Hello again everybody. I really need to work on my other story but right now I'm wrapped up in this one so that one has to wait. I wish I could've updated sooner but I'm grounded and I'm not, repeat not supposed to be online. Anyways, here is chapter4. I'll switch viewpoints every now and then.

disclaimer: I DO own beyblades... in my dreams.

Chapter 4. Meetings

Rei's POV

We walked for a little while and turned occasionally. The air was cool and the wind blew slightly. The scent of rain still lingered in the air. With my sense of smell stronger because of my cat demon blood, it seemed heavy and thick. I suppose to Starr it must have been pleasant but something made me think otherwise.

It wasn't because her nose was twitching. It wasn't. It must have had something to do with the fact that although her face looked expressionless, she seemed to be aware of everything around her. When two birds started twittering, she glanced. When the wind stirred the leaves on the ground, she looked. She observed her surroundings carefully, and it seemed as though she was taking mental notes.

"What are you doing?" I asked her gently.

"Huh..." it was a few seconds before she responded. "Nothing. Why?" Starr asked.

"Well. You were really quiet and then you started looking around everywhere. I don't think anyone is hiding around here so you don't have to worry. I'll protect you if anyone even tries to hurt you."

"I can defend myself!" exploded Starr.

'Whoa! Where did that come from? She was quiet one minute and yelling at me viciously the next. She reminds me so much of Kai. She is just like him. They're so similar, it's almost creepy.'

I lapsed into silence as Starr and I continued our walk down the street to Tyson's house. We were nearly there. I could see the house as we approached.

Starr's POV.

I was feeling bad about snapping to Rei like that. I sighed. 'Why me? Why do I always have to screw up talking to people. It isn't exactly my fault...' I stopped as I felt Rei tug on my jacket sleeve. I turned to look at him.

"We're here." stated Rei.

"Where?" I asked.

"At my friend's house. Come on inside so I can introduce you to them."

I mused. 'There's more than one? Well. It can't be too bad. I guess I'm just going to have to meet "them". Whoever "them" is.

"Okay. Let's go. It's starting to get a little chilly." I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets and followed Rei inside.

Two boys, both in there teens, were sitting on chairs near a computer.

Rei's POV.

I stepped into the house with Starr following right behind me. Max and Tyson were on the computer.

"Hey guys. Come here for a minute. I want you to meet a new friend of mine."

They looked up and saw Starr behind me. Max and Tyson pushed their chairs back, got up, and walked towards me.

"Who's that?" asked Max.

"Starr. Meet Max. The navy haired boy next to him is Tyson." I pointed them out to Starr. Then I turned to Max and Tyson.

"Max. Tyson. Meet Starr." I gestured to Starr.

"Nice to meet you Starr." said Max holding out his hand. I hesitated at first, and then shook it.

"You too." I said as politely as I could.

"Do you have any food?" asked Tyson.

"TYSON! At least say hello before you start asking if she has food. You're being rude. Do you think about anything other than food all the time!" I said to Tyson.

"I'm sorry Starr. His brain is only big enough for one subject. And that, unfortunately, is food. Just ignore him and he might leave you alone."

"Actually, speaking of food, I am kinda hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" laughed Starr.

I was surprised. Talking to her earlier I got the message that she had a frosty silent demeanor. Hearing her laugh made me happy. I was happy for her. She was finally learning how to be alive.

"We might have food. Unless, of course, Tyson ate it all." said Max.

Starr's POV.

It wasn't so bad. I could live without Tyson, but I wanted to know Max a little better. The blonde haired teen was kinda cute and his eyes were a beautiful sea green.

"I'm hungry. Do you have anything to eat?" I asked, hearing my stomach grumble.

"I don't know. There might be some if Tyson didn't eat it all. Let's go find out." said Max smiling. He led me into the kitchen.

"What do you like?" asked Max.

"Could I have a peanut butter sandwich with pickle chips?" I asked.

"You like that too? Awesome. Tyson and Rei said I must have something wrong with my brain but I know they're just playing around." replied Max handing me a sandwich and a glass of milk.

"Thanks. So, tell me some things about you. I would like to learn more about you."

"Sure. But only if I can learn about you too." smiled Max.

"Okay." I agreed, not wanting to make a bad first impression.

"Well. I beyblade like Rei and Tyson do. My beyblade is green and my bit beast's name is Draciel. He's a very, very, very big turtle. Draciel is also one of my best friends. We really understand each other. My full name is Maxwell Tate, but everybody calls me Max or Maxie. I'm not sure if the guys know my name is Maxwell so don't tell them. They'd start making fun of me. Now, tell my some stuff about you." Max made himself a peanut butter and pickle sandwich complete with a glass of milk and sat down across from me.

"My full name is Starr Esther Marie and I call myself Starr." I stopped, noticing that Max had a look of confusion written all over his face. I didn't want to tell him about my past so I had avoided it as best as I could.

"I'm sorry." I apologized before explaining that I did not really like talking to people.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Starr. I didn't know that. If I had known I wouldn't have made you talk." said Max, almost guiltily.

"It's alright. Besides, I actually like talking to you. And I'm not finished talking yet either. I also beyblade and a bit beast. Her name is Charity and she is a white wolf with blue and silver armor. Here, see." I said taking my beyblade out of my pocket and handing it to him. He looked at the beyblade.

"Why are there so many scratches on the side and none on the top?" he asked.

I answered him honestly.

"My launcher isn't the best. Something is wrong with it and I haven't quite figured it out."

"Really?" asked Max. "Kenny might be able to fix that. He's always repaired our beyblades when they've become damaged or something is wrong with them. He even upgrades them from time to time as well as our launchers."

"You would do that? For me?" I asked. I was surprised. I guess I was so used to being treated rudely by my father that any act of kindness seemed wonderful to me.

Again Max looked at me strangely. He started to say something but was cut off when Tyson and Rei walked into the kitchen.

"Rei. Could you take Starr's launcher to Kenny? She said that there was something wrong with it and I thought it would be nice if she was able to train with us in the morning once her shoulder has healed." Max questioned eagerly.

'Wow. These friends of Rei's are really nice. Still, this is all new and strange to me. I just hope that neither of them asks about my past. I'm not going to tell them because I don't trust them yet. Well, definitely not yet. But Max is starting to win me over already and I hardly even know him. I don't even know why I'm thinking all these softie thoughts. But it is a rather nice change.

"Thanks Rei." I said. I took out my launcher from my back pocket and handed it to him. He walked out of the kitchen. Instead of talking to Max or Tyson, I got up and followed him out.

"Wait." I said, catching up with him.

Rei's POV.

'It seems like she's getting along with the others alright. That's very good. I wonder what her reaction will be when she meets Kai. Oh well, I'll worry about that when the time comes.

"So Starr. How do you like Tyson and Max? You seem to be getting along with them just fine. I'll let you get used to them for a while before I introduce you to Kai."

Her footsteps stopped. Silence was the only reply in the dark hallway. I looked over my shoulder. She was standing there, hands clenched, her face staring at the ground.

"Who...?" she whispered before glaring defiantly at me. "Who?" she repeated louder this time.

"Never mind." I said, trying to avoid the sudden situation as quickly as possible.

"Oh. Okay. So, when will Kenny be able to fix my launcher?" Starr smiled but I could tell it was fake. She was thinking again. But not before slipping on a mask so eerily similar to Kai's it made me shiver. I suppose I should have been used to it by now, but right then and there I couldn't. My heart was beating loudly even though I know nobody could have heard it.

"Soon." I said hiding the discomfort in my voice. "Don't worry. He's a computer whiz and he loves fixing things."

"That's good. I can't wait to beyblade again." said Starr. I could tell she was trying to force herself to be nice and not snap at me.

"Kenny's in here." I pointed to the room. "All you have to do is hold out your launcher and he'll get the message. I'm going to go for a walk but I'll be back before Kenny finishes repairing it."

"K." she said and then slipped into the room. As I walked out it the chilly night air, my thoughts delved deeper into the questions concerning

Starr's reaction to the mention of Kai's name. 'Why are they so alike. Do they somehow know each other. And if so, then how do they know each other...' I shook my head but that one thought kept repeating over and over again in my mind. 'Do they know each other...'

So. What do you think? Interesting twist, no? I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible but I'm out of ideas. If anybody has any thoughts on what I can do to improve it or ideas on making it better, you know what to do. Signing out, Bottlecaps.