Disclaimer: Michael is a jock, Emily is a dork. I own nothing, not even an Orc.
A/N – Woot!! Over a hundred reviews!! Whoa!! Am I dreaming? No? Ok, then. As a reward ... extra long chapter -
As the Ice Breaks.
Part 8: Arriving.
"Where is he?" an extremely agitated redhead was pacing the halls of what looked like to be an underground hideout.
"Tala." A freakish looking purple-haired guy came out of a dark corner and approached him.
"Yes, sir?" he stood at attention with his arms tight by his side.
"It seems that due to unforeseen circumstances, we might have a change in the plans."
"What kind of problem, sir?" Boris looked angry for some reason, and that unnerved Tala.
"That is none of your concern." He glared at him, and Tala just shrunk back. "Now I want you to find Bryan, and tell him that he will fill Kai's place on the team."
"What happened to Kai?"
"Learn to stay in your place, Tala." He raised his voice. "After that, go to the lab and find Yakov, tell him that he needs to work faster on the tank. Plan A is no more." He walked away, looking tetchy. "Black Dranzer is gone."
Tala gasped, but answered him. "Right away, sir."
When Boris got out of sight, Tala went towards the dorms to find Bryan, looking sullen. Where are you, Kai? What happened?
----
"It should be any minute now." Max stood cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed.
"You're right. Any minute." Kenny opened up Dizzy. "Dizzy."
"Your connection has been –"
"Dizzy!" Kenny cried exasperatedly.
"Hey, survival of the smartest, they always say."
"It's survival of the fittest. Anyway, I need you to scan the area for any sign of the White Tigers."
"Just like a typical guy to order the girls around."
"Dizzy. This is important." Max backed up Kenny and Dizzy just sighed, a mechanical sigh.
"Oh fine." A few beeping and clicking sounds were heard. "I detect a tidal wave of anxiety heading this way, fast."
"I guess that's them. How long till they get here?"
"Well, judging by the wind velocity, gravitational pull and the amount of adrenalin steam it's letting off, I'd have to say in about ... three, two, one –"
"MAX!!" Mariah came bursting in, nearly taking the door off its hinges. She ran towards the pale Max and grabbed him by his collar, dragging him to his feet. "Where is Rei? Is he all right? How did this happen? What does Kai have to do with this? You'd better start answering my questions Max Tate, or I'll –"
"Mariah." Lee called to her as he walked in panting loudly. Soon after, Kevin and Gary also came into view.
"But, Lee –"
"No buts, little sister. Put him down and let him explain." Lee looked sternly at her.
Mariah pouted and let go of Max. "Fine." She mumbled and crossed her arms over her chest. "You'd better start talking, Max."
"Ok, ok, relax, Mariah. It all started this morning when Tyson got kicked out of the All-You-Can-Eat. We went back to our room where this dude in a black suit came and said that Kai wanted to meet us. So we went with him in this helicopter over Lake Baikal ......... (blah, blah, blah) ......... so then Rei got admitted for hypothermia, but the Doc said he'll be fine in a few weeks, but Kai's condition is more serious."
The entire White Tiger team stood in silent, taking in what they had just heard. Lee was the first one to speak. "So how is Kai doing now?"
"He's in the ICU, in a coma." Kenny spoke up for the first time since the White Tiger's arrival.
"Isn't there anything they can do?" Mariah looked at Kenny, who shook his head, disheartened.
"Let's go and see how Rei is doing." Gary said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had ensued.
"Yeah." Kevin jumped about, trying the uplift their gloomy spirits.
"Gary's right. There is no point of us standing around here." Lee put an arm around the silent Mariah's shoulder.
The others walked out, Lee and Mariah stayed back for a while.
"Lee." She snuggled closer to his chest. "I don't like that Kai betrayed them, but I don't want him to die either."
"I know how you feel. But he is a strong person, if anyone can get through this unscathed, it's Kai."
"I hope so."
"Come, Rei is probably waiting for you to come and mother him back to health." Lee snickered.
"Hey," Mariah punched his arm playfully. "I don't mother people."
Lee laughed quietly. "Sure, whatever you say." He walked out, leaving the pouting Mariah calling after him.
"Lee," she ran after him. "I don't mother anyone. I don't. Lee," she whined. "Lee." Her voice faded into the distance, still calling out to her brother, until the head nurse finally shushed her for being to loud.
----
"Yes, I know that's policy," he slammed his fist on the desk. "But I have two of my best bladers down, and a two men team is no good against the Demolition Boys."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Dickinson, truly I am. But all the schedules are already confirmed and set. There is nothing I can do to change it, I'm very sorry."
"This is an outrage. This goes against all principal Beyblading sense of common decency. This is a sport, a game that should be enjoyed by children of all ages, not choices of forcing a sick blader to compete or getting disqualified. This isn't what Beyblading is all about."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Dickinson, but if you wish to pursue this matter further, I would ask you to refer to the chairman of the Russian BBF, Mr. Boris Balkov."
Stanley Dickinson, a calm man, a man some have gotten to know as the Monopoly man and a man who never lost his temper, was furious. He stomped out and slammed the door behind him.
"I see the little shindig didn't go down much like we wanted." Mr. Granger and Bruce sat outside, waiting for Mr. Dickinson.
"I guess not, dad."
"I told you not to call me that, it makes me feel ancient."
"Fine, Dawg."
"That's better."
Bruce just rolled his eyes at his eccentric father and went over to where Mr. Dickinson sat slumped over in the corner. "Stanley, what happened?"
"Everything's gone to the slumps, Bruce," Mr. Dickinson sighed and put him head in his hands, "the match is still on for next week."
Bruce looked disappointed. "Isn't there anything we can do? Someone else we could talk to?"
"Yes." Mr. Dickinson narrowed his eyes. "Boris Balkov."
"Do you think he'll listen to what we have to say?"
"I seriously doubt it. I guess we'll just have to hope that one or all of them are up to the match." Mr. Dickinson stood up. "I guess it's time to break the news to them."
Bruce nodded slightly and followed him out. "Da – dawg." Mr. Granger glared at him and he quickly switched. "Let's go."
----
Max, Kenny and the White Tigers reached Rei's room after a few minutes of searching around and getting lost, until finally being saved by Dr. Olga. They lingered outside for another few minutes, till Mariah finally made the decision and went in.
"Rei?" she called out softly. As she walked further into the private room, she saw Rei sound asleep in one of the hospitals' white beds. Tears came to her eyes when she caught sight of his pale face. He had a drip in his arm and layers of blanket covering him from the cold.
Outside, Gary was just about to walk in when Lee stopped him. He shook his head and motioned towards the row plastic chairs, where the others were headed for. "Let's leave them for awhile."
"Ok." Gary looked into the room and silently closed the door, leaving Mariah to be alone with Rei for a while.
"Hey, Lee." Max called to Lee as he approached.
"Yes."
"You never told us that Mariah was your sister."
"Really?" Lee looked shocked. "I thought you guys already knew."
"No. And all this time I thought it was a mixed up love triangle." Max smiled brightly.
"No, she's just my little sister." Lee laughed.
"We needed a little cheering up, if only Tyson's grandpa was here –"
"Whatcha little dudes hanging around here for?" the grandfather in question walked through the door that was on the left of where they were.
"Waiting for Mariah."
"Hey, when did you little Kats roll up around here?" Mr. Granger looked at Lee and the rest of his team.
"Max called us a while ago." Lee said.
"Yeah, and Mariah practically drove the taxi here." Kevin snickered at the thought.
"Where's the Pinky lady anyway?"
"She's in with Rei." Kenny added.
"When we go see him, we'd better take an extra tank of oxygen with us after all the smothering Mariah's about to do to. I think I pity the poor guy." Kevin mocked a sympathy look.
"Dad." Bruce also walked through the door.
"How many time do I have to lay it down for you? I don't –"
"Ok, sorry, dawg." Bruce held his hands up in defeat. The others snickered at the antics of Tyson's grandpa.
"Good." Mr. Granger snubbed his nose and looked around. "Stan the man gone MIA has he?"
"No, he went to call Judy and the Majestics, and ... to see Kai."
"Oh." At the mention of the BladeBreakers Captain, they all quieted down.
Max sighed and glanced over his shoulder when person in a dark blue jumper walked through the door Bruce had come through, Lee saw Max turn his head and followed his gaze. They both turned back because it wasn't anyone they knew.
The atmosphere brightened when Mr. Granger shouted out suddenly. "I love this song." And started to sing after hearing something on the radio. He jumped onto the table and started to do a really weird dance and sang along with the music. "I said a hip-hop the hibbit, the hibbit," he waved his wooden kendo stick around, "to the hip, hip hop, and you don't stop, rock on baby bubba."
Bruce and the Beybladers looked on, shocked. After a while, they got into the groove and burst out into laughter.
"To the boogie the bang, bang the boogie to the boogie, the beat."
----
Mr. Dickinson walked into Kai's room and saw Tyson sitting next to the bed, holding Kai's hand. One of the orderlies had passed by and gave him a chair, seeing as he was about to collapse.
"Tyson?"
Tyson didn't acknowledge his presence; he kept his eyes on the serene face of his Captain.
"Tyson." Mr. Dickinson walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his daze.
"Oh, Mr. D, when did you get here?"
"Just now." He smiled weakly at him. "Have you been staying since last night?"
Tyson nodded his head slowly and looked back at Kai. "Kai isn't doing to well."
"I know, Tyson." He sighed. "Don't you need to sleep? It's been almost twelve hours since the event."
"Really? I didn't notice." Tyson's voice had lost its cheerfulness and just sounded hollow.
"Well, it has. You need to get some rest, it's been a long day, and it still might get longer as it progresses."
"That's ok, I'm fine."
"You're not, Tyson. I can see it in your face; you're a hair-width's away from collapsing." Mr. Dickinson moved to his left. "Come now, my boy, you need rest, or at least get something to eat."
"I don't, I want to stay here." His one hand gripped the rail tighter. "What if he wakes up? He'll be all alone."
"He won't. I'll stay here with him." Tyson turned his gaze to him. "You go and get something to eat and some rest. Tomorrow, you can come back and stay as long as you want, ok? What would Kai say if he saw you now?"
Tyson looked at Kai, not replying Mr. Dickinson. He smiled weakly. "He'd say, 'Tyson, you idiot. Why aren't you training? Stop stuffing your face and get back to the dish.'"
Mr. Dickinson sighed, "Come." He beckoned Tyson to the door. "Your friends are waiting for you."
Tyson walked out the door silently, and after one final glance at Kai, he left.
Mr. Dickinson sighed and turned his attention to Kai. "Kai." He shook his head and walked to his bedside. "Don't you see how much they care for you?" he gently stroked Kai's hair. The only sound that answered him was that of the heart monitor and the ventilator. "This is all Voltaire's fault. How could he do this to his own grandson? Using him as a tool."
Mr. Dickinson's eyes were starting to water; he wiped them away with the sleeve of his jacket. "You have to be strong Kai, you have to fight this. Don't let Voltaire win; you have to recover. I don't know what I would do if you didn't." Tears were streaming down his face. He leaned over Kai and kissed him on the forehead. "Get better, grandson."
End Part 8.
Yay! Tala's first appearance. By the way, Kai really isn't Mr. D's grandson; it was just too sweet a moment not to write. And to be honest, I could really see Mr. Granger liking that song. You wanna know something else? ... Review! o
Trinity the Phoenix, Hellbaworshipper, TechnoRanma (Thanks a lot - Now, you're making me blush.)), DarkWolf88, Ruth4Kai, Jillian, The Otherworlder (Umm! I dunno what to say ... I don't think its bashing, I'm just ... I don't quite understand what you're getting at. So, should I have put 'Beware! Extreme over-reacting-ness?'), Mikin Ishida (Not stealer, plushie nicker. There's a big difference. Oo;;), Jirachi (I'm there to help.), Crescente Nuwes, Nyssa (Sorry, I kinda confused myself writing it too.), Phoenix the 1st (Yeah! Kinda of a filler. But hey, we have two phoenixes in da house.), Leenaren, Curtis Zidane Ziraa (Yeep! hides behind Tala), Anky, Lefty (Yup. Kenny sucks.), Arashi Doragon (Thanks for the comments. It makes me feel all tingly inside. Just a question, is your name Dragon said in Japanese? I love Dragons -), Ellen, Cynthia, Valdrein (He'll wake up soon. Poor Rei, I forgot about him too .;;), Grandsummon (I don't have SC, but I played it a few times. It's so cool, I just love Nightmare - Thanks for the great review.)