Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade. If I did, I'd have to suffer with Rei's new elf ears o.0
Claimer: I own (from this chapter): Susi
Replies to reviews:
Fiver: Yes, all questions will be answered in time ::smirk:: Good predictions, though... :)
Lookintomyeyeswhatdoyousee: Wow, that's possibly the longest penname I've ever seen...anyway, yeah, I'm loving G-rev, very good stuff :D
MidnightBallad: AHH! Slow update! I'm going to continue this story (it was close to being discontinued), I think, because once any of my stories hit over ten reviews in less than four chapters then it's set. Anyway...I'll try to answer your old question, SchoolBoredom, in this chapter. Oh yeah, words in italics are Kai's thoughts, and they're the way he communicates with Susi.
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Hold my Hand
Chapter Four: Between Times
'I believe that there are three different time frames: past, present and future. But then, there is a time that does not belong to the first three, and it really isn't a time, either. Memories. Unlike past, present and future, memories can be accessed any time and can be...walked, if a person is in the correct state. Usually, they are in a coma. But, then again, all memories can be seen if a person is dead.'
Kai had explained everything that had happened to himself ever since he'd come home from his night out in the rain, and found his friends all unconscious in the dojo. And then when Haine had sent him into a world of nightmares...which, Kai found out, really wasn't as bad as he'd thought.
Or, maybe Haine had done his job wrong.
Susi had been very helpful and explained what she thought about the demon. Kai was surprised to find that she seemed interested in these things. Susi said that it came from living in a place where nightmares were as real as hell themselves, and children claimed they saw demons stalking them in the hallways.
So... Kai said in his mind, the only way Susi seemed to be able to hear him. Does that mean I'm dead? Or...my soul's missing?
Susi sighed, shrugged. 'I don't know. To be honest...I think your soul is trapped here.'
Kai felt a chill wander down his spine. All right...then how do I get it out?
Susi chewed her lip for a moment, before replying: 'I have to do some chores around the home tomorrow...but maybe we – I – can sneak out. We could go to the church.'
Kai raised an eyebrow. He assumed that Susi could see it, because she smiled slightly. In the end, Kai just said, 'We may as well try.'
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Rei awoke with dull sunlight in his eyes. Groaning, he sat up, gazing around the place. The last thing he remembered was being kicked into a wall by someone who looked very familiar –
'Kai?' Rei whispered, seeing Kai lying on the floor a few feet from him. Crawling over on his hands and knees, Rei shook him a bit. 'Hey, are you awake?'
It was then that Kai actually rolled over from Rei's excessive shaking. And Rei was so freaked that he retreated right back into the wall, completely frozen with shock. Kai's eyes were completely white, and he just stared at the ceiling. Dead? Who knows...
'Oh...my...God...' Rei whispered.
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The home was quite a different place in the morning. It seemed happier. All the younger children were running around, rolling down the stairs or playing with toys, but still in a good manner. Kai noticed that Susi appeared to be one of the oldest girls there, apart from two boys that looked about seventeen, and she was certainly doing a lot of work. Mostly cleaning, whilst trying to satisfy the younger children's wants.
By midday, Susi was certainly run down and retreated to her dormitory, which she shared with two nine-year-old girls. Kai had been following Susi all day, but he hadn't been in her dormitory before.
Immediately Kai noticed the bed of one of Susi's roommates – it was cluttered with all sorts of things, mostly drawings and ancient-looking photographs. Kai leant over a drawing of the little girl's and saw a stick-figure image of what looked like a little girl holding hands with her parents. Kai could make out the words 'mummy' and 'daddy' next to the figures.
He looked up just in time to see Susi stuff something under her pillow and turn around. She gazed around the room before whispering, 'Kai?'
Yeah? Kai thought. In Susi's eyes, he appeared out of thin air as he spoke, and vanished as he fell silent. At least Susi knew where he was.
'...We can go, now. I've finished my work.'
What was that?
'What was what?'
The thing under your pillow?
Susi frowned slightly. 'Nothing. Let's go.' She wrapped a scarf around her neck, and raced from the room.
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It was freezing outside, so Susi walked quickly through the streets, her shoes leaving scattered footprints in the snow. Kai followed her, looking at the buildings as he passed them. Funny, they all looked familiar –
'Kai? You still there?'
Kai nodded and said, Yeah. Why?
'Nothing. You're just quiet, that's all. I can tell if you're there or not.' A car raced by them in the street, and Susi sighed. 'I feel like I'm talking to myself...'
Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere.
They walked for a bit more, before Kai decided to ask some questions. So...Susi, huh? What is that – Finnish?
Susi nodded. 'Finnish for wolf.'
Where'd you get that name from? Kai wondered. Susi put her hands in her pockets – one of which had a hole in it.
'No one knows my real name. When I was put in the home, the person who dumped me never gave the headmistress my name, because they didn't know it. The headmistress named me Susi because she said I reminded her of a wolf. So, when she left, the name got stuck with me.'
I don't suppose she meant 'lone wolf' when she gave you the name? Kai asked, smiling slightly. Susi did the same. 'Maybe she did.'
They eventually came to the church – small, made from sandstone and very tidy. The flowerbeds that stood before it were covered in snow, and footprints dotted the pathway that led to the church's front door.
And as soon as Susi opened the door, they were met with a strange sight indeed.
Standing in the doorway was a very tall woman dressed in a spotless white gown; her bright hair hung loosely on her shoulders, and a pair of very large angel wings lay motionless on the ground behind her, shining like the sun. A smile spread over the woman's face, and Kai felt a strange warmth return to his body.
'Neblina?' Kai asked, using his voice this time. 'How'd you...get here?'
Neblina held out her hands. 'Haine may be a demon from the pits of hell, but I am an angel from the light of heaven. He takes away souls, and I can give them back.'
Kai gave a very deep breath.
'I have been waiting here for you, Kai. As soon as I found out that Haine cast you into this time, I knew that I had to come for you. I apologize for not telling you anything about your friend Ozuma being possessed by Haine, but I felt that those things could wait.' Neblina held out her hands further. 'But...maybe Haine sending you here wasn't such a bad idea at all... It's time for you to come back, now.'
Kai went to take Neblina's hand, but then noticed Susi standing alone, watching the angel Neblina with bright eyes. Kai thought to her, Susi: thank you for your help. You led me straight to my ticket back home.
Susi looked at him, smiling softly. 'You're welcome, Kai Hiwatari.'
I guess I owe you one now. I'll come see you one day.
Susi smiled a bit wider. She almost looked sad. 'I'd like that.'
I'll see you round, then. With that, Kai took Neblina's hands and everything – the church, the home, Susi – was gone in a bright flash of light...
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Back in the real world, Hilary shrieked as Kai's seemingly dead body blinked. She shivered as Kai sat up, and the Bladebreakers (minus Hilary) all hasped. They noticed that Kai's hands glowed strangely, and it was Tyson who broke the silence.
'Are you...a ghost?' he asked, poking Kai in the gut. Kai whacked Tyson over the head and he stumbled back. Kai flexed his fingers. Solid.
'Well, if I was a ghost, I couldn't have done that.' Kai said, almost smiling.
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MidnightBallad: And that's the end of that chapter. If you're confused, more about it will be in the next chapter or a little bit further on. To everyone who reviewed or is reviewing now, thanks so much :) I say sorry now for any typos that appeared in the chapter: I was in a rush to get this chapter written and up.