Well how'd you guys like the cliffie I know I'm so mean but this will make up for it I hope. Who was able to figure out who the stranger was? Whoever hasn't I'll stop blabbering now so you can sit back and figure it out.
Chapter 4: A Visitor
"So why's that Kai? Who was he?"
"Toshiro Hiwatari, my father."
"You're what?"
"My father."
Ray stood in shock for a moment. Though once he broke free of the emotion the tiger wondered, "He's your father, but how can that be? Are you sure?"
"I know it's impossible Ray but it was him. I'm sure of it, or at least it looked like him," Kai replied as he removed a folded something from a pocket.
It was a photograph that resembled the parents Kai had described and the man in the photo was an exact image of the man they had seen that day.
"I took this before we left my old home. You've probably guessed that it's a picture of my parents," Kai explained returning the photo to his pocket.
The roommates had transitioned to their beds and now the two of them sat there in silence. Both were pondering the reality of the recent circumstance and neither knew what to think. Or even what to say. Eventually it was the raven haired tiger who broke the silence first.
"Well isn't this a good thing? Your father's alive!"
"Yeah, I guess. But if he survived the fire after all this time then why would he never come to find me?"
"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't know where to look."
"Maybe… Let's not talk about this now. You should be well rested for your matches tomorrow," Kai stated and closing his eyes he tried to sleep.
Try as he might his mind was lingering on the subject of the conversation and his encounter that day.
The next few days Kai was acting even worse; if that was even possible. He showed up to the team's battles and imputed advice now and then. But the entire team could tell that their captain wasn't fully with them. Ray wanted to tell his team what was going on but he had made a promise to Kai. A promise that he was not going to break as he couldn't break his friend's trust.
During the final battle of the American Tournament the cold phoenix was worse than ever. It didn't help matters any that the battle was on the 22nd and Kai had hoped that he wouldn't be stuck in a stadium on this awful day. All he wanted to do was to go vent out his rage somewhere and to go beat something up.
After the tournament- back at the hotel- Kai had locked himself in his room and he wouldn't even let Ray enter. With all the pain welling inside him anew Kai just couldn't handle being around any of them. Not on this devastating day while the shards of ice still pierced so close to his heart.
Though Ray knew that he needed his space and to be alone so he hung out with the other Bladebreakers. It was because of this that he wasn't bothered by the fact of being locked out of his own room. Ever since Kai had started acting so mean the rest of the team had wanted answers. But after what had almost happened to Tyson- with Kai literally losing his cool- they knew better than to try and interrogate him again.
Though it seemed that somehow Ray knew something as to the motives behind their captain's behaviour and the others were sick and tired of being left in the dark.
"Alright Ray tell us the truth, you know something about the reasons behind Kai's acting more of a loner than usual," Kenny began, turning away from the stats he was analyzing on his laptop, Dizzi.
"I do? What would give you that idea, Chief?"
"Because you don't seem as eager to discover the answer to this mystery as we are. So I believe that it's possible that he actually told you something."
"Alright I won't lie to you guys. Yes I know what is wrong with Kai."
"Wait he knows why I almost got turned into yummy burnt toast and he won't tell us," Tyson whined dumbfounded.
"That's right Tyson, I promised Kai I wouldn't. Besides this is something that you need to ask Kai about and hope he'll tell you. It's not my place to say," Ray replied as he sat down to give his Beyblade, Drigger a bit of a tune up.
The other boys wanted more answers but before any of them could question Ray any further there was a knock at the door. Wondering who it could be seeing how they were still deciding on what to get from room service the hyperactive blonde was the one to answer.
In a happy, chipper tone Max answered, "Hiya mister. What is it we can do for you?"
"I came to congratulate you on your recent victory. My name is Toshiro and I thought that I would be able to locate a friend of mine."
"You're looking for someone?" Max wondered.
"Yes, his name is Kai and I was led to believe that he's on your team," the visitor replied.
"Oh him, he's being a sourpuss in his room again. I don't think you'll be able to get him to come out. Ray, can you get Kai out of your room?"
What's Max going on about now? Ray wondered as he looked up from his blade.
He went over to his blonde friend's side to get a better view of what Max was doing when he noticed their strange visitor. It was the same man from before only this time he wore a musty brown cloak to conceal himself from unwanted eyes.
"Uh… hi. I'll see if I can get Kai, his room's just over here to the right," the neko-jin stammered and led the man over to the door to the right. "Hey, Kai, you've got a visitor!" Ray called through the door.
Kai was still in his rotten mood and didn't want to speak to anyone but the neko-jin had peaked his curiosity. So he opened the door ready to kill his teammates if this was some kind of joke to lure him from his room. When he did so however he stopped dead in his wake.
"Can I come in Kai? I don't have much time but I think we need to talk."
Kai allowed him to enter the room as he moved away from the door. In the privacy of the bedroom Kai ran up to the man and hugged him.
"Dad!" He cried as the blue haired phoenix wept into his Father's loving embrace.
"There, there, Kai it's alright," Toshiro soothed as he held his son close.
Ray had been standing in the doorframe so the others wouldn't see the exchange but now he closed the door. He decided it better to allow the two of them to have their time alone but the Hiwataris were oblivious to the gesture.
Being able to see his father and being held there by him like that, to know that he was actually alive filled the young phoenix with a myriad of different emotions. Kai was overjoyed to have his father back but at the same time he was suffering through so much pain and guilt from the terrible act he had committed.
Still so full of shock and disbelief Kai needed to know, "But how can you be here? Don't you hate me after what I did? How did you survive the fire? Why have you never come to find me after all this time-"
"Easy there, so many questions. I can only answer one at a time. Kai you're my son and your mother and I could never hate you. This was never your fault it was Voltaire's and I'm here because after learning where you were I was worried about you and had to come to see how my son was doing. I survived the fire because its blast didn't strike me head on. Though it did leave its mark with a bunch of burns that kept me in the hospital for quite some time. And the reason why I haven't looked for you… well it's complicated."
"What do you mean, Dad?"
"Well after I was released from the hospital my father hunted me down. He made it very clear that if I don't do what he says he'll hurt you and-"
The older Hiwatari's explanation ceased as he was cut off by a ringing that resided in his pocket. The man drew out a small cellular phone that was going off and flipped it open.
Toshiro answered, "Hello… I was held up. Yes sir. I'll call you back in five minutes."
Kai's father hung up the phone as it seemed he hadn't waited for a response on the other end.
"What was that about?"
"It's nothing," the man responded, "I'm sorry Kai, but I've lingered here too long. I have to go now, but I'm happy that I had this chance to see you again."
With a final squeeze Toshiro released his son from the embrace and fled from the Bladebreakers' hotel suite. Kai was left confused but he knew that he would have to face the onslaught of interrogation from the rest of the Bladebreakers.
At least I feel a little bit better having seen him again. I knew I was going to have to face them sooner or later but now that he's been here it's going to be a lot sooner than I would have hoped. I guess I might as well go and get the stupid thing over with. This is going to be such a long day, the blader thought to himself as he went to meet his doom.
I hope that you guys liked this chapter. What do you think about Kai's father being back alive? I bet none of you guessed that one coming and the evil bunny doesn't count. I'll update the next chapter soon though to warn you I think it's a little dull as it's one of those transitional chapters but I'll be getting to some good stuff soon. As always cookies to my reviewers.
