From Rio to Moscow

Here we go again. Another little fic from me… I know I should be working on “F as in Falcon” but this one just got stuck in my head….

Warnings: This is a Yaoi, if this bothers you then don’t read. There will be some slight Rei bashing, but I will make it up to you. I love him too. There is an OC in this, but she is not a romantically one, ok?

Bryan/Kai, mentioning of Rei/Kai and OC/Kai. Some other parings too, read and find out =)
Review if you want.

Disclaimer: I do not own BeyBlade. There, done.

^Means speaking in Portuguese.
*Means speaking in Russian.
-Means speaking in English.

Thanks a million Liah for Beta reading this!

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I step off the plane and breathe in the cold crisp air of my home country. It's noon and the sky has that pale blue colour that only the north can produce. It feels a bit weird to be back... And it doesn't help that my stomach is filed with butterflies at the moment.
^Man its cold here! Almost worse then Alaska.
I can't help but laugh
^I wouldn't know about that, but this is spring Laia. Soon the city will be full of children playing and all will be green.
^You’re a cute poet when you want to Alex.
^Don't know when that happened... It must be your doing. Let's go, before our bags goes "missing".
^Come on, you're talking to a daughter of Rio. The crimes can't be worse here.
^It's about the same.

We make our way through the airport and manage to get our backpacks and get out without any problems.

^So, Alex... Should we head to the hotel or should we get about a bit.
^Let's take a walk. I want to show you my city. Don't really know why I feel so strong for it... I mean, I've spent more time in Japan...
^Your home is always your home, no matter what. So left or right?
^Left. I want to show you the Abbey.

We walk true the city and I talk about the tings we see. When we arrive at the abbey I see that they have made a shrine outside, a perfect work of a blacksmith. It's a woman in armour, sword at her side and a child in her arms. I know this picture; Tala drew it along time ago... The woman is a Valkyria, a mythical being of the Asatro, the religion of the Vikings. Tala, Bryan, Spencer and Ian belongs to it; says that it makes more sense to believe in a religion with a war god. The Valkyrias are the ones that come to take the brave souls of our dead to Valhalla, their paradise. Bryan always said that they came for the children of the abbey... At its feet there is an inscription. And around it lays flowers and candles. Laia buys a small candle and lights it.
^What does it say? She nods towards the inscription.
^For all those brave souls that suffered and died here. We who lived shall never forget, and never let the world forget. You will never go Nifelhel.
^What’s Nifelhel?
^According to the Asatro it's the place where forgotten souls go to. It’s a worse place then Hell.
^Do you believe in it?
^Don't know really... I used to... Most of the children who were here did and do, so I guess it's suitable.

I turn to the lady selling the candles.
*Who raised this?
*The Demolition boys. They come here a lot, at night; especially the Captain.
*Tala...
*Yes, that's his name. Comes here to pray he says... Sometimes there's another boy with him too.
*Another boy? Not a Demolition boy?
*No, this boy is Chinese I think... I think he's called Lee...
*Lee? Does he have feline features?
*Now that you say, yes he has...Do you know them?
*I used to know them...
*You speak excellent Russian you know, one could think you were native if you only listen to you voice.
*Actually, Russian is my mother language...-I am Russian...

She looks in disbelief at me and I hear Laia laugh softly behind me.
^You don't look Russian any more you know...she says.
^I don't?

She reaches out and places her hand next to mine and I realise that mine is just slightly paler then hers.

^You have lived three years under the South American sun and it has made it mark on you. You have lived a free and wild life and it shows. You are as proud as the pumas and as wild as the Andes and as free as Condor. You are not the same you were when you left. I didn't know you then, but I remember the cold teen I met almost three years ago. And you don't resemble him much any more... Let's go to the hotel before it gets dark.

We start to walk

^What if he won’t like who I have become?
^You won’t know that until you have tried. The core of your soul is still the same, but experience changes people. I bet he has changed to. It's called growing up.
^I hate when you are right!
^Of course little one, but I forgive you all the same.

She smirks at me and I can't help but smile at her. She was one of the first people I meet after I had run of.

Flashback

I had arrived in Rio a couple of days earlier and I was walking the streets aimlessly when I heard the sound of a drum coming from a back alley. I was drawn to it. I found a boy in his early teens beating a slow but steady rhythm on a big drum. In front of him was a girl in about my age dancing. She was rather short and curvy with dark brown skin. Her thick brown hair was tied up into a simple pony tail and her eyes were closed, but she didn't miss a beat. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and her big brown eyes meet mine.

-Want to dance stranger?

-Sorry, I don't know how and I swing the other way if you know what I mean.

-I will teach you, and I'm not looking for a boyfriend, just a dance partner for one song. Come on; let the rhythm take you away to another dimension.

For some unknown reason I walk over to her and she places my right hand on her left hip and takes the other in her hand.

-Close your eyes and let everything but the drum disappear. Be one with the rhythm. Don't care about steps or right or wrong, just move.

I do as she says and slowly I feel my self disappearing into the rhythm. I feel her moving in my hands and following my lead. I don't know how long we danced but when the drum stops I'm drenched in sweat but my pulse is oddly calm. I haven't felt so at peace in months.

-You're a good dancer stranger. But you look like you're lost in life.

-I am...

-Then walk out there and find your way. It is out there waiting for you to find it. If you ever need help, come here. See that club?
She points down the street and I nod as I see the neon sign.

-My parents own it, go there and ask for me.

She says something to the boy in Portuguese and he picks up the drum and bounces towards the club.

And with that she starts to walk away.

-Hey! I didn't get your name?

-It's Laia. What's yours?

-Alexander.

-Well, then Alexander. If I don't see you again, live a free life.

She walks of

End Flashback

It took two months before I returned, but since then we have kept in contact. She made dancing become a natural part of my life.

^Hey Laia?

^Yes Alex?

^I'm really grateful for you coming with me... And you don't have to call me Alex any more you know...

^Don't mention it. But I think that you will have to live with me calling you Alex. You have been Alex to me for three years.

^I guess I can live with it.

We finally reach the hotel and check in. We both fall asleep pretty much instantly.

The rising sun wakes me up the next morning. Living out in the wild for so long has made me move with the nature. I wake up Laia and as she heads for the showers I order breakfast. As we eat we watch a rerun of the Demolition boy’s game against the White tigers. I haven’t really paid attention to the blading world since I left, but the Demos have improved a lot. Especially Bryan. Tala took out Mariah easily in the first run, and then there was Kevin against Spencer. To my great astonishment Kevin pulls of a win! It was close, but all the same. Kevin has added strength to his speed. If he keeps this up he will be up for the world champ spot soon... And then... Then there was Bryan against Lee...

^That’s him isn't it?
I simply nod. I am amazed by the strength Bryan has gotten. I don't understand...

^I thought you said he bladed with out emotions?

^Yeah...

^That doesn't look emotionless to me.

She is right! That's were his new strength comes from. Emotions.

The match is over and Bryan won. I already knew that, that's why we are here. But there is something different about seeing it.

^Can I have the green haired one? She smiles mischievous.

^Kevin?

^I think that was his name yes.

^Sure, if you catch him you keep him.

^Alex?

^Hmm?

^The pink haired one... She was the one wasn't she?

^Yeah... You know, I almost feel sorry for her now. I'm pretty sure he has found some one else to screw around with behind her back...

I get up and get in the shower. Letting the hot water wash away the entire long since forgotten pain that had resurfaced for a second. I'm not sad about Rei going with Mariah anymore... I am how ever pissed off about that remark he made in the paper sometime around the time of their wedding. He said that if only I had been alive I should have been best man.
Does it sound odd to anyone else then me to want you ex lover to be your best man? A lover who he was involved with behind the brides back... I would not have been his best man, even if I had been at home... But the reason I'm back is not Rei. No I got over him sometime during my first year in South America. No, I'm back because of two things, the first thing is Beyblading. I want to get back into the game...

The second one is more important... and more difficult. I guess it's about two months since I started getting interested in Beyblade again. The lover I had at the time, Tony, never really got it. And they don't send very many games at the TV there since the sport isn't very big... One of the reasons I moved there in the first place. Anyway, I started reading up on what was going on using the internet, and Tony didn't like it. But one day about two weeks ago I found a short TV interview that the Demos had done.

Flashback

I was watching it when Tony entered the room. Bryan said something about that they were going to win for sure this year and I couldn't help but laugh at him. He may pretend to be a though guy, but I know that he has the self esteem of fly. Non that is. That was when Tony pulled out the cord to the computer.

^Hey! I was watching that!

^I know! You're always watching him! How am I supposed to compete with that? I don't even understand what you see in him?!? He seems to be a heartless son of a bitch to me. Is that what you want from me? I thought love mattered to you! Would you really want to be with some one like that? I may not know much about Beyblading, but I know that he has hurt people! Or do you just think that he is handsome? Because if you do I don't understand why you are with me! But if he is so wonderful why don't you just join the fan club?!? You are already acting like an obsessed fan boy!

^What are you talking about?

^Don't play stupid with me Alex! Every time you find a picture with him you eyes light up, every time you find an interview with him you zoon out completely. Heck, even if you see a picture with him when we are out on town you completely forget about me. You even say his name in your sleep sometimes. It hurts Alex! I'm tired of being in a three way relationship! Make a choice me or your precious Bryan!!!!!

I just sat there staring at him, Bryan.... The thought hadn't even occurred to me earlier. He had always been a friend, always been there when I had cried about Rei. Always held me when I needed to be held... I saws that Tony’s lips were still moving but I didn't hear him and finally he stormed out of the apartment.
Bryan.... All the time we had spent together. He had never judged me for my feelings for Rei. Never accused me of weakness when I cried... He even said that he understood that he too loved some one he couldn't have. Someone who already was in loved with someone else... He never wanted to talk about that person, said it hurt too much... Oh my god!!! What if... What if... that someone... was me...? I... I...I miss him... That's why have been drawn back to blading... Bryan... Why didn't I see it!!!

End Flashback.

That night Laia had come to check on me since she had run into Tony. That was when I had told her about who I really was, about Bryan. And that is why we are here to watch the world championships finals...

I finished my shower and get dressed. I look at myself in the mirror, Laia is right. I have changed, my hair has gotten lighter from the sun, what was ones slate coloured is now almost white and the dark blue is a pale sort of light blue. I have let it grow as it wanted and has ended up with hair that reaches below my shoulder blades. I usually just pull it into a pony tale when I'm working and let's it fall free when I'm not.

Speaking of work, my body has hardened for the many hours on horse back hurtling cattle, hiking the mountains and all the other jobs I've done... never spent more then two months at a time at one place. My muscles are now the ones of some one who has worked hard instead if simply working out. As earlier said my skin is tanned and weather-beaten. That’s what you get from living out in the wilderness for so long. I don't put on the face paint anymore and I wear rather normal clothes now. Right now a pair of black jeans and a light blue sweater witch accentuates the red colour of my eyes.
It was a gift from Laia and I have realised that she was right. It does make me get attention.

I used to seriously dislike my eyes, even used coloured contacts for a couple of years. Such vanity is useless when you're in the middle of the rainforest so sometime along this trip I started liking them instead. I brush through my hair and head back into the room. Laia looks over me and gives a soft whistle of appreciation

^Nice!

^Hn.... Laia... I'm not sure I can do this...

^Ask you self were you rather be, sleeping alone in your beloved Andes or in his arms here in Russia?

^In his arms...I whisper and feel my self blush.

^Thought so. You have to give this a chance or you will regret it for the rest of your life.

^I know... But I'm scared....

^Listen, if it doesn't work out the way we hope it will, we'll get on the first plane back. And you can continue you're wanderings. Deal?

^Deal...

She gets up and stands in front of me

^Little crazy one, I've still not a met a straight girl or a gay guy that hasn't had their breath taken with you. You will do fine, he is still you're friend.

I nod and I feel a little bit better. I look at the clock

^It's time to leave.