Shades of Gray
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Mm-hmm, beginning of Kai's and Asaya's little flashbacks. Seems like he and Asaya are connected to each other in more ways than one...and then some. Comments, suggestions, flames, etc., are HIGHLY appreciated. YAY! Go, WEEKLY FIX! ^o^
***...*** Kai looked up at his grandfather inquisitively as he and Balkov talked.
***He is well, and good.***
***Of course, Mr. Hiwatari, he is VERY special.***
Kai remembered that it was the first time he had ever seen his grandfather. He was born and raised in the Balkov Monastery, and had no recollections whatsoever of how his mother's smile was like or how his father looked like. Balkov told him stories of his grandfather when he started asking questions as a child, and as a precocious 4 year-old then, his innocent yet really good questions to the untrained listener unearthed lots and lots of facts.
Starting with his birth.
Balkov told him that he was VERY special. Kai wondered about it at how a child like he could be special when he was the cause of his mother's death on the childbed. One of the guards told him that one thing one day when he had been "bad" again.
He was the Monastery's hope, or so it seemed. Treating him like he was a work animal was bad enough, but pissed off guards breathing down your necks to continue with Bey Blade swing exercise no. 3,456 was another thing.
Was he THAT special that was why his grandfather left him?
His grandfather can't look at him without a small frown on his face every time he gazed at his grandson, as if seeing Kai was like seeing his worst infected foot blister.
***Do you hate me?***
His grandfather laughed at that question he asked as a kid of 4.
***What makes you think that, Kai? You are my sole grandchild, and you're about to inherit Hiwatari Corporation when you become of age.***
***What, I'll change if I come of age? Would I look different?***
***Yes Kai, very MUCH.*** His grandfather reached out to ruffle little Kai's hair affectionately, with a smile that didn't quite reach up to his eyes. ***You'll do great things in the future, and even greater things when you reach 15.***
Kai knew at once that his grandfather was a very evil man.
And yes, his grandfather HATED him.
Then he remembered that day when a man in all white went to the Monastery with a huge basket in his arms.
***Speak of the DEVIL! What do you THINK you're doing HERE?!***
***I found the last piece to the PUZZLE. Your Monastery's good as shot!***
***I do not WANT that freak in HERE! GET OUT! Or Hiwatari would have my HEAD!***
The all-white man was laughing.
***Seven of them, Balkov, SEVEN! Aren't you glad I've finally found them ALL?!***
Kai looked inside the basket when Balkov and that man were arguing. Inside was a small infant, barely a week old, its eyes squeezed shut, and dressed in fluffy white silk, lace, and lots of ribbons.
He remembered that it was some time after Christmas.
He was wondering if the infant hated him so much that was why it had its eyes squeezed tightly shut like that when the man and Balkov came over and saw him.
***Two bloodlines, one cruel fate.*** The man laughs. ***See you after 16 years, Balkov, and this little lady would rip your whole Monastery apart. Is that a deal?***
***OUT!*** Balkov was shouting. ***OUT!***
And Kai never saw the infant again.
Asaya could remember the day so well.
It was her 3rd birthday, 3 days after the Guild has unsuccessfully tried to extract the -Sealer Edain- from her body, and discovered its existence within her, along with 8 other -Aetherions- more (note: Aetherions, -Holy Beasts-). She was holed up in her hospital bed, alright, and she was having a party with the rest of the Guild's med staff when he came.
He looked so grave, it was hard not to ask him about it.
***Why are you so serious?*** Asaya asked him.
***...*** The boy was just quiet, looking at her with emotionless red-brown eyes.
***Do you want cake or ice cream? It's my birthday today, Llewelyn and the others can't come, and I'm all ALONE.*** Asaya smiled at him, her eyes closed happily, in spite of the many tubes sticking to her frail body that injected her with all sorts of test serums and medication. ***Well?***
The boy blinked, as if he remembered something about the way she smiled, Asaya wasn't quite sure.
***Umm...this came from Llewelyn, that one from Lee, and those ones over there from D Ward where I stay at the labs...OH! And this one's my favorite, this came from a Mr. Hiwatari.*** Asaya showed him all her presents; the stuffed bunny and tiger she got from Llewelyn and Lee respectively, the cards and birthday balloons from the kind med staff of D Ward, and the antique dolls' house she got from that *certain* Mr. Hiwatari. She smiled that ethereal smile again. ***Dr. Leimrey says this is PRICELESS, so I guess I could sell it and nobody would want it? I mean, it HAS no PRICE.***
***Did you say Hiwatari?*** the boy asked suddenly.
***Yes, I DID,*** Asaya replied. ***Do you know him? Could you thank him for ME?***
***...*** The boy became quiet again.
Dr. Leimrey hurries in, then sees the boy. He raised an eyebrow. ***Oh DEAR, what are you doing HERE, your grandfather would have my HEAD. I told those stupid guards of yours to keep an EYE on YOU, but apparently they forgot.***
***...*** The boy didn't answer, but Asaya could not deny the fact that his red brown eyes became filled with a dangerous anger to them as he watched Dr. Leimrey.
***There you ARE!*** One of the scary looking black-cloaked men came and got the boy from Asaya's room.
Asaya looked pleadingly at Dr. Leimrey. ***Can't he stay with me? I've made a new friend, and~~~***
***You're missing out on your afternoon NAP.*** Dr. Leimrey nodded over at the black-cloaked men. ***Please get him out of my sight before I decide to have a high blood attack.***
***Yes, sir!***
And Asaya never saw that boy again.
Could it be possible that 2 fates could intertwine?
Dr. Leimrey had tried to think of that over and over again as he sat in his office and he was drinking some wine.
He knew about Kai's little flashback, and Asaya's, too; because he was THERE.
He was the man in white in Kai's past, while Kai was the boy in Asaya's, and Dr. Leimrey to her even THEN.
He knew that this was the start of their 2 fates intertwining, and with the others as well, because he engineered the whole deal.
EVERY single THING.
Shao's family massacre, Mao's decision, the death of the entire White Tiger Village, THIS Bey Blade Tournament, even Kai's parents' deaths, and Asaya's parents as well, and even that of her paternal grandfather's.
He hated every single one of them that was why he had them all killed or manipulated one way or the other.
***RIP, Dr. Ninomiya, your granddaughter barely knew ye,*** Dr. Leimrey says with a laugh, then sets his glass on the table in front of an old picture that was quite burnt at the sides.
And so, Satoshi Hiwatari and Maaya Hiwatari gazed and smiled upon him very lovingly, as they stood and sat there: Satoshi standing, his sister sitting.
And yes, they were Kai's father and Asaya's mother respectively.
They were FAMILY.