Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade or any of its characters, although I own the plot.
Warnings: Self injury, suicide
Author's Note: Double update this time, so instead of getting just Chap. 10, you also get Chap. 11. This chapter is a bit angsty.
All Will End - Part 1: Learning to Trust
Chapter 10: Death of a Phoenix
The dark, heavy clouds were an omen. They warned of an intense storm, of a tragic event. Just when the sun should have risen from the eastern sky, cold rain fell towards the thirsty earth. Eventually, it had enough to drink, but the sky continued crying. Puddles of water formed in holes in the ground and sidewalks of the city. Benches were wet and would not be used for some time. Children were out in the rain, frolicking and playing, taking joy from the rare moment.
Ray, however, was not outside playing. He was inside his mother and father's cozy little house. He was laying on a soft couch in the family's living room, with a warm and fuzzy blanket wrapped around his body. He was not cold, but it felt good to have some warmth around him. For a moment, his mind wandered from the book he read, wondering if this is how it feels to have Kai's muscular arms around him. He shook the thought from his head with a scowl.
"That's disgusting," he tried to convince himself. "Shouldn't be thinking about that. Gotta study..."
"Are you alright, honey?" came a woman's voice from the kitchen. It clearly showed concern.
"I'm fine, mom," replied Ray, sighing softly before returning to his book.
He was not cold or warm. He did not shiver or sweat. Butterflies fluttered inside him, raising his anxiety to new heights. The rain was a purification rite of sorts; it cleansed his body. It removed the sins from his mortal flesh but could not erase them from his mind. The thoughts, so forbidden, overwhelmed him. They drove him insane until he could not take any more torture.
His hand held on to the knife. The blade was a sharp as a monster's teeth. His muscles worked so slowly and delicately, the steel blade approaching his left wrist. Suddenly, with a renewed effort, the pale skin was ripped open. Only seconds later did crimson liquid flow from the wound. He trembled in unexplainable bliss. And yet, his red eyes were as emotionless as can be.
"Damn," Kai swore, attempting to clench his left hand. The pain grew nearly unbearable as he did so. "Not that..."
He ceased the effort of moving his injured wrist, and his hand went limp. He knew, deep inside, that the consequences of this sin were great. The scar would be everlasting on his mortal body, as well as his inability to manuever his hand as he had once been able to. His wrist would never fully recover and would be doomed to be handicapped. It was one more cut that was the ultimate proof of his state of mind.
The book was slammed shut, the sound echoing around the quiet house. His mother had left on an errand for food, otherwise known as grocery shopping. His content mood had suddenly left minutes ago, leaving him confused. It was just a rainy day; Kai would be strong enough to survive. The phoenix was as healthy as an ox and would never succumb to illness of the physical sort. Mentally, he was vulnerable, but his heart was made of ice. If nothing could be let in, nothing could hurt him. Or so, this was the theory.
His confusion grew into anxiety. He kicked soft blanket from his body and abandoned the novel on the couch where he once sat. He paced around the room, frantic for something. He did not know what that "something" was. However, he was aware that he was needed somewhere at that very moment. The urge told him to go to the park, close to the forest. Something was happening there. Something, it told him, involving Kai.
He did not bother to grab his raincoat before leaving the cozy house behind him. He rushed into the freezing rain, hoping that it was not too late.
His right hand shook wildly, his fingers barely able to grasp any object. It was a miracle, or perhaps not, that he was able to hold the gun at all. He pointed it towards his head and shut his eyes tightly. He would finally be forgiven, even if he went to that place called Hell.
He held his breath as his cold finger twitched. The gunshot echoed around him. He briefly wondered if he could become deaf by the sheer volume of that. But even the gunshot could not compare to the loudness of his scream.
It would be frightening to anyone, despite what they claim. A gunshot followed by an agonizing scream would always be terrifying. These two sounds are what made Ray's heart skip a beat.
He had arrived at the park in record time, to the place where their lives always seemed to go astray. He was sweating despite the rain. His bad feelings suddenly worsened.
He rushed towards the sound of the scream; the grass gave way to mud. It departed from the ground and landed on his clothes, staining his jeans and sneakers. He did not care. He continued running on and on, and when he began to think that he went too far, he suddenly spotted a black form that was laying collapsed in the mud.
He did not slow until he reached the body. He gasped when he realized its identity but did not allow that to get in the way of his personal first-aid. His golden eyes darted around wildly, searching for the source of the phoenix's pain. The bloody knife lay by Kai's side, next to the gun. Blood, from the deep gash in Kai's left wrist, fell to the ground and mixed with rainwater. Kai was fortunate enough to be alive, although he was scarcely breathing. The plan had failed; the bullet was lodged in his right bicep.
"Kai?" Ray sobbed, tears mingling with raindrops. "Wake up, Kai! Please, don't leave..."
Realizing that the teenager had a slim chance of awakening, he left the gun and knife behind. Kai was not left to die in the mud. Ray carried him on his back, the extra weight hardly affecting him at all. The Russian had lost some weight, Ray noted with some alarm. How could he have not noticed?
The sidewalk was wet, and as much as he hated to, he laid Kai down onto the concrete surface. He reached into his pocket and removed a cell phone from its depths. He hurriedly opened it, dialed in a few familiar numbers and awaited a response. A woman's tired voice was on the other end.
"I need an ambulance," Ray said. "My friend tried to kill himself."
It wasn't long before blaring sirens approached the teenage boys.