RTC: Back, with another somewhat emotional chapter! Not much actual angsty in here, but oh well, I hope you guys don't mind. (If you do, blame school!)

Kari: Did anyone guess yet?

RTC: Oh yeah, I nearly forgot! Congratulations go out to Iluvbeyblade for being the first and only person to guess-and she got it too! (Hands Iluvbeyblade some virtual chocolate.) Don't get too hyper now! And for everyone else...You get chocolate anyway! (Hands out more chocolate.)

Kai: What have you done? Now they're all going to be hyper and we'll get a bunch of random reviews!

RTC: Shut up, Kai! I like my reviewers and I don't want you to offend them! Oh, a recent review got me thinking.

Kai: Don't, you'll hurt yourself.

RTC: (Sigh.) I get no respect sometimes. Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, do you guys think my writing skills have gotten better, worse, or stayed the same? I dunno, I think the writing hasn't changed much, but that's for you to decide. I guess I'm sort of depressed, due to school and stuff keeping me really busy and unable to write really good chapters.

Ray: You're ranting again, you'd better start the chapter soon.

RTC: Right, well, enjoy. I'm off to take a nap, just as soon as I do this: disclaimer please!

Tyson: We've said it once, we've said it twice, heck we've said it 30 times in this fic, Ray-Tiger-Cat does not own Beyblade!

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The Past Resurfaces

Kai's POV

"So, I guess you're all wondering who these guys are, right? Well, does anyone in this photo look familiar?" Diana asked, as she pulled out a framed photo. In it were 7 children, perhaps a little younger than us. I couldn't really make out who was in the photo from where I was, but I'd be willing to bet that the five strangers were some of the subjects in the photo.

"Hey! That dude looks just like Kai!" Daichi yelled, effectively making my head pound with the sudden noise. "But who's the last person?"

"Figured it out yet, Kai?" Diana asked, bringing the photo closer. The person Daichi thought looked like me was most likely my dad. Didn't he and Mom tell me that I resembled him not too long ago? The seventh person had jet black hair and golden orbs.

"This photo, it was my Dad's beyblading team, wasn't it?" I asked and Diana nodded.

"Mom, how did you get a photo of them?" Lizzie wondered.

"Well, I think I know. One person in that photo in my Dad, five others are those guys," I said pointing at the new comers, "And the last person is you mother."

"What?! Mom was part of a beyblading team?!" Ray yelped. He looked at his mother, as if he expected her to deny it.

"Kai's right, that was us, and Alex when we were young."

"But how? I thought girls weren't allowed to be on blading teams."

"Well...You see, I was a rebellious kid, and I'd always loved to blade. The elders wouldn't allow girls on teams, that's true, so I decided I'd find my way to a team on my own. I left town and traveled to Japan, where I met these guys. They were part of a foreign exchange and we were all put on the same team. I pretended to be a guy to fit in, and it worked. No one realized it for months, but eventually Alex, Kai's dad, found out. I thought it was over, but he kept my secret. Over time the others and my coach found out, but the media never knew."

"What kind of coach wouldn't turn you in?"

"You guys know him quite well, his name in Stanley Dickenson."

"What?! Mr. D. was coaching you?!" Tyson yelped.

"Hang on a second, you lost me at the part where Mom bladed. What I don't understand is why you would never allow us to beyblade if you yourself were just as obsessed as we are," Lizzie pointed out.

"She knew Voltaire was on the loose, and I'd suspected that he's come after those of us who put him away. So she was trying to keep you out of the spotlight," one stranger said. "By the way, I'm Ryan. And these are Scott, Athrun, Josh and Andrew." The people waved.

"But it seems like her son is far too much like him mother to be stopped. Trust me, this girl is stubborn!" the one called Scott said. Both Diana and Ray turned red at this comment.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Diana said. "Anyway, I, like Kai and Kari here, thought that Alex's 'accident' was no accident and I was researching for a few years and couldn't dig anything up. But then, Ray, you managed to get yourself involved, and in the process, reveal some key clues."

"Huh? I did?" Ray wondered.

"Yes, when you found Kai. You see, I couldn't keep track of where Voltaire or his grandchildren went after the accident. Because of you, I was watching your matches-all of them-and managed to get some stuff dug up. And further more, when you found the Biovolt abbey, I realized that Voltaire was on the move again, and that he'd gotten recruits. Anyway, after meeting Kai in person, I realized we couldn't afford to waste time, and went crazy getting all this evidence." She held up a large briefcase full of official-looking documents. "And I'll bet Stanley knew what I was up too, to and put you guys together for a reason." she muttered good naturedly.

"So that's what you needed to tell Ray!" Hilary exclaimed.

"Yeah, she can really be a worrier sometimes, but hey, she's the one who got the documents needed to keep that jerk in jail, so we won't tease-this once!" Josh remarked. "And that's about the end of story time!"

"So can we eat cake?" Daichi yelled, and ran off without waiting for a response.

"We'd better go keep an eye on the cake. Might as well eat too," Max suggested.

"I think I'll stay here," Kari replied.

"No you won't! You've barely eaten a thing in weeks! Now Kai's awake, so you don't have an excuse!" Tala said, as he dragged her away. Everyone left, except Ray.

"Don't worry, I'll stay here with Kai," he said.

"Not going to eat?" I asked.

"I can't handle that sugar, remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

"So what's going on between you and my sister?" Ray decided that he needed to finally ask the question that had been bugging him for so long.

"Me and Lynn? Nothing." I answered honestly, though I was avoiding the real question.

"No, you and Lizzie!"

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?"

"Not a chance."

"Honestly, not much. She's just a friend."

"Then why were you blushing when she kissed you." Ray choked up on those words, and could hardly get them out. "And why are you blushing now?"

"I'm not. Things are normal." I tried to stay awake and prove that nothing was going on, but the day's events had drained me, my head was pounding so hard I thought it would explode and I soon fell asleep. When I woke up, Ray was gone and Kari was sitting next to me.

"Hey, Sleepyhead."

"Hey, I'm glad you're here, we need to talk."

"What's wrong?" she asked, concern written all over her face. "Are you in pain? You could use more of the morphine, you know."

"No, no, that's not it. But I think I saw Mom and Dad."

"What? But how?"

"When I was unconscious, their sprits or something warned me that Voltaire would find a way to get loose. They told me I had to come back." Kari just sat there, looking stunned. "They looked at peace, Kari."

"I know you've missed them as much as I have, but, as selfish as this will sound, I'm glad you're here. I don't know what I'd do without you," she said as she promptly started bawling.

"I know, and it's not really that selfish, you know. Hey, I got you a birthday present before this huge mess. I found it in a store once and thought it would be perfect for you. Look in my bag," I suggested, hoping to cheer her up. It didn't work so well, as she cried harder. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't get you anything!" she wailed.

"Awe, relax, what do I need right now? I mean except for morphine and sleep?" I muttered the last part under my breath. She decided to look in my bag, and found a small box. "Open it," I urged.

"Oh, Kai! That's sweet!" she yelped finally opening the box. Inside were a pair of gold, heart shaped earrings. "They match the locket Mom left me. Thank you." I was watching her but suddenly, my vision faded and blurred. "Kai! You're burning up! I'm getting a nurse!"

I tried to call after her, but my energy supply was too low for me to do anything. I realized how bad I must've looked to everyone. Bandages wrapped around my fractured skull, half my ribs poking through my clothes, the other half wrapped up, one leg in a cast, loads more bandages randomly placed on my body, an I.V. of morphine-which I was actually using, as I was in a lot of pain, a portable heart monitor attached to my chest, yeah, I definitely looked fine. The world blurred and blackness overtook once more.

Ray's POV

"Hey, Mom," I whispered, walking into a room. She was on the computer, typing away some complicated document.

"Hi, Ray, things okay?" she replied absent-mindedly. I just stared for a minute. "What? What is it?"

"You just called me 'Ray'. You never do that."

"Well, I just thought it was about time I started listening to you more, and making up for the past few years."

"I see. Anyway, I was wondering, what else happened when you were my age? What made you decide to help Kai's dad?"

"Well, Kai's dad, Alex was one of my best friends, and friends shouldn't let each other down. I think you know that from experience. Hmm, anyhow, I think I was a lot more like you than either of us realized-rebellious, stubborn yet mature, defensive, secretive. I hated it when people called me by my full name too. Sound familiar?" Mom smiled.

"Yeah, I see what you mean. Mom?"

"Yeah, Ray?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I love you." she said as she gave me a quick hug. I left Mom to her work after that. There was one more thing I had to do.

"Boo!"

"Eeeepppp!" Lizzie shouted, just as I'd predicted. "Oh, Ray it's just you."

"So, how are things?" I asked, sounding just like Mom.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "But thank you for asking. And Ray? Thanks for giving me the choice and chance to live." She hugged me too. What is it with everyone and hugging me today?

"Awe, it was nothing, you would have chosen to do the transplant anyway. And what's a little bone marrow between siblings? Just one thing I wanted to ask: what is it with you and Kai?"

"Nothing."

"Sure..." I said disbelievingly.

"Ray! I guess I'm just happy that the family is back together," she giggled, "But you so have to learn to butt out!"

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RTC: (Sleeping.)

Max: Looks like we have to say bye, as she's fast asleep.

Ray: So, did anyone see that one coming? RTC here was wondering how come she didn't get a bunch of reviews going 'Diana can beyblade?!' after chapter 28. She was most surprised that no one noticed that.

Kai: Listen, just do us all a favour and review, so that the authoress can finish this fic and we can get our freedom back. (Leaves.)

Kari: Sorry about my brother, he just doesn't want to admit that he'll miss the fic when it's over. Ta-ta for now everyone!