A/N: Here I am, back with Chapter 9! Yay!
Mei: Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer - Aki: Hikari doesn't own Beyblade or any of its characters...obviously...
Chapter 9: The Journal
"My…friends?" Kai stopped short. "What…what do you mean?"
"I think you know what I mean, Kai," Daitouji was smiling as he got up – again – and made his way over to his charge. "Surely you recall the friends you made – Kane, Yuuya, Hiromi…"
"And Kinomiya Hitoshi." Kai finished. "Of course I remember them. I met Hiromi, Yuuya, and Kane nearly two years ago, and I met Hitoshi just last year. But,"
he added as he stood up to stand near the bay window, "I consider only Hiromi and Yuuya 'friends', and we're not even close. The others; they're mere acquaintances." He turned away from Daitouji and gazed silently out at the front lawn.
"But do you recall when you first met them?" Kai whirled around.
"What?"
The chairman raised a questioning eyebrow as he gazed at the crimson-eyed captain. "I said: do you recall the very first time you met them?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Kai said, looking away. He wished the old man would let the matter go.
The elderly benefactor smiled. "That's why I've invited them over here, tonight…"
"Ouch." Rei commented as he sat down, leaning back on his palms. "That's harsh."
Takao was not-too-silently steaming. "That's…preposterous!" he exclaimed, causing Kyouju to nearly fall of the wooden bench. "That's…the most stupid reason I've ever heard! Practically banishing someone, just 'cause they're doing something they love?"
"Well, Souchiro Hiwatari doesn't seem the type to care, does he?" Max asked. "Poor Kai, though, having to grow up without a father figure…"
"Yeah…" Kyouju agreed.
"But what happens next, I wonder…" Rei mused aloud, staring off into space thoughtfully.
"Well, there's another entry here…" Kyouju replied after flipping forward a few pages. "It's dated…December 10th of the same year. Hmm…that's a week after Kai's birthday; that means he was ten years old when he wrote this particular entry…"
"So what's this one about?"
Kai's Log, December 10th,
Time – 2:35.53
Right now, I'm on a plane bound for Russia. So far, the trip has been boring. Grandfather was kind enough to offer to bring me along on this little business trip of his. He said something about not wanting me to be alone so near to Christmas. I guess that means I'll be gone from school for quite some time…
I really wonder how Kane and Hiromi-chan are doing…especially Hiromi-chan. I've noticed that she hasn't really made that many friends at school; I'm one of the few she regularly hangs out with. Kane's not a problem; he can take care of himself, plus he has more friends than I.
Just now, we passed out of a cloudbank, and I'm positive I saw shapes denoting houses. That means we're close to landing. I'll finish this entry later…
Time – 10:15.28
I'm in my room located in the Hiwatari family mansion. Looks like Grandfather is richer than I initially thought…anyway, Grandfather said something about sending me to study here; that's why earlier today, a few hours after we landed in Moscow, Russia, he introduced me to someone named Boris Balkov. He runs this boarding school that's owned by Hiwatari Enterprises. He seemed…nice enough. He just looks creepy. Also, the school didn't look too bad. It was nicely lit, and the children seemed…content. Not really happy to be there, just content. Oh, well…
I still don't know the real reason Grandfather invited me on this trip. Maybe I'll find out tomorrow…
Signing out,
K. Hiwatari
"Boris? Nice?" Takao spluttered upon hearing Kai's initial description of the team's most hated 'acquaintance'. "When did that happen?"
"It must have been a trick," Kyouju, ever the brains of the group, ventured. "Y'know, a trick to convince Kai to stay…"
"Yeah, well…it still doesn't fit…"
"I'm sure we'll find an explanation in one of the later entries…" Rei offered, grinning. The amber-eyed blader stood up and stretched. "Do you guys mind if I stepped inside? I'm getting a little thirsty…"
Max shook his head. "Of course we don't mind, Rei. Go right ahead…" Rei nodded and sprinted towards the villa.
"Why?" Kai asked, trying not to show that he was incensed at what Chairman Daitouji had taken the liberty of doing.
"It came to my attention that your teammates aren't working to their full capacities during battles-"
"What do you mean? Of course they're working to their capacities!" Kai shot back, cutting the older man off. The chairman held up a hand.
"What I mean is that when you give them advice – in the form of those infamous riddles you seem so fond of – they are…rather reluctant to listen to you, so-"
"So you're saying that it's my fault if they lose a battle?" Kai glowered. How dare he!
"No, Kai. What I merely wish to point out is that perhaps if the team knew you more, they would-"
"Well, I don't want them to get that close to me."
"Please, Kai." Daitouji said, sounding almost as though he were pleading. There was silence once more, if only for two minutes. Kai's eyes narrowed as he gazed at his elder. Then he let out a silent sigh and closed his eyes.
"Very well, Chairman. But don't expect me to treat them as friends. I told you: I only very recently met them, especially Kinomiya's older brother…" With that, Kai strode out of the living room and headed for the training room. Chairman Daitouji did nothing save gaze after the teen's retreating figure.
Soon, you shall see my reasons, Kai…
"Guys, I found the next entry!" Kyouju exclaimed excitedly. The others sprung up from their lying positions on the grassy lawn. They had gotten bored in the past few minutes – until Kyouju found the entry – for the next few pages had been filled with poems that no one bothered to read.
"What's it say?" This time, Max was the first one to inquire about the nature of the entry.
"Well…" Kyouju scanned the few short paragraphs contained within the writing; his brow furrowed.
"What's wrong, Chief?" Rei asked, peering over his shoulder and staring at the graceful, looped handwriting.
"It doesn't make sense…" the bespectacled teen murmured, his voice nearly inaudible.
"What doesn't make sense?" Takao asked, joining the group.
"The entry." Kyouju replied even as he reread the first paragraph.
"In what way?"
"Kai wrote this a week after his arrival in Moscow, which we learned of in the previous entry."
"Uh-huh…" Takao nodded, indicating that he wanted his friend to continue his explanation.
"But in this paragraph," – here, Kyouju pointed to the second paragraph – "he says that he's been studying at Balkov Abbey for years, and that's he's just demolished it."
"How'd that happen?" Takao looked bewildered again.
"Here. I think you better read it." Kyouju handed the journal over to Rei, who began to read aloud."
Kai's log; Dec. 17th,
Time – 5:45.12 AM
I am currently at the train station, where I will be catching the Trans-Siberian Express. I'll be taking it as far as Vladivostok. Once there, I'll rest for a few hours, and then catch the next flight to Tokyo. I really hope all goes well; I haven't told anyone except Yuri, and he promised not to tell.
In case you're wondering why I'm 'running away', I just did a very bad thing. Grandfather is going to kill me if he finds out what I did. I just destroyed Balkov Abbey. Using a new Beyblade called Black Dranzer. I couldn't help myself, though; it looked so powerful during the test launch. I knew the scientists at the Abbey had been working on that particular blade for years, almost as long as I've been there, and now, thanks to me, half the Abbey is gone, and most probably the blade is gone, too.
Frankly, I'm scared. I've never traveled on my own before, but I'm afraid to tell Grandfather. I already know what he's like when he's angered, and I don't want to see that side of him. I guess I'll just have to stick it out. Hopefully, no one will notice that I'm on my own. I'll just have to make it look like I'm with someone older, but how?
Thankfully, I still have the birthday money Grandfather gave me a few days ago. It should last me a couple of days. Weeks, even, if I don't eat so much.
The train's coming; I can hear it.
Later,
K. Hiwatari
"How can he have been at the Abbey for years if he landed in Moscow just five days before?" Rei looked up from the journal, just as puzzled as his teammates.
Kyouju shook his head, as though the action would help him think better. "I have absolutely no idea," he said.
Max propped himself up against a tree trunk. "Maybe you read the date wrong, Rei," he suggested hopefully, smiling.
The amber-eyed teen shook his head. "Not a chance, Max." He flipped back a few pages. "The pages filled with poems? They're also dated, and each one in chronological order, each with a time progression of one day, more or less."
"I don't get it…" Takao groaned, flopping back onto the grass. "Instead of finding answers, we get more questions!"
"What if we read another entry?" Max suggested again. "Maybe there's an explanation in one of the later entries."
"You have a point there, Max…" Kyouju stated thoughtfully, taking off his glasses and meticulously cleaning them. "Rei, may have the journal back please?"
"Could you hold on a moment, Chief?" Rei asked, not taking his eyes off the journal. "I just want to finish reading this."
"What's that? A poem?" Max asked as he stood up and walked over to his friend, his interest piqued. Rei merely nodded in reply, engrossed in the writing.
"Hey, may I read?" the blonde asked, peering over the brunette's shoulder. Rei, who apparently was done reading, smiled at him and handed him the black tome.
"Sure. Here." With a finger he indicated where he ought to start reading. Max smiled his thanks, and then turned his attention to the page.
"Hey, Max, read out loud, will ya?" Takao asked. "I want to know what he wrote, too."
"Sure, no problem."
Kai's Log; Dec. 12th,
Time – 02:10.45 PM
Loneliness of Being
It seems like an eternity since I saw your face…
Unknowingly I've searched for you in this God-forsaken place…
I long to stand beside you, to protect and be protected…
But sadly that's impossible; it began the day it ended…
You're gone; this I know I have to understand…
Still I miss the touch of your guiding hand…
I know that you're not truly dead, but still
I know that you can't return, and never will…
Why did you allow this to happen, and how?
What will happen to the rest of our lives now?
What really made you decide to leave?
Or is this a lie; are you hoping to deceive?
I'm trying hard not to think of it, but I still do…
Each time, I wind up drowning in thoughts of you…
I'll admit, it's sometimes lonely without you here…
Often I wish you would come and take away the fear…
The fear of being lonely, when I know I can't…
The loneliness of being without you again…
The fear of forgetting who you really are…
The loneliness of being so far apart…
I really miss you, Dad…
Signing out,
K. Hiwatari
"That's…deep." Max commented, handing the journal back to Kyouju. "At least, for a ten-year-old."
"Yeah…" Takao said, once more lost in thought. And here I thought Kai didn't express his emotions…
"That's…so sad!" Kyouju suddenly explained, his lower lip trembling. The simplest things moved him easily; hearing the poem had been rather heart-rending for him.
"Chief, calm down…" Rei said, attempting to calm his younger teammate. "We know how you feel; the poem was…sad, to put it mildly, but we do have other things to do, right?"
"Yeah, Rei…" Kyouju sniffed, then wiped his nose on his sleeve. "We still have to figure out a way to get it into Kai's room without him suspecting. Sorry about that." He smiled weakly, and then turned a few pages over, searching for a promising-looking entry.
Takao wasn't paying attention to what was happening around him, though. He was lost in his thoughts, where the lines of the poem he'd just heard kept turning around and around.
I long to stand beside you, to protect and be protected…
He sounds so pitiful, so unlike the Kai I know now…that it seems impossible that that could be his journal…He wasn't always so strong; I can see that now…
I miss the touch of your guiding hand…
It struck him as funny, and yet sad how weak and childlike the journal-Kai seemed. Just like his captain, Takao felt that he, too, needed someone to guide him. This someone was hard to find, especially with his father and brother constantly traveling the globe. Yes, his grandfather was a capable guardian, but he wasn't a very good counselor. Because of this, the cap-wearing blader had turned to the closest thing to an authority figure he could find: Kai.
To protect and be protected…
But now it seemed that the situation was the other way around: Kai needed them.
The fear of being lonely, when I know I can't…Takao's eyes watered; he couldn't help it. All these years, his captain had been the epitome of balance and self-control. He rarely got mad, and when he did, there was just cause. Also, he never seemed pressured, except for vital points in battles, such as the time his bit-beast was at stake. But now…Takao thought, I know…
The loneliness of being so far apart…Now I know he isn't as cold as he seems…In spite of the sadness of the revelation, Takao smiled. The detachment is just a mask, a defense tactic. He doesn't want to be hurt, doesn't want to be abandoned again.
Unwittingly, Takao let his thought wander back to the first championship they had competed in, as a team. It was nearing wintertime, and they were in Russia. They had been there only a day, and Kai had gone missing. Then, they found out…
Takao's stormy blue eyes widened as he acknowledged what he'd been hiding.
The poem! He realized, sitting up abruptly and gazing at the little, leather-bound book as though it were an illusion. No wonder the poem touched me so much! I know just how Kai felt back then!
And it was true. When the Blade Breakers found out about Kai's betrayal, none of them were as devastated as he.
By the time the World Championships rolled around, Takao thought, staring at the ground so no one would see his face, I'd felt some kind of bond with him. Even though he didn't show it much, he wanted so much for me – and all of us – to succeed. He helped us in any way he could, usually in the only way he knew how.
When he left us, it was as though I'd lost a brother, for that's what he was to me – in a twisted sort of way. I couldn't believe he'd really betrayed us; I prayed that it was just a dream. I couldn't even bear the thought of battling against him, not out of fear of his bit-beast, but because he was a close friend.
"Hey, Takao, are you listening?" Kyouju asked, looking up from the journal. The blue-haired teen started.
"H-huh?" he turned to face his friends, his eyes wide. "What's that, Chief?"
The bespectacled teen sighed in exasperation. "I said, 'are you listening?'"
"Sorry, Chief…" Takao grinned sheepishly. "I…was just thinking of a way we could sneak that journal back to him without it noticing its disappearance. We do have to do it tonight, before dinner, you know."
"Right. But we'll worry about that later, okay?" Kyouju smiled. "Right now, I think I've found another entry, but I doubt it will make sense."
"Why's that?"
"Well, its dated August 20, almost a year later-"
"Wrong, Chief," Max interrupted. He'd been staring intently at the writing, as though he were analyzing it. "See here? His handwriting's changed. That means the entry could have been written more than a year later…"
"Drat!" Takao exclaimed, punching the ground with a fist. Then, resignedly, he blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. "Well, that's life: you don't always get what you want…" He grinned. "C'mon, Chief, read it!"
Kai's Log; August 20th,
Time – 06:45.00 AM
It's been a year and six months since I've seen Grandfather. Good.
I'm still in Japan. I've met some really nice kids who taught me the' way of the street', as they call it…I haven't run out of money yet, but I have this feeling that if I take it out, it's going to cause mayhem, so I've kept it in a safe place. For now.
I never knew an abandoned warehouse could be so comfortable once its been fixed up. That's what Hiruta, Tsukuba, and I did to the old depot outside of town. Hiruta and Tsukuba – they're the kids I mentioned earlier. We were fast friends; its like the moment we saw each other, we hit it off right away…
Frankly, it can be a bit fun when you're sneaking around, looking for your next 'victim', usually those with 'fat pockets'. They're so easy to differentiate from other people around them, and they're even easier to rip off!
I have to go now; the guys and I are going on another money spree…
Signing out,
K. Hiwatari
"Hiruta? Tsukuba?" Kyouju looked puzzled. "Aren't those two members of the Blade Sharks?"
"Yeah…Maybe that trio was the start of the Blade Sharks…" Takao said, leaning back on the grass.
"Y'know, you've got a point…" Kyouju rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I guess that in this entry, Kai was around eleven, nearing twelve years of age." Rei said, keeping one hand on the journal. "It did say 'one year and six months'…"
"Uh-huh…"
Suddenly, they heard a car pull up at the front. Takao sat up and glanced at his companions. "Who could that be?" he wondered out loud.
A/N: Ooh...the visitors start arriving! This is going to be fun!
Aki: Wonder what she does to Kai in the next chapter...
Mei: You should know what she does to Kai in the next chapter, Aki-chan! Both of us helped her write it!
Aki: Whatever...
Me: Stop squabbling, you two! You're an embarassment!
Aki: Then why do you keep us around? smirks
Me: Duh! You're my muses! I have no choice! Anyway...turns away from muses Read and review, please, everyone! God bless! Peace out!