A/N
Ahahaha! Finally, it's done! The final chapter is up!
Wise wolf: (raises brow) What are you so happy about you're terribly late with this chapter.
Red Countess: (Nods in agreement.) Terribly, terribly late.
I had other commitments. I also put in a lot of effort into writing the ending.
Black: You're a slob, face it.
No I'm not!
Wise Wolf: (Shuffles through reviews.) Ahem. From: ChibiAmber*Silver, COME ON!! POST THAT FINAL CHAPTER! They can't just end with being each other's brothers! NO! NO! NO! NO! This is all wrong! COME! When will you get your lazy fingers off your food and start typing! GR! LET'S MOVE IT ALREADY!
Is there anyone in the room who isn't against me?
White: (Raises hand)
Ah, at least someone in this room isn't out to kill me.
White: (Shuffles feet sheepishly) Erm, I was just trying to get your attention. I wanted to know when we could actually start the fic.
Black: (Sniggers)
Red: (Shrugs shoulders)
Wise Wolf, please do me the honour of the disclaimer.
Wise Wolf: He doesn't own Beyblade and all of its associated characters and terms. Thank goodness for that too, otherwise we'd have to wait two years for each episode.
Hey!
(Remembers something.) Oh yeah, I'd like to specially thank Akaiciel for the detailed critical appreciation on my first chapter of the story. Sadly you didn't realise that I'd already written the second chapter. I'm not at the least offended. I actually love what you did. Thank you very much. I tried to follow your advice but there are certain points you raised that I am inclined to disagree with. Nevertheless, I hope you will enjoy this chapter that was written with most of your suggestions in mind.
Oh, and I also want to thank all you guys out there who reviewed my work and I hope that this final chapter will not be too much of a disappointment. I would also like to thank my younger sister who would prefer to be known as Polgara Night_Wings for being the first to read my works so far and for pointing out on more than a few occasions my carelessness in several areas.
Red: Are you just about done yet?
Hold on, just a few more words. It's kind of hard to end this fic with this chapter. Although I planned for this fic to end on chapter 3, but it's still hard to say goodbye. (Chokes on words.) I...I just want to say that it's been a long journey and the greatest reward is getting to know you wonderful people who read and review my work. Including Shinikami Dragon who was the first to review and seems to have forgotten me. I love you all. (Bursts out crying.)
White: (Soothingly) There, there.
Black: What kind of guy are you, weeping like a sissy?
Wise Wolf: (Shakes head.) The drama never ends. On with the show!
P.S. if you guys can spare the time, read Red Countess' fic Fate and give some reviews and your support.
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You Already Know
A solitary cliff cloaked by night mists. A dark- haired boy stood beneath the silken shafts of moonlight. Golden eyes traced the invisible lines that connected one glowing star to its companion in the elaborate tapestry of constellations. They seemed to dance right above Rei but when he stretched his fingers out to touch them, they were beyond his reach. Rei hung his head, beautiful dark hair sweeping over his gleaming eyes. Moonbeams caught the falling tears in a pearly glow.
"Brother... Kai." Rei whispered his voice quickly lost in the indifferent mists.
Rei reached into the folds of his robe and felt the reassuring weight of his bamboo flute in his hand. Memories of a clear lake and enchanted crimson eyes gazing intently flashed before him. Rei lifted the jade- green instrument and began to play.
It was a tune that carried with it the joy of spring and the happy laughter in summer. The trees swayed serenely to the melody and the myriad of flowers that bedecked the lush green grass danced joyously to the warm breeze and the rich tune. Birds listened respectfully to the flute's music and then burst into heartfelt song, their voices warbling in harmony with Rei's notes.
Cat- like eyes remained tightly shut. A tiny smile lit his pale face. Dark, foreboding depths faded away together with the mists to reveal an exotic paradise. Birds snuggled in the verdant boughs of gently swaying trees while flowers rolled above a soft carpet of sweet- smelling grass. A crystalline lake shimmered as sunbeams trailed across its clear waters. Dear friends enclosed him in an arc, each gazing at him in wonderment.
Then the tune drifted into the sad, silent weeping of trees as they shed their crimson leaves in autumn and the slow mournful longing for the love of spring in cold and barren winter. A cloud cast the clearing in shadow as the trees rustled with faint sighs and the flowers hung their petals in remembered grief. The once joyous melody of the birds' song now slowed into a heartbroken ballad.
Rain streaked across his cheeks and a blinding flash of light left him alone and sinking into the silent crypt of the lake. An explosion of bubbles cleared to reveal crimson eyes seeking his own. Warm arms and chest rested against his shivering body. Thunder roared in his ears and he shook at the final word.
"Brother."
The tune broke and the flute retreated into folds of white cotton. Rei drew his body in a tight embrace. Mists drifted idly by his shaking form. A stray breeze brushed his pale cheek and raced towards a figure hidden within the shadow of a withering tree. Turquoise eyes glinted sadly as Max inhaled the faintly salty air.
"Rei."
================================================================
Tyson sighed contentedly on the sofa massaging his oddly protruding tummy.
"Ahhhh... that was wonderful." He sighed and burped.
"Eeyuch! I'm so glad I don't have a nose." Dizzi commented loudly.
"Close your mouth when you burp Tyson." Kenny instructed.
"Oops! Sorry, I forgot." Tyson replied sheepishly.
"Really Tyson, you should try to remember these things, then we'd actually be able to go back to the nice restaurants we've been to. Do you remember how we got chased out of that Chinese restaurant last month?" Kenny reminded him.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault! The noodles were a little too spicy, I don't usually burp that much." Tyson said defensively.
"Tyson, you weren't burping, you practically erupted! The vulcanian blasts melted the paint off the walls. I could hear the rafters shaking!" Kenny exclaimed.
"You're exaggerating!" Tyson retorted.
"Tyson, the lanterns fell from the ceiling." Kenny said with emphasis.
"Yeah, and one nearly hit me." Dizzi added.
"Fine! Pick on the details! That restaurant wasn't any good anyway, their servings were barely larger than an attack ring." Tyson sulked.
Kenny sighed.
Just then, both boys turned as they heard heavy footfalls on the wooden steps leading to the cabin.
Kai appeared in the doorway, his crimson eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Hey what's up Kai?" Tyson asked struggling to sit up but only managing to sink further into the sofa.
"Have any of you seen Rei?" Kai asked irritably.
"No." Kenny replied, "He wasn't around during dinner."
Kai frowned at this piece of knowledge.
"Where were you Kai? We tried calling for you and Rei but neither one of you answered." Tyson asked managing to struggle into a position half- way between sitting and slouching.
"I was out." Kai answered vaguely.
Tyson rolled his eyes.
"Have you seen Max?" Kenny asked from behind his curtain of chestnut hair.
"No." Kai replied and began to turn back towards the steps.
"Max went searching for you and Rei and it's been an hour since he left. If both of them are missing, do you think they might be in trouble?" Kenny asked, a note of concern in his voice.
Kai snapped his head about and looked sharply at Kenny.
"Do you remember Rei saying anything strange?" he demanded.
Kenny floundered under the fierce glare.
"N...no." he stammered.
"Are you sure?" Kai pressed. "Yeah... I'm pretty sure. In fact, he didn't say anything peculiar at all." Kenny replied his bewildered eyes searching for an explanation from Kai.
Kai, however, was lost in thought.
"Rei was awfully quiet." Tyson remarked.
Kai looked briefly at Tyson then turned his gaze to the polished floor and whispered something barely audible. Then he turned sharply away and made his way down the steps.
"Did he say something?" Tyson asked looking over to Kenny.
"He muttered something under his breath, but I didn't quite catch it." Kenny replied.
"He said, 'That's what I was afraid of.'"
Kenny and Tyson turned to look at Dizzi in surprise.
"That's what he said." Dizzi repeated, sighing softly.
Instinctively, both boys turned to look at the form melting into the darkness.
============================================================================
The moonbeams were barely strong enough to light his way but Kai advanced impatiently into the heavy darkness. He walked briskly, the gravel crunching loudly beneath his shoes. A mountain breeze tugged at him but Kai growled angrily and quickened his pace.
"He shows all the signs, all the signs that I myself showed just five days ago." Kai thought as he followed the path round a bend.
It had been three days after that sudden storm had trapped them by the lake. Three days after they had become brothers.
"But it doesn't seem like it, does it?"
Rei had been quick enough to accept Kai as a brother but ever since then Rei ...
Kai shook his head in frustration. He had spent the past few days trying to wheedle out from Rei the source of his distraction to no avail. Worst of all, during the past few days Rei had become increasingly elusive. He only appeared during training sessions and although he had acted concerned and considerate towards Kai and the rest of the team, he seemed distant somehow. It wasn't anything that Kai could put his finger on but he knew, just as much that Kai knew he wasn't happy himself.
Unconsciously, Kai's hand went to his pocket to finger a rolled up band of cloth. Kai realised what he was doing and drew the cloth out. His pace slowed and then stopped as he stared distractedly at the cloth. This band of cloth had been his secret project for the past three days. Now it was almost done, it just needed a day's more work before it would be complete. Kai spent a moment more musing, and then he pocketed the fabric and returned to his purposeful journey along the mountain path.
Just as he was about to round another bend, he collided into a white blur. Kai staggered back a few steps but quickly regained his footing. He turned to see who it was.
"Sorry!" the form before him said apologetically.
Dark hair curtained pale lids that had yet to open and see who stood before them.
"Rei!" Kai gasped in surprise.
Rei's eyes snapped open and he took an involuntary step back.
"Kai?" He murmured taking another step back.
Kai's eyes widened in alarm.
"Rei!" he cried and lashed out his arm to grip Rei's.
Rei felt his foot slip into empty air. Before his body could fall into the oblivion behind him, Kai gripped his arm in a paw- like grasp. Rei felt a great force jerk him forward. Rei's body rode that force and flew straight into a firm chest. Rei leaned on the warm and sweetly- scented body for a few peaceful seconds, before he realised what he was doing and leapt free from Kai's embrace.
Rei felt his face burning hotly. Had he looked towards Kai he would have found his embarrassment mirrored in that fine face.
"Be careful, the mountain path is narrow here." Kai said breaking the awkward silence.
Rei nodded his head imperceptibly. His gaze remained fixed to the ground.
"Thank you... brother." Rei mewed softly.
"Your welcome." Kai replied his voice tinged with unease at the unfamiliar term.
An awkward silence slipped between them once more.
"Where were you? We...I was worried." Kai asked.
Rei's eyes snapped up to meet Kai's crimson gaze. For a moment Kai thought he saw a faint glimmer of happiness but that quickly faded into a remembered sorrow.
"I was... enjoying the moonlight." Rei replied his golden eyes straying back to the mountain path.
"You were missed at dinner." Kai said concerned.
"I...lost track of the time." Rei explained.
"Are you still hungry? I didn't ask but I'm sure Tyson and Kenny would have left something for us." Kai said a little doubtfully.
"You haven't eaten?" Rei asked curiously.
"I...I had to get something done." Kai mumbled vaguely.
Rei arched a questioning brow but Kai eluded his gaze.
"If they didn't leave anything for us, I think I could manage dinner for the both of us." Kai said changing the topic.
"It's alright! I told Tyson to leave enough for the three of us." A bright, happy voice chirped.
Rei spun around and Kai looked past his shoulder.
"Max?" both boys cried out in unison. Max smiled at their bewildered expression and cheerfully crossed over to their side.
"Fancy meeting you guys." Max said cheerfully.
"What are you doing here?" Rei asked the fair- haired boy.
"Me? Oh, I was star- gazing. The stars are pretty clear tonight." Max replied grinning.
Rei's eyebrows shot up and he looked suspiciously at Max.
"Kenny was asking for you. I expect Tyson's worried as well." Kai informed the Eurasian boy.
"Thanks." Max replied taking the opportunity to escape Rei's scrutiny. "Shall we return to the cabin then?"
Rei watched him quietly for a few moments before nodding in agreement.
Kai watched the exchange between them uncomprehendingly but he too nodded his approval.
"Great let's go. We shouldn't torture Tyson too much. It would be too cruel to leave him in the presence of food that he's not supposed to eat for more than fifteen minutes." Max chuckled and placing an arm over each of his teammates' shoulders walked leisurely back to the cabin. ============================================================================
Kenny sat in the kitchen with his sleek, black laptop before him. Behind him, Rei was busy preparing breakfast. Kenny's stomach rumbled as the tempting aroma of stir- fried noodles wafted to where he was seated. Now, Kenny was no glutton by any standards but all who have seen Rei cook agree that the experience is enough to turn even the most choosiest diner an incurable glutton for Chinese cuisine. He forced himself to ignore the sound of the frying slice tossing all those splendid noodles into the air and the heavy thud and sizzle of them crashing back into the wok.
"Ahhh! This is impossible! Rei you're too good a cook!" Kenny exclaimed in exasperation.
Rei turned his head around and gave Kenny a puzzled look.
"Anything wrong?" Rei asked quizzically.
"Nothing." Kenny sighed. "I'm just distracted that's all."
"Are you sure?" Rei asked.
Kenny nodded his head and shifted his body as far away from the tantalising food as possible.
Rei shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his stir- frying.
"Dizzi, try and distract me." Kenny begged his Bit Beast.
Dizzi chuckled and the hard drive hummed as she searched the computer disk to find anything interesting.
"Let's check the news today." Dizzi suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Kenny replied and he promptly heard a particularly loud sizzle from the kitchen stove.
"Hurry!" Kenny urged.
"All right, all right, hold your horses." Dizzi placated.
"Hmm. Let's see, scandal, gossip, scandal, gossip, adverts... nothing interesting so far." Dizzi informed Kenny as she scanned through the Internet for any interesting articles.
Kenny was already beginning to lose his resolve and he only faintly heard his Bit Beast as his head began to subconsciously drift over to the alluring aroma of Rei's cooking.
"Wait here's one! It's from the local weather report. It's pretty lengthy but I'll summarise. Rainstorms are expected over the course of the next few days. Meteorologists believe that these storms are signs of an expected Typhoon. Measures are being taken to ensure public safety. Meanwhile, the public is advised not to panic and to stay indoors. The public is also advised to avoid hilly or mountainous areas for danger of landslides that may occur due to the fierce winds expected during the next few days." Dizzi reported.
"That doesn't sound good." Kenny frowned.
"FOOOOOOOOOD!"
Kenny spun around and was just in time to see a dark shadow dash past him. He turned to Rei and saw blue- hair barely tamed by a blue- red cap hovering over Rei's shoulder.
"Stir- fried noodles? STIR- FRIED NOODLES!" Tyson rejoiced.
"Ty...Tyson." Kenny sighed in resignation.
"Alright Tyson it's almost done. You just relax and take a seat." Rei coaxed.
"GIMME, GIMME, GIMME!" The hungry boy demanded enthusiastically.
"Tyson... never changes." Dizzi noted.
Rei sighed.
"Where's Max when I need him?" he lamented. ============================================================================
"So why did you call me out here." Kai asked his arms folded before him and his crimson eyes staring directly at a wealth of fair hair.
Max did not turn to look at him but looked out instead into the pure blue sky. He stood nearly on the edge of the cliff but showed no signs of fear and instead seemed more cheerful than ever. Quite obviously, Max didn't suffer from vertigo. Kai noted how light his fair hair seemed as it danced in the breeze.
"Max..." Kai began, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Have you ever seen such a clear sky?" Max interrupted and turned to face the Russian.
Kai was taken aback by the sudden question but his mind raced back to the rare occasions while training in the Abbey's courtyard where he could sometimes witness a painfully blue sky hanging untainted above him. Memories of that magnificent sky were one of the few happy memories he had of the Abbey.
"Yes, I have." Kai nodded awaking from the moment's reverie.
"So have I, but somehow this sky seems different." Max said laying his gaze on Kai.
"Different?" Kai asked.
Max laughed gaily.
"Yes, it's weird to say that isn't it? Yet don't you get the feeling that this sky is telling us something?" Max replied with a smile.
"I don't get your meaning." Kai stated simply.
Max didn't answer immediately. He turned his bright blue eyes to the forest and the city below. From the cliff they seemed to be only a distant speck.
"Up here in the mountains, we're so far away from the rules and restrictions of the world. We're free from judgements, free from..."
"Get to the point." Kai growled.
Max chuckled.
"Don't be so impatient." Max chided gently, a grin across his face.
Then his grin faded and he sighed. Kai looked intently at the Eurasian.
"Up here there is no judgement. We aren't bound by the constraints of protocol or etiquette. Can you feel that Kai?" Max asked, his bright blue eyes resting on Kai's crimson ones.
Kai looked away.
"I still don't understand."
"You do." Max insisted.
"Say what you really mean or just leave me alone." Kai retorted his crimson eyes glowing angrily at Max.
Max gave Kai a small smile.
"You and Rei have become brothers haven't you." It was a statement, not a question.
Kai's anger slipped into surprise and embarrassment.
"Where did you hear this?" Kai demanded his crimson gaze boring into the rocky path.
Max ignored the question.
"Is that how you feel about Rei? Is that how you truly feel?" Max asked softly.
Kai looked up sharply at Max. That question again.
"Is that how you really feel?" Rei asked.
"I care for him more than I care for anything else in the world." Kai snarled.
"That's not what I asked." Max replied gently.
"What do you want me to say? Am I not fit to be his brother?" Kai demanded in frustration.
"You deserve much more than that. He deserves much more than that." Max replied.
"What?" Kai asked bewildered.
Max shook his head and smiled ruefully.
"Beyond this I can't say anything more. You have to discover the answer by yourself." Max said and he began to walk away from the cliff, past Kai.
Kai held on to Max's arm before he could leave.
"Tell me what you mean." Kai insisted.
Max looked into those bright, red eyes with a thoughtful expression.
"Look to the sky. It hides nothing. Maybe we shouldn't either." Max said with a cryptic smile.
Max gently removed Kai's hand from his arm and made his way to the mountain path leaving Kai staring uncomprehendingly at the boundless purity of the horizon. ==========================================================================
Kenny watched in poorly concealed amazement at the seventeenth bowl of noodles Tyson was emptying. Rei had taken one look at the fifteenth bowl polished clean by Tyson's chopsticks and had decided that if Max and Kai were to have anything to eat, he had better start cooking again. Of course that meant that Tyson would want his eighteenth and nineteenth share. Kenny could only manage three and that was a record for him. Dizzi of course didn't eat but she did however volunteer to do the calorie calculation much to Tyson's chagrin.
"That's 9367 calories." Dizzi reported with the air of an accountant as Tyson finished the last strand of noodle.
"Your other bowl of noodles is on the table." Rei informed Tyson when he felt hungry eyes boring intently at his back.
"Mangsh Raae." Tyson said gratefully, spluttering the table with food.
"Tyson, you're making my calculation difficult! Now I have to count what was lost in that hail of noodles." Dizzi complained.
"Don't even think of answering Tyson." Kenny warned taking out a tissue to mop up the mess on Dizzi.
Rei chuckled from the stove. A lighter, more carefree laughter joined his.
Rei and the others turned to look.
"Max!" Tyson called happily after he quickly swallowed his mouthful of noodles.
"We think there's something wrong with Tyson, he's scaring us." Kenny said in mock concern.
"Yeah, we think it might be that gigantic tapeworm in his body. Wait, that's his stomach." Dizzi finished in mock realisation.
"I've always known there was something wrong with Tyson." Max replied shrugging his shoulders.
"Hey!" Tyson pouted a hurt expression on his face.
"But I love him all the same!" Max declared with a wide grin and jumped to Tyson's side to give him a big hug around his neck. Tyson had to smile.
"Yeah, well you know that you are my favourite fan." Tyson replied, completely subdued by that infectious smile.
"Come on Tyson, he's your only fan." Kenny reminded the blue- haired boy.
"He's the only one I need." Tyson replied with a satisfied smile.
Max grinned and snuggled into Tyson's hair.
Rei watched the both of them, his cat- like eyes wistful. Footsteps sounded by the doorway and Rei turned to look at greyish- blue hair and crimson eyes.
"Kai! You're back!" Kenny called.
Kai ignored the chestnut- haired youth and continued to gaze at Rei. Rei looked back into the oddly glowing eyes.
"Woah, what's going on here? You guys mad with each other or something?" Tyson asked turning his brown eyes back and forth between the two.
Max looked intently at the two distracted boys.
"Kai..." Rei began.
"I..." Kai tried to say.
The sound of a mobile interrupted both of them. Kai glared at the phone angrily.
Kenny picked it up.
"Hello? Mr. Dickinson? It's nice to hear from you. Yes, our training has been fruitful so far." Kenny bantered.
Rei turned back to his noodles while Kai sighed and took his place at the table. Max took his seat beside Tyson who had immediately set upon his nineteenth bowl.
"So close." Tyson thought he heard Max whisper but turning to his friend he found Max smiling casually.
"Must have imagined it." Tyson thought.
"Yes, we're all okay." Kenny continued to speak over the phone "Have I read the news? Yeah, I have...What? Are you sure? But we'll run behind schedule! It's too dangerous? But we can handle it Mr. Dickinson...Very well, I understand. I'll inform the others. I'll call you back once we're ready."
Kenny placed the phone down and found the rest of the Blade Breakers looking at him.
"Mr. Dickinson thinks that due to the rain storms expected over this area, this mountain will be a danger spot for landslides and other problems."
"So, he wants us to leave the cabin?" Max asked.
Kenny nodded sadly.
"Mr. Dickinson said he'd send a jeep for us the moment we're all set and ready to go." he added "That sucks! I'm enjoying myself over here way too much to think of leaving. What about you Max?" Tyson asked the fair- haired boy beside him.
"I agree, I was thinking that we could go back to that lake during the weekend." Max replied his bright blue eyes filled with disappointment.
Rei sighed and turned back to the stove. He began to heap the noodles from the Chinese wok onto Kai and Max's bowls.
"We'll have to get our packing done as soon as possible then." Kai said finally.
"What's the rush? Don't you want to spend a little more time over here?" Tyson asked moodily.
"We can enjoy later, right now we have to place the team's safety before our personal preferences." Kai replied tonelessly.
"Let's at least eat something before we go." Rei said as he placed Max and Kai's breakfast before them.
Kai's lips parted briefly but he remained silent.
"Thanks Rei!" Max chirped brightly.
Rei flashed a small grin at the cheerfully smiling boy.
"Thank you." Kai mumbled.
Rei turned to him in mild surprise.
"Sure, no problem." Rei replied a faint smile on his lips.
He turned back to the stove and began to clean up.
Tyson tried to start on his twentieth bowl but he sighed instead and languidly stuffed his chopsticks into the mountain of noodles.
Max raised his head from his bowl and looked sympathetically over at Tyson.
"It's okay Tyson, we can always come back some other time." Max said consolingly.
"But I want to stay." Tyson pouted.
"I know, I know." Max soothed, patting Tyson's back comfortingly.
Kai silently observed the two and his eyes flickered to Rei.
Rei tucked the clean wok away and turned from the sink. He made his way purposefully out of the kitchen.
"Rei where are you going? Aren't you going to have breakfast?" Kenny asked.
"I'm not hungry." Rei replied giving Kenny a quick backward glance.
"But where are you going?" Max queried.
"I'm just going to pack my stuff." Rei said over his shoulder as he disappeared around the doorway.
Kai frowned at his departing form.
"Stupid weather." Tyson mumbled picking up his chopsticks and tucked into his bowl of noodles with a vengeance.
============================================================================
Rei made sure the others didn't follow him before he heaved a sigh and leaned against the wall. They were leaving the mountains. They were leaving this place of beauty and wonder. For some reason, Rei felt his heart grow unreasonably heavy. He knew that they had to leave the cabin eventually, so why was he getting so emotional? For some reason, the thought of leaving the cabin seemed to make him feel hollow and empty inside. It was something he couldn't control, much less explain.
Shaking his head ruefully Rei left the support of the cabin wall and trudged into the bedroom. He walked slowly over to the study desk. Rei found a few magazines that he had brought over to pass the time strewn over the table. As he lifted a Chinese Beyblade catalogue a white page of pencil marks revealed itself. Rei's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in an expression of deep sorrow.
Rei gazed adoringly at his bedmate's fair face when suddenly his golden eyes danced mischievously and a playful grin formed slyly on his soft, pink lips. Rei deftly rolled himself off the floor and searched through his pack at the corner of the room. His probing fingers closed in on the smooth cover of a pad and his grin turned absolutely devious.
He remembered the chill of the morning air as he held a sketchpad and a freshly sharpened pencil in his deft fingers. His hand traced those perfect lines of the sleeping form before him. His golden eyes observed every fine line and every beautiful detail lined in starlight while the image of Kai glowed in his eyes.
Rei's eyes strayed to the words signed at the corner of the page.
To Kai, the centre of my thoughts, the object of my desires.
Love, Rei
Half- remembered plans awakened in his mind. Half- remembered and forever half-complete. Certain memories should remain buried forever lest they haunt the mind with emotions incongruous to reality. Certain memories and wishes now reduced to ashes and dust. Rei made his way out of the room and sprinted across the hallway, the sketchpad clutched tightly in his hand. He ignored the calls for him and let his feet take him to the place he wanted to be. Eyes tightly shut, Rei floundered in the darkness within. ============================================================================
Kai watched after Rei's retreating form and leapt out of his seat.
"Rei!" he shouted but the Chinese boy did not seem to hear him.
Kai bolted out of the kitchen in pursuit of his brother. His steps faltered at the doorsteps as a wall of fog rose before him.
Kai cursed under his breath, he did not need all these distractions right now. He looked at the fog with a moment's hesitation. Then gritting his teeth he headed blindly into the fog.
Max, Tyson and Kenny appeared just as the tip of his pale scarf faded into the obscuring fog. The boys looked at each other with perplexed expressions.
"Should we follow them?" Kenny asked his two friends.
"I don't know what's wrong with them but we have to." Tyson said firmly and turned to Max.
Max's bright blue eyes mirrored Tyson's resolve and he nodded in agreement.
"You want to stay here Dizzi? It'll be safer." Kenny asked the Bit Beast in his arms.
"No, I'll come along. I should be able to navigate even in this thick fog." Dizzi replied.
"Let's go then." Tyson suggested and led the way into the fog, Max following him closely.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Kenny asked no one in particular and he too melted into the fog. ============================================================================
Heart racing. Feet pounding on the pavement. Rei didn't open his eyes to look. He didn't care enough to. Days of pent up grief and frustration now flooded his entire being. Like the irresistible waves, they seemed to draw him further away from the immense sorrow trembling in his heart. Rei felt all passion and desire ebb away revealing a void that occupied the wealth of emotions with a gaping emptiness. Rei felt the change in quality of the air about him and he instantly knew that he had reached the cliff. His lids parted and revealed soft, golden eyes.
Rei gasped. A ghostly veil of inscrutable fog hemmed him in. He lifted his bright eyes to scan the horizon but all he saw was a shroud of smoke entombing him. The mists suspended Rei from the hard defining boundaries of the physical world and yet he could clearly feel the solidity of the cliff beneath his feet. It seemed like a dream but clearly it was clearly reality. It was a dream coming into life.
Rei hazarded a few steps and was oddly amazed at the fact that his feet fell on what seemed like invisible but firm terrain. Rei took another step into uncertainty and was rewarded yet again with the strong feel of rock. For some reason, the gesture brought a measure of peace to the turbulent hollowness within him. As if in a trance he took another step forward and yet another more... ============================================================================
Kai swore under his breath.
He could barely see his own nose in this confounded fog, mist or whatever one would call it. To him it was an inconvenient nuisance and he informed the uncaring white shroud as much with bits of colourful language. Yet all of this vindictiveness was a mere distraction from his main concern.
"Rei!" Kai shouted for the umpteenth time into the white void.
Only his disjointed echoes answered him.
Why was this happening? He thought that being Rei's brother would bring him closer to Rei, but all it seemed to do was to drive Rei away from him. It seemed that the storm of unexpressed thoughts in his mind had lifted only to be replaced by an obscuring, hollow fog.
Kai stumbled across an oddly protruding rock and realised that this was the rock that marked the fork in the mountain path. Kai paused doubtfully. Should he turn left towards the lake or right towards the cliff?
"Right," a cheerful voice advised, "turn right towards the cliff."
The fog was too thick to allow Kai to see the speaker but he could easily recognise him.
"Max?" Kai asked into the fog.
"Yup, it's him. Kenny, Dizzi and me are here too." Tyson replied.
"Kai it's difficult to navigate in this fog unassisted but Dizzi can make out the path even through this. Come along with us, it's too dangerous to head out alone." Kenny suggested.
A flat refusal fell on his lips but a warm hand rested on his shoulder.
"It's easier to move in a group if we hold on to each other." Tyson said next to him.
"Let's go then, we've got to find Rei." Max reminded them.
"All right, the path is pretty broad now so it's alright to walk abreast. Keep to the right if you're going to the cliff." Dizzi instructed.
The group set off, taking the right fork in the mountain path. Kai glanced silently at the faint shadow of a hand on his shoulder, his gaze vacant with deep thought.
They came for Rei even as I did. Even though they weren't Rei's brothers. I wanted to be close to Rei but in the end wasn't everyone else already close to him? Am I worthy enough to be called his brother when everyone around him loves him as much or even more than I do?
"That's right, keep to the mountain side. Just a bit more and the cliff will be within sight. Tyson you're veering off into a side path that leads back to the cabin. I'd love to lead you in circles but don't you think that it'll be a massive waste of time?" Dizzi queried.
"Sorry." Tyson replied sheepishly.
"I think we're reaching the cliff." Max announced to the group.
Just as the words left his lips the group was struck by the sudden change in the air. The dense cloak of mists lifted partly and wavered in the sweetly scented mountain breeze. Sunlight filtered weakly through the white smoke and lit the entire fog with a glowing incandescence.
Kai broke away from Tyson's grasp.
"Rei!" he called half- expecting clear, golden eyes to turn curiously at him.
"Rei!" Kai called again but neither his voice nor his searching eyes awarded him with any sign of the Chinese youth.
"He's not here." Kenny concluded.
"He was never here?" Tyson asked Max.
Max didn't seem to hear as his eyes stared curiously at an object ahead.
"What is it?" Tyson queried placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to get his attention.
Max turned his dazed bright blue eyes at Tyson and he seemed to shake himself out of a trance.
"That," Max said pointing to an object near the edge of the cliff, "isn't that a book or something?"
Tyson squinted through the fog and strained to see a white book of some sort near the edge of the cliff.
"I see it too." Tyson agreed.
Kai followed their gaze and briskly walked over to the cliff's edge.
The book was a sketchpad opened to a page that flapped serenely in the wind. It wavered before Kai like a beckoning finger. Kai bent forward to pick it up. In his grasp the page went obediently still, revealing to Kai its contents. By the fog- fractured sunbeams, Kai made out tussled hair, half- done clothes and frowning brows on a sleeping face. Kai found himself looking at his own sleeping form. His eyes strayed to a cursive note at the corner of the page.
To Kai, the centre of my thoughts, the object of my desires.
Love, Rei
Love?
Rei?
Kai lifted his eyes from the drawing and his gaze met yawning depths spanning from the treacherous drop of the cliff. Max was certain Rei would be here and yet they couldn't find him. Was it because he never did come to the cliff? Yet this sketchpad and this handwriting is clearly Rei's.
He was here but we can't find him because...
Kai's eyes strayed once more to the plummeting darkness below.
Because...
"Kai, what is it?" Tyson queried, perturbed at his team leader's worrying silence.
"Is that... Rei's sketchpad?" Max asked, a slight tremor in his voice as his gaze followed Kai's into the receding depths beyond the cliff.
Kenny looked sharply towards Max seeming to understand something.
"Are you suggesting that Rei..." his question trailed off.
The note on the sketchpad, a suicide note by the cliff. A final farewell before a leap into the eternal void. They couldn't find Rei because Rei was not on the cliff. He was beyond it.
"What are you guys talking about?" Tyson asked frustrated and his gaze swung from Max to Kenny and finally rested upon the silently staring Kai.
"Kai, where is Rei? What does that sketchpad say?" Tyson questioned once more.
What does the sketchpad say? The sketchpad helped explain everything. The silence... the sorrow... Rei had his heart to offer but Kai had only thought to become a brother to Rei. And now Rei was...
"Gone." A whisper, barely audible.
"What?" Tyson said incredulously.
"Gone." Kai repeated.
"No." Max whispered.
Tyson whipped his head to look at his friend.
"You can't be serious!" but Kenny's voice was choked.
"I..." but even Dizzi had no words to offer.
Kai clutched the book close to his throbbing chest. It couldn't be. It didn't happen. He wouldn't believe it. He had seen notes like these, in the Abbey tainted by the creeping pools of blood. This wasn't the abbey and Rei was stronger. Rei couldn't be gone.
Glinting drops fell onto the drawing and moistened the frowning eyes of Kai's sleeping form.
"Kai..." Max began.
"No!" Kai shouted, and ran from the cliff and the painful reality.
He ran. He ran past Max, past Tyson, past Kenny and Dizzi but he could never run past Rei. Never. In truth he had run past Rei from the beginning, afraid to say the words he should have said. Now it was Rei who had ran past him saying the words that Kai never had the courage to say.
I love you...come back. ============================================================================
Tyson watched in bewilderment as Kai disappeared into the thinning fog.
"Kai?" Tyson mumbled confusedly, "What, what's wrong? What's going on?" Tyson asked turning around to look questioningly at Max.
Max had his eyes focused on the cliff. At Tyson's question he shook his head briefly and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.
"Kenny?" Tyson tried.
Kenny stared blankly at the cliff.
Tyson shook his head in frustration.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"We have to leave." Max whispered.
"Max?" Tyson said turning to the reddened bright blue eyes.
"Kai, we have to look for Kai." Max explained wiping his eyes again.
"Kai?" Tyson echoed blinking in surprise.
"Kai might...we have to make sure he's safe." Kenny answered.
Tyson frowned, not comprehending but he nodded his head in agreement. If Kai was in any danger, then it was imperative they ensured his safety. He took Max's hand in his own and squeezed it reassuringly. Max looked gratefully up at Tyson and smiled weakly.
"Dizzi, can you help us?" Kenny asked his Bit Beast.
"Need you ask?" Dizzi replied.
"Let's go then." Tyson decided and led the group with Max beside him. ============================================================================
Sweat. Tears. Pain. Emptiness. This was the end. Kai prayed that the next running step he would take would sink him into the oblivion below. His breath was tortured and his heart struggled within his burning chest but he would not relent. Every wisp of fog seemed in his tear- veiled gaze like a flash of white fabric from a Chinese- styled sleeve, every passing shadow was a dark fountain of hair.
Rei.
The wind roared in his ears and a ragged cry tore through his throat. It did nothing to soothe him. A tune sang to him through the shrouds of fog. Images of a jade flute and long, deft fingers played in his mind.
Rei.
Kai strained to listen to the whispering music. There was no hint of it. Kai slumped against the jagged mountain face, scarcely noticing the rocks cutting into him. A hallucination. He's not coming back.
Kai fell to his knees. Every fibre of his body trembled with the finality. For the first time, Kai felt the chill of this lonely world eat into his being. Grief bled from his burning eyes.
Rei.
In the distance a flute sang its haunting song. Kai lifted his tear- streaked face and listened to the ghostly tune.
"He's calling me."
Kai rose unsteadily to his feet. The drifting tune called to him. Kai staggered forward, unseeing in the heavy fog.
"I'm coming, Rei."
The fog writhed and began to part before Kai's steady progression. Hungry depths loomed from behind the twisting shroud. The melody would lead him to Rei. The music was Rei's breath, his voice calling to him from across space and along the depths Kai would have to transcend.
"We will be together."
The fog cleared to reveal Rei standing vividly before him. Golden eyes, jade flute and raven dark hair jewelled the lithe form clad in soft, white fabrics. Rei had come to receive him at the end. His angel.
"Rei." Kai whispered.
Rei's spirit turned to him, large kittenish eyes gazing at him in wide- eyed amazement.
"You came?" Rei whispered softly.
Kai nodded his head slowly.
"You know I wouldn't leave you." Kai told Rei.
Rei's golden eyes shimmered with pain and he looked away.
"I'm alright brother." Rei said quietly.
Kai saw the hurt in the spirit's eyes.
"I'm sorry. I know I hurt you when you were alive and I know I must have driven you to do what you did but I hope you'll forgive me." Kai said gently to Rei's spirit.
"What do you mean?" Rei asked turning to Kai with a confused expression.
"I'll go with you. This world doesn't need us. I need only you." Kai answered.
Rei looked questioningly at Kai and his gaze rested on the sketchpad in Kai's arms.
"You...you've seen the sketchpad." Rei faltered his eyes wide in horror.
Kai raised the book over his heart and nodded.
"I left it there... I wanted to forget... and now you know..." Rei breathed and staggered back.
"Rei?" Kai began, and then it seemed as if he had woken up from a dream.
The fog and his exhaustion had mostly cleared and the sudden humanity in Rei's actions clearly spoke the truth that had remained obscured in his grief and yearning.
"Rei's alive!"
Suddenly, the reality and the absurdity of it all seemed to strike Kai as incredibly laughable. He burst out in uncontrolled mirth and relief.
"Rei..." he gasped gripping his stomach in outright guffaws.
The sketchpad slipped from Kai's grasp and fell forlornly onto the rocky path. Rei breathed in sharply. He had expected no other reaction from Kai. Once he might have believed in the fantasy of having Kai's love in return for his own. Now he knew better. The drawing and his feelings were nothing more than a joke to Kai. He was nothing more than a joke to Kai.
"Rei..." Kai sighed when his laughter had subsided.
Rei was alive. He didn't kill himself...of course he didn't. Yet it felt so wonderful to know Rei was still with them, with him. On impulse, he reached out to hold Rei's pale hand.
Rei shrank back from his grasping hand.
"Rei?" Kai asked questioningly and took a step forward.
"Don't." Rei whispered, tears brimming in the golden light of his eyes.
He tucked his bamboo flute back into his robes and stepped away from Kai.
"What's wrong?" Kai said worriedly as he took another step forward.
"Don't!" Rei shouted hoarsely.
Kai stopped dead in his tracks.
"Alright, alright. I'll stay here. You stop too." Kai placated his face pale as he looked over Rei's shoulder.
"Don't come any closer." Rei warned and took another step back.
"Rei!" Kai called in alarm and advanced towards the Chinese boy.
Rei leapt away from the Russian and immediately plummeted into the depths below.
"Rei!" Kai roared and plunged after the rapidly falling form. ============================================================================
"The fog's clearing." Kenny noted.
"The winds are getting stronger, hence the fog has begun to
dissipate." Dizzi explained
Tyson looked ahead for any sign of Kai but saw only roughly hewn rocks cloaked in shadows and sunlight. He turned his gaze to Max who walked closely beside him.
"Are you alright?" Tyson asked, gently drawing his arm around Max.
Max turned his turquoise eyes towards Tyson's warm, brown ones. He leaned a little closer to the comforting solidity of Tyson's body.
"Kai will be alright. So will Rei." Tyson soothed.
"That sketchpad was Rei's." Max said his eyes gleaming under the sunlight.
"Rei's? Why did he leave it there?" Tyson asked curiously.
Kenny turned to look at Tyson in disbelief.
"Don't you see the obvious reason?" Kenny questioned incredulously.
Tyson frowned in thought and then he gaped in shock.
"You think that...that Rei jumped off the cliff? But that's...that's..." Tyson collapsed into helpless laughter before he could finish his sentence.
"What's so funny?" Dizzi demanded.
Tyson shook his head but he couldn't stop laughing.
"Tyson..." Kenny began more than a little annoyed.
"I'm...I'm sorry but it's just so funny." Tyson sighed after regaining partial composure.
Max looked at Tyson with hurt and confused eyes.
Tyson sighed once more and embraced his friend.
"Rei can't have committed suicide. You know Rei, he may seem wise and all at times but he's really just an innocent, fun- loving kitten."
"But you know how he's changed lately." Max protested.
"I know, he's been acting a little weird but Rei still wants to be with us. He spent time making breakfast for us. Isn't that proof that he still cares for us? Would someone who still cares for his friends hurt them by leaving them?" Tyson concluded.
"How do you explain the drawing then?" Kenny countered.
Tyson shook his head.
"That doesn't prove anything. Besides, Rei grew up in the mountains, would he want to despoil the memory of his home?" Tyson questioned.
"But..." Kenny began but he couldn't think of anything to say.
"You do believe me don't you?" Tyson asked the fair-haired youth in his arms.
Max lingered his gaze on Tyson for a few more moments before he smiled happily and nodded his head.
"I believe you."
Tyson gazed into those sweet, innocent eyes and held Max closer to his heart.
"Do you hear that?" Kenny interjected suddenly.
"What?" Tyson asked breaking away from the spell.
"I don't know... a sort of laughter." Kenny tried to describe.
Max closed his eyes and listened intently.
"Kai. It's Kai." Max concluded firmly.
"We're closer to our goal than we thought." Tyson declared with a smile.
Max grinned at Tyson
"Kai doesn't know!" Kenny exclaimed all of a sudden.
"What?" Tyson asked turning to the chestnut- haired youth.
"Kai, he still believes that Rei's left us." Kenny explained worriedly.
A frown shadowed Tyson's brows.
"Let's go."
The group hastened down the path. ============================================================================
Rushing lights. Vaulting shadows. Rei hurtled to his end. He clawed wildly at the outcrop of rocks. A searing tear as his grip proved false. The void claimed him.
Rei fell from Kai's view even as Kai plunged after him. To find him only to lose him again...
"Rei!"
Dark shadows raced past Rei's vision. Through the roaring wind, someone called his name.
"Kai..."
Rei whipped his arm out in desperation. Rei gasped from the jarring shock as he grasped a dark branch. He heard a loud grunt from above.
"Kai!" Rei shouted in panic.
"I'm... okay." Kai strained to say through gritted teeth.
Kai strained to keep his hold on an outcrop of rock. His arm trembled with the effort and Rei quickly realised why. The branch Rei was holding on to wasn't branch. It was Kai's leg. Sweat poured off Kai's brow, as his arm grew swiftly numb with the effort of bearing both Rei's and his weight. His fingers began to sleep.
"He can't bear both our weights. I'm only pulling him down with me."
Rei began to pry his fingers off Kai's leg.
"What are you doing?" Kai cried in alarm.
"Goodbye Kai. Tell the others I'll miss them and that... that I'll always be watching them from afar." Rei whispered.
"Rei?"
"You can't bear both our weights. Without me, you'll be able to lift yourself up. It's better to lose one than two." Rei finished with a small smile.
He loosened his grip.
"No! I'll follow you Rei. If you let go, I'll let go too." Kai declared his crimson eyes serious even as sweat streamed across them.
Rei's fingers froze in their movement.
"Don't do this." Rei begged his golden eyes appealing to Kai.
Kai shook his head stubbornly and gritted his teeth as his muscles burned in agony.
"I thought I lost you once...I won't... lose you again..." Kai struggled to speak.
"You'll die!" Rei cried and tears fell into the aching void as Rei watched dark blood streak down Kai's trembling arm.
"I'll be... with you." Kai rasped as his torn palm bled the last bit of his waning strength.
"And also with us."
Strong hands wrapped Kai's weakening arm and pulled.
"Tyson?" Kai whispered in surprise.
"Talk later...you guys are heavy." Tyson grunted with the effort.
Beside Tyson, Max and Kenny held on to Kai's arm and combined their efforts in hoisting Kai and Rei up.
"Are you alright Rei?" Max called, his bright eyes marked with concern.
"I'm alright." Rei mewed weakly as he held on to Kai who was steadily rising through the efforts of their friends.
Rei buried his face into Kai' pant leg. Kai felt warm tears moisten his leg. Kai bit his lip. When the boys had hoisted Kai onto the path they quickly grabbed Rei's arms. Kai turned immediately to help. They lifted Rei back to safety.
Tyson slumped backwards, panting heavily. Max collapsed next to him and wrapped a tired arm across Tyson's shoulders.
"That...was exhausting." Kenny panted as he fell next to Dizzi.
"You needed the exercise Chief." Dizzi reasoned.
Kenny gave his Bit Beast a weary look and lifted the sleek black laptop into his arms.
Kai leaned weakly on his good arm and breathed heavily. Someone stirred beside him. Crimson eyes rose to meet golden ones.
"Rei, I..." Kai began.
Rei shook his head.
Kai reluctantly closed his lips together.
Rei glanced at the Kai's bleeding palm and began to unwind the wrappings on his arm. Once he freed the long strip of white cotton he raised Kai's paw- like hand in his own. Rei reached deep within his pockets to retrieve a handkerchief. Gently he cleaned the cuts. Kai winced but he shook his head when Rei looked at him with tender concern. Rei turned back to the wounds and wrapped the white strip of cloth as a bandage round Kai's open palm.
"Thank you." Kai said softly as Rei secured a knot in the makeshift bandage.
"Your welcome brother." Rei replied his eyes downcast.
Kai looked silently at the smooth feline face and dug into his pocket. He drew out a band of cloth that trailed in long strings.
"Could I have your flute for a moment?" Kai asked stretching out his bandaged hand.
Rei turned his head up in surprise and looked curiously at the band of cloth. The cloth was of a plain white material and at each of its corners trailed off in long yellow strings. In the centre of the cloth was sewn the vivid outline of a tiger poised to strike, done in gold threads. Silently, Rei reached into the folds of his robe and drew out his bamboo flute. Kai grasped its jade length and placed the flute in the centre of the cloth. Rei watched curiously as Kai folded the cloth over the flute and rolled the cloth around the instrument. Kai proceeded to tie the strings at each of the ends of the rolled- up cloth. Once the knots were bound securely Kai beckoned for Rei to lean closer to him. Rei bent closer to the crimson- eyed boy and waited patiently as Kai arranged the cloth on his back and secured the "pouch" by drawing the remaining length of strings before Rei and knotted them. When that was done, Kai drew back to look at the effect.
"Do you...like it?" Kai asked nervously.
Rei ran his fingers over the yellow strings.
"It's beautiful." Rei declared, turning a grateful smile to Kai.
"Thank you." He purred.
Kai turned away, a slight flush touching his pale complexion.
"Could you...could you play that song of yours?" Kai requested blushing even more blatantly now.
Rei smiled and undid the strings that bound his new cloth pouch. Carefully, he drew the pouch before him and uncovered the jade flute. Then, with practised skill, he gently lifted the bamboo instrument to hover just below his pink lips. He took one glance at the nervously anticipating expression on Kai's face before he wove his breath into music.
The prelude sang clearly in the silence of the morning air. Enthusiastic winds that dismissed the heavy fog now slowed to a gentle whisper as they paused in their flight to marvel at the melody. Tyson, Kenny and Max turned expectantly towards Rei.
Kai waited with baited breath for the moment when the prelude would lead into the music proper. He knew what he had to do. The time for it was long overdue. The moment was now. The prelude reached its end and Kai began to sing.
"I never said these words, kept silent for far too long. I never showed I cared, maybe cause I was scared. You saw me in that corner, all alone in this tired world, My eyes were always on you, as you played all your songs."
Golden eyes that had remained closed blinked open in surprise. Rei turned to Kai but the Russian youth had his eyes tightly shut. Without pausing in his tune, Rei gazed at Kai's flushed face and the quivering lips that struggled to form the words of the song.
"The night is nearly dawn. Been sitting here for too long. Some things to say to you, before this night is through. Come close now as I whisper, what I always couldn't say to you... Did you ever know, I gave my heart to you."
From a distance Tyson and Max sat up and Kenny stared entranced by the duet of flute and poetry.
"Darling so come to me, and say that I am enough, To hold and keep you safe, that with me all things you'll brave How can I prove to you, that only your flute can fill this heart,
That lonely beats for the song you'll play for me..."
Kai paused to catch his breath even as Rei's flute flowed into a brief interlude. Kai breathed deeply as the interlude blended into the main tune.
"Soon we'll have to part, but not before this last tune. Perhaps I am too late, with what I should have said. But maybe if you linger, on those last peaceful melodies. The world would fade in dreams, as I would run to you.
"Darling so stay a while, and hear what I have to say. Is it for me you play, this tune and this melody? Who hums this tune in your ear? Or is it your heart that plays the notes... Is it your heart that keeps my heart beating..."
Kai swallowed hard and prepared himself for the last part of his song.
"Darling so come to me, and say that I am enough, To hold and keep you safe, that with me all things you'll brave How can I prove to you, that only your flute can fill this heart. That lonely beats for the song, you'll play for me..."
The flute and Kai's voice lingered in the silent wind. Their captivated audience gaped wordlessly. Kai steeled himself to open his eyes. Tears stood in the golden eyes before him. As Kai looked into their bright gleam, the tears rolled over Rei's fair skin. Kai reached out to brush the tears away but Rei caught his hand.
"Don't. Let me keep these happy tears for a little while longer." Rei whispered.
"Rei..." Kai tried to hold back the burning sensation in his eyes but the tears slipped from his eyes. Rei reached out and grasped Kai's scarf to wipe the tears off Kai's face.
"Tears don't suit you." Rei said with a mischievous smile.
Kai couldn't help but smile. Without any warning he leant his lips beside Rei's ear.
"I love you." Kai whispered.
Rei's eyes widened in surprise and promptly turned a shade of red.
He moved suddenly and bit Kai's wolfish ear.
"I love you too." Rei whispered back.
Kai winced at the desired pain. As Rei tried to draw back, Kai held on firmly to the slim shoulders.
"Don't leave me." Kai pleaded.
Rei gazed at him with large kittenish eyes and melted into Kai's warm embrace. ============================================================================
Tyson gaped.
Max nudged the blue- haired youth.
"Wha-" Tyson started from his daze.
"We should go." Max hissed.
"But... but... Kai... Rei... they..." Tyson stuttered.
"I know." Max whispered, "That's why we should give them some privacy."
"But...how" Tyson muttered pointing at the couple before him.
Max sighed.
"Kenny, we've got to drag Tyson away." He hissed to the already retreating figure.
Kenny crept back reluctantly, trying his best to avoid looking at the direction of the couple.
"Let's make this quick." Kenny whispered anxiously.
"You take the left, I'll take the right." Max whispered back.
Kenny and Max grabbed either side of Tyson's arm and led him away. ============================================================================
The end...I love saying that. (Turns around and jumps in surprise.) You guys are all here?
Akaiciel, Atealia, Yoink Daydurfurits, Platinum Rei, Maytel, Dream555, ChibiAmber*Silver, Angel of pure darkness and MIdnight14: Yup!
How did you get here?
Wise Wolf: I let them in. You what!
Black: Hey there's ChibiAmber*Silver!
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Drawing out a broadsword.) I will avenge the world for the cruel reign of silence you kept by withholding the final chapter from us.
(Steps Back.) Hold on a minute...how about I offer you lunch as a form of apology.
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Yells a battle cry and chases Porticulis around the room.)
(Runs like crazy out of the door.) HEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPP!!!!!!
White: Awww.... poor Porti.
Red: (Shrugs.) Let's break out the champagne.
Yoink Daydurfurits: (Checking the cabinet.) Newsflash, the kid doesn't have any champagne.
Atealia: (Looking at the bottled drinks.) They're all soft drinks. Oh well, Cheeky Cherryade will have to do.
Platinum Rei: (Makes a face.) What kind of drink is that?
Wise Wolf: It's an Asian brand of soft drink. It's cherry, pretty good too.
Angel of pure darkness: I've got the ice cubes, who's got the glasses?
Akaiciel: I've got them.
(Akaiciel brings glasses over and Angel of pure darkness puts the ice in. Atealia tips the bottle and begins pouring the drinks in.)
MIdnight14: Do you think we should check on Porticulis?
AznWhiteTigerGrl (Maytel) : Nah...he should be all right.
Dream555: He needs the exercise anyway.
(Porticulis runs back inside panting and awash in sweat.)
Help...quick...fix me something narcotic.
Wise Wolf: On it! (Takes a glass and pours in some cherryade.) Who's got the sleeping potion? Red: I forgot to bring it...
Black: I didn't. (Throws a black coloured vial to Wise Wolf.)
(Wise Wolf dumps in the clear liquid and hands it to Porticulis just as ChibiAmber*Silver runs into the room wielding the broadsword.)
(Thrusts the glass before ChibiAmber*Silver.) Here take a drink.
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Looks suspiciously at the drink and then shrugs shoulders.) Might as well, I'm thirsty anyway.
(Takes the glass and gulps in down. All stare at ChibiAmber*Silver.)
ChibiAmber*Silver: What?
Black: Funny, it should have worked right about-
(ChibiAmber*Silver falls woodenly to the floor.)
Black: (Finishes with an evil grin) now.
That was a narcotic right. Right?
Wise Wolf: I don't know, Black gave it to me.
You took what Black gave you and put it in the drink!
Red: You were there too.
I wasn't paying attention! (Kneels down beside ChibiAmber*Silver) Buddy, wake up please, say something!
Yoink Daydurfurits: Somebody call the ambulance.
Atealia: (Shakes head disapprovingly and picks up the phone.) Hello operator, can I have the number for a reliable undertaker?
Red: (Turns to Black.) What did you give Wise Wolf?
Black: Just something I came up with on the chemistry set.
White: We don't have a chemistry set.
Black: The nuclear power plant was kind enough to loan me some stuff.
Dream555: Porticulis, you did give the drink to ChibiAmber*Silver, didn't you.
(Turns from ChibiAmber*Silver) Yeah.
AznWhiteTigerGrl (Maytel) : So you admit that you played an active role in the poisoning.
What!
MIdnight14: (Dramatically) You're a MURDERER!
Platinum Rei: That's right you came in and asked for some poison!
Narcotics! I asked for Narcotics!
Akaiciel: (Shakes head.) Porticulis, Porticulis, not only are you bad at punctuation, you're an even worse liar.
Wise Wolf: (On her phone.) Hello, is this the police station? I'd like to report a murder...
HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!!!!! =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Just in case you're wondering, the song is to the tune of Eyes On Me from final fantasy 8. I originally wrote what I named "Squall's Reply" and then I adapted that for this fic in Kai's song.
Till next time.
Ahahaha! Finally, it's done! The final chapter is up!
Wise wolf: (raises brow) What are you so happy about you're terribly late with this chapter.
Red Countess: (Nods in agreement.) Terribly, terribly late.
I had other commitments. I also put in a lot of effort into writing the ending.
Black: You're a slob, face it.
No I'm not!
Wise Wolf: (Shuffles through reviews.) Ahem. From: ChibiAmber*Silver, COME ON!! POST THAT FINAL CHAPTER! They can't just end with being each other's brothers! NO! NO! NO! NO! This is all wrong! COME! When will you get your lazy fingers off your food and start typing! GR! LET'S MOVE IT ALREADY!
Is there anyone in the room who isn't against me?
White: (Raises hand)
Ah, at least someone in this room isn't out to kill me.
White: (Shuffles feet sheepishly) Erm, I was just trying to get your attention. I wanted to know when we could actually start the fic.
Black: (Sniggers)
Red: (Shrugs shoulders)
Wise Wolf, please do me the honour of the disclaimer.
Wise Wolf: He doesn't own Beyblade and all of its associated characters and terms. Thank goodness for that too, otherwise we'd have to wait two years for each episode.
Hey!
(Remembers something.) Oh yeah, I'd like to specially thank Akaiciel for the detailed critical appreciation on my first chapter of the story. Sadly you didn't realise that I'd already written the second chapter. I'm not at the least offended. I actually love what you did. Thank you very much. I tried to follow your advice but there are certain points you raised that I am inclined to disagree with. Nevertheless, I hope you will enjoy this chapter that was written with most of your suggestions in mind.
Oh, and I also want to thank all you guys out there who reviewed my work and I hope that this final chapter will not be too much of a disappointment. I would also like to thank my younger sister who would prefer to be known as Polgara Night_Wings for being the first to read my works so far and for pointing out on more than a few occasions my carelessness in several areas.
Red: Are you just about done yet?
Hold on, just a few more words. It's kind of hard to end this fic with this chapter. Although I planned for this fic to end on chapter 3, but it's still hard to say goodbye. (Chokes on words.) I...I just want to say that it's been a long journey and the greatest reward is getting to know you wonderful people who read and review my work. Including Shinikami Dragon who was the first to review and seems to have forgotten me. I love you all. (Bursts out crying.)
White: (Soothingly) There, there.
Black: What kind of guy are you, weeping like a sissy?
Wise Wolf: (Shakes head.) The drama never ends. On with the show!
P.S. if you guys can spare the time, read Red Countess' fic Fate and give some reviews and your support.
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You Already Know
A solitary cliff cloaked by night mists. A dark- haired boy stood beneath the silken shafts of moonlight. Golden eyes traced the invisible lines that connected one glowing star to its companion in the elaborate tapestry of constellations. They seemed to dance right above Rei but when he stretched his fingers out to touch them, they were beyond his reach. Rei hung his head, beautiful dark hair sweeping over his gleaming eyes. Moonbeams caught the falling tears in a pearly glow.
"Brother... Kai." Rei whispered his voice quickly lost in the indifferent mists.
Rei reached into the folds of his robe and felt the reassuring weight of his bamboo flute in his hand. Memories of a clear lake and enchanted crimson eyes gazing intently flashed before him. Rei lifted the jade- green instrument and began to play.
It was a tune that carried with it the joy of spring and the happy laughter in summer. The trees swayed serenely to the melody and the myriad of flowers that bedecked the lush green grass danced joyously to the warm breeze and the rich tune. Birds listened respectfully to the flute's music and then burst into heartfelt song, their voices warbling in harmony with Rei's notes.
Cat- like eyes remained tightly shut. A tiny smile lit his pale face. Dark, foreboding depths faded away together with the mists to reveal an exotic paradise. Birds snuggled in the verdant boughs of gently swaying trees while flowers rolled above a soft carpet of sweet- smelling grass. A crystalline lake shimmered as sunbeams trailed across its clear waters. Dear friends enclosed him in an arc, each gazing at him in wonderment.
Then the tune drifted into the sad, silent weeping of trees as they shed their crimson leaves in autumn and the slow mournful longing for the love of spring in cold and barren winter. A cloud cast the clearing in shadow as the trees rustled with faint sighs and the flowers hung their petals in remembered grief. The once joyous melody of the birds' song now slowed into a heartbroken ballad.
Rain streaked across his cheeks and a blinding flash of light left him alone and sinking into the silent crypt of the lake. An explosion of bubbles cleared to reveal crimson eyes seeking his own. Warm arms and chest rested against his shivering body. Thunder roared in his ears and he shook at the final word.
"Brother."
The tune broke and the flute retreated into folds of white cotton. Rei drew his body in a tight embrace. Mists drifted idly by his shaking form. A stray breeze brushed his pale cheek and raced towards a figure hidden within the shadow of a withering tree. Turquoise eyes glinted sadly as Max inhaled the faintly salty air.
"Rei."
================================================================
Tyson sighed contentedly on the sofa massaging his oddly protruding tummy.
"Ahhhh... that was wonderful." He sighed and burped.
"Eeyuch! I'm so glad I don't have a nose." Dizzi commented loudly.
"Close your mouth when you burp Tyson." Kenny instructed.
"Oops! Sorry, I forgot." Tyson replied sheepishly.
"Really Tyson, you should try to remember these things, then we'd actually be able to go back to the nice restaurants we've been to. Do you remember how we got chased out of that Chinese restaurant last month?" Kenny reminded him.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault! The noodles were a little too spicy, I don't usually burp that much." Tyson said defensively.
"Tyson, you weren't burping, you practically erupted! The vulcanian blasts melted the paint off the walls. I could hear the rafters shaking!" Kenny exclaimed.
"You're exaggerating!" Tyson retorted.
"Tyson, the lanterns fell from the ceiling." Kenny said with emphasis.
"Yeah, and one nearly hit me." Dizzi added.
"Fine! Pick on the details! That restaurant wasn't any good anyway, their servings were barely larger than an attack ring." Tyson sulked.
Kenny sighed.
Just then, both boys turned as they heard heavy footfalls on the wooden steps leading to the cabin.
Kai appeared in the doorway, his crimson eyes flashing with annoyance.
"Hey what's up Kai?" Tyson asked struggling to sit up but only managing to sink further into the sofa.
"Have any of you seen Rei?" Kai asked irritably.
"No." Kenny replied, "He wasn't around during dinner."
Kai frowned at this piece of knowledge.
"Where were you Kai? We tried calling for you and Rei but neither one of you answered." Tyson asked managing to struggle into a position half- way between sitting and slouching.
"I was out." Kai answered vaguely.
Tyson rolled his eyes.
"Have you seen Max?" Kenny asked from behind his curtain of chestnut hair.
"No." Kai replied and began to turn back towards the steps.
"Max went searching for you and Rei and it's been an hour since he left. If both of them are missing, do you think they might be in trouble?" Kenny asked, a note of concern in his voice.
Kai snapped his head about and looked sharply at Kenny.
"Do you remember Rei saying anything strange?" he demanded.
Kenny floundered under the fierce glare.
"N...no." he stammered.
"Are you sure?" Kai pressed. "Yeah... I'm pretty sure. In fact, he didn't say anything peculiar at all." Kenny replied his bewildered eyes searching for an explanation from Kai.
Kai, however, was lost in thought.
"Rei was awfully quiet." Tyson remarked.
Kai looked briefly at Tyson then turned his gaze to the polished floor and whispered something barely audible. Then he turned sharply away and made his way down the steps.
"Did he say something?" Tyson asked looking over to Kenny.
"He muttered something under his breath, but I didn't quite catch it." Kenny replied.
"He said, 'That's what I was afraid of.'"
Kenny and Tyson turned to look at Dizzi in surprise.
"That's what he said." Dizzi repeated, sighing softly.
Instinctively, both boys turned to look at the form melting into the darkness.
============================================================================
The moonbeams were barely strong enough to light his way but Kai advanced impatiently into the heavy darkness. He walked briskly, the gravel crunching loudly beneath his shoes. A mountain breeze tugged at him but Kai growled angrily and quickened his pace.
"He shows all the signs, all the signs that I myself showed just five days ago." Kai thought as he followed the path round a bend.
It had been three days after that sudden storm had trapped them by the lake. Three days after they had become brothers.
"But it doesn't seem like it, does it?"
Rei had been quick enough to accept Kai as a brother but ever since then Rei ...
Kai shook his head in frustration. He had spent the past few days trying to wheedle out from Rei the source of his distraction to no avail. Worst of all, during the past few days Rei had become increasingly elusive. He only appeared during training sessions and although he had acted concerned and considerate towards Kai and the rest of the team, he seemed distant somehow. It wasn't anything that Kai could put his finger on but he knew, just as much that Kai knew he wasn't happy himself.
Unconsciously, Kai's hand went to his pocket to finger a rolled up band of cloth. Kai realised what he was doing and drew the cloth out. His pace slowed and then stopped as he stared distractedly at the cloth. This band of cloth had been his secret project for the past three days. Now it was almost done, it just needed a day's more work before it would be complete. Kai spent a moment more musing, and then he pocketed the fabric and returned to his purposeful journey along the mountain path.
Just as he was about to round another bend, he collided into a white blur. Kai staggered back a few steps but quickly regained his footing. He turned to see who it was.
"Sorry!" the form before him said apologetically.
Dark hair curtained pale lids that had yet to open and see who stood before them.
"Rei!" Kai gasped in surprise.
Rei's eyes snapped open and he took an involuntary step back.
"Kai?" He murmured taking another step back.
Kai's eyes widened in alarm.
"Rei!" he cried and lashed out his arm to grip Rei's.
Rei felt his foot slip into empty air. Before his body could fall into the oblivion behind him, Kai gripped his arm in a paw- like grasp. Rei felt a great force jerk him forward. Rei's body rode that force and flew straight into a firm chest. Rei leaned on the warm and sweetly- scented body for a few peaceful seconds, before he realised what he was doing and leapt free from Kai's embrace.
Rei felt his face burning hotly. Had he looked towards Kai he would have found his embarrassment mirrored in that fine face.
"Be careful, the mountain path is narrow here." Kai said breaking the awkward silence.
Rei nodded his head imperceptibly. His gaze remained fixed to the ground.
"Thank you... brother." Rei mewed softly.
"Your welcome." Kai replied his voice tinged with unease at the unfamiliar term.
An awkward silence slipped between them once more.
"Where were you? We...I was worried." Kai asked.
Rei's eyes snapped up to meet Kai's crimson gaze. For a moment Kai thought he saw a faint glimmer of happiness but that quickly faded into a remembered sorrow.
"I was... enjoying the moonlight." Rei replied his golden eyes straying back to the mountain path.
"You were missed at dinner." Kai said concerned.
"I...lost track of the time." Rei explained.
"Are you still hungry? I didn't ask but I'm sure Tyson and Kenny would have left something for us." Kai said a little doubtfully.
"You haven't eaten?" Rei asked curiously.
"I...I had to get something done." Kai mumbled vaguely.
Rei arched a questioning brow but Kai eluded his gaze.
"If they didn't leave anything for us, I think I could manage dinner for the both of us." Kai said changing the topic.
"It's alright! I told Tyson to leave enough for the three of us." A bright, happy voice chirped.
Rei spun around and Kai looked past his shoulder.
"Max?" both boys cried out in unison. Max smiled at their bewildered expression and cheerfully crossed over to their side.
"Fancy meeting you guys." Max said cheerfully.
"What are you doing here?" Rei asked the fair- haired boy.
"Me? Oh, I was star- gazing. The stars are pretty clear tonight." Max replied grinning.
Rei's eyebrows shot up and he looked suspiciously at Max.
"Kenny was asking for you. I expect Tyson's worried as well." Kai informed the Eurasian boy.
"Thanks." Max replied taking the opportunity to escape Rei's scrutiny. "Shall we return to the cabin then?"
Rei watched him quietly for a few moments before nodding in agreement.
Kai watched the exchange between them uncomprehendingly but he too nodded his approval.
"Great let's go. We shouldn't torture Tyson too much. It would be too cruel to leave him in the presence of food that he's not supposed to eat for more than fifteen minutes." Max chuckled and placing an arm over each of his teammates' shoulders walked leisurely back to the cabin. ============================================================================
Kenny sat in the kitchen with his sleek, black laptop before him. Behind him, Rei was busy preparing breakfast. Kenny's stomach rumbled as the tempting aroma of stir- fried noodles wafted to where he was seated. Now, Kenny was no glutton by any standards but all who have seen Rei cook agree that the experience is enough to turn even the most choosiest diner an incurable glutton for Chinese cuisine. He forced himself to ignore the sound of the frying slice tossing all those splendid noodles into the air and the heavy thud and sizzle of them crashing back into the wok.
"Ahhh! This is impossible! Rei you're too good a cook!" Kenny exclaimed in exasperation.
Rei turned his head around and gave Kenny a puzzled look.
"Anything wrong?" Rei asked quizzically.
"Nothing." Kenny sighed. "I'm just distracted that's all."
"Are you sure?" Rei asked.
Kenny nodded his head and shifted his body as far away from the tantalising food as possible.
Rei shrugged his shoulders and turned back to his stir- frying.
"Dizzi, try and distract me." Kenny begged his Bit Beast.
Dizzi chuckled and the hard drive hummed as she searched the computer disk to find anything interesting.
"Let's check the news today." Dizzi suggested.
"Sounds good to me." Kenny replied and he promptly heard a particularly loud sizzle from the kitchen stove.
"Hurry!" Kenny urged.
"All right, all right, hold your horses." Dizzi placated.
"Hmm. Let's see, scandal, gossip, scandal, gossip, adverts... nothing interesting so far." Dizzi informed Kenny as she scanned through the Internet for any interesting articles.
Kenny was already beginning to lose his resolve and he only faintly heard his Bit Beast as his head began to subconsciously drift over to the alluring aroma of Rei's cooking.
"Wait here's one! It's from the local weather report. It's pretty lengthy but I'll summarise. Rainstorms are expected over the course of the next few days. Meteorologists believe that these storms are signs of an expected Typhoon. Measures are being taken to ensure public safety. Meanwhile, the public is advised not to panic and to stay indoors. The public is also advised to avoid hilly or mountainous areas for danger of landslides that may occur due to the fierce winds expected during the next few days." Dizzi reported.
"That doesn't sound good." Kenny frowned.
"FOOOOOOOOOD!"
Kenny spun around and was just in time to see a dark shadow dash past him. He turned to Rei and saw blue- hair barely tamed by a blue- red cap hovering over Rei's shoulder.
"Stir- fried noodles? STIR- FRIED NOODLES!" Tyson rejoiced.
"Ty...Tyson." Kenny sighed in resignation.
"Alright Tyson it's almost done. You just relax and take a seat." Rei coaxed.
"GIMME, GIMME, GIMME!" The hungry boy demanded enthusiastically.
"Tyson... never changes." Dizzi noted.
Rei sighed.
"Where's Max when I need him?" he lamented. ============================================================================
"So why did you call me out here." Kai asked his arms folded before him and his crimson eyes staring directly at a wealth of fair hair.
Max did not turn to look at him but looked out instead into the pure blue sky. He stood nearly on the edge of the cliff but showed no signs of fear and instead seemed more cheerful than ever. Quite obviously, Max didn't suffer from vertigo. Kai noted how light his fair hair seemed as it danced in the breeze.
"Max..." Kai began, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"Have you ever seen such a clear sky?" Max interrupted and turned to face the Russian.
Kai was taken aback by the sudden question but his mind raced back to the rare occasions while training in the Abbey's courtyard where he could sometimes witness a painfully blue sky hanging untainted above him. Memories of that magnificent sky were one of the few happy memories he had of the Abbey.
"Yes, I have." Kai nodded awaking from the moment's reverie.
"So have I, but somehow this sky seems different." Max said laying his gaze on Kai.
"Different?" Kai asked.
Max laughed gaily.
"Yes, it's weird to say that isn't it? Yet don't you get the feeling that this sky is telling us something?" Max replied with a smile.
"I don't get your meaning." Kai stated simply.
Max didn't answer immediately. He turned his bright blue eyes to the forest and the city below. From the cliff they seemed to be only a distant speck.
"Up here in the mountains, we're so far away from the rules and restrictions of the world. We're free from judgements, free from..."
"Get to the point." Kai growled.
Max chuckled.
"Don't be so impatient." Max chided gently, a grin across his face.
Then his grin faded and he sighed. Kai looked intently at the Eurasian.
"Up here there is no judgement. We aren't bound by the constraints of protocol or etiquette. Can you feel that Kai?" Max asked, his bright blue eyes resting on Kai's crimson ones.
Kai looked away.
"I still don't understand."
"You do." Max insisted.
"Say what you really mean or just leave me alone." Kai retorted his crimson eyes glowing angrily at Max.
Max gave Kai a small smile.
"You and Rei have become brothers haven't you." It was a statement, not a question.
Kai's anger slipped into surprise and embarrassment.
"Where did you hear this?" Kai demanded his crimson gaze boring into the rocky path.
Max ignored the question.
"Is that how you feel about Rei? Is that how you truly feel?" Max asked softly.
Kai looked up sharply at Max. That question again.
"Is that how you really feel?" Rei asked.
"I care for him more than I care for anything else in the world." Kai snarled.
"That's not what I asked." Max replied gently.
"What do you want me to say? Am I not fit to be his brother?" Kai demanded in frustration.
"You deserve much more than that. He deserves much more than that." Max replied.
"What?" Kai asked bewildered.
Max shook his head and smiled ruefully.
"Beyond this I can't say anything more. You have to discover the answer by yourself." Max said and he began to walk away from the cliff, past Kai.
Kai held on to Max's arm before he could leave.
"Tell me what you mean." Kai insisted.
Max looked into those bright, red eyes with a thoughtful expression.
"Look to the sky. It hides nothing. Maybe we shouldn't either." Max said with a cryptic smile.
Max gently removed Kai's hand from his arm and made his way to the mountain path leaving Kai staring uncomprehendingly at the boundless purity of the horizon. ==========================================================================
Kenny watched in poorly concealed amazement at the seventeenth bowl of noodles Tyson was emptying. Rei had taken one look at the fifteenth bowl polished clean by Tyson's chopsticks and had decided that if Max and Kai were to have anything to eat, he had better start cooking again. Of course that meant that Tyson would want his eighteenth and nineteenth share. Kenny could only manage three and that was a record for him. Dizzi of course didn't eat but she did however volunteer to do the calorie calculation much to Tyson's chagrin.
"That's 9367 calories." Dizzi reported with the air of an accountant as Tyson finished the last strand of noodle.
"Your other bowl of noodles is on the table." Rei informed Tyson when he felt hungry eyes boring intently at his back.
"Mangsh Raae." Tyson said gratefully, spluttering the table with food.
"Tyson, you're making my calculation difficult! Now I have to count what was lost in that hail of noodles." Dizzi complained.
"Don't even think of answering Tyson." Kenny warned taking out a tissue to mop up the mess on Dizzi.
Rei chuckled from the stove. A lighter, more carefree laughter joined his.
Rei and the others turned to look.
"Max!" Tyson called happily after he quickly swallowed his mouthful of noodles.
"We think there's something wrong with Tyson, he's scaring us." Kenny said in mock concern.
"Yeah, we think it might be that gigantic tapeworm in his body. Wait, that's his stomach." Dizzi finished in mock realisation.
"I've always known there was something wrong with Tyson." Max replied shrugging his shoulders.
"Hey!" Tyson pouted a hurt expression on his face.
"But I love him all the same!" Max declared with a wide grin and jumped to Tyson's side to give him a big hug around his neck. Tyson had to smile.
"Yeah, well you know that you are my favourite fan." Tyson replied, completely subdued by that infectious smile.
"Come on Tyson, he's your only fan." Kenny reminded the blue- haired boy.
"He's the only one I need." Tyson replied with a satisfied smile.
Max grinned and snuggled into Tyson's hair.
Rei watched the both of them, his cat- like eyes wistful. Footsteps sounded by the doorway and Rei turned to look at greyish- blue hair and crimson eyes.
"Kai! You're back!" Kenny called.
Kai ignored the chestnut- haired youth and continued to gaze at Rei. Rei looked back into the oddly glowing eyes.
"Woah, what's going on here? You guys mad with each other or something?" Tyson asked turning his brown eyes back and forth between the two.
Max looked intently at the two distracted boys.
"Kai..." Rei began.
"I..." Kai tried to say.
The sound of a mobile interrupted both of them. Kai glared at the phone angrily.
Kenny picked it up.
"Hello? Mr. Dickinson? It's nice to hear from you. Yes, our training has been fruitful so far." Kenny bantered.
Rei turned back to his noodles while Kai sighed and took his place at the table. Max took his seat beside Tyson who had immediately set upon his nineteenth bowl.
"So close." Tyson thought he heard Max whisper but turning to his friend he found Max smiling casually.
"Must have imagined it." Tyson thought.
"Yes, we're all okay." Kenny continued to speak over the phone "Have I read the news? Yeah, I have...What? Are you sure? But we'll run behind schedule! It's too dangerous? But we can handle it Mr. Dickinson...Very well, I understand. I'll inform the others. I'll call you back once we're ready."
Kenny placed the phone down and found the rest of the Blade Breakers looking at him.
"Mr. Dickinson thinks that due to the rain storms expected over this area, this mountain will be a danger spot for landslides and other problems."
"So, he wants us to leave the cabin?" Max asked.
Kenny nodded sadly.
"Mr. Dickinson said he'd send a jeep for us the moment we're all set and ready to go." he added "That sucks! I'm enjoying myself over here way too much to think of leaving. What about you Max?" Tyson asked the fair- haired boy beside him.
"I agree, I was thinking that we could go back to that lake during the weekend." Max replied his bright blue eyes filled with disappointment.
Rei sighed and turned back to the stove. He began to heap the noodles from the Chinese wok onto Kai and Max's bowls.
"We'll have to get our packing done as soon as possible then." Kai said finally.
"What's the rush? Don't you want to spend a little more time over here?" Tyson asked moodily.
"We can enjoy later, right now we have to place the team's safety before our personal preferences." Kai replied tonelessly.
"Let's at least eat something before we go." Rei said as he placed Max and Kai's breakfast before them.
Kai's lips parted briefly but he remained silent.
"Thanks Rei!" Max chirped brightly.
Rei flashed a small grin at the cheerfully smiling boy.
"Thank you." Kai mumbled.
Rei turned to him in mild surprise.
"Sure, no problem." Rei replied a faint smile on his lips.
He turned back to the stove and began to clean up.
Tyson tried to start on his twentieth bowl but he sighed instead and languidly stuffed his chopsticks into the mountain of noodles.
Max raised his head from his bowl and looked sympathetically over at Tyson.
"It's okay Tyson, we can always come back some other time." Max said consolingly.
"But I want to stay." Tyson pouted.
"I know, I know." Max soothed, patting Tyson's back comfortingly.
Kai silently observed the two and his eyes flickered to Rei.
Rei tucked the clean wok away and turned from the sink. He made his way purposefully out of the kitchen.
"Rei where are you going? Aren't you going to have breakfast?" Kenny asked.
"I'm not hungry." Rei replied giving Kenny a quick backward glance.
"But where are you going?" Max queried.
"I'm just going to pack my stuff." Rei said over his shoulder as he disappeared around the doorway.
Kai frowned at his departing form.
"Stupid weather." Tyson mumbled picking up his chopsticks and tucked into his bowl of noodles with a vengeance.
============================================================================
Rei made sure the others didn't follow him before he heaved a sigh and leaned against the wall. They were leaving the mountains. They were leaving this place of beauty and wonder. For some reason, Rei felt his heart grow unreasonably heavy. He knew that they had to leave the cabin eventually, so why was he getting so emotional? For some reason, the thought of leaving the cabin seemed to make him feel hollow and empty inside. It was something he couldn't control, much less explain.
Shaking his head ruefully Rei left the support of the cabin wall and trudged into the bedroom. He walked slowly over to the study desk. Rei found a few magazines that he had brought over to pass the time strewn over the table. As he lifted a Chinese Beyblade catalogue a white page of pencil marks revealed itself. Rei's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in an expression of deep sorrow.
Rei gazed adoringly at his bedmate's fair face when suddenly his golden eyes danced mischievously and a playful grin formed slyly on his soft, pink lips. Rei deftly rolled himself off the floor and searched through his pack at the corner of the room. His probing fingers closed in on the smooth cover of a pad and his grin turned absolutely devious.
He remembered the chill of the morning air as he held a sketchpad and a freshly sharpened pencil in his deft fingers. His hand traced those perfect lines of the sleeping form before him. His golden eyes observed every fine line and every beautiful detail lined in starlight while the image of Kai glowed in his eyes.
Rei's eyes strayed to the words signed at the corner of the page.
To Kai, the centre of my thoughts, the object of my desires.
Love, Rei
Half- remembered plans awakened in his mind. Half- remembered and forever half-complete. Certain memories should remain buried forever lest they haunt the mind with emotions incongruous to reality. Certain memories and wishes now reduced to ashes and dust. Rei made his way out of the room and sprinted across the hallway, the sketchpad clutched tightly in his hand. He ignored the calls for him and let his feet take him to the place he wanted to be. Eyes tightly shut, Rei floundered in the darkness within. ============================================================================
Kai watched after Rei's retreating form and leapt out of his seat.
"Rei!" he shouted but the Chinese boy did not seem to hear him.
Kai bolted out of the kitchen in pursuit of his brother. His steps faltered at the doorsteps as a wall of fog rose before him.
Kai cursed under his breath, he did not need all these distractions right now. He looked at the fog with a moment's hesitation. Then gritting his teeth he headed blindly into the fog.
Max, Tyson and Kenny appeared just as the tip of his pale scarf faded into the obscuring fog. The boys looked at each other with perplexed expressions.
"Should we follow them?" Kenny asked his two friends.
"I don't know what's wrong with them but we have to." Tyson said firmly and turned to Max.
Max's bright blue eyes mirrored Tyson's resolve and he nodded in agreement.
"You want to stay here Dizzi? It'll be safer." Kenny asked the Bit Beast in his arms.
"No, I'll come along. I should be able to navigate even in this thick fog." Dizzi replied.
"Let's go then." Tyson suggested and led the way into the fog, Max following him closely.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Kenny asked no one in particular and he too melted into the fog. ============================================================================
Heart racing. Feet pounding on the pavement. Rei didn't open his eyes to look. He didn't care enough to. Days of pent up grief and frustration now flooded his entire being. Like the irresistible waves, they seemed to draw him further away from the immense sorrow trembling in his heart. Rei felt all passion and desire ebb away revealing a void that occupied the wealth of emotions with a gaping emptiness. Rei felt the change in quality of the air about him and he instantly knew that he had reached the cliff. His lids parted and revealed soft, golden eyes.
Rei gasped. A ghostly veil of inscrutable fog hemmed him in. He lifted his bright eyes to scan the horizon but all he saw was a shroud of smoke entombing him. The mists suspended Rei from the hard defining boundaries of the physical world and yet he could clearly feel the solidity of the cliff beneath his feet. It seemed like a dream but clearly it was clearly reality. It was a dream coming into life.
Rei hazarded a few steps and was oddly amazed at the fact that his feet fell on what seemed like invisible but firm terrain. Rei took another step into uncertainty and was rewarded yet again with the strong feel of rock. For some reason, the gesture brought a measure of peace to the turbulent hollowness within him. As if in a trance he took another step forward and yet another more... ============================================================================
Kai swore under his breath.
He could barely see his own nose in this confounded fog, mist or whatever one would call it. To him it was an inconvenient nuisance and he informed the uncaring white shroud as much with bits of colourful language. Yet all of this vindictiveness was a mere distraction from his main concern.
"Rei!" Kai shouted for the umpteenth time into the white void.
Only his disjointed echoes answered him.
Why was this happening? He thought that being Rei's brother would bring him closer to Rei, but all it seemed to do was to drive Rei away from him. It seemed that the storm of unexpressed thoughts in his mind had lifted only to be replaced by an obscuring, hollow fog.
Kai stumbled across an oddly protruding rock and realised that this was the rock that marked the fork in the mountain path. Kai paused doubtfully. Should he turn left towards the lake or right towards the cliff?
"Right," a cheerful voice advised, "turn right towards the cliff."
The fog was too thick to allow Kai to see the speaker but he could easily recognise him.
"Max?" Kai asked into the fog.
"Yup, it's him. Kenny, Dizzi and me are here too." Tyson replied.
"Kai it's difficult to navigate in this fog unassisted but Dizzi can make out the path even through this. Come along with us, it's too dangerous to head out alone." Kenny suggested.
A flat refusal fell on his lips but a warm hand rested on his shoulder.
"It's easier to move in a group if we hold on to each other." Tyson said next to him.
"Let's go then, we've got to find Rei." Max reminded them.
"All right, the path is pretty broad now so it's alright to walk abreast. Keep to the right if you're going to the cliff." Dizzi instructed.
The group set off, taking the right fork in the mountain path. Kai glanced silently at the faint shadow of a hand on his shoulder, his gaze vacant with deep thought.
They came for Rei even as I did. Even though they weren't Rei's brothers. I wanted to be close to Rei but in the end wasn't everyone else already close to him? Am I worthy enough to be called his brother when everyone around him loves him as much or even more than I do?
"That's right, keep to the mountain side. Just a bit more and the cliff will be within sight. Tyson you're veering off into a side path that leads back to the cabin. I'd love to lead you in circles but don't you think that it'll be a massive waste of time?" Dizzi queried.
"Sorry." Tyson replied sheepishly.
"I think we're reaching the cliff." Max announced to the group.
Just as the words left his lips the group was struck by the sudden change in the air. The dense cloak of mists lifted partly and wavered in the sweetly scented mountain breeze. Sunlight filtered weakly through the white smoke and lit the entire fog with a glowing incandescence.
Kai broke away from Tyson's grasp.
"Rei!" he called half- expecting clear, golden eyes to turn curiously at him.
"Rei!" Kai called again but neither his voice nor his searching eyes awarded him with any sign of the Chinese youth.
"He's not here." Kenny concluded.
"He was never here?" Tyson asked Max.
Max didn't seem to hear as his eyes stared curiously at an object ahead.
"What is it?" Tyson queried placing a hand on his friend's shoulder to get his attention.
Max turned his dazed bright blue eyes at Tyson and he seemed to shake himself out of a trance.
"That," Max said pointing to an object near the edge of the cliff, "isn't that a book or something?"
Tyson squinted through the fog and strained to see a white book of some sort near the edge of the cliff.
"I see it too." Tyson agreed.
Kai followed their gaze and briskly walked over to the cliff's edge.
The book was a sketchpad opened to a page that flapped serenely in the wind. It wavered before Kai like a beckoning finger. Kai bent forward to pick it up. In his grasp the page went obediently still, revealing to Kai its contents. By the fog- fractured sunbeams, Kai made out tussled hair, half- done clothes and frowning brows on a sleeping face. Kai found himself looking at his own sleeping form. His eyes strayed to a cursive note at the corner of the page.
To Kai, the centre of my thoughts, the object of my desires.
Love, Rei
Love?
Rei?
Kai lifted his eyes from the drawing and his gaze met yawning depths spanning from the treacherous drop of the cliff. Max was certain Rei would be here and yet they couldn't find him. Was it because he never did come to the cliff? Yet this sketchpad and this handwriting is clearly Rei's.
He was here but we can't find him because...
Kai's eyes strayed once more to the plummeting darkness below.
Because...
"Kai, what is it?" Tyson queried, perturbed at his team leader's worrying silence.
"Is that... Rei's sketchpad?" Max asked, a slight tremor in his voice as his gaze followed Kai's into the receding depths beyond the cliff.
Kenny looked sharply towards Max seeming to understand something.
"Are you suggesting that Rei..." his question trailed off.
The note on the sketchpad, a suicide note by the cliff. A final farewell before a leap into the eternal void. They couldn't find Rei because Rei was not on the cliff. He was beyond it.
"What are you guys talking about?" Tyson asked frustrated and his gaze swung from Max to Kenny and finally rested upon the silently staring Kai.
"Kai, where is Rei? What does that sketchpad say?" Tyson questioned once more.
What does the sketchpad say? The sketchpad helped explain everything. The silence... the sorrow... Rei had his heart to offer but Kai had only thought to become a brother to Rei. And now Rei was...
"Gone." A whisper, barely audible.
"What?" Tyson said incredulously.
"Gone." Kai repeated.
"No." Max whispered.
Tyson whipped his head to look at his friend.
"You can't be serious!" but Kenny's voice was choked.
"I..." but even Dizzi had no words to offer.
Kai clutched the book close to his throbbing chest. It couldn't be. It didn't happen. He wouldn't believe it. He had seen notes like these, in the Abbey tainted by the creeping pools of blood. This wasn't the abbey and Rei was stronger. Rei couldn't be gone.
Glinting drops fell onto the drawing and moistened the frowning eyes of Kai's sleeping form.
"Kai..." Max began.
"No!" Kai shouted, and ran from the cliff and the painful reality.
He ran. He ran past Max, past Tyson, past Kenny and Dizzi but he could never run past Rei. Never. In truth he had run past Rei from the beginning, afraid to say the words he should have said. Now it was Rei who had ran past him saying the words that Kai never had the courage to say.
I love you...come back. ============================================================================
Tyson watched in bewilderment as Kai disappeared into the thinning fog.
"Kai?" Tyson mumbled confusedly, "What, what's wrong? What's going on?" Tyson asked turning around to look questioningly at Max.
Max had his eyes focused on the cliff. At Tyson's question he shook his head briefly and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.
"Kenny?" Tyson tried.
Kenny stared blankly at the cliff.
Tyson shook his head in frustration.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"We have to leave." Max whispered.
"Max?" Tyson said turning to the reddened bright blue eyes.
"Kai, we have to look for Kai." Max explained wiping his eyes again.
"Kai?" Tyson echoed blinking in surprise.
"Kai might...we have to make sure he's safe." Kenny answered.
Tyson frowned, not comprehending but he nodded his head in agreement. If Kai was in any danger, then it was imperative they ensured his safety. He took Max's hand in his own and squeezed it reassuringly. Max looked gratefully up at Tyson and smiled weakly.
"Dizzi, can you help us?" Kenny asked his Bit Beast.
"Need you ask?" Dizzi replied.
"Let's go then." Tyson decided and led the group with Max beside him. ============================================================================
Sweat. Tears. Pain. Emptiness. This was the end. Kai prayed that the next running step he would take would sink him into the oblivion below. His breath was tortured and his heart struggled within his burning chest but he would not relent. Every wisp of fog seemed in his tear- veiled gaze like a flash of white fabric from a Chinese- styled sleeve, every passing shadow was a dark fountain of hair.
Rei.
The wind roared in his ears and a ragged cry tore through his throat. It did nothing to soothe him. A tune sang to him through the shrouds of fog. Images of a jade flute and long, deft fingers played in his mind.
Rei.
Kai strained to listen to the whispering music. There was no hint of it. Kai slumped against the jagged mountain face, scarcely noticing the rocks cutting into him. A hallucination. He's not coming back.
Kai fell to his knees. Every fibre of his body trembled with the finality. For the first time, Kai felt the chill of this lonely world eat into his being. Grief bled from his burning eyes.
Rei.
In the distance a flute sang its haunting song. Kai lifted his tear- streaked face and listened to the ghostly tune.
"He's calling me."
Kai rose unsteadily to his feet. The drifting tune called to him. Kai staggered forward, unseeing in the heavy fog.
"I'm coming, Rei."
The fog writhed and began to part before Kai's steady progression. Hungry depths loomed from behind the twisting shroud. The melody would lead him to Rei. The music was Rei's breath, his voice calling to him from across space and along the depths Kai would have to transcend.
"We will be together."
The fog cleared to reveal Rei standing vividly before him. Golden eyes, jade flute and raven dark hair jewelled the lithe form clad in soft, white fabrics. Rei had come to receive him at the end. His angel.
"Rei." Kai whispered.
Rei's spirit turned to him, large kittenish eyes gazing at him in wide- eyed amazement.
"You came?" Rei whispered softly.
Kai nodded his head slowly.
"You know I wouldn't leave you." Kai told Rei.
Rei's golden eyes shimmered with pain and he looked away.
"I'm alright brother." Rei said quietly.
Kai saw the hurt in the spirit's eyes.
"I'm sorry. I know I hurt you when you were alive and I know I must have driven you to do what you did but I hope you'll forgive me." Kai said gently to Rei's spirit.
"What do you mean?" Rei asked turning to Kai with a confused expression.
"I'll go with you. This world doesn't need us. I need only you." Kai answered.
Rei looked questioningly at Kai and his gaze rested on the sketchpad in Kai's arms.
"You...you've seen the sketchpad." Rei faltered his eyes wide in horror.
Kai raised the book over his heart and nodded.
"I left it there... I wanted to forget... and now you know..." Rei breathed and staggered back.
"Rei?" Kai began, and then it seemed as if he had woken up from a dream.
The fog and his exhaustion had mostly cleared and the sudden humanity in Rei's actions clearly spoke the truth that had remained obscured in his grief and yearning.
"Rei's alive!"
Suddenly, the reality and the absurdity of it all seemed to strike Kai as incredibly laughable. He burst out in uncontrolled mirth and relief.
"Rei..." he gasped gripping his stomach in outright guffaws.
The sketchpad slipped from Kai's grasp and fell forlornly onto the rocky path. Rei breathed in sharply. He had expected no other reaction from Kai. Once he might have believed in the fantasy of having Kai's love in return for his own. Now he knew better. The drawing and his feelings were nothing more than a joke to Kai. He was nothing more than a joke to Kai.
"Rei..." Kai sighed when his laughter had subsided.
Rei was alive. He didn't kill himself...of course he didn't. Yet it felt so wonderful to know Rei was still with them, with him. On impulse, he reached out to hold Rei's pale hand.
Rei shrank back from his grasping hand.
"Rei?" Kai asked questioningly and took a step forward.
"Don't." Rei whispered, tears brimming in the golden light of his eyes.
He tucked his bamboo flute back into his robes and stepped away from Kai.
"What's wrong?" Kai said worriedly as he took another step forward.
"Don't!" Rei shouted hoarsely.
Kai stopped dead in his tracks.
"Alright, alright. I'll stay here. You stop too." Kai placated his face pale as he looked over Rei's shoulder.
"Don't come any closer." Rei warned and took another step back.
"Rei!" Kai called in alarm and advanced towards the Chinese boy.
Rei leapt away from the Russian and immediately plummeted into the depths below.
"Rei!" Kai roared and plunged after the rapidly falling form. ============================================================================
"The fog's clearing." Kenny noted.
"The winds are getting stronger, hence the fog has begun to
dissipate." Dizzi explained
Tyson looked ahead for any sign of Kai but saw only roughly hewn rocks cloaked in shadows and sunlight. He turned his gaze to Max who walked closely beside him.
"Are you alright?" Tyson asked, gently drawing his arm around Max.
Max turned his turquoise eyes towards Tyson's warm, brown ones. He leaned a little closer to the comforting solidity of Tyson's body.
"Kai will be alright. So will Rei." Tyson soothed.
"That sketchpad was Rei's." Max said his eyes gleaming under the sunlight.
"Rei's? Why did he leave it there?" Tyson asked curiously.
Kenny turned to look at Tyson in disbelief.
"Don't you see the obvious reason?" Kenny questioned incredulously.
Tyson frowned in thought and then he gaped in shock.
"You think that...that Rei jumped off the cliff? But that's...that's..." Tyson collapsed into helpless laughter before he could finish his sentence.
"What's so funny?" Dizzi demanded.
Tyson shook his head but he couldn't stop laughing.
"Tyson..." Kenny began more than a little annoyed.
"I'm...I'm sorry but it's just so funny." Tyson sighed after regaining partial composure.
Max looked at Tyson with hurt and confused eyes.
Tyson sighed once more and embraced his friend.
"Rei can't have committed suicide. You know Rei, he may seem wise and all at times but he's really just an innocent, fun- loving kitten."
"But you know how he's changed lately." Max protested.
"I know, he's been acting a little weird but Rei still wants to be with us. He spent time making breakfast for us. Isn't that proof that he still cares for us? Would someone who still cares for his friends hurt them by leaving them?" Tyson concluded.
"How do you explain the drawing then?" Kenny countered.
Tyson shook his head.
"That doesn't prove anything. Besides, Rei grew up in the mountains, would he want to despoil the memory of his home?" Tyson questioned.
"But..." Kenny began but he couldn't think of anything to say.
"You do believe me don't you?" Tyson asked the fair-haired youth in his arms.
Max lingered his gaze on Tyson for a few more moments before he smiled happily and nodded his head.
"I believe you."
Tyson gazed into those sweet, innocent eyes and held Max closer to his heart.
"Do you hear that?" Kenny interjected suddenly.
"What?" Tyson asked breaking away from the spell.
"I don't know... a sort of laughter." Kenny tried to describe.
Max closed his eyes and listened intently.
"Kai. It's Kai." Max concluded firmly.
"We're closer to our goal than we thought." Tyson declared with a smile.
Max grinned at Tyson
"Kai doesn't know!" Kenny exclaimed all of a sudden.
"What?" Tyson asked turning to the chestnut- haired youth.
"Kai, he still believes that Rei's left us." Kenny explained worriedly.
A frown shadowed Tyson's brows.
"Let's go."
The group hastened down the path. ============================================================================
Rushing lights. Vaulting shadows. Rei hurtled to his end. He clawed wildly at the outcrop of rocks. A searing tear as his grip proved false. The void claimed him.
Rei fell from Kai's view even as Kai plunged after him. To find him only to lose him again...
"Rei!"
Dark shadows raced past Rei's vision. Through the roaring wind, someone called his name.
"Kai..."
Rei whipped his arm out in desperation. Rei gasped from the jarring shock as he grasped a dark branch. He heard a loud grunt from above.
"Kai!" Rei shouted in panic.
"I'm... okay." Kai strained to say through gritted teeth.
Kai strained to keep his hold on an outcrop of rock. His arm trembled with the effort and Rei quickly realised why. The branch Rei was holding on to wasn't branch. It was Kai's leg. Sweat poured off Kai's brow, as his arm grew swiftly numb with the effort of bearing both Rei's and his weight. His fingers began to sleep.
"He can't bear both our weights. I'm only pulling him down with me."
Rei began to pry his fingers off Kai's leg.
"What are you doing?" Kai cried in alarm.
"Goodbye Kai. Tell the others I'll miss them and that... that I'll always be watching them from afar." Rei whispered.
"Rei?"
"You can't bear both our weights. Without me, you'll be able to lift yourself up. It's better to lose one than two." Rei finished with a small smile.
He loosened his grip.
"No! I'll follow you Rei. If you let go, I'll let go too." Kai declared his crimson eyes serious even as sweat streamed across them.
Rei's fingers froze in their movement.
"Don't do this." Rei begged his golden eyes appealing to Kai.
Kai shook his head stubbornly and gritted his teeth as his muscles burned in agony.
"I thought I lost you once...I won't... lose you again..." Kai struggled to speak.
"You'll die!" Rei cried and tears fell into the aching void as Rei watched dark blood streak down Kai's trembling arm.
"I'll be... with you." Kai rasped as his torn palm bled the last bit of his waning strength.
"And also with us."
Strong hands wrapped Kai's weakening arm and pulled.
"Tyson?" Kai whispered in surprise.
"Talk later...you guys are heavy." Tyson grunted with the effort.
Beside Tyson, Max and Kenny held on to Kai's arm and combined their efforts in hoisting Kai and Rei up.
"Are you alright Rei?" Max called, his bright eyes marked with concern.
"I'm alright." Rei mewed weakly as he held on to Kai who was steadily rising through the efforts of their friends.
Rei buried his face into Kai' pant leg. Kai felt warm tears moisten his leg. Kai bit his lip. When the boys had hoisted Kai onto the path they quickly grabbed Rei's arms. Kai turned immediately to help. They lifted Rei back to safety.
Tyson slumped backwards, panting heavily. Max collapsed next to him and wrapped a tired arm across Tyson's shoulders.
"That...was exhausting." Kenny panted as he fell next to Dizzi.
"You needed the exercise Chief." Dizzi reasoned.
Kenny gave his Bit Beast a weary look and lifted the sleek black laptop into his arms.
Kai leaned weakly on his good arm and breathed heavily. Someone stirred beside him. Crimson eyes rose to meet golden ones.
"Rei, I..." Kai began.
Rei shook his head.
Kai reluctantly closed his lips together.
Rei glanced at the Kai's bleeding palm and began to unwind the wrappings on his arm. Once he freed the long strip of white cotton he raised Kai's paw- like hand in his own. Rei reached deep within his pockets to retrieve a handkerchief. Gently he cleaned the cuts. Kai winced but he shook his head when Rei looked at him with tender concern. Rei turned back to the wounds and wrapped the white strip of cloth as a bandage round Kai's open palm.
"Thank you." Kai said softly as Rei secured a knot in the makeshift bandage.
"Your welcome brother." Rei replied his eyes downcast.
Kai looked silently at the smooth feline face and dug into his pocket. He drew out a band of cloth that trailed in long strings.
"Could I have your flute for a moment?" Kai asked stretching out his bandaged hand.
Rei turned his head up in surprise and looked curiously at the band of cloth. The cloth was of a plain white material and at each of its corners trailed off in long yellow strings. In the centre of the cloth was sewn the vivid outline of a tiger poised to strike, done in gold threads. Silently, Rei reached into the folds of his robe and drew out his bamboo flute. Kai grasped its jade length and placed the flute in the centre of the cloth. Rei watched curiously as Kai folded the cloth over the flute and rolled the cloth around the instrument. Kai proceeded to tie the strings at each of the ends of the rolled- up cloth. Once the knots were bound securely Kai beckoned for Rei to lean closer to him. Rei bent closer to the crimson- eyed boy and waited patiently as Kai arranged the cloth on his back and secured the "pouch" by drawing the remaining length of strings before Rei and knotted them. When that was done, Kai drew back to look at the effect.
"Do you...like it?" Kai asked nervously.
Rei ran his fingers over the yellow strings.
"It's beautiful." Rei declared, turning a grateful smile to Kai.
"Thank you." He purred.
Kai turned away, a slight flush touching his pale complexion.
"Could you...could you play that song of yours?" Kai requested blushing even more blatantly now.
Rei smiled and undid the strings that bound his new cloth pouch. Carefully, he drew the pouch before him and uncovered the jade flute. Then, with practised skill, he gently lifted the bamboo instrument to hover just below his pink lips. He took one glance at the nervously anticipating expression on Kai's face before he wove his breath into music.
The prelude sang clearly in the silence of the morning air. Enthusiastic winds that dismissed the heavy fog now slowed to a gentle whisper as they paused in their flight to marvel at the melody. Tyson, Kenny and Max turned expectantly towards Rei.
Kai waited with baited breath for the moment when the prelude would lead into the music proper. He knew what he had to do. The time for it was long overdue. The moment was now. The prelude reached its end and Kai began to sing.
"I never said these words, kept silent for far too long. I never showed I cared, maybe cause I was scared. You saw me in that corner, all alone in this tired world, My eyes were always on you, as you played all your songs."
Golden eyes that had remained closed blinked open in surprise. Rei turned to Kai but the Russian youth had his eyes tightly shut. Without pausing in his tune, Rei gazed at Kai's flushed face and the quivering lips that struggled to form the words of the song.
"The night is nearly dawn. Been sitting here for too long. Some things to say to you, before this night is through. Come close now as I whisper, what I always couldn't say to you... Did you ever know, I gave my heart to you."
From a distance Tyson and Max sat up and Kenny stared entranced by the duet of flute and poetry.
"Darling so come to me, and say that I am enough, To hold and keep you safe, that with me all things you'll brave How can I prove to you, that only your flute can fill this heart,
That lonely beats for the song you'll play for me..."
Kai paused to catch his breath even as Rei's flute flowed into a brief interlude. Kai breathed deeply as the interlude blended into the main tune.
"Soon we'll have to part, but not before this last tune. Perhaps I am too late, with what I should have said. But maybe if you linger, on those last peaceful melodies. The world would fade in dreams, as I would run to you.
"Darling so stay a while, and hear what I have to say. Is it for me you play, this tune and this melody? Who hums this tune in your ear? Or is it your heart that plays the notes... Is it your heart that keeps my heart beating..."
Kai swallowed hard and prepared himself for the last part of his song.
"Darling so come to me, and say that I am enough, To hold and keep you safe, that with me all things you'll brave How can I prove to you, that only your flute can fill this heart. That lonely beats for the song, you'll play for me..."
The flute and Kai's voice lingered in the silent wind. Their captivated audience gaped wordlessly. Kai steeled himself to open his eyes. Tears stood in the golden eyes before him. As Kai looked into their bright gleam, the tears rolled over Rei's fair skin. Kai reached out to brush the tears away but Rei caught his hand.
"Don't. Let me keep these happy tears for a little while longer." Rei whispered.
"Rei..." Kai tried to hold back the burning sensation in his eyes but the tears slipped from his eyes. Rei reached out and grasped Kai's scarf to wipe the tears off Kai's face.
"Tears don't suit you." Rei said with a mischievous smile.
Kai couldn't help but smile. Without any warning he leant his lips beside Rei's ear.
"I love you." Kai whispered.
Rei's eyes widened in surprise and promptly turned a shade of red.
He moved suddenly and bit Kai's wolfish ear.
"I love you too." Rei whispered back.
Kai winced at the desired pain. As Rei tried to draw back, Kai held on firmly to the slim shoulders.
"Don't leave me." Kai pleaded.
Rei gazed at him with large kittenish eyes and melted into Kai's warm embrace. ============================================================================
Tyson gaped.
Max nudged the blue- haired youth.
"Wha-" Tyson started from his daze.
"We should go." Max hissed.
"But... but... Kai... Rei... they..." Tyson stuttered.
"I know." Max whispered, "That's why we should give them some privacy."
"But...how" Tyson muttered pointing at the couple before him.
Max sighed.
"Kenny, we've got to drag Tyson away." He hissed to the already retreating figure.
Kenny crept back reluctantly, trying his best to avoid looking at the direction of the couple.
"Let's make this quick." Kenny whispered anxiously.
"You take the left, I'll take the right." Max whispered back.
Kenny and Max grabbed either side of Tyson's arm and led him away. ============================================================================
The end...I love saying that. (Turns around and jumps in surprise.) You guys are all here?
Akaiciel, Atealia, Yoink Daydurfurits, Platinum Rei, Maytel, Dream555, ChibiAmber*Silver, Angel of pure darkness and MIdnight14: Yup!
How did you get here?
Wise Wolf: I let them in. You what!
Black: Hey there's ChibiAmber*Silver!
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Drawing out a broadsword.) I will avenge the world for the cruel reign of silence you kept by withholding the final chapter from us.
(Steps Back.) Hold on a minute...how about I offer you lunch as a form of apology.
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Yells a battle cry and chases Porticulis around the room.)
(Runs like crazy out of the door.) HEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPP!!!!!!
White: Awww.... poor Porti.
Red: (Shrugs.) Let's break out the champagne.
Yoink Daydurfurits: (Checking the cabinet.) Newsflash, the kid doesn't have any champagne.
Atealia: (Looking at the bottled drinks.) They're all soft drinks. Oh well, Cheeky Cherryade will have to do.
Platinum Rei: (Makes a face.) What kind of drink is that?
Wise Wolf: It's an Asian brand of soft drink. It's cherry, pretty good too.
Angel of pure darkness: I've got the ice cubes, who's got the glasses?
Akaiciel: I've got them.
(Akaiciel brings glasses over and Angel of pure darkness puts the ice in. Atealia tips the bottle and begins pouring the drinks in.)
MIdnight14: Do you think we should check on Porticulis?
AznWhiteTigerGrl (Maytel) : Nah...he should be all right.
Dream555: He needs the exercise anyway.
(Porticulis runs back inside panting and awash in sweat.)
Help...quick...fix me something narcotic.
Wise Wolf: On it! (Takes a glass and pours in some cherryade.) Who's got the sleeping potion? Red: I forgot to bring it...
Black: I didn't. (Throws a black coloured vial to Wise Wolf.)
(Wise Wolf dumps in the clear liquid and hands it to Porticulis just as ChibiAmber*Silver runs into the room wielding the broadsword.)
(Thrusts the glass before ChibiAmber*Silver.) Here take a drink.
ChibiAmber*Silver: (Looks suspiciously at the drink and then shrugs shoulders.) Might as well, I'm thirsty anyway.
(Takes the glass and gulps in down. All stare at ChibiAmber*Silver.)
ChibiAmber*Silver: What?
Black: Funny, it should have worked right about-
(ChibiAmber*Silver falls woodenly to the floor.)
Black: (Finishes with an evil grin) now.
That was a narcotic right. Right?
Wise Wolf: I don't know, Black gave it to me.
You took what Black gave you and put it in the drink!
Red: You were there too.
I wasn't paying attention! (Kneels down beside ChibiAmber*Silver) Buddy, wake up please, say something!
Yoink Daydurfurits: Somebody call the ambulance.
Atealia: (Shakes head disapprovingly and picks up the phone.) Hello operator, can I have the number for a reliable undertaker?
Red: (Turns to Black.) What did you give Wise Wolf?
Black: Just something I came up with on the chemistry set.
White: We don't have a chemistry set.
Black: The nuclear power plant was kind enough to loan me some stuff.
Dream555: Porticulis, you did give the drink to ChibiAmber*Silver, didn't you.
(Turns from ChibiAmber*Silver) Yeah.
AznWhiteTigerGrl (Maytel) : So you admit that you played an active role in the poisoning.
What!
MIdnight14: (Dramatically) You're a MURDERER!
Platinum Rei: That's right you came in and asked for some poison!
Narcotics! I asked for Narcotics!
Akaiciel: (Shakes head.) Porticulis, Porticulis, not only are you bad at punctuation, you're an even worse liar.
Wise Wolf: (On her phone.) Hello, is this the police station? I'd like to report a murder...
HEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!!!!! =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Just in case you're wondering, the song is to the tune of Eyes On Me from final fantasy 8. I originally wrote what I named "Squall's Reply" and then I adapted that for this fic in Kai's song.
Till next time.