The blades crashed with intensity. Kai, who hadn't used Dranzer since Kenny updating it, was wobbly at controlling it. His initial attacks were weak and the aim, not up to the mark. But he was rapidly improving.

Tyson, on the other hand, was controlling his blade perfectly, but for once in his life, was on a defensive mode. He adamantly refused to attack Kai, much to the latter's frustration. This frustration did nothing but fuel Kai's present questionable strength.

Tyson was slightly thrown back at his fourth attempt. Kai's attacks were gradually getting as strong as his usual ones. This stirred Max from his shock. He quickly strode to Ray and whispered urgently, "Ray, what's happening? Tell Kai to stop. It's leading us nowhere." For Max knew that Kai valued Ray's words the most among them all.

He wouldn't meet Max's eyes. His hands were tied in front of him, his lips pressed into a firm line. "Kai's old enough, isn't he? He can think for himself. As for Tyson, he deserves it."

The cold indifference radiating from Ray shocked Max. Ray was anything but the 'momma duck' of the team. The only one being practical and caring for everyone's well being when all others were being reckless, stupid and childish. But Max barely had a moment to process the words before another crash was heard.

******

Both Max and Ray's attention was drawn to the match again. Tyson had in the meantime, fallen on his bottom, but still hadn't attacked Kai, though one could see that his patience was stretching thin. Kai's forehead shone with sweat, as Dranzer continued to ruthlessly attack dragoon.

A medium sized leather purse had found its target in the two bey-blades battling in the close quarters of the hospital corridor. The unexpected obstacle in the battle had played into Hillary's favor, the owner of the purse. She looked downright calm. She strode to the middle of the battle, and picked up the struggling blades.

Dragoon was still spinning but didn't offer any resistance as she picked it up. Dranzer, whose spin speed was just as weak as Dragoon, if not weaker, offered way more resistance. It finally stopped when Hilary gently pressed her thumb into the bit-beast's symbol at the top, but not before leaving a nasty scratch in her palm.

She picked up her purse at the end, which was mostly shreds of leather now, and slowly dusted it, taking her time to check the money in it for any damage.

All of them were too dumbstruck to actually stop Hillary from whatever she intended to do next. She put both the bey-blades into her purse.

Then she commented, "Well boys, there are a number of non-violent, non-reckless ways to settle a dispute. I suggest you use those." she said as she walked back to her original position and casually leaned into the wall.

******

Tyson was the first one to recover his wits (surprised?) and cleared his throat. He glance at Hillary, as though seeking her permission, she wouldn't look at him. And then at Ray. "What the hell was wrong here-" he started but Ray had already started towards him. "You oblivious pig-headed little... you can't be that much of an idiot, can you?" he smacked Tyson in the head. "You were supposed to be here three hours ago. And you didn't even think that you should inform us, give us a call maybe, that something held you back?!"

"What's the big deal? You wouldn't have died if you didn't take a bath-" he started sarcastically.

But Kai cut him off this time. "It's not about  them, idiot. They were worried sick about you."

This flared Tyson's anger to its limit. "So you took the responsibility to punishing me, did you? None of you ever mentioned it. How was I supposed to know-"

"Tyson. Two of your team members have already been attacked in the last fortnight. It was common sense!!" reproached Ray.

Tyson took personal offense at this. "Nope, it wasn't. Just because you two  have been discussing safety measures when we're-" he gestuerd at himself and Max."-not here doesn't make it common sense. How were we supposed to know, if you two continue keeping secrets from us, not that you haven't done that before, all the time?"

Ray started, but Max cut him off this time. "Yeah, like you've been completely honest with us." Max, who had been silent since the beginning replied sarcastically.

"Who's side are you on?" Tyson asked, betrayal evident in his tone. Max continued, "Did you tell me about facing Kai and Ray had they made it to the Finals and not simply take the cup jointly, as a team?"

Everyone tensed at its mention. Tyson gave a Kai a look of deep loathing, and then turned to Max. "How did you-"

''There are only so many secrets one can keep between four walls, four friends, and a team Ty.'' Max's voice sounded solemn now.

Tyson laughed without any humour "Look who's talking. Like you haven't kept things from me, Maxy. What did you speak with your mom the other day, huh? All of you acted like you didn't want me to know something!"

Max didn't like the direction in which the talk was heading. He was now finding reasons to accuse Tyson for. 

"And what of Hillary telling you that she wanted to leave the team, a-and of the conversation with her dad? Didn't you take your own time to tell us?" This drew Hillary's attention too, a hint of surprise on her face for having a part in the fight.

"Exactly, I thought the matter was closed for now,  when they didn't reach the finals. And believe me when I say this, I would have never forced you to fight against Ray if you didn't want to, even if it meant that I wouldn't be champion."

And Max believed it. He completely believed this without any doubts. So did the others. They all knew that Tyson loved being the champion, but wasn't clingy or obsessed with it. He did place a few things above that. 

And his friends were one of them. This made him the best person to take the title, because those who don't want that pinnacle of power were the ones who were best suited for it. Tyson's answer was conclusive in its own way. None of them knew how to respond to that, for they didnt understand how Tyson could say it without any self-doubt. Without any remark, Kai left.

******

Kai felt sick with each passing minute. He had broken into a cold sweat, his hands and legs were starting to tremble with exhaustion. Beyblading after a long time, that too with an upgraded Dranzer had drained his strength completely. The exertion of moving around the hospital wasn't in his advantage either. His temples were throbbing harder than ever. But he hadn't wanted to leave then.

When he had heard Tyson's care-free voice, as though nothing was wrong, when everything was, he had drawn the last straw. He had wanted to smash Dragoon with such ferocity, nothing else had mattered to him at that moment. Not Tyson, not Ray, not his health.

 When things were going so wrong, he wanted to contribute to it in someway, even if it meant to smash everything in his goddamned way. The adrenaline pumping into his bloodstream, when he was pushing himself beyond limits, was slowly fading away now.

When his vision got dizzy, when he started seeing two-two Tyson's in front of him, as though one wasn't enough, his mind snidely added, he knew he had reached his limit. He knew he couldn't be conscious for much longer.

 He did not want to faint suddenly like some 'damsel in distress'. Hillary eying him whenever she thought he wasn't looking was irritating as it is. He hated showing weakness. Yet he knew that she must have seen the signs. Damn her and her medical knowledge. He left them all, making his way to the bed.

It took all his will power not to cry in pain when he took the first step, his chest was hurting like hell. It took a lot of his attention to not crash into anything, not to buckle midway.

He removed the long coat he was wearing until then, to find blood slightly leaking through his bandages. A red bloch on it was slightly getting bigger and bigger. Yet he couldn't distinguish between the them at the red and black spots appearing before him and obstruction his vision.

No sooner had he sat on the bed,  his back to the door, the curtains around it drawn, he had collapsed into it, unconscious...

******

None of them moved for a few minutes after Kai went inside. Hillary checked her watch, before breaking the silence. "The nurse making rounds will be here any minute now, I guess you all should head in." We all muttered our assent with  hmms and yeahs, and get in. 

Max grabbed a bottle of water from one of the tables and gulped half of it in a go. Tyson followed him next. Ray sighed deeply before saying, "What you did was wrong, Tyson."

Tyson spluttered, and on quickly wiping the water on his face with the edge of his sleve, he said, "I didn't even fight him, Ray! Not a single attack!"

Ray sternly responded. "That is not what I was referring to. Your phone's switched off," 

"I forgot to charge-"

"-You were supposed to be here by nine," 

"-Yeah, and I had it planned all along. But the old man-"

"-But you weren't here until midday." 

"One thing came up after the other-"

"What. Were. We. Supposed. To. Think?" Ray said this with such rigidity, Tyson stops interrupting Ray. Or was it the other way round? Max had no clue. 

Tyson weakly replied after almost a minute, "That I was late.... as I normally am?" but it sounded so pathetic and lame to his own ears that even he didn't buy it.

Ray flared up at this. "Even after all this? he said, gesturing in the general direction of the room. "Even after I specifically asked you to stay back yesterday?"

 Tyson had completely forgotten about that. He felt highly ashamed of himself now. Felt that he deserved what he got and shouldn't have even tried defending himself. Should have let Kai make a few more cuts. 

He had missed so many chances to call them. At the metro when he made up his mind to go the the police station, when he had called Hillary to come to the police station. Damn it, Hillary had even asked him if he should call Ray... And he had dismissed it without a second thought.  

"I'm sorry." he whispered. Ray was quite surprised with the sudden apology. He had been expecting a lot more stubbornness and arguing that just this when he was trying to make Tyson understand something. 

"Don't be." He found himself saying. "Just don't repeat it again. Kai was worried too, though he wouldn't say it. You should apologize to him." "And get the damn cut cleaned, Ty. It's soaking your yellow shirt red." Max added.  

But Tyson didn't bother with the latter, for his mind was preoccupied with the first part of the conversation. Apologising to Ray was hard enough as it is. There was no way he was going to apologize for something as petty as coming late to Kai. Furthermore, he could hardly make Kai acknowledge his presence on a good day, and today as sure as hell wasn't one of those.

Then why bother? To get myself more humiliated? No thanks. 

But a small voice argued back. Ray just said he was worried about you. At least you know he cares for you. So suck up that ego of yours and apologize.

******

Ray could see Tyson mentally arguing with himself. After a minute, he sighed and started making his was towards the curtain closed cot of Kai's. He took each step with such difficulty that anyone would have thought he was walking on quick sand. If the day hadn't gone the way it did, Ray might have even found it amusing.

He stopped short of pulling the curtain, uncertainly calling out, "Kai?"

But as known beforehand, he gets no response. He looks back at us for reassurance. Max's shows a thumbs-up sign encouragingly as Ray nods curtly once. Tyson does a dramatic show of taking a deep breath in before yanking the curtain slightly open.

******

Words: 2103 

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A/N: Hey guys!!  How are you? I know I am highly overdue with this chap and I apologize for that but I just got myself distracted working for this very story. I don't know if anyone of you noticed this, but I've been editing the story from the very start. There is no major change in the plot whatsoever, just more details,  so you don't have to read again or something if you don't want to.  Now, now..... Don't look back now,  because it isn't completely ready.  I've still got to finish a small part of the first chapter so, and I've done the updates from 2-7 I'll myself tell you when it's ready. 

On the other hand, I hit the two hundred votes and 6k reads sometime ago and.... I just couldn't believe it. Thank you all so so much. 

Just as I was killing time the other day, I recorded each and every person who had either voted, or commented or added this book to their booklist, I just couldn't believe that this book have over 50+ followers. I love having a count,  so anyone who hasn't shown any of these signs, please do. 

Anyways, stay safe and happy reading!!