The sun was shining as the team made their way to the tournament.
Walking in the Bladebreakers looked at the two groups, group A and group B.
"The White Tiger's are in group A," Daichi stated; "And we're in group B! We've got to make it to the final to be able to battle them!"
"You must think your team is better than the other's here," A male voice spoke.
Looking around they all saw a tanned boy, with a mane of black hair, and his eyes were focused on Rei; "Well, hello Rei," The word were full of distain for the other boy.
"Hey there Lee," Rei replied, completely neutral.
"Excuse us, but we have a tournament to win," Kai told the dark skinned boy as he walked by.
Lee looked at him in shock, but only for a moment; "Don't you mean lose? The White Tigers have never lost a match,"
"There's a first time for everything," Daichi snipped back.
"Your team looks good Rei, that is, for a bunch of amateurs," Lee stated.
"What was that?!" Rei glared at the other boy.
"Right, that's it… I'm gonna…" Daichi began but Tala and Kenny held him back.
"Calm down Daichi," Kenny told the short red head.
"The White Tiger's have a Code to follow. They don't blade outside the Official stadium," Kai told his team.
"Huh, someone has been doing his homework," Lee said with a smirk.
"Tch, we'll defeat you in the finals," Kai vowed and walked away.
"Right… I doubt it," Lee said and looked at Rei; "See you later Rei,"
Once Lee was out of sight Daichi began to complain about him.
"Who does he think eh is talkin' to us like that?!"
The other's just allowed him to vent away, but Tala wanted answers.
"Well Rei?" He asked and the raven haired boy looked away.
"What was all that about? Who was that guy?!" Daichi joined in.
"I…" Rei paused, figuring out how he would say this to his new team; "I left the White Tiger's some time ago. When I was given Driger, I felt like I had to earn him; to fully understand his power. Because I left, the White Tigers became angry. I never told them I was leaving, because I knew they would try and make me stay; and I knew that I would stay because of it. I couldn't let that happen, I felt like I had to become a better blader, for Driger,"
Kai listened, leaning against a wall; "All right. Our first match is against a team called the Tall Boys,"
"That's a team name?" Daichi commented.
"I have no information on them," Kenny told them.
"What? Do you have any information of any team?!"
"This is a good time to start gathering more information about the teams," Kai broke in before Daichi could start arguing; "Rei, you'll go first, and then Daichi and finally I'll go,"
They all walked into the arena and sat down on the bench to one side.
The battle was quick, although it was intense for Daichi, since his opponent's blade could use heat; making him feel woozy until he managed to snap out of it when Kenny called out to him about Waylan's blade.
"That was pretty sloppy," Kai said as it was his turn to blade.
Daichi didn't make his usual snappy come back, he still felt that drained from the heat.
"Cut the guy a break Kai," Rei said to the bluenette.
"Just enjoy the moment, he's not talking," Tala pointed out and Kenny nodded.
"He's using a leg launcher?" Kenny looked impressed as the two blader's launched into the dish.
"This guy… He's good," Rei commented on Kai opponent.
"It looks like his blade is spring loaded, given how it rebounds so quickly," Kenny said, getting all the data of the match on his laptop.
It didn't take long for Kai to finish the battle.
"Hey Kai," The leader of the Tall Boy's; Tommy, spoke to the bluenette who glanced at them.
Kai just raised an eyebrow as the rest of his team came behind him.
"It was an honor to battle against you," Tommy told him.
Kai nodded at him, but remained silent.
"Yea, it was a great battle," Rei spoke up for his leader and they shook hands.
"Very well done boys," Mr. Dickinson said as he came to meet them; "The White Tiger's are finishing up their battle too…"
"Let's go!" Daichi hollered and ran to the other arena with the other's trailing behind him.
They arrived in time to see a pink haired girl of the White Tiger's doing a finishing attack;
"Galaux! Scratch Attack!"
Kenny quickly got all the data he could onto his computer, but it wasn't much.
"They are good," Daichi commented and smiled; "I can't wait to battle them!"
Back at the hut that they were now staying in, Daichi was training, while Kenny watched Tala use the new launcher.
"A new launcher?" Rei asked, sitting next to the brown haired boy;.
"It's just a proto-type. I wanted to see if anything needed to be changed," Kenny informed him and began to record Tala's launch; "Everything is fine, if anything Wolborg is moving faster than usual,"
They did this a few times, just to make sure it was the launcher and not Wolborg.
"Rei?" Tala handed the purple launcher over to the neko-jin who took it.
"All right," Rei said; "Go Driger!"
"Wow," Kenny looked at the screen and Tala glanced over his shoulder.
"What is it?"
"Rei's Driger will be deadly in the tournament. His Tiger Claw Attack would be something else at this speed," Kenny told him and they began to double check the stats.
"Driger is moving faster than normal, the other blader's would be out of the dish in no time," Kai said, still watching Daichi train, but glancing over his shoulder to look at them.
"That's what we need though, swift attacks," Tala commented.
"Exactly," Rei had Driger back in his hand and handed the launcher to Kenny; "Pretty impressive Chief,"
"Th... Thanks," Kenny said, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.
Tala and Rei looked at each other; both wondering how Tyson didn't appreciate the boy when he came up with such great inventions.
"What's the deal with that Tiger team anyway? I doubt they are really that big of a deal," Daichi told them.
"We don't have enough data to state that fact Daichi. I only have a small amount on that girl, Mariah's attack and even that isn't really enough to help me figure out how power,"
"That's enough to make us weary," Tala added; "That attack was pretty impressive, and if Rei used to be part of the team, they probably are just as good as he is,"
"You guy's really think they are that powerful?" The short red head asked them.
"Since they have never lost a match, I'd say they are something to be reckoned with," Kai pointed out, and noticed that Daichi smiled.
"Ha!" He jumped; "I can't wait!"
Tala rolled his eyes as Rei just looked at the boy, amused by how excited he was about a team he didn't even know.
"There's another match tomorrow," Kai told them and headed to bed.
Tala and Rei followed, with the former taking off his jacket and shoes before going on his bed.
"Say Kenny…" Daichi began, before the brown haired boy left.
"Yes Daichi?" Kenny was weary still, but the door to the bedroom was still opened, if anything happed the other three would help.
"Can… Can I… Try that?" Daichi asked, pointing to the purple launcher that Tala and Rei had tried.
"Sure," Kenny handed it over to the boy; "You mind if I record the changes to the launch?"
"Uh, sure," Daichi said.
Rei looked out the gap of the door and smiled; "I think Daichi's getting fond of the Chief,"
"Hum," Was all Kai had to say, lying on his side.
"About time. Must have realized that he isn't going to betray us," Tala said, pulling the blanket's off the bed and noticing Rei frowning; "What?"
"I just wonder…" Rei then shook his head; "Doesn't matter,"
"Rei, we have to deal with you're old team mates first," Kai spoke up and the two looked at him, but he never turned around; "Tyson is my problem,"
"Kai…" Tala began, and then trailed off; he had nothing to say to that.
Besides Kai was right, Tyson was his problem; Tyson wanted to be stronger than Kai and that was why he ran off.
"Woohoo! Go Strata Dragoon!" Daichi cried out in joy.
Tala smirked, and looking over to where Kai was he knew the bluenette was smirking too.
"Guy's, come on!" Rei called out to them.
"Sorry," Kenny said, but rather than come into the room, he moved to the spare room to work on the launchers.
"Tomorrows match is going to be great!" Daichi exclaimed, jumping on his bed and quickly going under the covers.