Chapter VII
---Draken Guard---
"Will you walk alone?
The darkened paths are forever dimming.
Did you know he was standing there?
We knew only what we believed.
But yet, is he not a hero?
No, he is the enemy.
That will you believe?
That We. We will fight.
What will you do if he smells your fear?
We will not run.
Will you vent your pain?
In the only means possible.
Will you be alone?
No, you are right beside me.
Who are you?
Who are we not?
If you are knocked down, will you stand up again?
Yes, our spirit will hold us.
What does this all mean?
Voltaire cannot win.
And who will stop him?
We will.
And who are we?
We are The Draken Guard."
"Damn it Pearse, can't we go yet?" Pearse surveyed him from behind the blade he held in his palm. "No, I told you. We wait," The crimson and raven-haired boy glared at him, "I don't want her dying, you hear me? She dies, and I'm blaming you!" Pearse laughed darkly at him, "I trust your sister is not so stupid Benji, she is an Ivanov too. You must have some sort of intelligence, even if it isn't much." Benji subsided in his chair, "I heard that Kai almost died the other day," Yawned a small figure, "Who told you that crap?" Pearse remarked, "Boris did," She simply acknowledged, "Then it appears that Boris didn't do his job properly then doesn't it?"
"How do you mean?" She asked. "Boris was suppose to bring Xander back here, that is what I paid him to do." She gasped slightly, "Now that is damn unfair Pearse, what the hell'd you do that for?" He smirked slightly, "Like I said to Benji, I thought she would have rather came back here then watch the one she loves die." Benji growled at him, "You're a bastard at times, you know that don't you." Pearse laughed, "Bite me," He turned sharply to Ellone, "When is the tournament?" She turned to watch him with her piercing blue eyes, "2 weeks tomorrow, what are you planning?" He watched her with his own hazel eyes, "We'll bring Arkenzere back to the Draken Guard, and make no mistake about that."
---
"Will you get that stupid idea out of your head already?" He yelled slamming down the lid on her suitcase, "Why it's true!" She outburst. "Kai didn't mean a damn word of it, Dranzer told me so!" She glared at him, "You always think your right don't you? Well guess what, for once you got it wrong!" Arkenzere sighed slightly attempting to calm his temper, "No, you're the one who thinks your always right." He looked back at her as he exited the room.
Alexander didn't feel much happier after the blazing row with her bit-beast; in fact, she couldn't have felt any worse. She spent the rest of the day, ignoring the others and packing up most of her belongings into suitcases. Knowing she wasn't doing anything to resist Voltaire and wasn't rebelling much to her dislike, it somehow gave Xander a lukewarm feeling of satisfaction, although something inside told her Voltaire wouldn't keep to his side of the bargain.
She had headed down the stairs some 5 hours later, half asleep and half wishing she was back in bed. Looking around the hall and seeing only Kenny, enlightened by a laser blue light, she sighed and made her way back up the stairs.
Her slumber was silent, but troublesome. She paid him a debt, a debt for his priceless advice...
--
"Well, carry on! Anything else you would like to add since you know it all?" Said Xander loudly, her voice curt, "I thought not," She sighed as she threw herself in her chair. "Well now you have finished vexing," He bitterly spat, "There is something." His eyes narrowed, "I want Arkenzere, he belongs with the Draken Guard. You know it and I know it," She studied him with her crimson eyes, "I brought him to the Draken Guard, and I'll take him back out." Her voice was full of bitter rage and emotion, "I'm sure Draken would agree Pearse, don't you?"
There was too much truth for the teens to ignore, Pearse despised Kai, and Xander was placed center in what was often a full raging war. "Somehow I think Draken would rather watch you die painfully." Xander was heard to give a short disapproving grunt from underneath her hands, which she had placed over her face. "Just because you couldn't get what you wanted, don't take it out on me," She replied Defensively. "Oh I wouldn't dream of it," He replied sarcastically. "There isn't any point to the Draken Guard anymore. We are just Boris's puppeteers, nothing more, nothing less."
Pearse's evil smile subsided slightly as he looked at her glaring at him, her eyes teary and slightly red. "Look I'm sorry if I hurt you, but it's in Arkenzere's best interests to stay here," She shook her head, "He's coming with me to Japan, and that's final Pearse, there's nothing more to say." She gazed over at the window as the rain hammered outside. She looked rather tense and miserable, "It's not like I want to go, but what choice do I have?" She asked. "Look, I understand that you think it's better to leave here, but do you honestly want your child growing up not knowing their father? Even worse, how do you think I would feel if I never saw you again? We've been friends for so long. I just couldn't bear to watch you suffer and have to leave because of Voltaire." He pounded his fists down on the arm rests of his chair, "This is just so god damn unfair."
"That's life Pearse, maybe if you got your head out of the ravine of your behind, you would know that."
--
"Is everything in order like I asked?" He questioned darkly. The short, stubby man bowed, "Yes, Sir. They are arriving shortly. I sent the Draken to greet them from the airport." Voltaire smiled in a sadistic manor, "She will soon be my bride... I cannot wait..."
--
"Welcome to Russia. Thank you for flying on the Tokyo Express, we hope you have enjoyed your flight. Please fly again. We remind you to remain stationary until the aircraft has fully came to a haut." Welcome a cheery woman on the intercom as the Bladebreakers except Kai dosed in there half-awake state. "When this aircraft fully comes to haut, im going to shove it up your ass." Tyson grumbled, failing his arms around. Ray who was sat behind him with Kai laughed and kicked his chair.
Alexander murmured in annoyance under her breath as Kenny began to give the team a lecture about Russian History. "Okay, I know all of this, I didn't sit in a school for 15 years for you to lecture me," She quipped, snapping Dizzi's screen shut. "I'm sorry," He mumbled, "I just thought..." His voice was barely a whisper. "Well, you thought wrong okay?" She growled and unbuckled her belt. She glared at the letter that Hilary held in her hand, her frown becoming more pronounced. "Wow, my first time in Russia," Hilary smiled. Tyson frowned slightly but smiled also, "Last time we where here, we had to save Kai before he ended up dying." He added, "Oh yeah, and I became world champion for the first time." Max coughed suggestively, "We all did, Tyson. You just beat Tala that's all," Tyson sighed, "Okay, so we all became world champions, so where was I, oh yeah..." Xander angrily interrupted, "Okay, we all don't want to hear your life story." Kai couldn't help but over hear Xander's vexing at the others. "Will you pack it in, your being childish." Xander clicked her tongue and turned in her chair, "That's rich coming from you."
"Okay, you two, we all know your tense but there is no need for the bickering," Said Ray sternly. Xander turned back in her chair, "If Kai kept his promises, I wouldn't be here right now, and so if you want me to stop bickering, try getting it into his thick head that this is all his fault." She replied simply. "Why is everything you do my fault?" Kai asked heatedly. Her stomach churned causing her to rest her head against the headrest in front. Hilary let out a small squeak of fright, whilst the others leaned over, "Are you okay?" She asked, slightly shaky, Xander outstretched her hand and shook it dismissively, "Yeah, I'm fine." She mumbled, "It's nothing really."
At this time, other passengers where filling seamlessly towards the door, the hostess's smile apparently glued to their faces, but where seen to mumble unhappily to each other, it was a slight relief to the blader's that everybody was having a bad day.
--
"We've been waiting for 45 minutes now, when are they going to be here?"
A small gang of blader's assembled in the arrivals lounge of the airport, waiting for there 'welcome committee'. So far Ray had been mobbed, Max managed to sigh some autographs before an angry group of Kai fan girls began to throw plushies of their hero at him, Tyson basked in his usual egotistical manor and Kenny recorded Kai almost lose his temper and punch some punk who decided he would challenge him. Hilary sat with Xander, trying hard not to burst into fits of laughter at Tyson. After a while, Xander lost her amusement and dragged Tyson by his hair back to his seat. "Aww, come on! I'm only having a bit of fun."
"You won't be having fun for long, so shut up and sit your ass in that chair." Xander snapped. Ray laughed at Tyson, who was now rubbing his head and reviving the clump of hair held in his fist. "Tough break Tyson, ah well. We've always said your head was hollow." Kai couldn't help but crack a small smile, but it soon turned back into its usual cold exterior when 2 young males appeared. "Bladebreakers I presume," The taller, electric blue and black haired boy sneered. "Appears your intelligence has slipped slightly, Urquhart." Kai stood from his seated position, "Funny how I thought you had changed somehow..." He peered over Urquhart's shoulder to glance at Pearse, "Your still McCann's Lapdog hey?"
Urquhart was slightly taller then Kai. He had an unusual aurora about him. His face was shaven, but stubbles appeared on his chin. He was always wearing his navy blue jacket, rolled up at the sleeves, and is black baggy trousers with belt buckles wrapped around the legs and the bottom. His unkempt hair fell across his forehead, which he had to often brush away from his hansom features, which made him look older then he really was. "I'd watch your mouth Hiwatari." Kai smirked, "Or what?" Xander stood to her feet, "Kai keep your mouth shut. Can we please go now?" She asked. Urquhart nodded, "Your to come with me, Pearse is taking the others." Xander nodded, "Listen, anything happens to them," She waved her hand about, "And I will personally have you hanged okay? Except Kai I couldn't give a damn about him right now..." Urquhart nodded with a slight laugh, "See ya around Kai." Kai glared at the pair and felt a need to shout after them. But against his will, with his fists clenched, he resided to his chair.