-1Chapter Eleven - A Darkened Return:
Kai's Words And Vai's Tears
The next morning, dressed in a white sailor suit-like sweatshirt with green cuffs and matching pleated skirt beneath, Vai was driven to Whitford High, the high school she was to attend. There were a few minutes left before the bell would ring and hail the students to registration, so she loitered around in the grounds, some distance from the other students that were clustered here and there in small groups outside the school. There was no one she knew, no one she could trust…She was jerked out of her thoughts as a black car pulled up beside the school gates. Funny, it seemed familiar -
A tall, slim boy alighted from the vehicle. He had scruffy silver hair, and his clear violet eyes studied the school intently, his gaze sweeping from student to student. Vai's heart missed a beat. It wasn't…It couldn't be - The boy's eyes fixed on her. A light shone in them. The light of recognition. "Kai!" Vai cried, tears in her eyes. As the black car sped off, Kai ran full-pelt toward her, and swept her up into his arms. He was dressed in a green school blazer, with a red tie and white shirt underneath. His dark grey trousers contrasted sharply with his light silver hair. "Oh, Kai, it's so good to see you again!" Vai whispered, tears of joy soaking him as she sobbed into his shoulder. Kai squeezed her in his arms, caressing her hair soothingly.
"It's good to see you, too," he replied. As the bell rang, hailing them to registration, Kai and Vai walked hand in hand into school. Knowing that Kai was in the same school as her helped Vai a lot. It was thanks to this that she got on well that morning in class, and she even made some new friends. She and Kai met up again at break. A brown-haired boy tagged along with her boyfriend. Vai looked at him curiously.
"Who's this?" she asked Kai.
"Wyatt Smithrite," Kai answered. "We met in Prep school two years ago. Apparently, he's my biggest fan." He sighed irritably, rolling his eyes.
Vai's eyes narrowed slightly. "You been annoying Kai?" she quizzed Wyatt suspiciously. The boy looked sheepish.
"I don't mean to," he told her. Vai sighed, looking from Wyatt to Kai. She looked at Kai straight in the eye.
"Come on, Kai, I know you like him really. Why don't you two make up?" she suggested. The two boys looked at each other for a moment, then at her. Finally, they clasped hands. Vai smiled. "That's it, guys."
Her smile brightened as she looked at Kai again. "It's good to have someone that admires you, Kai," she said to him. "Wyatt wants to be just like you, I bet. I bet he wants to follow in your footsteps and become a Champion Beyblader like you are. Don't you see? You're his idol, his model; you're the inspiration of his ambition. And for a Champion Blader like yourself to motivate things like this, I think it's great. You never know, Wyatt might yet be the new Tyson in Beyblading!" She smiled kindly at Kai. "And don't forget - you're my hero, too." She held his hand lovingly.
Kai looked at her and nodded, giving her a tiny smile. Vai was right. It was a good thing that Champion bladers like him encouraged others to be the best. He squeezed her hand gently.
While this was going on, Wyatt's brown eyes darted from Kai's smile to their linked hands. He was confused. Kai's…smiling, he thought, I've never seen him do that or anyone make him smile… They're holding hands, too. What's going on? Wyatt looked at the softness in Kai's eyes. It can't be… It couldn't be… He's - They're in love! He glanced at Vai. Who is she? And how does Kai know her in the first place?
Vai saw Wyatt's perplexed face. Smiling kindly at him, she explained all about how she and Kai knew each other. "Childhood friend?" Wyatt asked. "But Kai's never told me about you…"
"That's because he didn't remember then," Vai told him patiently. "We reunited in the summer vacation, and I helped him get his memory back. I'm Violet Malakomi, Wyatt. Pleased to meet you. And, please, call me Vai."
Wyatt smiled back. "Nice to meet you, Vai," he responded. "As Kai said, I'm Wyatt." Just then, there were shouts of his name from some other boys. Wyatt hastily said goodbye, before rushing off to his friends. Vai looked at Kai intently.
"Have you remembered anything else of your past?" she asked.
Kai shook his head. "The blurred images of two faces looking down at me still foxes me. I can't seem to recall at all who they are."
Vai held both of his hands firmly. "Then, try!" she urged. "For me." Sighing, Kai closed his eyes and reached deep inside himself. He tried to remember, but the faces in his mind did not become apparent. Fiercely, he tried again. Suddenly, it all came flooding back. Memories of them when he was small, as a toddler…then, as a six-year-old… He realized who the faces were. His parents. His dead parents. He had finally unlocked his heart - and had rediscovered the forgotten memories hidden within.
His mother, whose name was Kyarra Hiwatari, had his violet eyes and the most beautiful, long brunette hair. His father, Kiochi, on the other hand, had his silver hair and clear auburn eyes. And they were looking down at him as he lay in the snow, no more than two years old. His body was shaking, he remembered. Shaking with laughter. They had had a snowball fight and he had fallen flat on his back in the deep snow, legs and arms splayed out. His silver hair was covered with snow, and looked almost white due to this. A stray snowflake landed on his nose. Little Kai sneezed, and the snow in his hair dusted his face. He looked so funny that Kyarra and Kiochi burst out laughing.Their son, aware of how silly he looked, also laughed. This was one of the most happiest memories he had of his parents and he almost smiled as he recalled it to Vai.
Other memories flooded back. Nearly all of them were happy, and Kai, for the first time in years, remembered them clearly. Gradually, he remembered almost all of his forgotten past. But there was a final fragment of it that he needed to become whole again, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Something was missing…something important… No matter how hard he tried, the memory didn't come. He sighed. Maybe it would come to him later.
At the end of school, Kai asked Vai as they met at the school gates, "You wanna see a movie tonight?"
Vai was surprised. "A movie? On a date?" she asked. She couldn't believe that Kai was asking her out.
He nodded. "Let's say it's my way of saying thank you for the date you took me on." Vai was thrilled. Eagerly, she accepted his offer, promising to meet him at the movie theatre as soon as she was ready. And she was as good as her word. She was at the cinema just as he arrived.
The two-hour movie was great. Vai and Kai had a good time watching it, although they spent most of the film kissing in their back seats. Kai had shown Vai his secret side once again and had become very affectionate. Vai was very delighted at him being like this, and responded eagerly to his kisses. Once the movie had finished, they kissed each other fondly, before going their separate ways back home.
For two months, Vai and Kai were at their happiest, spending time together at school and after school. Then, Kai was absent from high school almost a whole week. It was so sudden, that Vai became very anxious. Had something terrible happened? Was he critically ill? She had to know, so she decided to visit the mansion where Kai lived. It was on the outskirts of Moscow, and was called Hiwatari Mansion. She took a taxi and arrived there in no time at all.
Vai knocked on the large, wooden doors of the menacing house. The sound seemed to echo eerily in the silence, as if the mansion was empty. She shivered as she waited for someone to answer it, stood in the ankle-deep snow. It was the start of December, and the snow had already come to Russia. A chilling gale whipped snowflakes around, snow lashing her face. Vai pulled her fur coat tighter around her. Finally, with a shrieking creak, the huge mansion doors slowly swung open. A white-haired old man, dressed in a butler's suit, stood in the doorway. "What can I do for you, Miss?" he enquired politely.
"I wish to speak with Master Kai Hiwatari," Vai requested formally. "I have brought with me the homework he needs for this week. I am but a schoolmate calling in to make sure he keeps up with his education, as his grandfather would probably agree."
"Right this way, Miss," the butler nodded, gesturing for her to go inside. Vai walked through and the old man shut the doors behind them. They walked down a large corridor, lit by small lamps protruding from the walls either side of them. There was a door at the end of the corridor. The butler knocked sharply once, and a quiet, chilling voice answered, "Come in." Vai was led into the room, which was cold, draughty and almost empty, except for a window and a chair. And, sat in that chair, was Kai himself. The butler bowed once, then left the room, closing the door behind him.
"Why are you here?" Kai asked Vai, without turning away from the window.
"To give you your homework," Vai replied calmly. "You haven't been at school all week. What's wrong? Are you ill, or hurt?" Her friend said nothing, but slowly stood up from his seat and silently took the pile of books from her. Her anxiety mounted, and her chest tightened. She looked at him in concern.
"Kai - what's wrong with you? Why won't you look at me?" Vai asked, her voice choked with worry. Kai turned to face her, violet eyes flashing dangerously with a chilling light. His mouth was set in a grim, straight line, and his face was stony. He fixed her with a cold, grave stare, eyes heartless.
"You talk like we're friends," he snapped coldly. Vai's eyes widened in shock.
"But…we are friends, Kai. Don't you see? I came here to see if you're okay, that's all. I care about you - I love you!" she told him, tears in her eyes. "Kai, please, tell me - what's wrong?"
Kai's eyes gazed soullessly at her, narrowing with hatred. "There was nothing between us, and there never will be. We're not friends - you're my enemy!" he told her chillingly. "Now - get out, I never want to see you again, never." Vai's legs buckled, and she fell to her knees, crying heart-brokenly. He cringed at the sound of her crying, but his icy stare did not waver. Her tears streamed down her cheeks, splashing the cold stone floor. "Get out!" Kai commanded sharply, his quiet, chilling voice dry.
"But Kai - "
"Get out now!" he ordered, voice cracking like a whip. Slowly, the heart-broken Vai stood up and walked out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at him once, and saw the pain and fear that mingled with the cold, evil light in his violet eyes. He was being controlled. But by what, she didn't know. All she knew was, he was confused, thanks to whatever possessed him. All of a sudden, she heard something behind her.
Vai looked at the floor behind her. A Beyblade. A Beyblade blacker than night was following her, chasing her. She broke into a run, mind and heart racing. Black Dranzer was pursing her. But…it was destroyed, wasn't it? Her Bit Beast's squawk of fear filled her head. Black Dranzer had returned - like any phoenix, it could be reborn. She pelted down the corridor as fast as she could, but the blade remained on her tail.
As she burst out of the mansion doors, she heard Kai shout, "Black Wing Blade!"
There was a shrill, malevolent screech as Black Dranzer was released. Its black wings became lethal, dagger-like blades. Screaming, the Bit Beast advanced on her. It swooped in and attacked quickly and constantly, stabbing and tearing at her body. Blood flickered through the air, dripping on to the frozen ground. "Finish her!" Kai barked. Black Dranzer swooped in for a final attack.
The black phoenix slashed her breast, and her sharp scream pierced the silent, winter air as her blood spurted out in a deep, scarlet fountain, spattering and staining the snow. Covered in blood, the battered Vai fell lifelessly to the white ground. Kai's high, menacing laugh mingled with his black phoenix's merciless screech of cold victory.
