Hiya Guys and girls! Thank you for your lovely reviews, they really spur me on to keep writing. Just knowing there are others enjoying reading it as much as I love writing it is a real honour. I hope you like the latest instalment and enjoy :)
Chapter 39
Day 4 of the Granger dojo lockdown.
Warm summer rain trickled like tiny rivers elegantly down the cobalt-blue glass panes of Hiwatari Enterprises main office building. Block silver lettering of the building's name glittered in the golden sunshine despite the early morning downpour. Nestled in the high class business district of Ginza, Tokyo, it was a magnificent hive of corporate excellence and gleamed superiority to all the shorter structures at its ankles. It was 8:30am and the night cleaning staff had finished their shifts hours ago. The day however was just beginning for the eager 9-5 office workers that flooded into reception with moist hair and shoulders, having just escaped the wet weather outside they shook off their umbrellas and placed them into buckets by the crystal clear doors. Dressed in clean pressed suits and sensible feminine dress code, they swiped their badges to pass through security turnstiles, to begin their shift of high-performance work in return for very competitive salaries.
High in the sky on level 28, meeting room 3 was already in session. Silken magnolia linear blinds danced and swayed as they were tethered open via a pulley and string. Light flooded through the rain battered panes to illuminate a plush meeting room, of which smelt clean and floral from the upholstery shampoo and surface cleaner from the night previous. Cream carpet, golden and white striped walls with canvas of Japanese landscapes, and a masterful dark gloss mahogany wood table dominated the centre. A strong aroma of coffee arose in vapour from almost every cup of the nine people sat around it.
A corporate collection of different age, gender, position and race made up members of Kai Hiwatari's closest management staff...some were loyal ...others not so. Shareholders made up the other percentage who had no allegiance or opposition to Kai, just that the company was making them money was their only concern. Sat next to various mugs filled with hot caffeinated fuel were folders filled thick with agenda and paperwork. The well dressed and high earning residents were hot for debate with one topic...their CEO.
Henry Zhou, the 50 something, chunky bodied, Chinese business man turned corporate manager wore an expensive satin black suit and red tie. His face sported a thin haired moustache and sly eyes. Zhou detested the younger man for his ascension to CEO over himself and relished any chance to exact a snide comment. "I know this is a sensitive question Markus but do we have any idea when his highness will be gracing us with his presence."
Markus Gottlieb, the loyal friend and confidant, also acting CEO, sat at the head of the table where Kai usually ruled. He smarmed his reply. "As you well know Zhou, Mr H is recovering from his terrible ordeal at home, of which I will remind you was life threatening. And as soon as he feels fit, he will return without prompt. And did I detect sarcasm in your tone? Or did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed? I hope this doesn't become a regular disposition because Mr H will not tolerate it and frankly neither will I in his absence."
Zhou scoffed with a snarky expression. "Oh Markus there's no need to get upset. I simply wish to know when Mr Hiwatari will be re-taking his seat. As you know, operating at this high calibre there is no sickness leave, you get hit by a bus and you still come to work. Still, If Mr Hiwatari needs more time to recuperate on his couch watching Netflix then that's fine. However...our shareholders have some grave concerns... and they're here to express them as well as some... suggestions."
Jack Smith, a white British man with a clean shaved face and short slicked-back brown hair, around 40 years of age spoke up. "As much as I have sympathy for Mr Hiwatari and his situation, was he not advised to not partake in the beyblade tournament? Someone of his high standing should not have engaged in such reckless activity. And now he finds himself in a position, unable to attend work and as the public figurehead of this company, his absence has caused stock prices to downward trend and profits are at a standstill. Soon we will be making loses and that is plain unacceptable. We as shareholders need stability and assurance that our investments are safe, and that we will continue to see the upward trends we've had for the last three quarters."
Rashid Patel, a 35 year old Indian man with dark brown skin and a thin beard waited eagerly for the English man to finish to add his piece. "I must say I feel the same is Mr Smith. We are living in a time where public perception is everything and Mr Hiwatari has damaged the company's' image. The people see him as a celebrity attack victim and not as the respectable CEO he should be. Visuals are everything in the media as you know. We have suffered less contract offers brought forward because of this, all, the result of his behaviour."
Gottlieb's relaxed posture in his seat was long gone. "You know what happened to Mr H wasn't his fault. A thorough health and safety risk assessment was carried out on site by our own security without any concerns. The unfortunate run in with his attacker could not have been predicted. Mr H has a right to a personal life too and his previous profession was as a beyblader, so he knew what he was getting into. It was supposed to be nothing but harmless fun and raising charity funds for the BBA, of which, would have shown a positive light on the endeavours of our CEO and his own charity work which I believe does not see enough exposure."
Haruka, the nerdy head of HR spat as soon as Gottlieb had finished his sentence. "We've had less contract offers come forward purely due to partners waiting for Mr H to return, as an act of professional courtesy. Once Mr H is back in office, the contract offers will return with him."
A female shareholder, Ms Sara Takaya. 50 year something, mistress of the corporate world and big time investor wore a pencil skirt, white blouse, and short frizzy greying hair tucked behind her ears. "If that's the case then its clear partners are reluctant to conduct business with Mr Gottlieb, and perhaps someone of more experience should assume the role until Mr H's return."
Another shareholder, asian with short shaved black hair, brown eyes, wearing a grey suit, and a big boy of the Japanese stock exchange. Mr Johnny Chen did not mince his words. "I have to agree with Ms Takaya. I'm afraid to say Mr Gottlieb, that some of us on the board were not happy with Mr Hiwatari's choice to appoint you his substitute. A replacement should soon be considered, one with experience in the company and in the field of management. Your expertise was law, was it not?"
Chief financial officer Megumi Kanda, the long legged, tall, raven haired siren with a beauty spot above the right side of her lip, and always wore the sexiest office dresses spat."Like appoint Zhou you mean? Just how often do you two play golf? Mr Gottlieb was appointed by Mr H for a reason and that decision should be respected."
A young female Japanese lady, another shareholder added her piece wearing a tight black dress and pearl necklace. Aiko Suzuki. "Mr Hiwatari is the CEO, or was the CEO of this company and without him at the helm, shareholders are nervous, myself included. We need him back as soon as possible or we will need to think about what's best for the company. Shall we all agree a suitable time frame?"
Midoria, a 33 year old in dark skinny jeans, black polo shirt and suit jacket wearing a Pokémon lanyard, dark green fuzzy hair and light facial hair on his chin. "You mean supplant Kai? He's done more for this company that anyone else. You know Mr Hiwatari is what's best for the company. His name is above the door after all. Nobody will replace Mr Kai and his level of drive."
Mr Smith interjected sharply. "You shouldn't take our suggestions so personally. Our prime objective as shareholders is to ensure our assets remain profitable. We care very little for who is CEO. Just that someone who is competent for the role, a trusted and qualified person, with top tier management experience is appointed. We can draw up a list of candidates by the end of the day. If Kai does not return to office within, shall we say 2 weeks. We will bring forward a petition to the board and seek to appoint a new CEO to oversee this company and its operations going forward."
Megumi shot to her feet and slammed scarlet painted fingernails and palms onto the tabletop. She screeched. "On what grounds?!"
Mr Patel delivered his reply cold. "Reckless behaviour. Absence from the role. Absconding of his duties. Profits are at a halt because of his absence, no new contract deals have been made for a week and the most alarming in the drop in Hiwatari Enterprises stock value. In 2 weeks time we predict our stock values to drop tenfold if they reduce at the same rate they have been for the last few days ...since Mr Hiwatari's unfortunate hospitalisation. We cannot afford to let the stock prices drop any further. 2 weeks maybe too late for stock prices to bounce back but as a courtesy to Mr Hiwatari we are allowing him that."
Mr Chen smarmed and side eyed Zhou before gesturing his seriousness. "And this is all pending his fitness to return to work, or even his willingness to. If Mr Hiwatari is unfit mentally after his ordeal to return to work, we cannot wait. He must be replaced as soon as possible."
After the tense meeting of corporate heads had finished, the Anti-Kai team of managers and shareholders scurried swiftly out of the room in favour of a long cigarette break and brewing fresh batches of very strong cups of expensive coffee. They were due to meet in Meeting Room 26 to begin drawing up a list of potential candidates for a replacement CEO…Zhou would make top of the list if he had it his way. Loyal Haruka and Midoria naturally declined to join them and made for the roof garden for a vape and a rant.
Mr Gottlieb and Megumi remained in the meeting room to gather their thoughts and check in with the other. The once fresh floral scented room now smelt dirty with the stench of traitors and mutineers… and Zhou's pungent nasty aftershave lingered.
The duo stood quiet and poised for a moment to watch the rain batter the streets and people with and without umbrellas scurry below their window stories high.
Gottlieb took a large weathered Caucasian hand and combed his tightly curled greying hair back. The harrowing board meeting was nothing he'd seen before. He was disgusted by it but not surprised, this… was the world of top tier business. He exhaled a long sigh then crossed his expensive shirt-clothed arms and trapped his blue tie against his chest. "Well that was painful. I had no idea they opposed me so. With Mr H's absence they've grown some testicles it would appear."
Megumi, shorter statured, toned and model like, she cocked one hand on her hip as the other briefly rubbed her thin groomed eyebrow. "We should have known Zhou was going to run for Mr H's position the second the earth shook. It's obvious, some of the shareholders have been conned by Zhou's charm. I wonder how much he's bribing them. He isn't fit for the job, he's a creep, and cut from the same generational cloth as Voltaire. We'll suffer the same misogynistic toxic work culture and greed as before Mr H arrived. I know it."
Gottlieb sighed again. "Many were opposed to Mr H's promotion due to his age. They're going to use his love for beyblading and this bazaar incident as a means to label him reckless and paint him as the child they still claim him to be. Mr H has never been reckless, not with his company. They have no idea how many years he put into education and schooling, including the time he spent studying in London. He had no childhood with his Grandfather, and sacrificed his teens and early 20s to get where he is now. He deserves to remain CEO. I certainly don't want the position. I'm a few years away from retirement anyway. And what's more, he excels at his job...despite his age."
Megumi stared out the window with feist in her voice. "We have to tell him. We have to warn him Gottlieb. Mr H has 2 weeks to return to work in a fit and able condition... or he's going to lose his career and with it...everything that he's fought to build."
A lofty white man by the name of Markus carried a black shiny briefcase and a suit jacket over his arm as he wandered gingerly in thick white socks across the tatami mat flooring of the Granger household living room, and skulked through to the kitchen. He was searching for something or someone.
Barefoot and silent, Grandpa Granger sneaked behind his new intruder. His words boomed! "Mr Markus right?! We met at da hospital right mi dawg!"
The blue eyed European jumped in his skin at the sudden presence of the loud mouthed Hawaiian shirt wearer from behind. "Ohhhh! You surprised me!" Despite his tall and cumbersome frame, he'd cleared over 2 inches off the floor in surprise like a cartoon character. When he finally landed he immediately he bowed for a moment to the ninja-like dojo owner. He removed his gentleman's hat out of respect and swayed it in his face to cool down from the embarrassment. "Yes...yes, I'm Mr Gottlieb." He extended a limber pale hand for Ryu Granger to shake. "You are Tyson Grangers grandfather? I am sorry to be creeping around your wonderful home unannounced. My security staff let me in and I'm looking for Mr Hiwatari, you know him as Kai. Do you know where in the property he is?"
Grandpa Granger shook his paw rigorously for a moment too long. "Yeah sure dawg. He's fast snoozin' in my other Grandson's room. Here I'll take ya!" The hip old geezer was quick to lead the way.
Mr Gottlieb hurried behind before stopping sharply, almost bumping and staggering into the shorter Japanese his elder. They'd arrived at what was Hiro's bedroom doorway. The sliding doors were completely shut and no noise emanated from inside.
Grandpa Granger – "Here ya are. But I warn ya. K-dawg's not quite been himself lately. Barely comes out the room. I check on him from time ta time and he says he's fine... so I give him his space. But I'm a little worried. You couldn't check in on him for us? I think he could do with a friendly face. Ya dig?!"
The German acting CEO needed a second to decipher what the garish dresser was saying. Hip slang was foreign to his straight-laced upper class ears. "Urhmm... yes I understand...I think. I need Sir to sign some papers, and deliver some difficult news best served face to face."
Mr Granger cried before making his way back to the kitchen. "Righto! I'll leave ya to it. Tyson and the other kiddos are in the dojo if you fancied catchin' up with them before ya leave. I think they'd be happy to see a new face too! Ya know, someone from outside o' these walls."
Gottlieb, found himself strangely nervous and took a breath, and curled his fingers into a loose fist in order to wrap his knuckles gently on the door frame. *Knock* *knock* "Sir, Mr H, It's me, Gottlieb. I've dropped by to see how you are. I also have some paperwork I need your signature for... and I'm afraid we need to have a pressing matter we need to discuss."
No reply.
"Maybe he's asleep or in the bathroom. I'll try again." Gottlieb thought before wrapping his knuckles on the wood twice more. *Knock* *knock* "Sir, It's me, Markus. Can I come in? I really must speak with you."
Kai sharply called out with a raspy voice from within the quiet and dark room. "Go away Gottlieb. I'm not... feeling well."
Mr Hiwatari had been up for hours, Dranzer's cries had allowed him half an hour of sleep, the rest of the night and early morning was broken naps in between screams. His eyes were bloodshot ruby, his face paler than ever and his voice hoarse from dehydration. Add to this, his wound throbbed after having just replaced his bandages in the bathroom no more than 20 minutes prior. He sat in a cross legged position with a black pillow between the small of his back and Hiro's wardrobe door. He rocked back and forth slowly and gently and in small motions so as not to disturb his ripped skin and torso muscles. The rocking was for some fleck of comfort. His hands rested loosely and cold in his lap. His facial expression was hollow. Kai... was cracking up.
Gottlieb placed his hand on the door grip ready to slide it across. "With respect Sir, the papers can wait but the news I'm afraid, cannot. Please, may I come in and speak with you?"
Kai jabbed back with a sadness punching through his tone as he ducked his chin down. His puffy eyes buried in the darkness of his down-tilted face. "No. I don't... want to see anyone. I don't...feel myself... I just want to be left alone... Whatever it is...it will have to wait."
Mr Gottliebs' dark brownish grey brows furrowed with concern. He murmured. "But Sir."
The Dranzer blader ordered with as much confidence in his voice he could muster. "I'm going back to bed now. Leave the papers outside my door. I'll sign and post them back. Just...leave me be."
Gottlieb's long white skinned fingers loosened their grip on the door and fell away. His face contorted with concern. "Okay Sir. I'll... leave the papers right here... You know you can talk to me. After what we went through putting your Grandfather away, we are a little more than colleagues you know."
The kind Germanic giant waited for his ward's reply. Seconds pass without response.
The broken man allowed a short sharp smile to poke past his depression. "Thank you Markus...Now get back to work. You have my business to run."
Gottlieb choked back gulp of emotion. He wanted nothing more than to slide open the sliding doors and hold the boy he met when Kai was 14 years old; the scared but punchy kid in need of a father figure, lawyer and protector during the trial versus his Grandfather for his crimes against humanity, and abuse of the children of BIOVOLT. But Kai was no child anymore, and he didn't like or need mollycoddling. Gottlieb picked up his briefcase, opened it, pulled out a white folder with paperwork inside and left the package outside the shut door as instructed.
Gottlieb tilted his gentleman's hat. "I'll take my leave now Sir. Get well soon. I'll check in on you in a couple of days. Auf Wiedersehen für jetzt." – Translates to Goodbye for now.
The lofty german CEO in acting waited for any response with his ear pressed against the closed sliding door. A few seconds pass and no reply came. With slow legs and an unshakable awkward feeling in his chest he started back down the hallway, back through to the kitchen, and onwards to the way he came in to the front door, where his classy and shiny size 12 shoes waited neatly at the genkan. However, feelings and instinct nagged him aggressively. He knew something wasn't right and he needed to do one more thing before he'd allow himself to leave. A serious and stern chat with Tyson and his friends was in order, and most possibly, an intervention.
He frog marched at speed with long suit clothed legs down the wooden veranda and over the yellow wood bridge, he B-lined straight for the dojo doors where Grandpa said young bodies would be. Sure enough, Tyson and the others were inside and as usual arguing, trash talking or joking around. The dojo sliding doors were wide open to allow a breeze through whilst all inside were in various stages of folding bed covers, getting dressed, tying up shoelaces, scoffing the last bites of breakfast or tinkering with beyblades.
Mr Gottlieb knocked at the sliding door frame before entering. *Knock*knock* His words were urgent yet polite. "Hello! Hello! I must speak with Tyson, or... Kenny, Or Max even."
Tyson appeared from the laundry room having just pulled a yellow-t-shirt down over his tummy and dressed in flared blue shorts. His blue hair was wet and droopy after his morning shower and was looking forward to another day of sweaty beyblade training in the yard. "Hey! Mr Gottlieb! Come on in! Long time no see! We've not been getting out much since you know what, happened to you know who. Whatsupp? Installing even more security guards? Or lemme guess, you're here to see Kai?"
The concerned professional entered the dojo to stop close to the blunette beyblader. "Yes I've seen Mr Hiwatari already, or not seen him in actuality. And that's the problem. He wouldn't allow me into his room. How has he been lately? Is he...okay in himself?"
The blue haired youth rubbed the back of his head. "To tell you the truth Mr G. We're all really worried about him. And we don't know what to do."
Gottlieb placed his suitcase on the floor and crossed his arms. "Oh, tell me more."
Daichi joined in having just inhaled the last of his croissant. He exclaimed in his usual screechy voice. "He barely comes outta his room."
Max was carrying his futon to add to a pile but stopped to add. His tone was unusually serious. "We've seen him leave his room for pee breaks, and showers, he brushes his teeth and looks after his injury but that's all we see of him...a glimpse of him in passing. And what we have seen hasn't been good. Kai's lost a lot of weight and he doesn't look healthy in the slightest. We've tried to get him to join in with us but he just shuts the door behind him. He's wrapped up with his detective squad trying to hunt down Dranzer. I'm afraid he's becoming obsessed."
Tyson – "It doesn't help that we spend most of our time in the dojo or yard. But even Grandpa who spends most of his time in the house barely sees him. He's fretting over him too."
Gottlieb – "Yes, I briefly spoke to your grandfather and he confirms everything you just said."
Hilary stopped brushing her hair and gestured frustration with a brush in her hand. "He barely eats too. I make food for him and leave the plate outside of his door. I've tried lots of different foods because I know how fussy he can be but he literally eats a corner and leaves the rest. I'm at the end of my wits with him!"
Daichi – "He doesn't even join us for dinner. We had pizza recently and he didn't even join us for that. Who can resist pizza?!"
Tyson looked to the floor with unease. "I tried my hardest to get him to come to breakfast this morning, I really did." He lifted his head again with passion. "I said I'd cook him whatever he wants and you know what...he told me to go away. Typical Kai. I could tell he was getting angry so I left him to it. What more could I do aside from dragging him out and forcing food down him? I made Kai promise to eat later and I'm gunna hassle him again at lunch time. I promise I'll get through to Kai but I think it's going to take some time. He's dealing with a lot you know. Losing Dranzer has cut him real deep."
Emily joined in from behind the group. "And we don't think he feels very well with the pills the doctors prescribed him for pain. Or that's what we think anyway."
Gottlieb – "As for the hunt for his Bitbeast, I'm afraid that's a dead end endeavour. This morning, Mr H fired every one of his private investigators. They should have caught those Shadow Vale assassins by now and by what they had to say, the hunt is a lost cause. His Bitbeast Dranzer is gone and the chances of finding it are next to zero unless the thieves resurface."
Tyson staggered forward with an elevated cry. "He did what?! Oh man! This sucks big time! Poor Kai and Dranzer."
Max hung his head with the sad news. "Poor Kai. He had so much hope of finding Dranzer with his detective squad."
Kenny – "We all did Max, we really hoped they would come through for us. I bet Kai is just devastated."
Emily – "Ozuma did say Kai was barking up the wrong tree and his chances of finding Dranzer were hopeless. At least he tried."
Ray joined in the gathering group. "In a way, I hope we see Shadow Vale again. Only then we will be able to pick up Blakes' trail and at the end of it, we'll no doubt find Dranzer."
Gottlieb raised his voice with how emotional he felt and disbelief they've left his friend without help for too long. "Has anyone been able to talk, heart to heart with him about what happened to him? And how long were you going to leave him before deciding to seek external help? He may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder...AND THAT I'm afraid, he's going to need expert psychiatric help and quick. You do know he could be a suicide risk."
Tyson became emotional and loud. The accusation of not doing enough to help his "best friend" sooner hit hard. He begged. "So what do we do Mr Gottlieb?! How do we help him now?!"
His friends around him felt just as awkward and filled with regret. They shuffled uncomfortably with the guilt.
Gottliebs' accented voice dripped with frustration. "He needs to let us in. He needs to eat well, sleep well, get better and get back to work exceedingly quick... that...or he's going to lose his company."
Tyson gasped before launching himself at the giant framed man. He grabbed at the scruff of Gottlieb's white office shirt. "Huuuhhhh! Have you told him this?! Does he know? How is he going to lose his company?!"
Gottlieb allowed the beyblade champ's overreaction and gently swept his chubby hands out of their grip. Tyson settled back to standing and listened intently, albeit chomping at the bit for answers.
Gottlieb - "Some in our company believe someone else is better qualified and I dare say there are financial incentives for appointing a certain replacement. After what I have seen of Mr H's behaviour today and what you have told me. I don't feel it's in Kai's best interests to hear this news yet. I, meaning, we, don't know what mental state he's in, this sort of news could push him over the edge." He massaged his face briefly with a wrinkling white hand. "Things are worse than I thought. As for a care plan going forward we have a few options. One, we drag him out of that room and force feed him, which is basically assault. Two, I call his doctor and explain the situation. This will likely result in him being incarcerated at a mental health facility, where they will drag him out of his room and then force feed him at a hospital. Three, we miraculously return his Dranzer back today and hope that lifts his spirits...highly highly unlikely…
And option four...Our secret weapon. We call his grandmother and have her deal with him."
It was decided. A choice was unanimously agreed and Gottlieb made the call immediately.
Later that afternoon.
Izumi Uchiha, Kai's maternal Grandmother had arrived by a combined journey of helicopter and limousine straight from her little Hiroshiman home at the entire expense of her grandsons' company. Gottlieb had told her everything over the phone, approved the expenditure of her journey, arranged the staff and orchestrated her entire journey. The doting grandmother dropped her knitting club meeting and afternoon shopping to get to Tokyo as quickly as the road and air vehicles could deliver her.
Dressed in an open flapping purple jumper with plastic daisies for buttons, a pink t-shirt and baby blue jeans... Super-Grandma had arrived. She stormed through the guards like the Queen of England at the front gates and was escorted personally by Mr Cooper to Tyson's front door. She kicked off her granny shoes with memory foam soles with haste at the genkan and was greeted by the whole anxious household in the centre of the tatami mat living-room.
"Where is he?!" She ordered without any pleasantries or hello in a croaky elder's voice.
Without words or any chance to ask her how her flight was, she was led silent and tense by the young Granger to his brothers' bedroom door. Tyson, Ray, Max, Kenny, Hilary and Emily loitered a few steps behind her as she took a breath and readied herself for what will turn into an emotional exchange. Mariah, Daichi, Tala, Bryan and Grandpa Granger busied themselves with other things. Whatever was about to go down with Kai and his Nan wasn't likely to be pretty and they figured the less people watching, the better. Curiosity was too much for the closest of the G-Revolution team and they wanted to be present to see for themselves how Kai was doing, and how much regret to hang themselves with later.
The Lilac eyed senior with the sweetest disposition curled her old-lady fingers and wrapped on the door frame. *Knock* *knock* "Kai, My love. It's Grandma. Can I come in?"
The wounded beyblader immediately snapped his head up from its down hanging position. Adrenaline hit his blood so fast it made him nauseous. His heart beat uncomfortably fast in his chest. "They called my Grandmother! Gottlieb this was you. No. No. No. No. Not her. I can't let her see me like this." Kai deployed his best acting skills. He coughed to clear his throat to sound something like his normal voice. "I'm fine Grandmother... I'm... just really tired with everything. I just need some rest... and I'll be fine. You should go back home... I'll call you in a few days."
Grandma Izumi wasn't having any of it. "Kai, your friends and Mr Gottlieb are worried about you. They say you're not eating and you're not coming out of your room. Won't you please let me in? I need to see how you are doing. Don't you want to give your loving old granny a hug? I've not seen you since you left the hospital. We used to be so close my dear. Why don't you just come on out my love?"
Kai felt black coloured tension build in all of his fibres. His head spun a little dizzy and his palms began to sweat. He just wanted to be left alone. "I promise Grandmother I'm okay. I'm dealing with it...I'll come see you when I'm back on my feet."
Izumi barked back with a stern protruding finger waving at the door. Her pleading wasn't working and so opted for a more militant approach. "Dealing with what? From what I've heard you're not dealing with anything. You have shut yourself away in that dark room all on your own. And from what I hear, you're not taking care of yourself. Now, I won't ask again Grandson. Open this door so that I can see you. It will just be me and you. Or I'm coming through that shoji door with my fists."
The injured youth knew... she meant it and at any moment she would punch through the dense paper walls if she saw fit. With much pain and stretching of muscles that had barely worked for hours, he slid his back up the wardrobe into a prone position. He tried to calm himself by deeply breathing in through his nose and slowly out through his mouth; this calming technique however, was not working. The pressure was building and Kai felt overwhelmed with its weight. Not only was he sleep deprived, depressed, thin and dehydrated, his condition was about to be on display for friends and family to see...exactly what he didn't want and had shied away from for days.
Tyson jumped forward to add his piece before a certain senior started to smash through his home. "Kai, it's me. We are all worried sick about you! Please let us in. We won't judge you buddy."
Hilary pleaded. "We just want you to be safe and healthy. Can you let your Grandma in, just her so we all know you're alright?"
A vein popped on Kai's pale sweaty forehead. His fists balled so tight his nails dug into his palms, and his blood pressure and heart rate rose exponentially with each comment.
Ray ordered. "Kai, you gotta come out now. Let us take care of you. Don't make us worry anymore."
Max added a nice touch of warmth. "Say Kai. We're all here for you."
Kai's tightly wrapped fists began to shake, his legs too as the adrenaline peaked in his system. His stony eyes remained hidden in the darkness of his drooped forward hair.
Tyson joined Izumi close to the doors and said warmly to the occupant inside. "Yeah, whatever happened with Dranzer and the detectives. Don't worry, we'll get Dranzer back. I promise you. But we gotta make sure you're doing okay bud. You gotta stop giving us the cold shoulder!"
Izumi lifted a weathered hand to grip at the door's ridge. She ordered with a straight lip and concerned palpitating heart. "Grandson, I'm coming in whether you like it or not."
*WHOOOSH**SLAM!* Kai had beaten her to it. With all his might and anger, he thrust the sliding door aside so fast Izumi and Tyson felt the breeze of its rapid opening on their warm faces. The bluenette gasped as he staggered back in surprise, as did Mrs Uchiha but on less firm feet. All eyes in the hallway finally gazed upon Kai Hiwatari and his poor physical state, and the reason he'd been hiding away.
The dual toned greynette dramatically slow lifted his head to reveal dark patches under his dulled amethyst eyes to rival a panda. His skin was the palest they'd ever seen him alive, his lips were dry, his cheek bones were visible, as was his collar bone which poked through the rim of his oversized t-shirt. His arm muscles had wittered away as if he had no bulk under the skin. Illness and sweat glistened lightly on his face, and his expression...was of pure smouldering rage. He panted hard with exhaustion and pain from the exertion needed to open the sliding door. His friends and Grandmothers' antagonising, albeit from a loving place had poked him into a blind fit of wrath. He shouted so loud the whole house, even those elsewhere on the property could hear, the Saint Shields on the roof included. "SEE! You happy?! Now leave me alone! I just want some peace and quiet! I JUST WANT TO SLEEP!" His voice broke with the sheer emotion coursing through his was ripping fingers through his hair as if to pull it pupils drew to pin pricks with heightened distress. "I can't take the incessant noise anymore!I can't take the endless screaming! I just want some rest! NOW GO! ALL OF YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
*SLAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM* Kai slammed the door shut without allowing anyone a word in reply. The sliding door banged so loud it rattled the whole house right up into the rafters.
The young Hiwatari had finally snapped.
*CRASH!* *CRASH!* *CRASH!* *SNAP* *SNAP!* *CRASH* *CRASH*!*RIP* *RIP* *RIP* *SNAP!* CRASH!* *SNAP* *SNAP!* *CRASH*
Kai's rage was exacted on whatever objects lay in his path. Boxes of broken kendo sticks were kicked and thrown. He ripped down the pin boards sending red string and pins to fly. Shadow Vale's profiles and their photos were rapidly ripped up in his hands causing paper cuts to his fingers with the ferocity of his blind actions. He smashed files against any hard surface he could find, causing all the paperwork to burst out into a cloud of strewn sheets that littered all over the small room and flew behind furniture. His wound stretched and twinged as he picked up the items, bent and kicked things, the true extent of pain was masked by the flood of adrenaline and belittled by his fury...later however, he would be paying the toll dearly.
All were speechless and stunned. Ray and Tyson thought to run in and stop him, pin him down if need be but something held them back...fear of what Kai might do to them in his fit of destruction. The broken beyblader needed an outlet for everything he'd been holding inside ...all the anger and despair...and maybe this is what he needed.
Hilary and Kenny remained frozen to the spot with clasped hands over their mouths. Max and Ray worryingly side-gazed each other for reassurance with gaping jaws. All stares were locked on the shut bedroom doors which vibrated with the raging chaos inside. In all the years the Bladebreakers had known Kai...he was always so cool and collected, unemotional and mature, but this...was a side of Kai they'd never seen...and it frightened them.
Kai's grandmother stood petrified with shock with amethyst glassy eyes and a trembling elder's chin. She didn't know what to do. This was behaviour she never thought her beloved gentle, intelligent, respectful and poised grandson was capable of.
Tyson was as shocked as he was terrified for his old rival. He daren't enter the room until it was safe. However, bravely, he was the first to beg aloud at the door. He stammered forward. "Kai...stop. Just talk to us."
*CRASH* *CRASH*!*RIP* *RIP* *RIP* *SNAP!* CRASH!* *SNAP*
Kai was too busy destroying everything in his path to hear or answer anyone. He was deaf to any reason. His rampage continued.
Ozuma appeared behind the shocked group. He ordered. "Leave him be. We need to have a talk."
All heads turned their attention to the Saint Shield leader with the gold pendant earring.
Tyson twirled his body and snapped with a flustered facial expression. "Really? Ozuma. Right now we're kinda dealing with something!"
Muscley Dunga appeared at his side. "It's about Kai. By the looks of things, he's gunna need time to simmer down."
Ozuma crossed his arms. "What we have to say will explain what Kai's going through. Give Kai his space and let's meet in the dojo...and I'll tell you everything."
In the dojo.
Izumi muttered with fear and shock in her tone as she swayed her head. The chop sticks in her bun were coming out of place and tresses of her white hair were coming undone from the stress. "I've...never...seen him like this." She turned to look up at Tyson at her side with dewy eyelids. "He...has NEVER raised his voice to me like that before. Not ever. And certainly never smashed things up in anger. He's such a sensitive and gentle person. This just isn't like him."
Hilary stepped forward to place a kind hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't take it personally maam. I think Kai was aiming his wrath at all of us."
Ray murmured with a mix of shame and self disappointment. He wanted to stamp his foot but now was not the time for more lashing out behaviour. "Kai looked so unwell. How did we not see it sooner? I feel terrible."
Dunga chortled. "Don't blame yourselves. Kai shut himself away, that's on him. Just be glad we caught him now before he's too bad."
Max's blue eyes were alight with emotion. "Too bad? Did you see his face?! He looks so ill. Poor Kai, he's badly neglected himself. He knows how important sleep and nutrition is. He'd lecture us back in the day about eating and sleeping right to function at our best for tournaments. He'd scold us when we'd stay up all night watching late night movies and junk food in hotel rooms. How could Kai do this to himself?"
Emily shook her head. "Kai's unwell that's for sure. Not just physically but mentally too. I don't think we're going to have a choice here. Kai needs psychiatric help and he's only going to get that in a hospital, even if that means he can't leave for a while. I'm sure his Grandmother will agree."
Izumi was in too much shock for her to answer. The thought of having Kai locked away in a mental health facility was unthinkable.
Ozuma spoke aloud for all to give him their attention. "Listen up. We were worried this was going to happen and a call from our village confirmed it this morning. Phoenix feathers have been found downwind of a valley our clan hunters travel in search of herbs. Dranzer is being held by the Arch Mage of the Shadow Vale clan. He and his mages are using black magic to torture Dranzer into submission, and aim to sever the bond with his guardian once and for all. They couldn't kill Kai directly so they are using forbidden spells to get around that. Any pain Dranzer suffers causing him to scream, Kai will hear in his head. Dranzer's agony is Kais' nightmare. That's why Kai is the way he is right now. Dranzer's screams will be repeated constantly, day and night for what has probably been for days. What Kai is suffering will be enough to drive anyone mad. The Arch Mage hopes to break Dranzer into submission, thus breaking his bond with his guardian. Or...for Kai to become so sleep deprived and stressed out that he will not survive or...simply...Kai will take his own life through means of insanity and desperation...thus breaking their bond through death...just like they wanted in the first place. It just depends on who breaks first. Kai or Dranzer. As a precaution...and this isn't going to be easy to swallow, I'd seek to remove anything from around the house that Kai could use to harm himself. Box cutters, rope...beyblades. We don't know how low his state of mind."
Tyson – "I wondered what Kai meant when he complained of the endless screaming. Now it all makes sense. Dranzer screams for him all the time. That's seriously messed up guys!"
Ray's tone was optimistic and full of fight. His feline yellow eyes constricted with each word. "Does this mean you have a location for Shadow Vale's hideout now? And we can go find this Arch Mage and stop him before he can hurt Dranzer anymore?"
Dunga thrust his hands on his wide hips. "Scouts from our village are trailing where they believe Dranzers' feathers came from. But I wouldn't get too excited; the area they have to cover is vast habitat ranging from jungle to wasteland. It's still gunna be like finding a needle in a haystack."
Izumi had defiant dew in her loving matriarchal eyes. She pointed a sharp finger at Ozuma. "I'll have no talk of my Grandson taking his own life. That's not something he would do. My Kai is too strong for that. He wouldn't put me through that pain. Not after the death of my daughter, his mother. He's not that selfish! "
Hilary hugged an arm around the emotional senior lady and aimed another question at the Saint Shields. "Isn't there anything you or us can do to help Kai? Surely there's something we can do to stop Dranzer being tortured and Kai too."
Dunga warned. "There is... but Kai has to agree to it."
Ozuma – "There are scrolls in our library we can use, magic that hasn't been practised for centuries. Only our Chief village shaman can perform it. We could invite her here to sever the bond between Kai and Dranzer. If she is successful, Kai won't hear the screams anymore and he'll finally be able to sleep and heal."
Max cried. "Then do it! What are you waiting for?! Call your Chief Shaman and help him!"
Ozuma's tone dropped a notch with the seriousness of the conversation. "If we do this...It will mean that Shadow Vale will have complete control over Dranzer, he won't recognise Kai as his master ever again. Shadow Vale, in a battle could use Dranzer to attack Kai and Dranzer will obey. Kai will be nothing more than a stranger to his own Bitbeast."
Kenny jabbed forward. "If Kai's going to lose Dranzer anyway then why not save him the pain now."
Ozuma argued with firmly crossed arms. "Because if Kai holds out for long enough and so does Dranzer, Shadow Vale and the Arch Mage will give up... and Kai will still have a shot at getting Dranzer back with his bond intact. The ritual they are performing is exhaustive which means, the mages can only keep it up for so long too. When they cannot break Kai or Dranzer then the clan will give up their tirade and the torturing will stop, or at least lessen for a while."
Izumi grew authoritarian and barked her mind. She gestured demands with swinging arms and more pointed index fingering. "I don't care about the world or mages, or clans. I just need my grandson to be okay. With my permission I want your village chief woman, whoever she is, to do what she has to do to free my Kai from this bond. He's been in enough pain already, don't you think?"
Ozuma slapped his forehead and huffed. "It HAS to be Kai's choice. The shaman would not have it any other way. The guardian has to be a willing participant in the ritual."
Dunga turned his body side on to begin for the dojo door. "Kai's had enough time to calm down now. Ozuma and I will go chat with him and ask him what he wants to do. We gotta respect his decision whatever it is. It's his life it concerns. Now everyone stay put. Kai needs to make this decision without outside interference."
Ozuma and his large figured team-mate turned to make their way back to the house, when... sight of someone in the doorway stopped them in their tracks.
His back leant against the back wall with one hand over his wound area and the other hung loose at his side, listening and broody... was Kai. His expression and body language was of an exhausted calm and covering obvious physical pain all over. His amethyst coloured eyes were shady with fatigue and remorse.
Tyson burst excited with surprise and instead of running like he usually would, he warily walked to greet him. He asked with a touch of anxiousness in his voice. "Kai! How ya...how ya feelin' buddy?! Boy is it good to see you...up an' out huh."
Izumi flooded with tears instantly and shuffled in her white socks as fast as she could to Kai's direction. Her arms outstretched and begging to cradle him like an infant. "Oh Kai. You're here. Oh darling."
The Dranzer blader gingerly walked towards the centre of the room, still ever careful to guard his wound with his hand like it was 2nd nature. His pale complexioned face sported visible discomfort as he fought to disguise a wince with each step. He stopped travelling as Tyson drew near and ordered his aching spine and wounded expression to straighten. Secretly, he felt a small patch of moisture grow under his palm and fingers. Dread hit him like a bus causing his blood to rush cold, had he ripped out stitches during his...episode? He daren't pull his hand away in case his suspicions were true. He was thankful his t-shirt was black to easily hide the red; as the oozing blood would send the others into a frenzy of fussing and the last thing he wanted was more attention, instead he promised to investigate in the privacy of the bathroom as soon as conversation was finished...the sooner, the better.
Ray, Max, Hilary, Emily and Kenny each too raced to be at Kai's side to offer kind words of support, and...get a better look at him after his pitiful days of self confinement. They wanted nothing more than to see him eat a good meal with them and perhaps even smile or enjoy a joke.
Before the worried pals could say anything comforting or tell him not to worry about earlier, nor his Grandmother time to smother him...yet. Kai had something to say and loud for all to hear. "No. I won't do it. Dranzer and I are one. I'll fight for as long as Dranzer holds out." His purple eyes were dull from lack of rest but were dead serious.
Kai lowered his gaze to the cluster of friends around him and delivered a solemn apology. Something he wasn't accustomed to doing. He cutely struggled to piece together the words. "Guys. I'm sorry... for my... outburst. Tyson, I'll replace anything of value I may have broken. I..." He swallowed hard with emotion but was too dehydrated to produce tears. "...don't know...what came over me."
Tyson – "Nahhhh don't sweat it Kai! There was nothin' of value in there anyway." The boxes in that room were of sentimental objects belonging to his deceased mother, his fathers' travel journals and he and his brothers baby items. They had little to no monetary value but were priceless to the hearts of the Granger family. Tyson didn't want Kai to worry about anything right now, and so, like a stellar friend, he lied.
Max – "You sure had us worried back there Kai and I'm not talking about the hissy fit."
Ray put a reassuring gloved red hand on Kai's shoulder. All feelings of misplaced resent he held towards him for what happened to Mariah were gone. Kai was his friend and he needed him to know that. "Don't fret Kai. We're all gunna pull together and get Dranzer back. We understand now why you've been shutting yourself away but I can't understand why you couldn't just tell us what was going on."
Kai slowly blinked then cocked his head slowly to the side. "If I told you I could hear Dranzer screaming all day and night, what would you have thought Ray? You would think I was losing it for sure."
The male White Tiger blader replied with strong conviction and looked his former team captain square in the eyes. "I would have believed you. We would have believed you Kai. We all know what it means to have a Bitbeast in your head."
Tyson, Max, Hilary, Kenny and Ray all smiled and raised eyebrows as a way of saying. "Damm straight we would have believed you."
Grandmother Izumi had finally speed-shuffled to Kai's spot and was quick to gently hug her progeny. Awkwardly for Kai, he couldn't hug her back without taking his guard hand away from his wound. She nestled her head into the dip of the centre of his torso with her eyes shut. Kai endured it, sweating and anxious, hoping she couldn't smell the fresh blood seeping through his t-shirt so close to her nose.
Izumi whispered only for her boy to hear. "Don't worry about earlier my love. Everything is going to be okay."
Ozuma called out to the fast draining phoenix master with one hand hooked on his hip. "There are things we can try to make life more bearable for you Kai, at least until Shadow Vale cut you both a break."
Dunga bellowed with optimism. "You could try to drown out the sound of Dranzer's wailing with music. Anyone got headphones and an MP3 player goin' spare? It's not gunna be perfect but it should help give you something else to focus your mind on."
Emily added. "I'm surprised you can't sleep with the Morphine the docs gave you. Doesn't that help? They gave you a high dose too. That should be knocking you out for at least a few hours a day."
Kai replied with conviction with his Grandmother finally peeling away her grip. "I threw all of the morphine away. I thought Dranzer's cries were hallucinations, a side effect of the pills, so I flushed them."
Emily stated. "So you've been living in pain ever since. No wonder you're extra crotchety. We'll have to see what we have in the medicine cabinet. I may have something that will help you. "
Hilary had a light bulb moment. "My Mom takes Xanex. That'll help you drift off. I take it when I'm nervous for the dentist. I'll see if she can drop some over this evening for you. It's totally safe, everyone takes them."
Kenny added with a caring tone. "I'm sure if you went to a doctor and say you're having trouble sleeping they'll prescribe you something Kai. You really do look like you need a good night's sleep."
Dunga scoffed. "Or you could just jerk off every night. It's what Josef does. Hahahaha! And he sleeps like a baby!"
"EEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" A chorus of ewwwwws and every face contorted with amused jovial disgust. Even Kai screwed his face with grossed amusement.
Hilary pleaded then scolded with a tapping foot and crossed arms. "We'll cook whatever you want. Anything you like Kai. Even if you don't feel hungry you should try to eat. I want no more full plates abandoned Mister."
Mrs Uchiha went full parent on her tall descendant with a stern up-pointing finger and hawking stare from her lower body height. She meant every word. "Yes Grandson, force yourself if you have to. I want to see some meat back on your bones soon. Or I will be dragging you to the Doctors myself."
Ozuma – "Kai. In the meantime. Stay strong. If you ever change your mind...and you want me to deliver our shaman... we will facilitate it, but only if you can't bear to live with it anymore. We need to do everything we can to keep Dranzer out of Shadow Vale's control... if we can help it."
Tyson looked down to his tummy as it growled furiously. Heavy talk and the emotionally charged morning had fast digested his breakfast. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and grinned. "Boy, what'dya think guys? Is it lunchtime already?"
Max was eating like a machine of recent and banged his tummy like a taiko drum. "Hell yeah! I know what I'm having and it's got mayo in it!"
"I'll go get the others." Cried Ray as he eagerly started for the doorway and dashed to a patch outside where he'd heard Mariah training with Daichi.
Emily started after the White Tiger through the same doorway. "I guess I'll go find the Blitzkrieg Boys. I bet they're somewhere melting under a bush sucking on ice cubes. The couple of pre-Madonnas."
Kenny smirked and adjusted his glasses as he raised his head to look up at the taller man. "Kai. Are you joining us for some lunch?"
Grandmother Izumi delivered a harsh scowl with immediate effect. His answer better be what she wanted him to say, or he would find himself surrounded by white coats before Tyson had time to finish snorting his sandwiches.
Kai sighed. His lack of appetite was no longer an excuse. He muttered with a pair of stony rolled back eyes. "It's not like I have a choice."
Within minutes of Tysons' first tummy rumble, the Granger kitchen filled with hungry and noisy bodies eager for something light and fast to eat. Instant noodles, loaded with flavour and coming in a variety of flavours were exhumed from the pantry in droves. The air filled with the sound of foil lids ripped away from their rims and the kettle boiled and bubbled multiple times to meet demand. Tyson, Kenny, Hilary and Max were soon joined by Ray with Mariah and Daichi, the latter had worked up a growling appetite from all the training in the garden and were lightly speckled in dust. The Strata dragoon and Galux blader washed their hands, selected seafood and beef flavours respectively and fought to have their cups filled first before all. Emily soon joined the ranks with two disenchanted Russian bladers mooching in, sticky and bothered behind her. They'd spent another morning doing nothing strenuous in the Japanese heat, and like the days before, complained about the humidity and consumed ice cold desserts one after the other like chain smokers with cigarettes.
In the biggest bathroom of the house where the first aid kit and medicine cabinet resided, Kai cursed the lack of locks and hoped his Grandmother wouldn't barge in unannounced; the last he saw of her was the garden and so sought to be quick. He gingerly pulled his t-shirt up in front of the mirror to inspect the extent of damage caused to his newly healing wound, luckily the light pouring in through the small window made his job a little easier. His anger fit with all the kicking, throwing and muscle manipulation had a price. Two stitches were ripped apart but thankfully the deep tissue inside had almost completely healed closed. The lucky beyblader sighed with relief he'd caused only a minor tear of his skin, a trip to A&E to get sewn back up would have been beyond stressful. No further treatment was needed other than a quick dab with disinfectant on a cotton pad and a fresh sticky gauze plaster over the top...and definitely no more emotional breakdowns.
Back in the kitchen. Boiling water poured into the noodle pots to a fill line, and then the kettle refilled to boil again. Thirteen people needed feeding and there was only enough water in the kettle for four pots at a time. This allowed for a catch up between those who were present for Kai's "moment" and those who weren't, before the orchestra of slurps and chattering chopsticks would commence.
The hungry young diners pulled up chairs around the great cream wood table or perched on the kitchen surfaces. Two seats at the table were thoughtfully left vacant, one for injured and ill Kai and the other his crackly boned Granny in her 80s.
Steam poured out of Mariah's cup as the noodles absorbed the water and soaked the powdered flavouring. "So, what's been going on with Kai? I heard him shout at you all the way from the other side of the yard. You get to the bottom of it?"
Hilary's dry pork flavoured noodle cup waited on the sideboard and its turn for boiling water. She replied like a child telling a story. "Well, Ozuma has been keeping us in the dark about a mage person who is torturing Dranzer and holding him captive. They are hurting Dranzer and trying to make Dranzer bend to their will. Whenever Dranzer screams, Kai hears it but we can't, so we had no idea what Kai was going through. Kai thought he was going nuts so he locked himself away. It's too painful hearing his Bitbeast cry out all day and night and that's why he's a bit of a mess. Oh and he might have had a little temper tantrum earlier in Hiros' room but we're not gunna talk about that. Everything will be fine. Kai's super fragile at the moment and we just gotta be sensitive around him."
Daichi, without filter...ever, shrieked at a tall pained man emerging through the doorway from the corridor. "Mannn Kai you look like crap dude. You okay?!"
Bryan stared as he watched his old team-member emerge more into the bright light of the kitchen. "Kai, I hope you know you look like shit. You gotta take better care of yourself."
Tala watched the phoenix blader walk like a wounded dog to a vacant chair already kindly pulled out for him. "Sorry to say, but Bryans' right. You don't look too great Kai."
Hilary face palmed, her eye twitched and mouthed her bitter reply through gritted teeth to the thoughtless trio. "Did you not hear what I said? We. Need. To. Be sensitive around certain people!"
Without a word on his wincing face the wounded blader sat down on the hard wooden seat, his pelvic bones felt like they had no cushioning and was immediately discomforted. He ever so slowly crossed his weak arms careful not to put too much pressure on his wound and stole a moment to glare at Tala, then Bryan and then Daichi in turn. His lilac eyes felt heavy in his skull and he couldn't keep up the stare of challenge as long as usual. A pressure headache was coming on and dreaded what he was about to be made to do...eat... All the while Dranzer screamed relentlessly in the back of his mind, killing all appetite stone dead.
In the back of Kai's head - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
"Here ya go Kai" Chirped Max as he served a cup of chicken Instant noodles in front of his fellow Bladebreaker on the table top, steaming and ready to eat.
The healing stab victim looked down at the watery, savoury smelling meal and hoped he could manage to consume even a quarter of the pot...that would be a huge achievement if he could he thought. His body was crying for it. There would be un-surmounted grief from care givers if he didn't at least try.
In the back of Kai's head - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
Hilary cried whilst looking around for the female senior in the purple cardigan. "Say Kai, where's your grandmother? We've made a pot for her too. I hope she likes sesame flavour."
In the back of Kai's head - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
Kai barely lifted his head from gazing into his noodles to answer her. His tone was quiet and very un-like him. "She's outside in the garden with Tyson's Grandfather. They're talking bonsai. She won't be in anytime soon."
Minutes pass with chit chat about Mariahs' new beyblade parts arriving soon and who wanted the last of the beef versus the teriyaki pots of instant noodles. After squabbles over who wanted what flavour were scuppered, the room of famished bladers and tech heads began tucking into the quick to cook cheap noodles in broth. The Blitzkrieg boys used forks like the gaijins they were whilst everyone else expertly used chopsticks. Soon, chins and cheeks sported back splash of slurped noodles and shirts suffered dribbles and drips of savoury liquid that evaded mouths. Gulping noises filled the room and stomachs were soon happily satiated. Each enjoyed the warm tasty convenient food which was born in the same country of Japan. A firm favourite lunch time meal for millions worldwide thanks to its ease and quick of cooking... albeit... not the healthiest.
In the back of Kai's head - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
One diner however wasn't keeping up. With Dranzers' screams echoing over and over and over in the back of his skull, he struggled to operate his digits expertly to utilise the chopsticks. His trembling nerves and weak muscled fingers shook like he's lost the ability to command them. Add to that, he wasn't even hungry. His mind and soul were under so much stress and distraction that food was not a priority, finding and saving Dranzer to stop the incessant noise, was. After much growing frustration and fighting for his fingers to bend and pinch where they needed to, he managed to get a couple of noodles trapped between his sticks and shakily lifted the moist prize to his lips. He blew on them so as not to burn his mouth and also to stall, to give his body time to accept the food is coming in whether it wanted it or not. Once cool enough he took the noodles into his mouth and was met with a rush of mixed feelings. His soul wanted to reject it immediately like it was poison, but his tongue enjoyed the flavour, the warmth, the saltiness, and the water around it, nutrition, something at least. He chewed for a moment to enjoy the taste of food his mind barely allowed him the pleasure of these days. Now it was in his mouth, the action of swallowing it was next. He was winning the battle to eat and swallowed it successfully without any rejection until...suddenly... the feeling of wanting to vomit arose. He rapidly slammed his cup on the table to free up a hand to urgently cover his mouth. Thankfully his minced noodles travelled far enough down his gullet that they were past the option of spitting out, his body would keep that mouthful at least.
He glanced up in the hopes nobody saw or heard his body's involuntary rejection and much to his embarrassment; all eyes were awkwardly watching him. A mix of worry and confusion littered his friends' faces. The borderline anorexic blader wanted nothing more than to be shut away, back in the darkness of Hiro's bedroom without an audience and quietly starve there.
Daichi cried with his screechy voice after wiping his chin on a pulled up piece of his sleeveless shirt. "What's the matter Kai? Not gunna be sick are ya?! Hey Tyson maybe he don't like the chicken flavour!"
With noodle juice dotted on his chin, Tyson slapped his forehead "Oh yeah I forgot your favourite's teriyaki. Want me to do you another flavour Kai? We've got plenty more in the pantry."
Ray placed his empty cup on the table and said with a serious tone. He understood and looked Kai square on. "Guys I don't think its flavour. It's Dranzer...he's screaming right now isn't he Kai?"
In the back of Kai's head - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
Kai needn't say any words. His body language was naturally expressive and affirmed his answer. He let his head droop forward; his tired black shadowed eyes dimmed further and he turned his head away.
The mood in the room dropped off a cliff edge. No more slurping of lunch. No smirks, smiles or wiping chins. There was nothing jovial about a beloved Bitbeast screaming in pain or Kai's inability to eat properly as a result.
Tyson's fists curled tight under the table with how helpless he felt. He grit his teeth and his body rattled with frustration. "This sucks! I hate seeing Kai like this! We gotta help him!"
A sweat drop of pure worry rolled down Tala's forehead and soaked into one of his long dangling red bangs. "I don't know what Kai's going through but whatever it is, he can't carry on like this. A few more days of this and he's going to be in real trouble, he's at risk of collapse and worse. He'll starve to death at this rate... and me and Bryan know a little about what it's like to starve and it's nothing to make light of."
Ray growled silently inside. "Hasn't the guy been through enough! As hard as it might be for him to accept, he really should consider Ozuma's offer. Kai can't continue suffering like this."
Max begged with a kind tone and breaking the silence. "Is there anything we can get you Kai? Say how about some water? I'll get you some." Without an answer, the Draciel blader left his post and proceeded to run the tap and grab a clean glass from a drainage board.
Emily added with her scientist knowledge. "If Kai's not sleeping well either, the imbalance of hormones can affect your appetite. I'm sure if you get some quality sleep Kai, your appetite might improve too. Now we know what you're suffering from and why, we can keep an eye on you and help you get through this any way we can."
Kai, embarrassed with the unwanted attention, and apathetic for nearly throwing up such a small portion of food, felt unwell in every sense. He dropped his head to stare at the table in front of him to avoid eye contact with anyone. His tone was blue and melancholic. "It's difficult to sleep or eat when all you hear is someone you care about screaming over and over again. It's like living in a nightmare you can't wake up from. You think I struggle to eat?...Sleeping is just as hard."
Ray's tiger furious temper flared instantly. He spoke with pointed fangs and shaking fists. "There's a reason sleep and food deprivation is classed as torture. Shadow Vale and this mage have got it coming Kai. I promise you that."
Tala's wolf blood was reacted in the same way. His red headed temper was got the better of him. "It's all going into a ledger Kai. A thick ledger and there's a lot of red ink in it already. This Arch Mage whoever he is is top of the list."
Max added with a feisty tone. "Yeah and Blake's name is No.1 in that ledger. Right Kai?!"
Tyson felt Dragoon vibrate in his pocket as his inner tornado raged. "Yeah, they've got it coming alright. There's a long queue of us that want to dish out some pain in return. You hear me Kai; we'll avenge what they're doing to you and Dranzer AND what they did to us at the hospital. It won't be enough to just get Dranzer back anymore. We need retribution."
Mariah added with sharp fangs. "Too right. We're all out for pay back."
Max nodded firmly. "I'm in."
Bryan had no love for Kai but felt the need to back him up. He smarmed as he threw his muscled arms cross. "Ahhhh what the heck. I'm in too."
Emily added. "And you know I'm in. I won't let them get away with what they did to all of us. I'll use all of my knowledge and skill to build the strongest most powerful beyblades I can...within reason and the law of course."
Hilary and Kenny felt uncomfortable with the highly charged ambition for revenge and so, kept quiet; although...they understood...it was necessary and wholly justified.
Despite the heart warming backbone of support from his fellow beybladers, Kai's depression was obvious. He muttered in a bereft tone to the tabletop. "Maybe I deserve the screams. I need to pay for my weakness. I lost to Blake and this is the punishment. As hard as it is to hear the screaming day and night, it gives me hope Dranzer and I are still connected. Like I haven't completely lost him."
Tyson's anger subsided for pity. "Kai...this isn't like you. Where's your beybladers spirit? It's like you're giving up."
Max left his spot from the other side of the kitchen to place a hand on the broken man's shoulder. Without rejection, Kai allowed him whilst he drowned in tearless sorrow. "But Kai. It's not your fault. This could have happed to any one of us! Right guys?!"
Emily - "Just as I thought. He is categorically depressed. He should really see someone but how will we get him to agree."
Ray stood sharply from his chair causing a wooden screech as it dragged backwards inches across the floorboards. His feline eyes were slits and furious. He pointed a sharp finger at the downtrodden greynette. "Dranzer is yours and always will be Kai. And don't you forget it."
Tyson interjected loud and animated before Ray could say more. "Kai, you just gotta fight this, whatever Shadow Vale are doing to Dranzer, they can't keep it up forever and when they do, you gotta be ready. Because when we find them, they are going to need asses kicked and believe me, you wanna be there to do some kicking with us. We gotta focus on getting you eating good and sleeping good."
Mariah added, her heart strings pulled at the sight of how pathetic and sad the once great and ruthless Kai. "Why don't we look into what Dunga suggested. Music to cancel out the noise of Dranzer's screaming. Say has anyone got an iPod?"
Tala began to simmer down with the more positive direction of conversation. "How about your phone Kai, you can download or stream anything on that. And I might have some spare ear phones in my luggage you can have."
Kai picked his head up slightly and at last made glassy eye contact with some. His words were slow and sore. "The last I saw of my phone was before the match...that day...at the stadium. I can't remember if I put it in the locker room or my pocket. Regardless, I've not seen it since."
Kenny began to sweat. He knew where Kai's phone was. It was still in the plastic zip lock bag the hospital gave him, along with Kais' other possessions removed from his unconscious body when he arrived at the resuscitation bay. One of the trauma nurses handed Kai's phone, along with a very expensive watch and Dranzers' beyblade to Kenny in the waiting room in a brown paper bag. The items were in the same state the Chief received them, covered in Kai's blood but kept safe and hidden from view due to the distressing sight of them. The computer whizz toiled with the choice of telling Kai the truth and giving his red stained objects back right then and there, they were his property after all. But Kai was struggling enough, and the worried brunette feared Kai's ability to cope with anything more and the sight of seeing his blood covered things wasn't going to do him any good. So, he kept quiet and decided he would return Kai's things clean when he knew he was strong enough to process it.
Excited Tyson instantly lightened the mood. "Hey I just remembered! I have an iPod you can use Kai. Follow me!" Tyson kicked back his chair and made to the corridor leading to his bedroom with a burst of energy in the hope his old iPod is where he last saw it. In a box, under his bed, next to his secret Lolita porn collection.
Kai sighed with whatever scraps of energy left in his heavy chest. He begrudgingly levered himself to his feet with a muffled gasp and a hunched back as all of his muscles screamed with ache. With a gloomy expression he made after the energetic Dragoon blader with his hand naturally guarding his needy injury. He abandoned the barely eaten pot of noodles to go cold at his place on the table; he'd eaten all his body would allow for lunchtime, however the glass of water Max brought him had wet his throat and gave him a shallow drink at least.
"Ahhhhhh here it is!" Cried Tyson with relief, then backward wiggled on his tummy out from under his bed frame and all the stuff beneath it like a beetle grub.
Kai stood un-amused and in discomfort in the centre of Tyson's bedroom. He'd never actually been in Tysons' bedroom before, despite having stayed over at the dojo before. The outdated garish green carpet was a nice relief from the rigid hardwood floor on Kai's cold pale feet as he glanced at his team-mates extensive manga collection on a shelf above his bed, the tidiness of them was strangely pleasing. Like a magpie, something shiny stole his attention. The glittering structure of Tyson's trophy cabinets caught Kai's eye and before Tyson could climb back to his feet, the greynette was busy studying them, gazing at the cups through the clear glass window; in particular the ones with his name on the silver plaques as part of the Blade Breakers and G-Revolution team.
"Here ya go Kai!" Tyson interrupted Kai's ogling at the trophies he played an integral part in winning; the G-revolution cup in particular and the painful price he paid to defeat Brooklyn. Kai still bore the long deep scar across his chest, albeit faded and thinned over the years. Dranzers' beyblade shattered into a hundred pieces after that match and Kai almost died of exhaustion and injuries, alone in the corridor, not that any of the team knew that. A stadium staff member found him and called an ambulance where Kai was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment. Like Kai, Dranzer came back to life; reborn like phoenixes do. Kai and Dranzer reunited soon after Tyson defeated Brooklyn, just in time for one last beyblade match with Tyson on a hill not far from town. Everyone was there, one last big get-together before Kai retired from Beyblading professionally for good. Shortly after that match, the Dranzer blader flew to London to begin his years of studying for the coveted role of CEO of Hiwatari Enterprises, and his path to the adult world of business. No more childish games of spinning tops when he had a multi billion yen enterprise to rule.
Tyson used a loose scruff of the bottom of yellow his shirt to rub away any finger prints and sweat smears, and then pressed the centre button. "Ha! Yes! It's still got some battery but it's not gunna last long. We'll put it on charge for a bit and it's all yours. Well...I want it back. These things are vintage now ya know."
Kai took the black smooth music storage device in his right hand and inspected it. He gingerly allowed his left to drop from protecting his wound to hold the device properly. He toyed around with the buttons and touch sense areas to suss out how to access all its widgets and scroll through albums. He quickly learned how to navigate its functions and flicked through playlists whilst Tyson returned to the dusty and downright dirty depths of the stuff hidden beneath his bed, he grunted as he wiggled and strained in the tight gap between the floor and roof of his bed frame. He was digging around for the iPod charge lead amongst all the crap under his bed.
Kai raised a sharp dark grey eyebrow and recited what he'd found in the iPod's album. "Aqua - Barbie girl? Justin Bieber? Wu Tang Clan? Eminem, Coolio? Taylor Swift? That's quite a playlist Tyson."
Tyson backward wormed his way back from under his bead clutching a knotted and dusty blue charger lead. He was all red faced from the exertion and raised blood pressure from writhing awkwardly on the floor. The boy was definitely a little overweight. "Yeah HhHahhahaha ya know sometimes Daichi borrows my iPod and he puts all sorts on it! Hahahahahah"
Kai smirked for the first time in days. His face muscles felt like they stretched in an unnatural manner for all the miserable pouting and expressionless living. His tone was flat and energy-less yet managed some of his trademark sarcasm. "Right...Daichi. His music. Okay Tyson. Whatever."
Tyson leapt from the floor with as much grace as a slightly chubby young man can, and exclaimed whilst shuffling random stuff around a box he'd dragged from out of a drawer. "Oh man! Where are my headphones! I can't find them! I swear they were in here last time."
The bluenette loudmouth poked his head through the doorway to aim a holler to the kitchen. "HEY TALA! YOU GOT SPARE EARPHONES OR WHAT DUDE?!"
Hours later and the gang of bladers were back in the yard repeatedly yelling "Let It Rip!" much to the neighbouring houses annoyance. The gang pushed their Frankenstein beyblades and themselves to the limit. Beyblading was not a game anymore. The Sun was out in full blaze and there were plenty of hours left to burn before nightfall. Ozuma took the time to drill it home again how vital it was that they all trained in preparation for the day they meet Shadow Vale again, because he promised they would be back and when they do, they would be all the more desperate for Draciel, Driger and Dragoon to complete their destructive arsenal; the close friends needed no poking or prodding into the task. They HAD to get Dranzer back and be ready for when the opportunity for his rescue arises. Emily and Kenny spent some of the afternoon phoning their BBA approved suppliers to chase up beyblade delivery parts for rapid dispatch, and anything they ordered from now on was a rush job. Even the Blitzkrieg Boys, despite the unbearable muggy heat, ventured out into the yard with Wolborg and Falborg. For the first time during their stay, they did some turf shredding and beyblade bashing of their own. Seeing Kai so wounded in every sense of the word gave them all the kick they needed to get sharp, get strong, get smart, and eventually get revenge for all the pain Shadow Vale caused and still continued to inflict.
A dual colour haired beyblader emerged from shoji sliding doors out onto the yellow wood veranda decking. For the first time in days… he ventured outside. He gripped the corner of a plush red pillow in one hand, in the other was Tyson's iPod and Tala's bundled earphones, and around his shoulders draped a soft sky blue blanket. The day was blazing bright and balmy, and stuffy aired with high humidity resulting from the early morning rain. Kai's lilac eyes squinted uncomfortably having grown unaccustomed to daylight from his self isolation in the dark of Hiro's bedroom. He wandered over to a clean, clear spot, threw his pillow down to act as a landing pad and began the arduous task of attempting to sit. His stab wound protested any bending, and all muscles cramped or trembled whenever they flexed. Without grace of balance and grunting through clenched teeth, he eventually achieved a seated cross-legged position. The skin of his cool bare feet enjoyed pressing against the sunbathed wood and leant his backbone against the wall of Tyson's house for support. He bathed in speckled half-shade of a green leaved maple tree which lofted over a spot of the decking. His eyes quickly focused and for a brief moment watched the blading gang on the other side of the yard training hot and serious in the sunshine. Kai popped one squishy florescent orange earphone into his right ear and then the left. The orange cord dangled in his lap as he plugged the jack into Tyson's newly charged shiny-smooth black iPod, and thumbed the touch sensitive areas to scroll through the albums in search of something he would actually like to listen to. Tyson/Daichi's music was a lot of pop and mainstream bands as well as a few retro and a lot of American country which the Ex-Blitzkrieg Boy skipped immediately. Kai's usual jam was classical, or J-rock, alternative, a bit of metal if there wasn't heaps of swearing in it, some Rap as long as it wasn't all about guns, money and hoes, and...his dirty little secret, K-pop.
He thumbed through multiple song lists to find not one classical track. However a decent amount of the library were soundtracks to movies and games like Assassin's Creed, and much to his relief... a full collection of BTS albums.
Just as Kai clicked on BTS and their song – Black Swan started to play... Dranzer's screams set up concert in the back of his cranium.
Dranzer - "KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR KAAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR AAAWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRR"
The track's intro started. The classical undertone of "Black Swan" made it one of the greynette's favourites. The violins, the cello, the harp, the bassy and punchy percussions, and the sound of the seven individual Korean singers' voices immediately muted his Bitbeast cry to a mere muffled irritation. Like the barely audible noise you hear through the walls from a neighbour playing music too loud but just loud enough to disturb. The amethyst eyed Bladebreaker turned up the volume as loud as it would go... and all he could hear...was BTS... and the magic of their music. Patient 12 was awash with instant calm. He drew in a sharp emotional breath and slowly exhaled all the pent up stress in his chest. He had a cure for the torment, and relief at last from the incessant screaming of his beloved phoenix.
The fire bird's guardian immediately felt an intense pang of guilt for shutting his Bitbeast out...but he knew, if he didn't get the rest he needed soon, Dranzer would have no blader to return to. His team and their reactions, his grandmother's begging, his bony appearance and sunken eyes, his cracking dry lips and constant headaches were confirmation. He was on the path to emaciation and that needed to change and quick.
Track after track rolled by, as did over an hour of solitude and peace wrapped snug in the baby blue blanket. Despite the Asian summer heat, he still felt cold all the time. His loss of body fat and abduction of his Phoenix both played havoc on his thermoregulation and only time would tell if it was permanent.
Settling into his newfound tranquillity, he allowed his gaze to preside over the rest of the garden. He watched a red and white butterfly flutter past to a pink flowering bush, and a brown lizard on a wall scuttle into the shade of a pile of logs. A gentle breeze swayed the branches of the maple tree above and distorted the shade it produced beneath. Small patches of heat from the burning planet above the earth poked through the gaps in the leaves. Kai arched his head upwards to allow the warmth of the sun-rays to kiss his pale complexion, and he relished it. All the while, BTS and their array of styles of music kept his world free of the audio hell of his Bitbeast's cries.
Then suddenly, he felt the heat leave his cheeks and nose. He snapped opened his eyes to investigate why...to find two familiar and interfering young women blocking and robbing him of his sun basking. Their leggy tall frames lurched above his seated position with small boxes in their hands and suspicious over-smiley faces.
The cross-legged man begrudgingly removed his ear buds allowing them to fall into his lap, and with the other hand pressed the central button to pause the music on the iPod. His gaunt face expressed disinterest and was instantly peeved for being disturbed. His throat stung with the toll it paid for his shouting earlier and thus his voice was raspy. A short stand-off commenced as he waited for the duo of skirt wearers to explain what they wanted.
Emily reached a hand down to pass him an object. Clasped in her fingers was a small coloured box with English wording on it. "So Kai, I have something I think might help you."
Kai gingerly reached up and took it from her. He examined the eye-catching block lettering. "Period Pain relief. Extra Strong."
The male beyblader raised an unimpressed grey eyebrow and took a second to come up with something sarcastic. The old feisty version of Kai was still in there somewhere. "Period pain relief? And why do you think I need these? I was stabbed, I didn't grow a uterus."
Emily snapped back. "It say's period pain on the box but, if you take the time to read the small print you'll see they can be used for all kinds of muscular and nerve pain. It's high strength codeine that you can't just get over the counter. You'll need to take two with a meal but if you can't stomach food, a glass of milk will do. Just take them and thank me later. Trust me; you'll be much more comfortable after taking them. And maybe you won't be so grouchy with us when you do."
The unwilling greynette snapped an arm upwards and shoved them back into her hands. "No. Thank you. Emily. I'm not taking your pills."
Hilary, at the ginger female's side mirrored the PPB Allstarz action and handed another pill box down to the cross legged man. "Then maybe you can take these? I promise they will do you some good if you give them a chance."
The male sighed but remembered not to be too rude to the girl who took the time to leave food for him every day, despite not actually eating it. "And what drugs are these? Female contraception?"
The only female member of G-Revolution scolded with jest as she handed Kai the prescription-only medication box with Mrs printed on the pharmacy sticker. "Nooooo silly. These are my Mom's anti-anxiety medication. It's called diazepam but the brand name is Xanex. Take one 20 minutes before you go to bed and I swear you will have the best night's sleep of your life! You'll be rested in no time Kai."
Kai shook his head momentarily as a cramp in his leg caused him to fidget, and from that action a distinct wince and a grunt was born. His wound kicked off like a child from the pulled flesh and the burning stabby sensation quickly followed. He passed the box back to Hilary's skinny awaiting fingers in enough time to see the two ladies shake their heads at each other.
They'd seen the flicker of pain etch across his tired face and knew he was being typically stubborn. The duo telepathically recited. "Boys...you just can't help them."
The ginger and brunette with flickered hairstyles exaggeratedly sighed before giving Patient 12 one more choice.
Emily smarted with both hands on her skirted hips with the rejected pill packet curled in one hand. "Well Kai, I'm going to put them in the cabinet in the bathroom. Help yourself if you want some pain relief. For the type of wound you have, you should still be on morphine you know."
Hilary added as the two started for the wide open shoji doors to return back into the house. She gleamed with a chirpy tone. "I'll leave my Mom's Xanex in the bathroom too. Take what you need Kai."
The tall Japanese youth replaced his earphones, pressed play on the iPod and thought no more of it... until his side twanged again, and felt the dullness of a new headache was making its way to the front of his skull. He hated to admit it but maybe the girls were right. He had relief from Dranzer's cries thanks to music, maybe a reprieve from pain and a full night's sleep was achievable too. If only he swallowed his pride and some carefully ingested medication too.
Evening time soon arrived at the Granger household. All bodies were washed of the day's sweat and dust from the yard, dressed in fresh pyjamas and super eager to enjoy a well deserved meal. Their stomachs churned, rumbled and squelched, begging for sustenance after a long day of emotionally charged training. A hearty traditional Japanese meal was on the menu, and the White Tiger pair spent most of the last hour preparing and cooking it.
Kai's Grandmother travelled back home via helicopter and Hummer after seeing her beloved grandson was somewhat well, before she left however, she scolded him viciously to eat up and promised to call in everyday for progress reports from an unbiased source. She and Hilary traded mobile phone numbers and the petite brunette promised to spy on him. The two had formed a feminine bond through the tough recent times. Izumi secretly fancied her for a daughter in law; she thought she was kind and pretty and should Kai want her as his wife she would have no objections, in fact she hoped for it and imagined what her great grandchildren would look like from the pair.
The other senior of the residence was already scoffing his meal in the typical Granger fashion, cross-legged in the living room whilst watching his favourite romance drama. He inhaled more food than oxygen causing him to sporadically choke...just like his grandson.
Around the kitchen table were eleven placemats, nine pairs of chopsticks and a set of silver cutlery for each Russian, eleven bowls filled with sticky white rice beneath chopped chicken cutlet and thick tasty katsu curry sauce poured over the top. Each bowl was a culinary masterpiece. Dinner was steaming and the aroma filled the air so dense that they could taste the food with their nasal passages. Their mouths salivated and multicoloured eyes twinkled at the beauty of the food just waiting for them to devour.
The seating arrangement was as the night before with Tyson naturally at the head and Bryan seated at the opposite end of the table to Ray, just to ensure things were kept civil. And just like the evening before...one diner was absent.
Chef Ray was short tempered from the long day's training in the heat. He was rightly snappy as he thud a hand down on the table. "Are we really waiting for Kai again? He knows what time dinner is!"
Daichi was just as hot headed. His tone was stroppy and whiney. He hopped up and down on his seat like a child. "I'm STARRRVING! We've been bladin' allllll day! Can't we eat already?!"
Max was always the caring voice of reason. "I'm hungry too guys but we need to wait for Kai. We can't just leave him out. You know that's not how we roll. Besides Kai's probably on his way, you know he can't walk fast."
Bryan stated without much consideration for his ex-team mate. He too was grouchy with hunger as he fidgeted balancing his knife on a finger. "I don't know why you wait for him. Kai'll join us when he wants. He's always been selfish that way."
Tala spoke up with a serious thick red eye-browed expression before another at the table could whinge. "He's not shut himself away in your brothers room again has he Tyson? One of us should check."
The beychamp swallowed a mouthful of drool and broke hawking at his food before replying. "Oh nobody's been back in my brothers' room since this afternoon Tala. You can't move in there. Let's just say it's in need of a spring clean."
The Chief swiftly added as he peeled his starry gaze from the holy curry and rice meal in front of him. "He's probably just relaxing somewhere with your iPod Tyson. He's been glued to it ever since you gave it to him. I think its helping. He looked miles happier in himself when I passed him to the bathroom earlier."
Hilary's tummy quietly rumbled as she added. "The last I saw of him, he was heading to the dojo. And that was half hour ago."
Mariah was less than impressed with their missing guest. She was never a pretty sight when hangry. She thrust her arms crossed and gave them a piece of her mind. "I think Kai's downright rude for making us wait for him again. If he didn't want to join us he should have said and then we wouldn't have bothered making him a plate. I thought you guys made a break through with him today?!"
Emily was just as irritated and begrudged her dinner growing cold in front of her. "It's not fair on the rest of us, making us wait when food has been served. Add to that, I can't believe he's about to skip another meal in his condition."
Tyson could cry as he watched his food look up to him and beg him to eat it. He wanted to dive his face into the hot bowl of yumminess and consume it all as quickly as humanly could regardless of the mess and social impropriety. He jolted up with a sharp screech of his wooden chair on the floorboards. "Okay I say we go find him, bring him back here and threaten him with his Grandma again if he doesn't try to eat. We need to be a bit firmer on him. For his own good guys."
Hilary snapped, she too was famished but kept her humanity and compassion intact. "Hey that's unfair. Just remember why Kai is struggling to eat...Dranzer? And that Mage man Ozuma told us about? We need to be supportive and not pressure Kai into doing something he's not able to do. Maybe he didn't want to be sat around a table watching us eat when he can't, he's gotta be hungry too but Dranzer's screaming won't let him. Have you thought of that?"
Tyson immediately recoiled and retook his seat. His voice dropped to a kinder notch. "You're right Hilary...as always. I'm just super starving from all that training today, that's all. I know Kai's going through a tough time. I think we should go look for him and ask him if he's coming to dinner. If not, we can eat without him."
Tala nodded and took to his feet. "I like your plan Tyson. Let's split up in teams and search the house. Well find him quicker that way. With any luck, Kai will join us. If not, then that's his choice and we'll have to get him some professional help. He can't carry on like this and I think you all know that."
The gang immediately dispersed into three teams. The quicker they find their missing diner, the quicker they eat.
Hilary, Kenny, Mariah and Daichi stormed the warm wood verandas surrounding the Granger house looking for any sign of the injured beyblader. They hoped to find him chilling somewhere with his legs outstretched listening to music by himself. They turned corner after corner, their bare feet marched as their arms swung like militants. They wanted to find him pronto...their hot steaming dinner was waiting for them and cooling with each second. Daichi gruffly called Kai's name but stopped after Hilary argued calling out was pointless…Kai, was likely wearing earphones and wouldn't be able to hear a thing.
Tala, Bryan and Emily inspected a bathroom each.
The Falborg blader opened the small toilet door to find the tiny space unoccupied with the light off. He grunted with frustration and promised if they didn't find Kai soon, he was going to eat on his own regardless of Japanese house rules and manners. He closed the lavatory door with a heavy hand and stomped off to join Tala, mumbling angrily in Russian to himself as he went.
The red haired soviet with swinging tendril hair opened the wet room door gingerly after knocking and declared he was coming in. He peered inside the cracked open door to see the deep bathtub for soaking sat dry and the shower was not in use. "No Kai in here." he muttered with a frown as he softly slid the door shut.
The tennis fanatic was last to check the third and largest bathroom of the home. She opened the door without knocking and burst in like she owned the place. Her short temper and politeness was at the bottom of her katsu curry bowl that was probably stone cold by now. She glanced around the room tapping her foot with her hands on her hips. Sure enough, no Kai inhabited it. "Hmmmm I wonder." The ginger mumbled to herself. She pulled the first aid cabinet doors wide open and grasped the pill packets she and Hilary had placed there on the glass shelf inside. She pulled out the blister packs from each of the drug boxes and sure enough… there were pills missing.
Tyson, Max and Ray tracked ahead to the dojo. The door was shut, which was strange because they always left the dojo doors open during the day until they went to bed at night. The idea was to allow a breeze to flow throughout which ensured the wooden beamed dojo wasn't too stuffy to sleep in.
The trio of Blade breakers glanced at each other and held hope that Kai was inside. Tyson slowly dragged the sliding dojo door across with a soft wooden sliding sound. He, with Ray and Max at his back walked in to continue their search. It didn't take them long. They spotted a white skinned foot hanging over the edge of the sofa. The trio edged close and quiet to the body with held breath.
Their make-shift living room complete with a TV, sofa, dining table littered with junk food and empty packets had a guest. The boys had found him.
Kai, was fast asleep on the sofa. His sky blue blanket covered his long legs all the way up to the mid of his torso. He wasn't all the way lying down, more like in a semi upright position with a large plush red pillow nestled between his neck and the back of the sofa. One of his legs was bent with a knee poking upwards, and the other straight. A cold pale foot poked out from over the arm rest. His arms were crossed with the wire of the bright orange earphones draped over them. His hands were buried in the cloth of his armpits to keep his cold extremities warm. Tyson's iPod lay nestled on top of the blanket in his lap and was still playing. Kai had fallen asleep with it on. The Apple device was just the tool he needed to rid him of his living nightmare. His fire bird's haunting cries were drowned out by korean pop singers and dramatic game soundtracks…allowing him to sleep deeply for the first time since Blake's attack.
The trio of friends stood silent watching over him for a moment as the soft inaudible lyrics of whatever was playing blared from tiny in-ear speakers. The only other noise was the phoenix bladers' heavy breathing. The type of breathing one only makes in deep REM asleep. His eyes rolled and the corners of his closed eyelids twitched randomly. His face looked a picture of peace with his chin tucked into his sternum, and his chest rose up and down in calm repetition.
Hilary disturbed the semi-silence with a whisper as she joined ranks next to Tyson, Ray and Max. "Awwww he's sleeping like a baby."
Tyson whispered back. "What shall we do? Wake him up? He does have dinner waiting after all. And he's gotta eat. We promised his Grandma."
Ray murmured. "In surprised he's not woken up. He's a super light sleeper and this isn't like him. He's completely out of it."
Max added in a quiet voice. "You heard him when he was kicking off earlier. He hasn't been able to sleep; all because of what Shadow Vale are doing to Dranzer. I say we should let him be. This might be the first decent night's sleep he's had in ages. I bet he'll be mega pissed if we wake him up."
Tala emerged from behind and crossed his arms upon joining the crowd. He gazed down at his old comrade and felt the need to protect him. They were good friends...once." Yeah I agree. Leave him. He certainly looks like he could use the nap. If he can't eat, we'll make sure tonight at least he gets some sleep."
The group crept quiet-footed back to the dojo entrance where the others had collected outside and ranted about how hungry they were. Ray explained the situation and soon they all herded back to the kitchen with haste, hoping their food was still some degree of warm.
But Tyson remained to gaze over his childhood adversary and friend for a moment longer. He whispered to the snoozing body with optimism. "And I bet tomorrow, you're gunna feel like a whole new person. You'll be back to his old self in no time. Keep strong Kai. We'll get you through this. I promise bud."
"Just give in already you stubborn bird!" Yelled the Arch Mage Rochimaru with venom and malice. His arms ached from outstretching them to exact his torturous assaults on Dranzer. His back and neck chronically ached from 3 days going on 4 now of standing in a circle, chanting and cursing the gallant phoenix to bend to his will.
Ten fire pyres danced and flickered in the night's low wind, each held up high on wooden pikes by members of the mad and wicked Shadow Vale clan, their ruby eyes twinkled in the dark as goat bodies drained of blood lay in a pile by rocks nearby.
Dranzer, still shackled in broad metal rings around his neck, wing joints and ankles screamed as if the last zap was just as painful as the one before it. His ethereal screeches of agony carried afar across the dustbowl valley with no kind civilization nearby to hear it. His scarlet feathers however, carried further in the wind, offering some hope that someone of the Saint Shields village would track, find and rescue the tortured great beast. Dranzers' cream coloured mane danced and swirled with each evil shock delivered by the villainous Shadow Vale leader. And his misery was far from over.
Arch Mage Rochimaru - "I WILL BREAK YOU DRANZER. YOU WILL BE A SERVANT TO MY CLAN AND SERVE MY GRANDSON WITHOUT FAULTER. DO YOU HEAR ME!
Blake watched eagerly from the sidelines of the goat's blood circle. "Submit already Dranzer. Submit! Can't you see we're running out of time you insolent god. YOU WILL BE MINE!"
