Thank you all so much for your reviews! They were greatly appreciated. ^_^
I'm sorry this took so long to post. I had to attend a funeral and you know
how hectic life gets when a loved one dies. One of my friend's fathers
died. Thanks for your patience. Okay...FF.net screwed up the top and bottom
of the last chapter so it was all squished together. Sorry about that! I
hope it comes out right this time. ^^ Okay, on to the fic!
The Task of Leadership: Chapter Two
~~~
Kai awoke slowly. His mind was heavy and dull, but it sharpened immensely once he remembered what happened. He groaned and pushed himself off of the ground. And instantly wished he hadn't. His right wrist was on fire with pain.
Kai growled and inspected it. It was broken, a clean break that wasn't going to heal anytime soon. He closed his eyes and sighed. The World Championships were just weeks away! After opening them again, he scanned the area around him. Rei was close by, lying on the ground, unmoving. Max, Kenny, and Tyson were nowhere to be seen.
Kai's eyes wandered to the plane. It was in ruins. The engine was smoking, and most of it was crushed, although some of the passenger area was still intact. Kai blinked and realized that he was sitting outside of the plane. Which meant he had to have been thrown out in the process of the crash. Rei too. That would explain the broken wrist.
He heard Rei moan and saw him roll over. He could only hope that the Chinese boy didn't have any serious injuries.
Rei opened his eyes and groaned. He slowly sat up, and rubbed his face. He saw Kai on the ground with a look of pain on his face.
"Kai...?" Rei called out shakily. He was scared and dazed at what had just happened.
"The plane crashed," Kai said bluntly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but you were hurt earlier."
"My wrist is broken."
Rei stood and walked over to Kai, then knelt beside him. "Oh no," he murmured. "It's pretty bad."
"There isn't much that can help now. I need a splint," Kai said, and stood up. His left ankle was bruised badly and hurt whenever he put weight on it, but at the moment the screaming pain in his wrist was on his mind.
"Wait here, Kai. Don't move that wrist." Rei said and walked to the edge of the clearing they had landed in. He found a stick sturdy enough to work, and brought it back to Kai.
Kai took it and broke it in half, then put it to his wrist. Rei unwound the white cloth from his own wrist and wrapped it around Kai's. Kai pulled it tighter while Rei tied it. A make-shift sling would have to do at the moment.
"Thanks," Kai muttered. Rei managed a smile, delighted that he had finally been able to help Kai.
"Come on, we have to help the others."
Rei snapped out of his thoughts. "Right."
Kai slowly made his way to the ruined plane, wincing slightly at the pain in his ankle. Rei followed. They reached the plane and the only part still intact was the passenger area.
Kai hefted himself up into the ripped opening. Rei landed lightly beside him.
"They're here," Rei breathed. "Wait...where's Tyson?"
Max and Kenny were just beginning to stir. They were still in their seats with the seatbelts buckled, holding them down. Rei crossed the room swiftly and unbuckled them.
"Rei, what happened...?" Max asked distantly. He was still trying to gather his thoughts. Rei pulled Max gently out of his seat.
"The plane crashed," Rei sighed. "And Kai broke his wrist."
Kai growled. "That's not important right now. Get Kenny up, I'll go look for Tyson." The slate haired blader stepped gingerly out of the plane and out of sight, his scarf trailing after him.
Rei turned his attention to Kenny, and helped him up. Max was fully awake now, and was wondering about Tyson.
"Where'd he go?" Max asked, looking about the ruined plane with his bright eyes.
"I don't know. Kai and I haven't seen him yet. Come on, let's go help Kai," Rei said, and followed Kai's footsteps.
They spotted Kai near the ruined cockpit, balancing on one foot. They saw Kai shake his head and move on, carefully stepping around the debris.
Rei walked forward and gasped at what he saw. The pilot was a mangled mess on the ground, dead on the debris. Blood was everywhere.
Rei bit his lip and ran after Kai. He was checking the back and the area all around. He was looking for Tyson.
"Tyson!" Max called loudly. His voice echoed back. There was no sign of the navy haired blader.
"Where could he have gone? It's not like him to just wander away," Rei wondered aloud.
Rei found Kai critically inspecting the ruined plane. The engine was smoking profusely, along with some other parts. Kai frowned.
"We have to get out of here," he said.
"TYSON!! Where are you?" Max continued calling, growing frantic.
"He's not here."
"But we can't just leave without him, Kai!" Max said, looking desperately into his captain's eyes.
"The combustible parts of this plane could explode any minute now. We have to leave," Kai said firmly.
"But-"
"You'll be killed if you stay here! I'm not risking that chance!"
"Max, come on. There's no use staying here," Rei said softly, slightly shaken from the way Kai had just yelled at Max. Kai never yelled.
Max's shoulder's slumped, and he dropped his head down. "Okay," he said, his voice barely audible.
"But Kai...what about Tyson?" Kenny asked.
Kai was silent for a moment, and Rei watched him closely. Finally he spoke.
"Tyson could be dead for all we know. The only reason I haven't pronounced him is because his body isn't here. But we have to leave. Nobody's going to come looking for us. We were supposed to land in another day or so. Everyone thinks we're still flying to Russia, safe and sound."
Kai's words hit them hard. By now Max was vainly trying to muffle his sobs, and Kenny was staring at the ground, his face completely emotionless.
"We need to get supplies from the plane. And fast," Rei said. The plane was starting to make a strange high-pitched noise. Kai and Rei turned back to the plane without a word.
Max watched them go through teary eyes, then sank to the ground, crying. He sobbed brokenly, with his eyes closed. He punched the ground with his fist.
"Dammit Tyson! Where are you? Please don't be gone, don't die on me, please!" Max cried aloud. "Tyson!"
"Max."
Max felt a hand on his shoulder and for a fleeting moment, thought Tyson had heard his cries. He looked up into the amber eyes of Rei. They shimmered with unshed tears.
"It's okay, Max," Rei said, his voice shaking in effort to hold back his tears. Max began to cry again and buried his face into Rei's shoulder. He felt the Chinese boy stroking his back, murmuring softly.
Kai left them alone. He himself was saddened that Tyson was gone, but at that moment, he was more concerned about the welfare of the rest of his team. He gently adjusted his sling, and then eyed the smoking debris. It didn't look too safe.
"Ahem." Kai cleared his throat in an effort to get the attention of Rei and Max. Rei looked up and nodded knowingly. Max stopped crying and stood up with Rei beside him.
"Chief?" Rei called out softly. Kenny followed without a sound. Kai looked at him for a moment, then up at the trees ahead. He had no idea where they were. The plane had crashed in the middle of a forest.
The Bladebreakers began to walk away from the ruined aircraft. The only sound for a long time was the crunching of the dry leaves and sticks underfoot, and Max's soft sobs.
~~~
TBC
~~~
Yay! Another chapter done. Thanks for reading this far, now please don't leave without reviewing!! I live for your reviews! ^_^ If you have a question about this fic, ask! I will answer. YAY! I'm so happy! Okay...bye now. Next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully it won't take a month to type it up. ^^;; Toodles.
The Task of Leadership: Chapter Two
~~~
Kai awoke slowly. His mind was heavy and dull, but it sharpened immensely once he remembered what happened. He groaned and pushed himself off of the ground. And instantly wished he hadn't. His right wrist was on fire with pain.
Kai growled and inspected it. It was broken, a clean break that wasn't going to heal anytime soon. He closed his eyes and sighed. The World Championships were just weeks away! After opening them again, he scanned the area around him. Rei was close by, lying on the ground, unmoving. Max, Kenny, and Tyson were nowhere to be seen.
Kai's eyes wandered to the plane. It was in ruins. The engine was smoking, and most of it was crushed, although some of the passenger area was still intact. Kai blinked and realized that he was sitting outside of the plane. Which meant he had to have been thrown out in the process of the crash. Rei too. That would explain the broken wrist.
He heard Rei moan and saw him roll over. He could only hope that the Chinese boy didn't have any serious injuries.
Rei opened his eyes and groaned. He slowly sat up, and rubbed his face. He saw Kai on the ground with a look of pain on his face.
"Kai...?" Rei called out shakily. He was scared and dazed at what had just happened.
"The plane crashed," Kai said bluntly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, but you were hurt earlier."
"My wrist is broken."
Rei stood and walked over to Kai, then knelt beside him. "Oh no," he murmured. "It's pretty bad."
"There isn't much that can help now. I need a splint," Kai said, and stood up. His left ankle was bruised badly and hurt whenever he put weight on it, but at the moment the screaming pain in his wrist was on his mind.
"Wait here, Kai. Don't move that wrist." Rei said and walked to the edge of the clearing they had landed in. He found a stick sturdy enough to work, and brought it back to Kai.
Kai took it and broke it in half, then put it to his wrist. Rei unwound the white cloth from his own wrist and wrapped it around Kai's. Kai pulled it tighter while Rei tied it. A make-shift sling would have to do at the moment.
"Thanks," Kai muttered. Rei managed a smile, delighted that he had finally been able to help Kai.
"Come on, we have to help the others."
Rei snapped out of his thoughts. "Right."
Kai slowly made his way to the ruined plane, wincing slightly at the pain in his ankle. Rei followed. They reached the plane and the only part still intact was the passenger area.
Kai hefted himself up into the ripped opening. Rei landed lightly beside him.
"They're here," Rei breathed. "Wait...where's Tyson?"
Max and Kenny were just beginning to stir. They were still in their seats with the seatbelts buckled, holding them down. Rei crossed the room swiftly and unbuckled them.
"Rei, what happened...?" Max asked distantly. He was still trying to gather his thoughts. Rei pulled Max gently out of his seat.
"The plane crashed," Rei sighed. "And Kai broke his wrist."
Kai growled. "That's not important right now. Get Kenny up, I'll go look for Tyson." The slate haired blader stepped gingerly out of the plane and out of sight, his scarf trailing after him.
Rei turned his attention to Kenny, and helped him up. Max was fully awake now, and was wondering about Tyson.
"Where'd he go?" Max asked, looking about the ruined plane with his bright eyes.
"I don't know. Kai and I haven't seen him yet. Come on, let's go help Kai," Rei said, and followed Kai's footsteps.
They spotted Kai near the ruined cockpit, balancing on one foot. They saw Kai shake his head and move on, carefully stepping around the debris.
Rei walked forward and gasped at what he saw. The pilot was a mangled mess on the ground, dead on the debris. Blood was everywhere.
Rei bit his lip and ran after Kai. He was checking the back and the area all around. He was looking for Tyson.
"Tyson!" Max called loudly. His voice echoed back. There was no sign of the navy haired blader.
"Where could he have gone? It's not like him to just wander away," Rei wondered aloud.
Rei found Kai critically inspecting the ruined plane. The engine was smoking profusely, along with some other parts. Kai frowned.
"We have to get out of here," he said.
"TYSON!! Where are you?" Max continued calling, growing frantic.
"He's not here."
"But we can't just leave without him, Kai!" Max said, looking desperately into his captain's eyes.
"The combustible parts of this plane could explode any minute now. We have to leave," Kai said firmly.
"But-"
"You'll be killed if you stay here! I'm not risking that chance!"
"Max, come on. There's no use staying here," Rei said softly, slightly shaken from the way Kai had just yelled at Max. Kai never yelled.
Max's shoulder's slumped, and he dropped his head down. "Okay," he said, his voice barely audible.
"But Kai...what about Tyson?" Kenny asked.
Kai was silent for a moment, and Rei watched him closely. Finally he spoke.
"Tyson could be dead for all we know. The only reason I haven't pronounced him is because his body isn't here. But we have to leave. Nobody's going to come looking for us. We were supposed to land in another day or so. Everyone thinks we're still flying to Russia, safe and sound."
Kai's words hit them hard. By now Max was vainly trying to muffle his sobs, and Kenny was staring at the ground, his face completely emotionless.
"We need to get supplies from the plane. And fast," Rei said. The plane was starting to make a strange high-pitched noise. Kai and Rei turned back to the plane without a word.
Max watched them go through teary eyes, then sank to the ground, crying. He sobbed brokenly, with his eyes closed. He punched the ground with his fist.
"Dammit Tyson! Where are you? Please don't be gone, don't die on me, please!" Max cried aloud. "Tyson!"
"Max."
Max felt a hand on his shoulder and for a fleeting moment, thought Tyson had heard his cries. He looked up into the amber eyes of Rei. They shimmered with unshed tears.
"It's okay, Max," Rei said, his voice shaking in effort to hold back his tears. Max began to cry again and buried his face into Rei's shoulder. He felt the Chinese boy stroking his back, murmuring softly.
Kai left them alone. He himself was saddened that Tyson was gone, but at that moment, he was more concerned about the welfare of the rest of his team. He gently adjusted his sling, and then eyed the smoking debris. It didn't look too safe.
"Ahem." Kai cleared his throat in an effort to get the attention of Rei and Max. Rei looked up and nodded knowingly. Max stopped crying and stood up with Rei beside him.
"Chief?" Rei called out softly. Kenny followed without a sound. Kai looked at him for a moment, then up at the trees ahead. He had no idea where they were. The plane had crashed in the middle of a forest.
The Bladebreakers began to walk away from the ruined aircraft. The only sound for a long time was the crunching of the dry leaves and sticks underfoot, and Max's soft sobs.
~~~
TBC
~~~
Yay! Another chapter done. Thanks for reading this far, now please don't leave without reviewing!! I live for your reviews! ^_^ If you have a question about this fic, ask! I will answer. YAY! I'm so happy! Okay...bye now. Next chapter should be up soon. Hopefully it won't take a month to type it up. ^^;; Toodles.