Twenty-Six

I walked around the city a bit longer before retreating to Tyson's place. Paparazzi jumped out of nowhere and I was close to attacking them. Back in China I didn't have to deal with paparazzi but, lo and behold, my name is suddenly shoved into the spotlight and now I can't be left alone. This is the first time I'm admitting it out loud how I wish I was in China right now. In China people left me alone (for the most part) and now I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get a carton of juice without the press being shoved in my face because of this upcoming match.

I made it back to Tyson's place in time for another one of Tyson's and Daichi's daily fighting matches. From what I gathered, this time it had something to do with eating Tyson's last Fudgesicle.

"Have they been fed at all?" I asked Max while watching Tyson chase Daichi around the koi pond.

"Not yet," Max replied. "Ray was supposed to start dinner as soon as we got back. He's making this…dumpling thing—"

"Charsiu bau with lo mein and dumplings," I interrupted him. I shrugged when Max gave me a look. "He always made it when he felt people were getting stressed out.

"Sounds good. Anyway, he went to the store so he should be back soon. I tried to tell them that but you know how they get when they're hungry."

"Yeah." I moved past him and walked into the dojo. I was sure that Max would challenge one of 'em to a battle to get their minds off of the fact that they don't have food. I was surprised Hilary wasn't out there yelling at the two of them as well. "Oh, hey, I didn't know you were still here," I greeted Mariah as I walked into the kitchen.

"Tyson and Daichi are so fired up, I figured making tea would calm them down a little bit while they wait for Ray," Mariah said with a little laugh. A high pitched squeal, one that could only come front a teapot, sounded just then. She turned to the stove and picked the pot up by the wooden handle. "Would you like some?"

"That'd be great, thanks," I said while sitting down at the low table. I watched as she lined up small cups on the kitchen counter and pour the steaming brown liquid into it. My eyes zeroed in on the teapot in her hands. It felt familiar to me. But it couldn't be the same one I was thinking of. Could it? "Hey, 'Riah, where'd that teapot come from?" I asked slowly. It couldn't be the same one. But Tyson's family usually used black teapots.

Mariah turned towards me while smiling. Well, beaming actually. "This? Oh, it came in the mail today. I don't know who it was from but it was addressed to you. Can you believe it's the same teapot? And it's in such good shape. Who knows where it came from?"

"That's…?" I couldn't even finish my sentence. I knew, deep down that it belonged to my mother but I couldn't get the words to come up.

"Yeah!" Mariah said excitedly. "It's your mother's teapot. I hope you don't mind me using it. I figured you'd want to use it right away."

"I, uh…may I see it?" I asked, holding out my hands.

"Okay, but it's a little hot."

She carefully held out the teapot and I took it by its wooden handle. I turned my wrist so the teapot spun and I looked at it on all sides. It was pure white with light blue flowers all over it. Aside from a few little chips and cracks on the lid it was still in good condition. As I looked it over I could practically hear my mom's humming as she fixed tea for Dad and I in the morning, like she used to always do before I was carted off to be homeschooled with the others…

"Crys? Are you okay?" Mariah's voice sounded so far away. I blinked when she waved a gloved hand in front of my face. I nodded and took the teapot into my hands. A surge of anger swelled inside of me and the next thing I knew the teapot was smashed onto the ground, the tea seeping over the wooden floorboards. My chest heaved as if there was hardly any oxygen in the room. I vaguely heard Mariah gasp. "Crys, why did you do that?"

"What's going on?" Tyson asked as he and the others rushed into the room.

"Yeah, we heard a loud smash," Kenny said as he stuck his head in. "Are you two alright?"

I could feel Mariah's eyes on me as the boys scanned the room. "I need some air," I mumbled and shoved past them. I let my feet take me wherever they wanted to go. I just had to get out. I couldn't stand looking at them right now.

"Whoa! Crys, where's the fire?" Ray asked with a laugh while I made my way out of the dojo. His smile then dropped when he saw my face. "Are…are you crying?"

"No! Leave me alone!" I yelled at him and took off, running down the street. I sprinted down the street, running as hard as I could until my legs gave way and I stumbled. I doubled over, my hands on my knees and panted heavily. "Stupid….stupid Mariah," I panted.

"She's not who you should blame."

"What the hell is with you Bladebreakers sneaking up on me?" I demanded, whirling around to glare at Tyson. "Ray, I can understand 'cause he has freaky hearing think and he walks like elves do on snow. Kai, I kinda understand that 'cause he has that freaky Kai thing going on, but you. How the hell did you sneak up on me?"

Tyson ignored me. "You're mad that she used your teapot without asking. You're mad that it was your mother's teapot. You're mad that it was sent to you here, especially before your match. You're mad at those things but you're madder at the fact that your parents aren't here," Tyson told me.

I blinked. "When'd you start sounding so…old?" I asked. He sounded like Grandpa Granger, which was so odd. Tyson wasn't the philosophical type. "And how do you know what I'm feeling. You still have your dad."

"True," Tyson replied. "But I lost my best friend when my mom died," he said. "I didn't know her that much but it still hurt, especially as I grew up and I realized she wasn't coming back." He let out a little chuckle and looked at the glass-like surface of the river which was now an orange color from the setting sun. "I actually used to ask Hiro and my dad if I could go and visit her. I didn't understand what heaven was at the time and it would always make them sad so I stopped asking after a while. I didn't want to upset them anymore." He sighed and took off his hat, running his fingers through his hair. "Hiro introduced me to beyblading to help take my mind off of it. Now, I blade to make her proud. I don't care about the fame or the prizes or anything." I scoffed. "Okay, maybe a little," he said with a little laugh. "But more importantly I want you to know that it's okay to grieve and to take time and cry about them. I get the feeling you've never had a chance to do that."

"That's kind of hard to do once you've been banished and you're spending your time trying to find a place to eat and to sleep for the night," I snapped.

"I'm not the enemy," Tyson said quietly. "Do me a favor. Close your eyes." I lifted my eyebrows. "Just do it." I let out a breath and closed my eyes. "Breathe deeply and relax." I took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. "Now, I want you to think about your parents. What they look like. How they talked. What they smelled like. Everything about them."

I squeezed my eyes tight. A picture of them appeared in front of my eyes, it looked so real. Mom with her dark blue hair pulled back into two braids, her green cat-like eyes shining. Dad with his child-like smirk and his jet black hair which stood in stark contrast against his bright blue eyes. They always called me their xiamao, their kitten. I always seemed to stress dad out by getting in trouble and going against his wishes. I made him so mad once he hit me. I didn't do it again and he managed his anger, all for me. I know he loved me, despite being short with me. He changed for me. And mom, she took time out of her life for me, to get me anything I wanted, even in those rare occasions we weren't well off. They loved me and, after all this time, I could still feel it.

But I've been pushing them away this entire time.

I flinched and opened my eyes when I felt something brushed my cheeks.

Tyson's fingers.

"You feel better?" He asked, brushing away the rest of my tears and smiling.

I grunted. "Kai doesn't know what he's talking about when he says you're immature."

Tyson cracked a grin. "Kai doesn't know everything about me," he said, swinging an arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's get back to the dojo and see what Ray is whipping up. I think I can smell it from here."