Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade :)
Chapter 6: What Goes Around Comes Around
"This bug spray smells really sweet! Not like that gross stuff we usually use. Where do you think they get it?" Tyson inquires as we are preparing for a nature hike.
Today's event was a scavenger hunt. Whichever group deciphered the clues and collected their items first, after returning to the main building, would get to decide what we would we eat for lunch and the losing group had to cook it.
Since I am pretty used to cooking for large groups (Tyson) I wasn't too motivated about winning. Either way would work for me. Tyson on the other hand, was ready to charge. He had even well prepared himself with all his nature tools. Which, to be honest, I have no idea where he got or where he learned how to use.
Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about this?
"I dunno Tys, maybe you could ask later," I respond, not really giving him my attention.
I had been plagued all night into making plans to figure out what was going on with Kai that I hadn't had much sleep. My first plan had been to confront Kai openly, but there were risks in doing that in public and there weren't many places we would be alone. Talking about hitting people, or anything else that needed to be discussed between us would most likely get a few head rolls. I had made that Plan B. My second plan had been to fake another injury and hope that he would repeat the same actions as before and come to my aide. Chances of that happening were very slim to none, so I had moved that to plan E. My next plan had involved less sense as I had been awake for several hours past my normal bed time and had forgotten what I was trying to accomplish in the first place and had been designated Plan Z. I really needed to work more on my Plan A's. You would think they should be a lot easier…
I had been in such a fog from lack of sleep that I don't even remember going to breakfast but here we were getting ready to go hiking so I imagine we had already come back from there. I hope it was something decent.
I was deciding whether to bring my own bag just in case I had to save Tyson, but they had given us each a rope, a compass, and a water jug, so I had been wondering if it was supposed to be some sort of survival challenge too. We had been given permission to pack our own things as well but depending on how long we would be out there, having extra baggage to carry could just slow us down.
"Do you want some?" He offers me the can of bug spray. I shake my head.
"No thanks, I'm used to being in areas like this. My village is very similar so it doesn't really bother me." I smile as if to confirm my decision. He shrugs and tosses the can in the bag with the rest of his 'supplies'.
"Well, if you change your mind later…" He gets up to leave. "You know, Ray. You should be more excited about this. These kinds of puzzles are what you are good at right?" He walks over to me as I jump down from my bunk and pull on the shoes Max had loaned me so we can join the others waiting outside.
Tyson wasn't wrong. Normally I would be really eager about this type of challenge. My mind was just too focused on a different challenge to really care. That and I was overly tired. This trip was getting to be way too much mental effort.
"I suppose…"
"Your face looks better too! You can hardly see it anymore!" He pats me on the back and pushes me out the door. "Cheer up buddy! This will be great!"
Since each cabin had a different set of clues and items to collect, we didn't have to worry about items not being there if another cabin got there first, so it was all in how fast we would figure out our set of clues. We broke up into groups of 2. A divide and conquer kind of thing. We split the clues up between the three groups so we could get everything done quicker since each item had its own separate set of clues to follow and there were three of them. We were instructed that this was allowed but we always had to stay with our partner just in case we got lost. It was supposed to build teamwork and trust or something but without telling us that that is what they were doing. We were supposed to figure that out ourselves.
Being the competitor that Tyson is, he had chosen the different way and decided that he just HAD to beat our teammates as well. He even made a bet with the others that if we won we wouldn't have to join in in cabin cleanup time for the rest of camp. That's probably why he was so 'prepared' for this.
We won or lost as a team regardless of which of us made it to the end first or last, since we really all had to be there for it to count as a win, but it was building animosity between us and lessening our chances of winning since we chose to fight each other instead of working together toward the goal.
Telling that to Tyson wasn't worth the amount of breath it would take though.
All in all, dividing the tasks was a somewhat smart idea regardless of the disadvantage it presented. If they were all of equal difficulty, we could all return around the same time and well before the others if they hadn't thought the same way. Having not seen the clues first hand I couldn't make a good judgment call on our tactics success rate but we had a pretty smart group…I think. Knowing that a few of them had probably done this before and knew their way around a lot better might put us father apart but we were pretty good competition under worse circumstances so it would at least be interesting.
"Everybody ready?" Chris gathers our attention. "I've given everyone their clues. If by any chance you can't figure it out by 11:30, return to the main building without them. Besides what I already gave you, I am also giving you a whistle, and a watch. If you get lost, or can't make it back in time, use it. When the watch says 9, go. I will see you all at the end. And please try not to fight too much. If you run into any of the boys from the other cabins, be civil. Our rules still apply even if you are out of our immediate surveillance." A few of us nod and he seems satisfied with that. "Good luck!"
"Gee, I hope we run into Max! He loves riddles!" Tyson starts once the time comes for us to depart and we are walking through the woods in search of the first destination. He has read the first clue about three times but hasn't given any indication of even knowing what it says. I have just been blindly following him as he leads me in no particular direction. We weren't walking for very long but I could no longer hear the other boys chattering away as they went off on their own searches.
"Don't you think we should have known where we were going before leaving? And you DO realize that Max isn't on our team right?" I laugh at his confused look. He frowns.
"Yeah I suppose you're right… But I don't really care about that as long as we beat the others! I really hate cleaning." He makes a face of horror and I laugh again. Oh Tyson… It was kind of nice to be away from the others in the quietness of the woods. This was a kind of quiet that I hadn't been around in quite some time. Probably not since I HAD been home. I had forgotten how much I missed it. "Well let's see, this has to be a donut. Where do you think we would find one of those out here?"
"A donut? Really? Let me see it…" I look at him skeptically. He hands over the piece of paper. It is a small piece of paper with 4 pictures, a few plus signs, a minus sign, and a couple of letters on it. "I think this is a word puzzle." I tilt my head to the side. "That DOES kind of look like a donut though. Maybe it's like a tire, or a tree stump? That doesn't really help either. Sorry Tyson…"
"No wait! I think I remember something! This way!" He drags me off in another random direction before I can protest.
After about 20 minutes of following him and wondering where he could be taking us, I notice that he seems to be fidgety.
"Are you sure you know where we are going?" I finally question him. He starts shifting uncomfortably as he walks and then looks distraught for a moment, but continues onward as if suddenly remembering something he had forgotten.
"Yeah, it's right up here. I promise!" I watch him warily but let him continue anyway. It's only when I notice that the number of bugs flying around seem to be concentrated on going in his general direction that I try to get his attention again.
"Hey Tyson…where did you get that bug spray from earlier?" I instantly think the worst as he starts swatting away at things that I can't see from my distance away from him. He's concentrated on the task at hand and doesn't seem to notice my concern.
"The bug spray? I found it in the cabin near my bunk after breakfast. I think Chris must have left it. Why?" Before I can answer, he steps into a clearing. "Here! Could this be the donut thing?!" He motions excitedly.
I can't see what he is indicating but am fearfully aware of a buzzing sound approaching from that direction and I quickly pull him back away from where he has started walking.
"We have to go back," I order him sternly.
"But what about the donut? I think it's right h…"
"Now Tyson!" I pull his arm harder and start to move away as quickly as possible as the buzzing grows more threatening. He's not quite sure what is going on at first but then he sees the swarm of bees that are furiously headed our way and starts running in the opposite direction of them, almost tripping me as he passes and takes the lead again.
"Where did they come from and what do they want?" he calls after me as we look for a safe path back to camp while trying not to slow down.
"I think they want you. And I am willing to bet that bug spray wasn't from Chris at all but was from those girls." I try to explain.
"What?! You can't be serious!"
"We have to find water and wash it off quickly. Out here you are like a free buffet for bugs if it is some kind of fragrance meant to attract them."
"Ahhhh! This can't be happening!" Tyson takes off, running faster, and I lose him in the trees. Having lost track of the trail and any signs of other people, I realize that I am completely lost and feel like I am spinning in circles. I should have been paying more attention to which way we had been going earlier. And Tyson has all the equipment and the whistle. Great. I knew something like this was bound to happen. I should have listened to my instincts.
"Tyson! Wait!" I slow down now that the buzzing has faded and look around for any signs of which direction he might have gone. Only silence is my answer. "Tyson?!" Now what? "Is anyone out there?" I try catching the attention of anyone within hearing range. More silence. I stop walking and listen. "I hope there aren't any bears out here…" Well, I guess I shouldn't dawdle waiting to find out. Tyson will find his way out and tell the others to come back for me. I should at least retrieve the item we were supposed to get so it wasn't a total waste.
I start back in the direction Tyson had taken us before, hoping that he hadn't been wrong. I spot the clearing and approach it cautiously. In the clearing off to the side, there is a burnt car.
That seems…out of place. What is it doing here? And how did Tyson know about it?
On the car was a white envelope that showed up brightly against the darkness of the burns.
Hmm, well he had been correct it seems.
I check around for the bees nest and find them nesting high above me a bit off to my left. Having lost the scent that stirred them into violence the first time, they were no longer threatening and I let out a breath. I catch sight of something moving out of the corner of my eye and turn back to the strange car. Behind the car, I see that the movement is some really brightly colored clothes passing through the trees on the other side of the clearing, and assume that it must be Max. Nobody else would wear clothes quite so obnoxious… I suppose moments like these are when this is actually helpful.
I take a step forward to call out to him, being relieved that I finally found life out here, but then I spot Kai, as well at the other boys from his cabin, walking with him. They were all talking excitedly amongst each other, except for Kai who was just following from a few paces behind them.
I guess their group had taken more of an actual 'group' excursion.
I still want to call out to them but I hesitate. Max might not care if I tag along, but the rest of his group, I wasn't so sure. And I didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Especially myself. I had no idea what kind of consequences getting lost would have. Although if Tyson told, I wouldn't really avoid those anyway. It was just a misunderstanding right?
I watch them silently as they pass and start to go off deeper into the woods on that side, waiting for them to leave so I can venture out and get the next clue without them seeing me. If I go slowly, but quickly enough I might be able to follow them back to camp without them even knowing I was there.
I dart over to the car and grab the white paper that is taped to it, then slip into the trees near where I had seen them go. I can hear their low chatter and let it guide me, keeping my distance, as I open the envelope.
For some, I am used to get around.
I never even touch the ground.
Sometimes I fall and sometimes I float,
If I'm in the air, then take note.
What am I?
"What?" I stare at it blankly.
My walking slows as my mind starts processing the words more closely. I am so concentrated on the puzzle that I forget to pay attention to my surroundings and stumble over a tree root. I close my eyes and brace myself for the impact but I fall into something warm and soft instead of hitting the ground. My heart seems to realize what it is before I do and starts its rapid dance as I open my eyes to find out.
"Kai?" I move away quickly and straighten myself, trying to hide my face as it heats up. "Where did you…?"
"I thought you were an animal." Ah that explains it. Not really. He still shouldn't have left his group. Especially to pursue an animal. Didn't he know that was dangerous?
"But you're not supposed to leave the others! Nobody was supposed to…"
"You seem to be alone." He crosses his arms and eyes me critically. I laugh nervously.
"Ah, I suppose I am. Funny story actually…" I avoid his eyes and shuffle my feet. "It's really not that interesting though." Then I brighten, seeing an opportunity. "Actually. Hey! Do you know which direction I should go to get back? I kinda got lost." He studies me a minute then nods his head in the direction his group had been heading. "Oh thank you so much." I breathe out a sigh of relief. I wouldn't have to rely on Tyson anymore. Sorry Tys.
We start walking back together but neither of us says anything. The silence seems to be growing louder the more it goes on and my mind starts thinking a million things. What should I say? What should I do? Am I supposed to confront him now? Should I wait until we are back to start worrying about that again? Should I even worry at all? He doesn't seem to be thinking about it himself. In fact, he seems quite calm. It's kind of cute actually. Being out somewhere peaceful like this seems really befitting of him. I wondered if the reason why he hadn't been causing too much trouble here was because he enjoyed it. Looking at him now, he seemed to be. A person could never really tell with Kai though. Focus Ray! I might miss the opportunity if I don't do it now. But is this even the right time? I haven't even thought about how to bring it up or what I should say. I should think faster. I…
He suddenly stops walking and turns back to me.
"If you keep going that way you will find the lake. You know how to get back from there." He points then starts off in a different direction.
"You aren't coming?" I ask confused but I hear the faint chattering of his group off in the distance again and understand why. "Oh. T…thanks!" I offer him in a tone loud enough for him to hear but not loud enough for his group to. He disappears into the trees.
Alone again, I sink into despair.
I should just own up to my feelings instead of cowering and debating all the time. Where's my fighting spirit?
Lost somewhere between his debunking gaze and his alluring smirk.
*cue wooing fangirls*
If I put on a dress and confess my feelings do you think he would know it was me? I could probably fit right in with them…
I shake my head to get the image out of my mind. Something is seriously wrong here…
No use thinking about it now though. The time had passed and I had ruined it. It was time to start over.
I go off in the direction he had instructed and sure enough I reach the lake a short while later.
Somehow I wasn't surprised that he already knew the land so well even though we had only been there a short while. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what he had been doing on those early mornings when Max had caught him sneaking out before sunrise. Kai was one to make sure he was well aware of his surroundings. This was one time that I was extremely grateful for that.
I look at the lake and start off towards the main camp buildings in hopes I can find Tyson before Chris does or even worse, before he goes back for me and gets lost. I would hate to think that me finding my way would cause Tyson to lose his. Although I do wonder if I should be so concerned since it WAS his fault that I had gotten lost to begin with.
I stop walking when I hear a clinking noise and something strikes me. I look at the second clue again and turn towards the lake.
A boat.
It made sense.
I turn back to the direction Kai had left me from.
Had he known? Was he…helping me? Even as a competitor?
I suppose it wouldn't have been THAT strange. Tyson had considered it earlier as well. I did not picture Kai giving us the same service. As a competitor, he didn't let anyone off the hook without a proper reason. Even his losses were calculated decisions. So had it just been a coincidence?
It could have been that he didn't care about such competitions as these, but he had been so serious at the rest of them. When he was coming at me with that volleyball it wasn't with intentions to lose or even nonchalantly win. There was intent in there. So even if he wasn't too into this particular competition I still think his personal pride might cause him to ensure his victory anyway. It was hard to judge without any facts or evidence though. Maybe I was reading too much into it. Unless he was sure he would win regardless of whether or not he helped me. Which was more of a possibility than anything else.
I scowl in thinking that this might be the case. I should just be happy that I had found the next clue with relatively no trouble but the idea that it had been accomplished in a way that possibly undermined my own abilities somehow made me angry. But was my anger warranted? It really may have just been a coincidence. Especially since he hadn't even read the clue or known I had it.
The mystery behind Kai was just growing more and more frustrating. I think it is time that I set some concrete goals. This time, I would figure it out. He wasn't going to get away with it anymore.
After I retrieve the item than has been stashed on the tiny canoe boat, it doesn't take me long to get back to the main part of camp where the others are waiting. Chris gives me a look that says he probably should scold me, but he doesn't and I am happy for this.
"You retrieved the item I see," he says instead. I nod and put it with the other item that has been collected. We weren't the first, but we weren't the last either. That was somewhat comforting.
"Where's Tyson?" I am almost afraid to ask. One, because mentioning it brings further attention to the fact that we aren't together. Two, because he would be upset that we lost. And three, because I am not sure I even want to know.
"Bathroom. He had a little…trouble." That doesn't sound good. I am too afraid to ask for an elaboration as I imagine all the possibilities. Chris seems to pick up on this before I even get through the most traumatizing scenarios. "Nothing he won't recover from. Just a few mosquito bites. The other boys are helping him with some lotion." Mosquito bites aren't so bad. I'm happy it wasn't the bees. I wonder if those girls realize just how hurt he could have ended up. What if he had been allergic? He could have died!
He wasn't, at least not that I know of, but THEY didn't know that.
I don't know whether it was because of my earlier conviction about getting to the bottom of Kai or whether it was because of the potential harm they could have caused to my close friend, but I decided then that those girls must also be taken care of. I know earlier I said fighting fire with fire wouldn't work and that I should approach it in a more delicate and passive way, but this was getting too severe. They had to be taken care of before somebody really got hurt.
I turn as I hear the boys returning from the bathroom, noticing Tyson first.
His skin was patched with pink spots in so many places that it could be mistaken for chicken pox. A pair of gloves had been tied to his hands to stop him from itching and I watch him sympathetically as the boys try to explain that he would heal faster that way.
Yep, they definitely needed to be taken care of.