OKAY, THERE IS THE NEW CHAPTER. I OMITTED A CHAPTER IN THE ORIGINAL PUBLICATION, SO GO BACK AND READ "AND YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD BE EASY." So, there you have it. This is the new chapter. Read on, homies!

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade. I only own my OCs, and the plot line.

Summary:The threat of higher level competition in the tournaments to come makes Mr. Dickenson assign Riley Phillips to help train the G Revolutions. Tyson knows her. She was the one who taught him to really beyblade. But how much does he know about the time between back then and now? And why is she singling Kai out?

To Turn The Tides

Chapter Nine: A Quick Reminder

Distant Storm

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He shuffled into the kitchen, which was still entirely dark. No one was awake, since no one had exams on this first day of June. Flicking on the dimmest lights of the black and forest green kitchen, he sat at the island with a cup of coffee, thinking. Things were happening fast.

For example, he had put together the attack, though it still lacked all the spark and sizzle that Riley's version had. That had been four days ago, and Riley had been just about as happy with him as ever. She'd kissed the hell out of him for that. And to his surprise, that wasn't the only thing that had happened fast. He pretty much had abandoned all care about being nervous to kiss her, or to hold her. That was an aftermath of the prom incident. He figured it was just his nature kicking in.

They had no real defined thing. They weren't dating, they were just best friends who felt the need to do things with each other. He realized how raunchy that sounded and shook his head. Now he knew why they called it 'friends with benefits.' Still, this entire ordeal didn't stop him from feeling the exact same way about her. He had a feeling that he was beyond in love with her, but that was the only thing he refused to tell her. After that, there was no going back. And he couldn't do that when the finals still had to happen. After, he would tell her. He'd have to.

It would probably kill him not to.

He checked the clock on the wall. Six am. He yawned and stretched, hearing something sounding like the shower going off down the hall. It had to be her. Everyone else slept until at least nine or ten on a day they were exempt from school. With a quick smirk, he pulled out a second coffee cup. They'd have time to themselves before everyone woke up. That would be good, because today was going to be a big training day, with everyone off.

An acidic feeling rose in the bottom of his stomach. She'd been training them very hard lately. It had caused the question of just how long she was planning on staying to come back into his head. She wouldn't leave before they won the championships, would she? No, she couldn't. She was practically a member of the team, as much as she set herself apart. They'd all clicked. She wouldn't leave them. He'd do everything possible to stop it.

She came out a moment later clad in green 'swooshy' pants, as she called it, detailed by the line of gold going down the side, and a white shirt that came down into a v-neck. He gave her a once over, noting the messy wet hair and poured the cup of coffee, adding the cream and sugar, sliding it over to her.

She took a seat and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Thanks." He nodded and turned his attention to the window.

"What are we doing today?"

"I'm having a huge training session for the guys this afternoon, but other than that, I don't know. Maybe going to get stuff for the graduation party we're going to be forced to have."

He tilted his head in her direction. His friends had been talking about that at school. "'We're?'"

"Oh yeah," she said, nearly slapping herself in the forehead. "I was going to ask you. Since I know you hate to be in the spotlight unless you're winning something, want to have our parties together? I was planning on having mine the day after graduation."

"When's yours?" He asked, curious. He wouldn't agree until he knew just what was going on.

"On the seventeenth, it's a Friday."

His eyes widened. "Mine's the same day," he said, a bit downed by the fact.

"I know, all the kids in the district are having their graduation at the same place, so we're all jumbled together and it's just one event." She smiled and took another drink of the coffee. "So I will get to see you, in your glorious robe walking across the stage." She winked at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"I am not wearing one of those."

"Why not?"

"They're dresses."

"Quit being a whiner. It's in like two weeks, so just deal. You can wear the normal clothes underneath, and I'm sure they won't mind if you wear the scarf." She snaked an arm over his shoulders to his neck and began tugging gently upon the garment.

"You just like the scarf," he said, with a smirk and husky voice.

She shrugged. "It's not a crime that I'm aware of." She loosened it and moved over so she was in his lap. He seemed to shake with pleasure. He knew what was coming. It had been a clean twenty four since she had kissed him anywhere other than the cheek. And that just wasn't good with him. Her voice grew lower, and all together more seductive. "You always like it when I end up with it on."

He smirked, his mind sent into overdrive. Ahh yes, the day she ended up with his scarf on. He was feeling especially... aroused that day. It wasn't unlike them now that they had passed the stage of akward make out sessions, to end up with her next to him missing a shirt at two am. And this had all happened in less than two weeks. They were crazy, he'd admit that much-

"Damn you," he whispered, as she kissed his neck with such white hot, open mouthed kisses that it made his head spin. His hands were holding her at her sides, not to say that they didn't move as she nipped and sucked her way down him. He'd have to turn this back on her. Silently, he picked her up, causing her to question just what was going on. He set her down on top of the island's counter so she was just a bit higher up than he was. He pulled up her shirt just a bit and laid a kiss right above her navel.

"You're addicting," she responded, leaning down to kiss his lips. "And I love it."

Her legs locked around the small of his back, keeping him close to her. He loved it. He loved her, as much as it went unsaid. He'd never say it until things cleared up with the championships, as was mentioned before, but he touched her, and he kissed her like it. That was all he figured she needed. She responded the exact same way.

"Kai- someone? Is anyone awake?"

Ray.

RAY?

Both jumped. "Shit!" She let him pick her up and set her down on the floor. She reached up and fixed his tousled hair, sparing a quick second to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

The black haired boy rubbed the sleep from his eyes and sat across from the duo at the island. "You two are up early," Ray said, surprised. He yawned.

Riley glanced over at Kai. He was staring down into his coffee blankly. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep so I took a shower. When I got out Kai was here. Just enjoying the silence."

Kai gave her a smirk. "Tyson and the runt are going to kill me one of these days, I swear." Ray caught the glance Kai was sending her.

"If your training doesn't first," Ray said. "Both of you have been vicious lately." Riley threw herself back as if to laugh, and Kai suddenly lurched toward her, catching her just before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Kai asked, their noses touching. His hair fell in their faces, shielding them from Ray's view. His voice was genuinely concerned.

"These pants on hardwood stools equals slippery." She allowed him to set her on her feet again, and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, in clean sight of Ray, who choked on his coffee. "Thanks," she said, warmly.

"What the hell was that?"

Riley shrugged. "My way of thanks, got a problem with it?"

"Yes, you just kissed Kai, that's wrong on so many different levels."

Kai coughed a bit to hide his laugh. Riley smirked, and reached a hand hidden beneath the table onto his thigh. "Thanks for that assessment, but I think I'm good. I've got a good idea of right and wrong."

"Really?" Kai said, with a smirk. Ray looked entirely confused.

"What's going on here?"

Riley got up and walked to the doorway. "Yes really. When I'm right, I'm right, and when I'm wrong, it's even better." She winked and walked away.

Ray's mouth was hanging somewhere around his knees. "What the hell was that?" He asked, gawking at the doorway where the coach had just stood.

"Riley Phillips, I think." Kai smirked. That girl was insane.

"She was just flirting with you."

He deadpanned. "You think?"

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Riley waited for him to pick her up after her exam. He didn't have to, seeing as he didn't even have school. None of their friends did. But he still didn't wish for her to be alone. She heard the screeching of tires and a sudden sleek car skidding around the corner. It stopped quickly, screeching as its driver hit the breaks at a fast pace.

There were some cheering as the door unlocked, judging by the click heard. Riley took a few steps forward, and slid into the car, leaning back into the leather seats. However first, she had leaned across and kissed the teenage driver, shutting the door quickly as to keep both his identity and their kiss a secret.

"I passed Tyson and the others on my way here. Let's get the hell out of this place before we get caught."

"God, I feel like I just robbed a bank. But hello to you too." He slammed on the gas, not bothering to think twice about it. "You know, one of these days, they're going to find out."

He tensed up. "Would you like that day to be today?"

She froze. "No."

"And neither would I." He paused. "Beach, park, you pick."

"Somewhere no one will find us."

He smirked. Days like these were ones he lived for. "How's my dorm?"

"You have a dorm?"

"For when I can't tolerate Tyson. And when no one's around, or when I just need to get out. I don't stay there, but it's good to have one."

She smiled seductively. "Sure. Just stop at Wok-n-Roll. I ordered us some food."

"Good, glad someone's one step ahead of things."

She reached over and grabbed one of his hands, which he wasn't using to shift at the moment. "They'd be absolutely appauled to learn that you eat just as much as Tyson."

He pushed her hand down on the stick and shifted quickly, taking the next left to get to the take out restaurant. Riley ran in and grabbed the food, two bags of it to be exact.

She came back about ten minutes later, finding Kai leaning against the brick storefront. "Where'd you-"

"Movie store. I'm tired, figured we'd watch a movie."

Riley nodded. "What kind?"

"Adventure, historical, something like that."

"Ahh, you're a secret history buff, aren't you?" She smirked, and picked up the bag he held, switching it with his. He almost immediately dug into it, grabbing two egg rolls and handing one to her. She didn't have time to continue as the slate haired champ had pretty much stuffed it into her mouth.

He swallowed his current bite. "Let's go."

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She looked around, content with the place. It was rather comfortable in his dorm room, though one could tell it wasn't used much. Hardly at all really. "Lucky bastard, I thought you had room mates."

"Nah. I'm rich, remember?"

She smirked. "Oh yes. Now put in the movie, and if we fall asleep during it, we'll think up our excuse later for the guys." He smiled, pulling out some more food, and handing some to her, before leaning against the back board of his double bed. She snuggled right up next to him, eating her lo mein while he tackled a variety of chicken. The second he was done, his arm was wrapped around her shoulders, and a kiss was pressed to the top of her head.

Kai always knew the meaning of a good movie. He wasn't one to ruin it with kissing and insanity. Now, to him though, it didn't mean that he had to dismiss all forms of interaction between him and the girl next to him. She was currently passing in and out of consciousness, her head upon his chest, and her hands curled up below his head. He held her around the middle at some length, the perfect one, to watch her eyes be weighted down by sleep, but then suddenly open wide again, as if some invisible force had woken her up.

She looked up at him, and a smirk crossed his face though it was focused on the television. "You can sleep, if you'd like," He said, huskily. "I don't mind the warmth."

She smiled, and a small laugh escaped her. The curtains were drawn in the room, and rain poured against the window. "You know, you're absolutely nothing like I thought," she mused, closing her eyes and burying her face in his chest.

"How so?"

She yawned. "It's a good thing, don't worry."

"What do you mean?" He spoke quietly, realizing she was still fading into the abyss between dreams and reality. He held her closer, and she snuggled into him as though she were about to hibernate for the winter.

"Just don't change, okay?" He wasn't sure whether to count it as a victory or not, as the girl was currently asleep now, using him like a pillow and a teddy bear. He no longer felt embarassed of her presence, or of her kisses, or of any of this. To him, the defining line between best friends and more had been beyond crossed. He made sense of it now, and it sounded scandelous, even from his point of view, as a teenage male.

He was having a secret affair with the coach of their team. Yep, that just about summed things up, he realized.

He smirked, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket, flipping it open and typing something in. Nina would most definitely appreciative to hear this.

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This was an interesting sight, Max realized, watching his two friends, one his captain and the other, his coach, receive their high school doplomas. Kai seemed rather unimpressed with the whole ordeal, though Riley's eyes held a spark in them that was undescribable. He had noted, along with an angry Hiro, that Kai's eyes had remained fixed on her when she walked across that stage.

"I swear, that boy is just asking for trouble. Why does he keep staring?"

"It's Kai," Tyson said, nudging his older brother. "He's just strange."

"He's staring at Riley, Tyson."

"Maybe they're having an affair," Hilary chimed slyly.

Both Tyson and Hiro's faces grew red with fury. "What?" Both jumped up in shock and rage.

"Stop! I was just kidding!"

The two Granger brothers calmed down, and Ray nudged Max. "She kissed him on the cheek the other day."

Max turned and stared at Ray. "Whoa."

"They were up having coffee at about six am. Both of them looked like they had been working out before or something."

Max smiled deviously. "Maybe they were..."

"Ew! That's wrong, Maxy, what the hell have you been thinking lately?"

"I'm a growing boy, I need somekind of outlet here," He said, with a smirk. "I don't have Hilary or Mariah, you know." Ray's cheeks tinged a reddish color.

"What about Mariam?" Ray gave him a meaningful glance.

"What about Ozuma dating her?"

Ray looked stunned. "Oh."

"Yeah. I'm not planning on being a rebound here," He said, rather viciously.

Ray slung an arm around his friend's shoulder. "Ahh, Maxy, we're growing up, aren't we?"

"Kai's graduating from high school, I'd have to say that the obvious answer would be yes!" Kenny piped up from behind them.

Ray and Max rubbed the backs of their heads. "Well, calm down. We're well aware of this. It was kinda a rhetorical question, Chief."

The genius looked horrified, given the face he made as he walked away, presumably to find Riley. "I guess we scared him off with our lack of proper grammar," Ray said, with a laugh.

"Hey now, Tiger-Dude, you know that jive tweaks the little Kenny-Dude out, be nicer, mkay, homies?"

The two team mates nodded, and turned their attention toward the stage. "Everyone's all about making nice, did you notice that?"

Max and Ray turned their head toward Tyson, who had made the last statement. "Yeah."

"Hey," Hilary butted in, "Maybe you should stop being so nasty. We'll have to deal with it enough at the championships. Riley's said that the infinites are ruthless."

"I know she's grown up in Seattle, but how does she know so much?"

Hiro turned toward Max, a bit uneasy. "Just because she was one of their targets once. They're a brutal bunch, the infinite class. I swear. When you fight them, it's about twice as bad as when Tala fought Tyson for the first time. It's not pretty. At all."

"Are you saying that we could die?" Daichi asked.

"Possibly, if you aren't careful."

All watched in disbelief as the child's smile grew wider. "Cool!"

"Daichi!" The entire team chanted his name in absolute shock.

Tyson nearly jumped down his throat. "Dieing is not cool! We typically try to stay out of those situations."

The group laughed. "You know, where are Kai and Riley?"

"Good point," Hilary said.

Kenny came flying back toward them. "Do you know where Kai and Riley are?"

"No, we were just wondering."

There was a sudden silence among them, and Tyson turned around, grabbing the blonde who had just walked behind him by the wrist. "Hey! You're that Nina chick!" Everyone sweatdropped at Tyson's statement. "Have you seen Kai and Riley anywhere?"

She froze. "Uh, no." With that, the girl turned and walked back in the direction she came from.

"That was wierd," Hilary commented.

"Yeah. I think she's hiding something."

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Meanwhile, in a room not too far away, Nina burst in, and slammed the door behind her.

"Holy shit, what the hell was that about?"

"They're looking for you, that's what. Now get your tongue out of her mouth, Kai and explain to them that you weren't out raping his childhood friend."

"But maybe he was." A sly look crossed her face, and Nina rolled her eyes. Kai smirked. She was naughtier now that she didn't give a damn.

"It's not rape if you accept, dipshit."

She grew serious. "Do you really think we're that trashy?"

"Don't make me answer that."

"Chill out. Go and tell them that I went outside for some fresh air and that Kai found me trying to escape or something. I'll meet them at Mr. Granger's car in five minutes, mkay?"

"Yeah. I'll tell them ten."

"Thanks." Kai waited for her to shut the door, before pouncing on her again. "We should've told her fifteen, you know."

"I don't know what to tell you. Take what you can get, I'll meet you in my room after everyone's asleep."

"Alright." He kissed her forehead. "That party tomorrow's going to screw things up."

Riley again grew serious, biting her lip. He caught the glance and immediately knew something was wrong.

"What?"

She blinked. "Oh, nothing, don't worry about it. I know what you mean though, that party is going to give us absolutely no alone time. Perhaps Hilary shall have to make up a fake incident or something. Her and Tala should be able to cover."

"You'd trust Tala to cover?"

"At this point, I'll take what I can get." She kissed his lips one final time before running a hand down the side of his face and walking away.

It was only about five minutes later that he realized she had successfully diverted his attention toward a different subject. Something was definitely wrong. She told him everything, didn't she?

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She shut the door behind her silently. It was early, three am. She didn't want to wake anyone, since they had been up until after midnight making sure the guests had gotten to a place for the night, or the airport, ect. She made sure that all the things were in place. There were a few strategic envelopes placed on the island in the kitchen, and another envelope, with an item placed in a place not to be revealed at this point in time.

The car that had been previously arranged awaited her entrance, which she did silently, waiting for the driver to shut the door for her. "The airport, Miss Philips?"

She nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah. Just go."

The chauffer got the hint that she didn't want to chicken out, so he should just do it. He hit the gas lightly, hearing her gasp at the sudden jolt and the forward movement.

With one final look at what had quickly become her home, she watched it fade into the background.

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Hilary stood in the doorway, watching the vehicle fade into the night. She hit up the kitchen and saw the envelopes laid out across the island counter. Each one had a name written on it in fancy cursive. She froze as she heard a yawn behind her, and a shirtless Kai stumbled into the kitchen, his frame illuminated by the hall light on behind him.

"What's going on?" He rubbed his eyes cautiously, meeting his eyes, and noting the shimmering saddeness in them. "What's wrong?"

"I-" She paused and closed her eyes. "I think she's leaving."

"What?"

Hilary saw his eyes widen in complete shock. "She said she wasn't until we're ready. None of us are," He protested. She smiled sadly.

"I think," she whispered, "that was her decision, don't you?"

He didn't say anything, and Hilary turned her back to him, picking up two of the envelopes. When she turned around, she was faced with an empty doorway.

"Kai? Where'd you-"

"If anyone wakes up, I needed some fresh air." With that, she watched as a fully dressed, completely alert Kai Hiwatari took the front sliding door at a run and ended up hood sliding over the top of his car.

She sighed. "Figures. How come she gets the sensibly reckless one?"

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With plane ticket in hand, the woman found her way to the terminal, taking a seat in one of the rows closest to the exit. Her thoughts were all over the place, and she smirked as the woman next to her said goodbye to her boyfriend. She was getting close to being like him, finding sadistic humor everywhere, yet this dimming bittersweetness seemed to grip her stomach.

"Where are you going, hon?"

Her head shot up and toward the direction of the girl to her left who had just said goodbye to her boyfriend. The woman was a few years older than her, probably in her early twenties. She smiled at Riley, who looked to her hands, then looked back and smiled. "Seattle."

"Oh, that's cool." She paused. "I'm getting off in Portland, the stop after Seattle. You got family there or-" The girl looked at her again, this time a bit more close. "You're that daughter of that CEO, right?"

Riley laughed. "Ex-daughter in her eyes, but yeah, that's me." With a smile she extended a hand. "Riley Philips."

"Renee Kurikua. So I'm guessing you're leaving your family behind then?"

"Yeah. I didn't tell them I was leaving. I hope they aren't mad, but I think they might be a bit ticked off."

The girls shook hands, and Riley relaxed into her chair, with a sigh. "Tired?"

"Didn't sleep at all. My kinda-ish boyfriend was with me, and we finally got a break when we drove his friends to the hotel. I got back around midnight, and then by the time I was through leaving everyone a note and packing, the car was there to take me here." She buried her head in her hands.

Renee smiled. "Kinda-ish, huh? As in best friend turned more than that?"

"Yeah." She ran a hand through her hair. "I love him so much, but his best friend is my childhood best friend. Once that hit the fan, things would be-"

"A mess." They both laughed. "I understand. You think he'll be mad?"

"Yeah. He'll be more hurt than anything though. I never told him that I was going, and as untouchable as he may seem, he's beyond sensitive on the inside."

"Aww, that sounds so sweet."

"I left them all a note, everyone back here that I hang out with and stuff, just to tell them that I did this to give them a little more to look at themselves. I'm a beyblade coach, and my trainees got to learn how to train themselves. I don't want them to rely on me forever, you know?"

"That's cool." She smirked. "My boyfriend's a novice blader. Love him to pieces, but he's no Tyson."

"Yeah. I get what you're saying."

"Trip 3201 for Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon is now boarding. You have fifteen minutes before take off."

Both girls got up. "Fifteen minutes, huh?" Rene commented. "Well, we should probably get going."

Riley bit her lip and stood up, yawning a bit. "Yeah, let's go." Together, both girls grabbed their bags, and turned away from the main part of the airport, instead going to the desk for their final check in before they went through the gate and finally onto the plane.

Renee went first, Riley following behind, at the end of a line of about thirty people waiting to get on the plane. The chatter suddenly grew louder, as people were speaking of their reasons and their destinations upon arrival in Seattle. A few moments later, the line had been cut in half.

"So, you ready to go- what the hell?" Renee stared at Riley incredulously.

"What?"

"There," she said, pointing. "Isn't that the Kai Hiwa-"

Riley dropped her passport, the ticket, her bag, everything, and turned around, sprinting in the direction Renee had pointed. "What are you doing here?" She asked, bent over, out of breath, her shock still present. "I didn't think-"

"What are you doing?" She reluctantly met his eyes. Oh yeah, she realized. He was sad. This was bad. Now she knew she was going to cry. Just because.

"You're just going to leave, and that.. that's it?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Of course not. How'd you know I was here?"

"Hilary and I woke up when you left. What are you doing?"

"Dickenson asked me to come back to Seattle and set up for the finals. And go through that name change thing we talked about."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He had her pinned up against the wall, his eyes blazing with a wild array of emotions that had never been revealed to her publically before.

She sighed. "Kai, would you have seriously been okay with this?"

"This was why you were so upset Friday night."

"Of course it was! Do you think I really want to leave you?" She instantly covered her mouth. That had definitely slipped. Somewhere in her mind she had a feeling that last word was going to get her somewhere.

"I- I don't..."

She smiled. "Look at me." With her hand, she guided his face up to meet her eyes. "You're ready. You're going to beat him. I promise you. Someone's got to turn the tides here, and I swear on my life that it will be you."

"I haven't even mastered omegacide all the way-"

"You're an infinite, through and through, and I couldn't be any more proud of you. You're not supposed to win directly with omegacide." She traced the side of his face with her hand, while he stared at her curiously. "You've got to do it your way, not mine."

"This is what you've been preparing me for, isn't it?" She nodded. "But does this... us mean nothing to you?"

She shook her head, tears now coming to her eyes. "Don't you ever think that."

He brought her into his arms, and kissed her, for what he thought potentially could be the last time. She tightened his grip on him as much as humanly possible, without choking him. "You're still as addicting as ever."

She smiled sadly. "I'll keep an eye on you, don't worry. That's what I've got Dickenson for. And-"

"Don't worry, I'll keep them in line."

"I never doubted that. Just don't get too mad at Tyson when he spazzes today."

"I don't want to talk to any of them today."

"Call Nina."

"That's a given." He smirked at her and pulled her into a hug. "I'll fucking miss you."

"I'll miss you too, don't worry about that either."

"I wasn't. I'm hard not to miss."

She laughed. "Look me up in Seattle. I shouldn't be too hard to find. Just look for a killer beybattle."

"That's a given too." He dropped hands to hers, and held them tightly. "Listen, I- thanks."

With a smile, she nodded. "And thank you too. Maybe next year I'll be training to compete." She met his eyes again, and this time, she swore she saw something, if at all anything, in his orbs. Something unusual, and definitely not like Kai at all. She reached out and hugged him again. "Please don't forget me."

"That'll be hard to do." He held her again, looking at the dwindling line of people in line checking in. "You have to go."

"Yeah. Now you made me not want to."

"That's not a bad thing. In a way." With a sigh, he guided her back to her things, which still lay scattered across the terminal floor. "Go on."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Icicle."

"Love you too, Rylily," He said sarcastically.

She laughed. "That's also a given." He stared at her, completely shocked. "And right back atcha."

That being taken care of, she threw her boarding pass at the attendant, who stamped it, and with a final wave and blow of a kiss, she was gone.

And he wasn't sure just how to feel.

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"I can't believe her!" Tyson slammed the cup of orange juice down onto the table, watching the slightly acidic drink slosh onto the table, and wetting a corner of Hilary's perfectly clean napkin. "We aren't ready for any of this!"

"You're going to have to be, little bro, she's not coming back."

Tyson jabbed a finger into his brother's chest. "I'm sure you knew about it, you know everything."

Hiro shoved his brother back a little bit. "Actually, I had no idea. I'm just as shocked as you are, I just have a bit of a different reaction to it." The boy's voice softened. "She wouldn't do this if you weren't ready."

"But still, I do think it's kind of wierd that she didn't tell us," Hilary pointed out.

Kenny looked up from his laptop. "Do you think we'd let her go?"

"No," The rest of the room's occupants answered, honestly. "We'd stop her from getting on that plane."

Kenny nodded. "She's smart, even if she's sneaky." He flipped over the envelope with his name on it, playing with the seal he had torn in haste two hours prior. Tyson's envelope was next to him, or rather, the fragments of what used to be his envelope. It hadn't fared well in the boy's rage.

Max smiled. "She said that we'd be ready if we stopped thinking and started going back to the crudest, roughest style we've got. Something fluid enough to take everyone out. Not thinking, just doing." The boy looked up and smiled. "Tyson, you and Daichi should be fine. You've both got no brain to use."

"HEY! That's not nice!"

Hilary and Ray laughed. "It's true though," they chorused.

"I heard that, you know," Daichi said, from the other side of the room.

"That was the point," Max called out.

"Wanna go?"

"Why not!"

"Fine!" Suddenly, a beyblade was sent flying into the kitchen, and Max launched his, shattering the glass mug that had held Hilary's coffee.

"What's your problem! I should shoot you!" Hilary yelled, flipping out and using every scrap of napkin in the room to clean up the glass and the mess. "You could've taken someone's eye out!"

Daichi huffed as Max ran out of the room, following the mad streak of green that was his beyblade. "Chill out old lady!"

"I'll give you old lady!" She stomped after the two of them, screeching at the top of her lungs as they became oblivious to her and more focused upon the beydish.

Ray sighed and looked to Kenny. "Hey Chief, have you seen Kai? I'm sure old sourpuss will be able to tell us we don't need her."

The genius shook his head. "No, I haven't. He's probably pondering over what style of training to put you guys through with Riley gone." Ray nodded, getting up.

"I'll go check."

Hilary reappeared in the doorway. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

Tyson eyed her quizzically. "Yeah, what's going on?"

Hilary held up both hands, defensively. "He woke up last night when we heard a car door slam. We just missed her. At least I think we did. I think he went to the airport to question her, but I'm not sure."

Hiro's eyebrows raised and then lowered. His suspicions recently about them spending more than a lot of time together seemed to be dead on. "Maybe it's just me," the coach said cautiously, "But doesn't it seem like suddenly those two ended up friends?"

"Riley couldn't stand him," Tyson interjected. Hiro overlooked him.

"Seriously, Hilary, Ray, what do you think?"

Ray shrugged, his mind outlining that day she had kissed his cheek and done some outright flirting with the captain.

"I think," Hilary said, rather seriously, "That he has a thing for her."

"You love her, don't you?"

Kai shrugged. "I don't know."

"Have you kissed her?"

"Could you get any more annoying?"

"I know what that means," she said, giving him a smirk. "I'm a girl." Her hands were now on her hips. "How many times?"

"Three," he mumbled, almost too quietly for her to hear.

She giggled. "See, she wouldn't admit it. Said that it wasn't my business."

"It isn't."

"Hello, Earth to Hilary, can we get a reason here?" Tyson was passing his hand in front of her face. She shook her head, snapping out of her flashback.

She sighed. "First he practically hates her, then he practically killed her, suddenly he starts listening to her, and I think by the time he asked her to prom, they were friends, or possibly beyond that."

"Riley couldn't stand him," Tyson responded. "She tolerated him because he's our friend."

"Not really," Max said, emerging from outside with a smile on his face. Daichi was outside yelling about losing to the blonde American. "I think they were friends."

Hilary nodded. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what his problem is. He's probably upset that she's gone."

Hiro and Tyson began cracking up, while Hilary frowned, turning on her heel. "I'm going to check up on him."

The girl quietly padded to Kai's door, laying a soft knock upon it, and hearing a grunt, meaning, 'tell me who the hell you are or get lost.'

"It's Hilary," she said, calmly. The rest of the group had remained in the kitchen, as the captain's senses had seemed to intensify. He knew if they were listening in.

"Come in."

She slid open the door, to find him in front of the computer, keyboard moved as though it was in a lot of use, and an instant message screen opened up on the monitor. "What's up?"

The computer beeped and a window on it blinked.

"Nothing," he responded hollowly, spinning a red rose between his hands.

She sighed. "That's a lie if I ever did hear one. Now what the hell is going on with you?" She kept her voice low. "You went to see her before she left and I know it." He stopped typing and turned around in the swivel chair.

"And?" She sighed. He was stubborn.

Rolling her eyes she sat down on the bed. "You're talking to Nina, aren't you?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

She sighed. "Geez, the guys are all out there freaking out about how she hated you, at least I'm defending her."

He paused again. "She doesn't hate me, I know that much."

"She loves you?"

He sighed. "I don't know, what the hell are you here for?"

"You haven't come out here since you got back, I thought you might like to read this before Tyson and Hiro got their paws all over it." She pulled something out of her pocket. It was an envelope, like the others left for them on the island in the kitchen. "I swiped it before the rest of them got up, and no, I didn't read it."

"She already left me one in my room, so I don't know where that one came from."

"Don't you think it would be a little wierd that everyone else was left with a note goodbye, except you, and yours would be in your room? Yeah, I'm almost positive that wouldn't go over well. Just take it, okay?"

He statched the envelope from her hands, and she waited for him to open it. First, however, he typed into the computer. "Tell her I say hi," Hilary chimed, from behind him. With an annoyed grunt, he typed as she had asked.

A response suiting the occasion came back, asking the girl how she was doing, and Kai moved aside to let the brunette use the computer while he slit the top of the envelope with his finger.

Inside, in flowing cursive, was a letter unlike the one she had left in his room, telling him not to worry about her. This one was personal. Very, if he could tell anything by the way she wrote.

Hey,

I know that other little note was kind of shitty, forgive me for that, but I had to make sure you didn't go kill anyone. I wanted to tell you Dickenson was sending me back, but judging from our circomstances, that just wouldn't be a good idea. You're too damn persuasive, and trust me, that's a good thing.

By the time you finally decide to read this, I'll be somewhere probably remotely close to Barcelona, or Seattle depending on how fast I can become a Dickenson when we stop in Seattle for a pit stop on our way around(yes, we're taking the long way). Anyway, for sake of your ego and pride, I will be brutally honest. I don't want to leave, I'd rather stay with you. And them. But mostly you. I don't even know what to call our relationship. It's up there somewhere, and it's kinda crazy, but no one ever said we were that sane, now did they? Anyway, in response to that comment you made a few months ago at the park, about how it didn't mean anything, I'd beg to differ. It meant a hell of a lot. And we both know it.

And, since this is just about the longest goodbye I've ever written, guess what, I'm not done yet. I still haven't gotten to the part where I'm inspirational.(Insert laugh or something here) Anywho, you better beat Tyson. See, I can be so nice, can't I? I'm just kidding. I know you will. That little pipsqueak's got nothing on you, believe me, I've put his ass through the paces. And don't worry about omegacide either. It'll come, just keep doing what you're doing. Believe it or not, I haven't really been doing anything except giving you some competition. You're doing it on your own, contrary to popular belief.

So, when you're in Seattle, look me up. I'll be around, and of course, I'll be at the finals to watch you take everyone out. If anyone can turn the tides, that person'd be you. I know it.

Rylily

psst. For sake of me not saying this anywhere else, and for the sake of this itty bitty voice in my head that keeps screaming at me to say this, I'll just go for it.

I love you.

The letter dropped completely out of his hands as soon as his eyes grazed the bottom portion.

"What? What's wrong?" Hilary watched him, concern flickering over her features. She told Nina to hold on. "Kai? Are you okay?"

He scrambled to grab the letter, picking it up and rereading it. "Fine." He looked up at her with a smirk. "You done talking to Nina?"

"She said she loves you, didn't she?"

Kai gave her a blank look, and she seemed to get the message loud and clear. His cell phone rang, and he picked it up quickly, checking the name on the top of it. "Nina, hi."

Hilary could hear the voice from the speaker on the phone. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Did she tell you?"

"I'll assume that we're talking about the same thing here and say yes."

There was a screech, and both occupants of the Russian's bedroom covered their ears. "Finally! After what you said happened at the airport, I kind of figured this would happen."

Hilary sent him a sly smile and he covered the phone for a moment. "You cannot tell anyone about this. If you do, I'll tell everyone about your more than fascination with the bottomless pit." She froze and nodded. That was something she'd have to agree on. Kai could be vicious.

They shook hands and he nodded. "Now get lost, cheerleader."

"Fine, be like that!" He smirked and she rolled her eyes. "Friggen glacier..."

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woot! chapter nine! You know, I've noticed that all of a sudden, my chapters are like fifteen pages long...this one's eighteen. Strange. I guess my novel writing sense is taking over from... somewhere I never knew I had it or something... anywho, review, and the next chapter will be along soon!

x3 Distant Storm