Chibi-Kari: Thanks for being so patient everyone. I'm trying this seeing not telling style

of writing I don't have it perfected yet, but tell me if it works.

Max: She doesn't own at all.

Chibi-Kari: There shouldn't be too much left to this story, I just can't help but twist it up

more and more. Oh and I'm sorry for the delay the doctors changed my medication and

I had a not so happy reaction, but as soon as it get straightened out I'll be good and

updating again!

Max: On with the fic…

Bonds of Friendship and Love

Chapter 9- The Devil Himself

"Kai listen-" The red head begging as his pale features scrunched up in pain from the

blow to his face. A red mark already making its home on his cheek.

"I don't wanna hear your crap, asshole! If you hadn't taken her years ago she

wouldn't have left me now!" Kai yelled his crimson eyes burning with a hatred that

matched Hilary's earlier. Tala could tell that he loved her, loved her more than himself,

just by looking in those same stormy eyes.

"Man, this is twice I've been told everything I say is crap. Listen up, and listen up good!

If I hadn't taken her years ago do you think she would have even met you? No. And on

top of that would she be alive? No." Tala said calmly but strongly his voice booming

through the hallway, as he pushed himself up with one arm-reaching it behind him and

pushing gently on the brown rug to aid his efforts.

"Wh-what?" Kai stuttered. He heard Tala, he heard him clearly. He said dead. But the

question of why rang through his head.

"Boris told me if I didn't hold her hostage, that she would die. She was my friend. Is my

friend God damn it! Even if she doesn't want it that way!" His face fell halfway through

his tirade and his red bangs shadowed his blue eyes-Mediterranean blue eyes.

Kai was stunned into silence. Hilary had always said 'everything happens for a reason,

Kai. Why do you always doubt that?' Couldn't she see it? He supposed that she

wouldn't. "Did you talk to her?"

Tala let a sigh escape his pink lips, "I tried. But she sent me away. Told me she wasn't

naive and that I was never her friend. God Kai, you have to believe me, I only wanted

to look out for her. She was my first friend. She means the world to me."

"Me too." Kai said as he looked down at the ground, "God, I need her back. Why can't

she understand? Why is she even doing this?"

"I'm not sure. But I'm sure Boris has something to do with this. I'm not sure what, but

there has to be a reason. He knew what was going to happen all those years ago. He

knew they would want to come back. He knew Riley would want revenge. Something

is going on and I don't like it." Tala said looking up, his blue eyes instantly hardened.

"But Hilary wouldn't be apart of that!" Kai exclaimed, he had completely lost his cool

demeanor.

"You know how important family is to her." Tala waited for Kai to shake his head in

agreement before continuing, "She would do anything for Riley. But I think you're right.

I don't think she knows, or at least not yet. They'll have to tell her sooner or later. This

is a mess." Tala said raising a pale hand to his line of vision, watching it shake for

several seconds before covering his eyes.

"There has to be something we can do." Kai said, shaking his head, this all seemed so

hopeless.

Tala's head snapped up, his red hair bouncing slightly as a wicked smile graced his lips,

"There is! Come on I have to talk to Hiro." Tala said as he took off down the hall.

Kai looked back at the brown wooden door that concealed his girlfriend from his view.

Growling slightly he spun around and took off in the direction Tala went, his white scarf

trailing behind him.

Later

"We're back!" A male's voice floated through the room as the light flicked on. Hilary

quickly wiped her tears, not quite quick enough for her brother had already seen them.

Laughter had followed him inside as Jazyman and Mike laughed quietly. Riley's growl

quickly silenced it, "Leave us!" He commanded as he looked back at the two.

They weren't stupid. When Riley used that voice they knew not to question it. It was

the same voice that his father had and that man, that man was truly frightening. Hilary

involuntarily shivered, 'So this is what two years with father did to him.' Jazyman and

Mike quickly fled the room.

Riley sighed as he made his way over to his sister. "What's wrong? Why are you sitting

here crying?" He gracefully grabbed a chair and slid it in front of the one-seat couch

she was sitting on.

"No-nothing." She knew he hated crying. Before he wasn't so angry, but those years

with his father had hardened him, she feared beyond repair.

"Don't lie to me." He growled as his eyes narrowed dangerously, this causing her to

slide back into her seat and her ruby eyes to widen. Watching this caused his eyes to

widen as well, "I'm sorry. Hil, I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you. What's wrong? Just

tell me. I'm your brother and you are the most important thing to me."

"It's just. It's just-Kai is my boyfriend. I don't know if I can fight him." She said looking

down at her hands-griping each other turning her knuckles a sick shade of white.

"What?" He roared. He had never expected something like this. The chair fell over on

the floor as he rose from it. He took several breaths, "You have to do this. You have to.

Do you hear me? You have to!"

Hilary's ruby eyes portrayed fear, he was so different, she could barely recognize her

brother in this man before her, "Yes." But she had to stay with him. She couldn't

abandon him, they were two halves of a whole. She would bring him back-even if it

killed her.

"Do it. You can't hold back tomorrow. If you do, it will cost you your life." Riley said as

he turned away. His ruby eyes traveling the lush carpet as he walked towards the door-

he needed some air.

"What does that mean?" She gasped out, staring at her brother's back.

He swung his head over his shoulder looking back at her, sadness spinning in his ruby

eyes, "I've sold our souls to the devil. If we don't win, he'll kill us. And I don't think he's

bluffing."

"The devil?" She stared confused.

"He may not actually be the devil, but he's the closest thing. On second thought, he is

the devil himself…and his name is Boris."

TBC

Chibi-Kari: I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. I think the descriptions add

something that was missing.

Max: Give her feed back! Read and Review!

Chibi-Kari: P.S. the next chapter will be the finals…I think.