Disclaimer: Porticulis does not own Kai, Rei, Max, Tyson, Dizzy, Mr.
Dickinson and so on and so forth, which is a pity really because I would
have loved to write the script for the show. This work of fiction is for
non- commercial purposes and can be viewed for private entertainment. At
the same time please remember that this is copy- right (well . . . sort of)
of Porticulis 2003.
Training
Rei stretched his aching muscles; his eyelids inching open with a drowsy reluctance. Despite of the eight hours of sleep he had last night; Rei was still as drained as he had felt when he had lain down on the tatami mats spread across the pine flooring with the rest of the blade breakers.
The fault, if one was to blame anyone, had to be their team leader's, the cold and harsh Kai. He was always pushing them harder and harder in their training for the tournaments. Although none of the blade breakers were pushovers when it came to beyblading, the intensity of Kai's training programme was enough to drive a world class beyblading team to utter exhaustion.
Rei propped his lean, finely sculpted body on his right arm.
"Another helping of the triple chocolate fudge sundae please!" Tyson mumbled in his sleep as he turned over so that his back faced Rei as he cuddled up against Max. Rei noticed the way Max was clutching his beyblade in his sleep and smiled privately to himself. Knowing Max, he was probably showing his mother what a great beyblader he had become as he dreamed. Kenny lay peacefully beside the fair-haired boy. In his arms lay a sleek, black laptop. Even in his sleep, the youngest member of the team displayed his protectiveness over Dizzy.
Rei felt his arm turning numb so he flopped back onto the mat, his back flat against the floor. What about himself? What desires did he reveal in his sleep? Was it the desire to gain the respect of his friends in Hong Kong? Was it his desire to become a world class champion beyblader? Or was it . . .
Rei eased a wistful, purring sigh from his throat.
Beside him, a grey-haired boy blinked open bright red eyes that seemed startled and cautious at the moment. Kai dared not move. He had been awake long enough to hear Tyson talk in his sleep but had pretended to sleep once he realised that Rei was also awake. For some reason, Kai had no desire to get involved into a conversation with Rei. Now these eyes that had remained artfully shut grew large with a wolfish suspicion. His roughly cut but tender lips were tucked downwards, perturbed by that single gentle note.
Rei let his fingers run through his long black mane of hair and absentmindedly let his hand fall on smooth, tough flesh.
Kai's heart leapt as the firm and smooth skin fell carelessly onto his own bare arm. A thought, red and screaming raced through his mind.
"Kai?" Rei purred musically as he turned to face his bed -mate. Kai had turned too. It was unfortunate really that they were roughly the same height, because then, the most embarrassing thing happened.
Their lips brushed together. It was a light touch, lighter than a feather floating on a breeze, lighter than the drowsy air beneath a butterfly's wings. It was this very same lightness too that forced Rei to jerk involuntarily backward. Kai was simply frozen to the spot. During their weeks of training, Kai had been like a glacier, cold and aloof. Yet now this very same ice that he believed held him invulnerable to the weakness of human emotions, paralysed him with surprise and the uncertainty of how to react to the feelings stirring up in him.
Rei breathed in sharply.
"Kai? "
No answer.
"Kai!"
Kai started and turned his face away.
"What." He muttered when he was safely out of Rei's questioning gaze.
"What do you mean 'what'," Rei cried exasperatedly. "You were staring blankly into space."
"I wasn't . . . " Kai faltered, his frame trembling slightly.
"I was . . . shocked . . . at the . . . at what happened." He finally finished, regaining some resolve.
Rei blushed and was grateful for the fact that Kai had his back faced to him. Even so, a sense of misgiving tied his stomach in knots.
"I . . . er . . . it was just a silly accident. We don't have to talk about it." He laughed and cringed as it came out as a nervous giggle.
Rei turned to Kai to see how he reacted to this.
There was a split second of an icy silence before Kai suddenly flipped onto his feet from the mat.
Rei pulled away slightly in surprise. Kai didn't even look back as he left the bedroom.
"Let's forget about this."
His whisper barely carried over to the Chinese boy on the chill morning draft.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Training was as tough as ever. Tyson practised with special gloves that had weights fitted inside. These were to help Tyson build on his launching power.
"These things sure make life difficult. Why am I even doing this?" He lamented to the rest of the gang.
Max chuckled light-heartedly.
"It's state of the art Tyson. My dad came up with these gloves after years of research. I think you can trust my Dad's expertise at crafting beyblade equipment."
Tyson grinned mischievously back at Max.
"Hmmm . . . If you got your handicraft skills from your Dad, I wouldn't be too sure on where I'm placing my trust."
Kenny raised an eyebrow from behind his laptop where he monitored the Blade Breakers progress.
"Hmmm . . . You know Tyson, I personally think that a little exercise wouldn't hurt you."
"I agree." Remarked Dizzy over the speakers. "At least half of the Blade Breaker's food expenditure can be accredited to you!"
Everyone laughed especially Rei who laughed hardest of all. He hadn't entirely recovered from the incident this morning and was grateful for an opportunity to cheer himself up. Rei sneaked a peek at Kai who was presently observing the spin of his blade. His expression was that of intense passivity to everything around him. His blue eyes seemed detached, almost as if the bright afternoon light had no effect on them. His hair was a sea of grey wolfish fur, idly shifting between fair and dark beneath light and shadow. The deep defining lines on his face seemed to have phased out from the fair unblemished skin. In its place was a calm serenity that matched that of a glacier's, unstoppable but content with drifting along the current.
Despite all of this Rei knew that Kai was not totally oblivious to his environment. He knew that Kai was observing his blade's spin. No, it was more than observing, it was as if his spirit was riding the wind spun by his Dranzer. Kai controlled the blade's every movement, its speed and its direction but at the same time he was also hypnotised by it. He hadn't even responded to Tyson's complaining and Kenny and Dizzy's joke.
Rei turned back to his own training. He wound up his blade and prepared to let Driger loose.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai's one secret in beyblading was his mental attitude towards it. It was a skill Borris had taught him. It was the skill of detachment, a state devoid of emotion. All other emotions only drained the spiritual energy and disrupted the harmony within a person. Joy expends one's energy while depression destroys it. Anger exhausts one's energy and disrupts the harmony, while fear dissipates spiritual energy and blinds one's senses. The ideal state was the state of noneness and absolute detachment. To be devoid of emotion kept one alert and better equipped to adjust to any situation. Such conservation of energy also saved up a tremendous volume of power that could be unleashed at a critical moment.
It was for this reason that Kai could train as hard as his fellow teammates but last longer than any one of them. This had been an area of distinction between himself and the other beybladers. He had more endurance and fewer distractions than the others did. Lately this practice had even been a source of comfort.
From what?
Images of long dark hair and the white string that bound it flashed before his eyes. This split second distraction was enough to break his concentration. His beyblade, Dranzer wavered and gradually flailed in weak circles on the rocky ground.
Kai looked upon his beyblade in stunned silence. Then as Dranzer rocked to a standstill Kai shut his eyes in an agonised frown and retrieved his beyblade with a furious swipe of a muscled hand that clenched Dranzer in a paw-like gesture. He growled a low rumble deep within his throat. In a sudden movement, Kai sprinted off.
Rei spun around when he heard the rapid footfalls behind him. He saw a blur of black and blue speed across the winding path to the other side of the mountain. A deep-seated feeling of unease gnawed at him.
"Kai . . . "
Without a second thought, he sped off in pursuit of his team leader.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai panted as he leaned on the rocky mountain wall. His skin was chaffed and bled where he had cut it across the abrasive edge of the granite surface. The pain was a scant comfort to the turmoil of emotions tormenting him. He had never felt this way before. Around his grandfather, around Borris, around the Blade Sharks, he had never lost the icy shield that made him impervious to such emotional confusion. The state of unfeeling noneness, why could he not return to it? The pain...
"Kai?" Rei gasped in-between heavy pants.
The dark curtain of Rei's hair streamed above the golden gleam of his eyes, eyes that were flecked with burning curiosity and gentle concern.
"Something wrong?", he continued, his breathlessness quickly ebbing.
Dark shadows formed on his white robe where sweat plastered the soft material to his flushing skin.
Kai looked at him, his mouth agape and gasping for breath. His eyes were crimson and bloodshot, the grey hair like thick fur, was matted and in disarray.
Rei's golden eyes strayed to Kai's bleeding arm. The golden pupils flashed with concern.
"You're bleeding!" he gasped and moved forward to tend to his friend.
Kai staggered backward, his face twisting in a painful mixture of confusion and agony. Rei paused in mid-stride; the eyes beneath his lightly swaying fringe registering confusion.
"Kai, about what happened this morning... we need to talk..."
"No!" Kai spat, the turmoil within his eyes quickly brewing into a red fury.
Rei stepped back as if he had been struck.
Kai could not understand the confusion within his heart but he did know one thing. His pale, icy face darkened as an insane smirk played on his lips.
"Let's beyblade.", he snarled, lifting Dranzer and aiming it at Rei.
"No. Kai, you're not yourself. I think we'd better get back to the lodge.", Rei spoke soothingly, stretching out a friendly arm.
"I said let's beyblade!", Kai snarled, launching his beyblade.
There was a red blur followed by a wet slicing sound. Rei staggered back, one hand clutched to his chest. Red blood dripped from his palm, staining the white fabric.
"What's wrong with you?", Rei demanded, the embers of indignation bursting into enraged flames.
Kai ignored him, his maddened fury taking over him.
"Dranzer, attack!"
The red blur burst into a red flame and hurtled menacingly at the Chinese boy.
Rei sprang into the air, leaping well above the rocky ground. The red whirlwind passed harmlessly beneath his feet. Airborne, Rei whipped out his Driger and lashed his arm out in a vicious half- circle. Rei's Driger spun in a white blur that marked its trajectory as it flew into Kai's Dranzer as it hurtled back to ground.
Crash!
Dranzer blasted into the mountain face. The mountain air resounded with a thunderous crash. Dust and granite chips exploded into a dark cloud followed by a red streak of lightning that was Dranzer, spearing through the dust and rock. Dranzer landed on top of Driger which spun on the rocky mountain floor as a furious white cyclone. Sparks flew as each beyblade ensued in a struggle to control the other's spin.
Rei's eyes blazed a golden fire.
"Driger, Driger Claw Attack!"
A golden incandescence streamed from Rei's beyblade. A white tiger burning with golden stripes launched itself out of Rei's beyblade and engulfed both beyblades.
Kai's eyes hardened and danced with the glare of twin fire opals.
"Dranzer, Fire Arrow Attack!"
The golden- white fire surrounding both beyblades was split into two halves as a searing red flame lashed out from the crimson blade.
As the two furious, flaming lights struggled for supremacy, the glowing outline of a ferocious tiger and a fearsome phoenix grappling at each other gleamed and shifted. The two beybladers gritted their teeth as their beyblades flew apart, collided and writhed in a blazing tempest.
Rei's eyes were harsh yellow flames so intense that they seemed to set his cream complexion and dark hair ablaze. Sweat poured off him as he watched impatiently at the ensuing battle. His hair grew tousled as the mountain breeze blew into a harsh gale.
Kai watched the battle with impatience. His grey hair was now wild and furious as it writhed vehemently in the air. His long white scarf flew in the air like a war banner as his fists clenched with a rapid cracking sound.
With a wolverine snarl, Kai suddenly launched himself into the air above the red and golden- white flames, his two fists before him and bearing down on Rei like two hurtling sledge hammers. Rei's attention quickly shifted when he heard Kai's beast-like cry. With an amazing swiftness, surpassed only by his stunning grace, Rei somersaulted out of harm's way. Even so, he felt the power of the twin blows force a gust of air to slam into his back. If those fists had hit him . . . Kai was intent on hurting him! Rage boiled in the boy's heart.
Kai was stunned for a few moments when his fists had plunged into empty air. In all their time together, he had never known Rei was so agile. All of a sudden, a furious roar cut through the whistling mountain gale.
Rei was spinning in a mad circle, his hands in rapid motion. His hands turned from fists to claw, to palm and back again in an immaculate pattern of ferocious assault. Kai instantly took a backward leap, not as beautiful but just as swift and even more powerful than Rei's. Though Rei's attacks were swift and deadly, they could only punch through empty air in a sound of fury.
Kai recognised the fighting form as the eastern Wushu style. He had only heard of it in passing but only till today had he finally experienced its power. In normal circumstances, Kai would have shown this fighting form the proper respect by rethinking his assault on Rei, but this was not a normal circumstance. The recent wave of frustration, agony and distress had driven him beyond the breaking point. He raised his fists in a challenging gesture.
Rei was not about to give up his attack. He knew Kai would not be struck so easily. Even as his first array of attacks pummelled empty air, his feet darted with a cat- like grace, while his arms writhed faster and faster in a cyclone of claws, fist and palms. Kai looked upon this frenzy of blows with a calculating gaze and smirked. He had some surprises of his own. As Rei rapidly spun towards him, his arms suddenly crossed before him and his two hands wavered deceptively in a web of palms and fists. Palm met fist as fist met claw. Everything Rei could throw at him, Kai could handle. Rei was taken aback, he had never dared to let his guard down before Kai, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect Kai to be a martial arts exponent of a martial arts form that even Rei did not recognise.
The battle raged on and as blow met blow Rei grew increasingly alarmed for he realised that while his attacks were superior in agility, he still could not land a blow on Kai's body. At the same time, his fists were growing numb as he traded blows with Kai. Not only was Rei unable to hurt Kai, Kai was also significantly stronger than him.
As Rei was analysing the match, Kai too was doing some observations. No matter how vicious his attacks and how much power he put into them, he could not force Rei to step back. They had traded over fifty blows but neither one of them seemed to have gained the upper hand. Furthermore, though he noticed he was stronger than Rei, he also realised that his arms were growing sore. His arms were beginning to tire at delivering such powerful blows at a speed that only just barely managed to defend him against Rei's swift attacks. He could not keep this up for long.
Suddenly, Kai's body sunk to the floor, evading another six blows from Rei delivered in the space of a breath. Before Rei could steer himself for another attack, Kai's leg lashed out hooking Rei's foot and pulled hard. Rei fell instantly, but he was a martial arts exponent. Before he could even hit the ground, his palms immediately lashed out before him and propelled him in a somersault through the air. Kai quickly attacked before Rei could recover to a fighting stance. While Rei swirled in mid- air, Kai lunged forward, his two palms driving the air forward with staggering force. It seemed as if Rei, who was suspended in mid- air, would have no choice but to suffer this blow.
Rei lashed out a blurring foot that compacted with Kai's palms. The mountain air resounded once more with the impact as both boys staggered backwards.
Red blazing eyes met with raging yellow ones. An animal cry of rage ripped through Rei's throat as Kai bellowed back in a blood- curling roar.
Fist met palm, claw fell on fist, and in a mere second both boys collided together again in furious battle.
Twenty blows, forty blows, sixty blows, eighty, and a hundred! Yet there was no clear victor. Both boys were caught up in each other's flurry of attacks with neither one better off.
Rei's chest burned as his strength ebbed while his anger soared. He would not allow himself to lose.
He . . . would . . . not!
With a feline snarl, Rei's attacks picked up in speed, his claws blurred into fists, while his fists blended into palms. He whirled at such a speed that to Kai he seemed like a black and white whirlwind, forcing Kai to retreat seven steps all at once! Rei's attacks were too furious, too fast for Kai to even fathom let alone strike back. Kai was forced to retreat three more steps. At the third step he felt sharp granite dig into his back. The mountain face was braced against his body; there was no more room for retreat. With no choice, Kai could only raise his fists and attack as fast and as furiously as he could. Immediately his chest, arms and stomach burst out in pain. Stars spun in Kai's eyes just as another blow compacted with his face. Kai's head reeled back, slamming into the rock face. He could barely breathe before blow after blow pummelled his body. Kai grunted in pain and tasted his blood that trickled freely from the corner of his mouth.
Rei was in a rage. He saw Kai flinching from the pain; he saw Kai's head crashing into the rock face. He even saw Kai's bleeding face. All of this made him want to hurt Kai more. He wanted to teach Kai a lesson for thinking he could push him around. He wanted to hurt Kai and he did not care at what cost.
Kai reeled in the pain. Yet he would not collapse. To do so would be to admit that he was weak, something Kai would never do whatever the situation. Gritting his teeth, Kai blindly launched his fists at his opponent. Even if he was going down, he was going to make Rei pay dearly for it.
The moment Rei saw Kai's counter- attack, he knew he was in trouble. Rei steered his two attacking palms to meet the blow. The sheer force behind Kai's attack forced Rei to take two steps back. Rei was much faster than Kai and could use that speed to his advantage against Kai, but Kai had only to attack to force Rei to defend himself and easily reverse the situation. Furthermore Rei's strength was ebbing with the ferocity of his attacks. Now it was Kai who had the upper hand.
Kai had immediately understood this point. The smooth mouth that trickled with blood now twisted itself into a mocking sneer. His eyes darkened to a murderous deep red as his arm lashed out at Rei. To his surprise, Rei did not retreat. Instead he leapt forward. Rei's two palms turned to fists that were aimed directly at Kai's chest. Kai's sledgehammer fists compacted with Rei's chest even before Rei's fists could hit Kai. Rei's vision turned dark from the excruciating pain. Kai swung again. Rei's vision cleared and he saw the impending danger but instead of retreating he lashed out a foot, aiming at Kai's stomach. Even if Kai's arms were longer and stronger than his own were, Kai could not possibly evade this attack.
Just when it seemed Rei was going to succeed, Kai deftly side- stepped with surprising agility and Rei's vision turned red as his foot crunched against the granite wall. Kai's fists drove themselves straight into Rei's chest. Rei's feline face contorted in pain but to Kai's surprise Rei stood his ground. Kai was still trapped between Rei and the rock wall. He raised his fists a third time, determined to break free this time, even if it meant hurting Rei badly. His fists rammed straight towards Rei. Through his dimming vision Rei could see the blows coming at him. Drawing the last bit of his strength he aimed a fist at Kai's bare arm, but he was so tired and in so much pain that his eyes went out of focus and he felt his aim go off course.
Rei sighed in resignation . . .
Kai saw Rei's fist go off course and heard the sigh. The determined look on Kai's face broke into a pained expression. What was wrong with him? The person before him is Rei! His fists turned resolutely into palms to grasp Rei's shoulders. He would stop the fight now. Suddenly something, a green – red blur caught his eye.
Kai whipped his head about to see a snake; fanged jaws opened wide darting towards Rei's fist. The venom on the snake's fangs was oozing out even as Rei's fist travelled towards the snake. There was no time for further thought. Kai threw his body and his bare arm forward, between the fanged jaws and Rei's fist.
Immediately, a searing pain lanced through his arm as the force of Rei's fist impaled Kai's flesh on venomous snake fangs. Venom speared its way into Kai's body, travelling rapidly as Kai's heartbeat raced from the physical exertions during the fight. Blood trickled down Kai's arm even as he gasped in the terrible pain. The world quickly began to grow cold around him. The hands that he had stretched forward to stop the fight now lightly brushed Rei's shoulder as Kai's body rapidly weakened.
Rei's eyes had opened wide in shock when he saw Kai's fists stop in mid- air to grasp his shoulders. Rei was even more bewildered when he saw Kai shift his shoulder and bring it before Rei's fist. The next thing he knew, blood trickled down Kai's arm as a writhing green and red ribbon coiled around Kai's shoulder. His bewilderment quickly turned into horror as he realised that the writhing mass was a snake, garnish green scales and livid red patterns coiling nauseatingly around Kai's arm. Rei heard Kai gasp in pain.
Rei roared in rage and the fist that had landed on Kai's shoulder turned into a claw that aimed directly at the venomous creature. The snake sensing danger quickly drew its fangs out of Kai and darted safely back into a crack in the granite that was its lair. It had attacked thinking the reverberations of the granite wall were caused by a dangerous predator. It had darted out to attack the offending creature but sensing it was outnumbered, quickly shot back into its hole.
Rei turned to Kai and went pale at the sight. Kai's face if pale before was so translucent now that it was nearly transparent. Kai's eyes were wrenched shut in agony. He wavered and slowly fell forward. Rei quickly stretched out both his arms to hold him.
"Kai, what happened? Open your eyes!" Rei urged agitatedly.
Kai's voice sounded coarse and weak when he replied.
"Can't . . . snake was about t . . . to bite . . . h . . . had to block your fist . . .", Kai convulsed in pain between words and his voice grew weaker after each painful breath so that his voice trailed off, barely audible to his closely attending friend.
The more colourful the creature, the more venomous it is. Rei recalled the garish green and livid red. He knew that most snakebites were fatal. Sometimes within a couple of hours, usually much less. He felt Kai's pulse race, rushing the poison all around his body. Rei's heart sank.
"Kai, please . . . wake up." Rei pleaded weakly as his eyes began to gleam with tears.
Kai raised his eye- lids a fraction. He tried to speak but he was breathing so rapidly and was so weak that he could hardly even make a sound. He looked so frail in Rei's arms that Rei couldn't help the tears that fell from his bloodshot eyes.
Kai wanted to wipe these tears from Rei's eyes. Rei seemed so sad with his face streaked in tears and his jaws clenched so tightly. He wanted to cheer Rei up but had neither the words nor the strength to carry out his wish. He could only watch as his heart twisted in pain at the sight of a desolate Rei. From far away in the distance, he heard their names being called. A tired part of his mind told him that Tyson and the others must be looking for them, but Kai didn't want to listen to it. Instead, he wanted to think of a way to cheer Rei who looked so very sad. Even as the darkness closed in on his vision, he could still see the grief on that young, beautiful face. So, so sad . . .
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Tyson paced impatiently about the lodge as Kenny spoke to Mr. Dickinson on the cellular phone.
"A green and red snake . . . Yes . . . How long? Couldn't it be a little faster? . . . Not sure if you can get here?! But you have to! Kai's in danger!" Kenny shouted incredulously.
Tyson made to grab the phone from Kenny, indignation burning in him as well. He paused in mid- stride when Max gently but firmly held on to his arm. Tyson glanced at the Eurasian boy who slowly shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Mr Dickinson is just as worried as all of us. He's doing what he can to send the anti- venom up to us. Have faith Tyson." Max finished with a smile that grew warm and reassuring.
Max's optimism was infectious. Tyson smiled a weak smile and stood silently beside Max. He hoped Max was right, no matter what there was between Kai and himself, Tyson could not bring himself to imagine the Blade Breakers without Kai. The only thing was, Kai was dying at this very moment . . .
When Rei had ran off after Kai, Tyson had wanted to follow them but Max had stopped him.
"Why not Max?"
Tyson had asked.
"Because Tyson," Max had replied calmly, "Kai has been growing rather agitated lately and needs some privacy to sort things out."
"Then Rei . . ." Tyson argued pointing in the direction that the two boys had taken off to.
"Rei understands Kai better than the rest of us do. He might be able to help Kai." Max finished with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Max is right."
Kenny had spoke.
"It's best to leave the two alone for a few moments." Kenny continued after Tyson had turned around to look in his direction.
"After all," Dizzy had piped in suddenly in mock excitement, "You could take this opportunity to start an early lunch."
Tyson had leapt at the word 'lunch' and had immediately ripped off the weighted gloves. Max and Kenny had nearly collapsed in laughter.
After an hour had passed, (by which time Tyson had finished grilling the sausages and had finished eating half of the piping hot treats), Kai and Rei had not returned. The team had decided that something was amiss and had resolved to search for their missing teammates. When they had spotted the two, they had found a desolate and tearful Rei with an unconscious and bleeding Kai in his arms.
Rei had been too distraught to explain anything until Tyson had shaken him and after Max had pushed Tyson aside and gently coaxed Rei. It finally came out in tear- choked whispers. So they had gathered the beyblades while Tyson carried Kai piggybacked as Max supported an emotionally and physically fragile Rei, and they had all made their way back to the lodge.
"Right, we'll be in contact. Thank you again Mr. Dickinson." Kenny said before he ended the call.
He turned to Max and Tyson who both looked at him expectantly.
"They'll be here in one and a half hours time." Kenny sighed.
"So long? Can Kai wait that long?" Tyson burst out.
"Can't they take a helicopter or something?" Max queried, his tone anxious but far more calm than Tyson's.
"There's no where to land so they have to drive up here." Kenny replied, his shoulders slumping forward.
Max stepped up to him and patted his shoulders.
"There's still hope." He reminded Kenny brightly. "Right Tyson?" Max asked turning to Tyson.
Tyson suddenly perked up, his usual confidence surging in him once more.
"Of course! Kai's going to make it. Definitely!"
He beamed at Kenny and at Max who smiled cheerfully back at him.
Kenny turned to Dizzy who sat silently on the top of a pine table.
"How much time does Kai have Dizzy?" Kenny asked his bit beast.
"Not much Kenny, not much."
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai lay unconscious on the tatami mat. His still body turned burning hot and deathly cold at an erratic pace. Rei knelt beside him, dry- eyed and silent. His bloodshot eyes never moved from Kai's face and the nearly translucent skin that was awash with cold sweat. Rei took out a moist handkerchief that was his own from a basin of warm water and mopped up the sweat on Kai's face. Kai remained unconscious as the cloth gently wiped across his face. On his forehead was another of Rei's white handkerchiefs. The pale silken material seemed to Rei even more vibrant than the colourless skin it rested on.
Tears blurred Rei's vision once more and Rei quickly wiped them away. He did not want anything to distract him from his vigil over Kai, not even his tears.
'My fault, this is my fault.' He thought to himself.
He steeled back the tears that raged in his reddened eyes. Now was not the time to wallow in self- pity. Kai needed him and Rei had no right to refuse him for anything, least of all self- pity.
Rei rinsed the damp handkerchief and hung it at the edge of the basin. In this silence he could hear Kai's breathing, heavy and irregular. Yet Kai's eyelids remained heavily shut, the dark shadow of poison lingering and clouding over his brow.
As gently as he could, Rei smoothed his cream coloured hand over Kai's pallid arm and on the bare shoulder, where an ugly dark bruise tainted the cool unblemished skin. Rei gently eased his fingers onto the wound, wondering if it hurt Kai even in his present unconscious state. He longed to soothe the wound but knew not how. The best he could manage was to lightly massage the purplish snakebite with his fingertips. Just then, Kai writhed uncomfortably on the mat, rustling up the sheets. His eyelids flickered and he weakly surveyed the room with a dazed expression.
"Kai? I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" The words frantic and dismayed rushed out of Rei's cracked lips.
Slowly, Kai shifted his gaze to the Chinese boy beside him. Kai felt as if his head was being crushed by a vice that had its handles twisted by a cruel demon with a personal vendetta against him. His vision came in bits and he squinted at the fractured image his weary eyes showed him.
"Rei?"
Rei could hardly catch the hoarse whisper. If it were not for the pale lips mouthing his name, Rei might not have even understood the single spoken word. Kai felt his eyes burn and caught himself just in time.
"Kai, how are you feeling right now?" He asked as he combed through the grey and blue hair as gently as the warm and gentle south wind tickles a wolf pup's fur.
Kai swallowed painfully. His throat seemed to be on fire and the pressure on his head was not letting up. He shivered. It felt like his body had been thrown into a tub filled with ice cubes. Then sweat poured off his face as he felt a furnace roasting him from inside. There was a dull ache that radiated from his shoulder that periodically lanced through his entire frame with pain. This was an exquisite form of torture he was being put through. Yet to all of this, Kai could only groan.
Rei continued to stroke Kai's hair, doing what he could to soothe Kai's suffering. He knew that Kai was in terrible pain. He also knew that what he was doing wasn't enough.
"I'm to blame for all of this. " Rei whispered as he massaged Kai's scalp.
"I shouldn't have fought you. You struck at me only because you were confused and suffering inside." Rei smiled as he saw Kai's eyes bulge at this last statement.
"Yes, all of us noticed I think. It's just that no one knew why."
Kai relaxed a little, his eyelids lowering again.
"The thing is," Rei continued, his voice becoming strained, "I shouldn't have lost my temper, I should have been more understanding. Instead I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have . . ."
Despite of the pain, Kai was hanging on to every word Rei said. Kai's vision began to clear. The Chinese boy beside him did not meet his gaze. His golden eyes had their yellow gleam cast down onto the polished floor. The dark hair that he usually kept in a white bind now flowed unhindered down his shoulders. His cream complexion was pale and wan while the skin around his eyes seemed red and tender.
"I'm sorry . . . " Rei repeated his voice the barest whisper and quickly lost in the still air of the room.
Kai wanted to say something, anything to break the stillness. Just as his parched lips parted, he felt wet drops moistening his arm. Kai jerked back in surprise and peered into his friend's eyes. A mist of sorrow hung over them as more tears fell from the downcast gaze. The look on Rei's face was a mixture of pain, regret and grief that revealed an inner agony, giving him a tortured expression. Even as Rei felt the pang of guilt grip him, Kai felt his chest tighten as more tears wet his arm. He wanted to tell Rei it wasn't his fault. It wasn't Rei's fault if Kai couldn't control himself. It wasn't Rei's fault if Kai was behaving like an idiot. Kai wanted to tell Rei that he never blamed him, ever. He just wished that Rei would stop blaming himself.
Slowly his hand stole into Rei's palm, giving Rei's hand a tight squeeze. Rei lifted his chin to look bleary eyed at Kai in surprise. Kai smiled. Rei looked dazedly at the smile. It was like watching the sunrise. At first there was the dark uncertain pre- dawn sky that loomed heavily on everything. Then a hint of light, like a glimmer, tugging at the corners of the sky as it rose and bloomed steadily bathing the pallid world in reassuring light and warmth.
Rei's eyes glinted with that light and he felt the last of his tears roll gently down his cheeks. Then he fell slowly onto Kai's chest listening contentedly to Kai's heartbeat, their palms tightly grasping each other.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"What's taking them so long?" Tyson growled for the seventeenth time.
"He said it would take one and a half hours, it's only been an hour since I called Mr. Dickinson." Kenny reminded Tyson.
"How long can Kai wait for them?" Tyson demanded angrily.
"But that's all we can do right now Tyson, wait." Max spoke this time, he looked just as worried as Tyson but his voice was as calm as ever.
"Relax," he coaxed, "they will come when they can, worrying yourself won't do Kai or you any good."
"I'm just worried they won't come in time." Tyson fretted but he finally stopped pacing and sat down beside Max.
Max rested a warm hand over Tyson's and squeezed it affectionately. Tyson admired Max's ability to remain so calm in the present situation. Inside however, Max was anything but calm.
'Will they really arrive in time?' he thought nervously to himself.
Max recalled the bleeding Kai and how stark and vivid his blood seemed in comparison to his pallid skin. The gouged skin had turned a dark purplish shade and as Max had watched, dark purplish tendrils had snaked their way to the rest of Kai's arm and towards his chest. How long could Kai wait?
The cellular phone rang and shook the pine table. All three boys jumped up to fetch it. Kenny, who was closest to the table, got to it first.
"Hello! Mr. Dickinson! How long more will it take you . . . What?! But . . . You're sorry! Sorry doesn't cut it! . . . Not get worked up? What do you . . ."
"Kenny!" both Max and Tyson pleaded.
Kenny took his ear off the phone and explained the situation to them in a distressed tone of voice.
"The jeep broke down half way up the mountain path and he can't send the anti- venom up. Mr Dickinson is the only one in the jeep, he couldn't get anyone to follow him up here and he can't run up to the lodge with the anti- venom."
Max stood stunned to the spot. Tyson was at a loss for words.
"But they can't . . .they have to . . ." Max stuttered. "Tyson!" Max called suddenly as his friend ran in the direction of the bedroom.
Still panting Tyson barged into the room. He took only a few steps before he stopped dead in his tracks.
Rei had his head nuzzled comfortably on Kai's chest, his eyes were closed as he napped soundlessly. Beside his head were two hands, Kai's and Rei's grasping each other firmly and assuredly. Kai too had his eyes shut, but it wasn't in peaceful sleep but in pain! His eyes were screwed up in agony and his face was a nasty shade of white that had the dark shadow of venom cast upon it. He was in terrible pain but he dared not make a sound in the fear that Rei might wake up and see him like this. He knew it would break Rei's heart, for Rei would blame himself for it. Yet it took all his will power to keep from writhing in agony. He bit his lip so hard that blood droplets bled out of them.
Tyson felt his chest tighten. It shouldn't have to be this way. It shouldn't be this way. No one had to suffer like this. Not Kai, not Rei, but he knew that they had and they would suffer more. Kai was suffering unimaginable agony at the moment and Rei; he would go through worse when he wakes to find Kai . . .to find Kai . . . dead?
"No!" Tyson whispered. "I won't let that happen."
He whipped his head around when he heard the footfalls behind him.
Max stood before him, his eyes shining with tears.
"Do you know why I have so much faith in hope, Tyson?" He asked in a soft whisper.
The quickly forming tears blurred Tyson's vision. He shook his head waiting for Max's answer.
"That is because to me, hope is you Tyson. As long as you're around, you won't let anything bad happen. I know you'd do everything you can to set things right, and I believe you can do anything. So you'll find a way won't you Tyson? Won't you?" Max ended with a smile even as tears streaked down his cheeks.
Tyson stood silently before Max for a few moments before he felt a smile form on his face.
"I'll set things right. Trust me Max, I'll set things right." he whispered back, then he suddenly turned his body around and ran out of the lodge to race down the mountain path.
If he could get to the jeep and obtain the anti- venom for Kai fast enough, perhaps he could set things right. No, not perhaps, he could set things right, definitely.
'Trust me Rei. Trust me Kai. I'll set things right.' Tyson swore solemnly in his heart as tears stung his eyes.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Where is Tyson going?" Kenny asked, raising his tear- streaked face to Max.
"He's going to bring us hope. For all of us." Max replied as he smiled at the retreating form that was Tyson.
"Don't despair chief," Dizzy comforted gently, "If nothing else, there is always hope."
'You can do it Tyson. No one else can if you can't.' Max thought to himself and felt a hopeful grin spread across his face.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Rei slowly blinked open his eyes and waited for them to adjust to the dim light of the room.
"Kai . . . " he gently called as he raised his head to face the boy beside him, thinking to speak to him about something that he'd wanted to discuss for some time.
Whatever he had in mind was simply blotted out as panic and shock gripped him. Kai was . . . dying! There was no other word for it. Kai was so far in his pain that he could know nothing else. His head writhed weakly and he was in such anguish that sweat poured off profusely from him and the tears that streamed freely from his eyes mingled with them. His face was twisted in agony; his eyes screwed shut and his teeth bit so deeply into his lip that it blossomed with blood droplets.
Rei held Kai close to his body, tears now choking off whatever words he could offer. He held on tightly as Kai now trashed in the throes of excruciating pain. There was nothing else he could do. Rei felt Kai's body burn and then turn cold at a crazy pace and his heart was crushed as he realised that there was little hope left.
"Please . . . please don't . . . " Rei moaned as the tears rolled off his pale face.
"Rei?" Kai whispered in a rare moment of lucidity.
Rei lowered Kai in his arms to look at his rapidly weakening face.
"Rei . . . " Kai whispered taking one last look at his companion before his eyes slowly drifted shut and he mercifully lost consciousness.
Rei stared silently as Kai's body grew still. A cry wrenching through his heart and his throat escaped from his trembling lips and he buried his head into Kai's chest.
Too soon to mourn but too late for hope.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Tyson was running back with the anti- venom clutched securely in his fist. His vision was slipping and his chest felt ready to burst but he kept his mind on the vague outline of the lodge up ahead.
'Have to get there . . . have to try . . . and set things right!'
His legs nearly buckled beneath him. He stumbled but didn't even pause to catch a breath. He couldn't afford it; he could rest later but not now. Now, he had to reach the lodge, he just had to.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Max stood at the steps of the lodge watching and waiting for Tyson to appear. When he spotted Tyson's form stumbling up the mountain trail at a frantic pace, he quickly abandoned the steps and dashed towards Tyson. In the space of minutes, the two nearly ran headlong into each other and stopped just in time.
"The anti- . . . venom." Tyson gasped in between heavy pants. "Quick!" he urged as he passed the anti- venom and the syringe into Max's open palm.
Max lingered uncertainly as he ran his gaze about Tyson in a concerned look.
"I'm . . . alright." Tyson assured him as he breathed heavily, sweat dripping off his face. "Go!" he urged once more.
Max took a last glance at Tyson who was gasping for breath with his palms resting on his knees. Then he forced his head around and quickly made for the lodge.
"Come." Max quickly told Kenny as he rushed through the main entrance and turned to enter the bedroom.
Kenny dashed after Max and they both balked at the sight of a sobbing Rei over a limp Kai.
"Is he . . . " Kenny shivered as a chill ran through him.
Rei looked up from Kai and trembled as he spoke.
"Almost."
"Then there's still time." Max said as he briskly walked over to Kai's side and allowed the anti- venom to fill into the syringe.
Max searched for a vein but wasn't sure which one would do.
"Let me, I have experience in this." Kenny interjected and took the syringe from Max.
There wasn't enough time. Kenny decided to inject the anti- venom directly into a vein in Kai's throat. Hopefully the anti- venom would work fast enough.
"There it's done." Kenny said, taking the syringe out of Kai.
"Will it work?" Rei asked nervously.
"There's no way to tell. We'll have to wait and see." Kenny replied.
"He'll be alright." Max told Rei, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
Rei smiled gratefully at him and rested his head on Kai's chest. He thought he heard Kai's pulse getting stronger but Rei couldn't be sure.
'Please be alright.' Rei begged.
A slightly breathless Tyson lumbered inside the room and collapsed next to Max. Max turned to him and smiled.
"You did it." Max said, his eyes gleaming with pride.
"Will he be alright?" Tyson asked pointing his chin in Kai's direction.
"He will be thanks to you." Max replied, twining his arm around Tyson's shoulder.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
When Kai awoke, it was dark. He felt sore all over but the burning fire and freezing cold had left him. He felt a slight sting on his neck and raised his hand to finger a tiny puncture.
"They injected the anti- venom through a vein in your neck." A soft, musical voice purred into his ear.
Kai whipped his head around and felt a finger barred across his lips. He starred into the large yellow eyes and the pointed teeth that protruded over his smooth lower lip.
"We aren't going to repeat that kiss we had this morning are we?" Rei asked mischievously.
Despite himself, Kai smiled.
"You had me worried for a while." Rei informed his bed- mate, his expression turning serious.
"Sorry." Kai apologised, grinning sheepishly at Rei.
Rei wrapped his fingers around Kai's neck.
"What are you apologising for? The fault is mine, not yours."
Kai raised his hand upon Rei's cheek and gently ran his fingers over the smooth skin.
"Is it your fault if a mad man assaults you?"
Rei chuckled and bent his head forward to playfully nibble Kai's nose.
"Hey!" Kai protested, gently pushing the boy back.
Rei laughed softly into his ear.
"You're not any more mad than I am." He said tickling Kai's chin.
Kai retaliated by attacking Rei's sides sending his bed- mate into helpless laughter.
"Okay . . .okay . . . I give up." Rei gasped in between giggles.
Kai reluctantly showed some mercy then decided to tug at Rei's ears instead.
"Ow! Hey! Since when did you become so likeable?"
"What do you mean?" Kai asked in wide- eyed innocence.
"I never knew you were this fun to play with." Rei said as he twined his fingers around a lock of grey hair.
"So what do you intend to do about that?" Kai asked in a mock challenge.
Rei's fingers crawled over to the mass of blue hair at the back of Kai's head and tickled the scalp there.
"I intend . . . to have some fun." He said with a hungry little smile.
Kai stared at the pointed teeth that drew out over Rei's lips and gulped.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Max, Tyson and Kenny had decided to sleep in the spare room for the night. They didn't want to disturb their recuperating friend. They had invited Rei over but Rei had volunteered to watch over Kai instead.
Beside Max, Kenny was hugging his laptop and breathing deeply in his sleep. Max smiled at the sweet image. Kenny wasn't unfriendly or cold like Kai but he rarely showed affection to anyone. It was only when he slept with Dizzy in his arms that he made an exception.
Max turned to face Tyson who had his limbs spread out in every direction. Tyson had been so tired that he had fallen asleep within minutes. Max grinned happily at him. Tyson had done it again. He wasn't what one would call a "hero" but he was someone you could depend on when the odds are against you. Max pondered on this for a while. Well, he supposed you could call Tyson a guy who would never let you down.
Tyson mumbled incoherently in his sleep. Max looked curiously over at Tyson.
"Tyson, did you say something?" Max whispered.
Tyson stopped fidgeting and went silent.
Max shrugged his shoulders and tried to get back to sleep.
'Must be dreaming about food." Max thought to himself and grinned.
Tyson rolled over and cuddled up to Max.
'Oh, why not, it's cold anyway.' Max thought and snuggled up to Tyson's warm body.
"Oh Max . . . Hey . . . stop that, that tickles." Tyson muttered into Max's ears.
Max's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as his eyes shot open. He saw Tyson's face, mere millimetres away from his own, with his eyes shut and leering at him in his sleep.
Tyson shifted again and straddled Max; embracing Max's shaken body with his sleeping one.
"You're not going anywhere Max . . ." Tyson murmured in his sleep.
Max could only gulp.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Finally the end of an extremely long fic. Those who have read this comment that it is quite lame in parts like the snake and the fight scene, but I'm open to a second opinion. It's a crystallisation of several styles. Those who are familiar with the Wuxia stories will recognise the usage of such a style in the fight scene, although it had to be toned down because I didn't want to go into the dreary explanation of internal energy. Anywayz, tell me what you think of the fic, your input would be a great source of inspiration for me.
N.B. No animals were harmed in the making of this fic . . . ; )
Love, Porticulis
Training
Rei stretched his aching muscles; his eyelids inching open with a drowsy reluctance. Despite of the eight hours of sleep he had last night; Rei was still as drained as he had felt when he had lain down on the tatami mats spread across the pine flooring with the rest of the blade breakers.
The fault, if one was to blame anyone, had to be their team leader's, the cold and harsh Kai. He was always pushing them harder and harder in their training for the tournaments. Although none of the blade breakers were pushovers when it came to beyblading, the intensity of Kai's training programme was enough to drive a world class beyblading team to utter exhaustion.
Rei propped his lean, finely sculpted body on his right arm.
"Another helping of the triple chocolate fudge sundae please!" Tyson mumbled in his sleep as he turned over so that his back faced Rei as he cuddled up against Max. Rei noticed the way Max was clutching his beyblade in his sleep and smiled privately to himself. Knowing Max, he was probably showing his mother what a great beyblader he had become as he dreamed. Kenny lay peacefully beside the fair-haired boy. In his arms lay a sleek, black laptop. Even in his sleep, the youngest member of the team displayed his protectiveness over Dizzy.
Rei felt his arm turning numb so he flopped back onto the mat, his back flat against the floor. What about himself? What desires did he reveal in his sleep? Was it the desire to gain the respect of his friends in Hong Kong? Was it his desire to become a world class champion beyblader? Or was it . . .
Rei eased a wistful, purring sigh from his throat.
Beside him, a grey-haired boy blinked open bright red eyes that seemed startled and cautious at the moment. Kai dared not move. He had been awake long enough to hear Tyson talk in his sleep but had pretended to sleep once he realised that Rei was also awake. For some reason, Kai had no desire to get involved into a conversation with Rei. Now these eyes that had remained artfully shut grew large with a wolfish suspicion. His roughly cut but tender lips were tucked downwards, perturbed by that single gentle note.
Rei let his fingers run through his long black mane of hair and absentmindedly let his hand fall on smooth, tough flesh.
Kai's heart leapt as the firm and smooth skin fell carelessly onto his own bare arm. A thought, red and screaming raced through his mind.
"Kai?" Rei purred musically as he turned to face his bed -mate. Kai had turned too. It was unfortunate really that they were roughly the same height, because then, the most embarrassing thing happened.
Their lips brushed together. It was a light touch, lighter than a feather floating on a breeze, lighter than the drowsy air beneath a butterfly's wings. It was this very same lightness too that forced Rei to jerk involuntarily backward. Kai was simply frozen to the spot. During their weeks of training, Kai had been like a glacier, cold and aloof. Yet now this very same ice that he believed held him invulnerable to the weakness of human emotions, paralysed him with surprise and the uncertainty of how to react to the feelings stirring up in him.
Rei breathed in sharply.
"Kai? "
No answer.
"Kai!"
Kai started and turned his face away.
"What." He muttered when he was safely out of Rei's questioning gaze.
"What do you mean 'what'," Rei cried exasperatedly. "You were staring blankly into space."
"I wasn't . . . " Kai faltered, his frame trembling slightly.
"I was . . . shocked . . . at the . . . at what happened." He finally finished, regaining some resolve.
Rei blushed and was grateful for the fact that Kai had his back faced to him. Even so, a sense of misgiving tied his stomach in knots.
"I . . . er . . . it was just a silly accident. We don't have to talk about it." He laughed and cringed as it came out as a nervous giggle.
Rei turned to Kai to see how he reacted to this.
There was a split second of an icy silence before Kai suddenly flipped onto his feet from the mat.
Rei pulled away slightly in surprise. Kai didn't even look back as he left the bedroom.
"Let's forget about this."
His whisper barely carried over to the Chinese boy on the chill morning draft.
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
Training was as tough as ever. Tyson practised with special gloves that had weights fitted inside. These were to help Tyson build on his launching power.
"These things sure make life difficult. Why am I even doing this?" He lamented to the rest of the gang.
Max chuckled light-heartedly.
"It's state of the art Tyson. My dad came up with these gloves after years of research. I think you can trust my Dad's expertise at crafting beyblade equipment."
Tyson grinned mischievously back at Max.
"Hmmm . . . If you got your handicraft skills from your Dad, I wouldn't be too sure on where I'm placing my trust."
Kenny raised an eyebrow from behind his laptop where he monitored the Blade Breakers progress.
"Hmmm . . . You know Tyson, I personally think that a little exercise wouldn't hurt you."
"I agree." Remarked Dizzy over the speakers. "At least half of the Blade Breaker's food expenditure can be accredited to you!"
Everyone laughed especially Rei who laughed hardest of all. He hadn't entirely recovered from the incident this morning and was grateful for an opportunity to cheer himself up. Rei sneaked a peek at Kai who was presently observing the spin of his blade. His expression was that of intense passivity to everything around him. His blue eyes seemed detached, almost as if the bright afternoon light had no effect on them. His hair was a sea of grey wolfish fur, idly shifting between fair and dark beneath light and shadow. The deep defining lines on his face seemed to have phased out from the fair unblemished skin. In its place was a calm serenity that matched that of a glacier's, unstoppable but content with drifting along the current.
Despite all of this Rei knew that Kai was not totally oblivious to his environment. He knew that Kai was observing his blade's spin. No, it was more than observing, it was as if his spirit was riding the wind spun by his Dranzer. Kai controlled the blade's every movement, its speed and its direction but at the same time he was also hypnotised by it. He hadn't even responded to Tyson's complaining and Kenny and Dizzy's joke.
Rei turned back to his own training. He wound up his blade and prepared to let Driger loose.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai's one secret in beyblading was his mental attitude towards it. It was a skill Borris had taught him. It was the skill of detachment, a state devoid of emotion. All other emotions only drained the spiritual energy and disrupted the harmony within a person. Joy expends one's energy while depression destroys it. Anger exhausts one's energy and disrupts the harmony, while fear dissipates spiritual energy and blinds one's senses. The ideal state was the state of noneness and absolute detachment. To be devoid of emotion kept one alert and better equipped to adjust to any situation. Such conservation of energy also saved up a tremendous volume of power that could be unleashed at a critical moment.
It was for this reason that Kai could train as hard as his fellow teammates but last longer than any one of them. This had been an area of distinction between himself and the other beybladers. He had more endurance and fewer distractions than the others did. Lately this practice had even been a source of comfort.
From what?
Images of long dark hair and the white string that bound it flashed before his eyes. This split second distraction was enough to break his concentration. His beyblade, Dranzer wavered and gradually flailed in weak circles on the rocky ground.
Kai looked upon his beyblade in stunned silence. Then as Dranzer rocked to a standstill Kai shut his eyes in an agonised frown and retrieved his beyblade with a furious swipe of a muscled hand that clenched Dranzer in a paw-like gesture. He growled a low rumble deep within his throat. In a sudden movement, Kai sprinted off.
Rei spun around when he heard the rapid footfalls behind him. He saw a blur of black and blue speed across the winding path to the other side of the mountain. A deep-seated feeling of unease gnawed at him.
"Kai . . . "
Without a second thought, he sped off in pursuit of his team leader.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai panted as he leaned on the rocky mountain wall. His skin was chaffed and bled where he had cut it across the abrasive edge of the granite surface. The pain was a scant comfort to the turmoil of emotions tormenting him. He had never felt this way before. Around his grandfather, around Borris, around the Blade Sharks, he had never lost the icy shield that made him impervious to such emotional confusion. The state of unfeeling noneness, why could he not return to it? The pain...
"Kai?" Rei gasped in-between heavy pants.
The dark curtain of Rei's hair streamed above the golden gleam of his eyes, eyes that were flecked with burning curiosity and gentle concern.
"Something wrong?", he continued, his breathlessness quickly ebbing.
Dark shadows formed on his white robe where sweat plastered the soft material to his flushing skin.
Kai looked at him, his mouth agape and gasping for breath. His eyes were crimson and bloodshot, the grey hair like thick fur, was matted and in disarray.
Rei's golden eyes strayed to Kai's bleeding arm. The golden pupils flashed with concern.
"You're bleeding!" he gasped and moved forward to tend to his friend.
Kai staggered backward, his face twisting in a painful mixture of confusion and agony. Rei paused in mid-stride; the eyes beneath his lightly swaying fringe registering confusion.
"Kai, about what happened this morning... we need to talk..."
"No!" Kai spat, the turmoil within his eyes quickly brewing into a red fury.
Rei stepped back as if he had been struck.
Kai could not understand the confusion within his heart but he did know one thing. His pale, icy face darkened as an insane smirk played on his lips.
"Let's beyblade.", he snarled, lifting Dranzer and aiming it at Rei.
"No. Kai, you're not yourself. I think we'd better get back to the lodge.", Rei spoke soothingly, stretching out a friendly arm.
"I said let's beyblade!", Kai snarled, launching his beyblade.
There was a red blur followed by a wet slicing sound. Rei staggered back, one hand clutched to his chest. Red blood dripped from his palm, staining the white fabric.
"What's wrong with you?", Rei demanded, the embers of indignation bursting into enraged flames.
Kai ignored him, his maddened fury taking over him.
"Dranzer, attack!"
The red blur burst into a red flame and hurtled menacingly at the Chinese boy.
Rei sprang into the air, leaping well above the rocky ground. The red whirlwind passed harmlessly beneath his feet. Airborne, Rei whipped out his Driger and lashed his arm out in a vicious half- circle. Rei's Driger spun in a white blur that marked its trajectory as it flew into Kai's Dranzer as it hurtled back to ground.
Crash!
Dranzer blasted into the mountain face. The mountain air resounded with a thunderous crash. Dust and granite chips exploded into a dark cloud followed by a red streak of lightning that was Dranzer, spearing through the dust and rock. Dranzer landed on top of Driger which spun on the rocky mountain floor as a furious white cyclone. Sparks flew as each beyblade ensued in a struggle to control the other's spin.
Rei's eyes blazed a golden fire.
"Driger, Driger Claw Attack!"
A golden incandescence streamed from Rei's beyblade. A white tiger burning with golden stripes launched itself out of Rei's beyblade and engulfed both beyblades.
Kai's eyes hardened and danced with the glare of twin fire opals.
"Dranzer, Fire Arrow Attack!"
The golden- white fire surrounding both beyblades was split into two halves as a searing red flame lashed out from the crimson blade.
As the two furious, flaming lights struggled for supremacy, the glowing outline of a ferocious tiger and a fearsome phoenix grappling at each other gleamed and shifted. The two beybladers gritted their teeth as their beyblades flew apart, collided and writhed in a blazing tempest.
Rei's eyes were harsh yellow flames so intense that they seemed to set his cream complexion and dark hair ablaze. Sweat poured off him as he watched impatiently at the ensuing battle. His hair grew tousled as the mountain breeze blew into a harsh gale.
Kai watched the battle with impatience. His grey hair was now wild and furious as it writhed vehemently in the air. His long white scarf flew in the air like a war banner as his fists clenched with a rapid cracking sound.
With a wolverine snarl, Kai suddenly launched himself into the air above the red and golden- white flames, his two fists before him and bearing down on Rei like two hurtling sledge hammers. Rei's attention quickly shifted when he heard Kai's beast-like cry. With an amazing swiftness, surpassed only by his stunning grace, Rei somersaulted out of harm's way. Even so, he felt the power of the twin blows force a gust of air to slam into his back. If those fists had hit him . . . Kai was intent on hurting him! Rage boiled in the boy's heart.
Kai was stunned for a few moments when his fists had plunged into empty air. In all their time together, he had never known Rei was so agile. All of a sudden, a furious roar cut through the whistling mountain gale.
Rei was spinning in a mad circle, his hands in rapid motion. His hands turned from fists to claw, to palm and back again in an immaculate pattern of ferocious assault. Kai instantly took a backward leap, not as beautiful but just as swift and even more powerful than Rei's. Though Rei's attacks were swift and deadly, they could only punch through empty air in a sound of fury.
Kai recognised the fighting form as the eastern Wushu style. He had only heard of it in passing but only till today had he finally experienced its power. In normal circumstances, Kai would have shown this fighting form the proper respect by rethinking his assault on Rei, but this was not a normal circumstance. The recent wave of frustration, agony and distress had driven him beyond the breaking point. He raised his fists in a challenging gesture.
Rei was not about to give up his attack. He knew Kai would not be struck so easily. Even as his first array of attacks pummelled empty air, his feet darted with a cat- like grace, while his arms writhed faster and faster in a cyclone of claws, fist and palms. Kai looked upon this frenzy of blows with a calculating gaze and smirked. He had some surprises of his own. As Rei rapidly spun towards him, his arms suddenly crossed before him and his two hands wavered deceptively in a web of palms and fists. Palm met fist as fist met claw. Everything Rei could throw at him, Kai could handle. Rei was taken aback, he had never dared to let his guard down before Kai, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect Kai to be a martial arts exponent of a martial arts form that even Rei did not recognise.
The battle raged on and as blow met blow Rei grew increasingly alarmed for he realised that while his attacks were superior in agility, he still could not land a blow on Kai's body. At the same time, his fists were growing numb as he traded blows with Kai. Not only was Rei unable to hurt Kai, Kai was also significantly stronger than him.
As Rei was analysing the match, Kai too was doing some observations. No matter how vicious his attacks and how much power he put into them, he could not force Rei to step back. They had traded over fifty blows but neither one of them seemed to have gained the upper hand. Furthermore, though he noticed he was stronger than Rei, he also realised that his arms were growing sore. His arms were beginning to tire at delivering such powerful blows at a speed that only just barely managed to defend him against Rei's swift attacks. He could not keep this up for long.
Suddenly, Kai's body sunk to the floor, evading another six blows from Rei delivered in the space of a breath. Before Rei could steer himself for another attack, Kai's leg lashed out hooking Rei's foot and pulled hard. Rei fell instantly, but he was a martial arts exponent. Before he could even hit the ground, his palms immediately lashed out before him and propelled him in a somersault through the air. Kai quickly attacked before Rei could recover to a fighting stance. While Rei swirled in mid- air, Kai lunged forward, his two palms driving the air forward with staggering force. It seemed as if Rei, who was suspended in mid- air, would have no choice but to suffer this blow.
Rei lashed out a blurring foot that compacted with Kai's palms. The mountain air resounded once more with the impact as both boys staggered backwards.
Red blazing eyes met with raging yellow ones. An animal cry of rage ripped through Rei's throat as Kai bellowed back in a blood- curling roar.
Fist met palm, claw fell on fist, and in a mere second both boys collided together again in furious battle.
Twenty blows, forty blows, sixty blows, eighty, and a hundred! Yet there was no clear victor. Both boys were caught up in each other's flurry of attacks with neither one better off.
Rei's chest burned as his strength ebbed while his anger soared. He would not allow himself to lose.
He . . . would . . . not!
With a feline snarl, Rei's attacks picked up in speed, his claws blurred into fists, while his fists blended into palms. He whirled at such a speed that to Kai he seemed like a black and white whirlwind, forcing Kai to retreat seven steps all at once! Rei's attacks were too furious, too fast for Kai to even fathom let alone strike back. Kai was forced to retreat three more steps. At the third step he felt sharp granite dig into his back. The mountain face was braced against his body; there was no more room for retreat. With no choice, Kai could only raise his fists and attack as fast and as furiously as he could. Immediately his chest, arms and stomach burst out in pain. Stars spun in Kai's eyes just as another blow compacted with his face. Kai's head reeled back, slamming into the rock face. He could barely breathe before blow after blow pummelled his body. Kai grunted in pain and tasted his blood that trickled freely from the corner of his mouth.
Rei was in a rage. He saw Kai flinching from the pain; he saw Kai's head crashing into the rock face. He even saw Kai's bleeding face. All of this made him want to hurt Kai more. He wanted to teach Kai a lesson for thinking he could push him around. He wanted to hurt Kai and he did not care at what cost.
Kai reeled in the pain. Yet he would not collapse. To do so would be to admit that he was weak, something Kai would never do whatever the situation. Gritting his teeth, Kai blindly launched his fists at his opponent. Even if he was going down, he was going to make Rei pay dearly for it.
The moment Rei saw Kai's counter- attack, he knew he was in trouble. Rei steered his two attacking palms to meet the blow. The sheer force behind Kai's attack forced Rei to take two steps back. Rei was much faster than Kai and could use that speed to his advantage against Kai, but Kai had only to attack to force Rei to defend himself and easily reverse the situation. Furthermore Rei's strength was ebbing with the ferocity of his attacks. Now it was Kai who had the upper hand.
Kai had immediately understood this point. The smooth mouth that trickled with blood now twisted itself into a mocking sneer. His eyes darkened to a murderous deep red as his arm lashed out at Rei. To his surprise, Rei did not retreat. Instead he leapt forward. Rei's two palms turned to fists that were aimed directly at Kai's chest. Kai's sledgehammer fists compacted with Rei's chest even before Rei's fists could hit Kai. Rei's vision turned dark from the excruciating pain. Kai swung again. Rei's vision cleared and he saw the impending danger but instead of retreating he lashed out a foot, aiming at Kai's stomach. Even if Kai's arms were longer and stronger than his own were, Kai could not possibly evade this attack.
Just when it seemed Rei was going to succeed, Kai deftly side- stepped with surprising agility and Rei's vision turned red as his foot crunched against the granite wall. Kai's fists drove themselves straight into Rei's chest. Rei's feline face contorted in pain but to Kai's surprise Rei stood his ground. Kai was still trapped between Rei and the rock wall. He raised his fists a third time, determined to break free this time, even if it meant hurting Rei badly. His fists rammed straight towards Rei. Through his dimming vision Rei could see the blows coming at him. Drawing the last bit of his strength he aimed a fist at Kai's bare arm, but he was so tired and in so much pain that his eyes went out of focus and he felt his aim go off course.
Rei sighed in resignation . . .
Kai saw Rei's fist go off course and heard the sigh. The determined look on Kai's face broke into a pained expression. What was wrong with him? The person before him is Rei! His fists turned resolutely into palms to grasp Rei's shoulders. He would stop the fight now. Suddenly something, a green – red blur caught his eye.
Kai whipped his head about to see a snake; fanged jaws opened wide darting towards Rei's fist. The venom on the snake's fangs was oozing out even as Rei's fist travelled towards the snake. There was no time for further thought. Kai threw his body and his bare arm forward, between the fanged jaws and Rei's fist.
Immediately, a searing pain lanced through his arm as the force of Rei's fist impaled Kai's flesh on venomous snake fangs. Venom speared its way into Kai's body, travelling rapidly as Kai's heartbeat raced from the physical exertions during the fight. Blood trickled down Kai's arm even as he gasped in the terrible pain. The world quickly began to grow cold around him. The hands that he had stretched forward to stop the fight now lightly brushed Rei's shoulder as Kai's body rapidly weakened.
Rei's eyes had opened wide in shock when he saw Kai's fists stop in mid- air to grasp his shoulders. Rei was even more bewildered when he saw Kai shift his shoulder and bring it before Rei's fist. The next thing he knew, blood trickled down Kai's arm as a writhing green and red ribbon coiled around Kai's shoulder. His bewilderment quickly turned into horror as he realised that the writhing mass was a snake, garnish green scales and livid red patterns coiling nauseatingly around Kai's arm. Rei heard Kai gasp in pain.
Rei roared in rage and the fist that had landed on Kai's shoulder turned into a claw that aimed directly at the venomous creature. The snake sensing danger quickly drew its fangs out of Kai and darted safely back into a crack in the granite that was its lair. It had attacked thinking the reverberations of the granite wall were caused by a dangerous predator. It had darted out to attack the offending creature but sensing it was outnumbered, quickly shot back into its hole.
Rei turned to Kai and went pale at the sight. Kai's face if pale before was so translucent now that it was nearly transparent. Kai's eyes were wrenched shut in agony. He wavered and slowly fell forward. Rei quickly stretched out both his arms to hold him.
"Kai, what happened? Open your eyes!" Rei urged agitatedly.
Kai's voice sounded coarse and weak when he replied.
"Can't . . . snake was about t . . . to bite . . . h . . . had to block your fist . . .", Kai convulsed in pain between words and his voice grew weaker after each painful breath so that his voice trailed off, barely audible to his closely attending friend.
The more colourful the creature, the more venomous it is. Rei recalled the garish green and livid red. He knew that most snakebites were fatal. Sometimes within a couple of hours, usually much less. He felt Kai's pulse race, rushing the poison all around his body. Rei's heart sank.
"Kai, please . . . wake up." Rei pleaded weakly as his eyes began to gleam with tears.
Kai raised his eye- lids a fraction. He tried to speak but he was breathing so rapidly and was so weak that he could hardly even make a sound. He looked so frail in Rei's arms that Rei couldn't help the tears that fell from his bloodshot eyes.
Kai wanted to wipe these tears from Rei's eyes. Rei seemed so sad with his face streaked in tears and his jaws clenched so tightly. He wanted to cheer Rei up but had neither the words nor the strength to carry out his wish. He could only watch as his heart twisted in pain at the sight of a desolate Rei. From far away in the distance, he heard their names being called. A tired part of his mind told him that Tyson and the others must be looking for them, but Kai didn't want to listen to it. Instead, he wanted to think of a way to cheer Rei who looked so very sad. Even as the darkness closed in on his vision, he could still see the grief on that young, beautiful face. So, so sad . . .
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Tyson paced impatiently about the lodge as Kenny spoke to Mr. Dickinson on the cellular phone.
"A green and red snake . . . Yes . . . How long? Couldn't it be a little faster? . . . Not sure if you can get here?! But you have to! Kai's in danger!" Kenny shouted incredulously.
Tyson made to grab the phone from Kenny, indignation burning in him as well. He paused in mid- stride when Max gently but firmly held on to his arm. Tyson glanced at the Eurasian boy who slowly shook his head with a rueful smile.
"Mr Dickinson is just as worried as all of us. He's doing what he can to send the anti- venom up to us. Have faith Tyson." Max finished with a smile that grew warm and reassuring.
Max's optimism was infectious. Tyson smiled a weak smile and stood silently beside Max. He hoped Max was right, no matter what there was between Kai and himself, Tyson could not bring himself to imagine the Blade Breakers without Kai. The only thing was, Kai was dying at this very moment . . .
When Rei had ran off after Kai, Tyson had wanted to follow them but Max had stopped him.
"Why not Max?"
Tyson had asked.
"Because Tyson," Max had replied calmly, "Kai has been growing rather agitated lately and needs some privacy to sort things out."
"Then Rei . . ." Tyson argued pointing in the direction that the two boys had taken off to.
"Rei understands Kai better than the rest of us do. He might be able to help Kai." Max finished with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Max is right."
Kenny had spoke.
"It's best to leave the two alone for a few moments." Kenny continued after Tyson had turned around to look in his direction.
"After all," Dizzy had piped in suddenly in mock excitement, "You could take this opportunity to start an early lunch."
Tyson had leapt at the word 'lunch' and had immediately ripped off the weighted gloves. Max and Kenny had nearly collapsed in laughter.
After an hour had passed, (by which time Tyson had finished grilling the sausages and had finished eating half of the piping hot treats), Kai and Rei had not returned. The team had decided that something was amiss and had resolved to search for their missing teammates. When they had spotted the two, they had found a desolate and tearful Rei with an unconscious and bleeding Kai in his arms.
Rei had been too distraught to explain anything until Tyson had shaken him and after Max had pushed Tyson aside and gently coaxed Rei. It finally came out in tear- choked whispers. So they had gathered the beyblades while Tyson carried Kai piggybacked as Max supported an emotionally and physically fragile Rei, and they had all made their way back to the lodge.
"Right, we'll be in contact. Thank you again Mr. Dickinson." Kenny said before he ended the call.
He turned to Max and Tyson who both looked at him expectantly.
"They'll be here in one and a half hours time." Kenny sighed.
"So long? Can Kai wait that long?" Tyson burst out.
"Can't they take a helicopter or something?" Max queried, his tone anxious but far more calm than Tyson's.
"There's no where to land so they have to drive up here." Kenny replied, his shoulders slumping forward.
Max stepped up to him and patted his shoulders.
"There's still hope." He reminded Kenny brightly. "Right Tyson?" Max asked turning to Tyson.
Tyson suddenly perked up, his usual confidence surging in him once more.
"Of course! Kai's going to make it. Definitely!"
He beamed at Kenny and at Max who smiled cheerfully back at him.
Kenny turned to Dizzy who sat silently on the top of a pine table.
"How much time does Kai have Dizzy?" Kenny asked his bit beast.
"Not much Kenny, not much."
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Kai lay unconscious on the tatami mat. His still body turned burning hot and deathly cold at an erratic pace. Rei knelt beside him, dry- eyed and silent. His bloodshot eyes never moved from Kai's face and the nearly translucent skin that was awash with cold sweat. Rei took out a moist handkerchief that was his own from a basin of warm water and mopped up the sweat on Kai's face. Kai remained unconscious as the cloth gently wiped across his face. On his forehead was another of Rei's white handkerchiefs. The pale silken material seemed to Rei even more vibrant than the colourless skin it rested on.
Tears blurred Rei's vision once more and Rei quickly wiped them away. He did not want anything to distract him from his vigil over Kai, not even his tears.
'My fault, this is my fault.' He thought to himself.
He steeled back the tears that raged in his reddened eyes. Now was not the time to wallow in self- pity. Kai needed him and Rei had no right to refuse him for anything, least of all self- pity.
Rei rinsed the damp handkerchief and hung it at the edge of the basin. In this silence he could hear Kai's breathing, heavy and irregular. Yet Kai's eyelids remained heavily shut, the dark shadow of poison lingering and clouding over his brow.
As gently as he could, Rei smoothed his cream coloured hand over Kai's pallid arm and on the bare shoulder, where an ugly dark bruise tainted the cool unblemished skin. Rei gently eased his fingers onto the wound, wondering if it hurt Kai even in his present unconscious state. He longed to soothe the wound but knew not how. The best he could manage was to lightly massage the purplish snakebite with his fingertips. Just then, Kai writhed uncomfortably on the mat, rustling up the sheets. His eyelids flickered and he weakly surveyed the room with a dazed expression.
"Kai? I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" The words frantic and dismayed rushed out of Rei's cracked lips.
Slowly, Kai shifted his gaze to the Chinese boy beside him. Kai felt as if his head was being crushed by a vice that had its handles twisted by a cruel demon with a personal vendetta against him. His vision came in bits and he squinted at the fractured image his weary eyes showed him.
"Rei?"
Rei could hardly catch the hoarse whisper. If it were not for the pale lips mouthing his name, Rei might not have even understood the single spoken word. Kai felt his eyes burn and caught himself just in time.
"Kai, how are you feeling right now?" He asked as he combed through the grey and blue hair as gently as the warm and gentle south wind tickles a wolf pup's fur.
Kai swallowed painfully. His throat seemed to be on fire and the pressure on his head was not letting up. He shivered. It felt like his body had been thrown into a tub filled with ice cubes. Then sweat poured off his face as he felt a furnace roasting him from inside. There was a dull ache that radiated from his shoulder that periodically lanced through his entire frame with pain. This was an exquisite form of torture he was being put through. Yet to all of this, Kai could only groan.
Rei continued to stroke Kai's hair, doing what he could to soothe Kai's suffering. He knew that Kai was in terrible pain. He also knew that what he was doing wasn't enough.
"I'm to blame for all of this. " Rei whispered as he massaged Kai's scalp.
"I shouldn't have fought you. You struck at me only because you were confused and suffering inside." Rei smiled as he saw Kai's eyes bulge at this last statement.
"Yes, all of us noticed I think. It's just that no one knew why."
Kai relaxed a little, his eyelids lowering again.
"The thing is," Rei continued, his voice becoming strained, "I shouldn't have lost my temper, I should have been more understanding. Instead I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have . . ."
Despite of the pain, Kai was hanging on to every word Rei said. Kai's vision began to clear. The Chinese boy beside him did not meet his gaze. His golden eyes had their yellow gleam cast down onto the polished floor. The dark hair that he usually kept in a white bind now flowed unhindered down his shoulders. His cream complexion was pale and wan while the skin around his eyes seemed red and tender.
"I'm sorry . . . " Rei repeated his voice the barest whisper and quickly lost in the still air of the room.
Kai wanted to say something, anything to break the stillness. Just as his parched lips parted, he felt wet drops moistening his arm. Kai jerked back in surprise and peered into his friend's eyes. A mist of sorrow hung over them as more tears fell from the downcast gaze. The look on Rei's face was a mixture of pain, regret and grief that revealed an inner agony, giving him a tortured expression. Even as Rei felt the pang of guilt grip him, Kai felt his chest tighten as more tears wet his arm. He wanted to tell Rei it wasn't his fault. It wasn't Rei's fault if Kai couldn't control himself. It wasn't Rei's fault if Kai was behaving like an idiot. Kai wanted to tell Rei that he never blamed him, ever. He just wished that Rei would stop blaming himself.
Slowly his hand stole into Rei's palm, giving Rei's hand a tight squeeze. Rei lifted his chin to look bleary eyed at Kai in surprise. Kai smiled. Rei looked dazedly at the smile. It was like watching the sunrise. At first there was the dark uncertain pre- dawn sky that loomed heavily on everything. Then a hint of light, like a glimmer, tugging at the corners of the sky as it rose and bloomed steadily bathing the pallid world in reassuring light and warmth.
Rei's eyes glinted with that light and he felt the last of his tears roll gently down his cheeks. Then he fell slowly onto Kai's chest listening contentedly to Kai's heartbeat, their palms tightly grasping each other.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"What's taking them so long?" Tyson growled for the seventeenth time.
"He said it would take one and a half hours, it's only been an hour since I called Mr. Dickinson." Kenny reminded Tyson.
"How long can Kai wait for them?" Tyson demanded angrily.
"But that's all we can do right now Tyson, wait." Max spoke this time, he looked just as worried as Tyson but his voice was as calm as ever.
"Relax," he coaxed, "they will come when they can, worrying yourself won't do Kai or you any good."
"I'm just worried they won't come in time." Tyson fretted but he finally stopped pacing and sat down beside Max.
Max rested a warm hand over Tyson's and squeezed it affectionately. Tyson admired Max's ability to remain so calm in the present situation. Inside however, Max was anything but calm.
'Will they really arrive in time?' he thought nervously to himself.
Max recalled the bleeding Kai and how stark and vivid his blood seemed in comparison to his pallid skin. The gouged skin had turned a dark purplish shade and as Max had watched, dark purplish tendrils had snaked their way to the rest of Kai's arm and towards his chest. How long could Kai wait?
The cellular phone rang and shook the pine table. All three boys jumped up to fetch it. Kenny, who was closest to the table, got to it first.
"Hello! Mr. Dickinson! How long more will it take you . . . What?! But . . . You're sorry! Sorry doesn't cut it! . . . Not get worked up? What do you . . ."
"Kenny!" both Max and Tyson pleaded.
Kenny took his ear off the phone and explained the situation to them in a distressed tone of voice.
"The jeep broke down half way up the mountain path and he can't send the anti- venom up. Mr Dickinson is the only one in the jeep, he couldn't get anyone to follow him up here and he can't run up to the lodge with the anti- venom."
Max stood stunned to the spot. Tyson was at a loss for words.
"But they can't . . .they have to . . ." Max stuttered. "Tyson!" Max called suddenly as his friend ran in the direction of the bedroom.
Still panting Tyson barged into the room. He took only a few steps before he stopped dead in his tracks.
Rei had his head nuzzled comfortably on Kai's chest, his eyes were closed as he napped soundlessly. Beside his head were two hands, Kai's and Rei's grasping each other firmly and assuredly. Kai too had his eyes shut, but it wasn't in peaceful sleep but in pain! His eyes were screwed up in agony and his face was a nasty shade of white that had the dark shadow of venom cast upon it. He was in terrible pain but he dared not make a sound in the fear that Rei might wake up and see him like this. He knew it would break Rei's heart, for Rei would blame himself for it. Yet it took all his will power to keep from writhing in agony. He bit his lip so hard that blood droplets bled out of them.
Tyson felt his chest tighten. It shouldn't have to be this way. It shouldn't be this way. No one had to suffer like this. Not Kai, not Rei, but he knew that they had and they would suffer more. Kai was suffering unimaginable agony at the moment and Rei; he would go through worse when he wakes to find Kai . . .to find Kai . . . dead?
"No!" Tyson whispered. "I won't let that happen."
He whipped his head around when he heard the footfalls behind him.
Max stood before him, his eyes shining with tears.
"Do you know why I have so much faith in hope, Tyson?" He asked in a soft whisper.
The quickly forming tears blurred Tyson's vision. He shook his head waiting for Max's answer.
"That is because to me, hope is you Tyson. As long as you're around, you won't let anything bad happen. I know you'd do everything you can to set things right, and I believe you can do anything. So you'll find a way won't you Tyson? Won't you?" Max ended with a smile even as tears streaked down his cheeks.
Tyson stood silently before Max for a few moments before he felt a smile form on his face.
"I'll set things right. Trust me Max, I'll set things right." he whispered back, then he suddenly turned his body around and ran out of the lodge to race down the mountain path.
If he could get to the jeep and obtain the anti- venom for Kai fast enough, perhaps he could set things right. No, not perhaps, he could set things right, definitely.
'Trust me Rei. Trust me Kai. I'll set things right.' Tyson swore solemnly in his heart as tears stung his eyes.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
"Where is Tyson going?" Kenny asked, raising his tear- streaked face to Max.
"He's going to bring us hope. For all of us." Max replied as he smiled at the retreating form that was Tyson.
"Don't despair chief," Dizzy comforted gently, "If nothing else, there is always hope."
'You can do it Tyson. No one else can if you can't.' Max thought to himself and felt a hopeful grin spread across his face.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Rei slowly blinked open his eyes and waited for them to adjust to the dim light of the room.
"Kai . . . " he gently called as he raised his head to face the boy beside him, thinking to speak to him about something that he'd wanted to discuss for some time.
Whatever he had in mind was simply blotted out as panic and shock gripped him. Kai was . . . dying! There was no other word for it. Kai was so far in his pain that he could know nothing else. His head writhed weakly and he was in such anguish that sweat poured off profusely from him and the tears that streamed freely from his eyes mingled with them. His face was twisted in agony; his eyes screwed shut and his teeth bit so deeply into his lip that it blossomed with blood droplets.
Rei held Kai close to his body, tears now choking off whatever words he could offer. He held on tightly as Kai now trashed in the throes of excruciating pain. There was nothing else he could do. Rei felt Kai's body burn and then turn cold at a crazy pace and his heart was crushed as he realised that there was little hope left.
"Please . . . please don't . . . " Rei moaned as the tears rolled off his pale face.
"Rei?" Kai whispered in a rare moment of lucidity.
Rei lowered Kai in his arms to look at his rapidly weakening face.
"Rei . . . " Kai whispered taking one last look at his companion before his eyes slowly drifted shut and he mercifully lost consciousness.
Rei stared silently as Kai's body grew still. A cry wrenching through his heart and his throat escaped from his trembling lips and he buried his head into Kai's chest.
Too soon to mourn but too late for hope.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Tyson was running back with the anti- venom clutched securely in his fist. His vision was slipping and his chest felt ready to burst but he kept his mind on the vague outline of the lodge up ahead.
'Have to get there . . . have to try . . . and set things right!'
His legs nearly buckled beneath him. He stumbled but didn't even pause to catch a breath. He couldn't afford it; he could rest later but not now. Now, he had to reach the lodge, he just had to.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Max stood at the steps of the lodge watching and waiting for Tyson to appear. When he spotted Tyson's form stumbling up the mountain trail at a frantic pace, he quickly abandoned the steps and dashed towards Tyson. In the space of minutes, the two nearly ran headlong into each other and stopped just in time.
"The anti- . . . venom." Tyson gasped in between heavy pants. "Quick!" he urged as he passed the anti- venom and the syringe into Max's open palm.
Max lingered uncertainly as he ran his gaze about Tyson in a concerned look.
"I'm . . . alright." Tyson assured him as he breathed heavily, sweat dripping off his face. "Go!" he urged once more.
Max took a last glance at Tyson who was gasping for breath with his palms resting on his knees. Then he forced his head around and quickly made for the lodge.
"Come." Max quickly told Kenny as he rushed through the main entrance and turned to enter the bedroom.
Kenny dashed after Max and they both balked at the sight of a sobbing Rei over a limp Kai.
"Is he . . . " Kenny shivered as a chill ran through him.
Rei looked up from Kai and trembled as he spoke.
"Almost."
"Then there's still time." Max said as he briskly walked over to Kai's side and allowed the anti- venom to fill into the syringe.
Max searched for a vein but wasn't sure which one would do.
"Let me, I have experience in this." Kenny interjected and took the syringe from Max.
There wasn't enough time. Kenny decided to inject the anti- venom directly into a vein in Kai's throat. Hopefully the anti- venom would work fast enough.
"There it's done." Kenny said, taking the syringe out of Kai.
"Will it work?" Rei asked nervously.
"There's no way to tell. We'll have to wait and see." Kenny replied.
"He'll be alright." Max told Rei, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
Rei smiled gratefully at him and rested his head on Kai's chest. He thought he heard Kai's pulse getting stronger but Rei couldn't be sure.
'Please be alright.' Rei begged.
A slightly breathless Tyson lumbered inside the room and collapsed next to Max. Max turned to him and smiled.
"You did it." Max said, his eyes gleaming with pride.
"Will he be alright?" Tyson asked pointing his chin in Kai's direction.
"He will be thanks to you." Max replied, twining his arm around Tyson's shoulder.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
When Kai awoke, it was dark. He felt sore all over but the burning fire and freezing cold had left him. He felt a slight sting on his neck and raised his hand to finger a tiny puncture.
"They injected the anti- venom through a vein in your neck." A soft, musical voice purred into his ear.
Kai whipped his head around and felt a finger barred across his lips. He starred into the large yellow eyes and the pointed teeth that protruded over his smooth lower lip.
"We aren't going to repeat that kiss we had this morning are we?" Rei asked mischievously.
Despite himself, Kai smiled.
"You had me worried for a while." Rei informed his bed- mate, his expression turning serious.
"Sorry." Kai apologised, grinning sheepishly at Rei.
Rei wrapped his fingers around Kai's neck.
"What are you apologising for? The fault is mine, not yours."
Kai raised his hand upon Rei's cheek and gently ran his fingers over the smooth skin.
"Is it your fault if a mad man assaults you?"
Rei chuckled and bent his head forward to playfully nibble Kai's nose.
"Hey!" Kai protested, gently pushing the boy back.
Rei laughed softly into his ear.
"You're not any more mad than I am." He said tickling Kai's chin.
Kai retaliated by attacking Rei's sides sending his bed- mate into helpless laughter.
"Okay . . .okay . . . I give up." Rei gasped in between giggles.
Kai reluctantly showed some mercy then decided to tug at Rei's ears instead.
"Ow! Hey! Since when did you become so likeable?"
"What do you mean?" Kai asked in wide- eyed innocence.
"I never knew you were this fun to play with." Rei said as he twined his fingers around a lock of grey hair.
"So what do you intend to do about that?" Kai asked in a mock challenge.
Rei's fingers crawled over to the mass of blue hair at the back of Kai's head and tickled the scalp there.
"I intend . . . to have some fun." He said with a hungry little smile.
Kai stared at the pointed teeth that drew out over Rei's lips and gulped.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Max, Tyson and Kenny had decided to sleep in the spare room for the night. They didn't want to disturb their recuperating friend. They had invited Rei over but Rei had volunteered to watch over Kai instead.
Beside Max, Kenny was hugging his laptop and breathing deeply in his sleep. Max smiled at the sweet image. Kenny wasn't unfriendly or cold like Kai but he rarely showed affection to anyone. It was only when he slept with Dizzy in his arms that he made an exception.
Max turned to face Tyson who had his limbs spread out in every direction. Tyson had been so tired that he had fallen asleep within minutes. Max grinned happily at him. Tyson had done it again. He wasn't what one would call a "hero" but he was someone you could depend on when the odds are against you. Max pondered on this for a while. Well, he supposed you could call Tyson a guy who would never let you down.
Tyson mumbled incoherently in his sleep. Max looked curiously over at Tyson.
"Tyson, did you say something?" Max whispered.
Tyson stopped fidgeting and went silent.
Max shrugged his shoulders and tried to get back to sleep.
'Must be dreaming about food." Max thought to himself and grinned.
Tyson rolled over and cuddled up to Max.
'Oh, why not, it's cold anyway.' Max thought and snuggled up to Tyson's warm body.
"Oh Max . . . Hey . . . stop that, that tickles." Tyson muttered into Max's ears.
Max's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as his eyes shot open. He saw Tyson's face, mere millimetres away from his own, with his eyes shut and leering at him in his sleep.
Tyson shifted again and straddled Max; embracing Max's shaken body with his sleeping one.
"You're not going anywhere Max . . ." Tyson murmured in his sleep.
Max could only gulp.
+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Finally the end of an extremely long fic. Those who have read this comment that it is quite lame in parts like the snake and the fight scene, but I'm open to a second opinion. It's a crystallisation of several styles. Those who are familiar with the Wuxia stories will recognise the usage of such a style in the fight scene, although it had to be toned down because I didn't want to go into the dreary explanation of internal energy. Anywayz, tell me what you think of the fic, your input would be a great source of inspiration for me.
N.B. No animals were harmed in the making of this fic . . . ; )
Love, Porticulis