Author's Corner: Dear heavens, another chapter? What's wrong with me? I just keep writing. Well, I guess that's good for you guys, huh? XD I promise the updates won't be nearly this regular when I get back to college, so you must praaaaise me for all my good hard work. :D I really should be making that InuYasha costume for my little brother… but I don't have all his measurements yet, so I suppose, until I can do that, I'll write this. Plus, the sooner I write this the sooner I can start my Kaiba one! :D Oh, I should work on that one-shot epilogue for my Gravitation fic.. hmmmmm…..

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Beyblade; that means, none of the characters, none of the bitbeats, none of the scenery, even the food doesn't belong to me. D: It's tragic, yes. But I do have artistic license! Which means I can create a story just for you! Enjoy this next chapter!

Defeat- or not?

"Drigger! Look out!"

Kai felt a seeping satisfaction that the cry was too late, for not even a second later there was the distinct sound of Dranzer cracking against Drigger, her cry loud and piercing in the echoing room at the final attack; red feathers burst from the blades with another wave of heat, this one strong enough to make Kai stagger back. He didn't have to look to see what was happening; the scene painted itself in his mind as if he were watching from Dranzer's eyes. She dove at the white tiger, beak outstretched in her final cry as they came in contact with one another. Drigger had turned and met her head on, but he was unbalanced caught like that and they both crumbled to the ground together. The blue blade bit into the white, knocking it askew and sending it flying off into some random direction that was probably near Ray. He would be out of the stadium, and at an angle that wouldn't allow the cat to catch his feet. Kai chuckled to himself; who said that cats always land on their feet?

His hand outstretched, Ray caught Drigger as he smacked into his palm, not even spinning anymore. The dust dispersed around them and he saw Dranzer as she sputtered where she spun and finally died out, clattering to a finish on the broken and rough terrain. The energy slowly drained from his body and he grinned at Kai, keeping himself standing even as he felt like he wanted to crumple into a sitting position and just laugh at the relief of the battle being over. "Well. I almost beat you."

"Almost doesn't cut it." Kai walked forward, a distinct slowness to his movements, as if his body was numb. The only problem with what Ray said was that it was true. If Ray had kept his head in the battle just that moment longer, just to be sure that Dranzer was going to come down wrong, Kai was positive that the other would've won. He bent down to pick up the blue blade, a small smile flitting across his face as he saw the proud way she bore her damage. She was a fighter. How had he ignored her for five years? Then again, he supposed five years wasn't that long compared to an ancient beast like herself. For him, it would have seemed a lifetime to wait, sitting patiently in that cell for the time he could come out again. I'm sorry my friend…

Glancing up at where Ray had finally plopped himself down, Kai made a disgruntled face. The man was sprawled out on the wrecked ground, his hands propping himself up behind him and his head just laying back. He looked like a good kick would knock him over, and though Kai was tempted, he just spoke gruffly, "If you're going to pass out, don't do it here."

Ray opened one eye just enough to see the half-blurred form of Kai and grinned. "I'm not gonna pass out. Just catching my breath. You look like you're going to pass out."

Kai frowned at that, pulling himself back up to stand straighter. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a little fatigued." Ray snorted, causing Kai to frown more. "Just get up."

"Alright, alright." Slowly the tanned Chinese man got to his feet, pulling Drigger with him as he stretched his body. "I swear, sometimes I wish that battling with bitbeasts was as simple as battling with regular spinning tops… I still don't quite understand how it works, but each battle seems like we were just run through the grinder." He laughed a little, running his dust-covered hand through his dust-covered hair.

"Nn." Kai made his way across the broken amusement park slowly, as if he was meandering down a street and had all the time in the world. In reality, he was feeling exactly what Ray had described. He wanted to sit down, and fast, but unlike Ray, he wouldn't show that kind of weakness. So he walked, strolling past Ray with his hands in his pockets. "The battle is over. Come on."

"Are you gonna kick me out now?" Ray grinned as he followed Kai, but his eyes were serious, curious, and expectant.

What did Ray expect? Did he expect that he was going to kick him out, right now? Or was it that Ray was expecting him to just let him stay, and say forget the entire thing, that they could visit, or that they could stick around…? Kai scowled to himself and kept walking, not responding to the question. He should kick him out. That was their deal. He won. But he couldn't forget the only reason that he had won was because the stupid ex-teammate had left his attention elsewhere at the very end. If he hadn't, if he had just kept his eyes on the blades… Had he done it on purpose? That thought hadn't occurred to him. What if Ray had lost on purpose? But what point would that serve except to boost his ego? And not Ray's ego, his ego. Kai frowned. If Ray had lost on purpose then the battle would have gone to him anyway. It was a fluke that he had won. By all rights he shouldn't have.

That thought grated on his nerves. He shouldn't have won. He didn't win by his efforts or his knowledge, or the fact that he had been practicing all the time. He won because Ray wasn't paying attention and although that would still make it Ray's fault for losing, Kai felt the gloom as it settled around him and muffled everything else. Even in the light of the lamps that lined the hallway, he felt as if it was dark. It was not pleasant to think that he won because of a fluke.

"Kai?"

Kai glanced over to Ray, who was still watching him expectantly, his golden cat-like eyes glowing in the dimly lit hallway. With a grimace and a quick jerk of his head back around, Kai answered, "One week."

"What?"

"You can stay one week, but then you and the others better get out of my sight."

Ray raised his eyebrows at Kai as he moved away, faster now, but still with the same heavy movements. They could visit then? Well, that was unexpected. He had really thought that Kai would kick them out without a single thought. What had changed his mind? Trotting after Kai, Ray mused over the battle. It had been his own fault that he had lost; he got cocky at the end, so it was a legitimate battle. There had to be something else going on in Kai's mind. But what was going on in his mind? He was tempted to ask why Kai suddenly had changed the decision to let them visit, but decided against it; instead he smiled and said, "Alright. But I'll make this fair."

"Fair?" Kai was pulling open the doors to his study and he glanced back to raise an eyebrow at Ray.

"Yeah, fair. I won't bring the others here. We'll just have to arrange things so that you come out to see us."

Kai frowned. "How is that fair?"

"You won't have Tyson messing with your stuff. Or Kenny analyzing everything he comes across. Or the questions from Max when he realizes that this is the same place we had tried to rescue you from all those years ago."

Each thing that Ray brought up made Kai grimace, and grimace more as each was piled on top of the other. "Fine." He muttered, moving into the study and heading straight to his chair. The kitten had curled up on it and was fast asleep, purring lightly even as Kai picked it up and set it on the floor.

Ray grinned as he followed. "So does he have a name?"

"Who?"

"The kitten." Ray had bent down to sweep up the little creature into his arms, cradling its tiny body and tickling its feet as if it were some baby.

Kai shook his head. "He doesn't need a name."

Ray gave him a funny look. "Of course he does."

"Then you name him."

"Alright!"

He sounded much too happy to be able to name a street cat, and Kai turned himself to his papers, pretending that he was right back to work when in reality he was trying to relax. His fingers weren't working well enough to grip a pencil, and the papers fell out of his hands when he tried to hold them. Kai glanced up at Dranzer where she sat, smugly it seemed, on his desk. Her eyes glinted in a way that could be mischievous and he scowled. It seemed he hadn't stopped scowling since the end of the match.

"How about… Tigger!"

Kai coughed, appalled. "What?"

"Tigger. He's a cartoon character."

"It's too close to Drigger."

"Oh, I guess it is pretty close, isn't it?"

"Find another name."

"Hmm… maybe…" Ray held up the sleepy kitten and studied him, "Sprig."

"Sprig…?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. He's tiny, and he's spry. Kinda wiry… like a twig, but twig is too… twiggish. Sprig!"

Kai looked at the little cat as it flailed slightly, trying to catch a hold of Ray's hair. He watched as Ray eased him back into his arms and let the kitten climb over his shirt and onto his shoulder where it sat and looked around, blinking its sleepy owlish eyes at the room. "Sprig." He still wasn't sure about the name, but it would do.

"I think it works." Ray carefully walked over to a chair and eased into it, sighing as his body relaxed against the plush seat. "I should leave soon."

"I know a better way to make it fair."

"Hm?" Ray had closed his eyes, and now he opened them sleepily to see Kai staring at him and the kitten intently.

"For you and the… others… to stay in town and… visit…" He seemed to be having trouble getting some of the words out, "I want another battle."

"Another… but you won." Ray blinked mildly, sitting up and leaning over the side of the chair casually.

"Nn." Kai folded his hands together and leaned forward, looking every inch like a business man. "Are you going to decline this chance to show me that you can defeat me?"

"Well…" Ray paused and thought about it. "What do I get if I win?" He grinned.

Kai's eyes narrowed slightly, frowning. "My address."

"Deal!" Ray leaned back in the chair. "What do you want if you win?"

"I'll think of something."

Author's Corner: So, I got bored halfway through and can't think of anything to type at the end of this chapter. XD I don't feel like finishing their conversation and dictating Ray leaving and all those nitty-gritty details, they make for boringness, I think… So! You've got another chapter. Sorry that this one isn't as interesting as the others. I hope you got a few chuckles out of the naming, at least! I'll try to update again, but I think I ran out of my steam for now. :3 Remember! Lots of love and praise and affection and you're more likely to get another chapter soon! Especially since I can't think of anything to do with this at the moment, so the update won't be tomorrow, or the next day or even the day after that. Sorreh~ Hope you enjoyed it!