's' table.

Johnny snapped out of his daze and tried to grab hold of the sleeve my top. "Rei! Stop!"

I ignored him and glared at Tala, my back hurting like all buggery. That was uncalled for.

I jerked my arm out of Johnny's reach and jumped off the table. "Stay out of this!" I yelled at the Scotsman.

Tala smirked at me. "Bring it on."

I threw myself at him with a barrage of punches and kicks so fast that my arms and legs must have been blurs. Tala dodged every one of them. I frowned, confused, but continued my attack nonetheless.

Tala's eyes lost the intense focus that they had held suddenly and was sent flying by one of the punches I threw at him.

What had happened there? I mentally shrugged and ran to where he had fallen, eager to use the opening to its fullest.

To my surprise, Tala didn't try to stand up in any way. He only wriggled, weakly when I gathered up his arms and legs in a pretzel hold. Where had the Tala I had fought only minutes before gone?

The teenager underneath me panted heavily and turn his neck at an almost impossible angle to glare at me. His eyes had become focussed again. I wonder what had happened? Not that it really mattered. I had won.

"How the mighty fall." Boris said, smirking at Tala. He glared around the room, daring any of its population to interfere. None did.

Tala growled under his breath and tried to wriggle out of my hold, only succeeding in stretching his arms and legs even more beyond their limits. He hissed in pain and stopped moving.

"Good boy." Boris told him.

"I'm not your dog."

"Sadly no. You were though."

"Now Tahlia's taken that place."

"Ah… but I'll always hold fond memories of you."

"Bastard."

Boris chuckled. "Now now. There's no need to call names."

Tala moved his arms slightly, trying to see if his recent lack of resistance had weakened my hold. He was rewarded for his trouble with me giving his arms a sharp pull, almost dislocating them.

Tala yelped and gave up on trying to escape. "Where's my team?" He asked, craning his neck to look up at Boris.

"Your team?" Boris asked, smiling cruelly. "Oh! You mean the team you abandoned?"

Tala glared at the older man. "The Demolition Boys, yes."

"They got what they deserved."

"What the hell is that meant to mean?"

A tugged on Tala's arms again, making him whimper. "It might help if you tried to be polite."

He ignored me and continued to look up at Boris.

"That means that I had no use for them. The medical team did, though."

"T-the medical team?" Tala asked fearfully.

"Yes, they found them very useful." Boris smirked at Tala.

Tala took a second to digest this new fact. "You mean? No…"

"Yes."

I felt all of the muscles Tala had been holding taut relax. The redhead's head fell on to the floor with a thud, his eyes staring into nothingness.

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