I'm back! (creepy organ plays in background)

Thanks to my reviewers: Raykou-kun, Cailany, phoenix-falling, twin1, Canyx, Uzumi, kavbj, vlissan, Smiffyizdabest, BloobRedViolet, apple.starz, anonymous, or-chan, Balrog Roike, Kais-lil-lover, Miako6, and sesshy-sesshy-girl.

Now on with the story!!!!

Chapter 11: Formidable Barriers Breached (Sorta)

"You can't loose your temper so much, Bruce. Yelling at the boy isn't going to do any good," scolded Judy.

After dinner had finished the kids had either dispersed to their rooms or to the training facility downstairs. Now Judy and Bruce were finishing cleaning the kitchen trying to decide how to deal with Kai. Judy thought they should just give him time to adjust and should not be so hard, whereas, Bruce thought the boy needed to be disciplined. Nothing harsh, just grounding him from blading for a week or two. That always worked on Tyson.

"You can't get through to the boy any other way, Judy. He'll just sit there and ignore you. If we don't do something about him, then the other kids might start thinking they can get away with anything."

Finishing wiping a dish, Judy couldn't help but agree with Bruce. She didn't like to punish kids, if it was up to her, she would rather sit down and have a talk with them rather than deprive them of things. But a talk with Kai- that would futile, even she knew that.

"Okay, one week from blading. But Bruce, when you go talk to him, try to be civil. Maybe you can find out what's bothering him."

Getting up from his seat, Bruce started to head for the upstairs. Reaching the top, he found Ray pacing back and forth in front of Kai's door.

"Ray?" he asked.

Startled, Ray jumped about two feet. His cheeks became a faint shade of pink at being caught pacing in front of Kai's door.

"Oh… Hey Bruce. I was just…admiring the pictures hung on this wall," he said with a cheesy grin.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at him. "Ray, you and I both know you can't lie."

"Yes sir," Ray replied. He motioned for Bruce to follow him into the closest room which happened to be Eddie's.

"So what were you doing exactly?" Bruce asked once the door was closed.

"Well, I was trying to come up with a reason I could ask Kai if I could come into his room," he said.

Seeing the look on Bruce's face, Ray immediately tried to clarify what he meant.

"No, no… Not for that reason Bruce. Believe me I'm 100 straight."

Bruce visibly took a sigh of relief.

"It's just that I need to talk to Kai and if I don't have a good reason to, I doubt he'll let me in."

Figuring away this could help the both of them, Bruce turned to Ray.

"You know Ray, Judy sent me up here to talk to Kai. I'm supposed to tell him he is grounded from blading for a week. If you need a reason, you can tell him I sent you to deliver that message. After what happened at dinner, I think it would be best if we kept our distance for a while."

"You're going to ground Kai from blading?" Ray asked in disbelief. "Not to question your authority, but I pretty sure Kai would go on a killing rampage," laughed Ray.

"It is up to Judy and I to take care of you kids, and we aren't going to let one boy ruin this time we're spending together. Just give him the message, and we'll be the ones to enforce it."

Nodding his head, Ray agreed to tell Kai.

"Thanks Ray." And with that Bruce left.

Heading for Kai's door, Ray became nervous about what he was going to do. He knew something was bothering Kai, and he needed a reason to enter his room so he could talk with him. Well he got his reason. He thought sarcastically. Pictures of Kai slicing him into pieces after being told he couldn't blade filled his mind. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Ray knocked on the door. Kai may be a little angry at the news, but after all he was the most rational of the group.

After waiting two minutes, no one answered the door. Knocking again, Ray waited patiently. Still no one. Turning the knob himself, he took a cautious step into Kai's room. It was empty. Looking around, he took in close details of the room. Everything was painstakingly neat. He had always been the one to share a room with Kai, and he knew he was a perfectionist, but it almost looked as if no one inhabited this room. His desk had a lone pen on it with a few sheets of paper. His dresser was completely clear, his bed was made, and his black boots were perfectly aligned in front of the bed.

Well I least I know he didn't leave Ray thought. Suddenly, Ray felt a shiver run down his spine. Looking around, Ray noticed that the window was open.

It's snowing out. Why in the world would Kai have the window open? He thought. Then, suddenly having an epiphany, Ray ran towards the window.

He wouldn't. He tried convincing himself.

Looking out the window, he looked down. No footprints. Now he was out of ideas.

"Next time you enter my room, I would appreciate you asking for permission."

Startled by the voice, Ray jumped, and hit his head on the top of the window. Rubbing it, Ray scowled at being caught off guard twice in one day. Trying to locate the source of the emotionless voice, Ray glanced up and saw a scarf hanging from the roof. Leaning farther out the window, Ray could make out the silhouette of Kai at the top of the roof. His head was sitting on top of his one leg while the other dangled over the edge. Even though both his eyes were closed, he had still somehow noticed Ray.

"Kai, what the heck are you doing up there?" called Ray. He was freezing just from leaning out the window for a couple minutes, Kai, who should be a human popsicle by now, appeared unaffected by the icy weather.

Seeing Kai stand up, Ray took a step back from the window, welcoming the warmth of the room. A minute later, the duo-haired blader entered the room landing perfectly on his feet.

At this point in time, Ray was truly beginning to think that his captain wasn't human. Who the heck could perform a stunt like that? He was a neko-jin, but even he was doubting whether he'd be able to land as gracefully as that.

"What is it that you want Ray?" Bringing Ray out of his daze, Ray racked his brain trying to remember the exact reason he had come to Kai's room.

"Well?"

"Um…Oh yeah! Bruce wanted me to tell you-" he trailed off a little unnerved at how Kai was studying him.

"Yes," Kai urged on.

"Hewantedmetotellyouthatyou'regroundedfrombladingforaweek," Ray said in one breath.

"Ray," Kai said, "repeat what you said only this time slower."

"Bruce said that you're grounded from blading for one week. Please don't shoot the messenger," he said holding his hands in front of him.

Walking over to his bed, Kai laid down putting his hands behind his head.

"Is that it?" he said smirking to himself.

A little confused, Ray looked over at Kai in disbelief.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Yeah, I just figured he'd come up with something…different is all," Kai replied looking sullen for a slight moment.

"So, you're not mad?" questioned Ray. He just couldn't get how Kai didn't think not being able to blade a punishment.

"No, if I'm not allowed to blade, I can find other ways to train. Besides, without Dranzer, it doesn't matter that much anyway," he mumbled the last part. He was planning on trying to improve his blading, but after hearing the news about Biovolt, there were other things that he needed to prepare first.

"I bet you really miss her," Ray said. "I remember when I lost Drigger against the Saint Shields. (1) It was like losing a part of myself."

"…"

"Kai-"

"Drop it Ray," said Kai coldly.

"No Kai! I won't drop it," Ray said with sudden aggression. "All I'm trying to do is help you and all you keep doing is pushing me away. I mean at least have a conversation with me.

"What's your favorite color?" Kai asked.

Now utterly confused, Ray asked a very logical and intelligible question, "Huh?"

"What's your favorite color? Mine are black and red."

"Umm…gold and white I guess. But what does that have to do with anything! Don't try and change the subject Kai."

"I'm not. We just had a conversation. Happy now?" Kai asked matter-of-factly.

Now Ray wasn't sure whether to laugh or start ranting at Kai. He decided to choose the former. "Kai…I think…you just made a joke," Ray said in between laughs.

Looking towards Ray, Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever."

Calming down again, Ray decided to try and get back on topic.

"Kai, please, I'm your teammate- no… your friend. Or at least I'd like to be. But in order to be friends, you have to trust me. I trust you."

Something inside of Kai's head suddenly clicked, and his eyes shot open. He'd heard those words before.

"Kai, I know we're not supposed to have fwends, but do you consider me one?" asked a sheepish flaming haired boy. He had just come back from training and was having his wounds cleaned by Kai.

"Of course Tala, you're my bestest fwend in the whole world!" a younger Kai exclaimed.

Delighted, Tala eagerly replied back. "Thanks Kai, I don't twust anyone in here except you. You trust me right?"

"Right. That's what fwends do after all."

"KAI!"

Kai was brought out of his flashback when Ray screamed his name. Breathing heavily, Kai's mind took in every detail of that happening that occurred nine years earlier. He remembered that day exactly. Tala and him had been cell mates for about four months. It was the first time they actually called each other friends.

His body suddenly tensed as someone grabbed his arm. Looking up he saw Ray. How could he forget he was here? Mentally scolding himself for showing weakness in front of Ray, Kai pulled his arm away.

"What the heck just happened Kai? And don't you dare tell me it's none of my business. I'm over here talking to you, and suddenly you shoot up and start breathing like you're having a heart attack. I know something is wrong Kai and I want answers now!" Ray was running on pure adrenaline. He never yelled, especially not at Kai.

Looking up blankly at Ray, Kai blinked a couple times before getting his emotionless demeanor back.

"I trust you more than anyone in this house Ray," Kai said answering Ray's previous question.

"Don't you dare tell me to- You what?" Ray asked not sure if he heard Kai clearly.

"I trust you more than anyone here, Ray, and I consider you a friend," Kai said not looking at Ray. His voice was almost a whisper. All the memories he had been having happen to him had been horrific occurrences, but this one, it was one of the good times he actually had in the abbey.

Ray was definitely not expecting that to be what Kai said.

"Thanks Kai." Ray wasn't exactly sure what to say. "Umm…do you mind telling me what just happened?"

Deciding whether he should tell Ray, Kai went against every rule in his book. He knew Ray wouldn't use it against him. At least he hoped not.

"Ray, what I'm about to tell you, you have to swear never to tell anyone else," Kai's eyes were now looking directly at Ray searching for any signs of betrayal.

"Okay Kai! I swear whatever you tell me in this room won't leave these walls." If Kai was going to tell him something about himself, then he'd be willing to cut out his vocal chords to prove to Kai he'd never tell. Okay- maybe that was a little extreme.

Taking a deep breathe, Kai stood up and faced Ray with an unwavering stare.

"For the last few days I've been having these "flashbacks." I don't what triggers it, but one minute I'm doing something, and the next I'm reliving a memory. I don't know why it's happening, but-," Kai's voice trailed off.

"Maybe, your experiencing some kind of déjà vu," suggested Ray.

"No. When this happens, I not only see everything that's happening, but I can feel what happened too. I've never heard of déjà vu that extreme."

Ray was now completely puzzled. How could someone not be experiencing something, but still feel the effects of it happening. To be able to relive moments of your life as if it were happening again, yeah it'd be scary at first, but then it would be kind of cool. His thoughts drifted to when he was little and how it would be so nice to relive some of the times he spent with the White Tigers. Carefree and beyblading in the forests. He was snapped out of his thoughts when Kai started talking again.

"What do you think I should do Ray, I want these to stop happening." His voice was now just above a whisper and his face looked almost doleful.

"Well, if they have been happening repeatedly, you should probably go see a doctor."

Kai's previous expression was gone in an instant, and his eyes became blazing.

"I am not going to a doctor."

Taken aback by Kai's tone Ray tried to show he didn't mean anything by it.

"Okay. Sure. Nooo doctor."

After a small pause, Ray asked another question. "What happened just now? I mean, what did you just see in your flashback."

Kai's eyes softened ever so slightly and became distant. "It was the first time I met Tala." It wasn't completely true, but to Kai it was what marked the beginning of their friendship.

"Tala? Tala from the Blitzkrieg Boys?" Ray was confused. He new Tala and Kai had been teammates, but he really didn't know how long they had known each other or just how far their relationship went. (2)

Breaking out of his thoughts, Kai put his mask back on.

"I think it's time for you to leave now Ray, and don't mention any of this to anybody," Kai said warningly. Making a mental note of finding out Kai's relationship with Tala, Ray got up and headed towards the door. Stopping just outside Kai's room, he offered Kai his services.

"Hey Kai, if you ever need to talk, I'm right down the hall. I've also been told I'm a great listener." With that said, Ray left Kai's room.

Outside, Ray did a small victory dance in his mind. He had gotten through at least a little of Kai's mask. He definitely had a ways to go, but he had accomplished something. With that thought, he headed to his room with a small smile on his lips. Unbeknownst to him, a similar grin sat on the face of a duo-haired boy just a door away. Maybe trusting wasn't so bad after all.

1: In the second season, the Saint Shields stole Drigger and sealed him in an ancient rock. Wasn't sure if anyone remembered.

2: All the Bladebreakers think that Kai and Tala were just teammates. They don't know that they are actually good friends.

Whew that was long! I wrote it all in two days! (That's a record for me.)

I hope to be getting to some action scenes in the next few chapters. Hopefully I didn't bore you all with this.

Ta Ta everyone! Please Review!

FlamingIce