Mizu_Tenshi: Well I finally got this fic up and running. I re-wrote this
thing like five times before I was satisfied. It's in Kai's POV but it'll
switch every now and then.
"..." Speech '...' Thought *..* Implied words
Disclaimer: I don't own this anime
*****************
Chapter 1: Death
'Living in the modern age.
Death for virtue is the wage.
So it seems in darker hours.
Evil wins, kindness cowers.' - Koontz
(Kai)
Death.
That's right, you say that word and suddenly everyone looks at you.
Whenever you mention death everyone gets all angry and upset about it. I don't understand.
Maybe I just don't understand what it is to loose someone you love.
Some people tell me that if was fate. Fate wanted things to end this way and so that's how it went.
Screw Fate.
It was the middle of October and pretty chilly. There was a tournament in Takao's hometown and therefore we all came to take part in it.
I don't know why I left Russia to compete in such a pathetic tournament. It wasn't a big thing; just a small town tournament full of wannabe bladers.
In Russia, I learnt that even the smallest snowflake can cause an avalanche.
I think Monday afternoon at the hobby shop Maxi's dad owned when the avalanche began..
"Hey, Max, are you sure it's okay to look at your dad's stock while he's away?" Rei asked uncertainly.
"Sure," Max reassured them. "He won't be gone long and we're not gonna take anything."
"Ooh, I heard there were new launchers out!" Takao jumped about excitedly as Max brought out a box of the latest parts. "I wish I could try one; that'd be totally awesome!"
I just sighed and watched from a distance as Max handed Takao the latest model of launcher. Takao looked like a kid at Christmas and began dancing around with it while the others laughed.
"You don't dance with it, Takao, you launch it!" Max giggled.
"Yeah I know, I know," Takao waved Max off and then put Dragoon onto the launcher shouting, "three..two...one...let it rip!"
Dragoon flew from the launcher and began dancing in circles on the wooden floor of the hobby shop just like Takao had done.
"Wow!" Kenny whistled. "This new launcher launches blades at ten times the speed of a normal rip cord! Now that's impressive!"
"Ten times the speed?" Rei looked at Kenny typing away at Dizzi and then back at Takao and his blade. "Cool! Can I try?"
Max handed him a launcher and Rei launched his own blade onto the wooden floor to meet with Takao's Dragoon.
The two blades collided and sparks flew off both blades.
"Hey, watch it, Rei," Takao cried, "it's not a beybattle, you know?"
"Aww, what's the matter? Can't stand a little friendly competition?" Rei teased.
Takao's face lit up at the thought of a challenge "Bring it on!" he cried with fierce determination.
This time it was Kenny's turn to protest. "Watch it guys," he yelled as the battle began to heat up. "You don't want to turn the shop into a trash pile."
"Hey, you guys are forgetting me!" Max laughed and joined in the battle.
That was when his dad walked in.
They all froze. Maybe I was the only who saw that far away, tired look in his eyes as he looked from one face to the other.
Either he didn't see the blades or he chose to ignore them.
"Max," he said, his voice sounded a little strained too. "Max, can I talk to you privately?"
"It's my fault Mr Mizuhara," Takao stepped in front of Max. "I begged Max to have a go with those new launcher, I'm really sorry."
"Max, I need to talk to you," he repeated, this time he sounded urgent and I think Max finally noticed because they both drew into a corner and began talking in hushed voices.
I had no idea what they were saying but Maxi's father was stumbling on his words and they both had pretty grim expressions.
However, Max quickly explained everything in two sharp, exclaimed words.
"Cancer?! Die?!" He looked horror stricken. So did the others once they put two and two together.
'I have cancer and I'm going to die.' It just brings the world down around you, doesn't it?
Max blushed furiously once he realised he had shouted it out and ten turned back to his dad.
"No way, there must..." he laughed nervously, "there must be some mistake; you don't have cancer! You don't have cancer!"
He went on repeating this and laughing uneasily as if saying it over and over would make it true.
I could hear Takao gulping and Kenny shifting uneasily behind me.
I thought Max would break down right there and then but he stayed on top and in control of his emotions. I was impressed.
It seemed like an age when we just stood there. Stood there like spectres looking in on an unhappy scene with Mr Mizuhara's sad but accepting eyes and hearing Maxi's quick breathes as he kept muttering, "but you don't have cancer."
I remember Rei being our lifesaver and quickly excusing all of us from the room so that Max could be alone with his dad.
"We'll meet you back at Takao's place, okay?" Rei waved and Max smiled as if everything was perfectly normal.
That's one thing about death; it makes you act normal, so normal it's painful.
I don't remember much of the way back to Takao's house. We didn't say much but I remember thinking that things couldn't get worse for Max, for any of us. I couldn't have been more wrong.
***
My grand - Voltaire had been on my back for a long time. Ever since the world tournament actually.
The others don't know this, of course, but I was still working for him.
I know, I know, but before you start yelling at me try and see things from my perspective, okay?
"I'll send Boris over there to drag your butt back home unless you obey me!"
Now that's just one of his minor threats. The one that really worries me is the one about my mother.
Yes, I have a mother, pretty amazing huh?
If I don't obey him then he'll get Boris to send me back to my 'parents.'
Ah, now you're thinking; 'Here we go, another tragic story about child abuse, drugs, alcohol and nicotine. No need to go into details; I've heard it all before.'
What? You think I like telling you about this stuff? It's none of your business anyway. In fact, who the hell are you?
Well, since I have nothing better to do, I might as well tell you.
My 'parents' have never so much as laid a finger on me. They don't smoke; it stinks up the house, they don't take drugs; they don't even know how to get them and they only drink on special occasions.
It's called trust.
My parents don't trust me.
To them, if I wasn't back by eight o'clock then I was probably out robbing old ladies and stealing hood ornaments off of cars.
If I went anywhere with a group of people they thought 'shady' then I was probably out doing drugs.
If my parents caught me with a girl, even someone's five-year-old sister, then I had slept with her, shoved my tongue down her mouth and fondled her breasts.
My parents...they love thinking the worst in me. They tried so hard to keep me down.
Sometimes, I think they just wanted me to be a porcelain doll on display. You can show it to your friends when they come round and the rest of the time you can lock it up in the storeroom.
Ah, I see that light of recognition in your eyes, I see you starting to nod your head and go "ohhh." You're getting it, aren't you? Well done, would you like a cookie for that?
I was suffocating with them. Everyday it was one lecture after another. I think I spent half of my time with my parents locked up in my room.
When my grandfather came to take me away it was like a dream come true. I didn't know what he had planned for me I just knew that I could finally breathe.
I don't want to go back to my parents ever again. I'm not meant to be locked up and chained; I'm meant to be free.
So I worked for Voltaire, so what? It was better than the alternative and I was only stealing stuff for him or spying; I wasn't hurting anyone...well, that's what I thought back then.
***
"Poor Max, I hope he's okay," Rei murmured once we got back to Takao's dojo. "I wonder how he's taking this."
"Like anyone else takes it when they find out someone they love is dying," Kenny said as he adjusted his glasses.
"Ugh! I can't take this anymore!" Takao yelled, causing us all to stare at him. "Can we stop moping around?! Max needs support and something to cheer him up."
Kenny smiled, "you right, Takao, we should do something nice for him."
"How about a barbecue? That usually cheers him up," Rei suggested.
"Yeah! Food and snacks galore!" Takao punched the air a few times.
"We might have to use some of our training time for it," Kenny reminded them and then everyone looked right at me.
I shrugged. "Whatever, just don't expect me to be there."
"Aww, come on Kai, you can't pretend that you don't love a good BBQ just like the rest of us," Takao was about to pat me on the back but I moved away.
That guy is too friendly for his own good but I was tempted.
"Whatever," I shrugged again but that didn't seem to burst Takao's little bubble of happiness.
"Yeah! Let's get the fire roasting!" he exclaimed.
"I'll go out and get the meat," Rei offered.
"And I'll set up the tables," Kenny pitched in. It seemed everyone except me was doing something.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Well I guess I could make some salads; we don't want you getting fat," I told Takao and stalked off, muttering under my breath how stupid this was.
"I knew you'd come round. Stick some mini sausages in the salad, will you?" Takao called after me, which caused me to roll my eyes again.
I reached the back of the dojo to the more modern part of the house where the fridge was and opened the fridge door.
There was nothing but snack food, a few slices of bacon, eggs, instant noodles and more snack food.
"Figures," I muttered to myself.
That's when my mobile went off.
I slammed the fridge shut and took out my phone.
I didn't bother wondering who could be calling; I already knew who it was before I heard the voice.
"Kai, I have a job for you," my grand - Voltaire's voice sounded harsh though the phone.
"Do you ever call me for anything else?" I replied. He ignored me.
"At midnight tonight you'll meet Boris at the docks and from there he will take you to a shop he wants you to break in to. You will receive further orders from him."
"I know," I spat. If it wasn't for my parents I would have just hung up the moment I heard his ugly, spiteful voice. I hung up the phone. I had shopping to do.
***
When I got back from my shopping Max was there being entertained by Takao's stupid antics.
Max smiled and laughed a few times. You could tell that he was willing himself to have a good time but, after a while, he stopped trying and his laughter became genuine.
It was...fun. The last bit of fun any of us would have for a long time.
Surprisingly, all the salad was eaten though I have a feeling Takao didn't touch one bit of it since I refused to put any meat in it.
There was huge food fight. Not one of those food fight where you chuck the food. No, food's to precious to be thrown away, according to Takao.
It seemed that Rei sorely misjudged just how much Takao can eat, even I was struggling to keep my hotdog in my possession.
I think Max managed to worm one or two of my burgers away while I wasn't looking.
I'll get him for that.
Night soon settled over Takao's hometown. It's amazing how fast time can go. We had to drag ourselves inside and, almost instantly, fell asleep. Well, they fell asleep. I couldn't. I had a job to do.
***
I checked my watch as the warm summer wind whipped around my body and watched the sea sparkle under the streetlights.
"You're here," a voice said. It sounded a little disappointed.
"Right on time," I smirked. Boris just loves an excuse to beat me but I never let him have that satisfaction.
"This is what we're looking for," Boris handed me a photo of a blade. A very impressive blade but I couldn't quite see what was on the bit chip.
"You want me to get you a blade?" I raised my eyebrows.
"We lost it in an accident," Boris explained. "Someone picked it up and now we're taking it back."
That's all he said to me before a black car pulled up in front of us and we both got in.
I sat in silence as usual, not looking out the windows. I didn't really want to know what innocent shop I would be robbing.
I got out as the car pulled to a stop. I looked up at the shop and froze.
It was Maxi's hobby shop.
"Get going," Boris's snapped at me, bringing me back to myself.
I glared furiously at him and then made my way to the shop.
I didn't bother going to the front and observing the locking system like I would normally do. I already knew a lot just from being in the shop.
I went round the side where there was a stack of discarded boxes and garbage cans.
Pilling the boxes by the vent I jumped onto the cans and then worked the grill open so that I could squeeze in.
'This is wrong,' I told myself. Everything I ever did for Voltaire was wrong but this was the first time I ever really felt like backing out.
Yeah sure, it's okay stealing from people you don't know but when it's someone you do know...that changes things, doesn't it?
I crawled through the vents until I was hanging directly above the main room with the counter and the till.
I removed the grill and dropped down silently. I tried to tell myself that I wasn't stealing; it was originally Biovolt property after all but I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.
This time I was right.
Quickly disabling the alarm system I searched everywhere for anything that looked like what I saw in the photo.
I found it. It was under a stack of boxes behind the counter. I held up the white blade to my face and observed it in awe.
It had a decent attack ring, good defence; a normal blade basically. Well, it would be normal if it wasn't for the chip.
At first I thought my eyes were deceiving me but I blinked a few times and the picture was still there. A picture of a white angel clasping its hands in prayer.
I was going to take out my own Dranzer to compare it but accidentally brushed off some boxes causing them to clatter to the floor.
'Crap!' I mentally cursed my own clumsiness as I heard someone stirring.
I didn't wait. I grabbed the keys that hung on a peg behind the counter and unlocked the door.
"Hey, stop thief!"
'Crap!' I swore again but I didn't stop. I just ran until I met Boris.
My eyes widened and I skidded to a halt in front of him. Turning around I met Maxi's dad.
He skidded to a halt. I could tell that he was shocked.
"Hey, I know you; you're one of - "
A loud bang echoed through the silence of the night and sliced through his words.
Then there was silence and I'll always remember how the silence that followed felt as if it had been the echo of the ghost of the world.
I stood there listening to the darkness and then I watched in horror at the red liquid coming out of Maxi's dad's chest, not quite registering what was happening.
Boris stood by my side and yanked the blade out of my hand. I turned round and growled at Boris but he just smirked and blew the smoke away from his gun.
I hated him so much..but not as much as I hated myself.
'All this for one blade' I thought. 'What have I done?'
I looked down at the face of the dying man and at his blood stained hands. I was frozen with shock and horror.
I looked down, hiding the terror on my face from Boris by letting my slate bangs fall onto my face.
I felt disgusted with myself. I tried to tell myself he was going to die anyway but then I kept thinking of Max repeating over and over "you don't have cancer."
I looked down and he looked right into my eyes and he stared at me as if asking why.
"I'm sorry," I whispered and watched him slump to the floor.
I felt dirty. So dirty I didn't think it would ever come off. I was tainted forever.
Behind me Boris and his men were leaving and totally ignoring me.
They didn't need me anymore. They just needed me to get what they wanted. I could go until Voltaire needed my services again.
I would never work for him again.
I don't know why. It was pretty stupid of me. I stood there as still as a statue then, all of a sudden, I turned and burst into a run. I ran all the way back to Takao's house and I didn't stop until I got there.
I paused by the archway that led to the front of the dojo to gather my breath.
There were two people standing there knocking at the door.
**************************
Mizu_Tenshi: Argh! That was confusing, wasn't it? I swear it will get better though so bear with me for a while and remember to R&R.
"..." Speech '...' Thought *..* Implied words
Disclaimer: I don't own this anime
*****************
Chapter 1: Death
'Living in the modern age.
Death for virtue is the wage.
So it seems in darker hours.
Evil wins, kindness cowers.' - Koontz
(Kai)
Death.
That's right, you say that word and suddenly everyone looks at you.
Whenever you mention death everyone gets all angry and upset about it. I don't understand.
Maybe I just don't understand what it is to loose someone you love.
Some people tell me that if was fate. Fate wanted things to end this way and so that's how it went.
Screw Fate.
It was the middle of October and pretty chilly. There was a tournament in Takao's hometown and therefore we all came to take part in it.
I don't know why I left Russia to compete in such a pathetic tournament. It wasn't a big thing; just a small town tournament full of wannabe bladers.
In Russia, I learnt that even the smallest snowflake can cause an avalanche.
I think Monday afternoon at the hobby shop Maxi's dad owned when the avalanche began..
"Hey, Max, are you sure it's okay to look at your dad's stock while he's away?" Rei asked uncertainly.
"Sure," Max reassured them. "He won't be gone long and we're not gonna take anything."
"Ooh, I heard there were new launchers out!" Takao jumped about excitedly as Max brought out a box of the latest parts. "I wish I could try one; that'd be totally awesome!"
I just sighed and watched from a distance as Max handed Takao the latest model of launcher. Takao looked like a kid at Christmas and began dancing around with it while the others laughed.
"You don't dance with it, Takao, you launch it!" Max giggled.
"Yeah I know, I know," Takao waved Max off and then put Dragoon onto the launcher shouting, "three..two...one...let it rip!"
Dragoon flew from the launcher and began dancing in circles on the wooden floor of the hobby shop just like Takao had done.
"Wow!" Kenny whistled. "This new launcher launches blades at ten times the speed of a normal rip cord! Now that's impressive!"
"Ten times the speed?" Rei looked at Kenny typing away at Dizzi and then back at Takao and his blade. "Cool! Can I try?"
Max handed him a launcher and Rei launched his own blade onto the wooden floor to meet with Takao's Dragoon.
The two blades collided and sparks flew off both blades.
"Hey, watch it, Rei," Takao cried, "it's not a beybattle, you know?"
"Aww, what's the matter? Can't stand a little friendly competition?" Rei teased.
Takao's face lit up at the thought of a challenge "Bring it on!" he cried with fierce determination.
This time it was Kenny's turn to protest. "Watch it guys," he yelled as the battle began to heat up. "You don't want to turn the shop into a trash pile."
"Hey, you guys are forgetting me!" Max laughed and joined in the battle.
That was when his dad walked in.
They all froze. Maybe I was the only who saw that far away, tired look in his eyes as he looked from one face to the other.
Either he didn't see the blades or he chose to ignore them.
"Max," he said, his voice sounded a little strained too. "Max, can I talk to you privately?"
"It's my fault Mr Mizuhara," Takao stepped in front of Max. "I begged Max to have a go with those new launcher, I'm really sorry."
"Max, I need to talk to you," he repeated, this time he sounded urgent and I think Max finally noticed because they both drew into a corner and began talking in hushed voices.
I had no idea what they were saying but Maxi's father was stumbling on his words and they both had pretty grim expressions.
However, Max quickly explained everything in two sharp, exclaimed words.
"Cancer?! Die?!" He looked horror stricken. So did the others once they put two and two together.
'I have cancer and I'm going to die.' It just brings the world down around you, doesn't it?
Max blushed furiously once he realised he had shouted it out and ten turned back to his dad.
"No way, there must..." he laughed nervously, "there must be some mistake; you don't have cancer! You don't have cancer!"
He went on repeating this and laughing uneasily as if saying it over and over would make it true.
I could hear Takao gulping and Kenny shifting uneasily behind me.
I thought Max would break down right there and then but he stayed on top and in control of his emotions. I was impressed.
It seemed like an age when we just stood there. Stood there like spectres looking in on an unhappy scene with Mr Mizuhara's sad but accepting eyes and hearing Maxi's quick breathes as he kept muttering, "but you don't have cancer."
I remember Rei being our lifesaver and quickly excusing all of us from the room so that Max could be alone with his dad.
"We'll meet you back at Takao's place, okay?" Rei waved and Max smiled as if everything was perfectly normal.
That's one thing about death; it makes you act normal, so normal it's painful.
I don't remember much of the way back to Takao's house. We didn't say much but I remember thinking that things couldn't get worse for Max, for any of us. I couldn't have been more wrong.
***
My grand - Voltaire had been on my back for a long time. Ever since the world tournament actually.
The others don't know this, of course, but I was still working for him.
I know, I know, but before you start yelling at me try and see things from my perspective, okay?
"I'll send Boris over there to drag your butt back home unless you obey me!"
Now that's just one of his minor threats. The one that really worries me is the one about my mother.
Yes, I have a mother, pretty amazing huh?
If I don't obey him then he'll get Boris to send me back to my 'parents.'
Ah, now you're thinking; 'Here we go, another tragic story about child abuse, drugs, alcohol and nicotine. No need to go into details; I've heard it all before.'
What? You think I like telling you about this stuff? It's none of your business anyway. In fact, who the hell are you?
Well, since I have nothing better to do, I might as well tell you.
My 'parents' have never so much as laid a finger on me. They don't smoke; it stinks up the house, they don't take drugs; they don't even know how to get them and they only drink on special occasions.
It's called trust.
My parents don't trust me.
To them, if I wasn't back by eight o'clock then I was probably out robbing old ladies and stealing hood ornaments off of cars.
If I went anywhere with a group of people they thought 'shady' then I was probably out doing drugs.
If my parents caught me with a girl, even someone's five-year-old sister, then I had slept with her, shoved my tongue down her mouth and fondled her breasts.
My parents...they love thinking the worst in me. They tried so hard to keep me down.
Sometimes, I think they just wanted me to be a porcelain doll on display. You can show it to your friends when they come round and the rest of the time you can lock it up in the storeroom.
Ah, I see that light of recognition in your eyes, I see you starting to nod your head and go "ohhh." You're getting it, aren't you? Well done, would you like a cookie for that?
I was suffocating with them. Everyday it was one lecture after another. I think I spent half of my time with my parents locked up in my room.
When my grandfather came to take me away it was like a dream come true. I didn't know what he had planned for me I just knew that I could finally breathe.
I don't want to go back to my parents ever again. I'm not meant to be locked up and chained; I'm meant to be free.
So I worked for Voltaire, so what? It was better than the alternative and I was only stealing stuff for him or spying; I wasn't hurting anyone...well, that's what I thought back then.
***
"Poor Max, I hope he's okay," Rei murmured once we got back to Takao's dojo. "I wonder how he's taking this."
"Like anyone else takes it when they find out someone they love is dying," Kenny said as he adjusted his glasses.
"Ugh! I can't take this anymore!" Takao yelled, causing us all to stare at him. "Can we stop moping around?! Max needs support and something to cheer him up."
Kenny smiled, "you right, Takao, we should do something nice for him."
"How about a barbecue? That usually cheers him up," Rei suggested.
"Yeah! Food and snacks galore!" Takao punched the air a few times.
"We might have to use some of our training time for it," Kenny reminded them and then everyone looked right at me.
I shrugged. "Whatever, just don't expect me to be there."
"Aww, come on Kai, you can't pretend that you don't love a good BBQ just like the rest of us," Takao was about to pat me on the back but I moved away.
That guy is too friendly for his own good but I was tempted.
"Whatever," I shrugged again but that didn't seem to burst Takao's little bubble of happiness.
"Yeah! Let's get the fire roasting!" he exclaimed.
"I'll go out and get the meat," Rei offered.
"And I'll set up the tables," Kenny pitched in. It seemed everyone except me was doing something.
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Well I guess I could make some salads; we don't want you getting fat," I told Takao and stalked off, muttering under my breath how stupid this was.
"I knew you'd come round. Stick some mini sausages in the salad, will you?" Takao called after me, which caused me to roll my eyes again.
I reached the back of the dojo to the more modern part of the house where the fridge was and opened the fridge door.
There was nothing but snack food, a few slices of bacon, eggs, instant noodles and more snack food.
"Figures," I muttered to myself.
That's when my mobile went off.
I slammed the fridge shut and took out my phone.
I didn't bother wondering who could be calling; I already knew who it was before I heard the voice.
"Kai, I have a job for you," my grand - Voltaire's voice sounded harsh though the phone.
"Do you ever call me for anything else?" I replied. He ignored me.
"At midnight tonight you'll meet Boris at the docks and from there he will take you to a shop he wants you to break in to. You will receive further orders from him."
"I know," I spat. If it wasn't for my parents I would have just hung up the moment I heard his ugly, spiteful voice. I hung up the phone. I had shopping to do.
***
When I got back from my shopping Max was there being entertained by Takao's stupid antics.
Max smiled and laughed a few times. You could tell that he was willing himself to have a good time but, after a while, he stopped trying and his laughter became genuine.
It was...fun. The last bit of fun any of us would have for a long time.
Surprisingly, all the salad was eaten though I have a feeling Takao didn't touch one bit of it since I refused to put any meat in it.
There was huge food fight. Not one of those food fight where you chuck the food. No, food's to precious to be thrown away, according to Takao.
It seemed that Rei sorely misjudged just how much Takao can eat, even I was struggling to keep my hotdog in my possession.
I think Max managed to worm one or two of my burgers away while I wasn't looking.
I'll get him for that.
Night soon settled over Takao's hometown. It's amazing how fast time can go. We had to drag ourselves inside and, almost instantly, fell asleep. Well, they fell asleep. I couldn't. I had a job to do.
***
I checked my watch as the warm summer wind whipped around my body and watched the sea sparkle under the streetlights.
"You're here," a voice said. It sounded a little disappointed.
"Right on time," I smirked. Boris just loves an excuse to beat me but I never let him have that satisfaction.
"This is what we're looking for," Boris handed me a photo of a blade. A very impressive blade but I couldn't quite see what was on the bit chip.
"You want me to get you a blade?" I raised my eyebrows.
"We lost it in an accident," Boris explained. "Someone picked it up and now we're taking it back."
That's all he said to me before a black car pulled up in front of us and we both got in.
I sat in silence as usual, not looking out the windows. I didn't really want to know what innocent shop I would be robbing.
I got out as the car pulled to a stop. I looked up at the shop and froze.
It was Maxi's hobby shop.
"Get going," Boris's snapped at me, bringing me back to myself.
I glared furiously at him and then made my way to the shop.
I didn't bother going to the front and observing the locking system like I would normally do. I already knew a lot just from being in the shop.
I went round the side where there was a stack of discarded boxes and garbage cans.
Pilling the boxes by the vent I jumped onto the cans and then worked the grill open so that I could squeeze in.
'This is wrong,' I told myself. Everything I ever did for Voltaire was wrong but this was the first time I ever really felt like backing out.
Yeah sure, it's okay stealing from people you don't know but when it's someone you do know...that changes things, doesn't it?
I crawled through the vents until I was hanging directly above the main room with the counter and the till.
I removed the grill and dropped down silently. I tried to tell myself that I wasn't stealing; it was originally Biovolt property after all but I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.
This time I was right.
Quickly disabling the alarm system I searched everywhere for anything that looked like what I saw in the photo.
I found it. It was under a stack of boxes behind the counter. I held up the white blade to my face and observed it in awe.
It had a decent attack ring, good defence; a normal blade basically. Well, it would be normal if it wasn't for the chip.
At first I thought my eyes were deceiving me but I blinked a few times and the picture was still there. A picture of a white angel clasping its hands in prayer.
I was going to take out my own Dranzer to compare it but accidentally brushed off some boxes causing them to clatter to the floor.
'Crap!' I mentally cursed my own clumsiness as I heard someone stirring.
I didn't wait. I grabbed the keys that hung on a peg behind the counter and unlocked the door.
"Hey, stop thief!"
'Crap!' I swore again but I didn't stop. I just ran until I met Boris.
My eyes widened and I skidded to a halt in front of him. Turning around I met Maxi's dad.
He skidded to a halt. I could tell that he was shocked.
"Hey, I know you; you're one of - "
A loud bang echoed through the silence of the night and sliced through his words.
Then there was silence and I'll always remember how the silence that followed felt as if it had been the echo of the ghost of the world.
I stood there listening to the darkness and then I watched in horror at the red liquid coming out of Maxi's dad's chest, not quite registering what was happening.
Boris stood by my side and yanked the blade out of my hand. I turned round and growled at Boris but he just smirked and blew the smoke away from his gun.
I hated him so much..but not as much as I hated myself.
'All this for one blade' I thought. 'What have I done?'
I looked down at the face of the dying man and at his blood stained hands. I was frozen with shock and horror.
I looked down, hiding the terror on my face from Boris by letting my slate bangs fall onto my face.
I felt disgusted with myself. I tried to tell myself he was going to die anyway but then I kept thinking of Max repeating over and over "you don't have cancer."
I looked down and he looked right into my eyes and he stared at me as if asking why.
"I'm sorry," I whispered and watched him slump to the floor.
I felt dirty. So dirty I didn't think it would ever come off. I was tainted forever.
Behind me Boris and his men were leaving and totally ignoring me.
They didn't need me anymore. They just needed me to get what they wanted. I could go until Voltaire needed my services again.
I would never work for him again.
I don't know why. It was pretty stupid of me. I stood there as still as a statue then, all of a sudden, I turned and burst into a run. I ran all the way back to Takao's house and I didn't stop until I got there.
I paused by the archway that led to the front of the dojo to gather my breath.
There were two people standing there knocking at the door.
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Mizu_Tenshi: Argh! That was confusing, wasn't it? I swear it will get better though so bear with me for a while and remember to R&R.