Me: Ok, it's only 7:30 Friday morning, and already my day sucks. First, I needed to go to the gas station cuz I needed to drive my parents down to the airport and I had an empty tank. As I drive off, I hear the clunk of my gas valve lid falling off the back of my car cuz I FORGOT TO PUT IT BACK ON. Luckily some guy was nice enough to get it for me and put it back on. Then, as I drive back onto my street, one of my good neighbors was coming around the corner and there are trucks along the street cuz of some construction so I didn't see him until it was too late. My car was ok, but I put a pretty good dent in his car. I feel terrible.
But enough of my bitching, this is about the fanfic, and I just needed to get that out. . .
School has been MURDER this week, but I managed to write my longest chapter yet and it's only a day late! Yay!
Sheena: and since no one was able to guess, the scene where Kai gets turned into a cat was taken from "The World of Narue," a very cute manga with very good art and a good storyline.
Oh well. RAMEN FOR ALL!!
Sandy: I guess that means I'm doing the reviews again. Joy!
Kai/hilary all the way: Eeeep! Don't hurt us! It's only a day late! It won't happen again! We swear!
Chibi-Kari: Yes, there's a reason. You'll find out later. And no, it's a neighbor's dog, not Hiromi's dog. Yes, Rei is the most observant one isn't he! Lol!
Jani Riemi: Yes ma'am! (mock salutes)
Kawaii-Chibi-Kai's Lil Devil: We're glad you like it!
Hutchy: You'll see!
SchoolBoredom: We're glad you liked it and we hope you'll like this chapter too!
Anonymous: You bet!
Bladechika: Cool name! Hiromi can't hear Kai cuz, well, that's a secret! Yeah, we hope Kai gets his body back too. He's not having much luck as a cat is he?
Me: Okayz! Here is the next chappie peeps!
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CAT TALES
Chapter Four:
Coldfire
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"Ok, let me see if I got this strait," Takao said, trying very hard not to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "You were all by yourself training when a cat steals your beyblade. . ."
-Right.-
". . .And then you follow it to an abandoned shed full of cats and you fall asleep. . ."
-Uh-huh.-
". . .And when you woke up, you where a cat."
-Exactly.-
There was a few moments silence before Takao suddenly clutched at his head. "I don't believe this. . ."
-Yeah, well you better believe it!- Kai snapped while hissing with his ears back. -And I'm stuck like this until I figure out how this happened in the first place! And I can't go back to the shed because now I have a gang of alley cats trying to kill me!-
Kai had explained everything several times already, but it WAS an unbelievable story, even if it was the cat that was telling it. His patience, however, was wearing thin.
"Well maybe all you have to do is go back to where it happened," said Rei, trying to calm his team captain down.
-I told you already, some ally cat and his gang are out for my blood. I can't walk outside without something trying to kill me.-
"What if we try to go with you?" asked Kyoujyu.
"But we could get turned into cats too," stated Takao.
-I agree. Nothing's worse than this, believe me.-
"Oh I don't know," Max said with a sly grin. "You don't look too upset about staying in Hiromi's house."
The boys started laughing and Kai was very grateful that his blush couldn't be seen through his fur.
-Knock it off!- Kai shouted. -You're supposed to be helping me!-
"Aw look on the bright side Kai," Rei gave him a pat on the head. "At least she hasn't taken you to get 'fixed' yet. . ."
-DUDE. Don't even JOKE about that.-
This made them laugh even harder. Kai growled. He then noticed that Takao hadn't been poking fun at him like he thought he would. In fact, he had been relatively quite about the whole thing. Something was up with him, that much was obvious.
"What's so funny out here?" Hiromi had returned with a bunch of sodas in her arms.
"Oh, nothing," Max said quickly. "Rei just said something funny, that's all."
"All right then," she said while setting the sodas down and picking 'Nikko' up. "Sorry I can't stay longer, but I have to do some shopping."
"What for?" Kyoujyu asked, reaching for a soda.
"I need some cat supplies for Nikko. I don't even have any cat food."
The boys immediately hid their laughter at the look of Kai's face when she mentioned 'cat food.'
'Someone shoot me now,' Kai thought for the second time that day.
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'What is THIS crap?'
Kai poked the mound of brown glop that rested in his new kitty bowl with his forepaw. Hiromi had gone upstairs to shower and get ready for bed, leaving Kai to brood by himself. He scratched at his new collar that pinched his neck.
'Well this day's been a total hell,' he snarled to himself. 'A psycho dog nearly eats me, Gutterfang wants me dead, and even though they could hear me, those dimwits didn't help me at all!"
Kai stalked around the kitchen trying to blow off some steam. The fact that the Bladebreakers had heard him at all was a mystery in itself. How was it that they had been able to hear him, but not anyone else? And what about the 'shrine of feline,' or whatever they called it?
His thoughts were cut short as he tripped again.
He needed to go back there. He needed his body back. Maybe nighttime would be better? The other cats might not be out, and he could hide more easily in the dark.
Kai looked around. 'Now how to get out. . .'
He spotted a window over the kitchen sink that happened to be open. It over looked the backyard, so Kai would have to be extra careful in case the dog was still there, which was unlikely. The dog's owners probably took him in at night.
Kai bunched his muscles and sprang toward the countertop. He latched on with his front paws, but the surface was too slick and he fell backwards onto the hardwood floor.
'I'm getting sick of this. . .'
He got up and tried again. This time he managed to pull himself up ungracefully onto the countertop. He let out a short breath and looked out the open window. His night vision had improved dramatically in his cat body, and he could see nothing that would be a threat to him. He took a deep breath and jumped. He landed squarely on all four paws on the plush grass. He looked around him carefully, and then proceeded to the side fence that lead to the street.
-Hee, hee, hee, heeeee. . .-
Kai's fur stood on end.
-I didn't think you were dumb enough to come back out here, even for a cat.-
Kai spun around only to see the same massive dog slipping through the fence again.
'DON'T THESE PEOPLE USE LEASHES!?'
Even if he ran for the fence again, he knew that he wouldn't make it this time. He was trapped. The dog snarled and barked viciously and the terrified cat.
In all his life, Kai had tasted some fear, like when he battled Team Psykick and saw the visions of his friend Wyatt in pain, or when he lost Dranzer to both Sergei (Spencer) and Zeo, but in each case he pulled himself together and stuck it out. He would never back down. Even when he was in the Abbey as a child and he snuck into the lab to try out Black Dranzer and decimated nearly half the Abbey, he still conquered the darkness within him in the end.
But now, for the first time in his life, every thought, instinct, and feeling in his body was telling him to run like hell. He turned as the dog lunged at him but again, his awkward cat body failed him and he tripped.
'No, NO! I can't die now! Not like this! Not before I've told Hiromi how I feel about her. . !'
"RRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!!!"
A familiar scream ripped through the air. In a blur of white and black, the dog suddenly started howling in pain. Kai stood up quickly, watching wide-eyed as the same she-cat that saved him from Gutterfang latched onto the dog's face scratching and biting and screeching for all she was worth. Finally, the dog threw the wild she-cat from his head and dashed toward the hole in the fence howling and with his tail between his legs.
The she-cat picked herself up and shook out her ruffled fur. She turned to the badly startled cat-human and fixed him with a burning stare.
-Dogs like him are just bullies,- she spoke in a voice that seemed timeless. -Once you stand up to them, and show them that they'll get hurt if they try anything, they won't waste their time and back off.-
-Who are you?- Kai asked, watching the she-cat that had chased off a dog three times her size without getting injured.
-I am called Coldfire, and I have been watching you throughout the day.-
-What do you want from me.- Kai didn't trust her. If she was following him, only helping him when he was in mortal danger, then she must be after something.
Coldfire's eyes narrowed at him. -I don't want anything from you. I've lived as far away from humans as I could for my whole life. I don't need a home, or process food given to me, nor do I need protection. I only want to help.-
-Why? Why do you want to help me if I can't give you anything. . .-
-Typical selfish human.- she growled. -You always think that there must be some kind of price for mere kindness. Yes, I do have my reasons for wanting to lend some aid, but it has nothing to do with any kind of gain. I have nothing, yet I have everything I could ever want just by simply living.-
-I don't trust you.-
-I didn't expect you to. But know this: to think in such a way you do, one must have had to face many a great obstacle alone. You must have been alone for a long time, Kai. I can see it in your eyes, for I have seen it many times myself. Yet I look at you now, with a home and food provided, and a great number of allies close to you, yet you treat them as you would a stranger.- Coldfire stood and walked away from him. She jumped to the top of the fence and looked back. -There is one way that I know of that will get you your human body back, but it will be weeks from now. Until then, to survive you must learn to be a cat. I would be willing to teach you, but only if you want me to. When you have decided, call my name.-
With that, the wild she-cat disappeared over the fence.
Kai had to sit down. He felt numb. Coldfire's words hit his heart like a bullet. So many things and thoughts ran through his head that he felt dizzy. After a few moments he got up and walked toward the house, tripping twice before he reached the open window. After four tries he pulled himself back inside. He looked at the glob of food in his bowl, and remembered how thin some of the ally cats looked. Yet, he still could not bring himself to eat it.
He went up to Hiromi's room and stopped as he heard a strange sound. It sounded like sobbing. He ran into her room, only to find Hiromi sitting on her bed, knees drawn up to her chest, crying.
'Oh no. . .'
Kai jumped onto her bed and tried meowing and rubbing his head on her arm. She immediately grabbed him and held him in a tight hug, crying into his fur.
"Oh, Nikko, why does he hate me?"
Kai stiffened. 'Oh crap. . .'
"Why did he leave? I feel like it's my fault somehow. . ."
-No! No it's not! I do care about you! I do!-
But it was no use. She couldn't hear him. She eventually fell asleep with Nikko right by her side.
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"Crappy" couldn't even describe how Kai felt the next morning. On top of everything that had happened last night, he had the same nightmare again. The one where some women had running him, and then his evil grandfather would appear. He would wake up after that.
"What's wrong Nikko? You didn't even touch your food," Hiromi knelt next to him, giving him a scratch behind the ears.
'Yeah I touched it, just to make sure it wasn't alive,' Kai growled to himself.
"Maybe you'll like the dry food a little better." Hiromi sprinkled some dry cat food over the canned food from last night. "Now eat up!"
Kai's stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning, and the cat food smelled strangely enticing to his cat nose.
'Just. . . one little lick. . .'
Kai's one little lick turned into stuffing his face with the fish-flavored cat food and crunchy chicken bits. Only until he had eaten half of it did he realize what he was doing.
'Aw, puke! What am I doing?!' But the food didn't taste nearly as bad as he thought it would. 'That's it. I'm outta here.'
When Hiromi wasn't looking, Kai fiddled with the collar and got it off. He then jumped onto the counter and out the same window he used last night. He looked around the yard for any signs of the neighbor's dog. Fortunately, the dog seemed to have learned his lesson for now. Kai jumped over the fence and onto the sidewalk with more ease than the other time.
'I think I'm getting better at this,' he thought.
He headed out to the park, not really caring about where exactly he was going or what he would meet. In fact, he hoped that Gutterfang or some other animal would challenge him. He felt like getting his stress out on something.
When he reached the park he jumped onto a wooden bench and watched people, children, and pet dogs on leashes walk by. Down by the playground some kids where beyblading in built in bey stadiums. What he wouldn't give to be normal again.
Kai heard some commotion behind him. He looked in between the planks of the bench and saw a group of three dogs. Two of the dogs where some kind of terriers and obviously pets, with their collars, well fed bellies, shiny pelts, and spoiled attitudes. They where tormenting another dog that was obviously a stray. She was painfully thin and dirty, and even though she could've easily been twice their size, she was cowering against a tree and trashcan with her tail between her legs. They snapped at her paws, causing her to jump.
-So waddya gonna do, huh mutt?- they teased. -Whaddya gonna do? Are ya gonna cry? Huh mutt? Are gonna cry for your owner? Oh wait. You don't have one! Mutt!-
When one of them actually bit the terrified dog on the leg, making her yelp in pain, Kai sprang from the bench and charged the two smaller dogs. He screamed and slammed headfirst into the closest dog, lashing out wildly with his claws. However his scream was enough to send the two terriers scurrying away in fright.
'Well whaddya know,' he thought picking himself back up. 'Coldfire was right.'
He turned back to the she-dog, who was now staring wide-eyed at the blue cat that had just saved her. She was some kind of large lab mix with pale yellow fur and brown eyes, and she seemed very young.
-You okay?- Kai asked.
-You just saved me. . .- she said in wonder.
-I didn't have to you know. They were smaller than you, and their kind usually run off if what they're messing with is going to fight back.-
-But. . . they where trying to bite me, and I didn't do anything to them!- she whimpered.
-It's not your fault,- Kai said with a sigh. -They knew you weren't going to do anything to stop them. You made yourself an easy target.-
-Oh. . .- The she-dog lowered her head.
-What's your name?-
The she-dog looked up, confused. -Dunno. My old people use to call me different things. Some of them weren't very nice names. I try to forget a lot of the things my old people did and said to me.-
Kai had pity on the runaway dog. -So I take it you haven't had a home since?-
The she-dog cowered down even further. -Humans are always mean to me. I'm scared of them.-
-There was a time where I didn't like people either, scared even. And I think I still am. . . - he trailed off at the end, thinking about last night, and Coldfire.
The she-dog looked up. -But, aren't you a human?-
Kai felt his jaw drop. -How did you know? I'm I that obvious?!-
-Well, I heard a rumor of a blue cat that was a human, so I kinda assumed you were him. . .-
-Oy. . .-
-Ummm. . . if you're human, could you do me a favor?-
-Huh?-
-Humans like to name things, so could you give me a name?-
-You can't think of one yourself?-
-Welllllllll. . .-
-Nevermind. Do you like cat food?-
-I dunno. Why?-
-Come back to my home with me and I'll give you something to eat. I'll even help you think of a name.-
-REALLY! Okay, yeah!- the she-dog jumped up excitedly. -By the way, what's your name?-
-My owner calls me Nikko, but you can call me Kai.-
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-Are you sure?- the still nameless she-dog asked worriedly. The smell of the neighbor's dog was scaring her. -What if he DOES come in here?-
-Then bark as loud as you can and I'll come running.-
Kai had found another broken board that they could slip into to get to Hiromi's backyard. The she-dog lay at the patio steps, looking around nervously.
-Don't worry, this won't take long.- Kai said, just before disappearing into the house. In a few moments he reappeared with his food dish and half eaten food clenched tightly in his teeth.
-Oh boy! Food!- the she-dog gulped down the food in two bites.
-Sorry there isn't more. I'll try to get you some later. . .-
-And what if you can't?- Both Kai and the she-dog jumped. Kai saw Coldfire sitting on the fence. -You can barely take care of yourself, much less a pup.-
-C. . . C. . . Coldfire!- the she-dog stammered.
-You know her?- Kai said, turning to the she-dog.
-Kai,- Kai turned back to Coldfire, who jumped down from the fence. -I am willing to help you learn how to move without stumbling and how to fight to protect yourself until the time comes that you must return to your world, but are you willing to let me?-
-Kai. . .- the she-dog looked down at her new friend.
-If it'll help,- he said slowly. -Then teach me. Tell me what I have to do.-
-Just wait for me out here tomorrow morning,- a hint of amusement danced in her eyes. -and please try to live until then.-
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Me: Phew! I hope this didn't seem too rushed! I have a lot of projects due soon, so don't kill me if I'm late!
Sheena: We need help with the she-dog's name. We were gonna call her "Roary," but we think a good Japanese name or a Russian name would be better.
Sandy: If you have any good suggestions, drop us a review!
Me: Heck, drop us a review anyway! Later peeps!!