Mizu_Tenshi: Wow chapter five already? Well I think it's time we got off the orphanage, don't you? Oh, and Thanks to ID Thief for the tip on formatting.

"..." Speech '...' Thought *...* Implied words

Disclaimer: I don't own this anime

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Chapter 5: Fifteen minutes of freedom

"No! Please stop! Why are you doing this?"

"I'm doing this because I must!"

"No, Katsumi! Don't destroy yourself!"

"Goodbye Tadashi."

"Katsumi!"

"Takao! Get up lazy-bones! You're supposed to be helping us search not watching anime!" Rei yelled.

"Ugh! I'm beat!" Takao complained, as he lay sprawled over one of the many cushioned chairs in his house. "We've been to five different orphanages and not a single one knew where Kai was."

"There are still a lot more places to search!" Rei urged Takao back on his feet but Takao refused to move.

"Guys, I think I've got an idea," Kenny said in a serious tone that made everyone tun and look at him. "Well, it's like this - "

"Tadashi! Don't pursue the evil Countess!"

"Don't try and stop me, Okura, I must avenge Katsumi's death!"

"Someone turn off that TV please!" Kenny asked, slightly frustrated that his explanation had been interrupted.

Grudgingly Takao turned off the TV.

"Anyway," Kenny continued "So far, we've been looking at the good orphanages but I don't believe that Voltaire would send Kai to a good orphanage."

"So you're saying we should try the worst, most run-down orphanages there are?" Max caught on

"Precisely, and since most orphanages are in pretty good state this will be an easier task."

"Good, but can I please finish watching this show first?" Takao turned the TV back on.

~ Crossroads Orphanage ~

Kai's finger delicately traced the sharp metal edges of his blade in an unconcerned manner. Dranzer glowed timidly in his hand but Kai ignored his bit-beast.

Fortunately, Ryo had not appeared in their room until late at night and even then he said nothing to Kai but acted as if he was not there so Kai could finally be alone with his thoughts.

Right now he was in the bathroom feeling the cold night's air rush in through the window.

He was not going to become his grandfather. He would die before he allowed that to happen, he knew he was trained to be Voltaire's puppet but that was not the case anymore, he was his own person now. He was not Voltaire.

He hated this place more than ever. He hated the children more than ever. The way they insulted him, the way they taunted him and, most of all, the way they made him doubt his own humanity.

Was he human? Well, scientifically, he was human, he had the same basic anatomy as the others after all but the word 'human' had several definitions.

Before it had just been stupid name-calling, he could ignore it, it wasn't true just childish immaturity but now he wasn't sure anymore. Were the kids right? Was he really a monster?

~ Flashback ~

Kai stood at the far end of a dark stone room, the only light being a solitary candle. He felt his heart pumping and his breath quicken at what lay opposite the small dingy room.

It was a black burlap sack moving and writhing horribly, whatever was in the sack was moaning and crying.

"Let me out, please! Please, God! Oh, dear God, someone let me out!" The voice was male, belonging to a child about seven years old. That voice made Kai's throat tighten.

"Finish the job," a rasping voice whispered in his ear yet no one was near him.

"I know, Boris," Kai growled. He knew his tutor was there, he was always there.

He could feel Boris' watchful gaze fixed on him, it made his skin tingle uncomfortably just knowing he was there.somewhere.watching..waiting.assessing him like a piece of machinery.

Slowly Kai took a few steps towards the figure in the sack getting bolder with each step until he was standing right in front of the wriggling sack.

'Don't screw up,' he told himself calmly. 'In and out, quick and easy.'

Carefully he bent down, trying to regulate his breathing. He wiped his sweaty hands on his cargo pants and then picked up a beautiful pearl handled dagger again.

"Indecisiveness looses points. Finish the job now." Boris ordered.

'Okay, on the count of three,' Kai said to himself as he closed is eyes and raised the dagger, trying to shut out the wails that were now so close to him. 'One.two.three!'

The blade slit the sack easily and the figure suddenly stopped moving, all voices ceased. At the same time Kai felt his heart wrench at what he had done.

Why couldn't he bring himself to just kill them without hesitation? It was okay, wasn't it? That's what Boris had said. They were weak and had failed their tests. The weak did not deserve to survive Boris had explained.

If that was true then why did he feel so bad? So guilty? Was he being weak too?

'Another courage and loyalty test down the drain,' Kai nodded as he stood up, withdrawing the crimson dipped dagger.

"Quick and silent killing method, light on feet," Boris droned like a machine. "Hesitation and indecisiveness present. Overall score: fifty-six points. Next time, Kai, don't think about it."

~ End of flashback ~

Don't think about it.he had killed someone! An innocent child! How was he supposed to not think about it? What was worse was that he received no nightmares as punishment but always managed to sleep easy.

He wanted a nightmare, to wake up sweating and afraid to go back to sleep, anything just to prove to himself that he had a conscience, that he was not a monster. He wanted to be able to cry.

"It's not your fault," he told his concerned bit-beast as he stowed it safely away in the depths of his pocket.

Just.how many days was it? He had lost count already. It felt as if he had been rotting away in this hellhole for years. Shaking his head despondently he turned to face his own reflection.

There are times in life when you can just loose yourself, when you just stare blankly at your reflection, lost in your own eyes and that feeling of disgust overcomes you. You don't ever want to see that person staring back at you ever again.

That was what Kai was doing right now. Observing himself and telling his reflection to go crawl into a ditch and die.

Messy hair that ranged from slate blue to ocean blue stuck out at awkward angles while some strands fell to frame his face. Creamy skin, a stoic expression, a petite nose deeply contrasted with large, crimson eyes and lastly, four blue triangles painted onto his cheeks. This was Kai Hiwatari.

'I don't belong here, why am I here? Of all he people I could have been why did I end up as me? This is what they see when they look at me: an arrogant, jaded, anti-social, freak of nature!'

Kai wasn't the type to feel sorry for himself, instead he felt angry. Angry with what Voltaire and the abbey had done to him, angry towards Ryo and, for the first time, angry towards his team for forgetting him.

He had gotten them through so much and now that there was no tournament was he to be flung aside and forgotten? He could just see his team enjoying the holidays while he was stuck here.

Kai shook off the thought. As if he had given his team any indication that he had wanted to be with them. This was his fault.

That's when it struck him. He had to get out of here. It didn't matter if they sent the police looking for him; no one would care anyway. He had to get away from the orphanage. Go somewhere far away.

Exiting the bathroom he moved silently and stealthily pass Ryo's sleeping form and to his luggage.

He had to travel light. A few spare sets of clothes, the book he had been given for his birthday and what little money he had that was not in the bank was all flung into a smaller bag.

Finally, taking out a pen and a piece of paper he decided to leave a note for the one person who had actually cared.

'Trish, can't say where I'm going, I don't really know myself, all I can say is that I won't be back; I had to get away from here. If Boris comes back don't tell him anything. Take care of yourself. Kai.'

There, short and sweet and to the point.

He didn't know where Trish's room was but he left it with the remainder of his things and hopefully she would find it.

Taking up his bag he swung it over his shoulder and made for the bathroom window, opening it wide open he slipped his first leg out through the window.

'Where am I going to go? What am I going to do even if I don't get caught?' Kai wondered. 'Well, wherever I go it will be better than here.' Kai shook off his doubts and slid the rest of his body through the open window.

The window banged shut in the breeze as Kai slipped out and he froze for a moment, listening carefully to each breath.

There was no sound to be heard from inside and so Kai proceeded onwards.

He stole down the street under the moon's watchful gaze. Now this was the kind of freedom he longed for: freedom to walk in through the darkness and silence of the night.

Staring up at the cloudless sky, he counted the stars and allowed his heart to soar up to them. This was real. He was free!

A whoop of joy would have been appropriate but Kai wasn't the one to cheer so instead he did something he had been dying to do since he was locked in that jail of an orphanage.

He ran. Like someone taking a long drink after a hundred years of drought he ran as fast as he could. It was exhilarating to know no bounds, to run with the night and the wind hitting your face.

Eventually, he stopped to regain his breath and his bearings. He was still quite close to the orphanage, near a public park.

He set off again, walking at a steady pace. Now he really was a stray. He didn't get very far, only five steps in fact when he stopped again.

He froze at the figure on the opposite side of the road.

Boris.

Boris turned to stare at Kai. The two stood as still as statues, trying to confirm what they were seeing.

The words 'oh crap!' were able to pass through Kai's brain before he sped off towards the park with Boris hot on the pursuit.

Reaching the locked and bolted gates that led into the park Kai vaulted over them with ease, making sharp turns and running in hopes of throwing his pursuer off the trail.

He passed a large pond of goldfish, it was more of a lake than anything else. He leaped over the safety railings and slid into the murky water.

It wasn't very deep and Kai found himself lying on his back so the water could cover him. Closing his eyes and holding his breath he tried to hear the sound of footsteps under water.

He didn't know how long passed but he knew he couldn't hold his breath forever. He stood up, braking the surface of the water and sending scared goldfish scattering madly through the waters.

Much to Kai's relief no one was around but now he was soaking from head to foot and he was pretty sure his spare clothes had gotten damp as well.

'Great, I'm alone in the dark, chest deep in water, with no home, no team, no food and a sadistic maniac after me. How I love my life,' Kai thought sarcastically.

He had to take back the 'alone' part when someone else appeared.

"Ryo? What are you doing here?" Kai asked, knowing that this could not mean anything good.

"Well I heard the window bang shut. You know, normal people use the door. Huh, look at the wet rat! Just you wait 'til I tell Miss Berry that you've been leaving the orphanage!" Ryo sneered and taunted Kai.

"Don't you dare!" Kai's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously but Ryo was not intimidated.

"Do you think she'll hear us from here?" He continued to taunt Kai.

"Ryo!"

"Let's try shall, we?" Ryo took a deep breath and yelled at the top of his voice, "RUN AWAY ORPHAN! OVER HERE!"

"Ryo, shut the hell up!" Kai waded to the bank as quickly as possible. Once on dry land he clamped a wet and muddy hand around Ryo's mouth. Ryo struggled and freed himself, wiping away the mud on his face.

"You're gonna get a thrashing for this, you freaky - " He paused at roughly the same time a gun was pointed to his head and another at Kai.

"Well, well, well, look at what the fates dragged in."

They both turned round slowly to see Boris with to Tommy guns in each hand and smiling in a horrid, twisted manner.

Kai felt like slapping Ryo. His calls must have alerted Boris and sent him running back. Once he got his hands around that little rat's neck -

"W...who are you?" Ryo was trembling with fear.

"Silence!" Boris barked and Ryo instantly recoiled with fear.

"Let him go, it's me you want," Kai said calmly. As much fun as it was to see Ryo almost wet his pants he didn't want a dead body on his hands.

"Silence!" Boris barked again

"No! Listen to him!" Ryo cried frantically

"You know, I could just kill you off right now," Boris growled as he pressed the gun closer to Ryo's head, "but that's pretty messy and I don't stoop to such petty jobs as killing little children. I'll just drag you two back to Mr Roskovi and see what he wants to do."

The two were ordered out of the park and to a large black car with glazed windows. Two other men were there, both with guns.

Ryo and Kai were shoved into the car between the two men while Boris got in next to the driver.

"Roskovi inc." Boris grunted to the driver.

Kai looked at Ryo who was still shaking and obviously too scared to speak.

'Idiot,' Kai let out a sigh and settled himself comfortably against the soft leather seats. 'If he didn't come after me he'd still be safely in the orphanage.'

Well there was nothing he could do now, he would just have to try and keep Ryo out of trouble while in Roskovi inc.

It was kind of amazing, Kai observed with a bitter smile, how life can keep screwing you over. It was just from one terrible existence to another.

They say that the Gods smile on some and frown on others but for Kai it seemed they had taken a liking poking him with a large stick called misfortune.

'From one place to another, that's just great. Well, at least I have some place warm to sleep.'

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Mizu_Tenshi: About the flashback. Kai was raised in the abbey, so what Boris tells him he has to accept as the truth, he killed 'cause he was taught that it was okay even though he had doubts. He knows better now. I didn't plan on including it, it just came. Good or bad R&R.

evil-tala - Thanks, I try to keep the main characters from becoming OOC. I'm sure you're not as bad as you think you are!

sakura - Peace! Thanks for reviewing. R&R!

Feona - I know I'm mean to Kai. Poor guy should get a break but then I wouldn't have any fun. Thanks for the review!

Kawii Angel - Thanks and yes it will get darker. I don't know much about Yu- Gi-Oh except that some of the kids at school play the card game. Sorry!

ChibiKai(UL is amazing - Evil is here! R&R! Tanks for reviewing

Kurio Neko - Thanks and I'll keep reading Sweet Revenge. Great fic!

The Otherworlder - Really? Oh wow, thanks! I'm honoured. R&R

vegeta's lover - Me too. Don't worry Kai!

whisper*2*imaginary - Really? Well, hope you liked the chapter.

Krixel - Yeah, and now he's going to another place he really hates.

kai-baby - Oh, it would have been nice if they had continued. Anyway, thanks for reviewing.

kai lover - I know, Kai can't become that bastard! Don't do it Kai!

Wise wolf - Thanks, I try to update once a week.

Beygirl - Me too! It's fun to watch him loose it and hopefully he'll be insulting Ryo in the next chapter.

Squirrel of shadows - Thanks, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!