ACROSS THE PAGES
Chapter 20
Realizing that Kai had probably already put up a message was a rather big turning point for Rei. In fact, it prompted him to trip himself up on his own carpet to reach his computer –resulting in a bump on his head. Eagerly he went to his email; and found a message.
It was utter nonsense.
Grinning, Rei brandished the disk and inserted it into the computer, and typed the code.
Take away all spaces and punctuation including capitalization. Use the numbers 1 to 9 to represent the letters A E G N P Q S U V in order. Change the remaining letters into the letter after it by two. Place a random letter or number after every seven numbers/letters. Switch the first twenty letters/numbers with the last twenty numbers/letters.
Decode
As Rei watched in fascination, the message that Kai had written, scrawled itself onto his computer. Although strangely feeling a little morose at not being able to admire his captain's handwriting (and feeling rather alarmed as a result) he nevertheless started reading impatiently.
Rei,
Tala and Bryan and Ian and Spencer are all fine. The old man's as paranoid as ever. Frankly, I can't imagine him otherwise. I don't know if it'd be more disturbing or less. As for checking into a mental ward; I think that if he was seen by any of the patients, they'd be demanding a check out immediately. Even they wouldn't be crazy enough to stay that long.
Why haven't you been cooking? Okay, that was weird.
Rei chuckled, as he imagined Kai's forehead crinkling a little. Kai online seemed to have a lot less barriers and boundaries than Kai on paper. Immediately he forgave the missing handwriting aspect of the mode of communication. He'd exchange much more for Kai to act so casual!
I was just wondering who cooked over there then. And if you don't do the cooking, how the crap did you learn? And don't tell me that was pure experimentation, Kon, because nobody could cook that well without someone guiding them. As for my favorite dish; I would say that the seafood pasta dish my mother used to make for me comes very close, but that the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake my grandmother made for me was the best. She made it every year for my birthday until she died –many people say it was from loneliness, and I'm not really very surprised, considering her husband…
Rei raised his eyebrows in surprise –Kai hardly gave out such personal pieces of information. His heart warmed a little more at this unexpected show of trust, as he contemplated the life that Kai's grandmother must have had. He wondered why she had married such a person as Voltaire Hiwatari –and decided that perhaps it'd be better for Kai to tell him on his own, if ever.
On more interesting topics, what is it with that website name? I understand 'gold' but I'm hardly sure about the word 'tarnished'. And as for that bout of pneumonia; I think you know what I think about that.
Oh, yes I do, Rei thought, with an ironic little grin. He would probably always remember Kai's little protective streak fondly, but he would also probably never forget the frustration that went hand in hand with it.
How's everyone on that end? Does the Bear still eat as much as Kinomiya does? Has Mariah changed into anything other than pink yet? She would suit pale yellow and black I think –probably would make her hair more radiant.
A flash of something, and before Rei really registered what was happening, he was already embedding his nails into the wood of his desk. Calming himself with a few meditation exercises (and at the same time, completely refusing to explore the reasons for actually having to calm himself down)
Must go. Will email you soon.
Kai.
Letting his lips curve upwards yet again, he commenced a little typing on the keyboard of his own. Finishing about half an hour later, he flopped down onto his bed sheets, and fell asleep, unusually tired by the questions that Kai had prompted.
On the other end of the electronic message, Kai's eyes read his reply.
Kai,
I'm actually seriously surprised that your team has seriously not been driven quite mad yet. Is it because they're used to it, or because they're constantly doing meditation exercises? Maybe you should go do some; I'm not too sure about the availability of waterfalls in Russia however.
Kai didn't smile. It would be fatal to do so, although he did want to. Reading Rei's words were, in a sense, the most dangerous thing he could do to himself, because it made him want to do things that were unacceptable in the Abbey, that would raise suspicions. It made him want to forget his surroundings, forget the rules, forget everything that he needed to do to survive in the forsaken place that he was in.
Hong Kong has a lot of helpers and servants available. China has a lot of cheap labor, though Hong Kong is a little better. As for how did I learn, I watched everyone when they were in the kitchen, and tried helping in simple jobs when I was small. For some reason I could always get the hang of anything culinary very easily. That's what Lee was talking about when they came over for New Year's.
Kai recollected the memories of Rei's flushed face and smirked. Smirks were, after all, permissible in the Abbey.
Tarnished gold…I know how to answer that but I don't. Gold is for my eyes, as you probably guessed, but it could also represent my dreams.
Kai sat straight with curiosity.
There was once a time when I was depressed. It started when I was actually in the village, when people ridiculed me for wanting to go beyond just Hong Kong. Beyond the village. I guess it increased afterwards even more, because I'd accidentally bumped into a lot of really horrible people. Some wanted my body. Some wanted my soul.
I avoided them, but it wasn't really long before I started to think I was worthless. After a while though, a very long while, my self-esteem rose. The name 'tarnished gold' I used at that time to symbolize myself as tainted. Now though, I keep it to remind myself of what I could have become, and I also look at it the other way now. Because even though I'm 'tarnished', there is still 'gold'.
Kai read Rei's message with growing astonishment. Thinking back on Rei's personality he could see slight –very slight –hints of past depression. Nevertheless, it would have been impossible to tell if Rei hadn't told him himself. The confidence that Rei exuded now could be said to be mind-blowing if this was what he'd gone through before. Reading the few paragraphs again once more, he clenched his fists as much as he dared at certain lines. Nobody would weaken Rei again.
Mariah suits a lot of things really well. She does actually deviate from her normal battle outfit a lot, but she finds the clothes comfortable, so she wears them often. She is rather pretty though, isn't she?
Kai skipped on to the next last few lines quickly. He didn't quite know why he was ready to ignore the little pink minx for the rest of his life, but he would settle for the present if he had to.
Oh, I forgot. I hope you don't live on the second floor.
Rei.
Blinking in amusement, he 'wrote' his message onto the little PDA that automatically coded his message as he typed. It was a sunset later though, before Rei actually found time to read and reply.
Rei,
Oh, no, they haven't been driven mad yet. You can tell by the moans and groans and other likewise disturbing sounds coming from their bedroom. It's really quite disturbing how much they make out; I've always wondered exactly how many times someone's walked in on them. And if you're wondering if they're used to that, then I assure you, they're extremely accustomed to it –been a couple for two years.
Rei blinked a few times. And then a few more. That is definitely an interesting turn of events, he thought to himself. Thankfully I'm not against homosexuals myself, or that might have been a minor problem.
I don't live on the second floor. The floors that people live in are divided by their ranks. Thus the five of Us live on the fourth floor. Somebody forgot to board up one of the windows.
Must go,
Kai.
Kai waited anxiously. He'd waited anxiously for a long time, and he was going to continue doing so until the 'new message' bubble popped up on his screen. His last letter had been an utter play with chance –in truth he still didn't quite know why he'd sent it.
Kai
Glad you don't think I'm biased against homosexuals. I would have thought that Voltaire would have been against it? Anyway, glad that you're not flooded in. I'm afraid this is a quickie because it's one of the Elders' birthdays.
Rei.
Kai frowned a little. Was that some sort of rejection? He himself was gay –he'd known that China was a little more closed up then Japan, but he'd hoped…Rei seemed so reasonable…He read on.
P.S. I'm bi, so don't worry about the dissing thing from me.
Despite himself, Kai grinned.
Phew.
Replies to Reviewers: NKingy: Thanks! I hope you think Bryan and Tala are just as cute.
Black Ice Pheonix Wolf: Why thank you! I've always wanted a way with words –they're very powerful. Don't you think?
Dark-night-sky: Yes, a very great combination. I'm glad you picked up on the thread of denial there. I'm pulling the threads together much quicker now.
Marz: No, I'm very sure that Kai wouldn't mind a bit! Voltaire is smart, but even geniuses have their flaws. Look at the guy who solved Lord Fermat's puzzle. Did a huge circle round the problem, though the guy was super-duper smart (a little obviously, I mean come on, solving Fermat's last theorem?). Voltaire may also think that this was Kai's way of 'getting close to his team'. You never know. –shrugs- And about Rei's village. I'm a little iffy about Rei's village. See, I actually live in Hong Kong. The thing is, we have villages, but they aren't wooden, they aren't crumbing, and though we believe in a heck of filial pride and piety, the villages aren't poor either. In fact, villages in Hong Kong vary but they are all very solid, made out of either white tiles and cement, or just cement, topped with either magenta tiled roofs or red roofs (depending on how old said village is). The HK government has forbidden the people living in these villages from changing any of the exterior (construction and renovation is done from the inside). I myself believe that Rei's village is similar –obviously they'd probably have different designs of architecture (them being neko-jins) but they're obviously quite well-off, and therefore, should probably have 'all that jazz'.
ProzacFairy: It may not look it but I did a lot of thinking on that mode!
Dreams-of-Mine: It's alright. Parents are strange sometimes –I'll be the first to admit this. But they more than make up for it in hundreds of other ways, so that's fine. Possession is an interesting concept though…
Aa: I hated chemistry. But I'm glad I 'taught' you something!
JJ CJ: Heck, if Voltaire had read Lord of the Flies he'd have gone paranoid. If you can't already tell, I think the author was a brilliant person, but his novel was kind of disturbing. Therese Raquin was already quite depressing without it. And it's alright. Just as long as you read the last chapter so you know what you're reading this time round!
As Silent As The Shadows: Glad you think so. I wanted to write one that made Kai soften towards Rei (and only towards Rei!) gradually, instead of the normal immediate sex, proposals, make outs, I-love-you s in two milli-seconds. Not that there aren't many other great Beyblade author(ess)es out there. Quite the opposite, if you even just went partially down my favorites list!
Jchan24601: Wow, thanks. Made me feel quite like a whirlwind went by there. Quite refreshing actually.
Hoshicat: And here it is!
TiffanyLye: Wow, your mother too? –Waves with double hands-. And yes I do remember you. Give me a…notice? Message? When you write something.
SxcAmethyst: Whoa, looks like I need to take a typing class, if this goes on!
Black Magician Girl3: Glad you do.
Not the usual baka: Wait and see.
Animelover2000: Well, they didn't put a rule saying 'don't reply' so, yeah.
Shadowy Fluffball: I can actually imagine you! A darkish fluffball, with a fuzzy looking hat.
Neena14: That was you? Thanks muchos, chica (assuming you're a girl because of 'neena'). Good deal of compliments too…hmm, feel fuzzy now.
The Laughing Mann: Really? Wow. Well, it's getting faster in my mind!
Flamehaze-shana: Then, thank you! I feel overly appreciated, almost!