How's it going, party people?! I'd like to welcome you to the tale of Kai's older brother, Zephyr, who recently made a return in Fix You. Some of you might remember Zephyr as Kai's younger brother from Together Forever (his debut). I loved what my cyber sis did with the guy and just HAD to bring him back. He may even be a permanent sibling for our moody heartthrob whenever I give him one.
There will still be existing beyblade characters present in this story, but I think it's mostly original characters of my own either from other works or created specifically for this endeavour. Unlike Fix You, this fic will touch on some (in some cases very) sensitive topics, one of which plagues the UK to this day. At present I have 7 chapters done (one is for much later like maybe chapter 20 or something) and chapter 7 is in the works.
I'm also trying to write accurately according to time period as best I can so you won't find anything modern in the first dozen or so chapters. What I'm prob not going to do is slang and stuff so anything from music to technology is fair game.
1. The Escape
Moscow, Russia 1986. Snow fell in droves beyond the windows of a mansion, watched by the amethyst eyes of a 15 year old boy, his short gray highlighted golden blonde hair all a mess. His attention was pulled away from the puffs of white by somebody entering his room, turning to see a younger boy with dual coloured slate grey/dark blue hair and eyes of crimson. He was about 9, skinny and covered in fresh and old cuts. Seeing the new injuries caused the older boy's gut to churn with anger.
"It'll be okay, Kai." Soothed the blonde. "I'll get us out of here if it's the last thing I do."
"But how, Zephyr? Nobody ever listens to our plight. There is no escape, not for us."
Zephyr wrapped his arms around Kai's trembling frame and pulled the younger boy close, willing for his hands to stop shaking. In the safety of Zephyr's arms, Kai sobbed woefully, truly believing there was no way out of the nightmarish life consuming them. The authorities were well aware of the abuse suffered by the boys but one half were powerless to do anything while the other willingly turned a blind eye in exchange for money and it sickened Zephyr to his stomach. He had a plan, one that would likely do more harm than good initially. But it was the only solution he could conjure.
"I'm scared, big brother. I can't lose you. You're all I have in this hell hole."
Zephyr held Kai tighter and softly kissed his bruised forehead. "Don't worry, baby brother. I'm not gonna roll over and die that easily."
"But I heard father and grandfather talking about taking you somewhere. What if you never come back?"
"Kai, listen to me. You need to be strong, okay? Did they say anything about where or why?"
"Grandfather said it was to meet someone but I don't know who or why."
No matter which way he twisted it, Zephyr knew this outing was bad news. But he wouldn't let it interfere with his plans.
A couple of weeks later, Zephyr learned where he was to be taken. An arranged marriage had been set up with another wealthy family, to have their likely uninteresting daughter wed into the Hiwatari line. Zephyr could only imagine the awful spoiled brat his parents deemed worthy of him as he'd been given no information on his future wife. Their opinion of him wasn't very high to begin with. His punishment for being born male he supposed. Little that Mr. and Mrs. Hiwatari knew, their oldest son had been scheming since January. Susumu was not the only one with contacts in the shadows and Zephyr used them to his advantage.
Everything fell neatly into place at the start of March. Behind the backs of his paranoid parents Zephyr had booked a flight out of the country, gotten a new passport with a different name on it and arranged for a "body double" to take his place, somebody that wouldn't be missed by anybody. Kai thought it strange when Zephyr refused to be far from him on March 19th but wasn't opposed to the extra affection from his only sibling. He'd had a rough week and the cuddles were more than welcome. That night, Zephyr snuck out of his bedroom and swapped places with his stand in, a bag over his shoulder with a few essential items and a small photo album. The pictures would be his incentive to work hard once free of his home from hell.
Zephyr didn't stray far from Hiwatari Hall, intent on watching how everything played out. Part of him felt awful for persuading the poor homeless boy to trade places with him but he convinced himself it was a necessary evil for the greater good. As Kai's big brother anticipated, his parents were up before sunrise and dragged Zephyr's replacement to the car. Zephyr followed the vehicle from a safe distance astride a rented motorcycle, heart pounding in anticipation. He pulled up beside it at a red light to get one final look at his abusive parents, hoping that them being gone would end the torture for Kai. Neither of them looked clear enough in the head to be driving, just as he'd hoped.
Just after midday close to the city outskirts, Zephyr's plan reached its peak. A heavy truck sped through an intersection and ploughed head first into the side of the more fragile sedan driven by Susumu Hiwatari. For about half a mile the car rolled, continuously pushed by the bigger vehicle until it clipped the rear bumper, sending the burning automobile crashing to halt just off the road. The truck veered out of control and flipped onto its side, thankfully missing any unfortunate bystanders. Despite his feelings of animosity towards them, Zephyr still shed a tear for his parents. And for the poor boy he'd cruelly cast into an early grave. Flames made short work of everyone inside the car, the screams of agony from within falling silent long before help arrived. A full blown investigation erupted across town to find the one responsible. Zephyr had made sure nothing could be traced back to him and even if it did, he was already dead anyway.
Hours later he was outside the school Kai attended. Zephyr wasn't waiting long for the final bell to ring out, watching students deftly amble around the two unmoving police officers just outside the gates. Kai was one of the last to emerge with four other boys. Directly beside him on the left was a stocky green eyed brunette who Zephyr identified as Sergei Petrov. He was Kai's best friend and pillar of support should a sturdy shoulder be required. Boris Kuznetskov stood slightly off to one side, his gray eyes leering menacingly at all who passed by, daring anybody to make fun of his receding hairline. The redheaded Yuriy Valkov towered to Kai's right. He was just as thin as the Hiwatari siblings, and pasty too, orbs of icy blue keeping a constant vigil for danger. Finally Zephyr laid eyes on Ivan Papov. This young boy was smarter than people gave him credit for, his piercing red eyes unsettling all who looked into them. Bushy indigo hair was tied into a lazy rat tail. Zephyr's heart broke as he watched his baby brother fall to the floor in tears, his wail of anguish tearing the heavens asunder.
At the end of March, a funeral precession rolled through Moscow. Zephyr had yet to leave the country, wanting to be there for his brother in some way. It wouldn't surprise him if Voltaire Hiwatari opposed to Kai's entourage being present but none of them cared for the old man's disgust. Their friend needed them more than ever before. Zephyr paid close attention to his little brother once the graves had been covered. A small bunch of white roses were delicately settled upon the resting place of Zephyr Hiwatari but none were given to Susumu or Tatiana. Not by Kai anyway.
In the dead of night, Zephyr rode around town, a purpose to his wandering. To the homes of Kai's friends he delivered unsigned letters, beseeching them to look out for the broken boy he was leaving behind. Early the next morning Zephyr met with one of his contacts while returning the loaned motorcycle. If everything went according to plan, nobody would question the man being his guardian. It frustrated Zephyr to no end that he wasn't old enough to fly alone. His scheming went further than just staging an untimely death; the young man at the kiosk saying nothing about the striking resemblance between him and the recently buried teenager. By midday Zephyr was finally heading out of Russia, to his new home in a strange land. He had many regrets about leaving Moscow behind. Most of them revolved around his grieving brother and how losing his anchor would affect him.
It was dark when the plane landed over 10 hours later. Zephyr had been careful to pick a country whose language he spoke fluently enough when planning his escape. Together with the man posing as a guardian he ventured out into the cool night air but rather than finally feeling free, Zephyr was weighed down by guilt. He wished now that he'd found some way to stage Kai's death too so that they could leave Russia together. But it was too late to turn back. He would just have to grow up and return home one day in the near future. By then, Zephyr hoped Kai would be free from their grandfather's rule.
It took several hours more for Zephyr's voyage to reach its end. The long drive through countryside and towns was quiet but not overly unpleasant. Since he wasn't old enough to live alone, Zephyr had a temporary family located for him who were none the wiser they'd be housing a runaway. Amethyst eyes watched a sign saying "Welcome to Liskeard" whizz by. It looked a nice enough place at first glance. A little after midday they stopped outside a cosy little house in a quiet neighbourhood on a sunny Sunday. Zephyr hid his nerves behind a well crafted mask of calmness as he and his bodyguard waited for someone to answer the door. Minutes later they were facing a short man who was quite chubby with greying brown hair, a large moustache and gentle brown eyes.
"Stanley Dickenson I presume?"
"Y-Yes? Can I help you boys with something?"
"My name is Sacha Markova. We spoke last month about you taking in a young man under my care."
Recognition shone in Stanley's eyes, his face lighting up. "Why yes, I remember now. Please come inside. You must be exhausted from travelling so far. I'll have my wife prepare us some drinks."
Zephyr was wary as he stepped into the building, Sacha beside him. Stanley looked pleasant enough and the interior mirrored his personality. It was a bit old fashioned but by no means drab. Boy and guardian were shown to a well furnished sitting room adorned with many shelves and cabinets housing ornaments and pictures alike. Mrs. Dickenson was a lovely lady and strong for a woman in her sixties, her white hair tied into a neat bun out of the way of her tender blue eyes. She pottered to the kitchen several times, fetching trays of cakes and drinks. Once the coffee table could fit no more baked delights, the elderly couple sat down on the sofa opposite from Zephyr.
"Help yourself, dears." Chimed Mrs. Dickenson. "Have as much as you like. There's plenty to go around."
"Thank you, Mrs. Dickenson. I must say, I wasn't expecting you both to be so advanced in age. But that's not a problem. I'm sure you've got years left in you yet."
Zephyr rolled his eyes, wishing Sacha would just stop talking for five minutes. He actually preferred his new "parents" to be elderly. Less chance of being abused and possibly very little time to bond with them which suited him fine. Stanley's attention shifted to the blonde boy when he made no move to take anything from the table.
"So then Sacha. What's Zephyr's story? What sort of home has he come from exactly?"
"I regret to say his parents weren't exactly loving. For years they've abused him in many ways and in recent months Zephyr's father pushed him onto drugs which has unfortunately resulted in addiction. I've made arrangements with the local rehabilitation clinic and he'll be attending his first class there in about a week. By then I'd hope he'll have settled with you."
Zephyr resisted the urge to scoff at Sacha's partial lie about his drug addiction. He brought it upon himself after finding Susumu's stash a year ago. Getting clean was something he wanted to do however. No, it was more of a need to shake the habit. Mrs. Dickenson looked at Zephyr with pity in her eyes and he hated it, forcing himself to stomach her stare for now. The lion hidden inside came out when she tried to take Zephyr's bag, wisely backing away.
"Easy Zephyr. I'm sorry, Mrs. Dickenson. He doesn't like strangers touching his belongings."
"Just Elizabeth, please. My apologies, Zephyr. I meant only to take your things upstairs. Come, I'll show you to your new room."
Despite being given no reason not to, Zephyr didn't trust Elizabeth. It took an encouraging pat on the back from Sacha to get him off the couch. Upstairs felt just as welcoming as the bottom floor, walls decorated with paintings and photos. The room Zephyr now had to call his own was spacious but what caught his eye was the pair of beds on opposite sides of the room. It looked like somebody was already using the right side bed, its sheets untidy. Elizabeth gave Zephyr some privacy, telling him to get a bit of rest before coming back down.
By the time Zephyr returned to the sitting room it was early evening and Sacha was still in the house. Amethyst eyes homed in on a new body between Stanley and Elizabeth. It was a boy about his age with white hair and tranquil blue eyes, skin bearing a mild natural tan. All in all he looked healthy and harmless. Zephyr instinctively flinched when Stanley stood up and the action didn't go unnoticed.
"It's alright, Zephyr." Soothed the old man, his hands slightly raised. "I'm not going to hurt you. This is my grandson, Ashley. He lives with me and Elizabeth. Ashley, this is Zephyr."
"Is he the boy you told me about Grandpa?"
Stanley smiled widely and ruffled Ashley's tidy hair affectionately. "Yes lad. Until further notice, Zephyr will be part of our family. Now you be a good boy and make sure he feels welcome here. And no touching any of his things unless he says it's okay to do so."
Zephyr knew now why Sacha selected the Dickenson family to house him. Ashley would be his new brother, one he didn't plan on loving or opening up to. Nor did Zephyr plan to address Stanley and Elizabeth like they were his grandparents or even parents. They were a means to an end, nothing more nothing less. But Zephyr had to wonder how Ashley came to be living with his grandparents. Where were his mother and father? Looking at his watch, Sacha saw it was time for him to get going, rising from the couch with a much needed stretch.
"I'm afraid I have to leave now. I'll be in the country a few days more before heading home to make sure Zephyr settles properly."
"You're welcome anytime deary." Elizabeth cooed while Stanley shook Sacha's hand, kindly urging Ashley to do the same.
"Don't you worry Elizabeth; I'll be back before flying off home. If it's fine by you, I'd like to have contact with Zephyr by letter every month."
Stanley gave an affirmative nod, a warm smile spread across his face. "Yes, of course. We'll let you know if anything happens. Stay safe, Sacha. It's been dangerous outside of late."
"Thank you for your concern, Stanley. Farewell for now."
Zephyr had great difficulty relaxing with Sacha gone. He was in no danger yet his triggers were primed to go off at a moments' notice. While taking a breather in his room, Zephyr realised his uneasiness must be from not getting that addictive fix for a while. But he had to push through it, find something else to occupy his mind and hands. By nightfall the edginess had subsided a bit, enough for him to think clearly. Zephyr allowed his rattled mind to drift home, more specifically to Kai. He hoped the boy wasn't too broken for his friends to mend. Hurting his baby brother had stung really badly, more than Zephyr anticipated it would. Perhaps staying so long was a bad idea in hindsight. All he could do now was convert that agony into a driving force to achieve the goals he set for himself.
Something shifting to his left set Zephyr on high alert, hardly calming to the knowledge it was only Ashley rolling over in his sleep. Or that's what he thought happened. In truth, the blue eyed teen had left his bed to check on his amethyst eyed brother. It wasn't spoken, but Zephyr knew the offer of a cuddle was there. Accepting it would contradict everything he told himself he wouldn't do, quietly giving Ashley the cold shoulder by rolling over to face the wall. He didn't try going to sleep until he heard the other teen settle back down behind him. For the rest of the night Zephyr's slumber was haunted by taunting nightmares of losing the only family he cared about. Some saw both him and Kai beaten to death by their parents while others depicted Zephyr standing over Kai's lifeless body. Rarer was the night terror of the reverse, where his little brother watched him die and buried him again.
By midnight he gave up trying to sleep, staring at the ceiling with eyes red raw. Time crawled by and at some point, Zephyr drifted off. Had the stubborn teen not been so tired, he would've been aware of Ashley crawling into his bed with him to provide a comforting embrace, giving him the safe place his exhausted mind craved so badly. The blue eyed boy made a silent promise then and there to look after his foreign sibling.
Almost a full week cruised by quickly in the Dickenson house. While Zephyr had settled with his new family he still didn't trust the trio far as he could throw them. Most of his days were spent up in the room he shared with Ashley, only coming out for meals and the bathroom. Stanley and Elizabeth resigned themselves to giving Zephyr a lot of space, hoping he would open up in his own time. Being a victim of abuse his trust wouldn't be earned overnight. When he wasn't at school, Ashley would simply sit quietly in the room he shared with the brooding Russian, determined to win him over with silent companionship. The only day he hadn't been in Zephyr's company was when the blonde had his first rehab session, returning home in far less of a people mood than usual. Thankfully Sacha had been on hand to help keep everybody in one piece. Elizabeth honestly didn't know what they were going to do without him when he went home at the weekend.
Another thing Zephyr had problems adjusting to was how meals went. The passing around of breads and vegetables was alien to him and if he allowed himself to be honest, it intimidated him. Ever since he started eating proper food his meals were delivered on a tray, often stone cold and on occasion had mould growing on it. How he and Kai even survived on such things Zephyr didn't know. Guilt bubbled away deep down at knowing things won't have changed across the pond. Zephyr's new family could tell something was bothering him even though he tried to hide it with a shroud of coldness. And although they wanted badly to comfort him, the Dickensons respected the invisible boundary around their new family member. Forcing such things onto him had the chance to backfire horribly. Overall, Zephyr's first week in England wasn't going too badly. The new culture outside his window would take some getting used to as would all this strange music resounding from neighbouring houses. Everything was bright and colourful, a stark contrast to the streets of Mother Russia.
Stanley decided a trip to the beach was in order Saturday that same week before Sacha's return to Russia later in the night. Elizabeth bumbled about in the kitchen making sandwiches with help from Ashley while Zephyr simply watched this alien activity unfold before him. Holidays in general were not something he'd had the luxury of experiencing never mind a spur of the moment day trip. Sacha helped Stanley to pack everything into his white/red Austin A95 Westminster…or rather insisted the kindly grandfather rest while he put all the items into the trunk. By 10am they were all on the road to east Looe beach, Zephyr riding with Sacha rather than his surrogate family.
"So then." Sacha began when they came to a red light. "What are your thoughts on them?"
Zephyr grumbled awake, wishing he didn't have to get up so early for a meaningless venture into the great outdoors. "They're fine, I suppose. Spending the next couple years under their roof should be tolerable enough."
"I can find a wealthier family if…"
Zephyr's features sharpened, stopping Sacha mid sentence as the light turned green. "And put me back to square one? Sure chances of the same shit happening are slim, but money doesn't solve my problems. It'll only add to them in the long run. You were the one who taught me to pay for things myself with money I've earned, much as the ways we used were unlawful."
"At least some good has come of it though, da? Maybe not the best way to, but you learned the importance and value of hard work. Once I'm home, I'll keep an eye on your little brother and let you know how he's getting on. It's the least I can do."
Zephyr merely smiled in response but Sacha didn't have to hear any words to know his young friend was grateful to him. Despite his apprehension about it all, Zephyr did enjoy being at the seaside. Sure he wasn't fully on board with the salty air but there was time for it to grow on him. Sacha left the quartet in an emptying car park so he could make it in time for his flight back east, leaving Zephyr to travel with the Dickensons.
And that my darling readers, is chapter one. I'll be uploading one or two chapters a week until Fanfiction is all caught up with what I have. It'll give me time to beaver away at what's to come for both this story and Fix You. Been really blitzing my writing these past couple weeks and I want to get as much done before July 9th because that's when Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin releases. Nobody will be hearing from me for at least a week come Friday morning.
For clarification (and out of my own laziness I guess) prior to reaching England, all verbal communication is in Russian.