Warnings/Notes: Hey There! Here's another particularly absurd story by me! Let it be known to all that this story contains shounen ai, so if you have any problems with that, please feel free to press the back button!
Oh, and it's an AU.
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade, or any of its characters. Nor do I own any of the fairytales which this story may refer to.
Happily Ever After
Chapter Four; The Middle- Part Three
Tyson sighed as he drove along, wondering for what must have been the thousandth time in the last hour how he had managed to become connected with this bunch of weirdo's.
In the back seat Rei glared at Max, while Max grinned back at him.
"You shouldn't be so upset," said Max, his grin never faltering despite the hostile look he was receiving, "It could have been worse!"
Rei scowled, "You turned me into a neko-jin, and how could it get any worse?"
In the front seat Kai snorted, "Trust me. It could get a whole lot worse."
Max nodded happily, "There was this one guy, named Eddie, and I accidentally turned him into a half rabbit, half elephant-"
"Please don't ask what it looked like," said Kai, "It was rather disturbing."
"And then there was Enrique!"
"Who now has three heads."
"And I somehow managed to turn this girl Matilda into a third hedgehog, a third human and a half lamp post…………"
Rei blinked, "Err….. two thirds and a half are more than a-"
"We know," said Kai dryly cutting him off.
"And then there was Dunga, who I'm sure was already partly an ape, but he-"
"I'm sure he gets the idea," Kai interjected.
Max shrugged, "So you see, I'd have to say that out of everyone, you came out the most normal," he paused and his eyes traveled over the raven haired boy, "And besides, I think you're cuter this way."
Rei flushed at the compliment and looked at Max sideways, "Err……….thanks."
Tyson glared at him through the rear view vision mirror, "I still don't see why you had to come along."
Rei smiled flashing his fangs, "Kai needs at least one competent person around to protect him."
Tyson glowered and was about to retort when Kai interrupted scowling, "I am perfectly capable of looking after myself as you have recently experienced first hand."
Rei rubbed his bruised sides gingerly as he remembered the pain from when Kai elbowed him, "Yeah well……."
Max suddenly sat up in his seat, pointing excitedly, "Ooh! Look at that castle! Isn't it pretty?"
The three other occupants of the car stared.
"It's very……….." started Tyson, before he has overcome by the image before him and trailed off.
"…………….Pink," finished Kai darkly.
Through pink was the simplest way to describe it, it really didn't give the castle and its surroundings much justice.
It was, in fact, composed of a myriad of every different shade of pink ever known by any being to ever exist.
The light pink stone of the castle rose up into the sky, with pink lights shining out of pink stain glass windows. A multitude of pink towers loomed over them menacingly, while pink walls stood defensively around the structure and its pink flowery gardens.
Max had been right. It was pretty, it was just nauseatingly so.
Kai shuddered.
This was not only because of the onslaught of the one particular color, but because he knew lay inside.
He turned to Tyson, "Floor it."
Tyson blinked, still slightly mesmerized by the pink hued building, "Huh?"
"Drive faster!" said Kai desperately, "We need to get out of here!"
They passed a sign. It depicted the words, 'Welcome to Princess Mariah's Pretty Abode!' in bright pink curly writing.
"What's wrong?" asked Tyson.
Kai fought off a shiver and failed, "That's princess Mariah's castle. She's a nice person, but……………ever since we were little she's been trying to get me to be a 'proper princess'."
In the back of the car Max giggled, Kai had told him all about the awful visits he had been forced to attend with his parents when he was younger, "That includes wearing the proper attire."
Tyson looked confused.
Rei smirked as he caught on, "You know, princess clothes. Dresses."
Kai looked distinctly paler than usual.
Tyson sent him an evil look, "Well it would be rude to drive past an old friends place and not pop in for a visit."
Kai growled looking murderous.
Tyson swallowed and laughed nervously, "Or we could just keep on going," he added brightly.
After a few minutes they were stopped at a toll station.
A kid with green hair and purple eyes stuck out his hand, "Toll please," he said in a bored voice.
He wore an interesting badge that said; 'Hi! My name is Kevin!' The green haired boy looked less than pleased in his ID photo, despite the fact that the badge emitted a light and happy aura.
The badge itself was bright pink.……….and so was Kevin's uniform.
"How much is it?" asked Tyson pulling out his wallet trying to hide his sniggering.
Kevin idly glanced at Tyson, his bored expression changing as his eyes fell on the tense Kai. His eyes widened slightly in recognition and instead of answering Tyson he overdramatically looked at his watch and exclaimed, "Oh my! It's my break! Just wait here for a moment………" he trailed off and disappeared.
"Hey!" shouted Tyson angrily, "Come back!"
The window was suddenly filled by a much larger young man, in the same disturbing uniform, with a badge that said 'Gary'.
All angry complaints died in Tyson's throat as he took in how much larger Gary was than himself. "Hi!" he squeaked, "How much do I owe you?"
Since everyone's attention was fixed on Gary, nobody really noticed Kevin slink out of a door behind them and unscrew the valves on the two back tyres.
Nor did they see him head off to the pink castle at a run.
Princess Mariah sighed as she sat on her ornately decorated throne which was, of course, pink.
There hadn't been much excitement around lately, what with her favorite knight in shining armor, Lee, having gone off to sort out a rather grumpy Dragon in some unknown village somewhere in the wilderness.
A princess's life could be so boring sometimes.
If only she had something to do.
It was at that precise moment that Kevin decided to come skidding into the room, only stopping when he flew into a rather large (and rather expensive, thought Mariah darkly), vase.
She sighed again.
"Is something the matter Kevin?" she asked, and after a pause she added, "Are you okay?"
Blushing, Kevin stood up from the porcelain debris around him, miraculously unhurt, "Yeah………..sorry about that…………"
Mariah waved it off, and gave him a half hearted smile (she had been rather attached to that particular vase), "Don't worry about it." She then waited for Kevin to explain the reason for his hurtling into the room.
Kevin stood there nervously.
Mariah cleared her throat.
Kevin looked at her blankly.
Mariah coughed, "So………Is something wrong?"
Kevin jumped, "Yes!" he exclaimed, "I just saw someone!"
Mariah nodded sagely, "Yes, well, people do generally see other people. That's the way the world works."
Kevin blinked, "Yeah, but it's someone we know!"
Mariah waited to be told who it was.
When it appeared that Kevin was waiting for her to ask who, she said, "And who was this person?"
Kevin grinned, "Princess Kai Hiwatari."
A disturbingly large smile crept across Mariah's face, "Kai-chan?" she exclaimed happily.
Kevin nodded, "He was just passing through with some other guys, but I made sure that he wouldn't be able to leave the area."
Mariah suddenly frowned, "You didn't do something unpleasant did you?"
Kevin shook his head, "No, I just let the air out of their cars tyres."
Mariah beamed, "Okay! They'll probably stop at that motel down the road, and try to find out where the nearest service station is! Quick! Go fetch Gary."
"What about me?"
"You just go and mind the toll booth," said Mariah dismissively, ignoring Kevin's pout. "Oh! I'm so happy! Kai's coming for a visit, he's always so interesting and cute when he gets mad!"
Kai scowled at Tyson, "What do you mean there's no air in them?"
Tyson glared back at him, "I mean that there is no oxygen in the tyres," he said snappily, "What the hell else could I mean!"
"I mean," said Kai, the ferocity of his scowl increasing, "How did it happen?"
Max peered at a tyre, "Well, from here it looks as though someone unscrewed the valves."
"I bet it was that green haired runt at the toll booth," seethed Tyson.
"Well why isn't there a spare tyre?" asked Kai grumpily.
"There is A spare tyre," growled Tyson, "The problem is that there are TWO flat ones."
"We could get Max to use his magic, I guess," said Rei, not really thinking about what he was suggesting.
Max looked up, face full of eagerness and excitement. The faintest trace of magic began to sparkle and crackle merrily in his hand.
"I seriously doubt that would be a good idea," replied Kai taking a wary step away from the blonde, "Somehow I don't think Tyson would appreciate the mutation of his car."
Tyson nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
Rei smiled, because in his weariness of Max, Kai had moved closer to him, and took the opportunity to wrap his arms around the princess's waist, "I'm pretty sure there's a motel around here," he said, ignoring Kai's squirming, and Tyson's glowering.
Max nodded, rushing towards the front of the car for the map, accidentally stepping on Rei's foot in the process, making the neko jin yelp, and allowing for Kai's escape.
Unaware of Rei's jumping around and cries of pain in the background, Max rummaged through the glove compartment, "Aha!" he said triumphantly, holding it in the air. He then opened it, and scanned it with his eyes, "Let me see now," he muttered absently, "Rei's right, there's a little motel just down the road. We can get help there!"
"But what about the car?" asked Kai.
"We'll just have to leave it here," said Max.
"What! No way!" yelled Tyson angrily.
"Why don't two of us stay here, and two of us go for help," said Kai logically.
The others nodded.
"I'm staying with Kai," said Tyson and Rei simultaneously.
Max and Kai sweatdropped, as Rei and Tyson began to glare at each other.
"Kai and I will go get help, while you two stay here," said Max calmly, and then proceeded to lead Kai down the road without waiting for an answer.
Tyson and Rei sulked as they watched them go.
Max and Kai walked in silence until they reached the small motel.
It hadn't really been very far away, only a fifteen minute walk, and Kai waited outside, while Max went inside and talked to the owner.
A few minutes later Max returned smiling, "The manager's name is Kenny, he's really nice! Apparently his parents own this place, and he said that it also doubles as a service station. They even have a tow truck we can use!"
Kai noticed the small boy, whose brown hair and glasses covered his eyes, who was now standing in the doorway of the motels office.
"I told him what was wrong, and he said we can get the car right away, but we're going to have to wait a day for the car to be fixed up because it's the mechanic's day off, and he doesn't know what to do or where the equipment is. So we're going to go back to get the others and the car, and you can wait here. Is that okay?"
Kai nodded, and took the room key which Max had then offered him, "Just go get them before they kill each other."
Max nodded, "Done! Just be careful, 'cause no one will be here to look out for you."
Kai huffed indignantly, "I can look after myself!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Max soothingly, "It would probably just be best if you wait in you room though."
Kai sighed, there was no point in arguing.
"And don't open the door for any strangers!" said Max jokingly as he turned to leave with Kenny.
Kai rolled his eyes before checking his room number and heading off to the room. He knew Max was watching him from around the corner of the office to make sure he had done do.
The room was surprisingly nice, and Kai absently noticed that it had two single beds and a double. He mentally groaned as he sat down on the double, imagining the fight that would most likely break out over sleeping arrangements.
He really didn't understand why Rei and Tyson were constantly fighting over him. He wasn't too pleased with the way in which everyone thought that if they won an argument or a competition they would automatically get him. Why didn't he get a say in the matter, he certainly knew who he'd choose if he had a choice, his thoughts headed towards his blue haired companion, but rapidly shut them down.
No. He told himself. Don't think such things.
His mind began to grin rebelliously, fully intent on doing exactly the opposite, but was stopped by a sudden, sharp knock on his door.
Kai stared at it.
It couldn't be the others already, he'd only been here for a few minutes.
There was another, irritated knock.
Kai continued to stare at the door warily.
There was then a thump, and a metallic sound, suspiciously like the noise of someone picking a lock.
Kai was on his feet in seconds and found the closest, heaviest, object he could find.
It was a small clock.
Kai cursed.
This was not looking good.
There was a click, and the door swung open.
Kai paled as a person entered and shut the door behind themselves.
The person at the door smirked wolfishly.
Kai pulled himself together and glared, "Go away Tala."
Tala continued to smirk and strolled in the room, "No."
Kai threw the clock at him, and felt excruciatingly pathetic when Tala easily caught it in one hand, before tossing it aside. "What do you want," he snapped.
"Well, apart from the obvious, which is you, I came to see how you were faring with Mr. Prince Kinomiya."
"Absolutely spiffing," retorted Kai acidly.
"And the neko jin?"
Kai gave him a long, hard look, "You've been spying on us."
Tala waved his hand airily, "Of course I have. I can't let you come to any trouble, can I?"
Kai growled. There was a nasty, angry feeling bubbling up, which had been steadily accumulating over the last few days, "I can look after myself!" he cried out petulantly, "I don't need you all you people watching over me!"
Tala looked surprised by the sudden outburst, but quickly composed himself, "Of course you can," he said candidly, "That's why I like you. You're stubborn, harsh, strong and determined. It draws me to you," he moved forward wrapping his arms around the momentarily stunned Kai and pulled him too him, "And I absolutely can't wait until I turn you into a whimpering pool of need," he whispered into Kai's ear, before pulling him into a quick, but steamy kiss.
When it was over, Kai shoved him away roughly, and swung a fist at him.
Tala, anticipating the move, had already stepped backwards, out of Kai's reach.
He smiled, and licked his lips, "As enjoyable as that was, and as much as I'd love to hang around, there's a cloaked and hooded mysterious figure at your door, so I think I'll just be heading off now, because as you always say, you can look after yourself," and with that, Tala headed over to the window, opened it, and jumped out.
Kai stared at it blankly in a daze, "What just happened?" he murmured.
There was a knock at the door, and Kai, still in shock, headed over and opened it.
He blinked as he suddenly came back to reality. Just as Tala had said, there was a cloaked and hooded mysterious figure there, "Can I help you?" he asked.
The figure nodded, "I am but a poor local farmer's wife, who sells apples to cloth her family. Would you please buy one?" A beautiful red apple was offered to him, "It's as sweet as your soul and as the same pretty color of your eyes."
Kai rose an eyebrow.
"I shall even let you try it before you pay me!"
Kai stared at the proffered fruit with obvious distaste, "Who do you think I am? Snow White? I'm not that stupid you know, one of the first things princesses get taught these days is not to consume anything handed to them by suspicious looking strangers, along with the need to avoid sewing equipment of any kind, most especially spindles and needles, cursed objects and not to offer to do anything for a man who saves you."
Mariah smiled brightly and pulled off her hood, "Of course I knew that you never fall for the old apple trick!"
Kai stared at her, "Oh no……….. Mariah………….."
Mariah happily waggled a finger at him, "That's why I brought Gary and a bottle of chloroform!"
"Wha-" started Kai, but he was cut off as one large muscled hand appeared from the side of the door, and grabbed him around the waist, while another covered his mouth with a cloth with an odd smell.
Darkness swept through his mind and Kai managed to murmur one thing before he was completely lost to unconsciousness.
"Please………..at least don't let the dress be pink."
TBC…………………….