Hey, guys! It's NEW YEAR'S EVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!
Kai - Okay. Why are you excited now?
Because I'm gonna start a New Year's Eve fic in just a moment.
Kai - Whatever. Is it going to be good?
I hope so. Do Disclaimer?
Kai - hmn Whatever. Disclaimer: She doesn't own Beyblade.
Summary - It's New Year's Eve and the guys are really excited. They get to start a brand new year afresh! But it's not really bright and joyful for Kai, who's grandfather has just come back for a little one night visit. He's angry at Kai for destroying Biovolt three years ago, and he's come to take a little revenge before he disappears once again into thin air. All seems hopeless until one very familiar tiger steps into view, and it becomes one of the most memorable New Year's Eve for all time as the two learn the value of starting a new year. Kai/Ray - don't like, don't read.
One Unforgettable Night
-S-S-S-S-S-
Kai sighed as he stared out into the open evening sky as the warm colors betrayed the temperature of the upcoming night air. He shivered slightly as a brisk wind blew by and trailed a light, frozen finger on the back of his neck. Pulling his scarf up a bit, he stuck his hands in his pockets before starting down the driveway of the Granger household.
"Hey, Kai!" a voice called, stopping him. He turned around to spot a certain tiger at the doorway of the dojo from which he had just come from. Ray stood staring at him with a somewhat concerned look on his face. "You are gonna come later, aren't you? For our New Year's party?"
Kai thought a minute, his violet eyes gazing at his koi. It was New Year's Eve, and a distinctive navy haired blader by the name of Tyson wanted to throw a big party with his team and the rest of their friends. Kai, in a way, wanted to stay and be with his koneko, but in another way, he didn't want to go because he hated crowds and even parties where most of the time, someone spikes the punch, and they all get smashed. The phoenix knew, though, that Ray wanted him to come more than anything. Even if it was just to keep Lee off of his back.
"Sure, Ray. I'll come," he said quietly, smiling at the teen.
Ray positively beamed, causing the older teen's smile to brighten. "Great, Kai! It starts at nine. See you then!" he cried excitedly before rushing over to peck the phoenix on the cheek and then going to check on his pies that were baking in the oven.
Kai just shook his head at his koi's antics, and then he started back down the driveway.
-S-S-S-S-S-
The phoenix breathed in deeply as he opened the door to his grandfather's home, shutting it behind him as he headed up the many steps to his bedroom. Ever since his parents had died and he had been relieved of the Abby in Moscow, Russia, he had been living with the only other relative he had. His grandfather Voltair. The man, three years ago, had forced Kai to betray his team, the Bladebreakers, and steal the All Stars and White Tigers's bit beasts. Voltair had wanted to rule the entire world, or somewhere along that line. With that lunatic , there was no telling what he was after. Kai and the others, in the final round of the World Championships, had defeated his plans, and the guy vanished from all reality. The last thing Kai had heard of him was that the Russian, American, German, Japanese, and English police were on his tail, getting closer and closer each day.
The phoenix groaned softly as he shrugged off his jacket and opened the door to his bedroom, stretching a bit to get the cold out of his limbs. The temperature had dropped about three degrees since he had left Tyson's.
"Greetings, Kai," a voice said lowly.
Kai turned around just in time to see a fist the size of a bowling ball making a swing at him. The only problem was that he couldn't avoid it.
The phoenix hit the ground hard, his right cheek burning in pain. He sat up slowly on his elbow before touching his cheek tenderly, looking up at the man who did this. He gasped as a large man with piercing eyes and violet hair aging a little with white stepped out of the shadows.
"Voltair!" Kai called, body tensing as he stood up and backed away from the massive figure.
Voltair smirked slightly, but that quickly turned back into a frown. "Can't call me 'Grandfather' anymore? Eh, Kai?" He made a move again, but this time Kai was quick enough to catch it. He stood, struggling to hold Voltair's arms above his head. "You ing brat!" The violet eyed captain cried out in pain as a large boot made contact with his shin, loosening his hold on the arms. They proceeded to knock the phoenix in the back of the head, sending him down to meet the floor again.
Kai groaned and pushed himself up on his hands and knees, but regretted it immediately as the same boot delivered two kicks to his side and stomach. Kai coughed and rolled up in a ball.
Voltair stood over him, breathing heavily, eyes burning with rage. "You will pay for betraying me, Kai." He knelt down in front of the teen and yanked up sharply on the unruly hair. "You will pay dearly."
Kai gulped, knowing what was to come.
-With Ray-
"Whoohooo!" Tyson called from the dojo. He was currently dancing with Hilary, the All Stars, Majestics, Saint Shields, Phsykiks, and White Tigers dancing as well or talking to one another in corners.
Ray sighed at the scene and looked over at the clock on the wall. It was close to eleven, and Kai still hadn't come or even called, and that worried the tiger more than anything.
"Ray!" Mariah called, bounding over to the teen with Lee at her side. "Come on! Dance a little!" She smiled, tugging on his arm, but he didn't even budge as his eyes were focused on two objects: the phone and the door.
"Yeah, Ray. You haven't moved all night. Have a little fun," Lee commented, clapping him on the shoulder.
Ray sighed and shrugged his hand off. "I'm worried about Kai. He hasn't shown up or even called yet. And it's an hour until midnight . . ."
Lee blinked. Was that all he was worried about? Kai? Why him of all people? "Come on, Ray. He's fine. Probably just blowing all of us off as usual, so don't worry about it."
Ray's golden eyes flashed at the lion, causing him to shrink away. How could he say that?
Just then, the phone rang.
Ray answered it in a second's flash. "Hello? Kai?" he asked into the receiver.
"Ray . . ." a weak voice said on the other end.
"Yeah, Kai? Where are you?" the tiger commented, knowing instantly that something was wrong.
The phoenix coughed on the line and answered in a slurred and strained voice, like he couldn't keep consciousness.
"Ray, please help . . ."
"Where are you?"
The older teen's voice started shaking on the phone. "H-Home . . . V-Voltair's here . . . Please, h-help, Ray. It-It hurts . . . s-so much. P-Please . . ."
Ray blinked, his hand starting to shake in anger. That was there. The same one that had almost stolen Kai away from them. "Hang on, Kai. Find a safe place. ."
In that moment, a muffled, angry voice sounded behind the phoenix. "There you are. What do you think you're doing?"
Then came a thud and Kai's anguished scream before the line went dead.
But Ray was already out the door, leaving a baffled Mariah and Lee.
-S-S-S-S-S-
The door burst open as the heavens let loose a blast of thunder and lightning.
Kai trembled on the floor as the cold gust of wind blew over him once again. His leg was tangled with a broken desk and half his body was on the last step while the other half lay on the wooden floor, crimson ooze creating a pool around him.
Voltair huffed as he came down the stairs one at a time. It had taken a lot of energy to throw that office desk at his grandson, causing the teen to fall down the stairs along with the hunk of wood. As he stepped up beside the shaking teen, Kai coughed violently, blood spurting from his lips. Maybe he had gone too far in punishing the boy?
'Never,' his mind told him. 'That brat has destroyed everything. You made the one rule that he had to live by forever: Join Biovolt or die, and he decided to go along with his little friends, damaging the computers to where they were never able to function again and setting all those bit beasts free. Not to mention, he told Dickenson everything about you and Boris to where the feds are after you twenty-four-seven. He deserves to die.'
Voltair chuckled and brought his boot to Kai's neck, hoping to break the bone. "Well, Kai, this is your own fate. You chose to die, and so you shall." He began adding pressure slowly to induce more pain.
"In your dreams, Voltair," a voice said from behind.
The man pulled his foot away and turned around to gaze at a lean figure in the doorway, beyblade in launcher and ready to set free.
"Step away from him, now," the figure commanded.
Voltair smirked and raised his foot again to slam onto the helpless boy's neck, but the form saw the movement before it happened. He released his blade, making it attack the man before him. "TIGER CLAW!"
Voltair cried out in pain and backed away from his grandson, holding out his arms for protection against the oncoming attacks.
Ray rushed forward to Kai's side and took the boy's head in his lap. "Kai. Kai, wake up. I'm here now," he soothed.
The phoenix opened his eyes slowly to stare at the teen above him. "R-Ray?" he asked weakly as the tiger nodded. Kai smiled slowly. "Sorry for not-not coming to th-the party."
Ray shook his head. "That's alright. Next year." He stroked the boy's forehead as he heard sirens outside, Drigger still keeping Voltair busy. On the way, he had called the police on his cell phone, telling them what was going on and who was causing it.
Kai took in a deep breath and shuttered. "R-Ray, why-why is it s-so c-cold?"
"Because it's raining outside and it's wintertime," the tiger answered smartly. He didn't want the phoenix to even think that he was dying. Which he was, and if the ambulance didn't arrive soon, he would be dead.
Kai smiled softly as his eyes started focusing in and out of consciousness. Tears brimmed the edges of his dull violet orbs. That didn't make any sense. He never cried. So, why was he now? "Ray, why am I crying?" he asked softly, darkness wanting to come with the tears.
"I don't know. Why don't you relax? Maybe that'll stop it?" Ray heard shouting behind him and knew that the authorities were here along with the paramedics. It would only be a matter of time before they got there. He smiled. "Hey, tomorrow, let's go and take a vacation with just us? What do ya say?"
Kai shook his head at his koi's reaction to the situation. He gulped down a wave of nausea and blood that was building up in the back of his throat. "This has been one hell of a New Year's Eve party," he commented softly as the medics came up behind his koneko.
Ray shook his own head. "You just get some rest, and we'll have a grand start to the new year tomorrow. After all, we get to start new memories together, remember?" He grasped his koi's hand as the men loaded him in the stretcher.
Kai nodded before drifting off.
-S-S-S-S-S-
Ray stared at the ground, waiting for the doctor to come back and tell him if his koi was alright.
Tyson, Max, Kenney, and the other teams had already come and were waiting with him, filling up the entire waiting area. They didn't even bother to say anything to the tiger as they waited; knowing that he had been worried about the phoenix all night, and they had just blown him off like it wasn't any big deal. Which it had been.
Quiet pattering was heard in the silent room, and Ray looked up, spotting the doctor. He stood and met the man halfway.
"How is Kai?" he asked softly, tears lining the edges of his eyes.
The man smiled. "He's going to be just fine. A broken leg, some ribs, and a wrist are the least of his worries if he doesn't get a lot of rest, though. He's awake - slightly - if you want to see him, but I'm afraid I can only allow one person," he added the last as everyone stood up.
All of the beybladers looked at Ray, signaling him to go and see the phoenix. The tiger nodded and followed the delighted doctor to one of the back rooms on the third floor.
Ray took in a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside. Kai lay in a white bed, looking dully out the slightly opened window. "Kai?" The phoenix looked over at him and smiled when he realized who it was that had called his name.
"Ray . . ."
Ray nodded and strode over to sit on the bed side to grasp his koi's hand again. He smiled again at the hurt phoenix on the bed, remembering exactly what he had said the night before at midnight of what they were going to do that day. "So, do you want to go to a beach or a nice resort in the mountains?"
Kai chuckled at the boy. He couldn't really laugh because of how much it hurt his ribs. "I take it that you live up to your word."
Ray nodded again, gazing into those same violet orbs he had fallen in love with. "I like the beach, personally, for a new start to the year, don't you? Or would you prefer a nice cabin in the mountains with a lake nearby for clean, fresh air? How about it?"
"Yeah, Ray. Like you said: A new year. A new beginning. A new life. Right?"
"Yep. Amen."
HAPPY NEW YEAR - FROM ALL OF US
-S-S-S-S-S-
Well, that's it. A little shorter than my others, but it fits . . sort of anyway.
Kai - Yeah, really.
Oh, shut up. Anyway, have fun and be safe this coming year, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!