Lhune: First of all a great thank-you to all the reviewers!

That would be XxSuIcIdAl LullabyxX; Hikata; kaizgrl1; Telly; starfiredevil; Kai'sgirl; Ayatsuji; Demenior; Miako6; vampire neko; Thin-K

I simply love reviews, I assume like all authors do… And the slightly longer ones are just adored by me (with those I can be inventive with forming an answer –grins-)

But of course, any review is great, hell just reading this is very much appreciated U-U

And…

And I guess I should stop rambling and just start the fic right?

Please enjoy

Takao: Hey! And what about us! Don't you forget us!

Lhune: Oh please Takao, don't fret! You can get your dialog after the chapter. (rolls her eyes)

Takao: Yeah right! I know that kind of promises, I doubt it very much that you'll keep them. (looking very doubtful)

Lhune: I Never Break My Promises! (indignantly) But if you really want to say something now, why don't you give the disclamer…It's been quite a while since I put one up I believe (murmured)

Takao: Hmpf all right. Lhune nor Kana own the rights to Beyblade. They just use us, they use ME, to prove some pleasure…Well some pleasure it is! (not quite agreeing)

Freezing Fire

By Kana and Lhune

Chapter 15

Old sins have long shadows

"Put that thing down!"

"But-"

"I mean it, surely you don't want accidents to happen."

"But I'm hungry Maxie! It's when I'm not allowed to eat this, an accident might happen."

"…?"

"I WOULD STARVE FROM LACK OF FOOD!" Takao faked to be fainting but, a very important but, was very careful not to drop the large slice of cake he had in his hand nor damage it in any way. (what a waist that would be! All those crumbles lost)

Maw rolled his blue eyes exasperated, however, he didn't miss the movement of the navy-haired teen's hand as it came dangerously close to his mouth.

"Oh no you won't, Takao! Just put that down on the table… you already gained some weight. You have to be fit for our next battle, we all have to be. It would be a shame if that extra weight of yours refrained us from winning." The blonde admonished sternly.

Takao didn't intend to give up that quickly, he still had the slice of cake.

"I did win that match against Robert today, didn't I." he reminded his teammate. "Even with my extra weight" came as a muttered thought.

"It's not because you won that you should eat all you can now Takao!" Max advanced on him, looking straight in the navy eyes and held his hands out underneath the piece of food all this talk was about. "Give it to me."

"So you can eat it? Iie, it's mine." Takao said convinced, not about to hand it over.

"Takao-"

"No Max, I-" He didn't finish this sentence as he was only just in time to catch the green apple before it collided with his head… He had, however, dropped the cake in Max's open hands without thinking about it.

"Wha-" he stared dumbfounded at the piece of fruit that now was in his hands.

"You can of course always eat something healthy if you're really that hungry, like an apple for example." Max said grinning amused.

The navy-haired BladeBreaker shot him an accusing glare before looking back to the food in his hand and then his gaze wandered round the room.

Kenny was concentrated on the screen of his precious, ever-accompanying laptop as always and Rei was reading a Chinese book of his.

"But who…?" Takao said not comprehending where the obtrusive apple came from.

The ebony-haired teen looked up. "Oh, gomen Takao… I thought you said you were hungry." He said innocently.

"So it was you! Hmpf." He took a big bite of it and glared at the neko-jin whose attention was back on his book.

"Sheer up, at least you got something to eat right?" Max tried to comfort his friend as he put away the endangered cake. Takao didn't answer.

He couldn't because he was munching and he didn't want to spray apple all over the blonde… Everybody else he wouldn't have minded but not Max.

'Hm,' he looked at the last piece of apple in his hand, 'the green would go well with his blue eyes.' A red blush made its appearance as he thought this.

"Takao?" the blonde asked alarmed, he thought it might have gone down the wrong way, "Are you alright? You look terribly red you know." This only caused the blush to deepen….

Nobody spared the silent neko-jin a glance or they might have seen he wasn't reading at all, nor had he been before or he must be able to read upside down. He kept replaying what had happened yesterday, the battle between the All Stars and the Demolition Boys.

How could he have forgotten that! After the match between the All Stars and the White Tigers he had thought he wouldn't see the Demolition Boys until the next day, until after he and his teammates had battled the Majestics…

But he had seen the Russian team before that, he had seen Kai…

The one he had so much desired to see and now, now he considered he'd rather not have seen the slate-haired teen. He had been so…

'So cold.' Rei thought defeated, 'I knew he might do this… He warned us for this at lake Baikal but… I guess I didn't believe he would actually do this.' He sighed softly and stared at the Chinese characters in front of him without actually seeing them. 'I didn't think he would do it the way he did it, the way he behaved… not only towards Michael but his own team as well.' The golden-eyed teen blinked in denial as this thought crossed his mind. 'Iie, not his team. We are his team!'

Though he did start to doubt if they would ever be in the same team again…. What he had last seen of the slate-haired enigma. This thought kept repeating, always the same thing…

No, the same person.

'Kai.'

After the fateful battle, the BladeBreakers had had to face the Majestics. First it had been Max who confronted the French Olivier as he had wished to do. It had been a spectacular battle, both bladers very strong in their own element. They had both one match won when in the decisive third round, Draciel's improved tidal wave had swept Unicoleon out of the dish and thus delivered Max the victory.

It had been the neko-jin who had had to face Enrique after that. He hadn't been able to concentrate on this battle and because of that he had lost… not just once, not even twice but all three of the matches. His fellow BladeBreakers hadn't faulted him for that, they knew he cared a lot for the crimson-eyed blader…

Even though he didn't think they knew just how much, save Max perhaps. All the same, he had noticed the hint of disappointment in their voices, however little it might have been. If it had been against Johnny they wouldn't have been surprised. None of them would've been able to face that Scot and win, no one but Kai.

But he should've won from the Italian… He should've been able to put the previous battle out of his mind and concentrate…

He really should've but he hadn't.

Luckily Takao had had improved enough to win from Robert and thus secured their part in the next round. The final round.

They had won every battle so far. The one tomorrow would decide which team they would've to face in the end. Either the White tigers or… The Demolition Boys.

Rei's thoughts were a true contradiction about that. 'White Tigers – Demolition Boys? Which would be best? Who do I want to face?' he mused confused, he knew it would be just a bit easier, and safer, to battle his former team but- 'I know it'll probably turn out for the worst but I think I want to face the Demolition Boys… Maybe that way we have a chance to defeat Kai and make him realize he should stop… I want to try and convince him to come back.'

He was well aware the chances they would be able to defeat Kai were next to none but he had to keep hoping. 'Maybe, just maybe Lee's team will defeat the Russian team first.'

He knew they wouldn't be able to do so as the thought crossed his mind.

o-0-o

'So cold.'

He ran a finger over the sharp edge of the blade, "It's still sharp." He murmured softly.

A pink tongue darted out to lick away the crimson drop of blood that had appeared on his pale finger. Crimson orbs as red as the blood, maybe just a little darker, stared at the shiny metal in his right hand.

The last time he had used the wakizachi had been less than favourable, he could still see his father's blood staining it. The blade had saved his life but the price had been more than one life…

Or so he had thought.

His father was dead, that was sure as a granite tombstone stood on the graveyard in Moscow. And then there had been Ran…

Or should he say, there was Ran. He had really believed the Japanese teen, Japanese man, to be as dead as his father. When he had seen the tube containing the well known body. Different as he was older, … but somehow still the same. The slate-haired blader didn't know what to think of that discovery, he had missed the Japanese teen in the past but now…

He put the lethal blade back in its sheath carefully. As he did this a small ghost of a smile appeared on his lips, he thought back to the good times he had had with his sword. The intense but pleasant trainings he had gone through with Ran, repeating every move endlessly in hope to attain perfection one day.

Even losing it once in the frozen lake near the Abbey and having to fetch it by diving into the freezing water and-

Whatever hint of a smile there had been disappeared instantly as he remembered the past he had spent with Tala. Discontented he shed the grey jacket he wore.

Ran was the only person he should think of at the moment.

He moved in a gracious attack pose, wakizachi ready. Crimson pools of fire burning intensely as he thought about the enemy he was about to confront. With lethal precision he launched aiming for the place where the heart would be, to assure a quick death for the enemy.

o-0-o

Several hours later he was still in the same room. Whenever a courageous, or just an ignorant boy entered to see what was happening they would see the slate-haired blader with a murderous gleam in his blood-red orbs, fighting ferociously against an unknown enemy…

An enemy they could not see as Kai was slashing only air to their eyes.

The enigmatic teen, however, was killing his loathsome ex-mentor again and again and again… If only that despicable elder would be dead. Life in the Abbey would still be horrible but to the slate-haired blader it would've been bearable without Boris….

It's not that he could've remained innocent but he wouldn't be as tainted as-

The usually stoic teen swore as his last move faltered. If only the purple-haired elder had never existed, Ran would still be alive and kicking…

If only…

That evening he would pay the vile man another visit from which he would return from in the morning…

As he had done the past days.

o-0-o

The corridor was deserted as the elusive teen closed the already well-known door after his appointment with Boris. There was nothing visible that could indicate what had happened behind that door. His clothes were exactly the same as when he had entered the room. Even his expression including his blood-red pools of fire told the observer nothing…

One who knew what he had to look for, however, could perhaps notice the new dark bruises that occasionally became visible as the white scarf dropped only a little.

One also might remark the very faint smell of sex when he had the opportunity to come so close to the slate-haired blader that he practically hugged the teen…

I was very unlikely that such a thing would happen.

But unfortunately the most unlikely things are bound to happen.

Only well trained reflexes preserved the crimson-eyed blader from a disgraceful fall on the floor, as he only brushed past the lilac-haired Russian instead of colliding with him. However the fleeting touch was enough, Bryan stepped back and glared at the crimson-eyed teen in disgust.

"Urgh, you make me want to vomit! I can smell that disgusting odour of sex, couldn't you take at least a shower… Or didn't Boris let you do that." His words were insulting and the tone was simply venomously.

Both bladers had been lost in thoughts as more important things than the environment had been claiming their attention. Kai was about to ignore the lilac-haired Russian and walk past him.

"What, can't you face the truth when it's told to you? Oh Mighty Kai… Or should I say precious little Phoenix?" Bryan asked mockingly, hoping to draw a reaction from the silent teen…

His attempt was in vain as Kai showed no reaction whatsoever. He didn't even tense at the hated nickname, something he would've done before. This reaction or rather lack of, fuelled the anger Bryan felt. He grabbed the pale wrist of the other blader to stop him from walking away and instead turning the crimson-eyed teen around to face him…

At least that was what he had intended to happen, instead it was Kai who took a hold of the assaulting hand on his wrist and slammed Bryan against the wall in a swift movement.

It happened in a flash of a second and the lilac-haired blader was confronted with a pair of smouldering pools of fire and a very sharp blade against his neck before he knew what happened. He was dazed momentarily but regained his composure quite quickly.

"You wouldn't dare." He said smugly, sure of himself and his words. This feeling diminished when he got a bad feeling seeing the slate-haired teen smile.

It was a cruel smile.

Bryan directed his gaze at the crimson eyes… No, the pools of dark fire red as blood. He was sure this weren't Kai's eyes. It was a force much greater, much crueller and so very dangerous. One he had only heard from before…

Black Dranzer…

"You…" His breath hitched almost comically if the situation hadn't been so precarious.

"Da?" the slate-haired blader said, rising one brow mockingly.

"You can't…" Bryan nearly whispered the words disbelieving.

"What is it I cannot do… Who am I?"

The cold voice, amused by Bryan's distress was too much for the Demolition Boy to handle. Everybody knew Bryan prided himself to be dangerous, cruel and above all not to be defeated physical nor emotionally by strangers…

And this being in front of him was nobody, nothing he knew.

"You're Kai or Black Dranzer." He said and took a breath. During this pause he thought he saw the smile of his opponent broaden. "It's doesn't matter. You cannot kill me, nor can you scare me."

The sardonic smile remained present and it utterly annoyed the lilac-haired teen.

"Whoever… Whatever you are, you're still Boris' little pet and you'll always remain his …little Phoenix."

Anger flashed across the pale features, the wakizachi had moved faster than the eye could see and Bryan felt the cold steel breaking is skin. It didn't slice his neck completely.

Kai's hands were trembling as they remained immobile for one minute that seemed to last for hours. All of a sudden the slate-haired teen lowered his arms and ran away.

He had already rounded the corner when Bryan came to his senses.

"Da, run away! Just like you always do."

o-0-o

"Argh, he gives me a headache!" the red-haired captain of the Demolition Boys muttered, slapping his pale hand softly against his equally pale forehead. He never stopped walking through the, how did you guess, dim lit dank corridor. So very similar to nearly all the corridors in the Abbey with the exception of those leading to Voltaire's chambers.

Tala was used to this environment, used to torture and violent behaviour that went with it… but he wasn't used to the enigmatic teen that resided in the building since a week.

"I don't get it. He always took a place in the back of my mind, coming to the surface from time to time. But now…" He said softly to himself, speaking his thoughts out loud. Fed up he slammed his fist against the full stone wall, leaving a considerable crack in it.

"Damnit Kai! Can't you just leave me alone?" He knew he wasn't being fair. After all, he doubted very much that the slate-haired blader even wanted to preoccupy his mind but it still was what he did.

Ever since the elusive teen returned to the Abbey he was acting strange…

Tala assumed that on its own was understandable to some point, after he found the torture Kai had to endure from their loathsome mentor. But after they had been to sublevel 20… After the slate-haired blader had seen Nobody in one of those tubes, everything had gone down.

The ice-blue-eyed teen halted in his musings as well as he stopped his tracks when he picked up footfalls approaching rapidly. Seconds later the object of his thoughts dashed round the corner, looking quite distressed.

In a flash of a moment Tala saw the familiar little blade he had last seen when he had been younger.

The scarlet-eyed enigma was about to run past him, clearly not in the least intending to stop nor slow down his pace when the redhead reached out to grab the younger blader's wrist. What happened next was over in a blink of the eye but to Tala it seemed to take ages.

His fingers just touched the soft cream skin of his mirrorlike counterpart as the latter whirled around and took hold of his arms, reversing their positions. Kai slammed him against the wall none too gently and before he knew what happened, even with the would-be slow-motion, the sharp edge of the wakizachi was pressed against the tender skin of his neck. The pressure was enough to draw some crimson blood.

Tala remained frozen without actually feeling the metal embedded ever so slightly in his skin, trying to progress what had happened. His frozen orbs never strayed of while staring at the mysterious orbs of his attacker. Who was motionless as well.

During the seconds that dropped by like the grains of sand that crossed the barrier of an hourglass, he could observe the gradual change in the fiery red depths of fire. The burning pools of lava, red as blood… no, darker… that could burn his very soul, the orbs he first saw in the pale, fragile face of Kai Hiwatari but that were certainly NOT the eyes of said blader.

They dimmed 'till they reached their usual, as far as one could call it usual, colour.

Still red as fresh spilled blood but no longer dark, still a burning fire but this time one of a true phoenix…. Not the mangled counterpart. It only lasted for 1 minute, if not less.

As the slate-haired blader came back to his senses he dropped his sword in horror and jumped back from the stunned red-haired Russian. Crimson eyes wide in disbelief he tried to run away, ready to leave the fallen blade behind.

Tala grabbed the pale wrist once more, only this time his grip was too strong to be broken as he pushed the crimson-eyed teen against the wall.

The wall which he had been held to only seconds before. He took in the stricken look on the ghostly pale face, the slight trembling fragile hands that were struggling to break free. It was far too weak to convince the ice-blue eyed Russian.

"You don't want to run away Kai." He whispered loud enough for the slate-haired blader to hear.

Crimson orbs looked one more time at the frozen blue orbs before he dropped his gaze and ceased his futile struggle. He would've slid down on the floor if Tala had not been holding him firmly in place. Gently the redhead lowered him down without releasing his hold on the broken phoenix.

Yes…

When he had seen the crimson orbs before the younger teen lowered his gaze, he had witnessed something he never had before. He had never thought the frail Russian could be broken. However breakable the boy might have looked with his skin resembling fragile white porcelain, he had always defied reality.

Now it seemed like fate had caught up.

Silence reigned a couple more minutes, thoughts crossing Tala's mind without really making sense. Slowly he became aware of the wrist he still held on to. A song he had once heard when walking towards some Beyblade Arena played in his mind.

-…You're as cold as ice…-

Strangely enough it suited the elusive teen well, his skin was cold as to the touch.

'How can it be,' Tala wondered, 'you're so cold but your eyes, they burn like the fire in the deepest pits of hell.'

"Look at me Kai… Please?" He asked gently and was pleased when his request was fulfilled hesitatingly.

'No,' he decided as he looked in those depths of scarlet, 'they burned … the reging is over.' He was pulled back from his musings as Kai moved his pale pink lips.

"I killed him." He whispered softly.

Tala was startled but years of training allowed him to hide this.

"I killed him." Kai repeated softly.

Numerous possibilities sprang to the redhead's mind as he wondered who the dead man might be.

'Boris? That wouldn't be too bad, no one would miss that bastard.' He mused almost happily, glad he might be rid of the loathsome elder. His mood crashed abruptly when another male popped up. 'Bryan?'

"Who did you kill Kai?" the wielder of the wolf asked as self-controlled as he could bring up. The slate-haired blader turned to look him in the eye.

"My father, I killed my father." He said softly without any emotion layering his voice. Tala looked at him not understanding.

"But when…? I thought your parents were dead, you never spoke about them." He said quizzically.

"Da, they died a long time ago." Kai spoke and paused. "I killed my father."

The ice-blue-eyed teen was beginning to get frustrated. Each answer the younger blader gave, brought more questions.

"Why did you kill him? And when? … And why do you suddenly start thinking about this now?" The redhead asked the three most important questions on his mind. The crimson-eyed enigma stared at him as if he were an alien, asking questions to which the answers were obvious.

"He killed my mother when I was 4… and he tried to kill me as well." Kai said as if it were the most normal thing to happen.

The red-haired teen sighed inwardly. So he got the answer to his 2 first questions, however hard to believe they were…

It was Kai they were talking about, everything was possible.

He hoped he would get an answer to his last question as well and studied the delicate pale face in front of him.

"Old sins have long shadows."

"What…" Tala asked, surprised by the soft enigmatic words that had come from Kai's mouth. His frozen orbs flew back to the crimson one who were pleading him to understand.

"Today I almost killed again," the wielder of the phoenixes said, "she wanted me so badly to do it." The fiery haired Russian knew instantly who she was.

"Black Dranzer." He growled wolflike.

Kai nodded silently, he was slowly regaining a bit of his composure… enough to tell.

"Bryan confronted me this morning after my… visit with Boris. He insulted me trying to get a reaction out of me and when I didn't he, like you, tried to grab my wrist. With the same effect." He told the captain of the Russian team. "I nearly sliced his throat."

"But you didn't," Tala reminded him, "you didn't kill him, nor did you kill me."

"I could've." Kai said convinced. The redhead released his wrists and took hold of both his slender shoulders.

"Niet, you wouldn't have Kai. You can control her. You DO control her… otherwise I would've been dead by now." He reassured his teammate, who seemed to be in desperate need of some comfort. The younger blader relaxed ever so slightly after hearing those words.

"I wouldn't be able to be responsible for another death." He muttered softly.

"But you only killed once, no?" Tala asked.

"Yes… and at the same time no." the slate-haired Russian said.

"Huh?" was the only response Tala could utter, looking questioning at the younger blader.

"My mother died because of me,"

The redhead wanted to say something but decided against it.

"I killed my father by my own hands. Ran died because of my stubbornness so did you and Rei… How many more deaths have I caused already… How many more will follow?" Kai said, his voice broken.

Tala had recognised the name of the Chinese BladeBreaker, who had been very much alive the last time he had seen him in the stadium, and decided not to question Kai about him… instead he was more curious about the mysterious Ran.

"As you can see yourself, I'm still alive at the moment." He said. It was still strange to think that he once had been dead. "Who was Ran?" he inquired hesitantly.

The phoenix seemed to ponder for a moment.

"He is the man in the tube I was standing in front of that day." He stated strongly.

'Woah, he's back to the present tense… So I was right thinking that he was-is someone special to Kai.' Tala thought pleased he had been right at some point about Kai…

And he just had come to know more about his past. Just a corner of the veil was raised. He decided not to ask more about the still-mysterious man… answers would come as time passed by. And there was still one thing that had been bothering him ever since the raven-haired neko-jin had visited the Abbey for the first, and probably last time.

"Why do you still wear that faded grey jacket, do you…" he asked genuinely curious.

"Remember?" Kai asked, "Not until recently, but after Lake Baikal… Da, I remember how I got it from you… for my birthday."

"Why did you keep it all those years?" the redhead inquired not quite comprehending. The slate-haired blader touched the worn fabric absentminded before answering.

"I don't know actually, it just felt right to have." He said not really understanding himself. "When Rei threw it at my feet it was surrounded by his scent… but it didn't feel right somehow. And when I nearly drowned I suddenly remembered why." He spoke his thoughts more to make himself grasp the meaning of the words he just said, than to inform Tala.

"I see." This one said to comfort the still distressed younger teen.

"Do you?" Kai asked, "Do you really?"

The redhead didn't get the time to answer however.

"Do you understand how Boris is constantly mocking me? Mocking us?" the phoenix continued, talking about what-would-seem an entirely different subject. "His purple hair, red and blue mixed together."

The captain of the Demolition Boys tried to calm down his mirror counterpart. "You can't wish him to change his natural hair colour." He tried to reason but in vain as the slate-haired teen reacted immediately to his words.

"If only it were his natural hair colour, but it isn't!" He said hotly, earning a confused stare from the frozen-eyed Russian. "I saw a bottle in his room… and when I was younger…" He paused his suddenly controlled speech to scrunch is face in distaste at the memory, "I saw a bit of his natural colour… He had forgotten to dye his hair in time and there was at least a cm (A/N don't know what it would be in inches) of outgrow." He said the last sentence so dry and childlike it was quite comical.

Tala couldn't suppress a smile from appearing on his lips.

"What?" the crimson-eyed blader asked when he noticed this.

"I'm sorry but, I know it shouldn't be so but at the same time it is." The redhead tried to explain. "Funny, I mean." He elaborated after he saw the younger teen didn't understand. For a moment he thought he had said the wrong thing as seconds of silence passed by until a hesitant smile claimed the lips in front of him.

"I guess you're right, it is silly compared to the rest isn't it?" Kai said, if the wielder of the wolf hadn't known better he would've said, shy.

"Da, it is Kai. It is." Tala picked up the shiny blade adorned with a little crimson and its dark sheath that lay almost forgotten on the floor. He put the two carefully together until they formed 1 again under the critical scarlet eye of the owner. His smile never left as he offered the wakizachi back.

"I… I can't." The phoenix said helplessly, "What if I…" he didn't continue his sentence.

"You won't." Tala reassured. "But if it makes you more at ease." He unfastened the heavy chain that hung off his trousers and secured it so that the lethal blade wouldn't part with its companion as easily anymore..

One would have to use an incredible amount of strength.

OR

Use the key which Tala had in his possession.

Kai shot the crimson-haired Russian a grateful look and accepted the blade back after this precaution.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"Arigatou you mean right?" Tala answered smiling, even more when he witnessed the scarlet pools of fire widen in surprise.

"You… You remembered." The elusive teen said softly, it was not a question.

"Da," the wielder of the wolf said, "it still feels strange to say it out loud but I will get used to it… someday." He added pleasantly. They remained sitting on the floor in silence for a couple more minutes before Tala got up. The usually stoic teen shot him a questioning look.

"We still have a team to battle this afternoon." The redhead reminded him. "And I have to see if Bryan has calmed down enough to join us." He saw a regretful look passing Kai's pale face at his words and hastened to console his teammate.

"Don't worry about the Falcon, there is more needed to get him down… besides he probably deserved it, he can be an asshole sometimes." Tala said, trying to bring back the trace of a smile. With success. "I see you in an hour or so at the main door when we leave for the stadium." He started walking after he got an affirmative nod from the phoenix still seated on the floor.

Maybe one day, somewhere in the future, he could call himself once more Kai's friend and the enigma consider him as such too.

"Now where would Bryan be?"

o-0-o

The Beyblade arena was crowded when the four BladeBreakers entered. Few seats where still available for the moment but Rei doubted there would be room enough to host the entire masses that would come for the semi-finals which would start in exactly an hour and a half.

His three teammates stared almost frightened at the people. Would there be even more public at the finals they would have to stand up to? After all, they would have to face whichever team won today as they had qualified themselves for that last match already.

It would either be the Russian team or Rei's first team, the Chinese White tigers.

The Demolition Boys hadn't arrived yet, their place beside the beydish still empty.

The White Tigers… They were present as the ebony-haired neko-jin could observe the Chinese captain and the only female teammate bickering from the place where he stood. The Japanese moved to take their seats which they had booked luckily.

Rei's amber eyes didn't lose the view of the Chinese place beside the beydish. The nearer they came to their seats to more the ebony-haired neko-jin cold hear what they were saying, hissing, shouting.

"I want to battle Lee! I want to make them pay for disgracing the name of the Beyblade championship by stealing the bitbeasts!" The pink-haired blader called furiously.

"No Mariah, I can't risk you to get hurt. You lost you're previous battle against Emily, you wouldn't stand a chance against these Russian brutes." Lee tried to persuade her calmly.

"What! How can you think that! That Orange All Star just was lucky, I can defeat her easily if I battled her now." Mariah hissed indignantly.

"What if the Demolition Boys are lucky as well?" The wielder of the lion asked softly.

"They won't be, I feel that luck is on our side today. We will win!" She growled fiercely like her catlike bitbeast. "Why do you doubt me?" she asked much softer.

Lee sighed in regret. "I'm sorry Mariah… Why don't you battle the second match." He gave in.

A smile spread on the pink-haired girl's face. "I will Lee, thank you for believing in me."

Rei resisted the urge to laugh. She had done it again. Lee just couldn't turn her down.

He never would be able to the ebony-haired BladeBreaker thought.

Who would battle the second match against her was a mystery to him but he was quite sure the female White Tiger wouldn't be able to win. He wouldn't begrudge her, not at all but the Russian team was just too strong…

Maybe Lee could save the outcome but the odds were just too much against the White Tigers… Still, one could always hope.

All they have to wait till the feared local team would turn up.

-x-o-XTX-o-x

Lhune: There, Done! What did you think of it?

Kai: Complete rubbish! (looking very displeased)

Lhune: Huh?

Kai: I would never act so… (disgusted) so weak.

Lhune: I agree you normally wouldn't. In fact, it would be the last thing you do but you have to consider the circumstances.

Kai: Hn (still not convinced)

Lhune: Look at everything you have gone through up to know-

Kai: What YOU made me you through!

Lhune: Aa, that is true. Anyway, Black Dranzer almost took over your mind and made you kill again.

Kai: Which she would never succeed in doing so.

Lhune: maybe not-

Kai: Maybe! (deathglare 3rd degree)

Lhune: okay okay, if you were in charge of this she would never been able to do so but… I'm the one who's writing-typing this with the help of Kana.

Kai: For which you'll both burn in hell.

Lhune: Arugatou, I feel honoured. Besides, I kind of like flames.

Kana: So you do. (just entered)

Lhune: Kana! Welcome to the club! (smiles happily)

Kai: What club? (still glaring)

Lhune: well… You and me (Kai shoots her another one of his famous glares) and Kana-

Rei: And me!

Kana: Hello Rei! Glad you could make it.

Rei: I wouldn't have wanted to miss it… Now that I can finally see Kai again. (looks at the slate-haired teen who has closed his eyes and crossed his arms)

Kai: stop staring at me Kon. (still not looking)

Rei: (speechless as he averts his gaze hurriedly)

Tala: Hey, why wasn't I invited to this meeting! (accusatory)

Lhune: It was never meant to be a meeting, it just… happenend.

Tala: good (satisfied with the answer)

Rei: You should've seen Lee Kai (talking to Kai while glaring at the red-head)

Kana: Why? (since Kai didn't answer)

Rei: It was funny to see how he can't deny Mariah anything.

Tala: but isn't he older than that pink blob? (innocently)

Rei: She isn't a pink blob! (glares) but yes Lee is Mariah's senior…Still she always gets the better of him.

Lhune: how sweet!

Kai: Hn (disapproving)

Lhune: Kai! I'm not a fan of Mariah either but it is sweet to see Lee act that way.

Lee: What are you guys saying about us? (curious as he just walks in with Mariah at his side)

Tala: We were just saying how gay you are Lee. (oblivious)

Lee: … (dumbfounded)

Mariah: You are? (incredulous)

Lee: Most certainly not! (glares at Tala)

Tala: But I'm serious.

Lhune: Stop stop stop before accidents happen (comes to stand between the two parties) Tala didn't mean it in the way you think Lee. He doesn't mean that particular meaning of the word but the other one. Cheerful.

Tala: Isn't that what it means?

Lhune: Da it is one of its meanings. You have to forgive Lee. He's Russian, he doesn't know the English that well. (I'm certain he did know what he was saying but let's not make it more complicated than it already is)

Mariah: So you are not Lee?

Lee: NO (willing to convince her)

Everybody else present shakes his head in disbelief at Mariah's stupidity… Everybody but Kai of course.

Lee: come on Mariah, the others will be waiting for us… (guides her away)

Rei: I think that might be a good idea before the rest alarm the security because of a missing blader (grins mischievously) Coming Kai?

Tala: What do you mean Kon? Kai still is on my team. If he's going anywhere it will be with me.

Rei: Why you -! (growls, eyes slitted)

Kai: (opens his eyes lazily) whatever, I'm off (starts walking away)

Rei: Kai! Where are you going to (alarmed and just a tiny bit hopeful)

Tala: Yeah Kai, What are you doing? Where…

Kai: (still walking) Out (one word, simple and not to be changed or questioned)

Rei and Tala: Ka-ai (running to catch up with the elusive teen)

Kana: Well those are gone, that leave us two (looks at Lhune)

Lhune: Aye, The Top Two (grins)

Kana: Is there still something left we have to say?

Lhune: just two things… (winks at Kana)

Kana and Lhune: We hope you enjoyed this chapter and please let us know what you think about it.

Lhune: be it positive…

Kana: Or negative…

Lhune: tell us (big smile)

May the fire of the phoenix (the good one let that be sure) enlighten your path as it does to ours,

The ice of the wolf guard you from burning

And the tiger enjoy you with a magnificent, pleasurable storm.

Silence

Takao: I'm back! Am I still in time? (looking around to the empty space that surrounds him) Hellooo, anybody home? (giving the room another once over)

BUGGER I'm too late. (stamps off disgruntled)