Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hh!
I feel really stupid. One moment I was about to kill myself and leave Now I'm posting the second chapter of my new fic. All I can say is that I realised I had more friends than I thought had. Though I still have tons of problems and they still hurt me badly I still want to go on, 'cause I've got you guys. But I still feel pretty dumb and embarrassed after causing everyone so much trouble. I figure the only apology that would be sufficient would be to type out this chapter. And so here it is, dedicated to all you guys who reviewed. You guys persuaded me not to give up and gave me the strength to go on. And I erm...I hope you guys will forgive me for putting you through all this trouble. Especially Red Countess and Game Kid, I didn't mean to scare you like that and I'm really, really sorry for scaring you. I realise now I have friends like you people Atealia Wise Wolf Hybrid Fairy JuliTina Cyber-Kit YamiKnight Neko Oni Kittie Silver Goddess1 NettikGirl Devlinn Reiko Eresphen's Light Koiame All the others...the list goes on. I won't think of suicide anymore. Well as long as you guys are around at least. So at the risk of humiliating myself I shall continue on writing! I'll remove those silly Goodbye chapters right away. Now that's out of the way...
The tale itself...
From Across
It was cold. Rain fell in sheets and the streets of Moscow were grey shadows in the freezing downpour. Red hair gleamed with raindrops. Raindrops as cold as diamonds and as weak as tears. They rolled across his cheeks.
In a sea of black umbrellas, Tala walked unprotected against the elements. Lightning arced against the veil of grey. Cerulean eyes lit but did not blink. Where was the thunder? Surely the thunder should come after the lightning. Tala strained to listen for the ear- splitting crack. The rain muttered, the cars hissed on the flooded roads. No thunder. Around him the black umbrellas walked indifferently by, moving only to walk around him. A raindrop fell into his eye. Tala blinked.
He had to make his way home. Home. A small apartment, mostly a hall and a bedroom with a closet- sized space that served as a kitchen. It was by no means opulent but it served the purpose, to be his refuge from the world. Life was in any case, far better than the abbey days. When Biovolt was shut down and after Borris had disappeared, the demolition boys became just Ian, Spencer, Bryan and Tala. They were now just four Russian boys who had to carve their own future. He hadn't heard from Ian, but he heard that Spencer had started a small illegal trade in firearms. Bryan was of course a fugitive wanted for the recent spate of serial murders. Himself? He did the occasional odd job. He'd unload trucks, move crates, wash windows or just about anything else. He needed the money after all for rent. Food was not such an important issue. He was hardly hungry nowadays.
Tala stopped before a lifeless building. That was too much of a euphemism, it was practically crumbling. Tala walked in. His footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness. He was alone again. No surprise there. Tala walked up to the stairs. The paint peeled off the walls he passed. He trudged his way upwards. Dull thuds awoke centuries of dust. They drifted idly by. After a while it felt like he should stop. Tala turned his pale face over his right shoulder. The sick- green door that marked home. He walked up to it. Turning the rusty knob he pushed. The door swung easily, soundlessly. Tala walked in.
Shadows reclaimed the hall as the door shut behind him. Tala didn't bother with the lights. The dark was comforting. He was soaking wet. Should he change? This idle thought brought him before the door of his bedroom. Tala searched his pocket and retrieved a small, half- corroded key. His bedroom was the only place that contained anything of value. He unlocked it. Stepping in, the first thing he did was to shut the door and lock it again. Then he turned around. A small cardboard box held his clothes. His "bed" was a simple mattress on the floor. The only luxury within sight was an old telephone on a rotting table. Tala went over to the cardboard box and searched for something dry to wear. His fingers groped cotton and polyester and froze when they reached hard plastic. Tala knew what it was. He pulled out the laptop from beneath his clothes.
Tala stared long and hard at the sleek black computer before moving to connect it.
==============================================
"Driger, Driger Claw Attack!"A burst of golden light engulfed Rei's beyblade and it raced in a blur towards Kai's blade.
Kai smirked.
"Dranzer, evade."
Driger streaked past Dranzer like a golden comet.
Rei gritted his teeth in frustration and he glared at Kai's cocky sneer.
"Now Dranzer! Fire Arrow!"
"Driger, defend yourself."
Kai's blade blazed like a second sun as Dranzer unleashed its power. Kai's blade leapt into the air and then swiftly bore down on Driger, Dranzer's crimson light blazing.
Tyson and Max gasped at the impact.
"It's over." Kenny muttered.
"No it's not Chief." Dizzi corrected.
In the dish, Driger spun furiously.
Kai frowned.
Rei grinned.
"Driger! Before Dranzer recovers-"
Rei's blade shot straight ahead for the other looping about the dish.
A clash of metal. A blade flew out of the dish.
Kai quickly lashed out an arm. In his hand Dranzer sizzled, infuriated. Kai turned to the dish and his crimson eyes narrowed at the sight.
Driger spun victoriously in the dish.
"It's a victory for Rei! That's two out of three-"
"Rei wins!" Max finished for Tyson.
Rei deftly retrieved his blade and walked up to the frowning Kai.
"Good match." He said with a smile.
Kai turned his crimson eyes to the Chinese boy.
"No hard feelings?" Rei asked holding out a friendly hand.
Kai looked at the proffered hand. He gazed at it. Gentle and yet firm, each finger sculpted in a vision of strength and beauty.
Kai reached hesitantly towards the hand. Rei plunged his hand into Kai's palm. Kai turned shocked eyes towards Rei. The youth smiled innocently at him. Their fingers held each other.
"This is great, Kai lost the first practice match!"
"Tyson . . . " Max reproached.
Kai growled and tugged his hand away.
"Oh don't get mad. I'm not mocking you Kai. It's just that now you can't accuse us of not training." Tyson explained.
Kai arched a brow at Tyson.
"That match was with Rei, not with you. What makes you think you would stand a chance against me?"
"Why you..." Tyson began.
Max held on to Tyson. The Japanese youth looked into the bight blue eyes and his expression turned calm.
Tyson turned his brown eyes towards Kai's sapphire ones.
"What do you say to a match?" he challenged.
Kai nodded his head approvingly.
"I'd say you're an easy kill." He replied.
"Tyson, calm down!" Max persuaded, holding on to Tyson.
"Just let me at him!" Tyson growled.
Rei shook his head chuckling at the two.
Kai stole a glance.
Rei . . .
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"Dear WhiteWolf,I've never met someone so worthy of beauty and yet so oblivious to that fact. The simple truth is that you're a wonderful person. I can tell that from your writing and your poetry. You're wonderful, so stop putting yourself down 'k?
Well anyway, here goes my poor attempt at poetry.
Song of Courage
The night is a mystery to the world,
Mystery of the faith,
That the sun rises on pages unfurled,
And faithfully unravels expectant dusk.
Dawn and the question to the day.
"What power breathes from dreams today?"
Have the image casted high,
Print the memory past the sky.
Soar on the spirit hid inside.
Ride on the tune and melody.
There's no place now left to hide,
Sing aloud and fall free.
What is this spirit catching on?
Is it a picture or a song?
Frame your spirit in the dawn,
Existence from the dream, I'm alive.
Well, it's not much, but I hope it cheers you up. Anywayz got to go now if I still want to be alive to read you next e- mail. Cheer up 'k?
Your Pal, SnowTiger."
It was beautiful. Bold, daring and so full of life. For the first time today Tala felt a grin creep upon his face.
Why was he feeling this way? Was there a reason to be happy? Just one. SnowTiger had replied.
Tala scrolled to the top of the e- mail and read the first line of the message.
All too soon, Tala reached the end of the message. He sighed. Tala stared blankly at the screen. He opened a new message window.
"Dearest SnowTiger,
What can I say to such genius? It's wonderful. I almost forgot all my woes reading them. I... I feel very fortunate to have a friend like you. We are friends right? This poem is dedicated to you,
One- winged Angel
Walking the steps alone.
Knowing the path's my own.
No one to reach and call my name.
Oh Heaven, I can't fly.
How can I even try?
I am but a one- winged angel.
If I was meant to soar,
Why do I lack one more?
One blessed spirit to hold me.
I am from Heaven barred.
One blessing for the scarred-
Is one wing's enough to cry on.
But as I weep, I wait.
There's always Heaven's gate,
And another one-winged angel.
Do you think two one- winged angels will ever be able to meet? Do you think they'll ever reach heaven? Forget it. Just ignore my ramblings. Please send me a poem. I live each day for them. I mean it a sense you won't believe.
Your Admirer, WhiteWolf."
Tala sent the e- mail almost immediately. If SnowTiger could receive the message earlier he would reply earlier. Or so Tala reasoned. Perhaps he wasn't important enough to warrant an instant reply from SnowTiger. Tala turned the laptop off. He leaned back onto his mattress.
A loud knock sounded on the front door.
Tala froze. Nobody knocked on his door. Not even the landlady.
The rapping grew more insistent.
Tala held his breath. No one from Biovolt knew where he lived. They couldn't have found him.
The knocking stopped. Tala relaxed a little. Then the sound of footsteps.
They were inside!
Tala panicked. Borris can't be in Russia. Didn't he already leave the country? He couldn't have found him. Tala hardly talked to anyone, Borris had no leads to find him. He couldn't.
The doorknob turned and rattled. Tala dug into his pockets for the reassuring weight of Wolborg. He half expected the door to burst open and for men in cowls to barge into his final sanctuary.
But it was locked.
There was silence. Then the knocking came back again, slow measured knocks.
"Tala, come out, come out wherever you are."
A voice sinisterly clear.
Borris.