SS – …How long has it been? …Too long! Let's not make it longer, ok?
Tym – Thanks for mentioning my return, by the way. Egypt was amazing! Man, I wish I could have stayed there--
SS – He came back weeks ago, but I'll let him rant. So, does everyone remember what happened last time? Good. If not, just flip back and give the ending a once over. :smiles: Here goes!

Loving Legends
Chapter 13 – Dawn of a Storm
Disclaimer: See prologue or another chapter

Note: Any long passages in italics are flashbacks for this chapter. I'm sure it'll be noticeable.
Warning: It's winter and cases of OOC have been reported. It's spreading rapidly; so some of the characters in this chapter may be showing symptoms of it. Please keep your distance. ;D

Tyson lazily arched his back and yawned as he sat up on the couch. It was already well into the morning, but considering how thunderous the storm had been last night, he didn't manage to get much shuteye. Hastily "combing" his hair with his hand, the blue-haired boy grabbed his hat and made his way to the kitchen.

"Morning, Tyson." Kenny greeted him upon his arrival. Seems that he had been awake for a while since the plate in front of him was already empty and the smell of eggs was slowly dissipating from the room. "I was wondering when you'd get up."

The boy succumbed to another yawn, which was followed by a groan. "Man Chief, you already finished breakfast?" He slumped into a chair, folded his arms on top of the table and rested his head on them. "The least you could have done was save me some."

The brunet looked up from his laptop and shrugged. "Actually, I did."

Snapping his head up, Tyson skimmed the room. "You did?" He asked jubilantly.

"Uh…yea. Well…I did." He mumbled with a cat-ate-the-bird expression on his face.

Tyson's eyes dimmed considerably. "Aww…don't tell me you ate it?!"

"Of course he didn't, Tyson. But that doesn't mean that I followed his suit…" A new voice responded.

"…You didn't…" The boy commented in an accusing tone when he spied the culprit.

With a small smile gracing her face, Dizzi cantered over to Kenny's side of the table and picked up his plate. "I'm sorry, Tyson, but I was curious. I had never eaten human food before and it smelled really good!"

Keeping a constant glare on the fairy, Tyson snorted. "Oh yea, like that'll make me and my stomach feel better."

The younger boy closed his laptop. "Don't worry about it. I can always make some more." Kenny suggested as he got up and walked over to the refrigerator.

"Thanks, buddy. I owe you, I swear!" The lazy boy exclaimed.

As the shorter youth closed the door, he headed for the stove shaking his head. "It's no problem. Just give me a minute."

"Hey, Kenny! If you're making more, could I have another taste?" Dizzi questioned innocently.

"Well…uh…"

"Dizzi, that batch is for me!" Tyson scrambled out of his seat and tried to catch the fairy before she could influence the boy any further.

"Oh, don't be such a Buta." (1)

"?! What did you call me?!"

"Nothing! Just don't be one!"

"But what was that? An insult?!"

"No! Well…not really…"

With a sigh, Kenny proceeded to crack the eggs that he had brought out. Taking hold of the whisk, he began to blend the yolks together. 'Man…this'll be a long morning…'

ooo

"Ok, how's that?"

"Hn."

"All right, and just what is that supposed to mean?" The raven-haired boy questioned as he continued with his gentle ministrations.

"…Hn."

Rei glared at him, threatening to drill holes into the back of the hunter's head. "Well, do you want me to go harder, lower, anything…?"

There was a slight pause before his diminutive answer came. "…Hn."

"Kai!" The half-breed groaned. "Come on, I need an actual answer!"

"Fine." He responded. "A little harder."

Rei applied a bit more pressure. "Like that?"

Kai arched his back a little and gave another 'hn' in response.

Grumbling, Rei was beginning to rethink his whole act of thanks. He paused for a moment and readjusted his position on the bluenette's back. He was straddling the older boy on the couch, so his legs were beginning to cramp out on him as it had been a good fifteen minutes already. "I'll be lucky if I can walk properly after this…" He mumbled.

Tilting his head up from its place on his arms, Kai smirked. "Well you're the one who wanted to do this, remember?" He was lying on his stomach, his arms resting comfortably on the armrest of the couch. "And don't stop yet." He added before closing his eyes.

" 'And don't stop yet…' " Rei mimicked in a sarcastic tone. "Jeez, could you be a little more appreciative of my services?" He asked as he resumed his actions.

"Well next time, could you be a little more graceful and not fall on me?" Kai countered.

"…Shut up." He purposely applied more pressure than necessary, earning a grunt from the hunter under him.

"Watch it, Rei…"

"If you don't like the way I massage, then too bad." When he was answered with silence, the raven-haired boy sighed and returned to the way he had done it before. Starting from Kai's shoulder blades, he slowly made his way down to the small of his back, gently rubbing circles with his palms and using his thumbs to remove the knots and kinks.

"…Thank you." He said, grateful that the pressure was stable again.

"I do owe you, so I should do a good job…I suppose. But after this, I'm completely out of your debt, right?"

Kai quirked an eyebrow. "Oh really? Just this morning it sounded like you'd climb mountains to make up for me saving your life, and now you're settling for a little massage?"

Rei shrugged as he began a steady rhythm just below the hunter's shoulder blades, where he suspected it hurt the most. "Considering you stuffed me in a closet like a jacket and didn't stop that boy from checking out my hiding place…yes."

Shaking his head, Kai figured arguing wouldn't do much good, especially now that Rei was in a very powerful position. So he sacrificed a bit of his pride for the sake of his back. Besides, he was enjoying his treatment. "Fine."

'Damn it!' Rei began to panic as the door slowly creaked open. Quickly scanning his only space, he looked up, bit his lip, and gave that solution a try.

"And behind door number one, we have…" As Tala pulled the handle, the contents of the closet flooded with light, revealing… "…eh?"

"We have my jackets, two questionable umbrellas, Tyson's coats and a few stray shoes! Congratulations, Mr. Ivanov." Kai answered sarcastically.

"But…" The redhead stepped closer, pushing the clothes aside and letting confusion fill his blue eyes. "I could have sworn I…"

'…Goodness…' Rei breathed heavily, keeping his hands pressed firmly against the walls of the closet and his feet securely on the top of the pole supporting the jackets and the opposing wall. 'Hurry up!' He tried to keep calm, but it wasn't working too well considering his right foot was losing its grip against the wall. He had been in such a haste to get up and hide that he didn't have time to get into a comfortable or practical position.

"If there's nothing in here, then why did the door open…" Tala muttered to himself.

As if knowing what a compromising situation Rei must be in, Kai began to lead his associate away from the closet and towards the front door. "My money is on the wind. Either from those," He motioned to the windows along the walls of his house. "Or from the draft that sometimes rolls in from the upper levels of the house."

The boy with frost-colored eyes furrowed his brows. "But wouldn't wind make the door close?" He reasoned.

"For heaven's sake, Tala, just let it go, would you? Stop being so suspicious of me and my home."

"Sorry," They stopped in front of the main entrance for a moment. "It's just…I feel like you're hiding something from me, Kai." The redhead confessed.

"Such as…?" The bluenette continued to remain his usual self, though the fact that Rei was likely to make an appearance soon plagued his mind.

"…" Taking one last glance around the house, Tala finally sighed. "I don't know." He shrugged. "I suppose even if you did have something going on around here, it's none of my business unless it concerns that half-breed you owe me."

Almost as quickly as the words left his mouth, Kai opened the door and began pushing him out. "Believe me, it has nothing to do with…that. It's just something Tyson's been up to. Don't worry about it. I'm sure you have tons of other things to worry over, anyway."

"Yea, like my boss kicking my ass for not getting that creature by now! That and the hunter I hired shoving me out into the cold--what is your hurry, Hiwatari?!" He exclaimed.

"Nothing! I'll update you later!" With his final words, Kai shut the door, locked it, and leaned against it. Waiting for five or ten seconds to pass, he let go of his heavy breath and closed his eyes. "…Damn it all." He rubbed his forehead. 'I could have ended it all right then. Tala would be happy, I would have gotten my reward, and then I probably would have taken a nice vacation.' Shaking his head, he got off the door and began walking to the closet. 'I swear, this stress is going to kill me someday.' Stepping inside, he pushed all of the coats aside and rummaged around. 'I hope Rei didn't hear what Tala said…'

"Rei?" He called, his voice echoing slightly.

"Kai? I-Is that guy gone, yet?" The half-breed managed to mumble out without losing his hold.

"If he wasn't then I wouldn't be talking to you." He took another look around. "Where are you, anyway?"

Trying to adjust his position, he pushed up a bit so that his arms could rest a little. "I'm up here."

Looking up, Kai could only make out a bit of white from Rei's tail. His raven hair and dark clothes made it practically impossible for the hunter to see, especially since the light wasn't on. "Huh, quick thinking. Well, you can come down now."

He smiled. "Great." Just as he shifted his footing on the pole, his right foot slipped completely. "Eh!?" A feeling of panic surged through the boy's body as his hands lost their hold as well, causing him to fall out of the small hideout. "Ah!"

Kai hadn't moved, not that he could have with such a warning. "What-urg!" Though he had caught the half-breed, the momentum behind him resulted in both of them hitting the floor. The hangers of the coats and jackets jingled a bit, almost in laughter of the situation.

They both ended up in a cluttered mess on the limited ground of the closet, with Rei's head cushioned by Kai's stomach and the rest of him somewhat saved from the hard fall by the garment he had caught on the way down. The older boy however, wasn't quite as lucky…

"Oh…fuck." Kai groaned as he massaged his head, which had scraped against the wall of the closet. Adding in the last minute descent of a nearby umbrella, which happened to fall off of its hook and smack Kai squarely on the head by its length, the hunter was not in a good mood or condition.

"Nn…ow." The golden-eyed youth squeezed his eyes shut before opening them slowly, as if preparing himself for the effects of his actions. "That was definitely an experience I don't want to remember." Realizing what he must have been sitting on… "Oh, Kai." Rei sat up carefully and leaned forward, having just seen the long stick attack his human cushion. "Hey, are you ok?" He reached over and gently caressed the boy's head, feeling for any bumps, potential bruises or blood (knock on wood).

"I think I felt better that time a dragon caught me off guard and threw me across a lake with its tail…" He groaned before glaring at him.

Making Rei's eyes darken and his brows furrow with worry, the half-breed's ears fell. He removed his hand and began to make his way out of the closet, careful not to add to the bluenette's injuries. He decided to let Kai get out himself seeing as he wasn't sure what other part of him was hurt. "I'm really sorry, Kai. I lost my footing and…well, I'm sorry."

The hunter gingerly stood up and stepped out of the closet in a sluggish manner. "Yea, I know…" He rubbed his back, which seemed to have taken the most damage since the shoes were on the floor and that's where he had landed. "Shit…like things weren't bad enough already." He muttered.

Feeling thoroughly guilty, Rei thought quietly before coming up with an idea to cure Kai's ailments. "Hey, I know what'll make you feel better."

"You know, Kai. You never did explain this whole thing to me."

"What whole thing?" He questioned in a leisurely tone.

"About who that guy is and why you had to shove me in that heaven-forsaken closet in the first place." Rei oh so matter-of-factly reminded him. "Remember? When you put me in there in the first place you said you'd explain it to me later. And as far as I'm concerned, this is later."

"…Now?"

The raven-haired boy was getting a tad irritated at Kai's reluctance to answer. "Yes now. It's not like you're very busy…"

"Mm." Drawing out his response, the hunter shrugged to the best of his abilities. "Well, I'm kind of tired so maybe later--"

"Oh please…tired? You're only getting tired because of me. Should I stop so that you can wake up?" He asked with a whimsical flare.

It didn't seem like such a difficult decision…except that he was really enjoying the warmth and feeling of Rei's hands working his back. 'It wouldn't hurt I suppose. I just need to avoid certain facts.' Resting his head into his arms, Kai muffled his response. "…He was one of my clients. His name's Tala."

"Uh huh."

"He was coming to check on my current assignment. Apparently he doesn't trust me to the point of leaving well enough alone."

"You mean you're supposed to be catching something for him right now?"

Kai tilted his head down and up, supposedly passing it off as a nod. "He wants it as soon as possible, but I told him I'd do my best."

That intrigued the half-breed. 'So, he was looking for something and then I got in the way. I hope that's a good thing.' His massaging had slowed to a trickle of its former pace, the healer absorbed in more important matters at the moment. 'I wonder…what is he searching for?'

"Rei?"

"Hm?" Came his timid reply.

"You're letting up."

"Oh, oops." Resuming his original speed, Rei decided to let it go for now. 'I can think about it later. Besides, if I do that now, he'll just keep interrupting my train of thought.' He coughed to get the hunter's attention. "Well, I'm glad to know all of this, but it still doesn't explain why you shoved me into that hollow piece of wood like a rag."

"…I thought it'd be obvious."

The raven-haired boy chuckled and shrugged. "Pretend that I'm naïve then. And if you make a crack about that your back will have some nice line designs on it…ten of them as a matter of fact…"

"…Spoil my fun." Earning himself a warning prod, Kai continued. "Ok. If I hadn't pushed you into the closet, Tala would have seen you. Do you know what would have came out of that little scenario?"

"Enlighten me." He insisted.

"Hn." It seemed to delight Kai to answer with his simple words. "He would have tried to capture you."

Rei scoffed at him. "Yea right! Like he could…"

"Never underestimate that redhead. I've known him for a long time, he always has one trick up his sleeve, and probably another to back that one up."

"I highly doubt it. I mean, you've been around me for, how long? Days? And you haven't been able to lay a net over me."

Kai tilted his head. "If you haven't noticed, you're not my target. So why would I waste my time trying to catch something that I don't have the need to?" Hearing Rei's 'piff', the hunter pressed on, determined to make his answer sound logical. "If I wanted to get you, I would have done so a long time ago. Believe me, you're an easy catch."

"Excuse me?!" Rei said in mock surprise. "I am no easy catch, Mr. Big-shot hunter!" The boy continued rubbing, though it was a little more pressured at this point. "I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've eluded traps and nets set by hunters who were probably more qualified than you." He announced.

"Hmph. Yes, you certainly amazed me when you eluded that pitfall a day ago, or that one last night during the storm."

"…"

With silence from his verbal sparing partner, Kai went on unrelenting. "And for the record, let it be known that I am the best, and there is no other hunter more qualified than I am."

The half-breed blew out a breath, letting it puff under one of his bangs. "Stop pleasing yourself, Mr. Egotistical."

"Oh, so now I'm egotistical? What happened to big-shot?" The blue-haired boy countered in a teasing manner.

Rei pursed his lips. "…You're both. But it doesn't really matter."

Smirking, Kai questioned him. "And why's that?"

"Because Mr. Egotistical big-shot," The hunter rolled his eyes at his dubbed title. "The fact remains that you haven't been able to catch the creature Tala asked of you, and you haven't been able to catch me."

Kai's head seemed to disappear when his head dropped below his arms. Only his blue grey-colored bangs puffed out. "I told you, I'm not after you, Rei." He articulated in an exasperated tone. 'Not yet anyway…'

While Rei would probably regret asking this later, he put it out there for the sake of keeping up his side of the argument. "And why aren't you?"

"…" Crimson eyes widened at the question. He lifted his head and opened his mouth to respond, though it took a few seconds. "…What?" He finally asked incredulously.

"Why aren't you after me? I mean, you have to admit; I'm quite a find. You'll only find two other half-breeds out there in the Umber Woods, so why haven't you tried to catch me?"

"…" Kai could not believe what he was hearing. The words coming out of Rei's mouth were incomprehensible.

"Or maybe you do want to catch me but you want to keep me all to yourself and that's why you didn't let Tala see me."

"You're crossing thin ice, Rei…" Kai warned in a low tone as he turned onto his back.

The raven-haired boy laughed. It was all a game to him, and in his eyes, he was winning. "So that means I'm correct, right?"

"No, it means," With one forceful push, Kai knocked Rei over, pinning him down to the other end of the couch with his head landing on the opposing armrest with a thud. The room shifted to silence during the change of power, all except for Kai's steady breathing and Rei's ragged one. "The ice has just cracked and you've fallen." He finished with a successful smirk.

"Ow…" After a few seconds of mentally admonishing himself for not seeing that move sooner, Rei thought about making another counter, but figured out something a little more powerful. "Man…my h-head…" Blinking once more and taking a deep breath, he promptly fainted on the spot.

Kai narrowed his gaze. "Don't think that'll work on me, Rei." He lifted one of his hands and poked at the half-breed's shoulder. "Come on, no need to resort to fainting to get out of this little argument. Just admit that you lost already and we can get on with the day."

"…"

The blue-haired hunter sighed. "You just have to play this out, don't you?" Straddling him, Kai ran a hand through his hair and contemplated leaving for the hell of it. 'Well, then he'd just lay here all day, and I can't have that either.' "I'm going to prove you don't have a concussion and then you'll have to get up." Carefully, he lifted Rei's head with one hand and used the other to feel for any bumps, which he highly doubted there were. The armrest was padded for heaven's sake!

"…"

"Drop the act now, Rei. I can't have you lying here all day and you have no head wound." The only movement the younger boy made was his insignificant, his head tilted to the side. "You are really trying my patience-hm?" Noticing that his right hand was close to one of Rei's sensitive ears, he decided to fight fire with fire. "Then again," He began in an indifferent tenor. "If you've fainted, then you've fainted. Can't do anything about that…" Shifting his knees so that they pinned the half-breed's arms, Kai adopted a smirk and began playing with the raven-haired boy's left ear.

The younger boy's lip twitched a little. "Mm…"

'Come on, wake up…I know you can't stand this.' He moved it from side to side, feeling resistance and a natural flick.

"…Em…" The half-breed's brows furrowed, his lips fighting to stay still.

"Good thing you're unconscious, otherwise this would really be killing you…" Kai muttered while suppressing his laugh. He gently rubbed the side, small breaths accidentally brushing over the soft hairs…

Rei's resolve was breaking, the delightfully torturous sensation causing him to break in a matter of seconds. "Mm…hm hm…meep…stop!" He exclaimed suddenly as he shook his head side to side.

Kai feigned a gasp. "Why thank the heavens, you're ok." The crimson-eyed boy declared sardonically. He kept his hand on the boy's ear, not willing to let him off that easily.

"Stop it! I'm awake! S-Stop it!" He broke into fits of laughter, the touches on his ear much too ticklish for him to bear. "K-Kai let go!" He tried for his arms, but they were at the mercy of the hunter's knees, as was he now that he thought about it.

"You mean you're not injured from when I pushed you?" The hunter asked as he continued to attack the boy's ear with his hand.

"You k-know I'm n-not, now stop it!" His body fought against Kai's, his head constantly shaking in hopes of getting free. "Y-You are so going to pay w-when I-I get free…" He choked out, almost out of breath from his laughter.

"Of course I will. I am just going to get it." The dominating youth said sarcastically. 'He certainly is a funny creature. Like a kitten playing with his owner.' The blue-haired boy smirked. 'But he is getting short of breath, wouldn't want him to choke. Guess I should stop now.' Finally relenting on his tickling, Kai placed the boy's head back on the armrest and patted his head in a motherly manner. "There my little kitten, your torture has ended."

If he wasn't gasping for air, Rei would have gotten him about being called a kitten and getting a pat on the head, but it would have to wait. His chest rose and fell rather quickly, his fierce eyes set glaring at Kai's amused mahogany ones. "D-Don't…don't call…me a-a cat…Kai." He managed to say before taking a few more deep breaths.

"Well, I didn't. I called you a little kitten." He mocking corrected, poking the boy's ear again. "And you have a real weakness there, Rei. You should be careful because now I could have you at my mercy whenever I want."

"…Y-You wish…" The half-breed scoffed. Though, there was truth in his words. 'Man, why did my ears have to be so damn sensitive!' They twitched impulsively, making Kai chuckle.

"But they are cute," The blue-haired boy touched one lightly, briefly feeling the soft fur covering it. "I suppose I can leave them alone…for now."

Rei blinked, his breathing getting back to normal…somewhat. "What?" 'Like it wasn't already out of his character to call me that when I woke up. Oh, I get it. He's still teasing me from when I said it last night. That really was foolish of me. It shall be the catalyst to every future 'compliment' he gives me.'

'See, this is why I should have just continued to make him suffer. When he's in my control, he can't respond to what I say and make me regret saying certain things! Why does this happen when he's around me? That's what I need to figure out…somehow…' Kai leaned in closer, catching the pensive, raven-haired boy's attention. "Hey, Rei, do you--"

"Hey Rei!"

"Huh?!" Blinking, the raven-haired boy forgot where he was and quickly lifted his head.

"Ow! Damn it…"

…Effectively colliding with Kai's.

"Ouch!" The hunter sat back, releasing the boy's arms and most of his body. And now that Kai had let up, Rei sprang up and held his forehead gently. "Oh…I'm going to be feeling that for a while…"

Kai got off the couch and rubbed his head. "What did you do that for?!"

Glancing at him, he soon shifted his gaze to the garage door. "Driger. I heard Driger call my name." It suddenly dawned on him. "Oh, that's right!" He jumped off the couch in realization and dashed to the door. Kai, on the other hand, wasn't as quick.

'If that stupid tiger hadn't interrupted, I may have gotten an answer! Shit, now I have a headache…'

"Driger!" Rei swung the door open and the creature leapt out, quickly nuzzling the boy with his head.

"It's about time! What was keeping you? Don't tell me you forgot about me!"

"I'm sorry Drig, but we were preoccupied." Rei said as he rubbed the tiger's fur.

"…We…?" His intimidating glare zeroed in on the hunter who was standing behind Rei. "What do you mean, we?"

Catching his mistake, he tried to cover it. "Uh…not really we! I meant…I was busy! I was busy with Kai! No! Oh…hold on…that's not what I meant either…"

Though he could only understand one part of the conversation, Kai was pretty sure this wasn't going to turn out well. He stepped closer to the boy, about to ask him what was going on, until the tiger caught his movements and pulled Rei away from him.

"Driger, what are you doing?" Rei hissed at the sudden tug.

"That hunter was about to do something…I didn't like the looks of it."

"He was?" Golden eyes met confused mahogany ones. "I doubt it, Driger. Stop worrying, would you?"

"I'll never stop worrying so long as there's a hunter around. Come on, we'd better go."

Driger's command reminded Rei what time it must have been, what day it was…and more importantly, who was coming back today. "Shoot, you're right! Kai, what time is it?!"

Blinking, Kai scoured for a clock. "It's a few minutes past eight." He said upon finding one.

"Really?! When did it get so late! Robert's going to be back any second! Drig, we got to go!" He hurried the tiger along, both making their way to the front entrance.

"Rei, what's happening?!" He raced to the door, getting there in time to unlock it before the tiger ripped it apart.

"In a nutshell--"

"No, not in a nutshell." The raven-haired boy pulled the door open and let Driger go ahead of him. Just as he was about to leave, Kai caught his wrist. "What's going on?"

"…" His gaze shifting from the waiting tiger to his friend, Rei bit his lip. "…Another time, Kai?"

"Why not now?" He asked calmly.

"Because if I don't get back before Robert, I'll never hear the end of it!" He tugged at his wrist. "Later, ok?!"

"When's later? Tomorrow's lesson?"

"Yes…no! No! That's too soon." Kai was really getting baffled from Rei's sentences. It was like he was talking in circles. "Um…"

Driger glanced over his shoulder, vexingly noting that Rei was still at the door. "Rei, we got to go!"

"I know!" He tried getting out of the older boy's grasp again. "I need to go!"

Crimson eyes narrowed. "When is later, Rei? And stop doing that. You'll chew the hell out of your lip."

He stopped, trying to calm himself down. "Later is…it's…later." He finally answered with a light shrug and a lazy smile. "There will be a next time. There's always a next time. After all, I still need to get you back for that little tickle 'accident'…ahem."

Though Kai knew his words were rushed and probably not exactly what he was trying to say, it would suffice. They've gone through enough by now to know that verbal exchanges of this tone were to be trusted. And if Rei was bent on getting back at him, there would be a next time, and it'd be soon. Right now though, the half-breed needed to smooth out some things back home, so he needed to go.

Turning his head to the side, Kai let go of his wrist. "Better hurry then. Looks like Driger is going to explode from anxiety any second."

Grateful for his acceptance, Rei smiled, his ears finally relaxed. "All right. And thanks for letting me stay the night, Kai!" He pivoted on balls of his feet and sprinted to catch up to the frustrated tiger. "See you soon!" He called from over his shoulder as he joined Driger in his sprint. About five seconds later, the two Umber Wood residents had disappeared in the forests' cover, and everything was as it was once again.

Sighing, the hunter ran a hand through his hair and went back into his house. He now had a headache to cure and more questions in need of answers.

ooo

"Exactly what were you two talking about back there?" Driger asked as they tore through the forest.

"Nothing…just had to say our goodbyes, is all." The golden-eyed boy occasionally looked over his shoulder, almost certain that they were a hair or two ahead of Robert. …Only a hair or two.

"Goodbyes? Why does it take so long to say that? It's one word." A tree divided them and then they regrouped. "Why do you need to say goodbye to that hunter, anyway?" He wondered suspiciously.

"Because I was leaving. When two people leave, they usually say--"

"I know that! I mean, why to him? In case you've forgotten, he's--"

"My friend. Can we do this later?" He asked with another glance. "I have a feeling Robert's right behind us." Rei murmured cautiously.

"No he isn't! Tell me, now!"

"Well…ah!" Spying the waterfall ahead, Rei thanked the heavens for the break. "Er, one moment!" He dived into the lake and made his way to the other side.

Driger roared. "Rei, that's cheating!" He got in a little less gracefully, clawing past the rocks and surfacing quickly to replenish is oxygen supply. By the time he had gotten out and had shaken his fur of water, he scanned the area. "That boy…" However, it was too late. The lake had been his perfect escape. Rei had already evaded Driger's sight.

ooo

'I can't believe I lost Driger so easily. That shortcut I found a few weeks ago is a real time shaver. Hm…I think I'm ahead of Robert by a minute or two now.' As he entered the clearing; the half-breed noticed his tree, it almost radiated sanctuary. 'Guess I have some time for a little break.' Almost happily, Rei cantered to his tree, stopping when he reached the sturdy plant's trunk. There he collapsed and took a breather, his little sprint from Driger had tired him somewhat. Not to mention his mind was still reeling from his last "incident" with Kai. With the aid of another deep breath, he closed his golden eyes; letting them rest as the fairly steady beat of his heart lulled him into a light trance.

'…I wonder what Kai was about to ask me? His eyes were really dark, he was serious about it.'

Kai leaned in closer, catching the pensive, raven-haired boy's attention. "Hey, Rei, do you--"

'And what was that little nickname about? He knows full well I'm half tiger.' Rei let one of his fangs poke out. 'It didn't sound like an insult, though. It sounded like he was teasing me, the way that Wolborg does sometimes.

"Good thing you're unconscious, otherwise this must really be killing you…" Kai muttered out while suppressing his laugh. He gently rubbed the side, small breaths accidentally brushing over the soft hairs…

Rei's resolve was breaking, the delightfully torturous sensation causing him to break. "Mm…hm hm…stop!" He exclaimed suddenly as he shook his head side to side.

"Why thank the heavens, you're ok." The crimson-eyed boy declared sardonically.

'There's something different about Kai. Seems like he isn't the same person I met at the festival. Or even the same person he was when we had called a truce to our fighting. We still argue, but now it seems more like…

"Well, I didn't. I called you a little kitten." He mocking corrected, poking the boy's ear again. "And you have a real weakness there, Rei. You should be careful because now I could have you at my mercy whenever I want."

"…Y-You wish…" The half-breed scoffed. Though, there was truth in his words. 'Man, why did my ears have to be so damn sensitive!' They twitched impulsively, making Kai chuckle.

"But they are cute," The blue-haired boy touched one lightly, briefly feeling the soft fur covering it. "I suppose I can leave them alone…for now."

'Like playing.' Rei opened his eyes, though he wasn't looking at anything in particular. He didn't even notice the blond puff coming towards him. 'It's like we're just having fun with each other, like there was never a time when we actually fought to draw blood from one another.' He let a small laugh escape his lips. 'I can't even see that Kai anymore.' He realized with a smile. 'Was he ever that bad? …Probably not. But when I found out he was a hunter; I panicked and assumed he was like all the rest. I never really gave him a choice but to fight back.' Shaking his head, Rei closed his eyes again. 'He's not like the rest. He's better than them. I shouldn't have judged him so quickly.' A smile then licked his lips. 'But that doesn't mean I can let him get away with tickling my ears. Now, how to get even…'

"Rei!" The raven-haired boy was broken from his thoughts when his little-winged buddy tackled him seemingly out of nowhere.

"Max?!" Though slightly dazed, Rei returned the hug. "Boy, where did you come from, Maxie? I didn't see you." He slowly pulled the blond up so that they were both standing.

"I was coming right at you! I'm surprised you didn't notice me!" He mumbled into his shirt. "We were all really worried about you, Rei! When you didn't come back last night…and then that thunderous storm blew in…mm, I'm just glad you're ok!" He clung to the older youth like he was his only lifeline. Apparently Rei's absence hadn't gone unnoticed.

"Aw, Maxie, the storm! I completely forgot…Mm, I'm sorry I made you worry, again. I suppose I have a habit for disappearing without much notice, huh?"

The angel nodded into the crook of his friend's neck, unwilling to let go for fear of Rei vanishing. "Wolborg, Trygle and Draciel were all worried, too. And then I got really concerned when I thought about what'd happen if you didn't show up before Robert returned!" He pulled away slightly, just enough so that he could see the warmth of Rei's eyes. "Where were you, Rei? What happened to you?"

Offering a small smile as repentance, he gently stroked the boy's tufts of hair and nodded. Max, albeit a bit admonishing at times, always forgave Rei, and believed in what he said. He was wary about Kai like the other creatures, but he knew that if the raven-haired boy saw good in him, then he should, too. If anything, Max deserved to hear about everything. If anyone, it had to be the person who was like a little brother to Rei.

Keeping a kind hold on the blond's hand, Rei started to tell his tale. "All right, well, it started after sunset last night." He started.

"What, may I ask started after sunset last night?"

The two younger boys glanced up at the owner of the familiar voice and grinned when they saw who it was. "Robert!" They exclaimed in unison. Both ran up to him, and he welcomed them with his usual pats on the head. While Rei moved the hand to his shoulder with a smirk on his face, Max just beamed. He was still young and didn't mind being greeted with an affectionate ruffle of the hair.

"So, I take it that you two are happy to see me?"

He laughed. "Did you think we wouldn't be, Robert?" Rei asked in a questioning tone.

"Well, since I forbade you to leave this side of the mountain, I figured you would have been a little…bored." He responded.

"You know me, I found a way to keep myself entertained." The younger replied in a light tone.

Max on the other hand was very enthused. "I'm just glad you kept your promise and came back before my birthday! It is tomorrow after all." He conveniently reminded the older boy. (2)

"Yes, I know. How could I forget?"

A rumbling baritone came from behind all three of them. "How could anyone forget after you've been jumping around the place reminding everyone?" After a few seconds Driger made himself known, slowly coming out of the bushes like he was stalking his prey.

Rei tensed for a moment, but quickly calmed himself before Robert could sense it. 'If he was right behind Robert, that means that they must have passed each other at one point. Actually, they were a little slow on getting here. It shouldn't have taken them so long. What if Driger told Robert why he was coming from that direction in the first place?' Rei blinked away his doubt. He feared the older half-breed might be able to catch it radiating of off his body…if that were possible. 'No, Drig wouldn't do that. He…wouldn't…' He rationalized.

Thankfully, Max drew everyone's attention by flying over to the tiger and landing on his back. "Aw, I only mention it because I don't want anyone to forget."

"And he doesn't want anyone to forget because it's a very important birthday. Our little Maxie is turning fifteen." Rei added as he strolled over to the two and patted the blond on the back.

"Be amazed by my age and growing wisdom, everyone!" He announced proudly.

Robert shook his head slightly, a smile still licking his lips. "Yes, yes. We are all quite proud of your growth. But it isn't official until tomorrow evening, so do you think you can contain your excitement until then?"

Sighing, Max lazily plopped his head onto Driger's, earning a warning growl from the beast. Clear disappointment trudged over his once joyous expression. At that, Rei managed a grin. "Jeez Robert, look at what you did to our poor little angel."

"Kmm…" A rumble from the tiger's throat alerted Rei to another sufferer.

"And Max's sadness has influenced Driger's mood as well!"

Robert rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Apparently I'm just the bearer of bad news, hm?" He turned and began walking to his cave. "Hopefully your moods will lift by tomorrow night. I'd hate to have to drag you two to the hills in the Auburn Mountains to see the stars…" He trailed off, knowing it would catch their attention.

Max certainly perked up. "Come on, Robert, don't throw that kind of talk at us!" He sighed. "You take the fun out of everything."

The eldest half-breed took off his rather large jacket and spread his wings. "Just don't complain and we'll go tomorrow. Until then, I expect the both of you to behave, understood?"

"Yes." The younger ones replied simultaneously.

"Good. Now I just need to check in with Grypholyion to make sure you have been good." He only need to flap his wings once before he was airborne, and then he made his way to the den carved into the side of the mountainside.

Making sure he was absolutely out of earshot, Max hopped off of Driger and tugged at Rei's sleeve. "You did make sure that you behaved for Grypholyion, right?"

The raven-haired boy shrugged sloppily with an equally messy smile on his face. "More or less…I suppose…I hope" He ended with a light laugh.

"You'd better!" He gave the older boy's arm a yank. "This is my birthday star night and I don't want your selfish needs to ruin it!" The blond commented a bit sarcastically.

"I know, I know. I'm pretty sure everything's been taken care of."

Max cheered. "Great!"

"Ahem."

Dreading the moment that had arrived, Rei let his head slide back a bit before turning to the tiger. "Yes…?"

Slowly walking over to the two half-breeds, Driger lied down in a casual fashion and motioned for them to join him. "I believe you have something you need to finish explaining to me, Rei."

"…I do?" He asked artlessly.

"Yes," He scooted closer to the raven-haired boy, ensuring that escape was futile this time. "I believe you do."

"Well…"

"Oh! That's right, you do, Rei!" Max interrupted. "You have to tell me the story from the beginning. After all, Robert interrupted and you never finished."

Driger coughed a growl. "That'll have to wait, young Max."

Though the angel didn't fully understand, by Driger's tone, he figured it was something against his request. "But I want to know what happened." He argued.

"Another time." Came another low growl.

Feeling an impending headache, Rei decided that he couldn't avoid wither explanation, but he could only handle one at a time. Reaching for his friend's hand, Rei compromised for the sake of his own sanity. "Max, you're right, you do deserve to know. However," He added before catching Driger's glare. "The others need to know, too. So why don't you go get them so that I don't need to say this twice?"

At that suggestion, Max remembered that Wolborg, Trygle and Draciel would like to know about this, so he nodded. "I almost forgot about them. Sure, I'll go get them! I bet they're still sleeping in Draciel's little hideaway." He popped up, and took flight. "Be right back, you guys!" With that, the little angel sped off towards his destination. And since he was gone, that left Rei by himself to answer Driger's impending question.

"Quick thinking, Rei." He offered.

"Yea, I've been getting quite good at that lately." He leaned against the bark of his tree, ready for the onslaught. "All right, you wanted to talk to me?"

Driger sat down across from him. He usually did this when they conversed since the raven-haired boy always wore his heart on his sleeve. "We don't have much time, so I'll get right to it. Rei, I've known you since I was a cub, and if there was one thing I could count on, it was your likes and dislikes. And on the top of the latter list, were hunters." The boy's eyes didn't change. His feelings were mutual. "You despised them. They were lower than the Shinamis that used to fly in and try to take Max away. (3)" Another fact, there was no movement. "And today, you tell me that all that has changed? These past few days, everything you've been doing has contradicted the self-made beliefs you grew up in. …I don't know what to think anymore, Rei. It's like you're a completely different person."

"…" Rei trained his eyes to a spot on the floor not to far from Driger's body, it appeared like he was with the tiger, but he really wasn't.

"I haven't said anything to Robert because you didn't want me to. But Rei, these encounters that you keep having with your hunter, they've got to stop. You're going to get hurt! Why are you going against your life's ideals now?!"

"I've changed." He mumbled.

Driger titled his head. "Excuse me?"

"I'm growing up."

"I never said you weren't." He countered.

"You can't expect me to stay the same my entire life." He lifted his head, truly making eye contact with his lifelong companion.

"I'm not asking you to Rei, I'm asking you to--"

"You're asking me to keep to my original impressions. You're asking me to believe what I believed in when I was five years old!" He stated forcefully. "I believed a lot of things when I was five, and not all of them were right. I thought that everyone was like me, and then I met Max and Robert. I thought that we were the only creatures in the forest, and then I found you. I used to think, that there was no other world besides the one I lived in, my Umber forest…and then, Robert told me about humans. He told me that there was a much larger world beyond the confines on these woods!" He pointed in the exact direction of the town. If he were to follow his direction, he'd end up in the middle of the waterfall, the gateway to Shimpi's side of the forest.

"Rei, you're blowing this way out of proportion. I'm not talking about concepts. We learn new concepts everyday. I'm talking about people. I'm talking about personalities and souls that will always be the same."

"But they won't always be the same! People change, Driger! Humans make changes in their lives, personalities, and souls with each new experience they encounter! Think about it, am I the same as I was even a year ago?"

He shook his head briefly. "You're not the same as you were one week ago! Rei, you're being foolish."

The raven-haired boy narrowed his gaze, his eyes beginning to slit, his ears pulling back. "Foolish? Is it foolish to stay narrow-minded and believe in what someone tells you when you were born?!"

"No, of course not--"

"Then why are you condoning my friendship with Kai??" He questioned. "I've changed my perspectives of hunters through him. He's not as bad as I used to make him out to be!"

"That's just it, Rei!" The tiger stood, his facial features almost matching the boy's. "You're being naïve."

The golden-eyed youth blinked. "Naïve?"

"That's right. I agree people change. Creatures change as well. It's a natural process that can't be helped. However, hunters are a completely different matter entirely."

"You treat them as if they're not even human! Like they're an utterly dissimilar race!"

"When you see how they treat their fellow humans and us then you'd agree, Rei. That's how you used to think. That was the right idea."

"But it isn't right! And even if it was, what gives you the right to think that every hunter is the same?! How could every single hunter fit that description?!"

"Because, hunters aren't born hunters, humans choose to become hunters. And they choose to become hunters because it fits their personality. They want the glory, they hunger for the money, and they desire the power. You can't tell me that your hunter isn't the same. You can't look me straight in the eye and tell me that your hunter never wanted any of that." He challenged in a stormy baritone.

The wind picked up on their tension, flowing past them in a sorry attempt to ease the stress. "You're right, I can't." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; letting the rise and fall of his chest calm him down. "I haven't known him long enough to commit him to your question, nor can I free him from it." Letting his golden eyes view the world again, Rei met Driger's angered ones. "It's true. Kai probably wanted some of those things before, but not now."

"Stop deluding yourself." The tiger insisted.

His tail stood still. "I'm not! He isn't like that now!"

"You don't know that! You cannot get inside of his mind and find the change that you claim to be fact!"

"I can tell from his actions and words! Someone can't be that caring or that fun to be around if they were still living for the money and the power!" Rei growled. His ears weren't erect, his fangs weren't bared, his eyes weren't slit…he wasn't angry; he was determined. He wanted to make Driger understand. '…It doesn't matter. And I'll make him recognize that. It doesn't matter what someone is, it matters who that someone is. Kai may be a hunter, but that's not who he is, that's what he does.' He closed his eyes. 'Funny how it took so long for me to realize that myself. I guess even I am victim to the crimes that I accused Driger of. I hope he can forgive me later.'

Driger slowly shifted back into his normal personality. He let go of his anger and tried to be casual. He sat back down. "Caring? Fun to be around?" He roared a laugh. "If those were truly possible adjectives for that hunter, then let me drop right here and now."

Rei tilted his head. "I don't think I could lift you and drop you without getting pulled down myself." He commented nonchalantly.

"Hm. Rei. Oh young Rei, I envy you."

The raven-haired boy smirked. "Jealous of my good looks? Or of my open-mind?"

"Neither. I'm envious of your ability to take anyone's side at any given moment under any circumstances." The creature lied down. "I can't change your mind. Nor can I save you from the pain you will experience because of your delusions. I just hope that in the end, you will still be in one piece." His tone wasn't sarcastic or sincere, it was somewhere in between, and that's what got to Rei's core.

"Oh yee have little faith."

"I have faith. I believe that once this whole thing blows over, we will be on the same page again. Until then, I'm afraid you'll be chapters behind me."

Rei closed his eyes with a sigh. 'Why? Why do you have to be so closed-minded? Why can't you believe in me? Max believes in me, so does Wolborg…given time and explanation. But you, Drig. You've been my companion since Robert found me, and still…you're the one who won't give me a second glance because I'm breaking the norm. …Driger…what will happen in the end? What will happen when one of us is right, and the other is wrong?'

"He will always be a hunter, you know." At that, the half-breed opened his eyes, though not making eye contact. "Even if you try to break him of the habit, it'll always stay with him."

"…"

Driger grinned. "I will always be a predator to those weaker than I am. Even if I stop hunting, my instincts won't stop working. I will always be sensitive to movements around me, just like you will always be aware of what's going on around you."

"…"

"Your hunter--"

"Kai." Rei stated simply.

"…Kai will never stop his vigilance. Things of value will always catch his eye, and the thought of a bounty behind every item he sees will forever plague his mind."

"…" He shifted his vision, Max and the others were coming.

The tiger got up and moved to the side to avoid the stampede. "Just keep that in mind, Rei. When in the presence of a hunter, of a predator, big brother is always watching."

Rei watched as Driger took a seat a little ways away from where he previously was. His gaze was no longer set on Rei, but on the stretching distance. And in his place, Max, Wolborg, Trygle, and a leisurely Draciel arrived.

"All right Rei, everyone's here, now you can--"

"Rei!!" Trygle burst the blond's bubble and came deep into the golden-eyed boy's personal space. "How could you go and scare me like that!? Did you know that when that hunter took you I was scared out of my gourd?! And that was before I thought about what Driger and Wolborg would do to meee-eeh!!"

"Err…" Rei watched curiously as Wolborg stepped forward and practically head butted the eagle out of his way and into a nearby bush.

The wolf approached him slowly. "Rei." He waited patiently for the boy to respond, and he so did with a hug. "We were very worried about you, young one. When that turkey told us what his idiocy had gotten you into, well, I very well feared for your life." As soon as the half-breed pulled away, the ice wolf nudged the boy's head with his nose. "You stayed in that house with him all night and a little into the morning. Did that hunter harm you?"

"Kai?" He firmly shook his head. "No. He took care of me."

Giving him a good long stare, Wolborg accepted his answer and gave him another nudge. "Very well, then you may tell us your story. I'm sure young Max is dying to hear of your venture." He lied down next to Rei, with the blond jumping lightly onto his back and burying his head into Wolborg's tufts of fur.

"Yea, let's hear it, Rei!" He exclaimed in a jubilant tone.

"Better make it quick before Max gets a little too hyper." Draciel suggested as he finally approached the group.

"All right." He sat down with them, the sense of a campfire gathering surrounding them all. But, before he began, the raven-haired boy turned his head and called for the missing member. "Hey, Trygle! Don't you want to hear this?"

"Hmph! Of course I do!" He slowly padded over, 'accidentally' bumping into Wolborg's side as he settled down. "Mm, you may begin."

Suppressing a laugh, Rei nodded and started from the beginning." Ok, so it started after sunset last night…"

ooo

Slowly but surely, the hours of the morning slid into the hours of the afternoon, and the mansion that had witnessed so much excitement and peculiar predicaments was now at ease. It's owner, who was currently reorganizing the forgotten closet, had hardly felt the times slip by. It could have been thanks to the two Aspirin he took almost immediately after Rei had left, or the lunch he had made himself to settle his stomach. It could have been the stingingly crisp, cold air that brushed against his face when he went into town to make sure no one had seen the half-breed come or leave his house, or the small task of realigning his furniture when he got back. Or maybe it was just from Tyson's constant talking…perhaps it blocked out all other senses in the hunter's mind. Though, that probably wasn't it. Only plaguing questions and surprisingly smile-causing thoughts of Rei filled the blue-haired boy's head, so that was most likely the reason as to why time seemed to stand still for him.

"I leave you alone for one night and the place is turned upside down. Really Kai, I thought you were the responsible one." Tyson said in an authoritative tone, though he figured his roommate wasn't really listening.

Kai put the umbrella back on its hook before clapping the dust off of his hands and closing the closet door. He had just finished reorganizing its contents and now his mind was at ease. Well, more so than it was before.

"Hey Kai, how did the closet get messed up in the first place?"

The blue-haired boy shrugged, not in the mood to tell the truth. "It decided to give me a headache, so it cluttered itself."

Tyson rolled his eyes and slumped back into the couch. "I see…of course." He replied sarcastically.

Just as Kai began to climb the staircase, he turned his head back to his roommate. "Just be glad I fixed it for you, ok?" Then he ascended the remaining steps, looking forward to a little rest before considering his remaining problems.

Tyson had come home about two hours ago after having an early lunch at Kenny's house. He said that Dizzi was annoying him, but the hunter figured Emily came home and kicked him out. Kai had to hand it to her; she could be quite forceful when she wanted to be.

"…Master Kai?"

Looking up upon his arrival, Kai managed a smile for his faithful phoenix. She flew straight to his arm after he closed his door, greeting him with a nuzzle and a light nip on his ear.

"I'm sorry I've been neglectful of you, Dranzer. When Rei came, things just got…busy."

True, they still couldn't understand each other completely, but it did seem easier to get some things across. He sat down on his bed and motioned for her to sit on the covers as he let himself fall back.

'He must be thinking about a lot of things. Hardly a day goes by now when he doesn't do this.' She hopped onto his stomach and made herself comfortable, hoping her warmth would soothe him. She laid her head on his chest and chirped. In response, he brought up one of his gloved hands and absentmindedly stroked her downing.

"Thanks, Dranz." He mumbled, his voice not quite there. He was so focused on what had happened in the morning that he couldn't keep his voice level. Then again, his mind wasn't fairing any better. 'He actually asked me why I didn't want to catch him…' His other hand went to his forehead. 'I can't believe it.'

Kai's head seemed to disappear when his head dropped below his arms. Only his blue grey-colored bangs puffed out. "I told you, I'm not after you, Rei." He articulated in an exasperated tone.

While Rei would probably regret asking this later, he put it out there for the sake of keeping up his side of the argument. "And why aren't you?"

"…" Crimson eyes widened at the question. He lifted his head and opened his mouth to respond, though it took a few seconds. "…What?" He finally asked incredulously.

"Why aren't you after me? I mean, you have to admit; I'm quite a find. You'll only find two other half-breeds out there in the Umber Woods, so why haven't you tried to catch me?"

'Does he want to be caught?! Why would he ask that?! What kind of reasoning was going on inside of his head?!'

"Or maybe you do want to catch me but you want to keep me all to yourself and that's why you didn't let Tala see me."

Kai smirked. 'If only that was it.' He rubbed the bridge of his nose. 'It was just to keep up the argument. I swear, if it involved him saying that he'd kill himself just to best me, he'd say it.' The blue-haired boy could feel Dranzer's weight on his stomach as he exhaled, her melodic cheeps resounding in the corridors of his mind.

'I wonder if he's beginning to catch on to me or not. He's not that naïve. If he thinks about it, he'll realize that I'd be a fool to pass up the chance at catching a half-breed. And if he remembers what Tala said when I was pushing him out…'

"…" Taking one last glance around the house, Tala finally sighed. "I don't know." He shrugged. "I suppose even if you did have something going on around here, it's none of my business unless it concerns that half-breed you owe me."

"Damn it." He turned onto his back, alerting the half-awake Dranzer and causing her to fly up before getting flattened. "Ugn…" The hunter settled there, and so the phoenix softly landed on the small of his back.

'Something tells me, this isn't going to turn out very well…' He closed his eyes, Dranzer's light hopping prior to her settling down reminding him about Rei's massage earlier. '…Stupid half-breed.' He groaned and tilted his head up to check the time. It was two twenty-five. He'd allow himself ten minutes, and then he'd have to start planning his new approach to this situation.

All the while, the mythical creature kept her eyes trained on the boy, watching as the fight in his mind continued. 'He must be thinking about Rei-neko and Tala. Mm…what will you do, master Kai? What kind of decision will you make?' She silently wondered. Though she couldn't help directly, she closed her eyes and continued her light chirps, praying that they'd calm him enough to the point of a light relaxation.

ooo

SLAM

"Ou…" Bryan faked a wince as his roommate took his annoyance out on the entrance door.

SLAM

"Opening the door and then closing it again. That translates to… 'I am not in a good mood.' Doesn't it?"

"You're terribly observant, Bryan," He drawled out as he sank into his chair. "The boss…is going to kill me."

"Kill?" He echoed.

The redhead ran a hand through his hair and clarified. "Kill, murder, slaughter…" He groaned. "Hiwatari can pester you from now on because once the boss finds out I will be buried five feet eleven inches under!"

Bryan whistled. "Thank goodness for that one inch, eh?"

Sighing, his companion slumped further into his seat. "I am damn serious! If Kai doesn't get his act together and get that creature for us, we will be--"

"I know…we might be in for a bit of experimenting ourselves." He interrupted in the most somber tone he could muster. Standing up from his seat on the divan, he stood behind Tala's chair and leaned against it. It was their moment of silent contemplation. A time to think of what would happen if the useful would become the used.

"…If he doesn't come through, we'll have to intervene. Especially since that other one we hired flunked out."

"…"

"Right, Bryan?"

"…"

Tilting his head up, Tala stared at him. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

"Oh, yea…sorry. I was just thinking," Pausing to pull at the redhead's two long bangs for snickering at his comment, he moved on. "Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad to be part of those experiments."

The blue-eyed boy gawped at him. "…?! What? Why the hell would you want your DNA messed with? I mean," He shrugged. "Other than for the chance to get some better traits, I could understand—ow!" Tala stood up after getting poked at. "Stop doing that! Let me remind you that I'm in a higher position than you are."

"Exactly why I'd like to be part of the experiments. I'd love to participate and assist our boss as he cuts and pastes your body with some random animal parts."

"Oh really?"

He nodded with a satisfying grin on his face. "It'd be an enlightening experience."

Tala began to walk into the next room, repeating the lilac-haired boy's answer in mock imitation. "Come off it. I know the only reason is because you want to see my body. Don't try to deny it." He said in a mock-alluring tone.

As he walked away, Bryan grabbed his own throat and pretended to choke, faking a collapse with his partner's laughter filling the house.

(1) Buta: I just needed a word to name an imaginary creature that eats a lot. Thank Tym for his unusual imagination…
(2) I don't know when Max's birthday is (must check some very informative BB site), it's just a day in my story.
(3) Shinamis: Another imaginary creature born from Tym's head. They are wingless birds that have the ability to jump high and far. They are deviously envious of creatures with wings.

SS – Not so good this time around…maybe the gap between the chapters was just too much for me to handle. Well, let's see what the 'morrow will bring. I thought I'd get to the experiments this time 'round but it'll have to wait until the beginning of the next! I didn't want to make it too long (heh, yea) and I wanted to add in that bit about Tala and Bryan before I closed up. I've been quite neglectful about them, haven't I? Think what you will, I'm leaving it open.

--Gramer or/and speilling mistackes? ;D Tell me something I don't know. Please excuse them. And thanks for pointing them out anyway (Yes, those were deliberate). Oh, and yes, I noticed how often I used some words. Erg…eighth-grade flashback… :grabs thesaurus: I shall get right on it.

--Brief replies now as I want to get this submitted soon:

Syaoran-Lover: Thank you! Yes, you've been turned into a cocktail umbrella, but hey, now you can be a stocking stuffer! 3 No, you weren't wrong, Tala did ask Kai to get something for him. But, Tala's boss originally asked him to get it. So, our little redhead is basically…lazy. :shrug: Aren't we all… And you can be the judge of how close they are. It's not set in stone; make of it what you will. If you them to be buddies, by all means, be my guest. )

Porticulis: Guess this would be…after months of waiting? :laughing nervously: Yea, so that new turn in the story shows…I figured you'd catch it. :erg: It'll be rough shifting gears even slightly, but I'm doing my best to keep it smooth. …I don't think I've reached the point where I can ever make an angst situation truly dark. Truthfully, I may never have the capacity for it. :shrug: My friends consider me a very…happy person. And that just reflects in my work one hundred and ten percent. But that leaves a story to be told in a different light. And I hope you enjoy the ride. Thanks again.

--Thank you for your reviews! They make lovely stocking stuffers 3

ShichinintaiGuardian, Ilex-Aquifolium, Dark Reiko, devilburns, angelgirl10, Jen-beyblade-fan, Kiri-chan the neko girl, Chibinekosakura, Raku Ozzariam princess, Galy, Pickle-kitten, Neko Phoenix Girl, Angel Spirit, Cross Hunt-s, Shadow Tigress aka Kit, Kitty, and T.k-Kon.

Er, bolds were just inserted to make separation and reading easier.
Man, this QuickEdit keeps changing...I hope I got the hang of it.

Anyway, :hugs: this wraps up chapter the thirteenth (man this story is getting long…)! Many thank yous for putting up with my incredibly awkward updating time and for reading! Until next time! Ashes.