Max: Today, we're not gonna go on and on and on about nothing!!
Tyson: yeah!! we're going to get right to the story!!
Kai: then how about you idiots shut up then?
Rei: Kai, be nice...Disclaimer: Kistune doesn't own Beyblade
Kai: *pouts* fine. Chapter 24: Present Flashback
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Kai groaned as he opened his eyes, finally awakening. He glanced around the room, a confused look spreading across his face. Where was he? This place didn't seem familiar. Where were the stone walls? The cement floors? He sat up, frowning as he felt a cool rag fall from his forehead and into his lap. He looked confused at the piece of cloth before he shrugged it off and climbed out of the bed. Since when did he have a bed?
He shrugged it off again and stumbled around the room. Why was he here? Where was here exactly? He sighed and looked around. There had to be something familiar to him.
"Grandfather?" he called out. He noticed the bedroom door and quickly ran to it, turning the knob and running out of the door. He frowned as he saw all the other doors. Was he in a hotel or something? "Grandfather?!" he called again, more frantic.
That's when a thought hit him. Why would he be looking for his grandfather? He didn't want to find his grandfather and he didn't want his grandfather to find him. Kai bit his lip and looked around before running back through the door he had first come out of. He closed the door softly behind him, not wanting anyone to hear it. He sighed and once more searched around the room. That's when he saw the small plushie sitting on the bed he had been sleeping on.
Kai walked over to the bed and climbed up on the mattress. He picked up the toy and cradled it against his small body. "You seem familiar, but then you don't." he told the toy. "I don't really know what's going on and I don't know where I am or where my grandfather is, but I hope he never finds me. I don't want him to hit me again."
Kai froze when he heard the door open. Did his grandfather find him? Well, obviously the seriously older man would know where his own grandson was. After all, he kept his eye on Kai at all times. How else would he know if the young boy did anything wrong or not?
He bit his lip and slowly turned towards the door. He relaxed slightly when he saw someone he didn't know, but then tensed up once more. How did he know this person wasn't going to hurt him too?
"Kai? How are you feeling?" the teen asked, walking towards him.
Kai frowned and backed away from the older boy, clutching the toy tiger close to him. "Who are you?" he questioned, his voice wavering slightly from fear.
The teen frowned when he heard the small question. Who are you? How did Kai not know him? What was wrong with him?
"Kai, it's me. Rei." Rei replied, lightly touching Kai's shoulder. He took his hand away when he felt Kai start to tremble. "Are you alright?"
Kai shook his head. "Where's my grandfather?" he asked. "I don't want him to find me."
Rei frowned and was about to answer his question when he thought against it. Now would be a good time to find out why Kai's acting so strange. "Why don't you want him to find you?"
Kai bit his lip and stared at the small tiger in his hands. "You promise you won't tell?" Kai looked up at Rei, fear clear in his eyes. "He told me I'm not supposed to tell, so you have to swear not to tell him I told you!"
Rei noticed that the truth spell seemed to have worn off. If it had still been in affect, Kai would have blurted everything out, not make him promise not to tell. At least Rei wouldn't feel like he was using the spell against the child now.
"Ok then. I promise I won't tell him you told me." Rei said. "Now what did he do?"
Kai shifted and bit his lip once again before he started talking. "He punishes me when I'm bad." Kai said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't like it. It hurts really bad."
Rei frowned at the look on Kai's face. He had tears forming in his eyes but the child refused to let them fall. "What does he punish you for?"
"Well, I'm not allowed to cry or show emotion. I can't talk unless I'm spoken to." Kai explained, staring at the toy tiger in his hands. "And I have to do all my training and listen really good. I'm not allowed to talk back either. Like if I don't like something they do, I can't say anything about it. I'm also not supposed to have friends." At this point, a small smile appeared on Kai's face. "But Tala's my bestest friend, but you can't tell cause you promised! If you do tell, they'll hurt Tala too. So don't!"
"Don't worry. I promised so I won't." Rei bit his lip slightly as he asked his next question. "What does he do to punish you?" Rei was almost afraid to ask. Did he really want to know?
"Well, it depends on what I do." Kai answered, playing with the tiger in his hands. "If I just do something he doesn't like, he hits me a lot. Sometimes I can't even move when he's done. If I'm really bad..." Kai trailed off and Rei noticed how he pulled his legs closer to himself and clutched at his clothes. Rei knew what he was talking about. He must get raped if he's "really bad."
Rei gently picked the chibi captain up, cradling him against his chest. The child struggled at first before he closed his eyes and buried his face in Rei's chest.
"Don't let him find me. Please." Kai whimpered, the tears finally falling down his cheeks.
Rei tightened his grip around Kai. "Your grandfather isn't here Kai. He's been gone for a while now." he had to get Kai back to his normal state of mind. He couldn't just leave the small captain like this.
"No! He's here!" Kai screamed. "Don't lie! He's here! I know he is!"
"No, Kai. Calm down. I'm the only one here." Rei tried to soothe. "See? No one else is here." He walked around the room, letting Kai see every possible hiding place.
"He's somewhere in here!" Kai continued. "You're helping him aren't you? You're here to hurt me too!" Kai started struggling to get out of Rei's grasp, but Rei was thinking differently. He held Kai tighter, trying to stop the child's struggles.
"Kai, shh. You're ok. I would never hurt you." Rei said, lightly kissing his cheek. He sat on the bed and held Kai close to him, smiling softly as Kai calmed down slightly. He was crying a little, but at least he wasn't kicking anymore.
"You promise?" Kai whispered, his voice slightly muffled from Rei's shirt. "You promise you're not going to hurt me?"
"I promise." Rei said, lightly kissing Kai's head. Kai smiled a tiny smile and closed his eyes, enjoying Rei's presence, before a thought hit him. He pulled away slightly to look up at Rei, a puzzled expression on his face.
"If grandfather isn't here, then where is he?" he asked, expecting Rei to have an answer.
Rei didn't really have an answer. He didn't know where Voltaire was. "Well, I don't really know." he answered. He couldn't lie to Kai. "But he's not here. I know that for a fact."
Kai nodded, satisfied with the answer. As long as he wasn't there, he was safe, right? He yawned and snuggled into Rei's chest, fully intent on falling asleep.
"Don't pass out yet." Rei chuckled softly.
Kai opened his eyes and looked up at him. "Why?" Kai asked, slightly afraid that he was in trouble for something.
"You have to let everyone know you're ok."
"Oh." was Kai's small answer. "So where's Tala at anyway?"
"He's in Russia." Rei answered, slightly confused at why he would be thinking of Tala being in Canada. The red head wasn't even here. But then again, the spell was messing with his head.
"I know that. I mean where at? Is he here?" Kai asked becoming slightly irritated.
"No, Kai, he's not here. He's in Russia. We're in Canada."
"What? Why are we here?!" Kai yelped, not expecting that. When did he even get here?
"We had a tournament." Rei answered. "It was the Bladebreakers verses Fatal Rage."
"Tournament?" Kai asked, his red eyes glowing with curiosity. "I was in a tournament?"
Rei nodded, a smile on his face. "Yes you were. And you won your match."
Kai grinned, eyes shining with happiness before his smile dropped. "Did I make you proud?"
"Yes, you did. I was very proud of you." Kai's smile was back with a vengeance at Rei's reply. "Now are you ready to go tell the others you're ok?"
Kai nodded even though he didn't know exactly who was worried about him, but if Rei knew them they had to be nice, right?
"Here you go." Rei said as he handed the forgotten plush toy on the bed to Kai. Kai smiled and took the tiger, hugging it tightly before he clutched at Rei's shirt as the older boy walked out of the room and into another one. Kai's eyes widened as he saw all of the people. Were they all here because they were worried about him? He yelped as he and Rei were suddenly tackled by two boys and a girl.
"We're so glad you're ok!" the blonde boy cried, hugging him tightly.
"Yeah! We were freaked when you collapsed!" the navy haired one added.
"We all know it's Jade's fault!" the girl sniffled as she joined in the hug.
Kai was completely confused and a little frightened. He got out of their hold and ran to Rei, hiding behind the older boys legs. He peaked out from behind Rei's legs, staring at everyone in the room.
"Careful guys. One spell wore off but he doesn't remember us." Rei explained as he saw all the puzzled expressions in the room. "I think since the speaking spell wore off, the aging spell took full effect. Now he's actually a kid."
"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Tyson mumbled.
"It's bad Tyson!" Rei said. "Now he's not even himself in his head anymore!"
Tyson sighed and crossed his arms. "I know. I was just kidding Rei." he explained. "I want Kai back to his normal self to. Sure he's strict and cold and distant, but that's what makes him our friend."
Rei sighed. "Sorry. It's just..." Rei made little hand motions, trying to think of a way to explain it. But he didn't know how. He couldn't explain so that they knew what he was trying to say. "I'm sorry Ty."
"Don't worry about it!" Tyson said, smiling at the slightly older teen.
Kai looked between Rei and Tyson. He had no idea what was going on. He glanced around at the others in the room. They didn't give any hint at what was happening. He felt that he should know them, but he didn't. He couldn't remember ever having met them. All he could think about was where was his best friend from the Abbey? Where was Tala?
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Ok!!! there you go!!! here's chapter 24!!! finally!!! I didn't know what to write for this chapter...that's what took it SO long!! but now, we're going to have Tala!!! wooo!!! no Tala fans, he's not going to come to Canada, but he's going to be talking to the Bladebreakers and Fatal Rage via telephone!!! unless you guys think Tala should show up!! if y'all want him to actually go to Canada, tell me and he will be in Canada!!!
Anyway please review!!! I know you guys will cause you're all awesome and actually have faith in me!! well...at least I think you do...let me believe alright?