Don't you just love it when I make you wait for what Kai does? I know I do!
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"KAI!" someone yelled as they ran towards the figure lying in the sand. They thought they could hear laughing, but it sounded distant. It stopped as they approached Kai. He lay there, breathing heavily.
"Are you insane? What did you think you were doing jumping like that!" said Kenny in breath.
Kai opened his eyes and looked at the faces staring down at him. He got up slowly and stood, soaking wet, staring back at them.
"Can I have my T-shirt back?" was all he said in return to their concern. Ray handed it to him and he put it on, ignoring the fact that it would stick to his wet skin, and inevitably, his wounds.
Hilary stalked up to glare at him close to his face.
"Do you realise the worry you just put us through! How could you do it to us Kai!" her hand reached up to slap his face, and his own arm blocked it.
"Don't strike me unless you are prepared for me to do the same to you, and I didn't do anything to you, I did that for me." And with that he walked up the beach, heading back towards Tyson's house.
The others went to follow, Hilary lagging behind with a shocked and embarrassed look on her face. Ray watched their team leader, something was defiantly up. Kai was never one to take risks like that. Or was he? Ray knew that he didn't know the blue haired boy that well, none of them did, but how could they have expected that! Maybe Kai's recent experience had changed him somehow? They walked on in silence till they got back to Tyson's house, there Kai headed off towards the bathroom. They headed off to the kitchen.
"Hey little dudes! Dinners up, where's Kai?" was the greeting from Tyson's grandfather.
"He went in the direction of the bathroom. He had a dip in the sea, so I expect he's gone to wash of the sand and salt." Replied Tyson, eyeing up the plates his grandfather was filling.
"Where is the other?" asked Hilary, finally regaining her composure.
"My son and that lovely nurse have gone out for dinner, and Max will be back any second!"
Tyson suddenly looked sulky, but brightened up as Max's cheery face poked round the door frame. They all sat down to eat and they all recounted what had happened that day.
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Kai locked himself away for the second time that day. He just didn't want to be near people, not now he had made up his mind. Samantha said not to have showers yet, yeah like he was going to start listening to her now. He peeled off the damp clothes, wincing as his T-shirt clung to his back. He stepped into the shower and turned it on. He let out a blissful sigh as the warm water sluiced down his back. He let the possible last shower of his life be the best he had ever had.
Unfortunately, it had to end. He sighed as he stepped out of the shower. After wrapping a towel around his waist he rinsed his gritty clothes using the shower, they would be easier to wash this way. He dried himself gently and put on a pair of baggy blue trousers and a dark grey T-shirt. He towel dried his hair and looked in the mirror, the damp locks standing up in even worse order then usual. He ran his hands through the unruly bangs until they started to look like they usually did, if a little droopy from the dampness.
The blue triangles on his cheeks stood out from his pale skin. He still didn't know what they were for, but he would, very soon. His concentration was broken as his stomach grumbled.
"Great, I'm turning into Tyson!" he joked to himself, though it did nothing to lift the dread that was forming round his heart. But he had made up his mind; tonight he would get his answers. He tidied up his stuff and left the bathroom.
He was thankful the kitchen was empty as he collected a plate of food from the microwave. He could hear his team mates training their blading skills outside, something he had neglected recently. He felt the familiar tug from Dranzer, the phoenix understood, always did. He ate as much as he felt necessary, then pushed food round the plate as he thought about tonight.
He shook his head and cleared away his plate. He went to where they were sleeping and dug around in his bag. He pulled out his personal C.D player and a small black book. He headed back to the living room and slumped into an armchair. He rested his back against one arm and draped his long legs over the other. Feeling comfortable, he put on his headphones and lost himself in the music and the words written in the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner, everyone had decided to go outside and practice. They all wanted to talk and this way Kai wouldn't get suspicious. Tyson started off training with Dragoon.
Finally Ray spoke, "Kai's not acting right guys."
"We can tell that Ray!" said Tyson, rolling his eyes at Ray stating the obvious.
"Oh, and I suppose you know what to do about it too, huh?" countered Ray.
"Well...." Was interrupted by Max.
"From what you told me, this could be serious!" the blonde put into the conversation, trying to stop an argument from going any further.
"You should have been there Max; it was like Kai just didn't care anymore. He smiled at us just before he jumped, and I don't know what it was, but that smile wasn't right" said Hilary quietly.
"There is defiantly something wrong with him, he looks so determined about something, and he's distanced himself from us again. We need to find out what's bugging him," said Ray, and everyone agreed. They watched in silence as Dragoon moved on the dirt.
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Kai's thoughts were all over the place, he supposed doing two things at once whilst thinking about something else didn't help. It was good practice for multi-tasking, a very handy thing to be able to do. Kai hated himself for thinking like that; it was the way he thought when he was at the abbey. But then what the abbey had done to him had made him what he was today, and he couldn't be all bad, could he?
He knew he had skill and abilities not many people had, but he hadn't learnt them voluntarily, it had all been forced. Why had his grandfather wanted him? What made him so special? Was it the genetically perfect thing they always described about him, because it had cost him his parents, his friends, and something inside Kai had died along with them. He wasn't completely sure his parents were dead, but he didn't want to hope they were alive and then find they really were gone. To have such hope destroyed would finish Kai's soul. It was better to think them dead. It was probably the right assumption; his grandfather never did half a job.
The final part of Kai's innocence was lost behind those walls as well, all thanks to his grandfather and that monster Boris. They had taken everything from him, even his memories were gone because of that place. He would get them back, even if it killed him, he would get his past back. He had to know everything about what happened in the abbey, it was the only way he could ever begin to free himself and finally live as Kai Hiwatari. He had once thought of changing his name, but decided to keep it when he realised that his parents had named him Kai, and that even though his grandfather was a Hiwatari, so had his father been. It was all that was left of his parents, even the tears shed for them had long since dried.
His thoughts swirled darkly in his head, the swim in the sea had tired him out more then he knew. He felt himself falling into sleep and couldn't stop it. He finally stopped fighting it and succumbed to the sweet bliss of his consciousness drifting in darkness.
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That was how Ray found him hours later. They had finally stopped training when Tyson's dad and Samantha had returned back from their dinner. It was getting late and everyone had decided bed was a good option after the night before.
Ray had walked into the living room to find Kai curled up in an armchair, sleeping. He smiled to himself as he took off the headphones on Kai's ears. The music had been on repeat and was still playing. Ray heard fragments of Linkin Park just before he turned off the C.D player. He picked up the book spread on Kai's legs. The pages were scribbled all over with hand writing, though Ray couldn't read the language. It looked familiar. What caught his attention was stuck in the centre of one of the pages. It was a lock of bright red hair. Ray's attention was brought back to Kai as the boy murmured in his sleep.
Ray carried the items as he looked for Tyson's dad. He found him and they returned to where Kai was sleeping. Tyson's dad gently lifted Kai off the armchair and carried him to the bed in the training room. Kai talked to himself quietly the whole way, turning his head a little when it was laid on his pillow. Ray put Kai's things beside the bed.
Everyone got ready for bed quietly; they didn't want to wake up the still murmuring blue haired boy. It wasn't long before they all fell asleep, leaving only gently snoring to accompany Kai's unintelligible words.
Kai woke with a start. He had feared that falling asleep might have cost him the night, but it was still dark. He looked around at the forms of his sleeping friends. He felt like he should leave some form of goodbye, but that would only make them come and find him. He didn't want them involved, not this time. He pulled on his shoes and then reached into the pocket of the blue trousers he was still wearing. He pulled out Dranzer. The blade glowed softly in the moonlight, and he could feel Dranzer's worried pleas. He had to leave the phoenix here, where there was safety. He found Black Dranzer as well, and laid the two bitbeasts together. He couldn't risk them in this.
He stood up and headed to the door. Before leaving, he looked back at his friends. His actual friends. His eyes shone with unshed tears as he whispered thank you. Then he left into the shadows beyond the door.
In the dark Dranzer reached out to all the sleeping teens. The phoenix couldn't let Kai do this. In their sleep, the people that had made Kai almost feel he belonged stirred as they all shared the same dream. It was all Dranzer could do, for now.
In the streets, a dark shape moved in the shadows with unearthly grace. Only the fiery eyes betrayed the illusion of a ghost, and gave the moving shadow flesh. Kai took his destiny in his own hands this night, and he would succeed.
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"KAI!" someone yelled as they ran towards the figure lying in the sand. They thought they could hear laughing, but it sounded distant. It stopped as they approached Kai. He lay there, breathing heavily.
"Are you insane? What did you think you were doing jumping like that!" said Kenny in breath.
Kai opened his eyes and looked at the faces staring down at him. He got up slowly and stood, soaking wet, staring back at them.
"Can I have my T-shirt back?" was all he said in return to their concern. Ray handed it to him and he put it on, ignoring the fact that it would stick to his wet skin, and inevitably, his wounds.
Hilary stalked up to glare at him close to his face.
"Do you realise the worry you just put us through! How could you do it to us Kai!" her hand reached up to slap his face, and his own arm blocked it.
"Don't strike me unless you are prepared for me to do the same to you, and I didn't do anything to you, I did that for me." And with that he walked up the beach, heading back towards Tyson's house.
The others went to follow, Hilary lagging behind with a shocked and embarrassed look on her face. Ray watched their team leader, something was defiantly up. Kai was never one to take risks like that. Or was he? Ray knew that he didn't know the blue haired boy that well, none of them did, but how could they have expected that! Maybe Kai's recent experience had changed him somehow? They walked on in silence till they got back to Tyson's house, there Kai headed off towards the bathroom. They headed off to the kitchen.
"Hey little dudes! Dinners up, where's Kai?" was the greeting from Tyson's grandfather.
"He went in the direction of the bathroom. He had a dip in the sea, so I expect he's gone to wash of the sand and salt." Replied Tyson, eyeing up the plates his grandfather was filling.
"Where is the other?" asked Hilary, finally regaining her composure.
"My son and that lovely nurse have gone out for dinner, and Max will be back any second!"
Tyson suddenly looked sulky, but brightened up as Max's cheery face poked round the door frame. They all sat down to eat and they all recounted what had happened that day.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kai locked himself away for the second time that day. He just didn't want to be near people, not now he had made up his mind. Samantha said not to have showers yet, yeah like he was going to start listening to her now. He peeled off the damp clothes, wincing as his T-shirt clung to his back. He stepped into the shower and turned it on. He let out a blissful sigh as the warm water sluiced down his back. He let the possible last shower of his life be the best he had ever had.
Unfortunately, it had to end. He sighed as he stepped out of the shower. After wrapping a towel around his waist he rinsed his gritty clothes using the shower, they would be easier to wash this way. He dried himself gently and put on a pair of baggy blue trousers and a dark grey T-shirt. He towel dried his hair and looked in the mirror, the damp locks standing up in even worse order then usual. He ran his hands through the unruly bangs until they started to look like they usually did, if a little droopy from the dampness.
The blue triangles on his cheeks stood out from his pale skin. He still didn't know what they were for, but he would, very soon. His concentration was broken as his stomach grumbled.
"Great, I'm turning into Tyson!" he joked to himself, though it did nothing to lift the dread that was forming round his heart. But he had made up his mind; tonight he would get his answers. He tidied up his stuff and left the bathroom.
He was thankful the kitchen was empty as he collected a plate of food from the microwave. He could hear his team mates training their blading skills outside, something he had neglected recently. He felt the familiar tug from Dranzer, the phoenix understood, always did. He ate as much as he felt necessary, then pushed food round the plate as he thought about tonight.
He shook his head and cleared away his plate. He went to where they were sleeping and dug around in his bag. He pulled out his personal C.D player and a small black book. He headed back to the living room and slumped into an armchair. He rested his back against one arm and draped his long legs over the other. Feeling comfortable, he put on his headphones and lost himself in the music and the words written in the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After dinner, everyone had decided to go outside and practice. They all wanted to talk and this way Kai wouldn't get suspicious. Tyson started off training with Dragoon.
Finally Ray spoke, "Kai's not acting right guys."
"We can tell that Ray!" said Tyson, rolling his eyes at Ray stating the obvious.
"Oh, and I suppose you know what to do about it too, huh?" countered Ray.
"Well...." Was interrupted by Max.
"From what you told me, this could be serious!" the blonde put into the conversation, trying to stop an argument from going any further.
"You should have been there Max; it was like Kai just didn't care anymore. He smiled at us just before he jumped, and I don't know what it was, but that smile wasn't right" said Hilary quietly.
"There is defiantly something wrong with him, he looks so determined about something, and he's distanced himself from us again. We need to find out what's bugging him," said Ray, and everyone agreed. They watched in silence as Dragoon moved on the dirt.
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Kai's thoughts were all over the place, he supposed doing two things at once whilst thinking about something else didn't help. It was good practice for multi-tasking, a very handy thing to be able to do. Kai hated himself for thinking like that; it was the way he thought when he was at the abbey. But then what the abbey had done to him had made him what he was today, and he couldn't be all bad, could he?
He knew he had skill and abilities not many people had, but he hadn't learnt them voluntarily, it had all been forced. Why had his grandfather wanted him? What made him so special? Was it the genetically perfect thing they always described about him, because it had cost him his parents, his friends, and something inside Kai had died along with them. He wasn't completely sure his parents were dead, but he didn't want to hope they were alive and then find they really were gone. To have such hope destroyed would finish Kai's soul. It was better to think them dead. It was probably the right assumption; his grandfather never did half a job.
The final part of Kai's innocence was lost behind those walls as well, all thanks to his grandfather and that monster Boris. They had taken everything from him, even his memories were gone because of that place. He would get them back, even if it killed him, he would get his past back. He had to know everything about what happened in the abbey, it was the only way he could ever begin to free himself and finally live as Kai Hiwatari. He had once thought of changing his name, but decided to keep it when he realised that his parents had named him Kai, and that even though his grandfather was a Hiwatari, so had his father been. It was all that was left of his parents, even the tears shed for them had long since dried.
His thoughts swirled darkly in his head, the swim in the sea had tired him out more then he knew. He felt himself falling into sleep and couldn't stop it. He finally stopped fighting it and succumbed to the sweet bliss of his consciousness drifting in darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That was how Ray found him hours later. They had finally stopped training when Tyson's dad and Samantha had returned back from their dinner. It was getting late and everyone had decided bed was a good option after the night before.
Ray had walked into the living room to find Kai curled up in an armchair, sleeping. He smiled to himself as he took off the headphones on Kai's ears. The music had been on repeat and was still playing. Ray heard fragments of Linkin Park just before he turned off the C.D player. He picked up the book spread on Kai's legs. The pages were scribbled all over with hand writing, though Ray couldn't read the language. It looked familiar. What caught his attention was stuck in the centre of one of the pages. It was a lock of bright red hair. Ray's attention was brought back to Kai as the boy murmured in his sleep.
Ray carried the items as he looked for Tyson's dad. He found him and they returned to where Kai was sleeping. Tyson's dad gently lifted Kai off the armchair and carried him to the bed in the training room. Kai talked to himself quietly the whole way, turning his head a little when it was laid on his pillow. Ray put Kai's things beside the bed.
Everyone got ready for bed quietly; they didn't want to wake up the still murmuring blue haired boy. It wasn't long before they all fell asleep, leaving only gently snoring to accompany Kai's unintelligible words.
Kai woke with a start. He had feared that falling asleep might have cost him the night, but it was still dark. He looked around at the forms of his sleeping friends. He felt like he should leave some form of goodbye, but that would only make them come and find him. He didn't want them involved, not this time. He pulled on his shoes and then reached into the pocket of the blue trousers he was still wearing. He pulled out Dranzer. The blade glowed softly in the moonlight, and he could feel Dranzer's worried pleas. He had to leave the phoenix here, where there was safety. He found Black Dranzer as well, and laid the two bitbeasts together. He couldn't risk them in this.
He stood up and headed to the door. Before leaving, he looked back at his friends. His actual friends. His eyes shone with unshed tears as he whispered thank you. Then he left into the shadows beyond the door.
In the dark Dranzer reached out to all the sleeping teens. The phoenix couldn't let Kai do this. In their sleep, the people that had made Kai almost feel he belonged stirred as they all shared the same dream. It was all Dranzer could do, for now.
In the streets, a dark shape moved in the shadows with unearthly grace. Only the fiery eyes betrayed the illusion of a ghost, and gave the moving shadow flesh. Kai took his destiny in his own hands this night, and he would succeed.