Chapter 8.
Rhapsody Overwhelms



“Sai? You awake… you’re safe,” a voice mustered, comforting. A washcloth was placed on Sai’s forehead as the small boy, exhausted completely, slept in the small 'apartment' (condo). Many voices around him spoke good and mercy about him. Couple people came to tend his wounds. Others arrived to find a way to find a way to cure an unknown, rare poison he received when landing into the rusty nails and hooks that went down the sea many times, or a cure to stop what he received when he was ‘harassed.’ Even though, everyone left, leaving Sage, Kento, and Ryo to their care. Little did they know, if they don’t reverse Rowen first… they all will be into much trouble and probably there’ll be no

hope yet to find.

---------------------- Mutant’s Tower ------------
Mar: “Master, we’ve their minds tricked. Shall we kill them off now?”

The Mutant thought, evilly, “If we do, then where’s our entertainment? Let’s wait and see them kill themselves first. Using Strata was a great plan, I do say. Now they think their ally, Dais of Illusion is the enemy they’re facing… not even Torrent could help to that fact.”

Captain Leigh bowed and also added, “In just a week, Torrent will be ours. So will the others! He’s dying to our hands.”

Mutant: “Excellent, Captain. Now, since they’re in an emotional moment, let’s take our time and kill them off.”
Lt. Mars snickered, “One by one, Your Majesty?”

The Mutant turned, patting both the Captain and Lieutenant on the ‘back,’ he hissed in a menace way, “ONE by ONE, people. We’ll do it one by one.”
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“AHH!” Sai screamed, waking up, crying to him, he slapped himself. “No, not YOU! Quit it! Stop doing this to me! STOP! NO!”

Sage came in, “What’s wrong Sai? STOP IT!” holding on to Sai’s arms to stop him from hitting himself.

Sai shook Sage’s hands off of him saying, “LET GO OF ME! Why am I to do this? How come I’m like this? What has happened…!”

Sage shouted, “Sai! Quit kicking and fidgeting! Your legs are…!” BLAM!

Kento arrived, watching Sai fall to the floor, his ankle in worst shape… his arms in a wrapped bandage now bled.
Sage held Sai’s hands and legs back, trying to make him stop. Sai was confused and angry all at once and attempted to strike Sage the best he could. Doing such attempt, he was blocked easily… too easily. Giving up, Sai scooted away from Sage, as much as his legs would allow; he started to quiver, tears streaming down his own face.

Kento went over to him giving him some gentle words, “You fell at the Aquarium, Sai. You’re injured from trying to stop Rowen from running.”
Sai’s whimper became quiet, silent. He ‘hugged’ himself tight, afraid that Sage will hit him or something. Then, without notion, Sage started to pick him up off the ground, back onto the bed. He promised, “I’ll tell you everything you want to know. I’m not angry with you. You were probably in a sleepwalk nightmare.”

Sai became stiff for he felt guilty, though he didn’t had to be.
Kento smiled and asked, “What you want to eat? You slept for two nights and two days, so you have to be hungry.” Sai shook his head, wrapping the blankets around him. “Something to drink?” His head shook again, but his eyes showed that he was afraid or hurt for some reason.

Sage answered, “Just get him something good to eat and drink. But don’t give him milk… his body cannot take that in yet.”

Kento nodded and rushed downstairs to fix him something to eat, making sure he followed every instruction from the cookbook.
Sai then whispered, “You know where… Ryo is?”

“Well,” Sage began, twisting his hair around, “Ryo… these two days and nights, have been with you. He was afraid that someone might attack you during your sleep, or you’ll be unsecured. He never slept till today… we made him cause he looked ill.” Sage swallowed, knowing he didn’t tell about everything. He told the truth… but not all of it. Sai was satisfied by that answer and gave him a small smile. Sage comforted, “Go to sleep, Sai. You need to rest. I’ll be here.” Before he finished, Sai had gone back to sleep.
Ryo had just woke up. He asked himself, “Why won’t he tell me what’s going on?” Kento passed by the door, balancing a dish in one hand, the drink in another, and napkins and a bowl on his head, “Steady. Just be careful…”

Ryo got to the door, laughing, “Kento! Why are you balancing a bowl and napkins on your HEAD? They’ll fall!”

Kento then stopped and retorted, “Then why don’t you help and carry some things?”
Sai only took a snooze as he heard the door creak, he awoke like lightning, hidden in the covers. Kento putted down the dishes of food as Ryo came in with a bowl of soup and the drink. Sai smiled, seeing Ryo.

Ryo beamed back, “So, you’re feeling better, bud? Here, you should drink. Kento made you slush…” Sai’s face then became sad, his head down.
Kento pouted, “What’s wrong with it? You didn’t taste it yet!” Sage then got up, patting Sai and Ryo, he pulled Kento to the exit. Kento without another word followed.

Ryo offered it once again, but he still refused a bite. “Why you won’t drink it?”

Sai, slowly, put his hand on Ryo, “I… I need… to… tell you… something.”

Ryo encouraged him, “Go ahead! I won’t tell anyone.” Sai was about to tell him everything, including about his dream, what has happened, evidence, and including his thoughts.
He stopped himself before he could even start. Stumbling his words for he felt foolish to lie, he said, “Rowen… isn’t Rowen.”

Ryo was surprised when Sai didn’t say anything else for he knew Sai had something else to say, “And?” Sai shrugged and said nothing else. “Of course Ro isn’t Ro. He would have come with us to help you! Now, what else were you gonna say? Tell me!”
Ryo then cooled, temporarily, and urged Sai to drink it. Sai, feeling a little comfort, took a tiny sip of it. It was cool and delicious. But Sai wasn’t thinking about that. What he was thinking was cold and cruel. When Sai stopped to look around, Ryo then repeated, “What is it you were going to say? Was IS it?”

Sai then felt unpleasantly safe and started to back up. “WHO is it who’s doing this? Tell me, Sai! I need to know!”
He became frustrated and started to loose patience, shaking Sai hard. “TELL ME!” Sai shook his head, furiously. “TELL ME!” Ryo was being really rough and was, unnoticeably, pinching (Ryo didn’t know… remember he lost his temper?) and digging at Sai’s injuries. Sai tried to brush Ryo’s shaking hands off of him, but Ryo kept on wanting to know what was going on and was hurting Sai even more. At automatic defense, he slapped Ryo, though not as hard as his mother did.

Ryo became shock, not knowing he was wrong, “You SLAPPED me? You…! YOU! F… Fine then! I won’t… I won’t be concerned with you!” Ryo stomped away, running.
Sai became emotional, shaking his head, he felt guiltier. He, without concern, broke the glass of slush, making his hand scraped. Blood flew over the towel he had over his blanket.

Sage heard it and ran in, seeing Sai’s hand injured. “Sai… did you and Ryo…?” Sai didn’t answer but fell back, backing up to a corner. He was scared once again. Sage took the covers and covered Sai around him. Sai, as he didn't know, was a little anemic and if Sai got sick, he had to get better fast.
Three days past, Sai sat there, as if in outer space, waiting for Ryo to come to him one day soon. Sai asked to talk to Ryo, but there was always an excuse to not. Sai strive could not be undone; he wanted to get outside now. He wanted to tell Ryo something. He wanted to 'attack' Rowen who done this to him. He wanted… everything to be all right again. It seemed like a hopeless mission. Taking his time, adjusting his position, he took down an old knife that hung by his bedstead and examined it.
He thought of his past master in the mountains when he was really little. Sai could remember many good things his old master told him. But without thinking, he felt foolish enough to chase Rowen down to talk to him. This led him to think about the fight with Talpa. He wasn't anyone's hero. Only a 'hero' to himself. Sai had no hero either. Then, Sai kept his mind busy, thinking… thinking HARD.
He then overheard a conversation, taking place in the next room. Moving off the bed, he lost balance and fell onto the wooden floor, twisting his arm, a halfway turn. Sai, not loosing his wits, took his time to crawl to the further, right wall, pressing his ear to hear as much as he could. "… really? What's this…?" a voice muffled, lightly. "… he so he'll not notice…" Sai became alert, "So THAT'S the commotion! They're going to…?" He listened more, but his mind struck to a conclusion; he had to get downstairs. Sai knew he needed to get outside… somehow!
Sai, without taking a crutch or even a stick, shot out the door, slowing at every minute. Stumbling over everything that wedged out. "I need to get outside and think!" He then came to the stairs, looking down, his head swirled dizzily again as he came across it. Swallowing lightly, he stumbled down the stairs, one by one. Tripping over a crevice at his left foot, he flew down the stairs, the same way as he done at the hospital. This time, landed headfirst into someone with a blue-striped jacket. It was Ryo.
Ryo asked, "How in the world did you get down here? I didn't even hear you…" then he stopped and turned, concentrating himself on the floor. Sai simply said, plaintively, "I fell down here." Pulling at the railing, he stirred and sat himself diagonally of where Ryo placed himself. He didn't know if he could tell Ryo; he didn't know how to even to tell Ryo about the conversation he heard!
Trembling, he saw a keyboard near and without asking for permission or help, he slid down the last few steps toward the chair. Managing to sit himself up, Ryo suddenly was attentive, watching Sai place his injured hands on the keyboard, shakily agonized by the stingy at his finger tips. Adjusting it to piano mode, he played a song that was soft and gentle. It was a song that was always a favorite to Ryo once before (in the 'classic' or contemporary section) called "Angels Cry Roses and Rain." Though Sai didn't sing or make a noise; he just stared and played without even taking his eyes to the keys, changing the beat when a refrain or new tempo came in.
Ryo listened, intently, and didn't take his eyes off of the music. He played it with another tune, another thought, and another way. It took both of their minds off of their troubles, temporarily. The music relaxed him. He was still, though, thinking: "How could I apologize? HOW could I help him? What's going on?" His mind paged through his past, present, and even some flashbacks he had previously. This was such a nuisance to him to worry about this. But he knew it was by his entire fault. At least that was what he felt at that time.
Waiting for maybe a chance that Sai will speak up, he listened and wondered. Sai was a natural 'pianist' sometimes, but this in particular moment, his mind didn't shook the notes he played. His hands bounced upon the keys, putting every note it's true sound.
He couldn't figure still how come Sai didn't ask him about anything or even spoke any. Sai just played, concentrated on the keys and his mind. But then, unexpectedly, Sai was in the middle of a refrain, he stopped, dropping his hands, he closed his eyes, for a long time, and then got up, unsteadily, to get out the door, holding on to a ledge that stuck up as a small shelf.

Ryo got up, saying, "We have to talk, Sai."

Sai glared, firmly, "We've nothing to talk about. I'm going outside for some fresh air."
Easily, Ryo blocked Sai from getting out the door, "No, Sai. We need to talk, NOW. I just can't let you on like this."

Sai leaned onto the wall, trying to support himself, demanding, "Let me out, Ryo."

"No, I need to talk to you."

Sai, still in a firm, but more wary tone, ordered, "Yes. I say 'yes' now let me go."

Ryo still didn't budge one bit, "I say 'no' so you CAN'T."

"NO?" Sai shrieked, "No? I'm being hallucinated and held 'isolated' practically, and you say 'NO?' You… YOU all betrayed me! You're going to trick me! You all are… traitors!"
Ryo clasped onto Sai's wrists, keeping him from moving or to strike, which didn't really work. "Let me GO, Ryo Sanada! Let me GO NOW! You're not my friend! You're not!" Ryo didn't make one effort to do what Sai wished, "Sai, quit it! You're hurting yourself…!"

Sai started to cry, trying to unclasp from Ryo's grip, "You want me to die! You want ME to! No… NO!" Ryo shook Sai hard, shouting loudly, "BE QUIET, SAI! I DON'T WANT YOU TO DIE! I DON'T!"