Crystallis

Crystallis

Summary: Kai follows Rei back to China, but they are closer to Crystallis than they expect. They encounter an enigmatic villager who will change their relationship. Meanwhile, Volten returns closer to Kai than ever before, and the Bladebreakers will reunite in a final bid to save their lives and save Max. Kai/Rei lemon in 1st chapter!!! Sequel to "Angel and Devil".

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Rumi-chan: Oops... didn't update that soon... well here it is anyway!!!

Maytel: Well, I'm kinda gonna shove him aside for now, because once he comes in the plot is resolved and we won't get much of a story, right?

KataGirl: Sigh. Another reviewer to apologise to... sorry. Well, here you have it, the next chapter.

Platimum Rei: Glad you like the parts that are out of the story as well... I realise that you're the first one to actually do so, so here's a Kai plushie for you!

kai/rei4ever: Another reviewer I've let down... BOOHOO!!! Umm... O_O" anyway, enjoy!

Seraph1: I knew there'd be some people who wouldn't like a cliffiekeptkept you in suspense for long enough, ne? Well, let's move on!

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Trueangel: I apologise for the long break between the last chapter and this one.

Xan: You'd better be.

Trueangel: My inspiration well suddenly ran dry...

Xan: Excuses...

Trueangel: Oh well. Let's get back to the story.

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Chapter 3 The Memories of Childhood

"...Volten is back."

Rei turned to Kai, hoping to find some kind of answer or revelation. But Kai had shut his emotions as usual, in the face of so many strangers. Kai was staring at the new villager strangely, as though hoping to gain some sort of recognition. Rei turned his attention back to the crowd. They were murmuring, but from what he overheard none of them could make any sense out of it. Just as well. He didn't want too many people to learn about the whole thing.

Rei turned to the new villager. He looked quite young, probably in his early twenties. A mop of messy black hair left long fringes that covered a lot of his haggard face, but Rei could pick out a pair of alert, black eyes. His body was fairly toned, perhaps due to the exhausting lifestyle of a villager that Rei had once experienced. He dressed simply, with a dirty, worn light blue shirt and a pair of black shorts. Nothing fancy with his footwear either; just a pair of wooden clogs.

After a short silence, the village began to resume its normal bustle. It was then that people started to notice Rei and Kai.

"Oh look, it's Rei!"

"Rei, you're back!"

"We've missed you."

"Who's your friend?"

"Umm... he's Kai," Rei stammered, overwhemled by the warm greeting he was getting.

The village elder walked up to him and patted him on the back.

"Good job, Rei."

"Thanks, and stepped aboard the truck that was parked outside. Uncle Lin was alone in the cab of the truck, while the other three boarded the back. Soon, the truck was off, heading out of the village and into the mountains. Kai sat down, admiring the scenery. Lush trees covered the land, their verdant canopies blocking out the harsh afternoon sun, but still letting in enough light to illuminate the undergrowth. There were sporadic appearances of small jungle animals, such as squirrels and monkeys. Kai even thought he saw a flash of orange, possibly a magnificent tiger.

"This place is beautiful," Kai couldn't help commenting.

"Yeah. I used to love this place when I was little," Rei said.

"I'm sure you did. Remember the time you ran up here all by yourself?" Mariah said.

"How could I forget? I wanted to be a tiger hunter..."

"Yeah, protect the village and all that."

"I remember I came up here wanting to find a tiger, after hearing one of those fables."

"The whole village was so worried when you disappeared without a trace."

"I was already seven. I could take care of myself."

"You were only seven. Anyway, I followed Uncle Lin up here, and we found you playing with a tiger cub."

"I didn't realise tigers were so playful..."

"Well, you were lucky the mother wasn't around, or you would have been dead by then."

"I could have handled her. Tigers can be fiercely loyal, once you gain theiust.ust."

"The question is whether you could gain her trust before she could eat you."

"Well... anway, the two of you brought me home, but it wasn't the best part yet."

"The cub probably followed the truck."

"Yeah, and the next morning, I woke up to the tiger licking my face!"

"We didn't realise how dangerous it was... if other tigers had followed the cub to the village, they might have attacked us."

"That's unlikely. Tigers don't normally attack humans, unless provoked."

"Well, he kept coming back everyday to play with you."

"I wonder how Xiaohu is now... he looked so upset when I had to leave." (A/N: 'Xiaohu' is literally translated to mean 'little tiger'.)

"Yeah. For a few months after you left, Xiaohu kept coming back daily to look for you, and he kept going back disappointed. Then, after that, Xiaohu stopped coming altogether... we don't know what happened, but I guess it finally accepted that you were gone."

"Well, I guess you had a great time with Xiaohu," Kai Kai.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kai, we didn't mean to exclude you," Rei apologised.

"No, it's ok. I guess you two have a lot of catching up to do."

"Why don't you share some childhood memories?" Mariah asked. "I'm sure there must have been a few good ones."

"No. I mean, I don't have any good memories."

"About your parents, Xan, your relatives... nothing?" Rei asked.

"I don't remember them. The only person I know from my past is Voltaire. And even him, I had forgotten until only a few months ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Mariah said.

"But I've had dreams about them... it's always the same one. I'm with them, in an ethereal place, a place on the clouds... but I never see their faces. Lately, it's changed slightly... I now remember Xan running on a patch in front of me, while I'm held in my mother's arms."

"I'm sure you cherish these dreams..." Mariah said.

"They're nightmares, actually."

"Oh?" Rei raised an eyebrow curiously.

"After that, a monster swoops down... it kills both my parents with its sharp claws. It then grabs me and Xan, then flies away... but in mid-air, it lets me go, and I feel myself falling into the darkness, falling, falling..."

"What kind of monster?" Mariah asked.

Kai thought for a moment, picturing the monster in his mind, before realising he could now give a name to it.

"A devil. Volten."

"So you're saying that Volten killed your parents?" Rei asked.

"I'm not sure... but I wouldn't be surprised."

Suddenly, the truck stopped. The three of them had been so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't notice they had reached the mountain. Uncle Lin came out of the tru and stepped aboard the truck that was parked outside. Uncle Lin was alone in the cab of the truck, while the other three boarded the back. Soon, the truck was off, heading out of the village and into the mountains. Kai sat down, admiring the scenery. Lush trees covered the land, their verdant canopies blocking out the harsh afternoon sun, but still letting in enough light to illuminate the undergrowth. There were sporadic appearances of small jungle animals, such as squirrels and monkeys. Kai even thought he saw a flash of orange, possibly a magnificent tiger.

"This place is beautiful," Kai couldn't help commenting.

"Yeah. I used to love this place when I was little," Rei said.

"I'm sure you did. Remember the time you ran up here all by yourself?" Mariah said.

"How could I forget? I wanted to be a tiger hunter..."

"Yeah, protect the village and all that."

"I remember I came up here wanting to find a tiger, after hearing one of those fables."

"The whole village was so worried when you disappeared without a trace."

"I was already seven. I could take care of myself."

"You were only seven. Anyway, I followed Uncle Lin up here, and we found you playing with a tiger cub."

"I didn't realise tigers were so playful..."

"Well, you were lucky the mother wasn't around, or you would have been dead by then."

"I could have handled her. Tigers can be fiercely loyal, once you gain theiust.ust."

"The question is whether you could gain her trust before she could eat you."

"Well... anway, the two of you brought me home, but it wasn't the best part yet."

"The cub probably followed the truck."

"Yeah, and the next morning, I woke up to the tiger licking my face!"

"We didn't realise how dangerous it was... if other tigers had followed the cub to the village, they might have attacked us."

"That's unlikely. Tigers don't normally attack humans, unless provoked."

"Well, he kept coming back everyday to play with you."

"I wonder how Xiaohu is now... he looked so upset when I had to leave." (A/N: 'Xiaohu' is literally translated to mean 'little tiger'.)

"Yeah. For a few months after you left, Xiaohu kept coming back daily to look for you, and he kept going back disappointed. Then, after that, Xiaohu stopped coming altogether... we don't know what happened, but I guess it finally accepted that you were gone."

"Well, I guess you had a great time with Xiaohu," Kai Kai.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kai, we didn't mean to exclude you," Rei apologised.

"No, it's ok. I guess you two have a lot of catching up to do."

"Why don't you share some childhood memories?" Mariah asked. "I'm sure there must have been a few good ones."

"No. I mean, I don't have any good memories."

"About your parents, Xan, your relatives... nothing?" Rei asked.

"I don't remember them. The only person I know from my past is Voltaire. And even him, I had forgotten until only a few months ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Mariah said.

"But I've had dreams about them... it's always the same one. I'm with them, in an ethereal place, a place on the clouds... but I never see their faces. Lately, it's changed slightly... I now remember Xan running on a patch in front of me, while I'm held in my mother's arms."

"I'm sure you cherish these dreams..." Mariah said.

"They're nightmares, actually."

"Oh?" Rei raised an eyebrow curiously.

"After that, a monster swoops down... it kills both my parents with its sharp claws. It then grabs me and Xan, then flies away... but in mid-air, it lets me go, and I feel myself falling into the darkness, falling, falling..."

"What kind of monster?" Mariah asked.

Kai thought for a moment, picturing the monster in his mind, before realising he could now give a name to it.

"A devil. Volten."

"So you're saying that Volten killed your parents?" Rei asked.

"I'm not sure... but I wouldn't be surprised."

Suddenly, the truck stopped. The three of them had been so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't notice they had reached the mountain. Uncle Lin came out of the truck.

"We're here," he said.

"Where are the White Tigers?" Kai asked, looking around. "And Hui," he added.

"Well, we haven't really reached yet," Uncle Lin explained. "This is as far as we can get on four wheels. We still have a short walk."

"Last one there's a loser!" Mariah shouted to Rei, before running down a narrow path.

Rei took up the challenge, and bolted after her. Kai let out a laugh before running after them as well, leaving Uncle Lin to bring up the rear. But soon, Kai could feel himself getting breathless and tired trying to keep up. Rei and Mariah were extremely fast runners. Spent at last, Kai stopped to rest against a tree. After a while, Uncle Lin caught up.

"Tired?" Uncle Lin asked.

"Yeah. How do they run so fast?"

"Well, that's what you'd expect from the spirits of the tiger and the mountain cat. You aren't too bad yourself."

"Thanks. Hey, aren't you returning to the village?"

"I've decided to watch you people beyblade for a while before returning."

"Well, I'll go chase after those two cats. See you later."

Saying that, Kai took off down the mountain road again. A path of rustled leaves and broken twigs showed Kai the way Rei and Mariah had went. Not long after, Kai could hear the sound of beyblades. Soon, he emerged into a clearing, where he could see Lee battling with Gary in a stone dish. Rei, Mariah and Kevin were standing to one side, watching the battle intently.

"Hey, you're Kai, right?"

Kai heard a voice behind him. It wasn't Uncle Lin. Spinning around, Kai came face to face with Hui.

"Yeah."

"Hi. I'm Hui," he said, extending a hand.

"Um, hi," Kai said, without taking his hand.

Hui shrugged. Suddenly, Kai heard a triumphant shout. Turning back, he was just in time to see Gazzly flying out of the dish.

"It seems Lee has won. Let's go and battle with them."

Hui walked up to the White Tigers, while Kai followed closely behind.

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Trueangel: Well, here you have it.

Xan: Why do I sense that Mariah will have a big role in this?

Trueangel: Because she is. Oh, I realised that I've forgotten about Kenny, so here's what happened to him: he returned to Japan with Max and Tyson.

Xan: You've conveniently gotten rid of him.

Trueangel: Well... I'll try to make my updating less erratic. Next chapter: The battle between Kai and Hui! Until then, review!