Summary: Max worried that Kai wasn't handling Tyson's death too well.
Warning: Character death.
AN END… AND A BEGINNING
Chapter one
It was hot in the crematorium. It would definitely be a million times hotter in the cremation chamber there, Kai thought. How could Tyson bear it? In his mind he could see the flames leap up and catch on, promising to reduce everything to ashes. Bones and ashes.
Tyson wouldn't have liked it. Leave alone the claustrophobic nature of the entire ritual….Tyson wasn't made for burning. He was meant to blow everything off his path, to whip up a storm in other people's lives. Tyson would never reduce anyone to ashes. And Tyson should never be reduced to ashes.
Kai wondered if the flames were red or blue. Perhaps blue… like the cool blue of Dragoon. He wondered if Dragoon understood what was happening to his young friend. Did Dragoon feel the same emptiness that Kai felt?
The air was closing in on him. He took a deep breath but it wasn't enough. He had to get out of there.
Max watched with a frown as Kai made his way through the throng of mourners and out of the premises. He was worried about Kai. Kai hadn't spoken two words since Tyson had slipped into coma following his accident. He worried that Kai wasn't handling Tyson's death too well.
'Max?' Beside him Ray spoke quietly.
Max turned to look at him. Next to Ray, Hilary and Kenny stood, clutching hands, their faces wan and spent from weeping. But Ray was calm. It was the calm that came from acceptance. So unlike the icy calm that Kai presented, or even the detachment that he himself felt. Ray had already wept his tears for Tyson. Kai still hadn't spoken a word.
'What is it, Max?' Ray asked again.
'Kai.' Max cast one more look at the spot where Kai had been. 'I'm worried about him, Ray.'
'He needs time; he'll be fine. You know Kai. He's not one to show others how he's feeling.'
'That's why I'm worried.' Max shook his head in agitation, wishing he could explain rationally the feeling he got that Kai was far from all right.
'Where is he? I thought he was here a minute ago.'
'He just left. Ray, I think I had better go and see if he's ok.'
'Max, he won't appreciate you barging in on him,' Ray cautioned.
'I know. I won't. I'll just make sure he's - not doing anything stupid.'
Ray stared at him, his eyes widening in understanding.
'You- you don't think Kai would--'
Max shook his head.
'No… no, I don't. But I still want to be sure.'
'I'll come with you.'
'It's all right. You stay with them,' Max said, indicating Hilary and Kenny. 'I won't be long.'
'If you need help – '
'I'll be fine, I promise. If I'm not back in time, I'll meet you at the house.'
There was nothing he could do for Tyson now, Max thought. But maybe there was something he could do for Kai. And Tyson would have preferred it that way.
'Sayonara … Tyson.'
Blinking back sudden tears, Max left to search for Kai.
More than an hour later, Max was getting frantic. He had been to every one of their haunts in that little town, searching for Kai. The beach, the shops, the parks – not one place had been left unsearched. And yet there was no sign of Kai. Kai couldn't have left the town so quickly; he had to be somewhere here, but where?
Where are you, Kai? Tyson, if you can hear me, please keep an eye on him.
There was only one place left. The woods. Max ran towards it. It bordered the Kinomiya residence and had seen quite a few of their beybattles. Maybe Kai had gone there for some peace and quiet…
There was no sign of Kai on the outskirts, so Max went deeper in, brushing aside the overhanging branches, ignoring the scratches on his arms and face. The leaves and the undergrowth crunched under his feet and he was half afraid Kai would hear him and take off. But he didn't dare slow down.
And then he reached right into the heart of the woods and stared in horror at the sight that met his eyes.
It was carnage. There was no other word for it. Branches lay on the ground, lopped off the trees, some of the trees had been reduced to mere stumps, the grass all around was singed brown, boulders and rocks had been pulverized….
And in the midst of it knelt Kai. His jacket was off, tie undone, the white shirt streaked brown with dirt and blood, his shoulders slumped in a posture of utter defeat and exhaustion. His beyblade launcher lay some distance away.
What has happened here?
Max's first feeling of relief that Kai was alright was soon replaced by anger. Who dared to challenge Kai today of all days? But something was not adding up. He looked around and finally spotted Kai's beyblade, next to a newly stumped tree. Max went to pick it up. Dranzer was completely shattered, except for the bit chip. There seemed to be no way to fix it, Max thought, but he'd better let Kenny take a look. Slipping it into his pocket, Max turned to Kai.
Kai's back was to him and he seemed not to have heard him. Max approached him slowly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
'Kai?'
Kai stiffened. 'Tyson?'
Just a whisper of the name, but there was so much hope and yearning in that one word that Max felt his heart break. He knelt down beside Kai.
'It's me. Max.'
Kai slowly turned his face towards Max. Those eyes that had always flashed a gamut of emotions now stared at him, empty, expressionless, the brief spark that had lit them rapidly dying down. Max felt his own eyes tear up. Kai turned to stare at the ground.
'So, he's really gone.'
Max nodded, unable to speak. His hand tightened on Kai's shoulder but Kai, who normally shied from physical contact, seemed oblivious to it.
'I tried to call him back, you know. He could never resist a beybattle. I thought – if he saw me here – saw me battling …one last chance to come back…'
It was then that Max realised what had actually happened. Kai had been battling all by himself. Max looked at the scene around him with new eyes and realised just how desperately Kai must have fought to cause so much destruction and shatter his blade in the process. He looked at Kai's hand that rested on the ground, clenching tufts of singed grass. It was bleeding profusely.
'Kai…your hand…What were you thinking of?'
Kai looked at his hands as if seeing them for the first time.
'Does it hurt?'Max asked anxiously.
Kai seemed to think about it for a moment.
'Hurt? Does it ever!' he started chuckling. It soon escalated into uproarious laughter. 'Hurt? Does anything hurt anymore?'
There was an edge of hysteria in his voice. The maniacal laughter went on and on until Max felt he could scream. He shook his friend fiercely.
'Kai, stop it. Just stop. Don't - '
'He's gone, you hear? He's not ever coming back. Not. Ever. No more stupid jokes, no more insane ideas, no more rash challenges, no more…no more Dragoon … no more beybattles…'
'Kai - '
'No more Tyson. No more…' And the next moment the wild laughter had segued into tears.
'Oh, God…What do I do now?'
Max could stand it no longer. He pulled Kai into his arms, his own tears mingling with Kai's.
'Shh…Kai …'
They stayed there on the ground, weeping in each other's arms, mourning the loss of Tyson. And when the tears were spent, Max gently pulled Kai up to his feet, an arm around his waist to support him.
'Come on. Let's go home.'
(To be continued)