X-X-X-X-V-X-X

"What the hell?!" He jerked away from her, too shocked to feel guilty when she stumbled forward slightly. "Why the hell do you have that on your neck?!"

"Have..." She reached up and touched the back of her neck, turning a ghostly white.

"Why do you have that lightning bolt on your neck, Ice?" He said sharply, stepping back when she reached out to him. Her hand fell to her side heavily and her eyes faded to a dull color.

"It's complicated-" She was cut off when he made a sharp hand motion.

"Of course it is! But I already know what that is! I want to know why you have one!" He glared at her, feeling emotions swirling in his chest. "No, wait, I know why you have one. Gang members have them. Biovolt, right?"

"You know about-"

"Of course I know about Biovolt!" He spat the word, "Boris Valkov was the reason I had to leave my home to begin with!" He snarled. "I watched him practically kill my best friend!"

"Tala. Please. I know this looks bad, but I-"

"No! If you have that mark, you aren't any better than he was. I can't do this, Ice. I like you. I really do. But, you have that...thing..."

"Shut up! You don't even know why I have it! If you would just let me explain it to you. Please, Tala!" Her eyes were pleading, a hand reaching out for him. He felt his heart stutter in his chest and wanted so badly to take her hand. He reached out a bit, their fingertips brushing and her eyes misting over with tears.

"Hey! Move out of the way!" They jumped as two small kids tried to shove past them and Tala watched them vanish.

"Tala."

"No, Ice. That's enough. I can't. I'm sorry, but I need to go. I'll think about...I'll call you later, okay?" He brushed past her, feeling like he'd made the biggest mistake of his life but couldn't make himself turn back. He flinched as he heard her begin to cry and took off running.

-X-

This was what he had been reduced to. He tried to calm down but with every breath he took, he kept hearing Tala's blatant rejection and then he couldn't breathe. Bryan and Rei were somewhere in the apartment, arguing about something, but he couldn't care. Rei, Tala's best friend, knew his secret, and he still couldn't care. Tala. Oh god. Tala.

If his grandfather wasn't already dead, he would kill that man. He'd ripped away his childhood, stole his innocence, killed people he cared about and even now, he haunted his life, pulling him slowly to the grave. He lost him Tala. There was no way Tala would ever talk to him again. Except he would, because he still didn't know about Ice actually being Kai. And he would continue to say nasty things, hurtful things, to him completely unaware.

This must be what it feels like to have your soul ripped out of you. He lost consciousness, chasing his sweet dreams that always stayed out of reach.

-X-

"We didn't expect to carry this scheme so far." Bryan muttered as he slumped into his kitchen island counter.

"Why would you do it in the first place?" Rei hissed. "What exactly were you hoping would happen if Hiwatari cross-dressed for you?"

"We just wanted him to find a new friend. Anyone really. We just wanted to make him happy."

"And tricking Tala is supposed to accomplish this?" Bryan scoffed.

"It's not like we chose Tala. Kai did. Despite how he acts, Kai's kind at heart. He doesn't like to hurt people when he knows exactly how much damage any abuse does to a person. He likes Tala. A lot. He probably is in love with him, at this point. If you haven't noticed though, Tala hates Kai. Kai convinced himself that the best way to keep his attention, now that he finally had it, was to keep up the charade."

"He hates Kai with good reason." Rei defended. "Hell, I hate Kai with good reason." He looked up with surprise when Bryan growled at him.

"What are your reasons?" He asked coldly. Rei started in surprise.

"He hurt Mariah. He was the reason she was in the hospital. If he had just defended her-"

"Then she would be dead now." Rei gasped, jerking away from him.

"What?"

"Kai's the only reason she got off so lightly. I know that you might not remember, but that was the same year as the BEGA revolt. If Kai didn't have his allies target her, she would have died. BEGA needed to make an example of someone and with who she was dating, she would have been the perfect candidate. It was Hiro. BEGA's right hand."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"They needed to show people what would happen if they were crossed. They had planned to do much worse than a broken arm and bruises. Her hospital stay was the only thing that kept her safe. No point going after someone already injured and in the hospital." His eyes softened. "I'm not making this up. If you ask her for the full story, she'll tell you the same one. We thought it would be better if she told everyone the lie than the truth. Miriam was the one who introduced her to Kai, you know."

"Miriam?" He asked, lost in his thoughts.

"Yeah. They were tight before the BEGA mess. Miriam felt guilty about the whole thing, because she didn't realize who Hiro was with and told her to stay with him. It wasn't a good relationship anyway, or so I've heard."

Rei was starting to think that too. If Bryan was right, then maybe everything she'd told them about Kai was actually Hiro's doing. If so, that bastard deserved to get his intestines pulled out on a rotating spit. He nodded demurely, before he shyly looked up at Bryan.

"Can I use your phone?" Smiling kindly, Bryan handed it over and watched as Rei dialed a familiar number. He nodded once and headed back into the other room.

-X-

He smoothed the hair back from Kai's forehead, sighing at the smeared make-up and tear tracks. He never wanted this to happen again. Not to Kai and especially not involving Tala. Kai nearly destroyed the person he'd been because of Brooklyn. His feelings for Tala must be love in its absolute purest form for him to go to such lengths to be with him. Kai had always been proud, too proud to do things that humiliated him for anyone, spare the few he loved.

What a fool Tala was to throw it all away. Knowing Kai, he wouldn't ever get over it. It would fester and churn in him until he gave into depression. Phoenixes needed to burn out to be reborn, but Kai wasn't burning out. He was freezing. Drowning.

"Bryan?" Rei's voice was soft, but it had him jerking out of his thoughts as if he'd shouted. The neko-jin smiled sadly at the two of them as he made his way over, and he bit his lip as he sank to the floor beside him.

"Rei?" The Tiger flinched slightly but it smoothed over when he felt Bryan's hand touch his discreetly. He took a steadying breath and reached out, threading his fingers into Bryan's.

"I talked to Mariah. I got to hear the truth from her. I believe you. I don't hate Kai for that, but I can't promise to like him right away. I know it's harsh, but I just can't let things like that go. But I want you to know this. I will never ask you to choose between us. I wouldn't ever do that to you. I know how much he means to you. I just don't like deceiving Tala."

"You might not have to worry about that." He tightened his grip on Rei's hand and looked up at him, eyes more vulnerable than Rei had ever seen before. "Unless Tala contacts him, Kai's never going to try. Don't be surprised if he suddenly vanishes."

"He really loves him that much?" He wanted to understand this man better, as he had so much sway over Bryan's heart and life. He needed to understand.

"When it comes to love, Kai gives his whole heart, soul and being. I have never seen him this broken over anyone before and it honestly scares me."

"I can talk to Tala a bit. I'm not sure what good it'll do. He doesn't talk about his past much but I can try. I don't like deceiving Tala. But I can do it." He reached out and tucked the blanket more firmly around the lithe figure. He'd never noticed before, but Kai looked incredibly fragile when he wasn't standing. Conscious, he radiated power and charisma. Now, he looked like he would break if he was touched.

"That would be more than I'd ever ask." Bryan whispered. Rei looked at him over his shoulder and smiled faintly.

"I can't make too many promises about his reaction. I'm not saying I can get him to like Kai either. But, I do owe it to you, to both of them too I guess, to try." He nodded his resolve, determination settling in. He'd do this for Bryan.

"Thank you." Bryan's voice was still soft ad tender, and it made him feel slightly jealous. "Really, Rei. Thanks."

He held back his disappointment. He wanted to hear that warm voice call him "kitten" even if only once more.

-X-

"Have you found anything?"

The blue-haired boy glanced at him before fixing his eyes back on the screen. "No. We can't find a way through Mystel's system. It's self-destructing. Anytime we get close, it deletes everything and leaves us with a cold trail."

"I did find a back door, but I've already spent thirteen hours trying to get through that." Emily grimaced as she came into the room and settled her mug by her computer desk.

"I've been tracing King's and Queen's movements. Apparently, Zeo's sent them on an eraser mission. A kid named Kenny. I've got Robert and Rick trailing them for a pick-up. If anyone can get the kid out, it's them."

Kane and Emily exchanged a smirk.

"You've got Mr. Manners and the Grunt out playing rescue?"

"What were you thinking, Ozuma?"

"I was thinking, once they get over the petty disagreements about the Majestics and the Underground, they'll work together just fine." He smirked viciously at them. "Besides, from the reports so far, King and Queen are having an awfully hard time catching the little hacker."

"Hacker?"

"Are we recruiting him?"
He nodded. "In exchange for the rescue, he's going to hack Mystel's files and get back everything on the Sacred Beasts and the Greeks."

"What if he can't?"

"You've seen how little we are able to do."

"I think he can." He glanced at the clock, furrowing his brows briefly. "I've got to go. I'm meeting a few other people."

"Don't let us keep you."

"Bring back pizza."

He nodded and shut the door behind him. Emily and Kane obviously operated on a different level. It was disconcerting to listen to them follow the same lines of thought and finish the other's sentences. He keyed out of the basement and dialed his contact as soon as he was able to get a signal.

"Excuse me, Mr. Dickenson? I am the person who contacted you about the prodigy. Would it be possible to arrange a meeting with him?"

-X-

Ashes. It had been his nickname in the orphanage. Wyatt Ashier Whitney. His best friend in the orphanage.

Tala never knew either of his parents. He'd only know the orphanage. And Wyatt. He was raised at the orphanage, but Wyatt just arrived one day. They shared the same room, and he was instructed to show the boy how things worked around the building.

He'd never connected to any person before. Wyatt had been too much for him at first. He made Tala answer him, pushed him to explain. He made him interact with people. He made him reach out. He hated the boy. He hated everything about him. Just being in the same room made him irritable and angry, leading to a more permanent stay at the orphanage. He blamed the boy for that too, but for all his well-meaning nature, Wyatt was never adopted either.

Ashes was born on the night when they finally lashed out against each other. They had fought with each other hard, dissolving into laughter when they collapsed bruised together on the floor. Everything Wyatt touched eventually fell apart, the intensity becoming too much and it destroyed itself. Tala could understand. He did the same, but he froze people out.

Ashes was his brother in all but blood. They pushed each other. They made a pact the night after Boris came to them with the invitation to join his academy. They would stay together, no matter what. Ashes became his alias, and Tala stood at his side, his fierce protector.

Boris was the one to destroy that. Boris was the one to lure away his best friend with the promise of power. It was an obsession with the boy. He wanted the power to protect his loved ones, protect them from his bad luck. Boris whispered sweet words that guaranteed nothing and took everything. Boris was the reason he had to watch as his best friend suffered through the epileptic fit the stole his life. Boris was the reason he'd screamed for help on the bathroom floor, cradling his thrashing and hysterical friend, pleading for him to be okay. Boris was the reason he could only recall that horrible lightning bolt blemishing that pale skin after Ashes' head slumped forward in death.

Boris was the reason he'd nearly froze out the world, encasing himself in a world of impenetrable ice. Until that arrogant asshole with his flashing red eyes made him feel warm again. Kai's flashing red eyes burned through the ice encasing his soul and touched all the bitterness and anger he'd buried. If Kai wasn't such a bastard, he'd thank him for pulling him out of a hard time, however unintentionally.

Tala sighed as he traced that lightning bolt out again, carefully inscribing the 'B' and 'V' inside. He hated that Tattoo. And Ice had one. She had that bastard's mark on her skin. It made both rage and revulsion boil in his blood.

He should have stayed with her. Listened to her story. If Ashes had been pulled in with promising lies, she might have been too. It wasn't even like Biovolt was in operation any more either. He remembered the media coverage of its destruction, how it had been brought down by one of the children they recruited. He reached out and dialed Ice's number, finger hovering over the send button.

He made an anguished sound as he pressed the end button and dropped the phone. Wolborg whined from the floor, nosing the phone. He ignored the wolf as he buried his face in his pillow. What should he do? Would he really let this stand between them? What was he supposed to do?

-X-

Miriam was asleep beside her on the couch, drooling slightly onto her shoulder. She had been terrified of the girl earlier. Miriam could inspire terror in even the strongest person, but a Miriam concerned about her broken leader was beyond horrifying.

She screamed and promised all kinds of horrible things to do to Tala. It lasted hours, until she collapsed on the couch beside her, crying. Mariah just stroked her back, holding back her own tears. She would have a few strong words to say to Tala herself, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

She felt guilty over her relief at the situation, though. If this hadn't happened, she wouldn't have been able to confess the truth to her best friend and blood-brother. Telling Rei that Kai had been the one to hurt her like that...that he was responsible for that...assault...made her physically ill.

She shifted on the coach, pulling the blanket on the back over her and Miriam, curling into her friend. Kai would be okay; she'd make sure of it.

-X-

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Chief."

"Shut up, Dizzi. Don't have time to take the usual safety precautions." He said frantically, hands flying over the keys. "Almost there."

"Chief!" Dizzi's mechanical voice screamed into his headset, making his fingers stumble.

"What?!" He snapped. "I'm busy, Dizzi!"

"Fine then. If you don't care that two intruders have just broken into the Lab, then I won't tell you." She replied, mechanical sarcasm polluting his headset.

"What?! Intruders?!" He pulled up the building, watching two heat signatures make their way below ground to his sanctuary.

"I don't think they're friendly, either." She informed him, opening the video footage from their various cameras through the house. He froze as the screens began to go black or static.

"We need to go." He said, fitting the laptop into his bag and pulling the goggles over his eyes. "Show me the closest escape route, Diz."

"Gotcha, Chief." Information began to superimpose on the goggles, instructions and other data appearing in the corner of his eyes. "Let's get out of here."

He nodded, adjusting the earbud to a more comfortable position. He grabbed his extra bag as he ran to the back door, slapping the emergency button as he went. A silent alarm was triggered, along with a timed combustion. All his files would be burned, but he had everything important stored on Dizzi. He'd lose a lot of blackmail material, but he had enough cash stored he'd be fine until he could set up again.

"When do you think we'll solve the mystery of who's sending these collectors after us?" Dizzi asked, once she was sure he could spare the distraction.

"I don't have to guess that. There's only one person who'd send these people after us." He said, climbing up the fire escape to a building a block away from his sanctuary.

"And you never told me?" Dizzi said, sounding angry.

"It's too obvious who. I just didn't know why yet."

"Any guesses then?"

"I think we're about to find out." He said as he peered into the window of the dusty building. He could see nothing obviously wrong with the place. "Dizzi, scan."

He watched the sweep on his goggle screen, frowning at the glitch.

"Sorry, Chief." Dizzi apologized. "Something's messing with my scan."

"I guess we'll just have to spring the trap then." He set his other bag down and ruffled through it, pulling out something that looked like a top. "Get ready, Dizzi."

He set it into the launcher, pressing the ejection button. He watched it fly into the room and settle in the center, sending out a rudimentary scan while hopping around erratically. He tapped the toggle on the launcher, activating the view screen from the top. He moved the cameras on the top slowly, focusing on a shape in the corner. Dizzi immediately pulled the shape, performing maintenance on the image. Gleaming white hair...Oh shit!

"Gotcha." He felt a hand settle on his shoulder as something crashed into Hopper.

"Shit." Dizzi said over the intercom.

"Language." He reprimanded the program, as he stood and turned to face his captor. "Hello."

"You're one tough bastard to catch."

"I try." He said, glaring. He saw the white-haired person in the room move out of the shadows, smirking at him.

-X-

Kai sat up slowly, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He felt like shit, but it wasn't surprising after yesterday. He felt a bit cold inside, hollowed out. He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the dried tear tracks and destroyed make-up he fell asleep in.

"Kai?" He glanced up, seeing Bryan stand in the doorway. He looked scruffy and unkempt, a light smudge under each eye.

"Hey, Bryan." He said, voice flat. "Thanks for letting me crash here. I think I'll catch a shower and head on home, if it doesn't matter to you."

"Kai, do you think...are you...?"

"I'll be in the shower." He said, getting off the couch and wobbling on two legs until he regained his balance. He stalked past Bryan without a backwards glance, faltering slightly as he saw Rei in the kitchen. He inclined his head briefly, and continued past, shutting the door firmly after him.

The lights were little more than a soft glow, with mirrors on opposite walls reflecting the light and making it brighter. He methodically stripped off the outfit, dropping it to the floor. Chills ran through his limbs but he turned the water on and rubbed his arms. He caught sight of himself in one of the mirrors and glared at his reflection. He looked like shit.

He wiped his make-up off and grimaced when his appearance didn't better. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin had a sickly grey cast to it. The temporary dye had started to fade and his true colors highlighted the black hair.

He drug his fingers through it, feeling his chest get heavy. He'd sworn once to wear this color proudly, defiant of his grandfather's mandate to wear it black. He couldn't stand how alike to his mother Kai had been. The soft grey-blue tones passed from mother to child for generations in her family had been fisted in large, unforgiving hands as he held him still, letting the maids pour dye after dye on his head. He hated his grandfather from that day forward, but was never able to break free from the tyrant. Still, unable to break free from the tyrant.

He'd been willing to try to release those bonds by dyeing it for Tala. He'd been so stupid to ever try this. So damn stupid. His eyes shifted downward as he ran his fingers through his hair, stopping on the mark that betrayed him. He could see it perfectly in the mirror behind him, fogging up lightly from the shower. He ran a finger over the lightning bolt, feeling rage overcome him. Everything always had to lead back to him not being strong enough to break away from his grandfather.

He picked up Bryan's shaving razor, dismantling it until he had a thin blade perched between his fingers. Stoically, he reached back and drug the thin blade through the mark. He felt blood spill over the scars on his back and the pain of cutting into himself, but all he could focus on was the mark slowly being destroyed. The staunch lines of ink began to blur with blood and he paused to wipe it away, continuing as soon as he was able.

He set the blade down, washing both it and his fingers off in the sink, watching the rust colored water drain away. The mark was little more than mutilated flesh, a pattern of overlapping cuts and lines. He couldn't even make out the original shape anymore. He felt something well up inside his chest, but wasn't able to identify it. Happiness or disgust, he treasured this moment.

He hissed as he stepped into the warm shower water, flinching as it ran over the fresh wound. He took deep breaths as he began to clean the black out of his hair and the sweat off his body. He stepped out of the shower a pitying shell of his former self, but it was better than before. He cleaned the wound even as it began to ooze with blood again, but tapped it up and made a note to get Spencer to look at it later.

He'd get a lecture, but it was better than going to a hospital to get it looked at. He'd received enough pity from the police who had winced in horror at Brooklyn's mark on his back and the ones who helped him collect evidence to betray his grandfather. It was why he'd kept the damn thing in the first place. To get it removed would mean he would have to let someone see it and pity him. He was strong enough to remove it himself, and he just proved it. He taped a bandage to his neck and wrapped a towel around his waist. He had things to do today.

-X-

"Don't fight, there's plenty for everyone." He murmured as he spread more seed on the ground. The flock of birds chirped happily, flitting from the ground to his side and then back again. He closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing in the sunlight. "Why, hello, I didn't realize anyone would be visiting me today."

Mr. Dickenson cleared his throat nervously, but smiled kindly back at Brooklyn. "I'm sorry, Brooklyn. This gentlemen has made an appointment to see you today though."

He nodded, locking his eyes on the boy next to the administrator. The older man said his goodbyes and left them standing in the garden.

"Well, I never thought I'd see one of you again." Brooklyn smiled pleasantly, taking in the brown leather duster.

"If you know who I am, then you know why I'm here."

"I can imagine." He nodded and then hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose you're the Leopard, then."

Ozuma nodded, eyes flashing warily.

"Yes, I gathered that much from the last one. Dreadful little bugger." He murmured, tossing another handful of seeds. Ozuma hissed at him.

"You've seen him?" He asked, emphasizing the 'him' so it was perfectly clear to both of them who he was asking about.

"Where else would I learn the identity of the Shield's humble leader?" He taunted, smiling. "Even my sources had no idea originally."

"Where is he?" He snarled.

"Ah, ah, you set this meeting up. Ask your questions first, little cat." He shook his head and gestured to the seat on the bench beside him. Ozuma ignored him and cut through the flock of birds, scattering them. Brooklyn frowned as they vanished and settled his gaze unhappily on the boy before him. "Now why would you do a thing like that? They weren't hurting anyone."

"Brooklyn." He spat. Teal eyes looked him up and down before dismissing him and he began to coax the birds to rejoin him. "Brooklyn!"

His eyes narrowed. He had been itching from the minute he saw that smug face to break it. He had more reason now, the bastard alluded to their missing member... He took a deep breath, catching the tail-end of his patience when an idea struck him.

"Zeus." He whispered, eyes lighting with satisfaction when the ginger turned to look up at him.

"Do not address me, human, I have no patience for lesser beings." He snarled, eyes being swallowed by the pupil steadily.

"You will speak to me." He demanded. "Where was your base of operations, Zeus? Where is Apollo?"

Near black eyes crinkled with glee. "You are still ignorant? I ruled from the top of Olympus itself, stupid human. And the sunlight is everywhere." He spread his arms out as if to bask in the sunlight.

Ozuma snarled, stepping closer to tower over him. "You will tell me what I need to know."

"Tell me, how is the bird? Still grounded?"

Ozuma bared his teeth and growled, hands tightening into fists. "Shut up. You're not allowed to talk about him!"

"Does he still bear my name? Does he still cry my name out in completion? Does he still heel at even the mention of his master's name?"

With a wordless howl, Ozuma lunged forward, fists slamming into the park bench. The wood broke under his fists, but Brooklyn stayed seated.

"Does he still cry for me?" He whispered.

"Kai has long since left you behind. He doesn't need you anymore. He's in love with someone else."

Brooklyn's shoulders began to quake and his head fell onto his chest. Ozuma smiled viciously. The bastard deserved to have his heart broken. Then Brooklyn threw his head back in laughter. It shook his very body and was full of true humor.

"He will never stop loving me. Never. He's always mine." Brooklyn smiled. No, Zeus smiled. "My little broken bird. He'll always know me as his master. I will have him soon. He'll understand how futile it is to try to fly free. Only this time, I'll break his wings and keep him in a cage. How sweet will he sing for me then."

Ozuma swallowed back both his bile and his scathing retort. Sneering at the delusional man, backed away.

"Kai's never needed you and he'll never need you again. He flies on his own and with the love of someone powerful to hold him up."

"He can love no other but me. Be no one's other than mine. Have no one other than me. His delusions about this lover will have to be shattered as well as his wings then. Tell him I love him, would you, little cat?"

Ozuma ignored the laughter and levity as he left the hospital, nodding to Mr. Dickenson as he left. He flipped open his phone as he saw he had a message from Robert. Hopefully, it was good news. Lord knew, he needed it.