Hey guys. Here's the next chapter of Unconditional for you. I hope you all enjoy it.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Sorry I can't actually reply like I normally do, but I don't know if will let me do it. I've heard that some people got in trouble for doing replies.

But what I can do is name you all, so here goes that:

Nanashi2; Jalico; Skittles the Sugar Fairy; Kiina; Titanicbabe; Lady Blade WarAngel; Raven's Light; F.A Starhawk; soultaker208; kye09; Timberwolf220; Vialana; animegirl171; unknown; assassin; Black Dranzer; Jade Mask; Tysonkaiexperiment; Ms Hobgoblin; Maxie's cute; Ace666; Melted Heart; allison; Jay Kamiya; and Freaky Feline.

Thanks all of you

On another note, and one that isn't such a good thing, I'm going into hospital in a week for some minor surgery, so don't expect anything for a little while. I apologise for this in advance.

Chapter 5

I've already planned it

Here's how it's gonna be

I'm gonna love you

And you're gonna fall in love with me

Gonna Get You Good, Shania Twain

Tyson spun in shock at the familiar voice, while Tala glared at the offending person.

"Hillary, what are you doing here?"

"I saw Kenny earlier," the brown haired girl said, "so I knew you guys were back. I came to congratulate you." Her eyes still hadn't left Tala, and she was glaring at him with almost the same intensity that he was glaring at her.

"Oh, well, thanks," Tyson said, taking the excuse for what it was.

Hillary put her hands on her hips. "Well, aren't you going to introduce us?" she demanded.

"Allow me," Tala cut in smoothly. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss…" he trailed off, and then continued after Hillary had given her name, "Miss Hillary. I am Tala."

Tyson looked gob-smacked at the introduction, especially when Tala grasped Hillary's hand in his own and kissed it.

The girl blushed, then glared, pulling her hand away. "I know who you are! I saw you on the TV, and I saw what you did to Tyson! What are you doing to him?"

"Well," Tala drawled, his eyes glinting with humour, "I had just asked Tyson if he would do me the honour of becoming my boyfriend."

Hillary's eyes grew huge, and she gripped Tyson's arm, pulling him away from Tala.

"Ow! Hillary!" Tyson yelped as he was forced along. "What are you doing?"

Hillary ignored the question, instead asking one of her own, "What do you think you're doing, Tyson? You can't go out with him!"

Tyson frowned. "Why not?"

"Why not? WHY NOT?" Hillary asked, her voice rising. "I… I… You just can't, alright?"

Tyson scowled. "You can't tell me who I can and can't go out with, Hillary!" he snapped at her. "Give me one good reason why not."

Hillary looked stunned for a second, "He's… he's tried to hurt you before," she tried.

"Which he apologised for, and I forgave him," Tyson returned.

"He was working with Biovault!" she tried again, turning to glare again at Tala, who stood some distance away, intently watching them.

"WAS! He isn't any more, not now that Voltaire is in prison! He's innocent, Hillary."

"He's a guy!"

Tyson froze, and then exploded. "THAT'S your problem? That Tala's a boy, and I'm a boy?" he sounded disgusted, but it was more from the silent realisation that she wouldn't have accepted it if Tyson had formed relationship with Kai either, if that was why she was so against Tala becoming his boyfriend.

And since when had he actually entertained the notion of becoming Tala's boyfriend?

Tyson wrenched his arm out of Hillary's grip, and glared at her. "Well, for your information, I was going to say yes!" then he stomped back to Tala, and kissed him. "I'll go out with you, Tala," he told the other boy softly.

Tyson turned to look at Hillary, and Tala's arms wrapped around his midsection. He leaned back against Tala's chest, seeing Hillary's face pale. He didn't see the smug look Tala gave Hillary.

"I… Tyson…." Hillary's voice sounding pleading as she looked at him.

"I have nothing more to say to you Hillary," Tyson said, glaring at her, "If you cant accept mine and Tala's relationship…" he let it hang, seeing the girl wince in shame, "I don't want to lose you as a friend, Hillary," he added more gently, "but if you cant see past small things, I don't know how much longer we can be friends."

Hillary looked chastised. "I'm sorry, Tyson. I really am," she apologised softly, "and I'm happy for you," she looked away from Tyson and at Tala, "for you both."

"Thank you, Hillary," Tala said.

Hillary glared at him, "If you ever, ever hurt him, Tala, I swear I'll kill you," Tyson looked flabbergasted at her words, but she ignored him, continuing to talk to Tala, "God knows Tyson deserves the world, not you, but if it's you he wants, you'd better treat him right, Tala," she added as a final warning.

"Don't worry," Tala said softly, looking down at the boy in his arms, "I will."

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Tala frowned inwardly, watching as the girl walked away. Why had he done that? What did he have to gain from asking Tyson to go out with him? And why did he feel so elated when Tyson had said yes?

He had known who the girl was from when Tyson had first said her name, recognising it from the conversation he had eavesdropped on between Tyson and the rest of his team at the airport. He knew that she had an unreturned crush on his Tyson….

Tala froze. His Tyson? When he had he referred to Tyson as his Tyson?

"Tala?"

Tyson's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he focused on Tyson, who wasn't looking at him, but staring straight ahead, trembling slightly. Concerned, Tala looked up, to come face to face with Kai and Rei.

Before he knew what was happening, Tala felt Tyson pulled from his arms by Rei. He didn't have time to mourn the loss though, as almost instantly, Kai's fist made for his face. Tala ducked, punching out at the same time, and felt it connect with Kai's mid-section. The duel-haired teen winced, but otherwise paid no attention to the blow, throwing a punch, which connected with Tala's jaw. Tala retaliated in kind, only to find a resistance he hadn't expected.

His punch connected, that was true, but not with Kai.

"Tyson!"

Immediately, the fight stopped; Tala fell to his knees, cradling Tyson's head. The blow, which would have hit Kai on the cheek had struck Tyson, who was younger and therefore smaller, on the temple. And the amount of force he had used, force he knew Kai could handle, he didn't know if Tyson could take.

"Ty, I'm sorry, forgive me," Tala pleaded, ignoring the shocked looks from Kai, and Rei who had come over to try and help.

Tyson groaned. "Urg…" he mumbled incoherently, "what hit me?"

"Tyson?" Rei knelt down next to Tala, who hadn't let go of Tyson yet.

"Yeah, uh…" Tyson peered, squinting his eyes at the teens above him, "uh, Rei? Is that you?"

"Shh, Tyson. We don't know how hard you were hit," Rei shushed the teen, but Tyson ignored him and started babbling.

"Ya know, Rei, you're my friend and all, but I really don't like you much at the moment," he said, the others looking on numbly, "I guess that red haired guy was right - and cute. Did you know how cute errr… Tala, that's his name - did you know just how cute Tala is when he's sleeping? He looks just like a baby. He's a really good kisser; you know, better than I imagined Kai would be, I think, and he's really soft too, sort of like Rei, but not like Kai… but Kai's even cuter, except when he sleeps…"

Tyson sagged in Tala's arms, his head coming to rest in the crook of Tala's elbow. He had passed out.

Kai raised an eyebrow at Tala, "Cute, eh?"

Tala blushed, an action he could never remember doing before he started this charade with Tyson. Why was it affecting him so much? "We should probably get him inside," he suggested.

"Wait," Kai interrupted, holding a hand up, "When has Tyson EVER seen you asleep?" he asked

Tyson still in his arms, Tala stood up smirking, "Where did you think he was last night?"

"Give Tyson to me," Rei demanded, holding his arms out for Tala to place the teen in them, which he didn't.

"No. Tyson's my boyfriend, and therefore my responsibility."

"Your boyfriend?" Rei gasped, looking in shock from Tala to Tyson, who, because of his state of unconsciousness, missed the glance, "Since when?"

"Since about 5 minutes ago, when I asked him to go out with me, and he said yes."

"But… why?"

"Maybe because I've been giving him attention," Tala said spitefully, "because I've been giving him something he wants, and has since the beginning - someone who cares for him."

"So you're not after him because of the Bond?" Kai asked.

"What would you know about the Bond?" Tala spat, his blue eyes blazing.

"It's the only way for Biovault to get control of Dragoon and they know it," Kai reminded him, "Or don't you remember the briefing we had the night before I returned to the BladeBreakers?"

"And if you remember, I said I wouldn't let Biovault get their hands on Tyson!"

"They don't need to!" Kai almost yelled. He didn't care that the other members of the team had come out, along with Tyson's Gramps, to see what, or who, was making such a racket. "If you created the Bond with him, which wont happen, only you would have to touch him. Only you would be able to!"

"That has nothing to do…. What?" Tala's expression went from angry to confused in mere seconds. "What do you mean, I would be the only one able to touch him?"

Kai calmed down slightly, confusion showing through as he took in Tala's bewildered face, showing that the red-haired Russian really didn't know what he was talking about. "After creating the Bond," he explained, "the Bondee becomes dependent on the Bonder. They wont eat, unless fed by the Bonder, they'll do whatever they're told, but by the Bonder alone," Kai looked Tala in the eye, "If you bonded yourself to him, if you asked him to kill himself…"

"He would," Tala whispered, shocked, looking down at the boy in his arms.

"Now you know…"

"Kai…" Rei said, looking at his boyfriend, "I need you to tell me everything."

"I think we all would benefit from hearing the truth, from both of you," Kenny's voice came from behind them, causing Kai and Tala to turn in shock. They had been so focused on each other they hadn't noticed anyone else actually come out until Kenny spoke.

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Gramps couldn't take his eyes of the figure of his grandson, laying unconscious in Tala's arms. Tala, the one who had tried to hurt him at the World Championships. And Tala was holding him gently.

As far as most people were concerned, Adiko 'Adam' Kinomiya was an old nuisance. He ran the local dojo, or one of them, but that was about all he was good for. Adding to that fact, most people thought he was crazy, or at least a little dim-witted.

All wrong.

Gramps knew about his grandson's crush on Kai. How could he not know, when Tyson made it so obvious, at least to people who knew him well. He also knew of the relationship that Kai and Rei had formed. Like Max, he had seen it happening, long before it actually had. He knew it would hurt Tyson badly, but there was nothing he could do to help him. Life was full of heartbreaks. You could only learn from them, and hope you didn't make the same mistake again in the future.

Gramps rushed forward to the three boys. "What happened to my grandson?" he demanded.

"It was my fault, Sir," Tala replied, making everyone except Gramps stop and look at him. The old man was more concerned with his grandson. "Kai and I were fighting, and Tyson stepped in to stop us. I didn't see him until it was too late. I apologise," he said, then bowed a moment later, as if remembering the Japanese traditions.

Gramps nodded swiftly, taking Tyson from Tala's arms. "Come in, all of you. I think we have some things to discuss."

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The pounding in Tyson's head was slowly dimming, thanks to the painkillers he had taken not long ago. He was currently sitting in his room, on his bed, holding a cold compress against his head. Max and Kenny had both been sitting with him, none of them talking.

"Tyson?" Max asked after what seemed like a decade. "Was Tala telling the truth? Are you going out with him?"

Tyson blushed. "Yes," he said, looking down. "He asked me, and Hillary overheard. She told me I couldn't go out with him, cos we were both boys, so I told him 'yes'."

"You think Hillary's homophobic?" Kenny asked, tilting his head to the side.

Tyson nodded. "Why else wouldn't she want me and Tala going out?"

"You remember what we were talking about at the airport? How Hillary likes you?" Max asked. "Maybe the reason she was against it wasn't that you were going out with another boy, but you were going out with someone that wasn't her," he suggested.

Tyson seemed to think that possibility over. "Maybe," he allowed. "I mean, she did only use that argument only after she had tried others, like Tala still being evil, and working for Biovault."

Max and Kenny exchanged looks. "Tyson, are you sure he isn't?"

Tyson frowned. "No, not exactly. But I don't think he'll hurt me. He's had so many chances already, and he hasn't," he added. Tyson wrapped his arms around himself, letting the compress drop. "I felt safe, last night," he said softly.

"Tyson, have you heard about something called the Virgin Bond?" Max asked, looking at Tyson in concern.

"No," Tyson shook his head. "I don't think I have. What is it?"

Carefully, Kenny explained what little they knew about the Bond - Kai, Rei and Gramps were getting the rest out of Tala at the same time, but Kenny and Max decided they weren't needed there, and came to the decision that they should take care of Tyson.

After Kenny had finished explaining it all, Tyson looked thoughtful.

"Tyson?" Max asked, wondering if their revelation had stunned him that much.

Tyson looked up at them, a determined glint in his blue eyes. "I think you're wrong about him. There may be orders to get someone, but it isn't me, not from Tala."

"But what makes you so sure?" Kenny asked, "At the tournament, you were the most powerful player. Everyone saw it."

"There were others just as powerful as me," Tyson protested.

"No one else could have defeated Black Dranzer or Wolborg. We all tried, remember?"

"Tala won't do anything like that to me. If he was going to, he would have done it already," Tyson pointed out. "He's had chances."

"What do you mean, 'he's had chances'?" Kenny asked, not liking what that sentence implied.

"I sleep over his house last night, remember?" Tyson said, blushing. He wasn't about to tell them about the time in Russia when he had practically begged Tala. He didn't even like thinking about it.

"What happened?" Max asked, seeing the blush. "Why were you with Tala, anyway?"

"I got an invitation to that new massage parlour last night, and Tala was there. Stuff happened, and he took me back to his place, then brought me back here this morning," he explained vaguely. "Then he asked me to go out with him this morning." Tyson sighed. "He's really changed," he said softly.

"Tyson, it's only been a week since the championships," Max pointed out. "He can't have changed that much."

Tyson glared at him. "Maybe this is how he's meant to be, but he had to act differently because of Voltaire and Boris?" he suggested angrily. "He said he loved me and I believe him."

That seemed to take the wind out of Max's sails. "He… he said he loved you?"

"He's said it lots of times," Tyson said. "He's been really good to me, guys," he sighed again, this time dreamily.

"Tyson… do you love him?" Kenny asked slowly. Tyson blinked, turning to face him.

"No, I don't. At least, not yet," he allowed softly, a little guiltily, "But Tala knows that. He said he'd wait until I'm ready for him," Tyson smiled. "But I do like him, a lot," he added.

"That's good to hear," a voice came from the doorway.

Tyson looked and blushed. "T-Tala!" he stammered, his face lit up like a lamp. "I-I didn't see you… come in…" he finished lamely.

"Obviously," Tala said with a smirk, his eyes laughing as he walked in. Kai and Rei came in behind him, and Gramps behind them. "Are you alright?" he asked, sobering quickly when he saw the livid bruise that covered one side of Tyson's face.

Tyson nodded. "I'm fine Tala. I shouldn't have tried to get in between you guys," he said, looking from Tala to Kai, who stood in his usual position; against the wall, with his arms crossed. "It was my fault. Just ask Gramps!" he added laughing. "I always leap before I look."

"I'm glad you're alright," Tala said, his tone doubtful, his eyes still on the mark that marred Tyson's face.

"Tyson, you had a phone call this morning, from Robert," Rei said, breaking the silence between the group.

Tyson looked up, his eyes betraying his emotions. "I did? Really?"

Rei laughed lightly at the excited look on Tyson's face. "Yeah. Were you expecting a call from him?"

Tyson nodded. "Well, I did give him my number and told him to keep in touch," he said, "I just didn't expect a phone call this soon."

"I don't think the call is a social one, Tyson. He wanted to talk to you about that Bond."

"You mean the one these guys were explaining to me before you guys came in?" Tyson said, his eyes hardening as he gestured to Max and Kenny. He still couldn't believe the way they had assumed so casually that Tala was trying to hurt him. Couldn't anyone but him see that the red haired boy had changed?

"You should probably call Robert back, Tyson," Kai said. Tyson nodded, standing up from the bed. "Rei," Kai continued, "can I talk to you?" Rei raised an eyebrow in question, and Kai sighed. "It's about what we were discussing earlier."

Rei's eyes took on an understanding light, and he nodded. "Outside?"

Kai nodded, and took his boyfriend by the hand, leading him outside.

Tala didn't miss the wistful look in Tyson's eyes as he watched the scene take place.

He still had a long way to go before Tyson forgot about Kai, and the feelings he had for him.

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Rei watched Kai as the older boy fidgeted slightly, looking nervous.

"You said you wanted to talk to me?" Rei asked, breaking the silence between them.

Kai sighed. "I did. You were right Rei. The serum is in me. Voltaire gave it to me just before we met at the lake…"

"Kai…"

"There is a reason I was so reluctant to tell you how I felt," Kai said softly. "I knew the serum's effects. It doesn't only affect the intended victim, you realize?"

Rei shook his head.

"That's the reason I've been… insistent on the separate beds, Rei," Kai explained. "The serum, it makes me more… hungry, sexually. And I refuse to create the Bond with you."

"But what if I want…" Rei began, but Kai cut him off.

"You've heard about it, Rei. You know what it can do, and you know the risks. I'm not about to let you die, just so you can-"

"Die?"