Author's Note: Well, half of this chapter will be a flash back… But I'm sure you're all wondering what Kai told Rei. I actually spent an hour researching this part for the fic. (That sounds sad. But at least it will be accurate.)

Thanks to the two people for reviewing and anyone who read this fic!

BlackSpirit - Hello again! You stopped reviewing! Why -sniff sniff- Only kidding, anyway you'll like this chapter if your eager to find out what Kai and Rei spoke about! Thanks for the review!

d1bontemp - Yeah one day, poor fingers. Sorry I didn't update sooner with this chapter though. I ended up in town shopping for nine hours, and I don't even like shopping. -.-'' Well thanks for reviewing!

Chapter 24

Rei didn't even bother going outside, he just sat down on the small chair, he didn't want to think about what he had heard, but the facts didn't leave him alone. The wandered in and out of his thoughts, making him even less enthusiastic about the Championships. Only moments ago had his hopes of actually winning against this strange mystery blader, had been completely tarnished beyond any repair.

Rei sighed and leaned forward in the chair placing his cool hands on his warm head, he knew he shouldn't be worrying but with last year him almost getting - killed. He hated to think what this Lotan was capable of. What was this? A phobia of bitbeasts?

Flashback

"Here's a history lesson Rei..." Kai didn't look to happy or sound it. His eyes blazed with a strange hatred, he hated to speak to people about things that would make them less; worse than what they were. In other words cause someone to lose all self-respect or hope.

"Leviathan, everyone knows about the biblical proportions that he was meant to be a serpent snake of the sea and killed everyone he seen. All the horrible tales that were meant to have happened." Kai watched as Rei nodded, he wasn't looking too pleased himself as Kai still was not answering anything about Lotan.

Kai let out an enraged sigh, he really did hate this - it wasn't Rei or even this subject that was making him mad, it was the fact that he now knew why Boris was acting the way he was. Why he was boasting so; enormously.

"How do you think the whole idea of Leviathan managed to come about?" Kai was pondering over this question himself and had quickly found an answer to it when Rei had been explaining where he had heard the name Lotan from.

Rei pondered for a moment and finally answered unsure if he was being patronized or if Kai was just testing his knowledge on the subject…and that was very little. Rei was beginning to think that maybe Kai had known about this before and just not said anything.

"Legends I suppose." Rei shrugged, hoping that Kai would just explain. Kai on the other hand did not want to tell anyone now that he had figured some of this puzzle out. Even if it was only a little, the end picture would be the worse… Things seemed to get more twisted as he found a little more out.

"Which came from where?" Kai raised an eyebrow as Rei frowned as he remained silent. Rei didn't know, he only knew the name and a short description of it - Kai seemed to be very familiar with this. Too familiar.

Kai waited for a few seconds, but when he noticed that Rei shrugged he continued to give Rei his 'history lesson.'

"When the people of the Middle-east came and found Babylon in Akkad, and it's partner town Sumer, they heard of beasts from the people." Kai noticed the strange expression he was receiving from the neko-gin, and knew he had no idea what he was talking about, this conversation would be a long and explained one.

"…Where on earth is Akkad and Sumer..?" Rei had never heard of these places before, but that was because they had been renamed, Kai was not expecting just anyone to know that.

"It would be today's… Iraq and Syria." Rei nodded, taking in that small fact - he was not very good at geography but at least now if someone asked him he would know. It was very unlikely but he still knew, that's what counted.

"Sorry…But why does…that scare Tundra?" Rei was slowly thinking of everything, he had got it so far, but the thing that made his curiosity grow was when he saw a flicker of emotion in the crimson eyes that were glaring ever so slightly at him.

"I'll come to that …Later." Kai rolled his eyes, actually he was hoping he wouldn't need to. "The legend says he is a primeval water dragon with fire-breathing tendencies. Lotan however, is a seven-headed fire-breathing croco-dragon sea monster of the Mesopotamian legend." This was when Rei had lost it, he thought he was following everything well, but just then he had not caught on.

"But I though Lotan was the beast and not the legend," He was sure that was what Kai had said only moments ago, maybe he was hearing things wrong?

"That's were history confuses itself." Kai shrugged and walked over to the bed again, he could tell this would leave them both with headaches. For two different reason.

"What do you mean?" Rei was confused, he didn't care about history - he himself was lost completely. Kai sighed; he was regretting trying to tell Rei this. He knew that he would have to tell everyone eventually. Though maybe Rei would be able to 'dumb' it down a little.

"Lotan comes up in the Mesopotamian legends - though when Mid-east people came they were told of him it ended up in the Old Testament and became Leviathan." Rei managed to catch a little more understanding and decided to ask a question just to see if he was getting the right idea.

Kai sighed and decided to just tell Rei the basics, it would be easier if he asked questions and then Kai cleared it up mainly with his answers.

"Leviathan is the legend. Lotan is the beast." Kai folded his arms as he watched Rei look at him as if he crazy. Kai had thought about just dismissing Rei from his room and to research it himself, but Kai had already started his explanation there was no point in stopping it now.

"You mean… A big serpent is out there somewhere." Rei pointed to a wall, still looking at Kai as if he were crazy. Kai got what he meant and immediately got angry. Rei was not stupid he knew that but he could be dumb at times.

"REI! What on earth do you think BITBEASTS are!" Kai tried to keep his voice low but he ended up yelling and hissing the words at Rei as if he had just asked a very stupid question, which he had in Kai's eyes.

"So basically this Lotan is a bitbeast?" Rei tilted his head, wondering what Kai was getting so worked up again.

"Yes," Kai stated, his tone of voice sounded irritated and annoyed, like Rei was asking stupid questions, but Rei just frowned.

"Why are you getting so worked up about a bitbeast?" He knew bitbeasts could be powerful and why others bitbeasts should fear bitbeasts, but humans didn't have to be scared of them. Did they?

"This is not just a bitbeast… Think about it." Kai had lifted his head off the soft pillow and in turn let it drop back down as another headache decided to shot through his head.

"I have, all bitbeasts can be defeated." Even the bitbeast that was completely maniac itself could been defeated, even if it did mean that they all had to give Tyson their bitbeasts for a while at least they won.

"Think of a bitbeast that had to be sealed away, not just in a rock but with keys to release it because it was so…Destructive!" Kai was getting worried that Rei wouldn't see how serious this was, or how strong Lotan was for that matter.

Rei frowned when, another emotion flickered in Kai's eyes it was a strange one, mixed with anger and…Fear? Worry? Rei couldn't be sure, but he had to make sense of all of this, he had to make sure these were facts and not Kai stressing out. Of course he trusted Kai not to get too stressed out, and then begin to imagine things - but he could have been over exaggerating.

"You say this like you've seen it… How do you know it exists?" Rei was wondering how Kai knew so much, or why he knew so much. Not everyone could give so much information on one topic because of a name… Not anyone that Rei knew on a personal level.

"Because…" My grandfather researched it. Kai looked at the neko-gin, he was having a hard time accepting this information. "…It's in legends." Was Kai's best excuse to try to stop Rei from asking another question and it would only get worse if Rei continued in his search for answers.

"Just because it's in some stupid stories and legends doesn't make it real!" The desperation in his voice was a sign of his breaking point, Kai knew he should have never of told him anything, Rei was not taking this well. Then again who would take this new information well?

Kai forgot about keeping some things from Rei, and accidentally let something slip. "That's why all of our bitbeasts couldn't -." Kai managed to stop himself from uttering another word, but it was too late - Rei had already caught on.

Rei shot a glare at Kai, now understanding the basics of what had been wrong with the bitbeasts.

"Couldn't wake up…? Is that what you were going to say? That our bitbeasts were unable to wake because of this other bitbeast!" Rei didn't like this. Not one bit. He had thought that the Five Scared Bitbeasts would be able to handle anything, and wouldn't be so disturbed by just one other bitbeast.

Kai remained silent, he could feel the despair in the room as it continued to thicken, even he was feeling down because of this bitbeast. Kai was hoping that maybe, if Boris wasn't looking he could basically smash the bitbeast to pieces, though would that have other effects?

"What exactly are we up against Kai?" Kai seemed to know what this thing was, and looked like so it was a easy question. Was it bad or very bad? That's all Rei wanted to know, he still had the feeling that they would be able to get pasted this strange bitbeast and manage to get something out of Boris.

"You remember the beybattle with Enrique?" Kai stood against the wall in his usual pose - thinking of what he had done in telling Rei what was happening. Kai thought that maybe he could place some false hope, at least it would be something. At least Rei wouldn't feel as if the whole world wasn't falling apart.

Rei nodded his head thinking about the battle where Enrique was nearly hurt by his own bitbeast, that was another thing. If a bitbeast didn't like the owner it had it could do anything… Rei snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Kai speaking again.
"It had two heads, add another five, with the ability to flame bitbeasts at a higher temperature of that of Dranzer's attacks." Kai was wondering if Lotan would be able to actually hurt since fighting fire with fire was not as great an idea as it was once thought. Though the deadly bitbeast would probably have some attack other than fire… Hopefully not.

"That strong? I'm sure someone will defeat it… Tyson, we could always just help him like last time. Like join our own bitbeast together." Rei blinked as he heard what Kai said.

"Tyson won't be able to win, Rei." Kai was sure he wouldn't be able to, no one would be able to.

Rei frowned, hoping that the bluenette would clear some other things up before the others came in to have a rest. "The blader becomes…Their own opposite." That was the only way Kai could describe it, to turn into something that everyone hates - hates yourself. He had felt that feeling before, he had felt even worse when he had realised what he was doing - he couldn't blame it all on that evil bird. It was his fault for being so weak.

"Like you and Black Dranzer?" Rei looked away from Kai, he still knew the name made Kai flinch and feel uncomfortable. Kai had felt uncomfortable as soon as he had begun explaining to Rei what was happening.

Rei heard the captain sigh and looked up to meet crimson eyes, Kai was shaking his head.

"Worse. I could still feel things, even if I was obsessed with power. Lotan won't even make the blader aware of pain. The blader won't even have a personality." Kai shuddered thinking about the haunting black bird, he was aware that Rei gave him a concerned look but he brushed it off with another mild glare. What if he had become the World Champion with Black Dranzer? Would he had been engulfed in power? Would he no longer have a decision in anything they did? It was horrifying thought.

"Can't we just destroy it, get Tundra or something?" Rei was trying to think of anything to give him hope, but whenever he did think of something Kai would shoot the idea down again. Kai had known more about the reason why Tundra was scared, and as Rei had said been weeping over the fact he was 'coming.' Not like Kai was going to crush whatever spirit Rei had left.

"Rei if you had a choice would you go near a seven-headed fire-breathing dragon that could possibly disembowel you within seconds?" Kai snapped, he hated the looks that Rei was giving him, not angry or confused looks, just worn-down ones. Kai felt worse as he continued to tell Rei. Kai's first thought was that he would be able to handle it; he wouldn't get so down… Kai was wrong, he'd made a mistake in telling Rei.

"Who…Who placed Lotan in the rock? In the first place?" Rei looked down at the floor, he didn't want to know that this was true anymore, he just wanted Kai to say he was joking and that the Championships would be fine. That there was a chance…Of actually winning.

Kai's knowledge only went so far - since he had only been told of this Lotan bitbeast because his Grandfather had been working on it, before he made Black Dranzer. Of course Boris probably knew that Black Dranzer would be much weaker than Lotan. He probably stole the rock that had the bitbeast in it. Just in case his grandfather would throw it out or destroy it.

Kai frowned, this was when he had lost interest in wanting to know what his Grandfather was doing, his eye had been caught by Black Dranzer then. Still he did know something about it, but decided not to even voice his opinion as Rei may get too much hope from one simple fact. The main fact was that Rei didn't know everything, but he knew enough.

For the past few weeks, there had been a major change in Rei Kon; he hardly trained with Tyson or Max and Kai - he wandered away on his own to train himself. Rei had been sulking, but it was the way he had immediately cheered up for a few minutes when anyone asked him then hit rock bottom again, that was what worried everyone.

Tyson noted that since Rei had talked to Kai, about something, it had done something back to the neko-gin. Tyson didn't know if he should be angry for whatever Kai had told Rei, to make him not care about beyblading anymore - how much had hope had he lost within one conversation?

"Rei, what's up?" Tyson walked up the raven-haired boy who was currently sitting on the ground fiddling with a stray piece of grass. Rei knew he should have been training, to get stronger but now… Now he didn't see the point.

"Nothing." Rei shrugged he was going to keep his promise to Kai no matter what it meant for the other team members. Maybe Kai had a plan? Tyson frowned then smiled, he sat next to Rei on the grass.

"That's a Kai answer, come on tell us what's up?" Rei knew that Tyson probably was going to annoy Kai, maybe get Kai to explain why he was being so…Different. Rei decided to use the excuse that he had been using since day one of finding out about Lotan.

"Really, I just - don't feel confident about this…Championship." Rei sighed and began to twist the small piece of grass until it tore in two.

"Well; what could go wrong? We'll beat Boris, find out where Sota and Adonis are and that-- will be that." Tyson went to pat Rei on the back but his hand was slapped away by a very angry looking neko-gin. He hissed, "It's not so simple Tyson!" His eyes narrowed; though when Rei had realised what he had said he went back to tearing the small blade of grass up into more smaller pieces.

"What do you mean Rei?" Now the happy Tyson had turned serious, he also knew that whatever the two eldest bladers had been talking about something that no one else knew. In other words they were keeping something from the group.

"It's nothing…" Rei sighed, he had better not spill or else Kai would never trust him again. Even though he had managed it for a few weeks, there had been times when Rei had nearly told someone what he knew. Luckily he had managed to save it on each occasion.

"What, do you know something?" Tyson frowned as Rei shrugged unenthusiastically, and just mumbled another excuse that was familiar to the one he had used last time.

"I'm just nervous…" Rei looked at Tyson and noticed that he had a look of -- disappointment? On his face, Rei suddenly feel deeper into the hole of despair, now Tyson thought he was lying to him because he didn't want to tell him.

The blonde noticed that everyone was resting and decided to follow suit and made his way over to the tree, Tyson and Rei were sitting under. From what Max could tell, one of them had said something to the other that hadn't gone down well.

"Max." Tyson gave a small smile as he kneeled down in front of him and Rei. He placed a high-pitched voice on and decided to act like some sort of reporter.
"What is your primal thought on this tournament." Tyson received a shake of the head from Rei with a smile creeping onto his face, at least he still knows how to have fun, Tyson thought.

"I'm…I dunno. Nervous and kind of scared I guess." Max shrugged his shoulders being truthful, knowing that Tyson and Rei wouldn't make fun of him. Tyson blinked, Max was scared? Sure Tyson had been nervous and maybe worried last year but he hadn't been scared.

"Why?" Tyson asked, he was seriously thinking he was the only one that was looking forward to the championships or at least wanted to go. Then again he was the only one out of the BladeBreakers that did.

Max sighed and began to explain his own reasons why he wasn't confident about the Championships.

"My mum phoned me a few days ago, and said that Boris had given them all free stuff, like new machines and beyblades. With a note saying, 'best of luck, even if you don't stand a chance.' "

Rei had listened to Max's reasons now he began to consider the facts, the would all need to go… Though they didn't really need to. But with them all have a lot of experience and being powerful bladers, if they didn't go who would be able to at least stand a chance against the mystery blader?

So he really does have Lotan. Rei looked away from Tyson and Max hoping that they could not see how sad he really felt.

"He'll be bluffing Maxie, he always does." Tyson was surprised that Max had taken a negative spin on things, he was usually the positive one.

"But Tyson what if he isn't. No one would give there enemies an expensive gift; not a gift that could help them win unless he was certain he would!" Max had been completely taken out of focus on what he had to do, would he keep training - was there any point?

I wonder if Lotan really is that strong… Rei thought that maybe Kai was adding some details in just to try to scare him…But now this beast seemed to have colossal powers.

"Come on, it can't be that bad." Tyson rolled his eyes trying to gain some positive answer.

"Tyson, Boris has been boasting everywhere!" Max had began to think that maybe if he did go he would loose Draciel and not be able to get his beloved bitbeast back. That was the thought that scared him.

"I boast too - so I'll win." Tyson smiled thinking that it would get Max back into his own positive mind set, though Max just appeared more worried.

"That's my point Tyson. You know your capabilities, you know what you can handle! Boris is doing the same thing!" Max had had a rough few months, they all had - all of his usual happy energy had drained away into a place where he couldn't reach. Was it because he was getting freaked out because the way Boris was acting and the new rules?

Tyson blinked unable to think about anything, he felt alone for the first time - what did his friends know that made them all so… Discouraged to even blade? They all loved blading so what had changed their minds?

Why is everyone getting so worried! It'll be fine! Tyson gave both Rei and Max a angry look, as if he was going to explode any second - and he did.

"So what? What if he has a really good blader! Are you just going to not even bother because it might be hard! That maybe we will loose? So there's no point in even trying!"

"That's not what I'm saying Tyson!" Max knew he had offended Tyson, he had basically said that there was no point in beyblading. Not this year, but Rei had thought, if someone like Tyson was going to go in even without the knowledge of what he might have been facing. Would he get even more crushed because he lost?

"It sure sounds like it!" Tyson stood off and stormed away trying to think of a way to bring back some hope to his team. Unaware of his presence, Kai walked off thinking about the tournament, thinking about his family and what he would need to do.

Author's Note: Well, that was hard to explain - anyone confused? I'm sure it'll clear up once the tournament starts which is next. Review please!