Title: Silent Screams
Author: NT aka Aku-chan
Pairings: Tala/Kai, Tyson/Max, Kenny/ Yasashiku(OC), Seiichi/Kai (OC), Future BryanRei (no way would I leave Rei alone)
Aku: Thank you for all the reviews!!! And sorry if this whole strange story is confusing! I'm winging it!!!
Tala: -.-;; I knew it...
Aku: Ehehe, oh and also I'm even more sorry about the delay! You see, I had finished writing this chapter, but then I lost the floppy it was on, so for like two weeks I was searching for a floppy (still looking btw), then after I gave up, I didn't feel like writing anymore. So once I start to procrastinate, I just keep going and going. Deadlines help me work, so I'm gonna have my friend set deadlines for me from now on!
Chapter Eighteen: Changing
It was completely contrary to the euphoria a drug addict felt of the first dose of ecstasy. It was like the sun being taken away, leaving nothing but darkness behind, slowly destroying all of life. It was how he felt, a snake's fangs sinking deep within his skin, puncturing anywhere and everything, the venom slowly killing him from the inside. It was all black with the exception of the lonesome scarlet rose, dripping with red drops, the sound resembling a leaky faucet.
Constant. Perfect. Overriding his sense to the point of insanity.
He leaned over, fascinated by the rose. It was beautiful. Wrapped in perfection, sealed in a never-ending song of blood. Like a pin falling in complete silence. A void.
And it grabbed at him, the calm and pain erupting into thousands of spiders, each violent and hungry, as they tore at everything, except the rose. It remained beautiful, flawless and protected in lies, in sins and in a world that seemed all its own.
"You need to rest..." He recognized the voice, as if it were his own. The tone familiar to his heart wherever it was. "Go home... find your wings, Kai..."
He did not let his curiosity arouse by the fact that the name was unfamiliar to his ears. He did not ponder the reason as to why he didn't recognize his reflection in the dripping blood, nor did he even begin to question his own identity, his life, his past, present or future. It all swam away from him, as if afraid to get caught in the black hole of a current. But the words did catch his eyes.
'Find my wings?' His thoughts echoed, bouncing off hidden walls back at him to pound deeply and softly on his ears. Then a single pale hand overpowered the rose, picking it so easily, as his heart tore with each drop that fell. The black ink of the space seemed to greedily grasp at the lonely rose, the petals melting into the ink, but still clearly seen.
The pale hand pulled the rose closer to the other's nose as he smiled hypnotically at him. He let the smell drift from the rose, flowing like steam to his nose, stealing the essence that was the flower.
"Wings? You already have wings." The voice reminded him of melted chocolate pouring across blood red silk, as the other pointed to his back. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed the pure scarlet feathers, yet...
'My wings? But... those are torn! And bloody!' He cried out, as he tried to stop the blood that soon covered his body, leaking out with his life. He clawed at the floor, or what he presumed to be a floor, trying to escape the endless darkness.
"That is how I own you. My firebird, you are my doll." The rose was crushed beneath his pale fingers, as his laughter flowed as the music of blood had. The petals fell in crumbs from the pale hand, as he let them slip into the puddle of blood surrounding the phoenix. With the touches, waves of black devoured the purity of his life, distorting the graceful scarlet to a dead black.
He cried in pain, as he grasped at his chest that felt like a thousands shard of glass trying to break free, each more sharper than the last. The rose had crumbled, and with it, a firebird would too. But like a rose, you can always grow a newer, more beautiful one.
And like a rose, a phoenix could be reborn, newer and more beautiful than the last.
ooooo
It had no more foundation, as it seemed everything crumbled beneath his fingers, as he could only helplessly watch as a bystander. Yet, it was his life that was there, years of his life... wasted?
"How long has it been? I can't remember that last time I saw your face. You always would seem so... in love with me." A hollow laugh escaped his lips, as his eyes turned back to the phoenix. "But... you did know that I could never love you back. Yet you still made it your duty to interfere. I'll have to thank you, though. You returned to me what was mine, although I wish I had been the one to break him."
"Seiichi..." His fists clenched at his side. This wasn't supposed to happen. Was he lied to, used? "Bastard..."
"One of a kind." His soft laugh seemed to be soothing, but would only cause trembles through the room. "I have to admit, I thought that boy would end up ruining it all. But you were always the fool I remember."
"I..."
"Are you still denying? You're even more of a fool than I thought."
"I'll kill you..." The blonde's eyes glazed over with pure hatred and lust for the other's blood. It was a raw anger that rooted from reality.
"How can you?" Seiichi let his eyes laugh with a secret. "I'll tell you a little secret."
His steps were relaxed and slow, as the distance grew smaller, but neither backed down. It was a test, who would break first.
"Would you like to know?" The words flowed from his dark lips, each familiar, but different. The past was breaking, memories distorted. The perspective was focused. His lips were close to his ear, each word soft and delicate and sharp as a knife. "I'm already dead."
And if he had been given the time to pass the shock, he would have realized it. The cold metal, the weight barely noticed, was lifted and the triggered pulled. Satisfaction, hate, sorrow, revenge, shock, pity radiated through the room, as the body fell to the ground.
"And so are you, it seems."
ooooo
"Rei! We've been going in circles for the passed 20 minutes!" A certain blue-haired dragon whined, as the neko-jin by his side was trying his best not to smash his fist into Tyson's face. "How much longer are we gonna-"
"Will you just be quiet for five minutes?!?!" Rei growled out, which led to certain guards to easily find their location.
"There they are!!" One guard called to the others, as they set off towards the two teens.
"Shit!" Rei cursed, as he quickly grabbed a hold of Tyson's hand and sprinted down the hallway. Trying to keep up, Tyson tumbled a few times, but managed to stay upright somehow. Turning left and right, Rei tried to find a way to escape the guards. Turning narrowly, Tyson ended up with his face against the wall, but continued to be pulled down another hallway, one that they had yet to explore. Turning a final corner, Rei opened the door, missing the sign labeled 'Experimental Quarters', rushing to lock the door behind him.
Placing his hand over Tyson's mouth to stop the profanities that he predicted would come, the tiger placed his ear against the door, listening for any guards. To his luck, no sounds of footsteps came, just distant yells.
"What the hell?! That hurt, you know!!!" Tyson cried out the moment Rei freed his mouth, as he rubbed his throbbing cheek.
"At least no one followed us." Rei sighed in relief, as the two finally turned to look at the room they had walked into. Their eyes widened, not believing the sight before them. Tyson was the first to break from his reverie.
"Max!!!!" The dragon cried happily, as he sprinted over to the cage, reaching as far as he could to his best friend, but the blonde was slumped too far back. "Dammit! How the hell do you open this?!" Tyson yelled angrily, as he rattled the lock, trying to break it with physical force, only to have electricity run through him. "Ahh! What the-"
A soft giggle trailed through the room, as a small child's ball rolled, hitting the end of Tyson's foot. The giggle continued, coming closer, as the figure stood out slightly in the shadows. A small chibi voice echoed through the air filled with laughter and kindness, contrary to anyone's feelings at the moment. "Can you return my ball to me?"
"Who's there?" Rei growled out, his eyes sharper, as he prepared to fight whoever stood in their way.
Stepping out into the dim light, a small child looked up happily to the two teens, his lips curving to an innocent smile. "Hello."
"Who are you?" Rei kept his sense alert, but stepped over to help Tyson up.
"If you want your friend, you can push that button there." The boy pointed to a purple button resting on the main control panel, ignoring the neko-jin's prior question.
Hastily, Tyson pushed the button as the small light bulb on the lock went from red to green, the cage bars pushing apart to access entry into the cage. Rei watched as the dragon stepped carefully towards the blonde, lifting him with such gentleness, it seemed unreal to him. Tyson was afraid of breaking his best friend further it seemed.
"Max... Max, please, wake up..." Tyson gently touched the blonde's cheek, his eyes happy and filling with tears slowly, as the barriers crashed down, each drop gently meeting the blonde's creamed skin. "Max, I'm sorry... please, just wake up..."
A slight twitch of the hand, then a slight move of the eyes, searching in the darkness for the familiar voice. His lips moved slightly, as if to speak, but no sound came. The eyes tried once more, prying themselves open slowly, as Tyson held his breath, watching each slight tremble of Max's eyelids. A slit of blue peeked out, then more came as the eyes laid half-lidded and curious.
"Ty...son?" His voice broke as if from misuse, but the dragon smiled and gathered the boy into his arms tightly.
"I'm sorry, Max. I'm sorry for everything. I love you..." Tyson whispered, not caring that he had let his confession slip. The blonde smiled back, his eyes filling with tears, as he relaxed in the spreading warmth from the dragon. It would be fine, his mind said to him. Everything would be fine.
Rei smiled at the heartwarming scene, content that his friends – maybe more – were reunited again, but there was still one more person. Turning to the small boy who seemed to know his way, dangerous sun-kissed eyes met with innocent, curious scarlet ones that resembled the phoenix's almost perfectly. He didn't question the similarity though.
"Do you know a boy name Kai?" Rei asked softly, not wanting to scare the child away.
The boy looked down, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his blue bangs and his small pale hands clenching down into fists. "Yes..." He whispered out softly, afraid that his voice would display any of his emotions if he spoke louder.
Curious about the reaction, Rei pried a little deeper. "Why is it you look like him?"
The boy's bloodstained eyes stared up abruptly, causing his bangs to tremble by the action, as he looked around. Spotting what he was looking for, he smiled as he stepped towards his red ball, lifting it into his arms and holding it like a comfort blanket. He giggled at the three teens, as he skipped over to Max, who was sitting up in Tyson's arms.
"Will you play with me?"
The blonde shook his head, as the boy's face slowly change into a look of sadness, but Max smiled and let his hand rustle through the two-toned blue hair. "You have to help us first, and then I will play with you."
"Okay!" The boy smiled genkily, as he was rewarded with a smile from the blonde.
"You have to tell us where Kai is."
His eyes flashed with sadness, but he easily feigned happiness. "Which one?"
"Huh? What do you mean 'which one'?" Tyson asked, as he looked strangely at the child. "There's only one Kai."
Shaking his head, he kept his smile in place, as he held up two fingers. "There are two Kai's silly."
"What?" Rei stared at the chibi version of the phoenix, his eyes wide and unbelieving. "That's impossible though."
"It's true." Max looked down, his hands clenched as he remembered the two bodies of his leader. "I saw them." Before any more questions could be asked, Max spoke first before anyone else had the chance to. "Our Kai, the clone."
"Ah, but he is dead already."
ooooo
"You bastard..." He growled at, staring angrily at the other with hate and murder glowing dangerously in his moon-kissed eyes.
"He's better off dead." Seiichi justified his action so casually, as he stepped closer to the two phoenixes. "Tell me something, Tala. Who do you prefer?" He smirked playfully, as he touched both tubes.
"Can you even tell your beloved from the two? So alike, aren't they? Perfect duplicates. Isn't it beautiful?" His voice was graceful and inhuman, as his eyes were softly entrancing, binding whoever looked with them in a world of contentment, only to devour that peace out of hunger for such sweet innocence.
"It's disgusting." Tala growled out.
"How can you say such a thing about a beautiful piece?" Seiichi smiled, as he traced the curves of Kai's torso against the glass casing.
"It's disgusting how you think you can play god so easily." Tala's eyes narrowed, as he wanted nothing more than to stab Seiichi until he died from blood loss and maybe even beyond that.
"I'll make a deal then, Tala. You join Biovolt and I'll let you have your own Kai to do as you please. Think about it. Having your own phoenix to run your hands over, to touch as you only dreamt of, to have beneath you, calling out your name in the mist of pleasure." Seiichi smiled lustfully, as he glanced at the phoenix.
"You're sick. You're so fucking sick."
"But you can't tell me you don't want that. You can't tell me you don't feel a thing when you can see it. See Kai, naked and beautiful beneath you, his breath burning, as your touches make him scream for more. You can have it, Tala. I can give that to you. I can give you Kai." Seiichi whispered, as he was beside the wolf, his lips near the other's ear. The silver eyes glazed over in a trance, lost within the depths of his own mind. It was how he worked, easily slipped the other into his control, attaching the strings so easily.
"Tala, I should tell you that I am not one to share." Seiichi let the wolf drift into his dreams, as he was placed in an unbreakable glass cage, watching images of a lover who was not there.
ooooo
"What do you mean dead?!?! Tyson shouted out, as he couldn't believe – wouldn't even begin to believe that their captain was...
"He's dead. What more do I need to say?" The child spoke so simply, as he bounced his small red ball.
"No..." Rei shook his head in denial. It couldn't happen. Kai wouldn't let it happen. He felt the tears prick at his eyes, but he wouldn't let them fall.
"Kai's been erased of all his memories." The child explained, as he looked down at the red ball. "He's planning to recreate Kai into the perfect pet, starting his memories before the moment he died. He plans to use Kai's guilt for his own benefit. And I suspect he will break Kai all over again."
"Who's this 'he' you're talking about?" Max asked, knowing the others had to let the information sink in.
"Seiichi."
"The one Kai killed?" Tyson wanted to wake up about now, as he pinched himself with no luck. It was reality he was living.
"Kai's heart should be stopping soon."
"We have to do something!!" Tyson resolved, not moving too much as Max was still in his arms and resting on his legs.
"It's too late. Kai's molecules are breaking down to cleanse him of his old body and make him perfect again."
"How do you know so much?" Rei asked, suspicious of the small child.
"Because Kai is my father." He smiled proudly, as the other occupants just gaped at him. "Was it something I said?" He blinked cutely.
ooooo
To Be Continued...
Aku: Uhh... I wish I knew what was happening in my own fic, ehehe
Tala: What the hell happened to me???
Aku: Not sure... Anyways, the unnamed boy's identity is revealed!!!! Sort of... yeah...
Rei: This makes no sense.
Aku: I know... I just had an urge to write something weird. Okay, next chapter I plan on some actual movement!!!