Fall in the Fires, Rise from the ashes.
Chapter 10: Drastic Changes under Cover.
After a few months...
"Hey Tala..."
"What is it Bry?" Tala turned over to look at the lilac haired boy who seemed to be in a pensive mood.
"Some thing's not right." Bryan shifted his gaze at the red head.
"Like what?" Tala tilted his head in confusion.
"Like..." Bryan pondered, "Have you noticed how distant and cold Kai seems now?"
"I don't know Bry. Maybe he's just grown up." Tala blinked.
"So? It's not like we're all still kids. But we respect our friendship. I think...his priorities have changed now." Bryan turned towards the other boy.
"What do you mean Bry? You know Kai's not the most talkative one among us." Tala was quick to defend his best friend.
"But haven't you seen? He trains twice as us. And...frankly, I've noticed that he tries to hide his...I don't know how to put it...but I think he's punished more than any other kids around here." Bryan sighed.
"Maybe it has something to do with Voltaire. And now that you've mentioned it, I too have sometimes seen blood on his clothes." Tala guessed.
"You know, we might have to confront him...today." Bryan decided in a final and defiant tone.
"Perhaps. Let's give it a try." Tala began to fumble with his beyblade, secretly hoping that it wasn't as he feared. Kai was not going to leave them and was turning cold just for that...he couldn't do that...he'd never do it.
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Kai rubbed his eyes hastily, forcing them to turn the same color as his irises. He didn't want to blow up his cover and show his friends what he was going through.
FLASHBACK...
"You will do as I order, boy. I'm sure you don't want your pathetic little friends to...shed their blood for someone like you." The venomous voice was followed by a menacing laugh.
"Don't you dare harm them. The deal was between just you and me. No one else should be a part of it...not now, not ever." This voice was younger and filled with anger and hatred.
"Don't tell me what to do! Try anything...anything foolish at all and I personally guarantee that you'll regret it. I will not tolerate your stubborn antics." The voice hissed.
"I damn care about your plans. You can...you can take me in their place. That way, our contract will not be broken." The voice became a bit hoarse by the end of the phrase.
"Really? Is that so? Sounds...interesting. I think I'm going to have more fun now." The sentence trailed off as sounds of lashing whips, dragging something and ragged breathing were heard in the background.
END FLASHBACK
Kai grimaced as he felt the wetness under his shirt. He could feel the crimson liquid sliding freely on his pale skin. The pain wasn't helping at all. He tried his best to keep his face emotionless as the guard opened the door to his room. Entering inside, he gritted his teeth to keep himself from screaming in agony but he couldn't hold in a small whimper.
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Tala's eyes snapped open as he heard a slight whimper. Looking in the right direction, he saw the person he had been waiting for. Getting up the bed, he made his way over to the teen.
"Kai?" The red head felt more concerned when Kai refused to look him in the eyes.
"Kai, come on. Look at me. What's wrong?" Tala forgot he wanted to ask Kai about his recent behavior as the teen stumbled forward and collapsed in his best friend's arms.
"What the...Kai? Kai...Kai..." Tala trailed off, gasping as he felt something soaking his shirt's sleeve. It was the arm he had around Kai's back. With a shudder, he turned his head to call Bryan, "Bry...Bry help me here."
The boy woke with a groan and looked in the direction of his friend's voice. Looking at the sight, he forgot to blink and any words he was forming were forgotten. He quickly left the bed and went over to the red head and the unconscious teen.
In a nick of time, both of them managed to get Kai on the nearest bed and that's when Tala got a chance to have a look at the damage on Kai's body.
Both, the boy's arms and legs were covered in new and old scars, some still bleeding, his back and chest were a proof that someone had recently used him as a whipping post, his skin was cold to touch and his breathing was ragged and shallow.
Curiosity replaced by worry, Tala put his own concern to a side and set to work with Bryan. In a couple of minutes, they stripped Kai out of his blood-soaked shirt and crimson-tainted scarf.
"That's wild." Bryan muttered as he gingerly touched a fading scar.
"You're telling me." Tala gritted his teeth, "Whoever did this to him will pay."
Bryan chose not to reply but the glint of determination and desperation in Tala's ice blue eyes was not hidden from his observation.
"But...I don't understand." Tala continued thinking, "I mean, he's the best blader in the whole abbey and still...all this...what are Boris and Voltaire up to? Plus not even we are punished like this...hey wait...no...no...scratch that, we're not punished at all in last few weeks, even when Ian had his blade damaged and when I accidentally messed up that beydish while training...how's that even possible? Could it be...that Boris...or Voltaire...or both...take out their anger on Kai...instead of someone else...but why would they do that? Ugh...this is so frustrating. That's it...Bryan's right, I'm going to confront Kai once he wakes up and pry this information out of him. Being his best friend, I'll make sure I know what he's going through. He can't get rid of us...can't get rid of me by putting up a cold facade...I wont let him."
Reaching the decision, Tala stopped the racing wheels of his mind and focused on the task at hand. Together with Bryan, the two managed to fix Kai's wounds as best as they could, cleaning the blood and bandaging them with their limited resources. It wasn't enough but it was still better than nothing.
Bryan finally sat back with a heavy sigh, "There, all done. Now what?"
"Now..." Tala brushed back the stray hair from his best friend's pale face, "Now we wait."
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(A/N: Just so you peeps don't wonder, Spencer and Ian have been moved to a separate smaller room. Their old room is no more. Being stronger than others, Bryan, Tala and Kai have another room and Spencer and Ian are in another one so stop freaking out!)
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Black...that was all he could see. But among the black was a familiar face, flaming red hair and ice blue eyes. He could recognize those features anywhere. Those were the opposite contrast to his own features...blue hair and crimson eyes. But...there was a voice too...
"But...I don't understand. I mean, he's the best blader in the whole abbey and still...all this...what are Boris and Voltaire up to? Plus not even we are punished like this...hey wait...no...no...scratch that, we're not punished at all in last few weeks, even when Ian had his blade damaged and when I accidentally messed up that beydish while training...how's that even possible? Could it be...that Boris...or Voltaire...or both...take out their anger on Kai...instead of someone else...but why would they do that? Ugh...this is so frustrating. That's it...Bryan's right, I'm going to confront Kai once he wakes up and pry this information out of him. Being his best friend, I'll make sure I know what he's going through. He can't get rid of us...can't get rid of me by putting up a cold facade...I wont let him."
(A/N: Sigh...yes yes, what is going on here...no readers, I haven't lost my mind, being so close friends, the person with crimson eyes and blue hair indeed hears the thoughts of the person with red hair and blue eyes...How? I don't know myself...so zip it and read on!)
So he knew. He knew it all along. No...he just came to the conclusion right now. And he planned on asking him about it...like he'll tell...like he'll pay the price of revealing anything.
But then there was this pain...and something cool on his...forehead. And a warmth around one of his hands. What was going on? He had to break free of this realm of darkness. He had to...open his eyes and activate his numb senses once more.
Kai Hiwatari woke with a groan, warping back in the real world from his dreamland. While in his own reverie of looking around, he didn't realize he had knocked off a hand from his forehead and that some one beside him was holding his hand. He didn't register the persent near him as he struggled to get off the bed. However, his surroundings seemed to change as two pairs of arms restrained him from moving too much and prevented him from aggravating his wounds any further.
"Calm down Kai." That was the same voice.
"Yeah, what's the big deal?" Another gruff voice.
Kai finally blinked to clear his vision and turned to see Tala and Bryan holding him down.
"Just hold still for a minute and try to relax. No one else is here but us." Tala loosened his grip as the teen began to breathe heavily but stopped moving nonetheless.
Bryan let go of the boy too and sat back, looking at him sharply.
In a couple of minutes, Kai finally regained his composure but refused to meet anyone's gaze. This infuriated Bryan.
"Well Kai..." Bryan's patience was running thin now, "We demand an explanation here."
"About what?" Kai's voice faltered slightly.
"About this." Bryan pointed towards the cloth tied on Kai's arm, "and this..." he gestured towards the revealed scars.
"Nothing special." Kai shrugged. But on the inside, he hoped his brothers wont see through his cold mask. He tried his best to keep his emotions well hidden.
"Nothing special?" Bryan sneered, "Yeah right. I can see that. You better tell us yourself before we make you."
"I said it's nothing. I'm fine." Kai tried to get up again but a hand on his chest stopped him. He glared at the owner, "Tala..."
"Kai..." Tala replied coolly, "We want to help you. It's the only way to live here. You said you trusted me. You..."
"I lied." Kai cut him off. How could he tell them of the deal and make their lives a pit of hell? He had to leave his friends or make their lives unbearable. So he chose the first option just for the sake of his best friends. It was the least he could do. It was his payback for his past.
"You what?" Tala gaped at the words.
"I lied Tala. Anything I ever said or will say wont be true. I never wanted to be with you guys in the first place." Kai tried his best to keep his face void of emotions. Secretly, he knew on the inside that this phrase was somewhat true. He never wanted to have friends in fear that he'll end up breaking them. That he'll be killing their spirits. And worse...enjoying it. He was a threat...a danger to have around...a sword hanging above his friends' heads. He wasn't worth having friends. He shouldn't have known what friendship really meant.
"SHUT THE HELL UP KAI! Do you have any idea of what you're saying?" Bryan snapped.
"Stop yelling Bryan." Tala glanced at the lilac haired blader warningly.
"Tell your friend to stop spilling poison at us." Bryan's voice became venomous.
"Kai, you don't mean it, do you? I know you don't. I know you're doing this for some reason." Tala looked at his best friend expectantly.
"I think it's best if you leave me alone." Kai turned to leave, but not before his arm was trapped in a steel grip. Looking back, he gritted his teeth, "Let me go Tala."
"Not until you tell me what's wrong." Tala moved and grabbed both of Kai's arms. Their faces inches apart. Kai tried to look away but Tala held him still, forcing him to look in his eyes. When their gazes met, Tala saw swarming emotions in the crimson eyes, pain, hurt, anger, hatred, sorrow, sadness, depression, fear, and most of all, crystalline drops present on the long lashes.
"Kai..." Tala pulled his closer, almost hugging him...almost, "Please. You've got to let me in. You're not alone. I'm here to look out for you. I know you didn't lie. I know you never lie. You are a true person Kai...an honest and fair blader. Therefore you must tell me." Tala's voice turned in a mere whisper by the end of the sentence.
Kai barely managed to keep his tears from escaping free from their prison. He felt his chest tightening as his voice was blocked by the sincerity, "I...I can't Tala." He finally choked out in a hoarse voice, "Please...don't ask me things I can't tell you."
"That's not the answer Kai." Bryan shook his head, coming to stand by the two teens, "You know sooner or later, you'll have to tell us everything."
"No!" Kai struggled as Tala embraced him tightly, supporting his blue shaded head on his orange covered shoulder. Kai shook as he desperately tried to break free of the hug but Bryan helped Tala to hold him down.
"Kai, calm down and listen to me. I wont force you to tell me but I think I know. Did Boris...or Voltaire tell you to do this?" Tala felt the teen's breath hitch at the question.
"Mhm fhmh hmfmh mhmf!" Came the muffled reply from Tala's shoulder
"What?" Tala looked at Kai's now tear streaked face, "Sorry, couldn't catch it."
"I said I can't tell you." Kai choked on a sob.
"And why not?" Tala asked as he rubbed Kai's back.
"B-Boris...a-and Vol-Voltaire to-told me...not to..." Kai tried to force back the sobs.
"What? No way..." Bryan's eyes widened.
Kai took the chance and with a desperate move, he pushed back both, Tala and Bryan and made a run for the door. Too shocked to do anything, the two boys tried their best to stop him but before they could, Kai was out of the room where a guard waited for him.
Kai looked at the guard through blurry eyes only to find him taking off his metal mask and purple hair showing as he smiled evilly.
The last words Tala caught were "Farewell...break you...sorry...black Dranzer..." The phrase was incomplete. Kai had said it in between sobs making it hard for the red head to understand and make sense of the words.
And so...group seven was left speechless, trying to cope with Kai's betrayal as they tried to believe what they had just heard and witnessed.
TBC
Well? Unexpected? It was unexpected for me. When I began writing this chap, I had no idea it will turn out like this. Liked it? Or not? Please leave a review and tell me. Also, I'll welcome and appreciate it if anyone has suggestions or ideas. I'm kinda lacking inspiration. I even thought about discontinuing this story but thank 'skyressshun' for bringing me back on the track! :)
Rose out!