Russell – so you like Tala... hmmm... well I'll see what I can do... Cold-Heritage – thank you for coming back. I missed your Reviews . Forfirith-on-a-sugar-high – Thanks for your review! I enjoyed it as always
I am hoping to update every Friday if that is possible.
R&R again Please
Day three
Max watched tensely as Kenny bladed against Tala. So far it was not looking good for the chief. His blade was taking a bashing, and without a bitbeast... Dizzi was sitting in Max's lap yelling instructions to Kenny from the laptop.
"Left Kenny left. Come on, attack directly. No don't do that. Come on Chief..." Max was tempted to slam the lid shut, but restrained himself.
Max wondered where Kaie was, as he hadn't seen her at all. She must be training, he thought, after all she went on in two hours, just before lunch. And you go on tomorrow, another voice told him. Max closed his eyes as a wave of fear swept over him.
Tomorrow.
"And we have ourselves a winner" came the announcer's voice causing Max to snap back to reality. He looked at the dish and saw Kenny slumped over.
"No!" Max yelled and he jumped over the banister and ran over to him, leaving Dizzi on the seat. Tyson beat him to it and he could hear Rei and Hilary behind him. Max could see Kai standing in the doorway, watching.
"Chief!" Tyson yelled, "Chief, come on wake up." Then as he did not respond Tyson began to yell at the ref. "Come on lets have a re-match. That was an unfair game. Kenny deserves a re-match." Then as the ref. didn't answer Tyson went back to shaking Kenny.
Hilary gently placed a hand on Tyson's shoulder and Tyson slowly stopped shaking him as tears gently flowed out of his eyes.
"Hilary", he whispered. "Tell me this is just a dream, a nightmare. Please wake me up. Please Hil..."
Hillary said nothing, but took Tyson's hands off of Kenny so that the doctors could take him away.
"I wish it was so Tyson." And she helped him to his feet and took him back to his room. Now they had lost another teammate. Two out of the three that had bladed, gone.
Rei and Max watched Kenny being taking out of the stadium and up to the hospital wing. Both realised that this had become so much more than a game.
Rei looked at Max, not knowing what to say. Rei, deciding to go conservatively, held out his hand. "Good luck Max. Tell Kaie that I wish her luck in the tournament." He paused then added, "I am sorry about Joel and Emily."
Max nodded and shook his outstretched hand, "I am sorry about the loss of Gary and I...I wish Kevin luck in the tournament. Congratulations on your victory yesterday."
Rei's eyes clouded over. "I do not call yesterday a victory." He said darkly, and let go of Max's hand, as though it was contaminated. And with that he turned and left, leaving Max alone by the dish. He took one last glance in Rei's direction, wondering how they came to be so far apart, and then he left to find Kaie.
Kaie was in her room writing when Max found her. "What are you writing?" he asked. Kaie thought for a moment then she showed him her notebook, the new entry glistening in wet ink.
Round 3Lost Won
Kenny vs Tala
Max looked at it then said, "Kevin lost to Serika."
Kaie nodded and filled that in.
Kevin vs Serika
Max took a good look at Kaie as she was writing. When she was writing her mask fell. He could see all the emotions that went through her mind. Her eyes had bags under them and her blue hair was unbrushed. Max could also see that her clothing was not as pristine as it usually was.
Kaie finished writing and Max noted that her mask re-attached its self to her face and it blocked all of her thoughts and emotions. Kaie put her notebook under her bed and looked at Max.
Max saw her in a new light all of a sudden. He saw her as someone that was so strong, as well as someone that was so weak, that they hid behind a mask. The mask however was not one constructed to block who she was; it was created so she could freely judge everyone else.
Max noted how tired she was and helped her to get up off the bed, then the two of them walked down to the stadium. Max quietly wished her luck, and Kaie returned it with her eyes, as she was too worried to speak.
"Night." She said
"Night" Max answered
-------------------------------------------
"And that blade is out a there! And it looks as though Larkin is out of this for good."
Kaie stood, looking across at Larkin, who was now limply lying on the ground, surrounded by his teammates. Kaie picked up her blade and his and went over to them. They gave her dirty looks, but said nothing, so she continued forward.
"Larkin," she said. "You were a worth opponent. I am sorry that my victory meant this for you. If there was some way to change it so that no one suffered because they lost, then I would find it." then Kaie paused, gave him his blade and took one last look at his face. "Good luck in the Other World." She whispered, and with that she turned and left Larkin to his teammates.
Max ran up to her as soon as she came out of the dressing room. "You're all right..." Kaie nodded. "It's good to know that someone cares. Come on lets go have some lunch. I was too nervous to eat earlier."
Judy was in the cafeteria when they arrived and congratulated Kaie on her win. Kaie said nothing, just began to eat her sandwich. Max looked at her. She was acting the same way that Rei had when he had congratulated him on his victory. Max made a mental note to ask her later.
Kaie walked to her room alone as Judy was planning a strategy with Max. She entered her room and flopped onto the bed. She was so tired; she wanted to fall asleep. Kaie tried to stay awake, but fatigue over took her, then even though she fought it, she fell asleep.
Max finished planning with his mom...coach, and went to go find Kaie. He knocked on her door, and then as she didn't answer he knocked again, then entered.
Kaie was curled up on her bed in a tight ball. Max smiled. She looked so cute. Wait he thought, did he just think that, that Kaie was cute? He looked over at her, lying peacefully on the bed.
He looked at her face, and saw that she was smiling. She looked just like...someone that he knew. Who was it? It wasn't Tyson, as he drooled and rolled, it wasn't Rei, as he always looked serious when he slept...Max shook his head. He would figure it out eventually.
Max grabbed a blanket off her chair and pulled it over her body. "Sleep well Kaie. You deserve it." he whispered quietly, and left, shutting the door quietly behind himself.
Kaie woke up with a blanket on top of her. She looked blearily at the clock and had to blink three times before she believed what time it was. "Seven-thirty?!? It's Night?!?" she exclaimed, how was that possible?
Kaie ran out of her room and made a beeline for Max's room. He wasn't there so Kaie ran back to her room and grabbed her jacket and left for the park. She arrived and saw him practising on the swings. His blade was jumping from swing to swing while they were moving.
Kaie doubled back, so she came up behind him. She walked quietly up behind him and then said in a calm and collected voice, right into his ear, "Nice move."
Max hadn't heard anyone approach so he jumped a foot in the air at her voice. He spun around and was met with a sly looking face, belonging to Kaie.
"What did you do that for! You scared me! Arrrrrgggg!" he yelled. Kaie stood there saying nothing, easily keeping her face neutral. Max looked her in the eye and saw only calm green orbs staining back at him. Max froze as he looked into these eyes.
They were like water in a pond, no ripples, and had a calm stillness to them. He felt himself relax, and the anger leave him. There was sorrow there too. Max wanted to push the sorrow away and leave only calm.
Kaie starred back into Max's playful, innocent eyes. They held a life of happiness, a childhood with few unhappy memories behind them. Kaie's eyes locked onto them, her eyes wanting a piece of the happiness.
The two kept their eyes locked, neither blinking, then simultaneously they both broke away looking embarrassed.
Max blushed, "Sorry" he said, "But I...ah..."
Kaie hid her blush and said, "Sorry... I'm sorry too."
And that was that. Neither one of them said anything, but then Max's blade, which was spinning in the sand, caught their attention. They spent the next forty-five minutes coming up with new attacks to use against Todd. When two of them walked back it was eight-thirty and they both decided to stop at the cafeteria and get some food.
They ate in silence and when they finished they walked upstairs to their rooms.
"Night" Max said
"Night" said Kaie.
That night neither of them slept very well. Max, because he was nervous, and Kaie because Max was nervous and because of the bond between them, she couldn't sleep. At two-thirty Kaie went onto Max's room, attempting to calm him down.
Max was lying there awake, staring at the ceiling. Kaie knocked quietly and entered. Max looked her direction as she entered. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked
Kaie shook her head. "You can't sleep, so I can't sleep."
Max looked blearily at her. It took a few moments for the pieces to click. "Sorry." He said. "I forgot that it affects you."
Kaie shrugged, "It has more benefits than downfalls. I know you can't sleep because of the tournament."
Max nodded, "I'm worried. I understand now why you didn't count yesterday as a victory. How can it be a victory if, in a normally peaceful sport, no one dies in it at least, that now all of a sudden there are people that are being penalised for loosing. It's not..."
Max paused, trying to say what he meant; "It's not a game anymore. It's like a war."
Kaie dropped her defences and went over to the downcast Max. "Listen to me. It is up to us to bring back everyone who is missing. Everyone who has gone to the 'Lost World', that is what Dranzer calls it. He says that everyone's spirits, their essence have gone there, but their bodies stay here."
Max said nothing, and as Kaie put her hand on his back, she felt that Max was shivering.
Max whispered quietly, "I don't want to hurt anyone."
Kaie said nothing, but Max understood her completely. She didn't want to hurt anyone either, but she didn't see anyway out. Max closed his eyes and felt a rain of fatigue blanket him. He mumbled about being tired, curling up under the covers. Kaie was thankful as it meant she could get some rest.
"Night Kaie" he said
Kaie looked at her sleeping friend smiled. He could be a pain, but he was so...Max. He was cheerful and yet he had another side. Kaie saw a part of herself in him.
"Night Max." she said, then left for her own room.
As she curled up under her covers she knew that Max was now asleep. Kaie smiled, and fell asleep as well.
O.K. Another chapter done (6 pages O.O)
Questions....
Who is you favourite Character?
Who is your least Favourite Character?
Anything you want me to add....
I am not promising anything, I am just surveying my reviewers, and thank you!!!
Note: I am Canadian so that is why there is a 'u' in Favourite and in colour. .'
Please R&R
Smoke Angel