Update time…again…

First: thanks to everyone who reviewed! I appreciate it!

Now, on with the chapter!

-x-x-x-x-

Instead of saying anything, Kai turned and left, confusing everyone.

"What is up with him," Tyson half yelled in exasperation.

"I have no idea…" Hilary answered with a shake of her head. Everyone exchanged puzzled glances and their gaze turned to the gate where their captain's scarf was just disappearing behind the outside of the fence. The girl sighed and picked up her purchases. "If anyone needs me, I'll be out back…"

It was her turn to be ogled by mystified stares. Instead of commenting, she merely walked outside and sat down on the edge of the porch.

'This looks like a good spot,' she decided and set up her supplies. 'Since all I have to go on is a memory, this might not turn out as I hoped…good thing I bought a few extras…' With that, the determined girl got to work.

:Noon:

'Almost done,' she thought with satisfaction as she picked up a pen.

"What are you still doing out here," a voice asked, nearly causing her to drop her things.

"Nothing," Hilary replied, shoving her things back into the bag and out of sight.

"Well, if you're doing nothing…would you like to learn how to blade?" Said person smirked at her when she just gaped at him. "Should I take that as a yes?"

"Rei Kon," she hissed through gritted teeth.

"Well," he persisted.

"Fine…but I'm warning you now, I have no idea what I'm doing," she scowled.

"Oh, I know that," he responded with a laugh.

Kai, who was approaching, scowled.

'Can't they start their little make-out sessions inside,' he snarled mentally before turning and heading back out.

-x-x-x-x-

After explaining the basics to her, Rei was demonstrating how to "let it rip". She sighed and fingered the practice blade Rei had told her would serve as her blade until she could demonstrate enough skill in control.

"Okay, your turn," he told her, stepping back.

"If you say so," she murmured and pulled the rip cord. The blade launched and ended up in the bowl before bouncing out and going into the shrubbery nearby. 'Come back!' She screeched mentally; the blade slowly approached and sidled back into the dish, the furious glare of its owner making it think twice about bouncing out again.

"Not bad," Rei complemented as her approached.

"Thanks," she replied, her glare never leaving the blade for a moment.

"Wanna try again?" In response, she nodded and called the blade back to her hand. She had to duck in order not to be beaned by the obstinate blade.

"I hate you," she muttered to it as she re-attached it to its launcher. A slight wiggle was all the blade allowed itself before settling in. Mentally cursing it into oblivion, she launched the blade again and prepared herself for its antics. 'You will spin in the center of that dish and you will not disobey me!' Said blade went in circles around the edge of the dish.

"Wow, that's pretty good for a beginner," Rei commented. A fuming Hilary turned to face him.

"Is that good when I told it to spin in the center of the dish," she growled.

"Okay, that's not good…but still, that's good form," he gestured at the blade.

"I'm not doing that. The blade is!" Hilary's scowled deepened at the look of shock on Rei's face.

"The only way it could do that is if there was a bitbeast in it…" Rei informed her slowly.

"What? But you said this was a practice blade!"

"It is…" Rei stared at the blade that was currently doing laps around the stadium. "Unless…" 'That's it!' "When it went into the bush…" Hilary scowled.

'Get back to my hand,' she yelled at it. It obeyed. Both froze when they saw the creature in the bitchip.

"No…way…" Rei choked out as he gaped at it.

"I-it can't be," Hilary murmured, her eyes wide with fear.

/But it can…/ A silky, evil-sounding voice commented in their heads.

"You have got to be kidding me," Hilary groaned.

/No joke…/ The voice replied.

"Kill me now," Hilary mumbled; Rei scowled and worriedly glanced at the blade.

/No can do…now that I'm your bitbeast, I'm sworn to protect you…/ Hilary and Rei scowled.

"That didn't stop you from almost killing Kai." She hissed at it.

/What did you expect? Boris was using both of us as guinea pigs…that and the blade I was in had a chip in it…/

"One to control you?" Rei's eyes narrowed.

/Correct…/

"Well, this is an interesting development…" Hilary muttered in an annoyed tone.

/Well, I am Dranzer's mate…/ Both Rei and Hilary gaped at the blade. /It's only fitting my mistress is the one his master is with…/

"Is with!" Hilary's eye twitched. "That son of a bitch hates me!" Rei sweatdropped.

"Um…you might wanna calm down…"

Now Kenny, Max and Tyson were standing on the porch, staring at the scene in front of them. A scowling and fuming Hilary gripping her blade so hard that she drew blood; Rei stood next to her, sweatdropping and mumbling something about calming down.

"And what son of a bitch would that be?" A cold voice asked from the gate. All eyes turned to see Kai standing at the gate. For a moment, Hilary's eye twitched. Then she turned around and stormed off.

Rei, who had pulled out some bandages, sighed and followed her.

:Two Hours Later:

Rei and a now-calm Hilary returned to the dojo.

Everyone looked up as they came in, but said nothing as Rei brought Hilary over to the sink and began cleaning out her hand.

'Kai should be the one doing this,' Rei thought angrily as he continued cleaning her cuts out.

/Indeed…/ Hilary's new bitbeast commented.

'Don't do that,' Rei scolded as he dabbed some disinfectant on Hilary's scratches. "Done." He commented and released her hand.

"Thanks," Hilary replied and headed back towards the beydish.

"And what are you doing," Kai's chilly voice interrupted.

"I'm training," she returned in a voice to match his and walked out the door, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

"Since when does she blade," Tyson asked. His answered was the sound of the door shutting as Rei headed outside as well.

Raising an eyebrow, Tyson headed to the window to see Rei coaching Hilary. Satisfied, he plopped down on the couch and challenged Max to a video game.

"What did you see," Max inquired after a few moments' of silence.

"Rei's teaching Hil how to beyblade," Tyson shrugged. Kai's eyes narrowed.

-x-x-x-x-

"What do you say I call it quits for today," Hilary huffed at Rei.

"Alright…just don't forget to come in for lunch," Rei headed inside. Once his footsteps faded, Hilary dove under the porch and pulled out her bag and supplies.

'Phew…it's fine…' Feeling a bit happier since that little confrontation with Kai, she signed her name at the bottom of her present with a flourish.

/He'll like it…/

Hilary froze.

'Did…no…I must be imagining things…' Hilary shook her head as she sneakily wrapped the present up and slipped inside to stash it in her room until later that night.

-x-x-x-x-

Kai watched as Hilary glanced around warily before sneaking inside and dashing off to her room.

'What is she up to…' He scowled and returned to his thoughts and plans for training.

-x-x-x-x-

Rei had to bite his lip to keep his laughter from escaping as he watched his teammates, minus Kai, rush around the dojo, setting things up for the surprise party that night.

'Good thing Kai normally spends his time in the "main" room…' The amused neko-jin thought.

"Rei, can you give me a hand here," Max whispered as he struggled with a banner that read "Happy Birth Day, Kai!".

"Sure," Rei whispered back and helped him put it up as Tyson threw streamers everywhere.

Kenny, who stood to the side, had to repeatedly duck to prevent himself from becoming a streamer mummy. Deciding they would need a bit more time to undo the damage Tyson had done, he snuck out and went to where Hilary was.

"Yes," she inquired as a knock was heard on her door. Kenny cautiously opened it; she burst into giggles.

"Shhh," the annoyed Chief hissed. She stopped obligingly, but snickered every so often at Kenny. He was covered in multicolored streamers. "I need you to take Kai out somewhere…" Ignoring the horrified look on her face, he ploughed on. "Anywhere! We just need more time!"

"Fine…but you guys owe me for this," she grumbled as she stalked out to the front room where Kai was. "You, come with me!" She grabbed his wrist, hauled the surprised teen to his feet and dragged him off, knowing full well when her anger wore off, she would be embarrassed.

About ten minutes from the dojo, Kai was unshaken enough to pull his wrist from her grasp. He stared at her, waiting for her to start squirming. Instead, she huffed and turned away from him.

'How did I get stuck doing this?'

/You were the only one not helping decorate…that's why…/

'That's not helping.'

/You asked/ The bitbeast shrugged.

Kai froze. Hilary turned around to see what was wrong when she saw Kai's expression. It was the closest one she had ever seen him wear that, on any other person, would be called fear.

"Kai," she asked, waving a hand in front of his face. "Yoo-hoo? Anybody home?" A scowl directed in her direction was his answer. "Why did you look scared all of a sudden?" Hilary almost slapped her hand over her mouth when she realized she said that aloud. The Hiwatari's glare felt like it was melting through her. "You know what, never mind! It's not like you care anyway!" She accused before she stormed off.

Said "uncaring" boy stood there and watched her go.

'Lovely day,' he thought bitterly.

/Master/ A voice interrupted his angry thoughts.

'What Dranzer,' he growled.

/Hilary is the one who now possesses Black Dranzer…/ Kai's eyes widened as his body became numb.

-x-x-x-x-

And that is where I leave you…

I won't be updating over the weekend because I'm going to a place that doesn't have any computers, so sorry…

Until tomorrow, or Monday…

Emma