Title: Visiting Day

Disclaimer: The characters you are familiar with, obviously don't belong to me. The story is only intended to produce fun not money.

Author's Notes: Okay, since no one asked me to stop after the last chapter I continued writing this. I'm really sorry that it took me this long to update, but I can't help it, I'm still more a reader than a writer. And reading takes a lot of time, but I promise that I'll at least try to concentrate on writing a bit more.
I also want to thank everyone who reviewed: CyborgRockStar, Kinaua, aries1391 und BlitzkriegGirl. You're kind words made me really happy!

2. Chapter – New Hopes on Visiting Day

Kai walked along the thick walls surrounding the abbey, letting his index finger running along the stone's pattern.

He was alone now. After they had finished dinner Boris had picked him and Tala out. Of course he had seen the visible marks of their fight earlier this evening.
It wasn't a question with whom they had fought, the only thing that counted was that they had obviously lost. And losing was one thing not acceptable for Boris.
And their was another fact, that left Boris irritated with his two students. Fighting normally was a misbehavior he tolerated, but this morning he had told the boys explicit how to act. And brawls were forbidden today. How should he explain the bruised up boys to their parents?
It was only his luck, that the incident happened when the gates were already to be closed and that neither boy's parents had come to bother him with annoying questions.

Kai sighed, remembering that nonetheless Boris had felt the need to punish Tala and him. Tala had immediately been brought away for extra training, while he was spared for the day, because of his badly battered wrist.

So at the moment Kai was happy breathing fresh air instead of being inside training, though he knew that he would be in for extra work-out in the morning. But that was only another reason to enjoy this bit of free-time.

Kai had nearly finished his first round around the building now, so that the gate slowly came back into sight.
Feeling that something wasn't right, Kai stopped and observed the gate from a safe distance.

As he realized what it was, that was different his eyes flashed in amazement. The imposing metal gate was open!
Of course it had been open for the visiting parents in the afternoon, but after they had left it had been locked immediately. It was more of a precaution for no one to come in than for any of the children to run away, for that Boris had other methods to make sure. 'Put some fright into them and they won't run away.', was one of abbey manager's guiding principles. And to give him some credit, it had worked so far!

Kai wondered. Surely none of the guards would have forgotten to lock it, else it would mean to lose more than his job.
So the only possibility was that the gate was indeed meant to be open, and that was only the case when someone was coming or leaving.

Curious the half-Russian boy crouched closer. Yes, he could hear voices. And after nearing some more he could even make out the silhouettes of two men and then he understood some words, which led him freeze at the spot.

"... Voltaire...should...tomorrow...earlier..."

No, that couldn't be! Kai had been so relieved, when Boris had informed him that his grandfather couldn't make it for visiting day, because of some urgent business matters, and would probably arrive sometime late the week.

It wasn't that he didn't like the stern man. How could he possibly dislike his grandfather after he had taken the boy in after the tragic loss of his parents?
But still Kai didn't feel at ease around Voltaire. They hadn't a love-based relationship, it was more a constant fight for the boy to get some affection.

Kai knew that it surely wouldn't make his relative proud to hear that he had misbehaved with the risk to be in public, and had just been punished for fighting. So it was only natural that he feared to disappoint his supporter.

The men in front of the gate said good bye to each other, and Kai could hear the steps of one draw closer. He could just duck behind a bush when the guard stepped in, locked again behind him and disappeared in the walls of the abbey.

Tala stumbled into the small room and eased his aching body down on the bed. If he would forget this day he wouldn't be sorry.

He had just had an exhausting extra-training and on top of the injuries he had received earlier it had almost been too much for him to take.
But what bothered him more than his hurt body was that his mother hadn't been here today.

Tala hadn't seen her or any other member of his family for nearly one year, since he had come to the abbey.
When his mother's letter had arrived it had been the most joyful day in months. In the loneliness of the abbey a mother's loving embrace was the thing he longed for the most.

He missed his whole family more than he wanted admit. When he had left they had been living in poverty. Their living conditions had been one of the reasons why he had been send away.
With one person less, the remaining members of Tala's family gad more to eat and his parents had one child less to worry about.

Though Tala had acted towards his parents (especially his mother) like he was excited about the offer the abbey's talent scout had made them about him learning more about beyblading at the abbey in Moscow for free, he would have preferred to stay at home. Only the thought of helping his family in the financial matters brought him to convince his mother to let him leave.
And she could only part with her young son, because she thought it was for his best.

While knowing all that, Tala somehow still felt angry at his mother for not seeing through his act and allowing it, that he had to endure these conditions. And then again he felt guilty for thinking that way, when he knew that all that wasn't anyone's fault. No one could have known that behind all the fabulous things the scout told a place like the abbey stood.

As much as he wanted to suppress the anger it now connected with the disappointment Tala felt over his mother failed visit.

The red-haired boy shock his head. He couldn't allow himself to think that way. This wasn't like his normal self. 'The pain and exhaustion must be playing with my mind.'

Groaning in frustration he moved further up his bed until his head rested against the hard headboard. Lying still he tried not to think, just to rest. 'Perhaps I'll make more sense after I got some sleep.'

After waiting another minute Kai moved out behind his cover. Letting his shoulders sag against the wall he sighed heavily. 'Not good, not good at all! Voltaire! Shit, why does he have to come already tomorrow.'

The church bells he absently registered ringing in the background, reminded him that it would be nearly the time of their curfew. If he, on top of everything else, would now be caught outside when he was supposed to be in bed, Voltaire sure wouldn't be impressed tomorrow.

He turned around and chose the main path to make is way back into the building.

"Wait!"

Kai looked frantically around. It was a woman's voice calling out to him, but that couldn't be, women weren't allowed in the abbey. 'Too emotional', Boris had said.
So where did that call come from?

"Please wait. I just want to ask you a question."

Kai turned his gaze towards the gate. Through the bars he could make out the silhouette of a small woman.
The boy felt uncertain. On the one hand he should make his way in the abbey immediately, before he was found here outside, talking to a stranger. But on the other hand he was more than curious. No one came here by sheer chance. Everyone in town was put off by the rumors about this place.
So perhaps this woman wasn't from here.

At the end his curiosity took the upper hand. After making sure again that no one else was around, he walked slowly back towards the gate.

Kai eyed the woman suspiciously. She was small, only barely taller than he was, her hair was bound tightly in her neck, what gave her a strict look and let the wrinkles on her forehead stand out even more. Kai guessed that her disheveled appearance and her poor clothes let her appear older then she really was.
Her eyes were still young (perhaps around 35 Kai thought), and now sizing him up in return.

Again she spoke in her soft voice. "What happened to your face boy?" She reached with her right hand through the bars, touching Kai's bruised cheek softly, but drew it back quickly, when she felt him flinch at the touch.

Kai was confused. The sensation of the soft hand against his cheeks, had been weird but not bad at all. So why had he shied away from it? Was he so unused to gently touches by now, that he couldn't stand them anymore?

"It's nothing." He pressed out, but at her skeptical look, he reluctantly added: "I had a fight."

She still didn't seem satisfied, but seemed to move on to a different subject. "My son lives in there. I wanted to visit him today, but I was too late. A man just told me I wasn't allowed to come in any more and that they couldn't bring my boy out to me."

Kai thought she looked really sad. He nearly took pity in her, but what could he do for her? Yeah perhaps that was the question.

"What do you want from me?"

She was fidgeting and almost seemed desperate now. "I don't really know... Perhaps you could tell him that I'm here and that I love him, or you could him a letter of me... I ... perhaps you don't even know him..." Tears were forming in her eyes as her voice died down.

Kai was shocked at her sudden breakdown. The boy was unsure of what to do, he didn't know how to deal with downcast adults.

"Please madam, I have to leave now, and you should too. I'll inform your son that you're here, but you need to tell me who he is, so that I can find him."

She tried to get a hold of herself. "I'm sorry, if I get you into trouble by keeping you out here…"

"No, no, no!", he interrupted her. Kai was starting to get nervous, he really needed to get to his room now. "Just tell me his name now and I promise I'll find him."

"Okay, please give him this." She took a chain of her neck, which until now had been hidden under her dirty scarf, and pushed through the bars, where Kai accepted it with his good hand. "My son's name is Tala, he's around your age, perhaps he's a bit older. He needs to know that I've been here. Please tell him I love him."

Kai nearly let the chain slid out of his grip, when he heard his roommate's name. This couldn't be a mistake, there was only one boy named Tala in the abbey. But still, this woman didn't resemble her supposed son one bit.
Tala was tall and could easily be mistaken to be two years older, his hair was fiery red and his eyes intimidated even some adults. All in all his appearance was just unmistakable and the petite woman in front of him was the total contrary.

"You are Tala's mother?", Kai asked, the disbelieving evident in his voice.

"Yes I am." The shocked expression in the small boy's eyes worries her. "What's wrong? He is in there, isn't he?"

"Yes he is in here, he is my roommate actually." Kai's thoughts went to Tala, who was just being punished after he had already felt so down the whole day. Knowing he couldn't tell the woman that her son had been disappointed, because he thought she wouldn't come, then had been beaten up by some older boys and nearly immediately after that been send to extra-training, Kai suddenly had an idea. Perhaps he still could make this a good visiting day for mother and son.

"Mrs. Valkov please listen. If you go along the wall to the other side of the abbey, you'll come to a small shed. The door is locked, but if you push hard against one window, it'll open. Climb in, shut the window behind you and wait. I'll bring Tala to you in a few hours."

The woman looked flabbergasted at the unexpected excitement the until now shy seeming boy showed. Did he just propose, that he and her son broke out? As a mother she naturally couldn't allow her son to get into trouble.

"No boy wait! You can't just break out..."

"It wouldn't be like breaking out!" Kai tried to eliminate her doubts. "We would just be away for an hour or so and return immediately. Don't worry, no one will notice, but I really need to leave now. And you should too, before anyone notices you still lingering around. Just go where I told you to and wait!"

With that he turned around and sprinted to the abbey doors, through which he disappeared into the building, leaving the totally perplexed woman behind.

Tala crawled down of the mattress as slow as possible, careful to avoid the pain any fast movement caused him. The painkillers, he had made Kai and himself swallow a few hours ago, were wearing of. And Tala could already feel the headache build up behind his temples.

He knew, he should get ready for bed, before a guard decided to control their room early, but something was wrong. Looking around Tala registered that he was alone. And that indeed was very wrong!

Kai should be here by now, moreover he shouldn't have left in the first place. Boris had been angry enough as he was. His smaller roommate had only barely been resigned for punishment today, and been send away immediately.

'Away' meant for Boris, to go to your room, or at least some other place were he wouldn't see you again for the day.

The problem was, that Tala suddenly wasn't so sure, if this perhaps could be a fact, that he had forgotten to tell the younger boy.

Tala groaned. This day couldn't get any worse! Of course the guards would make him responsible, if they found out about Kai's abstinence.

Deciding that this negative thinking wasn't going to get him anywhere, Tala slowly changed into his nightclothes and carefully laid back down on his bed. He observed the alarm clock. Three minutes left until curfew, perhaps Kai still was going to make it on time.

In the last months Tala had had to realize that the boy wasn't as stupid and helpless as he had originally thought.
When it had been announced that Voltaire's grandson would come to be a new inhabitant in the abbey, everyone was sure, that the boy had only made it here through the connection with his relative, and hadn't been scouted like the others, who all were here because of their talent as they thought.
This realization had left the boys angry and jealous. The majority didn't like it here, but still they were proud of their skill. So it had come, that they had felt contempt for the new boy, before he had even arrived.

Tala on the other hand had it long time ago made his job to not feel anything for the other boys. Early he had realized that he was alone in here. He was here only for himself and his family. So why should the other boys matter?

So when the new boy came it didn't mean anything to him, only the fact, that he was assigned to his room was slightly annoying.
But after the first few days it had been evident that everybody had been wrong with their assumptions. Everyone had to admit that Kai was quiet a remarkable blader, and Tala had soon learned to like the kid.
The boy was smart and more bearable to be around than most persons Tala had ever met.

So if Tala hadn't misjudged Kai that months back, he should be able to still make it before curfew.

Kai had to sprint the entire way through the corridors to make it on time, and still when he reached the door to his room he wasn't sure, if he had succeed.

He was breathing hard when he pushed the door open. Though he was anxious to yell the news out at Tala he first needed to calm down. The sight of his friends angry glare helped him to do so immediately.

"What's up? I'm not too late, am I?"

Tala didn't answer at first. Instead he pulled Kai fully into the room and closed the door. He seized his young friend up. "Where have you been?"

Kai was confused, he wasn't sure what he did wrong. Tala's hard glare made him nervous. "I was just outside. Why? What's wrong?"

"You're just lucky that no one saw you. If Boris is angry with you, then hide in your room and don't run around in the abbey. Remember that!" Tala spat out.

The smaller boy nodded. He knew he needed to be extremely cautious here. All this rules were sometimes difficult to follow and life here was just so damn hard!
Kai couldn't dwell on his problems long, because Tala moved him again towards his bed.

"No time to brush your teeth. Just change and lie down. They'll control every minute now, hurry up!"

Kai did as he was told. When both boys were placed in their beds, Tala switched off the light. For a while the room was quiet.

"Tala don't sleep!"

The redhead, who had just dosed off, after a totally exhausting day, groaned in response. "What do you want Kai?"

The half-Japanese boy whispered, his voice so low, that Tala had to strain his ears to understand him. "After the guard leaves, we have to get out to meet your mother."

Tala shot up immediately. He turned the light back on and was across the room in the blink of an eye. "What is with my mother?" He demanded, nearly shouting, because of his excitement.

Kai clapped his hand over his friend's mouth. "Be quiet, will you! Or we can forget meeting her at once." When he didn't feel Tala resist any, he removed his hand again. "I met her at the gate. She was too late and wasn't allowed to come in anymore. So she asked me to tell you, that she has been here and that she loves you. Tala?"

He stopped his tale, noticing Tala's sad and absolutely devastated look. But the boy at question urged him to continue. "Anything else?"

Kai nodded. "She gave me this." He rummaged through the pockets of the jacket he had on him earlier, until he found the golden chain with the little medallion. Tala took it eagerly. He inspected it some seconds as is he wasn't believing that this could really be his mother's, but then brought it to his lips, kissing it softly.

"I told her to wait for us in the shed behind the abbey. She should be there by now. You're gonna see her!" Kai tried to sheer his roommate up.

But Tala didn't seem too impressed. "She's alone out there! You've send my mother through this part of the town alone by night? How do you think, we're getting out of here? She'll be waiting there and we won't come!"

Kai was immediately at his defenses. "Oh come on! She came here all on her own from who knows where, so she should be able to make the few hundred meters to the shed. And when she's in there no one will find her. And what that we won't make it out of here? Didn't you tell me, that you escaped once and were only found the second day? All we need are a few hours. We'll make it!"

Tala wanted to voice his concerns, but had to sprint back to his bed, when the footsteps on the corridor grew regularly louder. Just as the Light inside the room was switched off once again the door opened.

"You're complete?" A gruff, uninterested voice sounded from the doorway.

"We're both here. Now leave us alone, we want to sleep." Snarled Tala back.

"You better shut up boy, or you won't sleep at all tonight!" The guard tried to glare through the darkness. When he got no response besides a soft snort, he was satisfied and turned to the other bed. "Hiwatari, you're here too?"

"Were else should I be?" Kai asked, his voice sounding extremely innocent.

"Nosy brats!" Muttered the guard, while leaving the room, obviously fed up with his job and the kid's arrogance.

When no noises on the corridor could be heard anymore, Tala turned the light on again. Kai needed a moment to let his eyes adjust to the sudden light. He blinked in surprise, when he found his friend fumbling with his boots.

"So we're going?" He asked softly, not wanting another confrontation.

"We're going!"

Kai looked down. This was too high! They weren't going to make it!

The two friends had been able to sneak out of their room and down their corridor, their they had faced the first problem when they nearly ran into the patrol guarding their wing of the abbey. They had barely been able to hide in an adjacent room.
But right after they had deeply breathed as a sign of relief, the two boys had to realize, that they had stumbled into a guards quarter. Through an open door Tala and Kai were able to look into an adjoining room where another guard sat in front of a laptop. Luckily for them he had been so engaged in the pornographic material he was studying with sick interest, that he didn't hear the kids running through his kitchen.

After all those shocking experiences the two had finally found a window facing the backyard. Just what they had been looking for, because the couldn't leave through the front gate, were two guards stood the whole night, and they were too afraid to sneak through the back door downstairs, because that would mean to pass right through the corridor on which Boris' quarters lay.

So now they stood in front of the window looking down, and Kai not for the first time asked himself if the trouble was really worth it.

"So how are we getting down there?"

Tala looked at him a small smile on his lips. "Why, jump of course!" And before Kai could hold him back or respond in any way, he had to stare wide eyed as his roommate jumped out of the window. Kai leaned forward immediately, trying to make out the body of his friend on the ground, but he couldn't look that far down through the darkness. To be honest he couldn't really look much farther than one or two meters.

He wanted to yell Tala's name, hearing that his friend was okay, but knew he couldn't. So with no possibility left, Kai climbed shakily up on the windowsill and jumped after the older boy.

Kai braced himself for a long fall and was totally caught off guard as he landed much earlier than expected on a hard stony ground. The force of the impact was heavy nonetheless and Kai thought he felt his legs being rammed up in his stomach by it.

When he had finally overcome the explosive adrenalin rush his jump caused, Kai realized, that he wasn't in the garden as expected, but stood on a balcony he hadn't known existed. Next to him stood Tala, a broad grin on his face.

"There you are finally! Only once more and we'll be down." Tala whispered.

Kai suddenly felt the urge to hit him. Of course Tala had known of the balcony after all he had been longer in the abbey than Kai. But surely he hadn't felt the need to tell him! No, Tala let him think that he would jump in his death!

"Not funny!" Muttered Kai, but this time jumped simultaneously with Tala of the balcony rail.

On the ground both boys sprinted in the cover of the dark shadows of the outer wall surrounding the building. There they stood catching their breaths for a minute, before urging their exhausted bodies to further work by climbing over the wall.

Only when they had reached the other side, they allowed themselves to relax.

Tala leaned against the stony surface, while studying his friend. "Kai, you need to promise me something."

Kai glanced sidewards, interest evident in his eyes. "What?"

The read-heads voice was thin in the brisk night air. "When we meet with my mother, then please don't tell her about what goes on in the abbey. Just help me to convince her that we are fine."

Kai looked skeptical. "Why should I do that? Doesn't she know? She was the one who send you there after all, wasn't she?"

"Yes she was, but that's the point. She'd feel guilty, if she knew how we are treated in here. And I don't want that. She loves me and to know that I feel bad and she can't help me will break her heart. Do you understand that Kai?" At the other boy's nod he continued. "Then please promise me Kai."

"I promise." The words were said with an undertone that Tala wasn't able to interpret, so he just nodded in acceptance and started to walk forward to their destination. Kai trailed behind him, deep in thought.
He envied Tala and the others all seemed to have someone on the outside to love and to trust, and who was willing to help them. Everybody beside himself, he just had Voltaire and the old man surely didn't feel guilty about anything that happened to his grandson in the abbey.

He was alone, that was just another hard lesson he learned in the abbey.

Tbc in the final part three.

AN: Thank you for reading! So what do you all think? Please review.