OK, I am so fricken sorry that this came so late. Anyone who has looked at my profile page will understand that pc are stupid (at least mine is) and there are people with WAY to much time on their hands. Let's just say the past two weeks have been like pouring vinegar into open wounds. I have something wrong with my ankle, my final paper is due here soon, and my computer is a piece. UH!

Ok, well enough venting, I'm good now :) Sorry for the late update and the fact that this chapter is kinda short, but don't worry, I'll make up for it later. Hugs and cookies for everyone who reviewed my chapters! I hope to hear from more of you, good or bad I would like to know how I am doing! Is there anything that needs changing? Any suggestions of what should happen (pm me those though)? I already have a basic outline, but I can be flexible. As long as the end result is the same, I'm good.

Thanks to vlissan, blueXXphoenix, Fayto, kailinne arami, FlamingIce94, pika7chu7chu, d1bontemp, Petalwhisker X Fireheart, shininglake, Cheese Growns On Apples, flamehaze-shana, blazing-fire-phoenix, Nameless Little Girl, candyfan2231, and SPB Wolf

ALRIGHT, I'm done ranting. Appolgies to kailinne arami for the coffee and payment for it. Since I was so late it shouldn't be free.

Disclaimers and warnings are the same.

I couldn't decide on one quote, so I used two.

"True friendship is seen through the heart, not through the eyes."

Unknown

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked"

Bernard Meltzer

Rei and the other bladers watched as the stoic Russian ascended the stair, but once the tails of his scarf were out of sight, the conversation reignited.

"Hey Tala," said Rei, "what were they saying just now?"

"What makes you think we would know?" interrupted Bryan sounding fairly annoyed.

"Well, they were speaking Russian, weren't they?" asked Kevin.

Tala shook his head. "It wasn't Russian. I have no idea what they said."

"It did sound somewhat familiar though," said Robert.

"Anway, did anyone else notice how Kai didn't get rid of the card that Mareczek gave him?" asked Ming Ming as she leaned back in her chair again. "I bet he's keeping it when he decides to switch sides again. Keeping his options open."

"Please, you guys," begged Kenny, "let's not start that again. Kai isn't a traitor."

"Then answer this, Kenny," said Robert, "what, pray tell, would you consider a traitor?"

"According to the dictionary, a traitor is one who betrays one's country, a cause, or a trust, especially one who commits treason," stated Kenny.

"So, when Kai went to blade with the Demolition Boys, did you feel betrayed?" asked Lee. The Bladebreakers fell silent. "Well?" he asked more forcefully.

"Yes," said Max sadly and quietly.

"And what about Dranzer, his greatest ally," said Robert. "How did she feel when he abandoned her for that monstrosity?"

"Dizzy said that she was distraught, she couldn't believe that Kai had…"

"I think you're looking for the words, 'betrayed her.'"

Tyson couldn't even look at the group. He knew they were right, but he just couldn't label Kai as a traitor. He knew deep inside that Kai must have had a good reason for his side switching, but how could he defend his friend against the other bladers.

"You're wrong," said Tala, his voice quiet, almost hurt sounding, as if he were trying to keep himself calm. "I know Kai better than anyone. He would never betray someone without a reason."

"Power," said Johnny bluntly. "That was his reason."

"Watch it," growled Tala.

"Admit it Tala, he's even a traitor to his home country," Johnny continued. "He went to fight with the Bladebreakers, then came back to your team, only fight for Japan against Russia again. The man has no loyalty to anyone. He wants power and will stop at nothing to get it. You say you know Kai the best, who does he hate the most?"

"Boris, but Voltaire is a close second," said Tala, not quite sure where this was going.

"Then why did the son of a bitch go back to him two years ago? You can't trust him."

"I told you to watch yourself, princess!" yelled Tala, half angry with himself for giving the Scot more ammunition on his friend, half angry at the world for not understanding.

"Or what, you gonna try and take my bitbeast like your good-for-nothing-traitor friend?!"

That was it. Tala jumped from the couch and over the table that divided him from the red headed offender. With a yell he launched at the boy and knocked over the chair Johnny had been sitting on, pinning him to the floor. With a yell, Tala began punching the shocked looking Scot across the jaw.

The others quickly got up and pulled the two boys apart, the Bladebreakers and the Blitzkrieg Boys on Tala's side, all the other teams on Johnny's.

"You defend that treacherous freak, and for what? He just trades sides again! What do you defend him for?" yelled Dunga.

"Because I know him!" yelled Tala back as he pulled against Spencer's hold, who, Rei noticed, was looking tempted to let Tala lose on the group. "None of you know him like we do! If you would just get to know him, you would understand him, too!"

"But he doesn't want us to! He won't tell us a thing about himself!" yelled Johnny.

"IT'S BECAUSE IT"S FORBIDDEN!!" yelled Tala, shocking everyone around him, even himself.

Spencer felt Tala instantly settle in his hold even though Tala's muscles remained tense. "Kai may have spent the least amount of time in the Abbey of all of us, but he was the most affected by it. How he got there… What they did. He never really recovered…" He whispered the last part as he looked away from the group as if only meaning for himself to hear, but it was audible to everyone. "You have no idea what Kai went through and if I were him, I wouldn't tell you gossiping brats anything either." No one had ever heard any of the Blitzkrieg Boys talk about what happened in the Abbey other than the brief and general description Kai had told the Bladebreakers after rejoining them. It was understood by all that the subject was off limits and very sensitive to them.

"I-I didn't know," said Johnny.

"I don't care," said Tala. "None of you ever tried to. The only person who could possibly even begin to understand Kai is too afraid of him to try."

Everyone looked confused, but Brooklyn felt himself shiver as Tala gave him a short glance. Me? he thought frantically. What could I do?

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as the bladers tried to figure out who Tala was talking about. Rei looked from person to person trying to discern Tala's words, but they were so vague. Who could understand?

Rei noticed the group seemed somewhat smaller and he went through a roster in his head, mentally checking them off when they were found. Finally, he saw it.

"Guys, where did Tyson go?"

Tyson was furious as he stomped his way down the hotel corridors. How could they talk about Kai as if he was out to get everyone? The dude made one mistake and he was forced to suffer more than he already had!

Tyson didn't know much about Kai's past, but he knew the guy well enough to know when he was upset by something. He could tell that something happened at the Abbey that he wasn't telling them. Every time the place was mentioned he winced slightly. He was sure Rei had noticed it, too.

Tyson continued his walk in an attempt to disperse some of the anger he had boiling inside him. He was even taking the stairs! His anger started to dissipate when he thought how everyone would react if they knew he was taking the stairs willingly.

He was about to cross an intersection with another hallway when a voice caused him to stop. He sounded irritated. Tyson chanced a glance around the corner to see a man with a black coat and white hair facing the dead end wall. He would have said the individual was staring at the wall, but his eyes were covered with a black blindfold.

The Faellmharú member turned, and Tyson pushed himself back against his protecting wall before the dark man could see him. He immediately snickered to himself. The guy couldn't see him, he was blindfolded.

Tyson's attention was brought back to the stranger when he heard the conversation change to English. "Took you long enough," said the man in a deep, yet silky smooth voice, "I was on hold for near five minutes."

Tyson heard yelling coming from the other end of the line before the individual spoke again. "He is here. He showed up today…"

Tyson felt this breath hitch. He had to be talking about Kai. Something about the fact that some strange guy was talking to someone about Kai's presence disturbed him. "…keeping a close eye on him…"

Was Kai being stalked? He was apparently being watched, but how extensively?

"Don't worry Boris, your pest will be taken care of…Sbohem."

Tyson's eyes shot wide. They were after Kai. He turned and ran down the hall. He had to tell the others!

Kazimeriz chuckled as he sensed Tyson leaving, the pound of running feet loud in his sensitive ears. "This is going to be fun," he said licking his lips in anticipation.

OK, so before you review, remember that things are never as they seem. If I hear one person tell me this is cliche, I'll...eh, I don't have any good threats. But don't think that I haven't thought about that. Trust me, this is not cliche.

Sbohemgoodbye

Not a whole lot in this chapter, but next time things will pick up. To make up for the shortness, in the next couple chapters...

Faellmharú versus the White Tigers!

Who's the girl in the picture Kai dropped?

"Kai, can we talk?" About what, Rei? "Everything." (not yiao!)

"Is he alright?" He's in the hospital. "Is he going to make it?" They don't know...

Coffee makes the heart beat faster and the fingers move quicker!