Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade and I do NOT make money from it
Copyright: This story and all my other stories are copyrighted as well as my characters and stories and movies (except real movies) that are mentioned in my stories, finally the names of my stories are also copyright and if I discover a name or story name and fictional movie I have created action will be taken.
Of Whom You Can Rely
Ray had always been a model student. Always studying, getting work in on time and never, ever took a day off. He had a perfect attendance. Ray would always try to help other students, namely Tyson, who seemed to struggle. Despite this he was pretty laid back and gained a few friends and fans. He was a member of the running team and was one of the fastest. Thanks to his good looks he had been talked to by a lot of the girls and even a couple of guys. He was easy to get along with. This changed on an April Monday morning when he was absent. This was totally unheard of.
"Maybe he's late?" Tyson asked.
"He's never late, he could be sick or something," Kenny replied.
"Never thought he'd be late or sick for that matter."
The room was a buzz on chatter at his absence which settled when Ms. Kincaid entered.
"No Ray today? Odd, I hope he's okay, alright today we will be..."
The school was a buzz as to why Ray was absent, it was common knowledge he didn't have his own cellphone nor did anyone know where he lived. A lot of his female "fans" were worried, even some of the male population was concerned.
All would be answered in the evening at the end of school. Ms. Kincaid spoke up.
"Ray has called in sick today and he asks if someone kind enough could drop off the work at his home after school."
Before anyone could speak up Tyson did. His right hand up in the air.
"Ms. Kincaid I can but no one knows where he lives."
"He gave permission to reveal his address on this occasion, I would but I have urgent matters to deal with...it's away out, are you sure?
"Yeah, kinda owe him."
Tyson took the five pages, mostly notes and the paper with his address.
"Thank you Tyson," she said and left.
"What's the address, Tyson?" Kenny asked and Tyson read it what seemed like three times.
"That's weird, it's in like one of the most poorest areas, it's an apartment I think." Tyson showed Kenny the address.
"Weird, I'd come with you but I promised my parents I'd help at the shop," he said shouldering bis backpack.
"That's fine, we'll walk to the gate," he said and put Ray's homework into his bag making sure not to let it crease in transit, together they walked to the gate and headed their separate ways.
Tyson headed to the bus stop, the address was pretty much almost outside of Beycity on he poorer side. He hadn't been around that side for a while, he hadn't needed to.
The ride lasted about fifteen minutes before Tyson got off and started walking after getting directional help from the driver.
Following the drivers directions he found the right road after almost ten minutes. It was a heavily built up area, typical of Tokyo. Slowly he walked down the road counting numbers.
"This is taking forever!" he said sighing as he walked.
The buildings seemed to get older as he walked, each were a different height and shade of white with some peeling indicating their age.
"What a dump," he said to himself quietly so no one heard.
Not that anyone could with the loud traffic and the semi deserted footpaths.
When Tyson was close to giving up when the numbers he was after caught his eyes. "There we are, finally!"
It was a run down two storey building, the white paint almost looked grey. With the cracks running through its walls the place looked a day from either falling down or being condemned. The address was for a flat on the ground floor which caught his eye after a moment of scanning the building with his eyes in all belief it was actually there and looking like that.
Tyson approach cautiously expecting some kind of guard dog. He came up to the old blood red warn door and knocked three times. There was no reply. He waited a minute and knocked three more times and after a few moments the door opened. He was met by someone with a palish red face, heavy drowsy eyes. He almost looked unable to stand.
"T...Tyson?"
"Oh...shit, Ray! You look awful."
"I feel worse and dizzy come in." Ray's nose was horribly blocked and red.
Tyson entered kicking off his shoes and closing the door. He noticed Ray looked unstable as he walked, someone at he peak of strength could barely move properly.
"Let me help," Tyson said putting his left arm around Ray below his shoulders and under Ray's left arm to help him
"I...I don't want you falling sick," he said before erupting into a coughing fit swaying slightly and proving Tyson's point.
"Whoa, you're burning up, dude." He helped Ray into the small kitchen lounge area and sat him down on the old and battered sofa and Tyson sat next to him. Ray's eyes closed as he tried to clear his mind from the heavy fog of the flu.
"You want water or something?" Tyson offered and Ray nodded. It took him a moment to find a glass and filled it and returned to the battered sofa only then remembering his backpack as he gave Ray the water. And took it off after handing the glass which Ray thanked him for.
After a minute Ray spoke. "I suppose you want to know why I'm living like this?"
Tyson wasn't sure how to respond but he figured saying yes was his best bet. "S...sure."
"I'll level with you...I'm adopted." This surprised Tyson, he had never expected Ray was adopted.
"What?!" he said loudly surprised.
Ray continued despite his expected outburst. "I never knew my parents. I was adopted by a Grandfather who was already looking after his Grandson...I would have gone to his school but their funding got cut. I did put my name forward but..." Ray was interrupted by a coughing fit. He took a sip of water and settled down. "But I wasn't picked and so this was the only school that had any places left. I left the house and got the cheapest rent place I could afford and my adoptive Grandfather sends me a share but it's barely enough...I'd get a job but everywhere wants experience."
"So that's why you don't have a cell," Tyson said and Ray nodded. Tyson looked around the room, the ceiling was cracked, mould and moisture ran down the walls, the paint was peeling. The place looked like the set of a movie years after a zombie apocalypse. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Vanity...I didn't want to be looked at differently if they knew I was poor."
"Be honest Ray, when did you last eat...no lying."
Ray didn't instantly respond. "A day ago. I ran out of food and I'm too sick to go out. I tried and I almost feinted...this isn't exactly a friendly area to live...bad things can happen so I went back inside." Tyson listened intently to his friends words. One thought crossed his mind that he could never forgive himself if he left his friend like this. He couldn't handed the guilt. There was only one thing he could do.
Tyson pulled out his own phone and pressed some buttons. He knew Ray would never ask for this until he considered his situation to be desperate. He put the phone to his ear waiting as Ray blew his nose.
"Hey, Hiro, I need a favour...can you swing by..." Tyson read the address and Ray didn't fully understand thanks to his flu until Tyson hung up.
"I can't leave you here like this, you're coming home with me, friends don't abandon friends and I'm not taking no for an answer."
"T...Tyson, no, I couldn't intrude..."
"Ah! Said I wasn't taking no for an answer, if you're worried about rent then half your Grandfather's money can go to that and you can save up the other half and buy something like a phone...Now we have twenty minutes to get your stuff together. When you get home you can call or write your Grandpa to send your money there instead".
"You..d do that for me?" Ray asked surprised.
"Sure I would...you've done tons to help me, it's only right. You can't get better in a place like this!"
"Thanks Tyson...I mean it, really."
"Now I gotta pack your stuff," Tyson said.
"I can do that!" Ray tried to protest.
"No, you're sick, stay I can do it."
Ray nodded and Tyson got to work. Ray didn't have much in the way of possessions or clothes and he had to admit if there was an Olympic round of clothes folding, he wouldn't win. Ray's other possessions included a bar bell, sewing kit, first aid kit, scrap books, a couple of old brushes, some old photos and some bedding and books with his school stuff. Tyson saw Ray pick up a wooden carving off a table next to the sofa. "My father supposedly gave me this when I was little, I don't remember except he called it Driger."
Tyson froze for a moment, he could see how valuable it was even looking at Ray holding the small wooden carving. It was white and had amazing detail. He held it so carefully as to avoid damaging or breaking it. Shaking off his gaze he went back to work.
It took the entire time to pack Ray's possessions into a case and the more bulkier items by the door. "Is that everything?" Tyson asked and Ray nodded wiping his red nose.
Only a moment later a knock came from the door turning their attention. "That'll be Hiro," Tyson said going to the door and opened it to his brother.
"BRO!" Tyson exclaimed.
"What are you doing in this area?" Hiro asked concerned.
"A friend from school lives here, he's sick. He helped me a lot so I wanted to return the favour and help him," Tyson explained.
"You'd make our mother proud, Tyson. Is he the guy who helped you cram for that geometry test?" Hiro asked out of curiosity.
Tyson nodded. "Yeah, without him I'd have flunked BIG-TIME!"
"All right...no one should have to live like this in a city, let alone Tokyo. Place could fall at any moment. Where is he?" A loud set of sneezes directed his attention down the short hall. Hiro noticed Ray's things by the door. "Is this everything here?"
"As far as I know, this way." Tyson led his brother down the short hall to the kitchen living area where Ray was blowing his nose.
"Hi, Ray is it?" Hiro asked and Ray nodded. Hiro noted Ray looked like crap but he didn't say anything. "He looks bad. No way he could get better in a place like this with so little money. Its just not healthy."
Hiro loaded his car with all Ray's gear which took ten minutes. "Is that all, Ray?" Hiro asked and Ray nodded.
"Yes, thank you," Ray replied.
"Look we can't make you leave here. If you say no and you want to stay I'll unpack the car and Tyson will unpack your things," Hiro said sounding serious.
"I hate living here, it can get dangerous at night, this is a terrible place to live but I can't afford anywhere else. The landlord has threatened that if I fall behind once in rent, he'll evict me. If I move in I can pay some rent. I promise."
Hiro nodded, he had read online that bad things happen around here. It was a center of gang action and it could get ugly. "Alright, you'll get a proper bed and a roof..."
"I can cook...really good," Ray interrupted.
"Okay, we'll sort something out. Do you need to give your landlord notice? I can call them for you. You're not well enough," he asked and Ray nodded. He was about to speak but was interrupted by a coughing fit.
"He hates me. I have to give notice of at least a day...his number is by the phone," Ray said pointing and Hiro nodded going over to the phone and calling. The call lasted about three minutes until Hiro hung up.
"You're off the hook, said he was happy for you to get out and never return...he was definitely not a people person. Let's get you out of here." Tyson sat to Ray's left nodded and helped Ray to his feet and towards the door. He was already wearing shoes so that was no issue. As they went out Hiro closed the door and led them to the car. Ray moved to sit back right and Tyson back left.
Hiro got into the car and off they drove. The idea of looking back never crossed Ray's mind, he never wanted to see that place again. The drive took about twenty minutes, Ray let his exhaustion take the better and he fell asleep.
In his hands he still held the wooden carving of the White Tiger.
"Ray, wake up...we're here" Tyson said shaking him gently. Slowly Ray opened his eyes and looked out at Tyson's house which looked like a traditional Japanese home with high white walls surrounding it.
"I live in a Dojo...well so do you now." Slowly and weakly Ray opened the car door, and buckled his belt and got out leaning against the orange car. Tyson slipped out the other side and Ray began to walk well unaided.
"We'll get you settled and comfy then deal with your stuff from the car." Hiro said.
"Where can I sleep?" Ray asked.
"My bed for now," Tyson replied.
"Bu..."
"What did I say? It's totally fine for until you get back on your feet."
Tyson slid open he door and dropped his bag then kicked off his shoes. Ray went to remove his but Tyson stopped him. "It's fine, once you get to the bed you can take them off."
Ray was led them around the side of the Dojo until they reached Tyson's bedroom. Tyson helped Ray sit down. "Still feeling dizzy?" he asked and Ray nodded. Ray removed his shoes and laid down on the bed. It was the comfiest bed he ever had laid on. Tyson fetched the cover covering him and looked down. Ray had fallen asleep already. Slowly Tyson turned and left the room closing the door behind him.
Ray was only out for an hour and when he woke he looked for Tyson, ignoring his shoes he left the room. Ray looked around the outside sticking to the wood. It was getting late into early evening and an continuous and repetitive aggressive shout met his ears. Following the sound he slid open the door to the Dojo he saw Tyson in full Kendo gear swinging a sword with an older greying man watching facing the door Ray had opened. "Our guest's awake."
Tyson looked and put his wooden stick tip down. "Hey, sleep well?" Tyson asked.
"No thanks to your shouting, yes" Ray replied and Tyson chucked in response.
"Sorry, want a go of Kendo?" Tyson jokingly asked offering Ray the sword.
"No thanks, another time. Actually I'm kinda hungry," Ray said.
"OH! I never gave you a tour. Give me a minute," he said going to put the sword away. "Am I excused Grandpa?" he said suddenly remembering the older man. "This is my Grandpa. Gramps Ray."
"Sure, you got a friend over. So you're the brains behind the organization?" he asked and Ray looked confused.
"He's asking if you're the guy who saved my ass at every chance I mess up, yeah Gramps, he is; sorry he tries to talk our language but be sounds like he came out of a time machine from the 80's," Tyson said taking off his Kendo gear.
"I see," Ray replied, still standing at the door.
It took Tyson a couple of minutes to take off the gear and he was able to show Ray around the home he'd be living for the unforeseen future. It was more than he ever imagined. Tyson looked rich in comparison, it all still felt like a flu endued dream and he'd wake on his old mouldy sofa.
It was a few more days before Ray was well rested enough to return to school. In the mean time Tyson had returned and explained what had happened and Ray had managed to contact his adoptive father explaining the situation who gave his blessings at Ray's new accommodation.
When Ray finally felt well enough to return to school, a lot of heads turned to see Ray and Tyson walking to school together. A lot of the girls looked quite jealous as they walked by together. The news spread around fast and before school even started, most of the students knew Ray had been seen walking to school with Tyson.
"A lot of people have been staring at you, I heard people saw you and Ray walking to school together," Kenny said to Tyson.
"Yeah, we did, after all I'm surprised the news he's living with me didn't spread."
"No one believed you," Kenny replied.
"Guess they got no choice but to now," Tyson said back as Ray took his seat to Tyson's right, a slight bulge of a new phone in his pocket.
"Tyson, I, I wanna say thanks for everything, something bad could have happened if I stayed at that apartment."
"I should thank you for that food! My motives weren't solely on repaying you, I just wanted to help out but who else could you have relied on?" Ray would have responded but Ms. Kincaid entered the room and he faced forward.
Author notes
Beywriter: Nothing but friendship, I hope you enjoyed!
Story-Beywriter
Editor-Lirin Sama