Mizu_Tenshi: 100 reviews! Sorry for the delay but I haven't been able to upload for a while. Thank you to all those who reviewed. You should know that most people voted...B!

Thanks to: simple_truth unipeg88 blue_sparrow Sighing Siren auska_trowa cruel_world Amber Dranzer girl kai lover evilpuppy Krixel Identity thief Panther darkarc The Ninja Taco Master CutieCherry anomynous Anime the Fallen Angel

Disclaimer: I own nothing

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Chapter 11: The phoenix rises

Light filtered through the hospital room in streams of gold, covering the figure that lay in bed with a soft yellow, aurora.

Next to the figure was another boy with raven hair that shone in contrast to with the light and large, round eyes like amber orbs. Currently the boy's head was bowed as if he was already mourning for the sleeping figure and his eyes were dim and showed signs of sleeplessness and stress.

"Why?" Rei questioned whatever unknown presence he thought was in the room. "Why did this have to happen? How did this ever happen? Kai....."

'No matter how dark the night, morning will come....'

It was morning but still the gloom of the past day hung heavily overhead like a dark rain cloud, following Rei and never allowing him to see the morning sun.

Max, Takao and Kenny were still asleep, it was only four in the morning but Rei had not left Kai's side. It was kind of ironic that, as soon as one member got out of hospital, another one went in, this time this member might not wake up.

'Why is it that anyone can look so peaceful when they're asleep?' Rei pondered as he gazed down at the phoenix.

Kai was breathing easily, which was a good thing Rei assumed, his slate hair lay in a messy state and he was still stained with flecks of dried blood but never before had Rei seen Kai so peaceful.

Never.

"Kai," Rei clasped the boy's cold hands. "Do you think that you can escape this way? You can't leave us like this...with no one to turn to and no one to rely on." Anger surged up in Rei's throat, in a sudden rush of adrenaline he screamed at the unconscious boy; "How can you be so selfish?!"

~ Kai's POV ~

Huh, if I knew death was gonna be so boring I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of having such a dramatic end.

There's nothing here; only darkness. Can't I just go to hell or heaven now? I wonder if Max had the same boring greeting...probably not.

I think I can see something, I'm not too sure what it is in all this darkness but it looks like a bunch of trees.

I move forward cautiously at first but then I begin to run at full speed. How far is this thing?

Finally I stop at my destination but I think I must have damaged my head when I feel to the floor; this can't be right. There's a clump of trees looking very out of place amongst the darkness. I can't even see the ground so why can I see a bunch of stupid trees?

Ah, who cares? Since I'm obviously gonna be here for awhile I might as well check it out. I carefully make my way through the trees, which leads me to a clearing surrounded and hidden by overhanging branches.

"This place looks familiar," I mutter to myself.

"It does, doesn't it?"

Um..okay, that sounded familiar too. I look around in all directions but all I can see are the trees surrounding me.

"Do you remember?" the voice says again. It's definitely female, it sounds sweet with a child-like innocence but not belonging to a small kid. It's hard to describe exactly but it brings back nostalgic memories.

"Remember what?" I ask warily.

The figure finally decides to show itself. I was right, it is a girl; a girl dressed in a white gown with dark mahogany eyes and pastel blue hair adorned with a large purple flower.

"Me," she says shortly.

"Hikaru?" I raise my eyebrows. (A.N. I told you I would explain who she was, didn't I?)

"This place," she says, looking around us and ignoring my stares of bewilderment. "This is where we came to play as children. You found this clearing in the park and we used to hide here. It was so exciting, don't you think? To pretend that we were heroes off to save the world and live an adventure every day...like in those anime shows."

I nod; that's about all I can do.

"...But we soon learnt that life wasn't an anime show at all," she continues. "That day...October 13 1994.."

"You died."

"I was killed."

"By Voltaire, by our own grandfather."

"But before that..." She trails off. After awhile I realise that she wants me to finish the sentence but I don't say anything. She started the sentence therefore she must finish it.

She must've got the hint because she starts to speak again. "We made a promise. Do you remember that? It was made in this clearing. We promised that no matter what Voltaire wanted us to be or to do that we would always remember who we were."

I bow my head. How could I forget such a promise? It all comes back to me in floods of images. A star-filled, moonlit night, with my little sister, the winds was clam and the night was beautiful. It was a perfect moment yet filled with sorrow.

"I never forgot who I was," Hikaru begins to walk up and down, occasionally tossing me the odd glance. "I was always myself and that's what got me killed; Voltaire was afraid I would 'corrupt' you. Your friends have been trying to bring out the real you you've buried over the years. They miss you, you should go back to them. You belong with them."

"I can't," I admit. It's true; I can't go back, back to the dread of betraying and being betrayed, I don't think I have enough energy to fight fate anymore. You could say I'm afraid; go on, that's what everyone must be thinking now, maybe I am. Maybe I'm afraid of being hurt.

"Don't be afraid," Hikaru approaches me and whispers softly into the back of my ear. "Not any more. You are the phoenix and just like the phoenix even when you're knocked down you'll rise again."

"You look awfully sure of yourself," I look doubtfully at her.

"Of course I'm sure...Kai Hiwatari. "

~ Hospital. Normal POV ~

Kai's eyes fluttered for a moment then opened fully to stare at the hospital room.

"Kai!" Rei rushed to the slate haired boy's side, tears of happiness began to fall as he vainly tried to shake them away.

"Rei?" Kai looked blearily at the raven-haired boy who was grinning down at him.

"Kai! I'm so glad you're alive, you had us worried there!"

"Hn," was all Kai could say but he was smirking.

"Kai," Rei turned serious, wheeling a chair closer to the hospital bed he whispered to the phoenix; "Why did you do that?"

Kai's looked away from Rei's amber eyes, afraid he might loose himself in their sheer depth. "Did you mean what you said when you told me you loved me?" Kai asked in a barely audible whisper.

"It's rude to switch the topic," Rei gently chided him.

"Look who's talking," Kai snorted as he successfully propped himself up into a sitting position.

"You first," Rei said firmly, his eyes had turned hard, showing that he meant what he said and was not going to be easily swayed.

"I did it because I could," Kai looked at Rei with the same cold gaze he had worn a few days back. "I did it because I'm tired of life. I've been used, abused, betrayed and studied like some circus freak all my life!" his voice raised with an anger Rei had never heard in Kai's voice before. "All my life I could never be myself, I don't even know who I am anymore!"

Silence reigned over them. The birds singing outside just put an emphasis on the silence in the room.

"I made a promise," Kai's voice was back to its normal, calm whisper. He was staring at the sheets that covered him but what was so interesting about those plain white sheets Rei didn't know. "But I broke it."

"What was the promise," Rei inquired.

"That's none of your business." Kai turned away but, a second later, he turned back. "I..I promised that I would be myself."

Rei remained silent, not really knowing what to say.

"I broke the promise and allowed Voltaire to turn me into a cold, heartless, bastard," Kai continued. "Maybe I thought that the only way to be free, to be myself was through death."

"You can be yourself around us!" Rei cried.

"I know, too bad it took me so long to figure it all out. I was searching for a place to belong when I had been there the whole time. Ironic, isn't it? I've been searching for emotions like this yet I had them the whole time."

"So..." Rei started slowly. "Does that mean you're back with us?"

Kai smiled. For once in a very long time he smiled and then nodded.

Rei began grinning widely.

Kai's smile was probably contagious.

"I answered your question now answer mine," Kai gently ordered.

Rei gently leaned over to the phoenix and brushed his lips against the crimson-eyed boy.

Caught in simple ecstasy Time one again seemed to slow down just to witness this moment between the two lovers.

When they pulled apart Rei was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Is that a good enough answer for you?"

Kai nodded but then realisation for something they had overlooked crept in.

"Voltaire!" Kai hissed. "He'll be back for me!"

"It doesn't matter," Rei shrugged. "Me, you, Takao, Max and Kenny, together we can beat him. Tala might even switch sides, he seemed pretty humane yesterday.

"Maybe," Kai admitted.

'..You are the phoenix and just like the phoenix even when you're knocked down you'll rise again..'

"Yeah, we can make it," Kai nodded.

'Thanks Hikaru.'

Rei smiled and hugged the phoenix. Kai stiffened automatically but then let himself relax.

"We'll get though this," Rei murmured. "The phoenix always rises."

My search has been long; looking for emotions like this.

These pure feelings must have been asleep within me

When I chase after my dreams, smiles and tears,

I know that I will catch them more often

But sometimes I want to feel the wind and be myself

I want to find a future that no one else's, but all my own

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Mizu_Tenshi: That was 'Watashi Rashiku' (Being myself) translated into English. Oh yeah, I don't own that either.

Thank you everyone. The way I ended it sounds like I'm gonna make a sequel, doesn't it? Unfortunately, no, I this thing will stand alone 'til the bitter end. Hope you enjoyed it and look out for more of my fics in the near future.

* The water angel (Mizu_Tenshi) *