Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade; it belongs to Aoki Takao.
Continued where the first left off in Kai's mind…
Watching Him In His Field Of Memories
2
As teardrops trickle down my face, the rain keeps falling, dropping harder and harder.
Boris watches me, intrigued, but he doesn't speak, just watches my pain.
Eventually, the rain, as it pours, causes everything to slowly disappear, swallowed up in the water.
I close my eyes, hoping Dranzer will protect me, but that doesn't happen.
I can feel coolness around me, and I think it's the water, but I open my eyes again anyway.
The rain water's gone, and in its place is…darkness.
Nothing but darkness.
Everything is black, but I can still see my hand when I put it in front of my face.
I shudder involuntarily, and I swipe the drying tears from my face, blue paint sticking to my fingers.
I wonder how I'm standing on something that feels solid, but touching beneath me, I feel nothing.
And I wonder how all this pall of darkness fell around this place.
And I wonder why I can still see myself, even though it's as dark as the night sky.
As I'm thinking these thoughts, a red feather appears from nowhere.
But that's where I am anyway…nowhere.
It appears, and drifts aimlessly through the black.
It alights but a yard in front of me.
White ripples expand from where it rests, as if it had made contact with water.
I watch these ripples extend, sweeping slowly under my feet and around the blackness.
The ripples fade away into this dark emptiness.
I reach down, and I feel the soft features of the feather between my curved fingers.
Once again, I feel no ground or water or anything underneath it, holding it up.
Picking it up, I examine its perfection.
In the feather, even though it's opaque, I can see myself in it, like it is a mirror.
I can see my milky, pale skin, cheeks plastered with smeared blue paint, slate and navy hair, crimson eyes.
I look weary, tired…
I can't read the emotions in my eyes, though.
I skim my fingers across the red feather.
The 'reflection' trembles, ripples like water.
When it's still again, crimson blood is running down its face from its forehead.
Startled, I lift my hand up and touch my face, but there is no blood there.
Why is there blood on my reflection if there is none on my face?
The color of the feather deepens, and gradually becomes black.
Gasping, I drop the feather, and it vanishes, fading away into the darkness.
I stand alone, and I wonder what the meaning of that was.
Tala's POV
I'm walking to the mental institution that is holding Kai. Well, I suppose it's really his mind that's holding him. He's stuck within his mind, off in some other place. I sigh. His unexpected condition has made all of us downtrodden.
I stare up at the building towering over me. I truly despise this place. Everything is white, and they keep Kai locked in a white room as if he is some savage beast or mass murderer. But there's nothing I can do about that; they told us he was locked in for his own good. Personally, I don't think that makes sense, because he just sits there, mumbling, completely oblivious to his environment.
I walk through the door and down the familiar corridors. This is my first private encounter with Kai here. A nurse directs me into some room for visitors, and I glare at the walls simply because they are white.
I sit down in a chair, nauseated by the whiteness. At least the table isn't white. I fold my hands and rest them on the table in front of me, waiting for them to bring Kai out.
And so they do. A nurse is steering him with her hands on his shoulders. He's mumbling incoherently. I can't help but wonder what he's saying.
The nurse helps Kai sit down, and she smiles sweetly at me. I don't have any reason to smile, so I stare blankly at her. Her smile doesn't fade as she turns and strolls away. I think she should be locked up in a white room if she hides behind her smile, not giving a care if no one's smiling back, just probably thinking she's wonderful brightening people's days with her smile.
But maybe I'm just sour, knowing the condition of my lifelong friend. Her smile probably does cheer up people's day.
But not mine, not today.
I just sit there, watching Kai mumble. His eyes are sort of glazed over, and he's staring numbly at the table. I listen intently to what he's saying, having to lean in to hear him.
"The ripples fade away into this dark emptiness. I reach down, and I feel the soft features of the feather between my curved fingers. Once again, I feel no ground or water or anything underneath it, holding it up."
What the hell?
I stare at Kai inquisitively, pondering what to do. I keep listening to his rambling, though it means nothing to me. I don't understand it, and I don't know how I possibly could figure it out.
Distressed at my helplessness, I sigh heavily, and I say, "It's going to be all right, Kai. You'll recover somehow. We'll pull you out of this mess together, and leave it all behind with renewed friendship."
I reach across the table to my friend. I place my hand on his shoulder, expecting him to keep mumbling. But instead, he flinches and squeezes his eyes shut. I am so startled, I yank my hand back, and continue staring, but with newfound surprise. I didn't know he reacted at all to outside stimuli, but a tiny flicker of hope's fire ignites in my heart, increasing slowly with every beat.
I persist in listening to Kai's nonsensical rambling, and my belief of his recovery mounts.
Blackness is all around me still, and uneasiness is flowing with my blood.
I wish Dranzer was here to offer me condolence.
Out of nowhere, a voice begins to echo throughout the void I'm in.
It sounds so familiar, so distant.
But so familiar…
Who does this voice belong to?
Why are they speaking to me?
I know it is not Boris or Voltaire, but a sudden fear rises to my throat that this voice belongs to someone against me, someone who will hurt me.
Is there anyone who's not against me?
Only Dranzer is not against me.
And maybe those boys from my flashbacks.
This voice is speaking unintelligibly.
And I wonder if I know what this voice is saying, then I will recognize who it belongs to.
So I try with everything that I have to understand the words floating to my eardrums.
But I can't comprehend what the voice is saying.
All I can make of it is that it is soothing.
This voice sounds so calm, so comforting, so familiar.
And I wish I knew who it belongs to.
Suddenly, a hand materializes in front of me.
This hand has the same milky skin that I do.
I feel fear overtaking all other feelings that pound in my chest with my heart, that live inside of my soul.
This hand extends to me, touches me.
I recoil, thrusting my body backwards.
The hand shoots back, and it fades away.
What was that?
Something drops to the 'ground', and I flinch.
I gaze downward, and I see white ripples spreading outward underneath me.
Another drop of something falls, and I note it's from my face.
I can feel it, all of a sudden, dribbling down my cheek,
Placing a hand on my face, I feel a warm liquid.
I stare at my hand as I move it in front of my eyes.
A thick, crimson liquid is settled upon it, trickling between my fingers, along my arm, down to the 'ground'.
Blood.
More blood falls off my face.
I'm so scared, but I try to swallow it down.
My heart is hammering in my ears, and I close my eyes.
"Go away…" I whisper.
I don't know what I am bidding away, but I hope it works.
After a few moments of hearing nothing but my labored breathing and throbbing heart and dripping blood, I open my eyes.
A wave of cold rushes over me as I take in my fresh surroundings.
I am back in a field, only this time, snow coats the ground.
The sky is a midnight blue, with stars peppered throughout it.
The trees are black, spiky shadows.
I glance at my hand and wipe my face, only to find the blood on both areas is dry.
I recall the feather, and I realize that it must have been a foretaste of the touch that made me bleed.
I stare up at the sky, and only now do I notice there are salty teardrops on my cheeks.
I hate this place, now, and I want to escape.
I only wish I know where I am.
Greetings! Man, this is cool, seven reviews! Celebration! And all seven reviewers requested of me to continue this fic. :)
waterlily: You're right, he ain't weak. And yeah, Tyson probably would've driven him crazy. :) Thanks for reviewing!
A Fourtunate Cookie: I see your point with it being rushed, but oh well. Thank you for your review and the fortune!
Blood of the Wolf: You were grounded, and you still read the first chapter? Nice of you to show your dedication to fanfiction, but still bad to disobey your parents (-cough-even.though.i.have.too.who.hasn't-cough). Anyway, thanks for the review with all the kind words!
From the Ashes: Here you are, another chapter. You were so polite about it, that's appreciated, even if that sounds dorky. Thanks for the review!
StarlightPhoenix: Hey, friend! Haven't e-mailed in a while, eh? I'm scared of your Beyblade- character-rocket-launcher army. Thank you for reviewing!
random kai fan: Yep, another chappie. Glad you think it's cool, it was kinda supposed to come off that way. Thank you for the review!
KinaihiriHiwatari: Slave? Excuse me? Don't appreciate that. sniffles Oh well, I don't care, you were kidding (right?). Glad it made sense. Thank you for reviewing!
By the way, aforementioned reviewers, all of you have cool pennames! (I didn't see the point in typing that out seven times.)
Please review, and I'll try to update soon!
have a nice day
CyborgRockStar
