A/N: Hey Folks! The time has come when I must rate up this story because from now on, this will be only darker, and the next chapters will contain violence.
Chapter 18
"You haven't explained yourself, Tyson." Hilary reminded the champion. They were walking on the streets after the end of first day of Quarter finals, heading the hotel. "Why did you have to destroy Mathilda's beyblade? She's such a nice girl, you shouldn't have been so hard with her."
"Argh, Hilary! Would you leave me alone? It was an accident!" Tyson grunted, not specifically proud of his own action and didn't appreciate that Hilary rubbed it under his nose every so often.
"How can you destroy a beyblade accidently, tell me this." Hilary insisted and Tyson was about to retort and silence the girl when Kai cut in.
"Enough of your whining. We're the Bladebreakers. He's been just true to the team's name."
Tyson twisted his face in a grimace and wished Kai wouldn't have said anything at all. He couldn't decide if the captain meant his words seriously or sarcastically. Maybe both. But probably it was the latter, knowing his demeaning ways to treat people around him. Remembering of the cruel, bullying younger brat from Blade Sharks, Tyson suddenly didn't have a like for the team's name.
"Why did we become Bladebreakers again?"
"Because you decided and categorically refused any other name proposal three years ago." Kenny explained in a matter-of-fact manner.
"I did?" He didn't remember that it was his idea. It sounded dumb, almost childish.
Maybe they should have stuck to G-Revolution team name, but that reminded him the time when his teammates had left him one after other, spreading into different teams with the intention to fight against Tyson and become a champion. The year when his friends had put their ambitions before the friendship.
He was not holding grudge on them anymore though; he had already settled this with them, but still didn't prefer that part of his life and tried not to think of it.
"Where are you going, Kai?" Ray's suspicious voice pulled Tyson out from his deep thoughts and stopped to look at the captain, who was departing from the group in the hotel's hall.
"To train, if you really need to know." Kai bit back as usually when he was questioned.
Tyson watched Kai entering the training room, noticing how often the loner guy trained recently. Every morning and every night, he was alone in the training room, and he practiced with the team during the day. Tyson wonder what drove Kai to work out so hard.
oOoOo
The hotel slowly grew darker, and Kai didn't hear murmur from the corridors anymore. He didn't check the time, but it must have been late. He was in the training room for hours now.
Finishing the exercise, Kai re-racked the heavy weight as he slowly exhaled on the bench. For some reason, he felt someone else's eyes on him, and when he sat up and turned to the door, he realized his instincts didn't betray him. Tala stood on the corridor, between the two training rooms, watching him with a troubled expression.
Kai frowned, wondering why his former teammate was creeping around, when Tala finally snapped out of his trance, lazily raising a hand into his direction. The redhead seemed worried. Knowing him, currently he was overthinking something, upsetting himself unnecessarily. Kai had a guess what or who might have worried him.
The blonde girl was a pain in the ass, he could imagine the headache she caused for his former captain. It was a long day for both of them; they both had their own issues and conflicts with their team.
Kai nodded back, accepting the peace the redhead offered, before the Blitzkriegs captain left.
Truth be told, he wished sometimes to be part of the Blitzkriegs team again. They weren't so inquiring like his current team, and perfectly understood the importance of solitude.
Kai tiredly sighed as he collected his belongings, the coat and the scarf, to leave the gym. He worked out enough for the day, and his mind stopped finally flashing Tyson and Ray's cold, judging faces before his eyes. He couldn't tell since when he cared what his team thought of him and his actions, but he was heavily overwhelmed by their reaction lately, and it annoyed him beyond measure. It was hard to stay cool and impassive when he felt responsible for the conflicts inside of his team. He'd gone soft, it seemed.
Pathetic. It's just pathetic.
Steps of heavy boots caught his ears and Kai noticed Alexa was also leaving. He sensed again the gloominess around her that reminded him of his battle with Brooklyn. It was slightly different, but Kai couldn't put his finger on it how. The dark energy was like a familiar face from his chaotic memory. He knew he should recognize it, but something prevented him to remember.
This time, Kai deliberately did not hurry forward, he waited for Alexa to leave the training facility before him instead. He followed her from a safe distance on the corridor, so he could avoid her company in the elevator. However, her path led in a different direction passing by the reception. She was heading to the street. She pushed the glass doors and left the building.
Kai paused and considered the situation. He was not a curious type who liked pry into anything that didn't concern him, but he truly wondered where Alexa could go at this hour. And what might cause the odd dark aura around her that haunted him since they met. For some reason, Kai felt it stronger now than before.
He didn't need more excuse to go after her. Kai exited the hotel and followed the blonde hair in the dark through a park, being mindful to stay in the shadows. There were still pedestrians walking on the streets, but it was not crowded.
After a few minutes of walking, he recognized the rout she was taking. She headed the stadium. Kai discovered with another surprise that Alexa had access to the building and entered it without any difficulty. Kai followed her as closely as he dared, without exposing himself, grabbing the door before it could have closed.
The stadium was abandoned and dark at this hour, but Alexa didn't seem to mind it because she only turned on the lights in the hall, where the dish could be found.
Kai had to be attentive if he didn't want himself to be discovered. He was now curious what business she had in the stadium, so he departed from her track and climbed to the grandstand. It was huge and dark enough so that she was not able to spot him. When he found the perfect spot to peek between the shadows, but close enough to see Alexa, Kai sank to one knee, peeking from the shadows.
He heard the hard clicking sound of her launcher and in the next moment, she shot her beyblade. Alexa was doing laps and figures, and Kai was almost disappointed when he realized she was just practicing. He wondered why she couldn't continue it in the hotel's training room, but Kai hated spying, and didn't want to find himself in an awkward situation, so he already decided to leave when something caught his attention.
The walls and his surroundings suddenly became whiter before him, gleaming in dim, eerie light; the shadows ran long and visible on the floor.
Kai whipped around and looked at the practicing blonde girl who just summoned her bitbeast from the black beyblade that spun firmly in the dish. He finally got a clear view on the spirit as it was twirling in the stadium, not hiding behind wild tides this time.
It was a dragon with a long, slim, ivory body, with four feathered wings on the back. Mane ran along its neck and the tapering tail ended in a wide whale fin. It looked majestic as the stadium vibrated with its deep humming sound.
The bitbeast lowered its head, his neck twisting in an unnatural angle, and playfully nudged the blonde girl on her face. Alexa giggled as she put her forehead against the enormous head.
Kai's brows knitted together in astonishment. Although, he had heard that the connection between a bitbeast and its wielder can be strong enough to have real interaction with each other, it was the first time he could witness such a scene with his own eyes. The bond was definitely strong between the two and Kai suddenly envied their relationship. He didn't have such a connection with Dranzer anymore.
The whale-dragon now floated upward, and Kai could see the loudly spinning beyblade lighted up again, and another bitbeast appeared out from it.
"What the…" Kai gasped.
The strange, gloomy power he felt around the girl all the time, started radiating more intensely. Kai stared aghast, unable to form any coherent thought in his mind at the daunting sight before his eyes.
While it spun almost uncontrollably, Alexa's beyblade summoned bitbeast after bitbeast that began swirling like a whirlpool around her, filling the stadium with creatures' shrieking voice.
Kai's eyes went wide in horror and grabbed the railing like he was trying to find a solid point to the reality. He had never seen so many spirits at the same time, nor in his entire life.
She was possessing at least a hundred of them!
He tried to count them, or recognize any of them, but the spirits were flying too fast, running wildly after escaping from the small prison of a spinning top. The noise was deafening. Creatures similar to dolphins, dragons, horses, bugs, rodents and god knew what else were continuously screaming and greeting each other in the enormous stadium hall, making Kai turn away and duck behind the railing to hide himself.
"This is not happening. It's just a dream." He whispered to himself, not hearing his own voice in the noise.
If those bitbeasts went out of hand and Alexa couldn't keep them under control, he would have had no chance to stop them.
As he pushed his back to the railing, turning his back to the beydish, he stared in front of him, amazed by the terrifying shadows of the spirits that painted the walls.
When the shrieks of the bitbeasts became unbearable and Kai was considering intervening, stopping Alexa summoning any more, because it was impossible to control so many at the same time, the spirits abruptly disappeared.
The flashing lights faded away, the stadium felt in dead silence. Now, the lack of the bitbeast screams were deafening for Kai, his ear rung unpleasantly after the experience. He didn't understand what happened, what made Alexa stop so suddenly.
Kai risked a cautious peak from the shadows to check what was going on on the stage. The blonde girl laid motionlessly on the floor, dead or alive, Kai couldn't confirm from the great distance. He waited a few moments, hoping that she would wake up in the next second and he didn't have to check it by himself.
But Alexa didn't move for a long time and Kai started to befriend with the idea that he had to help her. He rose and was about to jump over the railing when Alexa painfully groaned and sat up clumsily. Kai quickly leant back to the cover of the shadows. He could see the trail of blood on her face, pouring out of her nose as she tried to collect herself, cursing incoherently in Russian. She was exhausted.
Alexa dusted her clothes then stepped down from the dish after picking up her beyblade, moving unsteadily. Kai watched her leaving until she was swallowed by the darkness that lurked on the corridors and he was left alone in the stadium hall.
The huge, empty and dark hall made Kai terribly alone, like he was isolated in a different world. He heard his own upset breathing, felt the wild thumps of his heart and tried to process what he just saw.
Walking back to the hotel, Kai tried to organize his restless mind, filled with thousands of questions that he couldn't answer, but also numbed with the surreal sight he had just witnessed in the stadium.
What was her real bitbeast? That dragon didn't look so vicious. It must be something similar what Black Dranzer was, able to lure and bond with other spirits. Alexa's Baladrac seemed an ordinary water-type bitbeast.
Kenny had mentioned something about collective type bitbeasts. Did he talk about that? That was how she had beat him? But Alexa didn't summon any bitbeast against him, she didn't use their power. Or at least, he didn't notice it.
How did she get those bitbeasts? So many? How was she able to control each of them and keep them inside of one single beyblade? How long she possessed them? Could she command all of them? Or she only had to control only the strongest one?
Who was she?
Kai growled in frustration and rubbed his eyes that burned with exhaustion. His body felt beaten by the trainings, but the questions spiraled unstoppably in his head like the spirits twirled in the stadium not long ago.
Whilst he was trying to find answers to his questions, he arrived in the hotel, and now was stepping into his room that he shared with Ray. Kai prepared for sleep, careful not to make any noise as his teammate was already asleep. The tiger-wielder was kind enough to leave the night lamp on, so Kai didn't have to stumble his way to the bed in the dark.
After changing, Kai laid down and closed his eyes, forcing his body to rest, which was willing to obey, but his brain forbid it.
Reviving his experience, it looked so surreal that Kai suddenly found himself questioning it. Maybe he was just too tired and hallucinated the whole thing. It wouldn't be a first. He had had hallucinations before, when he had re-visited the Abbey some years ago. There was a possibility it happened again due to the exhausting trainings. And he was so, so tired. Now, that he laid with relaxed muscles, he felt the ache in them more intensely.
Still, it didn't feel like just a creation of his mind. The floating, screaming bitbeasts were so vivid, so well-detailed, Kai was not a dreamy man with an elaborated fantasy.
Although, he could see clearly the cracks on the dirty walls now. He could even count them.
He was in the dining hall with no other children, eating his dinner, warm cabbage-soup with bread roll. Kai didn't like cabbage-soup, it was stinky and had a sour taste. He would have thrown it to the floor if he were at home, upsetting his grandfather for making a mess.
But he was not at home now. He was in the Abbey.
And he couldn't afford to be picky. If he didn't eat this, he was not eating at all and Kai had already known how bad an empty stomach could hurt with hunger. He tried to cover the unpleasant taste of cabbage with the bread roll, but he was mindful not to devour all of it.
He must save and smuggle some for his roommate. He was so weak and skinny. He was not allowed to eat. Kai didn't know the reason, but didn't give much thought of it either. Volkov liked being creative when he had to punish someone.
Kai emptied his plate, hating the taste, then stuffed the remaining portion of the bread roll into his mouth, careful not to swallow it and making it too wet by his saliva. When he was convinced that his escorting guard couldn't notice the food in his mouth, Kai stood and left the dining hall. The silent guard was immediately on his side, making sure to get him back to his cell without wandering away.
When they reached the abandoned corridor and arrived in the proper cell, Kai was practically tossed in and the guard shut and locked the door behind him.
Kai was alone now with his roommate. Well, figuratively roommate. The other boy was separated from him with a cell bar, splitting one room in two. They could see and hear each other, but they were not able to be together.
The bed creaked as Kai climbed on it, shifting closer to little boy, whose eyes slightly opened for the movements. It was the boy's idea to push their beds to the cellar bar, so they could sleep together and find comfort in each other during the cold nights when everything was deadly quiet and terribly dark.
"Look what I brought." Kai said as he fished out the small portion of bread roll from his mouth that became pulpy from the warm liquid.
He offered it to the fragile boy who lifted his small, trembling hand to accept it through the bars.
Normal circumstances, Kai would have found this gesture disgusting, but they were not in normal circumstances. His roommate was in serious need of help, and Kai was determined to ease his pain and his meaningless suffering .
It was not entirely a selfless act though. Smuggling bread under the nose of the staff of the Abbey made Kai rebellious and it also gave his life a purpose apart from beyblading all the time and becoming stronger. It was for the sake of his sanity though he was not completely aware of that.
"Thank you." The boy said and smiled weakly. His voice small and high-pitched.
His skin was grey and almost transparent from malnutrition, Kai could make out the small veins on his head, under his very short hair.
The walls suddenly swam away just to re-appear again, changing the lights of the scene, and Kai suddenly found himself in the hands of Volkov himself. The man was angrily shouting in his face in the presence of two other guards.
"I told you not to give him any food, didn't I? You spoilt, rebellious brat!"
Volkov slapped him hard, and Kai felt to the wall from the impact. He looked furiously at the big man with the scary google, daring him to hit him again, so he could tell his grandfather that Volkov had hurt him. Kai knew that his grandfather forbid Volkov from abusing his grandson physically, or he would not fund his project anymore.
"Don't you dare glaring at me with those eyes, or I'll make you regret it!" Volkov threatened with a cold voice.
He pointed his finger at the little boy in the bed who was now watching the scene with worry, but was too weak to do anything, so he laid helplessly.
"He's starving because of you! He's starving because you're disobeying me!" Volkov spat then smirked viciously when he saw Kai's eyes widened in guiltiness. "He's starving because you were a naughty boy. Do you want him to starve more? Do you really want him to suffer for your bad behaviour?"
Kai teared his eyes from the boy, his only companion he could speak with in this place, and shook his head as an answer to Volkov.
"No? Then you must be good and obey my commands. Can you be a good boy?"
"I'll be good, I promise!" Kai swore diligently, hoping he could please the man to change his mind, not letting his only friend in such a state. "Just give him food, please!"
"Will you obey?" Volkov asked roughly.
"Yes."
"Will you do what I say?
"Yes."
"Without a word?"
"Yes!"
"Yes what?"
"Yes, sir!"
Volkov laughed contently and the scene vanished again; Volkov and the guards disappeared.
Kai was still in the same cell, with the same boy on the bed, but Volkov's snicker still rung in his head.
Kai was crying, uncontrollably.
The little boy was lying beside him. Reaching through the bars, Kai held the ice-cold, fragile hand in his, hoping he could make him wake up with his own body warm. The little boy didn't respond, just laid still and soundlessly on the bed, falling asleep forever, and Kai knew it was his fault, because he talked back to Volkov the other day and they didn't give him anything to eat for another week…
"Wake up!"
Kai felt a strong shake on his heaving chest that forced his eyes to snap open. Finally awake from his horrible dream, he stared at clean, white ceiling as he laid in the bed with trembling muscles.
He panted unsteadily, like he had just run twenty miles, and his heart drummed frantically against his ribs. The muscles in his body were aching from the tension, not able yet to relax them and let the little boy's hauntingly peaceful face fade away before his eyes.
"Kai, are you alright?" Ray stood at the side of his bed, leaning down to him, eyebrows furrowed with concern. His amber eyes gleamed in the light from the night lamp that gave a warm pervading mood to the small bedroom.
'He shook me awake', Kai clarified internally as he gulped the air, desperate to get back in control over his own body.
He nodded at Ray's question, not ready to form words, but willing to avoid picturing himself with having a disturbing nightmare about a dying boy beside him.
Was he crying just like in his dream?
He quickly ran a hand down his face, terrified with the thought.
He was not. His skin was wet, but only with sweat.
Good. At least he still held some dignity in front of Ray. He hated him for seeing him weak. For god's sake, he hated himself for being weak. Defenseless against some stupid nightmares he couldn't control. Children had nightmares who feared the darkness and felt too lonely without their parents.
Kai was okay without his parents and had grown up in the darkness. Why was he having nightmares?
"It was just a dream. Wanna talk about it?" Ray asked softly and Kai automatically twisted his face at the voice that was full of pity.
Kai would have appreciated Ray's question. He would, in any other case. If the words were not meant for him and not in this situation, in his miserable state. Ray was a kind-hearted man with the purest intentions Kai had ever known, and he was just trying to help him.
But that was exactly what Kai detested. He was rarely offered with help, simply because he didn't need it. He could handle his problems alone perfectly fine, and he knew himself that well that he rather jumped out of a window than accepting openly any support from others. If he had started accepting any, that would have only meant he was truly in need of help and he was too weak to face his problems alone.
He was stronger than that, of course. He did not need help.
His teammate might have sensed the thoughts in his mind because he shared something with Kai, that he didn't want to hear.
"I know you had another nightmare yesterday."
Kai hid his eyes behind his back of his hand as if he could deny Ray's words and dismiss the shame he felt. Yesterday, he had re-visited the memory when his father had chosen a different path and left him behind with his crying mother and furious grandfather. After that, he was wandering endlessly on the dark corridors of the Abbey, doors everywhere waiting for him to be opened. It was unsettling. His stomach clenched only at the thought again.
Kai's breathing slowly became normal and the small, hollow cheeks finally faded away in his head, leaving his mind clear.
He couldn't tell Ray what he saw in his dream. It felt… too close. Too personal, for some reason, though he had no idea who the boy could be.
Did this really happen in his life or it was just a stupid dream? What was the boy's name? What was his relationship with him? Was he a friend? How long did he live? How did they end up in the same cell? What was Volkov's purpose with them?
Kai didn't know the answers and that irritated him, making uneasy.
"I don't want to talk about it." He rejected Ray's offer, his words a mere rasp.
The tiger sat back on the edge of his bed, contemplating Kai who just stood up and went for his clothes.
"Are you leaving?"
"Hn."
"It's half past four." Ray stated the time like it should suggest something to Kai.
"I need to train." Kai explained, hoping that would prevent more pointless questions from his teammate.
"You train a lot lately. Are you not tired?"
Kai's answer was an exasperated sigh and a glare as he was pulling up his coat.
"Okay, just… let me know if I can help you with anything." Ray said in defeat, not pushing the phoenix for more answers.
"I'm fine, Ray." Kai objected then quickly took his leave before Ray could say any more.
Kai enjoyed the silence of the hotel corridors while he was hurrying to the training room, though he still couldn't shake off the tremor of his new nightmare.
'I need distraction. I need distraction', Kai chanted in his mind. He didn't want to think of the skinny boy, nor the terror he had felt around Volkov in his dream.
The last time he felt so vulnerable in presence of that man was when he had re-discovered the Abbey three years ago and had faced with Volkov's true identity and his own past.
He came to the gym with the intention to train, but as soon he stepped into the empty room with the many equipments, Kai felt his eyes heavy. He took off his big coat again in the team's changing room ('I'm gonna switch back to my jacket', he grumbled internally after taking it on and off so often.), and sat down for a minute to brace himself for another training. Closing his eyes, he was looking for exercises in his mind that wasn't too challenging, but complex enough to occupy his mind.
Truthfully, he didn't want to work out again. He felt exhausted and knew that such frequent training was bad for his muscles, but he didn't find other option that could distract his troubled mind so effectively. He tried to relax under the sky, tried to read, or taking a walk in the city, but nothing helped. Only the work-out.
Kai sighed with fatigue, urging himself to open his eyes and start, but the simple task became too hard for him. He dozed off on the bench, leaning against the wall.
He woke up at Tala's barking voice. The doors between the two gyms were not closed though Tala was talking so loud, it felt like he was standing right next to him. Apparently, the Blitzkriegs' training began.
Kai looked at the watch on the wall, it was already 7 am. A bit surprised but satisfied nonetheless by the little rest he could catch, he stood up, rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes, and headed the team's empty gym to finally start his train. Bladebreakers will join him soon.
oOoOo
It was already past 9 am, but his teammates were nowhere. At first, he thought they were playing with his nerves and intentionally late, but that would explain only Tyson's absence, not the others', so Kai discarded this option. Maybe, they ignored him and didn't want to train with the team under his command. But Ray was still too diligent to act like that, and Max wasn't so childish either.
When Kai started seriously considering that something might have happened with his team, Hilary approached in the room. She walked towards him with empty hands, alone.
Kai called back Dranzer to his hand as he was practicing with her, and turned to the brunette, curious what news she got.
Hilary didn't bother to greet him, she immediately got to the point. There was no smile, no high-pitched voice, just an uncommonly hostile glare.
"Mr. Dickenson asked for you. You can find him in the conference room on the second floor."
Having delivered the message, she turned around and headed the exit.
Kai frowned.
"Where are the others?" He asked before she could reach the door.
Hilary glanced back and theatrically shrugged her shoulders, before opening the door, leaving Kai alone in the silent training room.
"Hm." Kai said to himself.
It was odd. His team was missing, Hilary acted unfriendly and the BBA chairman wanted to talk to him. An unsettling feeling clenched his stomach. Did Tala report him eventually? And his team confirmed his recent impulsive behaviour?
Kai quickly shooed these silly thoughts away. It was unwise to jump into any conclusion, he would find out it soon anyway.
When he arrived in the conference room, he paused in the doorway.
'At least now I know where the team is', Kai mused as he glared at his teammates around the table where they sat.
They didn't seem pleased. Actually, their faces were quite tensed and each of them eyed Kai like they had been scolding him for being late.
"Please, sit." Hilary spoke up, pointing to an empty chair at the end of the table.
Kai raised a brow and sent a questioning look at the girl, confused what this all was about, nonetheless he walked to the empty chair and occupied it.
"Now, that you all are here," Hilary began, only she was standing now, demanding attention from everyone in the room. "I decided to setup a meeting for you to settle this… internal disagreement among you. We're in the middle of a championship and I don't think the team can afford such a negative vibe that may impact your performance during the battles. We are different people with different perspectives and different priorities, but I think we can say with absolute certainty that every attendant here wants to win the championship. For that, you must be honest with each other and work together."
Kai sighed and screamed internally as he rested his head on a thumb and index finger, bracing himself for a long and unpleasant conversation. What had honesty got to do with winning a championship?
"So, I suggest that if any of you has an issue with someone else in the team, discuss it with him – or her – right here and right now. Any volunteer to start?" She asked, looking around the table.
"I'll start then." Tyson said, not causing any surprise for Kai, and he also had a guess what 'issue' he would bring up.
"I have many problems with you, Kai. For example. Is betraying your team a fetish for you?"
Bingo. Kai suddenly toyed with the idea to fill out a lottery ticket. The reason he wouldn't do it because he was already loaded with enough money, and also detested gambling.
"Try to stay neutral, Tyson. We're not here to fight now. We're here to talk these conflicts through and find a solution for that." Hilary said, becoming the moderator of the conversation.
"I'm sorry, Hilary, but I can't stay neutral, whatever that means anyway. I think I can speak for the whole team that we're sick of Kai's continuous betrayals." Tyson spoke heatedly. Kai recognized the same energy rising in him now when they were battling. The boy winded up himself with his emotions already, and he knew Tyson was not going to stop easily.
He was curious what the others thought though. Kai looked around the table and saw shifting, ashamed eyes.
Kai's glare hardened.
"I'm mainly worried by his recent violent behavior." Ray piped in for Kai's happiness. The Chinese locked his eyes onto the captain's, not scared to say aloud what he was thinking of him. "You're hurting people, Kai. What's the matter with you? Is something troubling you?"
Kai didn't react. He was not going to talk about his problems with him. Any of them.
"If I may add some words," Kenny spoke up shyly, not sure if he had a right to participate in the conversation, but Tyson gave him a reassuring nod to continue. "I'd just appreciate if you acknowledged my work in the team and didn't treat me so bad."
"Yeah, you could be less rude sometimes." Hilary agreed softly, watching the table, not the captain.
"Wait." Kai frowned and straightened on his seat. "Does everyone have a problem only with me?"
The reply was an awkward silence.
"Great." He commented bitterly as he sat back.
"I don't." Max protested reassuringly. "I don't have any problem with you. Apart from being violent. That's not okay, man."
Kai rolled his eyes and stared out of the huge window that gave him sight to the street with busy people and honking cars. He couldn't believe this was happening. It was his last championship and he had to spend his time talking about feelings while he could train for his next battle.
"The rest of the team already discussed the problems they had with each other in the past days, while you were away, wandering or training." Hilary explained him.
Kai didn't respond, he kept staring out of the window, ignoring his team. He didn't want to face the hate they were radiating into his direction. He was already dealing with enough troubles. Lying constantly to his grandfather about his whereabout; performing well on the championship; solving the mystery around the Russian girl and her bitbeast; having nightmares about the Abbey, not letting him sleep and rest at night; just to mention some of them.
He was tired, so goddamn tired, and now he had to listen to his teammates' lectures about the proper attitude and how to be a good friend. It was the last thing he needed now.
Kai sighed and buried his eyes in a palm, not knowing how to manage such a situation. He was not good with people. Especially with friends.
The team shared a silent and concerned look by the rather uncharacteristically tired gesture of their captain, that Kai missed as he was covering his eyes, organizing his thoughts.
"Kai." Tyson called, more gently though Kai still could track the resentment in his voice. He looked up, listening to him with his hard glare. "It would mean a lot for me if you could explain the reason you always feel the need to betray the team."
Kai curled his upper lip, and Tyson quickly corrected his words.
"Okay, you may not think this is a betrayal, just an… opportunity or whatever you call it. Just please, help me understand it. Why do you do it?"
"To battle you again." Kai replied without any delay though it seemed, it was not a good enough answer for Tyson.
"Both Max and Ray want to battle me, but they didn't run to another team to jump ship after they agreed forming up the team with me again. You accepted my invitation. Here," Tyson now rummaged up a paper from his jacket pocket and unfolding it, he threw it on the table. "You said 'OK'. You agreed to join the team then you attempted to desert it and register with the Blitzkrieg Boys instead. What'd you call it if not betrayal?"
Kai didn't answer. There was nothing to say to these words. Everything happened the way Tyson had just described, he was not going to deny it, but didn't feel the need to explain himself either.
He was an opportunist. If he saw a good deal he could benefit of, he chased it. It was his nature; he didn't have a better explanation to that.
But Tyson made everything personal like the whole damn globe was rotating around him. The dragon-wielder was determined to get an answer from him today and didn't leave him in peace until Kai gave him what he wanted.
"Why do you want to battle me at all costs? Why?!" The dragon demanded, getting impatient and frustrated by the silence of his questioned companion.
The others didn't hurry to ease the situation this time. They sat in silence and expectantly to hear Kai's version.
Despite his blank expression, Kai felt more and more frustrated by the situation, absolutely and unnaturally helpless how to react to Tyson's inquire. He couldn't tell him… he couldn't tell them the real reasons. He couldn't because it would be a too personal confession. It would make him vulnerable, exposed. And he was sure they wouldn't understand him after explaining it.
If Kai wanted to be honest with himself, he wanted to test Tyson. His trust, more precisely. There was no other person in his life who had put that amount of trust into him like Tyson had. Ray, Max, Kenny and Hilary would have turned their back to Kai ancient time ago if there hadn't been Tyson to convince them, giving Kai yet another chance. And another. And then another.
The others were clever. They knew that they only got hurt if they expected anything from Kai, but Tyson kept denying this for some reason. He was too stupid to understand he only hurt himself for clinging into Kai, trying to forge a friendship with him.
Kai wanted to see the limit of Tyson's trust. How long he could carry on with his toxic and ungrateful attitude until the Japanese boy said a stop and abandon him just like everyone else.
At first, it was only a sport for him. An amusing game that obviously Kai continuously won without Tyson noticing it. After a while, he had started to test his trust, putting pressure on him, and joined Tala then BEGA last year.
For his biggest surprise, Tyson forgave him. Kai couldn't believe his good nature. He didn't let himself to be fooled with the boy's kind-hearted gesture. There must have something else in the background. People were not so good to each other. People betrayed and used each other, just as he was used and betrayed by his family countless times. It was only the natural circle of life.
So, Kai was certain Tyson had a reason to forgive him. There was no other possible explanation for his kindness and forgiveness.
But no matter how hard he tried to figure out the reason; no matter how many times he 'betrayed' his trust, Tyson didn't reveal his ambitions. He always explained it with friendship. That friends were for supporting each other's back.
There was another reason he tested Tyson's trust besides the above.
He wanted to see Tyson's fall.
His rival was naïve and lived for his loved ones. He was a talented beyblader. He had great friends. He had a magical talent to convince people to believe in what he believed, and change sides, to choose his side. He always spotted the goodness in a person with the most rotted heart, and didn't let them down. He didn't let them sink into their own darkness.
Kai wanted to prove him the opposite. He wanted to prove Tyson that he, Kai Hiwatari was not a person whom he could save, or was worth to save. He had a desire to win in this competition, not caring the slightest if he had had to sell his own soul to the Devil to prove him wrong. No, he didn't, because he wanted to see Tyson shatter. Giving up on him and moving on.
Because that was the normal. This was everybody did in Kai's life, giving up on him and leaving him behind. He didn't feel safe when someone acted differently.
Kai consistently ignored the small voice in his heart that worried about him winning. Because if he had won this perverted game he was playing secretly with Tyson, he would be left alone forever.
There was no one like Tyson. Kai was sure about that. So, once he betrayed Tyson's trust for good, he wouldn't find another person with such forgiving attitude.
Contemplating his answer to Tyson, Kai wondered how he didn't explode with so many emotions. He didn't know he was capable to feel in so many ways. His wandering thoughts might have been seen on his face because Tyson and the team waited for his reply with patience, letting fall the room into deep silence.
At long last, Kai lifted his gaze at Tyson and clearing his throat, gave him his answer.
"I don't know."
Another silence followed his reply, and Kai could see how Tyson's open and hopeful expression graduated into a furious, loathing one, second by second.
"Bullshit!" He bolted up, hitting a fist on the table. "You owe me an explanation after I forgave you so many times! All along, I, stupid, thought you had just some trust issues and needed time to open up to me. So, I was patient and understanding. I extended the hand of friendship and what did you do? YOU THREW IT BACK IN MY FACE!" Tyson heaved from the shouting and venting all the sorrow he felt every time when his friend turned his back on him.
"So, tell me, Kai!" Tyson continued, the others shifted on their seats in embarrassment, but still didn't intervene.
"Tell me your reason! I'm a big boy, I can handle the true!"
Kai began to feel again the same rage when he had hit Tyson a few days ago, and he really didn't want to get to that point again, but Tyson's pig-headed attitude didn't make him easy to stay calm. He exhaled through his nose, hoping he could let out his anger, but it didn't help.
"What is it? What is it?! TELL ME!"
"Because you're everything I can't be!" Kai found himself yelling back at Tyson, who now looked at him with confused but still angry eyes.
Kai couldn't stand Tyson's hateful gaze anymore, he stood and walked to the window, hoping he could run away from it. He was absently staring at the city, carefully choosing his next words.
"My grandfather thinks I'm in London." Kai said, eventually, and he could hear Tyson dropped himself back to his chair, curious where the captain was going to go with this irrelevant sentence.
The team didn't say anything, but Kai could sense their puzzled looks on him.
"Currently, I should be preparing for my university life because I was accepted by University of England."
Kai felt now it was safe to turn and sit back to the table, facing his team. It was his last championship and if he wanted to fight with them until the end, he needed to share some delicate details with his team. They deserved it after all, for being so persistent towards him.
"That's great, Kai! Congratulation!" Max smiled at him, encouraging his honesty.
"Yeah, congratulation!" Ray joined. "It couldn't be easy to get in."
Kai nodded at their acknowledging words, but didn't let himself be distracted.
"I joined the team because this is officially the last time I can participate on a championship. Studying at the university, I won't have time to beyblade and I'm sure my grandfather is willing to involve me into his business deals as soon as he can. I received the acceptance letter right before the tournament started and I recognized that it was truly my last chance to battle you in a stadium." Kai flicked a glance at Tyson here. "So, I contacted Tala and asked him if I could join his team. I had to battle with the Russian girl for the position. I screwed it and I couldn't join the Blitzkrieg Boys."
"And you had to stay with us, Bladebreakers. Poor you." Tyson finished the story for him, bitterly, though his voice didn't contain the same anger anymore.
Kai was tired. Being honest and sharing details about his life with his teammates, also dealing with intense emotions were exhausting, especially with the small amount of sleep he could get at night.
He looked up at his team because they were suspiciously quiet, and saw something on their face he couldn't comprehend at first. Was it… sadness?
"It must be stressful." Tyson said at long last, and Kai responded with a frown. "Knowing it's your last chance to be a champion. I'm already going crazy by the thought itself."
Kai smirked slightly.
And there it was again. The generous forgiveness that Tyson always offered him, and Kai couldn't explain it with anything. Maybe it was something he could never understand. Maybe Tyson was purely a better person than him and that's why he couldn't get it.
Anyhow, Kai appreciated it. He didn't show it Tyson or anyone else, but he appreciated the fondness he got from him.
"But why couldn't you tell it us sooner? You would have spared me a bust on my nose with that." Although he didn't smile, Tyson's tone changed to a chirpier one, scolding comically his captain for his stupidity.
"I also refused to admit this to myself until this point." Kai shrugged at the question, speaking the truth.
"You're hopeless. Hopeless!" Tyson continued, and some chuckled in agreement.
"I'm sorry, but this is still not an acceptable explanation to your violence for me." Kenny interjected, bringing back the tensed atmosphere.
"I have to agree. Again, you're the captain, Kai, and you have responsibilities with that you can't neglect." Ray reminded him, finally getting a chance to tell his concerns.
"Now, you just sound like my grandfather." Kai rolled his eyes and Ray pressed his lips together. They all know what a real offense it was. "But you're right. As a captain, I should be more responsible."
He could see the surprise in Ray's eyes for admitting so eagerly his mistake, but Kai already lowered his walls and decided to be honest with his team. It was pointless to close back, shutting out everyone just to have the same conversation some days later. He wanted to get over it, the sooner the better.
"I will never hurt you again, Kenny. I give you my word." Kai said ceremoniously, hoping he could hide behind formality, masking his emotions with pretending he was talking about serious business and he had to convince his partner to accept the deal.
The mechanic smiled at him and nodded acceptingly.
"Hey, and what about me? And Ray? You hit us on our face!" Tyson protested.
"I give my word to Ray, too, but I can't promise you anything." Kai retorted flatly, bringing back his arrogant manner. Finally, he was getting back in control in the conversation.
"What?! Wha… Why?!" Tyson stuttered in his outrageousness.
"'Cause you always get on my nerves."
"What kind of apology is this?"
"I'm not apologizing."
"Oh. Then here's the perfect moment to do it." Tyson took the opportunity, boring his dark brown eyes into crimson. "For all the betrayal you committed in the past."
Kai opened his mouth to continue their argument and make a remark, but he noticed the seriousness in the eyes that made him shut, gaping like a fish.
He exhaled in his internal pain. He knew Tyson would not let him get away without his apology and it was futile to argue about it. He had to give this to him and the team if he wanted their undivided forgiveness to move on.
Not keen to do it, he delayed it as long as he dared. He looked at the table, looked out of the window, contemplating how to do it, while the team waited in calm but stubborn silence.
Kai still found it unnecessary to feel sorry for something he didn't regret, but this time – maybe for the first time in his life – he was ready to put the team before his pride and gave them what his team needed. It was not about him. It was about them now. He wanted his last championship to be a good memory. He didn't want to remember at endless fights with Tyson, and judging or scarred eyes from the others.
Kai knew this team for years, and he had experienced lots of adventures with them during the time they had spent together. He reluctantly admitted to himself that these people deserved this apology from him.
Eventually, Kai rose, touching the table with the top of his fingers, still postponing the act that was so unnatural for him. Slowly, he removed his hands from the table then slightly bent his torso. His arms on his side as he bowed before his team to show respect and humbleness. He decided to follow the Asian traditions because his teammates were Japanese or Chinese, and it felt right to apologize on their way.
"I apologize for turning my back to the team in the past and… letting you down."
That was it. He couldn't say anything else without lying though he knew they had expected more from him. However, when Kai rose back and opened his eyes, he saw a grinning Tyson at the other end of the table, and smiling, relieved faces on each side.
"We accept your apology." Tyson announced with a face that lighted up like a Christmas tree.
Kai could sense the tension immediately evaporated from the room, everyone around the table smiled at him almost with proud. This made him irritated, but he didn't really mind this time. Now, he was in their inner circle again, being part of his team without hard feelings. He didn't smile back at them, but in his heart, he felt relieved.
"Good. Because this was the first and the last time." Kai commented with his usual arrogance, just to show his team he was the leader of their bunch.
The others disregarded his remark this time though Kai noticed that Tyson already opened his mouth to make a retort when Hilary cut in.
"Okay, anyone else who still wants to discuss something important with the team?" She queried, looking around in the room.
Everyone looked at one other expectantly, but no one initiated a new topic.
"Oh, me, me!" Max shook his hand in the air, suddenly enthusiastic to speak.
The others put back their serious mask on their face, listening carefully to Max, curious what he needed to say. The blonde was gleefully grinning at them before he shared the news he had got from his mother a day ago.
"I'll have a sister in six months!"
The Bladebreakers stared at him with shock in the first seconds, then the room boomed with cacophony as they jumped in their surprised joy, celebrating with Max. Even Kai couldn't fight back his smile this time.
A/N: Max's little sister actually is an actual character in the new Beyblade Rising manga, so I decided to get along with this idea. This story will need some happiness anyway.