Kai looks outside of his window in Tyson's dojo in autumn and thinks abuot some things. Angst, contemplation of life. Slightly dark, some fluff.

"Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day playing on radio in background.

KITTEN

"Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends..."

The radio played softly in the background as Kai leaned against the window frame of his bedroom window inside Tyson's dojo. The sky was filled with black and gray clouds. Gusts of winds were sweeping golden leaves off the trees, swirling leaves around on the ground. He watched the little white kitten make its into Tyson's backyard, probably looking for somewhere to stay the stormy night. Kai pushed open the window. As the little cat walked under it, he reached down and scooped it up. Closing the window, it rubbed its nose into his fingers and purred.

Holding it in his hands, he felt its warmth and the beating of its tiny heart against his slim fingers.

Why must life be so fragile?

A question that had plagued him for a long time. For eighteen years he had wondered.

"Like my fathers come to pass

Seven years has gone so fast

Wake me up when september ends..."

The kitten had drifted into slumber, but Kai hardly seemed to notice. He sat down on the window sill and cupped his hands around the kitten's fragile form. Standing, he laid down on his bed and placed it on his chest.

The sudden movement seemed to startle it, for it woke and began to walk around on Kai's torso. It approached his face and playfully batted a strand of hair. Just as it was about to take another swipe, it lost its balance and fell off his chest onto the bed. It mewed softly and ubbed against his hand, wanting to be high up again. Kai gave a small, tired, sad smile and lifted it up.

Why can we never seem to do anything alone? Why can't anyone do everything?

Why indeed.

"Here comes the rain again

Falling from the stars

Drenched in my pain again

Becoming who we are..."

The kitten sat on his neck. Paws on his chin, it propped itself up. Its dark blue eyes stared into his own violet ones. After a few silent moments like this, it reached forward and placed one tiny paw daintily on his nose.

He shook his head. "Stop that," he muttered, picking it up in his hands again. He stood and went to the window again. It had begun to rain hard, and the wind had picked up. Red, gold, burgandy, even orange leaves whirled around outside.

Why is no one invincible?

Kai placed the kitten on the windowsill. It pranced around on the polished wood until it stumbled, oosing its footing. It looked so startled at its loss of balance that it just sat where it was for a moment, blinking its huge blue eyes in shock. Kai smiled again and ran his hands through its downy, thin fur. It perked up and tried to bat his hand. He raised an eyebrow. He dragged it around on the windowsill, the cat desperatly trying in vain to swat it.

Can no one do it alone? Can no one person survive life by themselves?

"As my memory rests

But never forgets what I lost

Wake me up when september ends...

Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when september ends..."

Giving up on the whole "swat the hand" buisness, the little kitten pawed Kai's waist, wanting to be held again. He complied, and cradled it in his hands. He held it to his chest like a small fragile child.

It gave a tiny yawn and a small "mew" of contentment before once again drifting into dreams.

"Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when september ends/...

Like my father's come to pass

Twenty years has gone so fast

Wake me up when september ends ...

Wake me up when september ends ...

Wake me up when september ends ."

Kai placed the kitten on his pillow and drifted back to the window. As he stared at the storm, the answers came, at long last.

Everyone cannot do everything, no one can do it alone, no one is invincible. Life is so, so very fragile because of the answer to all of these. It was a bit confusing, as he was still trying to make the pieces fit. But he knew.

Everyone cannot do everything because we all must be speacial at something. No one can do it alone because some things in life are to big for one person. No one is invincible because everyone has a weakness. Life was fragile...no, he still didn't know why. But he knew something else.

In truth, he had known it from the moment he stepped off that ice floe in Russia.

In truth, he had known it when he had laughed with his team.

In truth, he had known it when it hurt to say goodbye.

As fragile as life was, there was always this thing, too strong to be broken, to amazing to be ignored. With this one thing, someone could be invincible, someone could do everything. But no one could do it alone.

He threw open the window and let the rain hit him full force, the wind streaming in his hair. Suddenly, Tyson was beside him, staring out into the storm. Neither moved for a long, long time. Finally, as the storm died, Kai turned to Tyson.

"Friendship."

And on his pillow on his bed, the kitten mewed in happiness.