Betting On Kai

Hilary was getting worried about the Bladebreakers. She really felt they ought to get back to school. It had been over a month that they had finished battling the BEGA and had also won. The next World Championships wasn't due for another 6 months. They should really go back to school and get on with their school education a bit. She cornered them after a perfectly torrid training session.

"Hey you guys!" she called.

"Look what the cat dragged in" said Tyson, grimacing evilly.

"Whatssup, Hilary?" asked Max, pocketing his blade.

"Don't you think it's high time you all went to school?" she demanded, hands on hips.

"Oh, that again!" sighed Tyson "Will you ever give it a rest?"

"No!" said Hilary, angrily "It's high time you kept your options open, Tyson. Beyblading is for fun – what the hell are you going to do when you need money – when you have to fend for yourself?"

"I'll turn pro!" said Tyson "And that ought to bring me money!"

"You disgust me!" said Hilary "Tyson if you blade for money…what's the difference between you and BEGA?"

"Well, in that case" Tyson said, winking at the other guys "I'll marry you and you can support us both!"

"TYSON!" said Hilary, furiously taking a snipe at him "Don't you dare!" But all the same she blushed scarlet at the mention of such an idea. "This is the future we're talking about!"

"Calm down, Hilary" said Ray "Ok. We get your point. We'll go to school."

"But you know" began Max, slyly "Tyson's idea does have its merits. We can all live with them and Hilary…"

"Shut up, Max" said Kenny, seeing Hilary ready to blow her top.

"Alright" said Tyson getting tired of the whole issue "I'll go back to school only on one condition."

Hilary crossed her hands in front of her chest and said, "Name it!"

Tyson walked up to Hilary and standing beside her said, "Get Kai back to us and to school!"

Hilary's eyes widened with shock and turned to look at Tyson. Kai had gone off again after his last battle with Tyson which had ended in a draw. No body would ever find out where Kai was. He was unpredictable and trying to find him was like trying to find a needle in a haystack! And Hilary was not an exception. She slowly turned around to face Tyson.

"Fine! I accept your challenge." Hilary said in a voice of determined calm "And if I win, not only you be going back to school but you're gonna have to teach me how to blade!"

The others gasped. Kenny's bit beast Dizzie trapped inside of his laptop said, "I wouldn't like to bet on either of them Chief!"



The next day, Ray and Max was walking towards Tyson's dojo. It still was training time for them. They were discussing about Hilary and Tyson's deal, of the previous day.

"Who do you think will win?" asked Max.

"I don't know Max" said Ray "But if I'm going to have a bet on them, I'd always bet on Tyson. He's bound to come out as the winner."

Max nodded. "Yeah…but Hilary is quite unpredictable! She might think up some strategy to get Kai back!"

"So you'll bet on Hilary, then?" Ray asked.

"Yeah…she might just win!" Max asserted.

"Wanna bet?" asked Ray, looking at Max out of the corner of his eyes.

"I – ok. I'll bet you a box of great American chocolates Hilary will win!" said Max.

"And I'll give you my White Tiger headband that she'll lose!" Ray smiled.

Max suddenly realized that his friend had struck a deal with him!

"Hey…you tricked me!" Max said, flying at Ray. "No fair!"

Ray fended his off and ran towards the dojo, laughing at the blonde boy.



Hilary was not to be found with the other Bladebreakers. Only Tyson was there, battling Kenny with all his might.

"Has Hilary gone off?" asked Ray.

"On a wild goose chase!" said Tyson, knocking Kenny's blade out of the dish and catching his own in the palm of his hand. "I struck a deal with her that she can never fulfill!"

"You are evil Tyson!" said Max, turned his head away from him.

"Cherie!" said Dizzie "She might just succeed guys!"

"I hope so!" said Max, sighing deeply.

He looked towards the horizon in the distance. Where could Hilary be? Would she ever succeed in hunting down Kai, and get him to return to the Bladebreakers? Or would he have to give his box of chocolates to Ray?

"I hope she is alright!" Kenny said, packing up his things.

"Don't worry" said Tyson, indifferently "She'll come running back to us, and we'll all forget about school in no time! Oh, yeah!"

All the same, the others were more worried about Hilary than Tyson. Knowing Kai, he could be anywhere! And someone going after him…wasn't such a good idea.



"Where on earth can a boy like Kai be?" Hilary asked herself, as she walked towards the BBA headquarters. "He's a Capricorn, right?"

She tried to remember all that she had read about Capricorns in her astrology books. She remembered some of their traits but very faintly.

"Lets see" she said "They never grow up, they are pompous, always having the last word, cordial yet highly ambitious and they like to be around people!"

Hilary sighed. That was one thing that Kai didn't like. He loved playing the lone wolf.

"Maybe he feels lonely all the while. He resents being around people" she decided "and I'll bet he finds condolence from something or somebody – if not his friends!"

Hilary walked towards the hill they often went to, overlooking the river. She had a strange idea that Kai might be lurking there. Something gingerly brushed past her leg. Looking around, Hilary saw a lithe kitty making its way to the same place she was going to.

The kitty beat her by a few paces, and when Hilary finally reached the top, an astonishing sight met her eyes!

Kai was there on bended knee, stroking the head of the kitty. The kitty was purring in a happy, contended sort of way.

"That is so sweet" said Hilary. "Won't you introduce me to your friend, Kai?"

"Huh-n?" Kai looked around "Hello, Hilary!"

Hilary settled herself down on the grass, and looked at him. He lay back on the grass, the kitty cuddled down beside him.

"Do you often come here, Kai?"

"Sometimes."

"It's a nice place, isn't it?"

"Yes. Don't you come here too?"

"I did. When you all left…I came here with Tyson."

"Last world championships."

"Yes"

Silence fell between them. Hilary didn't know how to tell him they needed him back. Or rather she needed him to go back. She knew a direct order would never work for Kai or a Capricorn!

"Daichi left last week. And so the G-Revolutions went back to their original name of Bladebreakers." Hilary said.

"Has Tyson grown up yet?" Kai questioned her.

"Well…" Hilary wasn't sure what to answer. Only Kai had been able to guess what had happened between her and Tyson, that day she lost and found her memory. But Tyson had disregarded the whole incident later. Treating her, as he had promised, like a friend. "He's still the same."

"He's an Aries" commented Kai.

"So you do believe in Astrology?" Hilary asked.

"No." came the simple reply.

Rather angrily, Hilary launched into the subject of school. Holding a conversation with Kai never made her feel better. She was annoyed that he after leading her into certain subjects of conversation ended it abruptly.

"Are you going to give up blading totally?" she asked him.

"Yeah – I guess" said Kai "I'm sick of the sport anyway."

"Then, don't you feel you ought to take up some field of work?" asked Hilary, eagerly "And for that -"

"I'm gonna have to go back to school?" asked Kai, sitting up suddenly "Well, that's not gonna happen!"

The kitty purred and rolled over. Hilary watched Kai closely. Some sort of panic was playing about on his face. Beneath his usually grave voice was a nervous note.

"Are you afraid of school Kai?" asked Hilary, slowly "Because of what happened to Wyatt?"

Kai remained silent. He never spoke about his past or allowed anyone else too. However he did not stop Hilary from speaking about his past now.

"It's not a boarding school" said Hilary, gently "It's a day school and we'll all be there for you Kai. I promise no one will pester you to teach them how to blade!"

Still Kai didn't say a word. Was he even listening to her? It was hard to tell.

"Please come back…" she pleaded "We need you, Kai. You are one of us – you can't go off by yourself always. What can't we give you that this kitty can?"

Kai looked at Hilary. Her face was alit with all earnestness to help him, get him through the rest of his life, and always be ready to bear all his sorrows and troubles.

Hilary knew he was going to take his decision now. She waited with baited breath. Kai's usually hard and indifferent expression was softened now. He seemed to have seen her in a whole new light. He could see the Hilary Tyson hardly ever could! She wasn't a silly girl – but a woman, who could bear anything for the sake of her friends. It was only fitting that he say 'yes'.

"No" said Kai, abruptly getting up "I can't come back. Don't ask me to Hilary."

Hilary got up too and backed away from him. He could be dangerous in such a foul mood.

"Good-bye then" said Hilary turning away from him and heading back home.

"Sorry" whispered Kai.

But a gust of wind blew just then, and changed the course of his words.



The next day, Hilary went to Tyson's dojo all by herself. The Bladebreakers were already there, training as usual. Seeing her approach, Tyson yelled "Time out, Chief!"

He turned towards Hilary, "No luck then, huh?"

"I found him" said Hilary, simply.

They were all shocked. She had found Kai?

"But I lost him again."

Tyson breathed deeply, Kenny sighed and Ray looked round at Max grinning.

"I think you owe me something!" he smiled.

"So…" said Kenny, realizing that wasn't all that Hilary had to say.

"You are all most welcome to…" she was cut short.

"Hey, Hilary. Wait on…"

They all turned to look around at the figure standing atop the dojo roof: KAI!

"Let me join the party too!" he neatly jumped down and landed next to the other bladers.

"You were saying?" Kenny asked.

"You're all most welcome to fetch your school books. Classes begin from Monday!" she smiled "And you Tyson – better get yourself in teaching mode!"

The others laughed as they watched Tyson's crestfallen face. Max rounded on Ray.

"Looks like you owe me, Ray!"

Ray sighed.

Kai looked surprised. Kenny told him about the whole betting business, by the end of the narration, Kai was actually laughing.

"You should have told me Tyson would be tutoring you if I came back" said Kai "I'd have come back tomorrow itself!"

"KAI" screamed Tyson "You're supposed to be my friend!"

"Well," smiled Kai "I'm Hilary's friend too, you know!"

Max nudged Ray and commented, "Looks like we're gonna have some fun with teacher Tyson!"

"Yeah" said Ray.

Tyson dropped on his knee, screaming in fury. Hilary patted him on the back.

"There, there – Tyson" she smiled mischievously "I promise to be a good student!"

Their laughed echoed through out the dojo and into the streets of Japan.



So how was my sequel? I hope you liked it. Working on the 3rd installment now, trying to make it more grown-up. But my style is humor…so I can't help putting in one liner!