A/N: Just to inform, for anyone who may be thinking as to why Tala and Kai are not together still, and when will they be? Well, first of all, feelings do take time. And i intend to go through the whole second and third season afterwards, so there's a lot of time. Let's focus on just Kai yet.
Ch - 11
(Breaking apart)
Fast footsteps padded along the long corridor and a huffed and panicked breathing followed them.
A crack appeared in the floor in front and he jumped over it, falling down in the process and almost doubling over as a chunk of debris tore into his side cruelly.
"THERE HE IS!!!"
More footsteps followed, torches flashed in the dark, men in black attires with guns in their hands traced his steps.
He stood up against the relentless pain, before running straight down the hallway. Another piece of the ceiling fell behind and obstructed the way of his followers for some time, enough for him to reach the end and quickly rush into a lab.
He heaved with his hands resting on his knees, before straightening up, he could hear the footsteps again.
He hurried over to the other door and yanked it open, flying down another long path.
"QUICK, HE MUST BE HERE"
His breathing quickened and he ran faster, struggling against the urge to slow down, to stop, to sleep...
He could see them now, dozens of the guards behind him, barking at him to stop, to give up, to surrender, there was no way out...
A piercing wave of pain shot through his arm and he looked down to see the cause. Blood sputtered out the skin where a bullet had penetrated. He clenched his eyes as the overwhelming pain bore him down, clutching onto the wound before continuing, though, at a slower pace.
His feet came to an abrupt stop as yet another giant piece of ceiling broke down and came crashing on the floor, more and more debris scattered everywhere, he turned around.
The guards seemed to be afraid, backing off slowly, before running in the opposite direction.
Confused, he looked around, his eyes widening as his gaze fell on the ceiling.
Gathering up as much energy as possible, he tore off in the same direction, the ceiling giving out right behind him.
Suddenly, his foot caught onto a stone lying on the floor and crashed down right onto his bad arm, making him scream out in agony.
A weight crushed his left leg and he looked behind to see it buried below the debris. He tried to pull it, but his leg didn't move an inch.
He was stuck.
He breathed harshly and twisted a little with difficulty, so that his bad arm was no longer touching the floor, cradling it close to his chest.
His eyes glistened over as the earlier moments replayed in his mind.
What if he had just listened? Pushed down his evil desire, his lust for something that-
His mind screamed at him to shut up, to close his eyes and lay down, evade into some foreign universe where there was no pain, he was so exhausted...
A tear slipped down his cheek as he closed his eyes, wincing as more and more debris fell on his body and covered it.
He was going to die...
He opened his eyes slowly and looked up, almost hesitantly. Another chunk, now straight over his head, he cried out as the immense pain registered through his body before everything went black...
A figure squirmed in its sleep, a troubled look on its features giving away the turmoil it was going through.
Sweat precipitated on the pale forehead as pleads escaped the numb lips.
A heartbreaking scream was heard before the body jolted upwards, panting harshly, panicked hands flailing around searching for something in the bitter darkness.
The eyes that had been fearfully shut before opened slowly, almost wincing at the action, before crimson orbs came into view.
They looked around with a fear stricken look before the surroundings registered into them.
Again, once again...
The bluenette tried to calm his breathing as the shock finally faded away.
This was not supposed to happen, was it? He had tried to run away as far away as possible, but still...
The demons still lurked...
A splitting headache was soon to follow, accompanying a trembling fit as he finally came to his senses.
He clutched his head as another wave of raw pain split through it, hurrying over to find some aspirin, finding it in a drawer by his study table.
Looking down at the white pill, he sighed. The doctor had warned him not to take any medicine on an empty stomach.
As if he gave a fuck...
He chugged it down before taking a few sips of the cold water, his mind replaying the horrific scene.
He shook his head, no…
He had thought it would all disappear once he got his mind away from the people and the places that related him to all that...
Foolish of him to assume it was that easy.
His phone tinged, and caught his attention. He picked it up from amongst the mess of his notebooks and looked through the messages.
'Hey, aren't you gonna attend classes today?'
'Are you alright?'
Who the fuck was th-
Oh, wait, it was Wyatt, the stupid yet innocent kid, showing concern, which he didn't need.
How the fuck did he even get his number?
He took another look at the messages, before his eyes widened.
"FUCK"
The first period started at sharp eight, and it was already 7:43 AM. He took another quick look at his desk, which was littered with last night's study session. He took his assignment, which was due in literally 17 minutes, shoving it into his backpack with some other books before snatching his uniform and dashing towards the bathroom.
God, if the morning could get any worse...
Wyatt looked up from his book as he heard the classroom door opening, letting the bluenette in.
Wyatt's brows creased in a frown, following Kai with his eyes as he went and sat at one of the desks at the back. He had never been the one to be late. In fact, he was always there whenever he came to the class.
And he didn't look the same today. His face gave away the feeling of being tired, his movements sluggish, his eyes sleepy and unfocused. His hair, well he never really got to know when it was combed and when not, but still, his whole appearance felt unkempt, so unlike him.
What was wrong?
The bell rang and collective sighs were heard as the science period finally ended. That old teacher did know how to make everything feel boring.
Students started making their way out of the classroom to get to the cafeteria to have their lunches.
Wyatt turned around and took a look at Kai who was gazing out the window with a foreign look.
He stood up and went over to the bluenette, gently tapping on his shoulder to get his attention.
Kai turned to look at him, raising a slate eyebrow.
"What?"
Wyatt sat down on the chair in front of him, facing him.
"You look a little off today"
Kai snorted, "What you wanna say is, I look like shit."
Wyatt shook his head while looking at him seriously.
"What's it to you anyways? Don't waste either mine or your time, kid. Leave me alone."
He turned back to his idle gazing out the window.
Wyatt gave him a worried look.
"Is something wrong, Kai?" His voice felt gentle, innocent.
Kai sighed internally. The kid didn't seem like a bad one, so he couldn't exactly punch him straight in the face and tell him to fuck off. But then again, he didn't want to get too comfortable with someone. He didn't -know- how to.
"Everything's fine," he muttered.
"OK, fine, at least come to the cafeteria with me? Doesn't look like you have eaten anything since you woke up."
Kai shook his head before standing and leaving the class.
Wyatt stared after him.
What is it, Kai? Why is your life such a mystery? Is there anyone who can solve it? Why are you so secretive? I am sure there's something. But what?
Closing the door softly behind him, he let out a tired sigh and slid down, resting his back on it and clutching his hair in his hands.
All day he had been feeling like something was choking him, holding him captive, making his mind delirious and his thoughts irrational. He didn't know how he had managed to go through the whole day without creating a crack in his usual cold facade, when on the inside he felt on the verge of collapsing.
Again, his breathing was quickening, as if someone was strangling him.
He curled into himself and hugged his knees close to his chest, panting like he had run a marathon.
What was happening?!
He tried to say something, but his ears heard no sound, which made him even more panicked. Where had his voice gone?!
Again, the choked feeling, the constricting of his chest.
The flashes of the earlier nightmare came back full force, his mind succumbing into the moment and feeling every moment of the pain, the torment.
His body trembled as he let out a soundless scream, his eyes shut tight, trying to block away the images that had embedded into his mind permanently. A monster, violet hair, hate-filled eyes that loved to watch him suffer hidden behind red glasses. A smirk, an evil and dark smirk, a jeering smirk.
Why? Why? WHY?!!!
He fell down on his side and clutched his chest, it felt like someone had stabbed a dagger in it.
He shook his head as the image of his tormentor edged closer and closer to him, almost to the point he could easily destroy with a bat of an eyelash.
He let out more screams as he struggled to get away from the devil, all his attempts proving reckless.
NO!!!
His blood-shot eyes opened and he looked around frantically, fear apparent in them. His heart was still pumping at an abnormal rate that it almost hurt. He could clearly hear the blood rushing into his ears. His lungs tried to take in as much oxygen as they could after the sudden rush of adrenaline, burning painfully in the process.
As his breathing fell to an almost normal rate, he tried unsuccessfully to get up, giving up after the second attempt, just lying there shaking like a leaf as his heart still ran wild, and his vision blurred.
No sound came out, no matter how much he tried to say something. His whole body sweated profusely and made him dizzy.
Why?
Again, the question.
The ever persisted never-answered question.
WHY?!!
A painful spasm broke through his chest, knocking his breath out, before his heart finally started to calm down.
It had ended.
He let out a wavering breath as he finally mustered up enough strength to sit down, panting from the after-effects.
Why?
No, he shook his head. He would never get an answer. He would suffer all through his life mercilessly without even knowing, why?
As his breathing became normal, he staggered up on his feet, before taking unsteady steps forward and collapsing onto the bed.
He closed his eyes, the attack had taken it all out of him. He felt drained, both mentally and physically. His mind refused to think one rational thought, almost begging to be shut down, to escape the cruel reality.
The softness of the mattress comforted him somewhat, rather than the cold wooden floor.
His breathing became deeper as slumber started to overtake him.
Maybe, after he woke up, it won't happen again?
But he had thought that same thought so many times before, never had anything magical happened.
He sighed tiredly and let himself be pulled into sleep, trying to forget the harshness of reality.
Maybe, just maybe…
Just then, a musical tone resounded and he groaned.
He searched clumsily among the strewn over sheets before realizing it was still in his pocket and taking it out.
He pressed the call and brought it close to his ear, closing his eyes once again.
/"Kai?"/
"Hn"
/"Do you know how many fucking times i've called you before?"/
"Hn, was in class"
/"I know what time you are in class. What's with you?"/
He winced as the loud voice pierced into his ears.
"I'm fine"
/"-is the biggest lie you are capable of speaking."/
"It's not"
/"Yes it is, asshole. Now, either tell me or I will call Spencer."/
Kai sighed.
"I'm fine, Tal, it's just-" he let out tiredly.
The other frowned, /"Just what?"/
"Just nothing. The school is being a bit of a pain in the ass, that's it."
Tala scoffed, /"For someone with 145 IQ, that's a piece of cake Kai. We already studied way ahead in the abbey. Don't fucking lie."/
Kai let out a frustrated groan before putting the phone on speaker and pushing it away, shifting so that he was on his back and covering his eyes with his arm.
/"Kai?"/
He didn't know how to tell him about that, such a fucking pathetic situation. Like a little kid, he was fearing his own nightmares, as if they were real.
/"Kai?"/ the redhead spoke again, but he didn't hear, too lost in his self-loathing.
/"KAI?!!! Fuck's sake, at least say something!"/
He winced at the loud voice.
"Don't shout," he mumbled.
/"Then tell me what happened?"l/
"..."
/"Another panic attack?"/
He tensed at the words.
/"Kai? Tell me, was it-/
"Yeah, yeah it was. So fucking pathetic, ain't it?" the defeated tone let out.
Tala's eyebrows scrunched and a deep frown set on his features.
/"What's so pathetic?"/
"That I can't fucking control my body, and all because i am too fucking weak to handle my mind."
/"That's not your fa-"/
"But i am the one suffering, aren't I?"
The other fell silent at the words. True, it was not his fault, it had been none of their faults to be put in such situations that they thought no difference between life and hell. True, that monster was to be blamed for all that had happened. For all their unbearable pains, murdered hopes, messed-up minds, for all their sufferings...
But blaming didn't help, neither did the justice the world saw fit helped.
So what if the monster had died, he hadn't taken all of the scars that he had given them along with. They stayed with them, like a life-long commitment, no thought of parting.
Then what, what was the benefit of his death to them? What good did it do to them, when the damage had already been done?
Life was just not fair, and sometimes it had a weird sadistic way of showing its unfairness to them, with its poisonous claws...
There was no way out. No way to erase those scars, not the ones on their skin, but the ones on their hearts, no cure against those tormented memories.
The redhead's lips formed a thin line as he struggled to find the right words that could comfort the other.
There was no way out. No way to erase those scars, not the ones on their skin, but the ones on their hearts, no cure against those tormented memories.
There was no way out. No way to erase those scars, not the ones on their skin, but the ones on their hearts, no cure against those tormented memories.
/"When?"/ His voice full of concern for the younger.
Kai had almost drifted off to sleep when Tala had stopped speaking, but the voice made him open his eyes once again and focus on what the other was saying.
"Huh?"
/"When did it happen?"/
"Just a few minutes ago"
/"Are you okay now?"/
He nodded, "I think so..."
/"We- huh? No, it's Kai."/
It seemed he was talking to someone on the other side.
He could faintly hear the other voice, recognising it as Bryan's.
/"What's wrong?"/ the falcon was saying.
/"It's Kai."/
/"Attack again?"/
/"Yeah"/
/"Kai?"/ It was Bryan.
"Hn?"
/"'s wrong with ya?"/
"Nothing,'m fine"
/"You said he had an attack?"/ Bryan asked the redhead.
The redhead pushed him away.
/"So, Kai- fuck off, Bryan. Don't interrupt me again."/
There was the sound of a door being slammed before Tala spoke again.
/"If it happens again, call me right after. Don't keep it to yourself"/
"Hn"
/"We'll figure something out, everything will be alright in the end Kai."/
"Hn"
The line went silent as exhaustion finally took over the silver-haired and pulled him into its shade.
Tala looked down at the screen, he could hear the other's slow breathing through it.
He should have known this was gonna happen…
Leaving the place was no cure, his mind was the same, changing countries hadn't made his memories disappear.
What was to be done now? The bluenette was all alone, what if something serious happened to him?
He shook his head. Kai was stronger than that. Or maybe he was not. Maybe the strength was decaying slowly and steadily, burning under the wrath of the merciless agony.
Maybe it just wasn't meant to be. They were just meant to go through life like this, paying for some sins that they never knew they had committed.
Especially Kai...
Ruby eyes blinked open slowly, the bleariness slowly fading away as they got accustomed to the light.
The silver-haired reluctantly pulled the sheets off and got up.
He went to the window and looked outside at the setting sun, the clouds around it painted a light hue of pink. The sky was darkening, the day had gone by.
He went back and sat down on the bed, the day's earlier events coming back to him.
He wanted so much to just go back to sleep and not face life, so much to just get away from everything.
A thought came to his mind and made him panicked. What if it happened in the class? What if someone saw? They'd for sure make fun of him. Contact Mr. Dickenson, tell him to take him to a shrink.
What if his teammates got to know? What if Me. Dickenson told them? They would surely not consider him their captain anymore. A captain needed to be strong, not so fragile like he had become.
His grandfather would definitely have a good laugh over the fact.
What if the Blitzkriegs also started to think he was too weak to belong with them? What if they started hating him? What if-
Suddenly, a calming aura started to surround, and he heaved a sigh of relief.
'Don't worry master, whatever may happen, I'll always be there for you, just like I always have been.'
Dranzer…
'I know Dranzer, I know'
The fiery phoenix encircled his mind, murmuring comforting words to ease the troubled mind of her master.
Acting like a mother who took care of her child, bearing his pains upon herself and suffering through it willingly.
She was ready to do anything for her master, burn to ashes if need be, whether she reborned or not.
But...
'But master, never leave me again.'
His eyes darkened as the words provoked the memory of another phoenix, magnificent and beautiful as this one, but with an evil glint in its eyes, that screamed murder.
'Master?'
The memory of that raw infinite power, that lustful strength, that could burn the world within a snap.
He felt himself slipping deeper into its essence…
Thanks for reading! :)
Will Kai go back to Black Dranzer? What do you think?