"Hey Tyson." Said a voice. "What are you doing out here alone? And at this time?"
I knew it was Ray, but I was just too sad to look up; the ground's too pretty. It's a wonder how many things you can make it look like if you stare at it long enough.
The swing next to me squeaks as Ray sits on it. I can feel his gaze on me, but I ignore it. I just want to be alone…I think…
"Tyson? You ok?"
"Yeah." I reply weakly. "Yeah, Ray. Sorry. I've just been thinking."
"About what, Tyson?"
If it wasn't Ray, the person would've said something corny like: 'Will miracles never cease?' but Ray would never do that. He knows when to be sarcastic and this certainly was one of the times in which he knew.
"Just… things." I reply lamely. "Nothing much. Just…"
"Yeah Tyson, 'things', I know." Ray chuckles. "What I mean is, what exactly?"
"Just us."
"Us?"
"Yeah. The Bladebreakers. How we began and crap like that." I manage to say, lifting my head and looking at the dusky horizon, which was a faint blue with mixes of pink and red from the recently set sun. "And wondering if Kai'll come back…"
Oh ya, didn't I mention? Kai went back to Russia for a while… hehe, in a way it's good, but bad…I… uh…wait, Ray's saying something!
"Oh. To be honest, I thought you were going sappy and corny on me, buddy." Ray replies, humour clear in his voice. "But Kai'll come back."
I chuckle quietly. "I think my thoughts did turn corny at one point, I'm not sure." Then a thought strikes me. "May I ask something, Ray? Why're you here?"
"Everyone was kinda worried. You've been gone all day. And also, dinner's ready."
I beam goofily.
"Thanks, Ray dude. I'll be back home in soon, kay?"
Ray lifted an eyebrow. "How long will soon be? I mean, if I was doing the cooking tonight, I wouldn't mind it. But since Hilary's cooking and I'm the messenger, I don't want to be deaf so young."
I snickered and told him ten minutes. Ten because it would take me at least five to get back and I wanted just a few more minutes to myself. Ray gave me a smile before setting off. I watched him go, his petite frame disappearing into darkness.
Aw hell… now that was corny…but true.
I give a contented sigh and decide to follow. If I were earlier than anticipated, Hilary wouldn't scream at me… Yeah, right. And Kai's a fluffy social butterfly…
I stand and shove my hands in my pockets as I set off after Ray. Damn, the neko-jin was a fast walker; unless he ran, which I highly doubt…
I decide to take a shortcut by walking along the length of the river. It would be way quicker, although I didn't want it to be.
With one of the hands in my jeans pocket, I hold Dragoon, fingering the cool metal of the attack ring. I feel it warm up for a second and then die back down; I figure it was Dragoon.
"'Ere kid. Whatcha doin' ere?" Says a gruff voice.
I look up with a 'huh?' and see two menacing guys…and I mean, menacing. They both have scars that, like, stretched over their faces and they're wearing clothes that looked tatty and dirty.
"Uh, it's called walking home." I reply as if they were dumb; bad move for me…
"Don't you be disrepectin' me, runt." One of them snaps, advancing on me. He looked pretty heavy… not with muscles (that's the other one) but…flab…
"I-I didn't mean it, sorry." I apologize, trying to avoid a fight. The two don't move. "Erm, could you move, cause I really need to get home."
"No chance, kid." The muscle bound one snickers. "Now, we're not as fortunate as you are, kid, so hand over your cash. Oh, and your blade. That'll fetch quite a-"
"No way! Dragoon's mine!" I yell, turning round and running away.
A searing pain rips across my lower back. I fall on my side, the uninjured side, and clench my eyes shut at the intense pain. I clutch the hurting area and immediately my hand feels wet… What happened?
I can hear the two guys walking up to me and I only have one option to protect Dragoon…
In one swift movement, I grab the side of the bank and pull myself in the water…
I slowly sink to the bottom, not really paying attention to what's happening. I have no energy left… and I don't know why, but the water around me is red…like blood. They can't have shot me, cause I didn't hear a bang, but somehow they've injured me.
I begin to close my eyes, feeling dizzy and groggy from blood loss and air deprivation. But right before I close my eyes, a figure enters the water and it looks like…No! It can't be him…!
Kai!