Rating: R due to "graphic nature"

Major Pairing(s) for this chapter: Kai/Rei (M/M)

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or its characters.

This chapter, as you will find, is the other version of the train wreck. Expect more violence (because I am such a violent writer, haha!). The next chapter will be several years down the road. Kai & Rei are about ten in these first two chapters, and they will be somewhere near twenty-five in the next ones. And you are being forewarned about Rei's "family."

Normally, I hate it when people use too much of another language – it seems like they are trying to show off their knowledge – but I attempted to learn the honorifics associated with the Chinese language. I am (most likely) completely off in my usage, so I would like to state here and now that I have little-to-no knowledge over the Chinese language. It just seemed weird to be addressing the characters with Japanese suffixes (them being Chinese and all). I also thought it would help distinguish between who is Japanese and who is Chinese.

That said, here is a list of prefixes/suffixes I use:
shè- prefix for younger family members
-xiānshēng equivalent of mister; I am not sure if this is a suffix but I used it as such
-jī suffix for a female friend

Other:
xiáoér – means "my son"
yān yǎn-jūn – (from the first chapter) my red eyed friend
sayonara (Japanese) – goodbye

Anyway, if I am totally wrong on these, please tell me so I can correct my mistakes!

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Part 2 – Flower; The Sky Is Broken

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February 28, 1986

Trees rushed past on either side, their colored leaves chasing the train as it went by in a flurry of wind, racing toward the dark clouds that rolled in the sky and leaving behind drenched, open fields that had already succumbed to the awesome power of an afternoon storm. The wind whistled and the sky cracked.

Kon Rei absentmindedly messed with the strands of hair that fell into his face, twisting them around his finger and letting them fall gracefully back into place as he watched her smooth out her own tresses with a certain fondness that only she possessed. She looked lovely, like the gorgeous honeydew flowers that she grew in her garden at home.

She turned to face Rei, her brilliant eyes blinking slowly and her silky black hair curling charmingly at the ends. The corners of her mouth rose into a smile and she tilted her head to the side, her eyes holding Rei's captivatingly. He echoed the movement, following her lead. Giggling softly, she placed the brush that waited in her hand on the table beside her and stepped toward Rei.

Like clouds, her gait made her appear to hover over the ground, her dress flowing back and forth but not making sound. She paused in front of Rei and leaned over, cupping his face in her delicate hands and drawing her rose-colored lips to his ear.

"Come, my darling."

Her voice was a soft whisper; it never rose above such. To most, it was the initiator of shivers and chills, sending excited thrills through the being that she mesmerized. For Rei, it sounded like a whisper of the wind that blew so viciously outside the train, strong but muted, yet it filled him with warmth and he could feel the care that vibrated in the low, sweet tone.

Planting a soft kiss on his cheek, she drew away with a beautiful smile that was only ever directed toward him. She took his hands in her own and gently pulled him off his stool, the sharp tips of her fingernails brushing against the tender skin of his palms. She withdrew one hand from his in order to comb her fingers through his bangs.

Gazing down at him, her smile grew. "Just like mine."

Rei brightened, glowing at what he considered to be a compliment. His smile grew as well, showing off pearly white teeth, and he leaned against her, burying his face in the front of her dress and breathing in the wonderful, flowery smell that accompanied her everywhere she went.

She continued to comb her fingers through his lengthening hair for a moment longer, sighing blissfully. Then the moment was up and she removed her hand from Rei's hair, the action signaling for him move as well so they could leave. Though she knew he would follow, her hand never left Rei's, squeezing slightly every now and then.

The hallway of the train was brighter than the room, and Rei rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the sudden intensity. The only other two people in the hall were the doormen and their eyes were on the woman and Rei, having not much more than the dreary outside to look at. The entire car was theirs; what normally may have been three, maybe four, crammed compartments had been made into large rooms for the upper class.

Rei's eyes were on her; he watched her now impassive face as they made their way to one side of the hallway. She smiled a fake, cold smile at the doorman as he politely opened the door for them, and they made their way onto the little bridge that connected the two train cars. The air whipped around them, blowing the fabric of her skirt around Rei, but she did not let go of his hand to smooth it.

On the other side, they passed yet another doorman, but this one was greeted with a small nod as an understanding was passed between him and the woman. When he was sure no one else was coming, he reached into his coat and removed a pistol, handing it to her, while the doorman at the other end watched silently.

Music wafted through the closed room door in the car and it was to that door that she headed rather than to the other exit, taking Rei with her. Stopping in front it, she gave Rei an elegant wink, and then opened it.

A man was pacing inside, but he spun around to face the door as it opened. His room was dark, save for the small lamp that glowed in the corner, and it took him a minute to make out the two dark forms that stood in his doorway. Two gleaming pairs of golden eyes were on him. He took several steps back, gasping as he recognized the womanly figure, eyes darting between her and the child.

"Y-You!" he exclaimed, bumping in to the wall behind him.

"Oh, my dear, do not be alarmed," she answered, though her voice was as quiet as a whisper. She took two steps into the room, hiding the hand with the pistol behind her back. "We have only come to say hello."

The man glanced over her shoulder into the hallway, searching.

Letting out a soft, rich laugh, she shook her head at him. "No worries. My friends are not here."

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, some courage flowing back into him. His eyes fell back to Rei and they widened considerably. "Is he…?"

She knelt next to Rei, wrapping an arm around his tiny waist and pulling him against her. "Gorgeous, isn't he?"

"He looks like you," the man said softly. His eyes roamed over Rei's dainty features briefly before he abruptly shut them, wincing at some thought running through his head. When he opened them again, they were full of fear and fixed firmly on the woman. "I'm sorry for leaving. I was… I was afraid."

She pulled Rei closer to her, a sardonic smile appearing on her face. "Afraid? Afraid of what? Or whom? My friends? My family? Or me?"

The man swallowed uneasily, not sure of what to say. "I was afraid of…" He faltered, stumbling over his own words before bursting out with, "We were young! What did you expect of me?"

A cynical laugh, louder than anything Rei had ever heard from her mouth. He turned confused eyes to her, wondering why she was being so loud. She kissed him on the cheek first then took his small hands and placed the pistol in them. Gently, she combed her fingers through his hair again, pulling the strands away from his ear so she could whisper to him as he stared at the black object in his hands.

"Young, darling, that is what he tells us. Standing before you is the man that left us, the man who did not care enough to stay and watch you grow. He is the reason you have to be alone whenever I must leave. But unlike me, he never returns, nor does he care to. That is the reason we have sought him out, my lovely child."

Rei glared at the sweating man standing nervously before him. This man was the cause of all his mother's sadness, the cause of her broken heart and the thick tears that ran down her cheeks when she thought no one was watching. All Rei wanted was for her to be happy.

Lifting the pistol, Rei leveled it at the man, fingers curling around the cold, black metal. At this, the man's eyes widened even more and he pressed himself flat against the wall behind him.

"You've taught him-!" he gasped, breath coming faster now. "How could you have taught him such things at his age?"

"He is a child of my clan, despite you," she replied. A smooth, faint laugh made its way past her lips. "Aren't you proud of him?"

"Don't do this!" the man cried.

"Go ahead, xiáoér," she whispered in Rei's ear, smirking. "He needs to be punished."

The pistol went off, though its shout was quieted by a bold crack of thunder. Rei watched in slight amazement as the man jerked, but frowned upon realizing the bullet had missed its intended target. He looked to his mother for advice. She smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his small frame, her hands clasping over his and helping him aim at the now crying, trapped man, one arm limp and covered in blood.

Her aim was perfect, catching the man in the chest, straight through the heart. He gave a short, strangled scream, and then collapsed to the floor with a choked cough.

She and Rei sat absolutely still for a brief moment, their eyes on the lifeless figure. When she was sure the man was dead, she wrapped her arms tightly around Rei, hugging him close. Rei stared in wonder at the dead man, heart beating wildly.

This was his first time to kill.

"Come, shè-Rei, we are not done yet," she said softly in his ear, removing the pistol from his hands and standing up. She smiled down at Rei affectionately, but the smile was shadowed by something Rei could not understand.

They stepped into the hall, the woman closing the door to the room quietly, muffling the already dim music that still played inside. The two doormen stood patiently at their posts, but appeared ready for what was to happen next, and now another man was present in the small hallway. He approached the woman and Rei with a ghostly grin.

"Liang-xiānshēng is waiting for your young bird. I take it that your business went as planned?" the man asked, his gaze slowly moving to the closed door.

"Of course," she replied, tipping her head slightly and peering through her long lashes.

"He did well?"

"Of course."

The man smirked and lifted a hand to brush against Rei's cheek. "Yes, you will be perfect, dear child."

Rei smiled at the man, beaming at the statement. He tried so hard to win approval from this man. Shèng-Yen was the head of the clan, and he had taken a special interest in Rei when Rei was at a very young age. He had chosen to educate Rei himself, with the assistance of Rei's mother, of course.

"Gan! Erii! Go now and do what you have been told!" Yen commanded suddenly, withdrawing his hand from Rei. The two other men raced out the door Rei and his mother had come through earlier. Yen turned back to the woman, his face now hard and determined. "Send the child ahead, Jie-jī. We must speak alone."

Jie squeezed Rei's hand reassuringly and gently pushed him in the direction of the other door. "Wait for me in the next car. Be quiet, xiáoér, and do not draw attention to yourself."

As much as Rei wanted to stay with them, he reluctantly nodded and walked off, wondering if he flowed like his mother. With one last glance at the two in the hallway, he opened the door and stepped onto the little platform between the two train cars. The wind whipped around him like before, but he was quick in getting into the next car.

It was even brighter in this car, and Rei squinted at the brightness, listening to the abrupt noise of metal silverware against china plates and friendly chatter between other passengers as they ate their dinner. Rei scanned the tables, looking for an empty one to wait at for his mother. His eyes fell upon a small figure sitting alone.

Moving closer, Rei could see the reflection of the figure in the window. Amused by the bored expression on the boy's face, Rei quietly slipped toward him, careful not make a noise. He soundlessly slid into the chair across from the boy, staring at the boy's reflection in the glass window.

It was a moment before the boy finally shifted his eyes to Rei's own reflection and his face twisted into confusion at first before he turned away from the window. The boy blinked stupidly at Rei for a split second before schooling his features into a blank expression, impressing Rei with his swift ability to do such.

They stared in silence at each other for a moment, both studying the other. Oddly amused by the boy, Rei cocked his head to the side and smiled in the same way his mother did. This was the first time he had really seen any other child other than his friends at home, and this boy was certainly not like them. Something about this boy just seemed different.

The boy smiled back after a few slow blinks, an unsure smile. The uncertainty of it made Rei smile wider.

So entranced was Rei with this other boy that he did not notice his mother had returned until she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Come, my darling. We do not have time to play anymore. It will soon be over."

Rei tore his eyes away from the other boy as his mother took his hand and drew him out of the seat, leading him away. He glanced over his shoulder and briefly smiled at the other boy before turning his eyes up to Jie, warmth spreading over him as she smiled down at him. Yet, even when they reached the other side of the dining car, Rei could still feel the other boy's eyes on him.

Soon, though, they were once more being pushed by the wind before taking refuge inside another train car. They went through a few more doors, annoying Rei more and more as his hair tangled behind him, but Jie would occasionally squeeze his hand tenderly, making him feel better. Finally, they reached the train car that was right before an old caboose, used mainly for appearance.

The man blocking the door to the caboose held up his hands to stop them. "I'm sorry, miss, but this is as far as you can go."

Jie tilted her head to the side and smiled a small, charming smile tinted with a touch of false confusion. "Oh, is it? I was told I could show my little darling the red car."

The man smiled apologetically at the beautiful Jie. "I'm really sorry. Whoever told you that was lying to you."

Jie kneeled down beside Rei, brushing his wind blasted hair from his face. "I'm sorry, xiáoér. We have been tricked."

Her eyes spoke more than her words, encouraging Rei to use what she had taught him. He lowered his eyes to the floor, hanging his head dejectedly and sniffling. Jie pulled him into a hug, holding him affectionately as she pet his long hair. To the man it looked like a mother comforting her upset child, and it broke his heart to see children upset.

"All right, all right," he said at last, breaking hesitantly. "As long as you don't tell, I won't."

Rei jerked away from his mother and grinned at the doorman excitedly, wiping away pretend tears. A soft laughter that only he heard flowed from his mother as she stood, and the two exchanged mischievous and identical smirks when the doorman's back was to them.

"Now, it should be safe, but if anything looks questionable, don't go near it," the doorman was saying, getting out his keys to unlock the door. "Especially the floor. This thing is old. They don't even use cabooses anymore, but this train is supposed to look like the ones they used back when…"

He rambled on, unaware his topic was not of any interest to the mother and child. As soon as the door was unlocked and opened, he stepped onto the little bridge, unguarded by handle bars like the others, to unlock the caboose. He was surprised to find that Rei followed him out. Before he could speak a warning about the danger, Rei snatched the keys from his hands.

"Hey! Give those back," the man cried angrily. He reached for Rei, but he stumbled as Rei pushed past him to the caboose's door. Losing his balance, adrenaline pumping in his veins, he reached for anything he could.

The fingers on his left hand clutched fabric while his right arm still flailed about wildly. He looked up to see that he was holding on to a handkerchief; Jie was holding on to the other side of it. The man's feet rocked dangerously on the tip of the bridge, so he swung his right hand around to get help.

Rei unlocked and opened the caboose's door. He turned around to his mother just in time to see her let go of the handkerchief. The loss of another grip on it caused the man to fall backward, the fingers of his right hand a hair's breath from latching on to Jie.

With a horrified cry, the man fell in between the two cars and, after being thrashed about, disappeared underneath the caboose.

Rei's eyes followed the man impassively until he was gone, but then a childish glee lit up in them. He smiled merrily at his mother and extended his small hand to her, which she took with a pleased smile of her own and the two of them continued on into the caboose.

It was dusty inside the caboose and dark. The duo did not mind; they simply walked straight to the back of the caboose where one last door stood in their way. Beyond it was a small step area and beyond that was the open air that followed the train. It was here that they waited.

The first tremble was tiny and would have gone unnoticed by anyone else, but Rei's senses had been the main focus of many of his teachings. He curled closer to his mother, who, in turn, wrapped her arms around him protectively. The second tremble was much more obvious and it was then that the metallic screeching started.

Out of nowhere, a van appeared beside the steps that led up to Rei and Jie. It kept pace with the braking train, the slide door on its side opening. A figure crouched in its doorway, and, when he caught Rei's eye, he grinned widely, opening his arms invitingly. Rei lit up in delight and, as soon as he felt Jie's arms around him loosen, he drew away from his mother to rush down the steps.

The train still trembled terribly, the screeching getting closer and closer. A small distance was between Rei on the steps and the man in the van now. He jumped it easily, being caught by the man, who held him tight and drew him deeper inside the van while another occupant took his place to help Jie in.

Soon, the door was closed and the driver slowed the van, letting the train get farther ahead. Rei was excitedly telling the man that held him about everything that had happened when he felt a soft, smooth hand gently take his chin and direct his attention toward the front of the van to look out its windshield.

The train ahead jerked viciously onto its side and plummeted to the muddy ground in a loud crash, sliding farther and tearing up the wet grass beneath it. Sparks flew, metal crunched, and horrible sounds of a great mechanism dying filled the air before the train came to jolting halt at last.

The van slowly came upon the disaster, resting at a stop only a few meters away. Rain splattered onto the windshield and, for a brief moment, all was quiet in the van. Then everyone moved hastily, pulling out pistols, swords, and other weapons from under their coats and exiting the van with big, black umbrellas. Rei was set aside and watched the others quietly.

"You all know what to do. No survivors," a commanding voice called out.

Yen's eyes roamed authoritatively over the group of adults, but when they fell on Rei, they softened considerably and he beckoned Rei to him. Rei smiled and eagerly trotted forward, hopping over puddles of mud in a childish, yet graceful, way.

As soon as Rei was close, Yen ran his hands through the silky, raven hair that was a bit dampened by stray drops of rain. "You stay with your mother and I tonight, child."

As appealing as that sounded – it was a great honor to be with Yen while he worked – Rei could not help glancing at the man who he always went with; the same man who had caught him when he jumped from the train.

Yen caught the glance and he laughed softly, still gently stroking Rei's hair. "Do not fret, child. Motomiya-san will understand. You are to become great, and in order to do so, you must be with the best. Now, stay close."

Rei nodded somewhat reluctantly, sending another longing look toward Motomiya Daisuke, who noticed and flashed him another happy grin. The action cheered him up momentarily.

The rain attacked the large umbrella that Rei struggled to keep in his grasp. He felt like the wind was trying to blow it from his tiny fingers as he attempted to follow Yen and Jie through the mud toward the train. Screams from passengers who had survived filled the air along with gunshots, but they were drowned out by the storm.

The sound of water rushing reached Rei's ears, though faint, and he looked from under the brim of his umbrella toward a river that raged farther ahead. The lightening flashed, blinding him for a quick moment, but then he saw the large object that protruded from the river onto the bank and then onto the torn up ground beside the railroad tracks; the train.

The three of them were still a good distance from the river when they stopped – Yen always had a dislike for large bodies of water. Rei reached up and took Jie's hand. He was getting tired and wanted to lean against her, but that would mean leaning into the rain. She and Yen spoke about the night's events as more and more of their clan began to gather around the trio after completing the task of executing all survivors.

Rei sighed, hardly listening to the adult chatter, and began to look around at the damage done. The train looked absolutely awful, twisted and crushed in several places. He could not help feeling a little sorry for the victims inside. Minutes flew past, long, tedious minutes. What were they waiting for, and why did they have to wait in the rain? The van was much, much drier and warmer in Rei's opinion, but then maybe he was missing something important.

A faint cough.

It startled Rei. He perked up immediately, listening harder to the noises that rose above the howling wind and harsh tones of the adults.

Another cough.

Catching the direction that the sound came from this time, Rei whipped his head around to look behind him, back toward the river. He was surprised to see a small figure huddled close the ground and went to tug at his mother's hand, but then he recognized the figure as the boy that had been in the dining car.

The same feeling that had fluttered through Rei before danced through him now, and he jerked away from his mother. He ran to the boy, careful with his steps to make sure he did not slide in the mud. Jie started to protest, but he was too excited to hear her.

Rei approached the hunched form of the boy quietly, and stood over the boy, holding out his hand for the boy to take. He watched the other blink slowly, as if surprised about something. Then deep red eyes, almost black in the darkness of the night, lifted to meet his own, and the fluttering feeling returned. They stared at each other silently, and then the boy took the offered hand and Rei helped him up.

Knowing his mother had an umbrella, Rei handed his own over to the boy. Behind him, he could hear the rest of the clan whispering, their voices carried by the wind. Their voices were disapproving of his actions, and it made him wonder if what he was doing was wrong. It didn't feel wrong; he liked the other boy enough that he wanted to be friends.

Still, he had to go back.

"Sayonara, my red-eyed friend," Rei murmured, the foreign word strange on his tongue, and flashed the other boy a quick smile before dashing away in the rain, returning to his mother's side. He took her hand, not noticing the scolding look she gave him because his eyes were still on the other boy, who was watching them now.

"Should we kill him?" someone asked quietly.

Yen studied Rei before moving his gaze to the muddied boy. "He survived the crash. From his appearance, I would say he was in the front half of the train."

Yen seemed to think about this for a time. He took in a deep breath, turned, and began to walk back to the van.

"We'll leave him here. If he can survive the night, then he deserves to live."