Ok, here you go, ever faithful readers of mine. Im not even going to begin to spend another hour looking for the "perfect song" after spending a shit load of time trying to find the actual file for this story. Anyway, enjoy suckas!!!
"KAI!" Tyson said, being the first to get himself together. Tears stung the corners of his eyes like salt but the anger just fused, and the tears left.
"We've been so worried sick about you. You're not our captain Kai… not with you drunk anyway. Your losing your senses Kai. Come on.. I'm taking you back to the dojo. You'll be ok." Tyson said stepping forward to seize Kai who only objected.
"I don't need you Tyson." is the hurtful answer Kai replied with.
Rei felt a sense of guilt pull at his heart. All the signs were there. The depression, the anger, the independence.. Sure enough it would lead to self-destruction, and it is. Rei felt jealous that Tyson was the one to step up first, and mad that he wasn't able to compose himself.
Rei inhaled some of the fresh air. Got his wits together and didn't wait for a que for him to step in.
"Who the fuck are you guys anyway?" Johnny said getting pissed at all these "strangers" trying to boss Kai around. He looked past Tyson and saw Rei coming up.
"We're only his friends." Tyson said sarcastically now paying attention to Johnny, instantly blaming him for everything.
"Yeah well, he doesn't need your cheap-ass friendship. He's got me and Im taking better care of him then you ever could!" Johnny said his voice rising. "and fuck you by the way."
"Im not a fuckin' kid anymore. Just back off no one needs to take care of me." Kai said scrunching his nose at the thought.
"Kai, come with us, right now!" Rei said, yelling at the fragile Kai.
"Why should I.. You never cared.. You just needed me for stuff. Well at least Johnny cares…he was the one who offered me to stay..unlike you guys!"
Ouch…that comment hurt. The Bladebreakers couldn't do anything… it was true. They just assumed Kai would want to stay with them. None of them ever would have thought that Kai didn't or that he needed an invitation. They thought he felt naturally welcome, which he was.
"Kai…you don't know what your talking about…your drunk man…. You can barely stand… come back with us..your friend is…welcome..to join us too…" Tyson said. The humor that's usually present in his voice was gone, and he hesitated at the offer of letting this bad influence, who thought he was the best friend for Kai, stay.
..That was unexpected..thought Kai. Johnny was also looking at them curiosly as they were looking at him oddly.
His orange mowhawk was cringed and bent out of shape. It was a sad sight and Kai…they just looked so…right together. Its odd but Rei could understand that when their sober they get along.
"Come on guys." Hillary said finally getting the courage to say something. She timidly walked forward, and extended her hand to Kai hoping he'd take it, and they can get going.
Kai put his shaky pale hand forward when he collapsed on the ground.
Johnny, who was taller then Kai could take more, so he didn't pass out. Hillary looked alarmed. But Rei just walked forward and picked Kai up. Hanging him over his shoulder like a rag-doll. Rei looked at Johnny, inwardly blaming him for all this, and motioned with his head forward.
The teens all walked forward, not a word being exchanged. Hillary wasn't sure if she should be scared, or if this situation was even good or bad. None of them were.
Rei felt a strange hate toward Johnny. HE gave Kai the beer, and Kai smelled like pot. Another thing to blame Johnny for. Johnny walked along behind Hillary who every once and a while turned to make sure he was following. He would stumble now and then, and he mumbled a bit to himself but other then that it was a slow journey. All the fighting and yelling had killed his buzz.
The tension was so tough you could slice it with a knife. Tyson was relieved to see his dojo, but unsure how to explain to his grandpa of this new kid that would most likely stay. Rei kicked the wooden gate open with his foot, he hated Johnny…he really did. He wasn't proud that he'd have to explain everything to his friends, and family. It was all so wrong, and he had a feeling that it was all going to go downhill from here.
Kai's head hit against Rei's shoulder as he kicked the thick wooded gate open. None of the team were used to seeing Rei so angry.
They all walked into the dojo with Kai over Rei's shoulder, and Johnny bringing up the rear. All the guests that would leave in a few days time were alarmed at the sudden entrance of Rei with an unconscious Kai over his shoulder. Mariah stood wanting to know what happened, but quickly took her place down when she saw Rei. Once Johnny came in, his head down, his mowhawk obscured, being led by the hand from Hillary to a spare room were Kai would be.
"Don't worry…Im not mad at you." Hillary said. She was shocked, nervous, anxious, worried..but not mad. She couldn't find it in her heart to be mad at this awkwardly lanky kid. He looked up, his tough brown eyes meeting Hillarys soft eyes. "Kai'll be fine." Is all Johnny said.
Rei's anger only boiled as he walked past his old team, past Tyson's family, past the deflated balloons from yesterday, and into the room.
He kicked open a door the others, all except Hillary, left to quietly fill in the others. Tyson went specifically to his grandpa to ask about Johnny.
Rei layed Kai down as gently as his temper would allow him on the floor while he and Hillary set up two bed mats. Hillary lightly pushed Rei away, preffering she laid him down. Rei glared at this. Kai didn't deserve this right now, and Johnny didn't deserve any of it. Johnny watched as Rei knelt by Kai planning to stay with him. His skin was clammy. Hillary took Johnny to the kitchen to get him water.
Tyson came and smiled lightly at Johnny saying he was more then welcome to stay. Tyson was followed by his grandpa. "Hey little dude..I hear you and Kai are homies now….the little dude needs some of those..so you'r welcome to stay my man."
Johnny graciously offered his hand to the elder who took it with a smile. Hillary gave him a bottle of water, and watched him drink it. She sat across from Johnny at the counter, making sure he drank it all. She noticed his features, and found it all so foreign. He had faded names of bands, she guessed, written on his jacket. His boots were weathered and proud looking, and he was pale and skinny. A small smile found its way on Hillarys distressed face as Johnny finished the bottle of water.
"Thank you… this all really more then I deserve…it's my fault Kai passed out…" Johnny said looking at Hillary then the marble counter which he sat at.
"No its not, Kai was upset… it could've been worse…"Hillary said feeling a bit of guilt.
"Can I ask…why…he was sitting in the alley…I mean.. you guys seem pretty cool." The tense air came back up as Hillary looked a little sad again.
"Well as you know.. Kai's the captain of the Bladebreakers… and well we just won a world tournament so we were celebrating. Our families, our friends other teams… all the team's friends and kids from our schools… none of us noticed that the party.. Our celebration of the team's victory turned into more of a reunion… we hadn't seen our families in a long time. But Kai… he didn't have a family. He doesn't talk about it though so none of us know what happened to them, and he doesn't have any friends besides from us….so Im guessing that he felt out of place and maybe it brought back memories….I'm not sure exactly…" Hillary said small tears coming to her eyes.
"Oh… that sucks.." Hillary smiled at the simple answer..it summed everything up.. It sucked. Hillary knew however it was more then sucky.
"So how did you guys meet?"
"Junkie alley.." Johnny smirked "we started talking, and I let him come back to this wherehouse I sleep in.. I don't know I just really liked him…he understood everything we talked about..like he felt the same..it was great…"
Hillary smiled.. Maybe these two were the best for each other… but first she had to talk to Johnny about the alcohol thing.
"What were you thinking?!" Hillary said her temper and fiesty attitude coming back.
Johnny was taken aback by the sudden change.. The old Hillary was back.
"Getting drunk… you guys could've been killed… in the middle of the street!? What were you guys doing getting drunk in the first place.!?"
"I… it was just for fun… nothing happened.." Johnny said smiling a bit…
"ITS NOT FUN! YOU COULDVE BEEN RUN OVER..AND YOU MADE YOURSELVES LOOK LIKE JERKS.. YELLING AT EVERYBODY!" Hillary said she didn't understand.
"Don't do it again..you do more damage to yourselves than good." Hillary made Johnny promise.
……………………………back with Rei and Kai………………………………...
Kai slowly stirred catching Rei's abandoned attention. Kai was a mess… this was the lowest he ever saw Kai… lower then the suicide attempt.
"What were you thinking… after two days of you being gone, only for us to find you were drunk..!?" Kai winced. "don't yell…" Kai said his voice low and begging.
Kai immediately jolted up..His hand reaching up to his aching head. "..damn.." that's all Kai could think of to say. He hated appearing so weak, he wished that they had never found them. He didn't want to explain this. Rei threw a water bottle in Kai's lap as he saw Kai was in obvious self-inflicted misery.
"Serves him right…" Rei thought to himself… "Drink this and sober up…then we'll talk.." Rei said this in a very calm tone despite his obvious anger… Kai opened the bottle a million thoughts running through his head.
Shit… hurts..
I let them down
Wheres Johnny?
I need pain killer..
How could I be so stupid.
Why's Rei so mad?
Why did they have to find us drunk?
Where is Johnny?!
Oh my head….
These thoughts all raced in Kai's abused mind. He sat on the bed drinking the water. He laid back down and closed his eyes for a few minutes. Then he felt the horrible urge to vomit. Kai hated throwing up..it showed weakness and proved his grandfather right..but he had to.
Kai groaned as he forced himself up.. He stumbled through to the bathroom. On the way there he passed the kitched where Johnny was all nice and sober talking with Hillary. Then he had to go in through the living room… that was a real pride breaker… having to walk past all these people. Kai held his hand to his mouth trying to hold it in..
"Kai.." Mariah said as Kai walked past looking terrible. Once in the bathroom Kai collapsed on the white tile trying to close the door with his foot while stretching to the toilet. Johnny followed by Hillary went to the bathroom..
"Kai..are you alright?" Johnny asked with a little bit of humor in his voice, as he tried to hold in his laughter.. He remembered when he was in that position.. Vomiting his brains out, and mumbling incoherent sayings. Hillary on the other hand found no humor she playfully shoved Johnny aside.
"Kai are you alright..?!" She said as she watched Kai gripping on to the sides of the toilet until his knuckles turned white, as he wretched once again. The others in the room who were curios went to the bathroom to be confronted by Johnny.
"Not to worry…. Its all ok.. He was just really shit-faced so now he's throwing up all that cheap-ass shit we drank.."Johnny said with a small smile on his thin pale lips. The others looked oddly at Johnny as if seeing him for the first time.
"uhhh is that good?"
"yeah… its very good..it means he's sobering up.." Johnny said as if its obvious.
"So who are you?" Lee asked.
"My names Johnny..Im a friend of Kai's.." Johnny said extending his hand.
Lee it took and introduced him to the others. Kai finally stumbled out of the bathroom… his head was pounding.. He was in there for about 10 minutes just throwing up… He gripped Johnny's arm tightly.
Johnny turned around startled… "Woah..Kai you look like absolute shit… hah it's a real bitch innit?" The teams looked startled that Kai was excepting this kid's friendship. Kai gave a small smile and a nod.. "yeah it is.. I mean I've been through worse… but just the same.." Kai said. That surprised them all. Johnny smiled.
"Come on Kai.. Some more water and your good.." Johnny said leading him into the kitchen. Johnny loved being the one to take care of a friend.. It made him feel more important. Hillary came in giving Kai some Tylonal as it had been about two hours since.
Kai took it graciously… "What were you guys thinking?"
"..We weren't.." Johnny said answering for both of them.
"Something like that.." Kai agreed… gulping down the rest of the water.
"Better..?" Hillary asked as she stroked Kai's wet and sweaty hair. After all when was the next time she'd get a chance to do that. It was really soft despite the mix of rainwater, sea salt, and sweat. Hillary smiled to herself which Johnny noticed.
"IM ORDERING PIZZA OK GUYS?!" Tyson yelled.
Kai winced at the loud noise.. uhh..
"FINE TYSON!" Hillary yelled aswell.. She wasn't so worried about Kai anymore and maybe this would teach him not to run off like that.
..damn.. Johnny smiled at Kai…
Later, when Kai was feeling better the three went into the living room to talk with another and socialize with the guests. Kai had no choice but to apologize. It was gratefully excepted.
Kai and Johnny sat a bit away from the others and had their own private conversation.
"Johnny… where do you think that one girl went?"
"uhh Kai.. Your still thinking about her?! Whats your problem?"
"I cant help it Johnny.."
"Its better she doesn't come back.." Johnny mumbled to himself.
"I need a fag.. (cigarette)" Johnny said. "Its been what 24 hours?! I might as well fuckin' stop here then..since its been so long.." His sarcasm was back.
Kai smiled…he mentally agreed but didn't want to say outloud. Instead he just nodded.
"Kai you're my best mate…you really are…" That comment really touched Kai. After all the emotional struggle he really needed a good friend, and with a little hope.. He just found that friend.
"Hey Kai…Hey Johnny," Hillary said walking over to them in their isolated corner.
"Im going to bed, so are the others… and I want you guys too also.. I know its not your style Kai..going to sleep before midnight but..well… it would just do a lot for you health wise." Hillary lightly tapping her foot as she waited for Kai and Johnny to start moving. Johnny went first knowing which way to go and Kai was about to follow when getting held back by Hillary.
"Don't ever do that again Kai! I swear… I've never been so worried in my life… for all we know you were dead…but no no no…. you were drunk….just..please Kai… don't ever do that to me again…" Hillary said calming down.
Kai lightly smiled … "and you know… you should smile more… I never get to see it…"
With these words of friendship Kai went off to the spare room but not before a small chat with Rei.
"Kai… I don't know what you were thinking… that was a really inconsiderate thing to do.."
"Back off Rei… I don't need you to tell me what to do." Kai walked past Rei with his cold shoulder towards the team coming back. They all seemed so annoying right now and felt extremely powerless to all of it.
Rei stood their in the living room watching Kai go to the room he shared with Johnny.
'I was getting so close to him.. We were friends and when something was bugging him he would talk me… he's such a jerk. I was the one who helped him at the cliff…not JOHNNY! It was ME! And now this stupid kid is coming into the picture and making Kai resent us..me…. I HATE HIM. There such bastards.. Johnny's just a bad example!" These thoughts surprised Rei later when he lay in bed thinking about what he had thought. It was quite cruel, but the truth is cruel.
The next morning a lot of commotion could be heard from the kitchen. There were pots and pans everywhere with egg shells and flour all over the kitchen counters. Laughing and giggling could be heard clear out to the gate of the dojo along with a hilarious remark from Grandpa which only made everyone laugh harder. Rei awoke from his troubled sleep to the sound of giggling which contrasted with his still-angered mood.
'Never go to sleep with anger.' thought Rei as he remembered his lessons from so long ago. Maybe he should take a trip to Whitetiger hills just to relax a bit.
Those thoughts were pushed aside however when he heard a scream then a loud clinging sound and then harder laughing. Agitatedly he walked into the kitchen rubbing the kink in his neck. Rei stared at the kitchen in awe.
It was a mess. Tyson and Johnny had decided to cook breakfast but neither of them could really cook. Max was trying to wrestle the wooden spoon away from Tyson before he battered the batter to death. Johnny was trying to help Tyson get the spoon back so the batter would be "perfect" and Kenny was anxiously turning down the stove before the eggs burned while accidently triggering a domino effect which resulted in the white thick flour used in the pancake batter to spill all over them. Johnny's flamming orange hair was down from its usual Mohawk and spilled over one side of his head. His jacket was off and laying across one of the chair backs with all its glory visible. His neon green shirt was exposed and it had small holes in it all over that looked intentional. He seemed a lot cleaner aswell so Rei assumed he had a shower. Flour was all over their faces along with some of the batter across Tysons face. Grandpa was just sitting back watching the commotion finding it all so amusing while Kai looked on aswell getting splashed with some of the batter that they were fighting over also laughing.
Kai had such a great laugh, it was undescrible. Rei was jealous that it wasn't him that caused the laugh. Rei walked forward trying to snatch the bowl AND spoon away but he only got covered with batter and flour. It was HIS job to cook. Not Johnny's (AN: Jealous much?!) Rei's anger only boiled up.
"What are you doing?! And my ass you guys will clean it up. Arr this is gonna take me all morning! Thanks a lot Johnny." None of the Bladebreakers were used to seeing Rei this pissed off, and it was pretty obvious that Rei did not like Johnny.
"Hey come on Rei…its not Johnny's fault, it was my idea to cook anyway…jeez you don't have to be such a jerk about it..its not big deal." Tyson said rubbing the back of his head with a cheesy smile on his face as Johnny looked at the ground feeling sorta guilty.
Rei stomped away needing some fresh air and time to get over whatever was pissing him off before.. It wasn't like him to hate a stranger… but he just didn't like how Johnny was replacing him as Kai's friend. Those two only met a day ago… he'd known Kai for a few years now. It was ridiculous.
"uhhh…wow.." was all Tyson could say he then looked up to Johnny who felt confused.
"Hey buddy… I personally consider you one of us now.. Rei will just have to get used to you hanging around us that's all. Besides… who else is gonna help us cook each morning?" Johnny looked at Tyson and smiled. He wasn't used to this acceptance other then the people down at the alley. He liked Kai, and he liked Kai's friends, they had a good air about them, and it made him want to clean up his act.
Johnny's smile pretty much said it all. Max and the others knew that Johnny was a mess, and maybe, just maybe they could help him. However little did they know he's not the only one who needs saving.
Kai sat at the counter watching this. He didn't think his teammates would accept Johnny, yet he was extremely surprised with Rei's harsh reaction towards him.
"fuck him.." Kai thought. He could care less but there was still this nagging feeling in the back of his head.
KA-BAM! Till next time