“Are you all set to go, Ferain?” asked Seven Itani, as he closed the metal door of a near-empty room.

It was beneath one of the District-D warehouses, an empty one that she was told about by some of the people that she’d beaten in the arena a week before. There was an old mattress, and that was really about it. It was as barren as it was inhospitable, but it didn’t matter to her. She would only be there for a day or so, not a moment more. Ferain finished putting together her ensemble, which was a pair of blue denim shorts, some black tights with the electric blue stripes on the right leg, a black t-shirt that hugged her petite figure tightly, and a hooded blue jacket that reached her knees. As Itani walked closer, she was putting a black hat atop her head and making sure it was snug so it would stay in place.

“All set, Itani.” she replied, turning to face him. “Have you figured it all out already?”

“I have. I got in touch with some contacts back in Tokyo that know exactly what’s been happening with your murderous friend. Apparently, he’s been tried and found guilty, obviously, and for the time being has been held in a youth facility for dangerous underage wielders. However, with his crimes being what they are, and the fact that he’ll be turning seventeen soon, they found it better to transfer him in a few days to a more capable holding facility. It’s a place known as The Hollow. Like Olirian, it’s a man-made island off the coast of Japan, though it’s much closer and much smaller. It’s specifically made for dangerous wielders that committed unforgivable crimes.”

“Which means that I won’t be able to touch him once he’s there.” she said.

“Exactly. Lucky for you, my contact was able to send me the details on the exact route they plan on taking and the time of the transfer. You’ll have everything you need as long as you move quickly. Most vehicles are electronic nowadays, which should allow you to use your powers to their fullest in order to stop them in their tracks. They’ll have some failsafes, but you’re strong enough that you should be able to bypass them. They can only handle so many volts before even their safety measures are fried up. I also know a person that can get you on a ship out of the city and back to the mainland. She’ll even smuggle you back as long as you don’t botch this up.”

“And I can leave soon?”

“Right away. That’s why I’m here. No doubt Guji will be hunting us down soon enough. I’m sure he’ll suspect something is amiss once he realizes that you’re not where you’re supposed to be. We need to get you out as soon as possible.”

Ferain nodded her head as she took the school band off of her left wrist and put a tremendous amount of power through it. The screen flickered between brightness and darkness as smoke billowed up from within its electronics. She threw the trashed device in a bin not far from her and looked seriously up at the man.

“Before we go, I have a question. Why are you helping me? Why do you want me to go through with this so badly?”

“I want you to be the best you can be,” said the professor. “I despise weakness. I can’t tolerate a sniveling, incapable soul. What I hate most of all is wasted potential. In order for your potential to be reached, for you to be as strong as possible, you need to get rid of what holds you back. Your fear of Kiko, your guilt of what happened, and your own insecurities of everything that’s happened is preventing you from utilizing all of your potential. Thus, killing him will free your shackles, in a manner of speaking.”

“But what do you gain out of it? This is a huge risk, and there’s always the possibility that I’ll be caught and you’ll be discovered.”

“My dear, there’s no possible scenario where that comes to pass. You’ll succeed, and we’ll both be the better for it, you’ll see. Come now, it’s best you get going before we run out of time. We have a schedule to keep.”

“Alright.” said Ferain, following him out of the room and into the streets of District-D.

The world outside was dark and dreary. A gathering of gray clouds had taken over the skies above Olirian, and while it wasn’t raining heavily, the fog and faint cascading drizzle was enough to reduce visibility. Itani handed her a different band, which she used to swipe over the sensor to get into District-E without any problems, using her powers to disrupt the camera feed so the guards taking shelter inside the gatehouse didn’t notice. In this weather, it was unlikely, but still perhaps possible for the cameras to be hindered every once and a while. The ship in question that Itani had arranged for her was more like a fishing vessel, but that was only in terms of size. It was a smaller boat, though it carried various crates of cargo, some empty and some full to the brim. Some of the containers were being unloaded while others were being brought aboard, mostly empty ones that would be reused to transfer more goods at a later date.

“This her, Seven?” asked a woman that must have been the captain, and sole occupant of the ship. She had a scar over her right eye, which seemed to be permanently shut because of the old injury. Her wavy curls of dark brown hair and her darker skin complexion caused the seafoam eye that remained to pop in the darkness of the day. She had a larger, muscular figure, and over that she wore a brown leather coat with fur trimmings, and some black pants that looked waterproof. The coat was zipped and buttoned shut so whatever she was wearing over her torso wasn’t visible to Ferain, but it wasn’t like it mattered much to her anyhow.

“This is Yui, yes. Yui,” he said, looking at Ferain. “This is my friend Kristen. I met her shortly after arriving here and she’s been a huge help ever since.”

“You know, Seven, for a daughter, she really doesn’t resemble you much.”

“Daughter?” Ferain wondered silently, trying to keep her face blank and unreadable.

“She takes more after her mother, this one.” he said, patting the top of Ferain’s head, and pushing the cap further down to better hide her face. She didn’t know if this was on purpose or not, but she didn’t protest or fight against it. Better to let him do the talking until she was safely removed from Olirian. Until then, every person could be a threat, and nobody could be trusted. This was the reason for the fake name, she assumed. It would seem that Seven Itani very much practiced what he preached, especially when it came to trust and distrust.

“Hmm. Lucky her, then.” said Kristen. “Well, Yui, I’ll be glad to have you aboard. I have a spare cabin that you can use, though it’s more like a closet in some ways. I hope that’s alright.”

“It’s fine.” Ferain murmured, keeping her face lowered.

“Everything is loaded up, Kristen!” shouted a man who was crossing a metal ramp from the ship to the docks.

“Perfect! Thank you!” she called back, waving at the uniformed dock worker. She then faced Itani and smiled. “Well, we best be going, then. Come on, Yui, I’ll show you to your room. This little thing moves a bit quicker than the bigger ship the students all ride so we’ll be back before too long. By the time you wake up in the morning, the city should be in view.”

“Wonderful.” Ferain muttered, following her towards the ramp.

“Yui.” said Itani, stopping her in her tracks. Kristen continued onwards, probably assuming he just wanted to bid his young daughter farewell. “Good luck, you’ll need it.” he said.

She glared at him angrily before storming across the ramp, which retracted into the side of the ship as a set of guard rails swung shut, making sure there was no longer a gap in the dull metal bars that surrounded the perimeter of the wooden deck.

“This way, Yui.” said the woman, gesturing for her to follow.

Above deck, most of the open space was used for metal cargo containers. There weren’t many, but there was enough to make it a sort of maze to get through. Closer to the back of the ship resided what appeared to be a metal cabin that was painted white, but rusted in enough places to make it look aged and battered and nearly unrecognizable as such a color. Orange lights were illuminated along the sides of the three-story tall structure, causing spheres of light to hover around the actual bulbs due to the heavy fog that surrounded them. Through the aged metal door, Ferain found herself in a cramped corridor that went both left and right, both paths leading to flights of stairs. One went down while the other went up, and in between those was another door.

“This door leads to my meager kitchen and a bathroom, where you can get cleaned up and use the toilet if you need. Above us is my office and then above that is the bridge, where I’ll be spending most of my time. Directly below us are the two bedrooms, and below that is the cargo bay. If you’re hungry, you can help yourself. There’s a shower but no bath, so you’ll have to make do. For now, though, I’ll show you to your room.”

Ferain followed her to the next floor down, almost slipping on the steep metal steps that certainly didn’t have enough room for anybody’s feet. The sleeping deck had two doors that had a decent distance between one another. Upon entering the farthest one, she discovered that most of the space must’ve been dedicated to the room she wouldn't be sleeping in, which was without a doubt meant for Kristen. Ferain’s cabin was as the captain described it, small, and extremely similar to a closet. There was literally nothing more than a cabinet that went from the floor to the ceiling, though Ferain could see an outline in the lower portion of the wall opposite from the door. Dangling from the area in between the seams were two black cords that Kristen explained to be for the bed.

“You pull those and it releases the locks on the bed, thus allowing you to lower it from the wall. Here, I’ll show you.” Kristen used both hands to pull the cords and a small cot unfolded downwards. It was a thin mattress, barely thick enough to be considered anything more than a bed sheet. A metal cable at the two outer corners connected the bed to the wall, making sure it didn’t continue moving downward. “Not the most comfortable thing, but it’ll do. Typically, I make dinner around eight or nine, so if you can wait until then, I’ll be making fish and rice, the former of which being as fresh as fresh could be. If you’re a seafood lover, your tongue will thank me.”

“I don’t actually like fish. I’ll have some rice though.”

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“To each their own. I’m fine with it, I suppose. Well, you can do whatever you want and go almost anywhere you want. I only have one rule, stay out of the cargo bay. It’s off limits, understand?”

“Yes.” Ferain answered coldly.

“Good, then we’ll get along just fine. I’ll come fetch you when dinner is ready so make yourself at home.”

The door closed behind Kristen as Ferain pulled her hat off and ran a hand through her mess of hair. With a heavy sigh, she fell backwards on the bed to stare up at the dingy metal ceiling. She didn’t bother leaving the room until they were well away from the island. Only when a few hours had passed did she go above deck. The view was better up there, seeing only the ocean in every direction for as far as the dense fog would allow. Her shorter hair shifted in the seabreeze as the rain fell around her, though it never actually hit her body. A small, nearly invisible armor of lightning was cast around her, keeping herself dry within as the rain sizzled whenever it struck the barrier.

“You’re pretty, you know that?” came Kristen’s voice, as the sounds of her boots striking metal approached from behind. “You really do look nothing like your father.”

“I never have.” Ferain said, recalling her real father’s face while staring out at the shifting water that surrounded them. “Shouldn’t you be driving the boat?”

“We’re going in a straight line at the moment, the electronics should be able to handle at least that much on their own.”

“Electronics?” asked Ferain.

“Like most cars nowadays, boats also have autonomous systems built in. I’m not normally one for using them but I figured it wouldn't hurt for a few minutes. I saw you standing down here and was curious what you were up to.”

“Enjoying the view.” Fera grumbled. She placed her bandaged right hand on the railing and sighed. “I’m just thinking.” she then added seriously.

“Care to share? I heard I’m a great listener.”

“From who?” asked Fera.

“My ex-husband, believe it or not. That's probably the only thing he ever complimented me on. So, what do you say?”

Fera thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. “It’s personal, not really something I can share with others. It’s something I have to do, and it’s a bit stressful, but… I have to do it.”

“How come?”

“Huh?”

“Seven didn’t tell me anything about why you’re going back, but judging by your face, it seems important. Is it? Do you really have to do whatever this is, even if you don’t want to?”

“Who says I don’t?” asked Ferain.

“Your face, sweetie. It’s written all over it. But, if you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. I was just offering some help if needed, nothing more. I don’t like prying into people’s business too much.” After a moment of silence, she nodded her head. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your sightseeing.” Kristen slowly started walking back towards the cabin.

“If you don’t want to do something, even if you have to do it… does that mean it’s not the right thing to do?” Ferain asked. “Does that mean it’s a mistake, or that it's wrong in some way?”

She heard Kristen stop several feet away. “It depends on what it is, dear. I hate going to the grocery store but I have to do it, don’t I? But, I’m assuming that what you’re referring to is not exactly as mundane as a shopping trip, right?”

“No, it’s not.”

“Then, let me ask you a quick question in return. It might not sound like an answer, or it might seem like a cheap one, but I mean it seriously. Do you think it’s wrong? Do you believe it to be a mistake?”

“I… I don’t know.” Ferain admitted. “I just feel like I have to do it, like… like nothing will ever be fixed until it's done. This thing is putting everything on hold, it’s consuming everything that I am, and I feel like if I don’t deal with it, I can’t ever move on. But, I also believe that it’s not completely moral. I don’t have any other choice though. I have to do it.”

“Maybe, or maybe you don’t. You’re the one that decides that, Yui. Like I said, it may be a cheap answer, but it’s the truth. Only you can really decide if it’s worth doing or if it’s a mistake. It’s your choice, whether you think you have one or not.” Kristen smiled softly in the light rain while continuing her progress back towards the metal door that would allow her to escape the weather. “I’ll be starting dinner soon, dear. You said some rice will be fine?”

“Yeah.” Fera muttered, not bothering to watch her go. Her right hand clenched tighter around the bar, causing singed scuffs to appear in the shape of her curled fingers. “My choice. So many choices have been made for me by other people, all the way back to eleven years ago. Is this really any different? Kiko did all of this, he chose this path for me. I’m just seeing it through to the end. But do I really have to?” she wondered quietly, staring out at the water like it would hold the answers she sought. “My choice.”

Ferain stood out there until she was called down for dinner, which for her was an enormous bowl of white rice with some sort of orangish sauce she had never tried before. It had a sweeter flavor to it, or would if she could really taste it. She didn’t know why, perhaps her recent mood or maybe an illness of some kind, but food hasn’t had much flavor for her as of late. For all the good this sweet and warm and comforting concoction did her, it might as well have been bland and cold, since that was all she could really recognize.

“How do you like it?” asked Kristen.

“It’s good.” Fera lied, taking another spoonful of it and swallowing it shortly after.

“Glad you like it. I made the sauce myself. Technically, it’s a recipe passed down from my mother’s side, but still, it’s homemade.” she said with a proud grin.

Fera’s features darkened as she lowered her head and took another bite of the food. Just as she was about to take one more, she stopped halfway and lowered the spoon.

“You’re too young for all of this.” Ferain heard the woman say in a very soft, quiet tone. “You’re what, fourteen, fifteen?”

“Sixteen.” Fera answered coldly, never enjoying the idea of people thinking she was still some child because of her smaller stature.

“Either way, your eyes look as heavy as any adult’s. They look like you’re carrying far too much.”

“I am.” Fera admitted. “But that’s okay. I can handle it. I’m about to handle it. Once this is done with, I’ll be better again. I’ll be free from all of this and I can finally move on. I just need to get through this one last thing.”

“You poor girl.” Kristen whispered, causing Fera to look up into her one good eye, which seemed to be glistening beautifully. “As an older woman, I’m going to let you in on a secret that most kids don’t ever realize until it’s too late. This ride we all are on, it’s never over. It doesn’t end until the day we die. This ‘last thing’ you mentioned, it won’t really be the last thing. If you think you can just pass over one obstacle and the rest of your life will be perfect, you’re mistaken.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” Fera asked her. “Just keep suffering through it all until I die? I can’t do that. I can’t handle that.” She reached up with her bandaged hand and gripped her shirt, just over her heart. “It hurts too much. I can’t deal with it anymore. I need to think it can end. I need to believe that I can fix this, and that I won’t have to suffer anymore… Because if I can’t, if this is never going to be over… I’d rather just die now.”

These words, this pain, it wasn’t just caused by recent events. For Ferain, it was all a build up. It was a culmination of everything that she hated and everything that had caused her pain throughout her life. The betrayals of her family, the betrayal of her friend, the idea now that all of these betrayals and lies wouldn't be the end of it, but simply the beginning. Was life really just a series of lies and painful memories? Was it true that one lie just simply led into another? That one problem just continued to grow? Was it true that this pain she felt would never really go away, no matter how hard she tried to fix everything? The way Kristen was talking, that was the case. One would always follow the other. Nothing would ever truly end. Ferain would always have to carry this weight.

“Life isn’t going to be a smooth ride for you, sweetie, that’s not the case for anyone. There’s ups and downs. There’s horrible moments that we will always want to forget, but then there’s also moments that we will never dream of getting rid of. Pain is a part of it all, no matter who you are. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but the real challenge isn’t solving everything that comes your way. There will be failures sometimes, times where you simply can’t fix it. The real challenge is understanding that, accepting it, and allowing yourself to move on the best you can.”

Kristen held a finger up to her scarred eye, seemingly without thinking about it, like it was a habit of hers. “There are some things that are just out of our control, and as a person, it’s hard to face that truth. We always want to be in control of everything around us, to know that with hard work and a bit of brains, we can never be taken by surprise. We always believe that no matter what, if we are better, stronger, smarter, we can solve everything before anything even becomes a problem. That’s not real though. That’s not how life works. The truth is, even the strongest and smartest people alive will have unforeseen failures. Even they will be beaten and brought down by something. Then, like everyone else, when they are on equal footing and all of their accomplishments and praises mean nothing, they’ll have to go through the same thing as the rest of us. We all have to find ways to bring ourselves back up again, and learn from what happened so we can be better prepared for the next time. Not to prevent it, but to make sure that when we are brought down, we are left a little higher than when we fell before.”

Kristen went silent for a moment and Fera stared blankly at her bowl of rice. After several seconds passed, Fera rose from her seat. “I’m done, thank you. I’m going to take a shower and go to bed.”

“Goodnight, then.” Kristen said in return, giving a surprisingly genuine smile, catching Ferain off-guard.

She found herself unwillingly grinning back before leaving the room behind. Her shower was cold and quick, and before long, she was back on her cot on the next floor down. She had her eyes closed while laying on her back, but she did not sleep. Her hands were behind her head as her body felt every sway of the waves their vessel rode over, and all the while, there was a quiet humming in her body that she knew to be her powers. While laying there with only the sounds of the crashing waters to soothe her, her lips parted faintly, and she began to hum as well. She sang Anita’s song, the one that her partner wrote for her all those months ago back in their dorm. The one that became her favorite thing in the entire world to listen to. She eventually fell asleep, with the vibrating melody still tingling on her lips as her consciousness faded from the world.

The next morning, Ferain was above deck, leaning on a railing at the bow of the ship, watching the city come into a clearer view over the horizon. Her hat was gripped loosely in her left hand, allowing her hair to blow around her face.

“My choice.” she said.

“We’ll be arriving soon enough, Yui.” said Kristen, stepping up behind her.

Ferain put her hat on and nodded her head while adjusting it. “Good. Can’t wait.”

“I bet you can’t. You look pretty enthusiastic.” the woman said, clearly meaning it in a sarcastic manner. “Anyway, I’ll be docked for a few days. Seven said you’ll only need one or two but my business will be keeping me here a bit longer. If you aren’t back when I have to leave, I’ll be taking off without you. Nothing personal, but it’s my job to keep to my schedule. If I’m even a day off in deliveries, things go awry.”

“Understood.” said Fera.

“I hope so. It would be a shame to miss your ride back to the school. You might be expelled or something if they catch on to what you’re doing.”

“It doesn’t matter, but I’ll be back in time anyway.” With a glowering expression, she observed the city growing closer with every passing second, building up the courage she’d need to do what was necessary. “Soon, Kiko, I’ll finish all of this.” she thought to herself.