Chapter 20

phoenix the 1st: Just read over the chapter again if you're confused, but Bryan is the one who calls Kai 'Phoenix'.

russle: I'm glad you liked the Bryan/Panas thing. That's gonna appear in a few of my other stories, so keep an eye out for it. Difference is, in the other stories, Bryan and Panas were a little more... serious. ~_^

Castles in the Sky: At least you hope they have, me thinks. Makes it more interesting if they had. *^_^*

Bloody Mary: You? A nice girl? That's almost like saying I'm one. :p We'll see how much work Spence has to do, at the moment though...

LadyOrient: Mission Impossible? Ack! Now that songs stuck in my head! *bangs head against closest wall* :p

Jay Kamiya: A description? *Digs up stuff from a Beyblade RPG* Dark brown hair and eyes, and the hair is slightly curly. Pale complexion (the norm for the Abbey) and he is 6'4". He's three years older than Bryan, and he is hot. ^_~

eyriess: I went from updating fast to updating slow. Oh the shame. -_-

KuronekoHikage: A 24/7 hard on? Just who are we talking about here? Tala, Bryan or Panas. *nudge*

umi n secylia: Unless you forget to oil the gears of course. :p

phoenix of order: Too late. *rubs the back of her head* He got pissed at me cause in another fic I'm writing I made him go five months without sex. Never do that to Bryan. Trust me.

Fire4Ice: Of course Bryan didn't get angry. It was Panas. And I'm so glad think that of my fic. #^_^#

Ashla: Yep, that's why Bryan trusts him all right. And they probably would get bored... if they could... hmm...

Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Well mesa updated. I hope yousa like.

Lady Snowblossom: You'll have to read and find out about the Blade Breakers. As for Boris? Yep. Just like him to get himself out of shit. Bastard... -_-;;

Disengage: I'm an angst writer. I've won awards for it. My torture scenes have made me famous. And you better get to your classes or else you'll be in trouble, and we cannot have that.

DranzerGirl: You copied and pasted it? Yeah, I do that to my faves too. Just don't go stealing it. Not that I don't trust you. :p

Another shortie.

Disclaimer: See first page

"Man, Boris certainly doesn't make it easy." Ian sighed, linking his fingers together behind his head. "I just wish we had of had enough time to take food down to Tal and Bry."

"They've still got some, besides, Panas would have taken some down." Spencer stiffened a yawn. "So much for retiring us."

"Yeah, now Boris is just plain tiring us. Do you think–" Ian bolted up as there came a knock on the door. "Oh crap."

Spencer stiffened. If he were caught in Ian's room after curfew, the consequences would be severe. He shot a look at Ian, who swallowed hard, shrugging in defeat before he called out.

"Who's there?"

"Someone who's gonna kill you if you don't let us in before the camera swings around."

Spencer breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of their captains voice, Ian leaping from the bed and scurrying to the door, throwing it open and standing back as his teammates slid inside, closing the door behind them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ian asked.

Spencer nodded. "It's too risky."

Tala looked at them. "Have you seen Panas today?"

Ian and Spencer exchanged a look. "Only this morning, why?"

Bryan leant against the door. "Boris comes back in two days."

Ian blinked. "What?"

"We leave tomorrow night," Tala continued. "So pack your things now. Bry and I will take them back down with us once we get out own." He paused. "That is, of course, if you're still coming."

"I'm comin'," Spencer said.

"Why wouldn't we come?" Ian agreed.

Tala nodded, glancing back at Bryan. "The longer we're up here, the higher the chances of getting caught are. So let's move."

Bryan turned and tugged at the door as Spencer moved to join them, glancing at the location of the camera and drawing back, counting in his mind before checking again and giving the all clear. Tala, Spencer and Bryan slid out into the corridor, making for their rooms as Ian dug a backpack out from under his bed.

He sorted through his clothes, picking the ones he would need and packing them first, then folding up a blanket and shoving it in as well, glancing at the pillows on his bed and shrugging. Pillows were a luxury, not a necessity.

Flipping open the lid of his box, he dug out his personal cloak. He pulled it free and ran his fingers over the light yet warm fabric, patterns with reptilian scales. He smiled, remembering when Boris had given the cloaks to them: Ian's patterned like a serpent; Spencer's a greyish-blue, as if the skin of a whale as it moved through water; Bryan's looking as if it were made of feathers; and Tala's pure white, lined with fine fur. The serpent, the whale, the falcon, and the white wolf.

Tossing the cloak onto the top of the pile, he went about finding his few personal effects and memento's, stashing them into the backpack skilfully, everything having a place. He made one last turn around the room to make sure he had everything he needed, then, as an afterthought, finding a jacket and adding it to the pile. While he had been brought up in this part of Russia, he had still better not risk it. Getting sick could make things a great deal worse than they already were.

Satisfied, he closed the bag, setting the cloak on top and waiting, glancing at the clock from time to time. Spencer returned first, setting his bag and cloak down by the door as they were joined by Tala. Not long after Bryan slid into the room, cloak and jacket hanging over his arm as he closed the door.

"Got everything?" Tala asked.

The other three nodded, Bryan pulling his jacket on so not to carry it, Ian noting that there was no sign on Bryan's vest, then remembering how Bryan had once commented that he only wore it cause Boris insisted he did, the shoulder pads and fur making the 18-year-old appear larger and more of a threat.

Ian smirked. You only needed to be at the brunt end of one of Bryan's glares to know that he was a threat best avoided.

Tala looked at them. "Ian, Spencer, I need you two to try and round up as much food as you can. Remember, once we hit the road we won't be able to cook anything, and we need stuff to keep our strength up. We'll get one lot of food in the morning, another in the evening right before we leave, understand?"

They nodded, Spencer glancing at Ian. "I'll ask Aizik what will be best."

"We'll sort it out," Ian agreed.

Tala glanced at the clock. "We'd better head back. Try and get as much sleep as you can, cause tomorrow night we will not be stopping to rest. The more distance we get between here and us, the happier I'll be."

Again, they nodded.

Tala straightened, taking Ian's things as Bryan collected Spencer's. "We'll see you two tomorrow then."

"Be careful on the way back down," Ian said.

Tala smiled faintly, nodding to Bryan who opened the door. They waited for the right moment, then vanished into the corridor, leaving Ian and Spencer to their thoughts.

They're preparing to leave. Everything's going according to plan so far.