Chapter 18
Starting to See
I walked out into the street. What was I doing? I was trying to find four people in a large city, and they had just stolen someone's Bitbeasts and were trying to hide from the authorities the best they could. I still needed to try though. I started to walk off towards the square.
"Where are you going?" I heard a voice behind me. I turned around to see Kai standing behind me with a glare in his eyes, knowing exactly what I was up to.
"None of your business." I said.
"You won't find them, you know," Kai said, "and what's happened has happened."
"It's not like I can just ignore what they've done!" I said, walking up to him, "they hurt Max, the All-Stars' Bit Beats are gone, they can't compete any longer, and there's nothing we can do about it!"
"You don't think that everyone else doesn't know that?" Kai said, "Look---it's in the past---and you can't change the past."
"Well the past is changing me!" I said.
Kai blinked.
"What are you talking about?" He said.
"It seems that ever since I started this tournament," I said, "that I'm remembering more and more each day. More of Tala and I---"
"Tala and you?" He said angrily, "Wait, wait, you told nothing happened between you two!"
"That was when I couldn't remember!" I said, "I told you, I'm just now remembering what happened to me there."
"How convenient for you." He said as he turned away in disgust.
It was my turn to blink.
"What?" I asked.
"You just now remember?" He said, "Right after I told you just how I felt about you; I mean sure, why just not remember it and make a deeper scar in me?"
"Kai," I said, grabbing his arm and turning him around to see something I had never seen before:
Tears.
Flowing down Kai's face and sliding down his cheeks.
Never had I seen Kai cry, never. He was truly hurt, by me.
"Kai I'm---" I started.
"Sorry, I know." He said, "where have I heard that before?"
"No truly." I said, "I didn't mean to--"
"Didn't mean to do what?" He said, "Do you even have any idea what you've done to me?"
"Kai--" I said, "I didn't know--"
"Didn't know what?" Kai said, "that you just tore my heart to pieces? Ayia, I'm not exactly emotionless! I have a heart—well not anymore."
"Kai---I remembered it in a dream I had." I said, "that's usually what's been happening lately; I have a dream about my past, and then there's a bunch of questions that I still can't answer. I'm just as heart-broken as you are."
"You can't even imagine how I feel now." He said angrily.
"Yes I do." I said, "I had to tell Enrique about it."
"Enrique?" He said, "So, there are things I really don't know about you. Are you in love with him too, or is he just going to be another memory?"
"Kai—it's not like that." I said, "My memories have really changed me. I still think that there's something good inside Tala."
"Sure there is." He said sarcastically, "and he's really showed it too."
"Kai!" I said.
"How can you be so sure?" He asked.
"Because!" I said.
"Well that's a real good explanation." Kai said.
"Please Kai!" I said, I really didn't want to tell Kai about Orelin talking to me, "I don't know what it is, but something inside me is telling me to fight for Tala."
"What is then?" He asked. My blood was boiling at why he kept questioning me like this.
"Orelin is!" I said, "Before, I only fought for myself and became attached to Tala because he was trying to tell me something, and I had no one else to go to back then."
"You had me!" He said.
"The only reason I could go to Tala was because we were together most of the time in training." I said, "He wanted it to be something more, but I didn't, but I didn't want to hurt him, so we threw all caution into the wind and went with it."
"Do you always think about what others always want?" Kai said, "I mean--- when have you ever thought for yourself?"
"When I started to love Enrique!" I said, "That was my own decision, because it's real love, Kai, and I've never felt that before, ever! That's what nothing can change; not my past, not the Demolition Boys, not Tala, not anyone!"
"Ayia." Kai said, "I know that you love Enrique and he probably loves you too, I can see that you two are perfectly happy without me."
"Kai," I said, "It's not like I don't remember you."
"Are you sure about that?" Kai said, "Because I feel like a memory."
"Kai, just see--" I started.
"No you see!" He said, "don't you get it, you've been blind this whole time!"
I had no idea what he was talking about.
"What?" I asked.
"You've been blind to the darkness in your heart." Kai said, "and to Orelin."
"How can you say that?" I asked.
"Easy." He said, "What does Orelin want to do in the battle against Tala? Orelin is unbelievably powerful, and you haven't released it yet. Because you haven't faced and put away the darkness in your heart."
I understood.
That's what Orelin meant when it told me about the battle between light and darkness in my heart. I had been too depressed on the battle and taking it out on other people and dragging them into the battle, when I could face it on my own.
"I understand Kai." I said, "Thank you; and Kai?"
"What?" He asked.
I held up my Launcher.
"Don't think that I'm about to let you leave without a challenge." I said with a smile.
He smiled back and held up his Launcher, "Let's go." He said, "I'm giving you everything I've got!"
"You'd better," I said, "because I want an actual challenge!"
"3,"
"2,"
"1,"
"Let
it rip!" We both yelled as our blades left our Launchers and
clashed in a battle with a Blader that I'd never forget, no matter
how much I changed.
