ok hey! i understand it has been a veeeeeeeeeeery long time since i updated this but writers block came bak with a vengeance, hence thois chappie is kinda short and probably really crap!
Chapter 10 Weapons and Flying Lessons
(This is happening at the same time as what happened in the previous chapter)
"Ok then all done!" proclaimed Rei as he stepped back to look at his work.
White bandages were wrapped around Kai's shoulder and knee and Rei had spread some herbal ointment on other cuts.
"Uh… thanks…" Kai muttered, still peeved that Rei had managed to overpower him and win the 'battle' and now he was wrapped up in a bunch of bandages. Oh joy.
"Now to do it my way." He said, and he pulled off the bandages, ignoring Rei's annoyed protests. Making a set of hand signs and holding the last one, he closed his eyes. Raising his hands, he brought them around and breathed deeply. A reddish amber aura wrapped itself around Kai. The Guardians watched in surprise as Kai's cuts began closing themselves.
When every wound was healed, the aura faded away and Kai opened his eyes. He grabbed his shirt and pulled it on then grabbed his pack. Taking a quick glance at the darkening sky he said, "we'll keep walking tonight until you decide its time to stop."
Watching Kai's receding figure, the group sighed and grabbed their own belongings and followed the phoenix.
They had stopped when they grew weary and the sky was pitch black, no moon lighting the way.
Kai's energy had begun draining away when he had no energy source, not even then moon. So when Hilary had suggested that they stop and rest, no one had protested and Kai had simply 'hn'ed.
Now they were currently trying to wake Tyson.
"Tyson get your lazy arse up riiiight now!" shouted Hilary.
"Yes I'll have extra meat with that." Murmured Tyson as he rolled onto his side.
"Tyson! Tys-"
"Uh Hilary? Yeah, it's not really working." Stated Max as he rubbed his neck.
"Uh sorry about this Kai. We should have him up soon." Said Rei as he sent an apologetic smile to the phoenix.
"Is this how he always is?"
"Pretty much…" replied Rei as he looked at Tyson, turning back to Kai when he heard him snort in disgust.
"Pathetic." Kai then walked over and loomed over the sleeping Tyson, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.
Holding his arms out in front of him in an 'x' formation, Kai brought them down swiftly, flames flaring out. The flames hit the ground on either side of Tyson's face, the heat radiating against Tyson's cheeks. And that was enough to wake the dragon up.
Tyson shot up rubbing his cheeks. "What the?!" he exclaimed as he stared in shock at the singed ground. Tyson glared at Kai. "You are so lucky that didn't hit me."
"but it worked didn't it, fatso?"
"Fatso?! Watch it dude!" yelled Tyson as he shook his fist in Kai's face.
Kai calmly grabbed Tyson's fist and forced it back down. "Please. What can you do to me? Create a little tornado and send it after me. You can't even fly. Pathetic."
Kai then walked off.
"Grr… the nerve!" Tyson began rolling up his sleeping back furiously, muttering curses.
"Well he's right, it did get you up." Hilary said offhandedly as she began packing her own belongings.
"Still! There are easier ways of getting someone up! Like calling them,"
"Tried that."
"Or shaking them,"
"Tried that too.
"Or making a loud noise."
"Yeah that didn't work either."
Tyson glared at Max who smiled childishly. "Well it didn't!" he protested.
Tyson grabbed his pack, still grumbling.
"Lets just find Kai." Sighed Kenny.
They found the phoenix spinning a weapon in the air. Holding on to a chain, Kai spun it so that the little spikes at the top were whipping through the air. Lashing out, Kai aimed the spikes at a nearby tree, and the spikes lodged into it. Yanking on the chain, Kai spun the chain again, and the spikes moved so fast that they were just a blur. He spun them above him, to the right, behind him. He switched hands and weaved the chain in between his hands. Kai stopped the weapon and looked at the group.
"Training."
Kai lay down all the weapons he had with him in front of them. And he had heaps.
Standing, Kai said, "these are the only ones I've got with me at the moment, there's a village up ahead and a guy who lives there looks after some of my other ones."
Kenny picked up a nearby weapon and inspected it.
"Well chief?" asked Tyson.
"Its perfect. Perfect condition, nice weight making it easy to wield and the blade is sharp. The length is good and it's comfortable to hold." Kenny looked up to Kai. "Where did you get all these?"
"I bet you he stole them." Scoffed Tyson as he looked at some of the other weapons lying on the grass.
Kai was on him in a flash. He held Tyson by his collar, holding him so close their noses were almost touching. "Think what you like about me, but never ever call me a thief. I would never sink that low."
Releasing Tyson, Kai stepped away and picked up a pair of twin Sai. (there is a huge description for sai and it goes on and on really. if you want to read it, it is quite interesting follow this link: (remove the spaces) www. reference. com/ browse/ wiki/ Sai underscorepercent symbol28weapon percent symbol 29 )
"Max you prefer using pairs correct?"
"Uh yeah." Replied the blonde. Kai thrust the blades into Max's hands.
"Use them until I can get you your own pair made." Kai instructed as he walked along the line of weapons once again. Picking up a pair of Numchucks, (aside being easy to carry, numchucks were used to defend against almost any weapon, being it a bo or a sword. by trapping the blade of a sword with the chain between the two sticks, a ninja could entangle and disarm a sword-wielding attacker. the numchucks were also used for offense. th ninja could strangle or execute joint locks using the chain between the two sticks.) he tested them before handing them to Rei.
"I trust you know how to use them?"
Rei nodded, as he looked the Numchucks over before he too gave them a try.
Picking up a Bo, Kai handed the weapon to Tyson. (A Bo is a staff. It's generally around 6 feet in length, made of hard wood or bamboo and is hollow. The reason for the hollow part is a trick of the ninja trade. By flicking the Bo with great speed, the ninja could launch a poison tipped dart or small knife out of the open end of the staff, often catching the opponent off guard.)
Tyson looked at it before blurting out, "That's it! They all get fancy weapons but I get a staff."
"You are supposed to be the Air Guardian. Figure it out." Growled Kai.
Tyson looked blankly from the Bo to Kai and back to the Bo. "Nuh, I got nothing."
Sighing irritably, Kai snatched the Bo from Tyson and held it tight. "Just watch." He growled.
Kai banged the end on the grass twice before twirling it and throwing it up in the air like a baton. Flames trailed from the end like they were emerging from the Bo itself. Kai caught it in his other hand and twirled it once more; the flames flaring out like a windmill.
"Wow, so you can fire dance. Big deal." Tyson looked expectantly at Kai. "Come on Mr almighty. Show us something impressive."
Kai bowed mockingly. "As you wish sire." He stood up straight and gripped the Bo with two hands. Holding it out in front of him he began twirling it faster and faster until it was nothing but a blur. What happened next made Tyson stare in awe.
As the Bo picked up speed, both ends began leaving flames trailing behind. Soon, fireballs began shooting out from the centre and each end. Kai quickly stopped the spinning and the fireballs stopped. Grabbing near each end, Kai twisted the Bo once one way, and then once the other way. As he did, swirls of flames shot out from each end, following the motion of Kai's arms.
Grabbing the staff in the middle once more, Kai began to twirl the Bo even faster than he had been the first time. This time instead of fireballs, thick lines of flames shot out and the more Kai twirled the Bo, the more flames were released. Quickly, the flames joined one another and became bigger and soon there was a tornado of flames coming from the Bo.
Kai threw the still twirling Bo into the air and the fire spread, throwing flames in all different directions and when Kai caught it again, everything stopped.
Kai threw the Bo back to Tyson.
"Awesome…" breathed the younger teen and Kai smirked.
"Kenny, seeing as you were so impressed" Kai said in an almost mocking voice. "You can use that weapon there."
Kenny looked at the Naginata (a long staff with a blade attached to one end.) and then smiled at Kai.
"And for Hilary I have two things."
Hilary looked up from Rei's Numchucks. "Me?" she walked shyly over to Kai, who held a fan out to her. Hilary looked confused.
"It's a Tessen." Explained Kai.
"Oh!" Hilary nodded excitedly and took the Tessen. She fanned it out and inspected it before folding it closed again. (A Tessen is a folding fan with an iron frame and, when folded, can be used to club an enemy. A few different variations were invented, including one with a sharp edge on the outside of the framework so that, instead of only being able to club a person, the ninja could cut as well.) "It's got a blade along the framework." She commented.
"Clubbing doesn't always work." Muttered Kai as he looked over the weapons once more. "I actually have three for you. Here's the second." He held out some Neko-te. (The Neko-te is usually used by the kunoichi (female ninja). The weapon is strong iron fingernails that are fastened into leather bands fitted on the fingers, and resemble claws and are also dipped in poisons. The eyes are a favourite spot for slashing.)
Hilary grinned and strapped the Neko-te on and slashed at one of the trees around them. She laughed in delight when she saw the marks left behind. "I can club you and scratch you now Tyson. That should make waking you up a bit easier."
"Now for the final weapon." Kai picked up his bow and grabbed an arrow. Taking aim, he fired the arrow at the same tree that Hilary had slashed and as it whizzed through the air, the arrow caught alight.
Bringing Hilary over to the collection of arrows he had Kai pointed out which were which. Fire, poison, normal, double or triple headed and then there were the ones that could be used for storing things in them, the items being released when the arrow was fired, etc.
"How come she gets three?" Tyson asked grumpily.
Rei was the one to answer. "It takes a whole lot of practice to become really good at using a bow and arrow. I'm sure Kai gave her the other two so that she could use those while she learnt how to use the bow and arrow. Right Kai?"
"Hn."
Rei sighed. "I'll take that as a yes."
Kai smirked in a way that the group definitely did not like. "Now that you have your weapons… training begins."
Walking through the village's main street, Tala kept his eyes looking straight ahead as he concentrated on the conversation going on inside his, Bryan's and his mentor's heads. Spencer and Ian walked on either side of the redhead, glancing at the two boys every now and then to make sure that both of them were still ok.
Bryan was currently being held bridal style by Tala, eyes closed and body limp. His mind was somewhere else completely.
Boris, their mentor, sat in a room, holding a glass of alcohol, eyes focused on something else in the room that Tala was unable to see.
'Sir.'
'Ah Tala. What is your report?'
'The targets are together, with the two extras with them. We have met them once and engaged in battle. They are weak and do not oppose a threat. The two extras are not Manipulators. The traitor is, naturally, the strongest of them all and the only one that can be seen as a threat so far. He seems to have no recollection of any of his memories. The Phoenix Goddess, Dranzer, is still with him.'
'Hm… just as I thought, everything is just as I thought. And your team?'
'We are all fine. Bryan is currently holding the connection.'
'Can you not do it through some other way?' Boris swirled the alcohol around the glass.
'No sir. We are currently in the village that the targets are heading for. What are yours and Lord Voltaire's orders?'
"Tala!" hissed Ian.
Tala turned his head to the younger boy, still listening to his mentor. Ian motioned towards Bryan and Tala looked at the falcon.
Sweat was gathering on the pale forehead, breathing picking up pace, but only slightly.
"The Switch must be starting." Murmured Spencer, not looking at the lilac haired teen.
Bryan groaned, his head lolling to one side like a rag dolls.
'Boris must be drunk or close to it. Bryan must be getting his alcohol in-take.' Tala thought.
Bryan groaned again and arched up slightly.
'Hang on Bry'. Almost done…'
'Tala!'
'Sorry sir.'
Boris frowned but carried on. 'You are to follow the targets. Attack them again soon.'
'Yes sir. The village they are heading for, it is near the Portals of Worlds End.' Tala felt Bryan reaching for the doorway into his dreams but pushed him away. Bryan was getting deeper in not only Tala's mind but in Boris's mind also.
'Let them pass through, but follow. I shall need a regular report on their's and your status, understood?'
'Yes sir.'
Voltaire walked into the room, his eyes travelling to the opposite side of the room. He smirked and poured himself a glass of alcohol before seating himself next to Boris.
Neither of the two knew that the connection was still up.
'The experiments have been going well I hear.' Stated Voltaire as he took a sip from his glass.
'Yes my lord. Quite well. The spirit has bee…'
The image slowly faded away, as well as the voices and Tala came back to the real world.
"The connection broke. Bryan's out of it. The Switch gave him Boris's alcohol intake so Boris will be happy when he discovers he isn't going to get drunk too quickly." He said to the two walking next to him.
"The report?"
"It went fine Ian, and the orders are the same, and we are to follow them through the Portals of Worlds End, whichever one they choose to go through."
Rei lay there staring up at the sky. He ached in every place; even where he didn't think it was possible to ache.
Training had been hell. Kai had made them work on everything. Weapons were at the beginning, then there was combat, then basic Manipulator exercises, then they had been sent off to train alone for a while. Tyson had eaten and fell asleep, and Kai was not happy about that. He worked the poor boy until he couldn't stand anymore and Kai had left him with a simple "pathetic."
Tyson rolled over, hissing in pain as he hit one of his many bruises. He looked over at his Bo and growled. He never wanted to have to use that again. He still hadn't been able to… to… do whatever it was that Kai had done with it. Kai had said it would be easy, that you could do it with any weapon. Yeah it may have been easy for him! He could use any weapon you gave to him. Tyson groaned as he sat up.
'We need to get horses,' he thought. 'Or I'll die from all this walking.'
"We're getting horses at the village up ahead." Kai walked over to the tired group, pack on his shoulders and already ready to get going.
Max stood up and stumbled over to his pack. He rolled up his sleeping bag and stuffed it in then tiredly walked to Kai.
Hilary almost crashed into a tree, still tired from the day before. Rei had to grab Kenny and Tyson as they walked the wrong way.
"You obviously can't go without sleep for too long." Sighed Kai as he ran a hand through his hair. "We'll start training at night. See if that helps."
"Tyson can't go like two hours without sleep and food." Hilary said grouchily.
"Can too!" Tyson protested weakly.
"Tyson I'm over here. That's a tree."
They walked along the path that they had found, Kai flying swiftly above them as a look out.
Tyson sighed and stopped. "Kai I'm going to go nuts if I have to carry a 6 foot long staff everywhere."
Kai flew in low next to him and grabbed the staff. Halting in the air, he banged one end against the ground twice and then twirled it and threw it in the air like a baton. Catching it again, Kai banged one end against the ground once and then the other end, and swiftly, the Bo folded in on itself until is was a round tube the size of Kai's palm.
Kai handed it back to Tyson who stuffed it in his pack.
Kai smirked as he got and idea. "Actually hold onto that Bo for a second Tyson. And take your pack off."
Although confused, Tyson did as he was told, crying out when Kai suddenly grabbed him under his arms and lifted him into the air.
"K-Kai! Put me down!" yelled Tyson as he stared at the ground which was getting further and further away.
Kai ignored him and soared higher. When he thought they were high enough, he stopped.
"Ready for your flying lessons?"
"Flying lessons? Kai what fl-aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Kai released Tyson. Tyson fell through the air towards the ground, which was now getting closer and closer. His friends called out in alarm.
"Kai! Help!" screamed Tyson.
Kai was flying just behind Tyson. 'Obviously he wont use his wings by instinct.'
"Use your Bo Tyson!" Kai yelled to the younger teen.
Tyson fumbled with it, trying to get it to extend again. It did and Tyson gave a short sigh of relief.
"Now what?"
"Think!"
Tyson bit his lip. Luckily Kai had taken them above the forest, higher still, so Tyson had a bit of time to figure things out.
Grabbing the Bo in the centre, Tyson began twirling it, praying to every god he knew for a bit of luck.
Slowly but surely, wisps of air began coming from the Bo, and soon Tyson had a tornado much similar to the one Kai had shown them yesterday, except that it wasn't made of flames.
Tyson kept spinning the Bo and when he got closer to the ground, he aimed it down, hoping against hope that it would slow him down. And it did, sort of. The winds weren't strong enough so they didn't have enough force to slow Tyson down to a safer speed.
Seeing that Tyson was dangerously close to smashing into the ground, Kai sped up and caught the blunette.
When Kai had sped up, Rei had dropped his own pack and acting on pure instinct, had thrust his arms up and to the left. A heap of earth grew from the ground and followed Rei's commands. It arched up and wrapped itself around Tyson at that same time as Kai caught him.
Kai released Tyson and nodded in approval at Rei. Perching on the earth arm, Kai smiled as he switched personalities. His hair and eyes changed colour and Kai pulled out his plain red mask, putting it on.
"Well you learnt how to use the Bo without having to call your Element. Now we just need to get your wings working. But right now," he turned serious. "All of you get up into the trees. We've got company."
there you go... i know not much happened but i think i've finally gotten over my damn bloody writers block so the next chapter should (hopefully) be much better!
bye!
kavbj