For Better and For Worse
ducks under tableBeen bad, I'm so sorry I took so long to update! This chapter turned out to be WAY bigger then I originally planned, so I split it into two parts.
In this half, there are two happenings that will happen in slightly different timings, but follow the same trail of thoughts, hope it's not too confusing.
Well, let's start this shall we?
Death Shadow, part I
He took about two hours to find out that some strange guys had frightened the Stravsa gang from their usual spot. Dirty,Ugly and Bad, the movie, would have found better protagonists in those folks, they were just so mean and terrible not even the police would dare touch them.
These sort of people were not so strange to him anyway. Kai had grown in a not very healthy family environment: his father was always out; when he was home, there were always fights - over him being "an useless pig" or "having those whores in MY house" he would hear his mother say. Not much of a nice lady by the way, she was constantly drunk, beating and hitting the nearest target, that being the wall or a vase and when he wasn't fast enough, Kai was her punching bag. The reason she didn't exacly like the whores he would bring was because they reminded her that she couldn't do the same anymore - age truly does not forgive... so, if you can't sell your body for money, sell someone else's! So she worked in a prostitute house and sometimes got men she would met on the street to come over and "talk" to the ladies... Kai once had a not so pleasant meeting with one of those guys, but his knight in shining armor came to save him - his brother.
He had left home long ago.
"I'll be back for'ya, Kai!" he heard him say.
And he believed, like most 8 years old would have. He belived for years, believed one day he'd find him, in one of those pitches he went through his whole life, he knew he'd find him!
Sadly, he did...
Why am I thinking of them now? I lost a brother... and I won a friend... not a trade I liked, but better then nothing I guess...
Kai snapped out of his day dreaming as a cry pierced though the cold night like a bullet. And he had a feeling it was meant for him...
They know I'm coming... So much for the element of surprise. Or not... there's a reason I'm the Shisou.
The young slayer smirked at his own thoughts. He actually enjoyed himself when he received that naming and killed his first master.
2 years ago
"Yuri! Yuri!!!"
The slayer stopped and looked back. A painted man approached him with an angry expression.
"I told you that boy would be nothing but troubles, but did you listen?!"
"What did he do now?" Yuri asked with an amused grin.
"That kid went on challenging my pupils again!"
"That's your problem, Rei."
"What?!"
"I've told you over and over again. Kai is just one of those calm kids, but if you manage to get on his wrong side, there's just trouble waiting for 'ya... If your pupils go on picking on him, they'll get a response. Elementary, my dear friend."
Yuri walked away without waiting for Rei's reaction. He knew the other trainers didn't like it when he brought Kai in.
He has no special habits; he is very unstable; he needs psychological assistance... They told him just about everything they could to prevent that boy from coming.
Superstitious bastards... they would actually risk leaving him just like that, to prevent him from entering... But I refused to let go of him and in the end, I had to do his training myself... thank God it's almost over... tomorow... tomorow is the Final test... what nickname will you be given, Kai? I guess I'm the one that has to decide, but I haven't really thought about it...
the next day
A roof top - two women on the right side and two men on the left. Yuri was still inside the building, and so was the soon-to-be-slayer.
"Kai."
"Yuri."
"Kai."
"Yuri."
"Kai?"
"Yuri."
"KAI?"
"Humm?"
"Arggg --#, will you look at me?!"
"Ah! Sorry, I wasn't here"
"Oh, but you better be! I won't say give it your best. You always do. What I'm going to say is - try not to make much of a mess, ok? And don't forget..."
"Always aim for the throat. Ok. Are those guys really sure this place is safe? And why did we change locations anyway? I though we were going downtown."
"We were Kai, but you must understand, vampires don't stay put for to long, we have to track them down to make these sorts of tests. I remember my test. My Watchers lost the vampire I was supoused to track down. We had to wait for about 4 hours until we found him. He was dead already. I had my Final rescheduled. But I'm here ain't I?"
Yuri's walkie-talkie rang - it was time, the vampire had been tracked.
Yuri climbed up the rusty iron ladder and joinded the two woman. They looked cold and impartial.
Good. Let's get started. Don't disappoint me Kai.
Kai looked up for the last time before starting his chase. Yuri's face seemed to comfort him.
"Time to slay," he mumbled to himself.
The final test was actually very simple: all he had to do was track down the vampire and kill him without attracting attentions. Meanwhile, the Watchers would decide if he was fit to become a slayer or not.
Kai started walking away from the alley. His silent shadows followed behind him.
"Now where to?"
The boy spotted a night club. Just a hint...
And he was good with hints. He only saw vampires once, the memories were still pretty much repressed inside his mind. But he knew that guy was one. Pale face, dressed in black and navy blue and an unreadable espression. The 'test subject', so to say, knew he was a target for a trainnie, so he did his best not to show off and keep a low profile. And that's precicely what will attract someone's attention to you if you decide to hide inside a night club crowded with people dancing and laughing. Kai almost glued himself to the wall to get to the bar from the vampires back.
There was nothing he could do while he was inside - and the vampire knew that. So Kai made a very strange move - he walked to the nearest seat.
"A beer please."
The vampire looked at him - every single person that approached the bar tried to get as far as possible from that guy who looked to strange and cold, and this kid was glued to him.
Grabbing his beer, Kai gave him a strange, provocative smile and took a dip.
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Once Kai finished his drink and payed for it, he turned to the vampire.
"Kai."
"Hn?"
"It's my name.", he coolly replied.
"So? I didn't ask for it."
Kai slowly got up and approached the man. His face was bowed and the shadows cloaked his eyes. With an unreadable expressision, he put his mouth to the vampire's ear.
"I just though you'd like to know the name of the one that will take your immortality away."
And with that, he walked out, not even bothering looking back to see the terrified expression on the man's face. His shadows sighed in relief while Kai walked out of the night club into the back of the street - which he'd later find out, was a dead end.
Just like he expected, the vampire used the back door to try and escape his death sentence.
The Watchers and Yuri jumped to the next set of buldings to get a good grip on the happening. And they looked just in time to see Kai's trouble get way bigger then he thought.
Because the Watchers told him to look for one vampire, he failed to notice they were actually three. And they were accompanied by 2 mortal females.
Shit! Now what?! If any one approaches, they'll kill the girls. But if I don't do something, they'll hurt them anyway...
Kai studied his oponents. Vampires were cocky, proud and somewhat stupid creatures. They liked to boast and brag about themselves to the others, thinking no one could stand up to them and they were not that hard to piss off.
Then he studied his battle field. It was a dead end street - something they noticed once the girls started giggling, asking them if they wanted to cross the wall like a ghost. Their only way out was through him and the Watchers. There was a night lamp just outside the club's exit that provided a very dim light and there were several dustbins. Because the light was so dim, all he could see were the silhouettes of the five targets.
Taking a deep breath, Kai ducked and started moving. One step after the other, keeping as low as possible and moving as silently as a cat. Once he reached the first dustbin, luck decided to show up and the night lamp blacked out. The vampire Kai had talked to almost jumped out of his skin.
"Go see if there's anyone there, idiot!" he heard one of the others say.
He passed right through him and near to the opposite side of the wall Kai was next to. Making a sound only his target would hear, he let the shadows cloak him, embrace him.
"It seems he's not even there." Yuri told one of the Watchers.
Indeed.
The vampire heard the sound and approached Kai. He looked and looked and he still saw nothing. So he came even closer. Now, the others couldn't see him, and they were so distracted with the girls, they didn't notice was he was doing.
Just a little more...gotcha!!!
Rushing forward, Kai immediately placed a hand on the man's mouth and dug is knife deep down his throat. Removing the blade and dragging the corpses to the back of the dustbins he prepared to finish his task.
Approaching the nearest shadowy spot, he grabbed his weapons: 3 different sized knives. He had a good aiming. But was it that good?
He knew his chances were almost none and he might hit one of the girls... so aiming to the head was not a possibility.
So he aimed to the next best spot: the heart.
Grabbing two knives with one hand, he used the spare hand and aimed for the back of the furthest vampire. It screamed when it felt the blade pierce through his flesh. The girls started screaming, the other vampire preparing to kill them if you're gonna die, don't do it alone... and Kai was already on top of him, the girls screaming even more. Kai was worried they might attract attentions, the hurt vampire screaming more and more tring to take the blade off, Kai hitting one of the girls with his foot to shut her off, her friend getting the picture but still screaming, Kai grabbing himself to the vampire's back like if he was riding a bull, trying to grab the weapon that had fallen down, the girl still screaming, running away from there and on the top of the buildings Yuri laughing like hell while the Watchers looked at him as if he was crazy!!!
UFF!!! What a mess! Let me breath!!!
Finally Kai managed to dig the blade on the vampires throat and the other one was easy to take care of.
Painted and tired, Kai looked up to a pleasant sight: Yuri and the Watchers were smiling.
"Congratulations Kai. You've passed with the best results I ever gave. Even though the other girl attracted attentions, she was too drunk, no one will believe her," the lady Watcher told him.
"Indeed, that was very good, I couldn't do better. Congratulations, Death Shadow."
Kai made no comments on the naming he was given. It fit him and he knew it. He would mask himself within the shadows, moving as if he was one himself.
Looking up into the sky, he smiled to the moon, his only companion that night, showing her pretty face and willingly providing her light. It was a night he would not forget.
The battle would be hard: him, two newbies and a master vampire. He had no chance! He was just supposed to come as a support - they'd never give him a chance to do anything no matter if the Watchers gave you such a great score!. But you use support when you need an extra back up if the big boys get in trouble and considering they were pretty much dead, the 3 kids were their only chance! Kai, being the only official slayer, took the lead and entered the house. It's was three floors high and it was damn hot in there!
Local people said that was because the vulcan beneath the house was lit. The vulcan was at sleep for almost 50 years now, but Japannese can be very superstitious.
It didn't take long before they seperated themselves and Kai found one of them sucked to the bone and the other one stupidly running away, right into the dog's mouth.
He was the last slayer left and he couldn't ask for help.
His oponent was Tan Pai, an elder vampire from the times of the samurais. Unfortunately, he didn't respect the samurais code of honor and the second Kai would show up, he'd send his men on him. So Kai had to find a plan. A plan that would allow him to get to his room at the top floor, going through all his vampirish security and their dogs, enter the room itself which was heavely secured, walk pass the room's inside security and them knock down Pai and kill him... and all of this without getting killed.
"That should be easy..." he whispered to the air. The first problem was getting upstairs - that came out easier then he thought, the room was near the attic and when Kai had to get on the outside window ledge he realised he could climb up the pipes. Once upstairs, he sneaked up to the entrance of the room - 4 guards were guarding the entrance and the dogs were getting restless. Afraid they might reveal him, Kai made his way back. No one seemed to hear and the dogs just lay down again.
Kai had quite a figure: his torso was quite slim yet his arms were strong and his legs powerful and high. He seemed to walk like no one, more then that, he seemed to sneak like no one, concealing himself within the shadows, invisible to unwary eyes. Fundamental to his little task.
He had to find a way around the guards at the door! So Kai temporarily changed his name into MacGiver and used his brains to come up with a plan: using a decoy, he would lure the guards away, leaving the doors unprotected.
A loud BANG sounded and the guards were as fast has their supernatural skills allowed. Kai moved even faster if possible - the sound had scared out the inner guards and Pai himself was ready for any hostilities. So he used the prototype weapon The Associations all over the world had been working on: a hand grenade that exploded and launched a very bright light.
As vampires grew stronger and stronger, their ability to resist the sun improved. Masters were the worse, because they were so old, their power was amazing and they could last about 7 to 10 minutes under a burning sun. The young embraced couldn't last more then some seconds, so the grenade would take them off for a while.
Once Kai heard their screaming he peeked in. Pai was standing in the middle of the room, eyes filled with tears, ears hurting with the sound of the young's screams.
He grabbed a sword and got back, hiding behind the safety of the Japannese blade. Kai ran to the back of the room and tried to see Pai, all his men running around, screaming, some had their skins burned out, some actually fuming. He couldn't possibly kill him now!
So he waited. He curled behind a columm, several metres away from Pai's trone, hidden in the shadows. Others came up, taking the injured downstairs. Pai was so surprised a sole mortal dared do such a thing, he forgot to look for him.
Big mistake.
Trembling and mumbling something in Japannese, Pai sat down and closed his eyes.
Even bigger mistake.
Kai approached the vampire very slowly. The dark shadows that filled the room clothed him perfectly, once again, it seemed as he wasn't even there.
Raising his left hand, a pocket knife came out. It was big enough to pry open his throat! Kai begged whatever Gods he had and prepared the blade.
From the back of the throne, he mumbled something only Pan heard:
"You can't escape Death's Shadow..."
Black orbs snapped open and one single word escape his lips:
"Shisou!"
Upon hearing his voice, his guards turned back to face him, only in time to see a glint of silver slash down. A full load of blood started coming out Pai's open throat like a fountain springing water. Kai grabbed yet another grenade and ran out of the room, onto the pipes and then away from the house.
With him stayed Pai's last word:
Shisou.
That day I became known as Shisou, the Death Shadow. Pai's eyes still haunt me... like his eyes do...
Kai almost hit his forehead for letting himself be dragged down by memories once again. But memories was all he had for now.
He just kept walking and walking untill he reached the boundries of his destiantion. Looking for a safe spot, Kai ran to the back of a tiny hill near the Stravza place. He could see several groups of vampires, about fifteen of them seemed to leaving. Figuring they were going hunting, Kai used his cell phone and sent a message telling about the occurence he was seeing. Ignoring the reply that stated:
WAIT FOR OPERATIVES, DO NOT ATTACK ALONE!,
Kai waited for the group to go away and searched for Bac'shama. He found him next to what it seemed like two masters and some new embraced. Seemed like luck was with the slayer tonight, Bac'shama abandoned the group and walked away with one of the masters. The others seemed to disapprove his actions, but he took no notice of it and kept walking.
Kai following close behind, he could hear pieces of the conversation:
...cause soon, we will be free!
...found...
...allow them to know!...
...prevent it?...
...no mercy! .... DIE!!!...
That last word didn't please Kai all that much, but he just kept listening. After a while they stopped and the other master seemed to be rather interested in something up in the sky, maybe a star. Kai grabbed that chance like there was no tomorow.
SLASH!!!
Immediatly after cutting the master's head, the slayer redrew to the shadows. But he was quite surprised when he heard Bach'shama's laughter.
"Well, you sure keep up to that name, don't you, Shisou?"
"You knew I was here?"
"Sometimes you seem to forget our link, young one"
"Unfortunately, I can't!"
"Still have nightmares? Ahahah!!!"
Kai smirked. "Tell me you don't make it on purpose?!"
"..."
"Fuckin ass! You got any idea the kind of troubles you gave me the first months?!"
"Yes, they had to restrain you sometimes, they were afraid you might try to kill yourself. I'm sorry, Kai, I din't mean to be so harsh on you!" he added in the end, not even a hint of regret on his voice.
"You warped demon! Why?! Why do this to me? Sick pervert, do you enjoy haunting me?!"
"Ah, unleash your anger with insults... That's all you can do..."
"Really?"
"Kai, are you actually that stupid to think I didn't know you were coming?"
"And are you actually that stupid to think I'd come challenge you alone?"
"No, that's actually what I was expecting. Soon your friends will be here and there will be a very large welcome commitee waiting for them..."
"30 vampires against an entire Association crew? Keep dreaming!"
"30?"
"Hn?"
"Fools! You have no idea what's happening here, have you? Mwahahahah!!!"
The slayer was staring at the master laughing insanely. He could not understand what was happening! If he knew Kai was coming, why let him kill the other master that easily? And what did he mean with "what's happening here"? Kai's mind was completely messed up and he wanted answers!
"Ok, start explaining! Now!"
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
"We'll see..."
Without further conversations, Kai launched himself against the master. Bac'shama swifly avoided the stroke and started chuckling at Kai's failed attempts to hit him with his large weapon.
"This is funny! If you run a bit faster, you might be able to hit my shadow."
Kai was really getting annoyed... The small stream that ran near them, so peaceful and quiet, it seemed to be a crime to soil it in such dirty blood... but either one way or another, the water would become red that night!
And it won't be my blood!
Kai put the katana aside and hoistedhis whip, trying to hit Bac'shama with it.
"Indiana Jones lives!", Bac'shama joked, but he regreted once he felt the sting of the whip against is left arm.
"Bastard! I'm gonna show you some respect! Like I should have done 2 years ago!"
Then, like a slow motion movie act, Kai seemed to freeze in time, this time, he couldn't hold those sad memories anymore...
End of Part I
." Ok, now move on to Part II!
Reviewers replies here:
kai and mariah gurlie fan
So, how did I go? Review please will'ya? And I'm really sorry for the lack on updates! Been busy, school gave me the headaches! I wish I had all the time to write, write and... write! But when I write and write and write, it's not that good ask Isa!, cause huge chapters like this one come out of my head. And I just have to write everything I think of... now, move on to part II !
Firen103
This fic is suppoused to represent though and mean people. And though and mean people SWEAR A LOT! And they are everything except nice! So, that explains why this is violente and rude. Bah, forget that, that's just an excuse to hide my sickening mind!!! MWAHAHAH!!! O.O
Thanks for reading, sorry for the slow update "
Nina
Thanks !
DarkMirror
Hya! Another pretty reviewer! Glad to know you like blood and gore, cause there's much more from were that came from! I just look at Kai in the show and think: that guy could be doing so many cool stuff in great animes lets face it, Beyblade is definitly not the most brilliant anime ever! and I just had to give one of my ideas a go! Hope ya like all the ass kicking ! Kai his the best, Kai totaly rules, I mean, he's great! Ok, I'm gonna start talking about how great Kai is - something we all know . - so, I better stop now.
