"Are…Are you alright?" Alexis asked worriedly as Hilary burst into her hotel room, where she was talking to Sakura.
It was the following day, early afternoon and Kai had battled in the next match as the G-revolutions had hoped. Thanks to him, the team was still in the game and had a chance at defeating BEGA. If Tyson won his battle they would tie with Boris and there would be a final match to decide the victor. Alexis and Sakura had not witnessed the fight but watched it on TV instead, making enquiries about Zane and Sasuke. Unfortunately, there was no news about them so far.
"It's Kai!" exclaimed Hilary, trembling and holding back tears. "You know how he collapsed and Tyson caught him but he said he was fine? Well he's not. I went in the direction he had gone after the others took a break and…" She took a shaky breath to suppress the sobs threatening to overwhelm her. "I found him in the corridor. He's unconscious and Dranzer's in pieces!"
Sakura placed an arm around her, steering her toward a seat. Hilary sank into the chair. "Kai will be okay, don't worry," she reassured her friend. "Leave this to us."
Once Hilary had calmed down a bit they called a taxi and drove to the BEGA HQ, Alexis phoning for an ambulance on the way.
Hilary raced down the dimly lit corridor in which she had found Kai with Sakura and Alexis hot on her heels. Their hurried footsteps made echoing thumps that resounded off the walls and the ceiling, filling the quiet, almost empty passageway with such calamity they winced at the din. An immense terror clenched at Hilary's heart. Maybe leaving him like that had been a bad idea. What if they were too late? Her run broke into a desperate sprint, surprising the others who hastily quickened their pace to catch up.
Her brown trainers trod on something hard. Hilary stopped running abruptly, bending down to pick up what she had stepped on. It was a fragment of dark blue plastic rimmed with metal. A piece of Dranzer Metal Spiral's attack ring. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she noticed that numerous fragments of the Beyblade were scattered across the floor. She had reached him.
Dranzer, like its owner, had seemed so strong, so determined in the battle that nobody had suspected the toll the fight had taken on it would be to such an extent.
Kai's motionless form was a crumpled heap against the wall. She hurriedly knelt down beside the teen, gently shaking him. "Kai, wake up. It's me. You need to wake up."
The Russian did not stir. His eyes remained closed beneath his dishevelled silver fringe.
Sakura ran over to them whilst Alexis began collecting up the shattered remains of Dranzer MS. She checked Kai's pulse. "It's slow. Not surprising, since he's suffered major exhaustion and blood loss. I'll see what I can do."
"Th…Thank you, Sakura," whispered Hilary.
The pink-haired ninja placed her hands on Kai's shoulders. Her emerald pools slid shut tightly; a look of deep concentration crossed her face. Green chakra crackled, flared from her downward palms. Hilary shielded her eyes from the dazzling, pulsating brilliance that filled the corridor.
A short time later, the green energy faded away. Sakura panted, wiped perspiration from her forehead. Treating someone with chakra, especially in Kai's condition, took it out of you.
"I used the Mystical Palm technique," she explained once she had got her breath back. "It's a multipurpose medical jutsu used for treatment and surgery - it speeds up cell regeneration. In this case, it accelerated the rate at which red blood cells are replaced."
"So that means he'll recover from his blood loss a lot quicker."
"That's right. He'll also take less time to recover in general." Sakura felt his wrist. "His pulse has improved. He's stabilised."
Hilary smiled. "That's brilliant, Sakura. Thank you so much."
The sound of pelting footsteps filled the air. The girls looked up to see medics rushing toward them. Kai was carefully lifted on to a stretcher, being checked over all the while.
Alexis held up Dranzer's pieces. "I'll take these to Kenny. He'll fix it, won't he?"
"Sure will," Hilary replied. "He's a genius."
"You go on ahead with Kai," Sakura told her. "I'll stay with Lexy and tell your team what's happened."
"Okay."
The ambulance sped to the hospital and Kai was whisked away to be examined and treated as soon as they arrived. Hilary waited for an hour or so whilst this happened and was allowed to see him once they had finished.
She sat at his bedside presently, holding his limp hand. Bandages swathed his torso, arms, neck and head. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and he was attached to a drip and an ECG. The only sound that disturbed the stillness was the constant beep of his heart monitor.
Though he had not woken, Sakura's medical jutsu was already taking effect; his skin had regained it normal colour, his pulse was steady and strong and he had regained a decent amount of blood and had not needed a blood transfusion. I'm sure Sakura will become a great medical ninja someday, surpass her sensei and maybe even be the best of all. It's because of her Kai is already recovering.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice, slightly muffled. "Hilary…"
Ruby met amethyst.
"Kai," Hilary smiled, wiping tears from her eyes with her free hand. "How are you feeling?"
"Hn. Great."
The brunette chuckled at the hint of sarcasm in his thin, coarse voice. Despite being weak, he could still make his usual grunts and short answers. "The doctors have said you won't be stuck here too long. Sakura used a jutsu to speed up your body's healing process."
"Good." He removed the oxygen mask, sitting up and wincing a little.
Hilary was concerned. "I don't think you should be - "
"I'm fine," he cut her off sharply.
She frowned, piqued. "Yeah right. If you move around, you'll - "
"Hn."
She sighed. There was no point in arguing with him. Sometimes he could be as stubborn as Tyson, if not more.
Sorrow dissolved her annoyance. "I was really scared…when I found you out cold like that," she admitted quietly, not meeting his gaze. "I was torn between getting help and staying with you. I decided to find Sakura and Alexis in the end and I think I made the right choice but at one point, I thought differently." She tightened her grasp on his hand subconsciously. "I thought that in leaving you I'd risked something terrible happening. I'm just glad your injuries weren't that bad."
Unbeknown to her, Kai's amethyst eyes had widened slightly. He had not expected her to worry so much about him, nor be this troubled. His gaze flickered down to the hand that held his. She had not let go at all since he had woken up. It was as if she feared he would vanish if she were to do so. He hated to admit to it but it was strangely comforting having her warm, gentle hand holding his and knowing how much she cared about him.
There was no doubt he had hurt her with his absence in the World Championships and when BEGA had reared its ugly head. He felt a pang for some reason at the thought.
It was no wonder she held his hand so tightly now; she was afraid he would leave again and never come back. Kai sighed inwardly at this realisation. It was funny how much one simple gesture could tell you about someone.