Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Sea of Memories ❯ November ( Chapter 3 )

 

November

By Timberwolf220

 

-And you save yourself-

-for someone who loves you for you-

-So many times we give it away-

-For someone who, someone who cherishes you now-

 

—“Save yourself” Sensefield

 

-XX-

 

November was a month of longing. Desires spring forth from the children's hearts as they wait for the day when school is over and they are allowed to be children again, instead of children turning into adults. Kai understood this quite well, having to go to school before. His teammates would understand too, except for Rei who had to take tutors in the village. There was no schoolhouse for them there.

 

But now, there was only a dull ache in his bones as he wished for school semester to end. Most of the Bladers returned to school (despite the fact they don't NEED to. They were paid richly enough as it is), so tournaments would only restart when school finished. And for Kai, there was nothing worse than just simply lounging around with nothing to do and no one to battle.

 

So he did the obvious; he trained.

 

Mind you, it wasn't because he felt the drawbacks of his power. It's just with nothing to do; at least Beyblading would keep him occupied. He wondered what Tyson was doing. The only one who ever bothered to get stronger (despite the fact he wasn't overly fond of training) and push his limits even further was Tyson. Was Tyson also simply lounging around with nothing to do (Tyson was one of those people who decided to stay professional) or was he training as vigorously as Kai?

 

Noticing his lack of concentration in his training at that moment, he decided to go over to Tyson's house. Simply to alleviate his boredom, nothing more than that.

 

So he kept telling himself. But he couldn't help remember that Halloween night, when that brief moment of fear gripped him tightly and Tyson held his hand throughout that time. And that instant complete relief that flooded his senses, so strongly that he felt ashamed by it.

 

Tyson didn't ask or say anything after that night. But he did have that soft knowledgeable smile that made Kai realize that there was no need to explain anything. So his trust with Tyson had jumped over new boundaries. When it came down to that, Kai knew he could always trust Tyson. Why? Perhaps it's because Tyson offered trust, the deep unconditional kind that never asks and never needs to know. Everyone wants to learn more about Kai, but Tyson never asks and if he did, or when he did, would Kai answer?

 

Kai stopped at the sidewalk, contemplating that question. Would he tell Tyson about his past if Tyson asked? Yes, no, maybe?

 

I don't know.

 

Ka felt a slight tremble to that sentence. Admitting things or truths about himself have always unnerved him. You simply never know, you see, when someone will come along and take advantage of that. Living for even three years in the abbey is tantamount proof of that. Even when he started the BladeSharks shortly after his escape, he didn't control them through trust or friendship. He used fear and he used it effectively. That was all that mattered anyway. Then he got caught up in the tournament (curse Dickenson for being manipulative) and had a team, a team which he hated because they were equal to him and he couldn't use them the way he used the BladeSharks.

 

It was daunting at times, but they grew on him. He was, after all, still human. He wondered how Tala managed life sometimes, being a cyborg. He had seen the `adjustments' Boris and Voltaire had put on Tala. He remembered Tala's impassive sky-blue eyes as they inserted those `components' into his stomach and his eyes. He remembered the continuous screaming despite the anesthetics laced into his veins. He wondered how Tala managed to live everyday like that.

 

It was hard to imagine, almost impossible if he hadn't been with Tala and lived with Tala for so long. But even so, when he shook hands with Tala, he would feel the concentrated steel on his fingers and shiver. But Tala was his…teammate once upon a time and they had shared much. Two lonely souls, dreaming for a world outside. Tyson wasn't like that. Tyson hasn't received his share of the pain and loneliness. Sometimes, he would be jealous of Tyson with his perfect life and perfect smile and…

 

But he couldn't hate him. There was jealously, envy, perhaps bitterness, but never hate. Not when…

 

Not when he owed him so much. Not when Tyson extended his hand whenever Kai needed it. In that Halloween party and…when he lay alone on the ice, drifting between his guilt and his shame.

 

He stopped suddenly, recognizing the blank white walls of Tyson's home. He had made it here, while still pondering the complexity of his and Tyson's relationship. It didn't seem right to call him a friend, when Tyson was so much more than that. So much more that it seem unjust to call him a `friend'. But if Tyson wasn't a friend, what was he?

 

What was Tyson to him?

 

He decided to let the matter slide and opened the large wooden gate. His feet crunched the dead leaves scattered across the pathway and he smirked. It make sense that Tyson was shirking his chores irresponsibly. He looked up, the dojo towering above him. But before he could take another step, he heard a yell.

 

“Whirlwind attack!”

 

Kai barely had time to lunge out of the way when a silver-blue beyblade rushed towards him, scattering the dead leaves in his wake. He yelled as he hit the tree and watched with stunned eyes at the beyblade spinning past him. The beyblade was gathering the leaves from the ground and carrying it in its whirlwind.

 

So much for shirking the chores,' Kai thought with a smirk. Tyson had just invented a faster way of dealing with them. As usual, Tyson displays his innovativeness in his field of expertise. It never ceases to surprise him.

 

Tyson came huffing a few minute later and surveying his work of sweeping away the leaves, he recalled Dragoon and smiled. Then he saw Kai, slumped next to the tree.

 

“Kai? What happened? Did Dragoon hurt you? What are you doing here? Why didn't you call first? Didn't you learn it's good to knock first?”

 

Kai held up his hands in surrender as he got up, “Slow down,” He said gruffly, “I came just for a visit and a battle. I was getting bored.”

 

Tyson relaxed visibly, his eyes softening. Kai nearly looked away, that look almost made it hard to meet.

 

“Is that all?” Tyson said cheerfully, “Well then, Gramps just put up a new Beyblade dish behind the dojo. Why don't we try it?”

 

Kai nodded and he noticed that the soft knowing look had vanished.

 

It was the standard beyblading dish and there weren't any new scratch marks on it, signaling that Tyson hasn't been using it often. Tyson followed Kai's gaze and answered his unspoken question, “Well, Gramps finished it yesterday and I didn't feel like breaking it in yet.”

 

“I see,” Kai raised his blade, “Shall we?”

 

There was a feral grin that looked like it was suited for tigers and lions rather than people, on Tyson's face, “Of course.”

 

And the blades spin in the air before descending onto the metallic dish. Kai watched his blade spin with an intensity that made the air around it heat up, unlike Tyson's blade that carried with it, the power of the Wind. As the blades slammed each other viciously, not giving each other any leeway, Kai found his eyes drifting towards Tyson.

 

Tyson's eyes were sharper than any nail he had ever seen, his eyes tracing the movements of his blade with a determination that scared Kai. But wasn't he a long time ago, just like that? Letting his passion for the sport devour him little by little, he allowed himself to sink to depths that shouldn't be attainable. Only the sinners, he remembered thinking on those dark days, could sink so low and not regret it.

 

And yet, those same sinners received redemption. Are you a messiah meant for me, Tyson Kinomiya?

 

He blinked as he found his blade by his feet. He bent down and picked it up quietly, staring at the flame designs around his blade. In the centre, in all her beauty was Dranzer, wreathed in glory. And he remembered what Black Dranzer looked like and how despite everytime he picked up that blade, he would feel a thrill of power and fear.

 

“There's something on your mind,” It was a clear statement, as clear as Tyson's eyes at that moment. Tyson was slightly angry, he could see it in the firm set of his small mouth and the grim lines on his forehead, but there was worry.

 

How could he? Why should he?

 

“Why do you care?” Kai blurted out and then turned away as if embarrassed by his confession, “Why do you always care? I've never repaid you, so why do you? I offer you nothing, and yet you always come with open arms and…” He stopped suddenly and looked down at the ground.

 

“That's an easy question,” Kai blinked in surprise and looked at Tyson, who was grinning, “You needed me, so I came. Does that really merit a `why'?”

 

“No one's ever that giving,” Kai said scowling, “No one gives anything and doesn't ask for anything in return. Not even you.”

 

Tyson smirked slightly and cocked his head towards the sky, “You're right, I'm not that noble. I'm a very selfish person. I give you everything…because I don't want you to leave again,” And his eyes were filled with the light of the Sun, the mist in his eyes clearing. Kai couldn't look away; the sight was intoxicating to his senses, “So I do everything, anything I can, just to give you a reason not to.”

 

And when the ice began floating away, he clasped the hand tightly and was enveloped by the blessed relief on Tyson's face. It made his choice to return all the more worthwhile.

 

“I won't leave,” There was a promise hidden in those words, “I won't.”

 

Tyson looked surprised, but he smiled, “That makes me feel a lot better, you know,” He sighed and looked away, “I won't lose you again.”

 

Kai smirked, “I'll remember that.” Slipping his blade into his pocket, he felt the warmth radiating from the heated blade. Smiling, he walked away from the dojo, knowing that Tyson's eyes were following him all the way.

 

He expected Tyson to do no less.

 

-XX-

 

A/N: ….I like this one…

 

-It's isn't only about giving-

-It's about receiving as well-

-And appreciating it-

—Author's observations