Asylum
By: Darker Evolutions
Rating: R
Warnings: The rating should be warning enough.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters.
A/N: And yet another chapter for my readers, just to make up for my long absence. Please, please review!
Summary: Kai, Tala, Ray, and Bryan are members of the Saint Carolin's High School soccer team with a new student placed as their manager. They're also mutants in which the underground organization Biovolt are after. Will they get at each other's throats before they get a chance to find asylum?
Chapter Eleven - Not A Morning Bunch
Morning came with the brightness of day; birds chirping, the town already awake outside, and the neighbor's dog barking at a stray cat up within a tree. Kai was the first to wake, his crimson eyes blinking slowly to adjust to the darkness that the room still held. As he shifted himself he forgot that Ray was sleeping curled up against him and was rewarded with a sleepy face coming into view of his own. With a sigh he sat up, bringing Ray with him in the process. "Sorry, Ray. I forgot where I was for a moment," he commented through a yawn.
"Better to be up now then later on; I'd rather not waste the day away sleeping, however I'm sure Tala would," smiled Ray in good humor before rising our of bed just after Kai. "This is going to be some weekend with all this morning, cleaning and things of the such. But lets save that for later--breakfast now," commented Ray as he stretched out slowly and glanced over at the still sleeping Declan and Tala, however he found over the side of the bed sprawled out on the floor with one of the sleeping bags. "Wonder how he ended up down there.."
"Best not to leave him there, considering the floor is freezing," sighed Kai as he wriggled his sock clad feet against the cold carpet. Moving back over to the bed he tugged Tala over from hanging off the edge of the bed to be on the side of the bed he and Ray her just vacated. Glancing up he watched as the Chinese teen scooped up Declan from the floor and deposited him back on the bed with no real incident other than trying to get him to release the sleeping bag so the bed's blanket could be pulled over him. "He reminds me of Tala, sleeping like a log," snorted Kai.
"Well considering what he's been through with trying to recover and such I'd say it's a miracle he hasn't been comatose for the first few days of the week. School is going to be hard enough seeing we all have soccer practice at the end of the day, which reminds me that all four of us should go out jogging sometime today, just to prepare for Monday," suggested Ray as he slipped quietly out of the room with Kai just behind him only to pause and shut the door behind him so the noise from making breakfast wouldn't wake the others.
"I was worried," began Ray as he searched through the cupboards for the toaster he knew the kitchen was hiding and a frying pan that was large enough to feed four people worth of eggs. "When I came here in the morning to meet up with Declan I had forgotten that we weren't normal teenagers, so when I realized something had happened to him I panicked. I didn't want what happened to Ian to happened to him, though I'm sure the rest of us didn't either, but it scared me," he admitted softly as he heated a non-stick pan on the stove and cracked some eggs into it. Tossing the egg shells into the trash he sighed lowly, black bangs hiding his amber eyes, "I didn't want to loose anyone else to Biovolt, and at the time I blamed myself for him being missing even though it wasn't even my fault. All I wanted to do was protect him, but I realize it really isn't up to me to do that…"
"You shouldn't beat yourself up about all this Ray," soothed Kai in a low voice has he moved forward and tilted Ray's chin up with his fingertips gently. "We didn't know what we do now about him and his past with Biovolt, but now we do have information and can protect him as well as ourselves better than we could before. We all were set on unease because of this, but it's normal just like we are. We may have another attribute to our being, but we are still living human beings who have feelings and a heart. We aren't animals to be hunted, and one day Biovolt will pay for all the pain they have caused, but until then we'll just have to wait, to bide over time," smiled Kai as he felt Ray relax as he leaned into his chest. The moment seemed to be taking control, though the Russian didn't complain as he leaned forward to press his lips against Ray's softly…
Only to have a camera flash and girlish laughter fill the air; Salima had found her way to Declan's, clearly. "Oh my god! I didn't know that you two had become an item while I was gone!" The stern look from Kai and the mad blush from Ray made the female raise a brow. "No? Well, if you're kissing each other then I suggest you hook up.. Wait, wait.. I just got your first kiss on film, didn't I? Wonderful! Just absolutely wonder-"
"Stop being so damn loud," growled Tala as he pushed past Salima into the kitchen. "Next time I won't let you in the house," he grumbled as he planted himself on one of the countertops lazily, still half sleep as it was. His red hair was still tussled and his clothed ruffled from sleeping--he'd been surprised to wake up and find Declan on the floor when he woke up, yet he chose to leave him there for the time being; why should he bother picking him up anyways? "That and someone is still in the house sleeping, so quiet down or get the hell out."
Tala was rewarded with a flash blinding him momentarily and laughter ringing in his ears as Salima spoke--"Now I'm clear on the fact that you're not a morning person, but chill out. Mm.. Is that breakfast you're cooking? Better have some for me and company if you want me to stay-"
"Leave already," grunted Tala to himself.
"And your opinion doesn't count," concluded Salima as she smirked at the mumbling red-head. Her warm eyes shifted to look at Kai and Ray who had busied themselves finishing breakfast; eggs, toast, orange juice, and a package of bacon that Ray had found still good in the fridge. "A feast you're having, and yet I feel as if I'm missing something still. You're going to spill, you hear me Hiwatari? I want every little detail of what happened whole I was gone. Also, where is this new kid Declan? You haven't killed him yet, have you Tala?" chided Salima in amusement.
""What the hell--who are you--never mind just get out of my house already!" came Declan's voice form the living room as if on cue. "I don't even know who Salima is--damn it Tala stop letting random people into my house," hissed the teen as he dragged a nervous Mariah behind him into the kitchen, his aquamarine eyes glaring witheringly at Tala only to land upon Salima. "And I assume you're this Salima person; you know what, never mind, I don't care. Just stay out of my room; I'm going back to bed," grumbled Declan as he touched his temple lightly and turned to walk out of the kitchen away from the group of people in his house. However he didn't get very far as Ray was catching him by the shoulder and shoving a plate full of food into one hand and a glass of orange juice into the other. With a roll of his eyes he took the food and went back to the sanctuary of his room, not forgetting to slam the door it would seem.
"I take it he isn't a morning person, either?" questioned Salima as she helped herself to the breakfast food and prepared another plate for the bemused Mariah who was staring down the hallway after the retreated Declan. All the got in response was a dirty look from Tala and a shrug of the shoulder from Kai who currently had a fork shoving eggs into his mouth. "I'll just have to pop by later then to have a little chat with our new buddy, but until then we're all going to sit down like civil human beings and talk about what has been going on over this very this wonderful breakfast, which reminds me.. Thanks for the meal, Ray. Mariah and I have been up since sunrise and we're just famished," proclaimed Salima just before sticking a full piece of bacon into her mouth and making a pleased noise around the chewed food.
"Lets get something straight here," stated Kai as he looked pointedly at the females. "No more showing up unannounced or in mid-morning like this--we all aren't morning people with soccer season in play. You have cell phone numbers; call next time to give us a forewarning. And secondly I highly suggest that you don't go badgering Declan after what's gone on the last week--he needs rest and time to himself to get thins sorted out and back together again, and thirdly… you owe us for chowing down our food; you're as bad as Tyson is."
"That is untrue in so many ways, and you know it Kai," defended Salima as she pointed her fork at the older male before going back to eating. "I have manners, thank you very much," she managed to get out between bites. "And I always pay people back for feeding me and whoever I have with me at the time being." With a shrug she glanced over at Mariah who was caught in the act of looking down the hall again to see if Declan would possibly come out again. A shame her heart is going to have to be broken when she sees the picture Tyson took of him and Tala together.
The next few hours were spent finished the food, cleaning dishes and cleaning up the kitchen so that it wasn't so dusty and dirty and making it more presentable while information was passed back and forth. All three males went through their own views of what happened, both Salima and Mariah alike listen closely to what was being said as they pieced things together and asked questions about this and that. Mariah seemed more interested in knowing facts about Declan, and after a time was rewarded with an annoyed and almost defensive Tala snapping at her to drop the subject.
"Well at least we know what's been going on, why you weren't at school, and things of the such. Biovolt as really went too far this time, but on the good side Declan is back and alive--which is something itself," smiled Salima after a pause. Mariah had left earlier, seeing she had dance practice to get to as noon crept around leaving Salima alone with the guys. "You think he'd mind if I went in just to say hi and introduce myself? It was rather rude of me just to come over like this.."
"Go right ahead," cut in Ray as soon as he saw Tala about ready to say something none too kind to the read-headed female. "Just knock if the door is shut, and it would be wise to take your shoes off before you enter the room; new carpet and such. We're just going to keep cleaning things up as so to make this place livable.. Also, don't go pissing him off or anything; he goes through enough with the kids at school ragging on him as they do."
"Will do, Kon-Man," grinned Salima as she very well skipped out of the kitchen and down the hallway where Declan had disappeared down hours before. She took her time peeing into every room, noting this and that's that she could aid in with decorating or cleaning. Coming upon the only closed door in the hallway she knocked lightly upon the worn service, yet she was rewarded with silence. Humming softly she turned the knob of the door, only opening it a small crack before actually slipping inside after kicking her shoes off at the door like Ray had told her to do. The thick new carpet that greeted her sock-glad feet was welcome, wiggling her toes in it with a smile as he brown eyes looked around the room after finding Declan sleeping curled up on the bed.
"It's all so beautiful," she exclaimed gently and in awe, moving across the floor to run her fingertips along the landscapes painted upon the walls. Each one was different, something unique yet wonderful to the eyes. Glancing up she smiled at the painted sky, picking out a few constellations before picking up her camera and snapping a picture of the ceiling. Pausing she made sure that she hadn't disturbed Declan with the flash and noise before resuming taking pictures of the paintings with a small, respectful smile. Her last few pictures upon the roll of film were taken of the sleeping form of Declan before the let the camera fall down to rest around her neck. The light upon the nightstand was on, giving the room a strange eerie glow that somehow fitted what the male looked like, at least in Salima's eyes.
Sitting on the edge of the bed the female reached out with shook Declan's shoulder lightly, seeing if he indeed was sleeping that heavily or was just resting his worn body. There was a strange sense of respect there, as if she had been there to see how he had saved the others and almost sacrificed himself at the same time. He was a friend, a real one that once actually befriended was loyal until the end, bitter or not. "Hey," she whispered as she retracted her hand from the shoulder as the now waking form rolled over to look at her through bleary eyes and messy bangs.
"I know you wanted me to stay out of your room," she stated, just so Declan knew that she wasn't ignoring him. "But I came in here to apologize for coming into your house like this, and though it's part of my personality quirk I really don't think it was right of me to just barge into your home with Mariah in tow." Salima gave her head a soft tilt when the teen before her curled up again, pulling an unzipped sleeping bag over himself as he inhaled the scent there and calmed, which Salima took as a sign to go on. "I admire you--your strength, loyalty, and even your faults. Now don't get me wrong, I know I don't know you in the least, but what I've heard from the others… Well you're really someone that so many people think they are or try to be and fail."
"I don't understand," stated Declan groggily as he pulled another pillow under his head to prop himself up more as he blinked away the bleariness in his vision from sleeping. "No one likes me at school other than the other mutants--how can you just say you admire me when everyone else hates me?" he questioned uneasily, as if the topic of choice was strange territory.
"They hate you because they don't understand what they don't know of. The other mutants like you so much just because you're you. While others try to hide who they are you're out there showing people that you're just you, nothing more and not afraid of what people might think of you. Even I wouldn't be able to deal if people felt to bitterly about me if they knew what I was," admitted Salima sadly as her brown eyes softened. "But here you are not trying to deny the fact, but living on just because you can; you've a kick in your personality that we mutants find refreshing."
"I somehow highly doubt that Tala finds me fighting him all the time refreshing," argued Declan as if were the dead truth of the matter, however Salima's light laughter brought him to stare at her as if she had three heads. "Oh he's just a pain in the ass," she responded as she patted his shoulder in companionship. "But that's what he enjoys. It's refreshing to him, to actually have someone who doesn't back down and fights back just because they don't give a shit just like him. I'm sure it's going to be hard to get to know him, but don't let his anger or hatred get past you--it's all for show. What you need to do is get to the person behind the shell, behind the mask."
There was a long pause of silence as Declan thought on this, and as he did so Salima took the time to more look around the room with clear interest. "I really like what you've done with this room; really beautiful and refreshing. But back to the matter at hand, I still need to introduce myself. I'm Salima, photographer extraordinaire, and mutant without an actual nickname. Haven't been caught yet, and I'm not about ready to let one of my new friends get caught either," she grinned with a wink only to rise form the bed. "You go ahead and get some more rest while you can. I'm going to take out your dirty plates and help the others clean up some more around this massive home of yours," and with that Salima clicked off the light on the nightstand and slipped out of the room while shutting the door behind her.
"Enjoy your talk with Declan?" questioned Bryan from where he leaned against the wall outside of the bedroom. He smirked when Salima jumped and gave him a good punch in the shoulder to reprimand him for scaring her. How long he had been there was beyond her, but he had this smile on his face that showed he was, in his own way, proud of her. "Come on, lets get you out of Tala's hair before he jumps you for being in the same house as he is," chuckled Bryan as he looped his arm around Salima's waist and led her out into the living room where the others were starting to clean things up.
"Bye you guys," chimed Salima as she waved brightly, winking at Tala and he glared at her darkly. "Love you too, Wolborg. I'll be back around sometime later in the weekend to help things move along in this place cleaning wise. By the way, here are Declan's plates and such," she commented as she placed the silverware down on the couch on her way out. "And I wouldn't go in there anytime soon--he's sleeping again after having me pester him into submission." With that she and Bryan were out the door and on their way to lunch.
"Well I guess now is as good as anytime to go and break things to our parents about moving in here," spoke up Kai as he set down a white sheet he had just pulled off an old entertainment center. "This way we can get rooms picked out and things moved in before it starts getting too late to do anything. Also this will leave the house quiet for Declan so he can sleep a little more." Pulling his keys from his pocket he followed the other two outside, jabbing in the code to the alarm before locking the door behind him and slipping to his vehicle.