Redbird
Cherry Rain: In this chapter. won't tell! Read and see for yourself.
Chapter Nine: Feelings Awakened
I glared in anger at the six sniveling wretches at my feet. "Our master's orders were simple. Get the girl called Lei Feng and bring her back! But no. even six of you couldn't defeat one little girl!"
The leader actually dared to speak up. "But she had help. Her team leader, that Kai Hiwatari came to help her."
"Is that an excuse? He is only human!" I snarled. "If it had been her bitbeast who saved her, I would have accepted that. Your brute force would be useless in the face of the lightning phoenix. But she didn't even use her bitbeast and you still lost. You are dismissed until further notice."
They all scuttled off, thankful to be alive. When I was sure they were gone, I turned to the storm-eyed boy in the shadows. "Well, my friend. So it looks like you have a chance to show your skills after all."
"I know. And I'm not your friend. I'm here only for Lei Feng. I've got no interest in your stupid plans," he said sullenly.
"Yes, I know," I said placatingly. "I understand. So you can get her. Go now, all right? You know what the master has promised you."
His storm grey eyes lit up dully, with a fiendish light. "Yes."
He moved silently away. I took a black blade with a red vertical stripe down the center. "You know what you are to do, Foxflame." My bitbeast glowed in response. My master had plans. Lei Feng was essential to them.
I would help. I was sworn to his service, always had been. He was the one who gave me Foxflame. And I would help, even if I had to sacrifice my life in the process. Everything was proceeding according to plan. We needed the phoenix bitbeast Redbird. And we needed another. and Lei Feng was the key.
One thing I didn't understand was why he wanted the girl Yu as well. What set her apart from anyone else? I knew of her. Yu was a key factor in my past. Yu. but I knew of her heritage. Even though it was a broken line, she could trace it back to.
No, I was not to remember that. Orders were to be followed.
One thing was for sure. The bitbeasts we needed were the Red Phoenix and the Lightning Bird. Dranzer and Redbird.
***
"What happened to you?" Ray asked, noticing the state Lei Feng was in.
"She fell and her ankle's sprained, I think," Kai told him promptly. "I'll get her to the doctor. You guys go on back to the hotel first."
Lei Feng mentally thanked him for making up an excuse. Ray didn't look too satisfied but obviously decided not to question Kai. "Okay."
After they had got on a bus, Lei Feng started to open her mouth. "And don't even think of thanking me again, Lei Feng," Kai silenced her before she could say anything. "Do you know that bunch of bastards?"
"Not exactly. they tried it back in the slums of the street where I stayed at that time, but Redbird saved me that time. The only thing is, Redbird could only help me because she was already spinning at that time- they ambushed me while I was practicing. And Redbird's attacks need the friction of the blade rubbing against the air and ground to work properly. So that time Redbird got so angry it unleashed a storm on them- I called the attack Storm Devastation. But this time it couldn't help." She buried her face in her hands, shuddering at the memory.
"Hey, pull yourself together, Lei Feng. We've got a tournament coming up soon, and I can't afford to let any of you back out of it because of depression. One of us backs out, we forfeit the tournament."
Lei Feng sat up straight. "Is that the only reason why you saved me, Kai? Just so your chances of winning the tournament wouldn't be jeopardized?"
Kai was stunned by her question. Was it? He wasn't sure. But if he just wanted to save a teammate, he wouldn't felt that angry back then. He had been ready to kill all six of them if necessary. It was an instinct; it was like the time when someone had tried to steal Dranzer. The person had ended up with a broken ribcage. It was the need to protect something of his, something he cared for.
"No." he admitted, slightly reluctant.
But Lei Feng didn't let up. "Then what was other reason?"
God, couldn't she just give up? How was he to answer that question?
But he knew.
His subconscious told him, told him why, told him of what he felt for the raven-haired girl beside him.
But another voice argued. No, he couldn't. To love another would make him weak. After all, this was the girl who nearly beat him the first time she battled against him. He had chalked it up to being lucky, but the fact remained that she nearly beat him. Him. Kai Hiwatari, one of the best bladers around.
No! The first voice spoke back, saying that it was precisely because she had nearly beaten him, because she was so different from every other girl who hung on him, because to all appearances she had hated his guts, that he had fallen for her.
With a supreme effort, Kai silenced both clamouring voices. But Lei Feng was looking straight at him, her jet black eyes demanding an answer to her question, and demanding it immediately.
He heard himself say, almost as if he was totally detached from the scene, "Because I love you."
Cherry Rain: Finally! I forced Kai into saying it! Bwa ha ha ha ha.
Kai: How dare you! Dranzer! Get her!
Cherry Rain: Arrgh! Lei Feng! Help!
Lei Feng: Get Dranzer, Redbird!
All three people suddenly stop dead as the two bitbeasts refuse to attack each other.
Cherry Rain: Looks like destiny. even your bitbeasts are falling for each other! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Cherry Rain: In this chapter. won't tell! Read and see for yourself.
Chapter Nine: Feelings Awakened
I glared in anger at the six sniveling wretches at my feet. "Our master's orders were simple. Get the girl called Lei Feng and bring her back! But no. even six of you couldn't defeat one little girl!"
The leader actually dared to speak up. "But she had help. Her team leader, that Kai Hiwatari came to help her."
"Is that an excuse? He is only human!" I snarled. "If it had been her bitbeast who saved her, I would have accepted that. Your brute force would be useless in the face of the lightning phoenix. But she didn't even use her bitbeast and you still lost. You are dismissed until further notice."
They all scuttled off, thankful to be alive. When I was sure they were gone, I turned to the storm-eyed boy in the shadows. "Well, my friend. So it looks like you have a chance to show your skills after all."
"I know. And I'm not your friend. I'm here only for Lei Feng. I've got no interest in your stupid plans," he said sullenly.
"Yes, I know," I said placatingly. "I understand. So you can get her. Go now, all right? You know what the master has promised you."
His storm grey eyes lit up dully, with a fiendish light. "Yes."
He moved silently away. I took a black blade with a red vertical stripe down the center. "You know what you are to do, Foxflame." My bitbeast glowed in response. My master had plans. Lei Feng was essential to them.
I would help. I was sworn to his service, always had been. He was the one who gave me Foxflame. And I would help, even if I had to sacrifice my life in the process. Everything was proceeding according to plan. We needed the phoenix bitbeast Redbird. And we needed another. and Lei Feng was the key.
One thing I didn't understand was why he wanted the girl Yu as well. What set her apart from anyone else? I knew of her. Yu was a key factor in my past. Yu. but I knew of her heritage. Even though it was a broken line, she could trace it back to.
No, I was not to remember that. Orders were to be followed.
One thing was for sure. The bitbeasts we needed were the Red Phoenix and the Lightning Bird. Dranzer and Redbird.
***
"What happened to you?" Ray asked, noticing the state Lei Feng was in.
"She fell and her ankle's sprained, I think," Kai told him promptly. "I'll get her to the doctor. You guys go on back to the hotel first."
Lei Feng mentally thanked him for making up an excuse. Ray didn't look too satisfied but obviously decided not to question Kai. "Okay."
After they had got on a bus, Lei Feng started to open her mouth. "And don't even think of thanking me again, Lei Feng," Kai silenced her before she could say anything. "Do you know that bunch of bastards?"
"Not exactly. they tried it back in the slums of the street where I stayed at that time, but Redbird saved me that time. The only thing is, Redbird could only help me because she was already spinning at that time- they ambushed me while I was practicing. And Redbird's attacks need the friction of the blade rubbing against the air and ground to work properly. So that time Redbird got so angry it unleashed a storm on them- I called the attack Storm Devastation. But this time it couldn't help." She buried her face in her hands, shuddering at the memory.
"Hey, pull yourself together, Lei Feng. We've got a tournament coming up soon, and I can't afford to let any of you back out of it because of depression. One of us backs out, we forfeit the tournament."
Lei Feng sat up straight. "Is that the only reason why you saved me, Kai? Just so your chances of winning the tournament wouldn't be jeopardized?"
Kai was stunned by her question. Was it? He wasn't sure. But if he just wanted to save a teammate, he wouldn't felt that angry back then. He had been ready to kill all six of them if necessary. It was an instinct; it was like the time when someone had tried to steal Dranzer. The person had ended up with a broken ribcage. It was the need to protect something of his, something he cared for.
"No." he admitted, slightly reluctant.
But Lei Feng didn't let up. "Then what was other reason?"
God, couldn't she just give up? How was he to answer that question?
But he knew.
His subconscious told him, told him why, told him of what he felt for the raven-haired girl beside him.
But another voice argued. No, he couldn't. To love another would make him weak. After all, this was the girl who nearly beat him the first time she battled against him. He had chalked it up to being lucky, but the fact remained that she nearly beat him. Him. Kai Hiwatari, one of the best bladers around.
No! The first voice spoke back, saying that it was precisely because she had nearly beaten him, because she was so different from every other girl who hung on him, because to all appearances she had hated his guts, that he had fallen for her.
With a supreme effort, Kai silenced both clamouring voices. But Lei Feng was looking straight at him, her jet black eyes demanding an answer to her question, and demanding it immediately.
He heard himself say, almost as if he was totally detached from the scene, "Because I love you."
Cherry Rain: Finally! I forced Kai into saying it! Bwa ha ha ha ha.
Kai: How dare you! Dranzer! Get her!
Cherry Rain: Arrgh! Lei Feng! Help!
Lei Feng: Get Dranzer, Redbird!
All three people suddenly stop dead as the two bitbeasts refuse to attack each other.
Cherry Rain: Looks like destiny. even your bitbeasts are falling for each other! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha.