Disclamier: I don't own beyblade...but i do ownthis plotand any OC's that you might see on here...including Rage and Bathos.
By the way...just a note...but the song 'im with you' by avirl lavene goes well with this chapter. I think its just the feel of the song...try listening to it before or while reading this chapter.
Tyson blinked…staring in confusion at his new surroundings. He was standing in the living room of a house that he'd never been in before. It felt intrusive to be in this warm place…with the fire burning happily in the grate. This feeling was not helped by the fact that there were people here.
A woman with long shining navy hair had her back to him…she was sitting on a comfortable looking sofa, watching a programme about raising children, on the television in front of her. It wasn't long before he saw the child in question; a little boy crouched down by the side of the sofa…examining a variety of blade pieces that were piled on the carpet in front of him.
The boy could have only been four years old; the tall man that was sat cross-legged opposite him dwarfed his small figure. All the occupants of the room had their backs to Tyson with the soul exception of the man. They were a family, Tyson realised feeling very self-conscious.
"Um…sorry…but can any of you tell me where I am?" His voice seemed to echo…making him wonder if this was some weird dream that he was having. Only it didn't seem that way…it was almost as if this room and these people felt more real than he did. He could hear the sounds from the television and they weren't echoing…everything in this room seemed so bright and cheerful; and it might have been his imagination but when he glanced at his hands they didn't seem quite right…they looked faded somehow. As if he wasn't all here…it was strange…
"What's going on?" he questioned the space around him futilely.
"Didn't you hear me?" Tyson tried desperately as one last attempt to make someone listen…he knew before the words left his mouth that it wouldn't work. Not even the man had noticed him…he had even looked directly at him. Only his stare had simply gone through him…as if he wasn't really there…
"That won't work Tyson," An echoing voice behind him announced coldly causing him to spin around.
"Kai?" Tyson asked…relief at seeing someone that he knew registering among the confusion on his face. "Guys" Tyson gave a small smile at seeing that Max, Ray, Kenny, Hilary and even Rage were standing next to Kai.
"Any of you got a clue what is going on?" The navy haired blader questioned…the note of uneasiness in his voice betraying how he was feeling at the oddness of the situation.
"Dranzer's being stupid" Kai stated simply as a way of explanation.
The puzzlement on everyone's faces increased as the room they were in suddenly flashed a violent red. A haunting screech filled their ears…causing all but Kai to spin around, confusedly searching for the source. The noise left behind a feeling of unease as the last eerie notes faded to silence.
None of the family appeared to have heard or seen anything. They just carried on as if nothing had happened. The mother turned her head slightly to comment on an aspect of the programme with the father. While the little boy struggled…frustrated, to capture his father's attention again.
"Well you are" Kai growled to the empty space around him…undisturbed by the strange looks he was receiving from his friends.
"Kai" Ray said, quicker on the uptake than the others. "Where has Dranzer taken us?"
"Dranzer thought it would help to show you this. You're basically in my memory…so don't touch anything important."
Kenny froze; he'd just bent down to inspect a stray beyblade component. He halted…his fingertips just millimetres away from the discarded object.
"Its alright chief" Rage said…breaking her previous silence. "Kai's just messing with you. You couldn't affect this place if you wanted to. Try it."
Kenny gave a questioning look to his friends…who merely shrugged…having no idea whether she was telling the truth or not. Kai pointedly avoided his gaze…keeping his crimson eyes fixed on the little boy, who was now tugging in frustration on his father's jumper in an effort to get his attention. The father had a small smile playing at his lips as he ignored his son…he was playing with the child.
Kenny tensed, closing his eyes fearfully against what might happen. He slowly reached to touch the object…only to snap open his eyes in pure surprise as he was greeted by the strangest sensation. A warm tingling feeling in his fingertips…it was then that he saw it…the thing that caused him to immediately jerk his hand back.
His fingers had disappeared through the solid beyblade piece…
After he had assured himself that all his fingers were actually still attached…he slumped to the ground to catch his breath. Making sure to keep his distance from anything that he might faze through…or whatever had just happened.
"Hey Rage…how did you know that?" Max asked, tilting his head curiously.
Rage smiled…causing her blue green eyes to sparkle…she just looked too innocent right now considering whom she was working for.
"Tasmine knows all" she declared, caringly fingering her pocketed blade. It was warm against her hand.
"Wait a minute Kai." Tyson said…his eyes widening in realisation. "If this is your memory…that means that…that's you!"
The navy haired blader stared at the tiny child…who it seemed had finally recaptured his father's attention and was celebrating this fact by piling the grownup's hands full of beyblade pieces. It made sense…he was surprised that he hadn't noticed it before. The child's hair, although shorter was exactly the same as Kai's…they probably had the same eyes as well. Although since they couldn't see the child's eyes it was debateable.
It was just so strange to think that Kai…their friend Kai who they had known for years had ever been this tiny child. The kid looked like he'd only just turned four at the very most. He seemed so small…and…happy. There wasn't a single trace of the tough cold blader that he had become.
"And those are…" Max began…trailing off…
"My parents" Kai finished for him…sounding bitter. "Yeah I know."
His mum…with long shining navy hair had kind grey eyes. The result was unusual…but without a doubt very beautiful. His father had Kai's bright crimson eyes…there was no doubt that that had been where Kai had gotten his strange eye colour. He also had a rather messy head of dark grey hair…which interestedly didn't make him look older than his age as it might have done. Both parents were in their late twenties.
A doorbell rang suddenly…causing all of the occupants of the room to look up. After ruffling the child's hair…the father got up to answer it…
"Stop Dranzer, stop!" Kai began pacing…as if trying to escape from something…only to realise that he was well and truly trapped. "They don't need to see this…please!"
The room glowed red again…only this time it was warmer…comforting somehow.
"What are you doing here!" The father's voice was loud enough to be heard clearly from the hallway. "No go away! You have no right to come here and order me around!"
The mother ran out of the room to back her husband up so quickly that she neglected to turn off the television. The woman on the screen carried on talking about how important love and support were to a child's mental development.
The young child…looked bewildered…finally noticing that something was wrong.
"Mama?" he questioned…poking his head over the arm of the sofa carefully. He sounded frightened by the amount of shouting that was going on in the hallway. There seemed to be a fair amount of other noises going on as well. It sounded like somebody was fighting.
He had crimson eyes…wide innocent ones that stared curiously at the doorway. Apart from the age…the biggest difference that he seemed to have from Kai was that his face had no blue shark fins tattooed on it.
"I don't care that you think it'll make them understand. I don't care about that! Make it stop now!" Kai had his hands clamped firmly over his ears in response to the shouting. He stopped pacing…but only because there wasn't enough room to pace without either walking into one of his friends or stepping closer to what was happening in the hallway.
The mother re-entered the room…sprawling on the pale carpet…apparently pushed there by an unseen person. The father rushed after her…tenderly wiping away a trail of blood from her lip. Before he angrily spun around to face the people that had followed him into the room.
The small child sensibly ducked behind sofa…but before he did he caught a glimpse of the man that was leading the other three heavily armed men. He blinked in confusion as he listened to his dad shout at the bad people who hurt mama. Before it escaped his lips in the quietest of whispers…"Grandpa".
He recognised him…but only barely. A year ago…he'd come around for Christmas. It had been a very special thing cause mama had said that Grandpa was a very busy man. He'd given him a present…a number of large books that had complicated long words in them. He still couldn't read them now…but he'd said thank you very politely like his mama had told him to.
Grandpa had seemed like a very nice person…despite the fact that papa didn't seem to like him. He'd read him lots of stories about people going on huge exciting quests to retrieve power and riches. Kai had just decided that he liked having a grandfather when it had happened…
Kai had fallen down…scraping his knee…it had hurt…and he had cried…
Grandpa had been angry with him for crying. Kai had never realised what a bad act crying was until then. Grandpa had said that because he had Hiwatari blood in him…then it was a sin to be so weak because Hiwatari blood was strong.
Papa had been mad too…very mad. But he had been mad at Grandpa…he'd seen the scarlet mark on Kai's face…and the blood that had trickled from his mouth. He'd known straight away what had happened…and had thrown Grandpa out immediately.
It had been scary.
"Where's the boy!" Voltaire demanded…to the watching blade breakers he looked the same as always. With maybe a little less grey hair…
He towered over his kneeling son and daughter in law. The pair were forced to stay still by the guns that were pointing at their heads. Both looked fierce, even while on their knees. They were doing the best that they could to hide the fear that they were feeling…especially when their son was mentioned.
"He's not here" the mother lied desperately… "He's having a sleepover at one of his friend's houses. He won't be back until the morning…"
Kai shivered in hiding place…mama was lying. Even after she'd told him that it was a very bad thing to do. It told him what to do though…he had to stay here and not be seen by anyone. Because if he was seen…then he didn't want Grandpa to find out that mama was lying. He might hurt her for doing something as bad as that…
"WHERE!" Volitaire boomed down at them…he looked like he was enjoying having this much power.
"What do you want with him anyway?" The father asked…barely able to contain his fury.
"You're the one who has been investigating my plans…you tell me?" Volitaire smiled down at his son. It just caused his expression to seem even more sinister…
The man's crimson eyes widened…clearly shocked. "You're insane…there's no way that I'll ever let you do that to my son!"
"I'm not sure that you're in a position to stop me…do you Ivan?" Volitaire held his hand out towards one of his ever-silent employees. The guard obediently gave him his gun…
"He's only a child for gods sake! He doesn't care about training or taking over the world. He just wants to play games and have fun!" the woman suddenly screamed at him. Her face was flushed and her eyes were panicky…full of fear for both her son and the man kneeling next to her.
Ivan hushed her gently…before staring bravely at the gun that was now pointed straight at him. The cold muzzle of the gun placed delicately between his eyes.
"Don't hurt them…please don't hurt Kai or Alya…please. I'll take Kai's place…I'll do anything you want I promise…just don't hurt them." His words were sincere and heart felt…begging for the lives of his wife and child.
"Don't you get it yet…son" Volitaire spat out the word like it was the foulest of swear words. "I don't need you any more…you've already given me as much as I need…"
He pulled the trigger…
It seemed to take an age before Ivan registered what had happened. His crimson eyes glazed over as the fine trickle of blood flowed between them…from the hole in his forehead. He slumped lifelessly to the floor…
Alya began to scream…
Kai blinked in total confusion as he ran without a thought from behind the sofa. He stood there for a moment…shaking as he stared at his strong papa. Guns were pointing at him…he didn't seem to notice…
"STOP IT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. He blinked furiously…trying to keep his tears from running down his face…from betraying him. "LEAVE MY PAPA ALONE!"
He panted…his tiny frame heaving with emotion. The guns pointing at him were moved to face his mother again on Voltaire's orders. His grandfather didn't look happy…for once Kai didn't care…
"Papa?" he asked in a small voice. The body on the floor didn't move…didn't smile at him. It just lay there…staring at the ceiling…
Kai looked up too…his confusion deepening when he saw nothing of interest there. It was just the normal white ceiling…just like it had always been. Why was papa just staring at the ceiling?
An unfamiliar noise caught his ear…causing him to look away from his musings. It was mama…tears were flooding down her pale skin. This was odd…he'd never seen his mama do that before…
"Mama" Kai questioned…his voice was shaking. "Why are you crying?"
She just kept on crying…her sobs becoming deeper and more heartfelt as she shook her head helplessly at his question. How could she explain it…she doubted that she would even allowed to. The men pointing the guns at her head were tensing their fingers around the triggers. She knew that it would just take one order…and she would be dead.
"I thought you said that he wasn't here!" Voltaire snarled at the kneeling woman…hitting her across the face savagely. "Do you realise what you've done!"
A foreign feeling was coursing through Kai's veins now. Causing him to see red as he charged at his grandfather. It was something he'd never felt before in his short four years of life…pure and total anger…
"STOP IT!" he shouted again as he pounded his small fists at his grandfather. Or rather his grandfather's legs which were the only parts of him that the small child could reach.
He didn't realise what was going to happen until he had been thrown halfway across the room. The kick to his face caused his throat to burn with the blood that filled it. The room spun around him uncontrollably…his mama was screaming. That much he knew…the sound vibrated through his aching head.
"What kind of monster are you!" Alya screamed…the words seeming to fade in the screaming as she registered that Volitaire was approaching her son. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she ordered…her words having no affect.
Volitaire grabbed the child by his arm…pulling the boy to his unsteady feet. Before he proceeded to drag him unceremoniously from the room. As soon as they drew level with his mother however…Kai seemed to respond. Digging his feet into the now blood soaked carpet.
"Get off you're hurting me!" Kai yelled…growling as he used every effort he could to try and disentangle himself from his grandfather's grip.
"Mama, help!" he pleaded with the sobbing woman who had never failed to help him before.
Kai didn't think Volitaire's words to be of any importance until a dark clothed man towering over his mother obeyed the order. Shooting a hole through his mother's head like what had happened to his father.
She slumped down next to his father on the floor. Her growing blood stain joining his in taking over the carpet. They were the same…they were together…Kai was alone…
Kai finally fell limp…enabling his grandfather to pull him from the room…
With his exit the room seemed to fade into blackness…
The blade breakers didn't move from their positions, as the darkness grew thick around them. Before it finally seemed to depart…like sun chasing away a particularly dark mist. The blackness faded away…leaving them in a sun-brightened field.
Kai…the real present Kai remained where he was. Sitting down with his knees pulled tightly to his chest…and his face hidden behind his arms. A soft breeze ruffled his hair…
"Hey buddy" Tyson's voice sounded rather shaky as he knelt down to place a reassuring hand on Kai's arm. "Its over…"
Kai didn't move…didn't even stir…
Suddenly a familiar red light glowed…like an isolated red mist that was placed exactly in front of the team captain. It seemed to grow…becoming more solid as time progressed. Before finally…where there had been mist…a huge beautiful phoenix stood proudly.
Dranzer…
Tyson backed up respectively as Dranzer lowered her vast head until it was level with Kai's. Her fiery feathers seemed to blaze in the sunlight…making her almost blinding to look at. A mystical sounding noise erupted from her throat…it almost sounded like she was singing. It was both eerie and unquestionably beautiful to listen too.
"Why didn't you make it stop?"
Kai's voice…although muffled could be heard startlingly clearly. The pain and exhaustion was traced in every word.
Dranzer's voice turned to crooning…as she moved her feathered head to nuzzle the unresponsive Kai with her beak. For all the world like a mother bird comforting it's young. The great fiery bird settled delicately beside the sitting Kai…still not receiving a response from her young master.
Still crooning softly…the phoenix raised her great wing. Before gently nudging and nuzzling Kai with her smooth beak. Until…grudgingly he responded…resting against the phoenix's warm downy feathers with a sigh as she lowered her wing gently over him.
As Ray watched the giant phoenix sing peacefully to the still form under her great wing…he couldn't help but let a sad smile cross his lips. He remembered the fierce bird all too well from the battles he had witnessed the phoenix fight in. It was oddly touching to see that monstrous beast now acting like a mother hen protecting its young.
'It was tough for all of you to see that…especially Kai. But it was important that he face up to his memory before he would be able to accept it and start to heal.'
Ray spun around in surprise at hearing the familiar deep voice. He started as by his side he came face to face with the speaker.
"Drigger?" the neko jin questioned in dumb disbelief as he stared wide-eyed at the large white tiger that he knew so well. It was true that he should have expected this…seeing as Dranzer had already appeared in this strange place. But still…this was his bit beast…it was amazing to be able to see him so…solid and…real…
Meanwhile…the others were having similar reactions. Tyson was stood in the middle of a curled up Dragoon…asking the blue dragon a million questions…forgetting to pause to make it possible for him to be answered.
Max had given up on questions after making sure that Kai was going to be all right. The blonde had shown his joy at seeing Draciel by climbing onto the giant tortoise's shell. He was currently trying to persuade a rather nervous looking Hilary to join him…sporting a grin as he walked perilously near the edge of the shell in an effort to show her that it was perfectly safe. Hilary seemed to be covering her eyes a lot as she gazed at his antics.
Only Dizzi was missing…although Kenny didn't seem to notice as he stared in awe at the bit beasts around him. Even Rage was cautiously stroking a large wolf that seemed to have flames instead of fur. Tasmine seemed to be enjoying it…until Rage leaned forward to whisper something into the beast's ear.
"Its time…"
Tasmine's head drooped in disappointment and unease as she worriedly licked her master's hand. No one would notice their absence in the excitement of spending time with the bit beasts. No one would notice that they were gone until it was already too late…
Still…even though it was breaking the wolf's heart. Tasmine would never disobey her master…so she did as Rage asked. Transporting them back to the hotel room…where the sleeping bodies of the blade breakers littered the floor.
Rage shook her head as she unsteadily made it to her feet. She needed her thoughts to be clear for this…her plans to be clear for this. Her beyblade glowed softly in her pocket…it was time to do it…
Her hand was shaking as she grabbed a pen…scribbling something quickly onto a blank crumpled piece of paper that was lying on the counter. She held the message tightly in her fist…her eyes burning as she made her way over to the unconscious Kai.
She had never cried before…as far back as she could remember. Even when times had got really bad…she had never shed a tear. This was probably as close as she had ever been to crying…she didn't like it.
"I wish that there was another way…" Rage whispered as she placed the note on the floor directly in front of Kai's face. He was slumped on his side…not even moving as she carefully stroked some of his messy fringe out of his eyes.
Reluctantly she turned away…only pausing as she opened the door that led outside…to the hallway. She hesitated…glancing back…before she spoke something that she wasn't sure she would be able to tell them if they were conscious.
"I'll miss you guys…"
The dark haired girl shut the door gently behind her…she had a mission to complete…
The scrap of paper fluttered softly in response to Kai's gentle breath. On it in black ink were two words…two words that Kai would wake up to.
I'm sorry
I apologise that i haven't updated in a while. But please review this chapter and i'll try to update sooner next time.
Please tell me what you think...i live for reviews...