Title: Resurfacing
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: R
Summary: see chapter one
Warnings: see chapter one
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.
***********
The sun was slowly setting, turning the sky above a glittering gold with tinges of red and purple. The cliff that overlooked the magnificent view sparkled in the setting sun as the rays glimmered on the grass, catching a blade that still clung to hope though it was half buried by the layer of snow here and there, adding jade to the colourful picture.
'How can a place be so breathtaking and terrifying at the same time?' he wondered as he sat in the window seat, knees to his chest as he rested his head on folded arms.
This was without a doubt Voltaire's most secretive home. It had been in this mansion where he had brought Kai to live because he wanted to keep the boy as far away from others as possible, for reasons none too grandfatherly.
Nestled in a mountain range, on a rugged cliff-like side covered with snow, many miles away from the nearest town, the mansion was very old but in an antique way. Every piece of furniture in it was over a century old and the use of electricity had only been introduced a couple of decades ago. Over two dozen bedrooms and two immense dining halls, it had been his home for many years. But each of those years held so much painful and frightful memories...
Sighing, he looked over to Dranzer.
She had been out of her blade for almost four whole days and it was definitely affecting her. Her feathers were no longer flaming red but more of a dull orange glow and she seemed to be ruffling more and more lately, as if trying to generate more heat. She moved around sluggishly and her once magnificent flowing mane now hung limply down her back. Her eyes had taken on an almost glazed look.
And still, nothing he could do would get her back into her blade; which was the only chance she had to regenerate her strength. But she feared leaving him alone and was clever enough to know that the only way he could get her back into her blade was if she was in accord with his command, which she was absolutely not.
'I can't lose her. I don't think I'd be able to handle it...'
Everything just seemed to be piling up against him; the pain, the fear, the total isolation. He was one who needed his personal space but, as Mr. Dickenson had said; he needed to have people around him.
And then there was Voltaire. This bothered him more than anything else. What was the old man up to? Despite his threats, the senior Hiwatari had not returned and Margaret said that he had left for town early this morning. Not a comforting situation.
Rising, he walked around the room aimlessly, Dranzer limping beside him. Unable to allow her to waste the little bit of energy she had left, he picked her up, stroking her head which she wearily rested on his arm, closing dimmed eyes. Even her sized had diminished as her inner strength grew weaker and weaker.
Despite having been here for almost more than a week, he hadn't paid much attention to the place. It had been his room as a kid but his old possessions looked as familiar as they did alien.
Placing Dranzer on a nearby chair where she thankfully remained, though watching his every move intently, he knelt down before the old suitcase, deprived of dust though it had been in this exact spot for years. Running a hand over the rough texture, he recalled how heavy it had been for him when he was smaller. His small arms had strained as he lugged it behind him from where he had stolen it out of one of the closets in the hall. He remembered how he had dragged it all the way up the stairs despite his bruised little body, fearful that someone would see him. How he had tearfully tried to cram his clothing into the bag. How Voltaire had found him half way into the process...
Quickly snapping out of the nightmare, he removed his hands from the suitcase and stood, shuddering at the memories it brought back to him.
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*
"Wow!"
The young bluenette stepped into the guest room which was to be his for the next two weeks while his parents negotiated something with his grandfather. Eyes wide at the splendour, he kept turning in circles, trying to see everything at once.
"I take it that you like it then?" Voltaire chuckled from where he appeared in the doorway.
"Yes, sir." Climbing to sit on the huge bed, he bounced a couple of times, testing the springs. "Everything's really big here; bigger than our house."
"Grandfather has a very successful business," Voltaire explained, sitting down next to the boy who swung his legs, eyes wide in childish wonder. "If your father had done what I told him then you would also have such a big house."
"Oh, is that why dad is always arguing with you?"
He laughed, shaking his head.
"Do not concern yourself with that, Kai. Such things are best left to us adults."
"Sorry, grandfather."
"I am not mad. Who could ever get mad at such a bright face?" He reached out, trailing a soft cheek with his fingertips. "Such a lovely face..."
His fingers moved towards the soft mouth, tracing the full lower lip. The boy was not of age to know what was happening and so remained still, only watching his grandfather with slightly confused eyes.
He leaned in closer, now looming over the boy. Brushing the soft bangs from before deep scarlet eyes, he lowered his hand to the boy's chest and gently placing pressure, eased the child to lie down. Making sure that no one was nearby, he smirked as he started to undo the belt. Kai squirmed uncomfortably beneath him but he held the body in place as he unbuttoned the dark blue pants.
Though he didn't know what was happening, he felt extremely shy when his grandfather started to pull his pants, and underwear, down.
"Hush, child. Let your grandfather have a good look at you," Voltaire grinned as he ran his eyes all over the naked body. Soon a hand started to trace the soft skin. "Perfect...Simply perfect..."
His breathing had picked up in uncertain anticipation but his grandfather simply gave his inner thigh a pat and pulled his pants back up, buckling it up and everything. A calloused hand took hold of his chin and he had no choice but to look up into the other's eyes.
"This is our little secret. Understood? You will not tell your mother or you father. You will not tell the staff. No one will ever know of this, am I clear?"
"Yes, grandfather," he answered shakily.
"Wonderful. Now make yourself at home. You are going to be here for quite some time."
The door closed and he sat up, shaking terribly though he didn't know why. Wrapping his arms around him he could feel his skin tingling from his grandfather's hand. Something about it was wrong; his grandfather shouldn't have touched him like that....right?
Getting to his feet, he started to unpack, eyes slightly teary in fear as he placed his clothes in the big closet. Something was just wrong; and that scared him.
It scared him badly.
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*
His emotions hadn't deceived him. What should have been a time of amendment had been filled with shouts of anger as his parents had constantly argued with Voltaire. He recalled every threat his father would shout to his own father. His mother would hold his head to her chest and carry him away, whispering assurances in his ear. They were supposed to stay two weeks but it had drastically shortened to three days as it had become obvious that his father and grandfather would never be able to see eye to eye.
Determined to leave, his mother had helped him pack while his father went for the car. It had been the last time he would ever see him; walking down the great staircase of the eerily silent and dark mansion.
When she began to worry, his mother had taken him by the hand and led him downstairs, leaving behind their belongings. It was then that he realized that he had forgotten Dranzer. Pulling free, he ran back upstairs. He heard his mother following him, calling his name desperately.
Then, she fell silent. He never heard or saw her again....
His memories were banished from his mind when he heard a soft *thump* and a weak cry behind him. Turning around, his breath caught to see that Dranzer had fallen off of the chair she had been perched on.
"Dranzer?"
He knelt down beside her, watching with worried eyes as she got to her feet with suppressed difficulty. Being this close to her normally warmed him but right now he could just barely feel any heat. Despite making a hurting cry, she managed to stand, swaying unsteadily.
"You have to get back in your bit," Kai confirmed, pulling out the small metallic object and holding it out to her.
She backed away, practically shaking her head in denial.
"Dranzer, no more fooling around. Nothing is going to happen to me and you need your rest."
His concern only heightened when she stumbled, though continued to back off, cawing in denial.
Sitting back on his heels, he sighed tiredly, eyes deeply worried.
At the sound she immediately came over, fearing that she had caused him even more distress than he already was in. As if to apologize, she rubbed his shoulder with her head, the long mane tickling his face.
"Just for a few hours, Dranzer," he negotiated softly, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'll call you out the moment something happens. Please?"
She looked up at him with intelligent eyes, searching his for a minute but seeing the misery and sadness he was trying to repress, she shook her head and picked the bit from his hand, throwing it across the room.
"Dranzer...I'm not worth your life. Don't do something stupid. I need you to understand me, please, my friend..." He was tired and the bit beast's stubbornness was only making it worse.
Understanding how much it meant for him she began to reconsider it once more but before she could make her decision the door to the room flew open, slamming loudly against the wall behind it, almost cracking off the ornate handle.
"Perhaps this will help her decide better."
Voltaire stood with a very evil grin on his face and a very lethal fire-arm in his hand. It looked more like an ampt-up bazooka, covered in dials and blinking buttons. Whatever it was, things were not going to end good.
Outraged and even more savage due to the man's imposing entrance, Dranzer summoned up her remaining strength and lunged at him before Kai could stop her.
"Dranzer!"
An ear piercing sound went off that picked up tempo until with an explosive blast, the weapon hurled a crackling beam from its long barrel, spearing right through Dranzer's chest.
"DRANZER!!"
Her attack cry turned to one of extreme agony and she threw back her head as the beam exploded from her back. Her body twisted and contorted as she shrieked. And then, in horrifying moment, the light engulfed her and exploded, blinding both males in its light and heat.
The force of the blast threw him against the wall and he landed on the floor, cringing as he landed hard on his bruised side. For a few seconds he was unable to move as the pain ran its course through the rest of his body.
He did feel, though, when something soft landed on his arm. Raising his pounding head, he looked at the object on his arm.
A feather. A single red feather, its red glow having dimmed to orange until it finally went out, disintegrating into ashes that were blown away by the soft draft from the open window.
All that remained of Dranzer.
"No...."
A booted foot came into view and weakly rolling over onto his back, he looked with wide eyes up into Voltaire's eyes which practically glowed with triumph and desire. Kneeling, he grabbed a handful of dark blue hair and sneered in his grandson's face.
"We have a lot of catching up to do, boy."
tbc................
**************
Read & Review, please.
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: R
Summary: see chapter one
Warnings: see chapter one
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.
***********
The sun was slowly setting, turning the sky above a glittering gold with tinges of red and purple. The cliff that overlooked the magnificent view sparkled in the setting sun as the rays glimmered on the grass, catching a blade that still clung to hope though it was half buried by the layer of snow here and there, adding jade to the colourful picture.
'How can a place be so breathtaking and terrifying at the same time?' he wondered as he sat in the window seat, knees to his chest as he rested his head on folded arms.
This was without a doubt Voltaire's most secretive home. It had been in this mansion where he had brought Kai to live because he wanted to keep the boy as far away from others as possible, for reasons none too grandfatherly.
Nestled in a mountain range, on a rugged cliff-like side covered with snow, many miles away from the nearest town, the mansion was very old but in an antique way. Every piece of furniture in it was over a century old and the use of electricity had only been introduced a couple of decades ago. Over two dozen bedrooms and two immense dining halls, it had been his home for many years. But each of those years held so much painful and frightful memories...
Sighing, he looked over to Dranzer.
She had been out of her blade for almost four whole days and it was definitely affecting her. Her feathers were no longer flaming red but more of a dull orange glow and she seemed to be ruffling more and more lately, as if trying to generate more heat. She moved around sluggishly and her once magnificent flowing mane now hung limply down her back. Her eyes had taken on an almost glazed look.
And still, nothing he could do would get her back into her blade; which was the only chance she had to regenerate her strength. But she feared leaving him alone and was clever enough to know that the only way he could get her back into her blade was if she was in accord with his command, which she was absolutely not.
'I can't lose her. I don't think I'd be able to handle it...'
Everything just seemed to be piling up against him; the pain, the fear, the total isolation. He was one who needed his personal space but, as Mr. Dickenson had said; he needed to have people around him.
And then there was Voltaire. This bothered him more than anything else. What was the old man up to? Despite his threats, the senior Hiwatari had not returned and Margaret said that he had left for town early this morning. Not a comforting situation.
Rising, he walked around the room aimlessly, Dranzer limping beside him. Unable to allow her to waste the little bit of energy she had left, he picked her up, stroking her head which she wearily rested on his arm, closing dimmed eyes. Even her sized had diminished as her inner strength grew weaker and weaker.
Despite having been here for almost more than a week, he hadn't paid much attention to the place. It had been his room as a kid but his old possessions looked as familiar as they did alien.
Placing Dranzer on a nearby chair where she thankfully remained, though watching his every move intently, he knelt down before the old suitcase, deprived of dust though it had been in this exact spot for years. Running a hand over the rough texture, he recalled how heavy it had been for him when he was smaller. His small arms had strained as he lugged it behind him from where he had stolen it out of one of the closets in the hall. He remembered how he had dragged it all the way up the stairs despite his bruised little body, fearful that someone would see him. How he had tearfully tried to cram his clothing into the bag. How Voltaire had found him half way into the process...
Quickly snapping out of the nightmare, he removed his hands from the suitcase and stood, shuddering at the memories it brought back to him.
*~*~*~begin flashback~*~*~*
"Wow!"
The young bluenette stepped into the guest room which was to be his for the next two weeks while his parents negotiated something with his grandfather. Eyes wide at the splendour, he kept turning in circles, trying to see everything at once.
"I take it that you like it then?" Voltaire chuckled from where he appeared in the doorway.
"Yes, sir." Climbing to sit on the huge bed, he bounced a couple of times, testing the springs. "Everything's really big here; bigger than our house."
"Grandfather has a very successful business," Voltaire explained, sitting down next to the boy who swung his legs, eyes wide in childish wonder. "If your father had done what I told him then you would also have such a big house."
"Oh, is that why dad is always arguing with you?"
He laughed, shaking his head.
"Do not concern yourself with that, Kai. Such things are best left to us adults."
"Sorry, grandfather."
"I am not mad. Who could ever get mad at such a bright face?" He reached out, trailing a soft cheek with his fingertips. "Such a lovely face..."
His fingers moved towards the soft mouth, tracing the full lower lip. The boy was not of age to know what was happening and so remained still, only watching his grandfather with slightly confused eyes.
He leaned in closer, now looming over the boy. Brushing the soft bangs from before deep scarlet eyes, he lowered his hand to the boy's chest and gently placing pressure, eased the child to lie down. Making sure that no one was nearby, he smirked as he started to undo the belt. Kai squirmed uncomfortably beneath him but he held the body in place as he unbuttoned the dark blue pants.
Though he didn't know what was happening, he felt extremely shy when his grandfather started to pull his pants, and underwear, down.
"Hush, child. Let your grandfather have a good look at you," Voltaire grinned as he ran his eyes all over the naked body. Soon a hand started to trace the soft skin. "Perfect...Simply perfect..."
His breathing had picked up in uncertain anticipation but his grandfather simply gave his inner thigh a pat and pulled his pants back up, buckling it up and everything. A calloused hand took hold of his chin and he had no choice but to look up into the other's eyes.
"This is our little secret. Understood? You will not tell your mother or you father. You will not tell the staff. No one will ever know of this, am I clear?"
"Yes, grandfather," he answered shakily.
"Wonderful. Now make yourself at home. You are going to be here for quite some time."
The door closed and he sat up, shaking terribly though he didn't know why. Wrapping his arms around him he could feel his skin tingling from his grandfather's hand. Something about it was wrong; his grandfather shouldn't have touched him like that....right?
Getting to his feet, he started to unpack, eyes slightly teary in fear as he placed his clothes in the big closet. Something was just wrong; and that scared him.
It scared him badly.
*~*~*~end flashback~*~*~*
His emotions hadn't deceived him. What should have been a time of amendment had been filled with shouts of anger as his parents had constantly argued with Voltaire. He recalled every threat his father would shout to his own father. His mother would hold his head to her chest and carry him away, whispering assurances in his ear. They were supposed to stay two weeks but it had drastically shortened to three days as it had become obvious that his father and grandfather would never be able to see eye to eye.
Determined to leave, his mother had helped him pack while his father went for the car. It had been the last time he would ever see him; walking down the great staircase of the eerily silent and dark mansion.
When she began to worry, his mother had taken him by the hand and led him downstairs, leaving behind their belongings. It was then that he realized that he had forgotten Dranzer. Pulling free, he ran back upstairs. He heard his mother following him, calling his name desperately.
Then, she fell silent. He never heard or saw her again....
His memories were banished from his mind when he heard a soft *thump* and a weak cry behind him. Turning around, his breath caught to see that Dranzer had fallen off of the chair she had been perched on.
"Dranzer?"
He knelt down beside her, watching with worried eyes as she got to her feet with suppressed difficulty. Being this close to her normally warmed him but right now he could just barely feel any heat. Despite making a hurting cry, she managed to stand, swaying unsteadily.
"You have to get back in your bit," Kai confirmed, pulling out the small metallic object and holding it out to her.
She backed away, practically shaking her head in denial.
"Dranzer, no more fooling around. Nothing is going to happen to me and you need your rest."
His concern only heightened when she stumbled, though continued to back off, cawing in denial.
Sitting back on his heels, he sighed tiredly, eyes deeply worried.
At the sound she immediately came over, fearing that she had caused him even more distress than he already was in. As if to apologize, she rubbed his shoulder with her head, the long mane tickling his face.
"Just for a few hours, Dranzer," he negotiated softly, wrapping his arms around her neck. "I'll call you out the moment something happens. Please?"
She looked up at him with intelligent eyes, searching his for a minute but seeing the misery and sadness he was trying to repress, she shook her head and picked the bit from his hand, throwing it across the room.
"Dranzer...I'm not worth your life. Don't do something stupid. I need you to understand me, please, my friend..." He was tired and the bit beast's stubbornness was only making it worse.
Understanding how much it meant for him she began to reconsider it once more but before she could make her decision the door to the room flew open, slamming loudly against the wall behind it, almost cracking off the ornate handle.
"Perhaps this will help her decide better."
Voltaire stood with a very evil grin on his face and a very lethal fire-arm in his hand. It looked more like an ampt-up bazooka, covered in dials and blinking buttons. Whatever it was, things were not going to end good.
Outraged and even more savage due to the man's imposing entrance, Dranzer summoned up her remaining strength and lunged at him before Kai could stop her.
"Dranzer!"
An ear piercing sound went off that picked up tempo until with an explosive blast, the weapon hurled a crackling beam from its long barrel, spearing right through Dranzer's chest.
"DRANZER!!"
Her attack cry turned to one of extreme agony and she threw back her head as the beam exploded from her back. Her body twisted and contorted as she shrieked. And then, in horrifying moment, the light engulfed her and exploded, blinding both males in its light and heat.
The force of the blast threw him against the wall and he landed on the floor, cringing as he landed hard on his bruised side. For a few seconds he was unable to move as the pain ran its course through the rest of his body.
He did feel, though, when something soft landed on his arm. Raising his pounding head, he looked at the object on his arm.
A feather. A single red feather, its red glow having dimmed to orange until it finally went out, disintegrating into ashes that were blown away by the soft draft from the open window.
All that remained of Dranzer.
"No...."
A booted foot came into view and weakly rolling over onto his back, he looked with wide eyes up into Voltaire's eyes which practically glowed with triumph and desire. Kneeling, he grabbed a handful of dark blue hair and sneered in his grandson's face.
"We have a lot of catching up to do, boy."
tbc................
**************
Read & Review, please.