Chapter 6

The yacht was tearing up the waves. Max fully equipped with bright orange life jacket, and a sailors hat Tyson had found while in the cabin, expertly manoeuvred the boat through the swells and troughs of the sea. The others watched grimly from all sides of the boat, all similarly dressed in coats and life jackets. The slight disturbance in the clouds was still apparent. Grey wisps and eddies that hadn't quite managed to melt back into the consistent grey sky were a dark beacon on the skyline. With the other two helping hold the sheets and Max at the tiller Hilary sat on the very bow of the boat alone.

Knees pulled up to her chest for protection against the biting wind, she stared across the sea, the hopelessness of the situation slowly drowning any optimistic thoughts, sinking them to the bottom of her consciousness. Casting her mind around for another subject she found herself wondering about Kai. He had always been distant. She supposed wearily, that was why she had always sought him out. She had this burning curiosity to find out everything about him. To at least glimpse his thoughts on the world, on the situations that arose around him, of his thoughts on her. She had always wondered secretly about him. He may be rude, cocky, full of him self and even bordering on the sadistic at times but… it was undeniable, when ever the team had needed him the most, Kai had shown up.

Hilary knew enough about his past from the others to realise that his childhood hadn't been a very pleasant one. She had always tried to put up with his manner, smile at him when he seemed to be feeling down. And slowly, she believed they had been making some head way to getting Kai to trust them. Sometimes, it was like he was looking out especially for her, as though they had formed an unspoken bond of friendship. Then at other times he would completely throw her off with a cruel comment or indifferent attitude, as though he just didn't care. But Hilary knew he did. He cared, but couldn't let it show. After all, he had a reputation to keep and a past to hide from.

God…she shivered, if her childhood had been anything like what his had been, she would certainly have found it hard to trust people. Casting her eyes to the choppy, cold grey waters once more she took to her feet and leant right over the bow of the boat, scanning the sea as best she could to find her friend.

Tyson glanced at his watch, then to the sky. Evening was drawing in fast. He huddled up against the cold wind, hands sore and numb from holding the ropes in place. Anger washed over him again. How could he have been so stupid? To let Kai just be thrown over board like that. Then, the worst part was he had stood there, 'like a fucking lemon', until Max had come along. He could have done something, stopped the boat, anything. Curling his fist he struck, hard, the white plastic in front of him. 'Ow… that actually hurt quite a bit.' He did it again. And again until his knuckles bled chanting quietly under his breath 'this is all my fault. This is all my fault.' As soon as they found Kai he swore never to be stupid again. He would try his hardest in all the training sessions. Be nicer to Kai…

The world champion found himself praying, making lists and bargains with anything. Anything to get Kai back…'As though it would make a shed of difference.' He punched the boat again. If they hadn't needed to find Kai now, he would have probably thrown himself in the sea. He eyed the water rushing past him… maybe on another day. He glanced over at Ray. The Neko-jin seemed to be lost in his thoughts, apparently not very nice ones by the frown on his face.

Ray was worried. He had never felt this lost before and he hated it. Kai was their leader he had always been there to give them advice on any situation they couldn't handle. In this one they were very much on their own. But Kai was more than just an adviser; he was the solitary friend whom Ray would trust with his life. Kai was the one always there to listen. Though he didn't show it, the captain felt deeply for his team, the first ones to truly show him what friendship meant. Still furious at Tyson for doing whatever he did that caused Kai to go over board Ray decide that after this was all over, he really needed to face Tyson in a match, Beyblading or fists, he didn't much care. But one thing was for certain: having this much anger in his system could not be good for his health. Ray wondered bleakly how long you could last in water with temperatures like this. Dipping his hand slowly in the liquid he felt the chill seep right through him. "Not long" he whispered grimly. And they had already taken too much time.

Max shredded through the waves with a set face. For all he knew, they could be going in the wrong direction completely. Going by nothing more than a few wisps of cloud in the sky seemed ridiculous to him. But what other choice did they have? There was no way Kai could last long at these temperatures. On any other day he would have stood a chance to get to land as the waters would be warm and this cove was dotted with small silt islands, but the storm had stirred up the sea. The cold water from beneath and from far out to sea had mixed with the warm, cooling everything down. But, Max supposed, Kai could have always been near an island in the storm. His optimistic nature kicked in. 'Yeah' he pictured Kai sun bathing on a beach, waiting for them to find him while eating coconuts and drinking a tropical smoothie, then shook his head. "Get real Max" he told himself sternly, staring back out to the horizon again. Kai would never sun bathe!

XXXX

Kai was in the water before he could even draw a breath. Winded and semi conscious he barely even felt himself hit the side of the boat before falling under. In a whirl of darkness and bitter cold his eyes rolled back in his head as he plunged deeper into the dark. The last bubbles escaping from his lips in a murmur as the liquid swallowed him… "Ow…fuck"

Kai opened his eyes. He was blind. His limbs refused to move, heavy. His skin felt cold. A chain of bubbles rose past him as he moved. His mind groggily processed this and came to the conclusion he was under water. A haze of memories swept through his mind. He felt nausea welling up, and pushed them away with one thought, Surface. Pain suddenly shot through his arms, still distant, but it hurt. Deciding he would deal with that problem later, he struck upwards using only his legs. A sickening knot had lodged itself in his chest. In a daze he rose towards the disturbed lighter water, a good two metres above him.

As he neared the surface his need for oxygen intensified. Almost choking now he willed himself to hurry. His legs were seizing up. He was so close he could feel the waves shove him to and fro. On the verge of blacking out for a final time he pulled up one last reserve of energy. Making one last ditched effort he surged upwards. And shattered the surface. Drawing breath he choked on a lungful of salt water. Keeping his head frantically above the waves he cleared his lungs, coughing desperately to get air.

Treading water until the black fuzz on the edge of his vision had cleared, Kai tried to order his thoughts. 'What the hell am i doing out at sea' was suddenly interrupted by "Ow shit my arms hurt!" Bringing them gingerly up to the surface he almost wretched. They were paper white and patches swollen into horrific lumps. Blood ran in rivers down his left inner forearm, the cause being a shard of bone sticking like one hell of a sore thumb through his skin. Where he had tried to block the boom, it had completely split his bone in two and his arm was almost totally deformed by the swelling and bruising on the other side. His right arm had been behind his left, in a cross block. This one had deep lacerations on it where the split bone had dug in and even worse swelling and bruises where the muscle had taken the force of the boom. 'Nothing too bad then…' Kai sighed sarcastically in shock, almost passing out again. A wave smashed over him, forcing him under, back into the serene twilight world.

Letting himself submerge a little deeper below the waves he stared blankly at the darkness ahead of him. He let his arms sink lower, leaving them hanging limply by he sides. He with drew inside himself, closed his eyes and set about catching those memories flitting round in his aching head, trying to remember…

Hmm…bit of a random ending I know

But I just ran outta ideas! Well what can ya do eh?

Besides, I've decide 2 keep my chappies short otherwise it's gets abit of a slog trying to keep ur place in a massive chapter… even so…my chappies are getting longer!

Ok then…any ideas what should happen to Kai?

No?

Ok then….bye for now!