LightInTheDarkTempest
Chapter 2: Meetings and Mysteries
"Hey Angel get up will ya?" yelled Jess hitting her sleeping friend with a pillow. Angel waved her away with a moan. "No you don't, come on wake up!" Jess screamed from beside her bed. Angel opened her eyes and glanced quickly around the room before returning to Jess who had a very humored look plastered on her face.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing," laughed Jess " you just always look like you have no clue where you are in the morning."
Angel smiled tiredly as she sat up in bed. It was 7 a.m. by the alarm clock across the room.(Jess had learned that unless she wanted Angel to throw the alarm clock across the room in Th morning she had to keep it on the other side of the room.) The shuttle that would take them to the tournament left at 8:30 and they should probably leave at about 8:15 Angel decided.
Angel stood up in a daze and washed her face with cold water in the bathroom hoping that the extreme coldness would wake her up. She found herself nearly go into shock because of the coldness of the water as it nearly number her face but it had worked, she was now definitely awake. She pulled on her favorite pair of jeans, faded and flared at the bottom, then started searching for a shirt. She glanced at the bandaged cut on her left arm. It still hurt a bit but other than that she should be able to blade like her old self.
"Angel it's your turn to make breakfast so hurry it up!" Jess yelled from the kitchen.
Angel finally grabbed her black shirt that said Leviathan across the front in white lettering and after putting it on walked to the kitchen to see Jess sitting on one of the barstools waiting for her.
"How's the arm?"
"It's alright." Angel shrugged as she walked around to the other side of the barstool and into the kitchen. " Thanks for backing me up last night Jess."
"No prob." Smiled Jess in a nonchalant voice.
Angel smiled at her act, "So what d'ya want for breakfast?"
A grin flickered across Jess' face and a humored glint lit up in her eyes, "Quesadillas!"
"Come on, for breakfast?" Angel whined laughingly
"Yup. I cant help it you make the best ones. I've been craving one since last week!"
Angel laughed to herself at her friends' comment. Some things never change she pondered.
Kai was the first to wake up the next morning, it was 6 a.m. by the clock on the wall of their hotel room and they needed to leave by 8:00. He got up, took a shower, and dressed before quietly creeping outside onto their small balcony. For awhile he simply stood there, leaning on the railing as he watched the sunrise and felt the warm wind brush lightly against his cheek. He cleared his mind as he sighed deeply only to have it invaded by thoughts of those green eyes. Why the heck were they still on his mind! What made them so different form anyone else? Why wouldn't they just leave him alone and stop staring at him as if they could see all that went on within him. As if they understood his pain, his past. As if they wanted to know more, wanted to know him. Kai took another deep breath before letting it all out slowly. What's happening to me anyways? I can believe how stupid I am to allow myself to be so….haunted, by some girls' eyes. Especially by some girl who thinks she needs to save me!
Angel stood alone on the balcony, as a now slightly cold wind brushed against her cheek and played gently with her hair. She could hear Jess still getting ready inside as she looked down at her beyblade.
"Well Ryker," she whispered "You ready for another tournament?"
Her beyblade seemed to glow in reply spreading warmth through her hand. Angel smiled and breathed in the cool fresh air.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine." A voice whispered in her mind
"Ryker. What if something goes wrong? What if, they show up?" Angel thought
"Then we will stand against them together. Be strong and courageous my young mistress." Replied Ryker soothingly.
Angel breathed in the cool air one more time before going back inside to grab her stuff.
Kai had grabbed as much of the free continental breakfast as he dared dodging the glares from the other guests and employees and marched up to the boys' room. The smell of doughnuts, bagels, and fresh muffins instantly awoke Tyson whose loud mouth and even louder eating habits awoke the others up as well. Soon all save Kai were fighting to get food from Tyson who had convinced himself that it was all his. Kai really didn't care for breakfast right now, besides it was almost time to leave.
Angel started packing her bag with the gear she'd need. She laid out her launcher and beyblade then took her portable dvd player, her switchfoot and MxPx CDs, grabbed her and Jess' dvd collection, a water bottle, and an extra bandage for her arm. She buckled her specially designed black belt on and inserted her launcher and beyblade into their corresponding places. She threw on her favorite black jacket that had virtually no collar and two red stripes that went up her arms, stopping atop her shoulders. That's everything she thought. As she slung her leather messenger bag diagonally over her shoulder then headed into the small living room of her and Jess' apartment.
"Ready to rock and roll." Smiled Angel
Jess laughed at the intended lameness of Angel's comment, "yeah lets go."
Together they headed out and soon were almost to the shuttle stop for their ride to the tournament.
Kai grumpily waited in the lobby for the others to come down so that they could leave. He couldn't understand what was taking them so long but just as he was about to go up and drag them downstairs he heard arguing, followed by footsteps coming down the stairs. Finally Tyson and Hilary came into view followed by max, Ray and Kenny. Kai took the key from the unnoticing brown haired girl, who was still screaming at Tyson, then caught the other key that Ray tossed to him. After pocketing both, Kai led the group out into the sunshine, following the sidewalk to their shuttle stop a few blocks away. Will they ever shut up? Wondered Kai as Tyson and Hilary went at it again and again.
"You okay Kai?" asked Ray who now walked beside him
"Hn." Answered Kai in reply. The last thing he needed was Ray thinking there was something wrong.
Kai soon quickened his pace a bit leaving Ray to trail a bit behind him. He just seems so distant since last night. What's going on anyways? Ray wondered.
Angel and Jess stood waiting for the shuttle that would be picking them up soon. Jess was playing on her cellphone while Angel leaned against the building where the stop was. Angel casually looked at her surroundings. This was the stop they'd been assigned to but was anyone else coming? She wondered. As she looked down again Jess startled her out of her thoughts,
"Angel you'll never guess who were riding with!"
Angel looked up to see the Bladebreakers crossing the street to join them. This isn't good! She thought to herself.
"What do we do?" asked Jess worriedly
"Pray they didn't see either of us well enough to recognize us last night." Angel replied calmly as she could.
Just as she had said her last words the bladebreakers arrived. At first, they didn't seem to acknowledge Jess and Angel's presence, but then it seemed to dawn on them that they were all going on the same shuttle.
"Who are they?" Max whispered to Ray, Tyson and Kenny.
"I dunno." Ray replied glancing inconspicuously at Jess and Angel
"I've never seen them before." Kenny stated
Tyson shrugged and gave them a look of "Ill go find out" and headed over to Jess.
"Hi, you guys waiting for the shuttle too?" Tyson asked walking up to where Jess and Angel were standing.
Jess being more outgoing than Angel answered for them.
"Yeah. I'm Jessica, and this is Angel." Jess replied motioning to Angel who still leaned against the building.
"I'm Tyson."
"Nice to meet you." Jess began, "So I take it that's your team?"
"Yup." Tyson beamed, "You wanna meet them?"
"Sure" Jess replied taking a quick glance at Angel who looked a bit uneasy about it all.
"Ok, follow me." He said motioning for Jess and Angel to follow him over to his awaiting teammates.
Jess looked back again at Angel who nodded her head and joined her. They walked side by side behind Tyson to the team they knew to be the Bladebreakers.
"Guys, this is Jessica and Angel." He said motioning to the two girls behind him, " and this is Max, Ray, Kenny, Hilary, and that's Kai." Each one smiled at Jess and Angel as Tyson said their name except Kai who merely stood there, arms folded and eyes closed leaning slightly against a nearby tree.
"You're the bladebreakers right." Asked (more like stated) Angel knowingly
"Yeah." Answered Tyson proudly.
"What team are you two part of?" asked Max
Jess quickly glanced at Angel who caught her stare through the corner of her eye and nodded slightly. "The Burning Dawn"
Before they could say anymore, the shuttle pulled up. Angel waited as Jess ran back to get her bag then they boarded the shuttle as Ray and Kai stepped aside to let them get on first. Kai looked up at Angel as she thanked him and for a brief moment their eyes locked. Recognition flared into Kai's mind at the sight of those all too familiar-like green eyes that now seemed to look a little bit…. Frightened? The eyes were suddenly pulled from his view as Jess pulled Angel after her onto the bus. Kai shook his head trying to tell himself he was imagining things, as he was the last to board. The shuttle was a small, ten seater at best. He went directly to the back and sat down, not even noticing that Angel sat in the same seat to his right.
Jess sat next to Ray and talked with both him and Max (who sat behind them) occasionally hearing comments from Tyson who sat in front of them as he argued with Hilary across the aisle.
"The Burning Dawn." Began Ray, " that's an awesome name."
"Yeah." Agreed Max, " who came up with it?"
"Angel did." Jess replied
"Where's the rest of your team or is it just you and her?" asked Ray
"That's kinda a hard question." Sighed Jess, "atleast you didn't ask Angel." She muttered to herself yet Ray and Max overheard her.
"What do you mean?" Max asked innocently glancing at a just as curious and puzzled Ray.
For awhile Jess was silent as if realizing perhaps she'd let on too much. Yet what's the harm in simply telling them a little bit? She was tired of keeping it all in. Just letting them know a small bit of it wouldn't hurt anything at all.
"We're the last two surviving members of our team." Jess finally sighed sadly as she looked intently at the seat space between her and Ray.
"What happened?" asked max taken back and of course feeling as sympathetic as one could.
"I don't quite remember." Jess began, "and I don't really wanna talk about what I do remember."
Ray and Max nodded their heads understandingly and Jess was relieved when neither of them pushed her to tell them. Perhaps she could tell them about it someday.
Ray was about to let it go, when he remembered what Jess had muttered under her breath only moments before. He decided to carefully try and see if she would explain it.
"Umm, Jessica?" he started, "Why were you glad we didn't ask Angel?"
For awhile Jess merely looked at him with mixed emotions, Could she tell them this?
"She's still not over it." She replied simply.
"She see it all or something?" Max asked innocently.
Jess merely nodded "She still has nightmares about it at night and" she stopped short realizing she shouldn't be talking about this, but it had been killing her for a while now.
"And what?" asked Ray gently.
" I think she still blames herself for our teammates deaths." Jess finally let out quietly.
"That's terrible!" Max said, Ray nodding in quiet approval.
"I have no idea why I'm telling you this. I guess you two are just easy to talk to." Jess smiled a bit weakly.
For awhile there was silence as Ray and Max looked at the tormented object of their conversation pityingly.
"You know what," Ray started trying to brighten the mood.
"What" asked Jess curiously
"I think Kai's finally found someone just like him." Ray laughed as they all looked inconspicuously at the two figures in the back and laughed themselves. Both sat silently, arms crossed, and remained completely distant and silent as if aware of no one else on the bus.
"Actually as funny as it may sound," Jess began as they were looking at eachother again; "Angel can have a pretty good sense of humor when she wants to."
"Really?" Ray asked cocking one eyebrow to make Jess laugh.
"Yeah, but she has to be REALLY comfortable around you to do that." Jess explained
"Man I dunno if Kai knows what a sense of humor is sometimes." Laughed Max as Ray and Jess joined him.
"You know he seems really cold and serious to me." Jess commented when they had stopped laughing.
"He is," Ray answered, "Well for the most part."
"Angel can be that way." Jess said a bit pensively.
"So out of curiosity, why is she acting just like Kai fi she supposedly has a great sense of humor." Asked Tyson trying to ignore Hilary who was currently giving him a death glare form across the aisle.
" I dunno, guess you could say she's a bit uhh…nervous."
"Why?" asked Tyson confused.
"It's complicated. Angel's just been a loner for most of her life it seems. She's been pretty much a social outcast or reject her whole life. Groups and crowds tend to put her on edge." The blonde girl explained.
"What about you?" Tyson asked still trying to ignore Hilary who was glaring daggers in annoyance at him.
"I've never really had problems making friends "Jess laughed, "cant you tell."
"So how'd you become teammates with Angel then. I mean you guys seem like complete opposites." Asked Ray trying to figure out how these two had even met.
"Well we grew up together." Jess began," though Angel wasn't exactly a little angel to me when we were kids. She was always beating up on me as a kid and stuff. Then as we got older things began to change, I guess you could say I was popular or whatever and Angel well, she all but disappeared into the past. Yet when things got rough, and I watched my world fall apart before me, She was there. She helped me start a new life and ever since, we've been best friends. Still today, she's always guiding and advising me, even through the times I've let her down it would seem." A deep pensive look came upon Jess as she had spoken. Man why did she have to blurt this stuff out to them? They had just met today after all!
"Don't worry, young mistress. I sense that they truly do care, it's alright. Its only natural that you would want to get some of this off your chest." Whispered Rouge in her head soothingly.
After silence had seemingly consumed them Tyson finally broke it much to the distaste of Ray and Max.
"I'm bored." He grumbled ignoring the look shot at him by Ray and Max that clearly expressed his bad timing.
Jess laughed despite their looks which she easily read, "You guys wanna watch a movie?" she asked.
"You have a movie?" asked Tyson perking up almost instantly.
Jess smiled laughingly. "Here hold on a sec and ill go get it."
Angel and Kai had sat in an odd sort of silence. Each thinking they remembered the other and one knowing the truth that they had for certain. Occasionally they would glance at eachother as if trying to see if the other would reveal what they were thinking, only to look away embarrassingly each time their eyes met. Does he know? Wondered Angel. If he does, why isn't he saying anything about it? He keeps looking at me like he remembers but why? Angel's thoughts were interrupted by Jess asking for the dvd player.
"Knew you'd ask for it." Angel grinned mockingly at the blonde.
"Shut up" laughed Jess as Angel handed it over to her along with their dvd collection. Jess returned to the waiting group. It seemed that now all of them besides Kai and Angel wanted to watch the movie. They argued lightly for a minute before deciding on Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Angel looked out the window tiredly as she heard the movie blasting from up near the front. She wished her arm would stop hurting.
When Kai heard the movie starting he knew it was safe to talk to Angel. If he was right, he for some reason didn't want the others to know just yet. He wanted some answers first.
"It was you last night, wasn't it." He whispered to angel.
Oh no! He did remember! Angel panicked on the inside and Kai saw it in her eyes, It was all the confirmation he needed.
"It's alright," he found himself saying, " I won't tell them."
Angel sighed a bit in relief.
"I want to know why." Whispered Kai now looking deep into her avoiding eyes.
Angel didn't know what to say but somehow she found the truth. "I didn't want to see you guys get hurt."
"Why would you care" he replied roughly.
"Why shouldn't I?" she questioned.
"You don't even know us." He replied emotionlessly.
"I didn't know I had to know someone before I wished them not to get hurt." Angel replied.
Silence followed for some time afterward. When Kai remembered that she had been cut last night. He glanced over to see if he had seen right, and saw the carefully concealed bandage from under sleeve. If it had been too deep she would've had to drop out of the tournament, yet she risked that to save them. He just couldn't understand it. She didn't even know them when she did that. She still didn't even know them.
Angel inconspicuously held her arm, which was now really starting to hurt.
Kai smiled inwardly noticing her attempt to hide her pain still, yet he felt somewhat concerned for her under his emotionless expression.
"How's your arm." He finally muttered. What the heck am I doing? He asked himself as soon as he'd said it.
"What do you mean?" Angel replied innocently.
"I know about the cut so don't bother pretending." He stated.
Angel grinned realizing shed been caught, " Its alright. I've had worse."
There they were again! Kai thought, those fiery green eyes. Except for a second he seemed to see a flash of pain spark through them only to disappear deep within the depths of her eyes. What kind of pain had she endured? He wondered to himself.
Angel grimaced a bit when they hit a bump. Man, its almost worse when I hold it cause each bump makes me hit it myself! She thought.
Kai noticed the pain pulse through her arm, how could she blade like this? The cut may not be that bad but it might just be enough.
Angel and Kai spent the rest of the ride in complete silence. Only interrupted by Jess returning the dvd player and dvds as they pulled to the tournament building. Angel nodded to Kai as they stood on the curb saying their good-byes. Jess was giving each of them a quick hug except for Kai whom she simply said good bye to, Angel shook her head. That girl sure knows how to make fast friends doesn't she Ryker. Angel laughed to herself. Ryker didn't reply but she could sense him smiling. Angel merely leaned against a sign that announced the tournament to be held just inside as she waited for her friend. Jess walked back to her smiling as Angel just stared deep in thought into the distance.
"Bye guys, it was fun hanging out with you." Jess waved as they each took opposite ways into the building.
Angel turned and Jess followed s they walked into the building to find their designated locker room.
"Well did they suspect anything?" asked Angel when they were alone in their locker room.
"Don't think so." Jess chimed.
"Good." Angel smiled then all of the sudden, with a mischievous glint in her eye, "I take it you had fun on the way."
Jess blushed, "Maybe a lil."
Angel laughed making Jess blush even more,
"Well did you have fun with the depressed mime-wanna-be?" Jess teased.
Angel shrugged hoping she wouldn't blush, then again, why would she be blushing? "He wasn't too bad."
Jess knew Angel was hiding something, she always seemed to read Angel like a book, but decided to drop it. "So who we up against first?
Angel smiled, "I think the Celts."
"When?" asked Jess
Angel could already see the wheels turning in her blonde companion's mind. "We have about an hour."
"Well wanna go roaming around and perhaps catch a few matches to possibly get a better idea of the competition."
Angel laughed at her friend unashamedly, realizing what jess really wanted to do.
"What's so funny?" Asked Jess
"Don't worry, you can go shopping. I'll just hang around here for a bit."
Really!" asked Jess getting excited.
"Yeah," Angel smiled.
A broad smile flashed across Jess' face. She turned to go out the door then stopped and started to turn back around.
"Hey Angel could I bor.." Jess turned and stopped mid-sentence to see Angel smirking and holding out $30."Thanx!" she said and then dashed out he door.
"You better be back on time!" Angel yelled after her.
"Don't worry, I will!" came the faint reply
Angel was now all alone in their small locker room. She closed her eyes to get some sleep and for awhile she did. but the feeling of being in a locker room again triggered something and she again remembered her two old teammates; Christian and Curtis. Their memory haunted her still. She opened her eyes in tears. She couldn't stay here; it brought back too many memories. Angel wiped the tears from her eyes and then stepped out into the hallway, closing the door to their locker room behind her. For awhile she walked around aimlessly, deep in thought. She passed by multiple that lay around the entrance to the huge arena. Jess would probably be in one of them but Angel didn't feel like shopping she just wanted to get away for awhile. She wanted to disappear. She looked and noticed a door that simply said ROOF on it. She knew it was restricted, but right now she had to get away. She silently stole through the door unnoticed and followed the stairs to the roof. The sun shone down on the mostly flat roof as Angel sat with her back to the wall in the shade. She stared intently at the roof in front of her wishing it would all go away. She didn't even notice the figure looking down at her strangely from on top of the ledge above her. Angel looked down at her watch. She might as well get ready for her and Jess' battle. She stood up and walked through the door, down the stairs and arrived at the locker room a minute before Jess.
Jess gave Angel back what she estimated to be $20.
"What'd you get?" asked Angel.
"Nothing. I ended up just hanging out with Ray and Max at one of the music shops." Jess smiled"Oh yeah they're coming to watch our match too."
"Great."Angel said sarcastically.
"So what happened to the rest of the money?" asked Angel.
"Huh?" asked Jess a bit lost for a second, "oh right. Well I convinced Ray to try out a Switchfoot CD but he only had like $10 so you helped him out."
"I'm so generous arent I." Angel replied sarcastically.
Jess laughed but noticed Angel was completely distant. Distant in a haunted sort of way.
"What's a matter Angel?" she asked
"Nothing."
"Liar." Jess mocked.
Angel simply pretended to look through her bag for something.
"Angel come on. Don't try and hold everything inside. You'll lose it. Please, just let me know." Jess pleaded.
Angel turned to look at Jess; she just couldn't seem to get anything to come out. She didn't even know how to say what was going on with her right now.
"I cant forget the memories Jess." She finally got out; " I can't seem to move on. I can't stop remembering how things were. I'm just constantly…haunted about what happened."
"Oh Angel, you have to stop blaming yourself like this. You have to let go." Jess replied soothingly.
"I know. I just can't forget…" Angels voice trailed off, she couldn't say anymore.
Jess looked at her friend worriedly.
Angel noticed and faked a laugh, "Don't worry Jess, I'll be okay."
"Promise you wont do anything stupid." Jess asked almost too fearfully.
Angel smiled and cocked her eyebrow, "Hey, its me."
"That's what worries me." Jess laughed as Angel faked a look of offense and hurt.
They still laughing shook on it.
"Well, lets go." Angel said leading the way to the stadium where the first battle was to take place. Little did they know who was going to be watching their battle with interest.
Okay well theres chapter two, I hate the way it ends but it took me long enough just type it up and i didnt have the energy to fix it anymore. Well I guess ill have chapter three up in a few days and possibly four a few days after that. It might slow down after that because thats as far as ive written, but who knows. let me know what you think. Peace out.