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Between the Lines	By : Kali Category: Beyblade > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 4201 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Kali Notes:� Since I�m getting
into this (Dryad: Kali�s been in classes too long�) and I�m finding it
interesting to try and find all the little hints, blatant or otherwise, of TyKa, I bring you all part II.� Who knew V-Force had so many hints and so many
events to look at?� O.o

Warnings:� Yaoi (shonen ai, on ffnet), adult language and
situations; don�t read it if you can�t take the heat!

Disclaimer:� Kali and muses do not own Beyblade or its
characters.� We make no money from writing
this fic � how unfortunate.� Neither do
we own the parts in this fic taken from the English dub of the anime.

Dedication: To all TyKa
fans everywhere, especially those hardworking writers, artists, and AMV-techs
who continue to support the fandom even though everyone seems to have
disappeared� O.o

� and
� to TechnoRanma, Feelin Glayish, and Flamable Devil
(Crazy Jen) in celebration of Tyson�s Birthday � and because it�s around the
anniversary of the time we first �met��

~~~~~~~~~~

BETWEEN THE LINES

~~~~~~~~~~

Part II

�� Fame has its consequences.� Despite the fact that Kai had retired from
Beyblading after the Worlds, it seemed that there just wasn�t
a good enough reason for everyone else.�
Strange things started happening,� a mysterious blader popping up out of
nowhere to challenge him�� Things that always annoyed Kai to no end.� Especially when it involved innocent
bystanders � at least that�s what Kai considered Wyatt
Smyth-Wright, a classmate of his who was more than a tad obsessed with
Kai.� It wasn�t
his fault the kid was too obsessed to understand that Kai wasn�t interested,
and that taking on Kai�s battles for him was just not helping the
situation.� But
a conversation he�d had with Wyatt had brought back some of the things that Kai
had thought he�d put aside in retiring, including his desire to battle Tyson
again.

�� I don�t mean to be a pest�but is it true that you
retired because there�s nobody out there good enough to fight against?�� Wyatt asked, still gawking at Kai�s blade
through the glass of the display case.�
�At least, that�s what I heard��

�� Listen, I hear a new rumour
every day.�� Kai retorted, frowning.

�� But there�s one name that keeps coming up.� Who you�d like to
take on�� You know�Tyson!� Your buddy from the
Bladebreakers?�

�� Yeah, I guess I would like face Tyson one last
time.� That battle would
be�interesting.�� Kai agreed, thinking
about it as he turned and slowly walked toward a small practice dish.

�� Huh?�� Wyatt
turned.� He�d
never heard that tone from Kai � a
sort of soft, affectionate tone laced with a hint of excitement.

�� Now that would be a real fight.� But it would never happen.�� Kai said, almost to himself, and stopped at
the small beydish and stared at the picture on the wall.

�� Unfortunately, the new guy, Dunga, had come along.� And it looked like
Kai had finally found a reason to come back to the blading world.� A worthy opponent, who was not Tyson, and
therefore someone he wouldn�t feel guilty about
fighting and defeating.� That was the true reason that he�d retired, something he hadn�t told anyone.� He felt that guilty about what he�d done to Tyson and the rest of the team in order to get
revenge for his initial defeat, that he decided to retire in order to never be
tempted to go against Tyson ever again, to never betray him ever again.

�� Then Wyatt had taken Kai�s
launcher and blade � and Dranzer � and gone to meet Dunga
himself, since Kai had refused to.� When
Kai found out, he immediately went after the kid, cursing him for being so
stupid � and cursing himself for not knowing that it would happen.� He�d found them on
the roof, just as the battle was about to be engaged.� To teach Wyatt a lesson, and to find out
whether Dunga was worth any of Kai�s time, the
crimson-eyed teen stood back and let Wyatt try his hand at blading.� Kai ended up having to save Wyatt from flying
off the side of the building, and taking over the battle.

�� Dunga
was worth more than Kai�s time.� He was
worth watching out for � and battling again.

�� Kai hadn�t
wanted to go back to the Beyblading world unless someone came along who was
enough of a challenge and was not
Tyson, and now he�d found someone.� The
moment he held Dranzer in his hand again, the moment he launched his blade and
once more felt the incredible force that his phoenix spirit possessed�he was
back.� Hiwatari Kai returned to the
blading world.

�� As soon as he could, he gathered
his belongings from the dorms at school, changed from his school uniform into
something that reflected not only his sense of fashion (which earned a few
strange looks from his peers who were not aware of his blading fame), but his
ability and his strength.� And without saying a word to anyone else � not his teachers,
not his peers, and not even Wyatt � Kai turned his back on the private school
and headed for Bey City.� He had teammates to track down and find out
if they had been confronted as he had by any strange
new bladers.

�� He wouldn�t
admit it, but he was more than a little curious about how Tyson was doing and
how much his skills had improved � or gone down the drain, which was always a
possibility.

�� Kai was walking through the
park, one that he remembered quite clearly from his past adventures in Tyson�s neighbourhood.� He hadn�t been expecting to come across a beybattle,
and certainly not one involving Tyson himself � with Kenny and some girl
watching and looking decidedly worried.�
The dual-haired teen held back, not letting his presence be known yet, and observed from a slight distance.

�� No!� Dragoon
can�t lose this!�� Tyson could not
believe this was happening to him.

�� He won�t.�� Kai spoke up, finally making his presence known.� Tyson, Kenny, and the new girl Kai didn�t
know, looked up at him.� The Chief and
Tyson were shocked to see him � and at the same time, vastly relieved.� �It�s time for Dragoon to go on the attack.�

�� Tyson stared at him for a moment, then
nodded, turning back to the battle.� He
did exactly what Kai said and attacked, releasing Dragoon and going after the
other blade with all his might.

�� Kai watched.� Tyson can win this if he can control the power of Dragoon.� He thought.�
Come on, Tyson.� You can do
this!

�� A few moments later, Dragoon unleashed a devastating
attack, destroying the other kid�s blade, and winning the battle.

�� After the strange kid
disappeared, the four friends made their way to the lookout, where the Chief
and his computer gave the results of their analysis of Tyson�s battle.� A magnetic core?� This was new.�
Kai ignored the spat that erupted between his old teammate and the girl,
Hilary.

�� Of course, Tyson and Hilary were
even more argumentative than Kai and Tyson were � and that was saying
something.

�� Kai leaned against the railing
some distance away, staring out at the sea.�
It appeared that he wasn�t the only one getting
attacked at random by strange bladers, and with new technologically advanced
blades.� Maybe it was a good idea to come
out of retirement after all.

�� He followed the other three
teens as they made their way home on the path alongside the river.� Then suddenly they stopped, and Kai found
himself being introduced � formally � to the new
girl.� He wasn�t
particularly interested in her, though she seemed nice enough.� He merely walked right on by, not saying a
word nor acknowledging her greeting � typical Kai response.� Tyson snickered and Kenny told her not to
worry about it, since that�s how Kai always was.

�� Suddenly Tyson was at his side,
bubbling over with enthusiasm, and saying something about Kai needing a place
to stay while in town so hey!� Stay at
the dojo with Tyson!� Kai blinked, and
tried pulling loose from the bluenette�s insistent grip, but in the end allowed
him to quite literally pull Kai along to his home,
chattering the entire way.

�� Despite how he acted outwardly,
inwardly he was relieved that Tyson had no qualms about opening his home to
Kai, and neither was he that upset
about Tyson�s treatment of him.� Of
course, he had a reputation to maintain, so he pretended to be
put out with the bluenette � though he had a feeling Tyson saw right
through it, as he always did.

�� The next morning he went down to
the beach � early � to get in some practice.�
If he was going to be fighting bladers that were as tough as Dunga, and with advanced Beyblade technology like the kid
Tyson faced yesterday, then he was going to need to get back into shape.

�� The others found him several
hours later, no doubt due to the fact that Tyson had
been snoring loudly when Kai had left and he knew from experience how hard it
was to wake the bluenette up in the morning.�
Kai related his run-in with Dunga, and Kenny
confirmed that it was not just him, it was all the
Bladebreakers having similar battles.� He
had no idea what was going on yet, though.

�� Then Kenny inadvertently made
the mistake of suggesting Kai had lost his battle with Dunga.� When Kai corrected him � it was a tie, damn
it! � Tyson laughed and told him to chill out.� Even the best, he said, sometimes lost.� Of course Kai couldn�t
keep his mouth shut and said something about how Tyson didn�t still think he
was the best, did he?� After that it was all down hill.�
Their first argument since Kai returned.

�� It felt really
good to have it out with Tyson again.�
And it made him feel even better after Tyson�s
closing argument, even if Kai himself had no such intentions of reforming the
team � not yet, at least.

�� Look, fighting like this is getting us nowhere.� The important thing is you�re
here now.� We were a team before,
and we can be a team once again.� Working together, Kai!�
That�s how we�ll beat those invisible bit-beasts.�� Tyson smiled.

�� Kai shook his head in the negative.� �I know we were a team once, but once was
enough for me.�� He replied, walking away
and leaving a frowning Tyson and an upset Kenny behind � with a suspicious
Hilary looking on.

�� He�d
soon change his mind.� Kai stopped by the
BBA headquarters to see Mr. Dickenson, only to come across Tyson arguing with
Mr. Dickenson about the Bladebreakers being split up and not fighting as a team
anymore � not without Kai.� Tyson made
one of his ridiculously over-confident statements about how he�d take on the
entirety of Team Psykick himself, with Kenny and
Hilary protesting that he couldn�t take on a whole team alone, and it was at
this point that Kai stepped in.

�� He spoke before he even realized
just what he was committing himself to � again.�
A team.�
The Bladebreakers were back�or would be as soon as Max and Rei could be found and brought back to Japan.

�� Tyson was ecstatic.� And the training
began.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Their first order of business
was to deal with Team Psykick.� Thanks to Max�s mom, they had the technology
to combat the technology of the Psykicks.� But before they
could deal with them, the Bladebreakers were going to have to master that
technology, starting from scratch.

�� Unfortunately, they wouldn�t even make it to the scheduled battle.� They�d be kidnapped
instead, and taken to some weird island where they would be forced to battle in
order to leave.

�� Fighting their way out of
life-or-death battles was beginning to grate on Kai�s nerves.

�� Was it his imagination, or was
Tyson a little bit jealous when they split up (Kenny and Hilary going with Kai
to check out the lighthouse they spotted in the distance)?� He hadn�t been very
happy about Kai declaring he was going with the two brunettes for
�protection.�� But
in the end, he didn�t say anything more about it, going off with Max and Rei in
a huff � limping.

�� They each had their own battles
to fight.� Max�s
had gone well enough.� Rei managed to
figure out his own, too, coming out victorious.�
As for Kai, he held back, deliberately allowing Kenny the time he needed
to hack the island�s security and create havoc for their adversaries.� They managed to send out a distress call,
hoping it would reach Mr. Dickenson somehow and they�d
be rescued.� Then he unleashed Dranzer on
his opponent and squashed him like a bug.

�� After running around a while
longer, they finally found their teammates, and the last of their opponents.

�� The final battle was Tyson�s �
as those sort usually were.� He absolutely insisted on it, despite the injury
to his leg that made it difficult for him to stand, let alone walk.� And while the others
were objecting and trying to convince the dragon that he didn�t have to blade,
that he shouldn�t blade, Kai said nothing.�
He understood exactly what was going on in Tyson�s mind.� He felt exactly as Tyson felt.� And he had no qualms
about telling the others so either.� They
shut up about it after that.

�� And you call yourself a friend!� Or don�t you care that Tyson�s ankle is
really hurt bad?�� Hilary shouted at Max
and Rei.� Max�s face fell.

�� Kenny ran up, panting for breath.� �It�s no use, Hilary.� When it comes to Beyblading there�s no way you�re going to change Tyson�s
mind.� He�s so stubborn he won�t listen
to anyone!�

�� Are you serious?!� But he could get hurt for life if we don�t
talk some sense into him right now!�

�� You don�t understand.�� Kai finally stepped in.� He had taken one look at Tyson and the
battle, and known exactly what the World Champion was doing.� He understood, and he�d
make the others understand, too.� �Turn
around and look at how weak his Dragoon is.�

�� They all turned, trying to see whatever it was Kai
saw.

�� There�s a good chance Tyson might lose this one, but
he knows exactly what he�s doing.�

�� Hilary scowled.�
�Then explain to me why in the world would he want to do this to
himself?!�

�� It�s the only way to protect his bit-beast.�

�� What do you mean by that Kai?�� Max asked, not sure he understood.

�� Tyson and his Dragoon have a connection that�s
nearly impossible to explain.� When one
is hurt, so is the other.� And now they
must battle to regain their strength again.��
Kai raised his eyes to watch the continuing battle.

�� So�you�re saying this is more than a game to
him?�� Max reasoned
out, frowning in concern.� The
others all looked over at Tyson, seeing him in a light they hadn�t
before.

�� It�s not a game to him.�� Kai stated firmly.� �It�s his life.�

�� Hilary stared at her classmate, shocked.� She had never claimed to understand the sport
of Beyblading, and now she knew the reason she could never understand Tyson and
what she�d viewed as his obsession and huge ego.� �I didn�t know�� Tears pricked at her eyes as she watched
Tyson getting weaker.

�� Kai discovered he could be prouder of Tyson than he had at
the last World Championships.� He also
began to have inklings of emotions that he hadn�t
believed he would ever have for another person, let alone someone like Kinomiya
Tyson.

�� Tyson was a true blader, with a
spirit that matched Kai�s own.

�� Tyson was a true friend, someone
Kai needed badly in his life.

�� Before Kai could think about it
any further, however, Mr. Dickenson and Gramps had arrived in a helicopter to
rescue them.� Back on the mainland, Tyson
spent the night in the hospital for observation, thanks to his injured ankle
and the exhaustion from the battle.� Kai
had a run in with Dunga � yet again � though their match was foiled by Ozuma, who had stuck his blade in to
prevent the creeps from Team Psykick from spying on
the match.

�� Mr. Dickenson found out that Dunga and Ozuma were part of a team called the Saint
Shields, but that was it.� The BBA knew
nothing else yet.

�� After that, things were fairly quiet for a time.�
But Kai knew.�
It was the calm before the storm.� Neither group of
adversaries had disappeared, and they�d be back.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Max and Rei had a run in with Mariam and her little brother, Joseph, and once again they�d lost.�
Kai hadn�t been present for that, but he knew
they�d tried their best.� The Saint
Shields intrigued him.

�� Kenny and Hilary had found him and
told him what was happening.� Kai
immediately went with them, and they found Tyson battling Ozuma once again in
an abandoned building in the forest not far from the dojo.� Kai watched in silence, beginning to get a
little worried as Ozuma and his Flash Leopard were all over Tyson and Dragoon
like a bad heat rash.

�� But
Tyson wasn�t the World Champ for nothing.�
He came back from behind with a vengeance, and
he won � though Ozuma nor his teammates seemed particularly worried about
it.� They just walked off,
Ozuma�s parting comment ringing in all four bladers� minds.

�� I think you�ve still got a long way to
improve your bit-beast technique.�

�� Kai couldn�t
help but think maybe the Saint Shields knew something the Bladebreakers
didn�t.� Still�he didn�t
trust them for a second.� Not a bit.

�� It didn�t
take long to get a glimpse of what was going on with Team Psykick.� Kai and his team saw the new Cyber Bit-beast
for themselves.� Not only did they have
the Saint Shields to deal with, now they had some weird, mutant, digital copies
of their own bit-beasts and some crazy scientists controlling them to worry
about, too.

�� One thing was for sure, they
needed training.� But
they quickly found out that Kenny�s regime was worse than anything Hilary could
come up with.� And
he�d thought she was a drill
sergeant.� Yeesh.

�� And
even in training, when Kai battled Tyson, he couldn�t begin to describe the
curious thrill that washed through him every single time.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Out of nowhere one day, Wyatt
appeared.� Kai noticed the others had
strange looks on their faces at Wyatt�s appearance, but he had no intention of
explaining.� He didn�t
need to � Wyatt took care of that on his own.�
It was getting on Kai�s nerves, just a little, how the kid just couldn�t understand that when Kai said �No.� he meant
it.� And yet
Wyatt was still begging for Kai to train him.

�� Kai was a very good judge of
skill level, and Wyatt was not up to their level.� There were other reasons, too, though.� Unsurprisingly, Rei got it.� He understood that Kai didn�t
trust Wyatt, not after that stunt the kid had pulled before (stealing Dranzer
guaranteed Kai would never trust Wyatt again, no matter how much he begged).

�� Things never seemed to turn out
well for Kai.� He�d
been entirely correct in turning Wyatt down.�
How could he have known that those creepy scientists would use Wyatt like they did to further their plans?

�� It would be one of the greatest
regrets of his life.

�� Kai wasn�t
particularly fond of Wyatt, didn�t consider him a friend � not like his teammates
and especially not like Tyson.� They had
earned his trust and respect.� That took
some doing with Kai.� Wyatt didn�t seem to understand that.� But even if he
didn�t like the kid, he wouldn�t wish Wyatt�s fate on his worst enemy.� So when Wyatt suffered under the control of
the Cyber Dranzer bit beast, it hurt Kai to witness it,
even if Kai didn�t personally battle Wyatt (Dunga had
stepped in before Kai could).� There had
been one moment near the end of the battle where Wyatt glanced at Kai and their
eyes had met for a brief second, and in that second it seemed like time stopped
long enough for Kai to ask Wyatt: Why?

�� Can�t you see�that Team Psykick
is just using you?�

�� I just wanted to be accepted as a real blader�like
you, Kai.�

�� That would haunt Kai for the
rest of his life, he knew.� Wyatt lost
control and he won the battle, but in the end, he lost his life.� Kai held him in his final moments, and had
never been so angry and upset in his life.

�� Kai promised revenge on Team Psykick.� And he knew his teammates were right behind him and in total
agreement.� This would never happen again
to anyone else.

�� He remembered how Tyson had
stayed with him that same evening, when all the others had gone home for the
night.� Rei went over to stay with Max
that night, seeming to sense that Kai needed space � and then there was a
whispered conversation between Rei and Tyson that Kai noticed before he�d left.

�� He promptly forgot about it
though.� He had more immediate concerns
to deal with.

�� Sort of out of it after the
whole ordeal, Kai didn�t even notice, really, when
Tyson led him home to the dojo, and even made sure Kai ate something before
they went to bed.

�� It was the
middle of the night when Kai woke up in a cold sweat, dreams chasing him out of
any restful slumber he may have gotten.�
Dreams mixed with old nightmares and new ones.

�� Kai drew his knees up to his chest
and buried his head in his arms, wresting across his knees.� He shivered, despite the fact that it wasn�t cold in the dojo at all.

�� Uhn�huh?� Kai?�� Tyson rolled over onto his
side from his previously sprawled state and yawned sleepily, drooping eyes
searching for his friend.�
�Oh.� You�re up?�

�� Sorry.� Didn�t mean to wake you.��
Kai murmured, looking over at him briefly.� Then he stared out across the room at the far
wall.� �Go back to sleep.�

�� Tyson frowned and sat up, hiding a
yawn.� �It�s okay.� Something wrong, Kai?� Well�other than the obvious?�

�� Bad dreams.�� Kai hedged, looking away from the wall and
Tyson.� �I�m fine.� You should sleep, Tyson.�

�� Yeah, well, so should you.� Kai�you know I�m
here for you, right?� I mean�if you need
to talk or anything at all��

�� I know.�� Kai
whispered, shuddering.� It didn�t mean he would allow himself to take advantage of that
knowledge though.� He didn�t
want to burden Tyson with his issues.�
Tyson was a happy soul who didn�t need Kai�s
depressing thoughts and nightmares weighing him down � at least in Kai�s mind.

�� Suddenly a pair of arms slid around him from the side
and a face burrowed into his shoulder.�
Kai stiffened at first, unused to human contact, but it was Tyson�� He went limp and leaned into Tyson in return,
shuddering again with the force of his emotions.� The bluenette didn�t
say anything, just moved closer and shifted, drawing Kai into the welcoming
warmth of his body and holding Kai to his chest, arms curling around him.� Kai sucked in a shuddering breath and buried
his face into Tyson�s shirt-clad stomach, tears spilling out and arms clinging
almost desperately to Tyson.

�� God I hate this!��
He cried angrily, voice muffled by Tyson�s shirt.� �I thought we�d made the world a safe place
for bladers and bit-beasts, and now this!�
He was a pest but he didn�t deserve this!�

�� Tyson�s arm tightened, and the
other hand began to rub at Kai�s back and shoulders, occasionally running
fingers through Kai�s hair soothingly.�
�No he didn�t.� And
you know we�re all going to do whatever it takes to make sure it never
happens again to anyone else.� But please don�t let it eat at you like this, Kai.� You don�t deserve that.�

�� It�s my fault!�
If I�d just given him a lesson or two, he wouldn�t have gone to Team Psykick��

�� No.�� Tyson hauled him up to face him, eye to eye.� Those unreal blue eyes glinted in the
moonlight, and his face was fierce as he spoke.�
�No, Kai.� I didn�t
see it at the time, but after Rei explained, it made perfect sense to me.� You did what you had to do to protect the
team � like the captain and leader you are.�
If you were any less than that, do you think we would follow you?� Do you think we
would listen when you gave us advice or told us what to do if we want to
improve ourselves?� Of
course not.� Wyatt wanted to
battle you and be trained by you a little too
badly.� He was obsessed with you, and that�s not your fault.�
He made his own choices, and as harsh as it is to say it, he died by
those choices.� You had every right to
refuse him, and it isn�t your fault that he couldn�t
handle that.� Do you hear what I�m
saying, Kai?�� He gave Kai a little
shake.

�� Tears still trickled down his cheeks, but Kai�s
expression turned just as fierce as Tyson�s.�
�I hear.� Let me go, Tyson.�� Sure, he appreciated what Tyson was trying to
get at, but it didn�t change his mind much.� He still felt he was to blame for Wyatt�s
death.

�� Nope.� Not tonight.��
Tyson grinned, apparently seeing something in Kai�s eyes that told him
his captain would be just fine.� �Tonight
just pretend you�re not tough and a loner and let me take some of the weight
off your shoulders, okay?�� He lay down
next to Kai on their futons on the floor, and kept Kai within easy reach,
holding his hand grasped firmly within his own, lying between their heads.

�� He really wanted to resist on principle, but he was
exhausted, emotionally drained, and�comfortable.� He couldn�t believe
how relaxed and comfortable he was with Tyson like this.� So he gave in and
let his body sink into slumber once more.�
His eyes closed, and he missed the fond, concerned smile that crossed
his friend�s face with eyes filled with sadness.

�� He was gone the next morning
when Tyson woke up.� Kai had no wish to
hang around for the embarrassment of waking up as he had � snuggled up to Tyson
with legs pressed together and Tyson�s free hand in his hair, their other hands
still joined.� Kai had gently extricated
himself and made a hasty retreat.

�� Team Psykick
didn�t waste time.�
They found some new bladers, a whole team of them this time, to take up
the Cyber-enhanced blades and attempt to go up against the Bladebreakers.� It was already intensely personal for Kai,
but now they�d gotten to Tyson, too, as the new team
of Kane, Salima, Goki, and Jim did something that
Tyson already had too much experience with: betrayal.

�� There were a few hitches along
the way with their training, but they made it through � oddly enough with a
little, uh, help from the Saint
Shields of all people.� Now it was time
to battle Team Psykick, to avenge Wyatt and show Kane
and his team what true blading was about.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� The battle
tower.

�� This was a whole
new ballgame.� They�d
never seen or experienced anything like it.

�� Four battles.� Four members of Team Psykick.�
Sudden death matches.� Mr.
Dickenson warned against it and tried to talk them out of it, but they
insisted.� Tyson outright refused anything
but a sudden death match � and Kai was right behind him.

�� Of course, they didn�t expect these goons to play nice.� They should have known, though, that the
Saint Shields would be shadowing them.�
The enemy of my enemy is my friend�or something like that.� In this case, another enemy team became their
back-up, leveling the playing field and allowing the
Bladebreakers to move on to the real battles instead of getting worn down too
early.

�� The first match belonged to
Max.� His opponent was Jim, who looked
really out of it.� And
while Max was out in the stadium of the second floor, the rest of the team was
trapped in a glass cage, unable to do anything but watch the battle, unable to
help.� Not to mention it was vastly unfair that the Cyber Draciel could be repaired!� It was a
completely unfair advantage.

�� Max gave it his best.� They�d never see him
fight as hard and as skillful as this�but it wasn�t going to be enough.� All his stubborn will and
defense couldn�t stand up to the Cyber version of his very own Draciel being constantly repaired.� The blonde was
devastated, but vowed to get his beloved Sacred Spirit back, no matter what.

�� The second match belonged to
Rei.� It was a typical battle for him in
many ways, including being highly emotional.�
And of course Team Psykick
was cheating with their little wind makers.�
But he won.

�� Now it was Kai�s turn.� Finally he�d have
his chance to get vengeance for Wyatt.� But part way through his battle with Goki,
Kai began to wonder if he was losing his mind.�
Where Goki stood, he kept seeing Wyatt � lost
to the control of the Cyber Dranzer.� The one person in the world who Kai could not fight no matter what.� Goki unleashed a
very dirty trick by using the techniques and attack patterns of Kai�s teammates
against Kai.� Coupled with the ghostly images
of Wyatt superimposed over Goki it was no wonder that
even Kai hesitated and lost focus.�
Luckily, both blades exited the stadium at the same time, and it was a
draw.� But it
wasn�t the end.� The match was sudden
death, after all, and required a victor.�
And gee wasn�t Gideon generous giving them a
whole minute to prepare.

�� Kai tried to explain what was
happening to him to his teammates, who were shocked and very concerned about
him.� But�leave
it to Tyson to know exactly what Kai needed to hear to kick him back into the
game and bring the phoenix back to himself.

�� I wasn�t caught off guard just because they were
using Driger and Draciel�s
attack patterns.� There�s something
else�� Kai stared across the stadium at Goki,
who was smirking evilly and tossing his blade up in the air and catching it,
over and over and over.� It was the unnerving expression on his face, one that threw Kai off
balance.� He hated it.

�� Tyson and Hilary stared at him in inquiry.� �What was it?�� Hilary asked.

�� It must be something pretty big to make you lose
focus.�� Max stated.� It was the truth, after all.� One of the things that made Kai so good was
his ridiculously rigid focus.

�� Yes.�� Kai
agreed.� �It�s Goki.� He looks like�just like Wyatt.�

�� Huh?�� his team chorused, confused.

�� Wyatt?�� Tyson
frowned and looked over at their opponent, not sure he
saw what Kai did.

�� Can�t you see it?�
His expression�it�s the same as Wyatt�s was on that day�� Kai remembered very, very clearly
what that expression had looked like.� He
doubted he�d ever forget.

�� So�what you�re saying is,
you can�t fight back as hard as you want because it feels like you�re fighting
Wyatt.�� Tyson reasoned.� Kai nodded.�
The dragon got it.

�� Yes.�� Kai
confirmed.

�� Dude, they look nothing alike!�� Tyson exclaimed.� He didn�t like how
this was messing with Kai�s head.� And he really didn�t like how Kai was back in that
guilt-ridden frame of mind that he�d thought they�d taken care of that past
night.

�� What?� Can�t
you see it?!�� Kai�s hands turned into fists at his sides, clenching around his
blade.

�� Huh.� Yeah,
sure�if he loses like a hundred pounds, right?��
Tyson�s comment did what it was intended to �
it made Kai mad.

�� Tyson!�

�� Open your eyes!�
That�s not Wyatt!� It�s Goki!� What happened to Wyatt, Kai, was not your
fault!�

�� But�he was counting on me and I couldn�t help
him��

�� Oh Kai�� that came from Kenny and Hilary.� He especially hated that pitying tone.� Tyson shoved past them.

�� Kai!� Stop dwelling on the past, okay!?� It�s
some kind of Psykick whammy!� You�re not fighting against Wyatt,
you�re fighting for him!�

�� Kai stepped forward as Gideon reappeared on screen to
start the next round.� The others watched
worriedly, wondering if their captain could shake off this funk and take
control again.

�� As far as Tyson was concerned, he would make sure of
it.� No one pulled this shit on his
teammates.� No one.� Especially not Kai, who had enough to deal
with as it was.

�� Both bladers came out
fiercely.� But
Kai was still off-balance and unsure.� And would you believe that Tyson came up with such a deep thought as the fact that they were
battling themselves as much as their opponents.

�� No matter how hard Kai was
trying, he couldn�t seem to shake Wyatt�s ghost.� It haunted him.

�� Just when it looked like he
might give in, Tyson�s voice rang out, breaking through the fog and the
illusion.

�� You�ve lost Wyatt, Kai!� Don�t lose yourself!�

�� Wyatt�� Kai struggled to fight back. �I wanted
to protect you, but I failed.� I can�t fight you�not you.�
No.� I won�t give
up.� I won�t let
them manipulate me!� Got
to fight�� This is for you, Wyatt!� Memories of all the times he�d
spent with Wyatt � invited or not � flashed through his mind as he battled with
an intensity the others had never seen.

�� Still, it wasn�t
looking good.� That Cyber Dranzer was
extremely powerful.� Then Goki made a fatal mistake: he insulted Wyatt to Kai�s face,
calling him a wimpy blader.� Like the
fire-wielder Kai was, he just exploded, rage fueling the flames and his beloved
Dranzer.

�� Goki
was toast.

�� Kai won, and he could finally
put Wyatt�s memory to rest.� The weight
of that match fell off his shoulders, and he could almost hear Wyatt saying
�Thank you�my friend.�

�� His team was ecstatic, and he
got a momentary flying tackle hug out of Tyson for it � though the bluenette
was quick enough to scramble away before he could have his head taken off for
the audacity.� He couldn�t
have known, though, that Kai really didn�t mind that much (this time�).

�� The last battle fittingly
belonged to Tyson.� It never, ever ceased
to amaze Kai how much Tyson improved every single time he bladed.� Kai was tired from his own battle, but every
second of Tyson�s battle with Kane seemed just like it was Kai in that battle.� He felt it just as Tyson did, and somewhere
in the back of his mind he wondered just what that
signified.� What was this
strange relationship/bond-thing that was developing between them?

�� Tyson�s battles are always
spectacular and this one was no different.�
Dragoon was so powerful, but the Cyber version of him was scary
powerful.� All the Cyber versions were
equally scary, and the Bladebreakers had good reason to worry about Tyson.

�� Then again, he had enough
conviction and belief in his abilities to win a thousand times over.� That, too, never ceased to amaze Kai.

�� Things continued to get hairy,
with the Cyber Dragoon proceeding to demolish the building with the energy
waves it emitted.� The only way to stop
it was for Tyson to win.� Kai�stood by
helplessly, not knowing how he could help or do anything at all to stop this
insanity.

�� Kenny finally came
to the conclusion it was forfeit or be seriously hurt, maybe
killed.� At first, though Tyson hated it
intensely, he agreed.� He tried to stop,
but Dragoon�s will was enough to spur Tyson on.�
They were one, after all, and Tyson was just too stubborn to willingly quit.

�� It was a whole
new battle now.� Kai watched with more
than a little awe as Tyson went after that Cyber bit-beast with pure strength
of will.

�� The battle was over and Tyson
had finally won.� He even saved Kane from
the control of the Cyber Dragoon.� Now of
course, they had another problem�a collapsing building.

�� Kai was sure they�d
make it out in time.� But
Max turned around and went back for Draciel
(understandably, but still!) and Tyson, being Tyson, went after him.

�� Kai, Rei, Hilary and Kenny,
along with Mr. Dickenson, Kane and his teammates all made it out in time�to
watch the building collapse behind them.�
Horror filled Kai through to his very soul, his body frozen in place as
he watched with the knowledge that Tyson was in there somewhere, as was
Max.� He couldn�t
move, couldn�t breath, couldn�t scream no matter how much he wanted to.� If Tyson didn�t make
it out�

�� As the smoke cleared, two
figures came running toward them.� Relief
flooded Kai and all the others as Max and Tyson � with the forgotten Saint
Shields right behind them � appeared.�
Had he not been in front of all the others, Kai wouldn�t
have hesitated to hug Tyson and not let go for a while.� He�d never been so
scared in all his life.

�� And
why, pray tell, was he feeling like he wanted to strangle Kane for shaking
Tyson�s hand?

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Next stop, New York.� Max�s mother flew the team to America
where she would fix up their blades and repair the damages done in their
battles with Team Psykick.� She also had something to show them.

�� Tyson snored most of the
flight.� Hilary actually put up with it,
reasoning that he deserved it for being a hero at the battle tower.� Kenny objected that Kai was as much of a hero
as Tyson � which Tyson agreed to.

�� Kai�s my hero!�

�� Sure, he said it in a tone that
sounded highly sarcastic, but at the same time, Kai heard a note of sincerity
and fondness.� Of course, he�d never admit to being awake for that conversation.

�� Judy met them at the airport and
took them straight to the BBA labs.� What
she had to show them was a little disappointing, considering how much she built
up the suspense.� It was a rock.� Kai didn�t much care
about a rock but when Judy explained why it was significant, he changed his
mind.

�� It contained bit-beasts sealed
within.

�� This was the beginning of the
connection between their bit-beasts, the Saint Shields, and the weird
scientists behind Team Psykick.

�� Returning to Japan, that connection was made much clearer.�
The Saint Shields were of the tribe that created that rock.� Their goal was to seal the four most powerful
of the Sacred Spirits � Dragoon, Dranzer, Driger, and
Draciel, ostensibly for their protection.

�� It didn�t
go well at first.� Rei battled Dunga and lost.�
Ozuma and his team sealed away Driger.� Max battled Mariam
next, and he won � barely.

�� Dunga
came along not long after that, looking to defeat Kai and seal Dranzer.� And he had some help
with Joseph.� Two on one was so not fair,
and Rei joined in, hoping to somehow find a way to win
Driger back.

�� In the end, they won and Rei was reunited with Driger � an
evolved, stronger Driger.

�� Tyson�s battle with Ozuma was
intense.� They were both good, and both
true bladers.� They fought like there was
nothing else in the world.� One very damaged blade later, Tyson and Ozuma had tied the
match.� Thanks to that, Tyson had proved
to Ozuma that they were worthy of
their Sacred Spirits, and worthy to protect them.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� The approach of the World
Championships was next on their agenda.� And in between their training and matches, they had a new
group of weird bladers with unreal bit-beasts to deal with.� It soon became clear where Judy�s rock had
gone to when it had been stolen, as well as what it
was being used for.� It
was the same scientists that had been behind Team Psykick!� They were using the sealed spirits from the
rock to create blades for their minion bladers to use in the attempt to defeat
the Bladebreakers and capture their
bit-beasts � for what purpose they still
didn�t know.

�� Mr. Dickenson had revealed his
past as a researcher of a rock just like the one Judy had been studying.� Coincidence?� Kai didn�t think
so.� Not with the way
their luck seemed to always go.

�� Then there was that new kid, Zeo.� He was young,
he was strange, and he was extremely enthusiastic around Tyson.

�� There it was again!� That ridiculous feeling of possession that
Kai wasn�t sure he liked or understood.� Still, he swallowed it back, considering there
wasn�t anything wrong with Zeo.� He was a good kid, and a nice guy.� So he was
obsessed with Tyson�Kai knew what that felt like, and it wasn�t
like Tyson encouraged it.

�� Okay he did.� Zeo was an ego
boost and a half for the bluenette.�
Something Tyson definitely didn�t need.

�� Kai shook himself out of that
green jealousy and concentrated on the Worlds and the new freaky bladers
instead.� They were far more important at the moment.

�� Blader after blader, the
Bladebreakers fought and won against mysterious spirits from the stolen rock
and those that wielded them.� And then one day...Zeo seemed to
disappear, just before the Worlds.� It
was really odd � and super suspicious, in Kai�s
book.� Okay, yes.� He didn�t trust
anyone.� Well, except Tyson and his teammates.� Of course, it wouldn�t
take long for them to find out why Zeo disappeared.

�� The World Championships started off as normally as usual�� The team kept training in preparation, though
they were a tad distracted by the no-show Zeo.� They investigated a little, and found that he
quit at the training centre, abandoning the kid Zeo
was to be partnered with for the Worlds.

�� Then�they spotted him briefly at
the bridge.� But...he
just ran away, seeming to be freaked out and afraid of them!� More, he called them enemies!� Kai was shocked,
and more, he was concerned about Tyson.�
He didn�t want to accept something like
that.� Though Tyson would have run after Zeo, Kai kept him back, telling Tyson that maybe someday Zeo would tell him why and that he�d
made his choice � and it didn�t include the Bladebreakers.

�� Tyson was rather distracted
after that.� Kai didn�t
blame him, but he did manage to keep in the game.� They had other things to worry about � like
picking their partners for the tournament, what with the new tag-team
rules.� Hilary attempted to help; she
brought all her fortune-telling books to the dojo in order to determine who
should go together.� Tyson didn�t think so, though.

�� Kai ran into someone new,
too.� A twin
brother/sister team of blade hunters, King and Queen.� They ambushed Kai on the beach when he was
off doing his solitary training one day, and they
damaged Kai�s blade.� Thankfully, the
blade was damaged to the point where nothing on it was
useful to them.� When he went to the dojo
to get Kenny to try repairing it, he was rather embarrassed and really, really mad.� Apparently both Rei and Max had heard of the duo
before.� And
while Kai appreciated that the team wanted to go after King and Queen, he told
them to butt out � and that went double for Tyson.� The last thing he wanted was to see Tyson
lose to them and have Dragoon destroyed, especially so close to the tournament.

�� There were all kinds of bladers
in the tournament.� Even a few old
enemies � turned friends.� Kane and Jim
entered as a team, too.� They were glad
to see it.� Kenny repaired Dranzer for
Kai, with a few new improvements.� Dranzer�� Kai thought, moving to take up a position in order to test out his
new blade.� I hope Kenny knows
what he�s doing.�
I can�t go through all of that again�

�� Whoa.�� Was the consensus of his team, eyes bugging
out at the wild skill Kai and Dranzer displayed.� Then Kenny added a new attack ring.� Kai was sure that it would be all he needed
to take care of those parts hunters, and get revenge.

�� Ahem.� Never mind that Kai had once run a gang that
did business the same way�� He didn�t do that anymore.�
The Blade Sharks were long since retired.

�� The next day he got his
chance.� Whatever made the guy think he could take on Dranzer in the air, no one
knew.� Still, when it was obvious Kai was
winning, King pulled a fast one and knocked a tree
over.� Kai just managed to dodge the
falling timber.� Tyson and the others
were at his side in moments, and Tyson was kneeling down checking over the
phoenix in concern for injury.� Kai
shrugged him off, though it wasn�t much of an
effort.� King and Queen were gone anyway.

�� The next day, after Tyson and
Max�s first battle, Kenny discovered that the parts hunters had entered the
tournament.� It looked like they�d get a second chance at revenge after all.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� This was not the Bladebreakers�
year.

�� Dr. Zaggart,
their arch-nemesis, showed up at Mr. Dickenson�s office, demanding that Zeo � who turned out to be his son � be
entered in the finals of the tournament.�
And Zaggart admitted that he�d extracted the
most powerful of the rock�s bit-beasts (thereby also admitting to having stole
it and that it was in his possession) and that he�d bestowed it on Zeo.� Its name was
Cerberus, and he warned Tyson to beware, because he would lose Dragoon, as
would the other Bladebreakers.

�� Confused, Tyson and the others
had no idea what to make of the new developments.� The only thing they could do was to train,
prepare, and be as ready as possible for the upcoming matches.

�� Going down to where the
tournaments were being held, they discovered that the
matches Zeo and Gordo (his teammate) had been entered
in were already over � in record time.�
There were unbelievable rumours flying around
about the newcomers, and it sent Tyson in to a daze. �He seemed to space out, lost in thought and
memory.� Kai, however, wouldn�t
let him be distracted for long.��

�� How long are you going to zone out, Tyson?� The final rounds of the World Championships
are almost here.� We don�t have time to
be worrying about Zeo.�� Kai raised an eyebrow at the bluenette in
challenge.

�� You�re wrong.��
Tyson replied firmly.

�� Well, Kai didn�t
think he could be convincing, not on his own.�
Tyson was stubborn as a mule, after all.�
After the others joined in, recommending that they forget Zeo and concentrate on what they knew best � blading � then
things would come together on their own, in time.� Tyson reluctantly agreed, and they moved on.

�� At least one pleasant surprise
popped up at the press conference before the finals.� Ozuma and the Saint Shields returned, having
also entered the tournament.� They had
done so in order to help protect the four Sacred Spirits, unsurprisingly.� Really, though, all four bladers of the
Bladebreakers were relieved to know they had that back-up�though
at the same time they were apprehensive because if they lost, then the Saint
Shields would have every excuse to come after their bit-beasts again and this
time seal them for good.� That was not something Kai even wanted to
contemplate.

�� It also made Kai glad he wasn�t the only team captain that had trouble reigning in a
hot-tempered teammate.� King and Queen
provoked a fight at that conference, and Dunga
pounced on it with his considerable zeal and rage.� Ozuma tried to get him to back down, but Dunga wouldn�t listen.� Thankfully, the situation was calmed down,
and the tournament was on.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Finally.� Kai had been waiting for this.� The Worlds for the second
time around.

�� He was teamed
with Rei, while Tyson and Max were teamed together.� One way or another, the Bladebreakers would
get to the finals.

�� Beginning with the quarter finals, Zeo and Gordo were
up against Ozuma and Dunga.� Kai let Tyson go, when the bluenette decided
he had to talk to Zeo,
no matter what.� If there was anyone who could
get through to Zeo and have even a chance of
convincing him to give up whatever mad scheme his father had roped him into, it
was Tyson.� After all, if Tyson could
change Kai�s life for the better, then he could help Zeo.

�� Kai wasn�t
sure exactly what happened, but when Tyson returned to sit with his team in the
audience to watch the match, he was subdued and quiet.� Obviously things
hadn�t turned out well and Tyson was hiding behind a false cheer that didn�t
fool anyone.� But�the
others couldn�t say or do anything to help, not really, so they left him
alone.� Kai, in his own way, still kept
his eye on Tyson however.� It was the only thing he could
do at this point.

�� Watching the match with a keen
set of crimson eyes, Kai took stock of their enemy.� It was over quickly.� Dunga just couldn�t do it.� He
lost to Gordo in short order, and now it was Ozuma�s turn � against Zeo.� This was going
to be tough.

�� Ozuma was doing well.� He was pushing Zeo
and Cerberus hard.� And
then�suddenly�Zeo snapped, and there was a
ridiculously huge power surge from Zeo, overwhelming
Ozuma and Flash Leopard.� Tyson�s eyes
were glued to the battle, as were everyone else�s in
the stadium.� But
it seemed the harder Ozuma pushed, the more Zeo
fought back and the more powerful he became, until a huge whirlwind of pure
power erupted from his blade and took the stadium by storm.� Cerberus was released,
and Ozuma had no idea how to deal with it.

�� The Bladebreakers watched in
horror as Flash Leopard�s attack was swatted aside as
if it were no more than a fly.� The
following assault was just too much for Ozuma.�
Even if he lost, no one would ever say Ozuma hadn�t
fought to the bitter end, hadn�t given his all.

�� When it was over, there was no
more to say.� Shocked, awed, and vowing
to defeat Zeo and Gordo at all costs, the
Bladebreakers tried their best to figure out what the hell
had just happened.� Kenny had detected
something weird with Zeo during that match, and now
he and his considerable computer techniques had a job to do � find out what
that weird something was, before the team found themselves at the mercy of a
worse fate than Ozuma and Dunga: the loss of their
bit-beasts.

�� This time, the fight was not
about saving the world or winning a second World Championship title.� This time�it was about protecting and keeping
Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel, and Driger.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Kai found Tyson brooding by the koi
pond just outside his bedroom.

�� Hey, Tyson.� Is everything alright?� he inquired.� Tyson blinked out of his daze and stood,
looking over at his friend.

�� Huh?� Kai!� I�m fine.�� Tyson sighed and looked back down at the
pool.

�� I guess you�re up against Kane and Jim next,
huh?�� Kai watched him closely.� He was concerned that Tyson was so caught up
in the Zeo situation that he�d
neglect his other battles.

�� I know, Kai.�
I saw the schedule.�

�� Take my advice, Tyson, and forget about Zeo and concentrate on your next fight.� Otherwise, you won�t be focused and you�ll
lose for sure.�� With that, Kai walked
off in typical Kai-fashion, after delivering his advice and the closest thing
that came to a pep-talk he was capable of.� He only hoped Tyson would take it to heart.

�� The next day when they arrived
for the match, they found out that Kane and Jim had been
attacked by King and Queen, and they had lost.� Their blades were unfit for battle, and had
pulled out because of it.� Kane and Jim,
as good as they were, couldn�t compete with King and
Queen � bit-beast-less as they were.� It
was going to be up to Mariam and Joseph, who had
replaced Kane and Jim as King and Queen�s opponents, to take out the parts
hunters and teach them a lesson.

�� When it looked like Mariam had the upper hand, King jumped in, an illegal move
� until Tyson and Ozuma both called for Mr. Dickenson to allow it when Joseph
jumped into the fray, too.� It was a true
tag-team battle.� Unfortunately, the
Saint Shields� sister/brother combo were overwhelmed
by the parts hunters� moves.� Joseph and Mariam�s blades were destroyed completely
but for the bit-pieces.� Horrified, the
crowd was silent as King and Queen left the stadium.� And next�would be
Tyson and Max against King and Queen.

�� Kai and Rei had their first
battle against a pair of Mexicans who were actually not half
bad bladers.� Of course, they
still weren�t a match for either Bladebreaker.

�� After their battle was done, it was up to Tyson and Max to take down the parts
hunters.� Kai gave his usual blunt,
somewhat caustic advice in that Max shouldn�t
second-guess himself, not now with the experience that he had under his
belt.� A surprise was in store: Judy
appeared with a new blade for Max, Draciel V2.� But...Kenny came
through with an upgrade for Dragoon, also.

�� The battle was as expected: fierce.�
However, it turned out there was some outside interference
happening.� Some weird scientist chick
was trying to sabotage the match by attacking Dragoon directly when her
sponsored minions (King and Queen) didn�t want to
cooperate.� In a rather shocking move,
Tyson and King teamed up to get her out of the way long enough for them to continue
the battle � a fair fight, this time.�
Tyson won, and Kai had to smile at the result.� Tyson and Max made it to the finals.

�� Now Kai and Rei had their
opportunity to make it there also.� They
just had to get through Zeo and Gordo first�� But Kai was determined.� He wanted to face Tyson again, and this was
his chance.� He said as much to Tyson on
the way to the stadium, and Tyson grinned back, agreeing perfectly.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� Rei was up first against
Gordo.� And no
matter how hard he tried, his usual speed wasn�t enough to catch Gordo.� It was clear to Kai that their opponents had
been prepared for their battle, taking Rei�s
attacks into account.� Someone had
to speak up, and it was up to Kai (considering they
were partners in this tournament�).� Kai
reminded Rei of how he�d lost Driger
to the Saint Shields, and how it had felt.

�� Do you want to feel that way again?�� Kai demanded harshly.

�� No way!�� Rei ground out.� �Never again!�

�� Their final attack resulted in
an exhausted Rei and a huge tie.� To end this,
it would be up to Kai.

�� He was not really
fond of high pressure, not like this.�
But he lived for a good battle like this.

�� Kai had no idea what hit
him.� Zeo was
insanely powerful, and Dranzer was having a really hard
time keeping up with Cerberus. �It was
looking grim until a voice called out from the audience.

�� Kai!� I thought you were going to face me in the
finals!�

�� Tyson�� Kai felt a wave of calm wash over him and there was a surge of determination that flooded his mind once again.

�� He threw his all into a huge
attack, and the explosion rocked the entire stadium.� The dish was history, and both blades came
out alive and spinning.� They attacked
each other again, and now they were using the entire stadium as a dish.� Forgetting everything but the fervent desire
to win this battle, the two bladers went at it.�
But�

�� Kai lost.� Dranzer stopped spinning.� And Kai had to watch
in horror as Dranzer was taken from him

�� A single, ghostly, burning red
feather drifted down from the air to land in Kai�s palm, and disappeared.� It tore Kai�s heart in pieces.� Rage and mind-numbing sorrow crashed through
him and his cry silenced the stadium.

�� and it nearly broke Tyson�s
heart to hear it.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� He was sure he�d
never seen the bluenette this upset and enraged.� Though�Kai wasn�t
really paying attention at the time.� He
was just too absorbed in grief over the loss of Dranzer to
really pay attention.

�� Later, Hilary would inform him
that Tyson went nuts with training and a single-minded focus none of them had
ever seen him display for anything else.

�� It would also
be Hilary that would come along and remind Kai of his place on the team,
and that Tyson needed reigning in.� The
only person he�d listen to, especially right now, was
Kai.� At first, Kai told her to go away
and leave him alone.� He preferred
wallowing in misery, thanks.

�� Kai stood on at the railing at the lookout point near
the dojo, staring out at the sea and going over that dreadful match over and over again in his mind.� There must have been something
he could have done�

�� What difference does it make now?� I�m sorry,
Dranzer.� I let you down.� I couldn�t protect
you�� You�ve
always been there for me.� Even in the
worst of times.� There�s
nothing left for me to do but quit Beyblading.�
I�m not enough to spin Dranzer or any other
blade ever again.� Goodbye,
Dranzer�

�� Tears silently poured out, but he ignored them.

�� Hilary found him there, no longer
crying, but still moody.� She
tried cheering him up, in her own way, but made the mistake of telling him the
others would get Dranzer back for him.�
Kai turned and walked away at that.

�� Leave me alone.�
I�ve decided to quit Beyblading for good today.�� He nearly choked on the words, but said them
anyway.� They came out sad and defeated �
totally unlike the blader that said them.

�� You quit!?� But�wait a minute!�� Hilary cried.�
Kai stopped, but didn�t turn around.� �Hey!�
You can�t quit!�
I�m sorry that you lost your match, but the
Bladebreakers are still in the competition and they need your support.� It would be selfish of you to walk away just
because you�re feeling down.� Max and Rei are training really
hard right now to get Dranzer back for you.� How do you think they�ll
feel?� Kai, it�s
not like you to give up!� Remember how
hard you battled when Driger was
taken from Rei?� Kai!�

�� He heard her words, heard exactly what she was trying
to tell him under those words � his team needed him, bit-beast or not.� Still, in typical Kai fashion, he didn�t respond except to continue to walk away while she
kept shouting at him.

�� Huh.� I never
knew that you were such a cold-hearted person.��
She stated.� �Go on then.� But remember the Bladebreakers aren�t a team
if you�re not there when they need you the most!�� She stormed off.

�� Kai winced at that.�
But kept walking.

�� Kai walked around for a while,
thinking about the entire situation and what his next step
should be.� Somehow, he ended up
in the place where he�d least wanted to be ever again
at the moment, as if there was something calling him there.

�� The now empty bey-stadium where he�d lost
Dranzer and let down his team.

�� More�where he�d
let Tyson down.

�� It wasn�t
completely empty, though.� Tyson was
there, and he seemed to be spaced out completely.� He didn�t even
notice when Kai launched his blade to meet the still spinning Dragoon in the
new dish.� But
he sure noticed when his blade got punched out of the dish.

�� Kai leapt down to join him, and
he initiated an impromptu battle.� At
first, Tyson wasn�t doing very well.� The first battle sent his blade shooting out
of the dish without much effort.

�� What�s the matter?�
You know you�ll never beat Zeo if you play
like that.�� Kai taunted on the next
round.� Good�Tyson was at least fighting
back now, though still weak and without determination.

�� Oh yeah!?�� Tyson snarled back.� Kai always did know the buttons to push when
he wanted a rise out of the dragon.

�� Neither noticed their teammates
appear at the stadium�s players� entrance in search of
Tyson, or heard their collective gasps at the sight of their friends and
teammates battling.

�� I�m doing this for you Tyson.� I
want you to know how it felt; how it felt to lose to Zeo and have Dranzer taken away from me.� He attacked with a
vengeance, and Tyson responded in kind.�
Their teammates began to cheer them both on, and it seemed to be the
medicine for Tyson�s funk.� Still, Kai
held his own, even without his beloved Phoenix spirit.

�� Win Tyson.�
I want you to win!

~~~~~~~~~~

�� The result of their training was
two very exhausted bladers.� The team
split up for the night.� Kenny and Hilary
went to their own homes, Rei went over to Max�s for the night, and Kai stayed
at the dojo with Tyson.� They bunked out
in Tyson�s room instead of in the dojo training room, as they usually did,
because Gramps decided it was time to clean the place from top to bottom,
including the futons and spare blankets.�
So Kai was going to have to sleep with
Tyson.� It wouldn�t
be the first time they had to share a bed, but it was still not the most
comfortable idea in the world � for all kinds of reasons (from Kai�s
perspective, at least).

�� Words were not
needed at this point between them.�
They went about their nightly routines in companionable silence.� Finally though, they
were both just too tired to stay awake any longer and climbed into bed.

�� If you snore, I swear I�m going to hurt you.�� Kai warned, turning over on his side to face
the wall.� Tyson scowled at his back for
a moment then laughed.

�� I know.� Good
night, Kai.�

�� Hn.�

�� Halfway through the night,
however, dreams plagued Kai�s sleep.�
Unable to stay asleep, he pushed back the covers and carefully climbed
off the end of the bed to avoid waking up his teammate � who was snoring
softly.� Kai watched him sleep for a few
minutes, a fond little smile on his face that he was unaware of wearing.� Then he slipped outside, silently closing the
sliding door behind him.

�� He walked out to the koi pond and sat on the rocks, watching the fish swim
around lazily under the soft glow of the moon above.� He had only been there for a few minutes when
Tyson showed up, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely.� Kai smiled to himself.� The bluenette was cute, though Kai would never in a million years admit it aloud.

�� Kai?� Hey, man�what are you doing up?�

�� Couldn�t sleep.�� Kai went back to watching fish.� �You need your sleep, Kinomiya.� Go back to bed.�

�� We aren�t going to go through all that again
are we?�� Tyson sighed and sat down next
to him on another rock.� �Dude, if you�re
awake and brooding, I won�t be able to sleep, so you may as well tell me
what�s wrong so I can fix it and we can go back to sleep.�

�� I�m fine, Kinomiya.�
Honest.�

�� Look, Kai�� Tyson sidled over and slid an arm around
Kai�s shoulders.� �I know today has been
a rollercoaster ride of emotions and you�re still reeling from the battle today
with Zeo, but�you know I�ll get Dranzer back,
right?� You know I won�t let him get away
with this.�

�� Kai sighed, nodding once in acknowledgment.� �Thanks, Tyson.� You don�t know how frustrated
I am.� I couldn�t
protect Dranzer.� After all we went
through with Ozuma and the Saint Shields, after all our big talk and promises�I
failed Dranzer.�

�� Tyson stared down at his grandfather�s prized koi fish and squeezed Kai�s shoulders.� �You didn�t fail her, Kai.� You bladed your absolute best, you didn�t
back down from Zeo, and you are doing everything you
can to get her back.� By helping set me straight this afternoon�you�re going to get her back
and you�ll see that she�ll be just as glad to be back with you as you will be
to have her back.� You and Dranzer are
one, just as I am with Dragoon.�

�� Feeling strangely vulnerable, Kai glanced at the
bluenette uncertainly.� �You really think
so?�

�� I know so.�
From everything that we�ve learned about our Sacred Spirits, from past
adventures and from the Saint Shields, bit-beasts choose their partners for a
reason, and if they aren�t with their chosen partners, then there�s
trouble.� Max and I�we�ll
fix it.� I swear on Dragoon.�

�� Kai stayed silent for a moment,
then stood up, feeling much better about things.� Tyson had a point, after all.� Dranzer was probably very unhappy to be forced to reside in Zeo�s
blade.� And he
knew he could count on Tyson to set the situation straight.

�� Come on, Kinomiya.�

�� Tyson smiled and got up, following the older blader
back into his room.

�� Kai�s sleep was strangely
peaceful after that.� He wondered, as he
drifted off, if it was because he trusted Tyson enough that he could actually
fully relax, and be fully confident that he would see Dranzer again.� Even though he�d
briefly toyed with the idea of never blading again, his heart just ached at
that idea and he couldn�t see himself doing anything else.� The loss of Dranzer hadn�t
brought on a serious breakdown as Wyatt�s death had, but he realized that with
Tyson reassuring him that he could rectify the situation, then he could contain
his emotions and simply let Tyson do his thing.

�� He fell into a dreamless slumber
with a soft smile on his face.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� The first battle was between
Tyson and Gordo.� Kai watched as Tyson
attacked way too aggressively from the get-go, making a mistake that was
similar to what Rei had done.� Gordo summoned
Orthorus, not leaving Tyson the chance to summon
Dragoon.� Then he got his opportunity and
took it � he refused to lose.� Gordo let
loose a devastating ice attack, but he obviously hadn�t
paid attention to the last worlds.

�� Ice?� Please.�
He didn�t face Tala and come out still alive
for nothing.

�� Tyson and Dragoon slammed Orthorus out of the dish, destroying the blade and knocking
Gordo out of the competition.

�� Next it
was Max�s turn.� But
his opponent was Zeo, and that alone was daunting
enough.

�� Max and Draciel
went on the attack, but Zeo was able to avoid it
consistently and easily.� His calm was
eerie, and when he finally did call out Cerberus, Max had difficulty defending
himself.� But he
refused to quit, refused to lose, and refused to lose Draciel.

�� Unaware of what was going on
outside the stadium, Max continued to battle in top form.� Rei said he�d never
seen the blonde blade like this before, and Kai had to agree with him.� He took note, telling himself to never underestimate Max, should they ever blade against
each other in competition.

�� One huge slam sent Cerberus spinning
out of the dish, but Zeo somehow managed to regain
control and send his blade right back at Draciel�and
summoning DRANZER!� Kai could only stare
in shock and sorrow as his beloved phoenix spirit somehow merged with Cerberus
and the combined power was a real threat to Draciel.

�� Max�s loss meant so much
more.� He watched as Kai had as Draciel was taken away from
him.� Again, the stadium went dead silent
in horror.

�� The blonde�s
loss was heartbreaking.� It also meant a
tiebreaker between Tyson and Zeo.

�� Exactly how they wanted it.

�� It started off
in the extreme, each blader sending vicious attacks against the other.� Up in the stands, however, Kenny seemed to be
freaking out over something.� But when he blurted out that Zeo wasn�t human�� Kai felt all kinds of puzzle pieces fall into
place � especially when he saw Zeo�s arm suddenly
suffer some sort of mechanical failure.�
They all stared in shock at the�robot?!� It was just too weird for words.

�� The new information seemed to
chock Tyson at first�but hey, fighting an android?� Didn�t phase him as
much as it probably should have.� He�d battled too many weird people in too many weird
conditions to be thrown by this.� The
battle continued, and the attacks remained vicious and intense.

�� At that point, Zeo revealed the truth behind his desire for their
bit-beasts.� Dr. Zaggart
had created him in the image of his dead son, and intended to use the power of
Dragoon, Dranzer, Draciel, and Driger
in order to make him human.� It was some
sort of twisted, Pinocchio-type fairytale.�
And though it seemed that something like that
was just impossible, Ozuma reminded them that because they were the four most
powerful, anything was possible.� It was
a scary concept, and Kai could only watch Tyson do his thing with typical Tyson
style: pure strength of spirit and love of the game.

�� None of them know
how Tyson was going to be able to handle fighting a pumped up Cerberus with
Dranzer and Draciel�s powers added to the mix.� Explosions rocked the stadium, the dish was a
complete write off�but the battle raged on.�
It was looking more and more like Tyson was going to lose this match,
and lose Dragoon.

�� But he
was stubborn until the end.� He never,
ever gave up.� Even if
his own body was at risk.�
Beyblading was his life, after all, and he and Dragoon were one.� This was not just a battle for the world
title.� This was a life or death battle.

�� Gale-force winds battered the
stadium and everyone in it, and suddenly...Dragoon knocked Cerberus into
oblivion.� It was over, and Dranzer and Draciel were freed.� Kai and the others made a mad dash for the
stadium floor.� Draciel
and Dranzer were home where they belonged, and Kai was never so
happy in his life as he was in that moment.

�� Tyson had won, becoming the
World Champ for the second time in a row.�
And more, he�d won back the Sacred Spirits of
his teammates.

�� Kai was indebted to him, and he
always paid his debts.

~~~~~~~~~~

�� The victory party Gramps held at
the dojo was an event to remember.� Kai
was positive the wily old man spiked the punch, and stayed away from it.

�� While all their friends crashed
in the newly spic-and-span dojo, Tyson disappeared someplace.� No one seemed to notice, though � except
Kai.� He slipped out and shadowed his
teammate, curious and concerned.

�� He finally found the dragon in a
place that didn�t surprise him much.� It was the path near the bridge, where they�d first run into each other.

�� The bluenette was laying on his back in the grass, staring up at the array of
stars.� His hat lay on the ground beside
him, with his launcher and Dragoon inside.�
Kai silently dropped down beside him and lay back,
tucking his hands behind his head.

�� Why�d you follow me out here?�� Tyson asked, glancing at Kai from the corner
of his eye.

�� Just curious where you could be going when you�re
the centre of attention and everyone�s stoking that over-inflated ego of
yours.�� Kai replied, smirking.� Tyson frowned.

�� I can�t want some space?� And I do not have an over-inflated ego.�� He denied flatly.

�� Yes, you do.��
Kai returned easily, sticking a piece of grass between
his lips and gazing up at the stars in contentment.� Everything was right in his world now, and he
was looking forward to some peace and quiet�at least until the next tournament
season came around.� �I never pegged you
as the type to need �space� away from people.�

�� Even I need some alone time, you know.� How�s Dranzer doing?�� Tyson asked, changing the subject.� The last thing he wanted to do was fight with
Kai.� Not that night,
at least.

�� She�s fine.�
I�m�really glad to have her back.�

�� Tyson smiled.�
�You�re welcome.�

�� Kai blushed and scowled up at the sky.� �Anyway, what are you going to do now?�

�� Me?� Oh,
probably go back to school and try to catch up with all that I�ve
missed lately.� Kenny
and Hilary, too.� I don�t know what Max and Rei are going to do, though.� Maybe they�ll stay and come to school,
too.�� Tyson grinned at the thought.� �Actually, that would be way cool!�

�� Just don�t expect me to do your homework for
you.�� Kai warned.

�� Hey�� Tyson
rolled over onto his stomach and studied his teammate fondly.� �So what about you, Kai?� What are you going to do?�

�� I don�t know.�
Home schooling, probably.� My parents�are wary of me and they don�t try to restrict me in any way.� I think they fear driving me away if they
tried being real parents.�� Kai
shrugged.� �The private school I was at
doesn�t want me back.� After Wyatt�well.�� Kai sat up and tossed the blade of grass
away, watching it float away in the night breeze.� �It�s understandable.�

�� Tyson sat up too, facing Kai with a
great deal of sadness evident on his face.� �I�m so sorry, Kai.� I wish there was something I could do for
you��

�� Don�t, Tyson.��
The rare use of his name shut Tyson up effectively.� �You did plenty enough for me already.�� Kai looked away, embarrassed.� �I can�t claim to have gotten through this
without your support.�

�� Shocked, Tyson stared at him, speechless.� �Ah�of course, Kai.� You know I�d do
anything for you.� But�I
hardly did anything.� I�really helped
you?�

�� There was a note of uncertainty in his voice that
told Kai the bluenette wasn�t as confident in himself
as he often pretended.� �I�ll say it once
more, then drop it, okay?� Yes, Tyson.� You helped me, and I�m grateful.�

�� Glomp.� Kai fell over with
a sniffling bluenette pinning him down in a tight hug.� �Kinomiya!� Get off!�

�� Nuh uhn.� You
finally did something friend-like!� For
that, you get a hug.�� Tyson�s
arms tightened and he snuggled in happily, much to Kai�s consternation.

�� Get off or die.��
Kai tried again, though somewhat weakly trying to pry those arms from
around his waist.

�� Suffer.� Your
reputation�s safe with me.�

�� Kai, for the one and only time in
his life, gave up and simply let his arms rest on Tyson�s shoulders, giving
them a squeeze.� Sensing Kai�s
capitulation, Tyson released him and flipped over onto his back so that he was
reclining against Kai�s chest and staring back at the river and the starry
night sky.� The older teen draped his
arms over Tyson�s shoulders, resting his chin on the top of Tyson�s head, and
they stayed there together for quite some time before they made their way back
to the dojo in mutual, silent agreement.

�� No further words, after all, needed to be said.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kali Notes:� O.M.G.� This
season was ridiculous!� Reasons for the length:
way too much going on for plots in one season, and
more TyKa moments than I realized.� Also�you may have
noticed that this part had fewer of those TyKa
moments.� That�s
because V-Force is extremely difficult to write.� The combination of way to
many plots and events, and the fact that most of those events are team-based
and not on individual characters makes it really hard to write what I see.� I�m looking forward
to the third part, however.� G-Rev!� Stay
tuned�� Please R/R!!!!
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