Crystal: Konbanwa/Konnichiwa minna-san! Gomen nasai for not updating sooner… but as seeing that my school is going to start soon, umm… I just sort of having my stress back… -.-;
Tala: --snorts-- Hah, stop making excuses, will you? You're obviously too lazy…
Crystal: ¬.¬ Shut it.
Thanks to: Bluumberry, Shadow Tigress a.k.a Kit, Keisan, Vampyre Neko, Platinum Rei, Ladyfiction, Devlinn Reiko-sama, Tariki Rania, Forfirith-on-a-sugar-high, Moon Bind, Wolf whirl, SoulSister, Dead yet a love sick puppy, Koneko no Rei, La perfectionieste?, Crazy nek0-JIN, Adi, Phoenix905, Winged Wolves, TNTiggris, Raku Ozzarian Princess, Neko Phoenix Girl, Hyper breeze from the east, Songs make my cry, Renanimeangel, Lady AA-chan, Devilburns, Prozacfairy, EternalElement, Kai-cutie-angel, Griff234, SorrowWolf, Emiz, and Harry James Potter5!
Crystal: Thankies soooooooooooooooooooooooo much for the reviews you guys! =D Though, I'm really sorry for the no response thing… it seems that my procrastination won't let me do it… even though he did allow me to update Breathe… but he forced me not to write responses for you guys… T-T Anyway, as lovely reviews and readers, let me present to you kawaii plushies of the Beyblade characters in their chibi form! =) All of you guys can have the WHOLE, ENTIRE SET along with their accessories and such. =D
Disclaimer: T-T The only way you're EVER going to make me say that dreaded sentence is by gagging me with duck tape and tickling me non-stop with a feather. --sees a whole bunch of lawyers holding duck tape and feathers-- O.O Umm… --laughs nervously-- I-I'm only kidding you k-know… oh freak --runs away from a bunch of crazed lawyers while screaming bloody murder--
And now, enjoy the fic!
Breathe – Chapter 18: Rehearsals, survival of the fittest Part one
It had been a very busy week when the tailor and designer had been here to take all the measurements for the gowns and robes. Yet, even though it was very busy, it had been a fast one as well. After that week, it was now the rehearsals. Meaning that there's only three weeks away until the big wedding day.
Rei sighed as he sat on the chair outside the balcony. His wedding attire will be here in a few days time, according to his mother. He can't really wait to see it; he knew that the person who's going to make the clothing article would be wonderful. After all, that was the same person who created his mother's wedding attire. While he was thinking about the clothes, he also can't stop thinking about the rehearsals. His parents and the rest of the adults have mentioned them that
He heard the door knock. "Come in," he replied, and saw Bryan, Max and Kenny come inside the room. "Hey guys." Rei stood up from the chair and came back inside the room, and sat himself in one of the armchairs in front of the fireplace.
Max gave a great, big, cheerful smile, and sat himself on one of the armchairs that's left. "It's been a long time since only the four of us have been talking and hanging out like this, right?"
Kenny nodded with agreement and took as seat by the rug in front of the armchair with yet another book in his hands. "I agree with Max. It has been a long time." He invited Bryan over but the lavender-haired boy just leaned against the wall.
They talked for a while, until Bryan had mentioned something that he noticed. What did he noticed you asked? Well…remember what happened last week, with the awkwardness between Rei and Mariah, and not to mention Kai stabbing the surface of the table with a butter knife? Yeah that's the one he had noticed for a long time now. He only asked Rei right now because they were so busy for the last week. He only got to see Rei and the others during breakfast, lunch and dinner, then after that, him and Max would help their parents with all the preparations with the wedding rehearsals that are soon going to be held. He even hardly got to spend time with Tala!
Rei had been surprised when Bryan had asked him about what happened last week. He thought that they all have forgotten it, but it seems that they haven't. Again, like last week, the neko-jin also didn't want to tell them what happened between him, Mariah… and the REJECTION! He still felt guilty about it, even though it was a week ago that had happened. He knew that Bryan, Max, Kenny, and everybody else didn't like her, and he doesn't want to make her feel bad, despite the fact that she had been mean to his friends and fiancé.
Man… isn't Rei a nice, nice guy?
"Rei, you still haven't answered the question yet," Bryan said impatiently. "We exactly don't have all day you know."
The said neko-jin gave a small chuckle. "Okay, okay I'll tell you. Just… don't gloat right in front of Mariah ok? Despite the fact that she's been… umm… bitchy, and that she deserves the gloating… it would be low for us to do that." Rei saw Bryan and the others nod and then he took a deep breath. "Okay, remember when Mariah just dragged me out of nowhere when we were sitting by the tree?" He saw them nod and continued. "Well… she had gone too far, and insulted Kai… so, I kind of umm… yelled at her, and told her that I only love her as a cousin and nothing more."
The other three looked at Rei like he had grown a second head or something. He actually yelled at someone? They would never, ever, EVER think of Rei yelling at someone… he's just TOO… nice…
But they were wrong… so very wrong…
"Hello… everyone!" Four heads turned towards the doorway, and saw Dizzi coming inside with Kai, Tala, and a very hungry Tyson in tow.
Max tilted his head in curiosity and asked, "How did you know that we were here?"
Tala gave a very scary smirk and sat himself right on Bryan's feet lightly while leaning against his boyfriend's legs. "Why Tyson sniffed your scent of course!"
"Are you telling me that I smell bad?" Max gave a small glare towards Tala and then at Tyson, and then back at Tala again.
Tyson sweat dropped and put an arm around the blond. "No… Tala didn't say that… and just forget what he said. It's obviously that he was the one sniffing around."
Tala somehow got a pillow on his hands, and threw it really hard on Tyson's head, making Tyson fall back (he was sitting on the armrest of the chair) and made a really big bump on his head. Then the red head gave a victorious cheer and proceeded on leaning in Bryan's legs.
"Anyway, the reason we're here, is because the carriages are here and they're going to leave in umm… fifteen minutes?" Dizzi gave a nervous giggle and started to walk back to the door, while Kenny, Max and Tyson followed her.
Kai and Rei looked at Tala and Bryan, who looked back at the other couple.
"You go first," Tala started.
Rei shook his head. "No, Kai and I insist, right Kai?" He gave the kitty-eyes towards Kai's way, making the older boy nod furiously even though he didn't need the "eyes".
"But you're the couple who's going to get married! You have to go first!" Bryan said, making Tala nod furiously like what Kai was doing.
Kai stopped nod like his head was loose and gave them a slight glare. "It's OUR bedroom, Tala."
"Oh… I didn't know that this bedroom is mine and yours, Kai." Tala and Bryan stifled a laugh when Kai widen his eyes, and tried to lunge at the both of them, but Rei was holding the slate-haired boy back.
"Umm… Tala, Bryan I think you guys can go ahead, please?" Rei asked, while still trying to calm Kai down. Fortunately for him, the couple agreed and dashed out of the room, before Rei could let the really, really mad Kai go.
As Tala and Bryan ran out of the room, the both of them laughed their hearts out and made their way outside.
"You know… we should really do something about those two…" Tala crossed his arms over his chest while walking side by side with Bryan.
The lavender-haired boy snorted and linked his arm with Tala's. "They're too stubborn. Though, I'll have to admit, they managed to resist each other, even though they keep on flirting with each other, and stick their tongues on each other's throats."
Tala unfolded his arms and gave Bryan a curious glance. "What do you mean 'stick their tongues on each other's throats'? They never did that before… did they?"
Bryan gave a small, mischievous smirk and continued walking down the corridor, leaving Tala clueless, to what he said earlier. In the meantime, Tala sulked while his boyfriend left him right in the middle of the hall. He didn't even know what he was talking about! And what about Kai and Rei's tongues, sticking it in their throats? Won't they choke and die? Shaking his head in curiosity and confusion, Tala just ran after Bryan, who was half way down the grand staircase and out to where the carriages are waiting.
Poor, poor Tala, it seems that he got the INS (Innocent Naivety Syndrome) from Max and Rei…
When the red head had gone outside, he saw at least four carriages. One of the carriages is for Lord Rai, Lady Leila, Lord Hiwatari, and surprisingly Mariah. The second carriage was for the four advisors, and the other two are for themselves, though they would still have to work things out who gets to sit with whom during the trip. Tala saw two horses with Bryan's father, and Tyson's father riding on them, and also saw that there's only one more carriage left that, that's not occupied yet, and figured that, that's where him, Bryan and of course Kai and Rei would be sitting in. Just as he was about to climb in, somewhere in his mind click, and in an instant, a plan hatched into his mind.
Oh… this was going to be a very exciting trip…
At the same time as Tala and Bryan were walking down the corridor, and going inside the carriage, Rei was still too busy to calm Kai down. The neko-jin didn't know what to do! It's like Kai's on a PMS-ing spree or something. The slate-haired boy would just trample down everything in his way… even if the neko-jin would stand right in front of him, he would just knock over the poor boy… until that sentence became a reality. In the end, Rei had somehow walked in front of Kai, and the slate-haired boy didn't notice him, until they were both on the ground, with Kai on top of Rei… millilitres away from having another kiss… that is, until one of the servants had been sent to tell them that the carriage has been waiting for quite sometime now… but (there's always a but… ne?), when the servant had seen the engaged couple in a very compromising position, she flushed a bright shade of red, and stammered her sentences out.
Kai sensed Rei was also getting quite umm, embarrassed that a servant had caught them in this kind of position and stood up, helping Rei onto his feet after he had both of his feet on the ground. Then, as fast as their legs can run, they ran outside just in time to climb inside the carriage. Wow… it would be very odd that there wouldn't be a groom and a "bride" at the wedding if they were left behind, ne? In any case, while rushing inside the carriage, both Kai and Rei hadn't notice the two people sitting right in front of them… until one of them giggled anyway. Unfortunately for Rei, it was Tala and Bryan, and before we could forget, Kai's still mad at them from earlier.
Like Tala said… won't this be a very exciting trip?
In the meantime, in the other carriage where Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Dizzi were, subjects are being discussed on, and they are things needed to be finished. Also, like Tala said earlier, they should do something about Kai and Rei so they could help them get together right before the wedding so there'd be no clichés when the wedding's taking place.
"How about locking them in a room again?" Max suggested, while the Dizzi and Tyson were arguing about who has better ideas. Kenny on the other hand, was just watching them in amusement, though it was really getting annoying. It hasn't been an hour yet, and now the bickering has started.
Dizzi stopped shouting at Tyson for a moment, and turned her attention towards the blond. "But we keep on doing that," she whined. "It's getting old, despite the fact that it's been quite useful."
"I say we go to my plan!" Tyson said again, making him and Dizzi argue… yet again.
"Your idea stinks like crap, Tyson! There's no way Tala and Bryan would agree to that even if they were here! Let say we go with my plan!"
"Hah, as if you're plan doesn't stink as mine does!" That's when Tyson realized that not only he insulted Dizzi's idea; he also insulted his when he had said that. The bluenet slapped his forehead, when Dizzi started to snigger. "It's not THAT funny! Cut it out!"
Four hours…
Four freaking hours since they all had left the castle and Rei was getting bored… extremely bored. He could talk with Bryan and Tala… only if they could stop exchanging saliva to one another, though he could also talk with Kai, but it seems that he's still pissed off at the other couple. So Rei had no other choice but to look outside the window of the carriage, where a few trees are passing by.
Meanwhile, at the same time as Rei was staring out the window, Tala and Bryan kept on making out right in front of the engaged couple. Well, they tried to make them look anyway. Rei was still staring out the window, and Kai's eyes were closed, like he was taking a nap or something. However, they probably have stopped trying and just make out for fun, after all… they haven't had paid any attention to each other for the last week.
While Rei was staring out the window, and Tala and Bryan were devouring each other's mouths, Kai on the other hand was irritated, no wait worse the irritated. He was ready to tear someone's innards apart, and sell them for jewellery. And surprisingly, the loud arguing noises coming the other carriage (where Tyson, Max, Kenny, and Dizzi are) aren't helping either. Despite the fact that they're in different carriages, and at least five metres away from each other, you could still hear Dizzi's voice and Tyson's voice argue like there's no tomorrow. And that's making Kai mad more.
"You know, you should really stop frowning," Ah, it seems that Tala and Bryan had FINALLY stopped making out. Kai just ignored Tala's remark, and scowled more.
Silence consumed them all, and while it was quiet in the carriage, you could practically hear Tyson and Dizzi's voice loud and clear.
"Shut up!"
"Why won't you shut up?!"
"'Cause I said it to you first!"
"No you didn't!"
"Yes I did!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Hah, see? I know you'd agree with me."
"Wha--? Tyson! That wasn't fair, you tricked me!"
Rei sweat dropped, and shook his head sadly. "Poor Max and Kenny, I wonder if their ears are bleeding right now… Tyson and Dizzi's argument have been going for three hours now, last time I checked anyway."
"Actually, it's four," Tala interjected.
Kai snorted, and finally opened his eyes. He gave a small smirk towards Tala's way, "Heh, you actually know that? I thought you're mind's too clouded when your too occupied with something." His smirked got wider when Tala's icy blue eyes glared at him, and tried to throw the small cushion that he was leaning in. "Don't throw that, unless you want something bad to happen."
Unfortunately, Tala didn't listen and threw the small cushion hard on Kai's head, making Kai even more pissed off and the slate-haired boy threw another cushion back at Tala who got hit in the nose. And thus my fellow people, they started with a great big pillow fight (cushions came out of nowhere), in which they accidentally hit Rei in the head, making the neko-jin's hair messy, the neko-jin angry, and the neko-jin join the fight; and also in which Bryan got hit in the eye and made it red like his eye has some kind of disease in it, and also joined.
Six hours…
It has been now six freaking hours since they had all left the castle, and FINALLY after many hours of arguing, Dizzi and Tyson had finally stopped arguing. Instead, Tyson has fallen asleep while leaning on Max's head since the blond was also sleeping, and Dizzi's looking outside the window, where the trees are passing by.
"Are we there yet, Kenny?" she asked the brunet; while he looked up from the book he was reading.
"Hmm… from my calculations, probably half an hour more," Kenny replied, while going back to reading his book. "I suggest you get some sleep, Diz. After all, you had been arguing with Tyson for four hours straight."
Dizzi nodded in agreement, and nodded her head while yawning slightly. Then, she slowly put her head on Kenny's shoulder and fell into a short nap. What do you mean by a short nap? It seems like Kenny's calculations have been… umm, how should I say this… miscalculated? And so, Dizzi never really got that half an hour nap, since just before she could really dream about anything, the carriage suddenly stopped.
"We're here," the coach that was steering the horses.
Dizzi grumbled how unfair that she didn't even get to have at least half an hour nap, and got off the carriage while a still-reading Kenny, and a very sleepy Max and Tyson followed her. She saw---and very surprisingly I might add---to see that Kai was carrying a sleeping Rei when he had come out of the other carriage, followed by Tala and Bryan, who seemed to have gotten a decent sleep, preferably after that pillow fight (after her argument with Tyson, she looked out the window to see feathers, coming out of Kai's carriage, followed by Tala saying "DIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!" very loudly). If she weren't so tired right now, she would have squealed there in delight on how cute Kai and Rei looked, but to her disappointment, she is, and she's really in need of sleep. Besides… the worst thing that could happen is that they would start rehearsing now… right?
"Well…since all of you looks so tired," Judy said, eyeing the sleeping Rei from Kai's arms to eyeing her son and Tyson yawning every ten seconds, giving them a sincere smile. "Lady Leila has told me to tell you all that the rehearsals would be starting tomorrow. So for now, you all get a good rest, alright?"
Everybody had whole-heartedly agreed and followed the servants who have come out to get their luggage to their rooms.
Crystal: Well, here's the first instalment of Rehearsals: survival of the fittest! I was suppose to write it in a single chapter… but then I realized that the chapter was going to be too long and so I figured, why not put it in two or three instalments? And besides… if I did write it in a single chapter, then that would mean Breathe is going to be over in… what, three chapters? x.x So, again, I figured that I should add a few more chapters. I hope that doesn't bother you guys… --smiles nervously--
Review, onegai? --puppy dog eyes look--