Chapter 19------ Death Note

"Ozuma…"

The red and black haired kid sat up from the couch, his team mates following suite.

"What're you guys doing here?" Tyson knew this wasn't a friendly visit. When it came to Ozuma, it usually meant business.

"Relax, we ain't here for your bit-beasts." Joseph casually remarked. "We're here for her." The teen jerked his head in Mai's direction.

Mai took a step back; out of fear or instinct, she did not know. Something just didn't feel right about the situation.

"It's ok Mai. We know them, so they can't be sent by your grandfather." Rei reassured her.

Ozuma began walking towards the group, his lips curling into a smirk as he focused on Tyson. Tyson expected him to say something when they got near but to his surprise, Ozuma passed him and advanced towards Mai.

'Don't! Don't come any closer!' Mai paced backwards, but every step she took was a step forward by the intimidating stranger.

Finally she hit a wall. She had no where to run now. 'The guys! Why aren't they doing anything!'

Ozuma leaned in closer and closer till he was a centimetre form her face. Mai braced herself and shut her eyes, only to hear someone whisper into her ear:

"I know who you are. You can't run any more. You're the odium that will destroy humanity, Eden…"

The word triggered something inside her and she came crumbling down. "No! No! I'm not going to kill anyone…I'm not killing anyone…" Her eyes were petrified. Ozuma watched as the girl broke down, her arms wrapping around her as if trying to protect herself.

"Shh, it's alright. No one's going to die." Hilary and Mariah rushed to comfort the girl. "What've you done to her!" Hilary spat at Ozuma.

"I'm not a bad person…I can't harm anyone…Yes, everything's fine…No one's going to die…" Mai retracted herself as much as possible. Her eyes darted in their sockets, "That's right, no one is going to die…it won't be my fault…it's not my fault…"

"Everything's fine, it's not your fault ok? It's not your fault." The brunette stroked Mai's head and with the help of Mariah, they escorted the shaking girl to her room.

"You idiot! What did you do to her!" Tyson lunged at Ozuma but Dunga was quick enough to grab his hand and lock it behind his back. "Hah, can't have you hurtin' Ozuma now can I?"

Tyson scowled at his captor. His attempts to break free were no use, Dunga was too strong.

"Let him go, Dunga. It's pointless wasting your strength on him." Miriam spoke.

The shaggy blonde reluctantly obeyed and let Tyson go, roughly that is.

"If you're just gonna make snide remarks Ozuma, then I suggest you leave now." Kai said coldly.

"Hmph." The pompous leader sneered, turned his heel and headed out into the garden. He jumped onto the ledge of the fence, but turned around to give one last look at the group.

"Be happy this was just a greeting. Next time she won't be so lucky." With that, he and his company jumped down and took off.

"Who was that?" Lee questioned.

"Some bastard… Rei, they're after Mai. I think they know…"

The neko-jin nodded in agreement. "We'll discuss this tomorrow; it's too much action for one day. Everyone's tired…"

-Next day-

Breakfast was quiet. Grampa G looked around, the unusual silence was bugging him. "Hey, someone died or somethin' ? Why the long faces?"

Mai shook her head, "It's nothing, we're just tired."

"Yeah…"

"You gonna eat that?" Tyson pointed to the remaining pieces of Mariah's omelette with his chopsticks.

The girl rolled her eyes and pushed her plate towards him. Max gave him a in-a-situation-like-this-all-you-can-think-about-is-food? look.

-Fast-forward-

Mai launched her blade into the beydish and watched as Levian crashed into Lee's blade, Galeon. She stared at the two blades spinning; why was she even doing this? She wasn't even concentrating…

"They know…" Mai muttered.

The blade-breakers turned to look at her. They understood.

Mai walked to the corridor and sat down, staring at her right wrist, rubbing the birthmark, slowly at first but then it got more violent as though she wanted to scratch it off.

"Stupid thing! It's all your fault!" She cursed.

"Mariah, Lee, you mind leaving us for a while?"

"No, take your time…" Mariah glanced worriedly in Mai's direction before disappearing into the house.

"Hey, if you rub it anymore, the skin will start coming off." Rei took a seat beside Mai while the others gathered around her.

Mai rubbed even harder, she wanted to get rid of it. In her eyes, it was the mark of her cursed life; the life she never wanted, the life she despised. 'Why? Why couldn't Ijust be normal?'

Suddenly, a hand clamped over her arm, making her hand jerk by the unexpected response. "Stop it Mai." Max held her hand firmly.

The girl looked up, almost pleadingly. "They know Max… How many more people will know?" Her blue orbs searched Max's for an answer, but the blonde couldn't give her one…

"How many more will come after me? 20? 30? How long do I have to keep running away?" Mai stared at her birth mark; the skin around it was red from all the rubbing.

"No one's taking you away."

"Anata wakaranai! (You don't understand!) I don't wanna die…datte… kowaii yo (becoz its scary)" Max felt her hands trembling. "I don't want people to get hurt because of me…I'm scared of it… they'll blame me, they'll hate me even more, they'd want to get rid of me even more…I don't wanna die… I'm scared Max, I'm really scared."

Max tightened his grip around her arm; he hoped that it would give her support.

-SPLASH-

Kai lazily threw a pebble into the Koi pond and stood up. "If you have a chance to live a little longer, then what's wrong with running away?" He said coolly.

Everyone's eyes followed him as he walked past them; he stopped before entering the house…

"Who's gonna get hurt because of you? … No one's that stupid to let you…" He turned and went into the house.

'Kai…' Mai stared at the space where he just stood. Her eyebrows furrowed…then her face turned angry. She got up and ran after Kai.

"Mai" Tyson called after her.

"KAI!"

Kai turned around and in a split second, his left cheek seared with pain. Mai stood glaring at him, her right arm raised.

"You think you know everything do you? DON'T TALK SO CALMLY WHEN YOU'VE NEVER LOST SOMEONE BEFORE!" Mai raised her hand for another go but Kai grabbed it tightly. The girl's hand shook in his grip as she tried to bring her hand down.

The both of them glared at each other. Kai's eyes were furious but he let his hand drop after a few minutes and walked away, much to Mai's surprise.

Mai looked at her wrist. It hurt; the skin was red where Kai had grabbed her.

KAI'S POV

I went into the room and slammed the door. That bitch didn't know anything!

I sat on the bed and touched my cheek. I cringed; it still hurt. "Stupid girl!" I cursed.

I remembered what she said, 'YOU'VE NEVER LOST SOMEONE BEFORE! ... YOU'VE NEVER LOST SOMEONE BEFORE! ... LOST SOMEONE BEFORE! '

Lost someone huh? She doesn't even know half of it…

END OF POV

Hey ppl! SO SO SO SOOOOOOOO sorry I took ages to update, I had the cursed end-of-year exams... Gah! Anyway, the gruelling 4 weeks or mugging is over and I can write again! WHHOOPPPEE!

This entry's a short one coz I think it's easier to manage short chapts than have you guys wait for the long ones, plus... I kinda have writer's block coz of the 4 week hiatus... So hope you guys like it, a bit angsty though.