Chapter 10: Summer Paradise
"Nice to know that you'll notice that Kevin's missing but when it comes to me you don't even bat an eyelash," Crystal commented. Her head titled as she fixed one of her braids. Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed her feet didn't touch the ground but she was ready to hit it running and get out of there. Hospitals made her jumpy and the sooner she could get out the better.
"We thought you were still on the balcony," Hilary sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "We thought you heard Ray and went in search for Kevin by yourself. You do have a solitary streak, after all." She paused and added, "You're almost as bad as Kai."
Crystal let out a little laugh. "No one's as bad as Kai when it comes to needing solitary time." She finished the braid and tossed it over her shoulder. She rubbed her palms on her knees and let out a little sigh, looking around the room. "So, am I free to go yet?"
"I think the guys were going to check you out," Mariah replied. She let out a long sigh and laced her fingers against her neck. "Some vacation, huh? We get struck by lightning, almost drowned, and almost frozen to death. I wonder what things will be like when things go back to normal."
Hilary snorted. "Things aren't 'normal' when those boys are involved," she pointed out. "Though I wouldn't have it any other way, to be honest," she added with a bit of tenderness to her tone. The other girls nodded in agreement. "You tend to get used to being chased down and targeted just so people can prove themselves." She paused and then added, "It's almost as bad as school."
"Don't make me want to change my mind about that," Crystal said in a warning tone. She reached for her shirt, which was neatly folded on the bed, and stripped her hospital gown. Hilary's eyebrows came together when she noticed the bandages wrapped around her friend's chest and pressed her lips together. She looked over at Mariah who shook her head once.
A knock sounded on the door. The handle turned and the door opened a little only for an eye to be seen through the crack. "Are you decent?" Lee's voice came through the crack.
"Yeah, yeah, come in," Crystal said with a beckoning wave of her hand. The door opened wider and Lee fully walked into the room followed by the rest of the White Tigers. Hilary quietly excused herself from the room which then fell quiet with all of them looking at each other.
Finally Kevin blurted out,"I'm sorry!"
"What're you sorry for?" Crystal asked.
"I broke our promise. You told me not to tell anyone where you were but I did anyway. Please don't hate me."
She twisted her mouth to the side and then sighed. "I don't hate you, Kev," she told him. "I mean…you saved my life." She gave a little laugh and twisted her hands. "If you hadn't gone and told someone where I was I'd be dead. As much as I wanted to be able to prove that I could take on people much stronger than me and protect the guys, I now realize I was in over my head."
"Wait," Ray said, holding up his hand to stop her. "Are you admitting that you were wrong?" His tone held curiosity but he had a teasing look in his eye.
She rolled her eyes but smiled, regardless. "Yeah, and it's the only time it's ever going to happen so you may as well enjoy it now," she said while holding a warning finger up in his direction.
"Etch into your memory, everyone," Kevin laughed. "Gotta make sure it lasts forever."
Crystal swatted Kevin with the pillow and any remaining tension in the room disappeared when they all started laughing. Mariah's heart squeezed as it always did when she had one of those 'warm and fuzzy' moments. Where everything felt right and she felt close to her friends again. This was how the team was supposed to be and now they could move forward.
"Okay, okay, enough of that," Crystal said with a wave of her hand. "Let's get out of here; I need some sun on my skin."
"First I want to speak to you about something," Lee spoke up. Crystal looked over at him, her head tilting to reflect her confusion as the others scurried out.
"So, have you guys gotten Ray's birthday present yet?" Hilary asked. She reached forward and picked up her glass. A section of the top had collected beads of condensation. One ran down the length of her hand once it touched her skin. She brought the glass of iced tea to her mouth and took a strong pull from the straw.
"Not yet," Max admitted, spinning his straw in his own fruity drink. The ice clinked and clanked against the glass walls as it spun around, forming a small tornado. He rested his arms on the table and watched people moving around the shopping area for a moment.
After Crystal got out of the hospital the group had split up, the White Tigers went off to do one thing and the rest of G Revolution did another, in their case go into town and look at the shops. Even Kai had, silently, decided to tag along. After visiting a few stores they stopped at a café to get something to drink and enjoy the beautiful weather. Really enjoy it. God knows they barely had a chance to relax since they got onto the island.
"Guys, his birthday is two days away," Hilary pointed out.
"We know that, Hil," Tyson said, a bit of an edge to his voice. "It's just we don't know what to get him. We don't know what he'd like. He lives in a remote mountain village, for crying out loud. What do they do there?"
"Work a lot, from what he's told me. They do a lot of chores and they have a lot of responsibilities and traditions they uphold around the village. It's serious business."
"That sounds so boring," Tyson mumbled.
"Tyson! How can you say such a thing?" Kenny shrieked, making Tyson jump. "Just because you don't live in that culture doesn't mean that it's boring!"
Tyson rubbed the back of his head, a blush of embarrassment blossomed on his cheeks. "I…I didn't mean it that way! Really!" He looked over at Max and Hilary for backup but they looked away from him. He didn't bother to get Kai's help. The Captain would throw him to the dogs if he could. He slumped in his seat and crossed his arms. Hilary giggled at his expense. "So what'd you get him, hotshot?"
"I got him something practical," Hilary responded. "I know how much he likes to practice calligraphy so I bought him a couple of new brushes made of bamboo."
"Aww, that's good!" Max said, leaning back in his seat. "I should have thought of that one. Hmm. Maybe I can get in on that. He'd need ink, right?"
"Lucky for you," Hilary said, smiling.
"Alright!" Max cheered. "What about you, Chief? What'd you get Ray?"
"I got him a copy of Tao Te Ching. Also known as Daodejing," Kenny responded, his voice full of pride. Max and Tyson looked at each other and then shifted their confused expressions in his direction. Kenny sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a book, or manual, on the art of living and the wonders of the world under the Taoist philosophy and religious tradition."
"Oh," Tyson said. "And you don't think he has that already?"
"I took every outcome into consideration to make sure I wasn't buying something he already has," Kenny said. "Of course, being that he seems to practice Taoism he may already have the book and it's ideals and teachings memorized but it doesn't hurt that he could have a physical copy of it."
"Oh man! Rats!" Tyson groaned, ruffling his hair in frustration. "Those are such good ideas! Why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you don't like to think?" Hilary asked innocently. She gave a little shriek when Tyson threw a water-soaked napkin at her.
"Help me think of something, guys!" He pleaded. "C'mon, Kai, you have to have some ideas."
Kai didn't respond or acknowledge if he even heard Tyson. He merely lifted his glass and took a long drink. Tyson grumbled and rubbed at his hair again. Tyson knew he wouldn't get a proper answer but he thought, maybe after all this time, Kai would at least open up a little bit more. Hell, the guy was starting to become the team's Knight in Shining Armor, swooping in at the last minute to save them. So that proved he cared but getting anything out of Kai was like pulling teeth.
"Or maybe not. Maybe your mind is just empty, huh?" Tyson continued, trying to goad him. But still Kai didn't respond, turning his attention to the beach off in the distance. Tyson stuck his tongue out at the captain, sure that he hadn't seen it and was pleasantly surprised to see Kai's middle finger pointed in his direction. "Oh how mature of you Kai."
"Look who's talking!" Hilary chortled.
"What? I'm plenty mature."
"Right. You sure are mature, Tyson. It must've been another navy haired beyblader that tried to order the entire kitchen from room service."
"If they don't want you to eat what they have they wouldn't offer the whole menu, now would they?"
"You're just being greedy."
"I am not! I'm a growing boy, I need my nutrients."
"You don't even know what nutrients are I bet."
"I do so!"
Max sighed but chuckled when Hilary and Tyson dissolved back into one of their usual arguments. He smiled over at Kenny who returned the gesture. It was just like old times. He hoped and prayed that things would stay this way for a while, although he wasn't holding his breath about it, being who they were.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment and pushed away every negative thought. He had no reason for them anymore. No one was out to get them. They were on a beautiful island and he was surrounded by his friends.
All that mattered was now.
"So what do you think happened to those guys?" Ray spoke up, breaking the idle chatter that had gone on through the group. Tyson looked at Ray over his shoulder and turned to walk backwards.
"What do you mean, Ray?" He asked.
"I mean, they just disappeared. What if we didn't beat them this time?" He asked.
"Well then we'll just have to beat them again if that's the case!" Tyson said and punched his fist into the air.
"I don't think we have anything to worry about, though," Kenny spoke up. "Dizzi and I haven't gotten any readings of magic levels from the rock or an abundance of power from anyone and we've been scanning just in case they do come back. But I don't see it happening, to be honest."
"Relax, Ray," Hilary said and elbowed him. A large grin sat on her face. "You have no other responsibility during this trip except for having fun with your friends and relaxing. Okay?" She looked ahead of the group and added with a small laugh, "If you need some energy you can borrow Crystal's."
She pointed ahead of herself to bring their attention to the girl who was skipping down the street ahead of them, her braids had been pulled back into a long ponytail and it bounced behind her with every step. If she weren't skipping Hilary was sure she'd be floating on Cloud 9.
"She's acting like Tyson during Thanksgiving," Max noted, joining the conversation.
"She's just excited, let her have it," Mariah said, wedging her way between Max and Hilary. "You know how long she's been going on about wanting to see dolphins."
"Frankly, I don't get the appeal," Lee mumbled. He walked behind the group with Gary and Kevin, his arms crossed tight. A disgruntled look sat on his face and his lip curled in disgust.
"Just because you're scared of water, Lee—" Mariah started.
"I'm not scared!" Lee denied, his cheeks flushing. "It's just…if we were meant to get in the water we'd have gills!"
"Well, he does have a point," Max agreed, scratching the side of his head.
"You can sit on the sidelines then," Mariah said and stuck her tongue out at him.
"Like…a scardy cat!" Tyson burst in and then laughed at his own joke while the others looked on as if he had grown a second head.
"How long were you waiting to use that joke?" Hilary asked dryly.
Tyson beamed with pride and swung his arm around her shoulders. "Too long, Hil. Too long."
"The preparation was worth it," Max said, a dry tone attached to his words. He dodged the punch that Tyson threw at him and danced out of his reach, laughing all the while.
"Hurry up, slowpokes!" Crystal called from ahead of them. She was stood by the entrance to the dolphin attraction, her hands on her hips. "I don't want to waste a minute! Put your rears in gear!" She stomped her foot for emphasis.
"Oh my gosh, she's like a kid!" Hilary said. Her shoulders shook with silent laughter. "It's a sight, isn't it? She's usually so serious and focused."
"A near-death experience can do that to people," Ray commented, moving his rat-tail over his shoulder.
As much as the comments flew the atmosphere around them was light. Save for Lee who tried to run away a few times only to be grabbed by Gary in the nick of time until Mariah convinced him to carry her brother the rest of the way.
By the time they reached the handler that waited for them Crystal's excitement became infectious. Tyson and Max hardly stood still long enough to get the regulation wetsuits on before they started on Kenny who, in his flustered state, put it on the wrong way.
"Hey Mar, mind helping me with this?" Hilary asked, struggled with her wetsuit. When she didn't get a response right away she looked up. She sighed when she noticed Mariah braiding her ponytail, her fingers fumbling over the strands at the end. "Mar?"
"Hilary, just take a look around and you'll understand why Mariah can't speak," Crystal quipped, stepping up behind Mariah to take her hair and finish up the braid herself.
Hilary's eyes swept the group of shirtless boys that were getting into wetsuits. While all she saw was a normal sight she could understand why Mariah suddenly lacked any basic function. "Ah," she said.
"You have drool on your chin," Crystal commented. She laughed and jumped away from Mariah when she brought her leg back to kick at her. "Why don't you just ask him out already?" She continued, twisting her friend's hair into the intricate design. "I don't know if you know but the whole admiring from afar thing doesn't usually bode people well." Mariah didn't respond, instead making a humming sound. "See, you may as well have a chicken for a bitbeast. Because that's what you are. A chicken. And they reflect who we are, right?" She started making clucking and other chicken noises from deep within her throat.
"I'm not a chicken," Mariah grumbled, stepping away from Crystal. She stroked her braid and looked down at her feet. The pink nail polish on her toes was chipped in a few areas. "I just…don't want to mess anything up. And there are a lot of…obstacles in the way." She cleared her throat. "Excuse me; I'm going to check on Lee."
Hilary's hands perched on her hips as she watched Mariah walk away. She swiveled her head to look at Crystal to see that her bottom lip had been pulled between her teeth. "How much longer are we here?" Crystal asked
"Two more days," Hilary replied. "Why?"
"Because either Mariah's going to kill me with her longing or I'm going to kill her because of her lamenting. Whichever comes first." She held up her two fingers and wiggled them to emphasize her point. Then she clapped her hands together and beamed. "But not today! Today I'm swimming with dolphins!"
"You're acting like this is for your birthday instead of Ray's."
"This is like Christmas and Halloween and my birthday all rolled into one!"
"Speaking of, what have you gotten Ray?" She paused and asked, "You did get him something, right?"
"Just because he can get on power trips and flaunts his captaincy and likes to have things his way and is an overall pain in my ass doesn't mean I have a heart made of ice, contrary to what my bitbeast power is," Crystal responded.
"Okay, just checking," Hilary said, lifting her hands as if to deflect the words flung at her.
Crystal rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Mom."
Hilary then rolled her eyes. "Not you too."
"You bring it upon yourself, Hil." Crystal mimed plucking something out of Hilary's hair and held it in front of her face with an impish grin. "Look at that! I think I found a gray hair!"
Hilary swatted her hand away and grumbled, "You're responsible for half of them."
"I'll sign them all for you and we can put it up on Ebay," Crystal joked. Hilary couldn't hold the stern look on her face. The expression on her face, in turn, made Crystal burst out laughing. Hilary dissolved into laughter herself until the girls were both red in the face and leaning on one another to hold each other up.
"I think you two have been in the sun for too long," Max commented. He, too, had a smile on his face, but his was just from the contagious good mood that was going around the group.
How could they not be in a good mood? The weather was perfect, they could finally—finally—relax and begin to enjoy vacation, and even Kai joined them for the day. Not only that but he was going to swim with dolphins with them. Not on another island, like some would guess.
"Now Lee, are you sure you don't want to come in?" Mariah asked. She was standing over him, giving him the best coaxing look that she could muster. He had planted himself on the ground as far away from the water's edge as possible, a deep frown set upon his face. "Come on, even Gary's trying it out."
"Yeah. Why are you so scared of fish when we eat them all of the time?" Kevin spoke up. A large, impish grin took up half of his face.
"They're mammals!" Crystal called from behind them.
Kevin waved his hand to signify that she was dismissing her comment. "They're not going to bite you back."
"Actually—" Kenny started, his finger raised as it always was before he was about to explain a fact.
"Shush!" Mariah interrupted him. "Lee, please? For me? For your sister? I'll love you forever if you do it."
Lee grunted. "You should love me regardless and I'm not doing it, okay?"
Mariah sighed in defeat. The sound of footsteps growing closer snatched their attention away from the sour and brooding White Tiger to the handler that approached the group. They abandoned Lee and migrated over to the worker who introduced himself and explained which dolphins they were going to spend time with, how long they've been around, how old they were, and a little bit of the training that went into the Dolphin Encounter attraction.
Then they were given life-jackets to wear and as they put them on the trainer tried to get Lee to join them. But he was as stubborn as he was before and stood his ground on his decision. Instead he sat back and watched as his friends jumped into the water and moved out far enough for the dolphins to approach them.
"Oh my gosh, they're so soft!" Mariah squealed, rubbing a dolphin's back.
"This is so cool," Max whispered. His palm skimmed the slick, rubbery surface of the dolphin's belly. The one that swam around him and Tyson was very playful, floating on his back and making clicking sounds.
"Try to fight the impulse of taking a bite, Ray," Tyson joked. Ray uttered a sigh and rolled his eyes. Only a moment later he and Kai laughed at Tyson's misfortune. After Tyson's jab at Ray the dolphin he and Max were petting ducked into the water only to pop back out and shoot water at him. Tyson spluttered and rubbed his face with his hands to get water out of his eyes. "Ha ha, very funny," he grumbled. "And what're you laughing at, Mr. Giggles?" Tyson shot at Kai.
Kai lifted one slate gray eyebrow. "Your face, Tyson. I'm laughing at your face," he replied.
Whatever reaction Tyson was expecting, Kai being so blunt wasn't it, which was evidenced by him spluttering for a few moments and blinked. "Yeah, well…" Tyson grumbled, searching for a retort. Kai's other eyebrow lifted as he waited for Tyson to continue with his attempts. "You're…mean," he finished lamely.
Kai's eyelids dropped until he gave Tyson an unamused, half-lidded look. "That took a lot of effort, didn't it?" He asked dryly.
"Shut up, Kai."
Once the group's laughter died down the instructor asked if anyone would like to take a ride on a dolphin first, of which Crystal volunteered herself. She almost took off Kevin's head with how fast she shot her arm in the air.
One by one they were instructed to grab onto the dolphin's dorsal fin and have it drag them through the water. Each one looked the same when they let go: flushed faces, bright eyes, and wide smiles (save for Kai who seemed to master the art of remaining stoic).
Lee watched them all carefully from the sidelines, his eyes following the path that the dolphins pulled them. When he wasn't doing that he sighed and huffed, rolling his head this way and that to look around. Apparently that didn't go well with the gentle creatures for one had lifted out of the water and shot water at the beached White Tiger, earning a round of laughter from his friends.
"I think they like you, Lee," Mariah chirped. "They want you to give them a kiss." The dolphins were, in fact, bobbing in the water near the piece of land that Lee sat on.
"That'd be his first kiss too so he'd have to cherish it," Kevin spoke up. Lee glared at him. For some reason Kevin must have deemed the day Pick on Lee day. Any chance he had he would take to make fun of their captain because he knew he was protected as long as Crystal and Mariah were nearby. He gritted his teeth and curled his fingers to form a fist, frustration bubbling up inside of him. He would make sure that Kevin didn't say those things again and remembered who it was that he was talking to.
The lack of respected stopped now.
The following days seemed to melt into one and stretch as time dragged on. Soon it was their last day on the island, which also was Ray's birthday. He didn't expect much out of it and was pleasantly surprised and a little shocked to wake up that morning with a small cake resting on the end of his bed. A bright white frosting sat atop of what looked to be a marble cake. Chocolate piping sat atop of the frosting layer, making up shapes of Chinese characters: 17歲生日快樂，雷! It took a few moments for him to realize what it was saying in his sleepy haze: Happy 17th Birthday, Ray!
His mouth turned up to reveal a handsome smile and his amber eyes sparkled with appreciation. He glanced over to the other bed in the room and looked on for a few seconds as the blankets covering Lee slowly lifted and fell with his heavy breathing.
Slowly and carefully he leaned over the side of his bed and reached for his bag. Once he had it in an upright position he dug through it, pushing aside clothes and shoes. Finally his fingers brushed against a leather-bound book. With a tug he pulled it out and settled against his pillows. He carefully opened the cover and was immediately hit with a strong sense of longing.
The first picture was one that he looked at the most. It was ripped in a few places and was adorned with crinkles and creases but otherwise it was perfectly nestled in the middle of the page. He brushed his fingers against the glossy surface, a small, sad smile formed on his face.
The picture was of a couple who looked so much in love holding onto a small bundle, a newborn baby. The woman's violet hair was pulled back into a low ponytail which was draped over one shoulder. Her eyes were tired but shining nonetheless. Her face was flushed and shiny with sweat but her beauty still shone through. Her arms were wrapped tight around the little baby whose eyes were closed tight in its slumber. A man gazed adoringly at his wife from behind small-framed glasses that were perched upon his nose. His arm was wrapped around his wife's lower back. His other hand held onto the tiny hand of the sleeping baby, a calm, cat-like smile was nestled in his features.
Ray sighed softly, sadness stirring in his stomach as his eyes gobbled up everything the picture held. His parents' expressions, the love radiating from their eyes, their tight hold on him as an infant. Sometimes, when he thought hard enough, he swore he could smell the light, flowery scent that seemed to follow his mother around. Hear the rumbling laugh that started deep within his father's stomach. Feel the love that they had from him no matter how far he went around the world.
Ray turned the page and another family picture sat on the page, this time when he was about one. He was sitting on his mother's lap, smiling brightly, his hands holding onto her long ponytail that trickled over her shoulder. His father, in turn, held them both in his lap and was kissing the side of his wife's head.
The next family photo was when he was two, just starting to walk Ray guessed. His small hands were enveloped in his parents' hands and he was smiling up at them. They were laughing about something, their smiles frozen in mid laugh as they looked back at him.
Oh how he wished he could see that look again. But, if it came down to it, he wouldn't trade the life he's lived even if it meant to have his family back together permanently. He wouldn't trade in his experiences with his team—his friends—to have them back.
No matter how much he wanted them back.
He learned a lot in his short seventeen years of life. Learned a lot about the world, his friends, and more importantly, himself. He recognized that in the past year that he let the Bladebreakers successes get to his head a little bit more than he'd like to admit. It affected his beyblading, in the wrong way, and he recognized now that he had to be better than himself, his Champion self, to get to the position he wanted to be in to become a top beyblader. He only hoped that he was making his parents proud, if they were watching his progress.
He never gave up hope that they were alive, wherever they were. He firmly held onto the idea that they had to leave for good reasons. The most popular reason he thought up was to provide him with a life that they couldn't, a life where he had to learn to do things by himself and rely on his own abilities. Of course he wasn't the only one in the village who was parent-less, whether by circumstance or other reasons but it was a hole that couldn't be filled, no matter how far he went.
Slowly closing the book, Ray turned his eyes to the room around him. His eyes didn't directly take in the furniture around him. He leaned forward, pressing his fist to his mouth and turned his attention to the cake that still sat on his bed. There were no candles on it but that didn't stop him from making a wish. It was a tradition after all.
He quietly pushed back the covers on his bed, put the cake down on his bedside table, and grabbed his abandoned shirt from the end of the bed. He put it on, grabbed the card key, and slipped out the door. He took the short walk to a public balcony and rested his arms on the railing, looking down to a few of the aquariums on the first floor where bright fish swam around.
Something shifted behind him. Ray didn't need to turn around to know that it was Kai who had joined him. He had a different air around him, one that assaulted those around before he walked into a room, before he made his presence known.
"Too anxious to sleep?" Kai asked, joining Ray at the rail.
"You could say that," Ray replied. "You don't need to check on me."
"That's not what I'm doing."
"Hmmm." It was a very Kai-like response, Ray knew. "So what is it that you're doing?"
Kai didn't verbally reply this time. Ray looked at him out of the corner of his eye. His friend's gaze swept the tall buildings that surround theirs, almost as if he were looking right through them. Shrugging a little Ray focused on the buildings around him as well, waiting to see if he would get hit by something to signify that he was a year older, seen as an adult in some countries, but nothing came. Not that he was surprised, he never really felt different on his birthday. Even though this one was the most important when it came to his village. From this moment on things would change. That he could feel.
"So, what's planned for today?" Ray asked.
"Aren't birthdays supposed to be filled with surprises?" Kai asked. Judging from the tone he was using Ray guessed Kai was mocking the eagerness that his friends were displaying in his honor.
"Aren't I allowed to be nosey on my birthday?" Ray shot back. "I'm supposed to get a free pass or something."
Kai rolled his eyes and then reached for his back pocket. It was then that Ray noticed a white envelope had been sitting there. Kai held it out to Ray and, after a moment, the Chinese blader took it and looked at the front for a moment. The front of it had a simple message written in Kai's handwriting: Happy Birthday. Short and to the point. How Kai-like.
"Thanks," Ray said. He ran his finger underneath the seal to pop it, reached in, and pulled out two slim pieces of paper. "Ticket vouchers?" He asked aloud.
Kai nodded once. "Round-trip. It'll take you wherever you want to go," he replied. "Italy. Greece." He smirked and added, "Perhaps a deserted island away from Tyson."
"I wouldn't take you with me, just for that," Ray joked. He tapped the tickets against his palm and looked at Kai. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."
Kai didn't respond but gave a half smile. Ray carefully folded the envelope and put it in his pocket, still feeling a sense of awe clinging to him. Birthdays weren't a big thing in the White Tiger village. They were recognized for the beginning of a new year and they were given a cake but gifts weren't that common. He got so used to getting the bare minimum when it came to his birthday and having all of this? He was touched and firmly believed he had the best friends in the world. It also made him wonder how things could get better.
Not that he had to wait long to find out.
As he thought his friends had the whole day planned for him. After eating a large breakfast, covered by the hotel, they went to the beach again, this time to take jet skis around and to go para-sailing, both things that Ray found himself really excited to try out. Something to get his adrenaline pumping properly, from excitement this time. Not from being chased down by people who either wanted him dead or wanted his bitbeast.
"Two to one craft is the max," the instructor said as the group put on their life jackets. "If at any time you want to ride a banana boat come back here and we'll get that set up for you, okay? Have fun guys."
They thanked him and milled around before splitting up into pairs: Max and Kenny, Tyson and Hilary, Kai and Crystal, Ray and Mariah, and Lee and Kevin. Gary opted to sit out due to weight restrictions, not that it bothered him. There was lunch waiting for them whenever they decided to take a break and he decided to get a head start on it, to no one's surprise.
"How about we make this interesting?" Tyson asked with a challenging look in his eye. He steadied the jet-ski as Hilary climbed on behind him. They had gotten into a small argument over who would drive and eventually Hilary let Tyson have it just to get him to shut up. "How about we have a race?"
"Sounds good," Max agreed, placing his hands on the handle. "What's the reward? Or punishment?"
"Loser has to eat Crystal's dessert."
"Hey! It's not that bad!" She cried out, crossing her arms as best as she could without hitting Kai. "I've gotten better."
"You're not supposed to find a cooked egg in cake," Mariah pointed out while scooting forward on the seat and wrapped her arms around Ray's stomach. "It's supposed to be blended in."
Crystal rolled her eyes, convincing herself that it was because of Mariah's statement instead of her attaching herself to Ray like a leech. "It happened one time. You people just won't let it go!" Then she grinned evilly. "But, just for that, I'll be sure to make sure the loser gets a lot of surprises."
"I don't think my stomach can handle that," Kevin groaned. "So don't lose, Lee."
"Where are we riding to?" Lee asked. He attached the clip of the jet-ski to himself, grinning at the idea of being the victor.
"How about to…that boat and back?" Tyson suggested, pointing to a boat that was floating about in the distance, rocking gently from the waves that disturbed the otherwise placid surface of the ocean.
"Sounds good!" Max said and gave a thumbs up sign. "Everybody ready? Seeeet….GO!"
Engines roared and water shot out from beneath the jet-skis as they took off. Max and Kenny had an advantage of being lighter so they had less weight resistance. But then they had something working against them, a lack of control. Max tried hard to keep control of the watercraft but he was slowing himself and Kenny down while trying to fight the waves.
It gave Ray and Lee the chance to speed past him. Kevin was hooping and hollering, urging Lee to go faster. They bounced over each wave that came their way and a smug grin revealed itself on Lee's face. Mariah, on the other hand, gave little shrieks with each heavy bounce, holding onto Ray tighter to make sure she didn't fall off. Behind them Tyson and Kai were gliding though the water, Kai with a rigid look of concentration and Tyson with a fire in his eyes. It rivaled the annoyance that otherwise radiated off of his face because of the directions Hilary was yelling in his ear.
Ray shook his head at their antics and pushed his watercraft to go faster. Wind whistled in his ears and the ocean air made him squint to keep his eyes from watering too much. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Lee gaining on him. He turned his head briefly to lock eyes with his oldest friend. Lee held his gaze for a moment and then the familiar smirk appeared.
Now the real race began.
Ray kept his eyes on the boat in the distance, which steadily grew larger the closer they got to it. Lee constantly stayed by his side, keeping up and urging Ray to push the jet-ski to go as hard as it could. His stomach jumped around inside of him, bouncing up to his throat over a particularly hard wave that made it feel like he was flying.
With a quick jerk of the handle bars the jet-ski did a sharp turn, successfully sending a wave of water at Lee and Kevin who had just reached the boat. Ray laughed. A good, long hard laugh that made his cheeks hurt when it finally subsided. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. It was refreshing. Rejuvenating even. It filled him with a new sense of life that he couldn't—no, wouldn't—be able to explain if anyone asked.
It was as if, in that moment, he knew that everything would be okay in the end. No matter when the end came.
As for the end of the race, it came as he thought it would: him first, Lee second, Kai third, Max fourth, and Tyson last. Tyson loudly vented his complaints to and about Hilary as their engines shut off. Ray only chuckled and brushed his wet bangs out of his face with his hand, turning to offer Mariah his hand. She thanked him, grabbed it, and jumped off of the back of the watercraft. Like him, her bangs were matted to her forehead because of the water. The contrast of the hot pink and amber seemed to make her eyes stand out even more than before.
"What?" Mariah asked. He blinked and looked at her, really looked at her.
"What?" Ray repeated.
"Is there something on my face?" She asked her hands reaching up to probe her skin.
"No," he replied and shook his head. "No, there's nothing on your face. You're perfect." Mariah smiled and dropped her arms. Ray took in a breath and let it out slowly. "It's just…I think we need to talk about some things. That's all."
"Thiff ith the beth cake ah've eva hah!" Tyson gushed around the fork that protruded from his mouth. He chewed a few times and swallowed. "This hotel is the best in the world! I want to come back."
"You'd have to sell your comic book collection to swing it," Max said, pointing his fork in Tyson's direction. He had lowered it to take another slice of his cake when another fork shot out and beat him to it. "Hey!" He cried out, laughing with mirth.
"Have to be quicker than that!" Crystal teased, waving her fork in his direction and then ate the piece of cake on her fork. "Ah, it tastes even sweeter when it's stolen," she teased, curling her legs underneath herself to get more comfortable on the couch.
After the race in the ocean the group then rode horses along the beach (which took a few minutes to get started with Kevin's fear of them). When they came back they ate the lunch that was set up for them and then went back to the hotel to relax and start packing for their flight back later that night. Ray had brought out the cake and had cut even slices for all of them to share it and they gathered into the suite he and Lee shared to give him his gifts.
They were piled in the center of the room, waiting to be opened but they were left in favor of him talking to Mariah about something out on the balcony. Max and Tyson turned not being able to hear what they were saying into a game, Tyson filling in for Ray's voice and Max for Mariah's. While they found great amusement in guessing that the two were discussing their hair-washing habits Lee sat seething in the corner, glaring at the two and savagely eating his piece of cake. Kai was the only one who didn't touch his cake piece, whether it was out of common courtesy because two of their friends were missing or because he didn't like the cake flavor no one knew. He just sat on the arm rest of the couch, quietly sipping on tea.
"His noodles are getting cold," Kevin noted.
"What are they for again?" Hilary asked, looking over the pot that she was stirring.
"It's a symbol for long life," Crystal explained. "The person whose birthday it is stuffs as many as they can into their mouth before biting down. It's also for good luck."
"And these red envelopes?" Tyson asked while picking one up and waving it around.
"It's filled with money and the symbols on the front correspond with what the person is wishing the receiver," Crystal continued. "For example, this one," she said, picking up a random envelope and pointing at the symbol on the front: 幸福. "This means happiness so, basically, the giver is wishing Ray happiness. You can also put 'wealth' or 'patience' or 'prosperity' or something of the like. And, traditionally, the receiver is not supposed to open the envelope with the giver in front of them but in this case its fine."
"Is it all of China that follows these traditions or is it just your village that follows it this closely?" Hilary asked and tapped the tongs against the side of the pot.
"Our village is big on tradition," Lee jumped in. "Essentially it's what keeps us going amidst all of the change in the world and around us. Tradition is the center of the village and we take it very seriously. It's our culture, it's what shapes us."
Hilary tuned to ask him something else but stopped and tilted her head in curiosity at the fierce way he was glaring across the room at Crystal, who was giggling with Max about something. Almost as if she could feel Lee glaring at her she stopped laughing and slumped in her seat, only to correct her posture a moment later. Hilary's lips pursed.
How odd.
The balcony door opened with a creak and Ray and Mariah finally stepped in. Ray lifted his head and his eyes swept around the room, noticing that everyone (save for Kai) was looking at them. "Yes?" He asked calmly, taking a seat on the floor. He knew why they were staring, but he wasn't going to indulge in their nosiness. What went on in his life was his business and it would be up to him if he shared any (good) news or not.
"Nothing," Lee said after a moment of silence. He lifted his eyebrows in Ray's direction. Ray's lips twitched ever so slightly but Lee caught the action and his eyebrows lowered. He gave a short nod and turned his attention to Hilary who presented him with his noodles and a pair of chopsticks.
"That's from me," Tyson spoke up. Ray gave him a look of confusion so he clarified, "The chopsticks. I know you probably have about a thousand by now but I hand painted them myself!" He smiled proudly as Ray looked over the handiwork. It was obvious the Tyson painted them himself but Ray felt touched nonetheless.
"Thank you," Ray said and smiled. "I'll cherish them always."
Lifting the chopsticks full of noodles to his mouth he began slurping in as much as he could, Tyson and Max watching in awe with how much he could fit. They commented here and there about how he resembled a puffer fish and how they were amazed he could fit that much in. He had managed to stuff a little more than half of the bowl into his mouth when he began to chew, breathing heavily through his nose. Tyson was sure it was some sort of record.
After finishing off the bowl Ray then, carefully, began to open his gifts. He received red envelopes from Kevin, Gary, and Lee (making sure to keep them as intact as possible as he opened them) and a laughing Buddha statue from Mariah. When presented with Tao Te Ching from Kenny he grinned in appreciation, a smile which only got bigger when Max and Hilary gave him their joint gift. Crystal was last and presented him with something from the Japanese culture instead of Chinese. She gave him a maneki-neko, a lucky cat statue, of which Tyson found hilarious ("It's really not that funny," Ray commented over Tyson's hooting laughter).
Amidst the chaos that rose as the party winded down Grandpa called to check on everyone and know the details of their flight. Each of them took the time to speak to Grandpa, save for Tyson who was putting all of his attention and focus into beating Kevin at some video game they decided to play ("For someone who doesn't have electricity you're good at this," Tyson grumbled when Kevin sent his player flying off of the screen).
Kai, who they didn't think was paying attention, would snicker quietly every now and then whenever Kevin pummeled Tyson. He took his frustration out on the controller which began to crack and pop underneath his hands.
"Relax Tyson!" Max laughed. "It's just a game. I mean, you're pretty bad at it but—"
"Oh yeah?" Tyson demanded, whirling around to glare at the blond. "Why don't you get your butt down here and put your money where your mouth is?"
"You've already been humiliated enough, don't you think?" Ray teased.
"You too! And Kai! I can beat all three of you with my eyes closed!" Tyson challenged.
"I don't play childish games," Kai spoke up from behind the book that he picked up.
"Why? Are you scared you'd lose?" Tyson taunted. "Yep, I bet that's it. You're scared you'd lose to one of us children."
"Tyson, leave it alone. You know Kai doesn't like video games," Ray said, lifting his arm from Mariah's shoulders and slid onto the floor. He took the controller from Kevin and turned it around in his hands as if he were examining it. He tested a few buttons and moved the joystick around with his thumb and then looked up at the screen as the intro started with loud music and trumpets sounding.
"Yeah, because he loses!"
"Tyson, give it a rest," Crystal sighed. She jumped when the book Kai was reading infiltrated her vision. She took it, slipping her finger in the pages he held open and he, wordlessly, sat down on the floor and picked up a controller. She looked at the back of his head, to the cover of the book (Peter the Great) and then back at him, making a soft humming sound.
"Oh this'll be good," Lee commented and took Kai's place on the count to get a better look. Mariah joined him, bringing her knees up to her chest and peered at the screen curiously. Kevin, Hilary, Kenny, and Gary joined them and soon the hotel suite was filled with screams of encouragement from the spectators and the clicks of buttons being smashed and joysticks wiggling around.
Despite all of the noise the atmosphere in the room was calm; serene even.
And any serenity that they were bestowed was paradise.
A/N: And there you have it! More questions than answers, but fear not! They will be answered in Crouching Tiger II: Yin and Yang! I have big plans for that story: more about the Chinese culture (because I have so much fun researching this stuff, as if you couldn't tell), more with Lee acting strange, the marriages, courtships, and rules of the White Tiger village, Kai's family and his relationship with his friends, and of course more about Crystal's family and Dricen's origins to name a few. I don't want to give everything away!
This story took me a year longer than I planned to get updated but, as I'm sure all of you know, life sometimes gets in the way, and I'm thankful for all of you that have waited for the next chapter and stuck with me during the wait! Saying that I appreciate you doesn't do justice with how I feel about you all. I will update this story with an Author's Note to let you all know when the (proper) sequel has been posted.
What did you think of the ending? I don't know about you guys but I think the image of Tyson, Kai, Max, and Ray playing Super Smash Bros. Melee or something of the sort is hilarious.
Thank you to:
rawrrxieatxyou -Muahahaha! That's the point! I don't want anyone knowing who she ends up with until it happens and I will throw tons of curveballs if I have to until I get to the point where it is the perfect moment for the reveal to happen. Or will it happen? *wiggles eyebrows* Don't worry, I love random reviews as much as I love reviews that have a point. Heck, as I'm sure everyone will say, I love reviews in general. I'm glad to know I'm keeping you on your toes and at the edge of your seat to find out who she's with, but remember, the pairing isn't the important part of the story I'm sharing about Crystal, it's just a part of it. Thanks so much for your review and thank you for coming back each time!
Aldamonburst - Tyson constantly surprises me with how much he's grown up over the years. Of course, he hasn't strayed too far from his naive tendencies, of which will come back to light in the sequel. I'm glad you think that's good because that's the name I'm sticking with XD. Thank you, too, for your reviews and constantly coming back to read my stuff! I appreciate it, man!
ShiningHeart of ThunderClan - He is! He totally is! It's because, ever since they saved him (this is what I believe anyway) he's become fiercly protective of his teammates beause they're his family now! He won't ever admit that out loud but they're his best friends and he cares for them and the way he shows it is by always being there to protect them (I also think this stems from the whole Wyatt situation, which will also be touched on in the next story). Nope! It's not wrong. I 'awww'ed as well. The image jumped out at me out of nowhere and I knew I had to add it in! I couldn't pass it up! Thank you so much for your review!
Cat - Well, they're boys, and they're kind of clueless. I hope I explained it well enough. Thanks for coming back to my stories, I really appreciate it, and thank you for the reviews!
and all of you silent readers. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you all. Thank you again and see you next time!
~C.M.