TT: I was tempted not to do another chapter, but that would make m reviewers hurt me.

Kai: You have reviewers?

TT: ...I have _A_ reviwer, happy now?

Kai: No, I was hoping that no one would review and you'd get all depressed and vow never to write again.

TT: *sweatdrops* Uh, yeah, anyway. Thanks for reviewing, DragonBlade. And I hope lots of other people review too! ^^

Kai: I don't.

TT: I didn't ask you. *coughs* On with the ficcy!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kai continued to gaze, spellbound, at the weapon in front of him. Suddenly, he found it hard to breathe. His breathe caught in his throat.

Kai picked it up, turning it over in his hands. The blood on it was dried from long ago, crumbling off in his hands, staining them red.

Just as they'd been stained before. The scent of blood flittered in from his senses. It was a very old smell, faded to almost nothing by time.

The knife gleamed, reflected light onto the walls. Even the light itself was stained red, as if the walls were bleeding as Kai so often had.

The knife was taunting him. Luring him, enticing him to use it again.

And Kai didn't know if he could resist.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there, his garnet eyes clouded with forgotten emotion. Just staring, always staring.

Kai's hand shook slightly as he raised the knife, he could see one eye reflected in it. He could see the longing, the temptation, the horror and confusion in his eyes.

Emotions and questions that threatened to overflow. But, where would that leave him? Another question, another thought he wanted to ignore and forget.

Frowning slightly, Kai ran a finger over the blade. He just wanted to escape it all, everything he had become. Everything he was. He wanted an escape...

But did he want this escape?

His eyes widened slightly as a slight surge of pain suddenly made itself known. He looked down. He'd been so preoccupied with his thoughts, he hadn't paid attention and had cut his thumb on the blade.

Fresh blood mixed with old.

The cut was harmless, its was hardly even bleeding. Only a slight drop of blood escaped from it.

But with it, came a slight sense of satisfaction, and relief. New pain, taking away new thoughts that threatened to drive him to the edge.

It was intoxicating, addictive.

Kai froze as Ray made a sound, turning over in his bed so that the sleeping teen was facing him.

Kai silently dived back into the bathroom, the knife still in his hand. Closing and locking the door behind him, Kai sank to the ground, staring at the knife.

There was a voice at the back of his head, telling him to do it, to get rid of the pain. That maybe, just maybe, this time it would be for good.

Kai slid one of the gauntlets off. The blade glinted. A part of him screamed the just throw the knife away, to break the spell, to just stop what he was doing!

But Kai wasn't listening to that anymore. He couldn't hear it, all he was aware of were the painful sentiments that were pounding through he, screaming to be let out.

Kai lifted the dagger, and ran it ever-so-gently down his lower arm. A long cut trailed after it, followed by a steady torrent of blood. But it wasn't painful. On the contrary, it was soothing. As the blood dripped away, so did the thoughts and emotions.

There was a banging on the door. "Kai? Are you done in there?" Ray's voice filtered through the wood.

Jumping to his feet, Kai shoved the knife into his pocket and ran his arm under the tap while looking for some bandages. "Yeah yeah, give me a minute." Kai growled back. Wrapping the arm, Kai pulled his gauntlet back on and opened the bathroom door, walking past Ray coolly. "Satisfied?"

Ignoring the other blader, Ray walked into the bathroom and closed it behind him. Stripping down and turning on the shower, Ray casually glanced around the bathroom, then saw something that made him frown.

'Why is there wet blood on the floor?'