Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Haunted ❯ Chapter 04 ( Chapter 4 )

Kali Notes: Urrrhh…sorry for the delay. I had some issues with my university to deal with (still unresolved but getting there) this week and I've been job hunting, too. *glares at work-world* Why? I like my summer just fine without ruining it! *coughs* Anyway, moving on…

 

Disclaimer: No, we don't own Beyblade or its characters. Oh, and I don't own Hershey's (woo boy if I did, it would be delicious!).

 

Warnings: Ah…weirdness, general insanity… and the usual (yaoi, language, action/violence, etc.) excepting the fido-friendly version on ffnet. Sorry, folks. You know where to find it elsewhere… This Chapter: Use of a Ouija board (don't try that at home or anywhere else *shudders*)

 

Pairings: TyKa, Rei/Mariah, Max/Hilary, hinted Tala/Bryan & Kenny/Emily, others to be decided.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Chapter 04

 

Kai, for what felt like an eternity, watched over the younger teen, waiting for him to wake up and explain. As did his ghostly roommate.

Daichi paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, wracking his mind for solutions to this problem. He didn't know whether or not to believe the poltergeist from the second floor about the effects of its `curse', or about the one and supposedly only way to fix it. And he couldn't assess the extent of the damage until Tyson woke up.

It had only been about ten minutes since the bluenette had collapsed, when Bryan returned - sans costume. He only lived a couple of houses down the street, so running home to get the movies hadn't taken long and he was the first one to get back.

The lavender-haired teen found Kai sitting on the edge of his sofa in the bedroom, hovering over the laid-out bluenette with a nearly imperceptible frown of…was that worry? Bryan blinked and asked, “What happened?”

Kai started a little and shook his head. “He just keeled over in mid-sentence. I don't know what's wrong.” He tore his eyes away from Tyson and looked up at Bryan. “Did you see any of the others on your way here?”

“Nope. I don't imagine they'll be gone much longer though.” Bryan frowned, too. “Should we take him to the hospital? OR phone his house or something?”

Kai looked back down at the bluenette, whose hand flexed and breathing hitched as he began to come back around. “Let's hold off on that. I think he's waking up.” Kai reached out and tapped Tyson's cheeks a bit forcefully. “Wake up, Kinomiya. Come on, now, and wake up. I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong.”

Daichi felt a pang in his chest. Kai…you can't do anything because he can't tell you what's wrong. He doesn't know. The little spirit wanted to bang his head on the mantle in frustration - if he could have reached it. He was too short. I have to tell Kai…but how?

Tyson heard familiar voices and fought his way out of his mental fog to reach them. He struggled to sit up as he opened his eyes… They were open. He could feel that. But…

Kai barely avoided a panicked hand that flew upward toward Tyson's face. “Whoa! Hey, watch what you're…uh, Kinomiya…” he frowned and then stared in shock as blank, silvery grayish eyes stared back at him where there should have been stormy midnight blue. “Bryan?”

“Yeah. I see.” Bryan stared, too, not sure what to do or say.

Tyson felt his face with his fingertips, but everything felt fine and normal, and nothing hurt. I…I can't see. I can't see! What…why…shit! The bluenette made a strange sound and reached blindly for Kai, needing to know someone familiar and trusted was still there with him. But when he tried to say Kai's name…nothing happened.

“Kinomiya…” Kai began to worry when the younger teen began to shake visibly and a hand moved to his throat, where inarticulate sounds and noises came from but no words. “Can't you say something? And what happened to your eyes? They're…grey.”

Fighting back pure panic, Tyson reached in the direction of Kai's voice, shaking his head frantically. NO! I can't see! I can't speak! Something's wrong! I…

“Shit. Kai, maybe we should take him to the hospital.” Bryan was already heading for the phone. Daichi got there first, and quickly unplugged the line from the wall as Bryan picked up the receiver. “What the…there's no dial tone.” He stared at the phone and set it back in its cradle. Daichi plugged the phone back in. It wouldn't do to have Tyson go to a hospital. Doctors couldn't explain the how and why or the solution, after all.

“No dial tone? It was working fine today…” Kai frowned suspiciously and caught Tyson's searching hard before it connected accidentally with Kai's face. “Something weird is going on. Hey,” he turned his attention back to the trembling bluenette, who was visibly and admirably trying not to absolutely freak out. “Do you have any idea what's wrong, Kinomiya? Some medical condition I don't know of or something?” he asked as gently as he could. Tyson's head whipped back and forth in a “No!”

“Do you have any idea what's wrong?” Bryan added, and Tyson kept shaking his head, gripping Kai's hand as if it were the only thing keeping him sane - which it was, oddly enough. Kai's presence was strangely soothing, and the bluenette could feel the panic in him begin to calm a little.

Kai didn't have the heart to take his hand back, not when the bluenette was still trembling like a leaf in a breeze and gripping it so desperately. “Okay, so you don't know what happened, and you haven't got a medical condition that would do this - that you know of - so…other than not being able to see or speak, is anything else wrong? Sick? Hurt anywhere?”

Tyson took a deep, shuddering breath to calm herself further and silently searched his body for problems. No. Other than being scared and confused and disoriented, he felt fine. He shook his head again and mouthed, “No.”

“Should I go wake up your butler and tell him we need to take Tyson to the hospital, since the phone is out?” Bryan asked Kai. Daichi looked around hastily, trying to think of some way to get their attention. He spotted a closed notebook on the coffee-table and went to it. He couldn't pick it up, but he could rustle the pages - which he did, making all three teens jump, startled.

“What the…?” Kai looked at the notebook, blinking. Bryan edged away cautiously, sitting on the other end of Kai's sofa. Tyson shrunk back into his seat, having heard the noise but feeling the tension in Kai increase through their joined hands.

“Notebooks don't normally do that on their own.” Bryan commented warily. “Hiwatari?”

Daichi stamped a ghostly foot and rustled the pages again. Come on! You know its me, Kai! I really need to tell you something!

“No. But they do around here.” Kai's eyes narrowed at the spot over the notebook. “Daichi? If that's you, flip a couple pages in that book again.”

Yes! Daichi obliged, relieved. Now ask me about Tyson!

Bryan goggled. “You mean you really do have a ghost!?”

“His name is Daichi. Tala, Ozuma, and I found that out a couple years ago, playing around with Tala's Ouija board.”(1) Kai waved the incident away for later. “Never mind that, though. Daichi, do you know what's happened to Tyson? Flip pages for `yes' and don't do anything if `no.'”

Daichi flipped a couple more pages.

“That is really weird.” Bryan watched wide-eyed.

Kai frowned. “Did you do this to him, Daichi?”

Tyson blinked blindly and wondered if they were all losing their minds. He couldn't see what was going on but he could hear the flipping pages. And…it was chilly. Not freezing or uncomfortable, but just chilly enough for Tyson to notice he was a bit cold.

I can't answer that this way you moron. Daichi glared at the lavender-haired teen.

Kai wracked his mind for some other way to communicate with Daichi. “Bryan, call Tala on his cell and tell him to bring the ouicja board back with him. I think we need to hear what my ghostly roommate has to say.”

Bryan raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Except… “The phone's dead, Kai.”

Daichi grinned and rustled the pages again. No, that was me. Try it again, Bryan.

Kai sighed. “It was you, wasn't it Daichi?” The pages flew in the affirmative. “Why? You didn't want Tyson to go to the hospital?” Again the pages flew. “Alright, but you'd better explain later.”

Daichi nodded and this time rustled the pages until the cover closed. I'll sure try, Kai. I promise.

Bryan reached for the telephone again and shook his head in disbelief. “I can't believe we're taking the word of a ghost.” He muttered, but dialed Tala's number anyway.

Tyson was looking rather dubious about it all, too. Now, I trust Kai, but…he's trusting my health to a spirit. I'm not so sure about this.

Bryan hung up and brushed hair out of his eyes. “Tal's on his way. I just caught him as he was passing his place. He said he'd grab it and be over soon.”

“Good.” Kai blinked, realizing something. “Hey, how did you get back inside, anyway?”

“I went around to the back and came up the steps to your balcony. Your French patio doors aren't locked.” Bryan answered.

“Well, Tala will know to come up that way but Max and Rei won't. Go wait for them out front, would you?” Kai requested. “No need to wake up Gregory with a ringing doorbell.”

Bryan nodded congenially and left.

Kai sighed and turned to look at the bluenette, who had calmed, but was still looking lost and a little afraid. “Don't worry, Kinomiya. Whatever's gone on here, we'll figure it out and fix it, okay?” He stated reassuringly. He had to smile a little when the bluenette nodded slowly and offered a small smile of gratitude before mouthing, “Thank you,” and squeezing Kai's hand.

“I haven't done anything, Kinomiya, so save your thanks.” Kai glanced at the clock. “It's nearly 12:30 am. The others will be back soon, and we'll use that Ouija board to ask Daichi what the hell is going on. But for now, how about popcorn?”

I'm not really hungry. Tyson shrugged, but allowed Kai to pull him to his feet and lead him out to the living area and kitchen. At least the older teen wasn't leaving him alone. I don't think I could handle that yet. He shuddered. Bad enough to be in the dark but alone…

Kai led him to the counter and placed Tyson's hands on the edge. “That's the kitchen counter, Kinomiya, and to your right is a bar stool. Have a seat, while I start popping popcorn.” He set up the popcorn machine, watching Tyson search to his right blindly for the stool and carefully slide onto it. “You alright there for a bit?” Kai asked, noting that the younger teen was still a little pale and shaky, and that every time he heard a noise, he started and looked in that direction. Kai dug out a pot and a wooden spoon.

Tyson nodded. Kai said, “Okay, but if you need my attention, bang on this pot.” and set the pot in front of the bluenette, reaching for one of Tyson's hands and setting it on the pot so he knew where it was. Then he pressed the wooden spoon into Tyson's hand and went about making the popcorn.

The popcorn machine was loud when Kai turned it on. Tyson flinched and kept trying to listen to the other sounds in the room as Kai melted butter on the stove in a small pot for the popcorn and did…whatever else he was doing. It was hard to separate the noises, but it helped Tyson to know where Kai was, and in turn know he wasn't alone.

When the first round of popcorn was popped, Kai began dumping it into individual popcorn bowls for everyone. At that point, Tala came back through the balcony doors.

“So what's with the sudden need to play with the Ouija board, Hiwatari?” The red head asked, still dressed in his costume but without the wings. He'd left those at home when he'd stopped for the board. “You don't normally have a burning need for a séance.”

Tyson looked in the direction of his voice, trying to focus on it. Kai gestured at the bluenette with the spoon he was using to stir the slowly melting butter.

“Tyson's lost his sight and he can't speak. Daichi made his presence known and when I asked if he knew what was wrong with Tyson he gave me a `yes' answer.” Kai explained. “If we want details, we need to communicate more effectively than yes or no questions.”

Tala nearly dropped the board in shock. “Run that by me again? You're not serious.” He walked over to Tyson and frowned at the blank, grey-ish silver eyes that stared out unseeing. “That…is unreal. Okay, so what exactly happened?” He waved a hand in front of Tyson's face, checking to see if he really was blind. Kai had just come around that side of the counter to go looking for the tray he kept in the cabinet under the counter on Tyson's side, just in time to catch the younger teen as he jerked back from Tala's hand and fell backwards off the stool with a squeaking sound.

“Whoa! Watch out, Kinomiya.” Kai warned, helping him sit upright again and letting the bluenette grip his hand and shirtsleeve as he calmed again. He glared at Tala in warning. “Don't do that, dumbass! He's tense and scared enough as it is without you making it worse!”

“I didn't know he was going to jerk like that.” Tala scowled owlishly at his friend, inwardly grinning at the way Kai was being protective of Tyson and how he hadn't taken away his hand yet. “But, I'll apologize anyway. Sorry, Kinomiya.”

Unable to do much else, Tyson nodded and breathed a little easier, loosening his hold on Kai in embarrassment. I'm…not afraid. He protested silently. Just…I just don't like not knowing what's going on around me - not seeing it. I couldn't see what you did but I could feel the air suddenly move in front of my face.

“We don't know what happened, Tala. If we did, we'd be one step closer to fixing it.” Kai gave Tyson a reassuring pat on the shoulder and squeezed his hand before letting go. He knelt and grabbed the tray he needed, standing and setting it on the countertop. “He's taking it all rather well, though. I don't know that I'd handle suddenly being blind and speechless so well.”

Tyson gave a weak smile, feeling a small spark of…something in his chest at the veiled compliment. Would you rather I had a complete meltdown or a panic attack?

“Hmph. You'd have curled up in a ball and not moved.” Tala scoffed in a teasing way. Kai death-glared him and flicked a popcorn piece at him. “Okay maybe not.”

“As soon as the others get here, we'll set up the board and find out what Daichi knows. Then we'll try to figure it out and fix the issue.” Kai set all the popcorn bowls on the tray and went looking for the seasonings he'd bought for it.

“In here or in your room?” Tala asked. “I'll set up the board while we wait for everyone.”

“My room. Clean up yours and Bryan's crap, too. Your stuff's all over in there.” Kai grumbled as the redhead flipped him off over his shoulder as he walked into Kai's room.

His balcony door flew open once again, and a very concerned blonde dashed inside, bee-lining for Tyson. He was followed by Rei and Bryan.

“Tyson! Oh man, Bryan told Rei and I what happened and…oh wow…your eyes are…” Max gaped at the drastic change, halting his babbling effectively.

Smiling sadly, Tyson sighed and reached blindly toward Max, finding his arm and patting it lightly. I'm okay, Max. I appreciate your worrying though.

Rei stopped just beside Max and laid a hand on Tyson's where it rested on the blonde's arm. “Whatever this is, we'll find a way to reverse it, Tyson. Don't worry, okay?”

The bluenette nodded, grateful to his friends and for their support that came unquestioningly.

“Now that we're all here,” Kai spoke up, ready to get on with this. “Bryan, go help Tala clean up your stuff and set up the Ouija board. Max and Rei, you guys can grab all these snacks and get the soda from the fridge.” He began issuing orders, taking charge of the situation as he went to Tyson and took his hands. “I'll lead Tyson back to my room. Come on, Kinomiya.”

Tyson slid off the stool and let Kai gently guide him through the living area once more. He had to wonder why Kai didn't ask Rei or Max to do it, but the curiosity fled as quickly as it had occurred. He really wanted to get this over with and be able to see and talk again.

Of course, he didn't know Kai was mentally asking himself that same question, as well as answering it. I have this odd need to be the one he relies on. I don't know why but…I like being needed by him. Kai helped Tyson to his sofa where he'd sat before and guided him to sit down, taking a seat beside him.

Tala had already set up the board, and was tossing his stuff into his bag, as was Bryan. “I'm just going to change, Kai.” He stated, heading for the closet. Bryan set his bag off in a corner, out of the way, and took a seat on the floor at one end of the coffee table.

“This should be interesting.” He commented as Max and Rei came in with the snacks and soda. “I've never done this before where it actually worked - or where Tala wasn't moving it on his own trying to trick me, I should say.”

“I heard that!” His boyfriend declared from the closet. “I wouldn't do that, either!”

“Yeah, right.” Bryan snickered. “Of course not.”

Rei passed out bowls of popcorn and Max passed out the soda. “Well, this is serious, so I hope he doesn't try any of that tonight.” Rei said quietly.

“Tala's a trickster sometimes, but he's not mean.” Max shook his head, sitting down on the floor opposite Bryan at the coffee table and near Tyson's end of the sofa. “Well, not on purpose, at least.”

“Gee. Thanks, Mizuhara.” Tala huffed in insult, coming out of the closet (no pun intended) and dropping his bag next to Bryan's before flopping down on the sofa between Kai and Bryan. Rei sat down gracefully next to Max on the floor on the other side of the coffee table.

“Okay, you guys. Let's be serious and get to it.” Kai flicked his gaze around the room and pointed at the notebook Tala had set aside to clear the table for the board. “Someone use that to write things down on.”

Rei grabbed the notebook and a pen, flipping to a blank page. “I'll do it. Now what?”

“Yeah, I've never done this before.” Max shivered. “I've always been told not to play around with these things.”

“We've done it before, Max.” Kai shrugged. “I wouldn't recommend doing it in, say, a graveyard, but here it's safe. We're going to talk to a specific spirit, after all.”

Daichi nodded in agreement. That's right. Call me by name, and I'll be able to answer you. If you just gave an open-ended invitation to spirits, anything could answer.

“What do we do?” Max asked. “Do we put our hands on that pointer-thing?”

Tala shook his head and reached out to rest his finger-tips on the edge of indicator. “No, just one of us does. I'll do it, since I've done it before. Then we're supposed to say this special `spell' to get the spirit's attention and start asking questions.”

“But there's no point in using that ridiculous phrase from the instruction booklet.” Kai scoffed and shivered as the room grew a little chilly. Tyson, still grasping Kai's hand like a lifeline, wriggled closer to the older teen's body heat, not sure why he'd suddenly felt cold.

Daichi smirked as the group of boys shivered. I'm here, so can we get on with it? Time's a wasting!

“What was that? Kai, do you have a draft in here or something?” Rei rubbed his hands up and down his arms.

“No. That was Daichi. He was letting us know he was here.” Kai glanced at Tyson, who kept shivering, and looked over at Bryan. “Toss me that throw blanket behind you on the sofa chair, please Bryan.” The lavender-haired teen grabbed it and threw it past Tala to Kai. “Thanks. Here, Tyson. You've had enough shocks for tonight. Stay warm.” he said, quietly, helping the bluenette wrap the blanket around his shoulders and upper body.

“Alright.” Tala looked down at the board steadily and began. “I'm sure you remember me, Daichi. And I'm sure you know why we're doing this. If so, can you indicate yes or no for us?”

The little spirit rubbed his hands together in a brusque way and reached out to the indicator. Normally he'd have played along and just guided Tala's fingers to where he wanted the indicator to go. Tonight, however, required more drastic measures.

And so Tala yelped, startled, when his fingers suddenly felt something icy cold brush them and the pointer zipped out from under his control on its own. It stopped on the `yes' written on the board as they all gasped (minus Tyson, who had no idea what was going on).

“Did you see that? It moved on its own!” Max cried, gaping at the board in astonishment.

Kai raised an eyebrow, surprised, but taking it in stride.

“It's never done that before.” Tala blinked wide-eyed at Kai. “Keep going?”

“Yeah. Okay, Daichi. Do you know what happened to Tyson?” Kai asked one last time, just wanting confirmation. Daichi obligingly moved the pointer off the yes then back over it. It was taking a lot of effort to move the small hole near the trip. But he was able to move it much easier sliding it than if he'd had to pick it up to move it.

Rei wrote down the questions Kai and Tala asked and the answers the spirit, Daichi, apparently gave.

“What is it, Daichi? What happened?” Kai continued.

Daichi frowned, wondering how he was going to explain in the shortest way possible. Well, start with one thing, and clarify from there, I suppose. He moved the pointer again, spelling out one word.

“P-o-l-t-e-r-g-e-i-s-t.” Tala read. “Poltergeist? Some spirit did this to Tyson?”

The indicator hit yes again.

Tyson frowned, listening carefully. A ghost did this to me? They're pulling my leg, right? Ghosts can't do something like this…

Kai noticed the frown on Tyson's face and patted his knee in reassurance.

Come on guys! Pay attention! Daichi moved the pointer again.

“It's moving again!” Rei gestured with the pen and the others watched intently.

“C-u-r-s-e.” Tala read. “It's a curse!”

“Well, I suppose that makes as much sense as anything else.” Bryan scratched his head thoughtfully.

“Why would a ghost do that?” Max wondered, looking around worriedly. “And what if it decides to do it again to one of the rest of us?”

Kai gave the board a dark frown. “Did you do this Daichi?”

The hasty answer was `no,' then: `Not a poltergeist.'

“I guess there's more than just Daichi in this house, Kai.” Tala exchanged glances with his friend.

The pointer moved to yes again.

“Well, if it's a curse, it stands to reason it can be broken somehow.” Rei mused. “At least that's what one hears in stories and legends with curses in them.”

“Yeah.” Max nodded in agreement. “But I still don't get why.”

Daichi hesitated. He couldn't give the real reason the second floor spirit had cursed Tyson. That would a) get him into big trouble with Kai (not to mention Tyson), and b) defeat the purpose of getting the two teens together as subtly as possible. Of course, the reasons that Daichi had were his and not the poltergeist's. With that in mind, he moved the pointer once more.

“'Mischief?!'” Bryan exclaimed. “You've got to be joking!”

“So a poltergeist, not Daichi, came along and cursed Tyson so he could neither see nor speak, out of mischief?” Tala repeated slowly, putting it all together. The indicator moved to the yes in reply. “Well shit…that's some prank.”

Tyson tapped Kai on the hand to get his attention.

“Tyson? What is it?” Kai looked to him and spoke quietly while the others exclaimed and ranted about the new info. “Are you feeling okay?”

The bluenette nodded, but twisted the blanket in his hands in agitation and hung his head. I'm scared. I don't want you to see me scared like this, but I haven't really got a choice, do I? Tyson shuddered and looked up again, pointing vaguely in the direction of the board then placing a hand over his heart. You really believe that story, Kai?

Kai frowned, trying to puzzle out the gesture. “You want to ask something?” He guessed, but received a quick headshake for an answer. “No. Are you asking me if I believe this?”

Yes! Tyson nodded frantically.

“Well, weird as it is, I have to say yes.” Kai laid a hand on Tyson's knee and left it there. “I don't normally believe in supernatural occurrences or whatever, but I know Daichi is real, and he's never done anything to harm me or anyone. I don't think he'd lie to us, either.” The crimson-eyed teen ran his other hand through his hair and blew out a sharp breath. “I know you're probably scared…”

Tyson, though he was, straightened and shook his head adamantly in denial of it. Kai chuckled and gave in.

“Okay, you're not. But if you were, I'd sill say that you don't have to worry. Like Rei said, there has to be a way to break the curse and then you'll be back to normal.” Kai studied the bluenette with a faint smile, noting the tiny blush of embarrassment and that despite his denial, he was trembling a little. He leaned closer and said lowly, “It's okay to be a little scared, Kinomiya. If it were me, I would be.”

Tyson blinked and blushed a little harder, ducking his head to hide it. Kai chuckled and squeezed his knee.

“Okay enough!” Tala raised his hands and said loudly over the others' voices, quieting them. “We need to figure out what to do.”

“Can the curse be broken, Daichi?” Kai asked, feeling the bluenette tense in anticipation of the answer.

Daichi indicated yes. You're on the right track, guys. Keep asking me questions!

Kai felt a wave of relief. “Good. Do you know how?” Again, yes. “Tell us, please!”

It took more thought, but Daichi hoped his answer would allow them to figure it out. He moved the indicator, rapidly spelling out words.

“'Like fairytale.'” Tala intoned, following along closely. “'Sleeping Beauty. Snow White.'”

Everyone face-vaulted and fell over.

“What?!” Max shouted, incredulous. “What kind of answer is that?”

“In those two fairytales,” Bryan tapped his fingers on the table top. “There was a princess or a maiden that was cursed somehow by the evil witch or whatever of the story.”

“Yeah. I remember that, too.” Rei added. “I think they both fell into a deep sleep and couldn't be woken up unless their curse was broken by…by…” his golden eyes went very wide.

“What?” Tala demanded, looking back and forth between Bryan and Rei. “How?”

“By a handsome prince who would be their one true love.” Kai answered. Beside him, Tyson froze and made a strangled sound in his throat, for he knew those tales, too. And he didn't think he liked the conclusion.

Max, becoming uncharacteristically sober and serious, finished their thoughts aloud.

“Yeah. The prince had to kiss the girl and if he loved her she'd wake up and they would live happily ever after.” He shivered, looking up at Tyson with grave sympathy. “So the fairytales go, anyway.”

Tyson felt his chest grow tight and his breathing pick up. A kiss? Someone has to kiss me? Oh…Kami-sama!

Wanting - no, needing confirmation, Kai looked at the Ouija board and asked, “Daichi? Is that what you mean as the curse breaker?”

Everyone held their breaths, waiting for the answer.

Yes.

~*~*~*~

Kali Notes: Okay, so things have to get harder before they can come together and get better. *grins* And you all know me…of course they get better. Thanks for reading! Please R/R!!!!

 

(1) Kali absolutely DOES NOT recommend playing around with such things, ESPECIALLY on Halloween. Those mediums are not toys, and they open up to things that are better left alone. Playing around with the other side is not a good idea. If you do, its at your own risk, and you can't say I didn't warn you. (I'm a yami…I should know, right?)