Passion

Adventure, excitement, and the fresh air of Hong Kong. He was home but that didn’t make Rei any happier. Being home meant a few risks, ones he would rather avoid. However when Rei had agreed to this team he had known what he would be facing.

“As annoying as he is we need his expertise,” Rei glanced towards their star blader for a moment, trying to convince the team to keep moving. It was never good when there was one missing.

Takao shot him a look, eyes lingering on him as Max came up behind him. “Come on Takao, we aren’t going to find him just standing here.”

“Why do we need to find him at all?” Takao was grumbling again, feet dragging along the street.

“You just have to be the bigger man Takao,” Rei flashed a grin at him before pulling his new friend along with him, searching the streets for any sign of Kai. There had been no sign of the Russian blader and the concern was starting to show on Rei’s face as he turned a corner. With still no sign of Kai in the large city and the sun slowly dipping lower the neko-jin was starting to worry. Hong Kong was a big city and even during the day it was dangerous if one turned down the wrong street.

If he had been planning on danger he had called it alright as a wok came flying out at them. In China that was the most common sign of a challenge and Takao glanced towards Rei. “What’s up with that?”

“A challenge…” a figure had stepped out, a nunchuck serving as a beyblade launcher around his neck. Rei had tensed slightly as the other blader started talking.

“I hear you people are the new champions,” he said, stepping closer to them, his eyes focusing on each one of them before landing on Rei. “You… blade me.”

“I’ll do it!” Takao yelled as he hurried forward before Rei could even hope to stop him.

“Kiki…” Takao glanced over between the two bladers. He had lost one round but won the next one however that hadn’t put him at ease, especially given the way the newcomer was staring at his teammate. There was something going on, he just wished he knew what it was.

“Challenging before the tournament, is that the honorable thing to do?” Takao froze for a moment, his heart leaping into his throat. He knew the voice almost as well as any, his eyes widening as he saw the figure.

“Jonouchi, how did you get here?” Takao’s mind was racing and he couldn’t even keep track of everything that had happened. Now Jonouchi had appeared in China and seemed to know the blader before them. And what’s more there was an object that Takao recognized right away in Jonouchi’s hand. His hands clenched tightly and the anger grew as things started falling into place.

Jonouchi had a beyblade. Jonouchi had lied about beyblading…

Brown eyes focused on Takao and Jonouchi dug his hands in his pockets. “I guess you could call this my home,” he said, flashing a grin at his friend before his face became serious. Takao stared at him, not knowing whether to yell or cry now that he knew something of the truth. If Jonouchi had told him there would have been so many things they could have shared together.

“Jonouchi… why?” The conversation had caught the attention of the others, Max glancing over at Takao.

“You okay?”

“No!” Hands formed into fists as Takao shook his head, staring at the blond who stood before him. To him it was like his entire world was breaking apart. Was everything a lie, everything Jonouchi had told him? Could he even trust him? Takao’s eyes widened and his fists tightened, feeling the tears begin to form as he gazed upon the face of what he had once thought was his best friend.

There was a rustle behind Takao and he turned to see even more and they were talking to Rei. Things were about to get ugly but when he glanced back Jonouchi was gone.

The day had passed slowly at first, but the next was moving faster. With arms crossed over his chest Matoko watched closely as he saw the White Tigers going at it with what he assumed was the new Japanese team. He recognized Rei from his old team but what brought his attention was Rai. Taking a step forward he stood behind the smaller neko-jin and grabbed the back of his shirt.

Furious gold eyes turned towards Matoko as he just yawned, covering with a hand as Rai twisted in his grip, anger burning through him. “Matoko!” he snapped, ready to erupt at any moment. Takao was ready to panic as the neko-jin that had previously been bragging to them was now held in the air, two sets of golden eyes glaring at each other before Matoko placed Rai’s collar upon a high ledge, walking away as Rai began yelling at him, squirming to try to get down.

Without another word Matoko was gone, sitting on the bench next to his captain. He knew enough to realize that something was off but wasn’t sure what. “Captain,” placing a hand on Jonouchi’s shoulder the younger inu-jin startled from his thoughts before his attention turned to Matoko.

“I’m alright… just thinking.”

“About what, Captain?” What indeed was the real question here. It wasn’t normal for the blond to be in such a mental turmoil that he was so focused on something else. The golden eyes focused intently as the lights dimmed, the single spotlight shinning down on the announcer, Blader DJ.

“I would like to start this tournament with a welcome to all bladers that have come to participate in this tournament. With as many teams as we have it should be a par-ty! Now that we’ve met all the teams, Go shoot!”

With that the tournament would begin. Brown eyes focused intently as Jonouchi glanced over, just in time to see Rumiko standing over him. “So boss, who’s taking the first loser?”

Glancing down from the ginger haired inu-jin Jonouchi finally spoke up, broken from his reverie. “Shizuka, show them how it’s done.”

“Of course big brother.” With that said the petite inu-jin slowly stood, smiling briefly as she pushed some hair over her shoulder. Everything was done by her other senses, her skills advanced though the blader standing across from her just laughed.

“They’re sending a little blind girl to do a man’s job?”

Shizuka only gave a pleasant smile as she loaded her beyblade into her launcher, her blindfolded face tilted towards her opponent. To the young inu-jin everything else made the lack of sight insignificant. She could hear every sound and that was enough for her to know everything she needed to.

“I’ll be enough,” she said as she loaded her beyblade into her launcher.

“3… 2… 1… Go shoot!”

The beyblades sailed out and the man barely blinked, his beyblade tumbling after the first hit, several deep marks in it. He hadn’t even seen the attack and he had to hold his breath as he stared at the beyblade that had returned to the girl’s hand. Falling back on his butt he swallowed hard.

“What are you… some sort of demon?” He demanded, staring at her. Shizuka just gave a pleasant smile in response before turning away from him, taking her seat next to her brother though Jonouchi glanced up, seeing his ‘friend’ and his teammates standing there in shock.

Glancing over towards his team members his eyes fell on Rumiko. He wouldn’t reveal his own power until he was good and ready to. “Sure boss,” she said as she stood up, straightening out her skirt. Stepping elegantly forward she glanced around, giving a wink to the crowd before striding towards the dish.

Rumiko blew a kiss to her opponent whose face screwed up in anger as she laughed. The ginger haired woman reached down, taking the beyblade from the pack on her thigh, just under her skirt before grabbing the launcher from the pack on her boot. Turning she gave a wave to her team.

“Well, let’s get this on, bitch.” She said with a smirk, her long fingers curling around the launcher.

“3… 2… 1… Go shoot!”

Rumiko’s beyblade went slicing through the air, making quick strikes at her opponent. Each strike was a blur, her beyblade almost seeming to double as the opponent’s spun and stopped, skittering on its side. Catching her beyblade she turned back to her team, marching back towards them. The Silver Wolves looked at their captain, wondering in each of their minds what his plan was.

Takao stood above and stared down. He saw Jonouchi turn and their eyes met. It sent a shiver through his spine, not believing how little he knew about his old friend however as he watched each battle he couldn’t help but to show the excitement. He couldn’t wait to face any one of these killer bladers. He couldn’t help but be both excited and hurt by the look in his friend’s eyes. There was no doubt that the inu-jin wanted to take him down but then the gaze switched and there was a sudden realization that Jonouchi wasn’t staring at him. Glancing over he followed the line of sight and it landed on Kai.

So focused on that Takao practically jumped as Rei placed a hand on his shoulder. “Mind if we talk outside?”

“Uh… sure,” he shrugged, not concerned about it in the least as he followed the other. It didn’t feel right leaving Max and Kyouju with the team grouch but if Rei was ready to tell him what was going on he really wanted to know.

Rei had stopped dead in his tracks, hands clenched and staring down at the ground once they were outside, the crowds slimmed out due to so many watching the matches inside. “I’m sorry, this is all my fault.”

“Rei, what are you talking about?” He reached out, grabbing his teammate’s shoulder before leaning towards him. The sudden admittance bewildered him especially since Takao had no idea what he was even talking about. What was his fault?

“The White Tigers, they’re my old team. That’s why they’re so angry and the Silver Wolves were our biggest rivals. I knew Jonouchi before, he’s my biggest opponent,” hands clenched as his head hung down. “Because I’m part of the team they’ll come after us like a war!”

Takao suddenly started laughing and Rei turned around, looking bewildered by his laughter. Turning around he stared at the other as if he was insane, looking down upon the bluenette bent over in laughter.

“Seriously Rei, lighten up. I am so stoked about facing both teams. If this rivalry thing will make them come at us a hundred percent, then I say bring it! I can’t wait to take them both on, especially Jonouchi. He’s like my best bud and what better way to have fun than in a battle. I can’t wait to see how good he is.”

Rei nodded in response, his stomach sinking. Somehow the Silver Wolves had updated their beyblades from pieces scrounged from the trash to competition worthy models. With beyblades that could keep up with their bitbeasts he knew they, and the White Tigers, would have quite a time keeping up with them.

“What if we lose?”

“We’re not going to!” Takao turned, grabbing Rei’s hand, not aware of the way the contact caused the neko-jin’s cheeks to flush. Grabbing his shoulders Takao leaned closer with a grin. “We’ll beat them both and boy are we going to have fun doing it.”

It was too tempting, his lips right there and as Rei stared down at Takao he lost control. Dropping a hand to his waist he leaned in and kissed Takao, at first their lips just brushing before the kiss became stronger. Takao’s hand dropped from his own and before Rei had time to recover Takao was shoving him away, eyes wide in shock.

“What the hell was that?” He quickly wiped at his mouth as if disgusted.

“A kiss…”

“We’re guys,” Takao pointed out as if it wasn’t obvious. He had seen it happen before, his brother had done it in front of him and he knew Jonouchi liked guys that way, and it wasn’t that Takao was against it however the idea that someone liking him that way seemed almost disturbing.

“Yeah…” Rei stared at him before shaking his head. “Never mind,” he said before hurrying back inside, leaving Takao behind. No one had ever refused him before and that only left one option, he would have to try another tactic.